THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 87 



the troops and a few militia until driven off by the enemy. Their 

 appearance next day with a flag of truce, shortly followed by a party 

 whose force caused me to retreat to Stony Creek on the ist June. 

 During the next week we had several skirmishes in which I lost 

 some of my men." 



Mr. Merritt had previously organized a company of dragoons, 

 and with these he was detailed to protect the rear of the retreating 

 army. Being well acquainted with this section of the country, he 

 was able to do this work effectively, although it taxed his men to 

 the utmost, as they had little rest and scarcely any sleep for six or 

 eight days. His acquaintance with the people enabled him to keep 

 well posted in all the movements of the invaders. He used this 

 knowledge to the great advantage of the British, but the enemy wnth 

 their large invading force drove the pickets of the rear guard across 

 the big creek near the Red Hill, and as far west as Aikman s. This 

 was the position of the British when the Americans encamped near 

 Stony Creek late in the afternoon of the 5th of June. Mr. Merritt, 

 continuing his narrative, says : 



"A reconnoissance by Colonel Harvey and Cornet McKenney 

 revealed the fact that the enemy were encamped for the night at 

 Stony Creek, and that they had a party of 1,500 men on the lake 

 shore. On the return of the party sometime near midnight when 

 Mr. Merritt and a number of officers were lying on the grass fast 

 asleep, a suggestion was made either by Cornet McKenney or Mr. 

 George, an ensign in the militia, that it would be a good idea to 

 attack the enemy in their camp, and probably surprise them before 

 daylight shewed the real state of their numbers. Col. Harvey ap- 

 proved of the plan and proposed it to General Vincent, who after a 

 little deliberation proceeded to carry it into effect, much to the joy of 

 all who left their homes a few days ago in grief and sadness of heart. 



" In the silence of a warm summer's night the order to advance 

 was quietly given, and never were preparations for a deadly grapple 

 with an invading foe more heartily received. It has been truly and 

 eloquently said that the battle of Stony Creek was neither a Waterloo 

 nor an Inkerman, but that the issues at stake for the men of the 

 Niagara peninsula were, everything equal, as important in their 

 results as the success of the most dearly won field that ever the 

 conquerors rested upon." 



