634 



Americans caution; frequent defeats brought 

 them better acquainted with tactics ; and dear- 

 bought experience in the business of an active 

 campaign, enabled them to take the field with 

 many essential qualifications of good soldiers; 

 consequently the different actions were more 

 obstinately contested, and the side to which 

 victory would incline rendered more dubious. 

 The principal affairs that took place during 

 the two first campaigns were the following, and 

 while they prove that nothing but the uncom- 

 mon firmness and heroic devotion of the differ- 

 ent corps saved the country, will also shew that 

 such a result was hardly to be expected. Im- 

 mediately after the declaration of hostilities, 

 General Hull, with a large force, crossed the 

 River Detroit, and made an incursion upon the 

 Canadian frontier, but retired almost immedi- 

 ately afterwards to his own side, and strength* 

 ened himself at Fort Detroit, where he was 

 attacked on the l6th August, 1812, by 700 

 regulars and militia, under the command of 

 General Brock, assisted by 600 Indians, and 

 so completely vanquished that he surrendered 

 himself and all his army of 2500 men prisoners 

 of war. On the night of the 12th October an-* 

 other American corps of 1500 men crossed the 

 Niagara River near Queenstown, and on the 

 morning of the 13th, soon after day-break, 

 were defeated by a body of 650 men under 



