Total--including officers. 84 559 193 41 Grand total, 878 In consequence of the great use made by the enemy of buck-shot, many of the wounds have proved slight. (Signed) EDWARD BAYNES, Adjutant-general. ATTACK UPON BUFFALO. a Extracts of letters from Brigadier-General Gaines, to the Se cretary of War, dated Head- Quarters, Fort Erie, Upper Canada, August 7, 1814. “I arrived at this post on the fourth instant, and assumed the command-the army is in good spirits, and more healthy than I could have expected. “The British army under lieutenant-general Drummond is strongly posted opposite to Black Rock, two miles east of this fort; a skirt of thick wood separates us. "I yesterday endeavoured to draw him out, to see him and try his strength--for this purpose I sent the rifle corps through the intervening woods with orders to amuse the enemy's light troops, until his strong columns should get in motion, and then to retire slowly to the plain on this side the woods, where I had a strong line posted in readiness to receive the enemy; our riflemen met and drove the enemy's light troops into their lines, where they remained, although the riflemen kept the woods near two hours, and until they were ordered in. They returned without being able to draw any part of the enemy's force after them. “Major Morgan reports that his officers and men acted with their usual gallantry. The enemy left 11 dead and three prisoners in our hands, and I am informed by two persons just from the British camp, that their loss was much more considerable-among, their killed were five Indians. We lost five killed and some three or four wounde.. “General Drummond's force, from the best information we are able to collect from deserters and others, amounts to upwards of 4000, principally regulars; De Watteville's regiment has joined since the battle of the 25th ultimo, together with two or three companies of the Glengary corps- making a total joined since the 25th, of about 1200.” August 11, 1814, 9 P. M. “ The enemy's position remains unchanged; they have constructed two batteries with two embrasures each, and have erected a wooden breastwork 1200 to 1400 vards in our rear. In examining their works yesterday, captain Birdsel, of the fourth rifle regiment, with a detachment of the first and his company, amounting in the whole to 160 men, beat in two of their strong pickets with a loss on their part of ten killed captain Birdsel had one killed and three wounded. "General Drummond was much disappointed and chagrined at the failure of the enterprise of the third instant, against Buffalo-our riflemen having opposed and beaten them. Colonel Tucker, it seems, has been publicly reprimanded in general orders.” Report of Major Morgan. Sir, Fort Erie, August 5, 1814. Having been stationed with the first battalion of the first regiment of riflemen at Black Rock, on the second instant, I observed the British army moving up the river on the opposite shore, and suspected they might make a feint on Fort Erie, with an intention of a real attack on the Buffalo side. I immediately moved and took a position on the upper side of Conjocta creek, and that night threw up a battery of some logs, which I found on the ground, and had the bridge torn away. About 2 o'clock the next morning, my pickets from below gave me information of the landing of nine boats full of troops, half a mile below. I immediately got my men (240 in number) to their quarters, and patiently waited their approach. At a quarter past four they advanced upon us, and commenced the attack; sending a party before to repair the bridge, under the cover of their fire. When they had got at good rifle distance, I opened a heavy fire on them, which laid a number of them on the ground, and compelled them to retire. Thev then formed in the skirts of the wood, and kept the fight at long shot, continually reinforcing from the Ca. nada shore, until they had 23 boat loads, and then attempted to flank us, by sending a large body up the creek to ford it, up when I detached lieutenants Ryan, Smith, and Armstrong, with about 60 men, to oppose their left wing, where they were again repulsed with considerable loss-after which they appeared disposed, to give up their object, and retreated by throwing six boat loads of troops on Squaw Island, which enfiladed the creek, and prevented me from harrassing their rear. Their superior numbers enabled them to take their killed and wounded off the field, which we plainly saw, and observed they suffered severely. We found some of their dead thrown into the river, and covered with logs and stones, and some on the field. We also collected a number of muskets and accoutrements, with clothing that appeared to have. been torn to bind their wounds. We took six prisoners, who stated the British force opposed to us, to consist of from 12 to 1500 men, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Tucker, of the 41st regiment. They also state that their object was to re-capture general Riall, with the other British prisoners, and destroy the public stores deposited at Buffalo. The action continued about two hours and a half. I am happy to state they were completely foiled in their attempts. Our loss is trifling compared with theirs—we had two killed and eight wounded. I am sorry to inform you that captain Hamilton, lieutenants Wadsworth and M'Intosh, are among the latter. Their gallantry in exposing themselves to encourage their men, I think entitles them to the notice of their country. My whole command behaved in a manner that merited my warmest approbation; and, in justice to them, I cannot avoid mentioning the names of the officers, which are as follows:-captain Hamilton, lieutenants Wadsworth, Ryan, Calhoun, M'Intosh, Arnold, Shortridge, M.Farland, Tipton, Armstrong, Smith, Cobbs, Davidson, and Austin, with ensign Page. If, sir, you believe we have done our duty, we shall feel highly gratified. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant; L. MORGAN, Major, first rifle regiment. Capt. Sub. Rank and file. 5 2 2 AMERICAN AND BRITISH ACCOUNTS OF THE STORMING OF FORT ERIE. Copy of a letter from Brigadier-General Gaines to the Secre tary of War, dated Head- Quarters, Fort Erie, Upper Ca nada, August 15, 1814, 7 A. M. Dear Sir, My heart is gladdened with gratitude to heaven and joy to my country, to have it in my power to inform you that the gallant army under my command has this morning beaten the enemy commanded by lieutenant-general Drummond, after a severe conflict of near three hours, commencing at two o'clock, A. M. They attacked us on each flank, got possession of the salient bastion of the old Fort Erie, which was regained at the point of the bayonet, with a dreadful slaughter. The enemy's loss in killed and prisoners is about 600near 300 killed. Our loss is considerable, but I think not one tenth as great as that of the enemy. I will not detain the express to give you the particulars. I am preparing my force to follow up the blow. With great respect and esteem, your obedient servant, EDMUND P. GAINES, Brigadier-general, commanding. Honourable John Armstrong, Secretary of War. Copies of letters from Brigadier-General Gaines to the Secre tary of War, dated Head- Quarters, Fort Erie, Upper Ca nada, August 23, 1814. Sir, Loss of sleep and constant exposure to the weather in its various changes, gave me some days ago a violent cold, which has put it out of my power to do any thing more than the state of the service here rendered absolutely indispensable. Hence my apology for delaying until this day my report of the battle of the 15th instant. General Drummond is quietly engaged in collecting his reinforcements. His camp appears to be fortified. I attempted to look at it a few days past, and it cost me a fine young officer, lieutenant Yates of the fourth rifle regiment, killed, and lieutenant Kearsley of that excellent corps, with lieutenant Childs of the ninth, wounded, with the loss of some two or three privates killed, and five or six wounded. The loss of the enemy I was unable to ascertain. He would not leave his defences, and I did not think fit to leave mine at all exposed. a Several deserters say that the sixth and 82d regiments arrived last night. Their colonel, Scott, is dead; about 20 deserters from the De Watteville regiment, and some few from other corps, concur in the report that the loss in killed, wounded, and missing, on the 15th, was upwards of a thousand. Your obedient servant, E. P. GAINES, Brigadier-general, commanding. General Armstrong, Secretary of War. Head-Quarters, left wing, second division, Sir, Fort Erie, Upper Canada, August 1814. . I have the honour to communicate, for the information of the department of war, the particulars of the battle fought at this place on the 15th instant, between the left wing of the second division of the northern army, under my command, and the British forces in the peninsula of Upper Canada, commanded by lieutenant-general Drummond, which terminated in a signal victory in favour of the United American arms. Our position on the margin of the lake at the entrance of the Niagara river, being nearly a horizontal plain, 12 or 15 feet above the surface of the water, possessing few natural advantages, had been strengthened in front by temporary parapet breast-works, entrenchments, and abattis, with two batteries and six field.pieces. The small unfinished Fort Erie, with a 24, 18, and 12-pounder, forms the north-east, and the Douglass battery, with an 18 and 6-pounder near the edge of the lake, the south-east angle of our right. The left is defended by a redoubt battery, with six field-pieces, just thrown up on a small ridge. Our rear was left open to the lake, bordered by a rocky shore of easy ascent. The battery on the left was defended by captain Towson; Fort Erie by captain Williams, with major Trimble's command of the 19th infantry; the batteries on the front by captains Biddle and Fanning; the whole of the artillery commanded by major Hindman. Parts of the 11th, 9th, and 22d infantry (of the late veteran brigade of major-general Scott), were posted on the right under the command of lieutenant-colonel Aspinwall. General Ripley's brigade, consisting of the 21st and 23d, de- . fended the left; general Porter's brigade of New York and Pennsylvania volunteers, with our distinguished riflemen, occupied the centre. VOL. IV. [K] |