white flag of surrender before a shot was fired, and his chagrined army was delivered up as prisoners of war (August 16). Shortly after Hull's surrender, the brave GENERAL STEPHEN VAN RENSSELLAER crossed the Niagara River, and with one thousand men gallantly assaulted Queenstown Heights. The heights were carried (October 13), and in the engagement General Brock, who had arrived turned to the American side of the river for reinforcements, but the rest of his army refused to cross the river, and their comrades at Queenstown, left to their fate, were overpowered and captured. Van Renssellaer resigned his command and was succeeded by GENERAL AlexandeR SMYTH, who, proving incompetent, was soon deposed. The military operations for the next year (1813) were more systematically planned. Three armies were organized; the first to operate in the West, about the shore of Lake Erie; the second to operate upon the Niagara frontier, and the third to operate in northern New York. GENERAL HARRISON was placed in command of the ARMY of the West, GENERAL WADE HAMPTON of the ARMY OF THE NORTH, and the commander-in-chief himself directed the operations of the ARMY OF THE CENTER. Harrison pushed forward to recover the ground Hull had lost. An advance division of his army under GENERAL WINCHESTER, after gaining an advantage over the enemy at Frenchtown, on the River Raisin, was attacked and defeated by the British and Indians under PROCTOR and Tecumseh (January 22, 1813). Proctor then advanced and besieged Massacre of the River Raisin. During the engagement Winchester was captured. Perceiving the superior forces of the enemy, and receiving a solemn pledge from Proctor that the surrender of the detachment would insure its safety, Winchester advised his men to lay down their arms, which they did. With a perfidy that has attached to his memory never-ceasing odium, Proctor ignored all pledges and turned the unarmed Americans over to the mercy of the savages. The sick and wounded were butchered in cold blood. The able-bodied were either tortured or taken into captivity. This event nerved the Americans in many an encounter that afterward took place, and they often went into battle with the war cry, "REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN." Harrison at Fort Meigs (August 5), but failing to effect its capture, proceeded to Fort Stephenson, upon the Sandusky. This fort was defended by one hundred and sixty men under MAJOR CROGHAN, a young man of twenty-one, who employed the limited means of defense at his disposal with such skill that the enemy was thoroughly repulsed (August 2). Shortly after a glorious victory was won over the enemy's fleet on Lake Erie by COMMODORE PERRY (September 10), and the British land forces were thus compelled to fall back to Canada. Harrison followed and landed his troops near Malden. A battle was fought near the River Thames, and the gallant conduct of some Kentucky riflemen, under COLONEL RICHARD M. JOHNSON, turned the tide of victory in favor of the Americans. The British defeat was thorough. The Indian chief, Tecumseh, was slain in this battle. Meanwhile General Dearborn had crossed a force under GENERAL ZEBULON PIKE from Sackett's Harbor, New York, to York (Toronto), Canada (April 27, 1813). The British were driven from their batteries, and the town, with many valuable stores, was taken. During the engagement the powder magazine of the enemy blew up, causing much loss in the American ranks. General Perry's Victory. The British were in full possession of Lake Erie, and nothing could be done towards the successful invasion of Canada until this lake was cleared of the enemy's fleet. Captain Perry was sent to cooperate with General Harrison and take charge of operations upon the water. With great energy and perseverance he succeeded in building nine small vessels. Sailors were sent overland from the sea coast to man the little fleet, and though poorly equipped with the appliances of war, Perry sailed out into the lake to meet the British squadron under the veteran COMMODORE BARCLAY, a pennant with the immortal words uttered by Lawrence, "Don't give up the ship," flying at the mast head of his flagship. The battle was desperate. Perry's vessel engaged two of the enemy's and was soon badly disabled. Only eight of his men remained, but with these he crossed in an open boat to another of his ships, and continued the engagement so successfully that the whole English fleet surrendered (September 10, 1813). "We have met the enemy and they are ours," was the laconic message Perry sent to Harrison to announce the victory. COMMODORE PERRY. Pike himself was mortally wounded. From York the victorious troops, now led by Generals Winder and Chandler, crossed over to the mouth of the Niagara River, and drove the British from Fort George (May 27). Thinking Sackett's Harbor defenseless after the departure of these troops, the British, under GENERAL PREVOST, descended upon it, but were repulsed by militia under GENERAL BROWN (May 29). General Dearborn was succeeded as commander-in-chief by GENERAL JAMES WILKINSON. An attack on Montreal was planned. An army of seven thousand men embarked near Sackett's Harbor, and proceeded down the St. Lawrence. They found their progress impeded by the enemy, and a force under General Brown was landed. The battle was fought at CHRYSLER's Field (November 11), and the army advanced to a place called St. Regis, where Hampton was expected to join them with the army of the North, from Plattsburg on Lake Champlain. The junction, however, was not made, and the Montreal expedition was abandoned, Wilkinson's army going into winter quarters at Fort Covington. In the spring the Americans proceeded to the Sorrel River and were defeated at La Colle (March 30, 1814), after which they turned south and joined the troops at Plattsburg. New York was now formed into one military district of two divisions. That of the right was placed under the command of GENERAL RALPH IZARD, with GENERALS WINDSOR, MACOMB, SMITH and BISSEL as subordinates. That of the left was commanded by General Brown, with GENERALS SCOTT, RIPLEY and GAINES as subordinates. Izard was a thoroughly trained soldier, and proceeded to put the American army at Plattsburg in a condition of perfect discipline, as Steuben had done in the War of the Revolution at Valley Forge. He realized the necessity of this on being apprised that experienced veterans of England, fresh from the successful battleflelds of Europe, were about to be sent to America. Meanwhile General Brown, upon the Niagara frontier, was actively engaged with the enemy. Generals Scott and Ripley crossed the river, and defeated the British under At Lundy's Lane, near the "I'll Try, Sir." American success in the battle of Lundy's Lane depended upon the capture of a British battery upon a neigh boring height. General Brown arriving upon the scene as the engagement was drawing to a close, called to COLONEL MILLER, and asked him if he could take it. "I'll try, sir," was Miller's response. Leading his men steadily up the ascent, Miller secured the battery and held it against the repeated assaults of the enemy. successor, General Drummond, and drove the British from The Creek War. The result of Tecumseh's visit to the Indians of Alabama was soon seen. Weathersford, chief of the Creeks, deeming the time opportune, took up arms, and surprising Fort Mims, near Mobile, massacred more than four hundred of its inhabitants. Forces from neighboring States soon reached the scene. GENERAL COFFEE arrived from Tennessee and destroyed the town of Tallasehatche, slaying more than a thousand Creeks. GENERAL FLOYD of Georgia burnt the Indian town of Autosse (November 24, 1813), while GENERAL CLAIBORNE of Mississippi and PuSHAMATAHA, a friend. ly Choctaw chief, won a victory over Weathersford at Eccanachaca (December 23, 1813). GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON of Tennessee, who commanded in this district, defeated the Indians at TALLADEGA (November 9, 1813). EMUCFAW (January 22, 1814), and TоHOPEKA or HORSESHOE BEND (March 27). With this last battle the power of the Creeks was utterly crushed. and Drummond was compelled to retreat (September 17). Fort Erie was then destroyed, and the Americans crossed to their own side, where they went into winter quarters, |