their arrangements, and prepare for their defense. On coming down the creek, we found them formed; they commenced a distant fire of musketry. The riflemen of the detachment were formed upon the wings, and the two companies of artillery in the center. The men moved on with great spirit and alacrity. After the first charge, the British retreated-we continued advancing. Three times they formed, and as often retreated. We drove them about half a mile, when it became so dark that we were obliged to relinquish the pursuit. Two privates of the British 41st regiment were wounded, and taken prisoners. We learn from deserters that nine or ten were wounded, and some killed. We could gain no precise information of the number opposed to us. It consisted of a considerable detachment of the 41st regiment, some militia, and a body of Indians. The guard at the bridge consisted of fifty men. Our riflemen stationed on this side of the Canards, discovered the enemy reinforcing them during the whole afternoon. There is no doubt but their number considerably exceeded us. Lieutenant Colonel Miller conducted himself in the most spirited and able manner. I have every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the whole detachment. Very respectfully, Sir, I have the honor to be (Signed) LEWIS CASS, Colonel 3d Regiment Ohio Volunteers. BRIGADIER GENERAL HULL." By dislodging the enemy at this bridge, and retaining possession of it, an important advantage was gained, and an easy access. secured to the British fortress. Quite unexpectedly to Colonel Cass, General Hull did not appreciate this victory, although it created consternation at Malden, and ordered the detachment to return to camp. Colonel Cass and Lieutenant Colonel Miller remonstrated, in writing, against the inevitable injury which the execu tion of this order would inflict upon the American cause, and earnestly requested leave to remain in their position. But it was of no avail. The General's views remained unshaken, and the bridge abandoned, to the great relief and joy of Colonel St. George. CHAPTER III. Armistice on Niagara Frontier-Hull favors the re-crossing of Detroit River-Colonel Cass Remonstrates -Battle of Brownstown-Evacuation of Canada-Engagement in the Woods of Maguaga-Colonel Cass Volunteers to lead a Detachment through the Wilderness to the River Raisin-General Brock's Arrival at Sandwich-Summons the American Fort at Detroit-Bombardment-Hull's SurrenderIndignation of Colonel Cass and the Troops-His Return from the River Raisin-Disposition to Fight-Breaks his Sword. Intelligence reached Sandwich, that an armistice had been agreed upon, at Washington or elsewhere, but that it did not include the armies upon this portion of the frontier; and now, instead of the promised diversion in his favor, on the line of the Niagara, General Hull suspected that the entire British force would be concentrated against him. He at once abandoned all efforts for penetrating farther into the enemy's country, and entertained the idea of retracing his steps, and removing his command to Detroit. Colonel Cass remonstrated against such imbecile and inglorious conduct. He presented to the view of his General the injury it would inflict upon the spirit and courage of the volunteers, now panting for action; he adverted to the evidences which the Canadians daily gave, of their disposition to join the American cause; and in warm, but modest terms, descanted upon the facility with which he might capture the enemy, take possession of Malden, and thus secure the key which controlled all that frontier. The officers agreed in council, with Colonel Cass, and they unitedly urged that the troops be led to action. But Lieutenant Hanks, with a weak garrison at Macinac, had surrendered to a party of one thousand British and Indians, with the honors of war, and General Hull was more and more fearful that hordes of savages, under the lead of the active and wily Tecumseh, would come down upon him from the northern forests, and with resistless and demoniac fury, massacre the inhabitants, lay in ashes the village of Detroit, and drive him and his comrades into the waters of Lake Erie. Charity, with filmed eyes, perhaps, would say, "that the eyes of the patriot and soldier were closed, while those of the father and the paternal governor saw, in fancied vision, his beloved daughter and grandchildren already bleeding, the victims of savage barbarity." An express came in from the vigilant Governor Meigs, announcing that Captain Brush had gone forward, by the way of the river Raisin, with an ample stock of provisions for his brave volunteers. Colonel Cass had also learned that a party of the enemy had left Malden, to intercept these supplies, and that the escort had reached the Raisin. The General was persuaded to detach Major Van Horn, with two hundred men, to hold this party in check. Tecumseh, at the head of his Indians, ambushed his path at Brownstown creek, and fell upon the Americans with such ferocity that eighteen were killed, twelve wounded, about seventy missing, and the Major retreated in the direction of Detroit. The news of this disaster settled the question of the evacuation of Canada. The General, no longer doubting that the savages were upon the war-path in force, and well stocked, by British. agents, with ammunition, and that his worst anticipations would be fully realized, if he remained in his present position or marched southerly, resolved to re-cross the river to Detroit, and issued his orders accordingly. And on the eighth of August, with deep chagrin and some mutinous dissatisfaction, his brave and lionhearted officers and soldiers received the peremptory order to embark, and sullenly made this disgraceful retreat. Colonel Cass again brought to the attention of his General, the absolute necessity of communicating with Captain Brush, and the propriety of detailing a guard sufficiently strong to ensure the safe conduct of the supplies, which were now understood to consist principally of beef cattle. General Hull acceded to the proposition, and on the same day of the re-crossing, detached Lieutenant Colonel Miller, with six hundred men, regulars and volunteers, with orders to meet and escort Captain Brush, with the supplies, to Detroit. After marching some twelve miles, along the margin of the Detroit river, Captain Snelling, in command of the advance guard, encountered a large body of Indians and British, drawn up in line of battle, in thickets of underbrush, in the vicinity of Maguaga. Tecumseh was again in command, and a severe fight ensued. The red coats fled-the red men still kept the ground, but at length were routed, and both retreated towards Brownstown, and succeeded in reaching Malden, with the loss of one hundred and thirty-four killed and wounded. The American loss was seventeen men killed and sixty-four wounded. While remaining in position at Maguaga, awaiting provisions, the men having thrown away their knapsacks and rations upon engaging the enemy, the detachment was recalled to Detroit. The battle of Maguaga following so closely upon the skirmish at Brownstown creek, and the Indians being so active and earnest in both instances, created additional agitation and alarm at headquarters. Rumor also stated that a large reinforcement of British troops was on the march from Niagara, and that the Six Nations of Indians were backward in espousing the American cause. General Hull was doubtful whether the supplies would ever reach his present head-quarters, and, gloomy and despondent, he called his officers around him, and proposed a retreat to some place near the rapids of the Maumee. But to this suggestion, Colonel Cass and all his brother officers, already so much dissatisfied with his ill-timed retreat from Canada as to be on the eve of mutiny, utterly dissented, and proposed, instead, that another effort should be made, regardless of personal consequences, to open a communication with Captain Brush. The General once more yielded to the patriotic counsel of his officers, and sent out another detachment of three hundred and fifty men, under Colonels Cass and McArthur, for this purpose. Colonel McArthur, being senior in rank, was in command of the expedition. This detachment left head-quarters towards sunset in the afternoon of August fourteenth. It was an expedition full of anticipated peril and labor, for, if the half of what was asserted was true, the woods were alive with hostile savages, and, as their orders were to march by an unfrequented and circuitous route, by the way of an opening in the forest, where has grown up the thriving village of Ypsilanti, with an Indian trail as their only land mark, leading, at intervals, through bogs and swamps and over deep creeks, it was evident that they had no light service to perform, and that their path was full of danger. But there was no fear; and so readily did these patriotic men answer the call, and so quickly were they on the march, that there was no time to lay in a full supply of rations. They took such as happened to come in their way, and were at once ready for duty. They met with no interruption from the enemy. It turned out, that, on the day before this detachment left Detroit, General Isaac Brock, the most active and intrepid commander in all the British Provinces, reached Malden, from Fort George, at the mouth of the Niagara river, and, on the next day, assumed the command of the forces. It was generally supposed that he was still stationed at Fort George, and if a more accurate knowledge of his whereabouts was possessed by any person in the American army of the north-west, it was kept in profound secrecy. It was observable, that a party of the enemy, under Colonel Proctor, who had succeeded Colonel St. George, had taken post at Sandwich, and were proceeding to fortify the bank of the river. This was supposed to be a natural consequence of the evacuation, the enemy moving up, in part, to extend his fortifications; and strengthened the view of Colonel Cass and his brother officers, that the American policy was to get on the supplies, call for more troops, and make a stand at Detroit. Besides, a week had not elapsed since the first rumor of the armistice had reached the American garrison; and as it was rumored that General Brock was one of the high contracting parties to that transaction, the idea was not dreamt of, that his presence was so early expected on that frontier. However, he was in fact in command on the fourteenth of August, and being a man of uncommon energy and decision, he entered forthwith upon active duty, and concentrated his forces at Sandwich. Accustomed to duty, and an accomplished soldier, he looked upon the evacuation as conclusive evidence of weakness. The private papers, captured the month previous, gave him full information of the number and character of the force against which he had to contend. The un-officerlike conduct of the American commander, since his arrival at Detroit, he attributed to vacillation and infirmity of purpose; and fully aware that supplies and a reinforcement were daily expected by General Hull, he believed it to be his policy to bring on an immediate engagement. Hence, on the fifteenth of August, he sent his two aids, Lieut. Col. McDonald and Major Glegg, to demand in form a surrender of Fort Detroit, intimating, as though he was sensible of the prominent fear of his antagonist, that it was not his inclination to join in a war of extermination, but that he had a numerous body of Indians attached to his command, which would be beyond his control the moment the contest commenced. The current history of that day asserts that the answer to this very unexpected and provoking summons, was tardily given. Perhaps the delay was to gain time. If so, the motive is praiseworthy. Its form, nevertheless, is open to criticism. Hull announced that |