What reviewers said about the first edition a vivid and scholarly account of a desperate and extraordinary night

ht battle, written by a master of the military techniques of the day. an enjoyable and compelling read.
Piers Mackesy, author of The War for America, 1775-83, War Without Victory: The Downfall of Pitt and British Victory in Egypt, 1801

Where Right and Glory Lead!

T h e B att l e o f L u n d y s L a n e , 1 8 1 4

Where Right and Glory Lead! is how military history should be written deeply and carefully researched, salted with common sense, and put into a prose that stands you in a firing line that is fraying thinner by the minute.
John Elting, author of Swords Around a Throne: Napoleons Grand Arme and Amateurs to Arms: A Military History of the War of 1812

an exercise in military history at its best.

Dennis Showalter, History Book Club

brilliant and exciting and sometimes surprising interpretation of the greatest battle ever to have taken place on Canadian soil.
Michael Power, Brock Review

Donald E. Graves

comprehensive and compelling. Meticulously documented, cogently argued, this book alone will secure Gravess reputation among military historians.
James Elliott, Hamilton Spectator

fair treatment of both sides in the Lundys Lane encounter should earn this book a definitive treatment for years to come.
David Skaggs, Journal of the Early American Republic

Front cover The Battle of Lundys Lane, 25 July 1814 Detail from engraving by William Strickland, first published in the Portfolio. Seepage 156. (Library and Archives Canada, C-4071)

ro bin bra ss stu d io

Part IV

Aftermath
12 The Cost and the Accounting...................................................... 195

Contents
Preface.............................................................................................. ix Preface to the Second Edition (1997)............................................ xii A Note on Terminology and Time.................................................xiii Acknowledgements......................................................................... xv Prologue: John Cryslers Fields, 11 November 1813......................... 1
PART I

13 The Siege of Fort Erie and the Close of the Campaign................ 211 14 The End of the War and the Fates of Men................................... 230 Epilogue: Where Right and Glory Lead!...................................... 247
Appendices

A Order of Battle and Strength, Left Division, United States Army, 25 July 1814................................................................................... 257 B Order of Battle and Strength, Right Division, British Army in Canada, 25 July 1814.................................................................... 261 C The Problem of the Guns.............................................................. 265 D The Accuracy of the American Casualty Figures......................... 271 Endnotes........................................................................................ 273 Bibliography.................................................................................. 311 Index.............................................................................................. 325

Background to a Battle
1 A Mere Matter of Marching The Coming of War...................... 7 2 Major General Jacob Browns Left Division, United States Army.24 3 The Defenders of Upper Canada.................................................... 51
PART II

The Invasion of Canada, 3 July24 July 1814

4 Opening Moves and Battle at Chippawa........................................ 75 5 Move and Counter Move, 6 July24 July 1814.............................. 93
PART III

List of Maps
The Northern Theatre of War, 18121815.................................... 12 The Niagara Frontier....................................................................... 59 Chippawa 5 July 1814: 1st Phase................................................. 83 Chippawa 5 July 1814: 2nd Phase................................................ 91 The Environs of the Battlefield of Lundys Lane.......................... 119 Lundys Lane 25 July 1814: 1st Phase......................................... 134 Lundys Lane 25 July 1814: 2nd Phase....................................... 151 Lundys Lane 25 July 1814: 3nd Phase....................................... 177 The Assault on Fort Erie, 15 August 1814................................... 217

The Battle of Lundys Lane

6 Advance to Contact, 2425 July 1814......................................... 107 7 The First Brigade Stands and Dies................................................ 125 8 Ill Try, Sir!: Brown Renews the Battle...................................... 142 9 Both Armies Make Ready............................................................. 158 10 A Conflict Obstinate Beyond Description................................... 166 11 Disengagement, 26 July 1814........................................................ 182

wh ere rig h t a nd g lo r y lea d !

James Miller, U.S. Army (1776-1851) Shown here in the uniform of a brigadier general, Miller was the modest but effective colonel commanding the Twenty-First Infantry during the battle. His famous reply, Ill try, sir, to Browns order to capture the British artillery at Lundys Lane became the stuff of legend. (Courtesy, E ssex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, Neg.150222)

Ill Try, Sir!: Brown Renews the Battle

individual who always inspires his troops with heroic ardor and who dares without fear of slander to use caution where he thinks caution adviseable.45 Following Ripley from camp, the First had cleared the chestnut woods and halted on the Portage Road while Nicholas, who knew none of the senior officers present, tried to get some orders. The British guns had ceased firing but he was told to get his men off the road because their presence would draw artillery fire. Nicholas moved into the fields west of the road, where he met Winfield Scott, who pointed out to him the location of the enemy artillery and the necessity of attacking it. Wood then rode up and conducted him to a point west of the orchard behind the Peer house. McRee arrived next and informed Nicholas that the Twenty-First, on his right, were about to attack the British battery and that he was to move to the left and form a line facing the enemy on the heights with a view to drawing off his force and attracting his attention.46 As his company formed up, thirty-four-yearold Captain John Symmes from the Michigan Territory, concerned that his green soldiers would prove unequal to the task ahead, scrutinized their faces closely while giving them a few exciting words and was reassured by the resolve he saw reflected there.47 Although Browns intention had only been for Nicholas to mount a demonstration, his order must have been garbled in transmission because the Virginian led his regiment straight at the British artillery. From their position on the hill, Maclachlans gunners could see little of the southern slope and the fields in front. The smoke of battle had cleared and the moon was low in the southwest sky, but it did not illuminate the lower slopes of the hill, which were shrouded in darkness. The gunners could, however, clearly 150 151

wh ere rig h t a nd g lo r y lea d ! hear the shout of orders and the sounds of marching troops as Ripleys brigade deployed and occasionally they would fire a round to keep the Americans on the qui vive. When Scott ordered his men to give three cheers at the news of Rialls capture, it attracted a shrapnel shell that exploded in the column of artillery ... and blew up a caisson of ammunition belonging to Captain Ritchies company.48 Aware that something was happening to their front but uncertain what it was, Maclachlan and his men loaded their guns and waited.49 As the First Infantry advanced in line out of the darkness in front of the British guns, Maclachlan opened a furious fire with canister and round shot. Fortunately for the Americans, the British gunners elevation was too high and most of the rounds passed harmlessly overhead. With Nicholas and his adjutant, Lieutenant John A. Shaw, both mounted and urging them on, the First moved closer to the British guns. The gunners corrected their aim and now the Americans began to take casualties; Lieutenant Lewis Bissell, the regimental quartermaster, was hit in the leg by one canister bullet while his watch stopped another. Bissell attempted to stay with the regiment but was finally forced to go to the rear. As the fire intensified, Nicholas realized that it would be suicidal for his tiny unit to attack straight into the muzzles of the British guns. Concluding that there was no possibility of my annoying the enemy and a certainty of his destroying my men, the Virginian ordered the First Infantry to right about face and march back down the hill.50 Ignoring a staff officer who shouted, Where are you going? Nicholas then reformed his regiment in line at the base of the hill.51 His abortive attack had not been in vain; it had drawn the attention of Maclachlans gunners, and in the noise and confusion of the First Infantrys advance and retreat, they failed to hear or see the approach of Millers Twenty-First Infantry up the southeast slope of the hill. The Twenty-First was a wartime regiment, recruited in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and had campaigned on the northern frontier under Ripley since the autumn of 1812. Noted for its discipline and smartness of dress, the Twenty-First had a good fighting record. Ripley had proved an excellent commander and had brought the regiments drill up to a high standard even before it joined the camp at Flint Hill in April 1814. Miller had continued to provide strong leadership and the Twenty-First was possibly the best regiment in the Left Division. When he ordered it to attack the British artillery Ripley had no doubts that it would succeed, as he felt confident of extraordinary efforts from the veterans ... under the Conduct of the gallant Miller, whose Courage 152

Ill Try, Sir!: Brown Renews the Battle had been repeatedly tried.52 His confidence was not misplaced; as the men advanced, some of them called out to play up Yankee Doodle53 It was about 9:15 p.m. when the Twenty-First moved quietly up the hill, in a line of two ranks, with their bayonets at a charge.54 The muzzle flashes of the British guns firing at the First Infantry illuminated the faces of the advancing men and one later admitted that as he climbed he felt d____d bashful.55 For much of their progress up the steeper southeast slope of the hill, the Twenty-First were moving in dead ground and invisible to the British gunners and the infantry behind them. There were no enemy skirmishers to impede or warn of their advance and in a few moments they had reached the old rail fence overgrown with shrubbery that surrounded the cemetery and the meeting house. They were now about a hundred feet from the muzzles of the guns and could see the gunners port fires and slow matches burning and ready.56 Miller very cautiously ordered his men to rest [their muskets] across the fence, take good aim, fire & rush.57 Maclachlan had ceased firing at the First Infantry, who had disappeared into the blackness at the bottom of the hill. His subordinate, Mackonochie, had just arrived from the Twelve-Mile Creek bringing three 6-pdr. guns and the two gunners were probably too involved in the process of positioning these pieces, while the gun detachments were intently watching where the First Infantry had disappeared, to notice the quiet movement of the Twenty-First to the cemetery fence. The American were spotted at the last moment Norton was conversing with two officers when one of them enquired what Body of men it might be that were approaching.58 Going towards them, Norton observed the Moon glimmer faintly on the plates of their Caps, the form of which denounced them to be our Enemies, before I could speak, they fired.59 The well-directed American volley cut down Maclachlans startled gunners so that not one man at the cannons was left to put fire to them.60 Maclachlan was wounded and nearly twenty of his men became casualties. Before the dazed survivors could react, the Twenty-First, with Miller and their colours in the lead, pushed the rail fence flat, charged and were in among the gun detachments with their bayonets. The fight was but for a moment and most of the British gunners either fled or surrendered.61 The American assault took Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Morrison by surprise. Morrisons 89th Foot was formed in line north of the lane behind the artillery position. Before he could recover, some of the artillery horse teams parked in the lane, frightened by the noise of the attack, stampeded his ranks causing great confusion. While shouting officers struggled to regain 153

wh ere rig h t a nd g lo r y lea d ! control, Drummond, who was close by with his adjutant-general, Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey, ordered Morrison to wheel his left wing so as to take in flank that Body of the Enemy which advanced to the Guns, then to open fire and charge.62 A veteran of service in Spain and the Mediterranean, Morrison immediately complied, and Miller remembered that as soon as the Twenty-First got into the centre of the gun position the British line ... opened a most destructive flank fire on us, killed a great many and attempted to charge with their bayonets.63 At his command, the Twenty-First formed in line and warmly returned the fire.64 As the 89th advanced across the lane and into the cemetery, their progress was hindered by the guns, limbers, wagons, trees, fences and grave markers around which they had to move. Moving awkwardly, they were subjected to volleys of musketry from the Twenty-First which brought them to a halt. The two regiments began to exchange fire at a range so close that the [muzzle] blase of our guns crossed each other.65 The struggle was relentless one American remembered that first my cartouch[e] box was shot away, which deprived me of all my ammunition, then my hat was shot off next my companion ... on my right, had his head shot ... which almost blinded me with blood and brains.66 The 89th Foot and the Twenty-First Infantry had last met eight months before on John Cryslers muddy fields. Then the Twenty-First had retired, this time it was the turn of the 89th who withdrew in good order across the lane. A few minutes later, with Drummond and Harvey cheering them on, they returned to the attack with the light company of the 41st Foot on their left and Breretons companies of the 1st on their right.67 Another firefight ensued and again casualties were heavy. Morrison was wounded and Major Miller Clifford assumed command of the 89th; Brereton of the 1st was wounded and his successor, Lieutenant William Hemphill, was killed. A member of Drummonds staff, Lieutenant Henry Moorsom, fell while cheering on the Royal Scots, the fifth of five brothers to die in the service of the Crown. Both Drummond and Harvey had their horses shot from under them. The 89th momentarily faltered when Morrison was wounded but Drummond and Clifford steadied them and, as the casualties mounted, the various detachments in the British line formed on the 89th and closed in toward their colours.68 A few hundred yards away, Le Couteur of the 104th experienced none of the ferocity of this fighting. The two companies of his regiment, which had arrived with Hercules Scotts column, were positioned to the rear of 154

Ill Try, Sir!: Brown Renews the Battle the 89th on the north slope of the hill. Sheltered behind a split rail fence and ordered to lie down till we were wanted, the 104th found it funny and very satisfactory too to hear the balls rattling against the rails just over our heads, without hitting any of us. From their position, the men could see their regimental commander, thirty-four-year-old Lieutenant Colonel William Drummond of Keltie in Perthshire, seated on his war horse like a knightly man of valour ... exposed to a ragged fire from hundreds of brave Yankees who were pressing our brave 89th. Suddenly a private of the 104th stood bolt upright. Le Couteur brusquely ordered him down and the soldier obeyed but soon again got to his feet. This sequence happened several times until, exasperated, the young Channel islander his family came from Jersey admonished the man for disobedience in the middle of a hot action no place for finding fault with a good Soldier! The culprit, a Scot, replied: Wall Sir, de ye no see Col. Drummond sitting on that great horse, up there amongst all the balls and sale I be laying down, sneaking whan hes exposed Noe I wunt! Le Couteur, who could not but admire the fellows generous heroism, thereafter left him alone.69 William Drummond led a charmed life that night. But then luck had always been with this charismatic Scotsman, one of the most popular officers in Canada and a survivor of fourteen years duty in the graveyard of the West Indies. That evening he was to have two horses killed under him and his double-barrelled shotgun, which he habitually carried in action, shot to pieces in his hands, though he suffered no wounds. Others were not so lucky and both sides lost heavily in the exchange of fire. But the Twenty-First Infantry maintained its ground and the British line once more retired.70 They returned a third time. Again, there was a deadly exchange of volleys at close range. British casualties were lessened by the fact that their ranks were ordered to drop to one knee. In one of these exchanges General Gordon Drummond was wounded by a musket ball that entered under his right ear and lodged in the back of his neck. He lost a great deal of blood but, tying some handkerchiefs around his neck, continued in action. The two opposing lines fought across Mackonochies guns from the Twelve-Mile Creek, which were standing, still limbered, in the lane. For a brief moment, they were in the possession of Captain Joseph Glews light company of the 41st Foot, but Glew was unable to get them away because their horse teams had either been killed or run off and, in the end, the British line once more stepped back into the night. This time they did not return.71 155