while the day was wearing away in this doubtful manner, a more formidable foe appeared on the field. 12. General Sheaffe, commanding at Fort George, had heard the firing in the morning; and, a little later, the news of the death of Brock was brought him. His forces were immediately put in motion; and, soon after mid-day, the little band that had from day-dawn bravely breasted the storm, saw from the heights they had so bravely won, a column, eight hundred and fifty strong, approaching the scene of combat--not in haste or confusion, but with the slow and measured tread of disciplined troops. These few hundred Americans watched its progress with undaunted hearts, and turned to catch the outlines of their own advancing regiments, but not a bayonet was moving to their help. 13. At this critical moment news arrived of the shameful mutiny that had broken out on the opposite shore. The entreaties of Van Rensselaer, and the noble example of Wadsworth, and the increasing peril of their comrades, were wholly unavailing-not a soul would stir. This sealed the fate of the American detachment. A few hundred, sustained by only one piece of artillery, against the thirteen hundred of the enemytheir number when the junction of the advancing column with the remaining troops and the Indian allies should be effectedconstituted hopeless odds. 14. General Van Rensselaer, from the opposite shore, saw this, and sent word to Wadsworth to retreat at once, and he would send every boat he could lay hands on to receive the fugitives. He, however, left everything to the judgment of the latter. Colonels Chrystie and Scott, of the regulars, and Mead, Strahan, and Allan of the militia, and officers Ogilvie, Wool, Totten, and Gibson, McChesney, and others, presented a noble yet sorrowful group, as they took council over this message of the commander-in-chief. Their case was evidently a hopeless one, yet they could not make up their minds to retreat. 15. Colonel Scott, mounting a log in front of his troops, harangued them in a strain worthy of the days of chivalry. He told them their condition was desperate, but that Hull's surrender must be redeemed. "Let us then die," he exclaimed, "arms in hand. Our country demands the sacrifice. The example will not be lost. The blood of the slain will make heroes of the living. Those who follow will avenge our fall, and our country's wrongs. Who dare to stand?" A loud "ALL!" rang sternly along the line. In the meantime General Sheaffe had arrived, but instead of advancing immediately to the attack, slowly marched his column the whole length of the American line, then countermarched it, as if to make sure that the little band in front of him was the only force he had to overcome. 16. All saw at a glance that resistance was useless, and retreat almost hopeless. The latter, however, was resolved upon; but the moment the order was given to retire, the whole broke in disorderly flight toward the river. To their dismay, no boats were there to receive them, and a flag of truce was therefore sent to the enemy. The messenger, however, never returned; another and another shared the same fate. At last Scott tied a white handkerchief to his sword, and, accompanied by Captains Totten and Gibson, crept under one of the precipices, down the river, till he arrived where a gentle slope gave an easy ascent, when the three made a push for the road, which led from the valley to the heights. 17. On the way they were met by Indians, who, firing on them, rushed forward with their tomahawks, to kill them. They would soon have shared the fate of the other messengers, but for the timely arrival of a British officer, with some soldiers, who took them to General Sheaffe, to whom Scott surrendered his whole force. Two hundred and ninety-three were all that survived of the brave band who had struggled so long and so nobly for victory. Several hundred militia, however, were found concealed along the shore, who had crossed over, but skulked away in confusion. The entire loss of the Americans in this unfortunate expedition, killed and captured, was about one thousand men. General Van Rensselaer, disgusted with the conduct of the militia, soon after sent in his resignation. 18. Brock was buried the following day, "under one of the bastions of Fort George;" and, at the request of Scott, then a prisoner, minute-guns were fired from Fort Niagara during the funeral ceremonies. Above the dull roar of the cataract, the minute-guns of friends and foes pealed over the dead, as, with shrouded banners, the slowly-marching column bore him to his last resting-place. Cannon that but a few hours before had been exploding in angry strife on each other, now joined their peaceful echoes over his grave. Such an act was characteristic of Scott, who, fierce and fearless in battle, was chivalrous and kind in all his feelings. 19. While a prisoner in an inn at Niagara, Scott was told that some one wished to see the "tall American." He immediately passed through into the entry, when to his astonishment he saw standing before him two savage Indian chiefs, the same who had attempted to kill him when he surrendered himself a prisoner of war. They wished to look on the man at whom they had so often fired with a deliberate aim. In broken English, and by gestures, they inquired where he was hit, for they believed it impossible that out of fifteen or twenty shots not one had taken effect. The elder chief, named Jacobs, a tall, powerful savage, became furious at Scott's asserting that not a ball had touched him, and seizing his shoulders rudely, turned him round to examine his back. 20. The young and fiery colonel did not like to have such freedom taken with his person by a savage, and, hurling him fiercely aside, exclaimed: "Off, villain! you fired like a squaw." "We kill you now," was the quick and startling reply, as knives and tomahawks gleamed in their hands. Scott was not a man to beg or run, though either would have been preferable to taking his chances against these armed savages. Luckily for him, been taken pris the swords of the American officers who had oners were stacked under the staircase, beside which he was standing. 21. Quick as thought, he snatched up the largest, a long sabre, and the next moment it glittered unsheathed above his head. One leap backward, to get scope for play, and he stood towering even above the gigantic chieftain, who glared in sav age hate upon him. The Indians were in the wider part of the hall, between the foot of the stairs and the door, while Scott stood farther in, where it was narrower. The former, therefore, could not get in the rear, and were compelled to face their enemy. They manœuvred to close, but at every turn that sabre flashed in their eyes. The moment they should come to blows, one, they knew, was sure to die; and although it was equally certain that Scott would fall under the knife of the survivor before he could regain his position, yet neither Indian seemed anxious to be the sacrifice. 22. While they thus stood watching each other, a British officer chanced to enter, and, on beholding the terrific tableau", cried out, "The guard!" and at the same instant seized the tallest chieftain by the arm, and presented a cocked pistol to his head. The next moment the blade of Scott quivered over the head of the other savage, to protect his deliverer. In a few seconds the guard entered with leveled bayonets, and the two chieftains were secured. One of them was the son of Brant, of Revolutionary notoriety. 23. The prisoners were all taken to Quebec, whence they were sent in a cartel' to Boston. As they were about to sail, Scott, who was in the cabin of the transport, hearing a noise on deck, went up to ascertain the cause, and found that the British officers were separating the Irishmen, to exclude them from mercy due to the other prisoners, and have them taken to England and tried for treason. Twenty-three had thus been set apart when he arrived. Indignant at this outrage, he peremptorily ordered the rest of the men to keep silent, and not answer a question of any kind, so that neither by their replies nor voice could they give any evidence of the place of their birth. He then turned to the doomed twenty-three, and denounced the act of the officers, and declared most solemnly that if a hair of their heads were touched he would avenge it, even if he were compelled to refuse quarter in battle. 24. Soon after he reached Boston, he was sent to Washington, and in a short time was exchanged. He then drew up a report of the whole affair to the Secretary of War, and it was pre sented the same day to Congress. The result was the passage of an act of retaliation' (March 3d, 1813).-History of the Second War with England. Naval Events.--The triumphs of the Americans on the ocean during 1812 were as decided as their reverses on the land. There were five important naval battles, in every one of which the Americans were victorious. The first was the capture (Aug. 13th) of the sloop Alert, by the frigate Essex, Captain Porter. Six days after, the frigate Constitution, Captain Hull, captured the Guerrierre (gāre-e-ūre'), after an action of about forty minutes. Capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution. Cooper. Remain 1. In the meanwhile, the Constitution was not idle. ing at Boston a short time, Captain Hull sailed again on the 2d of August, standing along the land to the eastward, in the hope of falling in with some of the enemy's cruisers, that were thought to be hovering on the coast. The ship ran down, near the land, as far as the Bay of Fundy, without seeing anything, when she went off Halifax and Cape Sable, with the same want of success. Captain Hull now determined to go farther east, and he went near the isle of Sables, and thence to the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to intercept vessels bound to Halifax or Quebec. 2. Here two prizes, of little value, were taken and burned. On the morning of the 15th, five sail were made, one of which was a sloop-of-war. The Constitution followed a ship, which turned out to be an Englishman, already a prize to aħ American privateer. This vessel had been spoken by the sloop-of-war, but the appearance of the Constitution prevented her recapture. A brig was next chased to leeward, and proved to be an American, with a prize-crew on board. She was retaken, and sent in. The remainder of the vessels escaped. 3. The Constitution next stood to the southward, and on the 19th, at two P.M., in lat. 41°41', long. 55° 48', a sail was made from the mast-heads, bearing E.S.E., and to leeward, though the distance prevented her character from being discovered. The Constitution immediately made sail in chase, and at three, the |