neither certain nor important, yet it afterwards became a subject of dispute whether it was Tecumseh that he slew. Some of the circumstances which confirm the fact, shall here be noted. It is known that Tecumseh was killed in this battle, and that the person whom Colonel Johnson killed was a chief warrior. It is also known that but one other chief was killed, in any way answering to the description given of this person, and that he, a brother-in-law to Tecumseh, was killed in another part of the battle. Several persons who were in the battle, and who were perfectly indifferent to the hand by which he fell, have averred to the writer of this, that Tecumseh was found dead upon the very spot where Colonel Johnson killed this chief; and that a medal was taken from that body, which was known to have been presented to Tecumseh by the British government. Anthony Shane, a celebrated Indian warrior, who is partially civilized, is a man of high character for honour and integrity, and has been the uniform friend of the United States; he was at the Thames at the time of battle, and had been intimately acquainted with Tecumseh from early childhood. The writer of this inquired of Shane, what he knew of the death of Tecumseh. He answered, that immediately after the battle of the Thames was ended, he went to the spot where several of the men had seen Colonel Johnson kill an Indian commander, and there he saw Tecumseh lie dead upon the ground; that he examined his body, and observed that he must have been killed by a person on horseback, for a ball and three buckshot were shot into his breast, and the ball passed through his body and came out at the lower part of his back. While looking at the body, he was asked if he was certain it was Tecumseh. Shane told them he was certain, for he had known him from childhood, and that if they would examine his thigh they would discover a remarkable scar, occasioned by the misfortune of Tecumseh having his thigh broken many years before; that, on examining, they found the scar as he had described. Shane knew this person to be Tecumseh, and his body was found where Colonel Johnson had killed an Indian commander. He was killed by a person on horseback; and

Colonel Johnson was the only person in that part of the battle who fought on horseback. He was shot with a ball and three buckshot; and the pistol with which Colonel Johnson shot the Indian chief was charged with a ball and three buckshot. These circumstances establish the fact beyond all reasonable doubt, and as conclusively as any historical fact can be established, that Colonel Johnson, in this chivalrous act, slew Tecumseh, and delivered his country from the most courageous, the most hostile, the most skilful, and the most terrific savage foe that America ever had. His enmity was like that of Hannibal to the Romans, and his arm not less powerful; but before the unconquerable spirit of Johnson he fell, and terror fled from the habitations of the frontiers."

CHAPTER XVI.

General Cass stationed at Detroit-General Harrison makes Preparations to proceed in the War, but is badly treated by the Government-Resigns his Commission-An ill-contrived Expedition-Invasion of Canada-Battle of Chippewa.

"Ducit amor patriæ."

THE fall of Detroit having put an end to the Indian war in that quarter and given security to the frontiers, General Harrison discharged the greater part of his volunteers, stationed General Cass at Detroit, with about 1000 men, and being without orders from the War Department, he resolved to proceed to the Ontario frontier in the fleet. Accordingly, on the 22d of October, he sailed from Erie with M'Arthur's brigade and a battalion of riflemen, and arrived at Buffalo on the 24th. From this place, he marched to Newark, where he received orders from the War Department to send the brigade to Sackett's Harbour, and was informed that he had permission to return to his family. This intimation, the meaning of which it was not difficult to understand, was complied with, and he soon afterwards resigned his commission.

Before we leave this quarter, it is proper to advert to an event which took place at a somewhat later period. The fort of Mackinaw was now the only one remaining of the British conquests in the west. In the spring of 1814, an effort was made by Lieutenant-Colonel Croghan, jointly with Commodore Sinclair, who commanded the flotilla on lake Erie, to obtain possession of it. A landing was effected on the island, but the strength of the place was found to be so great, that the troops were re-embarked, with the loss of Major Holmes, several other officers, and about sixty men. Two of the American schooners were subsequently captured by boarding, with great slaughter.

While, on the north-western frontier, the disgrace of former campaigns had been repaid by an ample harvest of victory, the American people were doomed to experience fresh disappointment and mortification in another quarter, from the want of judgment in the administration, or of energy in the commanding officers. The retirement of Generals Dearborn and Lewis, had left the command of the army at fort George in the hands of General Boyd, who was restricted by the government from engaging in offensive operations, as it was intended to intrust the command to other officers. Generals Wilkinson and Hampton were called from the southern section of the United States for this purpose. To the former was given the command of the forces on the shores of the Ontario, while the latter was assigned to the northern army, then encamped at Plattsburg. The public voice called for some more decided and energetic measures than had as yet been taken. The strength and spirits of the army had been wasted in a succession of petty attacks upon unimportant places, while the two great posts of Kingston and Montreal remained secure and unthreatened.

It was now determined by the administration, that one or both of these should be assailed by the respectable force which, towards the month of August, had been assembled; and, for the purpose of maturing the plan and superintending its execution, the Secretary of War, General Armstrong, proceeded to Sackett's Harbour. After considerable delibera

upon.

tion, the arrangements of the campaign were finally agreed It was determined that the army should fall down the St. Lawrence in boats; that it should be joined by the force under General Hampton at the most convenient point of junction, and should thence proceed to attack Montreal, which, at this period, was supposed to be defended by a small force. General Wilkinson, who arrived at Sackett's Harbour on the 20th of August, had been, for some time after that period, diligently employed in collecting and organizing the scattered detachments of the army, which were gradually concentrated on Grenadier Island, near the head of the St. Lawrence. Although the advanced state of the season rendered it necessary that the greatest expedition should be used, yet the difficulties attending this measure were so numerous, that it was not until the 23d of October that a sufficient force could be assembled. The army thus collected, consisted of about 7000 men. The strength of the enemy at Kingston, was estimated at about 4000. To favour the idea of an attack being intended on this place, a post on the St. Lawrence, contiguous to it, was fixed on for the rendezvous of the army, to which the advance, under General Brown, was despatched. On the 3d of November, the rear, with the commanding general, arrived at this spot, and everything being in readiness, the whole flotilla got under way, and proceeded down the river on the 5th.

It was soon discovered that a passage down the St. Lawrence was not to be effected without difficulty. At every narrow pass, artillery and musketeers were stationed; and the enemy, relieved of apprehension on the score of Kingston, had despatched a force of 1500 men, and a squadron of armed vessels, to hang upon the rear. It became necessary, therefore, that a party should be landed to remove the obstructions in front; for which purpose, Colonel Macomb was detached with about 1200 men, and was subsequently reinforced by General Brown's brigade, while the brigade under General Boyd acted as a rear-guard. After surmounting various obstacles, the flotilla arrived, on the 10th, in the vicinity of a large and dangerous rapid. Here, an attack was made on

the rear of the flotilla, by the enemy's gun-boats, who were not driven back until a battery of eighteen-pounders was erected. On the 11th, information was received from General Brown, that he had repulsed the force opposed to him, and had taken a position at the foot of the rapid. It was determined, therefore, to attempt the passage, when information was received from General Boyd, that the British were advancing in column to assail him. He was immediately directed to anticipate the attack, by moving against the enemy with his whole force. The latter was advantageously posted behind the deep ravines which intersected the plain. The attack was commenced by driving back a strong party of the British, posted in the wood. General Covington then advanced on the right of the enemy, with his brigade, while Colonel Ripley assailed his left flank, with the 21st regiment, after having routed with the bayonet a superior number opposed to him. The attack on the enemy's right was not attended with success. The fall of General Covington, who was killed while bravely leading his brigade to the charge, and the want of ammunition, caused that part of the Americans to retire. In its retreat, a piece of artillery was captured by the enemy, in consequence of the difficulty of the ground. At length, after a contest of two hours, the Americans retired and re-occupied the ground from which they had originally driven the enemy, while the latter fell back to their camp. The infantry were soon afterwards embarked on board the flotilla, and the dragoons and light artillery proceeded by land to the foot of the rapid.

The numbers engaged in this action, have been variously represented. From the British official accounts, it would appear that their own force did not exceed 800, while that of their adversaries is stated at 4000. This palpable exaggeration is of a nature to throw discredit upon their whole report. It is known that the force of General Boyd did not exceed 1700 men, and it is probable the numbers of the enemy were not inferior. Both parties claimed a victory. The American commander contended that the object of his attack had been gained in the repulse of the enemy, and the occupation of the