Battlefields of Canada by Mary Beacock Fryer

Author:Mary Beacock Fryer
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781554880935
Publisher: Dundurn

Captain Sir James Yeo, Royal Navy. Yeo was the commander of the Royal Navy and Provincial Marine squadrons on Lake Ontario in 1813.

Vincent’s second-in-command, Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey, a Deputy Adjutant-General in Canada, led a party to reconnoitre the American camp, and when they returned Harvey recommended that Vincent organise a night attack. The night was dark for that time of the year, and Vincent agreed to proceed. A spy had visited him and gave him the American countersign. Vincent chose 700 men, from the 8th and 49th Regiments. Major Charles Plenderleath would have the field command of the 49th. Lieutenant-Colonel Harvey commanded the attack and Major James Ogilvie of the 49th led the men of the 8th. Vincent set out, and his force reached the American camp at 2.00 a.m. on 6 June, incidently the birthday of King George III. With bayonets fixed the regulars ran, whooping like Indians, down upon what they thought was the American camp, but they found oply dying fires and a few cooks. The enemy had moved to higher ground for the night, with orders to sleep on their arms. The element of surprise was lost.

While the British paused to load their muskets, they were in full view of the Americans, who had time to rally somewhat, and several of the regulars were killed. The 49th, about 500 strong, wheeled to the left while the 8th moved to the right. Before the 49th could form a line the Americans sent out a barrage of fire. The British could not hear their officers’ commands, and they began to fall back. At this crucial moment Major Plenderleath, with about twenty men of the 49th, dashed up the road and into the face of four of the American guns that were mounted on Smith’s knoll (where the lion monument now stands). The Americans managed to fire two volleys before Plenderleath and his men were upon them and capturing their four artillery pieces. The men of the 49th turned the guns on their former owners, while everywhere confusion ruled. Here was an occasion when the well-trained and usually steady British regulars got out of hand.

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