The Documentary History Of The Campaign On The Niagara Frontier 1814

Author : E. Cruikshank
Publisher : Forgotten Books
ISBN 13 : 9780332745404
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (454 download)

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Download or read book The Documentary History of the Campaign on the Niagara Frontier in 1814, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint) written by E. Cruikshank and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-12-13 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Documentary History of the Campaign on the Niagara Frontier in 1814, Vol. 2 General P01ter's command on that day consisted of two col umns. The right column was to attack the batteries ln the rea1. The left, which was stationed directly back of it, was kept in reserve to meet the reinforcements which were expected from the enemy's main army. General Porte1 was with the right column until the blockhouse and third battery were carried; he then set out, accompanied by only two or three persons, to go to the left column, where some skirmishing had already commenced with the reinforcements. He had proceeded but a sho1t distance in the woods. When he found himself within a few yards of 60 or 80 of the enemy who had just emerged from a ditch, and who, discover ing probably that ou1 tr00ps we1e in their rear, stood f01med intwo lines with their arms at rest, apparently hesitating which way to go or how to act. General Porter, finding himself within their power, and seeing that the occasion required resolution and decision, instantly left his company and running to them with the greatest boldness, exclaimed, That's right, my good fellows, surrender and we will take care of you, - and coming up to the man on the left he took his musket out of his hand and threw it on the ground, at the same time pushing him forward towards the fort. In this way he proceeded nearly through the first line, most of the men volun taril y throwing down their arms and advancing to the front when all of a sudden a soldier, whose musket he was about to take, stepped back and, presenting his bayonet to General Porter's breast, demanded his surrender. The General seized the musket and was wresting it from him when he was assaulted by an officer who stood next in the ranks, and three or four soldiers, who after a short scuffle brought him to the ground. He, however, soon recov ered his feet, when he found himself surrounded by 15 or 20 men with their guns presented to him, demanding his surrender. By this time several of our officers were advancing with their men to the scene of action, and General Porter, assuming an air of compo sure and decision, told the enemy that they were surrounded and prisoners, and that if they fired a gun they should all be put to the sword. Without venturing to fire, they still continued to vocif erate, Surrender, you are my prisoner, when Lieutenant Chatfield of the Cayuga Riflemen, who had got near the spot, ordered his men to fire. This drew their attention from the General, and after a momentary scene of confusion and carnage the enemy were all either killed or taken prisoners. In this affair Captain Knapp of the New York Volunteers was badly wounded by a musket ball in the side, and General Porter in the hand by the cut of a sword. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.