The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-22

juetoeeumed command Of Hack Rock roosivvA is1aNi-
kagara below With formi6ahle fcscs 70 ssxses ~
Issstensnt Elliott sat messenger with this Nv(mk
ton 70 CApia,n Io.sen with oome9satIss, and an or
der to burn the brig Towson would not permit this or
der TO b executed but believing his presence With his
COMPANY necsssary, in case Of attack shore, he
hoard with ordersto are and abandon her. It shouid
appear that the enemy likely TO force troops 10
retire from Black Rock. This did not occur General
and thus, BY the judcious and intrepid conduct Of
Captain Towson the Caledonia reserved TO mako
Of the gallant perrs aeet 50 gorously Triumphant on
Lake Erie, on the 10th Of September.
Two Gays after Captain fowson lamb from the CAL
edonia he was e. route with Scos detachment Of ar
ca and the hsts Of eusension The artillery wsrs Tue
only troops Of General command engaged IN that
battle They had down the Niagara to Schlosser In
lewiston and they approached that place before
Oh the morning of the 18Th they learned by the boom
ing Of artillery and the glare Of bombs flying the
rNer that the embarkation had taken place, and the
bstne was begun. They hasteLed to the scene Of
action but only boat had been provided for the
one piece at time hi. was employed by csDt ss
Gibson, OF the Light Artillery, who had up from
Fort Niagara and succeeded In getting but one Of
his guns and . caisson; but the boat had not been
brought back The remainder of the artillery posted
opposite tho enemys batteries, and throughout the
in the morning. Colonel Scott crossed over to
and took command of the regulars, leaving Captain
Towson in command of the artillery.
vanRensselaer for orders. The General whose militia
had already refused to to the assistance of
their brethren had but little confidence that they would
be able willing to defend their position, Ind told
Captain Towson that he expected to be obliged to
treat Towson however assured him, that with the
tillery under his command, and such Of the militia
would be willing TO remain he had doubt Of being
able to defend his camp provided he should have per-
mission to dispose OF the force he thought proper
To this proposition the General readily acceded with
the hope Of saving large quantity Of public property
which must have fallen into the hands Of the enemy In
oueensson, an incident occurred illustrative Of the dis
interested mssnanimity Of the American soldier and of
Of the siDgeness ofpurpose with which he aims to ad
arms Colonel Scott had been taken prisoner and was
detained az Newark on the shore Of Lake Ontario oppo
s~e ns o. 1 t
eTecting bis rescue, and the captain, with view to
complish IT, desired to ascertain tho precise locality Of
obtained from General Van Rensselaer, permission to
ry flag of truce TO the British post at Newark Several
is scott having arrived at toseth
Of which he had Of left behnc, furnished fair
pretext; and the captain crossed over to Newark He
Quoted to the place where he might have interview
with his colonel Several Indians walked along beside
him, one Of whom, in the presence Of the Brishs Off
GERS, insulted Captain Towon, by auntingy exhibiting
american uniforms, which nc had doubtless taken
from the dead at Queenston, and reprsachng the cyan
kee threaten ID that when he met him in battle he
would in like manner strip him. This outrage was not
rebuked by the officers, although offered to flag of
truce.
The captain permitted brief interview with his
captive colonel but they closely watched that
opportunity offered OF ascertainng from him the
A. g ~ attent % rssc nor u me haa .ne
lecture he able he returned TO camp resolved at
all hazards, to make the attempt. But that day,
tn medatey after bis return to camp proposal for
armstice of three days from the British general
and was accceded to by General Van Rensselaer, and
fore the close Of the arstce, Scott had been OF
Montreal On this account the scheme failed; but its
very conception SHOWS that generous minds rise above
sehsl considerations Of personal advancement, when
the honor and liberty of gallant comradc involved
To less magnanimous and calculating mind the
idea of peilous attempt to superior officer,
ton, might not have commended itself.
Pending the armistice, Captain Towson went With
his arrangements for defence General Van Rensselaer,
rated the forces Of the eLca pment assigned to the
different regiments their positions, and gave notice to
they he miiltia) attempted to quit their positions
the artillery! posted on their TANKS had peremptory
ders to turn their fire upon them.
Nothing important occurred upon the Niagara frontier
during this campaign, after the battle Of Queenson
General smyth returned to Buffalo, and several ruitess
attempts were made 70 cross the Niagara. When the
choice either TO remain ut Black Rock to join the
artillery at wamsvlle under the command OF Colonel
Moses Porter He preferred the former and after get
ting his men into comfortable quarters employed the
time in the drill exercise, and in building and repairing
Back Rock was considered the alarm post for the
Amercon army and Colonel Porter who had succeeded
Gsnesri smyth In the command had ordered Captain
IG r !, ne T. S
"a s5 :, sss " ,sss sss lsIs sGss Iti.
ab ut half way the straits when probsbly their
hearts failed them and suddenly abandoning the enter
firing carsed Towson Are his alarm guns, and the
enemy's batteries were in consequence, immediately
opened upon him. This was about twelve O'Clock at
night; Townson returned their Ere and very spirited
cspnonade was kept up for time. As this contest
made Il for Of the troops who could not
participate in II to leave their barracks which stood in
exposed situation and to stay out in the cold
Of them who supposed that the continuance Of tho
naonde was not Of great Importance procured from the
to cense firing The Captain, believing that ths
would be sacrifice OF his and his country honor,
by giving 70 the enemy grounds to say that he had
silenced his battery, and to report Ii victory,
paired to quarters at once and rendered the resg
nation Of his commission Fortunately for the service
fered ordered Towson 10 return to his post
and following him immediat ely called out to him. he
approached his battery Go on, Captain Towson; IN
please" This was pcrhaps of the best practical les
sons In gunncry which our artiersts received during
the war. Towsou lost three men BY accident;
1t was supposed to be considerable from tho follow
ing extract Of letter from Colonel Bishop who COM
manted at Fort Erie, 30 General Vincent which was
found among the papers Of the latter after tho capture
OF Fort George:--ssfhe Americana says he thave
learned The art Of using our shells Of their
AT the opening Of the campaign Of 1913 Captain Tow
attached TO the brigade Of Gel ta winder, and
participated with II in the capture OF Fort George.
While this army, which pursued the enemy along the
Canadian peninsula, lay at Forty mile Creek fe days
previous TO the battle Of Stony Creek sptsn Towson
ceiyed information that quantity Of ammunition and
military stores had been left by the enemy his
treat, about four miles from the American camp He
communicated this to the general and assed pemssion
TO go in quest of them. The enemy meantime having
learned that the Americans had discovered their stores
despatched the famous chief Norton, with two hundred
Indians 10 intercept the party that might be sent
remove them. Captain Towson, however succeeded in
his hazardous enterprise and sent the stores safely
camp before the arrival of Norton party but remained
behind himself with six Of his men, for the purpose of
mailing further search. In the meantime the Indians
arrived but Towson too wary soldier 10 be taken
by surTc he discovered the savage enemy before they
could accomplish their purpose OF getting between his
party end tle american camp He despatched an ex-
rIess to Cereal wDder with intelligence Of his atua
u n and PROPOSING TO amuae the Iadllo9 and dra v
lcIn towards The camp, If the general shoali think
lFeIer 70 order q detachment TO his aid Such an
orter forthwith given 30 the rhcincn and had I.
Teen promptly executed, there IL little doubt that
'arg. portion Of tie Tndian force might have boon kill
-. 80 IT. -f