The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-07-28
BLOODY LUNDY LANE.
visit TO the Most Famous spot ImmOltaliled
by the War of 1s12-The British Account Of the
Battle,


queried the hackman who had been
driving me betW cen the whirlpool rap.
ids and Burning sprng.
Why, no." l replied; "the Lundy
lane of 1914, do you mean?"
Certainly it's only two miles from
the Clifton House, and there is besides
TIE battle ground a fine observatory
from Whick Lake Erie and Lake Ontario
may be seen."
was astonished, though the astorish.
ment betrays my ignorance at learning
the fact that the famous battle Of Lundy's
Lane was fought within two miles of
Niagara Falls. However, that l might
be forever hereafter impressed with this
UNEXPECTEDLY acquired information, I
Immediately drove to that memorable
spOt...
"Lundy's Lanew why every school.
boy Is familiar with the name but, per-
haps, like myself, they. for the time, o.
cate it indefinitely. The old lane is
practically the same thoroughfare it was
seventy years ago. 1t took its pame
from an old gentleman named Lundy,
who lived one mile east of the battle.
ground, but ps it is still a lane along
which live three members of the original
Lundy family, all in different bouses,
the title is no Iess appropriate now.
The battle ground is a small knoll
overlooking a beautiful valley to the
southeast, and on the north are several
trees still standing which played an i'm.
portant part in that memorable engage.
ment. On the apex of the knoll stands
frame observatory, about one hundred
feet in heiL bit, and around its base it is
claimed the most desperate part of the
fight occurred.
Without reference to histC rical annals
the traditions of the place describe the
battle as foil ws:
Gems. Scott and Rigley had been oper.
ating for several weeks in the country
adjacent Niagara Falls, and on the 9th of
July, 1874 met a snall party of the
British under Gen. Riall at Bridgewater
now known as the Burning Spring,
which they easily repulsed. Continuing
their campaign in Canada, the Am.fi-
cans had followed down the river some
distance, but meeting with no enemy
Gen. Scott concluded to return and lay
around Toronto to feel the British and
Learn the location of their forces. In
the meantime word ha1 reached the en-.
emy's posts of the plans of the Ameri.
cans and also the repulse at Bridgewa-
ter; $500 men we're therefore dispatched
under Gems. DeLuudy and Drummond
to intercept the Americans, and it was
this order that led to the terrible meet
ing at Lundy's Lane.
The advance guard of Gen. Scott dis.
covered that of the British just at the
brow of the knoll previously referred to.
This discovery was made at four o'clock
in the afternoon of July %, and after ex.
changing shots the guards retrealed and
reported the enemy. AS both armies
were on the march neither halted, but
pushed steadily on, until in passing up
the knoll, they met less than fifty yards
apart. The forces of each were about
2 500, and both we're armed alike, with
flint lock muskets, On.
ly three volleys were fred by the con.
tending forces, owing to their immediate
proximity when the battle begun, and
the charge was ordered. The two ar
mics came together like two bolts of
lightning meeting in the heaviest forest;
it shook the very earth and tore er rCh
other as some mighty explosive fired in
q multitude, Such bayonet fight as
that at Lundy's Lane has no parallel in
history. Americans and British alike,
sworn to do or die, fought with that des-
perate fury born of purest heroism,
The heat was almost as terrible as the
battle exhausted nature while it pals ed
the arm of many, did not stop the
slaughter. The blazing sun at last sunk
down, as though sick and tired, but the
shadows, which succeeded we're not of
peace. The fury of raging Niagara could
alone compare with that which dro Wned
the voice of roaring waters. Night drew
on but still the battle did not cease the
dews of heaven seemed to kiss the wear.
led limbs and draw back strength to the
exhausted. Every foot Of that memora-
BILE knoll was drenChod with the richest
blood that ever flowed through the veins
of brave men; the hill grew slippery
and the voice of distress hung like ter,
ribe pail over the contested ground.
The fight continued without in errup'
ton until four o'clock in the morning of
the Goth. Gen. Scott was captured, but
aped again; his men had melted
away with the enemy, and exhaustion
at last compelled cessation. The Amer.
leans drew off and camped again near
Niagara to reCuperale. The British also
left but returned to the spot on the af-
ternoon ofthe 26th to bury their des1.
By actual count over eighteen hundred
dead bodies on the field while those
that died from wounds swelled the total
loss to one half of the entire number en-
gagged in the battle. A large trench was
dug, into which several hundred bodies
were buried, but the weather was 80 AK
Cessively hot that decomposition had al.
ready set in, and to pr, vent further delay
more than one thousand of the bodies
were placed in piles, with rails bet Eeen
them, and burned. The spot where these
funeral pYres were made is directly
across the lane from the observa ory,
and is fenced in with palings. The mu-
around Lundy's Lane is now
called Drummondville, in honor of the
general who commanded the British
forces in that conflict. Near the observa-
tory, on the west side Of the lane, is the
Niagara Falls cemetery, in which lies
buried the body of Capt, Hull, one Of the
Americans vino perished in the fight. A
handsome monument has been erected
by his relatives over his grave bearing,
an inscription commemorative OF his
deeds and death.