The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-10-08

stands well TO the front in the list OF bloody
contests that reflect splendOr upon the
American arms Besides it gave to the ma
ton a remarkable military hero, whose
fame remained untarnished for half cen
fury.
After the American forces had estab-
Iishcd themselves on Canadian soil in the
summer of 1914, the commander, Gen.
Jacob Brown, adopted the policy of threat
ening various important points on that
side of the boundary, in order to prevent
his opponent, Gen. Rail, from making Il
counter invasion across Niagara river. On
the 18th of July he received news of the
movements of the British that led him to
suppose that such an invasion was Oh foot,
and yielding to the urgent solicitation OF
Gen. Scott, who commanded one OF his
brigades, ordered him to lead movement
along the Queenstown road to threaten
Forts George and Niagara, and thus put
the enemy on the defensive. The order
was issued at o'clock in the afternoon,
and SCOTS brigade was in motion in TWEEN
ty minutes. His force numbered POO men,
namely, four infantry battaliOns, one bat
terry and two companies Of mounted men,
After Il march of q couple Of hours the col
umu was met with rumors, spread by cit1-
Zens, that Riall was in the Immediate vi
cinity with a force fully equal to ScCtt's,
| but in the face Of contradictory Informal
ton, credited as positive at Browns head
quarters, the impatient leader refused to
believe the story and continued to march
rapidly on the forts" rs he had been or
dered He took the prccaution, however,
/ to send Il message back to his chief re-
| counting what he had heard. The british
who appeared on his front he believed to
| be only remnant left by Rial to deceive
| the American generals. and these he
i promptly attacked
Instead of Il remnant he met an army
and tlnintentionally opened the battle of
Lundy's Lane, or Niagara rs it is also
called. Rail was in the vicinity with q
| large force and, moreover,was i'll full readi-
ness for battle. His troops numbered + 800
and many of them were fresh His position
was on an eminence along which ran
Lundy's lane, highway between Niagara
river and the head of Lake Ontario So pre-
cipitate had been SCOTS action that there
was no safe way of backing out on the
part of the Americans. He had advertised
+ his presence by his bold attack, and should
| lie withdraw after n tentative stroke it
would lie il confession of weakness and in
| yite pursuit Pursuit under the circum-
| stances would lie as difficult to withstand
rs the onset of superior numbers in free
| field would lie.
The enemy opened with musketry and
cannon and scott accepted the challenge
jus. as though the entire American army
was at hand The British artillery was
stationed on ap eminence, with infantry TO
the right and left of it. Between the Brit
sh left flank and the river there was a space
left vacant, but at the moment OF Scots
! nttac!; re-enforcements for iLiali Were
marching up to occupy it. They never get
| there however Scott saw tie open space
1t was III the uncertain light Of evening
and he detailed the Twenty fifth regiment
under Mai, Thomas S. Jcsup, to crawl
through lie bushes that covered the ground
reach the el.rmy's left flank and turn it
Jesup obeyed and struck the opening of the
lane into Queenstown road. 1t was dow
Queenstown road that supports were
marching to Riall's assistance, and Jesup's
movement caused them to halG and change
their direction Meanwhile Scott pressed
the tightin2, against the British front. Il,
did not hope to win the fight alone, but
thought that he could hold on until relief
should come from Gen. Brown, in response
to his message that the enemy was reported
in force Ga his front.
= Jesup's movement was a brilliant success!
in every way. lie kept off ru-el forcement
from Rial that might have TUNED til.
tide against Scott. He fought with 4 force
superior to his own column out of thos
present under Rial, and he captured leial
and several of his staff before directions
could be given in the British lines for TIL,
order of battle. The capture of the en-
! eny's leader was Il stroke of luck, perhaps