. The life and military services of Lieut-General Winfield Scott, including his brilliant achievements in the war of 1812, in the Mexican war, and the pending war for the Union. long proceededwith credit to the American troops, the militia who hadcrossed the river, and were engaged with Wadsworth andStranahan, had fought well, and shared both the dangersand the successes of the day. At this • crisis, howBver,when the result of the battle depended entirely upon re-inforcements, information was brought to Scott and thoseengaged, that the militia on the American shore refusedto cross ! General Va
. The life and military services of Lieut-General Winfield Scott, including his brilliant achievements in the war of 1812, in the Mexican war, and the pending war for the Union. long proceededwith credit to the American troops, the militia who hadcrossed the river, and were engaged with Wadsworth andStranahan, had fought well, and shared both the dangersand the successes of the day. At this • crisis, howBver,when the result of the battle depended entirely upon re-inforcements, information was brought to Scott and thoseengaged, that the militia on the American shore refusedto cross ! General Van Rensselaer rode among them, inall directions, urging the men by every consideration topass, Tjut in vain.^ Not a regiment nor a company couldbe induced to move! A panic had seized them; buteven had it been otherwise, they could not have crossed,as but a few crippled boats remained to take them over.^ ? Since Sir Roger SheafFe, made a baronet for the events of that day. • General Van Rensselaers Letter to General Dearboni, October 14tli,1812. This was the original error of the expedition. The total number ofboats is said in the accounts, to have been but A SPEECH ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE. 43 Seve re was the mortification of this disaster to the oravemen engaged, and mournful the result! At this period, the British force was estimated, regu-lars, militia, and Indians, at not less than thirteen hundred,while the Americans were reduced to less than threehundred. Retreat was as hopeless as succor ; for therewere no boats on the Canada shore, and the militia onthe other side refused, to give them aid. Scott took hisposition on the ground they then occupied, resolved toabide the shock, and thinlc of surrender only when battlewas impossible. He mounted a log in front of his much-diminished band : The enemys balls, said he, beginto thin our ranks. His numbers are overwhelming. Ina moment the shock must come, and there is no are in the beginning of a national wa
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectscottwi, bookyear1861
