useless, and the greater part of her crew either killed or wounded.

After a display of skill and gallantry, which, alone, would have been sufficient to have immortalized commodore Perry-after defending his vessel against a far superior force, to the very last extremity, this illustrious hero, at a critical moment, when, to almost any other mind, the contest would have appeared hopeless, resolved to save his country's honour, or perish in the attempt. He therefore quitted the Lawrence in an open boat, and rowed off for the Niagara, to make one more display of his heroism and talents. In his passage, there was no less than three broadsides fired at him by the British vessels, which he passed. Heaven interposed its protecting arm. He escaped the apparently inevitable destruction. He reached the Niagara in safety, and a breeze springing up, enabled captain Elliot, who commanded that vessel, to bring her into close action in a very gallant manner. Captain Elliot anticipated the commodore's desires by volunteering to bring the schooners, which had, by the lightness of the wind, been kept astern, into close action. Some time after commodore Perry had left the Lawrence her flag was lowered; for having been so long exposed to nearly the whole fire of the British fleet, she was almost cut to pieces; and the chief part of her crew disabled, only eight men remaining capable of doing duty. The British however were not in a state to take possession of her, and circumstances soon permitted her flag to be again hoisted. At forty-five minutes past

two, the signal was made for close action. As the Niagara was very little injured, commodore Perry determined to pass through the enemy's line with her. He accordingly bore up, and passed ahead of their two ships and a brig, giving a raking fire to them from his larboard side, at half pistol shot distance. The smaller vessels were by this time within grape and cannister distance, under the direction of captain Elliot. The severe and well directed fire from them and the Niagara, forced the two ships, the brig, and a schooner to surrender. A sloop and schooner attempted to escape, but were overtaken and captured.

The Lawrence was so completely cut up, that after the action, she was sent to Erie to be dismantled. Lieutenant Yarnell, upon whom the command of the Lawrence devolved after the commodore left her, refused to quit the deck though several times wounded. Lieutenant Brooke of the marines, and midshipman Saul, were both killed on board the Lawrence. As the surgeon of this vessel was stooping, in the act of dressing or examining a wound, a ball passed through the ship a few inches from his head, which, had it been erect must have been tak en off. Mr. Hambleton, purser, distinguished himself, and towards the close of the action was severely wounded.

On board the Niagara, lieutenants Smith and Edwards and midshipman Webster behaved in a very handsome manner. Captain Brevoort of the army, who, with the men under his command, had volun

teered, to act as marines, did great execution with his musketry. Lieutenant Turner, who commanded the Caledonia, brought his vessel into action in the most gallant style. The Ariel, lieutenant Packet, and Scorpion, sailing master Champlin, got early into the action, and were of great service. The purser Magrath performed essential service. Captain Elliot particularly distinguished himself by his exertion and skill.

The following is an estimate of the killed and wounded on board the American fleet.

Of the British fleet the captain and first lieutenant of the Queen Charlotte, were killed. Commodore Barclay of the Lady Prevost was severely wounded, and lost his hand. The loss of the British in killed and wounded has been estimated at one hundred and sixty.

The rejoicing at this victory in the United States, was extremely great. All the principal towns were illuminated.*

* Clark's Naval History, vol. i. p. 217-222.

EVENTS ON LAKE ONTARIO.

FOR a long time previous to the war, the British had been actively employed in equipping vessels of war on lake Ontario. On the 19th of July 1812, soon after the declaration of war reached Sackett's harbour, lieutenant Woolsey, of the American brig Oneida, then lying in Sackett's harbour, discovered from the mast head five sail of British armed vessels namely, the Royal George, of twenty-four guns; the Prince Regent, a new ship carrying upwards of twenty guns, the Earl Moira of twenty, the Seneca of eight, the other unknown. They were about five leagues distant, beating up for the harbour with the wind ahead. The troops were immediately called to arms and despatches sent for the troops in the vicinity, who assembled, to the amount of nearly three thousand. Soon after sunrise the Prince Regent brought to, and captured the custom house boat, about seven miles from the harbour. The crew of the boat were set on shore, with a message to colonel Belleyer, the commandant at the harbour, demanding the surrender of the Oneida, and the late British schooner Nelson, seized for a breach of the revenue laws, and then fitting out as an armed vessel. case of refusal, the British threatened to burn the village, and lay the inhabitants under contribution.

In

Soon after this lieutenant Woolsey left the harbour in the Oneida, and ran down within a league of the British. But he soon returned, and moored his vessel

in a line with a land battery lately erected. Lieutenant Woolsey then left his vessel, in order to direct the guns of the land battery. By this time the British fleet had arrived within gunshot. The Royal George, as flag ship, was ahead. A brisk firing commenced on both sides, and continued upwards of two hours. The Royal George and Prince Regent were much injured. As the former was veering to give a broadside, a shot from an American thirty-two pounder, was observed to strike her and completely rake her. Soon after this the squadron bore away for Kingston. None of the Americans were injured.

On the 31st of July, the Julia, carrying three guns was attacked by the British armed vessels Earl Moira, of sixteen guns, and the Duke of Gloucester of ten, at the entrance of the St. Lawrence, and beat them both off.

In September, captain Isaac Chauncey was appointed to command the American fleet on lake Ontario, then lying in Sackett's harbour, where he arrived in the month of October. In the early part of November, he sailed with his fleet from Sackett's harbour the aggregate of guns of the American vessels amounted to forty, their crews to four hundred and thirty men; that of the British to one hundred and eight guns, and their crews to eight hundred and ninety men.

On the 8th, commodore Chauncey fell in with the Royal George, and chased her into Quinte Bay; where he lost sight of her in the night; but on the morning of the 9th, she was perceived lying in