One day, about March 1st, 1813, he received a letter from his mother.  It was the first news from home for nearly a year, for the facilities for fast mails were not so good then as now.

“I have glorious news to tell you, Fernando.” she said, among other things.  “Your friend Sukey is at home.  His ship the Macedonia was captured by the frigate United States.  He says if he can learn where you are, he is coming to you.”

There was a slip of paper in his mother’s letter on which was written in a well-known hand,

“Fernando, I am coming soon, for I am in the game now.  SUKEY.”

Fernando answered the letter, saying that he was soon to march under
General Wilkinson into Canada.  A few days later, the Americans under
Wilkinson invaded Canada and, on March 30th, were repulsed at La Colle. 
Fernando returned with others to the American side.  He was near Oswego,
New York, when the British captured and destroyed it.  He was assigned to
Brown’s command and was with it in the capture of Fort Erie, on July 3d. 
Fort Erie was the chief impediment to the invasion of Canada.

Prompt measures were taken to secure the advantages gained by this victory; for it was known that General Riall, who was then the chief commander of the British on the frontier, was moving on Fort Erie.  Early on the morning of the 3d, learning of the peril of the fort, he sent forward some royal Scots to reinforce the garrison.  At Chippewa they heard of the fall of the fort, and Riall determined to attack the Americans next day.  To meet this force, General Brown sent General Scott forward with Towsen’s artillery.

At noon on the 5th, Scott was joined by Porter with his volunteers and Indians.  The British also were reinforced.  Nearly half the day was spent by the two armies feeling of each other.  Skirmishers were deployed and an occasional shot fired; but it was not until afternoon that they came together in an earnest struggle.  The fight was long and desperate; but the Americans triumphed and defeated Riall and the veterans of Wellington.  They lost one hundred and thirty-three killed and forty-six missing, while the Americans’ loss was sixty killed and two hundred and sixty-eight wounded and missing.

The English troops in that portion of Canada hastened to concentrate.  On the 25th of July, General Brown, being informed that a detachment of the enemy had invaded American soil, hurried General Scott forward to attack the party at the mouth of the Niagara, hoping by this division to recall the foe.  General Scott at the head of thirteen hundred men came suddenly across a superior force at Lundy’s Lane, under Generals Drummond and Riall.  A desperate conflict ensued, during which General Brown arrived at dark, and, withdrawing Scott’s brigade, the fight was resumed.  On a height at the head of the lane the enemy had posted a battery.  General Brown asked Colonel Miller if he could take it.