[Footnote 74:  James’ Military Occurrences.]

[Footnote 75:  For his revolutionary services, see Appendix A, Section 2, No. 2.]

[Footnote 76:  Howison’s Upper Canada.  London, 1821.]

[Footnote 77:  The British garrison was surprised, not being aware of the war, and the Indians butchered nearly all the whites, in number about 100.  An English trader, concealed in the house of one of the French inhabitants, beheld the massacre from an aperture which afforded him a view of the area of the fort.  He describes it as follows:  “I beheld, in shapes the foulest and most terrible, the ferocious triumphs of barbarian conquerors.  The dead were scalped and mangled; the dying were writhing and shrieking under the insatiated knife and tomahawk, and from the bodies of some, ripped open, their butchers were drinking the blood scooped up in the hollows of joined hands, and quaffed amid shouts of rage and victory.”]

[Footnote 78:  Grahame’s History of the United States.]

CHAPTER XII.

The following letters[79] relate chiefly to the enterprize against Detroit, and, although not in the chronological order we have hitherto observed, will form the subject of this chapter.

Major-General Brock to Sir George Prevost.

    Head Quarters, Detroit, Aug. 16, 1812.

I hasten to apprize your excellency of the capture of this very important post:  2,500 troops have this day surrendered prisoners of war, and about 25 pieces of ordnance have been taken without the sacrifice of a drop of British blood.  I had not more than 700 troops, including militia, and about 600 Indians, to accomplish this service.  When I detail my good fortune, your excellency will be astonished.  I have been admirably supported by Colonel Proctor, the whole of my staff, and I may justly say, every individual under my command.

Major-General Brock to Sir George Prevost.

    Head Quarters, Detroit, Aug. 17, 1812.[80]

I have had the honor of informing your excellency, that the enemy effected his passage across the Detroit river, on the 12th ultimo, without opposition; and that, after establishing himself at Sandwich, he had ravaged the country as far as the Moravian town.  Some skirmishes occurred between the troops under Lieut.-Colonel St. George and the enemy, upon the river Canard, which uniformly terminated in his being repulsed with loss.  I judged it proper to detach a force down the river Thames, capable of acting in conjunction with the garrison of Amherstburg offensively, but Captain Chambers, whom I had appointed to direct this detachment, experienced difficulties that frustrated my intentions.  The intelligence received from that quarter admitting of no delay, Colonel Proctor was directed to assume the command, and his force was soon after increased with 60 rank and file of the 41st regiment.