of the powder magazine, to which a train had been laid, 260 of the Americans were killed or wounded, including Brigadier Pike among the former; and they were thrown into such confusion, that an immediate and resolute attack would probably have sent them back to their ships.[121] The British general “drew off his regulars and left the rest to capitulate within the town, wherein considerable public stores were lost;"[122] and the Americans, having secured their booty, re-embarked and sailed on the 2d of May for Niagara.  The inhabitants of York do not appear to have been satisfied with the conduct of Major-General Sheaffe in this affair; and, although it was not ascertained whether his removal was the result of the displeasure of the Commander-in-chief, he was replaced early in July by Major-General de Rottenburg, and on his arrival in the Lower Province he assumed the command of the troops in the district of Montreal.  A few months after, the Baron de Rottenburg was in his turn succeeded by Lieut.-General Gordon Drummond, who commanded in Upper Canada to the end of the war.

We have alluded (page 278) to the discomfiture of Sir George Prevost before Sackett’s Harbour, that naval arsenal whose destruction Major-General Brock was so unfortunately prevented from undertaking.  The governor-general having proceeded in May from Montreal to Kingston with Sir James Yeo, who had just arrived from England to command the British naval forces on the lakes—­the squadron on Lake Ontario now consisting of two ships, a brig, and two schooners—­the public was on the tiptoe of expectation for some decisive dash on the enemy’s flotilla on that lake.  An attack upon Sackett’s Harbour, in the absence of their fleet at Niagara, was resolved upon, so as to destroy “the forts, the arsenals, and the dock-yard, where the Americans had a frigate almost ready for launching, and several other vessels; but when this wavering and spiritless general reconnoitred the place, he would not venture an attack, and returned across the water towards Kingston.  Then he changed his mind and went back to Sackett’s Harbour; and (but not without more wavering and loss of time) our troops, about 750 strong, were landed.  The Americans were presently driven at the bayonet’s point into some loop-holed barracks and forts; and so panic-stricken were they that they immediately set fire to their new frigate, their naval barracks and arsenal, and destroyed a gun-brig and all the stores which had so recently been captured at York.  While the arsenal was in flames, while the Americans were flying through the village, and when the complete success of the assailants was certain, Sir George Prevost sent a precipitate order for retreat, merely because a momentary resistance was offered by a party of Americans who had taken refuge in the log-barracks!  The British troops reluctantly obeyed their general’s order and returned to their boats, men and officers being acutely sensible to his folly, and wondering