Chauncey, commanded by General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, for the capture of York, the capital of Upper Canada.  The assault was successful, and the place was taken with a large number of prisoners and valuable stores.  General Pike was killed by the explosion of a magazine.  Animated by the success of General Pike’s expedition, General Dearborn determined to make an assault on Fort George, having the co-operation of Commodore Chauncey and his naval force.  Arrangements were made for an attack on May 20th.  Colonel Scott asked permission to join the expedition in command of his own regiment, which was granted.

The fleet weighed anchor at three o’clock in the morning, and by four the troops were all aboard.  The place of embarkation was three miles east of Fort Niagara, and was made in six divisions of boats.  Colonel Scott led the advance guard, at his special request, composed of his own regiment and a smaller one under Lieutenant-Colonel George McFeely.  He was followed by General Moses Porter having the field train, then the brigades of Generals John Parker Boyd, William Henry Winder, and John Chandler, with the reserve under the able Colonel Alexander Macomb.

Commodore Isaac Chauncey had directed the anchorage of his schooners close to the shore in order to protect the troops in landing, and to open fire at any point on the shore where the enemy were suspected to be.  Lieutenant Oliver Hazard Perry joined Commodore Chauncey on the evening of the 25th, and volunteered his services in assisting in the debarkation of the troops.  This service required the greatest coolness and skill, as the wind was blowing strong and the current running rapidly; the vessels were difficult to manage, especially as they were under almost constant fire of the British guns.  Perry accompanied Scott through the surf, and rendered valuable service.  He it was who as Commodore Perry soon after became known to the world as the hero of Lake Erie.

The landing was effected on the British shore at nine o’clock in the morning a short distance from the village of Newark, now known as Niagara.  The line of battle was promptly formed under cover of a bank ranging from six to twelve feet in height.  The line of the enemy was formed at the top of the bank, consisting of about fifteen hundred men.  The first attempt to ascend was unsuccessful.  Scott, in attempting to scale the bank, received a severe fall, but recovering himself and rallying his forces, he advanced up the bank and was met by the enemy’s bayonets.  The British fell back and reformed under cover of a ravine, but a vigorous assault of less than half an hour put them in a complete rout.  These forces were assisted by Porter’s artillery and Boyd with a portion of his command, who had landed soon after the advance forces.  The enemy were pursued to the village, where the Americans were re-enforced by the command of Colonel James Miller.  It was learned from some prisoners that the British