Cruikshank says 120 wounded United States officers and men were taken, of whom thirty died at hospital in Queenston and Niagara, while 140 more were ferried across to Lewiston.  Lossing, the American historian, solemnly records the “fact” that “less than 600 American troops of all ranks ever landed at Queenston,” and that “of these only 300 were overpowered”—­some of the United States histories of the colonial wars need drastic revision—­yet 958 American soldiers were taken prisoners by the British; “captured by a force,” so officially wrote Colonel Van Rensselaer, after the battle, “amounting to only about one-third of the united number of the American troops.”  Captain Gist, of the U.S. army, placed their own killed at 400.

Among those who, when defeat was certain, fled to the water’s edge, after fighting valiantly, was Colonel Winfield Scott, General Wadsworth, and other United States officers.  Pursued by the Indians, they lowered themselves from shrub to shrub.  When escape was hopeless, Scott tied the white cravat of his comrade, Totten, on his sword point, and with another officer, Gibson, was hurrying to present this flag of truce, when two Indians confronted them on the narrow trail.  Jacobs, Brant’s powerful follower, wrenched Scott’s sword away, hatchets were drawn, and had not a British grenadier sergeant rushed forward, Winfield Scott would have fared badly.

General Van Rensselaer’s defeat was complete and disastrous.  His chagrin at his failure “to appal the minds of the Canadians” was so great that ten days later he resigned his command.

The account between Canada and the United States at sundown on that day stood as follows:  Total American force engaged, 1,600.  Killed and wounded, or sent back across the river, during the fight, 500.  Prisoners, 73 officers, including two generals and five colonels, together with 852 rank and file.  Total loss, 1,425 men, besides the colours of the New York regiment, one six-pounder, 815 carbines and bayonets, and 5,950 rounds of ball and buckshot.

The total British force engaged was 1,000.  Of these 800 were regulars and militia, and 200 Indians.  Killed, 14, including one major-general and one aide.  Wounded and missing, 96.  Total American loss, 1,425.  Total British loss, 110. The next day the British General, Sheaffe, Isaac Brock’s successor, signed another armistice.  The second armistice within a period of nine weeks!

Such is the story of the Battle of Queenston Heights.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 1812.

After Van Rensselaer resigned his command in favour of Brigadier-General Smyth, the effect of the British victory upon the United States troops at Lewiston was beyond belief.  While the British soldiers were, with characteristic indifference, hard at work at Fort George cutting wood and threshing straw, the American soldiers across the river, according to their own historians, were deserting by the hundreds.  Of General Tannehill’s brigade of 1,414 of all ranks, 1,147 deserted within a few days.  Twenty of these were officers.