To offset these reverses, the brilliant victory of the British ship Shannon over the American war vessel Chesapeake, in a naval duel fought outside Boston harbour, somewhat restored British complacence.  This was the prelude to another victory on land.  Vincent, after being bombarded out of Fort George, slowly retreated with his broken command towards Burlington, cleverly flirting with the enemy, and drawing him farther and farther inland, finally reforming his wearied men near Stony Creek, sixteen miles from the lake’s head.  Here the enemy, 3,000 strong, went into camp.  It was here that FitzGibbon—­General Brock’s old-time sergeant-major and faithful protege—­now in command of a company of the 49th, disguised as a settler, penetrated the enemy’s camp, and was convinced a night attack would be successful.  While the advance guard of the enemy was driving in the British decoy pickets, 800 of Vincent’s force, under Harvey, surprised and charged them in the darkness, capturing two American generals, 120 prisoners, and four cannon, without the loss of a man.

Sheaffe was now transferred to Montreal, and De Rottenberg assumed military command in Upper Canada.  Three weeks later an American, Colonel Boerstler, was ordered to surprise a small party of British at Beaver Dams (now Thorold).  Lieutenant FitzGibbon, in command, was informed of the proposed attack.  An heroic woman—­Laura Secord—­the wife of a wounded militiaman at Queenston, and to whose house Brock’s body was borne after he fell, learned of the pending surprise by overhearing a conversation between some American officers.  Her resolution was soon formed.  Despite the fact that twenty miles through gloomy forest, filled with hostile Indians, lay between her home and the British camp, she tramped the distance unattended, though not unmolested, and reached the Stone House in time to warn the plucky grenadier.  The wily Irishman at once despatched a party of Caughnawaga Indians to divert the enemy’s attention.  Advancing with a few soldiers, and finding Boerstler and his force drawn up in an opening of the woods, uncertain what to do, he boldly ordered that officer to surrender with his entire command of 540 soldiers, though he had but forty-seven men to enforce the conditions.  His demand was instantly complied with.

To equalize in part this game of international see-saw, Chauncey again visited York with fourteen ships, mounting 114 guns, and plundered the defenceless capital.

On Lake Erie, Perry, with nine ships and a total broadside of 936 pounds of metal, defeated Barclay’s six Canadian ships, with a total broadside of 459 pounds.  These facts must be taken into impartial consideration in weighing the issue.  In the west, Procter, still suffering from the shock received at Fort Meigs, with 407 troops and 800 Indians, retreated up the Thames valley, neglecting to burn his bridges in his retreat, with General Harrison and an army of 3,500