The operations by land were offensive on the part of the Americans, and directed to the conquest of Canada, of which the frontier adjoins their northern states, extending in a long line from south-west to northeast. The boundary consists in a great mea sure of water, being formed partly by the great lakes Eric and Ontario, partly by the course of the St Lawrence. On the south-west part of this frontier, a body of 2300 Americans, regulars and militia, advanced. in July 1812 from the small fort of Detroit. Their operations, at first success ful, were soon checked by a British detachment ; re treat became unavoidable, and our troops assuming the offensive in their turn, the result was the surren der (16th August) of the whole body of Americans and of the fort of Detroit. Not discouraged by this failure, another detachment of Americans assembled near Niagara, but, after a sharp action (18th Octo ber), were obliged, like their countrymen, to sur render. A farther attempt, on the part of the Ame ricans, to force the Niagara frontier, on 28th Novem ber, was likewise unsuccessful; while, in a different quarter, at a distance of nearly 300 miles to the north-east, the advance of their main body to Cham plain proved ineffectual, the preparations on our side necessitating their retreat. Lastly, a detachment ad vancing, in January 1818, in the hope of retaking Fort Detroit, were themselves attacked by a British division and obliged to surrender.
These repeated failures were the result, not of a deficient activity or courage, but of impatience and insubordination ; the restraint of discipline being ill suited to a nation that acknowledges no master. But, in the next campaign, the Americans took the field with augmented forces, and an improved plan of action. A strong division crossing Lake Ontario, landed on 27th April, at York, the chief town of Up per Canada, and took it, with its stores, and part of the garrison. A check was, indeed, given to them in a very different quarter, on the Miami, a river falling into Lake Erie ; but, next month, a strong body of Americans penetrated the Niagara frontier, and an attempt made by the British on Sackett's harbour, a port in Lake Ontario, was not successful. Still the•progress of the American main body into Canada from the Niagara was obstructed, and checks experienced by them in a way that clearly demon strated the inexperience of their troops. They for bore, therefore, to advance by land, and directed their efforts to a naval superiority. On Lake Erie, the more remote of the two from our Canada set tlements, this superiority was acquired in September, after the capture of our petty squadron, under Cap. tai' Barclay, and the consequence was our abandon ing the more distant posts in Upper Canada. On
Lake Ontario, the naval contest was long maintain ed ; and an attempt made, in November, by a strong division of Americans, to descend the St Lawrence in small craft, and to threaten Montreal, was render ed abortive by the activity of our troops. The cam paign was then closed by our opponents without 'making any serious impression on Canada, though their force exceeded 20,000 men. On our part, the campaign terminated by taking Fort Niagara by sarprise, and by repulsing, near the small town of Buffalo, a corps of 2000 men, brought forward to check our advance. The town was burned, in reta liation for a similar excess committed by the Ameri cans.
The inclemency of an American winter suspended hostile operations for some months. The first exploit of consequence, in next campaign, took place on Lake Ontario, and was an attack by a British division and squadron on Fort Oswego, which, with its stores, fell into our hands. In the beginning of July, an American division, 5000 strong, crossed the Niaga ra, already so often traversed, and obliged the op posing force to retreat. But the opportun•arrival, from Bourdeaux, of some regiments which had serv ed in France, soon enabled our troops to make a stand ; and, on 25th July, there took place an action more obstinate, and better sustained on the part of the Americans, than any in the present war. They were finally repulsed, but the loss was heavy on both sides. Some time after, a sally made by the garri son of Fort Erie against a detachment of British en trenched in the vicinity, though at first successful, was eventually repulsed. But 'a very different result attended an offensive enterprise, on a large scale, attempted by us on the side of Lake Champlain. For this purpose, our Commander, Sir G. Prevost, as sembled all his disposable force, amounting, with the reinforcements from Europe, to nearly 15,000 men, crossed the American frontier, and marched south ward to attack Plattsburgh, a fortified town on Lake Champlain. The attack on the land side was com bined with that of a flotilla, consisting of a frigate and several small vessels, which, coming within sight on 11th September, engaged an American flotilla of nearly equal force. Unfortunately, our commanding officer was killed, and our flotilla captured,—a check .which, though in itself of no great moment, induced our general to make a sudden retreat. This retreat, in the face of so inferior an enemy, was altogether inexplicable, and excited general surprise and dis appointment. With it closed the operations on the side of Canada,cach party having entirely relinquish ed the idea of offensive war.