On the Niagara in 1814 by Donald E. Graves [Review]

Canadian Military History Volume 3 Issue 2 Article 22 1994 The Battle of Lundy’s Lane: On the Niagara in 1814 by Donald E. Graves [Review] Barry Gough Wilfrid Laurier University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Gough, Barry "The Battle of Lundy’s Lane: On the Niagara in 1814 by Donald E. Graves [Review]." Canadian Military History 3, 2 (1994) This Feature is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Gough: <em>Lundy’s Lane</em> [Review] recounting his many impressive Donald Graves cites C.P. Stacey's began with parry and thrust, and achievements in the cause of quip: "The War of 1812 is one of continued into the night as troops. Canadian unity and the country those episodes in history that in pitch darkness, struck at the which he loved, David Bercuson make everybody happy, because enemy with determination. What builds a persuasive case for why everybody interprets it in his own are now called "losses from friendly "one of the most interesting way. The Americans think of it fire" were regular occurrences. The Canadians of the twentieth cen primarily as a naval war in which power of the Royal Artillery, tury" (p.xi) should be remembered the pride of the Mistress of the advantageously placed on an by a generation that does not seem Seas was humbled by what an eminence, wasted unprotected as sure as he was of what binds imprudent Englishman had called American infantry. Royal Scots and them together. 'a few fir-built frigates manned the 8th, 41st and 89th Regiments of by a handful of bastards and Foot put up stout resistance. The David A. Lenarcic outlaws.' Canadians think of it officer commanding British forces Wilfrid Laurier University equally pridefully as a war of was Canadian-born Sir Gordon defence in which their brave Drummond, who was wounded, fathers ... saved the country from and his second-in-command was * * * * * conquest. And the English are the captured. By early the next day happiest of all because they don't the British and Canadians had even know it existed." These kept their ground, and the The Battle of assessments derive basically from Americans retired toward Fort Lundy's Lane the fact that the war tended to Erie, there to fight again in what is On the Niagara in 1814 settle few if any differences exist an important coda to this story. ing between the United Kingdom As a battle, Lundy's Lane offers Donald E. Graves. The Battle of and the United States. Although the historian rich possibilities for Lundy's Lane: On the Niagara in the diplomacy of the war, and the research. Donald Graves has 1814. (Baltimore, Maryland: The making of the peace which mastered all known sources. In Nautical & Aviation Publishing followed it on Christmas Eve 1814, particular he has used to great Company of America, 1993) 342 fall outside of the focus of this effect the official reports of pages, $24.99 US. book we generally conclude that General Drummond and those the war altered hardly at all the answering to him. Drummond attle campaigns of the War of relations between the two powers: faced two great adversaries, both B 1812 generally go unnoticed what mattered most was the of whom went on to subsequent in the larger history of warfare, successful defence of Canada. If distinguished careers in the United and in many cases are neglected Loyalist settlement moulded the States Army-Major-General altogether by students of military political character of the western Jacob Jennings Brown and history. Thus it is a matter for frontiers of what was then the Brigadier-General Winfield Scott. celebration to find a superb Province of Quebec, and shaped The contribution of Lundy's Lane history of one such battle, Donald the destiny of Upper Canada, then to the making of the careers of Graves' Lundy's Lane. This book surely the War of 1812 congealed Drummond, Brown and Scott can promises to revive our interest in Canadian attitudes against any be imagined, for all three went on the Anglo-American war in which future American invasion. Lundy's to distinguished careers in the Canadians played such a Lane was the anvil, and here the military and public service. conspicuous part in the defence Americans decided to hammer Graves scrupulously scans the of their homeland. More than this, their great blow. They did not official reports of these field however, this study will stimulate succeed. commanders against other the reader to wonder why the great On the sultry evening of 25 evidence, and it is pleasing to see conflict ever happened in the first July 1814, almost within sight of him check Drummond's enthusias place and, equally important, to Niagara Falls, American troops tic report on his own success. ponder the legacies of this attacked British regular forces Similarly, Graves notes numerously bloodiest of Anglo-American that were assisted by Canadian how E.W. Cruikshank lacked full encounters. fencibles and militia. It was a access to documentation that In one of the many quotations savage encounter, the most bitterly would have given a more that pepper this book, with profit, contested in the War of 1812. It even-handed assessment of 117 Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1994 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 3 [1994], Iss. 2, Art. 22 British successes. As Graves remained nearby until early dawn that is, about 24 per cent of the demonstrates (p.242), "when the allowed them to discover, with British force engaged. Of the fighting ended, the [American] Left delight, the vacant ground and Canadian units, the Incorporated Division was in possession ofboth unattended field pieces, once Militia suffered severely, losing the hill and the guns and withdrew previously theirs. In short, the 142 of 402 all ranks. Others of its own accord." Thus, sadly for Left Division "voluntarily gave up including the Glengarry Light Canadian history, the Americans both the hill and the captured Infantry got off lightly. In total, were not expelled from the rise, as artillery." British losses amount to about Cruikshank claimed, but withdrew The battle is told in great detail, 800 men. American losses were of their own accord. In demon and the key characters enter and similar, perhaps higher. Brown strating this, and other wonderful depart from the scene in a fashion reported 860 casualties: more particulars, Graves has used characteristic of great historical than twice as many American various diaries and newly-un narrative. The formalistic nature officers and men were killed in the earthed reports. One such is of early phases of the encounter encounter than British, primarily Private Shadrack Byfield's record, offered great tactical opportunity because of effective British which provides one of the many to Scott and to Brown. But their artillery and heavier British narratives of the encounter. "We successes, such as they were, were musket ball. Some American then moved on for the field of units, particularly Scott's First action," recollected Byfield of the Brigade, took terrible losses of 41st Foot. "We had a guide with thirty-five percent killed, wounded us and when we came near the or missing. In truth, both sides field, our captain was called upon, suffered immeasurably, and the by name, in a loud voice, to form details of how death and dying on the left of the speaker. It being occurred are the stuff of a John night, we could not discover what Keegan or a John Ellis. Here we regiment it was. The guide have an excellent example of positively asserted that it was one "sharp end" history. of the enemy. Our bugle then Donald Graves has provided sounded for the company to drop. an excellent description and A volley was then fired upon us, analysis of field medicine in which killed two corporals, and practice. Case by case he wounded a sergeant, and several examines how field surgeons, such of the men. The company then as William Dunlop of the 89th rose, fired, and charged. The Foot, dealt with casualties. enemy quitted their position; we Amputation afforded an early, followed and took three field bought at terrible costs of life and effective treatment, but had pieces." (p.241) Collateral evidence human suffering. Skilful British different theoretical foundations. from Thomas Jessup's memoir of Artillery work was bound to falter Many casualties had suffered the Niagara campaign sustains with successive changes of light multiple wounds. Musket balls and the view that the Americans and determined enemy charges. artillery rounds did the greatest withdrew of their own accord. The Deployments and redeployments damage, and seventy-five percent loser, in the end is historian of skirmishing parties by both of all wounds were inflicted in the Cruikshank, whom Donald sides in a confined field of battle torso and legs. Very few i~uries Graves states was unaware of, or intersected by fences and were caused by edged weapons. chose to omit, critically-important surrounded by thickets made Jagged fragments of howitzer and details. In reconstructing the last hand-to-hand combat a regular shrapnel shells created severe stage of the battle Graves has feature of the battle. damage at their entry points; been circumspect in getting the The costs, in killed and canister bullets, very damaging, sequence of events correct. He wounded, were staggering: the often passed through the body; concludes that the bulk of the British line regiments together lost slower-moving musket balls were [British] Right Division did not 84 officers and men killed, 559 deflected by bone, cartilage or reoccupy the hill, that companies wounded, 42 prisoners, and 193 muscle.

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