With its advent the
British batteries resumed their fire, aided by the guns on the _Queen
Charlotte_ and _Hunter_, which lay in the river, above the village known
to-day as Windsor, to cover the embarkation of the troops in batteaux
and canoes.

Brock's entire force consisted of only 330 regulars and 400 militia,
some of whom, acting on a happy thought, were disguised in discarded
uniforms of the 41st. This army was supported by five pieces of
artillery. All crossed the river in safety, landing at Spring Wells,
four miles below. The Indians, 600 strong, under Tecumseh, in addition
to the men of his own nation, consisted of many Sioux, Wyandottes and
Dacotahs. The majority of these crossed under cover of the night.
History records no instance of a determined force being stopped by a
river. The Detroit River presented an animated picture. Edging their way
through a maze of boats and batteaux, and in marked contrast to the
scarlet-coated soldiers and blue-shirted sailors, bark canoes on which
were drawn in flaring colours a variety of barbaric designs, flitted
here and there, their crews of half-naked savages fearsome in fresh
war-paint and gaudy feathers. Coo-ees, shrieks and shrill
war-whoops--"Ah-oh! Ah-oo!" like the dismal yells of a pack of
coyotes--rent the air, the discordant din ever and anon drowned by the
thunder of the guns from the Sandwich batteries.

Upon landing Brock mustered his men. The reports showed 750 of all
ranks, including the voyageurs left in charge of the river squadron. The
600 Indians deployed in the shelter of the woods, skirmishing to effect
a flank movement. The column, having formed, was moved forward in
sections, and at double distance, to lend a fictitious air of strength;
the light artillery, of three, six, and two three-pounders, being
immediately in rear of the advance guards, the whole preceded by
fluttering standards and rolling drums. Three generations ago! Yet you
can see it all to-day as plainly as Brock saw it, if you but close your
eyes and conjure up the past.

The enemy, over 2,000 strong, drawn up in line upon an overlooking rise,
had planted in the roadway, commanding the approach to the town, two
twenty-four pounders, each loaded with six dozen grapeshot, around which
the gunners stood with burning fuses, challenging our hero's advance.

Up and down, in front of the line, rode Isaac Brock on his gray charger,
his brilliant uniform--khaki was unknown in those days--flash