ised the first detachment of 850 regulars and 300
militia, the advance attacking party--"the flower of Wadsworth's
army"--embarked to "carry the Heights of Queenston and appal the minds
of Canadians."

Let us trace the fulfilling of Van Rensselaer's boast.

The regulars crossed first, almost out of the line of fire of the
British batteries, and under cover of six of the enemy's field-guns that
completely commanded the Canadian shore. Some of the boats of this
flotilla effected, as we know, a landing above the rock, still visible
at the water's edge, under the suspension bridge. Here they disembarked
their fighting men--the 13th regulars and some artillery--and, under Van
Rensselaer, attempted to form. The empty boats recrossed the river to
ferry over more soldiers.

* * * * *

A sentry of the 49th--our hero's regiment--overheard voices and tramping
of feet. Scenting danger, he ran, without firing, to alarm the main
guard.

In a few minutes Dennis advanced upon the landing place with forty-six
men of his own company and a few militia, and discharged a murderous
volley, leaving Colonel Van Rensselaer, with eight officers and
forty-five men, killed or wounded. The enemy retreated to the water's
edge for shelter, confused and shivering. The Lewiston batteries at once
opened fire on the redan on Queenston Heights. The position of Dennis
being thus revealed to Dearborn's gunners, they immediately turned their
battery of six field-pieces upon his handful of men, and the position
proving untenable, he withdrew to the shelter of the village, on the lip
of the hill, still continuing to fire downwards on the invaders.

Vrooman's battery then opened fire, and Crowther brought his two
"grasshoppers"--small three-pounders--to sweep the road leading to the
river.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A FOREIGN FLAG FLIES ON THE REDAN.

It was the crackling of the grenadiers' muskets, the bellowing of
Vrooman's big gun, the cannonade of the twenty-four-pounders of the
Lewiston batteries, the roar of the eighteen-pounder in the British
redan, and the streak of crimson light from the long line of beacons
which rent the sky from Fort Erie to Pelham Heights, that had wakened
the citizens of Niagara and aroused Brock from his brief repose.

Captain Wool, of the 13th U.S. regulars--Van Rensselaer being wounded in
six places--hurried his men under the shelter of the overhanging rocks,
keeping up an intermittent