is was responded to with vigour, and grenadiers
and volunteers, in response to brave Macdonell's repeated calls, charged
fiercely on Wool's men, now huddled in disorder around the
eighteen-pounder. Some of them started to run towards the river bank.
One American officer, Ogilvie, of the 13th regulars, thinking the
situation hopeless, raised his handkerchief on his sword-point in token
of surrender. Wool, a soldier of different calibre, tore it down, and a
company of United States infantry coming at that moment to his
assistance, he rallied his men.

The momentary advantage gained by Macdonell's small band of heroes was
lost, and in the exchange of shots that followed, Macdonell's
horse--Brock's charger--was killed under him while he--his uniform torn
with bullets--was thrown from the saddle as the animal plunged in its
death struggle--receiving several ghastly bullet wounds, from which he
died the following day, after enduring much agony. Williams, a moment
later, fell desperately wounded; Dennis, suffering from a severe head
wound, at first refused to quit the field, but Cameron having removed
the sorely-stricken Macdonell, and Williams having recovered
consciousness and escaped, the dispirited men fell back, retreated down
the mountain at Parrott's Tavern, retiring upon Vrooman's battery. Here
they awaited, unmolested, until two in the afternoon, the arrival of
reinforcements from Fort George. The fight, though short, had been
furious and deadly. Americans and British alike were glad to take
breath.

Meanwhile, unobserved, young Brant, with 120 Mohawk Indians, had scaled
the mountain, east of St. David's, outflanking the Americans, and hemmed
them in until Captains Derenzy, of the 41st, and Holcroft, of the
Artillery, arrived with the car-brigade from Fort George and trained two
field-guns and a howitzer upon the landing. Merritt, with a troop of
mounted infantry, at the same time reached the village by the Queenston
road. This movement, which was a ruse, deceived the enemy, who at once
redisposed his troops in readiness for an attack from this new quarter.

The American commander was ignorant of the fact that General
Sheaffe--with four companies of the 41st, 308 strong, the same number of
militia, and a company of negro troops from Niagara, refugee slaves from
the United States--was at that moment approaching his rear in the rear
of the Indians. The British advanced in crescent-shaped formation,
hidden by mountain