last. Nay, he was persuaded that a most
vigorous attempt at invasion would be made, and having no Parliament to
consult, nor any public opinion to fear, he turned out the whole
militia of the province for active service, and ordered them to be in
readiness to march to the frontier. Lieutenant-Colonel Deschambault was
directed to cross the St. Lawrence at Lachine, and from Caughnawaga, to
march to the Pointe Claire, Riviere-du-Chene, Vaudreuil, and Longue
Pointe. Battalions upon L'Acadie, and volunteers from the foot
battalions, with the flank companies of the second and third battalions
of the Montreal militia, and a troop of militia dragoons, crossed to
Longueil and to Laprairie. Indeed the whole district of Montreal, armed
to the teeth, and filled with enthusiasm, simultaneously moved in the
direction from whence danger was expected. General Dearborn quietly
retreated upon Plattsburgh and Burlington, and, like a sensible man, as
he undoubtedly was, abandoned for the winter, all idea of taking
possession of Lower Canada.

On the 28th of November, the armistice being at end, General Smyth
invaded Upper Canada, at the foot of Lake Erie. With a division of
fourteen boats, each containing thirty men, a landing was effected
between Fort Erie and Chippewa, not however unopposed. Lieutenant King,
of the Royal Artillery, and Lieutenants Lamont and Bartley, each in
command of thirty men of the gallant 49th, gave the enemy a reception
more warm than welcome. Overwhelmed, however, by numbers, the artillery
and the detachment of the 49th, under Lamont gave way, when Lieutenant
King had succeeded in spiking his guns. Lamont and King were both
wounded, and with thirty men, were overtaken by the enemy and made
prisoners. Bartley fought steadily and fiercely. His gallant band was
reduced to seventeen, before he even thought of a retreat, which his
gallantry and tact enabled him to effect. The American boats had, while
Bartley was keeping up the fight, returned to the American shore with
the prisoners, and as many Americans as could crowd into them, leaving
Captain King, General Smyth's aid-de-camp, to find his way back, as
best he might. He moved down the river shore with a few officers and
forty men, followed, from Fort Erie, by Major Ormsby, who made them all
prisoners with exceedingly little trouble. Unconscious of any disaster,
another division of Americans, in eighteen boats, made for the Canada
shore. Colonel Bishop had now arr