ther with 600 Indians, now prepared to attack
Hull at that place. Hull, who believed his retreat to be cut off by the
Indians, did not await the British attack, but surrendered on August 16
with 2,500 men and thirty-three guns. The effect of the capitulation was
to place the British in effectual possession, not merely of Detroit, but
of the territory of Michigan, and thus to render any attack on Canada
from that quarter extremely difficult. The advantages gained by the
British through this success were unfortunately neutralised by the
policy pursued by Sir George Prevost, who had succeeded Craig as
governor of Canada. Prevost was of opinion that, when the news of the
withdrawal of the orders in council reached Washington, the United
States government would be ready to abandon hostilities; and he
accordingly concluded a provisional armistice with General Dearborn, the
commander-in-chief of the enemy's forces in the northern states. But
President Madison, having engaged in war, was anxious to try the effect
of another attack on Canada before negotiating for peace, and therefore
declined to ratify the armistice. The interval enabled the United States
to bring up reinforcements, but their new army failed in an attack on a
British post on the Maumee river.

Meanwhile a second attempt was made to invade Upper Canada, this time
from the side of Niagara. On October 13, Brigadier-General Wadsworth,
acting under the orders of General Van Rensselaer, led an attack on the
British position of Queenstown on the Canadian bank of the Niagara
river. Brock commanded the defence, but was killed early in the fight.
The position was momentarily seized by the enemy, but was presently
recaptured by the British, who had in the meantime been reinforced by
Major-General Sheaffe, the son of a loyalist, with a force from Fort
George, and before the day closed Wadsworth found himself compelled to
surrender with 900 men. The remainder of the enemy's forces, consisting
of militia, rather than exceed their military obligations by crossing
the frontier, chose to leave these men to their fate. In spite of the
ignominious surrenders with which the first two expeditions against
Canada had terminated, a third attempt was made by Brigadier-General
Smyth to force the Canadian frontier; but on November 28 he was repulsed
with loss by the British under Bishopp between Chippewa and Fort Erie,
above the Niagara Falls, and at the end of the year the Canadian
fron