Grand Masters of Scotland - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic ...

At 3 o'clock in the morning of the 18th October, the British were turned out. They marched through thick mud toward "Cooks Mills".
It was very slow going. They received word several hours into their march to return to their previous quarters. They did, returning in
time for an evening meal.
Once again, early on the morning of the 19th october, the British were turned out. This time there was no turning back! The
morning, of course, was really still night!! It was very cold, damp and dark. They marched, sometimes, through knee deep mud.
About mid-way, they stopped and slept in the mud for nearly an hour while the 100th Regt. crossed the river/creek in bateaux. Once
they were over, they slept, while the 89th crossed the creek. Nearly nine miles later, they arrived at a spot known as Pik's House, a
watering shed for travel horses. Once there, they were issued the order to have fires, cook and then sleep.
When the 89th and 100th opened their eyes on the morning of the 20th October, the Glengarries were beside and amongst them
and had breakfast going for them all! By 7 o'clock in the morning they had eaten and prepared to move on. They did, and they
joined the 82nd Regt. They were all commanded by the Marquis Tweeddale and Col. Myers. The Glengarries formed an advanced
guard.
About an hour into the advance they reached Cooks Mills where the Glengarries became suddenly engaged with the enemy.
There was a clearing for the British and Canadians to work in. The Chippawa Creek was to the British left. It was about a mile
through the clearing to the woods on the right. The Americans were to the left of the clearing across the creek about half a mile
away. The Americans were seen crossing a make-shift bridge to get at the British. About 400 hundred Americans blocked the
British advance within a few minutes.
The 82nd and the 100th formed line and pushed against the American right. The advance guard, Glengarries, were soon
overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of enemy musket fire, and they retired under cover of a British gun and four rockets.
The Light Company of the 82nd Regt. moved into an advance position, allowing the 100th and rest of the 82nd to turn, retire, front
and re-engage. As this was being executed, the rockets gave their "Red Glare" to the Americans and threw them off their game.
Before long, the British and Canadians had retired to the security of a fence line. Unfortunately, the British gun was too far to the
right and rear to do any real good...
...and then it was over.
The Marquis issued the order for retiring fire to the 82nd's Lights and the Glengarries. The regulars withdrew, as the 82nd on the
right, and the Glengarries on the left, alternated their retiring fire. It was apparently a beautiful execution of drill by the "Light Bobs."
The Americans came out of the woods when they saw the British retiring...and gave a cheer.
The British junior officers counted about 1500 to 1800 Americans advancing out of the woods, checking the retiring force of the
British, but they did not engage any longer. They stood and literally watched the British and Canadians fade away. Rather
appropriate, for it was the last time the Americans engaged the Canadians and British in battle in Canada's Niagara.
It marked an end. Like two opponents who had crossed in the night, neither giving in and neither taking ground. The War of 1812
was coming to a close. It seemed as the men of both armies sensed it.
http://canadawiki.org/index.php/Canadian_Military_Quotations
"I have no great faith in him as a politician: he is too honest a man.”
referring to Marquis of Tweeddale, brigade Commander at Queenston, Ontario 1847
"Recollections of the War of 1812; chap. IV; William Dunlop, (1908)
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