Overwhelming numbers compelled the Americans to surrender. All the
prisoners were marched to New Ark, where Scott came near having an
encounter with two Indian chiefs.
On the 13th of October, 1812, the Americans lost, in killed, wounded and
prisoners, about eleven hundred men. General Van Rensselaer left the
service in disgust and was succeeded by Alexander Smythe of Virginia,
who accomplished nothing of importance during the remainder of the
season. The situation of the Americans at the close of 1812 was this:
The army of the northwest was occupying a defensive position among the
snows of the wilderness on the banks of the Maumee River; the army of
the centre, under General Smythe, was resting on the defensive on the
Niagara frontier, and the army of the north, under General Bloomfield,
was also resting on the defensive at Plattsburgh.
So far, the advantages had been altogether with the enemy, who were no
more gratified than the Peace Party, with their excellent excuse for
saying, "I told you so!"
CHAPTER XIV.
FERNANDO SEES SERVICE.
The trump of war stirred two passions in the heart of Fernando Stevens,
revenge and patriotism. One was a noble and the other a very human but
ignoble passion; but Fernando was only a common mortal with mortal
weaknesses. When he reflected on the wrongs he had suffered; when he
remembered the death of poor Boseley, slain to gratify the malice of
Captain Snipes, and poor Sukey still the slave of the British monarch,
he could not be other than revengeful.
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