On April 27, the Americans under General Pike
besieged upper York under General Sheaffe. The British, deserted by
their Indian allies, who fled before the roar of artillery, took post
with the garrison near the governor's house and opened a fire of grape
and round-shot on the invader. The battery was silenced and all thought
the British had surrendered. General Pike was sitting on the stump of a
tree talking with a captive British officer, when a tremor of the earth
was felt, 'immediately followed by a tremendous explosion near by. The
British, unable to hold the fort had fired a magazine of gunpowder on
the edge of the lake. The effect was terrible. Fragments of timber and
huge stones, of which the magazine walls were built, were scattered in
every direction over a space of several hundred feet. When the smoke
floated away, the scene was appalling. Fifty-two Americans lay dead, and
one hundred and eighty others were wounded. Forty of the British were
also slain. General Pike, two of his aides and the captive officer were
mortally hurt. The dying general was taken to one of Chauncey's vessels.
His benumbed ears heard the shout of victory, when the British ensign
was pulled down at York. Just before he died, the captured British flag
was brought to him. He smiled and made a sign for it to be placed under
his head. This was done, and he expired.
Pages:
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286