ders and
defenders exhibited heroism--worthy, in the case of the enemy, of a
higher cause. General Drummond was wounded, and a son of General Hull,
of Detroit notoriety, was among the killed.

[Illustration: CENOTAPH, QUEENSTON HEIGHTS]

Though the battle of Lundy's Lane, fought on July 25th, was the last
great engagement in 1814, and practically ended the war, the campaign
was not destined to close without an exhibition of constitutional
timidity on the part of Prevost, the man with the liquid backbone. With
11,000 seasoned veterans who had campaigned under Wellington, he
advanced, September 14th, on Plattsburg, garrisoned by only 4,000
Americans, and when victory smiled in his face, he actually ordered the
retreat. Overcome with humiliation, his officers broke their swords,
declaring they "could never serve again," and sullenly retraced their
steps to the frontier. This was the crowning episode that destroyed
Prevost's reputation. Death rescued him from the disgrace of
court-martial.

How clear-cut and free from blemish, in contrast with that of many of
his contemporaries, stands out the brilliant record of Isaac Brock.

The Treaty of Ghent--while satisfactory to the people of Canada,
bringing as it did a cessation of hostilities, permanent peace, and
recognition of their rights--was received with mixed satisfaction by
both political parties in the United States, after the first flush of
excitement had passed away. "What," the citizens asked each other,
"have we gained by a war into which the country was dragged by President
Madison in defence of free-trade and sailors' rights, and in opposition
to paper blockades?"

In the articles of peace, these vexed questions (as related in Chapters
VIII. and XIV.)--questions which, as we have seen, were advanced by the
United States Government as the _real cause for war_, were _not even
mentioned_. Some worthy Americans, having suffered from the fighting
qualities of the Canadian loyalists, publicly stated that the
"declaration of peace had delivered them from great peril." In some of
the States "the universal joy was so great," writes Gay, in his Life of
Madison, "that Republicans and Democrats forgot their differences and
hates and wept and laughed by turns in each others' arms, and kissed
each other like women."

Another United States historian (Johnston) writes that "peace secured
not _one_ of the objects for which war had been declared, for, though
Britain put a sto