isoners by small detachments of British
and Canadian troops stationed at different posts through the country, in
order to prevent the American camp at Fort George from obtaining
supplies, dispatched Colonel Boerstler with about 600 or 700 men, by way
of Queenston, with a view of dislodging a detachment or picquet posted
at a place called the Beaver Dams, a few miles from Queenston. Colonel
Boerstler was surprised by a small party of Indians under Captain Ker;
and believing themselves hemmed in by superior numbers, surrendered to
Lieutenant (afterwards Colonel) Fitzgibbon, of the 49th Regiment, who
arrived in time to complete the victory with a detachment of forty-six
rank and file. The prisoners were five to one to the captors, being 512
in number, including twenty-five officers, two field pieces, and a stand
of colours.

By these successes, the Americans were compelled to confine themselves
to Fort George and its neighbourhood; and before the 1st of July the
British had formed a line extending from Twelve Mile Creek, on Lake
Ontario (Port Dalhousie), across to Queenston, on the Niagara river; and
the Canadians began now to retaliate the game of marauding which the
Americans had been practising on the Niagara frontier. From Chippewa an
attack was made on Fort Schlosser, on the American side of the river,
during the night of the 4th of July, by a small party of militia and
soldiers under Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, who surprised the guard at
that post, and brought away a brass six-pounder, upwards of fifty stand
of arms, a small quantity of stores, with a gun-boat and two batteaux.
At daybreak in the morning of the 11th of July, Lieutenant-Colonel
Bishop, lately commanding Fort Erie, crossed over the river with 240
men, consisting of a small party of militia and detachments of the 41st
and 49th Regiments, and effectually surprised the enemy's post at Black
Rock, burning his block-houses, stores, barracks, dockyard, and a
vessel, but were compelled to hasten their departure by a reinforcement
of American militia and some Indians in their interest, who opened a
smart fire under cover of the surrounding woods, killing thirteen of the
British attacking party, and wounding a considerable number--among
others, Lieutenant-Colonel Bishop, mortally; but the British party
brought away seven pieces of ordnance, two hundred stand of small arms,
and a great quantity of stores.

The two armies were almost in sight of each other at For