aint, discharged their muskets in all
directions, and a scene of insubordination and utter confusion followed.
At least a thousand of the volunteers had come from their homes in
response to his invitation, and the promise that they should be led into
Canada by a victor [without personal danger, and with the promise of
plunder and glory]. They had implicit confidence in his ability and in
the sincerity of his great words, and in proportion to their faith and
zeal were now their disappointment and resentment. Unwilling to have
their errand to the frontier fruitless of all but disgrace, the
volunteers earnestly requested permission to be led into Canada under
General Porter, promising the commanding general the speedy capture of
Fort Erie if he would furnish them with four pieces of artillery.[201]
But Smyth evaded their request, and the volunteers were sent home
uttering imprecations against the man whom they considered a mere
blusterer without courage, and a conceited deceiver without honour. They
felt themselves betrayed, and the inhabitants in the vicinity
sympathized with them. Their indignation was greatly increased by the
ill-timed and ungenerous charges made by Smyth in his report to General
Dearborn against General Porter, in whom the volunteers had the
greatest confidence. General Smyth's person was for some time in danger.
He was compelled to double the guards around his tent, and to move it
from place to place to avoid continual insults. He was several times
fired at when he ventured out of his marquee. Porter openly attributed
the abandonment of the invasion of Canada to the cowardice of Smyth." * *

"Thus ended the melodrama of Smyth's invasion of Canada. The whole
affair was disgraceful and humiliating. 'What wretched work Smyth and
Porter have made of it!' wrote General Wadsworth to General Van
Rensellaer from his home at Genesee at the close of the year. 'I wish
those who are disposed to find so much fault could know the state of the
militia since the day you gave up the command. It has been "confusion
worse confounded."' The day that saw Smyth's failure was indeed
'memorable in the annals of the United States,' as well as in his own
private history. Confidence in his military ability was destroyed; and
three months afterwards he was 'disbanded,' as the _Army Register_ says;
in other words, he was deposed without a trial, and excluded from the
army."[202]

Such was the third and last American invasion of