magazine.
General Pike died of his contusions a few minutes after being carried on
board of one of the vessels.[209]

"On the 8th of May, the American army under General Dearborn once more
evacuated York, after having occupied it twelve days, and secured much
booty."

PART V.

AMERICAN FLEET AND ARMY RETURN TO SACKETT's HARBOUR--MAKE PREPARATIONS
FOR ATTACKING FORT GEORGE AND THE TOWN OF NEWARK, WHICH, AFTER A SEVERE
BATTLE, THEY TAKE AND OCCUPY.

After evacuating York, the American fleet and army proceeded again to
Sackett's Harbour, where preparations were immediately made for invading
the Niagara frontier. On the 20th of May the American fleet again
ascended Lake Ontario, and on the morning of the 23rd they appeared off
the mouth of the Niagara river, soon after which, the weather being
favourable to their purpose, they attacked Fort George and the town of
Newark (now Niagara), by land and water. Early in the morning of the
27th of May the enemy commenced a combined attack upon the fort, having
previously, on the 24th and 25th, materially injured the works by a
warm cannonade from their ships and batteries. A body of about 800
riflemen, under Colonel Winfield Scott, landed near the Two Mile Creek,
while the fleet ranged up in the form of a crescent, extending from the
north of the Lighthouse to the Two Mile Creek, so as to enfilade the
British batteries by a cross fire. The riflemen, after forming and
ascending the bank, were met by the British, and compelled to give way
in disorder, and return to the beach, from whence they kept up a smart
fire under cover of the bank. In the meantime, another body of upwards
of 2,000 men, under the command of General Lewis, made a landing, and
formed on the beach under cover of a tremendous cannonade of round shot,
and showers of grape and canister from the fleet, that swept the
adjacent plain, and compelled the British to retire. General Vincent,
finding the works torn to pieces by the enemy's artillery, and no longer
tenable against so overwhelming a force, caused the fort to be
dismantled, and the magazines to be blown up, and retreated to
Queenston, leaving the Americans to take possession of the ruins of the
fort. The British loss consisted of fifty-two killed and upwards of
three hundred wounded and missing [more than half the entire force]. The
Americans state their loss at thirty-nine killed and a hundred and
eleven wounded.[210]

PART VI.

THE BRITISH RETREAT