bastion until Major Holcroft perceiving that the barracks were totally
consumed and shells bursting in every corner of the place sent orders to
this handful of undaunted men to cease firing and retire under cover.
The gun at Mississauga Point remained silent by order of Colonel Myers
who hoped by this means to deprive the enemy of any excuse for turning
their artillery upon the village, and the other detached batteries seem
to have taken little part in the contest. Having destroyed all the
buildings in Fort George and effectually silenced its fire, the
Americans discontinued the bombardment about two o'clock in the
afternoon.

The lake front of the British position was then closely reconnoitred by
boats from the fleet, sounding the shore in every direction and
occasionally venturing within musket shot of some of the batteries which
remained silent, partly from scarcity of ammunition and partly through
fear of provoking a renewal of the cannonade. Buoys were placed to mark
the stations the ships were to occupy next day when they engaged the
batteries on the left of Fort George and covered the landing.

On the part of the British some ineffectual efforts were made to repair
the damages of the morning. The tackle and carriage of the gun at the
flagstaff in Fort George had been totally destroyed by the flames, and
could not be replaced, while the ring-bolts of another gun at the light
house had been drawn by the recoil, and little service could be expected
from it. Only a small picquet was stationed in the fort during the
night, and the remainder of the garrison lay upon their arms on the
common about half a mile in the rear in hourly expectation of an alarm,
with the other brigades on either flank.

Shortly after reveille had sounded next morning, a rocket was seen to
rise into the air from Fort Niagara and a single gun was fired at Fort
George. This was the signal for all the American batteries to begin a
cannonade which was not returned and ceased at the end of half an hour.
Long after the sun had risen a dense fog hung over the river and lake,
effectually concealing all objects on the opposite side except the dim
outline of Fort Niagara. Nothing could be seen of their troops, most of
whom had been embarked soon after midnight, at the mouth of the Four
Mile Creek. At daybreak Generals Dearborn and Lewis went on board
Commodore Chauncey's flagship which immediately got under way, followed
by the remainder of the fleet