Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/245

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THE WAR OF 1812.
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retreat until he reached Moraviantown, on the Thames river. There, at last, on the 5th Oct., Tecumseh persuaded him to prepare for battle on a favourable ground. Soon Harrison and his men appeared, and a fierce struggle began. Almost at the beginning of the fight, Proctor fled and left Tecumseh and his Indians to uphold the honour of British arms. Tecumseh and his warriors fought with desperate courage and great skill, but they were soon over-powered and Tecumseh was Killed. Had Proctor stood his ground, the battle of Moraviantown might have ranked in our history with that of Queenston Heights, and other brave deeds. The few of Proctor’s men, that escaped, fled and joined General Vincent.


Chateauguay and Chrysler’s Farm.


The Americans had now possession of the western part of Canada, and hoped soon by two large expeditions to take Montreal. The first of these, nine thousand strong, under General Wilkinson set out from Sackett’s Harbour, in boats, expecting to take Kingston and Brescott, and then float down the St. Lawrence and make a junction with General Hampton, who was to approach Montreal by Lake Champlain. Kingston was not molested, and Wilkinson was so annoyed by the Canadians along the bank of the St. Lawrence, that he landed below Prescott with four thousand men, to beat