Queeston Heights Battle

Source

General (Then Colonel) Scott Rescued

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Life In Canada:

Captain Robert Charles Wilkins

Mr. Wilkins was appointed Captain of a flank company in Kingston. He was to obtain supplies for the army and to secure safe transportation for the troops.

Source

David Eaton, Veteran

David Easton's service listed in the History, Genealogical and Biographical, of the Eaton Families:

 

Memorial at FindAGrave.

When General Van Rensselaer Returned

Stephen Van Rensselaer

From old newspapers, and other sources, we gather the fragmentary items that follow, relating to the soldiers of 1812.  When General Stephen Van Rensselaer returned, October 31, 1812, to Albany, after the battle of Queenstown, a large concourse of private citizens and dignitaries turned out to escort him to the city. Major John Lovett was his Secretary, and Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, one of the bravest men that Albany ever produced, was his Aid. He was long disabled by four bullet wounds received in this battle. One of the balls he carried in his flesh until his death.  [Source]

Kearny's War Of 1812 Service

Source

Stephen Watts Kearny...was born in 1794, at Newark, N. J., and lived there some years. He was a student at King's College (now Columbia) in New York City. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Thirteenth United States Infantry, and served under Captain John E. Wool. Captured after the Battle of Queenstown, he was soon exchanged. He offered to serve at the head of a marine force in Chauncy's fleet on Lake Erie, but his offer was not accepted. He was made captain, April 1, 1813. After the war he was transferred to the Second Infantry, with headquarters first at Sackett's Harbor, and later at Plattsburg.

Career Of Sir John Beverley Robinson

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The career of Sir John Robinson [26 July 1791 - 31 Jan 1863] links together that stirring period of 1812-14 when the fate of the country was decided by force of arms, and the later constructive stage... .

Niagara Plat Map

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Map from McGill Library in Canada

Queenston and Brock's Monument In Lower Right Corner

Battle Statistics

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Pre-War Queenstown

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Queenstown--From a drawing by Mrs. Simcoe, taken during the Revolutionary War [later the scene of the Battle of Queenstown Heights].

Queenston Heights

Source

Before daylight on the morning of the 13th of October. a large of General Van Rensselaer's army, numbering between thirteen and fourteen hundred, under Brigadier General Wadsworth, effected a landing the lower end of the Village of Queenston, (opposite Lewiston) and an attack upon the position which was defended with the utmost determined bravery by the two flank companies of the 49th Regiment, commanded by Captains Dennis and Williams, aided by such of the forces and Indians as could be collected in the vicinity.

A considerable force, however, had effected a landing some distance above, and succeeded in gaining the summit of the mountain. No resistance could now be offered to the crossing from Lewiston, except by the battery at Vromont's Point,, half a mile below and from this a steady and harassing fire was kept up which did considerable execution. [Source]


See The Battle Of Queensto(w)n Heights here.

A Fearless And Defiant Brock

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From Soldiering in Canada: Recollections and Experiences, by George Taylor Denison:
"The clearest impression...[about] discussions to which I [Denison] delighted to listen, was the remarkable respect and esteem felt by all the old veterans of the War of 1812 for their favorite leader, General Brock."

"What especially endeared him to the memory of these old loyalists was the fearless and defiant way in which he maintained his confidence in the face of enormous odds, and what was worst of all, internal intrigue and treachery. The action that particularly pleased them was his bold move in proroguing the House of Assembly, and declaring martial law, in order to arrest and banish the traitors who were spreading doubt and hesitation among the people."

Unrecognized Heroics

Source

From A Sketch Of The Life Of General Towson...

Colonel Scott, to whom Captain Towson naturally looked for a report of his participation in the affair, was made prisoner at Queenstown, immediately after, and before he had an opportunity of mentioning the gallant achievement of the Captain.

The only report of the capture of the brigs therefore was made by the naval commander to whom the credit is due of originating the scheme. Lieut. Elliott received the thanks of Congress, while no notice was taken of Captain Towson; although the latter boarded and carried the Caledonia and afterwards by his persevering intrepidity saved her under circumstances of difficulty and danger, not less than those that caused the destruction of the other brig.

On the return of Lieut. Colonel Scott from captivity, some months afterwards, we are told he obtained a promise from Mr. Armstrong, then Secretary of War, to brevet Captain Towson for his highly distinguished part in that affair, but for reasons with which we are unacquainted, that promise was never fulfilled.

John Ellis Wool

Source

From the National Park Service:

His [John Ellis Wool's] military career spanned more than 50 years, beginning when he organized a volunteer brigade in 1812 and became the Captain of the Thirteenth United States Infantry


There are John Ellis Wool Papers at the New York State Library.  A bio was also provided:

"When the War of 1812 broke out, he raised and headed a company of volunteers in Troy, and on 14 April 1812, he was commissioned a captain in the 13th Infantry. His troops were engaged in action at the battles of Queenstown and Plattsburgh. In between the battles he was promoted to a major in the 29th Infantry on 13 April 1813, and, afterwards, was brevetted a lieutenant colonel on 11 September 1814. He was made colonel and inspector general of the Army on 29 April 1816 and maintained this grade for more than a quarter of a century."

Major General Wool was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.  He died 10 November 1869.

Winfield Scott Portrait

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More about General Scott here.

Portrait of Stephen Van Rensselaer

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From The War of 1812 website:

"Despite being an anti-war Federalist, a political rival publicly suggested that Van Rensselaer be named a major general in the New York militia. Van Rensselaer knew his reputation would be at stake if he refused, and so he reluctantly became the leader of over six thousand men that were expected to conduct a successful invasion of Canada. Luckily, he had a family ally who was also a capable commander; his cousin, Solomon Van Rensselaer."

From the Historic Lewiston website:

"Why the Americans Lost the Battle of Queenston, in the words of the losing American Major General, Stephen Van Rensselaer written the day after the historic War of 1812 battle [to General Dearborn]."  Apparently it was a career-ending loss for General Stephen Van Rensselaer.

Fort Grey New Lewiston, New York

Battery Fort Grey mentioned in signage of the Battle of Queenstown Heights.

Source (Watercolor Of Battery Fort Grey)

Source: Congress

A Canadian account of the action at Fort Grey courtesy of William Hamilton Merritt:

Source

Fort Grey mentioned in this blog post.

MacDonnell, Brock's Fallen Aide

John Macdonell according to Wikipedia:

"Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell of Greenfield (19 April 1785 – 14 October 1812) was an aide-de-camp to British Major General Sir Isaac Brock during the War of 1812, dying in the Battle of Queenston Heights."

Source - Lt. Col. John Macdonnell

From The Documentary History of the Campaign Upon the Niagara Frontier ..:

A song was written about Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell entitled Macdonell on the Heights (also on YouTube).

Loyalist Sons, Robinson And Merritt

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"During the war two young native Canadians, the sons of U.E. Loyalists, took a prominent part, and both were present at the surrender of Detroit, one as captain on the staff of General Brock, and the other of a similar rank in the cavalry. The latter fought with General Brock at Queenston Heights, and subsequently at Lundy's Lane, when he was made a prisoner and transported into the interior of the State of New York, where he remained until peace had been proclaimed. The A.D.C. was...Sir John Beverley Robinson, and the prisoner on parole the late Honorable William Hamilton Merritt*." [Source]

*War had no terrors for him [William Hamilton Merritt] and he decided to do what he could to repel the army that was threatening to invade Canada. From his earliest days he had been a fine horseman, and shortly before war was declared had been given a lieutenant's commission in the militia. He at once got into the saddle and until the battle of Lundy's Lane was one of the most distinguished cavalry leaders in Canada. [Source]

Major Thomas Merritt, U.E.L. Portrait

Source

Also see the Memoirs of Major Thomas Merritt, U.E.L. (1759-1842), Cornet in Queen's Rangers (1776-1803) under Col. John Graves Simcoe, Major Commandant, Niagara Light Dragoons, in the War of 1812-14, Surveyor of Woods and Forests, and Sheriff of the Niagara District for about twenty years ([1910])

Another blog post involving Major Merritt here.