The Battle of Chippawa

Brown’s Official Chippawa Report

by Richard V. Barbuto

Major General Jacob Brown’s Report to the Secretary of the Army

Headquarters, Chippawa plains, July 7th, 1814

Dear Sir,

On the second inst. I issued my orders for crossing the Niagara River and made arrangements deemed necessary for securing the garrison of Fort Erie. On the 3rd inst. That post surrendered at 5 p.m. Our loss in this affair was four wounded. I have enclosed a return of the prisoners of the ordnance, and the ordnance stores captured.

To secure my rear I have placed a garrison in this fort and requested Captain Kennedy to station his vessels near the post.

On the morning of the 4th, Brig. General Scott with his brigade and a corps of artillery was ordered to advance towards Chippawa and be governed by circumstances, taking care to secure a good military position for the night. After some skirmishing with the enemy, he selected this plain with the eye of a soldier - his right resting on the river and a ravine being in front. At 11 at night I joined him with the reserve under General Ripley, our field and battering train, and corps of artillery under Major Hindman. General porter arrived next morning with a part of the New York and Pennsylvania volunteers and some of the warriors of the Six Nations.

Early in the morning of the 5th, the enemy commenced a petty war upon our pickets, and as he was indulged his presumption increased; by noon he showed himself on the left of our exterior line, and attacked one of our pickets as it was returning to camp. Captain Treat who commanded it, retired disgracefully, leaving a wounded man on the ground. Captain Biddle of the artillery, who was near the scene, impelled by feelings highly honourable to him as a soldier and officer, promptly assumed command of this picket, led it back to the wounded man, and brought him off the field. I ordered Captain treat on the spot to retire from the army, and as I am anxious that no officer shall remain under my command who can be suspected of cowardice, I advise that captain treat and Lieut. [illegible] who was also with the picket, be struck from the rolls of the army.

At 4 o’clock p.m., agreeably to a plan I had given General Porter, he advanced from the rear of our camp with the volunteers and Indians (taking the woods in order to keep out of view of the enemy) with a hope of bringing his pickets and scouting parties between his (Porter’s) line of march and our camp. As Porter moved I ordered the parties advanced in front of our camp to fall back gradually under the enemy’s fire, to draw them, if possible, up to our line. About half past four the advance of General Porter’s command met with the light parties of the enemy in the woods upon our extreme left - the enemy was driven, and Porter advancing near to Chippawa met their whole column in order of battle.

From the cloud of dust rising and the heavy firing, I was led to conclude that the whole force of the enemy was in march and prepared for action. I immediately ordered General Scott to advance with his brigade and Towson’s artillery and meet them upon the plain in front of our camp. The General did not expect to be gratified as soon with a field engagement. He advanced in the most prompt and officer-like style, and in a few minutes was in close action upon the plain with a superior force of British regular troops. By this time General porter’s command had given way and fled in every direction, notwithstanding his personal gallantry and great exertions to stay their flight. The retreat of the volunteers and Indians caused the left flank of general Scott’s brigade to be greatly exposed. Captain Harris, with his dragoons, was directed to stop the fugitives behind the ravine fronting our camp, and I sent Colonel Gardner to order General Ripley to advance with the 21st Regiment, which formed a part of the reserve, pass to the left of our camp, skirt the woods so as to keep out of view, and fall upon the rear of the enemy’s right flank; this order was promptly obeyed and the greatest exertions were made by the 21st regiment to gain their position, but in vain, for such was the zeal and gallantry of the line commanded by General Scott that its advance upon the enemy was not to be checked.

Major Jessup, commanding the left flank battalion, finding himself pressed in front and in flank and his men falling fast around him, ordered his battalion to “support arms and advance.” This order was promptly obeyed amidst the most deadly and destructive fire; he gained a more secure position and returned upon the enemy so galling a discharge and caused them to retire. By this time their whole line was falling back and our gallant soldiers pressing upon them as fast as possible. As soon as the enemy had gained the sloping ground descending towards Chippawa and distant a quarter of a mile, he broke and ran to gain his works; in this effort he was too successful, and the guns from his batteries opening immediately upon our line checked in some degree the pursuit. At this moment I resolved to bring up all my ordnance and force the place by a direct attack. Major Wood of the corps of engineers, and my aid, captain Austin, rode to the bank of the creek towards the right of their line of works and examined them. I was induced by the lateness of their report, the lateness of the hour, and the advice of General Scott and Major Wood, to order the forces to retire to camp.

My most difficult duty remains. I am depressed with the fear of not being able to do justice to my companions in arms and apprehensive that some who had an opportunity of distinguishing themselves and promptly embraced it will escape my notice.

Brig. General Scott is entitled to the highest praises our country can bestow; to him more than any other man am I indebted for the victory of the 5th of July. His brigade has covered itself with glory. Every officer and every man of the 9th, 22nd, 11th, and 25th Regiments did his duty with zeal and energy worthy of the American character. When every officer stands so pre-eminently high in the path of duty and honor, it is impossible to discriminate, but I cannot deprive myself of the pleasure of saying that Major Leavenworth commanded the 9th and 22nd; Major Jessup the 25th, and Major McNeil the 11th. Colonel Campbell was wounded early in the action, gallantly leading on his regiment.

The family of General Scott was conspicuous in the field: Lieut. Smith of the 6th Infantry, Major of Brigade, and Lieutenants Worth and Watts, his aids.

From General Ripley and his brigade I received every assistance that I gave them an opportunity of rendering. I did not order any part of the reserve into action until General porter’s command had given way; and then General Scott’s movements were so rapid and decisive that General Ripley could not get up in time with the 21st to the position as directed. The corps of artillery under Major Hindman were not generally in action; this was not their fault. Captain Towson’s company was the only one that had a full opportunity of distinguishing itself; and it is believed that no company ever embraced an opportunity with more zeal or more success.

A detachment from the 2d Brigade, under the command of Lieut. McDonald, penetrated the woods with the Indians and volunteers, and for their support. The conduct of McDonald and his command reflects high honor upon the brigade to which they belong.

The conduct of General porter has been conspicuously gallant. Every assistance in his power to afford with the description of force under his command has been rendered. We could not expect him to contend with the British column of regulars which appeared upon the plains of Chippawa. It was no cause of surprise to me to see his command retire before this column.

Justice forbids that I should omit to name my own family. They yield in honorable zeal, intelligence, and attention to duty. Colonel Gardner, Major Jones, and my aids, Captains Austin and Spencer, have been as active and as much devoted to the cause as any officers in the army. Their conduct merits my warmest acknowledgments. Of Gardner and Jones I shall have occasion again to speak to you. Major Camp, Deputy Quartermaster General, deserves my particular notice and approbation. By his great exertions, I was enabled to find the means of crossing. Captain Daliba, of the ordnance department, has rendered every service in his power.

The enclosed return will show you our loss and furnish you with the names of the dead and wounded officers. These gallant men must not be forgotten. Our country will remember them and do them justice.

In the above action the enemy had 208 killed, and 95 wounded - 15 prisoners. Those reported under the head of wounded and prisoners were so severely injured that it would have been impracticable for them to have escaped. The enemy had the same facilities of carrying their wounded from the field at the commencement of the action as ourselves, and there can be no doubt from the information that I have received from unquestionable sources that they carried from the field as many of their wounded as is reported above in the total.

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