THE BATTLE OF FORT ERIE

July 10, 1815

Township of Bertie.

Province of Ontario.

To whom it may be of concern:

My name is James Westhouse, and I am writing this documentary of what I saw and a portion of what was told and related to me by my grandson Paul, during a portion of the War of 1812, when the Americans invaded Canadian soil and captured the Command Post at Fort Erie.

As Paul was too young to write for himself, as to what had gone on during a certain heroic period of time in his life, I decided that I would write it down in a booklet form for him, as a token of appreciation for the lives of the many people that he undoubtedly saved as a result of his bravery.

THE BATTLE OF FORT ERIE

I had arrived home from a trip to Port Colborne to take a load of Oats to the Miller there, when my wife had told me that she thought that she had heard what sounded like Cannon fire from Fort Erie?

She was kind of a nervous woman, but I told her that I would go and check it out in the morning to see if there was anything to it. Our youngest son David had insisted on joining the army and was stationed there, so I could understand why she would be so concerned. Also, there was his wife Karen and their kin, Paul 10 and little Katie at 8, living at the Fort with him.

In the morning, after breakfast and I had taken care of my chores about our farm, I hitched up old Bessie to the carriage. I let my wife know that it was possible that I could be gone overnight and that the hired hand could take care of things if I was gone longer. Then I started out. I passed through the small settlement of Bertie, on the only road that would take me to the Fort. I passed the Mann Farm and then the Sexsmith Farms. This was where the two brothers each had a farm on either side of the road, where the Six Mile Creek goes through both of their farms and the road has to go over a wooden bridge, that is constantly in need of repairs it seems.

I couldn’t hear anything, as with the rutted road being in such poor condition, the carriage creaked and groaned as it lurched along the treacherous roadway. I was coming up to the Jewson Farm, when I knew that there was something that was happening at the Fort, before I had even got there. I could tell it in the way that the horse was acting. The first thing that I noticed was the way that it’s ears would sort of twitch suddenly, and she would shake her head violently.

Another thing I noticed was that a lot of the birds were suddenly taking flight and they were all headed in the same direction. Also there were more deer, fox and coyotes noticeable then normal. They also seemed to be heading west, away from Fort Erie. Then I started hearing it. The sound of cannons being fired.

My wife had been right. There must be trouble at the Fort. I had old Bessie pick up as much speed as the carriage on the rutted road could bear. I was half way there when I started to hear the sound of the rifle fire, and the occasional cannon. Then two miles from the Fort, I drew up the horse and then decided to pull the buggy well off the road and tied the reins to a tree well off to one side of the road.

I didn’t know what I was going to run into up ahead, so I wasn’t taking any chances. After walking a quarter mile, I came upon a campsite. Then I realized that it was the British Army and their families and other members of the Fort Guard, which would include my son. He was a soldier of the Royal Scots - 1^st Regiment of Foot.

Then I saw Karen, my daughter-in-law and her kin, and I ran up to them and gave them all a hug. “David, where’s David? Is he all right?”

“Yes, he’s with his group, on guard.”

“What happened?”

“The Yanks snuck across the river down farther downstream, during the night before last and struck an attack yesterday morning. There were so many of them that we didn’t have a chance. They took over the Fort. Dad, I’m scared.”

“I know how you must feel. All you can do is hope for the best. I’ll take you back to the farm with me.”

“No. I’ve got to stay here.”

“What about the kids?”

“I need them here, also. We have to look after the men, and the children have things that they can be doing.”

“I’ll stay here overnight, before I head back, in case you change your mind.”

“Ok. We were just about ready to have something to eat. Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I’m starving. I see those big kettles of food boiling there, and that’s not helping much, other then to make me that much more hungrier. That eight mile trip in that buggy on that rough road, sure does things to a man’s appetite. Besides, I’ve been up since before the Sun and had breakfast, then had to do the chores before heading out here. After I eat, I’ll have to go and get Bessie. I left her down the road a piece.”

“I’ll have Paul and Katie go and get her for you.”

“That’s an idea, he knows how to handle her.”

With that, she told Paul what he was to do, and I saw the smile on his face, and how his eyes opened wide, as he realised the responsible job he had to do and the chance to be able to drive the buggy with Bessie the horse, all by himself. Soon he was off and running, in the direction of the road, with Katie behind him, trying to keep up, and yelling at him not to go so fast.

After having Karen giving me a bowl and soup spoon, I headed over to the large

boiling pot and was given a large helping of stew from one of them. I found a convenient log to sit down on and started to hastily consume the tasty meal. Just as I was scraping the bottom of the bowl, a lady came around with a smaller pot and ask if I wanted some more, and I just couldn’t refuse. I thanked her very much, and took a bit longer to consume this second bowl, being sure to enjoy the taste of the outdoor cooking.

Soon Karen re-appeared, and sat down beside me, and I asked her where they were able to get all the vegetables for the delicious stew that I just had.

“We had to commandeer them from the local farmers. They’ll be amply paid for them later, after this skirmish is settled with. That goes for the chickens that we put in the stew also.”

“Yes, it was a very good stew. My compliments to the cook.”

“Oh, we all have a hand in it. If one person doesn’t like a particular job, someone takes them aside and gives them a good talking too and gives them a few alternatives. After that there are no troubles and things run smoothly again.”

Just then I heard the sound of the wagon coming thru some of the lighter brush from the road. Paul had picked a good spot to bring it in close to the camp.

“I’ll have to go and un-harness the horse, Karen.”

“I’ll go with you.”

As I came up to the buggy, Paul was just getting down and helping Katie.

“Thank you, Paul. You did a good job of getting her right through that brush.”

“I figured that you’d want her close by, seeing that you had some feed for her in the buggy and your bedroll.”

“That’s right. Help me to take off her harness, and then you can feed her and find a good place to stake her out, so she’ll be out of the way.”

As we were doing this, I suddenly noticed a group of men approaching us from the Command Tent.

“Sir, is this your horse?” This was evidentially the leader of the Fort that was talking to me, as was evident by the way that he carried himself and the decorations that he had on his uniform and the sword that was on his belt. Not to mention the fact that there were six lesser, but also highly decorated soldiers slightly to his rear, but flanked out on both sides of him.

“Yes it is.” I said trying not to be intimidated by his authoritative voice.

“I’m Major Buck. In the name of the British Army, I’m going to have to commandeer it, for a special mission. It will be returned to you hopefully in the next few days, safe and sound. Right now, I’m in dire need of it, so if you would hasten the un-hitching, I can go about finding someone to ride this animal.”

“Beg your pardon sir, but you’re going to have a problem with that.”

“And just what may I ask do you mean by that?”

“Well Sir. You may want someone to ride Bessie here, but she’ll have something to say about that. You see Sir; She won’t let anyone get on her back. Anyone that is except for young Paul here.”

“That’s foolishness. My Lieutent here is the best horseman that I have. There isn’t a horse around that he can’t ride. Show him Bill.”

“Sir before he tries this, may I tell you that I tried to warn you.”

As I shortened the reins, he had taken off a lot of his extra gear and I led Bessie over to a stump, so he could get unto her easily. I knew what was going to happen, so I just settled back to watch and enjoy the inevitable.

She only took a half dozen steps and then reared up and then came down hard on all four legs, before lifting her hind end up and sending the lieutenant sailing over her head. He ended up on his back after doing several rolls in the dirt, and then shaking his head as he picked himself up.

I looked at the Major, who was also shaking his head.

“We’re lost.” He was mumbling to himself. “It was our only chance for help. We’ll be defeated.”

I looked at him and saw that he was hanging his head as if he was a defeated man. A man defeated in battle. “Sir. Why do you need my horse?”

He looked around, as if to see as to whether there were others that could hear him or not, and making sure that he could not be heard, he told me something in confidence. “I have to get an urgent message to our Command, camped at the Black Creek. If I don’t get that message to them and a message back in the next six hours, there’s going to be a massacre, here and there. If I would have been able to get the message through, the whole thing could be averted, and we could win this skirmish.”

“Sir, even if one of your men were to ride the horse, which they can’t, if the Yanks saw them, they’d be shot. But a young boy would have a good chance of getting through with a message.”

“But it’s too far for some kid to get there on foot. It’s at least six or seven miles each way. I figured that the horse was the best way when I saw you come in here with it.”

“I told you that no man could ride that horse, but I told you that my grandson Paul back there can ride her. Give him your message, and he’ll see that it will be delivered.”

“But he’d just get lost or something.”

“He knows the area. I let him ride that horse many time and trust him with her. The two of them will get your message through. It’s your only hope, if you have no other way of doing it.”

“Ok, talk to his mother, and explain what it is that we need to do and if she’s willing, I’ll have no choice but to go along with it and use him as a courier in the service of the British Army.”

As the Major stayed there, I went over to Karen and talked to her and explained the situation to her. Then we went back to where the Major was standing by himself.

“Major Buck, this is Paul’s mother Mrs. Westhouse. Her husband is with the Royal Scots. I explained everything to her, and she’s in agreement to it all.”

“Very good. I’ll have to enlist Paul into the British Army as a Courier, and as such he will be given full rank and pay as an enlisted man. Even though he will be the youngest person in the whole British Army to be on rank and file. His service will last for 1 year, but will be just on call when needed. As his guardian, are you agreeable to this?”

“Yes I am,” she said.

“Ok, then bring him over to my Command Tent in a half hour, and he is to talk to no one from this time on as to what is going on other then yourself. You also are sworn to secrecy as to what we have been talking about, and that includes your husband. If he has any questions, he is to come and see me personally. Have him bring the horse also. Is that understood.”

“Yes Sir.”

With this said, the Major returned to his Command Tent and Karen finds Paul and leads him aside so that she can talk to him without anyone else hearing. Then getting Paul something to eat, and a pack for taking with him, they head to the Majors tent with Bessie in tow.

Paul watches as one of the men hides and fastens a message in the mane of Bessie’s hair.

Then the Major turns his attention to Paul.

“Paul Westhouse, raise your right hand.” As Paul raises his right hand, the Major raises his and say, “You are now a Courier for the British Army for a period of one year.” You will deliver this message to The Black Creek encampment immediately and return with their message as soon as possible.

Study this map, and it will show you where the other camp is. What route you take, is up to you, but you must evade capture at all cost and protect that message from getting into enemy hands.

The commander you will be talking to is Major Lawson, and no-one else. This is his signature. Use it to compare with his as you watch him write his name so you know that it is him that you are giving the instructions to that are on the horses mane, and no-one else. Is that understood?”

“Yes Sir.”

Paul took the signature paper that the Major had given him and then pushed it a way down into his sock, as the Major watched him doing this.

“That’s a good place for that. You’re a smart young fellow. Good speed to you.” and he held out his hand for Paul to shake.

Then Paul walked out of the tent with Bessie to where his mother was standing. “Did you hear Mom, I’m a Courier in the British Army.”

“Yes I heard. I’m so proud of you, but scared also. Be careful Paul.”

“I will, mom. I have to leave now. Will you help me up on to Bessie so I can get this message through.”

“Ok son.”

With a boost from his mother, and a wave of his arm, Paul was on his way.

PAUL’S RIDE

Paul knew that he had to stay off of the river trail, so that meant that he would try the inland one, but he would have to be very careful, as he figured that it could have enemy soldiers on it as well.

As he neared Frenchman’s Creek, he was extra cautious, and it paid off, as he suddenly saw the tips of several white tents, that would be pitched just beside where the creek would be.

He turned Bessie back, for a hundred yards and then turned into the brush away from the river area in an attempt to skirt around the camped patrol. Soon he came to the small creek, and he dismounted. He let Bessie have a drink from the stream, being careful that she did not muddy up any of the water from the mud at the side of the creek, which would have been a dead give away to anyone farther downstream, if they had a keen eye and noticed the muddy water and decided to investigate. Then Paul had a drink from the water bottle that he had with him. He wasn’t going to be asking for problems. He’d cross over farther inland, where the stream would be much narrower.

Soon he was back on the trail, well above the campsite and making better time again. He was able to travel several miles with good haste, when he heard voices up ahead. Cutting the horse suddenly into the brush, Paul dismounted and led her behind a dense thicket. He put his hand on her muzzle to keep her quiet, and reached back and pressed down with his other hand on her shoulder.

From years of growing up with him, the horse knew what he wanted of her, and she slowly and quietly sank down to her stomach.

Paul laid down close beside her, to try to blend in and hide the whiteness of the clothes that he was wearing.

As they drew nearer, he could hear them talking. “Hey Charlie, said one, to another farther up the line. We’ll get them now. They haven’t got a chance now those Brits. We’ll run them out of the country and take over the place.”

“You said it, Les.” was the answer that came back to him.

The last of the group went on past, without seeing Paul hiding out there. He waited for a few more minutes to be sure that there were no more stragglers coming up behind.

While Bessie was down, he got on her back and told her to get up. Once on the trail again, he cautiously headed north until he was several miles from the creek and then

was about to head inland away from the river area, when suddenly he felt and heard a musket ball whiz past his head and his hat flew from his head. If it wasn’t for the fact that he had a lace to tie it around his chin, it would have been lost instead of just been blown back over onto his shoulders. Then he heard the immediate report of the rifle from which the missile had come, and saw the smoke less then a hundred yards ahead and a lone Yank that had just fired on him.

Paul had to think fast, as it would take a while for the soldier to reload his gun. Pulling on the horses reins, he dug his heels into her sides as he crouched low to her neck. Bessie responded immediately and as the soldier was on one knee and busily reloading his rifle with powder and ball, did not notice until too late that the horse and rider were bearing down on him at a high rate of speed.

He was just barely able to get out of the way, as one of Bessie’s hooves did catch him in the leg, and Paul could hear the snap of a bone being broken as he rode on by. Paul felt remorse for the fellow, but realized that he had a mission to accomplish and that the soldier had tried to kill him, so he kept on going, slowing Bessie down when he figured that it was safe to do so and he headed inland once again. He had to battle a lot of underbrush this way, but occasionally he came across a farmers open pasture field or a wooded area that allowed him better speed.

He often thought of the words that he heard Les call out to his friend on the trail back there. Paul knew that it was up to him to see that those words did not come true and he had a duty to perform. He reached back to retrieve his hat and took it off to see why it had suddenly been torn from his head when the soldier had fired at him.

When he saw the hole in the brim of the hat, he was almost ready to throw up his dinner, thinking of how close he had come to having been shot by that Yank back there.

He knew he was in friendly territory now and nearing his goal, and wasn’t surprised when he heard the command, “Halt, Who Goes There?”

A Red-Coated soldier stepped out from behind a tree, pointing a rifle at him, as he brought Bessie to a sudden stop.

“I’m Paul Westhouse, and I have to give a message to your commanding officer.”

“Give me the message, and I’ll see that he gets it.”

“No, I have to do it myself!”

“Hey, what kind of a bratty kid are you. You don’t come in here all high and mighty, demanding to see our commanding officer. Now get down off of the horse and give me the message, if you got one.”

Paul looked around, and could easily see the camp and the soldiers there. They were in a clearing beside the creek, and there were still some trees between him and the camp. He figured that the soldier wouldn’t fire on him, but he knew that he would send out an alarm. He saw the officer’s tent, and knew that he had to get to it, without wasting any more time.

Paul had a clean white handkerchief in his pocket that his mother always insisted that he have with him every day. Pretending that he was reaching for the note to give to the sentry, he suddenly pulled it out, and at the same time dug his heels into Bessie’s sides to spur her into action. He was mindful that the sentry would be knocked out of the way by the horse, which was in his plans, as he wanted to throw him off of his guard as he raced through the trees with the white handkerchief high in the air toward the clearing and the officer’s tent.

Behind him, the sentry had regained his footing and was shouting at the top of his lungs, “Stop that Kid, Stop that Kid.”

In front of him, as he got into the clearing, there were soldiers that were there ready to stop him, but stepped aside, rather then be trampled by a fast moving horse with a kid riding it, that was waving a white handkerchief.

There was a lot of yelling and the whole camp suddenly was aroused to see what was going on, as Paul raced through the trees and then into the opening and then suddenly brought the horse to a slowed down pace as he neared the Command Tent.

“What’s going on here?” yelled out a Lieutenant.

“I have to see the Executive Officer, I have a message for him.”

“You can give it to me, and I’ll see that he gets it.”

“No Sir. It’s only for him. That’s the orders I was told and that’s what I’m doing. It’s very important I’m told and that’s it.”

“Ok, you can get down, and wait here, and the Sergeant will take care of your horse.”

“I’ll get down, but the horse stays here with me.”

“One of you men stay here with him and the rest of you dismiss. What’s your name kid?”

“I’m not a kid. I’m 10 yrs. old and my name is Paul Westhouse and I’m a Courier here on official army business to see the highest ranking officer in charge, as soon as possible.”

“Alright, I’ll see if the Major will see you or not?”

Soon the Lieutenant returns and says that the Major is too busy to see him and he’ll have to come back another time.”

“We’ll see about that.” says Paul as he pulls the reins away from the soldier that is holding them and takes the half dozen steps to the entrance to the open doorway of the tent, and walks inside with Bessie close behind.

“Hey, you can’t go in there like that,” shouts the officer, in a vain attempt to stop him.

But by that time, Paul was well inside the tent, and with Bessie at his side, had managed to knock over a table as he entered, sending a pile of papers to scatter to the floor.

“Sir, this is the young man that I was telling you about that wants to see you.”

“I can see that. Paul’s your name is it? Now what’s this all about, and it better be important?”

“It is, Sir. Excuse me for busting in like this, but it’s of extreme importance. But first I have to see some identification, to see that you’re the person that I’m supposed to be talking to.”
“What the Devil. Who told you to say that?”

“The Major at the Fort, Sir. He told me to have you write your name, while I watch you doing it.”

“Well I’ll be darned! If this don’t beat all. All right.” He picked up a pen and placed it in an ink bottle and began writing out his name. “There’s my name in full.”

Paul reached down and pulled a slip of paper from his sock and walked over to the desk and placed it beside the other paper and compared the signatures.

“Major Bill Lawson. Yes, they are the same. I was told to do that to be sure that I was talking to the right person.”

“By golly you are a very smart young fellow at that. Now did they give you another message to give to me, and is it in your sock also?”

Paul looked around the tent, to be sure that there were only the three of them there, and then he motioned for him to come over to the horse with him. Once they were all there, Paul showed him the message that was hidden there in the Mares mane.

“They hid it here Sir, and I was to see that only you were to get it. I’m to wait and take a message back to them right away.”

“Good boy, you’re to be recommended. Wait outside, and I’ll have a meal brought to you, and your horse fed and watered.”

Paul waited outside, and soon Bessie was there with him and the note had been removed. A scurry of activity showed up at the executive tent and guards were posted at the entrance and Paul was asked to be seated some distance away from the entrance.

After Paul had a meal, he was told to come back into the tent and to bring his horse in also.

While a note was being placed on the horse in the same way as before, Paul was given his instructions. When asked what route he was going to take, he told the Major that he was going to take the old Ridge Trail that the Indians used, past the Split Rock, where he would ride along the ridge for a ways. Then he would head straight overland for the camp at the Fort, as he was sure he would not come across any Yanks that far from the River. He was told that he was making a good choice, and that he would be all set to go, as soon as he wished.

As soon as he rode off, he heard a bugle sound and a flurry of activity, as the camp seemed to begin to be dismantled. Something about his coming there had stirred things up, it seemed.

He found the path to the ridge and turned right on it. It was a winding path along the ridge, and had a nice view at times and was easy to follow, so he was able to press Bessie for making good time. Then he saw the split in the rock, where the side of the cliff had pulled away, and he had often played with his friends, while on hikes in the area. As the land rose, the view got better, but then it was time for him to cut across country to get to the Fort faster. He put Bessie into an easy pace that ate up the miles, and before he knew it, he could smell the smoke from their campfires.

He saw his mother and father by their tent, with Katie, but he was on duty, and figured that he had to see the Major first, to deliver the message he had, so he just waved to them as he went by them at a distance. He would see them later, when he could.

He made his way straight to the officer’s tent and was not interfered with. A soldier held the reins as he dismounted this time. When he was at the entrance to the tent, he was told to come in, and he brought Bessie right in with him.

“Your return message has arrived sir.” was all he said.

“Thank you soldier. We’re all deeply indebted to you. You’ll be hearing from us again at a later time. You’re dismissed now.

Paul turned and left the tent and went directly to his family and told them what had happened. That is, the portions that he felt that he was allowed to tell them. After all, he was sworn to secrecy about certain things, and there was no sense in getting his family into trouble in case they were captured. A soldier has to know what’s best for his family, and his country, as he was a soldier now. Actually a Courier on special duty for the British Army.

The first thing that his sister Katie wanted to know, was how he got that silly looking hole in his hat.

He took his hat off as he said at the same time, “What hole?” And then sticking his finger though it, from the front to the back, the same way that the lead missile had traveled through it. And with a shrug of his shoulders as if to answer an annoying question of his sister, he continued. “Oh that. Some Yank just couldn’t shoot straight, but he got a broken leg for his troubles when I rode him down with Bessie and he was in the way.”

Karen didn’t know what to say, as she looked at him and then at her husband and then had him sit down on the log between them as she put her arm around him, glad to have him safely back again. She wanted to know every thing that had happened that he could tell her about the daring trip that he had just made.

I decided to stay there overnight as planned and the next morning, I found out that the troops from the Black Creek Camp had arrived, and made camp just a half mile away late the day before, and were well rested and ready for battle if needed.

Word filtered through that Major Buck was planning for a big push on the Fort with high hopes of success, and he had Paul to thank for it.

He was keeping the other troops hidden from view of the Yanks, as a surprise when he made his attack on the Fort. He knew that they were running out of supplies in there, and if he could launch an attack before they could be re-supplied, he was sure that he could force them into leaving the Fort and returning back to the American Shores, from whence they had come.

Before dawn, he launched his attack on the Fort. The Yanks fought a fierce battle, figuring that they still had the upper hand, being in the confines of the fortress, and that they had drastically cut the British forces down in size previously. They thought that it would be just a matter of time before they would be pulling back.

But then suddenly they were attacked on the northern and southern perimeters. This was unexpected, as there was more troops there now then they had expected and their own supplies were running low. And to top it all off a lot of the British shots were hitting their marks and taking a heavy toll.

A good many of those defending the Fort weren’t really regular army troops at all. They were just regulars that were mustered from the general public and promised food and lodging with army pay if they would join the cause of the American Army.

They were shown how to load and shoot a rifle, and that was about all. Whether they were good at hitting their target, was any-ones guess.

Suddenly a Cannonball whizzed by overhead and landed harmlessly in the inner parade ground, but it un-nerved the American Troops and regulars none the less.

Then another cannon ball landed on the outside of the Fort, well short of it’s intended target, followed by another. This one closer to the walled embankment.

The British Cannons were starting to come into action, and it could be seen that they were walking their shots in closer to the Fort with each round that was fired.

It was evident that they were aiming their shots for the magazine storage area of the Fort.

Finally they had the range, and it was only a matter of the right cannon ball hitting the target in the right place for the magazine storage area to be blown up.

Finally a loud explosion was heard, and a ball of flame went up, as the magazine storage area walls exploded outward, followed by a plume of smoke that rose up into the sky.

Then there was a loud rush by the British troops as they stormed the walls of the Fort with make-shift scaling ladders, as their comrades opened up with a heavy volley of cover fire. Some of the regulars in the Fort decided that they had enough of this fight and deserting their posts, slipped to the far side of the Fort and slipped out supposedly without being seen.

The British Troops, with bayonets fixed to their rifles, soon had control of the Fort once again and the American Commanding Officer agreed to surrender and withdraw from the Fort by noon of the following day.

He was ordered to remove his flag immediately from the flagpole. At Sunrise the Union Jack, the flag of the British Empire would once again be flying from the flag pole over the Fort of Fort Erie.

I was hitching up old Bessie to the carriage and looking to see where my son was, so I could say good-bye to him, when I saw him and Paul together by a group of tents. I was glad that they made it though all this safely, and proud of my grand-son of his part in getting that message through, and possibly saving so many lives.

I like to think that Paul had a part in shortening the war between the Americans and the British in Canada here, and perhaps sometime there can be a way of connecting the two countries to Bridge the gap in Peace.