"The campaign of the Niagara in 1812" Topic

"On river banks The Niagara, general Stephen van Rensselaer had 3900 men to Lewiston on river banks The Niagara, 2000 more waited under the orders of general Alexander Smyth whereas 1300 regular soldiers were parked in the strong Niagara in the mouth of the river and the lake Ontario.
As to preside the oldest, Van Rensselaer commanded all the device, although being an officer of militia and not the US ARMY. His mission was to make cross his army and to get a foothold on the Canadian bank at the foot of the city of Queenston then to go back up northward towards strong Georges. This fort threatened the river access between lakes Érié and Ontario and its artillery faced those of the Strong American The Niagara situated just opposite in some kilometers. Brock who had managed to return in the sector had only a staff reduced to face the enemy mass. Nevertheless a few weeks before the situation of the Americans was of the most worrisome. The soldiers of van Rensselaer had not a sufficient number of ammunitions. The health service being non-existent, the men were sick. The militia of New York did not arrange sufficient means to leave to the fight, arm and material was lacking and the pay had not been paid for a long time. This army needed time to get ready for the invasion which according to the orders of Eustis had to serve to make diversion to allow Hull to reach his goals. The piece of news of the disaster of Detroit had not arrived of course yet to Washington and to Albany American headquarters. Nevertheless it was the governor general Prevost who was going to grant of the time to the Americans. Always worried of arranging a place in the diplomacy in this conflict, he had sent one of his envoys to meet in Albany, American general-in chief Henry Dearborn. After several days of negotiation, August 20th, interview between Dearborn and the messenger of Prevost, colonel Edward Baynes, resulted in an armistice. Dearborn warned the English people that this armistice would be legal only with the approval of the president Madison. The latter, as soon as he knew, hurried to reject him because Royal Navy continued to maintain an unbearable pressure on the American ships…."
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