The Niagara Campaign of 1814: The Battle of Lundy's Lane "A soldier's life is very horrid sometimes". - British Lieutenant John Le Couteur Further Reading The Battle of Lundy's Lane Background to the Battle of Lundy's Lane The Americans at Lundy's Lane Two Accounts From The Battle The Aftermath of Lundy's Lane Surgeon William Dunlop Tends to the Wounded William Dunlop Remembers a Tragic Scene Books Where Right and Glory Lead! The Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814 Donald E Graves

The British at Lundy's Lane Phineas Riall is overseeing the last pieces of his artillery being rolled into place when his scouts ride up to report that a large body of U.S. troops are within a mile of their line. He believes his position, on a rise surrounded by farm fields and lush orchards, is the best in the area if a skirmish occurs. But his orders from Major General Gordon Drummond are explicit: Riall is to take no offensive measures until Drummond meets him with reinforcements. In the meantime, Riall tries to make light of the fact that some of his 1000 troops forming up are doing so in front of a graveyard. Within minutes, the first columns of Americans appear to the south. At a glance Riall estimates that the opposing troops are equal in number to his own, but this could be just the advance party of a much larger force. No sooner do the Americans form up than do they fire a volley of muskets at the British forward line. Riall mulls over Drummond's orders. The Americans appear confident and the last thing he wants is a repeat of Chippawa. As he gives the order to withdraw, the first of Drummond's troops arrive from the north and an order from the commander reaches the hill: engage the enemy. If the Americans are looking for a fight, General Drummond is prepared to give them one. The cannon on the hill open up and begin to hit the American lines with deadly accuracy, but they maintain their ground and continue to fire into the British front. Young lieutenant John Le Couteur remembers his march onto the field in the ranks of Drummond's troops: "It was near 8 o'clock and getting dark as we reached the battlefield. I made my usual prayers to God to grant me his protection and my life, ready though I was to lay that down for my country, at his pleasure, but hoping that no worse than a wound might befall me - nor a fall into the hands of the Savages - death we thought preferable."