The Memoirs of Jarvis Hanks The Battle of Lundy's Lane   Jarvis Hanks - biography Memoirs Continued Part 1: Early Life and the Decision to Enlist Part 2: The Harsh Reality of Army Punishment Part 3: An American farmer's greed; battle in a Canadian farmer's field Part 4: Drilling in Winfield Scott's camp at Buffalo Part 6: The siege of Fort Erie Part 7: Very Close Shaves Part 8: PEACE! Drummerboy Jarvis Hanks' account of the Battle of Lundy's Lane Boys at War

Part 5: At the Battle of Lundy’s Lane We heard the firing commence, and saw some of the cavalry returning wounded, and heard the savage yell of the British Indians. I remember, a trumpeter was riding back, furiously, wounded, with the blood streaming, profusely down his temples & cheeks. As I was also a musician, I felt much alarmed for my own safety, not knowing but I would be in as bad or a worse situation in a few minutes. There was no stopping, nor escape, into battle we must go. A rail fence divided the field from the wood. Over this fence the soldiers were obliged to climb to obtain their places in the line. Many of them were shot and fell from the top of the fence, killed and wounded. While sitting on the fence for a single instant, ready to jump off into the open lot, a charge of grape shot rattled around me with terrible threatening to my personal safety. They cut the branches of trees over my head, and on my right hand and on my left; also splintered the rails on either side and under my feet but not so much as the hair of my head was hurt! A thousand times have I reflected on this incident as the most wonderful Providential preservation from instant death; though I suppose I have been in as great danger many times, but never so evident to myself as in this instance. It is thought by many that, as musicians are placed in the rear of the line, they are in consequence in less danger than the private soldiers who constitute the line. But, as the musicians are placed in the rear of the colours, in the centre of the regiment or battalion, and as the aim of enemies respectively is mainly to shoot down the flags, and as the falling or striking of a flag is a signal of surrender; it seems to me that musicians thus situated are in equal danger with any other portion of the army. During this engagement, nine different persons were shot down, under [our] flag, successively. At last, this Sergeant Festus Thompson took it and threw its folds to the breeze. He was wounded in the hip, and the staff was severed into splinters in his hand. But he again grasped it by the stump, and waved it triumphantly over his own and his fellow soldiers’ heads, until the close of the battle. After many such incidents occurred; after hundreds on both sides had yielded up their life blood as a sacrifice upon the altar of their country’s honour; after multitudes had been disabled by their wounds, whose sighs and groans, and urgent entreaties for assistance had been spent in vain upon the "desert air", but were smothered by the clangour of arms; this memorable battle closed, by apparent consent and desire of both armies. They retreated from the scene at the same time, weary and exhausted. It has often been called a "drawn game", as it was difficult to decide which inflicted or received the greatest amount of injury.