Page:Brock centenary 2nd ed. 1913.djvu/137

 APPENDIX V

They had not returned far when they heard a voice say " Halt !" and looking up they saw the General and his men, they having been driven from the sum- mit. There was a short conference, when the Gen- eral decided to go around by St. David's and there attack the enemy. But they had not gone far when Biruey, who was immediately behind the General, heard a groan, and looking up saw the General falling from his horse, and, rushing forward, he assisted him to the ground. With a few parting orders the General was dead.

After this Biruey had to take command of his own company, and with the rest they fell in order and marched around the mountain by St. David's and there surprised the Americans eating their (the Canadians') breakfast, as the Americans had surprised them earlier in the morning. And then commenced the real fighting of the day. The Americans after a hand-to-hand fight were charged and driven out, many of them being forced over the heights into Niagara River. Captain Birney used to remark that with his sword in one hand and a broken gunbarrel in the other he led his men in this charge, and it was a sorry day for any American who came within his reach. Among the many prisoners Captain Birney assisted in captur- ing that day was his cousin, Captain Winfield Scott, afterwards General Scott, who, after being taken to York, was exchanged for prisoners.

Captain Birney led his company, the 5th Lincoln, in the battle of Lundy's Lane in 1814, coming out of it, as he did in all his engagements, without a scratch.

He used to take pleasure in relating how, after the Americans had been badly beaten and had made a hasty retreat, leaving their men to be buried, there was left behind a lone gunner who stuck to his cannon. Birney and a number of his men marched down upon this man for the purpose of capturing the gun, and as they approached him,

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