The Battle of Lake Erie
Edward Baynes, Adjutant General

Head Quarters Montreal, Adjutant General's Office, 24 November 1813

His Excellency the Commander of the Forces has received an Official report from Major General Procter of the Affair which took place on the 5th October, near the Moravian Village, and He has in vain sought in it, for grounds to palliate the report made to His Excellency by Staff Adjutant Reiffenstein upon which the General Order of the 18th October, was founded-on the contrary, that statement remains confirmed in all the principal events which marked that disgraceful day; the precipitancy with which the Staff-Adjutant retreated from the Field of Action, prevented his ascertaining the loss sustained by the Division on that occasion; it also led him most grossly to exaggerate the Enemy's Force, and to misrepresent the conduct of the Indian Warriors, who instead of retreating towards Machedash, as he had stated, gallantly maintained the conflict under their Brave Chief Tecumseth, and in their turn, harrassed the American Army on its retreat to Detroit.

The subjoined Return states the loss the Right Division has sustained in the Action of the Fleet on Lake Erie on the 10th September, and in the affair of the 5th October near the Moravian Village; in the latter but very few appear to have been rescued by an honourable death from the ignominy of passing under the American Yoke, nor are there many whose wounds pleat in mitigation of this reproach.

The Right Division appears to have been incumbered with an unmanageable load of unnecessary and forbidden Private Baggage-while the requisite arrangements for the expeditious, and certain conveyance of the Ammunition and Provisions (the sole objects worthy of consideration,) appear to have been totally neglected, as well as all those ordinary measures, resorted to, by Officers of intelligence, to retard, and impede the advance of a pursuing Enemy.-The result affords but too fatal a proof of this unjustifiable neglect.-The Right Division had quitted Sandwich on its retreat, on the 26th September, having had ample time for every previous arrangement, to facilitate and secure that movement; on the 2d October following the Enemy pursued by the same route, and on the 4th succeeded in Capturing all the Stores of the Division, and on the following day attacked and defeated it, almost without a struggle.

With heartfelt pride and satisfaction The Commander of the Forces had lavished on the Right Division of this Army, that tribute of praise which was so justly due to its former gallantry, and steady discipline. It is with poignant grief and mortification that He now beholds its well earned Laurels tarnished, and its conduct calling loudly for reproach and censure.

The Commander of the Forces appeals to the genuine feelings of the British Soldier from whom He neither conceals the extent of the loss the Army has suffered, nor the far more to be lamented injury it has sustained, in its wounded Honor, confident that but one sentiment will animate every breast and that zealous to wash out the stain; which by a most extraordinary and unaccountable infaturation, has fallen on a formerly deserving portion of the Army; all will vie to emulate the glorious achievements recently performed by a small but highly spirited, and well disciplined Division, led by Officers possessed of enterprize, intelligence, and gallantry, nobly evincing, what British Soldiers can perform, when susceptible of no fear, but that of failing in the discharge of their duty.

His Excellency considers it an act of justice, to exonerate most honorably from this censure the brave Soldiers of the Right Division who were serving as Marines on board the Squadron on Lake Erie.

The Commander of the Forces having received the Official report of Captain Barclay of the Action which took place on Lake Erie on the 10th September when that Gallant Officer, from circumstances of imperious necessity, was compeled to seek the superior Force of the Enemy, and to maintain an arduous and long contested Action, under circumstances of accumulating ill fortune.

Captain Barclay represents that the wind, which was favourable early in the day, suddenly changed, giving the Enemy the Weather-gage, and that this important advantage was shortly after the commencement of the Engagement, heightened by the fall of Captain Finnis, the Commander of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE, in the death of that intrepid and zealous officer, Captain Barclay laments the loss of his main support.-The fall of Captain Finnis was soon followed by that of Lieutenant Stokoe, whose Country was deprived of his Services at this very critical period, leaving the command of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE to Provincial Lieutenant Irvine, who conducted himself with great courage, but was too limitted in experience, to supply the place of such an officer as Captain Finnis; and in consequence this vessel proved of far less assistance than might be expected.

The Action commenced about a quarter before twelve o'clock, and continued with great fury until half past two, when the American commodore quitted his ship, which struck shortly after, to that commanded by Captain Barclay-hitherto the determined valor displayed by the British squadron, had surmounted every disadvantage, and the day was in her favor; but the contest had arrived at that period when valor alone was unavailing-the DETROIT and QUEEN CHARLOTTE were perfect wrecks, and required the utmost skill of seamanship, while the commanders and second officers of every vessel, were either killed or wounded, and not more than fifty British seamen were dispersed in the crews of the squadron, and of these a great proportion had fallen in the conflict.

The American commodore made a gallant and but too successful effort to regain the day. His second largest vessel the NIAGARA, had suffered little, and his numerous gun-boats, which had proved the greatest source of annoyance during the action, were all uninjured.

Lieutenant Garland, first lieutenant of the DETROIT, being mortally wounded, previous to the wounds of Captain Barclay, obliging him to quit the deck, it fell to the lot of Lieutenant Inglis, to whose intrepidity and conduct the highest praise is given, to surrender His Majesty's Ship when all further resistance had become unavailing.

The enemy by having the weather-gage were enabled to choose their distance, and thereby avail themselves of the great advantage they derived in a superiority of heavy long guns; but Captain Barclay attributes the fatal result of the day, to the unprecedented fall of every commander and second in command, and the very small number of able seamen left in the squadron, at a moment when the judgement of the officer, and skilful exertions of the sailor, were most immediately called for.

To the British seamen, Captain Barclay bestows the highest praise-that they behaved like British seamen. From the officers and soldiers of the regular forces serving as marines, Captain Barclay, experienced every support within their power, and states that their conduct has excited his warmest thanks and admiration.

Deprived of the palm of victory, when almost within his grasp, by an overwhelming force which the enemy possessed in reserve, aided by an accumulation of unfortunate circumstances; Captain Barclay and his brave crew have, by their gallant daring, and self devotion to their country's cause, preserved its honor and their own, even in defeat.

Certified to be a true extract from the general orders of the Army of Canada.

William Wood. Select British Documents of the Canadian War of 1812. (1923), II:294-297.