A Tale of Two Cities

   A Tale of Two Cities

Suzanne Marsh

30^th December 1813

Major General Riall waited for Snake in Grass and his Iroquois braves to arrive, with New Moon and his Mohawk braves. He sent for Pipe Major Ian Sinclair and Captain Peter Hill, it was time to seek revenge on the Americans for burning Newark. He planned to retaliate by wiping out the garrison at Fort Niagara, then marching to Buffalo, where he would burn the entire village. That would teach the Americans a lesson they would not forget. He also wanted prisoners, since he required those not only for exchange of prisoners but more importantly for information about American movements.

The Major General rose when Snake in Grass arrived:

“It certainly took you long enough to arrive Snake in Grass. How many brave have you

brought?” Snake in Grass towered above the Major General:

“I bring fifty braves, they fight.” Shortly after New Moon and his Mohawks arrived. The British forces were ready to march. Major General Riall climbed into the first boat, the Mohawks and Iroquois had canoes which they paddled toward Fort Niagara, the first place for the revenge Riall had planned so carefully.

The small house on Chippewa Street was home to James and Molly Pierce. Jim was a member of the Buffalo Militia, Molly kept house. Major General Amos Hall arrived with a compliment of two thousand men under his command. There were one hundred and twenty nine mount Calvary, and one hundred and thirty six men of the Buffalo militia under LT. Col. Cyrenius Chapin , Jim Pierce among them. Major General Hall sent word that he wished to speak with Jim. Chapin sent Jim scurrying on his way, Hall stood up as Jim entered his headquarters:

“Hi Jim, it has been a while, I need you to scout the area, the British are planning something

I can feel it.” Hall took out a rough map of the Buffalo area and pointed:

“The five men, head down the Williamsville Road toward Fort Niagara. The British will

I believe begin at Fort Niagara, go through Lewiston, I also believe that Buffalo will

be attacked” He turned to Chapin:

“Set up a twelve pounded on Niagara Square, just in case the British continue here.”

The words were no sooner out of Hall’s mouth when a ride with the militia galloped in, jumped from his saddle:

General Hall, the British are at Fort Niagara, most of the garrison is dead, the Iroquois

and Mohawks are with them.”

Hall grumped a moment:

“Are you absolutely sure? The rider stood by his horse:

“Yes sir, I am, they are now headed for Lewiston, that could mean Buffalo is next.”

“That is my greatest fear at the moment. Take a fresh horse, scout out the area get

an exact location of their troops, then report back here.”

The rider quickly mounted, galloping back out of Buffalo.

Ian Sinclair, attempted once again to console his wife:

“Maggie, tis true we are going to burn Buffalo, General Riall has made that fact clear. There

is no way to get word to Jim and Molly. I do that they will hang me. Jim will take care of

Molly, he’ll make sure she is safe. Now I must go, Fort Erie is safe at least for a wee while.”

Maggie, could only think of her sister over in Buffalo, the War of 1812 had separated them as had the Rebellion. The British apparently were not willing to accept defeat gracefully. Maggie did not say that but she certainly was thinking it.

It appeared that Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York were becoming sparing partners, neither wanted war but neither would either surrender to the other. Ian, hoped and prayed that Jim had enough sense to get Molly out of Buffalo and hide her somewhere safe. Buffalo would burn soon,

Jim took out a scouting party the following day, the treed toward Fort Niagara, when they arrived, there were few survivors. Scalps had been removed from most of the men. Some had been bayoneted. Jim grabbed his horse, turned to Silas Smith:

“Get a burial detail going. I am heading toward Lewiston.” He could see gray smoke rising in the area that had been Lewiston. He galloped toward Lewiston, the escarpment steep but manageable to horse and ride. The town was leveled, everything burned. Jim, jumped into the saddle, galloping toward. He reported to Hall the moment he arrived:

“General, the entire garrison has been wiped out at Fort Niagara, there might have one or two

that survived. Lewiston has been burned, as I was heading back I saw smoke from

Manchester, and Schlosser. Buffalo, will be their next stop, at least that is what the signs

point to. Sir, I request permission to get my wife Molly out of here. I can get her to Fort

Erie, her sister lives there.” General Hall looked into Jim’s dark brown eyes:

“Jim, are you sure that is wise? If you get caught you will hang as a spy, you know that

as well as I do.” Jim, was becoming overwrought:

“General Hall, I am willing to take the chance, I can take Molly by canoe, after dark. Her

sister’s home is near the river. I will be back by daylight.”

General Hall agreed but with reservations.

Jim, with Molly in tow headed down the foot of Amherst Street, there sat a canoe he had stolen from a Mohawk brave a year ago. He placed Molly carefully into the canoe and began the journey along Lake Erie to the fort. They slipped quietly around Fort Erie to the home of her sister Maggie. Maggie, hearing the knock on the door was hesitant to answer:

“Maggie, it’s Jim and Molly open the door.” Maggie quickly threw open the door, pulling Molly inside with her:

“What in heaven’s name are you two doing here, Jim, if you get caught…” her voice trailed off as Jim entered the sitting room:

“I know, Maggie, I am leaving now before day break, keep Molly safe, I’ll be back for her.”

Those words spoken Jim went back out the door, heading for the canoe. He paddled back to Buffalo.

When he arrived hell had broken loose. Most of the men under Chapin were fighting attempting to keep the British from burning their homes. Jim, grabbed his musket and joined the fight. The Village of Buffalo was burned to the ground that night, revenge had been exacted for Newark.

Jim could hear the skril of the bagpipes, he knew Ian was out there. Ian attempted to keep his men from burning down Jim and Molly’s home to no avail.