began  a  bombardment  of  Fort  Niagara  on  the
morning  of  Nov.  21, 1812,  and  at  the  same  time  a
cannonade  was  opened  at  Fort  George  aud  its
vicinity.  From  dawn  uutil  twilight  there  was
a  continuous  roaj-  of  artillery  from  the  line  of
batteries  on  the  Canada  shore ;  and  during  the
day  two  thousand  red-hot  shot  were  poured  upon
the  American  works.  The  mortars  sent  showers
of  destructive  bomb-shells.  Buildings  iu  the
fort  were  set  on  fire  several  times,  and  were  ex-
tinguished by  great  exertions.  Meanwhile  the
garrison  returned  the  assanlt  gallantly.  New-
ark was  set  on  fire  by  shells  several  times ;  so,
also,  were  buildings  in  Fort  George,  and  one  of
its  batteries  was  silenced.  Shots  from  an  out-
work of  Fort  Niagara  (the  Salt  Battery)  sunk  a
British  sloop  in  the  river.  Night  ended  this  fu-
rious artillery  duel.
Fort  Kiagaia  captured  (1813).  When  Mc-
Clure  abandoned  Fort  George  and  laid  Newark
iu  ashes  ( see  Ifmoark ),  in  December,  1813,  the


the  black  ruins  of  Newark,  prevailed.  A  large
number  of  the  garrison,  part  of  them  invalids,
were  bayoneted  after  resistance  had  ceased.
This  horrid  work  was  performed  on  Sunday
morning,  Dec.  19,  1613.  The  loss  of  the  Amer-
icans was  eighty  killed — many  of  them  hospital
patients — fourteen  wounded,  and  three  hundred
aud  forty-four  made  prisoners.  The  British  loss
was  six  men  killed,  aud  Colonel  Murray,  three
men,  and  a  surgeon  wounded.  The  British  fired
a  signal-cannon,  annouucingtheir success,  which
put  in  motion  a  detachment  of  regulars  and  In-
dians at  Queenston  for  further  work  of  destruc-
tion. They  crossed  the  river  to  Lewiston,  and
plundered  and  laid  waste  the  whole  New  York
frontier  to  Buffalo.
