Memoirs of John Adams Dix; comp. by his son, Morgan Dix.

1798-1821.]

NOT PERMITTED TO FIGHT.

51

father's last appearance at the head of his regiment. The battle of Chrystler's Field commenced soon after the rear-guard
had fallen down the river about a mile from the point at
which it was attacked, and where the farther advance of the
enemy's gun-boats had been checked. I was now but little
over a mile from the field, and the roar of the artillery and
the incessant report of fire-arms were too much for me to
resist. Learning from the surgeon that my father was in no
immediate danger, I collected, without a word to any one,
about twenty of the men who had been employed as oarsmen, furnished them with arms and ammunition, and started
for the field. I had marched about half the distance when I
met Major Nourse-aide-de-camp, I think, to General Wilkinson-who was escorting a number of prisoners just captured,
and he ordered me to take charge of them and return to the
boats. I entreated him to let me go on; but he was inexorable, as he said the guard with them was much more likely to
be serviceable than my hastily gathered squad, and I had to
turn back. Ile said afterward that I cried because I was not
allowed to go into the fight. It is not unlikely. I do not
remember the tears; but I shall never forget my disappointment and vexation. It was, no doubt, for the best; for I
might not have returned to afford my father the consolation
of my presence in the last hours of his life, and receive his
dying messages to the other members of his family. The
only object of the British commander in making the attack
on the rear of our army-for a portion of it had the day before moved down to Cornwall, at the foot of the Long Saultwas to harass and annoy us. He could have had no hope of
arresting, or even of retarding materially, our advance. The
result was a hotly-contested battle-field, the loss of a few hundred men on both sides, and a mutual claim to the honors of
a disputed victory. We passed the night on the banks of the
river, and the next day descended the rapid without farther
molestation, and joined our advanced forces at Cornwall.
There intelligence was received from Hampton's division