Chippawa Battlefield Panel 4

British General Riall believed most of Brown's army was still surrounding Fort Erie and did not know the fort had surrendered, so he faced the entire U.S. division. Even so, the forces were nearly equal, with 6 British guns to 7 U.S. guns, and each side fielding about 1400 regulars, 200 militia, and 300 warriors. Trusting his regulars, Riall advanced toward the waiting gray-coated line. The Redcoats came to within 75 meters, or 82 yards, of the American line, and a fierce standing firefight followed, since standing allowed the quickest musket loading. British artillery was then screened by its own infantry. The 11th U.S. Infantry moved obliquely left to fire into the British brigade's flank, Scott directed Towson's artillery to enfilade the British line, and the 25th U.S. Infantry advanced into the woods against the British light troops despite artillery fire. After clearing the light troops, the 25th turned against the British flanks, preventing the King's 8th from joining the main British line with the 1st Royal Scots and 100th Regiment. The redcoat was widely recognized as a symbol of some of the hardest-fighting and most disciplined troops, and in open-field engagements British infantry usually prevailed in standing firefights.

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