Where Right and Glory Lead!: The Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814

by Donald E. Graves, John R. Grodzinski (Foreword)

This is the story of one of the most hard-fought actions in North American history. On a summer evening in July 1814, within sight of Niagara Falls, American, British and Canadian soldiers struggled desperately in a close-range battle that raged on into the dark. By morning more than a third had become casualties. The two armies had fought to the point of exhaustion, and who won has long been a matter of dispute.

Lundy’s Lane was the bloodiest battle of the War of 1812 and the bloodiest fought on what is now Canadian soil. It was the high mark of the 1814 Niagara campaign, which was the longest of the war and the last time Canada suffered a major foreign invasion.

In his analysis of this still-controversial battle, Donald E. Graves narrates the background and events in detail while providing a thorough examination of the weapons, tactics and personalities of the opposing armies. The result is possibly the most complete analysis of a musket-period action to appear in print.

Genres: Military History, History, Canada

368 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1993

About the author

Donald Edward Graves is a military historian who has worked for the Canadian National Historic Sites Service, the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Department of National Defence. He is currently the director of Ensign Heritage Group.

Reviews

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent presentation of perhaps the biggest battle fought in the War of 1812 and yet very few Americans could tell you where and what the Battle of Lundy Lane was. It must be noted that the Battle of New Orleans was larger, but it actually occurred after the war had technically ended. It’s just that communication of the peace treaty signed in Ghent, Holland did not reach New Orleans until after the battle had been fought. Canadians have recognized the scale and importance of this Battle of Lundy Lane that took place right at Niagara Falls. In fact, the present-day city of Niagara Falls, Ontario has swallowed up the grounds on which this battle in 1814 was fought. The Canadians, according to the author, give themselves too much credit for stemming this invasion of Canada. The British Regulars deserve much more credit for halting this American advance into Canada. The author, Donald Graves, brings out these and many other relevant facts about this battle and the people in the battle in a well-researched and detailed description of events and their causes and results. This battle was largely inconclusive as to who won the tactical victory. Mr. Graves explains why each side felt they won the battle and he explains why neither side won the strategic victory as neither side achieved their strategic goals. If you have any interest in the War of 1812, you’ll find this history of that 1814 invasion of Canada well worth reading.

[Maxwell Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger by Graves!

Donald Graves never fails to inform and impress me. 'Where Right and Glory Lead! The Battle of Lundy’s Lane, 1814' was an informative, thrilling, and overall interesting work on the real battle in modern Niagara Falls during the War of 1812.

Beginning with a description of American incompetence at the Battle of Crysler's Farm in November 1813, the work fast forwarded to the following year, describing the professional American army that beat the British at Chippewa in July, only to fight at Lundy's Lane.

Like many of Graves' works that I have read, he did a good job describing concepts such as the British battalion, how a musket worked, conversations between senior officers, the run-through of the battle and its aftermath, as well as its legacy seen through the victorian era to the 20th century and today.

In conclusion, a phenomenal work by a phenomenal author. I recommend this book if you are interested in American, British, and Canadian military histories, the War of 1812, history of Canada or the US, or if you are a War of 1812 reenactor.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable account of the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. I have enjoyed all the books that Graves has written on the War of 1812.