CIHM Microfiche Series (IMono£raphs) ICMH Collection de (monographies) Canadian Inatituta for Hiatorieal MIeroraproductiona / Inathut Canadian da microraprodtictiona liiatoriquaa 1 Tta iMiimii hut flf fn9 MMIpM M VI9 W VnNHN^Ji flW D ICowiti UlHra* D r~~1 Cmtn ntt L— I C am mt tn tmtm u tt tnhm a n D D M (i A cMmt ttm bkM or MHfc)/ fmra tft WMlMir (i A wira 4M Mmw o« ColowMi »IMM M«/«r NhHtratiom/ tt/ou iHiMtratiam M I IMMawerainfM U raNim amfe iMM MiMr * rwakrt w * la I la tom * la Maiflt iMMMM* I I Manft Mawai awas wrinf ratipfMiM nay app I 1 wHMntfMtaxt. W W iai iaw n o ii ltl i. tf ii i a I w ia Ih lond'nM latnclB, n'ont D TMi Ham it fNmad at Ilia rMtaatioii lalie Ca tfMMMnt an filiii* an tarn da rMiMtioii 10X n 14X ItX atWbNoirapMm L'Imiitiit a Mierofiliii* la MaM OM^Ili Dsr 0* at^M □ QwHlver print Mrias/ QiMHti Mflala da llmprMsion □ Cont i i iy oM i patiwa ti o n / QlnaMat Mania*)/ Comprand wi Mat) indaK TMaonl La titra da I'an-tMa proviant: □ THIapapofita Nfa da titra da □ Caption Titiada D ■aiwroiion ofitMa/ dalaHvraiton (Mn«rl«w (pkiodiq u a t ) da la liwaiaon 12X ItX 12 22X MX SOX MX ax ax TiM eomr fNfiMd Iwf* hM bMfi raproduMrf thwiln to Hm gMMreahy eff: NMlonal Ubrary of CMMda L'jwomp lofco mm* fiit rop r odii h griM « ft 9^ntmlM do: MbNotMquo notionalo du CMWdo PMtiMo eolMMorifif tho eondWon ond log l b W tv okia Mand Min. atuM*. ••«. -ZTi- .......m.1^ ^ ^ ^^ ^j?'^_^* PV*!i"" hooping wMi tlio ffilming eontroot •pooMeotfono. eoplM in prlntod popor oovora ora Mmod boglnnins with tho from oovor ond ondbig on tho loM pogo with o prinlod or iNiwtrotod Improo- •ion, or tho boeli eovor whon o p p ropr lo lo. AN othor originol eopioo oro fHmod bofinning on tho fir»t pogo with o prinlod or ilhMtioiod improo- on or lihiotrotod Irepwmion. i>*90 Mopo. plotM, ehorti, ote., moy bo flhnod ot dmoroitt roduction rotioo. Thooo too lorfo to bo ontlroiy inehid o d in ono wpoouto oro fNmod boginnlng in tfio uppor ioft bond eomor. loft to right ond top to bottom, ot mony ftomot tt rogubod. Tho following dtagromt Hhittroto tho phw grand toln, oompto tonu do It condition tt do It nttitt* dt roxtmplolro fibn4, ot on eonfOrmlt* ovoo lot eonditiont du eontrat dt origlnoux dont It couvorturt tn tont fHmtt tn por It promlor plot ot on tormlnont teit por It dtmMro pogo qui oomporto uno wnprtimt d lm p r ttt lt n ou dINuttrotlon, toh por ploi. otion lo 000. Tout Itt outiot onoii MlgbMiM tont flbnte tn eommon^ont por It promMio pogo qui comporto uno omprolntt dT w prttt i t n ou dlNiittrotion ot on tormintnt ptr lo domMro pogo gul comporto uno toio Un dot tymbolot tidvontt tpptrthrt tur it domMro bnogo do choguo microflcho. tdon it cot: to tymboto -^ tignifto "A SUiVRE", to ty m bo to ▼ t lg nW to "RN". Uo eortot. plonchtt. lobtooux, etc.. pouvtnt Mrt flbndt i dtt ttM dt rMuctlon dtffirtmt. tn un tool cHch*. R ott fHm4 « ptrtir tupdrltur gtucho. do goucho i droitt. tt dt hoot on hot. tn pronont to nombro Muttrtni to mithodt. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MKlMOOn — O Uff lO N 1MT CNAtT (ANSI ond BO TBST CHA«T No. 2) IH \2* 125 U1I22 II l.i Itt lio 1:^ il.6 A y^PPUED IS/HBE ine t «3 E«t IMn «(M( (7ie) Wl-OJOO-Flum (m)3N-9IW-Fa> 146M UM r t HISTORY^/ OPTHI THE WAR OF 1812, BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BY JAMES HANNAY, D. C L, ^'''wwo'A mmron or ACADu, un or MR UC4IABO ST. JOHN. N. B. PRINTED BY JOHN A. BOWES. 1901. r .1 -'■«l ,'(*l v'^KJw^y -j- ■«««i «»»«ita, to A« rfrrtta»«a of c««in. «»,«,»,. k- JAMES HANNAY, b lb. OOm oTlW HUur or Acricalt,^^ ' il n/ 1 '^\ PREFACE This Book lus been written for the purpceof pl«rf„g Tr^flJTl V^'^* '» • •»"«>• volume, the rZ !? 1 "* of our countfy ftom foieign invwion United States of America. As this defence could not have been successful but for the hearty 0OK)pefation of our ancestors, the people of Canada of that day. this war ought to be regaided as anada's Brst and «iatest contribution to the woric of empire building; for theferw vent lay^ty which within a year or two! has sent a^ many of the sons of Canada to fight the battles of Great Britain in South Africa, received its fint iUustia. tten on the batde fields of the War of i8ia. I have not diought it necessary to burthen the pages ofthis bcok with foot notes and references to authorities, because the official sources of our knowledge of the war •re so few in number as to render such references un- necessaiy. For the movements of the armies, the num- ben of the British troops engaged, and the losses of the Utter, I have relied on the British official despatches. For the numbers of tiie American armies and Uieir losses, I have accepted die American officia* despatches except where they were manifesdy in error. Where a private authority is relied on for any statement, I have usually mentioned it in tiie text, one of die few excep- tions to diis being widi regard to die reasons which led Capt. Barclay to neglect die blockading of Perry's fle^ V nOfACM, uiMvn or UM wan My authority for this atetem««* -^^"^ of th. p«.«„ d., AouM fcd ofl««hd M '*«io«. on d» .«i«„ of »«,who ii,.,^;^ «jn wto, »« «po„,M, fo, ft, e,„,^ „ ^ ^ lldT^ ^"«^' ""Ok » Wl of iiilwutoa«ti tom«y.„«««,tocritid«i,„dcor;2.it S«S ««» » li»». «»epM M true. ««y a,tenieiit «5 fcv.«bl. to a,e BritiA, which h. couTd 6.?^..^ P«*l»l»d rtorti, .«« te cto«, ««j d,e ,;.„ft^SJ MirACt. hb book abounds In abmiid error, .d unfiiiroommenti. It it the dumping ground of all t^ • nibbisli published on the American tide of the question. Its spirit is very bad, and I doubt whether such a booic would meet with &vor even in the United Sutes at the present day. While we must all rejoice at the success of the Brit- ish arms in the war of i8ia, we must equally lament the necessity which required so mr ny of the peaceful •nd indu;. rious people of Canada to arm themselves «nd go forth to battle. The glories of war are a delu- »ion, and the advocatr of a "strenuous life" which em- biaces the slaughter of human beings is a dangerous fool. Let us hope that we have seen the last of the ravages of war on the soil of Canada, and that the time Is near at hand when all civilized nations will find a better way of setding their difierences than by the ar- bitrament of battle. St. John, N. B.. May asth, 1901. LIST OF MAPS. The Detroit FixMitier, The Niagan Frontier, Battle o^ Prenchtown, Stigt of Port Meigs, Sackett's Harbor, - Chiystler's Pield, UColle Mill, Lundy's Lane, - Battle of BUdeneburg, Page* 60 138 >3S 169 a34 370 38a I ! HISTORY OF THE WAR OF 1812. CHAPTER I. "^-^-iw"^ p^'.t itrrr 'TIS rj Embaiva Ae» —.-rul d .^ *'"«'""pe««e AlAtr.— The American though ,t origi„,ttd in ,„ I .„ q„.„,/"„"'„^- BriTh ; ^"'^ " »P»'«i»8 Canada from the ^.ng to the oyalty, constancy and coumgt of the ^«n people tiuit .hi, obi«=, w«, foiW.*^ Ever, wo^v o?L""" '•°r»'"««°0» .nc.s.o.^.nii' Tff ^^ / ^ « "■oembered for the example which it •ifom. of d.e difficulty of subduing a resolute and7r'"» of the French Re- BriLt "t """^ "" •" """^■■"S """y "o Grea" form A«„,elves and that a,e terms FedenUift and D^ocm. were h^rf for the fitst time. The Dem^ mts, of whom JdTerson was the head, show«l an ex- treme hostility u, Great Britain, while the Federelis" ^Aough no, deficient in patriodsm, held much m^' frifnrp.""*' """ "•" '''^ - -"'«« "« anJGr,Tir>^ """:' "" '■" '"' ■»"«*" P""" shon interval for more than twenty yeare, drew will more starply d,e iines betw.«, theseVo pa^^^ n" «~ to the Un«ed St«w, ««i he fortiiwith precewkrf. THE WAR OF igia. ,, With the active cooperation of the Anti-British partv «. make jha, countor a b^ for the p™>ecutio„ ^™; ^n '^'^f^""- '^"«' " P^clamation XZl «J.ty, ™n„ng c..«e„s of the United State, no. u, t^e P«t ,n the. contest, but, so strong was the feelineTn fcvor of F«nc., that the p,»clan,ation and its author StttM of the present day must blush to read. It ots styled a "royal edict " "a 6,ri„r, . j aMumnH„» „f ""S *"'' "nwanantable aMumptran of executive power," and Washington was denoun«d as a "Mona„=hisf and a fHend of Clan" Mjny of th«e attacks on a,e President appea«d!„ ii •N^onal Gazette," but it was not u„S^F„n«t Its ed tor, was nearing the dark valley of Death, that" «« disclosed that these violent ardcL again^A^h' .ngttn were wntten or dictat«l by Thomas Jefferson, pendence, and who, at the veo- time these attacks we« made. v«s Secretaiy of Sttte in Washington's CabinJ^ In th,, transaction Jeffetson illustrated his true naT« "l^o^ himself as destitute of honor as he C rf The French Minister Genet, in defiance of Wash- pSZ ', P™""""""" P"««>ed to fit out privateer, in PhiMelph,. to prey upon British commeree, a,e» pnvateers ^,ng mann«I by citizens of the United Sa^ When the President ,«leas«i some British priz«,^^ had been token by them and «rri«l into Philaidphi. to be condemned. Genet stormed and raved and a,^ trthrpe^J""^,'."" " "^'-""•^ '^ ^^-^"^ to the people. This was virtually a threat to excite an .n«,r»con forth.pu,po.eofoveri,owingd,.a^ft^" hi Hi ! ill I ii I n : III 12 THE WAR OF l8ia. of a Chief Magistrate elected by the people, yet so mentally debauched had JeflFcreon become, that his newspaper actually sustained Genet in this course. The organ of this model Secretary of State expressed the hope that the friends of France would act with firm- ness and spirit, telling him " the people are his friends, or the friends of France, and he will have nothing to apprehend." It turned out, however, that "Citizen" Genet had something to apprehend, the indignation of Washmgton, who requested die French Government to recall its Minister. In t^'e meantime the death struggle between Great Bnta.'< s id France was producing a series of retaliatory measures which proved ruinous to the neutral trader. In June, 1793, an Order in Council was issued by the British Government, declaring tiiat all vessels laden witii breadstuffs, bound to any port of France, or places occupied by French armies, should be carried to Eng- land, and their cargoes either disposed of tiiere, or secunty given Uiat they would be only sold in a country at friendship witii Great Britain. This was followed in November of tiie same year by another Oitler in Council which directed British war vessels and priva- teers to detain all ships carrying tiie produce of any colony belonging to France, or conveying provisions or other supplies for tiie use of such colonies, and to bring tiie same witii tiieir cargoes to legal adjudication m the British Courts of Admiralty. These Orders in Council fell witii heavy eflFect on tiie commerce of the United States and produced a corre- sponding degree of indignation. This was increased by anotiier measure adopted about the same time by tiie British Government— tiie impressment of British THE WAR OF l8ia. >3 seamen found on board of American vessels. This measure was based on the doctrine, then recognized by all European nations, that a subject could not renounce his allegiance, and that the government under whose flag he was bom had a right to his services wherever he might be found. This doctrine therefore involved the nght of search, both of war vessels and commercial ships— a claim most obnoxious in every way, but more especially as the exercise of this right was liable to great abuse. It is singular that in 1861. long after the nght of search had been abandoned by Great Britain it was revived by Commodo.c Wilkes of the United States Navy, when he boarded the British Mail Steamer Trent, and took from her Messrs. Mason and Slidell, the Confederate Commissioners then on their way home to England. It is still more singular that this act, so universally condemned in Great Britain, was almost as universally approved by public opinion in the United States, so true it is that nations are generally guided in their .views of public questions by motives of expediency and self interest. Congress in 1812 regarded the exer- cise of the right of search by Great Britain as a "crying enomiity" and declared war against her for that cause, yet Congress in i86i passed a vote of thanks to Com- modore Wilkes for his exercise of the right of search in an extremely aggravated form. In neither case was Congress fortunate in its expression of opinion, for in 1815, the Government of the United States was forced to conclude a treaty of peace with Great Britain in which the right of seach, the ostensible cause of the war, was not so much as mentioned; while in 1861, a few days after the vote of thanks was passed, the same Government was obliged to give up Messrs. Mason and iii'i IM: ii i I •4 THE WAR OF l8ia. Slidell, on the demand of the British Government, and acknowledge itself in the wrong. For the purpose of endeavoring to effect a settle- ment of the difficulUes which had arisen out of the en- forcement of the Orders in Council and the right of tT";/ .,^*^^"fi^" »«n' John Jay,Chief Justice of Oie United States, as Envoy Extraordinary to tiie Court of Great Britain. The result of this mission was what IS known as Uie Jay Treaty, which, after providing for the disposal of most of the unsettled questions hi tween the two countries, contained a number of Com* mercial pro^sions which proved of great advantage to the United States. Cnder it American vessels were allowed to enter British ports in Europe and ti,e East Indies, on equal terms with British vessels, while parti- Cipauon in tiie East India coasting trade, and tradVbe- tween European and British East Indian ports was left to tiie conungency of British permission. American ;*^* r*. *^^t?*^"« ^^«nty tons were allowed to trade to tiie British West Indies on condition that tiiey should not, during tiie continuance of tiie Treaty, transport from Amcn^ to Europe any ot t:.e principal Colonial products. British vessels were to be admitted into American ports on terms equal to the most favored nation. There were provisions for tiie protection of neutral property on tiie high seas, and providing tiiat a vessel entenng a blockaded port should not be liable to capture unless previously notified of tiie blockade. There were also arrangements to prevent the arming of the privateers of any nation at war with the two con- tracting parties, and the capture of goods in the bays and harbors of either nation. In the event of war be- tween the two countries, the citizens or subjects of THE WAR OF l8ia. >S either were not to be molested, if peaceable ; and fugitives from justice charged with high crimes were to be mutually given up. The commercial arrangements of the Treaty were limited in their operation to two years after the termination of the war in which Great Britain was then engaged. The Treaty was ratified by the Senate and signed by the President in the summer of 1795- It might have been supposed that this Treaty, which was extremely fovorable to the commerce of the United Sutes, would have been received with satisfaction by the people of that country, but it was for otherwise. The Democrats had resolved to oppose it. no matter what its provisions might be. especially if it should remove all pretexts for a war with Great Britain. They had already disclosed the spirit which influenced them by their violent opposition to Jay's appointment, and, when the Treaty was before the Senate, efforts were made to intimidate the members of tliat body so that they might refuse to ratify it. Democratic news- papers told their readers that they should blush to think, "America should degrade herself so much as to enter into any kind of a treaty with a power now tottering on die brink of ruin. " France according to these news- papers was the natural ally of the United States, and the nation on whom tiieir political existence depended. *'The nation on whom our political existence depends." said one of these publications, "we have treated witii indifference bordering on contempt. Let us unite with France and stand or fall togetiier." These words so truthfully uttered the result of the war of i8 12 that they may be regarded as almost prophetic. The United States did virtually unite with France, and they and France fell together. I ii ■H ili! Hi ! lit 'I ! ■! f! ii'ii 16 THE WAR OP l8ia. by British gold and wLThl. ,^^.'*" Purchurf the Trcty at a nuhfr^ ■ **' •"«"P«I to ddend Council Ubl. ,^A ht^'^frv''*''- "' « *' "™ threatened, while i-rT' , "*""" «««ion wa. tailed in'^irS '• r„d ^St" thtd ""■''A'^' -" Consul. The peoole ^ Z. c 1''°°' "^ *« B"tish fellow men of a^tht ^>„* • ^"*' ""'• "«"' *«" •hen, as chltt^ur!!"'" '", '»"'^' «»• paid for Revolution«y \^ 0*^^^ .? "* **•'' """"« *• out^ becal *e T.^tTJ^^^td'T*"''""* •"" honest debts, contracted ZhTlf^^ ' payment of tion being i- A^^,^"" ** '"'• »>"* « «ip«U. -.ose prinfi;,esXTXcr?2,,rK"''''*« '^^ the Revolution to ^,7,h- T'^"'^ ** P"^»» "f nn^^>r ^ets^sr-^^ mZdti-^t':-:; -^ c-e"; rrjr.^— ^'thfa'^^^^ -- Great Britain, which e»C ta ,h. • *"""""'' ^'»' of the people of ti.e U^^^'^f,"'"'"^ ^7 war of tile Revolution i,.7kL. !^ * ^"^ »''"• the But when tii. Wwe^i„^" "'"«'■' "» " <='««• ^ be highly adv^t^^::^' »m°" " "^ '°"'"' owne« of ti,e Uniti S.^.^. XTf^u n"' '""^ however, were greatly enraired a„H .if " Directory, omer -.Hori.in^.FinchXrwt'^o^:::^^^^ ' ill 11 THE WAR OF l8l3. »r vessels in the same manner as they had suffered them- selves to be treated by the English. Under this order many American vessels were seized in the West Indies by French cruisers, and their crews treated with great Indignity and cruelty. Indeed, at this period the French Government showed a strong disposition to take entire charge of tiie politics of the United States, and Commodore Joshua Barney, an American in tiie naval service of France, who came into Philadelphia in 1796, witii two frigates which he commanded, told tiie citizens of tiiat place tiiat if Jefferson was not elected President, war would be declared by France against tiie United States witiiin tiiree montiis. So true was tiiis, tiiat tiie election of John Adams, a Federalist, who was chosen instead of Jefferson, resulted in tiie issuing of a decree by tiie French Directory which was equivalent to a declaration of war. It not only autiiorized tiie capture of American vessels under certain conditions, but declared tiiat any American found on board of a hostile ship, altiiough placed tiiere witiiout his consent by impressment, should be hanged as a pirate. The American Minister was ordered to leave France and tiiree Envoys Extraordinary, who were sent in his place to arrange all matters in dispute, were treated witii contempt and refused an audience. All tiiese circum- stances produced great indignation in tiie United States, and in tiie spring of 1798, although no actual declaration of war was issued, war with France was commenced on the ocean. The fall of the Directory and tiie assumption of authority by Bonaparte as First Consul, however, speedily put an end to hostilities. This brief summary of the progress of events after tiie Revolution will serve to show more clearly tiie character (I ! ! 10 THB WAR OF l8ia. Of the question, which arose from dm* »^ ♦« .. t.ie two „.Uons, .„d whiSTfi^^,^ S^.^l^^**^-" '8". The United States t^rlL^: ^^^ f ' "•'«' between Great Britain and F^i s^"^! i^"* 7^ Which the belU^ertT U^^u^J-^r The accenion of Boiunutc •« .Zl ^"'"' •** otiwr. * bought *. w.rT^rF^*'7*['''*°-«'' Slates to . close ins3^f • " *"'' *• ''"'"'I British Government d^lJr'wK ? *'*^' '**' "^ from the Elbe to Br^Z. ^ " '* "^ "^ E""!* wmber of the same ™, r Wockade. In No- a sate of blockade forhMrfl- .. ''*"''' «> be in «~Jewi,hEn7S?d'.„H^^^ •" ""^Pondenc. or P«K.uceor^n:^'r^rco^tS''ir*''°'^"'''-' ^I British subj«as to l^ta^^ *L , ••'""*'^'' French fleets had b^n IT. "^^ '*''"• •*»*• French Governm^t 5:5 s<:S a r"^*"' '"' '^ been apphed hv a^^ - **"** *«"» has blockadrof fteXhtwT?, "?"" '» *« British » Ae Elbe, „„TJ^,";^r"« of ""« f~n, Brest bad not suicient shiMTL„r"". **' ^'~' Bri*- British Navy numb^Zll'.f'"*.''- ^" '" -Soe the -nned ^ TuTjrT ^J l^^'Z"^ ^'^^^ Sonieoftiieobjectoistothi«r ,7^ thousand men. lived tt, see pSr„, Lf„. T '^"'^ "'*'«' '''«'«<'e" miles of ti,ecSZsou*: T""" ""« """"""d -Uhough the Fedl^Na;*: "tLT"'°':f '''~^«'- *^^ or that penod numbered THE WAR or i8ia. ■9 only ninety vetMl* of which lets than half were in «ommiMion. The British answer to the Berlin decree was an Order In Council of November, 1807, by which all neutral trsde with France or her allies was prohibited unless through Great Britain. In December of the same year Bonaparte issued his Milan decree which was a sort of supplement to that of Berlin. It declared every vessel which should submit to be searched by British cruisers, or should pay any tax, duty or license money to the British government, or should be found on the high seas or elsewhere, bound to or from any British port, to be denationalized and forfeited. Spain and Holland, at the dictation of France, immediately issued similar decrees, and thus was established the famous continental system of Napoleon, which crushed the neutral trader. It was a system which grew out of Bonaparte's deter- mination to destroy Great Briuin and break up the British Empire, a resolve which was warmly approved by a Urge part of the people of the United Stotes. In their insane hatred of England they were ready to aid in the destruction of the only Constitutional Government that then existed in Europe, and the establishment of the grinding military despotism of Bonaparte over the greater portion of the civilized world. While the British Orders in Council and Bonaparte's Decrees were agitating commercial circles in the United States, the impressment of British seamen found on board of American vessels had become a source of great ill-feeling towards England. In 1800 the British Minister had proposed a reciprocal surrender of all de- serters, but this was declined by the United States, because the proposal was so worded as to sanction f- THE WAR OP ,8ia. 'mpreMment in private vesiel. tk ne«t«I fUg w« the .fe^^ J^.^ '^"^nd^l that the •doctrine, the .ppiic.* '^^ -"*"« ""^er it, of the United Sui.r„ i^^w^V"''"^'^'" ^^O' wvy largely by de^rfe™?^ o?!"* ^ '*^™»l «>eir Congnu passed « nnn i-. . ^ ***• ^n'ted Sutes f""- Th. Act WM tot,?^ !I^ • " """•* "••»"««- •he di«cul,i« b«wr„^I*"i"«'""'P"»"endto P'nknv »f M.,y,t^~^ *• '»'° "•"•on,. WiHiJ^ «o Undon io Join ,ri* u " ^"'"'' Ewiwixlln.™ '" *i. work. Ne^ll^rr- *** """•"' """'•"o "iMioiMn put in ^ri„I ^' ''"' **• ^'1^ Com- intention of th. 6„^"' ." """'"•"• "»« '« "« Z "t«ordin„y cire„m.t.°L ! *!f t"'.««l« under of Perfe« reciprocity, i, Zu^L ?^? '" * '"«'"« American veael, «uld bl TS J^ '""''"^ "»' "o cn.l«r, within (ive mite ofT " ""«' '^ British Sfe,. But the time ,«„ ,1 *f ~"' " "*« United ' Treaty was wasted, for Sr^**""*"'"''"'"' of ttis dent, had ~oIv«i u ° n a ^ri' Jk° *" "«■• P'^- P«vent it from gotagin^ "'"'*. """'^ 'fl-^Cually Komg into operation. Instead of .W: , TMl WAR OF I8ia. ai toying It Mon the Senate for rmUficaUon or rtjtctlon. •■ It WM ,1. duty to do, he usurped the authority which Uie Con«^tut ion had vested in that body, and entirely •uppresaed this imporunt Treaty, which would undoubt- •dly have been the means of insuring a lasting peace between the two countries. This action proved Uut J^braon and his advisers did not desire any accom- modation of existing grievances, but only war. At this juncture a very unfortunate ailalr took place which produced much ill feeling. While a British ^"^"Z T wT ^^ "•"'y' ^••' '^'^ of »h« crew !l.^J **?.*!!'*"P"' ^^'^' T***"* "•" were enlisted on boajd the U. S. frigate Chesapeake, and a demand made by the British minbter for iheir rcstorw •tion was refused. The Chesapeake some time after- wards put to sea and was by the orders of Vice-Admi«l Berkely, overhauled by the British fifty gun ship Uopard. aptain Humphreys, of that ship, demanded the delivery of the deserters on board the Chesapeake, and on this being refused poured seveial broadside, into the latter, killing three men and wounding eighteen and compelling the American vessel to strike her flag. This act was immediately disavowed by the British Government and the Admiral recalled. In the United SUtes the affiiir produced the liveliest indignation, which was not mitigated in the least by the earnest efforts of Oreat Bntain to setUe the matter amicably. A procla- mation was issued by the President forbidding all persons to have any intercourse with or to sell any supplies to British war vessels in the waters of the United States, and wariikc preparations were made on an extensive scale. Messrs Monroe and Pinkney were sent to England in the armed schooner Revenge to nii'ii! Hi! t ! :•!}/ 32 THE WAR OF l8ia. liihi make a number of demands on the British r« including the abandonment of the ri^h?^"^^^^^ Great Britain was quite r^dy to maW^*^ "*'^**- the Chesapeake a Jr, butT^in^d rtLTroV'^ matters, Mr. Canning. *^u- " ^" *reai on the other while h; wa S^Sy "f iL Tfof '"™^' '"»'"'^' *«•' vie. .o the removi^ TuZl° iiiZ^^'"""' "'* ' negotiate anew on the Sflr l"' '"'«»'''""« s^^e. ant. a,.a., r.^Xl>ZuZ^Z''' •"" pom of .he u"jXTt r •!' '""" '" *^ Coastwise ves^swt relief """: "' *« Ac land their cargoes 1" XZ%Z^\T'"° which is the most remarkable «am„u t ""' nadon destroying its own fo"* .31 ?".n"''"' thereby injuring another nation^^i^hich i^lLdT t'-^^^rb^ "t"^-" *' oCt^hiV^ atreHi—P^^-e-i-:^^ 430,000. In lieu of the K^hl *"^'*>3.«)o to $«,. Ac. was passet^^by whrch Th^r ^" » no„.in,e,«,«« Stahs waTopentS^tTan *. ■"?"""* "' "" "■""'«' France. Asrl^'co^ .;11rSl!r"'' '"^ n.e,ce with the United States.T, wsolt^l h "° T^ « ^fo„, England was «,e oily Zr^Z^'^t THE WAR OF l8l2. 23 measure. The relations between Great Britain and the United States continued to grow more strained, and they were not improved when in 1809 the latter Govern- ment requested the recall of Mr. Jackson the British Minister at Washington. The British Government did not take the trouble to send another minister to replace him until 181 1. In the meantime the Government of the United States, which had every year been growing more friendly to France, was endeavoring to make terms with that country for a relaxation of the "Continental French Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a despatch to the American Minister at Paris stated that the Beriin and Milan Decrees were revoked, and that their opera- tion would cease from the first of November following- "it being understood that in consequence of this declar- ation, the English shall revoke their Onlers in Council, and renounce the new principles of blockade which they have wished to establish, or that the United States, conformably to their law, will cause their rights to be respected by the English." The meaning of the last clause of this communication might be somewhat obscure were it not from our knowledge of the fact that Minister Armstrong had been instructed to offer in addition to the repeal of the Embargo Act, a declara- tion of war against Great Britain should that Govern- ment refuse to recall the Orders in Council after the Emperor had withdrawn his Beriin and Milan Decrees His offer was made in April, 1808. but Bonaparte did not value an American alliance so highly as the men who oflfered it. His business was war, and he did not believe that an American alliance could be of much u:y ^ THE WAR OF l8ia. merely a contingent repeal of the n^^-T j ^" on the repeal of A. oJ^i„c^^.'T^^ ''"*"'''"8 BriSh ,h '' '"'""^".^ *' """-'-Porution .cttaTn,.' May. I8i2, that such a document was produced and then ,t was found to bear date of ^^^ Apnl ,8„, or nearly eight months after Ae til^ revTJ This?','"""'*""' **' *' D~r^ were American Congress ha^ by a" "^""^V' *« March, -Si I, provided that Bririth T? *' '" chandize should bi^chSLf f '■" "'' ■""■- United States. Th^Ts ZII^T;^^^^ °'d*' ftanding existed between that «X a„d Fren? hostile to British interests. Still wh« Z. F^ document was produced the British r„ """" ;r„t -^-^f "' ** Mr^iotr^rrth*: theTnctr'and' """" "' "''"-'"^ " >»-'"•» me ancient and accustomed principles of MariMn,. War de. ;n^ on ~.. cond J.||,. ^^0^ :.^e"Amt-c^-^"^-~-^ the Amencan Minister in London with a copy of the THE WAR OF l8ia. 25 document, and, on the aaid June, a declaration from the Pnnce Regent in Council was published absolutely revoking all orde« so for as they applied to the United States. Had the Government of that country been animated by a sincere desire for peace this action would have brought the war of i8ia to a sudden end. In May, 1811. an encounter took place on the hiirh seas between a iritish war vessel and an Ameri<»n fngate which showed the belligerent disposition which animated the navy of the United States. The U S fngate President, 44 guns, carrying the broad pennant of Commodore Rodgers, while cruising oflFCape Henry sighted the British sloop of war Littie Belt, 18 guns. Captain A. B. Bingham, which was cruising nortiiward m search of the frigate Guerriere. The President dis- covered tiie British sloop about noon, and immediately gave chase, but it was dark before tiie American vessel drew alongside. Captain Bingham hailed the President askmg, "What ship is that?" but Uie only reply he received was a repetition of his own question. The President tiien fired a broadside which the Little Belt immediately returned. An action ensued which lasted about forty-five minutes, when the big American ship sheered oflF. At dawn tiie President bore down again and Rodgers sent an officer on board tiie Little Belt witii profuse apologies and offers of assistance which were declined. As tiie United States Government was at tiiat time at peace with the whole worid, it is clear that Rodgers' attack on tiie Littie Belt was merely tiie act of a sea bully who wished to stand well with his countrymen at a cheap rate, by attacking a ship of less than one-fourth his own strengtii. The Little Belt bore 36 THE WAR OF l8l2. IN .H III ill away for H^li&x, while Rodgers returned to New York to receive the ccngratulations of his friends. When Congress met in November, 1811, its tone was warlike. The President, Mr. Madison, sounded the keynote by a belligerent message, and the Com- mittee on Foreign Relations presented a report which was a comprehensive indictment of Great Britain for almost eveiy kind of political crime. A tremendous amount of fervid eloquence was employed to fire the national heart to the point of going to war, Heniy Clay and John C. Calhoun being among the toudest and most violent in their advocacy of extreme measures. John Randolph of Virginia, Josiah Quincy of Massachusetts and all the leaders of the Federalist party were against a war with England, and opposed all pro- posals to that end, but they were entirely outnumbered m Congress, and measures looking towards a declaration of war were rapidly passed. Additional regulars to the number of twenty-five thousand men were ordered to be enlisted, the calling out of one hundred thousand mihtia was authorized, and appropriations were made for large purchases of arms and ammunition. The Presi- dent was authorized to call upon the Governors of the several states each to furnish its respective quota of this militia force. Provision was also made for the en- listment of a large body of volunteers. These bills were passed in January, 181 2, and it was expected that at least seventy thousand men would be ready to take the field in the Spring and invade Canada. The Federal Government was encouraged in its truculent course by some of the State Legislatures, those of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Ken- tucky and Ohio having passed resolutions in favor of '?♦" i 'I THE WAR OF l8l2. V war with Great Britain. The Massachusetts House of Representatives, in its reply to the annual messageofthe str^'patnT""*' """*' ^"^^" " "ali^tical tTii .,^*'"**'^*" ^«* « ^•'y plentiful commodity in Oie Umted States at that time, if the report of the Committee on Foreign Relations was to be believed. They stated that the patriotic fire of the Revolution still ived in the American breast "with a holy and inex- unguishablc flame." This "holy flame" developed Itself mainly in an intense desire to possess Canada, ^ .t .as stimulated by the thought that a favomble time had arrived to strike a deadly blow against Great Britain. It was known that Napoleon was preparing to Unit^ States doubted his success. An alliance with so powerful a ruler appeared to these American patriots to be very desirable, and they fully believed that Canada was ready to rise and throw off its allegiance to the British crown as soon as an American army appeared on ^ frontier. Dr. Eustis, the United States SecTtory of War, in one of his speeches gave expression to this sentiment when he said: "We can take the Canadas without soldiers; we have only to send officers into the Provinceo and the people, disaffected towards their own Government, will rally round our standard " vJoi.".°"* u-^""^. ^'*^' ^^° ^^ ^'^^ys been "ost violent in his animosity against Great Britain, said on the floors of Congress:-" It is absurd to suppose that we wi 1 not succeed in our enterprise against the enemy's Provinces. We have the Canadas as much under our command as Great Britain has the ocean, and the way to conquer her on the ocean is to drive her from "»e land. I am not for stopping at Quebec or s8 TUB WAR OP i8ia. anywhere else ; but I would take the whole continent from them, and ask them no £fivors. Her fleets cannot then rendezvous at Hali£u as now; and, having no place of resort in the North, bannot infest our coast as they have Utely done. It is as easy to conquer them on the land as their whole navy would conquer ours on the ocean. We must take the Continent from them. I wish never to see peace till we do. God has given us tiie power and tiie means; we are to blame if we do not use tiiem." It was witii such aspirations and hopes as tiiese diat tiie Government and people of tiie United States en- tered^upon the war of i8ia. CHAPTER II. ^ !^'!!S"fr't'^7"'^*^*"* '" *"• "-'**» sut-.-w«- D.. -Tto SmiUl Force of ReguUr—Congres. CM. for .86,000 R«n,- ta«, Voluofr. «,d MaitU.-C««d« to b. Invadod .t T^ Pr^rot. Prep«,tion. for Wiu^Lib^I G««7of the LegldZ^ Lower C«««U-Gener«l Brock'. Vigor .nd CaSS-J,/ AlthQugh, as has been seen, war had been resolved on by the Congress of the United States as early as the autumn of 181 1, there was still some formal business to be done before it could be actually declared. The cry for war on the part of the people seemed to be loud, yet there were many who were strongly opposed to such a conungency, while others, when they found their country on the eve of a contest, felt great hesitancy as to the proper course to pursue. Among these doubters was no less a personage than President Madison him. self, who, notwithstanding his belligerent message to Congress, had never been in favor of resorting to hostilities if they could by any possibility be avoided. But he was in the hands of men more powerful than himself. On the 2nd March, 1812, he was waited upon by a number of the leading men of the Democratic party and plainly told that the only terms upon which he could obtain re-nomination to the Presidency was by consenting to a declaration of war against Great Britain. In their opinion such a measure was necessary to the 30 THE WAR OP l8ia. . r'^>- !! •uccess of the p.rty. although at this d*y It does not seem quite clear how the Democrats could be defeated Federalisu advocated. Madison, coerced by the threats ^ his political friends, yielded against the dicutes of hS better judgment, and tht;reby brought on his countiv t'^ r" I''*'" ""^'^ «»^' «*>' «"• compensating message to Congress, recommending the laying of an to". d'S ° V" ''i^'P'"^ '"' *^"*y ^^»' " » P^lLinaor to a declaration of war against Great Britain. A bill to this effect was, by the aid of the previous ouestion «rr.ed in the House of Rep«sentatives the same eve"! Z ^« V""^ ""^ '•T^ '^ ^^^^y-**"'- Next day it was S.e Jn^ nf *.K ^ '* "''** •" amendment extending tl^Z. '^^J!;!^T *^ "'"**y *^*y»- ^hls amend! ment was concurred in by the House, and the bill became 1.W on the 4th April. The Embargo AcT^ ^ Jld wh r*'/ "T** ^^*'^^'"« *" importations S^refoIiru!?r^'^'°''P~''- These enactment, were followed by vigorous preparations for war both by tend and sea, by strengthening the Army and Navy and making large depots and magazines for the ^ of the troops. On the ,st June, Mr. Madison, yielding onoe more to the p««sure put upon him by a Committed of Democrats headed by Henry Clay, seni another con- fidential message to Congress recapitulating a number of reasons why, in his opinion, war should be declared and leaving the decision of the question in the hands of onXTh f ^"^k" ^•^^^^"^"^eof Repi^ntatives on the 4th of June, by a vote of seventy-nine to forty- nine, passed a bill declaring war against Great Brita^. Ii!i ;f! THE WAR OP l8ia. 3« This bill was discussed by the Senate for twelve days and was finally passed in that body on the 17th June by a vote of nineteen to thirteen. It was then sent back to the House on the i8th for concurrenec in cerUin amendments; the same day it received the signature of the President, and on the following day he issued a proclamation declaring war between the two countries. While the debate on the war measure was going on in the Senate, although the deliberations of that body were supposed to be secret, enough leaked out to make the public aware of what the result was likely to be. In the South and West the war was popular, but in the New England States the reverse was the case. There the news that war had been declared was received with marked tokens of disfiiivor. The Governors of Massa- chusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut refused to comply with the requisitions for militia made upon them by the President, taking the ground that such a demand could only be made in case of an actual invasion. The Legislature of New Jersey denounced the war as "in- expedient, ill-timed and dangerously impolitic." The Maryland House of Delegates passed resolutions com- mending the action of the New England Governors. But such demonstrations only served to exasperate the promoters of the war, the would be conquerors of ^nada. The Federal Republic, a newsi>apcr pub- lished in Baltimore which ventured to oppose the war, had its office sacked by the mob and its proprietors put in peril of their lives. An attempt to re-establish the paper a few weeks later resulted in a fearful riot in which General Lingan, an aged hero of the Revolution, was ki led and General Henry Lee, a very distinguished n 3* THE WAR or 1811, the BiUUnH.™ «bbl. b«.m. highly importj,, ^ . n.don.1 ~n«, for i, d.pri«d *. Uniad S^ j u.! •m-ic of probably *. only offlcr of U.. R«ol«ton who w«, ,„ ,8ia,«p.bl. ' of """led Loyalisu .nd their children, from whom even the most sa^ »r.H T:.," '" *• !»««»"■> of his proper S could harfly «pec, a vety cordial i4Zn m P^ulation of Upper Canada was made up of fte d«c.ndan.s o exiW Loyalists and disbanded Jdiera -mllyattach^l to their It;"Cnirn:^rr:: THB WAR OP I8l9. 33 of Government, but not more so than the Loyalittt who had suffered from American injustice. In both these classes the invaders of Canada could only expect to find resolute enemies; yet such was the delusion of Ameri- can politicians, that they actually expected both British immigmnts and Loyalists to rise and renounce their alle^nce the moment an American force appeared on the frontier. It was a vain hope, and the lesson Uught the presumptuous invaders was one that has not been forgotten even at the present day. The American immigrants who came to Upper Canada after the Loyalist immigration were not numerous enough to afcct the efficient defence of the Province, even had they been disposed to do so, which is doubtful. There is no reason to believe that the majority of them were otherwise )ian hearty in their support of the common cause. Yet, after making all allowance for the loyalty and fortitude of the people of Canada, it is impossible not to feel surprised at the combination of skill, courage and good fortune which enabled the country to make a suo- cessftil defence against its invaders. Against the few hundred thousand inhabitants of Canada were arrayed the eight millions of th. United States, forming a popu- lation that had read a great deal of the glories of war and desired to experience some of tiiem in their own persons. The British Islands then had a population of eighteen millions, but they were three thousand miles away, and, with one brief interval of peace, had for nineteen years been at war with France, spending hun- dreds of millions of pounds in maintaining the conflict, and in subsidizing other nations in order to enable their armies to keep tiie field. n 1812 the British had a land 34 lii-li 'Hi ii II ( k advantage oftre dav ,» H^ """'^ war and its authors tr!n, the r pul^ts ,. ^rrn *' rven point to their utte«nces and «Wn«L 1 5f ™ eloquence. The words of William pii',?^ **"■ *a. tKcasion, spolten fl h owf p'^i^t^"" when he declared the war to h... ■'^ ^"'°" ™inou.war..-.war*«''3reaX^,Zfr' "" vice and slavety," were so suitablf L tZ '"l'^ •^e as to be almost pn,phe'r a w,r ''/"" "" under false pretences, for the bTnefif n^ r "i:''*"""" but of party, and aimed a^!n«"t H ° , t """^ happiness of a friendiv J^, ,! '^"' ''•*"/ a""* than in disaster ^ '^'"' ~""' ""• «"" "'hen-ise ourtL''sTror^'"Cvo«^''t ""=" *' "" -""'« -ohadHsento^gtTarin-r^----^^^ THE WAR OF l8ia. 37 who, in consequence of his concilf-tcry disposition and kindly manners had proved an ; ceptable civl! governor. But as a military leader, as tl <•. sequel she ved, he was an utter feilure, and nearly ev»iy disaste. which the British suffered during the war is to be attributed to his weakness or incompetency. Canada needed at that time a bold and active Commander in Chief, but Sir George Prevost was neither active nor bold, and during the whole period of the war he hung like a dead weight on more enterprising officers who commanded the armies in Canada. The single claim that Sir George Prevost has upon the respect of the Canadians of the present day rests on the fact that he succeeded in win- ning the confidence of the French of Lower Canada. The Legislature of that Province, when it met in Frebruaiy, 1812, was not backward in adopting his advice to take defensive measures in view of an antici- pated invasion. A Militia bill was passed which authorized the Governor to embody two thousand unmarried men for three months in the year; and in case of invasion or imminent danger thereof, to retain them for one year, relieving one-half of the number embodied by fresh drafts at the expiration of that period. In the event of war the Governor was author- ized to embody the whole militia of the Province should it become necessary. The grants for the support of the militia were on a most liberal scale when it is consid- ered that the total revenue of the Province for the previous year had been only seventy-five thousand pounds. The sum of sixty-two thousand pounds was granted for the purpose of militia and defence, of which thirty thousand pounds were only to Le employed in case of war. The Governor General was thus placed 3» THE WAR OF l8u. in . position to command all the resources of Lower May, when it was clear that war was imminent he orgamzed four battalions of militia under theTu hor^ o the new act. A regiment of Canada VolnW (hght mfantry) was raised and placed under Z command of Major De Salaberor of the 6oA ke^ Arrangemens were made, with the concurrence of X Legislature for the issue of Army bills to the amolrof wHh interest at the expiration of five years. The «den.ao- militia were drilled and in the citi« ev«^! thing assumed a warlike aspect. The Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada was Major- General Isaac Brock, a man in ahnost every way a^,^ «.t to Sir George Prevost. He was ZZ^Zl and brave and had long foreseen the approachingCl st«n«hl"'r^ "■* i" *« '"""« "f -8" was to strengthen the posts under his command and to establish one or two new ones. In pursuance of this policy, as soon as navigation opened, he erected a fon oTtte Island of S^ Joseph in the Straits between Lake Hu ^.T and Lake Superior. This was intended to serve « a ch«A on the American Fort Mackinack, whfcht^ for^y^ven miles disunt, on an island of the s^e na^ which lies in the Strait between Lake Hui^n^d iS^e Michigan. As it turned out this wise precaution p,^ to be one of the most important steps taken duriLI^ whole war and led to consequent of flie Z^t Z^J^ 'r"" "'* • """hment of one hundrS men of the 4ist Regt. He quietly m«le anang«n.^ for calling «.t the militia of the Province, a„TS^ THE WAR OF l8ia. 39 steps as his means permitted for their equipment and the strengthening of the military posts. In all this, however, he was restrained and hampered by his superior. Sir George Prevost, who did not believe until the sprmg was far advanced that there would be any war, and was fearful lest the expenditure of a few thou- sand pounds, in precautionary measures of defence that might turn out afterwards to have been unnecessary, should impair his own popularity. While, as has been already seen, the war was pro- moted by the Democrats of the United States for the purpose of advancing their party interests at the coming Presidential election. Dr. Eustis, the war secretaiy had some personal views of his own which prompted him to become its advocate. This gentleman had served as a regimental surgeon in the Continental Army of the Revolution, and afterwards settled in Boston where he became a violent politician. After serving in Congress for some time he was appointed Secretary of War by President Madison when his first term commenced in 1809. From the moment of his appointment he em- ployed his best energies to bringing on a war with Great Britain, seeing in such a measure and the con- quest of Canada, to which he believed it would lead, an easy method of seating himself, a successful war secre- taiy, in the Presidental chair. The glory of having added an enormous area to the territory of the United States would, in his view, be sufficient to give him an assurance of capturing so great a prize as the chief magistracy of the republic. But to prevent there being any possibility of doubt as to the person entitled to the glory of conquering Canada, he determined on direcung an invasion against what he believed to be ita THE WAR OF l8ia. ! "'1 Mil! A; i; i iit iei; weakest point, the Detroit frontier. It was for this rea- son that he assumed the entire control of the army under General Hull, and it illustrates in a marked degree the irony of fate, that the very precautions which he took to isolate this army from the command of Generw al Dearborn, led to its capture and his own political ruin. Had the operations in the Western Peninsula been included in the armistice signed by Dearborn on the 9th August, the British flag would not have been flying over Detroit seven days later. There was, however, a great deal of the wisdom of the serpent in the manner in which the American war secretary proceeded to open the campaign against Canada. In the early part of the year Governor Hull of Michigan was called to Washington for the purpose of consulting with Eustis as to the proposed invasion of Canada by way of Detroit Hull was rather averse to be the leader of such a campaign, unless the control of Lake Erie could first be secured, but he was over- borne by the eloquence and the promises of the war secretary, and he yielded to his wishes, and accepted a commission as Brigadier General and the command of the proposed army of invasion, which was to be com- posed of the militia and volunteers of Ohio and Michigan, together with a regiment of the reguhir army. In pursuance of this arrangement a requisition was made upon Governor Meigs of Ohio for twelve hundred militia to be drilled and ready to mareh to Detroit. Ohio at that time had a population of 350,000 persons, or four times as many as the whole of Upper Canada, and their wariike zeal was so gr«at that far more than the required number responded to the call of Governor Meigs. They assembled at Dayton about the THE WAR OF l8ia. 4« end of April and spent nearly a month in preparations for the campaign. These included their organization mto three regiments and the election of officers. They were presenUy joined by three companies of Ohio Volunteers, and on the twenty-fifkh of May, Governor Hull made his appearance and took command of the army. This date is important to remember for it shows that an American Brigadier General was in command of an army intended for the invasion of Canada, seven days before the President's message suggesting a declaration of war was sent to Congress, and nearly four weeks before war was actually declared. Nor must it be forgotten that this expedition had been secretly pre- pared, and that no one in Canada could learn, by any of the ordinary channels of information, of the attack which menaced his country. The formal transfer of the command of the Ohio Militia and Volunteers from Governor Meigs to Governor Hull was accompanied by a grand display of eloquence. If the result of the war could have been decided bywords, then the fate of Unada would have been sealed that day, for there were orations by Gov- emor Meigs, General Hull and Colonel Lewis Cass, then a young lawyer utteriy without military expert lence, who had been elected to the command of the Third Ohio Regiment. There was a vast amount of patriotic enthusiasm on the occasion, as all the speakers announced their intention to conquer Canada or die in the attempt But there was far more when a few days later the men of Ohio were joined by the 4th Regiment of regulars under Lieut Colonel James Miller. They were escorted into Camp by the three Ohio regiments and passed under a triumphal arch of evergreens 4« THE WAR OF l8l3. decked with flowers, and inscribed with the words "TIPPECANOE-GLORY." General Hull Immed. lately issued a complimenUry order, in which he expressed his belief "that there will be no other contention in this arniy but who will most excel in discipline and bravery." The reader will be able to judge by the sequel how far this belief was well founded. CHAPTER III. G«ier«l Han't Army Commencm the March to Detroit on June itth— New. of the Declaration of War in Canada—Capture of the CuyalK^at Maiden with Hull's Bagr^a^e and Despatches—Cap- ture of the Anodrican Fort at Mackinack Without Bloodshed.-The Gtongmny Regiment and Canadian Voltigeur^- Hull reacheft Detroit Invades Canada and Issues His Insolent ProcUmation.— General Brock's Dignified and Able Reply. It was on the 12th of June that Hull's army wa& united by the junction of the regulars under Colonel Miller, and on the following day it commenced its march towards the Detroi* frontier, through the wilderness. As Hull advanced, he built block-houses along his line of march to serve for depots and rallying points for his. force in the etrent of a retreat. At Blanchard's Fork, on the Miami River, a stockaded fort, which was name i Fort Findlay, was erected, and here Hull received a despatch on the 24th of June from the war department, directing him to hasten to Detroit and await further orders. This despatch was dated the 19th of June, the same day that war was declared> but it made no mention of that fact. Hull hastened forward and halted at the Rapids of the Miami, reaching thcf#e the highest settle- ment on that rivef^ and navigable water. For the purpose of rdieving. liia btigg^fe amiUHils of apfct df their burdtii, he i^lieed hid o^ biggage arid thatdf mowof bis oOctiHi tlie^faosifitil stoftts, irtfencKii^teolff tfce.g«eieJ-ortl«» dfiMifrawijriasitfthecoii^^ 44 , ' !' 11 :! [t P i THB WAR OP l8ia. rolls of his force, on the schooner Cuyahoga to be carried to Detroit The wives of several of his officers, and •tt^rty soldiers, were also embarked on the schooner. This action, as it turned out, had a veiy important effect on the issue of the campaign. The Cuyahoga reached Miami Bay, where Toledo noi^ stands, on die evening of die ist of July, and on die same day Hull's army moved towards Detroit dirough a fine open country by way of Frenchtown on die River Raisin. Here on the and of July. Hull was overtaken by a courier widi a despatch from die war department, informing him diat war had been declared against Great Britain and diat he should proceed to Detroit with all possible expedition. It has been already seen diat war had been declared on die i9di of June, and diat die intention of die American war secretary was to have Canada invaded and the territory opposite Detroit occupied before the news of the declaration of war reached Sir George Pre- vost or Major General Brock. But diis intention was defeated by die difficulty of die march through die wil- derness, and by die vigilance of die friends of die Brit- ish Government in New York city. Sir George Pre- vost received information of die declaration of war on the a4di of June, by an express from New York to die North-west fur company, which left diat city on die aodi, the day when intelligence of die declaration of war reached it On die 25di Sir George Pievost sent a cour- ier widi a letter to Brock, who was dien at York, now Toronto, but it did not reach him until die diini day of July when he was at Fort- George on die Niagara fron- tier. Brock had been already informed of die war bv an express from New York as early as die ardi June. It appears diat die intelligence of the declaration of war THE WAR OP l8ia. 4S which reached Brock was brought by a messenger sent by John Jacob Astor to Thos. Clark of Niagan Falls. Thus the private interest of an American citisen, who h*d a Urge trade in Canada, nerved the purpose of putting the governor of Upper Canada on his guard against the expected invasion. It ia a curious dicum- stance that this messenger, who was a native of Albany, told his countrymen on the way that he was carrying the news of the war to Fort Niagara, and he obuined in consequence every &cility from them that money and horses could aflFord. It is equally remaricable that the officUl intimation of the war. from the British minister at Washington, was so much delayed that it did not reach Quebec until some weeks had elapsed. It was fortunate for Canada that in this crisis she had not to rely on official notices, for at that time every day was precious, and the fate of the provinces hung in the glance. Colonel St George, who commanded the British forces at Maiden on the Detroit River, received notice of the declaration of war on the 30th June, two days before it reached General Hull, and Captain Roberts, who was in command of the British post on the island of St Joseph at the head of Uke Huron, was notified by letter on the 8th July. It is stated in American histories that the letters to Colonel St George and Captain Roberts were in envelopes franked by the American Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Galla- tin, but how this happend remains to this day a mystery. It was certainly remarkable that the postal facilities of the enemy should thus have been utilized for the purpose of assisting Canada to defend itself against an American invasion. The promptitude with which the news of the war THK WAR or i8ia. I * i ! «i«h«d the Canadian frootiar lad to two avwitt which «»rol««d tha freatatt poadhla influaoca on tha laault of tha campai^. On tha monUog of tha aad July, white tha Cuyahoga, with all Hull'i baffnm/ was •Mling pMt Maldan. uoconacioua of dangar, aba waa bought to by a gun from tha Britiah fort Tha Bntiah armad vassal Huntar want alongaida of har, and thaachooner andharcargobacamaapriaa. Thus tha most complate Infonnatlon in ragaid to Hull's army. Its numbers and character, fell Into tha hands of the Bntish. besides a great variety of stores which were necessary for his operation in the campaign against Canada. Such a stroke as this at the very beginning of the campaign augured ill for its resu't Still more important effects were projuced by the ttrly conveyance of the news of the war to Captain Roberts at St Joseph. On the 15th July he received letters by express from General Brock with orders to adopt the most prudent measu-es either for oflfence or defence which circumsunces might point out Roberts had received inteUigence that he was likely to be attacked at St Joseph, and he knew that his post there was quite indefensible, so he determined to l^e no time in becoming the aggressor by taking the American fort at Mackinack. On the i6th he embark- ed with 45 officers and men of the i6th Royal Veteran a^ion, 180 Canadians. 393 Indians and two iron six pounders on his haaardous expedition. This force ftwhed Macfa'nack on • the following morning. A iwttmons was immediately aant in. and Fort Mackinack with seven pieces of Cannon ^nd 61 officers and mw of the United States arwyaurmndersd without the aheddmg jof a a^gle diop «f blood. Cap^n Koberts THE WAR or i8ia. 47 WM so prompt in his movfrnents, and lo Judidoui in th« niMsurM h« adoptwl. that it was impossible for tbs Amsricaos to malm any suoosssftil rasistanoe, for his men were on the heights which commanded the fort with a gun in position, almost before the enemy had notice of their presence. This capture of the very important. post of Mackinack Was of for moie conse- quence to the British cause than would be apparent to the casual reader, for it fixed the loyalty of the Indians, and showed them which skle they should take in the coming struggle, and it left Detroit wholly open to the attacks of the savages from the Northern lakes. If Mackinack had been held by the American forces in i8ia the result of the campaign on the Detroit frontier might have been very different The very small force of regulars in Canada for its defence would have been still smaller at the commence- ment of the war, had it not been for the steps uken by Sir George Prevost on the advice of Major General Brock, early in the year, to increase the number of Canadian regiments. In February i8ia the establish- ment of the existing provincial regiment, the Canadian Fencibles, was increased to 800 men, and a project, which had been proposed several years before, for raising a regiment of infontry from the Glengarry settlers, was carried into efiect Brock took an active part in promoting this work but due credit should also be given to Sir George Prevost for his share in it. His correspondence with the British Government shows that ,wWle ihis project of enlisting a regiment of 400 men was At first approved, it was afterwards discounten- ,«nf^, and on.thc joth^arch, i8iarLo«d Liverpool «we9t« ^r George Prevost ordering him to aband(^n the .'M P' 4» THE WAR or i8ia. work of nitinff th« Gltngarry ngiwnt, iht BriUtb Gov«rnmwt .vidMdy then belitving Md oonUnuinff to Wl.v. during mo« of the .ummer of ,8i., thet ther« would be no war. But fortunately for Canada the woric of enliiting this regiment had advanced to far before S r George Preyoet received Lord Liverpool . letter that W. order, could not be carried out, and on the a6th If Si ^I^ "^ '^** "^ '•»*'' "» ^"^ Liverpool Aat the Glengarry legiment, completed to the num. her of 400 men, was stationed at Three Rivera. The strength of this regiment was afterwaids increased ^rv^ •*"* ^'^^^J^ ^ "•"• •"*> «' Performed vtry efficient service during the war. It apjJoira f,x,« • despatch written by Sir George Prev^rto Lord Liverpool dated the 15th July, ,8is, that Gkngar^ ^trnr^'J^'".^* r" "~^'y '*> complerthi regiment which bore that name, but that al the provinces had to be resorted to for recruits for it. In the same despatch he states that he had limited the numbera of the Canadian Voltigeura to 300, owing to the low f I of the militaiy chest Major u.ner.1 Brock was at York, the capital of the •r*"?; I***"."*^ ^" ""'ved of the dechuation of war. At that Ume he had just been offered a company of fiirmer's sons with their trained horaes for the equip- ment of a cavalry brigade to be commanded by Captah^ Ho^dcrafk of the Royal Artillenr. This ofieTwas im- mediately iiccepted, and the flank companies of u,e mir an !,]i^^ !rr~ "•'* ~-»^««' -hich made an addition of 800 men to his available force. Brock then hastened to Fort George on the Nmgaia frontier, and there established his military headquartera. He summoned the Indians of the Gra^ THK WAR OP l8ia. 49 aJvtr to come to hit aMistance. and about too of them responded. Theee prompt mearares showed that Jie cause of Great Britain and of Canada was not likely to suOer for any lack of seal or energy on the pert of the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. The Mvaliy brigade was complete by the 3rd July. I ne Americans had gathered a considerable force on the Mst side of the Niagara River, but the Niagara frontier was lined with British troops and militia, and other preparations made to give the enemy a warm reception. In the meantime Hull was advancing towards die Detroit frontier. Detroit at diat time was a town of some 160 houses, witii a popuUtion of about 800. the inhabitants being chiefly of French descent. On tiie hill in the r«ir of the village, about 250 yards from tiie nver stood Fort Detroit. It w« quadranguUir in form witii basuons on each comer and covered about two acres of ground. Its embankments were nearly twenty feet in height, with a deep dry ditch, and it was sur- rounded by a double row of pickets. This fort before Hul s arrival was garrisoned by 94 officera and men of the United States army. Its position was one of con- siderable strength, but it was so placed tiiat it did not command tiie river, and could not damage the armed vessels which the British had at tiiat time in those ^ters. The town itself was surrounded by strong pidcets 14 feet high with loop-holes to shoot through. The St. Clair River flows through Uke St. Clair, a few miles to the eastward of Detroit, to Lake Erie, its course being almost nortii and soutii. Near tiie junction of the river witii Uke Erie on tiie United States side is Brownstown ; immediately opposite 50 THE WAR OF l8ia. WM I i! m^^ I'l i i§ * ■{W-' ^\^ Bro^nitown was Aflii»r»iburg and Fort Maiden; while on the Canadi4a side of the river qearly oDDoaite Detroit WW the village of Sandwich. ^^ "^^ Hull's *ci9y reached Brownstpwn on the 4th July, ^d spent that djiy |n constnujJw^ ^ bridge aooss the Huron River. They , marched early thi^ nextmoming and that evjning jwcamped »t Spring Wejls, at the lower end of the Detroit setUement, opposite Sandwich, where a «^all British force was stationed, and where fortifications were being erected. Fort Detroit and its vicinity were immediately occupied by Hull's army These enthusiastic warriors amused thequielves by can- nonading the village of Sandwich, frightening the inhabitants out of their houses, and doing some slight danuge. Hull had fully ,500 men with him when he (leached Detroit The British forces on the Canadian side of the river consisted of .00 men of the Forty-firet regiment. « few arullery, 300 Canadian Militia and about 150 Jnduuis. the whole under die command of Colonel St. George. The only fortification at that time was Fort Maiden, which was a small work of four bastions flank, jng a dry ditch, witii an interior defence of pickets witii loopJioles for musketry. All the buil<^ngs in tiiis fort jr*re of wood roofed witii shingly, and could easily have be^n destroyed by a few shells. Asadef^sive ^ork against a civilized t^^y with artillery. Fort MfOden could be of no we whateyer. .A fewoftiie Brit»h were^jiutiofled #tSa»dwidi, mmIjOw Colonel .l^atteiy. but tt.<»fd «pt*een,<»mpl«ted.wheA^eiweri- Wian^atP^^'- ^^'^ ^yy^^MmmA m the MWw^^terfnv^nafCWadajthatJMsdeliyin THE WAR OP l8ia. SI Uking this step almost nude his soldiers muUnous. Duringr his inarch through the wilderness he discovered thjt *mateur soldiers, hastily levied and commanded by JWr» vhom they had themselves elected, were not to De AiOfitrplled with as much ea«e as if they had been 4isciplin«l veterans, because they bad not been taught the first duty of a soldier, obedience. Hull delayed his invasion until he had received orders from Washington advance, but these orders having arrived on the fwening of the 7th July, Hull determined to invade Canada at once. The number of British troops at Sandwich was so sm«Jl that there was no difficulty in crossing over, but Hull thought it necessary to resort to strategy, and sent his boats down the river on the evening of the i ith to Spring Wells for the purpose of inducing the British to believe that an attack on Maiden was contemplated. During the night the boats returned up the river, and the crossing was effected at a point about a mile and a half to the eastward of Detroit, and 3ome three miles from Sandwich. The few British th were at Sandwich retired down Uie river to Uie ma .. body, so diat no resistance whatever was offered. General Hull now issued a proclamation to Uie inhabit- ants of Canada which was intended to intimidate tiiem *nd prevent them from defending tiieir country against th^ir enemies. This proclamation is said to have been iwtten by Colonel Louis Cass, one «f his officers, who afterwards became a public man of some note, and was •as fellows: — '''Inhabitants of Canada: ** AAer #hit)^ years of peac^ and States have been driven to arms. ity. the United 'he injuries and s* THE WAR OF l8ia. aggressions, the insults and indignities of Great Britain ■!?' uncondiuonal submission. c«..«2f *"ny under my command, has invaded your oountry and the standard of UNION now waves over S£abK'^l.l^>~*^ . 7° ** P««**"«' unoff^ndTg Sm« ^ Jii **""?* "•''**«" **»"««' "or difficulty. 1 S^ „«.-? ^ *"*""*' "°' *° ''»«*• »*»«"»' I come to pro- tect, not to mjure you. *^ ''Separated by an immense ocean, and an extensive w.ldem«« f,«m Great Britain, you have no pTrtwJIJbn fdt 5L^"«„*i'' "^^ ^",:*^' •" ^*^ conduct.'^You have n«i ?« «2 "^' you have seen her injustice, but I do The ui;^ ^". ? avenge the one or riress Uie other? ev«tr i;^ •?**** *'^ sufficientiy powerful to afford you eveiy security, consistent with their rights, and your c?v?rtS. ^*««i?'70" ^« invaluaSe blS^^^'of S^vici;?*- "^ «*"'"' prosperi^-that liberty ^„5?Jf^ ^*""°" ^ our councils and energy to our Snd^" °"'' struggle for independence, aJd which T^^ IS f^i^y »"** triumphantly through the Stormy penod of the revolution. That liberty^ which Sf w«3? "*i° I" t^*:^**** """^ *"0"« ** nations of •vJTtS f I'T'"?' of wealth and impiovement, than ever fell to the lot of any people. mJ r™* "*"* f^ "y country and by the authority of omtS^TnT^V P^S*** protection to your persons, property and rjghts. Remain at your homes-pursui l^Z f^A *?** customary avocations-raise not your hands a^inst your brethren— many of your „^'!„"'"*^**n*?' "^^ ^'*«*om and independence we now enjoy Being children, therefore, ^ the same fSvJi T* "*' and heirs to the same heritage, Se amval of an army of friends must be hailed by you with Sr,^^v"'i„r "*"*•. ^°" ^"* ^ emanciiitiid from THE WAR OF iSfa. 53 "Had I any doubt of eventual success. I miVhtask your assistance but I do not I cor^ni*«L£? / every contingency. I have a forcT which ?S^lI°t down all opposition, and that forSTS but Ae Tan JS^ of a much greater. Ifcontian^ toyour ownlnS^.^ "If the barbarous and savage policv of Gr^t Rri*a:« criminate scene of desolation No wh^fi «« J '^T flighting by the side of an Sn. wHlttk^priSier --instant destruction will be his lot. If the di?S^ of reason, duty, justice and humanity, cannot prev^nrthi employment of a force which res?^ no riehte and fajows no wrong, it will be preve^Sd by a sfvire and relentless system of retaliation. ^ "'' "I doubt not your courage and firmness- I will ««♦ doubt your attachment to liberty. l7yort;ndi; lour securit? Yn^ ^k'***' f^'y^^ peace, liberty and security. Your choice lies between tiiese and wii- slaveiy and destruction. Choose tiien but oh^i I^lll^t T,*^ «\?»»o Jcnows^juSr^' of Se t^^ ySu to a^^h".K"" »»*"^^*« fete of nations, ^Wi InH jS /**"'* *® ™ost compatible witij your riehts and interests, your peace and prSperity. ^ ^ c.n •K ^ . "W- HULL. "By the General. "A. F. HULL., H..H "f***^ '3th regt , U. S. Inf. and aide^e9i Mmt whert theprodvee^ofilMir tabour wm^Ih v^^^-^"^ THE WAB OP l8lJi ji boTttri indepS^dJnS^ *'*.»I««iclpMion of their once exchaiSS Jr."' .?"' " "hut too obvious. Hut dominion of Si^ f^m wZ* ,£* "*?"«»<• » tlie renewed as a consideraH«« a.. ^*~8* *^ *>«« or rather tor ^^^^^i^Z^ Fiance over the cSS2S«r ^i^"*" i" ^« ^™""y o*" nations of Sro« w^^STi iS «f • **«lPot who rules the body, and ^e^^o^r en\r^J^ i!!;'""'^"*^' »"'»« *» * the Ws renter f^^S'rSS^h?^ cordially with not give cau^to vo^hJM '^P^' *« mvader, and do the 5pre«i^*-»fci i^ ?r'°T'*'* monitrdiv as »/]t ^ uS^L^-^- ^*^ to ddReifed the THB WAR or i8ia. Majes^'s arms should be compelled to yield to an over- whelming force, that the province will be eventually abandoned; the endeared relation of its fint settlers, the intrinsic value oi its oommeice, and the pretensions of its powerful rival to repossess the Canadas, are pledges that no peace will be established between the United States and Great Britain and If«hmd, of which the restoration of these provinces does not make the most prominent condition. "Be not dismayed at the unjustifiable threat of the commander of the enemy's forces, to refuse quarter should an Indian appear in the ranks.--The breve bands of natives whidi inhabit this colony, were like his Majesty's subjects, punished for their zeal and fideli^ by the loss of their possessions in the late colonies, and rewarded by his Majesty with lands of superior quality in this province; the fiuth of the British Government has never yet been violated, they feel that the soil they inherit is to them and their posterity protected from the base arts so frequently devised to overreach their simplici^. By what new principle are they to be prevented from defending their proper^ ? If their war&re, from being different from that of the white people, is more terrific to the enemy, let him retrace his steps— they sedc him not--and cannot expect to find women and children in an invading army; but they are men, and have equal rights with all other men to defend themselves and their propertv when invaded, more especially when th^ find in the enemy's camp a ferocious and mortal foe using the same warfiue which the American Com- mander affects to reprobate. "This inconsistent and unjustifiable threat of refus- ing quarter for such a cause as being found in arms with a brother suffsrer in defence of invaded rights, must be exercised with the certain assurance of retalia- tion; not only in the limited operations of war in this part of Uie Ring's dominions Init in every quarter of the globe, for the national character of Britain is not THE WAR OP l8ia. Sf wi^ ??*?*i?' humanity than strict retributive subject of the offending power must make expiation. ISAAC BROCK, Major-General and President "Head-quarters, Fort George, aand July, i8ia. " By order of His Honor the President, I. B. Glegg, Capt. A. D. C* "GOD SAVE THE KING." General Brock sent Colonel Proctor of the 41st Regt, to assume command at Amherstburg, with such rein- forcements as he could spare, and then proceeded to York to naeet the legislature of Upper Canada, which as- sembled m special session on the 27th July. His opemng speech to that body was well calculated to •^en in the hearts of its membera those patriotic fcelmgs which are seldom absent from tiie breasts of Canadians. He said : ♦k^^?*" *"^^«* *>y »n enemy whose avowed objectis as well as of interest, calls aloud to eveiy person in X Jfur'miHdThl'^ "": '!,Pt^ ^ defend Wr^u^t^! Our militia have heard tiie voice and have obeyed it. A^^.^7 TH^ ^ ** promptitude and loySty of Aeir conduct that they are wortiiy of Uie kine whom ^^'^TJ""^ of the'^Constitutioi which AeTe^jT: Sji^T;rir!iSr^r^^ - ->^ ^^^^ EvZl^Z^^^}"" *" f"^* *"** ^^""^ contest. By unanimity and despatch in our Councils, and by vigor in our operations, we may teach the enemy tS s» THE WA« or i8ia. lesson, that * countiy defended by free men, enthusiu- tially devoted to the cause of their King and Constitu- tion, cannot be conquered." WWBWilU- The House of Assembly thus addressed contained some members who were not In harmony with the gen- eral feeling of loyalty which prevailed throughout the province, and who endeavored to obstruct the progress of urgent business by diUtory methods. After a session which lasted only nine days, and during w! ich two acts were passed providing for the defence of the province, the legislature was prorogued and Biock left free to look after the militaiy operaUons which demanded his per- sonal attention. The closing act of the legislature was to issue a loyal address to the inhabitants of Upper Canada, the tone of which leaves nothing to be desired. The concluding paragraphs of biis spirited document areas follows: — "Alr»dv have we the jov to remark, that the spirit of loya ty has burst forth In all its ancient splendor. The mihtw m all parts of the Province have volunteered their services with acclamation, ^.id displayed a decree of energy worthy of the British name. When meaTare called upon to defend eveiytiiing they call precious— tiieir wives and children, tiieir friends and possessions 1^1 ought to be inspired witii die noblest resolutions, and th^will not easily be frightened by menaces or T^J^' ^ ?"*«'• "{beholding, as we do, tiie flame Of iMtnotism burning from one end of tiie Canadas to an jher, we cannot but entertain tiie most pleasinir anticipations. *^ ««»iH5 "Our enemies have indeed said tiiat tiiey could subdue tilts country by proclamation; but it is our part to prove to them tiiat tiiey are sadly mistaken, tiiat the Wuh«K« IS determinedly hostile to Aem, and tiiat Se THE WAR OP l8lt. ^ through th. counoy to^Jc. SS?ll,i5f': •"'•^^ •heir alleeiance br nZjj^^. our «eU|««» from for the ttiiimf «* ^- J p«reni state, which contends «S^.S'11S^^^-^ {Jf^lj; or J: »« u ^ A^LAN MACLEAN, speaker. Commons House of Assembly." "August 5th, i8ia." ^ THI WAM OP i8ia. il This map shows the scene of the operations which resulted in the surrenderofHuil's Army, and the whole of the De- troit frontier from Lake St Clair to Lake Erie. By its aid the reader will be able to trace the movement of the opposing forces on both sides of tile Detroit River. MAP OF THE:deTROIT FRONTIER. CHAPTER IV. of th. river oppohTi. »Lm «.y ta^^TTl SuZL^^LH-^J^ "**'""'• The bridge over '-•.n, we« «„. ,0™^ .'bouTT „1e"2ruc^ TMI WAK Of i8ia. H AmtricMt to the bridgv, but Cam and tht bulk of hit men had goM fiuther up the strMm in oider to find a iMwa to crow and outflank tha British, leaving a pofw tion of the detachment in arabuah in the wooda. Thia ooncealed body of riflemen flred on the Indiana Ulling one and wounding two othera. The dead Indian waa •calped by these loldien of a general who had objected to the uae of the acalping knife in a prockmation only three days old. The individual who thus imiuted the Indian, whose warikre, to use the words of President Madison's message to Congress, is "distinguished by features peculiarly shocking to humanity," was a certain Captain William McCullough, who is described by an American historian as "one of the bravest and most devoted of his country's defendere." Captain McCul- lough, just three weeks later, was unfortunate enough to lose his own scalp, in an encounter with the Indians at Brownstown. In his pocket was found a letter ad- dressed to his wife in which his achievement was related, and in which he boasted that he tore the scalp from the head of the savage with his teeth. This trivial matter would be unworthy of mention but for the proof which It affords that savage deeds were by no means confined to the Indians. With what show of reason could a nation object to Indian methods of warfere when ita soldiers not only adopted those methods themselves, but boasted of the feet, and carried home with them in triumph the bloody trophies torn from the heads of sav- ages whose worst deeds they surpassed. Colonel Duncan McArthur of the istOhio Regt, had been dispatched up the Thames by General Hull to collect supplies, the day after anada was invaded. He advanced as fer as Moravian towns and commenced that TNB WAK OW lilt. ^ omr of pluadtr and rmplM which gave hinao •HI • boatt in Addition to A VAM quAnUty of other spoil. !Lf^l 't^./T **" ^"^y onthtMy.nt.Jiuh. •nd on th. two following dAyi wa> engAgwl in tkii^ mi.hingwithth«IndiAn.n«irth.AuxCAnArd.. H.hAd th«n thttt or four hundred men with him. And a ooupl. of six pounders, but his sdvAnce AgAinst the bridge ra checked by two pieces of Artilleiy. which the British hAd upon It. And he was forced to retreAt. The invAders mArched beck to CAmp in very bed humor with them- ^ves And their generals. Two privAtes of the 41st Regt, who formed a smsll look-out party, were wound- ed And tAken prisoners, but whether the Americsns suffered any loss hAs not been ascertained. McArthur. during die temporary absence of General Hull at Detroit, was left in command of the invading ■rmy and he seemed to have made up his mind to take Maiden on his own account and Uiereby win immorul renown. To effect this, however, it was necessary to pt past the obstinate defenders of the Aux Canards * bridge and, as a direct attack seemed certain to fail, he ?***. M !? f ~""^ **"• ^ P*"y "^^ ««'"*« under Capt McCullough was sent to look for a practicable pas- sage for artillery above tiie bridge, but returned unsuc- cessful, and brought a report of a band of Indians havinir been seen between tiie Aux Canards and Turkey Creek! Major Denny witii one hundred and twenty militia of the 1st Ohio Regt was sent out to drive them away on tiie morning of die astii, but failed most lament- Ably in his enterprise. His detachment fell into an •♦ TH« WAR or i8ia. ambuscade formed by twentjr^o Indiana of the Min- ounain tribe and fled in great confusion with a loss of six Idlled and two wounded. The militia thiew away their arms, accoutrements, and haveraaclcs and were pursued for about three miles, until they met with reinforoements. They then returned to camp thinking ^I'^IT, """^ ^"*'* » much of a holiday amusement •s they had imagined. The army had been a fortnight in Canada and all there was to be shown for it was one Indian scalp. Immediately after the tidings of the invasion of Can- jMla. reached General Brock, that vigilant and active leader sent Capt Chambers of the 41st Regt with a small detachment to the Thames for the purpose of gathering the Militia and Indian* in that districTand advanang down the river towaids Detroit This officer experienced difficulties which delayed his ad- vance and rendered it necessa^r for the genenU to send Colonel Proctor to take command on the Detroit frontier. He arnved at Maiden a few days after Major Denny's repulse, and, during the first week in August, was rein- forced by sixty men of the 41st Regt The new com- mander soon made his presence known to the Americans in a very unpleasant manner. As the British had tiie wmmand of Lake Erie and the river opposite Amherat- burg, the only line of communication the Americans had with Oh,o was by a road which passed along tiie west bank of the Detroit River through Brownstown to tiie River Raism. This communication Pnxrtor im- meduitely cut with his Indians, leaving die American army at Sandwich in a state of complete isolation, with the certainty of being compelled to surrender if its com- munications could not be restored. At diis time General ;a. ™« WAR or 1813. «5 home to ««,« Brush 10 the imo. Tillh!!^ ": Au^u.'^r tht-fo-s::^ iXt^y z ^ «^ r.^""* *'""" *«"> »"«• offlcera. wet. ^r h.0^^ . r,raS;. w'Jo'.r X^Tn^" .nd who lost only on. man killed. A p^*rfZ eonttnt, of die ™ui «v«,ed the d.mSl .^Jd ea tne ottstrophe which wu epproaching. tt^d^'Jf "TT"" """■f^' «» » '"""en end r;.hT.^rj:;^r^rfoT.h*rp "0.. «.. river toDetroit, «,d tSs^rd^^^Z^": •"ly AiBtrfcM troops left on the soil of Cenad. wm THK WAR OP l8ia. aoo men under Major Denny who occupied a house be- longing to one Gowris, which had been stockaded, and some adjoining buildings. This post was called Fort Gowris but its occupation was simply a sham for the purpose of deceiving the soldiers and inducing them to believe that they still had a foothold in Canada, for Hull well knew that it could not be held. Thus had this for- midable American army of invasion been driven from the soil of Canada without a single British soldier or Canadian militiaman being slain, or the exercise of any greater amount of pressure on the enemy than was in- volved in tiie placing of a few Indians across the line of General Hull's communications with Ohio. The forced evacuation of Canada was a terrible humiliation, not only to die army, but to the whole American people. The general that had "come prepared for every contin- gency," and the force which was to "look down all opposition," had been compelled to retire after a very disgracefol fashion. The few French Canadians who, awed by tht dreadful tiireats or seduced by the mighty promises of Hull, had placed tfiemselves under his pro- tection, now found themselves abandoned and left to the vengeance of tiie autiiorities whom they had deserted. The loyal men who had taken tiie field at their coun- try's call saw in Hull's retreat the best proof that their patriotic conduct had been wise as well as honorable. The conduct of Hull's army, while encamped in Canada, had been such that no credence could be afterwards giv- en to tiie promises of any other general of the same nation. The Canadians who trusted Hull, instead of being protected in their "persons, property and rights," as he, in the name of his country and by the authority of his government, had solemnly promised they would THK WAR OP l8ia. 67 ^ ^J^*" ystematically plundemi and iniulted by tt« nmtinous host which he commanded. Thls^ Ohio rabble which called itself an army, but which had neither coumge nor discipline nor any othTlrfe quality that an army should possess. ^ wi^otfo aT"'*^ ^°' ripening his communications r^n? r *"**,T^'^"«^ Brush to Detroit had become was sent out on the 8th of August with a stmnc^ ^^\^ h**?J"' '^'^ ^■•' *-■ ^^ ' numDered six hundred men, embraced Miller's own repmen, of regul.„, pan „f ft, .« u. S. r^^^l few volunteeis .nd a body of cavalo, and »^^^A '" H-^-.Bttc, Miller set out he haJg^^^S roops and informed them that Aey were goinlTmw' ulatmg their courage he added : "YoV shall not itrS youtselves nor me. Evety man Z sZ leave 4e ranks or &l| b«dc without ordera willT SnierWoree :a3 a^r "' *' ""^'•^ ^r miles belowX,^ wh«T S«^^^- ''^'^ TK-> ^ * u ^'™"' '^"*n the British were encountered ^e detachment, which thus undertook to bar theW^ ^*. Amencans was under Captain Muir o(2l^Z Regt, and cons|S.«l of 75 men of that regiment, fc "■tea, ,„ Indians under Tecumseh and 70 Late Lt e^h J*' "l*^"' "«■• "ft" • few volleys h!S been exchanged, so that the tatter to avoid being ou" flanked by an overwhelming foree, were obliged to reHil 68 THE WAIl or I8l9. t''?i IB i !K^ is •bout half a mile «nd take . f«d, portion. The Indian! under Tecuraieh maintained an obstinate con- ilict with Miller's troops and sufieied consideiable loss. The Americans, however, did not attempt to approach the British in their new position, and Miller, thinking himself too weak to break through their line, sent back to Detroit for reinforcements. He was joined next day l>y Col. McArthur with loo men who had come down m boats in which the wounded, who were numerous, were to be taken back. These boats on their return were captured by the boats of the Queen Charlotte and Hunter under Lieutenant Rolette, the same ener^tlc officer who took the schooner with Hull's baggage No forward movement was made by the Americans that day and m the afternoon they started to march back to Detroit, a weaiy and dispirited body of men, thorouirh- ly disgusted with themselves, their geneial, and with the «mpaign. Even Miller's threats of the bayonet had felled to drive the heroes of Tippecanoe apunst their enemies. The American loss in the, so called, batUe of Magu- agua was eighteen killed and fifty-seven wounded, if ttieir own official accounts are to be relied on. The British lost three killed and twelve wounded, one of them, Lieut Sutherland of the 41st, mortally. Capt Muir was also wounded. The affiiir was a most humiliating repulse for the Americans, for nearly all the regulars they had on the ftontier were engaged in It. and if they, with their cavalry and artillery, could not drive away a few British, Canadians and Indians what could be expected of the militia alone. After this severe shock to national pride, die pretence of occupy- ing any part of Canadian territory seemed to be quiuj THE WAR OF l8ia. ^ "on ,h.,, before le,ving fte \T7?1 ^ *•'"'* should have oriered th. x^ ' *^«'»- Denny Gowri, Which Tfltn^"-"", f the hou« ,i c»mp to find men who diJ^S^. «°, " *» I"""" ,,„,^^ uisregarded the rules of civiliied «".-•«. «s h.s.Lta^'?::.^'":2i°""»wi.^''ve spirit In which he hJbZ^jt ™nforcement^ The •da filled hin, wid, pridelnd C^dr"" '^^■ "on, were commensumte ,riA Zdi« ?" T ""•• ««*• The militi, J "T* *'*««'>«'«s he h«i to "-.pi. of *oi Of Itun'H'^ '"";-«-^ *« •^red ' ««nenil, general-, „.ff J ^wl^ "'idS" ~™« <« *« conduct waa but a ty~ rf,t/, Z^T""- ""d his *e province „'J,w -^ "^ ** '"«"«"'W men «"^ for the or even am.,, w^ld iTj L^ I'S^', "r*'"'^' "■°«' •><" for the spirit dLtalL^ .;""'' ■■■"possible "ood by hin,''in'tllrXtu*"*ih .^ ,titf y • '*""'<'" '" *« "ood", B~ck'. foj "^J^'jf'r^i;,''- *« British .eft.' •h* Indian. . p.„d l^fTfZ ^Tl T"^"* *"* three six poundei, end two ii^ J^ *'* "■» co".a»«d of LieutenTnt T^uX*""^?' ?"»'"*• Idea, in ciosaW ., ,h,, «„ "*^ ' *^"*"'' Brock's the ton. take «f a !,Zl "'.^ ^ '«''»"«« towarf, the field. iu^n^^'n^K.'"""' * ■»«« ""' fo"* i" McA«h«, h2'^"*"!.^'."""'^™«' that Colonel to make an immediate att^kZ;!. V^ ""^ ^rock McA«hur-sal»en»«ll*r?'ur- ^he cause of Brush, who ^Z^^Z^":^ !^* ««»"' to «voi' posed to posse^^ ^ ^*** *^'^ «>"«' i« sup- The detachment of Brush with ite n«« \r «nd provisions for the j!ZI ua u ^"""^^ °^ «»«^e capituhuion at the exn *r^ ^ ^" ''»«»"<*ed i„ the on at the express request of Hull, as otherwise 14 TRi WAK or l8lS. h would havt tetn Ikble to bt eut off and dcttfoytd by th« IndiMit, now relieved of any appreh«nsioni in f- gaid to D«croit Captain Elliot and two companion* wtra lent, on tha day aftar tlM furrender, to the Rivar Raliinwitha Hair of truoa and a oopy of the artidet of eapitttlation, to ricaiTt tba surrender of Brush and hia oomraand. Bruah had already reeeived a note from McArthur eneloaing a letter from Hull notifying him of the capiCuUtion, yet ha pmanded to doubt the genuine- nesi of Blliot'a communication and put him in confine- ment Then, hastily packing up the public property at the Raisin and driving the cattle before him« he started with his whole command for Ohio, leaving orders for Elliot to be released next day. This sample of Yankee "smartness" showed that the instincts of this Ohio officer, instead of being sudi as one would expect to find in the breast of an officer and a gentieman, were those of a thief, for the public property and arms thus carried off had been surrendered and belonged to the British Government. In view of this piece of CMiio rascally it would have been quite proper for General Brock to have refused to permit the Ohio volunteers^ who had become prisoners of war, to return home on parole, as was provided in the capitulation; but he took no such step in leprisal. No doubt he thought it well to leave a monopoly of convention breaking to the people whose Congress broke the convention of Sara* toga, in 1777, and, who, instead of sending Burgoyne's army home to England, as had been solemnly promised, kept them prisoners for several years at Charlottesville, Virginia, in order that Thomas Jefferson and other patriots might be enriched by the sale of produce from their plantations for their sustenance. The militia and »« WA« or iSit. '■ 19 «h« Indi«., whom Hull C ^.^^J!!*' **' l**»&l I»ople of C.«X- for 7- .S^ •«" 10 th. connected with Bnv^k'. . *"**«« *trocity'» The surrender of Hull was a dn«.rfA.i wi pride of the American bIotT !. ' "**^ **» ^ the pi^tige of thl^v^*;,r V.^'^^"* ^ for them to find a viS?!^ '' ****»"»« necessaiy -d a con^e'^e'nf r ^ fou'S^ t'^ '^"^^ -'^^ self, who assumed all ^ ". .*« «««««» him. Lewis CassTi^^l, L*; «|sponsibility of the affiUr. While Hull ^Cgtc^Ji'j:^ r trh."^' ^'^'^ - munication addressed toA. ^ P"^'«hmg a com- patriotism a^S^rv of I ^*'"'™"*"* «« -hich the ency of the «„e«7w. ?' '""^ ""^ *« '»«>™Pet- Hu« was ^^'^ ^™ ?~-" -** • «n,ng ha^. over by Ge^iT^™ t * '°"'' "•'^^^ P'^'d«J y ^neral t>earbom, h,, enemy, found guUty of THt WAR OP i8ia. cowaidioe and uiidBotr>liln conduct and Mntcnced to be shot PiMidcnt Madlion approved the aentmice but remitted the punishment Thia was in April, 1814, and four months later President Madison was showing the whole world the quality of his own metal by run- ning away from Bladensburg* almost before a shot had been ftred on that memorable field. Hull was no doubt a weak and incompetent man. but had he been other- wise he would have been out of harmony with the army he commanded, the volunteer portion of which was nothing but a mutinous mob. without discipline or regard for their leaders, as their daily conduct showed, and without courage, as was proved by their running away from every field on which they were engaged. It did not lie in the power of gene^ship to make these men fit to encounter the disciplined British or the pat- riotic Canadian in the field, and. therefore. Hull was unjustly condemned. The peraons on whom the vengeance of the Ameribui people should have fiUlen were Mr. Madison and the members of his cabinet, who ordered the invasion of Canada by such a rabble, and who were so foolish as to believe that a soldier could be manu&ctured out of a peasant or an artisan. by the simple process of clothing him in a uniform, and placing a knapsack on his back and a musket in his hand. n^ CHAPTER V. I>e*H»orBs Pr»p«,.tloo for Iii»«don.-G— .1 v . other .rmtalTb^' J"" "^ '"'• •""»"'»" »» *• take aH-J V ' ^' *"* "" "o '""y >»«ly ic wThi^J^: *• con,m.„cem«„ of ho«iIW.,, Bxti ™a Mii«i out, and to make demonstnitions against the •ent to Maiden by the British. The Militia of N™ 78 THE WAR OP l8ia. York Sute, which was being collected under his ban- ner, was formidable in point of numbers; the quou being twelve thousand men, which were divided into two divisions, and eight brigades, comprising twenty regiments. Stephen Van Rensselaer of Albany was appointed to the command of this foree, and was charged with the duty, not only of defending the fron- tier of the sute, from St. Regis to Pennsylvania, but also of invading Canada itself. This gentleman was not a military man, but a politician who had been opposed to the war and whom it was thought proper to conciliate by this appointment. It, therefore, became necessary for him to take, as his aid and military adviser, his cousin Colonel Solonjon Van Rensselaer, who had served in the regular army. Thus, by this unique arrangement, the singular spectacle was pre- sented of a Commander-in-chief going to school, as it were, to learn the art of war. The British Government, as has been seen, on the a3rd of June,— four days after war had been declared but ?ong before any news of it reached England- revoked its orders in Council so for as they affected the United States. So certain were the British authorities that this would satisfy the Americans, they instructed the admiral on the North American station to suspend proceedings against captured vessels, and Sir George Prevost was advised to propose an armistice and a suspension of operations on land, pending a communi- cation with the United States Government. The Governor General accordingly sent Adjutant General Baynes to Greenbush, where, on the 6th of August, he concluded an armistice with General Dearborn. Sir George Prevost had desired that it should be made III THl WAR or l8u. n •» W^y to th. op.™Uo,„ on the D««i, f„„u„„ ^, under Gweiml D«rbom', control, ihi. could n« te don.. Thu. , h.ppen«l *., tb,y»y^J^^ &«^ E««l, „ win gloor for him«lf tad'^^.J^ render of A. .miy he control^ , for, if u,, »ZmL ^n'S.tf '"■I?: ?^!' "°"""- """ ^^ »tifr .tr • T*" Amencan govemmenl lefiised to >»«fy *e arm.st.ce, putting fortl. by w.» of juwifiTdon «v«, pretext,, such « thet the president ^6^*! «.*an.y to suspend d,. p™^i'„g, oJ pri^^rS *«t he sew no security .igainst the IndiL , ,"dX emptonly ordered to bring the .raiistioe to . close ^d i.^nn.n.ted on the ,9,h of August Mr. Mn^^n" «d hB «iv.«„ be iev«l thet .11 an«ta must sp^J ^on';:^thtt? "'^ '•"^''^- '^y ""'-- ««> to^Bri-T'"!'*' """'? " '"'^' *" veiy detrimental to Bntish interests, for it enabled the Americans to convey supplies and munitions of war fortSrarmv fi^m Oswego to Ni.g.„ by water, and itXTi br^:ir^ ,.•**"""' "*" """""l i-'o *" »wL time, wrested from the British. The Niagara frontier, which on the Canadian side i. to attack from the other shore at many points. It was command, which did not exceed twelve hundted^^l.;^ 8o THE WAR OP l8l3. hi I and militia, to guard it strongly, as an overwhelm- ing force was liable to tw landed either at Fort Erie, Queenstown or Fort George, and one of these places occupied, before assistance could reach it. He, how- ever, disposed his troops to the best advantage the cir^ cumsunces would admit of and trusted to vigilance and activity to supply the place of numbers. Fort George, which was about a mile fkom Newark, as Niagara was then named, was the headquarters of the general and was garrisoned by part of the 41st Regiment and about 300 Militia. Guns were mounted between Fort George and Queenstown, the principal battery being on Vroo- man's Point a mile below that place. Here was placed a 34 pound carronade which commanded both Lewis- town on the American side of tiie river, and the Queens- town landing. Queenstown was occupied by the flank companies of tiie 49di Regiment under Captains Dennis and Williams and a body of Militia, the whole number- ing about 300 rank and file. On Queenstown Heights was a battery mounting an 18 pounder which command- ed tiie river. At Chippewa were a small detachment of tiie 41st Regt. mder Captain Bullock and tiie flank companies of tiie and Lincoln Militia under Captains Hamilton and Roe. At Fort Erie, which was in an unfinished condition, was a sauUl garrison consist- ing of a detachment of the 49tii Regt. and some Militia. Guns were mounted a short dntance below Fort Erie which commanded Black Rock on the American side of tiic river. The forces named formed a very inadequate provision for tiie defence of so extensive a line of fron- tier but th^ were all that were available. General Van Rensselaer arrived at Fort Niagara on tiie i3tii of August, at which time tiie armistice THE WAR OF l8ia. g^ *e »9«h, but GenenU De«bom w« » tei,u„W «4 of the &ct until the .ath September. The deUy, ho««r, m«le no di£fe„„e, for he «, i„ „o eondS fei^fmLr.. """' *• *"* *"■' '" October th.. he Wt himself strong enough to inv«le Canada. Van N^ Y?4^rB^"r ".""■ '^'^ "■■««• of west.™ «ew Yorit, and Bngadier Smyth, of the regular army can b«t be stated in his own words; "I ^,"™S he, "that we immediately concentrate the i^Ur fwi n the neighborhood of Ni.g.„ and theCidl « L^iston, make die best possible dispositions, a^ a ae«me time the reguhr. shall pass Four Mile crei to a pant m the rear of the works of Fort Geor« and Ote It by Storm, I will pas, the river here^wTston) and^ror the Height, of Queenstown. ShTld we succeed we shall eftct . g^., pounder, advanced against Col. Van Rensselaer's force, which was now awaiting the return of the boats with the Militia. The Bri^sh made their presence known by pouring a deadly volley Into the American ranks and a. brisk skinMsh leek gbm. The guns m the Lewistoii TMB WAR or i8ia. «y i:2t'A:s■ conpwi,. of •nd W. CnSk., thl ol~ ^' 'l?'^ ^P**" Nelta 0^ Lincoln Mi«;i.*~,r^ fi«'d artillery jnth thirty men under Lieutenant Holcioft in front of gueenstown to prevent the enemy from entering the ^lage, and he now advanced upon the Americans with two 3-pounders. The light company of the 41st Regt. under Lieutenant Mclntyre, with about 50 Militi« ^ 30 or 40 Induns now fell upon the American right th^H^^ 7 "^ '*^"°^*^ ^y » »>»y««*' charge which drove the invaders back in confusion. Th« Sheaflfe ordered the whole line to charge and the Americans broke instantly and fled, a terrified and demoralized mob. Some threw themselves over the precipices, some escaped down the pathway; there was no Aought among any of them but to get in safety to Ae American side of the river. Many leaped into the swift current and swam across; many were drowned in attempting to do this, and others seized such boats as were on the Queenstown side and rowed across. To «ie majonty, however, such means of escape were not avaihible and the American General, Brigadier gz THE WAR OP l8l». Wadsworth, sent in a flag of truce by Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott offering to surrender the whole force, which was done immediately. The Americans who thus laid down their arms, numbered 931, including 73 officers. This number was inclusive of two boat loads captured in the morning. They acknowledged a loss of 90 killed and 100 wounded, but these round numbers are probably under the mark. The best estimates place the number of Americans who crossed over to Canada at 1500, and it is impossible there could have been fewer, unless some of the regulars disobeyed orders and stood upon the constitution as well as the Militia, for there were, including lieut. Colonel Scott's regiment, 1300 Regulars in Lewiston on the morning of the invasion, and 300 Militia were taken on Queens- town heights with arms in their hands. The British loss amounted to 11 killed and 60 wounded. This includes the loss sufiered by the Militia who covered themselves with gloiy on that day. The Indians lost five killed and nine wounded. The only officers killed in the battle were General Brock and his aide, Lieut Col. Macdonell, "whose gallantfy and merit", to quote General Sheaffe's words, "render him worthy of his chief." It is hardly possible to exaggerate the extent of the loss which Canada suffered in the death <^ Sir Isaac Brock. At the time it was justly regarded as an offset to the victory, and the lapse of years has strengthened that impression. He was a man of such energy and skill that had he lived, the subsequent campaigns would have assumed a very different com- plexion. He was the only officer in Canada of suffid- ent rank and authori^ to be able to counteract the \ THE WAR OP l8ia. »mpl« which he left bd,,^ ^ J^ ,'" ** «" "«■ unserving d„«.t "^ t^"^'^ •^""f sounds today in Canada .. ♦!. i!™ "" "»"« mo« quickly, Uuu, . demand A^T^lh^ ^ T the heroic Brock. Ti.. . '™''™«)' Mould emulate ■ofty column "Slh^;^;^^'^r7.c«> - *« to his memory. «andin<,^Mi "* '"™ «'««' «. inform ur;SS^''Zd'°^^ ""' "^"^ *« "^ «« C-dj. If ever «,e"m« XCo""„L?^7 '" ground ag,i„„ .ny «,,„„ ,„,^„"^ ^ij^'^^^ Queenatown Heights beneath .h^.h 7 ""'""'' one on -.«.. fey have ^"^TnetSt^ °'*'"~"- CHAPTER VI. An Armistice.— Van RmmmImt aacceeded bjr Smyth.— His stirring proclaauUons to the "Army of the Centre." The Militia flocii to hi* standard— Four thousand Ave hundrad men ipithered at Blade Rock to invade Canada.— Small British force on the frontier.- Kinir and Boerstier cross into Canada.— British batteries captured. —The Invaders finaUy driven back. -Smyth summons Fort Erie to surrender.— The demand diwegarded. Heavy British losses The frontier mgaia made secure. Smyth «l|>andons the invasion of Canada and the regfular troops go into winter quarters. While the battle was going on at Queerstown, the batteries of the American Fort Niagara ard of Fort George commenced a vigorous cannonade which con- tinued for several hours, or until the American sarrison under Capt Leonard were compelled to evacuate their fort and retire out of gun shot The enemy fired red hot shot and, with an utter disregard of the courtesies of civilized warfare, turned their guns on the village of Newark and set several houses on fire. The guns on the British batteries near Fort Erie also opened on the American barracks at Black Rock, and there was a brisk interchange of shots which continued until a ball from a heavy gun, aimed by bombardier Walker of the Royal Artillery, penetrated a magazine in the east bar- racks at Black Rock from which powder was being re- moved and blew it up, causing a great destruction of life and property. At the request of General Van Rensse- laer, Major General Shea£fe, who was now in command of the Niagara frontier, agreed upon an armistice on the morning after the Queenstown battle. It was confined IHE WAR OF l8lj. „ •oU» froati., b.««.„ Uk. Eri. „d Uke Ont«io .„d *" to be to « he«l for .notlier *tttck on tlie frontier Aj "my ftKl been reduced il» cepture uid destruction of «»%, « , l«er period, would lave been .verted. «n. to Q^STJT'" '*'*"i'^ " Q»«nstown were ^ MiiiP P-woners of war for excliange, but «he Milioa were pwoled and allowed to eo home TtT. ^t"':.:!?!' T %"?""•"• "-"-"on^i rxj^ their Nu^ra army would winter in Upper Canada. In fte Detroit surrender d.e« was «,me iLht^lf^ for th«r pnde in the &ct that thqr could lay^ ^ upon Geneml Hull, and, while rep™«,tiL wj^ Qu.„town -.s^^a^'at^Ton.^^*: ^ bur"' a"'*?' '^^ '^ »« *•' of an i"ditS! uai, out of a nation. Here was a Militia amv «f »™»o« that would not invade, and a bZ J^'ro^ •^ dread«l the smell of gunpowder. It may te^ 96 THE WAR or i8ia. interest to note the &et that the Militia which thus wood upon its constitutional righu belonged to die bribes of Geneimls Wadworth and Miller, and com. prised die ragiments from Semua, Geneva, Ontario, Oneida and St Lawrence counties. General Van Rensselaer, having arrived at tiie con- elusion tiut he could be more useful to his country e^here Uun «t tiie head of tiie army, on die a4ti, of October, resigned die command of die troops on die Niagara frontier to Geneml Smydi of die regular service. This officer at once began making prepaia. tions for a diird invasion of Canada, and as a prelimin- aiy measure, issued, on die lodi of November, a pro- clamation to die "men of New York" inviting diem to flock to his standard. In diis remarkable document he too^ occasion to censure bodi Hull and Van Rensselaer l^saying, "One army has been disgracefully surrend- ered and lost Anodier has been sacrificed by a pre- cipitate attempt to pass over at die strongest point of the enemy s lines widi most incompetent means. The cause of diese miscarriages is apparent The com- manders were popular men, destitute alike of dieory and experience in die art of war." "In a few days " he continued, "die troops under my command will plant die Amencan standard in Canada. They are men accustomed to obedience, silence and steadiness, di^ will conquer or dicy will die. Will you stand widi your arms folded and look on diis interesting struggle. The present is die hour of renown. Have you not a wish for&me? Would you not choose in future umes to be named as one of diose. who, imitat- ing Ac heroes whom Montgomery led, have, in spite of die seasons, visited die tomb of die chief and TH« WAR or i8ia. ^ 97 your Ouut of fcme/ThJTii !! ^'"' 5^^" ^^^^^^ ••'you do not you will rt^t hT^" **"*"' "^•^J have bled in ^n, Ae Xi «f "* "y-'-'The v«ii.„t ^ not there." • *^ °^"y ~»"^ fcll-«nd I h«l more th.n75oS^^"'t J?^ »^«d.rf „„«, he in «lditio„ ,0 Ae h^^'IlS'" **"" •* ®^ '^«*- «nd other parts tlATLlT^'X"'^ »' ^«rt Niagare of his army need J^ ,^~': t^^ "?*' *" ^'"^''^ "Army of the Centra uV^T ^ **»* soldiers of the «ent Gcnerers'^'^ '" ^^r^'^ Napoleonic docu! P time is at hand'thT yo„^,Tr^°"V" A— Nmgara to conquer Canada^ and tl ^re t/*'**" ^l The American frontier. You win e^^ '^^^ °^ to-iger. The ,^,i,^.^^- Your woipo„,,„ to aand before you-v™ is!.^ Theywillnotbeable V- W.U «,„„ rej:;:;;t:rr.'^^*'j::'"-«- who having once come within siXIrf fiT^ """• «>n», it is in your power .Tt- • i " "^ "^^ your„.„t^ "O "oT^o^^:^;? *' '■™" »' o-yhe™.,, And ^ZXl^Sr^, $8 THB WAR OP l8ia. .^1 batteries let your mllying word be "The cannon loet at Detroit or deathl" General Smyth had always maintained that the Niagara river should be crossed at some point between Niagara and Chippewa, and he m. de active prepaim- tions for a movement in that quarter. On the 19th November, he gave notice that the armistice was to end, and on the aist the American batteries at BUck Rock, and those on the Canadian shore opposite, cannonaded each other as did Fort George and Fort Niagara at the other end of the line. These operations were not attended with much loii on either side, but several houses in Newaric and the buildings in Fort Niagam were repeatedly set on fire. On the 35th Gen- eral Smyth issued orders for '< the whole army" to be ready to march at a moment's warning." The period for the third invasion of Canada had arrived. On the a7th a general muster of the troops at Black Rock show- ed that he had 4,500 men in line. They consisted oi his own reguUrs, the Baltimore Volunteers under Col- onel Winder, the Pennsylvania Volunteers under Gen- eral Tannehill and the New York Volunteers under General Peter B. Porter. The regulars of this army numbered upwards of 1,500. Nor was there any lack of facilities for crossing the river. Seventy boats, each capable of carrying 40 men, were provided, in addition to five large boats, each capable of holding 100 men, be- sides ten scows for artillery and a number of small private boats, so that 3,500 men could cross at once, a force so overwhelming that had they been landed on the Canadian shore, successful resistance would have been impossible. The force on the Canadian side of the river above TH« WAS or 1811. *»<«••« pounder, worked by.few MiliS?!Sn ^ «eneial direction of Lam!^/ aw7' ** ""**" *« file. Lieut Colln^f n • k ^ "umbenng 70 rank and placTwith a rroiT **> Chippewa, was at the latter too THB WAll OP i8ia. which 400 oceupi«l the five miles from PranchmM't Creek to Port Brie. Thie Iwt fiM« tuggested to Geneiw el Smyth a plan by which the frontier could be carried. Thif wae to effitct a crossing with one detachment at th« feny where the Canadian Militia were staUoned* and, while the British were concentrating in that quarter, to send another detachment to Frenchman's Creek, lout the troops stationed there, and hold the line of the creek so that Major Ormsby could not be reinforced from ^hippewa, while the American army was crossing at Fort Erie. This was an excellent plan, and with a litUe more courage and coolness on the part of the Ameri- cans, and a little less vigilance on the Canadian side of the river, it might have succeeded. Between two and three o'clock on the morning of the aSth November, the third invasion of Canada com- menced. The American armies had been assembled in the darkness and the detachments which were to clear the way for the crossing of the whole army, were embarked. The force intended for the assault on the Militia and the capture of the British batteries opposite Black Rock was in 10 boats, and consisted of jao regulars selected from four different regiments of United States infcntry. and 80 sailors under Lieut Angus. The whole was under the command of Capt King of the 15th Infantry. The detachment whose duty it was to destroy the bridge over Frenchman's Creek consisted of Col. Winder's Baltimore Volunteers 440 strong, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Boerstler of the regular army. King's party, which got away first, was discovered by the Norfolk Militia, when about halfway across the river, and although the night was intensely dark, the loyal yeomanry gave THE WAR or i8ia. ,^, destroy Major oJX's1pp.^th a' fe' '"r"'^ '*«"'« "^ Ws men by L f^^' ^ '•* ''"^ '«™» fi«d at bridge. buTo™s^'"p'S /rid '""^*'"^« *' though he halted the^ fo^t," e Z T^ "' ^«'' "- see the enemy no"^" « w. ""''' ""'*" "« a», Boeder sX" ^t "f;™";" S" Jh' ««« time, and sought safer on, h^ lumselfoff about this by, after a 4 ^ :d" ^n'c^-.^ ." at^. °T I-^eut. CC-Silppar^.?;,- -. ,t^ 104 THB WAR OF l8ia. with 300 men of the 5th Linooln Militia, under Major Hatt, which he had overtaken on the road. He also brought with him from Chippewa a light six-pounder under Capt Kirby. These with Capt Saunders' de- tachment of the 41st RegL and Captain Hamilton's company of the and Lincoln Militia, under Lieut Col. Clark, brought up his force to about 600 men of which 350 were regulars. Bishopp now advanced and took Capt King and his 30 men prisoners. Col. Winder with five boats containing 350 rtn, at this time attempt- ed to cross to reinforce King, but all but the one in which Winder was were driven f^iack by the fif« of the Ught six-pounder. Winder himself had the temerity to land, but the loss of six killed and aa wounded in less time than it takes to relate it, instandy convinced him of the necessity of a speedy retreat Bishopp took up a position in the rear of the batteries and awaited any fur- ther attack that the enemy might make, but none was made, although the troops had been under arms since daylight and the work of embarking them had been go- ing on all the morning. General Smyth about noon sent over a summons to Bishopp proposing the sunen. der of Fort Erie, *' to spare the effusion of blood," but this demand was declined. The oider then came for the Americans to "disembark and dine" and this ended the active operations of the day. The British loss in killed on this occasion was heav- ier than that in the batUe of Queenstown, although the whole force engaged did not much exceed 300 men, and the severe fighting was confined to litde more than half that number. The total was 16 killed, 37 wounded and 30 missing. Of this total of 83 the two companies of Norfolk Militia lost a6, including Captoin Bostwick THB WAR OF l8ia. ,j,j j^d Lieut Rye«on wounded, the latter seveiely. The Amenoin loss it is impossible now to .scertairfo; their historians maintain a profound sile^n ^e pomt, but it must have been vtry Urge. T^ ll^ ^turned a 1«„ in killed and wouTded afu^e R^ H^ ^30 mducbng nine of their ,a officer, en|^ Wmder, as has been seen, lost a8 men of the 50^1; own boat; apt King lost 30 men taken \^^ TTiese figures make up a toul of 88. But to th««m,^ N| added the loss in killed and wounded whicr^^ K^ng^ rtg^ suflered at the Red Ho1se?Ae 1^ "fBoemler's de^hment in their conflirwi^ [^ Bartley's men and Capt Bostwick's Militia, the IdS and wounded in the four boats driven off rLhTut M^ and m oAe„ that were sunk in attempting to cross Addmg Aese .terns together it is impossible to b^ W that Ae losses of the enemy weie less than ajo and possibly they weie much greater. Nothing savS ^t Bntwh that day fit>m a great disaster but th^ hereit courage of Ae British and Canadians en^,X vigiUnce of Bostwick's Norfolk Militia statio^ ^ ferry, the activity of Lieut Col. CUrk and Sr H^ «entf;:;rCh" '''*"'• ^-.^""^"^ -P ^^^^nf^^^ treme ^^' ^ ^^'^^'' *"**' '' "^y ^ »dded the ex^ treme caution, not to say timidity, which the Americana showed in crossing after Lieut Angus had goTteS to R^Ho"' " M '^ ""^^ ^'^° of woundT^^,,t Red House No Briton or Canadian need be asham^ of die way ,n which his countrymen fought in re^H ing that formidable invasion. Bostwi^f MiLrTci^ about one-fourti, of their whole number, and Ba^^ io6 THS WAR OF l8ia. 74 men about two-thirds, for of the 5s men of the 49th who were killed, wounded, or missing, nearijr all belong- ed to that little company. Lieut Col. Bishopp, having recovered his field guns and remounted his heavy cannon, was in a good posi- tion to resist any attack that the enemy might make. The American general had called a council of his officers, but they could not agree as to the propriety of another attempt on Canada. On the evening of the agth, however, Smyth issued an order for his troops to be ready to embark on the following morning. He ad(f.e:> 'ed his men in such stin^ng words as these : **Tht, general will be on hand. Neither rain, snow nor frost will prevent the embarkation. The cavaliy will scour the fiekis from Bkdc Rode to the iHridge and suffer no idle spectators. While embarking, the musk: wiU pkiy martial airs." "Yankee Doodle" will be the signal to get under way. The landing will be eflfected in sfrite of cannon. The whole army has seen that cannon are to be little dreaded .... Hearts of War t tomorrow will be memorable in die annals of the United States." Smyth's officers objected to the time and manner of the proposed embarkation, and the general was induc- ed to defer it until the following day, which was Tues- day, the first of December, and it was arranged that the American troops should Und several miles below Black Rock and near the upper end of Grand IsUnd. From *iuLt point they were to march directly upon Chippewa. Tuesday morning came but at the appoint- ed hour only 1500 men were embariced, the Penn^l- vania Volunteers having raised the constitutional question that they were not compelled to fight out of THB WAR or i8ia. 107 their own oountiy. Their example was imitated by others who held back from the boats, and from the dangeis which they had been eager for a few days before. At this juncture Smyth hastUy called a council of his regukr officers and their decision was •pon made known. The men on the boats were disembarked and informed that the invasion of Canada w abandoned for the present The Regulars were tten ordored into winter quarters and the Militia sent home. This ended the operations of the Grard "Army of the Centre" which had boasted more and accomplish, •d la» than any similar bodjr of men of which history has left a record. |1{K ijHt CHAPTER VII. Uk« Ontario.— Naval mmU tbw. fiup ar l or aiMrg7 of Um AoMrf. e*u— Thqr iMHKh • ietilla oa th* lidM.— MairMoa bioekMlad.— DMrbon'a Araqr.— Thi (Mmm of Um frvntlw of Lowtr Canada. — Mtoor aatafpriMa at O a n a n e q a a, OgdMubuiv, St. lUgit aad Armch MiUa.— An amjr of lo^ooo AaMricaaa at Pkttsbarf.— Pik«'« flifht froa U CoOa.— TiM Invaaioa of Canada abaadonML — Frigate ooMhat* m tha nrnan flupwlni ■!■• and amaaant of tba AoMricaa ■Upa.-ConaUtvtioa aad CJoarriar*.— Unitad Stataa aad M afad wihn .-Conatltution aad Java.— Wa^i aad FroUc— Tha rawdt of tba jTMu**! oparatkMM. For the purpose of completing the narrative of the events of the year iSia it is now necessaiy to go back somewhat and relate the occurrences on Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence and the frontier from St Regis to the head of Lake Champlain. When the war broke out the British force on Lake Ontario was stronger than that of the Americans, and haJ Sir George Prevost been endowed with correct military instincts he would have seen to it that diis state of a£hirs continued. But he apparentiy did not understand that the safeQr of Canada depended on the naval ascendancy of the British on Lake Ontario, so the Americans, by greater diligence at the beginning of the war, were able to dispute that ascendancy, and occasionally wrest it from us; although fortunately not for long enough at any one time to produce a fatal result. In June, i8i a. Com- modore Earle, who commanded on the Lake, had five small vessels in his squadron, the Royal George, Prince Regent, Eari of Moira, Simcoe and Seneca, THS WAR OP i8ia. «P9 mounting altogether about 50 guns, chiefly carronades •nd long sixes. This squadron formed no part of the R^ Navy, the vessds were undermanned, the men w«e un^ned, and Earie himself was not a compet- «it te«Aer. On the 39th of July, with this force, Earle undertook to capture the American armed brig Oneida then lymg at Sackett's Harbor, under the gunl ofa battery, but, after a cannonade which fauted for fhoutan hour, Uuled off without having suffered or ^^t^^^^Hf*'"^ The Americans after «hls attack displayed great vigor in the puichase, «lidpment and construction of vessels for their fleet on ^m?^!^ J^^" ^"^ Ch««ncey was sent ftom ^Brooklyn Navy Yaid to superintend the work of ^«rf«r«fl«e, and before the end of the season he had accomplished mudi. In the early summer, eight American schooners had ^^.f**i?^*« St Uw,«,ce, while attempting !S t!^ ^ ^^•"*"'*' *^ • **"^ of «»•«» "*nn- M^y Canadians and commanded by one Jones. Two of the yesids were captured md bu^t. and the remain- djr dnven b«A to Ogdensbuig. There, a fow days •ft«r Barie's attack o. S«d«tfs Hartkw, they were join- tdy the armed sdtooner Julia from the latter pbce, ^ • torge hoiy of voiunteere and a rifle corps, iiieir olgect was to protect the vessels until they could be armed «tnd enabled to flght their way into the Lake, twt the armlrfoe whkSh shortly foltowed made this pre- oution unneoeasaiy, and during it th^r made their way unmolested to Sackett's Hariwr wh^ they were coin wed into vessels of war. Th^ were named the Hamilton, Scourge, Conquest, Tomkins, Growler and i'ert These with the Madison and JuHa formed a no THi WAR or i8ia. powtiftil iquadfofi, nouniiiig 54 guns, 93 of thtm of htaty eaUbn, and Muiaad bgr 500 Mllort and nwrioM. Sooe Amorieui writofs tiy to make this aquadion a^ pmr waa k a r than that of the British by taring that, ox- chMhre of tha Oneida, these vesseb mounted ooty five guns each, but thejr d^-^honeatfy conceal the fiwt that 30 of the 38 guns they carried were long guns, that six of the vessels had a 33-pounder long gun on deck on a circle, so that it could be fired in any diiection, and that the seventh had a a4-ixninder mounted in a simifau- manner. The importance of this if |11 be better under- stood when it is known that no frigate afioatat that time carried a long gun as heavy as a 3a-pounder. The American squadron was greatly superior to the British for fighting purposes, and as a result of diis preponder- ance, was able to blockade Earle in Kingston during tiie last daree or four weeks of Uie season. Chauncey even ventured wiCi his squadron to die mouth of Kingston Harbor, a ^ undertook to attack the Royal George theie, but he got such a warm reception from the batieriesthat he beoame convinced timt discretion was die belter part of valor and retired with the foes of six or eight killed or wounded. The British sufiered no loss whatever. Turning once more to tiie militaiy events of the year we find General Deartiom, tiie Commander in Chief of tiie armies of tiie United States in tiie Nortiiem Department, witii a krge foroe of Regulanand an unlimited number of Militia at his disposal witii ordei* to capture Montreal. This dty from its situation at tiie head of ocean navigation, with veiy inadequate means of defence, and situated not more tiuui 40 miles from the American frontier, seemed not only a most desimble prise to tiie invader but one tiiat might easily be m* WAn or tSit. lit " in. K) pfOTid. .(.Iim racb .n invMlon u Mm tint SI, G«„g, P«,« ladbMn «« «„lo«, », ™^ ^ «. nev« fo„«l wanting In «,.,„, when hbown -fc9«« Involved. Alin.ofpo«.wis«„«,.,„„_ 4e frontin. of Low., Cuud, ftom YmuA, to St At I^,e aj niie, ft„„ a,, fionu.,, , ta_de of the «g»U, «,d Militi. bn„ w.. fonnri, nndH^UT Zd VT-^ """" ^ *• "^ '^ h^- •wed of the fluk compute of the fth, looth ud ■03ri Rqtt.. the Quudhu. FokIW.., th. I^STc^ IPMi« of d,e ,« B«t.llon of embodied Militi., «,d . *««h««.t of Royal Aitiltoiy with .ix 8eldX^ Tto ™d to the ftontie, wm cut up „d rL^ «y «Kld«. iiTuptioa in thu quweTwu i»L*? «mJ I« the defence of thel, countiy which wu very du*«mnto» to tho« Ameiicw, who h«l hop«l fcTJ 7^ir " "^ «*« «^ " "y »»m««X Militi. of Q«d« and MontmU did g»,i»n duty, ud con- tinued .t « long „ tiie ««»«> fo, ti« «npivmennf S«M""r"?^- '"S«pt«nbe,.5thbLli.irf M.l.t», j|towanU known m tile C«Mdiu, Ch«««„ T^e North W,« Comply nU«d . corp. of Voy^eu™ Mid the merdants end tnatemen of Mont«.i bel<^ng tit TMB WAR or itia. toAt lit BMiUoa d tht SMliMur Militia «..«- iMd thtmMlvw into Imit eompMiM oTVoluBlMn for prrimi du^. and fidd twvict in OMt of MMmacr. But aU tlMM uauMial dferts tMOMd to bt tJLmJr, fcr tilt •o«ay waa in fenni^rtila fciw upon tilt fiontiaf. At tarty at tiM btfianiiig of Stpltmbtr. wlita tlit IT^.J?*.'**^* 10 an and, Brigadiar Gtntml BloomBald liad ooUtclwl about 8.000 man at PlattrtwM — >tgulart, volontttr* and militia— bttidtt advancad Ptititt at Chaiy and Ouunplaia. Thit Amtrican tnny, tbanfeia, it wiU bt tttn, wat tbt mott formid- tblaof any in point of nnmban, and lor that itaton tlia notttobadftadtd. If thart bad baan a matttrmindatthahttdoftfiit ttoooc fiMoa, which bacama ttiU ttiongtr btfora tht tnd of tha ytar. it otftainly would havt baan btaid from in oonntction with toma important movtmant. But it •ttmtd thtn, andaltoteafaM«aaxttntthioughouttht war, at if tht mindt of tht Amarieaa oommandam could not ritt tboft iha idta of a aariaa of mida, which, how- tvtr annoying tbay might bt to tht Britith, could ha^ no infloancawhaltvarontharatttltofthtcontttt O ait chtiBdar waa Iha anitrpritt of Capt. Btnjamin PonythagahittGanaaoqttaoBthaSt.Uwi«nca. Thit ollotr, with ttvtttty of hit own rtlltmen and thirty-four militia, cwtttd ow from Capa Vincent on tha night of tta aoth cf Saplambtr, and kndad a abort diatanct •bova tha viUaga, which th^ enteiad while the inhabi- tanta ware atltep. Thart ware forty or fifty MiUtin in the place, whom they encouatared, and they aucceeded in kmiog ono man and taking four priaonan. Foraytht party had now ona killed and ona wounded. Perhapato the Britiah wounded abouM be added Mia. Stone, wife THB WM or iSll. „j * TIJ*''^ "**'• •"^^ "ilaaf dM TimL. 22 iiTdJ-^s^"* '»"*~ *«" «w «S -r* **? ^~*-«* 0^« Cohwl U*brid«, wli. ^^^^^^^ py mora tnao i,mo mm «iid«r Gwienl nttmberi.g .bout 300. umW die opmoMuid of M^ "4 TM WA« or i8ia. k •«d imii othm wnt WW •«! tht i««aiwl,r M to CMhoUepriMiwwtalMMiidtpriMNMfs. latMa cm tbtf* m no fightiiif, tiM ffuftrdt wtra atoiplT miw WttikW to thdr ho«iMi by iMi tfaiM tWf iittmb« Md •hoc down. Tli« AmtftoMi to thtlf pluiktortogf fcund to tht IndiuM •gmt'i houM a Bridih Ug, whieh ttort o«ctol wu to tlM habit ofdtoplaytog on Sumfami and Widayt, and this wat h«ahtod all ovtr the Uaitid Stat« M *tha fint flag talwn during tha war." Major Young, not only had tha ImpudMice to lapnaant thia •to^ piMa of bunting aa a ngimantal oolor, but MrriadhiaaudadQrao&ras topiiMnt it to thaStala of Ntw York at a public ceremonial on the following Jaauacy. • Thii St Regis afiUr led to a speedy letaliation. Captoin TW^i. •«• of the St Regis heroes, coa- ■jwided a OMipeiiy el French Mills. On the sjid Nove«har, Lieut Col, MeMUton with 140 OMn, half »^utof» and half mUltia, surprised this par^, which «ook to a btocfchouse, but, finding themselves sur- JWMidad. suneodertd pcisonen of war. Captain TiWen and the whole of his command 43 in all, wem taken, with 4 batleauz, S7 stand of arms and other •P>U* An Indian interpreter named Gray who hed guWed Young to St Regie was also oaptuied and cwned to Quebec where he died. As the sequel showed, the Americans would have done better to have missed this 'fcolor" and left St Regis, its priest and its flag alone, for most of the Indtons joined the British and did good service during the war. While these petty operations were going on along the line of the St Lawrence, General Dearborn's laige TMI WAS OP iSll. Its ''••**• * nuirtwid •bent 10.000 oad oftfiiiiibrat S»Too «m raculMi. It «»■ m* •.■mm ^k. .1.. .. .« Att mooA thrt Dmborn Mido a fcnwnl .ovwitot. ■'~*i!??^'**^' ^*** ^ J^JTiioft «iI!So •e~ Atbouodanr Mo* of Low* OiumI.. Mn|or oe satabwrjr. who ooamuuidtd the ftondw poMi. n^ «*;^«rty^ iofenMtioo of D«Aom'. moymot aad •^«ftlitii«l^ po«ltfc» of U C^^^ ■wi mitat from Um AmorioM aunp at Champlain. br «righboriog|«Wi«. A. w Inviulon w« «m coo. «*wd cMin, 1900 mM. conrifting of six hundrwl Mlll^ ami .,,00 of tho Bighth and Glmgany rerf. »«tt, iir«Oi«,ta«o« the St Uwnoce and niara'ed whaiwrarqiiaittf he might oomt. Theje timeiy preeaatioos torned out to be quite mK wS^K J°J*^**"> "'Noirember Col. Zebukm M. Hke Hth 600 of hit legolait. ciooMd the La CoUe Miween tfarae and fbor o*ciocii io the moraioff. The ^^^^^^""^ He had barely time to appriae the guard hut on every aide, and diacharged their pieoea ^dc-e to it that dyyeet the loof rSTll^ ^ *nd ImUana OMaped from the building without loss, but ^^^" ""^ ^ divided into two parties, com. t^!^^i^"' on ewh other, each party bdny „nder theimpfcssionthattheotherwasBritish. ThiaSi^guhir ii6 THE WAR OP I8l3. li >■■':,! contest was conUnued for about half an hour and no doubt prodigies of valor were performed. By the time they had discovered their mistake De Salabeny was upon them, and, as soon as he approached. Col. Zebulon Pike and his 600 ngulan lan away in such haste that they left five of their number dead and five wounded on the field. These numben and losses are given on American authority, but current report at the time placed the American force at more than double the figure named above. This display of stupidity end- ed the operations of Dearborn's army which had been so much dreaded. That general immediately returned to Plattsburg where three of thtt regiments of legulan went into winter quarters. Three others were sent to Burlington to winter; the *rtilleiy and dragoons went to Greenbush and the valiant militia were sent home, where by their own firesides they could relate the stoiy of their heroic deeds on the Canadian frontier. Although the main object of this histoiy Is to give a truthful account of the operations of the war in Canada, «>me notice of the engagements at sea, from which the Americans professed to derive a full equivalent in the way of consolation for their defeats on land, cannot be omitted. When the war commenced the United States possessed seven ships that were lated as frigates •nd a number of smaUer vessels. As the plunder of the British merchant marine was one of the advantages which die Americans expected to derive from the war, they were naturally prepared to pounce upon their y ./ at a moment's notice. In June, i8ia. Commodore Kodgeii witii his flag ship the President 44, United States 44, Congress 38, Hornet 18 and Argus 16 was waiting at New Y< ready to put the moment THE WAR OF l8ia. iir he heaid that war had been decUiml. On the aist of squadron. H» ofcgect was the capture of the British homeward bound fleet which had left Jamaica sometime Mart, convoyed by the frigate Thalia 36, and sC Reindeer .8, and which all unconscious of danger ™ Aen Pr«^ing northwani somewhere in the Utitude of New York. Thu promismg scheme, by which Rod- gers and his men hoped to be enriched, was spoiled in LThhTJT^^***"- When 36 hour. I^m port w^ J^^^"^^ ^^""^^ 36, Capt. Richard Byron, was sighted. Capt. Byron had not h«ud of the d«kr. ation of war, and when he saw the squadron he sto^ to^rds it. But when he observedlat Tree cH^ ?h ^J*!!^ *****' •"** '*" *«» »»ddenly take in their studding sails and haul up in chase vide r :., "fidtnt supply, for the British ships were nearly alwa^» short of their complement. Moreover, in consequence (tf the French fleets having almost disappeared from the ocean, and ttit exercise of a fidse economy on the part of the Government, gunneiy prictice was almost entire- ly neglected. The Americans on the other hand had no difficulty whatever in overmanning the few ships they sent to sea, and in their crews were many men who had been trained in the Royal Navy and had deserted from it But a more potent cause of the British defeats was we size, armament and power of the large American frigates, as compared to the Britbh ships they were matched against The Constitution, United States and President were sister ships and were the largest and most powerful frigates afloat The capture of the President by the British in 1814 gave them an oppor- tunity of comparing her with frigates of the class encountered by her sister ships. These American frigates, in addition to their superior size, had timbers, planking and masts as stout as a British 74-gun ship. The Constitution when she fought the Guerriere carried 3a long 34-^unders and sa short sa-pounders. Her broadside weight of metal was 736 pounds. The Guerriere carried 30 long i8-poundefs, two long THB WAR OF l8lJ. 119 ia-pounde« ,6 short 3a-poande» and one long ,8. TTie weight of her broadside was 556 pounds. The comparative force of the ships was as follows :~ Tonnage. Weight of Number of Constitution .5;6 X^ ""T Ouerriere .?Jl JJ^ ^ 456- YeiLossing,theauthorofabookonthewarofi8ia in the &ce of these figures, has the assu«„ce to say ti^ Ae contest was -not really an unequal one/' and to add that the weight of the respective broadsides of the ^13 "could not have varied veiy nuterSl/" Roosevelt, an American writer, who has written a toler- ably honest account of the naval operations of the war admits Aat the disparity of force was a. .0 to 7 ^^ ^niSlf tS^h^"'^ '"^^ ~ ~P«^o' by nearly on*.h«lt The difference was really much mori m any WK. T^*' **" P*'^'''' *• Constitution, when ^ght of metal, number of men, size and stauichn^ are taken into account, being doubly superior to the Guemerc. The result might easily have been foreseen. 1^'nTu^^ ^^"^ ''**'** l«ted a couple of hours. Ae Bntish frigate was reduced to the condition of a defencele«i hulk by being dismasted, and was compelled to surrender. She had lost seventy-nine men, of which twenty-tiiree were killed or mortally wounded. The Constitution lost seven killed and seven wounded. The Guemere was in a sinking condition when she struck her flag, and had to be set on fire and destroyed. The two otiier frigate actions of tiie year, as regarded the force of tiie combatants, resembled tiiat between tiie Guernere and Constitution. The second in point of time was fought on die 25tb of October in lat 29© 130 THE WAR OF l8ia. north and long. 39O 30' west The oombfttants were the British frigate Macedonian and the American frigate United States. The comparative force of these vessels was as follows : — United States Macedonian Tonnage. 1576 1325 Weight of BroMsids. 846 lbs. 547 " Number o£ Men. 478 301 Here the American vessel was superior by 59 per cent in number of men, by 55 per cent in weight of metal and by 19 per cent in ,t^nnage« so that the American frigate was really more than double the force of the Macedonian, when all the elements of strength are taken into account. After a contest whidi lasted an hour and a half the British vessel was obliged ta strike her colors, after losing her mizzenmast, fore and main topmast, and most of her rigging. She had 43. of her crew killed and 61 wounded. The American ship lost six killed and five wounded. The third and last action of the war in which a British frigate was captured was fought between the Constitution and Java on the 29th of December in lati- tude 13 ® 6° south and longitude 31 © west The Constitution had made a slight change in her armament since her battle with the Guerriere by leaving on shore two of her 32-pounder carronades. The following is. a comparative statement of the force of the combatants t Tonnage. Weight of Broadside.. Number of Men. Constitution 1576 1340 704 lbs. 576 " 476 372 . THE WAR cy i8ia. „, tJ^Ji i*''* ?"^^ * """^'" °f supernumemries. In- tended for other ships on the Bombl^ station. aS her crew was a new one and wholly untii'ned. The odd, against her were about 70 per cent, apparently not quite so much as they were against AeTuSe o Macedonian, but really more when the untra!^ co^. d^ron of her crew is taken into account. ThTjavawL f nS?^ ^.'^^"^^ *"^ ^^ "*>' «rike untn she ™ a nddled and dismasted hulk. She lost in the ™ hou« engagement 48 killed and ,0. wounded, and Z ^ badly damaged that she had to be destroyed Th^ Constitution had „ killed and « wound!^^ Jrl ^^'^^'J^'' American iS-gun shipJsloop Waso T; o l^rth 10 "^^^^^ t^" '"^-^'-P ^olic'in "r 37 norti, long. 65 « west The American vessel x^: rrr""'^" *"' -^ 3.-pounT«rn. ades. The broadside weight of metal of tiie Waso was ti^er^fore slightiy superior, and she had acil o^f 135 men against , 10 for the British vessel. TheTtter ^d lost her mainya«i and sustained other iamage tna gale and tiierefore went into ti,e action in a d1LSe2 ZZ''J''^''^''r ^'^ "« -* surrender^" ^ she had become totally unmanageable, and had los When .H^'a''"" ^' "*^"" 3° "^-^ «"ed outrigh When tiie Americans boarded her the only unwounded lel L.?^ Whingates and his lieutenant, Wintie were both so severely hurt that they could not stond roict lers 74, recaptured both vessels. The Waso had to^::'^^:^'^'t\''''^''''' ^^ Britis^To^t': fe^ d ff? . 7^"^ "^^"^^ P'^^Wy have had a ^ery different result had the Frolic 4n in a fi* I laa THB WAR OP I8l3. condition to meet an enemy. The innocent Mr. Roose- velt thinks the loss of the Frolic's mainyard was no detriment as it had "merely converted her into a brig- antine." On the same principle the loss of a ship's mizzen-mast would not impair her efficiency as it would merely convert her into a brig. Suggestions of this sort can well be left to the reader's contempt This ends the story of the first year of the war in which the Americans, in their land operations, had reaped nothing but disasters and humiliations. Four different attempts had been made to invade Canada and all had £ailed. One large army, from which much had been hoped, had been forced to surrender ; the efficient part of a second had been defeated and captured; a third had been repelled after a very brief encounter in which only its advance forces took part, and a fourth had been frightened away from the frontier without any conflict with the British at all. Worse than all it had been proved that the American Regulars were ineffi- cient and their Militia unreliable. The American his- torian who can derive any cause for national pride in the land operations of the first year of this war must have an imagination more oriental in its luxuriance than that which the relater of the "Arabian Nights" was endowed with, yet some of them have actually attempted to show that their countrymen had reason to be proud of their achievements that year. It is to be hoped that if the Americans ever made another unright- eous attempt upon Canada, their triumphs may be of precisely the same kind as those they won in the first year of the war of 1812. CHAPTER VIII. Opemtten. oa the Detroit frontier^ Why Fort Wayne wm not Ukea. —General Harriaon'a large army—Hit plans against Maiden.-. Wmchester encamps at the rapids of the Maumee.-Sends Colonel LewU to Frenchtown with boo men.-The latter drive away a few Canadian Militia and Indians—Winchester goes to Frenchtown to refaitoroe Lewis.— Attacked by General Proctor and his whole •rmy captured or destroyed.-American falsehoods exposed.— Harrison's plan of invasion defeated.— Proctor besieges Fort Meigs.— Attempu of the Americans to reinforce the place.— Dee^ taruction of Colonel Dudley's Command.-The siege abandoned The American Campaign against Canada postponed. The attempt of Hull on the Detroit frontier, which had been so disastrously defeated by the promptitude and energy of Brock, was but a part of the movement against the Western Peninsula. The people of Ken-^ tucky and Indiana, as well as of Pennsylvania, were not behind those of Ohio in their eagerness to reap- gloiy in an easily won campaign. Kentucky alone before war was declared had 5,500 Militia and volun- teers in the field, which were intended to co-operate with Hull in the conquest of Canada. This number was increased to 7,000 in October 181 2, for Hull's, surrender, while it was a humiliation to the people of the Union generally, filled the inhabitants of the West- ern States with terror. It caused the Indians to flock to the British standard, and gave the frontier settlers reason to fear that they would seek a bloody revenge for the injuries they had received from the white men. .■Id: Hm »«4 THI WAR OP lBl9, Before General Brock left Detroit he gave instruc- tions to Colonel Proctor to send Captain Muir with a detachment of regulars and Indians to reduce Fort Wayne, which at that time had a garrison of only 70 men. But this enterprise, which must have succeeded, was prevented by the receipt of orders from Sir George Prevost The Govensor General expressed his desire that, although the armistice did not extend to General Hull's command, it should be acted upon by Colonel Proctor. That officer was also instructed to refrain from every hostile act, and to restrain the Indians by every means in his power. After the amiistice, when Captain Muir advanced towards Fqrt Wayne, he found that post had been heavily reinforced and that General Winchester with a,ooo men was in the vicinity. Under these circumstances any attack had necessarily to be abandoned. He returned to Fort Defiance, at the junction of the Maumee and Au Glaize Rivers, intend- ing to give battle there, but three-fourths of his Indians at this time deserted him, and he had to retreat 20 miles farther down the Maumee. The Indians, who are unstable as children, had become disgusted by the restraint put upon them by the armistice, and they were alarmed by the reports of the mighty host that was coming against them from Kentucky and Ohio. For this state of a&irs Sir George Prevost was directly responsible, for there was no reason why h« should have insisted on his lieutenants on the Detroit frontier observing an armistice that was not regarded by the enemy. Governor Harrison of Indiana, "the hero of Tippe- canoe," was appointed Commander in Chief of all the Kentucky forces. He was also made a Brigadier THS WAX OP i8ia. 1*5 General of the United States Anny. and atsigned to the command of the North We«em Army whS. in Id! .^ *? »K • "?*•" •"** t«K>p. In that quarter, con- •i«Bd of the volunteer! and militia of Kentucky, Ohio •nd 3.0OO fiom Virginia and Pennsylvania, and made hi. whole force 10,000 men. Hi. in«ructlon. were to n^ "« to bring on an engagi ment before hi. superior could reach him. He ha^ «i to Frenchtown with a reinforcement, which brought up the strength of the army there to i,ooo mfn encainping on the right of Lewis's forces on the even- ing of the a. ± of January. •^e moment Colonel Proctor heard of the occupation of Frenchtown by the American., he .et out frcm MiUden with all hi. available force. Thi., when joi^^ to Ae detachment at Brownstown. comprised about 500 white troops and 450 Indians. The former consisted foui^ Tp'"? ^^^ **^ "^^ ^"'' ^ °^^« '^^y*^ New- foundland Regiment, a few men of the loi Royal Veteran Battalion, enough artillery to serve three,- poundeiji and . 5^ i„ch howitzer, a number of Cana- ™ American authority and are, no doubt, correct. The force thus destroyed comprised the greater part of Colonel Wells' Regts of Kentucky infentry, and Col. Allen's Kentucky w^ ^**^^ ,! ***^ °^ **** ^*'*'" ^" a dark and bloody day for Kentucky, and hundreds of its homes were in mourning, for many a youth who went from his father 3 house with a light heart in search of glory was ouned in an unknown grave. Colonel Proctor had now fewer white troops left than the number of his prisoners, and there were rumors that oenerai Harrison was approaching with the other wing of the army of the North West. For the^ reasons, and also because he wished to put his captives in a place of safety, he set out on his return to Maiden on the day of the battle, taking all the prisoners with him tiiat could be moved, and also the main body of Indians. A few wounded prisoners had to be left behind until a c onveyance could be sent for them. They were placed li THE WAR OF l8l2. »3I in Charge of Major Ixeynolds anc? the interpreters of the Indian Department ar d two of i r.eir own surgeons were left with them. On > h.^ followiag day a report that was current of the approach of Harrison caused some of the guards to desert the wounded prisoners, and a few of the latter were killed by straggling Indians who were lookmg for some person to be revenged on for the destruction of their own homes. This unfortunate affair, for which Proctor was certainly not to blame, has given unscrupulous authors like Lossing an opportun- ity of writing violent tirades against the British and the people of anada. According to these writers the deaths of the men thus slain were deliberately planned by Proctor, who by the same authority, is denounced as a coward. There was certainly nothing of the latter shown ,n his prompt attack on the superior army of Winchester, but that, perhaps, is as good a name as any to throw at a British officer whom the Americans can never forgive because he defeated them, cutting to pieces or capturing their entire army, and adding another to the list of British triumphs. Among tiiose who lost tiieir lives was Captain Hart, a Kentucky volunteer officer whose wife was the sister of Henry Clay. This feet, no doubt, had a good deal to do wiUi tiie violence of tiie American press in dealing with Uie Frenchtown alfeir. Captain Hart was in a pla<^ of safety at die house of a Frenchman in charge of a friendly Pottawatomie Chief. There he might have remained without molestation, but he became so much alarmed that he offered the Chief $ioo to convey him to Maiden. Hart was piaced on a horse and was passing through a village when a Wyandotte Indian ''^me out and claimed Hart as his prisoner. The Pot- /! 132 THE WAR OF l8t2. tew«tom.e attempted to defend Hart but was overpower- ed and the American was shot and scalped. As Henry Clay was so powerful and eager an advocate of the war that he may be fe.rly regarded as it:, author, it is some- what remarkable that his own brother-in-law should have been one of its first victims. Mrs. Clay must have been somethmg more than human if she did not occa- sionally remiiid the gifted Henrys that but for him her brother would have been living. Capt. Hart was not a military man but a prosperous merchant, and there was no special reason why he should engage in the invasion of Canada. Men who undertake such warlike enter- prises must be prepared to face their risks. It is perhaps unfortunate that the Indians cannot be taught to appreciate the beauties of the rules of civilized warfare, for, being children of Nature, they think the nght way to deal with an enemy is to kill him and be done with him for good and all. Yet in their dealing with the Americans in the war of 1812, they were far more merciful than the latter were to them. They took prisoners and spared the lives of the wounded, although the Americans never took any Indian prisoner, but killed and scalped all who fell into their hands. The spint of the Americans towards the Indians is shown by Hull s proclamation in which he said:— " No white man fighting by the side of an Indian will be taken prisoner— instant destruction will be his lot." It is shown also by General Smyth's address to the "Army of the Centre," in which he informed his soldiers that he would order "forty dollars to be paid for the arms and spoils of each savage warrior— who shall be killed. '» This was simply rewarding his men for giving no quarter to the Indians, and the latter doubtless thoughf THE WAR OF l8l2. 133 that It was proper to reciprocate in kind. That they did not do so, but spared Americans wounded and prisoners, was due to the influence of the British com- manders whose only reward for their leniency has been the violent abuse of every hack writer from the time of the war down to the present day. Instead of assailing Proctor, American writers should honor his memory, as but for him, not one of the Kentuckians wh^ were defeated at the Raisin would have escaped; the Indians were bent on their destruction. The defeat of Winchester completely deranged Har- nsons plans of invasion and put an end to further oflensive movements until more troops could be brought into the field. The American general retired to the Rapids of the Maumee, where, on the high ground on the right bank of the river, he established a fortified camp, which, in honor of the Governor of Ohio, was named Fort Meigs. Before spring it had become a regular fortification, covering about eight acres of ground and mounting 18 guns, chiefly 18 and 12- pounders. From this point Harrison was able to keep open communication with Ohio and Kentucky and to operate against Detroit and Maiden. As Proctor had information that Harrison was to be heavily reinforced in the spring with a view to the invasion of Canada, he deemed it advisable to attack Fort Meigs before the American force had become too powerful. Accordingly on the 23rd of April 1813 he embarked at Amherstburg with 461 rank and file of the regular troops, comprising 27 of the Royal Artillery five of the 10th Veteran Battalion, 374 of the 4isl Kegt., and 55 of the Newfoundland Regt. and also 406 rank and file of the Militia. The whole number of »34 THE WAR OF l8ia. white troops, including staff and other officers, was 983, and they were accompanied by 1,300 Indians under Tecumseh. Fort Meigs had at this time a gar- rison of 1,300 men, consisting of two regiments of Regulars besides Volunteers from Kentucky and Ohio^ They were under the command of General Harrison^ and reinforcements were daily expected from Kentucky uuder the leadership of General Green Clay, which would make Harrison's army far stronger than that of Proctor, Indians included. Proctor, who had been made a Brigadier General for hisFrenchtown victory, reached the vicinity of Fort Meigs with his little army on tl^e 28th of April, and batteries were at once commenced on the opposite side of the river. Rain delayed the work, but on the first of May two 24-pounders, three 12-pounders an 8-inch howitzer and two 5 >^ -inch mortars were mounted and opened fire on the fort Very little damage was done„ however, as a traverse had been erected by the besiege ed which protected its front. On the following day another battery of three 12-pounders opened on the fort. The same night a detachment of British crossed the. river and mounted two 6-pounders and a 5>^-inch mortar on the south side of the Maumee behind Fort Meigs. That place, however, had been so completely protected by traverses of earth that the fire of the batter- ies produced but little effect, the guns, with the excep- tion of the 24-pounders not being heavy enough to make much impression on earthworks. On the evening of the 3rd, General Clay was at the. head of the Rapids of the Maumee with a reinforcement of 1,300 men from Kentucky, who were embarked in 18 large scows with shields on their sides to protect thenv THE WAR OP l8ia. 135 against the bullets of the Indians. Harrison «ceived U^. news of Clay's app„«ch on the evening of the 4A and at once sent out one of his officers. Captain Haniil- to. .n a canoe to meet Clay and direa him as to the p^n of operations he was to adopt. Chiy was to land 800 of h.s men on the north side of the river at a point Fort Me.gs. These batteries were to be taken, the can! non spiked and the carriages destroyed, and then the U^ps were to return to their boats and cross t^Fo.^ tlT^K ."^^^^^'^y'^^^^^^^^d ^e« to land on ^e souU. side of the Maumee and march dii^tly to tSe S^R vlT" *?"" '""""^^^ ^° "^'^^ * sortie, destroy the British batteries in the rear of the fort and disperse or captui. all the British on the south side of theXn rhe Amencan general was veiy sanguine of the success of this fine plan and, as he had been stimulating Ae 81'. Ill' ! i 136 THE WAR OP 1 81 3. courage of his troop with a series of stirring addresses, it was to be presumed that they would not fail him. In one of these he said to them, "Should we encounter the «nemy, remember the fate of your butchered brothers at the River Raisin— that British treachery produced that slaughter." This sounded vtry much like an invitation to grant the British no quarter. In another Napoleonic general order he said; "Can the citizens of a free country who have taken arms to defend its rights, think of submitting to an army composed of mercenary soldiers, reluctant Canadians, goaded to the field by the bayonet, and of wretched naked savages?" This Boba- dil general should have known th^ the only troops who during the war had to be "goaded to the field by the Ijayonet"— were the American Regulars and Militia, as witness the orders of Colonel Miller before the battle of Maguaga, of Colonel Van Rensselaer at Queenstown, and of General Wilkinson at La Colle. General Har- rison had the modesty to say at the conclusion of this general order that, although he did not presume to compare himself to the " immortal Wayne" he boasted of being" that hero's pupil." On the morning of the 5th of May General Clay's army reached the vicinity of the fort, and Colonel Dudley with 866 men landed on the north side of the Maumee at a place pointed out by Captain Hamilton. They ascended to the plain unobserved by the British and marched straight to the batteries which were manned by only a few gunners. Dudley's ir. m got behind the guns and captured and spiked them without any loss, the main body of the British being at the ■camp a mile and a half down the river. Dudley now ieft the larger part of his force under Major Shelby in THE WAR OF l8ia. ,^y ed iw t-,^ ^ . ""*"*"• Shelby was soon assail- ea oy two companies of the ai« anH - ««»" ^.^ M^" fl""' ""'« '"'«• ""ich w« l«l by a^ m^ *, !i Amencan troops before then, and makini^ mos of the™ prison.™. Harri«,„'5 KentuZ h«^ "cuzen, of a free countor," we«, no. able S^J^nST; «. .»».«,. before Muir's "mercenaor lldiet ,ld caae Dy the Indians, and tlie wholo nf k:- . cut .0 pie^ Dudley -in-s^fr^^^k L anTorti;*. 866 n,cn who had Iand«l with him only ,50 ^1 450 men landed on the south side of th- T i reached the fort afier a ,h,r^T- • u . . "^^ ""'' r.„ , „ . *"*' " "»T skirmish with the Indians General Harrison ordered a sortie to be made bv ,.!l T' T;1^.*" '*'«"""• -"""Colondjrhn M^/'rf fte .9th United Sut« Rep. These fell u^^n ^e rf fte Bntish batteries, which was defended ty the twa flank compan.es of the 4.st Regt., numbering .^ „tk- and file under Captain Bullock. The sm^l BrWcK force was defeated, the battery captu.!S I^^ the "f ^onel Miller did noT^o;' hri::;f ,o~a; with the help of the remanent of the 4.st instantiv "captured the «nnon and drove the AUcir.;!^]: 1: « ,. 138 THE WAR OP 1 81 a. into Fort Meigs with the loss, according to their own official reports, of a8 killed and 35 wounded. The total loss of *ht British and Canadians in this afEfcir was 14 killed, 47 wounded and 40 made prisoners. Capt Bandy of the Militia was wounded mortally and died on die day of the batde. The Americans ac- knowledged a loss of 81 killed, 270 wounded, and 485 of them were made prisoners., making a toUl loss of 836. Of this number 696 were lost under Dudley on the north side of the river, 87 in Clay's advance to the fort on the south side of the Maumee, and 53 in the sortie. Of General CUy's reinforcement of 1300 men, only about 500 got into Fort Meigs, yet.even this limited ac- cession of strength gave Harrison a total of more than 1,700 men, or more than double the number of Proctor's white troops. This fact and other circumstances over which he had no control, made it necessary for General Proctor to nise the seige of Fort Meigs. The Militia desired to go home to put in their crops, and the Indian chie& sent him a deputation counselling him to return, as they could not prevent their people, as was their custom after a battie, returning to their villages with their wounded and their plunder, of which they had taken a considerable quantity from the boats of the enemy. "Bdbre the ordnance could be drawn from the batteries," says Proctor in his dispatch, "I was left with Tecumseh and less than 20 chie& and warriors; a circumstance which strongly proves that, under present circumstances at least, an Indian force is not a dispos- able one or permanent, though occasionally a most powerful aid." Proctor was destined to experience the truth of this observation still more pointedly at a later TH« WAR OF I8ia. ,3j The British general wlthdiew his force from Fort Meigs on May the 9th, taking with him Ij?ki!^ Part «* ♦!. _i ^^ *•" anjrthing behind l!i i CHAPTER IX. Anutnmg Appointod U. 8. Smamury m War-Vigorom prMMntioM fcr tiM iavarim of CmmU^TIm AoMrioui Ragular Army iocrMc- •d to 56,000 mm— TiM Brittoh Porco in Cwuuia— Armstroav't piM of invaaioo-Porajrtta's imid on BioclivUI*-Sir OtKgm Pi«. Tort afraid to offmd Um Amwicaiw-ColoiMl MacdoniMll capturas OgdrnMbttrr-BravMy of Um Rofulara and MUiUa— Amoricaaa' DMign on York-That piaco attaciwdand capturad by Um AmatU caa»- TiMir overwiidmiiiff numlMn— Dafncdon CoodiUon ct Um Placa-Rotraat of tiM BriUah Rogulan to Klngrton-TlM Am«4caiM bura Um ParliaoMnt Bjildings and commit othar out. ragM. Having brought the story of the operations on the Detroit frontier down to the early summer of 1813, it now becomes necessary to go back to the beginning of the year ibr the purpose of relating the occurrences in other parts of the Canadian Provinces. The disasters which had be£fillen their armies in 181 a were very grievous to the people of the United States, and damag- ing to the prestige of their public men. Dr. Eustis, the Secretary of War, was forced to resign to appease the popular wrath, and was succeeded by John Arm- strong, who had been Minister to France under Presi- dent Jefferson, and was appointed a brigadier general at the beginning of the war. Armstrong divided the country into nine military districts, to each of which a general officer of the United States army was assigned, whose duty it was to superintend all the means of de- fence within^his district This was done to prevent any difficulty arising from the interference ot governors of THl WAII or I8l9. •41 ..-on *. ,oo„ or'z^::.'"^^,zr:^.L^, ^« no. y« .h«l-p.,wci«,. u, whon.^;: s«7i.Tndrt;-.-r^-s-- ♦.«, r^ . "* *-«n>nna, the Chairman of the Mili. toiy Committee, voiced the plans and hopes of hiJhl hgeient countermen when he «aid:-''^eTL L«l raust be crossed bv a w«ll -«^* •^ Uwrence n..n, ,«ppo,«d b^. :^T;"^":jr v^ moment we move on Quuuta.^^^ ^ ""* honor ,nd character of U,. n«ion ,equi„ S». 1 B^ The news, which reached Washtn»f». : »* l - 14a THi WAR or l8lJ. 450*000 men, wu vwy disheaitming to the American war perty. All their hopes of sharing witl. this Corsi- can robber in the partition of the British Empire sud- denly vanished in smoke, and altiiough tiie United States might continue to play die part of a jackall to Bonaparte, tiiey could now expect vtry little from him but kicks and contempt Bonaparte indeed despised his American flatterers and parasites as much as he hated Republican institutions, and he omitted no opportunity of making tiiem sensible of tiiis fiurt. Yet the French Emperor, altiiough his power was declin- ing, was still formidable and all tiie energies of Great Britain were expended in eflbrts to complete his down- fell. The war in tiie Spanish Peninsula, where Wel- lington was engaged in preparing fcr tiiat glorious campaign which ended in tiie French armies being driven out of Spain, absorbed nearly all tiie soldiers tiiat Britain could spare, and tiierefore tiie reinforce- .itita which reached Canada in the year 1813, were ery inadequate. The first tiiat came was, however, doubly welcome, as much by reason of its origin as of tiie spirit tiiat animated it The King's New Bruns- wick Regiment, tiie i04tii, in March traversed tiie wilderness from Fredericton to Quebec and was aUtr- wards sent to Kingston for tiie reinforcement of Upper Canada. This regiment made tiie fifth Provincial corps of regulars employed 'n tiie defence of Canada, tiie otiiers being tiie Glengarries, tiie Voltigeurs, tiie Canadian Fencibles and the Newfoundland Regt The otiier regular regiments in Canada at tiiis time were a battalion of tiie ist and 8tii Regis., tiie 41st, 49tii. lootii and 103rd— or six British regular regiments to five Colonial corps. The i04tii Regt, when it arrived. m THE WAR OP l8ia. ,^ Z "''^ '"• ^^^ """«* *^ '•«» "»•« -nd the Can.. a»n regiments were filled un bv «-^.i- ^ T ^ Engta«d wlU, . numb., of „«.«, of ^ ^J N^ «ner . foreign Corp., recruits on the cont/neiit "' "•-«" .rriv«. in Z:ZX mo«^h "'"""' ''™'" "^ An,.nc.n., whoh«l more than 50,000 regular soldiera, and an unlimited number of Militia at their dispoMl. ""■""■•"I The Americans by means of their spies were lient Wly .nformed of .he weakness of ,h. B^.^.X^n'^ TL •'^"T"'' • P'"" of ope«tions wid, a view™ r. K^ntLl • T"? '?™' " ^"*»" *~ '"-"■"red, »t Kingston six hundred, at George and Erie Iwelv^ hundred making a tou, of regular'^troops of^o *t! »nd and one hundred. Kingston and Prescon a,^ ^rLtlllT l*' °"''"' *"» « *« W wo"d pr«ent the «rst object, York and the frigates said to be bu.ld.ng there the s«K.nd, George and Erie the ,W,7 •^e foree to be employed in this service should nX less than s« thousand, because in this fire, enterprise of »44 THE WAR OP l8ia. a second campaign, nothing must, if possible, be left to f.^""!*. "ff*^!^^*^* American plan of invasion fully disclosed and the strength of the British forces accurately stated. Gcneial Dearborn, who had the Army of the North under his immediate command, had a force of upwards of SIX thousand Regulars at the beginning of the year 1813. Early m February orders were given for the concentration of four thousand Regulars at Sackett's Harbor and three thousand at Bufelo. The Sackett's Harbor army was to cross the ice to Kingston, capture ^ f T u""T f " '^^ *^*'PP'"^ '^^^ *"d then pro. ceed to York and seize the army stores and vessels there. This promising scheme was never carried out or even attempted mainly it would seem because of an absurd rumor which was current that Sir George Prevost was at Kingston with six or eight thousand men preparinir for an attack on the American frohtier. *' *^ "^ A^Iv^^^K °r*"J'."*'* **" ^^"«^***" ^y ^« American Army the Canadians were treated to a raid on Brock- vUle by Major Forsyth, some of whose exploits have already been related. Forsyth was stationed at Ogdens- *k"?; K^^^P^* **^ ""^"^ '^*'* *« '"^"««»y patriotic that It had become a sort of focus for the gathering of 6th of February he left that place, with aoo riflemen and volunteer and a number of citizens to attack Brockville. As Broclmlle was without defences or garrison, there was no difficulty in capturing the litde village. This heroic American party broke open the jail and libenited the prisoners. They dragged all the male inhabitants wJ"* "n'^S"'' u "* °^ '**"*' *^* *"** "»«^hed them back to Ogdensburg as prisoner. They also carried THE WAR OF l8ia. >4S ardent patrioUsm. ^'^^ °^ P"** *»<* to protest against such rii^ ™ J! Ogdensburg. described. This offi™., k * ""* "*»"« ^-t Co. Macdond.„a^~"^~3r,^«^ ™ut.'i^rn;irtarti:s:rcr "^ in order to discover If rh. a • Ogdensburg, but any JT^I 1^%^^ Sd'*' ^t ^'' there should be anv L.k* l V *°'^*»'<'<*«n- Lest ,"*?"*' 5>,r George forwarded a letter fr«», cr .. Inn, nine miles from Prescott tTr^i J^L ^'"' * 146 THE WAR or i8ia. his orders not to nuke any attack. Mr. James, whose books on the Military and Naval Occurrences of the War cannot be too highly estimated, sutes that he had seen this letter before he wrote his history. Sir George's reason for not permitting an attack, was, that he did not wish to keep alive a spirit of hostility. The Canadian reader will understand from tiiis the kind of odds his fathers had to contend against in die defence of Uieir country. Not only had they to resist an active and un- scrupulous enemy, but they had to do so in spite of the opposition of an imbecile Comander-in-chief, who did not wish to oflFend tiie dear Americans who were en- gaged in die work of midnight robbery and murder ort every convenient occasion. Fortunately for die people of die St. Lawrence fron- tier, Col. Macdonnell resolved to turn die demonstra- tion into a real attack. As soon as Sir George Prevost had fairly turned his back on Prescott on die morning of die 22nd February, Macdonnell began to make his preparations. Forsydi who commanded at Ogdensburg had been informed by deserters of the meditated attack* and had plenty of time to take such mrasures as were considered necessary to resist it He had eight cannon mounted, six 6.pounders, a 9-pounderand a la-pounder. Fiveof diese were on die west side of die Oswegatchie nver and die odier diree in die village on die east side. American histories are very reticent as to die number of men diey had at Ogdensburg, but as Forsydi's riflemen were all diere, besides a company of volunteers and a body of Militia, dieir force cannot be estimated at less than 500. Lieut-Col. Macdonnell's detachment, widi which he ventured to assail Ogdensburg numbered 480, and con- THE WAR OF l8ia. >4r si^ of aoa Regulan, «,d ayo Militi.. it was divided nto two column., the right commanded by Ca^ Pany of that excellent corps, and 70 MUi^At^t urK^er^ecommandofLieut^ol. MacTonn^ll tfmLIf with ,ao of the 8th Regt, 40 of the Newfoundland Regt and aoo Militia. With this column were tW r^c^rtrf "° 3.pounde«, man:::rby7r artiiieiymen. This force appeared on the ice which ti|en covered the St. Lawrence about seven o Jo^ t *; "°™7*"d advanced resolutely towams Ogden^ burg. The braggart Forsyth had expressed a^reTt desire to meet Macdonnell on the ice on^d^/^ tiie latter went to C^^ensburg with the flag ofLT but when the opportunity came he showj^o M.^: don to carry out his part of the contract, but skulk^ behmd the shelter of his batteries. As the river at S» sTrl;;:,* ""' *"' * *^*'''" ^'^* *« Americans had a ^kndrd opportunity of decimating tiie British foree If fim ^ '*""°"' *"^ ^^y *^"«» themselves of it to river .^H^'T ^«'^^»'«v«»y«a«*ed across th^ river, boti, columns, but especially ti,e right, suffered severely from die enemy's fire. The duty of die right column, which was directed ^rLT t^ ''" ^" r^'^ ^o^ -d Ws rifl^:^ were stationed, was to check tiie enemy's left and inter- 211 ^ T^'' ^^^"^ '^^ "^^' ~^"«^« advanced and capered tiie town. Captain Jenkins' column was «: posed to heavy fire from five guns which he attempted to take witij^c bayonet, altiiough covered by aoo oru,^ enemy s best troops, but tiie snow on tiie American side of Ae nver being deep, greatiy impeded his movements. Advancing as rapidly as the exhausted state of his men Il 148 THE WAR OF l8ia. from this cause, would admit, he ordered a charge but had not proceeded many paces, when his left arm was shattered by a grape shot ; but still undauntedly running on with his men, he almost immediately afterwards was depnved of the use of his right arm by a discharge of case shot. Still heroically disregarding the terrible pain which he suffered, he nobly ran on cheering his men to the assault until he fell exhausted by loss of blood. His company gallantiy continued the charge under Lieut McAuley, but the reserve of Militia not being able to keep up with them, they were compelled by the great superiority in numbers and the fire of the enemy to retire. «• ' The left column had. in the meantime, ftilly accom- plished its assigned task. Pushing on rapidly it gained the bank of the river, under the direct fire of the enemy's artillery and musketry, which were posted on an emin- «nce near the shore. The advance consisting of the forty men of the NewfoundUnd Regt. and some selected Mihtia under Lieut Ridge of the 8th went directly at the enemy, while Col. Macdonnell turned his right with the one hundred and twenty men of the 8th Regt and after a few discharges of the artillery took them with the bayonet and drove the Americans through the town, the majority escaping to the woods, while some fled across the Oswegatchie River to the fort, and others took shelter m the houses from which they kept up such a SI nl-l'^c'!?' !' ^^ necessary to dislodge them with ttie Bnush field pieces, which had been left stuck in the deep snow on landing, but were now brought up from ?„' ^ J"- ^* f *'• "*^^"«^ «*•"«* ** »»«^h ground on Ae bnnk of the Oswegatchie. opposite the fort, Lieut-Col. Macdonnell prepared to carry it by storm. THE WAR OF tSia, 149 of Militia under Caot E^i^l m u '^'*^*"^ ^"P*"^ ed into the fort W .1, *!!** ^^^ «*"*"'>y ™sh. inio uie lort, but the enemy did not await th- «k^i of an encounter, but escaoed hvthT '^^^^ selves and the British. '**" **"" ■n i. than ft. e.p.u" Z^Z^'^^Jl^ midnight raid but a bold asM«It in ,£„ . ^' "° rnr ?t"- ----- ^" - Relics «^ '"".""''^ *" """'y ^^^Z Regts., who were „o, excelled in bmvenr or ZS. ^hH rr,**' '°"«'" '"'^"«^ during iT«" ot n,s arms and, to a large extent, the use of the other,. 150 THE WAR OP 18IS. yet at the end of the war he had not been promoted to * higher rank. Brave men were plentiful in the British army. Forsytij for his hen^tealing laid on Brockville, where no opposition was encountered and no risk run, was made a lieutenant«unc«jr who commanded the fleet As the Ameri- cans had now control of Uke Ontario it was resolved. ^t^i t! "^'"i^" "^ ^P*"" ^'"'^ *"d then ta cross the Lake and reduce Fort George. York the inhabitants, situated just to the westward of the DoT Sdo^aL ' r"** • ^^'^•'•We quantity of ammu- nition and supplies was stored there, yet so great was ti^e neglect with which this important'^post w!s treatS ^ Sir George Pjevost, that it was almost without de- fences Two miles to the westwanl of the town was old f ^if~"^' *~*^ ^ ^^ P**"**' ^hich had been ^red to go to ruin. Half a mile east of this was Ae anTSn fi^f*^' **^°"** *' "'^ '^^ "*^^ Moon battery wh^h flowed through a deep «vi„e, was a picketed blockhouse a«d some intrenchments. Here the garriso^ -J^ stauon^. It consisted of about 60 men^oT^ ?^A^"L *^' "**'^y * ~"»P»"y o^the Newfound- tand R,^ and a few artillerymen. The 3rd York M|lit« about 300 strong was also stationed there. The cndre force available for the defence of the place did not «ceed 4ao men Very few guns were mounted on Z fortifications, and most of these were without trunnions and were set on wooden stocks with iron hoops. ?he re'^^" r^ ^^ "" ^.***"*^' -*»'^^ ^ - PO« for nepai« supplied a few six-pounders which were mounted on temporaor field works, but the heavy car. ronades inte„d«J for the new ship that was being built had been thrown carelessly in the mud, where they U^ iSa THK WAR OP iBia. 11 covered with ice and mow. Such wu the defencelew condition of the capital of Upper Canada in the spring of 1813. For the weakness of tiie garrison and for the incredible folly of building a new war ship at a pUce so poorly guarded. Sir George Prevost must be held n- sponsible, but Major General Sheaffe who commanded at York was also greatly to ulame. because he did not put the limited means at his disposal to a better use. Had the guns of the new ship been mounted in battery, as they should have been, York could have been held even against the overwhelming odds brought against it, and a long train of misfortune which followed it» capture would have been avoided. On the asth of April, the American expedition against York set sail from Sackett's Harbor. Com- modore Chauncey, who commanded tiie fleet, had 14 vessels, 13 of Uiem ships of war, mounting 84 guns, II of tiiem long 3.- ind a4-pounders, with crews num- bering in die aggregate, 700 men. The number of troops on board was. according to Commodore Chaun- cey's official report "about 1700" but it was probably- more tiian a.ooo for it embraced Forsyth's riflemen. Colonel McClure's volunteers, four regiments of U. S. infantry, tiie 6tii, istii, i6di and aistand a considerable body of artillery. This formidable force made its appearance before York on tiie early morning of tiie a7tii of April and by 7 o'clock tiic troops had com- menced to land. At tiiis time tiie 8tii Regt. was being transferred from Kingston to Fort George on tiie Niagara frontier, and two companies of tiiis gallant corps, numbering 180 rank and file, had halted at Yort the evening before tiie Americans arrived. This increased tiie number of Regulars available for tiie I THE WAR or i8ia. 153 n»ve been better if they had been absent, as thereby valuable lives would have been saved whLr ^ MfnfiMwi :- - u 1 Mvea, which were C^^. • *«P«'~ ••ttmp. to hold .g^n« o»«. whelming .umbers . place thet w» indefairible. I« «^rk, Ae« we« .bo«. 50 Indi™ unST M^ TTie Amerians efiiecnd a landing about half a mil. 40 of h« Ind«n. was the only force p^sent to oppose ftem at that point, the compuiy of Glen«™ K «&.t.y which h«l been oMe,^ .0 «^ ^t 1-vng ^ some miaake been led in anotheJXeS™ » that i, came Ute into action. By the time SrS^l pmr Company had r.ach«l ti,, point of aiS, Fwsyd,', men had been «info,c«| by a battalioTof m&nt^und^. Major King, and the i7v«ie.sTrt,^ Powrtui to be s«cc.«A.||y ^i,«. The main bo^ rfUie enemy under GenenU Pike was spe^My Wed tZ^ w •"°^"' *" "■"" *^ "--^unt.™^ ti,e ^^rr^"^*"? i" " *"'"'•«'• These consist.. ^ 1!^^ f^ V '1°' "i* ** ^'^ "'^ mention«l,. t^ V k **,?^*"*'r'"'"'* '*«8^ •"<* 'SO men of th; 31X1 York Militia. These with tiie Glenrarrv cJ™ l»ny aad ti,, Indians formed a body ST«Xn^' C;." tra^"*'" "i ** '"^of Americans n^ landed. Yet against such overwhelming odds thev^ ™mta.ned a long «,d obstimu. contest which A, n« term.mit«i until Uiey we,, foirly o«,pow.,«l by ZZ i I 1 ;i ii "54 THE WAR or l8l9. of numbers. More than once the enemy were driven back by their gallant charges, but the heavy losses they iiad sufiered at length made it necessaiy for them to re- tire to the Western Battery which was then engaged with the enemy's vessels. Here a stand was to have been nuule, but as the Americans approached, the magazine, the head of which had been carelessly left open, blew up, killing and wounding about 40 men, and so seriously damaging the battery that it became un- tenable. The cannon were immediately spiked and the work abandoned. The contest had by this time been maintained for about seven hours, and General Sheaffe became convinc- ed that his numbers and means of defence were in- adequate to the task of keeping possession of York against the vast superiority of force brought against it The troops were withdrawn towards the town and were finally ordered to retreat on the road to Kingston, the new ship on the stocks and the naval stores were de- stroyed, and the powder magazine in the battery near the barraclcs was blown up. This last act proved ex- tremely disastrous to the Americans. They had cau- tiously approached the battery and Lieut Riddle had been sent forward to reconnoitre, and ascertain the strength of the garrison, while their main body remain- ed halted, when the magazine blew up with a prodigious shock and with dreadful effect It is said to have con- tained 500 barrels of gunpowder, and an immense quantity of shot and shell, and the latter with the stone and timber from the building were scattered in every direction over a space of several hundred yards. Fifty-two of the Americans were instantly killed, and 180 others were wounded, many of them mortally. The ) I TH« WAR OP i8ia. iss m"i-7«,^r ^'^ r ..^risi- Wm. He wu removal , * ""^ •"'' '"•*>^ within tte Zr °"* "^ *' "^l* •»« "i« laana, tha Qark of tha Hovsa of Assembly, who had attached himself to the 8th Regt as a volunteer. In this act, as well as by the manner of his death, he well illustrated the spirit of the Canadian people. General SheafliB with the remnant of his Regulars, now reduced to rSo men, including 34 wounded, crosa- ed the Don and retreated to Kingtton whidi was reach> ed in safiety. When a few miles from York the light company of the 8th Regt. was met with on its way to Fort George. It retired with General Sheafle's little force and covered its retreat, which was effected without molestation. The Americans lost at York in killed and wounded, a86, of which 66 were killed on shore and 17 killed or wounded in the fleet The prisoners taken by them were paroled, and, as the Duke of Gloucester was unseaworthy without large repairs, the value of the spoil taken was very slight It was here that they com- mitted an act of vandalism that brought upon the American people at a later day severe retribution. They set fire to the Parliament buildings and these with their contents were entirely consumed. These build-i^ ings consisted of two handsome halls with convenient offices for the accommodation of the Legislature and Courts of Justice. The library and all the papers and records belonging to these institutions were consumed at the same time. The church was robbed and even the town library pillaged. "Commodore Chauncey," says Colonel John Clarke in his Memoirs, "was so ashamed of this last transaction, that he endeavored to collect the books belonging to the town and Legislative I I Is THf WAK or iSia. tbemibut h«it* V .„y wtr, complete. Much private proptrty wm plundered end .evenH hou.ee leftlrT JJM. of „.in.|. ThI. I. how the AmericT ^J^ the terme of the cepltuUtion. by which the ,»^JS Private property end of the^eper. belon^nTto i" OM behl tlu BritMi In Quud. during th« wu. and it *» on. eh.t might !»» bMn p«v«„S. IfT;* wJi not worth holding, d«„ wm no n*-.^.. for ZZ ^ *.«, but if ItwM worth holSCh A^K« ^P~l»rdd«,«.. If G.n«.l ShJft, inC^^ *»POW« »ix^nd«,, with which h. Mtmti th. 5««^. I»d pbMd .pon th«n th. gun. of th. n«r I. ^ **^«« '»l»««bl.di«Mc..nd«Und. tag»uidh««yh.v,h«,dfc««l. Th^gunlS^. l^oJa^ »4-P0««l.r, right long ,8, four rf.o« «. "dioAort3^p«.nd«. With«d..b«t«y„,h.^ «*. "«««« of th. h.rt»,, YoA ««Jd tiv. C *^ G«iM.l Sh«ft. who h«l b*n niBl. . buo^ w« not OfofM uodMT opportunl^ rf mi«nM.gi„; AonultaoraiW™ of Upp.r Ouud., but ^^TSf Pnmoo. b)r Hi^r Gtimtl O. Rottmbvig. if i i i I i ill CHAPTER X. York abandoiwd bjr the Anericww.— Thdr troops carried to the Niagva frontier.— Small British force on this Une.— Fort George and iU defences.— llie American attack covered by the fire of their Vessels.— Poor thousand men landed.— Brave resistance of the Regiihurs and Militia.- Fort George tound to be untenable.— The British retire to Beaver Dam.— The expedition anainst Sackett's Harbor.— The opportunitjr of the first day ost— The British land and attack the place.— FUght of the American Militia— A retreat ordered when the Americans were beaten.— An army humiliated by iU Chief. As the Americans had no intention of holding York, their expedition to that place can only be regarded in the light of a raid for the destruction of propcrQr. They now proceeded to prepare for the main object of the Campaign, the occupation of the Niagara frontier. Dearborn and Chauncey were deuined in York by ad- verse winds and bad weather until the eighth of May,. when they crossed the Lake and encamped their troops at Four Mile Creek to the eastward of Fort Niagara. More troops and supplies were hurried forward fron* Sackett's Harbor, and by the a6th of May. the day be- fore the attack, there were about 6,000 American soldiers available for an attack on Fort George, in addition to the seamen of the fleet. These consisted of three brigades of in&ntry under Generals Boyd, Wind- er and Chandler, besides riflemen and artillery. There was also the garrison of Fort Niagara under General Morgan Lewis. There was besides, a reserve formed of the marines and seamen of the fleet and Macombs' THE WAR OP l8ia. 159 regiment of artillery. A sufficient number of boats had been built to embark the whole force at once. Against these extensive preparations for the conquest of Canada, the British had very litUe to show in the way of opposition. The whole British force on the Niagara frontier was about 1,800 Regulars and 600 Militia. The former consisted of Uic 49tii Regt. and the Royal Artillery. The Militia were from tiie counties of Norfolk, Lincoln and York. These troops were under the command of Brigadier General John Vincent, who had succeeded General Sheaflfe. At Fort George, the point of attack, were eight companies of tiie49tii, five companies of the Stii, three companies of tiie Glengarry an two of the Newfoundland Regts., a few additional gunners from tiie 41st Regt., and 30 of tiie Royal Artillery witii two three, and five six- pounders and a five and a half inch howitzer. The whole numbered less than 1,000, rank and file of Regulars. There were also at Fort George 350 Militia and 50 Indians. Nor did tiie character of tiie defences make amends for the inadequacy of the force. Four of the 24-pounders captured from Hull had been mounted on Fort George, but that work was so badly- situated that it did not command the whole of the Lake shore within the range of its cannon, as it should have, done. A fifth a4-pounder was mounted en barbette on^ a battery near tiie light-house, half a mile to tiie nortir of Newaric A nine-pounder was also similarly mounted near One Mile Creek to tiie westward of Newark, the point where the Americans landed. On tiie morning of tiie 27tii all tiie troops of tiie enemy witii tiieir artillery, were embarked in tiie numer- ous boats and in the armed vessels, and before 4 o'clock i6o THE WAR OF l8ia. I the whole flotilla moved towards the mouth of the Niagara River. The morning was calm and foggy, a circumstance which proved of great advantage to the invaders, as it prevented the cannon of Fort George from playing upon them as they took their stations. As the sun rose, the fog cleared away and disclosed the enemy in position for the attack. The schooners Julia and Growler were placed at the mouth of the Niagara River to silence the 34-pounder mounted en barbette near the light-house. Each of these vessels carried a long 33-pounder and a long 12-pounder, so that each was double the force of the battery. The Ontario, which also mounted a long aa-pcunder and a long la- pounder, took up a position north of the light-house so »a to enfilade the same battery and cross the fire of the other two. The a4-pounder, which was manned by Militia artillery, had to be spiked and abandoned after the cannonade had lasted about 15 minutes. Mr. James, in his Military Occurrences expresses the opin- ion that this gun should have sunk one or two of the enemy's schooners and hints that those who manned it did not do their duty. But it must be remembered that the a4.pounder, besides the direct attack by the three long aa-pounders and three long la-pounders on the schooners, was commanded by the guns of Fort Niagara, and exposed to deadly discharges of grape irom that quarter. There is no doubt that the gun was worked as long as possible by the Militia who manned it. The schooners Tompkins and Conquest were station- ed near One Mile Creek so as to command the nine- pounder mounted there, which was also manned by Militia artillery. These vessels each carried a long THE WAR OF idn. I6l ja-pounder, a long la-pounder and four long six- pounders. The point of landing for most of the troops was near this battery, and, for the purpose of covering this movement, the Hamilton, Asp and Scourge took stations as close to the shore as the depth of the water would allow. These vessels carried between them two long 3a-pounders, two long a4-poundere, eight long six-pounders, and eight la-pounder carronades. The 5hip Madison, carrying 24 3a-pounder carronades, brig Oneida, with 16 a4-pounder carronades, and schooner Lady of the Lake with a long nine, were also placed so as to sweep the shore and do as much damage as possible to the British. With such powerful protection and such an immense superiority in numbers the Amencans could well afford to be cool and confident in their movements. The Americans had judidously chosen a landing place which put the town of Newark between them and Fort George, and thereby effectually prevented the fire of the latter from reaching them. General Dearborn the American Commander, on this occasion as at York, took good care not to expose his valuable person to in- jury, but allowed his Adjutant General, Colonel Win- field Scott, to lead the attack. The force under Scott's immediate command, numbered, accoitling to American authority, 500, comprising the and U. S. Artillery act- ing as infiintry, Forsyth's riflemen and detachments from in&ntry regiments. They wer« supported by General Lewis s division with Porter's command of light artillery. These were followed by the brigades of Generals Boyd, Winder and Chandler. Practically these troops all landed about the same time. The level plateau to the north of Newaric was so 1 6a THE WAR OF l8l3. Ill thoroughly swept by the fire from the American vessels that it was almost impossible for troops to &ce it, and the enemy, therefore, had little difficulty in reaching the shore which was entirely bare of British soldiers. The place of Unding was at a point about half a mile to the westward of the light-house, and not &r from a ravine where the British advance, composed of about 200 rank and file of the Glengarry and Newfoundland Regts. under Captain Winter, and 40 Indians under Norton, was stationed. This detachment inflicted some loss on Scott's men as they approached, and delayed the landing for a short time by their fire, but such a shower of grape was turned upon them from the vessels that they were obliged to &11 back upon the left column, which was stationed in anoUier ravine about a quarter of a mile in thdr rear. This column was com- posed of 320 rank and file of the 8th Regt and 160 Militia, with three light field pieces manned by a few men of the Royal Artillery and 41st Regt. It was commanded by Colonel Myers, the acting Quarter Master General. The 9-pound«r mounted near the pUux of landing had by this time been eflhctually silenced by the killing or wounding of all the Militia artillery who manned it, so that General Boyd's bri- gade was able to reach the shore almost wiAout ojqmi- tion. The brigades of Winder and Chandler followed in quick succession. When the enemy to the number of about four thou- sand had landed, they advanced in three solid columns, their right covered by a large body of riflemen, and their left and front by the fire of the shipping and the guns of Fort Niagara. On the plateau they encountered the little detachment of Colonel Myers, which united to THE WAR OP l8ia. 163 6*0 «nri„f fi.'^'xr P*'^' """^-^ •bout was fierce and illustrated the biaveiy of the British troops and Canadian militia in thT mos? JriWn^ manner. Despite the dreadful losses thTs^ff^'"^ 5«pe and round shot from the envy's v^ls^^v drove back the Americans seve«l tiZMT^; ^/, ground wher. compelled to do so bv th^thil'^c ^^^r rV--''-'-^ "-^-"*e?- The Bnt«h force lost about two^hin^s its streo«h Of ^^iS^ r'-Oed.mong the Militia amoi^.^ t «S out of the 160 engaged. Who will say that the rfo™ w« not equal where the losses we« «, fai^ h^J^'? The Canadian Militia at Newarit. as in all U.e taW^of *e war. emutoted the steadiness of the dbZZ^ Regular., and showed themselves worUiy of S«« fch.« who setttad the wilderness of Upper ^^ ^.^^S «■" T"""""* *• right «,lumn! 400 ^k'^-fiie^siru-te:^""'?^ MHiUa advance, to the supp^« of^left^ ^c^ ^ ret«at, which had now become necessa.^ "^SS aLT*; ?*"£ ** '«><*"«■'«» of furth.7p„tongr' the contest, ordered his men to retire tn ,1,- iTS- about the same disttnce fi™„ Fort George. Here. l! 164 THB WAR OF l8l3. while awaiting the advance of the enemy, it was learned that an American force had been sent to turn the right flank of the British and cut off their retreat to Buriing- ton Heights. As Fort George was untenable, not a moment was to be lost Orders were sent to its small garrison of 50 of the 49th Regt and 80 Militia to evacuate it, after blowing up its magazines and spiking its guns. Messengers were also dispatched in haste to Lieut-Colonel Bisshopp, who commanded at Fort Erie, and to Major Ormsby at Chippewa directing them to evacuate their posts immediately and march to the Beaver Dam, sixteen miles from Fort George. General Vincent now retired with his sadly reduced army to Beaver Dam, which was reached about eight o'clock the same evening. There he was joined at a later hour by all the detachments from Chippewa to Fort Erie under Lieut-Colonel Bisshopp, as well as by the light, and one battalion company of the 8th and a few sailors under Capt Barclay, who had been escorted from Twenty Mile Creek by Captain Merritt of the Niagara Dragoons. The contest at Newark lasted from three to four hours, and reflected as much credit on the British and Canadian troops engaged in it as it was possible to obtain in a battle that was lost The Regulars had 5a killed out- "^ht and 306 wounded or missing, a total of 358. The Militia lost upwards of 100 in killed and wounded, al- though not more than two-thirds of the 350 on the field were closely engaged. Lossing who is as stupid as he is mendacious, after correctly stating the number of the Militia at Newark at 350, tells his readers four pages &rtheron, that 507 of the Militia were made prisoners. None of the unwounded Militia were made prisoners. TH« WAK or i8ia. ««S m^ IS**""'' i'T''"'" l^""" uton w«, . few from Foit George unul it wm too Ute. Gener.1 Deer- ^uomn. which u more then double the ie.1 nuiiil»r •"« r^ ■•*•• •'^• ■*"■• ^ New.rt.Tu :S^ were engaged in »i.,ti„g m the hm hou.., on the N.^« frontier, end in p.„,i„g ^, 4.,, ^, .^*« Mt., M „ „ ,u,te pouibie th« M n»ny « 507 mTm »«e obtrined in thi. w.y. The A«,L„,*^"2rr own lo».,.,New.rtc .. 40 ldll«i ,„d .„ ,o™iS ^onendthe protection they «ceiv«i fro„ u,eirfl«, The remit of the capture of Fort George, «» d„ o^^uon by the America, of the whTe Zj^ fronoer. Th« remit wouid not have been .ttainrfW autumn. H^ Sir George Prevoet been an active f^* 'h " ■-« ««"h«« *!» 'OS. waa pro^^ rf ArfiiT "•^"' "^ «» -W^" obtain the conL^ rf Ae iaite aa K»n aa navigation opened. But of Ae Mtir/r"^'*™" '" *« rrinibrcement ^Z Bnt«h flee , neither was completed when the lalce h«! destroyed when Yorlc was talten. The other which ws named the Wolfe, was n« ready for TrtL u^^ the end of May, .ia,ough Sir J^yZ.^JLt »mm.„d the British iieet on like Ontari; hS Z« Kingston as early as the .od, of ti»t monti^. ThU d" % was fcta to Newark «,d Fort G«,rg.. A Wril.„^ commande,.inf^' ^'"°' "'"'"* ""' •«■> «h.ng«l p«mi«ienUy loa A. control of Lake Ontario. As it ™. Ae cowardly Militia who ™n away as to as Aeir Bntuh. It IS some consolation to know that while Ae c^duct ,rf Ae Con,jnandeM„.hief was sL^d^lo^ l*«t of Ae troops, office, and men, was admimble. T^e m«, of the ,ooA and ,o»A Regts.. who hiS a«er been under (ire before, behaved like v«te,««: i Ift TMS WAS OP i8ia. TIm frauditr otmputf «f dw leoili, which M ch» advance, loat 39 meat tha ftmr companiaa of dia iCHdi angagad loat 91 man, dM tm oompaniaa of dM idi loat 81 and tfia Glanfany oonpaay a6. The Bridah add- iara ware not dalbatad at Sackett'a Harbor { thejr wara simpljr lad badi from a vidoriotta field bf an inoompat- ant or cowardly general. It CHAPTER XI. e^oanl ViocMt'i Arajf at Bnrlingtoo H«l»hU,-Wtad«- udOhuidtor adnne* to Stomjr Cr.ek-LJ«,t. Ool. Hanwyt GallMit BaterpriM --B«ttl.ofStoo.yCreek.-Drfa.t of th« A».ric«» and ciSure of both their g«ierata.-FUght of th« American, to Forty Mile Craek.-Driveii from thdr Canp there by Sir Jamee Yeo*« Fleet •-Captare ofthebatfage of the American Army—Thw retire in* bMto to Fort Geot«e.-Sir James Yeoi activity—CoU BoerMler trlee to snrpriae a BriUsh port at Beaver Oamfc-Capture of hb •nUre force.-General Dearborn removed from command.-The Americans eaU in the aid of the Indians—SaecessM Enterprises •fiUnst SchkMser at Black Roch.>American mid oa Yorii. Jcap. tore of two American armed sloops at Isle-Aux-Noix.— llturmy's •uccessfid enterprise against Plattobuiv •ad Saranac—The fleeto on Lake Ontario.-Stiperior ferae of the Americans—Two Ameri. T J?'*TV'*'''****'"^**' <»P»«^ »»o otherfc-Hle ship disaUed.~6ir George Prevost's deaonstration.-Much sickness in both camps. It is now time to return to General Vincent'e army which we left enoemped at Beaver Dam, the night after the capture of Fort George. With the detachments from Fort Erie and Chippewa and the two companies of the 8th RtgL, which had arrived from Twenty Mile <:reek, the number of Regulars present was t.foo tank and file. On the following day, the aSth, the retreat was continued to Forty Mile Creek and from diere, the Mme evening, General Vincent wrote his official recount of the battle. The Militia had been mustered at Beaver Dams and given their choice to remain behind or follow the army. All whose business did not impei^ *Mvely require their prtscnee at home adopted the inner I i i I |i 174 THE WAR OP l8ia. It I course. On the 29th the army encamped at Burlington Heights. A rumor now reached General Dearborn at Fort George that Ptx)ctor was marching from Maiden with his army to reinforce Vincent. It seemed to the American general necessary that the latter's force should be destroyed or captured before this junction took place. General Winder, a Baltimore lawyer, who, although without military experience had been appointed to high command for political reasons, was anxious to undertake this duty, and was accordingly sent in pursuit of Vincent with his brigade of in&ntiy^ Bum's dragoons and Archer's and Towson's artillery He advanced as for as Twenty liSt'ile Creek where he was informed of the position of the British army, and halting there he sent back to Dearborn for reinforce* ments. He was joined on the fifth day of June by General Chandler with his brigade, and the latter being the senior o£Bcer took the chief command. Chandler was aaotlwr general who had been appointed for politi- cal reasons and who had never seen any previous ser- vice. The wkatt force then advanced to Forty Mile Cfleek fnm wHich diey drove away a fiew Niagara Dragoons under Captain Merritt. From this point dMy moved to SKmey Credt where they were within seven miles of Vincent's camp at the head of Burling- ton Bay. The American army had been very demonstrative in its advance, and detachments of it had indulged in the comparatively safie amusement of chasing such British IHckets as they encountered on their march. Their countrymen who have written histories of the war, describe in glowing terms how two pickets, which THE WAR OF l8ia. 17$ possibly aggregated as many as ao men, were driven m one after the other, and how "the victo« pushed on » pursuit until they saw Vincent's camp." -Then," we a^ told, -they wheeledandmadetheirwayldsu^J^bl^k to rt^'^.r'-" Thei^marlcablechaLteT^aTL^ttS which followed before the rising of anotner sun li made patnouc American writers vtry reticent in regard to the numbers of the American troops encamoed at Stonc^Creek. Lossing, who from lon"^ pSlia* sutes their numbers at ,,300. Now it is admitt^ thai there were 250 dragoons and there were nine guns fully manned by artillery while some of the latter wSe acting as light infantry. It is therefore safe to say that the 350 strong. Deducting the cavalry and artillery from Lossing s ,.300 would leave but 700 for the strength of the two brigades of infantry. These two brigades com- could have numbered only 100 men each. It is nol necessaiy to enUrge on the absurdity of such a state- ment. The two brigades must have numbered at least 3,000 men, in addition to the cavalry and artillery Wheri the presence of the enemy at Stoney Creek became known, Lieut. Col. Harvey, the Deputy Adju- tont General went out with the light companies of the 8th and 49th Regiments to reconnoitre their position. He reported that their camp guards were few and negli- gent; their line of encampment long and broken; their artillery feebly supported and several of their corps. whl^ "^^'^ '" *' '**'■ '° '^ '" "'P*"'"^ » blow which rmght be rapidly and vigorously struck at the tront He therefore advised a night attack on the II ; t mi *76 THE WAR OP l8ia. •enemy's camp and his advice was adopted. Half an liour before midnight Genenrf Vincent aaoved out of his camp with the force selected for this daring enterprise. It consisted of the 49th Regt. and ive companies of die 8th, numbering in all 704 rank and file. The nig^t was extremely dark, so that the British wete able to 4ipproach without being discovered, and at 2 o'clock in the morning with fixed bayonets they rushed into the centre of the American camp. Lieut. Colonel Harvey led the advance but General Vincent also engaged in the charge in person. The American centre was in- stantly broken and Major Plenderleath, at the head of 40 men of the 49th, fell upon the artillery and fa^ronet- «d tlw men at the guns. The American left coaqpoaed of the sth, 1 6th, and 23rd R^rts. of U. S. Infimtry was assailed by one-half of the five companies of dw 8th under Major Ogilvie and utterly routed and driven firom the field. This flank attack decided the contest. The remainder of die 8th joined in the main assault on the enemy's centre which became ctmi^etely demoralized and fled. General Winder was captured by Sergeant William Fraser of the 49^1, and General Chandler was also taken a few minutes later under one of the guns, where he had fiillen in the struggle. Four guns were captured, three iron six-pounders and a brass sy4 inch howitzer, but, as there were not enough hoi-ses taken to draw them, two of the 6-pounders were spiktid and left behind. The enemy had been completely defeated and scatter- ed, but daylight was now approaching and it was not -deemed prudent to let the Americans know how small a force had effected their discomfiture. The Briti^ ther^ore mardied back to their camp taking with them THE WAR OF l8ia. 177 ^tttenantand 116 non-commissioned officen and pri- i«tes. Besides these living trophies of dieir valor they Zinir ^"^ **""°" ""'*** **^'" **'"*««» •"«« nine -telleiy horses to draw them. In addition to the pnsoneis taken the Americans lost 17 killed and 18 ZTt^' ?* ^"^^ '°^ *"°""*«* ^ -3 killed. ,36 J^lf !."'»ii"r"^- ^*J^^ Ogilvie and Major W»der eath, ^ of whom took a conspicuous part in this bnlliant aflFair, were severely wounded. The defeat of the Americans at Stoney Creek and the cap^re of both their genesis was 1 of the mos! r^rkable achievements of the war. Coming as it did after three severe reverses, all due to the neglect and inomipetency of the Governor Geneml, it showed that the soWiers of the army were capable of succeeding in *ny enterprise, however daring, if properly led. It was a blow struck at a truculent and boastful enemy at the moment of his imagined triumph and the shock of it deranged and demoralized the whole American plan of mr"^* , "^^ ^-^ Col. Harvey, GenenU VinLt, in h» official report, justly gave the credit of suggesting W «»"*"' J^P^o^' »"d making the anan^ente which resulted m such a sigmil success. But he was a^ aWe to ^ with entire truth, "that every officer and individual seemed anxious to rival e«:h other m his efforts to support the honor of his Majesty's annies; and to maintain the high character of British titiops. The i^nerican troops were so much demoralized by the result of the battle of Sloney Craek that they had cowed to be an annyand had become a mere mob. When It became light enough for them to we that the h ! Ii ! (5: M 178 THE WAR OP 181 a. British had departed, they returned to their camp but only to destroy the larger part of their stores. They then fled to Forty Mile Creek with such haste that they left their dead unburied and their severely wounded uncared for. Fortunately for the British the fears of the enemy pre- vented the work of destruction from being completed, and when they occupied the deserted American camp at 1 1 o'clock the same forenoon, they found an abundant supply of stores and ammunition to relieve their wants. At Forty Mile Creek the retreating Americans were joined by Colonel James Miller with 400 men of the 6th and 15th Regts. of infantry from Fort George. In a letter written to his wife he aptiy describes their terri- fied condition. "I can assure you/' said he "1 can scarce believe that you would have been more glad to see me than that army was." The arrival of this reinforcement seems to have put sufiicient courage in the retreating force to induce them to halt, and they encamped on a level plateau at Forty Mile Creek, witii one flank resting on the lake and the other on the creek which skirts the base of tiie "Mountain." On the following afternoon they were joined by Generals Lewis and Boyd and the former assumed the command. After making due allowance for the losses suffered at Stoney Creek and the reinforcements which had arrived under Colonel Miller, it is safe to say that tiie Ameri- can army then encamped at Forty Mile Creek must have numbered at least 3,700 men. Unfortunately for them they had lost what alone makes an army efficient, their moral power. They had no longer any confi- dence in the officers who commanded them or in them- selves. Scarcely had they settied themselves comfort- ably in their new camp when an unexpected and much ! i THE WAR OP l8ia. 179 dreaded enemy appeared. At 6 o'clock on the evening- of the 7th of June the white saila of vessels wef« seen fcr out on the lake, and as they approached nearer, it was observed by their rig and flag that they were war vessels, and that they were British. It was the fleet of Sir James Yeo. This vigilant and active commander had, by the ad- dition of tiie Wolfe to his fleet, acquired what Chauncey deemed so great a superiority Uiat tiie American com- modore fled to Sackett's harbor and remained tiiere until tiie aist of July, when his new ship the Pike was ready for sea. From tiiis incident tiie reader will be able to judge of tiie amount of aid tiie invading American army would have received from Commodore Chauncey had tiie Wolfe been on tiie lake at tiie beginning of navi- gation, and had the other new ship destroyed at York, which was of equal force witii tiie Wolfe, been built at Kingston. On tiie 3rd of June, Sir James Yeo left tiiat port witii 300 men of tiie 8tii Regt, and supplies for General Vincent's army. Having discovered the American camp at Forty Mile Creek, early on tiie morning of the 8th, although it was too calm for his heavier vessels to approach, he had two of his schooners, the Beresford and Sidney Smith towed in to* attack tiie enemy. The long guns of tiiese vessels, which consisted of one 34, two la's and a ^-pounder were replied to by four American cannon with red hot shot Sir James sent in a summons demanding the surrender of the American army, but General Lewis seems to have been of the opinion that such a proceed- ing was unnecessary so long as his men possessed the ability to run away. At 10 o'clock, tiie same morning, this invading army was in full retreat to Fort George. I 180 THl WAR OF I8ia. Thdr ba^gi^Md camp equipug* wm tmbtrktd in 19 fe«^*nd *• m«n in dimgi of them •tiwipt^l to proc^id towwtl. th« Niiigwi rivi^, but the/\rJt ^by«Britiri.«*oonT.nd .a of tlJTptu^ The other seven which w«* «,ho« .ml .bendoilS^ toeir crews, also became a prize to the British. The American army fled in «kA ha«e that when Lieut- Colond Bisshopp's advance party entered their deserted camp, he found there 500 standing tents. 140 barrels of fr/' r "^"'.°' •""'' • considereble Amount rf other stores and seventy prisoners. The American •rmy, in inflight to Fort George, lost heavily by Z sertions and many prisoners were taken by the Militia and IndUns. who hovered on its rear. It ^ esHmated by American writers at the time that folly 1,000 men ILTpk J? *•""*»«*"»•«• expedition under Winder and Chandler. Its result was to compel General Dear- born to abandon the entire Niagara frontier except iTi^*? •"? concentrete his fbrees there where he remained virtually in a state of siege. ifSTrll??* "^^J^' ** Americans fled fixHn Forty Mile Creek, Lieut-Col. Bisshopp reached there with the l; r.T"^ "^ t* ^»*^ ^•^ •"** » b.«*«o» com. mrlt^J^'t T!? '*'"^««««« of the 8th which sif Jamee Yeo brought him relMd his strength to near- J^!^rV^I^^ A^eheheld the desert«l camp of the Ameriean^ until joined by the main body. I„ n«w M interoepting and capturing all army sup- ^^ P*"' ^ ***• ^"•^*w. « Port 0«,rg.. On the i;^ h« saptured two schoonw, and a number of boats M^'tll**;!^ ^^^•P''^ «to^~ and «ipp,ie., at MMi^ Mile Creek, east of the Niagara River. On TU WAS or i8i(. ,g| Purp-., Witt . fc^^d^JLt ^?' *" *" con^«fK **«'»'*»T»«««lWl which hmd. arrived and added to ?i. .' T ^^ ««»ment, now de«d A«ir t^ emharassments ofthebewH- de«d Americans. Fit^gibbon had be«, wanted oHil Itt TMI WAH OP iSta, Intended attMk by Mrs. Uuim Seoord, a resident of Queenstown* who had overheard some dt the Ameri- can soldiers speaking of it. ' Mrs. Seeord walked from Queenstown to Beaver Dams, making a long circuit through the woods to avoid the American guards, and warned Fitzgibbon of the impending danger. Fits- gibbon, with an audacity akin to genius, sent in a sum- mons to Boerstler denuuiding the immediate surrender of his force, in the name of Major De Haren of the Canadian Regiment Boerstler, whose powerful lungs, in the affidr at Frenchman's Creek the previous autumn, were, according to American accounts, so terrifying to the British, now seems to have \ their heels. The blockhoJ^ tarrKfa .„d navy y«d, .fa, one large X^TZl ana, before the work was completed, the AmeriJ^I band of Indians, had returned In force. tkI n -2 t in the midst of their work were a,^ ^.T dn«n from the woods in which they had posted them! selves without a greuer loss being sustainSttrnl^h a "Ctory would h.« been woTth, ft ws JL!!!S p™den. «> ,«re.t «, the bo«s, and 'the bS,!^ expedition had been fully accompliriied. Eight can! «o« wMe «ptu,«l, of which four were destro^ Td *«y. -77 muskets, a q„uMty of ammunition, faj ;'i 186 iHZ WAR OP 1 81 2. it i,i !, I, r I, I '' li il barrels of salt, 46 barrels of whiskey and a quanti^ of flour, blankets and clothing with seven large batteaux and one large scow, were taken to the Canadian side. The British loss was, however, severe and amounted to 13 killed, 35 wounded and six missing. The latter were six privates who were wounded and had to be left behind, along with Capt Saunders of the 41st. The Americans put down their losses at three killed and five wounded, which may be correct, as the greater part of the British loss was sustained after they had embarked* the American Militia, who had i^own such alacri^ in running away, having then found sufficient courage to enable them to fire on a retiring enemy. Among the wounded was Lieut-Col. Bisshopp the leader of the expedition. He died five days later at Lundy's Lane. Bisshopp was a gallant young man and his loss was a severe one to the army, but in the BIkck Rock expedition his contempt for the enemy, who were only capable of firing at the British soldiers from ambuscades, seems to have made him careless and in* duced him to keep his men ashore too long. In this contest the Americans were indebted to their savage allies, the Indians, for any partial success they achieved in inflicting loss upon the British. The strengthening of Chauncey's fleet on Lake Ontario by the completion of the Pike, made the Com- modore anxious to distinguish himself by^some notable enterprise. The British had a depot of stores and pro- visions at Burlington Heights, which was guarded by 150 men of the 104th Regt. under Major Maule. It was thought a sudden attack on this post might succeed, and accordingly on the 28th of July, Chauncey with his fleet of fourteen vessels set sail from Fort Niagara for THE WAR OF l8ia. 187 the head of Lake Ontario H*. u,a ^ ulara under Colonel Winfi.M c T ^"^ ^oo Reg- who canned ^^st^^^f:''^^^^^^^ * ^"T respectable force ^ TJ *" """^'^ "«dc ^d been Sed 71^, ^2^^ ?''"' "^^^^ ordered Lieut -Colonel BaSfr. u "*"*=*"»' *"«« detachment of the Glen^rlt^' "^^^ commanded a With his whole ^LZZZ^Tm^' :'''''' *° "*-^ arrived when Chaun^ra^d 11 "^'* "«»«dnot Bay. butthepros^^fh* ^"^ ^°' '° Burlington to P-entan^T^Tptt ;rro:^t^^ visions. Five liundrLi i • " *' ''«P<« of Pro- <*e«per rate b. , raid unon v„T f v' ** "O" « a ^ of .^p,7«, ::;?r .. ™*'jaSii "^ '"""'^ Col. Scott landed hfa .^ !?* "^ ^°* ""boran* Militia «ra stii, bo"„dT^K •*°"' "PP"'"™, «i d,e, oj»™«l.l,e gaol and "fberat^'lff"''- Scott's pa«y *~ soldi«s confi„«, fo, Wony '^?S"'!' '"'"*"f the hospitals and paro|«i thT^' ^f *«» "^t <» no. be removed. SZ „ * T" **" "'"' ""W of *. inhaWtants^Ts^"!"? *"'""'<''«■»« flour, the same beiivi „„" . ' Mntents, chiefly •hey again Z^Z^^^^^^'^-'^^-'^^ Don in se«ch of public 3^'*"? .T*^ boats up d,!. in .his, Aty se. fi„ to Ae 1^,'^ 'T'^ <««PPoi„«d, «o«.hous.on GibralrplTn^'!"™* ""-"ya^land «5h. on U.e snd ^A.^''^,Tf'''^^''-^^' --on^pHson^^— --PU^of^^. i88 THE WAR OF iSlS. 1 The principal inhabitants of the town knowing that neither their non-belligerent character nor the protection of a parole would save them from insult, had wisely retired when the enemy appeared. The amount of plunder obtained at York was scarcely greater than the amount of glory won. It was little to the credit of the Americans that, having fully 800 men available for an attack on Major Maule's weak detachment, they should have abandoned their attempt against him without a shot being fired and gone off on a stealing expedition to York. In singular contrast to the timid conduct of Chauncey and Scott on this occasion, was the bold enterprise of Colonel Murray the same week on Lake Champlain. The Americans held command of this lake when the war commenced, and were thus enabled to transport their men and stores to the very frontier of Canada, with- out any possibili^ of the British hindering their move- ments. In the spring of 1813 they had on the lake two armed sloops, the Growler and Eagle, each mounting 1 1 guns, and six galleys mounting one gun each. The British had a fortified post at Isle-Aux-Noix on the Richelieu River, 13 miles from the boundary line, which was garrisoned by detachments of the 13th and looth Regts. under the command of Major George Tay- lor of the latter corps. There were also three gun-boats at Isle Aux-Noix, which had been built at Quebec and transported overland to the Richelieu. Early on the morning of June 3rd, the Growler and Eagle were seen in the river near Isle-Aux-Noix. Major Taylor at once got his three gun-boats ready, manned them with Can- adians and an artilleryman for each vessel, and sent them against the enemy, while he set out with a small IHE WAR OF I8u. 189 detachment of ReguUra in boats Th. . m- landed on both side, of the^, JS , "'•" "^ *ey kept up a galling fi„"„ Z ""','""' '» <»nks conflict Which Sd about^,^? * '"^~- After . struck by a .4-pou7d'h« "hS^ ''°""^*« ^'^ «» ashore so that she did n« ^nk""?" '"^ ™" <«' Smith who commanded tSrv^b "T"""' ^'''"•'' The American loss was one mS^^I,^ '""endered. ed. The British lost threl m.„ !"" 'S^o-nd- fi«e of the officfa «u™^ h" ,*''""''«'' J"" ''" *« Taylor, tossing hasT^n, 5 ''*' "^' "^ Major of die British 4s r„*y^P^^'""'o«y, "The lis The fact was that th,u^^E^*"y " '««« ■«>••' *e British side was 0^,^^°'^'? "^S^ "^ the tooth Reg, The a ',??1 Tl *«"• ^ng of handsome achievement .ThL^ t^r"'', "" " carried between them two cSian ^T'/" **^ long 6-pounders and 10 i8-bo,Z- '^-Pounders, la unit«. ctews numbetei ,',tC °""'^"- ■^'■«"- h*., and rendered p^n^***.«««"'^"cy «» *. against the Americ.nCntiw.^l't""' •"'^"'« of p^visions hadZn »Aen"'7,Jr t'«' ""»'» •he use of the army of iT^^ "^ T^ """' <*"■ *e same day that^Scott^d Ch.^ ^ ^""*^'"^' York, Colonel J. Murmv landft • u "^ ""P*'™' «« Plattsburg. He haS^i t" "^ *"* * »"'«* fo.ce at .3.h, ,00* and ,^ At^"" ^ """ """ fil« of th. a. Isle-Aux-Noix "rb^T^e"^"",.^' had emharkrf •h^e gun-boats and a nutb^t)" ZlT'-^ :90 "!« WAR OP lUtZ. ; Militia force at Plattsburg, numbering according to some accounts, 400 men, and according toothers 1,500, under General Mooers, ran away the insUnt the British landed, without firing a shot Murray at once destroy- ed the enemy's arsenal and block-house, commissary buildings and stores at Plattsburg, and also the extens- ive barracks at Saranac, capable of containing 4,000 troops. The troops re-embarked next day carrying off with them a large quantity of naval stores and shot, and equipment for batteaux. From Plattsburg, Murray went to Swanton on Missisquoi Bay where the bar- racks and stores and a number of batteaux were destroyed. A detachment was alto sent to Champlain town where the barracks and block-houses were burnt Capt Everanfi of the Wasp, then lying at Quebec, who had volunteei««l tor this service with Captain Pring, had in the meantime crossed ihe lake in the Chubb and Finch with a gun-boat to Burlington, which is about ao miles from Plattsburg. There General Wade Hampton was stationed with an army of 4,000 Regulars intended for the invasion of Canada, and there also was jCommodore Macdonou^h with three armed sloops, two of them ready for sea. The American commodore had also two gun schooners, lying under the protection of a 10 gun battery, and two armed batteaux, yet with all this formidable force neither he nor General Hampton made any attempt to interfere with the British in tiieir operations. Capt Everard destroyed four vessels at Burlington and its vicini^, without any attempt on the part of the enemy to prevent it, and then returned to the foot of the lake. This well conducted enterprise resulted in the destruction of an enormous amount of public pitoper^, and was effected without the loss of a THl WAR or tSll. '9' Mwef. Miliii. „d of G«»nl w«te H««ptt„ .«| hi, U^ ^f™^* ""Id «ld apra YoA he d«,«d O^ «A S|r ]«,«. Y«, A,Ae«fc^ofa«i h^d^dri on A. BritiA a«, S«g M^Z «^P«Ponde«nce .. Aj. g,^, ^„,^ J« «^y «npo««t The AmericM, h«l nuSj^ «n*gw u. A«, fcvor in the fact ttat wiU, tl»ir U,„r poputafon ftq, could obuin A. «„,... ^f'/gX ««rer th«, b,« of wpplie, d»n th. Britid,, « ^ 2Li!?^ Y~ h-l h«,y odd. to contend .g««^d ta «M«I to . g~t de.1 of cmlit for Wng ^*. to ™1 " •*^Ch.«n«qr o««d him bMU. ,h.t the Americ. ««m«.der wm not g«Mly „p.rior, „d d«,e««. Sir >m«i, „ , „,e, wi«|y ,efi«d to risk evwythin, i". *°«v««"«'W«»«nt. It would h.ve beTZhri^ht «««. tnfl»jr «»dem might h.„ invol«d the Iom rf When Ch«ineey .ppe,mj on Uke Ont«io«the •awmers. Th« Sect measured 1,576 ton., crried ii, P«>s «. m«««l by 980 men «d ,h«w ,, JTsL rf "^ " • ^r^ SirJ«e.Yeoh«lS^^ Wd Moim, bngi, Md two Kb«»era. Thdraggmgwe 19a THI WAR or 181 3. tonnage wu 3,091 tons, their guns numbered 9a, thdr crewi 770 and their broadside weight of metal 1,374 *bs. These figures on their face would show the American fleet to be one-fourth superior to^the British in tonnage and number of men, and but slightly superior in weight of metal. But the figures only^show part of the truth* To quote an American writer, Mr. Roosevelt : ''The Americans greatly excelled in the number and character of their long guns." They threw at a broadside 806 lbs. of long gun metal and 584 lbs. of canonade metal, while the British only threw from their long guns 180 lbs. and from their carronades 1,194 lbs. If Mr. Roosevelt's suggestion that a lohg la-pounder is equal to a 3a-pounder carronade be correct, then the American fleet was superior in broadside weight of metal as five is to three or doubly superior if tonnage and number of men are ^iken into account This superiority, however* was more marked in calm weather than in rough, for the schooners, each of which carried a very heavy gun, were not so effective in a seaway as when the water was smooth. The two fleets first caught sight of each other on the 7th August, off the Niagara River, and their command- ers went through a series of manoeuvres so as to engage with advantage. Early on the morning of the 8th a heavy squall struck both fleets and two of the American schooners capsized and foundered, all the crews being* drowned except 16 men which were picked up by the boats of the British fleet It is quite like the unreliable Lossing to say of this accident: ''This was a severe blow to the lake service, for these two vessels, canying 19 guns between them were of the hts^oi it" This is the same as saying that the Hamilton and Scourge, TH« WAR OP i8ia. ,^ e»ch with crm of 50 men and thro, --^ig to ik. ^ After much manoeuverinff the two fl^te r.-.- * ><« her Jit^ti t,- ;:::: Li'^h^^'"- much disabled »« «.« manyard, and became too* before t^'^„r "ZTZ^^t ""' t *-* ^o be put Captain Mul Jtir in t^e'C^eo^"^ '•TT- ^Z fleet «u mto Buriington Bay wlSrS*. .^;;'"'^ venture to follow th«« t? a Chauncey did not however h^H ^*** Amercan commodore, dX; ie^ritiTiL^^^ '^' ^« ^^- ^ / uic untish fleet by his capture a few days hiter ■94 THE WAR OP l8ia. w**? !r" J^** ***^'"« on boMd aso men Of De W«tt«vllle't Rcgt. on their way from York to Kingw About the beginning of July, Major Genenl De Rottenburg succeeded General Sheafle at President of the Upper Province, and as such toolc the command of the troops frofai General Vincent During the latter part of the same month he had pressed the enemy back. |o that he had his headquarters at the village of St David, which is about eight miles from Fort George. His advance p:»ts occupied a position not more than four miles from the American camp, but no movement of any importance took place in either army, unless the fruidess demonstration made by Sir George Prevost on the 34di of August is entitied to that designation. The Commanderwin-chief had arrived from Kingston a few ^ ^ pounders, ,nd eight ia-pounde« while Baretav', lo »« one a4. one ,8, five „•,, ^^„ .,_ fo„^7 ' '» n-poundera; *" '♦"'"""''er, «kI six fl JL T °" *• morning of Ae i8th Sept that the two den,on««,io„, of , the«rical chaLteT ^ h^? your instructionsr^'^eir ;;;; «p°r^'";n;:t «>« words, 'If you1.yyo„ren«n/clJI COMIAT. s«S Amkkican. Dttnit, M British. Ari«« 4loiifis'i, 48ibi. It It ii Hunter, •I i9K«<>t. 47* lb*. Centre Combat. American. British. G««. fought. Ifc«uhW. Gun. fought. «fa«um, a long ' I long 18 -) 3 ;;'«>h3«Ibfc 4 " 9» • t short a4J a long 6's^ f •• I [ aolbfc isbortiaj i6gnnfc i77lbfc 9tnM> Rear Combat. American. British. GoMlbught. BniMlsido. Somen, 1 long 94 1 ^.^ Porcupine, i long 3a, 3115.. "ngresa, i kng 3a, 3a lbs. Trippe, ilonga^, a4lbfc SSOM* i44lb*. BroMbidA. Sglbt. Gunafoui^t. IjMljr Prevoat, I loag9 I loQge 5 short la It Brondaid*. lbs. ••J Little Belt, i long la " 1 " 6 98!uns. } 18 lb*. 93 Hm. ao6 THi WA« or i8ia. With th«M figuiM in view it it unnecesiary to «pWn to thw rMder the neeriy thiee^old superiority of the Americans in the van oombet, end the great pre- ponderance of force they possessed in the other two. At 11.45 the Detroit commenced the action by a shot from her long 24 which fell short; at 1 1.50 she fired a second which went crashing tiirough the Uwrence and w replied to by die Scorpion's long 3a. At 11.55 the Uwrence opened widi botii her long la's and gradually drew nearer to die Detroit so that her heavy nrronades might take effect A great deal is said in Amerion accounts of Uie battie. of the heavy loss sua. toined by the Uwence, while approaching the Detroit, «rom the long guns of die Chippewa, Detroit and Hunter which threw 141 lbs. at a broadside; but die Detroit suffered quite as much at die same time from the long guns of die Scorpion, Ariel, Uwrence and Caledonia which direw 15a lbs. of metal at a broadside. When die Scorpion, Uwrence and Caledonia got widim arronade range die 330 lbs. of metal which diey ttrcwfrom short guns was just nine fold superior to tbt 36 lbs. dirown from simiUrguns by die Detroit and Hunter. At ia.30 die American four and British diree ships of die van were furiously engaged, but die Niagara kept at such a respectful distance from her chosen antagonist, die Queen Chariotte, dut die carronades of neidier vessels could be used widi effect The latter, however, suffered gready from die long guns of die American schooners and lost her commander apt Finnisand first lieutenant, Mr. Stokoe, who were killed early m die action. Her next in command. Provincial Lieutenant Irvine, seeing diat die Niagara avoided THt wAii or Ilia. 107 ?r«^' T—f the H««tt, „i took . «,««, coRMt with the Uwnnee ud btr thne amihiii. f^ T~ *"•«>" 'fcoat 30 per cent, without SiUnir into Mcount the two long la'. of the NUm™ -kif «*tai, thri, fc„r, the,, „,gh, h.v, bean «»« «*»*)" of excuae for the claima which they bM«l on Xirj:'' •"^ '•« "• -^ «"— "« ^ EllS^ t"^ " "^ «»l«in of the Niv^.,^. ^. *• "« P«»« who w»i ao m^i^Sri •ndwho r«dved . vote of thenka from CongS ^Ti Sri fL F ?^T"'2L'" ~'^"« out two bZ. vt! tai Jlf! ^"•' '".°**" "8"- But the «,r eom- *«««"« 00 «goro«aly between the Somen, Poreupine, TVe» end Tripp, with their lire heavy gun. «,d tta Udy P^voa. and LitUe Belt wid. a»irlfli^^„^ A. la-pound cm,n«le of the Udy P^ost «.„ .1- Th!^ ^^ ^- '" """^ *' American Mr. Rooaev.lt, she m«l. ". v«y nobl. fight" I. waa obvlou, «,Zi that m . cont«. « I„„g .^.g, b«,^ ^.re. long jfa Am««ai, aid., ,„d on. long ,a. o.e long 9 and two toS THE WAR or iSia. long 6'f throwing 33 Ibt. on tht Briddi lidt* tht wwktr PMtjr mm tulbr. Th« Lady PravoM wu gmUy cut up. her oomnundor LIml Buchnn bdng (kngwously, •nd hM acting firtt liMtmnnt MVMvly wound«l. ami •hi h^ian fiUlinggiadually to latward. In tha maantiraa the van conihat was bdng carried on wiUa great determination on hoch aides. The Amer- taina fought hravely. but hot lo sidllfuly as the British. The Detroit on the one side and die Uwrence on the Srl'^Tf*.** "^"^ *^ ^^^' *"»• D««>«t waa frightfully shattered and had lost her first lieutenant, Mr. Garland, while apt Barclay was so badly hurt tiiat he 7! f "'•!? ^ **"'* *• ^^^ *~^'*« ^^ ^"^ In charge of Lint George Inglis. But the Uwrence was in a •till wofse plight, her loeaes in killed and wounded had beenfrightiul. one after another all die guns on her en. «*g«l side had bean dismoua '^'» ™«»nt«i to ^^,^1 i r V J*"""^*^- '"^«^ »>»' for the acci- dental fouhng of tiie Detroit and Queen Charlotte, due Zr^t' u 17*^ condition, which rendered tiiem perfcctiy helpless against tiie Niagara's broadsides de- livered from a raking position, it is doubtful whetiier «tiier vessel would have been under tiie necessity of ^.K f ' S^P'** *' enormous losses botii had suffered. would have been Barelay's, and witiiout tiiis vessel tiie Bntish by one-tiiitd, as may be seen by the following comparative statement Broadside Weight 44 office™ ,„d „.„ of the!^ ^ ^ "" men of the Newfoundland sZ, t v^' *"'' S* emn Battalion. AisZt Xj '°^ '^"^ ^^ P~«or of hi. ammuni^ anf TonL^ ''!^"«- necessan, fo' Wm U, n«i|,.\*sL„dS'^^"»f "^ *" ment with a vastlv «n«^«- *" engage- position on uH^hrC ofT^^"' '°f "" " •ected hi, left. Hta who^XT , '"'"•' *'"<* P«>- l>«l been reduced^ 7^^!?*! '"T '"'""•'• tn-op. l^dsix pounder '^^'Z^^Zf Z^7 X swamp which m„ pa^iw w f th. • "*"., * '"*" the ri^ht was a L^ *^^ """*'• ^a^^er to «e ngfit was a larger swamp and in front of it a forest of a thicker crrowth A\n„r, 4.u . wrest could advance. The five oSlr ^^.^^^ncans .adwid.hin,h«.h.^l:^°ron: itt^-r THE WAR or i8ia. ^j much betSTX^TJ^T •^ ^^"^'^ *«^^« be«n the battle ^ ^ "** P~**« "^^ B"'^»h front in Harrison's attacking foree consisted of -so„^kj mounted infantnr TJZ,, *!:.' !"'' ^'- Mnson's •ccording ,0 hi, own shcTn^ iS^riT"'"'* *" three tin,«i „ „„.„y e™o» ^ t^TS^l'*' ""l" **" combined, wiAou. coun^ng hi, ^f t '"""" Three brig«les of VoSr LT ** "™«~- stlLpX''*'" •" '^•^- ^i«V ^o^-Z ..000 men. ^JZ^.^^^:^:^'"^' formed en potenc. on the left of fltrnt'l^^^l ""^ to hold the Indian, in check .n7 "" *"* •r^?'""" ^•'■■^-^^ou'„t.''r:'en'; '^'' placed in front of Henrv br..^ • . "P"^'- "as ReguU., of the" ,th R^ '" '"^ *»'""■"»• The n-dandtheriv.r'to^irAeT.'tT' '**«" *« the Indian, with Hart^^ w.„ ^ ?"'"''°''"' *■"" Bri.i,h „.. an, ^ thTa;,:rc^nv^"':ot:Ll'' *« pression that their ««« r j- , ^^ '<* "»em the im- Which W AeZ"«« «v^V" T""" """• both a^ies wa, a, ""lo^!!!""^' *« """ •■«' «" "f ai6 THB WAR or i8ia. ll; Infiuitiy. Cavalfy. American 3,6ao i,aoo British 356 38 Indians. a6o 500 Total. 4«o8o 894 Harrison had intended that the attack should be made by his infentiy, but the intelligence which he received that ii^e British were formed in open ofder, decided him to order Johnson to charge with his mounted riaemen. "The measure," says Harrison in his official dispatch was not sanctioned by anything that had been seen or 4ieard of, but I was fully convinced that it would sue ceed. The American back> oodsmen ride better in the woods than any other people. A musket or a rifle is no impediment, they being accustomed to cany them on horseback from their eariiest youth. I was peisuad- ed too, that the enemy would be quite unprepared for ^e shock and that they could not resist it." General Hamson was quite right in his conjecture. As John- son with his laoo mounted men advanced, they received two volleys from the British infentiy, which threw them into some confusion; but immediately after the second fire the Cavaliy charged with such overwhelming force, as to break the British line. The men of the 41st were thrown into such disorder by this sudden attack, that they could not be rallied, and most of those who were not killed or wounded, were made prisoners. Gen- «ral Proctor and his staflF with the Provincial Dra- goons sought safety in flight The Indians on the American left flank made a desperate efibrt to retrieve the fortunes of the day, but were finally defeated by overwhelming numbers and forced to retire, bearing with them the body of their leader, Tecumseh, who wi^ killed. They left 33 dead on the field of battie. The ««i WAR ow iSia, ^,y ^1 i-l^^' •'• **^ Priwnera on the day of thJ upon them „ on dutv ^4 *. ^ '" *?'«'«" men. The AmenainsIoM in the battle i. kili^ !-j -rg. prepomoo of hi, pri«,n.« were invalid, i"h«^ When 1Sr„ tS'n,,^'^ "j!^- .^T T •><« scve«^'*^' ^'*''°'' ^*" * fi^'^"*'*^ ««*«' passed a very ^ve« censure on the right division for^^e deL7o^ du^ « r ^*^^*°'«« Prevost had attended to his auty as Commander-in-chief th^ «•«!,♦ j- • • "^ "» have be^n ir-«* ''*''n-cn»ei tfte nght division would 1 ai8 THE WAR OP l8ia. the army would not have been defieated. No regiment that fought in Canada during the war performed better service than the 4i8t, but a greater strain was put up- on them than men could endure, and they finally suffer- ed defeat But it is no new thing for a regiment, while formed in open order, to be broken by a sudden charge of cavalry. That happened at Qwitre Bras to the 4and Regt, and also at Waterioo to another equally dis- tinguished British regiment, yet these corps were not thereliy supposed to have merited "reproach and cen- sure." General Proctor was tried by court martial at Montreal, in December, 1814, on five charges, and sen- tenced to be publicly reprimanded and to be suspended from rank and pay, for six months. The court found "that he did not take the proper measures for conduct- ing the retreat; that he had, in many instances during the retreat and in the disposition of the force under his command, been erroneous in judgment, and in some ways deficient in those energetic and active exertions, which the extraordinary difficulties of his situation so particularly required." The court, however, acquitted him as to any defect or reproach in his personal conduct. It is easy to see at this day that Proctor was unjustly condemned. His difficulties all had tiicir origin in the presence of the Indians, who, while professedly a part of his force, came and went as they pleased and were the cause of his retreat being so long delayed. Had the Indians acted honestly by Proctor and remained wiUi him in their original numbers, the American army, instead of being victorious on the Thames, would have been destroyed. Harrison did not follow Proctor after the battie but contented himself with burning Moravian Town. So no WAR or iSk. »•» ^riftri were tb« pMcdiil Chri«i.n India, lnh.bluu.ti 1^.K^.^ «h« « l»». America artmony to th. ^.fl^. ""•'" *'*' ^' '»*»•• '»«• *• river M thej- fcd to prevent them Crom beinr butcherad br *.Am«fc^.. TheIi«.n.c«ri«d.4yth.Wyrf ^titS f talf l^ which thqr took to be hie, «" mutJtated it in • ftdUon thu the wont nvues could Itab, JSlST*^ Strip, of ddn ,«e toXTS,. totawhIA w«e ««d .ftenrwd. by the high toned «^feiM gentlemen who engi««| in thi. di«u«ing •o*. for n«,r Mope. Ye, TeamMeh h«l nevJrlZi V^S? r* uf • P*»""- •"' '«' '""riebl/p^ »««l them from his lew hunuuie brethren. H«ri«,n hft for Detroit, end hi, «my on the «me dey «m«««dmo^ng in the «me direction. Thqr ,1 ^ rf^'"? "" *• "^ '» *• '"''^ <>'« farious MormofwmdMd enow, during which aeveni of the v^ftom the Th«,e. were injured «,d much^ Z «Pta»d property lo«. Thus end«l the c«.p.ign, the I&atudtun. returned home, end H«ri«,n, tSo. , 300 men. «mb«l«d for Bu£Wo to join the Ameriom ^ on die Nngare frontier. '^ Ii il III CHAPTER XIII. Th« appointnent of Gcnenl James Willdnson to the command of the Northern army of the United States in P^ of General Dearborn, has already been noticed. Wilkinson was an old friend of Armstrong the War Secretary, and Uie latter seems to have diought Uiat th* «ew commander would be a good instrument to carry out the plans he had formed for tiie invasion of Canad^ These plaM, which were approved by tht Government, involved tiie capture of Kingston and a descent from there to Montreal. Wilkinson offered some objections to this proposal which he deemed premature until more ».. .^" accomplished on tiie peninsula. Owing to this disagreement, when General Wilkinson arrivS at Sackctt's harbor on tiie tiie aotii August to take com- mand of the army, no definite plan of operations had been determined upon, but at a council of officers held on tiie aStii, it was determined to concentrate at Sackett's harbor all tiie troops in tiiat department, except tiiose Tin WAS or i8ia. •ai siit;2»"'''''-~^ » «*ta, ...*-d,r ««i UMrbon had UMmbM u PUtubum tw which die troops were embariied were impeded by storms, 15 of diem lost and many of diem damaged. Between die igdi and a6di of October, however, all die troopa reached Grenadier Island and were ready for active operations. The army dius assembled was die most formidable in num- bers dut had yet been collected for die invaaion of Canada, and, according to die American official accounts, consisted of more dian 8,800 men. There were four brigades of in&ntry, die first consisting of die 5di, ladi and 13th Regts. under General Boyd; the second of die 6di, isdi and aand Regts. under Genecml Brown; die diird of die gdi, i6di and asdi Regta. under General Covington; and die fourth of die iidi, a 1st and i4di Regts. under General Swartout There was a fifth brigade consisting of light troops, and tiiree regiments of artillery, widi 38 field pieces and a batter- ing train of 20 pieces, under General Porter, besides two regiments of dragoons. This army remained on Grenadier Island until November ist, wiih die THi WAR or l8lS. ««3 •wtptlon of Brown's brigadt, some light trooM and hmry artiUtty, which went down the St Uwmnce on the ejth of October and encamped at French Creelc MarOayton. Thia waa done with a view to caute thi Britiah to believe that Kingston was the point aimed At, so as to induce them to concentrate their troopa there and uncover Montreal. At the «me time that Wilkinson's troops commenced to embaric at Saclcett's harbor for Grenadier IsUnd. or- ders were sent to General Hampton on the Chateau£uay to move down that river with his army, towards the St Lawrence. This he began to do on the aist October. The change of his line of advance into anada, from the road from Champhiin to U Colle, to that by Cha- ?'i"*^^l?'I J*"^*"^ '' necessary for Lieutemint Colone De Salabeny to adopt new measures of defence. •?*. 11 f^ H' J"^ ^''^ °®~''' ^^ "P • POBition on the I^ bank of the Chateauguay river at a point about SIX miles above the junction of die English river with the Chateauguay. The ground he occupied was a thick forest and its situation was &vorable for defence. De Sakbeny's left was protected by the river which was unfordable, except in one place just in Uie rear, where there was a rapid and tiie water was shallow. This ford was covered by a strong breastwork witii a guard and some disunce from it in advance, on the right bank of Uie river, was a strong picket of tiie Beauhamois Mihtja to prevent tiie enemy from stealing suddenly on tiie ford, under cover of tiie forest De Salabeny had protected his front by temporary breastworks formed by trees which had been felled by his woodmen. These breastworks lined tiic banks of four deep ditches or ravines, which ran at right angles to tiie river. A mile il ti4 TMB WAR OF l8la. and a hmlf i„ advance of the outermost of these breast, works he had obstructed the road, which «„ pamHe, to the river, with an abattis of trees. The Ckin^ party engag«l in this service had with it as a protection S!"v*u- »"dd«n attack, two subaltern detachments of AeVoltigeura. The successful defence of this chosen Zt^"hr T'.T k"'^"'^* ^'^"^ ^"PO"*"'' for *" country behind it to the mouth of the Chateauguay river was mainly open and cultivated, and might have bJe,; iSabe;::^:^,'^""^*'^"^*""^- ^ieut..c:i!^: f^n. i^ ' ^V^ ""''"^ "^^^^ *o ^«J this vital SI L« /''i*^'**** ^ ^^^^ ""^ «''• It consisted of toe two flank companies of the Canadian Fencibles four comp«ni« of Voltigeu«, and six flank comLnS L euTSSl M^*'* and Chateauguay ChasseursCde" Lieut^Col. Macdonell, late of tiie Glengarry Reirt. Umottr^' "~ " *' ^* '^' Indians^nTerS?!: On the aand of October tiie greater part of Hamp- ton s army had crossed into anada and encamped « Spears near Uie juncton of tiie Outard wiU, tiic Cha- leauguay river. A road for Uie artilleiy was made through die woods and Hampton's ,o guns T^ breught up to his camp. Beyond SpearWr^ se"e^ miles of open country, and tiien commenced tiie tract AfrmakTJr'"' °'.^^*'^^'^ ""^ ^^- ^- ^^" De L^K^ *^. . ?~""f «""<*' »n which tiie ford on De Sa^abernr's left flank was discovered. Hampton on tiie 4th U. S. Infantry and die light troops of the liret at dawn. It ^ arranged tiiat as soon as Purdv's musketiy was heard. General Hampton and G^nlL THS WAR or i8ta. ««5 txard should make an attack ir iront with .;? 500 men. The morning of the 26th .'awned and Hampton's troops stood to their arms, but ti;crc cssae no sign from Purdy. That ofiScer, owing to the ignorance or treach- ery of his guide, had lost his way in the woods, and could neither find the ford nor the place from which he had started. The forenoon was well spent before he reached the vicinity of the ford, and in the meantime General Izard had advanced with the main body of the army to the front of De Salaberry's position. The two subaltern detachments of the Voltigeurs, which were charged with the duty of guarding the working party, immediately retired to the abattis, after exchanging shots with the enemy. De Salaberry, in the meantime, had arrived with the light company of the Canadian Fencibles commanded by Capt Ferguson, and two companies of his Voltigeurs commanded by CapUins Jean Baptiste and Juchereau Duchesnay. He posted Captain Ferguson's company oh the right, in front of the abattis in extended order, a few Abenaquis Indians being placed in the woods oil its right flank. To the left of the Fencibles, Jean Baptiste Duchesnay's com- pany of Voltigeurs occupied the grounds in extended brder to the river, while the oflier coitfpany of Volti- geurs under Captain Juchereau Duchesnay and about 35 sedentary Militia, were thrown ift j9tften«e along the margin of the river for the purpose of checking the tnemy, in the event of his appearance on the opposite side. The whole fo«* thus drawn up to oppose the enemy did not exceed 250 rank and file. General Izard advanced with his 3,500 men along the left bank of the rivtt, in open columns of sections, and wheeled his troops Into Ihie in front of the Canadians 336 TH« WAR OF I8l3. Who open«l , brisk fire. The Ameriau» replied wid. bUMxm volley,, which liowever, were for thfl^ ^T^Z.- "^ "r"*" »'"'"-^- were^^ o«ic to the abaltn. but beyond this not one inch of ground w« gained by Ixarf', fomidable fo^ Tte ^rrS ^If""^ *' '*"™"'« of U,. sl^isb?^ C.n.rfi. ^"^^ to by one of defiance from the h^^K ''l'.'"'K'" ^ """d the advance. This wai heard by L.eut.^1. Macdonnell, who was wiA L^ ZZcZ t^-""" °' ^'-■^ ^ '» ■•^" ne sent ten or twelve buglers into the adjoinine woods Hfa flank att«k did not prosper any more than that force ^ succeeded in driving back about 60 Chate.^ «^ Chasseufs under Capt Bruyere, but they^^ Battalion of embodied Milid. „„der (W dX and Aejidvanced guanl of die Americans dri«7ii!l *e nght bank of the river, in overwhelming nfmb^re* "y concealed on the opposite bank of the Chateauguay. THE WAR OF l8l3. 327 The Americans were instantly thrown into the greatest confusion and fled back into the woods. A few of them managed to swim across the river, and carried to General Hampton such alarming accounts of the enormous number of British and Canadians on the right bank of the river, that he immediately ordered a retreat. The rest of Purdy's men, frantic with terror, broke up into scattered detachments, which, mistaking each other for enemies, kept up a spirited engagement the most of the night. The battle of Chateauguay was won by 380 Canadians —most of them French Canadians, against more than ten times their force of American Regulars. The Cana- dian loss was only two killed, 16 wounded and four missing. Lossing states the American loss at "about 15 killed and 23 wounded " but, as more than 90 dead bodies and graves were found on the right bank of the river alone, after the batUe, we are forced to the conclu- sion that Lossing in this, as in many of his other state- ments, is not telling the truth. Twenty prisoners were also taken by the Canadians. Chateauguay was a sad blow to American pride. Major General Wool who was there said long afterwards:— "No officer who had any regard for his reputation would volunUrily ac- knowledge himself as having been engaged in it" Colonel Purdy, in an official report of the afl&ir, which he wrote to Wilkinson, said that he and other officers believed that General Hampton was under the influence of a too free use of spirituous liquors. Yet Hampton's drunkenness on the left bank of the river, would not ac- count for Purdy's extraordinary failure on the right, which was the real cause of the disaster. It is quitp like Lossing to endeavor to lessen the iipportance of ia8 THE WAR OF l8«a. Chateauguay by spying that "it has h«*« ..-— &ii««b, m which one Indian wu soUred-"*. fi^ ««»nou, an.di«, .„d by ibc Indi.nn^,rc.** L«notte. On the nth November another .mJ^St Thus ended this formidable invasion of Lower C.™£ •dmowtedpment of the bmveor of the Bnl»3iS toito of Uwer an«l. i„ a,!, «3^o.her«.g,Z^^ tt. Pnnce R^, g„„„a , ^, ^ coion V^^ luiV deserved and highly appreciated. Fr^,!il r^*^! «o return to GremKjie, Island «,d Frend. CreA, where Willdnson's army of 8 ooo nZ W«d on the fire, of November, in biis^llJ^:^ "rf «~d^ tte re«ler that In „i a,, opereti„ns whi^ Sl^fr" ? «^ «" of *e fin.libandonmr„t* fte japedibon Generel WiUdnson and his men were •"■"g under the foil belief that Hampton's a^ ™ «««'. . "* ^ i-awrence. While Genenl Wilkin- took ^ i,il.?I!r J - **""«xlore Chaunc» undei^ irSil^*^°'^'^'"'^'"8«»» *•*•'• BM *<«*« gunbou, got oirt, and a«Kl«d the Amwian,™ THB WA» or 1S14. j|,g Fwnch Creekk an the aftemooa of tM ist, and the fo«. Mon of the aad November. It was not until the ep. pewMce of Chaunc^'s fleet that they retired. The American, lost tmo killed and four wounded. The British vessels, although fired at with red-hot shot, sustained UtUe or no damage. Wilson arrived at French Creek on the 3rd, and on the morning of the 5tt, just at dawn, the American army embarked in more than 300 boats and scows, and piotected by la heavy gun boats, began to move down the St. Lawrence. ■ The British up to this moment had been unable to discover whether the expedition was intended to attack Kingston, Presoott or Montreal. Yet their vigilance was sudi that the instant the Americans left French Creek toeir enemies were in pursuit of them. A heavy armed Bntish galley and several gun boats followed them and attacked their rear. The flotilla arrived at Morristown, early the same evening, having been annoyed by the Bnush gun boats all the way down. As the batteries of Fort Wellington at Prescott, were considered too formidable to be passed in the day time, Wilkinson toilted on the following day three miles above Ogdens- burg, and bnded his ammunition and all his troops except a sufficient number to man the boats. That night the boats ran past Fort Wellington widi little T^'^^!L\'^'l embarked the troops and ammunition at the Red Mill, four miles below Ogdensburg. On the 7th, Wilkinson landed Col. Alexander Macomb with a select corps of i,aoo men, and Lieut- Co. Forsyth with his riflemen, at die head of the Galops Rapids, to drive away the British from the promment points of the river, and particularly from ! s I aao THE WAR OF l8ia. Maulda, where the St. Uwrence is little more than 500 yards wide. On the previous day, General Wilkinson had addressed a proclamation to the people of Canada, which is in a very different strain from that of Hull.* In it he had stated that he had invaded the Canadas to TOnquer, not to destroy, "to subdue the forces of His Bnttonic Majesty, not to war against his unoffending subjects." He promised protection to the persons and property of those who remained quiedy at home. Only the old and feeble, however, could be penuaded to do tilts, for tiie general in his official dispatches complains of tiie "active univ^isal hostihty of tiie male inhabitants of tiie country." On tiie 8tii, Wilkinson's army ar- rived at tiie White House, opposite Matilda, about 18 mdes below Ogdensburg. and here tiie general called a TOuncil of his officer, consisting of Generals Uwis, Boyd, Brown, Porter, Covington and Swartout He had received a report from a spy employed by Colonel Swift, which stated tiie number and position of tiie British forces to be at Coteau du Lac, 600 under Colonel Murray, strongly fortified witii artillery; about 300 artillery, but witiiout ammunition, at tiie Cedar Rapids; aoo sailors, 400 marines, and a body of Mihuaat Montreal, witii no fortifications, and 2,500 Regulars daily expected from Quebec The same agent also reported tiie number of tiie Militia between Kingston and Quebec at ao,ooo. Wilkinson stated his own force at 7,000 non-commissioned officera and men and put tiie question to tiie council, whetiier tiie army should proceed to Montreal. This was answered in tiie affirmative by all tiie officers, tiie more readily as Hamp- ton had been ordered to join tiiem witii his army at St Regis, and it was fiilly expected he would be tiiere by the tiiat tiiey readied that place. THB WAR OF l8ia. 331 Macomb s detachment of ,aoo men, encountered no 1^1^. M.1 tia who, of course, were not numerous enough to senously impede his march. But a British «r7" ""^^^^ approaching, which was destined to ^•^inJ»"Bridr""''!l^'° *"* ^"*"^- ^" ^« teasmg Bnfsh gun boats which hovered on their tear. The troops at Kingston, in the beginninir of November, which were available for service^own^he flif^""?'u''''* ^"^ ^9th Regt, and nine weak compan.es of the and Battalion of the 89th. The form- er had arnved from the Niagam frontier a few days brfore, and its sadly reduced state from the sickness whj^had prevail there, may be inferred from Se &ct tiiat when it left Queeristown only 16 of its 50 com- m^ioned officer, were fit for duty. On Zl November the two flank companies of this regimtm were pushed forward to Fort Wellington, and onTe moving of the 7th. the remainder of the regiment, the tilerv Tr'2'**' "^^'^ *"*" detachment of .r- Hon TU' T ^P°""^«"' ^t o»t in the same direc- ^h;« This detachment, which was embarked in the 3d^oone« Beresford and Sydney Smith, seven gun- ^ts and a number of batteaux. did not number ^re ^1!? r^*"** ^^"- ^P^'" Mulcaster, who com- ZS- " ''f '*' "''"^"y *-*»«» Chauncey's Ar«^ ?K^'^"*^~."'*"^ '**^*»«* Fort Wellington on the 8th, the same day that Wilkinson held his council of war. Lieut» "»«* down th. river f„^!f^ . *• """aoo". 10 ».n. Bri«.Hr..t zt^".t5 cr.'s' •:? -r them. ThTforalda^V^ *"' ^'"^ ^ «'««<^«» •nd 30 Indian^ When^, «« " °^ *** «^' Brown's appmich he J«i .°®^.~ *PPri««l of inipedehispS^bld^^'""!"*"** ««««««» to PoIeCreelc^I^f^^ttSe^i'^^^^^^^^^ i on the opposite bank fi«f u"! ? *^* '***'* '^oods delayed seve«Iho"ri„ht^,J,'^J»!^ -»» thus fiiven for the removal of aH aI^^' t^* *"°"«^^ this skirmish the Amer^n^.'^*'^™**^'- '» ■ * ^'^encans Ipst seven| kiu«d ^^ ♦ -^ IHt WA« or Itll. ,jj ?^. '"J"*"""* "y »«• on the Mlllth: mS G^ wr" "" *"* "S^ •'* *• mil a», cenenl Willdn»n renjjned halted, emitliur m^Mgence fiom him. About noon he h^ C^".f •rtilleo- down the river, end neerly .t the «nietf^^ Zc^SfVT.*' °'"'"' «""*-" -»"- 1^~ Mulneter. Wilkinson «u obliged to hind two Jt I^ho!2', 1 .'^' "ftonioon, Wilkinson', vessels: .ncho«d for the night just below Weever-s Pointl^ eral Boyd s force was also encamMd dose bv Im-. not unUI lo o'clock on the n,oSgTa^\2Z any mesMige was received from Brown ii. ^ PM the preceding night without any shelter nt »W *a. the boat, with supplies be Lfr^ta^' S^^^^r"""' "^ ^'""■''~" ■»" given »iJ^. r^™ h^ ^ ."■ ""^ "<' '" G"*"" Boyd Z «sume his march, when the appearance of the 8^1^ ".his rear forc«l him to halt and give them taT ^u,™ brought about the Ikmou, Vie of cS^" r^y. ITa"""'^ "" """'" "P « ChrysUer-s to receive the Amencans was commanded by Lieut Col Morr,«,n and was the same "Corp, of Ote^ti™" that has already been described. K consfaS^ ! ranka„a ai. of the 49* Regt. abo^t^ oT^d.^^^ «d detachments of the Camwllan Fendbles anj vSS ««.«, a few of the Royal Artillery and Militia Artiui^ !l I i 234 THE WAR OK l8ta. with three guns and half a dozen MiliUa Dragoons, in all about 800 rank and file of white troops with 30 Indians under Lieut Anderson. Lieut Col. Morrison posted his men in a position which he had previously selected, his right resting on the river and his left on a pine wood, and showing a front of about 700 yards. The ground occupied was perfectly open, and the troops were thus disposed. The flank companies of the 49th Regt. and the detachment of Canadian Fencibles with one 6-pounder, under Lieut Col. Pearson were on the right, a little advanced on the road which skirts the river and passes Chrystler's house. Three companies of the 89th Regt under Captain Barnes with a 6- pounder were formed en echelon with the advance and supporting its left. The remainder of the 49th and 89th R^;ts. thrown more to the rear, with one gun. THu WAR or i8ia. «35: «.u« «ndrM;torH?rri«''r?"'^*« Vow- Lieut A»d.«„^ , ta *S ';'' *• '■«"'"• ""O" force th«i iheAmJL v "*" «» «« « «he ex«a with uainey w^„T^' '' "»!»«*"• «o uy them into «*ion, whW, telS^' 7^ **""">' '"^ their .rtv.I on tie g^und™ H ' "^ """"'" *«" a.400 men engaged, or three times the British fo^ •nnounced hi, .„,, ^1^*" "^^^ "^f"- h* I-"! .ioned office™ Z'p"^*^^ '•'^. """^"mis- fcr the d««h«l fo,^ „?J.,'^^Lr""« •""""« would be 4.000 men left wto wZT'**? t"""'^' «^.H.con.usionLrrCS";.^^- •3« THS WAR OF tUta, Mi -? V? the Ume of the betUe, was confined to his bed, ha/< been misinformed as to the details of the engagement and Ae number of men he had in the field. Lieut. Urt. Morrison described the enemy as "consisting of two brigades of infiintiy and a regiment of cavaliy, amounting to between tiiree and four thousand men." There were in reality paru of three brigades and three brigadier generals. The enemy brought six guns into action. General Wilkinson's orders, as described by himself, were for Brigadier General Boyd. " to Uirow down the detachments of his command, assigned to him in the order of the preceding day, and composed of his own, Covmgton s and Swartwoufs brigades, iuto three «>lumns, to march upon die enemy, and outflank tnem If possible and take their artilleiy." About two o'clock p. m., Boyd proceeded to endeavor to cariy out these orders. Swartwout was detached with the fourth ?!^!,*!. ' "^ *• ®"^»*' •**^»»«' ^hich was com- posed of hgut troops, while Covington was directed to takes position at supporting distance with tiie 3rd brigade. The British skirmishers foil back on the main body and at a.30 p. m., the action became general. The whole of Swartwoufs brigade and part of die first brigade under Colonel Coles, now Vn- deavored to turn die British left, while the diird bngade under General Covington, made a front attack. Swartwout s flank attack was repulsed by die six com- pan.es of the 89th, formed en potence widi die ei^ht companies of die 49th, both corps moving forward and strengdi did not exceed 420 rank and file, die character of dieir achievement ir defeating one entire American IHl WAR OP l8u. »37 JU» p«-,«, tack , ., ,„ fo„UJt ,^^ «J we first, under Col. Coles. At half «-^7 ^^ fon»™.„.of6oon,.„ „„d.r U«r^TupW ^J Amencn ligh, i„ft„„y .„.„p^ „ co?« 4.,v^ ans had been dnven, but w they hut no cavalnr thev could not pursue the routed enemy. ^ ^^ ir 238 THE WAR OP 181 a. I! In this battle the loss of the British was aa killed, 147 wounded and la missing. The Americans stated their loss at loa killed and aa; wounded. The British took more than 100 prisoners. As General Boyd« in reply to an inquiry by General Wilkinson, admitted that he could not mainuin himself on the Canadian shore the night of the battle, it was necessary to embark his whole detachment, with the exception of the dragoons and light artillery, which were marched down the river. The embarkation was effected under cover of the darkness, and the American flotilla proceeded about four miles towards Cornwall and landed the defeated army on the American side of the St La'wrence where no British troops could molest them. On the following day the troops were re-embarked and the flotilla ran the Long Sault and formed a junction with General Brown's detachment at Bamhart's three miles above Cornwall. At this place an unpleasant surprise awaited Wilkin- son. A short time after his arrival Colonel Atkinson, General Hampton's Inspector General, waited on him with a letter from that officer in which he declined to join Wilkinson at St. Regis, as he had been ordered, and informed him that he was marching to Lake Champlain to co-operate in the attack on Montreal from that point Wilkinson called a Council of War which decided that the attack on Montreal should be abandoned for that season, and that the army should go into winter quarters at French Mills on the Salmon River. This programme was at once carried out, and on the following day, the entire army crossed over to the American shore. Their movements were hastened by the news that there was a considerable British force at Coteau du Lac and that Lieut Col. Morrison's "Corps of Observation" which had defeated them at Chrystler's, was close at hand. THE WAR OF l8ia. "39 The &.lure of Wilkinson's expedition wm the «eate.t to endu^LT^K '"'""^*'"" "'^^^ American prSTS to endu« in the course of the war. From the JuJituS of rnerr™? "I!.'*"^ ""^ *^" "«^« -"d thTSTmbSr !.„ ! j;!5'*'^w' '""^ ^-^ «««on«bIy to have i^^lud^rSmn^^ """ «4.ooodiscipli;;edtrr;^^ ncluding Hampton's army, had been engaged in the mvMion of Canada yet all their efforts hafcome ^"n wZ' •''"'~' '^"'^'"^" himself ap^'rstr: been wholly incompetent, and the same chaw of intern i^p^^totm Trt-^''"'^ Ham^r:L"r of whl.K^K^ ' ^ '^^ '***«* **^ *« "Sickness" of which this general complained in his letters, was due St"Xon.^' "'"' the battle of Chrystler's berL^*"'*7^^"''^°^ ^°^*^ ^~^*' ^Wch had t«en called out for active service in view of the th^at- w7redrsm7i;"t "'k '*' "»P°"^«» with alacX ment^ fo r.^,'' "l ''**''^ ^^^ ^^^ i»»tly compi.. mented for their loyalty and seal. A great danger had b^n averted and the last chance whid, the Am'Trica^s hj^su^^lly attackingKingston or Montreal.^ 'f CHAPTER XIV. TiM NiMgm frwHkv^— Bflbct of Pnwtor't dafaat.— M'CIura's procU- natkHi.— Aonricsn plandarera on tha frontiar.— Wilcox tha traitor. — Brava afrlrit of tha Canadian paopla.— Advance of the British towards Fort Gaorga.— M'Clure buma Newark.— Abandons tha Canadian frontier.— Port Niagara captured by the British. -Btacii Rock and Bnftdo occupied.— The American frontier laid waste. — GaUant Militia enterprise.— Operations in Chesapeake Baj.— More of Loaafaig's nisstatements.— Naval engagements.— Chesa* peake and Shannon.— Hornet and Peacock.— Pelican and Argus— Enterprise and Boxar. The extreme anxiety of the American War Secretary to make the armies of Wilkinson and Hampton so strong that a successful invasion of Lower Canada would be the crowning effort of the year, had been the means of reducing the American force on the Niagara frontier and bringing operations there to a stand still. As it was considered that more s^ory was to be acquired before Montreal than in Upper Canada, all the regular officers ot high rank were with Wilkinson and Hampton, and Fort George was left in command of Brigadier Gen- eral M'Clure of the New York Militia. In the absence of General De Rottenburg, who had been called to Kingston, General Vincent again commanded the Brit- ish forces on the Niagara frontier, having his head- quarters near St. Davids. On the 9th October, the news of Proctor's defieat on the Thames reached him and, as it was considered certain that Harrison would follow and attempt to capture the British post at Bur- lington Heights, it became necessary for Vincent to &11 THB WAR OP l8ia 041 hKk and concentrate his army at that point Accoid- ly the delicate operation of withdrawing the army from in front of a very superior enemy was commenced the aame day, and conducted with such skill that the main body of the army had been nearly la hours on the march before the disappearance of the pickets notified the American commander tiiat tiie British were gone. General M'Clure with die bulk of his army, followed as fer as Twelve Mile Creek, but the rearguard, consisting of tiie lootii Regt. and tiie light company of tiie 8tii, under tiie command of Colonel Murray, presented such a formidable front tiiat he did not attempt any attack. Vincent reached Buriington Heights wiUiout loss and -was Uiere joined by Uie remnant of General Proctor's army numbering 346 officers anu men. General M'Clure in a proclamation addressed to the people of Upper Canada which he issued at this time, chose to treat tiie retirement of tiie British army from before Fort George as an abandonment of tiie Province. Matters certainly wore a very unpromising aspect and the Province was much nearer being abandoned than most people were aware at tiie time. For as soon as Sir George Prevost heard of Proctor's defeat he sent onlera to General Vincent directing him to evacuate all tiie British posts west of Kingston. That such an order should have been issued, shows tiie extreme folly of a Commander-in-chiefattempting to direct operations from a disUnce witiiout a knowledge of all tiie fects. Sir George Prevost doubtiess believed when he issued tiie order tiiat Harrison was advancing in force through tiie Western Peninsula and tiiat a speedy retreat was tiie only way to save tiie army. Fortunately for the interests of Canada and tiic credit of tiie British arms, tiie officers i I illi 94a THE WAR OF I»ia. who were charged with the execution of the order had better information than the Commander-in-chief and were not afraid of responsibility. General Vincent called a Council of War at Burlington Heights which decided that the order should not be obeyed and that the army should not retreat This noble resolve, which was taken in one of the daricest hours of the war, at a time when the Americans looked upon Montreal as already theirs, was the means of winning back all that had been lost on the Niagara frontier that year. It nerved the arm of every British soldier and Canadian Militiaman to greater efiforts, and inspired the hearts of all the people of the Province with renewed courage. The retirement of the British from the vicinity of Fort George gave General M'Clure a free hand for the practice of the only species of warfare in which he was competent to shine — that of marauding and plundering. American soldiers were quartered on the inhabitants of Newark and the &rm houses in its viciniQr were systematically robbed by M'Clure's troops. This gen- eral had offered the Mendship and protection of his government to the people of the Province, but these ifine sounding words proved to be without meaning. Friendship and protection were only for those who would renounce their allegiance and co-operate with him in the work of making Upper Canada an Ameri- can state. All others, who pr^rred to remain British subjects, were to be dragooned into submission. Bands of American banditti scoured the country, pillag- ing and destroying the houses of the inhabitants, and carrying off the principal of them to the American side of the Niagara River where they were incarcerated in filthy dungeons. One of the most prominent of THE WAR OP I8l3. »43 MCIures agents in this detestable work was one Wilcox, a British subject of Irish birth, who at the time of the war was a resident of York, editor of a newspaper and a member of the Legislature of Upper l^nada. Wilcox took a strong ground in &vor of the Amenans and tried to persuade the Legislature and people of Upper Canada to refuse to resist the invaders. It was to Wilcox and vagabonds of the same stripe that the Legislature referred, when, in its loyal address at the opening of the war, it spoke of the emissaries tftat the Americans had spread through the country to seduce their fellow subjects from their allegiance, and against whom it passed special acts. Wilcox, findinc the atmosphere of York, too warm for him, fled soon ^r Hull's surrender and took refuge in New York Mate, and it was quite in keeping with his character that when he turned his back on Canada, he should have taken with him a horse which he had stolen from Lieut Ryerson of the Norfolk Militia. This dastardly thief, who afterwards served in the American army until he was killed at Fort Erie, was a fitting instrument in the hands of M'Clure, to hany, rob and harass the l^ple of Newark and its vicinity. The people of the Nwj^ra frontier sufifered incredible hardships and had to endure many insults, but they preserved their man- hood and their loyalty. The spirit of the loyal inhabitants of Upper anada, was well illustrated by an event which took place in the County of Norfolk, in November of this year. A band of traitors, like Wilcox, and several Americans, had been engaged in plundering the houses of the people of that county, while the able bodied male population were absent serving with the army. Forty-five officers a44 THB WAR OF l8ia. : I !!i Hi i ill and men of the Norfolk Militia, who had returned to their homes at the end of the campaign, formed them- aelves into an association, and under the command of Lieut-Col. Bostwick, marched against the nurauders whom they fell in with on the Lake Erie shore, a few miles from Dover. In the engagonent which ensued, several of the robbers were killed and wounded and eighteen taken prisoners. Fifteen of these were convicted of high treason, eight of them hanged and the other seven transported. This hardy and successful enterprise re- ceived tl.e high approval of the President of the Pro- vince, Major General De Rottenburg, in a district general order, in which it was pointed out as a striking instance of the beneficial effects of unanimi^ and exertion in the cause of the country. M'Clure, whose force now consisted of nearly 3,000 volunteers and Militia and a few hundred Regulars, continued his course of outrage and robbery on the inhabitants within his lines until it became imperatively necessary for the British Commander to attempt to do something to check it Colonel Murray who commanded the British advanced posts, on his own urgent represen- tations, obtained permission from General Vincent to make a demonstration against the Americans, but with strict injunctions not to go beyond Forty Mile Creek. The news of Murray's advance with 380 men of the looth Regt a few volunteers and less than 100 Indians, was the signal for M'Clure to retreat from Twen^ Mile Creek where he was posted. Colonel Murray, having obtiiined permission to extend his march, advanced as for as Twelve Mile Creek and compelled M'Clure to retire to Fort George. But even there he did not deem himself safe, although the fort had been greatly strength- Mil! THE WAR OP l8ia. 245 ened during the summer and autumn, and he resolved to abandon Canada altogether. Before doing so, how- ever, he completed the record of his vandalism and cruelty by an act which has made his name forever infiunous in the history of the war. The beautiful village of Newark with its peaceful in- habitants, although it had suffered somewhat in the various contests which had occurred around it, still re- mamed a pleasant and habitable town. It conuined about 150 houses and two churches, in which its resi- dents worshipped the same God that the Congress of the United States had impiously requested to aid them in murdering and robbing the people of Canada. From the very first moment when M'Clure obtained the com- mand he seems to have cast an evil eye on Newark, and obtained from Secretary Armstrong the following order which he afterwards used to justify his conduct. War Department, Oct 4th, 1813. Sir:— Understanding that the defence of die post committed to your charge may render it proper to de- stroy the town of Newark, you are hereby directed to apprise tiie inhabitants of this drcumsUnce and invite them to remove themselves and dieir effects to some place of greater safety. JOHN ARMSTRONG. Armed with this order, M'Clure could affofd to wait until his vengeance against die unfortunate people of Newark could be sated to tiie utmost. December came witii its bitter blasts and blinding snow-storms, so tiiat the living creature tfiat was left without shelter was fore-doomed to death. On the i8th of tiie montii which chanced to be a Friday, just before night-fiUl, .;: I! 346 THI WAR OP 181 a. 1 H M'Clure sent his officers to notify the inhabitanti of Newaric that he was about to destroy their town, and that such of them as desired to save any of their effects should remove them at once. Half an hour later the incendiaries followed, and soon every house in the. village was in flames. The sun had set, but the sky was lighted up with the conflagration u hich told of the cruel and wanton destruction of a peaceful town, and the inhabitants of Newark were homeless. More than 400 helpless women and children were driven out, with- out food or shelter, to endure the rigors of a Canadian winter that dreadful night The aged and feeble, the sick and dying and the nfpxr-bom in&nt were alike sharers in the common doom which had been decreed against them by an infiunous government, and executed by a man still more in&mous than the men he served. Every building in Newark, with the exception of a single house, that of Mr. Gor 'on, was destroyed. Murray from his camp at Twelve Mile Creek saw the conflagration of Newark and divining its purport, hurried towards Fort George hoping to surprise the garrison. The cowardly M'Clure became panic stricken as he approached, and fled across the river in Sttch fear that he left the whole of his tents, sufficient to accommodate 1,500 men, standing. So great was his haste to get away that the new barracks which had just been built were left unconsumed, the fort was not blown up, and a considerable number of cannon as well as a quantity of stores were left behind. Thus was the whole Niagara frontier once more cleared of the invad- er, and the people of this beautiful and highly cultivated region rescued from a merciless enemy. Once more the British flag floated over Fort George, which the :, iiii' TH« WAR OF l8ia. H7 ^ Amerioin. h«d been good enough to strengthen «nd impn,ve so grt^tiy that it could have «oodV^Ur •lege by * formidable foree. if defend^ ^'t rXlr^ of the cowan,,, incend^^H^whrh^' ings of indignation throughout anad. andJed to Prevwts system of conducting war&„ witiiout ofcnd! Mn^LT"! ™ • ^"""' ~"« ^«^ "•thod of ^ 1 1 I^"?*^r" *° • ^"» »•"- °f *«i' conduct i^vS ? "??• . ^*r **~"' ^"•"^ Drummond h^ Rottwiburg of Ae Presidency and Miiita^r command ILhS^K^r^'*;"* ^^'"^"^ ^•j^' Genere, Ria„, ^hed the Niagare frontier soon after die flight of tiie rented to h,m tiie demoraiized condition of tiie ene,^ •ndAe probability of . retaliatory attack be!ng sT cessful, and General Drummond, ever ready where proposed hy die daring Colonel his immSiate P«w«ble, and sweep ti,e Americans from th^r own fe»nuer To effect tiiis, a sufficient number of battel" ^ to be brought over land from Burlington Bay, and of Captam Elhot of tiie Quarter Master Generel's ^^arunent and Captain Klrby and Lieutenants bTii! 5croo8 and Hamilton of tiie Militia. «iJl.l*rfT"7uP;?^"'^°"* ^^"« completed, on ti,e flight of the i8ti,. Colonel Murrey crossed tiie Niagara «ver and hinded tiie detachment intended for the Si M Ttii wAft OP i8ia. Illil iiii' ■ ti i llli on Fort Niagara at Five Mile Meadows, about thrao miles distant from the fort The force under Colonel Murray's command numbered about 530 rank and file, and consttted of the effoetive men of the looth, Regi, the Arrenadiers of the ist Royal Scots; the flank com- panies of the and Battalion of the 41st which had recently arrived from EngUnd, and a small detachment of Royal Artillery. Fort Niagara was a very strong work mounting a; cannon and had a garrison of 440 Regulars. To capture such a fortress by a night assault was certainly a most daring undertaking, yet this was what the British attempted and accomplished. At 4 o'clock that Sunday morning the attack was made. Murray's dispositions were admirable, and calcubtui to win succMs toven in the event of a desperate resistance. An advanced guard consisting of ao men of the looth Regt under Lieut Dawson was followed by the grena- diers of the same regiment under Captain Fawcett and a few artillerymen. Then followed five companies of the lOoth Regt under Lieut-Colonel Hamilton, which were to assault the main gate and escalade the woric» adjacent Three companies of the looth under Captain Martin were detached to storm the eastern demi-bastion. Captain Bailey with the grenadiers of the ist Royal Scots, was directed to attack the salient angle of the fortification; while the flank companies of the 41st un- der Lieut Bullock, were ordered f o support the principal attack. Each party was provided with scaling ladders and axes. Every detail of the programme of assault was carried out with the most brilliant success. Lieut Dawson's advance party succeeded in cutting oflF two of the enemy's pickets, and surprising the sentries on the glacis, and at the gate, by which means the Watchword J' TBI WAR or l8ls. *w ^T^'z «"-P-^ T^^c: In .few «!„«« ,U «, o«, „d tto Briti.h C«i waving over Fort Niagan. "•" amg yna •Wnljr on. of the mo« brilliant panam of th. -^ »i«ed of a,^!!^'^' ^ '•*"* 'f^o-i. con- riZr ^i ^"' ^"^ ««»• (noKliwt of iIm looih Blr^'^7 "• ■»*• «i«. wiui iw iiKiu«,c.«r;t, z i^^** ""■' •»" «h.^phnb of wSu*^ tr«^*2r"'uirs; «s the British nve th*»m . n \ "* ^ *«>" heels. *^ ^•" • ^*'"^' *^ took to tiieir At day break General Riall moved forward wlA k- force, the four companies of the 8th R^L^ u .. *"" <^P^y of thelg^^^J^tnTtf."^ *"** ?' "«^'*' diers of the ,o5. b^^g li rL^,^ 1*S? ^"- time the ist Roval S«J, .»w.tI ^' '**• *»"»« « Koy«l Scots, about 8oo strong, with a 35a THB WAR OP l8l2. 4n ■lijHl! Mi detachment of the 19th Dragoons, die whole commanded by Lieut-Col. G try on the beach. The five British guns on the Cana> dian side oi the river, however, re^wnded vigorously, and Riairs force advancing on the enemy's right, a landing was effected after the gallant Scots had suffered severe loss. Hall's a,ooo Militia, volunteers and Regu« lars made a very poor fight of it after the British had succeeded in landing, and, in the course of a few minutes fled towards BuffiUo, about two miles distant, as fest as their legs could carry them. Near Bufiblo an attempt was made to check the pursuing British by the fire of a field |Mece posted on a height which commanded the road, but the Americans, although in considerable force, were unable to maintain their position for a moment and fled to the woods leaving Bu£blo to its fete. Hall, with about 300 of his men, escaped to Eleven Mile Creek, about three miles from Buffiilo. About 130 of the Americans were taken prisoners but their loss in killed and wounded has never been ofiicially stated. General Riall estimated it at between three and four hundred. The British had 31 killed, 72 wounded and nine missing. Of the killed and wounded, six were Indians. The Militia Vol\inteers suffered a loss of three killed and six wounded out of 50 men engaged. The British captured at Black Rock and Buffalo eight iH« WA« or i8u. ,jj PtoCM. Thejr took .nd destroyed . hm ,u«unr rf pubhc ,u,«. .„d they burnt a,e Unitri S^w« X^'h-tf-"^ Belt. Chipp«„ .„d TripT.irS »*.ch l»d be«, engaged in the batde of lite Erie , few months before. Both Bu&Io and BUck Rock w.m ^^tL^t^'ji"","".*""" '««^s^^: WBta from the date of .ts destnicUon was Newark work retired to the Canadian side of the river holdiair Dos- ««on only of Fort Niag.™. « ,«,liation tar wS *^hole A«.ri«n frontier on d» Niagara IT Wd w»», was no doubt severe, but it wasonly by the erordse of ««* ,e«« »..«.,„ that the Amerii,^p«,p,?^ be brought to their senses and tausht to^ZIT*; «*«* of dvilised «.&«. Sk^p'^ifl l««l«»-ta dated January ,s,h, luTJ^^u «»~. U. im«.tio. u, fun«, fcrther a^JTo" "••i-topr war&re unless d>e (ut«, m,.,,^ ^ ^' enemy should compel diem to lesoit to it On, of a» most spirited enterprises of die year was £S/ ^'~'- "•*»« "d a hw m«, of the tS MMdI«.x «d iC«i, Hiliti. in capturing a pat^yTS «!S^ iT^Ji! *'»'?«"• *>«r-fi». in ..unb., were posted in the house of one Macrae by the river sId. wb« M«J«lf with ^renty^ght of his^iiH^ "^^ *«. bUed two of die party and made all tij^ «^re. who escaped. pjfaon«. TTiis pa^^wSS ««y j^redaooo, on the p«,lnsula, and Uieir aipft,^ «M ^gre« rohef to the settlers on die River Thamk When the general resula of the land operations of I THE WAR OF l8ia. the year 1813 are considered, it will be seen that the balance of advantage was greatly with the British, notwithstanding Proctor's defeat on the Thames, the repulse at Sackett's Harbor and the capture of York and Fort George. Although the Americans had strained their resources to the utmost and collected an army of more than 14,000 men for the capture of Montreal, they were foiled and defeated by a compar- atively small British force. Their brief occupation of the western peninsula brought them no substantial advantage, and on the Niagara frontier their strength gradually withered away, until so far from being able to hold Canadian territory, they had no longer the power to defend their own. The year closed with Fort Niagara in possession of the British forces and the State of New York open to their attack. The American Militia had become so demoralizfd that they were no longer able to make even a pretence of resistance, and after neariy two years of wa^re, the conquest of Canada seemed to be more remote than ever. While the land operations detailed in the foregoing chapters were in prc^rress the whole coast of the United States was bloclauled by British vessels so that the commerce of the country was almost ruined. The Admiral comnumding on the North American station was Rear Admiral Cockbum, an officer who by the efficient manner in which he attended to his instruc- tions, has earned the violent hatred and abuse of most American writers on the war. On the 4th of March,. 1813, Cockbum in the Marlborough 74, and with a num- ber of frigates and smaller vessels, entered Chesapeake Bay. He was charged with the du^ of threatening and harassing the enemy so that he might be obliged IH« WAR or l8l». »5S to gather noops for the defence otWubingun which -»^d ta.v. hta fewer t. «e for .„ .tuck Tc^ althaupound carionade. Her broadside weight of metal was 310 lbs. and her crew numbered 133 men. With such odds against her, the defeat of the Peacock is easily accounted for, although it was made worse than it need have been by the bad gunnery of her men, who instead of being drilled at the cannon were kept most of the time polishing brass work in order that the vessel might retain the title of TM« WAR or i8ia. 959 killed .n/i ♦-.^ •"'«««• ine Hornet lost only one tolled Md two wounded. The Peacock sunk aln3 i«nmcd«tely after her surrender ulZ^own w,^ h^ " onlh';7r 71 •"' """^ ^' ^^ "-^" C-. Ar«^s 4ct h^'l"^'*' *' A"«"~" brig sloop S's i^J^ ~"'"'''"«^ depredations in S^ thf^.' K ^" k "^ encountered and captured by earned ,8 24-pounder carronades and two long ,f^s and her crew numbered ,„ men. The Pelican l,!,^c^' 6 s as stern chasers. The action lasted 45 minutes v^hL h . *r '" ** *" of boarding. The British vessel had but two men killed and five wounded the TTic last single ship engagement of the year was be^^een the British brig Boxer, Captain Bl^^Tnd™ L^Twm I ^"'^'^T "'^'^^ ^ com^nded by fo™l W"V Bu'TOws and resulted in the capture of the former. The Enterprise carried ,4 ,8.pound «^r ^T'SxercJZ'" •l'*^ ^'^ numberS^^oLr lont ^ ^.T^*^ " iS-pound carronades and two Boxer was desperately defended and was not sur- ^nde^ until she was almost a wreck and th^ of he" guns dismounted. Three of her men were Idlled^nd ::rarBirf.r«"^""^- ^^^^^^^^^ the Enterpnse, and the two commander, were buried iff ate TMK WAR OP l8ia. side by tide at Portland, with the honors of war. Capt Blyth had nailed hb colors to the mast and declared that the Boxer should never be surrendered ndiile he lived, and he kept his word. This gallant officer was killed by an 1 8-pound shot at the very beginning of the action. No doubt his death contributed torgely to the defeat of the BOxer, but in any case the odds were so greatly against her that success would have been difficult to achieve. No honor was lost to the British flag by the Boxer's defeat ;ii-! CHAPTER XV. nttMCIMMHUMlortlM AoMfkui A™, uL^ 0«««J Brown Smadf. ' "" ««Mtfww aAJr oa th« B^ The people of the United Stetes mm^ ^ «. fi^ with the «.ult. of t^ ^"^J^^i" -'^ tiKwe of New EnffI«nd^«Lr^ ""*'*"' •«> their .wtimee^G^' T^o "! *«*«»* *«> «>nceal in hu-!!: ^ wwernor Stioag of MeMechu««M. «nlii« mesaege deiHHinced the wwa. crueli^^^ •«» aelwl the Legisliuure taH^ "d unjuet. bnngijH, .bout .^3^ pel^^^Jt^'S: '"' further prosecution of the mr *« kT- .. r^'^ the and implored Con^^to^ '^'''^ *"** ""j«« «t. Thi. remon^S::,^,:^^^^^^^ butno^tentionwaapaidto^rr^aroir- c''' «- New England":^ soX^ wi^^VT T^ «es8 of their position, that aT^^ ^k"" ^°^^^ of the N«w P««i- J ^^ suggested the propriety a63 THI WAR OP i8ia. and concluding a separata peace with Gieat Britain, leaving the states beyond the Hudson river to fight as long as they pleased. Even at this early period, the interests of New England and those of the slave hold- ing states of the South, were in direct conflict with each other. A conspicuoitt pRxrf of the predominance of the South, was afforded by the passage in December, 1813, of an ev^wrgo act, forbidding, under heavy penalties, the exportation by lead or water, of any goods, pro- duce, specie or live stock. This act was intended to prevent supplies reaching the British from American ports, but was so strictly enforced while it lasted, that it entirely stopped the local coasting trade and put the small towns on the New England coast to great suffering and inconvenience. But while the war party in Congress, were exulting over this last exhibition of didr power, news came from Europe which put them in a great state of consternation. They learned that their good friend and ally. Napoleon, had been de- feated at the battle of Leipsic, and that the French armies had been driven out of Spain by Wellington. Visions were before them of the foriom condition to which they would be reduced, when the British had the war with Napoleon off their hands and would be able to turn their attention exclusively to them. In March, 1813, the Emperor of Russia, through M. Daschkoff, his representative at Washington, formally offered the United States, his friendly services in bringing about a peace with Great Britain. This offer, which came at a time when the disasters which Napoleon had met with in Russia seemed to point to his speedy downfoll, was accepted, and Albert Gallatin, •w« WAM OP i8ia. a63 MlwUnt with the estakii.k^ '^"procitjr, not incon- and wi*k ♦!/ "•^^*»™»«ned maxims of public law : ^^33^ Sirs duly «on,mi»ion«l tautuhr p-cT^^ Bn?? .b.ndon A, righ, of «.«!h, .id^^.*"" the instructions, "must nm».,^ ♦!. ^' ***** nation." These iiuBn,^^. / ""dependent in the peace wh^w "" "''""J' ".'regarded ".g«ia.C^,;^^;7'-»^^«'"'Med. The ob«ructiveemb.rw,aa .n?i. """"■' "^ *« April. .8.4,T?1.^"il'^"P^?'»"«h«'4t<. ff •«♦ THB WAR or i8ia. \i Nol only had tht conUnuanot of the wm pcMMd with gnat aevarity upon th« oommarcial intantt of the Unlt«i StatM ; It had atao gwaUy ambamaaad the government financially. Notwithrtanding the enthutiann with which the American people had enteied upon the oonteM, it was found extremely difficult to obtain recruits for the regular army. This army was intended to have a strength of 61,000 men, bu St the beginning of 1814 its number did not exceed 40,000. To bring the force up to the required strength, great inducemenia were authorised by Con- gress to be offered to recruits. Men wilUng to enlist weie to receive a bounty of $114; their pay was increased and each private was to have a gmnt of 160 acres of land in Illinois or Missouri. At the same time the President was authorised to call out the Militia for six months instead of three. It has been already stated that when the war com- menced there were but eight BriUsh Regiments in Canada, including the loth Veteran Battalion and the three Provincial Corps, the Canadian Fendbles^ Glengarries and Newfoundland Regt. The whole force, including a detachment of artillery, numbered but 4,450 imnk and file. At the beginning of 1814 the number of regiments in Canada had been increased to 15, vii. the ist, 8th, 13th, 41st, 49th, 89th, looth, 103rd, 104th, Glengarries, Canadian Fencibles, Volti- geurs, NewfoundUnd Regt., De Watterville's and De Meuron's Regts. The two Utter were foreign corps, and the five preceding them, provincial regi- ments. The 41st had two battalions, but the greater part of the I st battalion had been captured after the battle of the Thames. The regular force in Canada. ;;i , 1 :„% .'I ! L. nu WAn or itij. Ms •«• Tl»" «««■»• will WV. to ihow -*V,T T" c*.r",s:xrXirjx''«^' r^ battalion of th* A»k /-^ . ^^ Wieved the and !^u \ *"' "®" garriaon duty in New Br..«.^ a66 THI WAR OP i8ia. Politically they are now one, and three independent lines of railway now render communication between New Brunswick and Quebec easy and rapid at all seasons so that it takes fewer hours to accomplish the distance than it did days eighty-seven years ago. The complete collapse of the American power on the Niagara frontier enabled Lieutenant General Drum- mond to extend his protection to those portions of the peninsula which were much exposed to the raids of the enemy. In February, Capt. A. H. Holmes, of the a4th U. S. Infiintry, was sent by Lieut.-Col. Butler, who was in temporary command at Detroit, to capture Fort Talbot on Lake Erie, where a British detachment was stationed. Holmes had with him i6o men, rangers and mounted in&ntty of the a4th and aSth Regts., and two 6-pounders. He was foiled in his attempt on Fort Talbot, and was retreating by way of Longwood. when Capt. Baaden, of the 8^, advanced against him from Delaware Town, with the two flank companies of the ist Royal Scots, the light company of the 89th, and 50 Militia Rangers and Kent Militia in all, 196 rank and file, and 50 Indians under Colonel Elliot. Holmes teaming of the approach of the British, fell back five miles to the Twenty Mile Creek, where he secured himself on a commanding eminence beyond a wide and deep ravine behind log intrenchments form> ing a hollow square. There on the 4th of March, Capt Basden found and attacked the Americans in their stronghold. The snow was about 15 inches deep with a strong crust rendering the approach to the enemy very difficult. Some of the Militia who were well acquainted with the country offered to lead Capt. Basden by a circuitous route to the rear of their position THB WAR OP I8ia. a6f •nd (he Indian. .^1 "«'«™nt to the right were ^cdvcd^'^Th . Lrfi"?^ J ** •■•"?' "« :^°Xttrj.i;£-H^-7r, loss of 1^ ujii^i J ' ''*'°"^toretirewththe «Ms or 14 killed and 51 wounded tk- a J •o heve been n,c^^(L^ •^•»">P'«>«»»» w«s a brave o(Bo»T?i. J^ °^"'' ""» "•<>"•». of common lt?r„'hi^L*jr'r' •,'»"»»'•'•'• "^k fiw point if ."til "/"■• ** '^'•*"» frontier the Wilkin«n on It'^^S I" '"" *""•" ""^"«»' Colonel WinSeld XTrtilldT' *• """^ *« «-dee him with whlS^"«,*,^" '^™;'7,r" "T' -v« wno wts ambitious to distinguish aM THE WAR OF l8ia. himself on the northern frontier and wipe away part of the disgrace of the fiUlure of the previous autumn. After the abandonment of the expedition against Montreal in November, 1813. Wilkinson's force was hutted in winter quarters on the Salmon River, near French Mills, but in January, orders were received from the War Department to break up this post. Early in February, these orders were executed and General Wilkinson burnt his 300 boats and batteaux which had been used for the carriage of his troops, twelve gun boats, which had been employed to protect his flotilla, and the barracks, block houses and huts for his troops, which had been built at great labor and cost. All this property having been committed to the lames, the American general detached General Brown with a,ooo men, besides artillery, to Sackett's harbor, and with the remainder of his force and so much of his stores and baggage as he could carry with him, retreat- ed to Plattsbuff . Colonel Scott of the 103rd Regt with detacfameats from that corps, the 8gth, the Can- adian Fcncibles and a «bw light cavalry, the whole force amounting to about 1 100 rank and file, pressed on Wilkinson's rear as he retreated, and captured about 100 sleigh loads of stores and provisions. Scott returned to his post at Coteau du Lac, after having ad- vanced to witiiin a few miles of Plattsburg, wiUiout encountering any opposition whatever. General Wilkinson had not been long at Plattsburg before he began to grow impatient to be in the field once more. He had become impressed with tiie idea that the British mediated some serious movement against him, and he determined to anticipate it. On the 19th of March he advanced with his army from Plattsburg to THE WAR OF l8ia a69 Chazee, which is on the foad from Plattebuw to Cham Te llicersl A "'"/"l* """^^ of iniantoracroJ TmtL^tl ^"»"^,f ««* *ey remained until th. aeth, when they were suddenly withdrawn and leioined S.'nTr^w^'''''*r^*'^^"P'-"- OnthTa't^ General WUkmson called a council of war at that piao; Bitl TdT?:* ^^*'"«*^•- General MJLTmt cZlinJl H M .^'°"*'' ^*""«'"' Miller and Cummmgs, and Majors Pitts and Totten At ^u- Council .h. Americn G«,«a. J«. STfte^^n.^ Colle M,II, of whom, .iter living , g.^„ ^ ^ i^^i,"«:f^ f ''"^' '■■"° """>"• Wilkin^ «««ed his own foree at four thousand comhitMt, •wneiy with eleven guns, and he propounded the q»««.on, "Shall we alt«dc the enemy?" ThTwLnd! ««I«ss«i the opinion that the light t^ps ZlZlt a reconnamnce towards La Colle Mill and, if found Bn&h work, destr^. and that the whole army should move to support the light troops. The coundl also approved the order of batUe which the genenU h^ suta-tted to them On the same day Wilkfnson is«^ a general order directing the men to be supplied with s^ rounds of ammunition and four ^^Z^ pronsions. He said to hi. «*|ie„: "Let even, officTr and mrery man make the resolution to return v^rfous or no. at all, for, with double the fore. „f a,.t^ this army must not give ground." The troops i,^ approaching the enemy were ordered to be profoj^dly ■p 370 THE WAR OP iSia. THE WAR OP l8ia. 271 ^t and by way of screwing thdr coumge to the siKdang point the following interesting info^ftion wm communicated to ttem: "An fsmZ^^u """°" ™ Ts^l ^"' *"^ * *"«» ^^««*"* w"' form a supenwnem,y rairic, and will instantly put to death any man who goes back." ^ ucam 4.^ ™^ Ih^*''^ ^*"*^ Wilkinson, with his Ss^J^ . T^T '^"^ *'"«*^'^' ^^omnienced h« march to La Colle, which is distant about seven ™Th LT'P "' ^^*™P'*^"- The American S^^.-.h S^ -"^informed as to the strength of the Bntish and consequently his army was out of all Collt^MM^l^ '^°° "*" ^' ^^^^ A"^ Noix and La <^ mm!^' l"** "*" "^^ **" '500, including 500 M^itia, within .5 miles of U Colle. The mill a! La Colle was a stone structure, 50 feet in length and 36 m width with walls ,8 inches in thickn^ To T^i^^^^^l" °''*'^"^ ^ "•«»^^ ^d been filled ^t^ ^°«\»«*^'"« horizontal lo«p holes for muskets. U Stood on the south side of the La Colle River about rS? T^'V'^ * ""«^ *bove its junction with the ^ ^*L.^* "^" at this point was crossed by a th? ^M"f " ''~***" block-house which stood on ^e north bank of the river. To the north of Z b ock-house was an ordinary wooden bam. The l^^^KT"'"'^ *"""' '~ ^^' ^° ^- northwaJof the block-house and about .00 yards to the southwa^ of the mill; beyond these points was a thick wood rndtl^l^'" "'" -PP^o.c^^ quite close to the ^ and blockhouse. The mill was occupied by a garrZ m 37a THI WAR OP l8t3. of 180 men under the command of Major Handcock of the 13th. It consisted of Capt. Blake's company of that regiment, a small detachment of Frontier Light Infantry under Capt Ritter, 70 Marines and four Marine artillerymen. General Wilkinson's army commenced its march at 10 o'clock, but did not arrive in front of the mill until a o'clock in the afternoon. The advance had been delayed by the badness of the road, which was covered with melting snow, and also obstructed for some distance by trees which had been felled across it. In its march. Colonel Bissel's brigade encountered a British picket and lost 13 men killed and wounded by its fire. This incident showed the Americans that Major Handcock had notice of their approach. He had been early informed of their advance against him, and had sent to Isle Aux Noix for reinforcements, which, however, did not arrive until the action had commenced. When Geneml Wilkinson's army reached the mill, the very elaborate plan of operations which he had formed for its investment and capture was fully de- veloped. Colonel Clark and Major Forsyth who commanded the advance, were sent across the La Colle to the rear of the block-house, and were im- mediately followed by Colonel Miller with his regiment of 600 men. The duty of this detachment was to cut oft the British garrison in case it attempted to retreat, and to prevent the arrival of any reinforcements. The remainder of Wilkinson's force was drawn up in front of the mill. Captain McPherson with his artillery, being covered by the brigades of Generals Smith and Bissel. General Macomb commanded the reserves. THB WAR or I8l3. ara Maajmb endeavored to place an iS-pounder in a ^s r,a InT "^ ''.'*"* '*^^*«'- McPhe«on*^, «i«s. a la and a six-pounder. and a five and a half inch .good position in U,e woods about aso yards L^tl^: n^LJ^ opened fire upon it briskly but produced no impression upon its thick and honestly buSt walls. The garrison of the mill responded with an equally vigorous fire of musketnr. Soon after this can^^o^ade commenced, the two flank companies of the "3^ ^r^LuT S"^^'"' ^"•"^ *"*» "*>'8»te. arrived i^^nlnt^T ^Tr^ ^"P'"* *• block-house on from the nature of the ground they occupied, was d.d w.th the utmost intrepidity, but a charge executed ty hardly more than ,00 men against a numerous force of artilleor supported by two brigades of infitntor. could and ^ 'r^*^^- ^^ ^"•'^ ^'^ "^^^y wounded and h., two companies had to retire to the b4k house. At this moment the grenadier company of the Canadian Fejcibles under Capt Cartwright. and a compally cJ Voltigeuis. amved from Burtonville. and a^nd chaip was ordered, which was headed by Capt Blake lfn:.T''**^ The four compares JJvanS l^T **** ^"» with such resolution tiiat the artilleiymen deserted tiiem. and tiiey were only saved ^em"*^^ ^ '^"^ P"''"'^' ^*^"* °^ infantr/ behind toem. This fiict was Ntiested to boUi by General Bissel and Lieut-Colonel Totten of ti,e American Engineers, at General Wilkinson's court martial, and 274 THB WAR OP I8ia. I i. McPhecson, who oommanded the American Artillery, gave equally strong testimony. "The conduct of the enemy that day/' said he, "was distinguished by desperate bravery. As an insunoe, one company made a charge on our artillery, and, at the same instant, received its fire and that of two brigades of in&ntry." Major Handcock soon perceived that the enemy were too powerful to be driven away, and ordered the four companies engaged in the sortie to retire to the block house. The Americans continued to batter the mill with their artillery until nearly dark without in any degree impairing its defensive strength, and finally, about six o'clock, they retired from the field and retreated by the same road by which they had advanced. They had lost 13 killed, laS wounded and 13 missing, a total of 154. The British lost 1 1 killed, 44 wounded and four missing. The whole British force engaged that day did not exceed four hundred men and the defence of the post at La CoUe was one of the most gallant a&irs of the war. The American General certainly showed an incredible amount of stupidity in noi ordering the occupation of the wooden block house which was without defenders when he advanced, and his oAoert on the north side of tiie river dis|>lrtyed great negligence in permitting the reinforcements from Isle Aux Noix and BurtonviUe to elude them and occupy the blockhouse. In the course of the contest, Capt. Pring brought up his sloop and gun- boats from Isle Aux Noix, and moored them at the entrance of the La CoUe River, but the fire from his guns did the ennny no harm, as they were protected by the thick woods. Mi^or Handcock very prudently did not pursue Wilkinson's retreating forces, but they were iotiowed for sone distance by a small party of Indians THB WAR OF l8ia. »75 who had one of their number killed and one wounded. During the night, by the active exertions of Lieuty. Caawicic and Hicks of the Royal navy, two i8-pound carronades were got up from the vessels to the block house, but they were not needed, for the enemy had disappeared. Wilkinson retreated to Plattsburg and the U Colle episode closed his miliuiy career, for a few days later he was relieved of his command by an order from the War Department He was afterwaids tried by court martial, but as he proved that he had acted throughout under the instructions of Secretary Arm- strong, he was acquitted. On the retirement of Wilkin- son General Brown became Commander-in-chief in the Northern department. General Brown had arrived at Sackett's harbor with his a,ooo men from French Mills on the 34th' of Febru- aiy, and a few days later received a dispatch from Secre- tory Armstrong in the following terms:— <« You will immediately consult with Commodore Chauncey about the readiness of the fleet for a descent on Kingston the moment the ice leaves the lake. If he deems it prac- ticable and you think you have troops enough to cany It, you will attempt the expedition. In such an event you will use the enclosed as a ruse Id that he had misunderstood his orders. The Secrv^tary, however, does not appear to be much worried at the failure of his own plans against Kingston, for he wrote Brown: — *'If you left the harbor with a competent force for its de- fence, go on and prosper. Good consequences are sometimes the result of mistakes." Whether Brown had left a competent force at THs WAK or i8ia. V7 Britiah «ud« no att^Mi upon It Y« th. capture of the Pl«* t that time would have rendemi the American^ ZLT^"" ^"^k""' campaign and^::^" changed the aapect of the contast. for their entire fle^ apprehenalve tiiat die poat would be attacked, and had 3.000 men quietly collect«l and marched agalnat it. 1^ -pture would have been ceruin. But st l^V^ ^TJ ^ "^ '•*:! *^' "^ ^'*"» enterpriaTaS duHn' ^r~ ^•^ '*!*P**'''^ • great deal Of energy SL ^th^A^'TJ" •^?«*«»'"« W. fleet O? Sr ^ .? i^* ^ "•^ ^"«»^' *• Prince Regent Kl'ntl ' ^""*:?^ ^*"''^ *»' '^•" launched « Klng«on. and their rigging and equipment were ^TrifV^'L^' ^•y "•'• -^y fo^ae^icn^ Aeae fh^tes, waa a more heavily armed ahip tiin the Oa««jrut.>n, while the Princes. Charlotte wL a more powerful .^sd than the Shannon. Commodore Y.^? ong.n.1 s« cruisers had all been re-named, some of Aem rearmed and both the schoonere changed into bngs. Besides the two large frigates already mention! ed h,s fleet consisted of the ships Mont4l .5 and 16 and Magnet .a. With such a force at his disposal^ verJdTJl- r' ^""^^ "^ ""*'" «*»'«' *nd on^c veo^ day h,s ships were ready for sea, he set sail from Kingston for Oswego, which Sir George Prevost had reluctanUy consented to permit him to%ttack, ^^t^e urgent representation of Lieutenant-Genenil Drummond HHHliM mtaoocm nmunoN mr omit (ANSI and BO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 IK IM IM IM S^ \25 lu L6 A /f=»PLEO ISVC3E Inc 1*53 EMt IMn Straat Wo c hwtir. Nnr Yofk I4«09 USA (7I«) 4K-O300-Fho>M (»)•) i )-ra> 378 THE WAR OF l8l2. ^■i and himself. Fortunately for the success of the expedition, the Commander-in-chief did not think it necessary to accompany it in person. Sir James Yeo, with his fleet, was off Oswego by noon on the 5th of May. General Drummond had command of the land forces, and the troops embarked with him, consisted of six companies of De Wateville's Regt under Lieut.-Col. Fischer; the light company of the Glengarry Light In&ntry, under Capt M'Millan; the and Battalion of Marines under Lieut-Col. Malcolm; a detachment of Artillery, with two field pieces, under Capt Cruttenden ; a detachment of the rocket company, under Lieut Stevens, and a fiew sappers and miners, under Lieut Gosset of the engineers, — the whole numbering 1,080 rank and file. Oswego was d^nded by a fortification called Fort Ontario, which stood in a commanding position on a bluff on the east side of the river, overlooking the lake. The fort which was star- shaped, covered upwards of three acres of ground and mounted six guns, three long 24-pounders, a long 12 and two long6's. The batteries had been recently repaired and picketed and new platforms laid for the guns. The fort had a garrison consisting of Lieut- Col. Mitchell's battalion of artillery, numbering upwards of 300 rank and file, in addition to a number of artillery and engineer officers. In the river was the United States schooner Growler, having on board seven heavy guns and a large quantity of stores and ammunition intended for the fleet at Sackett's Harbor. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the day of their arrival at Oswego, the ships lay to, within long gun- shot of the fort, and the gunboats, under Captain Collier, were sent close in for the purpose of inducing THE WAR OP l8ia. 279 TZZ7- ')7- *"' ^'■' *"^ particularly the number and position of h,s guns. A mutual cannonade was t^^l "n °' t^ °"' *"** * ^^^' '^^ Americans replying to the British fire with four cannon from the fort, and f Th"f "k"^" / u'"*''"*' ^*^ "^^ ^'"^ o" the beach. Ihe object of this reconnoissance having been fully accomplished, the gunboats withdrew, and arrange, ments were made for the attack which it was intended should be made at 8 o'clock in the evening. But at sjmset a ve^r heavy squall came up f«,m the north- west blowing directiy on the shore, and compelled the fleet to gam an offing. Four of the supply limits had to be cast adrifk and one of them went ashore, and this circumstance has enabled some American writers like Lossing, with no regard for truth, to concoct a le- T"^ 1* i?"*'^''* describing the gallant fashion in which ^ British wei. driven back ^ the fi« fi^m the fort. That evening the British fleet disappeared from in front of Oswego, but Mitchell was under no de- usion as to the cause of their departure, and, knowing that he might expect them back next day, he sent out tnessengers to bring in the Militia, and ordered the Commander of the Growler, to sink that vessel and ^T.uJ!^ ^V° ^"*" '" ** ^°^ Two hundred of the Militia of the county, burning with ardent patriotism, came into the fort in the course of a few hours, so that the American commander had about 600 men at his disposal, two-thirds of them Regulars. On the morning of the 6th, Sir James Yeo's fleet was again in front of Oswego, and preparations were at Mn"!."? i°,i.*" '''^^ "^^^ P""*«« Charlotte, Montreal and Niagara engaged the batteries as close to the shore as the depth of the water would permit them. aSo THB WAR OF l8l3. lili! :* The Magnet took a station in front of the town on the opposite side df the river, to keep in dieck tMy MiKtia who might attempt to enter the fort firom that quarter, while the Charwell and Star towed the boats with the troops, and then covered their landing hy scouring the woods on the low point towards the foot of the hill to the eastward of the fort, by which it was intended to. ad- vance to the assult The attacking par^ consisted of the two flank companies of De Watteville's Regt, under Captain De Bersey, the light company of the Glengarries, under Captain McMillan, these three com- panies numbering 140 rank and file; the battalion of marines, 400 Arong, under Lieut -Col. Malc'»^« Militia to^k to tiieir heels the moment the terrible mi>n «^r7 Jn *k • « . ; ^"* American loss was stati^i in their official returns, at six killed ^^1 J^ J ^ 25 missing. The British ^k^;'i^^^^^^ than half of whom were wourl^e^.^ ^^"'"' '"^''^ kilS^in^.l""' ^"i'' '" *'^ ^P'"»«* *«^'> was « tailed and 73 wounded. Among the killed was^nt XlSot mT"""'*"' a-ngthewo^S; g^lant Capt Mulcaster, who fell while bravely leading his sailors againt the batterv L.V.,* t • '«a«>nfir but a v.^ co„sid.«bI. quanti^sti"^*^"^^: of various calibri .„? . ^"^* ^^PP^^ «^«hot anous calibres and of ammunition; 800 barrel* «f flour, 500 barrd, of br«d, 500 bar^l's 5^,^^^ a8a THE WAR OP i8ia. % ■ ; bftrrels of salt and a large quantity of rope and cordage. They raised the Growler and took her away, biesides another schooner and several boats and smaller craft, and they destroyed the barracks and all other public buildings. The Americans professed to regard the capture of Oswego as of little moment because they did not lose all the stores that had been there, but the material loss was certainly large and the a&ir was a most humiliating blow to their prestige. Sir James Yeo returned to Kingston with the spoils of Oswego, and having landed the troops, appeared on the 19th of May o£F Sackett's Harbor, and began a strict blockade of that place. This made the bringing of the equipment of the new American war ships from Oswego Falls to Sackett's Harbor, a task of enormous difficult and greatly retarded their completion- Captain Wolsey, of the U. S. navy, undertook to convey the heavy guns and cables of the Superior, from the falls to Stoney Creek, three miles from Sackett's Harbor, to which they could be carried by land. On the evening of the 28th of May, Wolsey, with iQ boats, heavily laden with 22 long 32-pounders, ten 24's, three 42-pound carronades and 12 cables, left Oswego for Stoney Creek. The flotilla was protected by Major Appling with 130 riflemen. An equal number of Oneida Indians were engaged to meet the boats at the mouth of Big Salmon River and to assist in case of an attack. Wolsey found that he could not elude the blockading squadron and reach Stoney Creek, so he resolved to run up Big Sandy Creek and land his pargo there. All got in safe except one boat, laden with two long 24's and a cable, which fell into the THE WAR OF l8ia. a83 hands of the British. Sir James Yco at once sent ^?Ll?''*rf J"'"* °®^" »»«» ^^ th^" two Siring t1^? barjes manned by ,75 sailors and marines. They learned that tiie flotilla had got into the Big Sandy, and resolved to pursue it up that stream. '^ aZuL^'? ^""^^ "^ ' "'"^^ ""^ ^hich flows ?«? K*^ V »«^«» t«ct. Which was tiien covered witi. trees ^^T^L °" "**' "°'"*"«^ ^'^ *• 3otii ti,e British boats and barges entered the Creek and advanced up it almost to the point where tiie flotilhi lay. The British Marines were landed on die left bank and a party of ««men on ti,e right, to clear ti,e bushes of any^n^f Wolsey. however, had not only been join J by Ae Indians, but had been reinfo«ed from the hSJ by a comj«ny of light artillery with two 6.pounders a sq«ad«>n of cavalry and about 300 infantry^ Ap^ing and his riflemen and ti,e Indians were ambushed ibout half a mile below Uie American boats, and poured a deadly volley into ti,e British as thty passS. The ZL^TT^ ^'***' ^^ ^'"*" *"^ "^^"^^ were caught fairly in a trap and surrounded, as thty were, by a more tiian tiireefold foree of enemies with even^ advantage of position, tiiey were foreed to surrendZ after losing ,8 killed and 50 dangen,usly woundeT It was certainly an enormous piece of folly to attack an anemy in so strong a position witi, such an inadequate force, but at all events, no honor was lost by tiie British in the afeir. It was a disaster entirely due to over- ^dence and rashness, and a neglect of tiiose ordinary m^ .^''^"*L *" ''^^°" disregarded in milita? matters without the want of foretiiought bringing Z own punishment s « »» / I ii ■ 'i CHAPTER XVI. Tb* Niagara frontk r . O ana ra l Brown iuvadaa Canada. — Hia fonaa.— > Tha Britiah fer«a.~Fort Eria takaa.— Brown advancaa to CUppawa. — 9atUa ct CUppawa and dafaat ai tha Britiah.— Loaaaa on both atdaa.— Riall ratraata to Fort Goorga.— la rainfbrcad.— Brown ad- vancaa to Qoaanatown.— Daatmctioa of St. David'a.— Tha Vaadal> iam of tha Amaricaaa.— Chauncay will not comparata. — Brown ratiraa to CUppawa. — Riatl advancaa.— Orummond arrivaa irith rainforcaaMnta.— Battla of Lundjr'a Lana. — Tha Amaricana dafiwitad and raUra to Fort Bria. We now approach the most important campaign of the whole war, the one garnished with the names of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie; a campaign which every loyal Canadian can regard with feelings of pride. The new American Commander-in-chief had resolved to make one more supreme effort to win the Niagara frontier, and he did not doubt his abili^ to march down the north side of Lake Ontario and capture Kingston, provided the fleet would co-operate with him. In justice to General Brown, it must be admitted that he adopted the only method t^ which success was possible, and was unwearied in his efforts to drill and discipline his army. The months that had elapsed between the close of the last campaign in Lower Canada and the summer of 1814, were spent in constant exercises. The troops were drilled from seven to ten hours a day and, as most of them had been two years in active service* Brown's army had acquired a mobility and efiiciency which no American force that had appeared in the field dtvi-g the war possessed. But this circumstance while it accounts for the obstinacy with which the battles of THE WAR OF l8ia. •95 thb ompaign ^re contested, only makes the triumph Of the Bntish Regulars and anadian Militia over Drown s force more glorious. General Brown was at Buflhlo, when on the ist of cJl ZT '''?'" ^~" ^"^^y Annst«,ng to cross the Nmgara nver, carry Fort Erie and "beat up the enemy s quarters at Chippewa/' and if assured of the «w>peraUon of the fleet, to seize and fortify Buriing- tonheights. The cooperation of the fleet was consider«J essential to any permanent lodgement at the head of Late Ontario, for without it, so long as the British held Fort Nugara and Fort George, the American line of communication would be liable to be cut at any time if Ihey advanced into tiie interior of Upper Canai. But this coK>peration was not at diis time possible, for Chauncey had not yet got out of Sactett's Harbor witii his new and powerful ships. Indeed ti,e American U)rnmodoPB was not on tiie Late until tiie 31st of July, •nd by tiiat time tiie opportunity had passed, for Brcmn's anny had been defeated and tiie survivors of it were ^gitives seeking protection behind tiie bastions of Fort On tiie and July. Brown issued his orders for cross- ing tiie nver before daylight tiie following morning. His army consisted of two brigades of regular infcntry, numbering, according to American accounts, a,6oo rank and file, commanded by Generals Scott and ^f^i Jn ^^ *'"«^* ™ *'^«* *" efficient train of artillery, commanded by Major Hindman arid Capt Towson. There was also a squadron of Dra- px>ns commanded by Capt Harris. These were all Regulars and tiieir strengtii may be placed at 3,100 rank and file. There was also a tiiird brigade under a86 THI WAR OP l8lS. Generml Porter compoted of 600 New York Volunteen, 500 Pennsylvania Volunteers and 600 Indian warriors. One hundred of the New York Volunteers were mount- ed. Brown's force immediately available for the in- vasion of Canada was therefore 4,800 men. Besides these he had at different posts between Erie and Lewis^ ton, the I St Regt of U. S. in&ntry, a reguUr rifle corps, 150 Canadian refugee Volunteers, and 300 New York Volunteers, under Colonel Philetus Swift. These additions would bring Brown's strength up to fully 6,000 men, independent of the Militia of the State. All these figures are fiom American authorities, but there is good reason to believe that they are much too low, for on the same authority we are told that Colonel Miller's regiment, the aist, mustered 600 mnk and file, on the 30th March, at La CoUe Mill. Yet Miller's regi- meiu v;a8 only one of the four that composed Ripley's brigade the strength of which, on the ist July, is stated at 1300 men. It would t« singuUr, indeed, if the average strength of the four regiments of Ri^^'s brigade was only 325 and still more singuhtr that one regiment should number 600 men, and the other three average only 175 men each, at the very beginning of the campaign. The British force on the Niagara frontier, including the garrisons of Fort Erie, Fort George, Fort Niagara, Mississaga and the post at Burlington Heights, did not exceed 1,800 men. It was under the command of Major-General Riall, who is described by an officer who served under him at this time, as a gallant man, but possessed of very little military skill; who had attained his rank by the purchase of all purchasable grades. This criticism seems to be amply justified by THB WAR OP l8ia. a8f th« fcct that Riall left « garrison of fto men of the 8th and looth Regts., without proper detc isive worin in Fort Erie, where they were certain to be captured, if the enemy advanced in force. On the morning of the 3rd of July, General Scott's brigade crossed the Niagara River, and landed below Fort Erie, un- molested. General Ripley soon afterwards landed with his brigade above the fort, which was immediately invested and lummoned to surrender. After the ex- change of a few cannon shot, by which one British soldier was killed, and seven Americans killed and wounded. Major Buck surrendered Fort Erie, and he and his men became prisoners of war. The place, no doubt, was incapable of successful defence, but had it been otherwise and Buck in a position to maintain him- self for a few days, General Brown might have had reason to regret his rashness in crossing the Niagara River, as he did with an uncaptured fort in front of him and an enterprising enemy on Lis flank. As it was. Fort Erie was taken without any serious resistance, and the Americans became posseessed of a place of retreat to which they could fly in the event of any great disaster to their army. The nearest British force to Fort Erie at this time was at Chippewa where were less than 800 Regulars and about 300 sedentary Militia. General Riall, who received the news of the American invasion about 8 o'clock the same morning, immediately oidered five companies of the Royal Scots to Chippewa, under Lieut- Colonel Gordon, to reinforce the garrison of that place, and sent out Lieut -Colonel Pearson of the looth Regt. with the flank companies of that corps, some Militia of the and Lincoln Regt, and a f«w Indians to reconnoitre (1/ I I » ? I''l M: 988 THB WAR OP l8ia. tht enemy's poeition and ascertain his numbers. The Americans were seen to be poeted on the ridge parallel to the river near the ferry opposite Black Rock and in strong force. As the 8th Regt, which was houriy expected from York« had not arrived. General Riall did not deem it prudent to make an attack that day. On the following morning General Scott ad* vanced towards Chippewa with his brigade, which consisted of the gth, nth, aand and asth Regts. of Infentry accompanied by Towson's Artillery G>rps. He was followed later by Ripley's brigade, composed of the 17th, 19th, a I St and ajrd Regts. of infentry with Hindman's 'Artillery, and by Porter's Brigade of Volunteers. Scott's brigade encountered the British advance consisting of the light companies of the Royal Scots and looth Regt and a few of the 19th Dragoons, under Lieut-Colonel Pearson. There was some slight skirmishing, as the light companies retired, by the dragoons, in which the Utter had four men wounded. The bridge over Street's Creek was destroyed by Pearson's men, his little detachment beings at that moment threatened by a flank attack from a body of artillery and infentry which had crossed the creek at a point some distance above the bridge. The bridge was repaired t^ the American pioneers and their army crossed over while Pearson and his men retired beyond the Chippewa. The Americans encamped that night on the south bank of the Creuk close to the Niagara River. The British Camp v/as north of the Chippewa River. Between Street's Creek and the Chippewa River is a tract of level land a mile and a half in length and flank- ed on the east side l^ the Niagara River, along the side of which the road from Fort Erie to Queenstown passes. THB WAR or i8ia. a89 Thi. plain in 1814 was about half a mile in width, and ynB bounded on the west side by a wood. It was here on the 5th of July that the iamous batde of Chippewa "Was fought General Riall had been joined that morning by the i»t batulion of the 8th Regt. 480 strong, and his force now consisted of that corps. 500 of the Royal Scots. 450 of the looth Regt, one troop, numbering about 70 of the 19th Dragoons, and 30 of the Royal Artillery with two light a4.pounders and a 5 i-a inch howitier. in all 1.530 rank and file of ReguUis. With these yere 300 Militia, mostly of the and Lincoln, under Lieutenant-Colonel Dixon and Major David Secord. «nd about 300 Indians, or about a. 130 rank and file in *ll. The American force at Street's Creek, consisted of thelnfcntry brigades of Scott and Ripley, numbering a,6oo, 400 artillery with nine field pieces and howitzers, 100 cavalry and 600 New Yoric volunteers, 500 Pennsylvania volunteers and 600 Indians under General Porter; or 4,800 men altogether. General RIall, whose posiUon on the Chippewa was «trong and not easily turned, might have been readily «tcused, if, with his force so greaUy inferior in num. bers, he had remained on the defensive, but he was resolved to attack the enemy and made his dis- pwitions accordingly. The BriUsh forces crossed the Chippewa and advanced to the attack about four o'clock in the afternoon. The position occupied by the Anwncan army had been well chosen for defence. Its nght rested on some buildings and orchards close to the Niagara River, and was strongly supported by artiUery. and its left on die woods, which -vere occupied by Porter's Brigade. The British advance consisted of ago THE WAR OP i8ia. i; ml 300 Lincoln Militia, the light companies of the Royal Scots, and of the looth Regt and ^^oo Indians. The latter, who were in front, in traversing the wodds, for the most part, kept too Car to the right, and only about 80 of them, under Capt. Kerr, were brought into action. This small body of Indians encountered General Porter with 300 Pennsylvania volunteers, 600 Indians and 80 Regulars, is he advanced through the woods on the left of the American line, and fell back on the Militia. Lossing tells his readers:— "The Indians led by their war chief, were allowed to conduct their share of the battle as they pleased; and when the enemy had delivered his fire, they rushed forward with horrid yells, spreading consternation in the rar ks of the foe, and making fiearful havoc with tomahawk and scalping knife." This is the same Lossing who states that the Indians were eni>:aged to become allies of the Americans, "on the explicit understanding that they were not to kill the enemy who were wounded or taken prisoners, or to take scalps." He fairly gloats over the manner in which the American Indians plied the scalping knife. "They fought desperately hand to hand in many instances, and in every way won the applause of their commanding general." "But," he sadly adds, "the tide of fortune soon changed." It did indeed. Almost at th<» same moment that the Indians fell back on the Militia, the two light companies joined the latter, and Porter's 900 volunteers and Indians, and 80 Regulars received such a deadly fire and were charged with such fury that they instantly broke and fled, and even Lossing has to admit that their retreat "became a tumultuous rout" The 300 brave Pennsyl- vanians got out of the reach of danger with such alacrity THB WAR OP l8ia. 391 that Mly three of them were killed and two wounded. They were pursued to Street's Creek, where their ' rht was checked by the advance of Rigby's brigade, on the extreme left and of the asth Regt. under Major Jessop. General Riall's main body advanced in three columns* the 8th Regt being in front Towson's artillery with four guns, was posted on the American right and the four regiments of Scott's brigade, the 22nd, gth. nth and 25th were stationed in the order given from right to left. To the left of Scott's, brigade was the 19th Regt of Ripley's brigade, and that general with his remain- ing three Regiments was moving through the woods with a view to turn the British left. Such was the posture of a£Eurs when Porter's brigade was broken and compelled to fly as already described. To the south of Street's Creek the batteries of Ritchie and Hindman were posted in a commanding position, while Biddle's battery was advanced on the left in the rear of Scott's brigade. Thus each of the enemy's nine field pieces was brought into a position where it could be most effective. General Riall placed his two light 34-pounders and 5^ inch howitzer against the right of the enemy's position and formed the Royal Scots and looth Regt with the intention of making a movement upon the American left. The 25th Regt on Scott's, extreme left deployed and opened a very heavy fire upon the British, upon which Riall immediately moved up the 8th Regt to the right while the Royal Scots and looth Regt. were directed to charge the enemy in front This charge was most gallantly executed, but the ground over which the soldiers had to pass, was very uneven and covered with long grass, and the fire of the enemy's .1 »9a THE WAR OF l8ia. i '1 ^u infkntiy and artillery was so heavy that the charge had to be abandoned after both regiments had lost nearly half their number in killed and wounded. Riall seeing that any further effort could only result in greater losses without compensating advantage, ordered his troops to retire upon Chippewa. His order was executed with the greatest regularity, being covered by the 8th Regt and the light companies of the two other regiments en- gaged. Not a single prisoner except those disabled with wounds, was taken by the enemy. One of the 24-pounders had been disabled by a shot which blew up its ammunition waggon, but it was carried o£F in safety under tfie protection of the troop of the 19th Dragoons. The British force retired behind the Chip- pewa river, the bridge over which was destroyed. A part of Scott's brigade which ventured to approach this bridge was very speedily driven back by the fire of the tete-de-pont battery at its northern end. The gallantry of the British Army was never more signally displayed than in the battle of Chippewa and its losses were very severe. Three captains, three subalterns, seven sergeants and 135 rank and file were killed; three field officers, five captains, 18 subalterns, 18 sergeants, and 277 rank and file were wounded; and one subaltern, one sergeant and 44 rank and file were missing. Of the latter, nearly all were killed or wounded, only 14 unwounded prisoners being taken by the Americans. The total British loss was therefore 5 1 5, the Royal Scots losing 228 men out of 500 in the field, of whom 63 were killed, and the looth Regt losing 205 out of 450 men engaged, of whom 70 were killed on the spot. The Lincoln Militia lost 12 killed, 16 wounded and 15 missing. Among the slain were THE WAR OF l8l2. 393 Captains Rowc and Tomey and Lieutenant M'Donnel. General Riall in his official report spoke in the highest terms of the conduct of Lieut-Colonel Dixon and of the officers and men of the and Lincoln Militia. Their losses, which was much greater than those of the British 8th Regt, show how closely they were engaged. The Americans had 6i killed, 255 wounded and 19 missing; a grand total of 335. The Americans claim the battle of Chippewa as a victory, and it was so in the sense that an army which attemps to drive an enemy's force from the field, and fails to do so, is defeated. Lossing with his usual men- dacity, states the American troops engaged at only 1300 and the British at 1700. The British and Militia on the field, as we have already shown, numbered 1830, while the American returns show that five of their in- fantry regiments were under fire, besides their artillery and Pennsylvania Volunteers, to say nothing of the Indians. As Scott's brigade, according to American returns, numbered 1300 men; the 19th Regt of Rip- ley's brigade, 350 men; the artillery 400 and the Penn- sylvania Volunteers actually engaged 300; we have an aggregate of 2,350 white troops who suffered loss in the battle. But it is a novel doctrine that the aoo Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, the 600 New York Volunteers and the squadron of Cavalry held in reserve, and the three regiments of Ripley's brigade, which were stealing through the woods on the British right flank, and whose presence there virtually decided the battle, should not be counted as part of the American force. If there had been no enemy on the British right flank, the 8th Regt, which was hardly engaged at all, would have made very short work of the American trwps in front « Ilfi I" i I I '.) ' I 'i I I '' f 1 hSaff i 4 ll { I Hi I ■ •'-. m a94 THB WAR OP Itfia. of it, and the battle would have been won. It was lost because the British had more than two to one against them, because Riall's attack was improvidently made, and because he was cnonnously overmatched in artillery, having only three guns to oppose to nine, and those three of a class not capable of being readily moved from one part of the field to another. General Riall would have acted more wisely had he stood on the defensive, and many valuable lives would have been saved. Brown remained inactive on the two days which followed the battle but on the 8th, he prepared to advance. The passage of the Chippewa River at the bridge appeared to him to involve too much risk, but a way was poi'-^-xl out to him by which he could cross the river at a po:nt higher up. Riall found that with his insufficient artillery it would be impossible for him to oppose the American advance, his force being now reduced to about 1300 rank and file of white troops, so on the morning of the 8th he broke camp and retired to Fort George. The bridge over the Chippewa had been destroyed by his orders, but by the help of their boats the greater part of the American army succeeded in crossing the rivtr the same day and on the loth they encamped at Queenstown. Riall reached Fort George on the evening of the 8th and was there joined by the Glengarry Regt, 350 strong, and 300 incorporated Militia, recently arrived from York. Leaving in their places at this fort and Fort Mississaga, which had been recently erected, what was left of the looth Regt and detachments of the 8th and Royal Scots, he started on the morning of the 9th for Buriington Heights to efiect a junction with the 103rd Regt. and the flank companies of the 104th. He was, however, fortunate enough to THE WAR OF l8ia. «9S meet these reinforcements at Twenty Mile Creek, and w^th a foice now increased to about a.ooo Regulars and »^ .tia he marched back to Fifteen Mile Creek, thirteen aL;^ tZuu^^ ."*"'*" ^"P •' Queenstown, and there took his station to await the further movements of tne enemy. When Brown crossed the Niagara River to invade Canada, he issued a general ofder in which he in- ^!^.^"k T^ "^^ P"^** P~P«^ ^ in «» ewes to be held sacred, and that plundering was pro- hibited and would be punished with death. This order was wholly disregarded, and from the hour ^hen Brown's army touched the soil of Canada, plundering, incendiarism and other crimes against the laws of civiizfl warfiire,were of daily occurrence. ^ he principal actors in these scenes of misery and distress, were the volunteers from New York State, the brothers and relatives of the men who stood on their constitutional rights in the autumn of 1812, and saw their countrymen slaughtered and captured on Queens- town Heights, without tiying to save them. On the lath July, Brigadier General Swift with 120 of these volunteers were sent out from Queenstown towards *ort George, to reconnoitre. Advancing close to one of the outposts they came upon a corporal and five men. part of a patrolling party of 32 rank and file from the light company of the 8th, under Major Evans of that regiment In attempting to capture these men. a private shot and mortally wounded General Swift. The others fell back on the rest of the patrol, who had advanod instantly on hearing the fire, t^SSi afthough the volunteers attempted to surround them, the whole party escaped without loss. This a&ir was made the * *■'■ ! ^i I, }f li' iii 396 THB WAR OP 181 a. pretext for reprisals on the part of the volunteers, and as the peaceful inhabitants were less able to defend themselves than the military, the former had to bear t^e consequences of Yankee revenge, for the fell of Swift. A week after Swift's death. Colonel Stone of the New York Militia, wantonly burned the village of St. David's. For this Stone was dismissed from the service without a trial, but this act which became thet more conspicuous because it was done within three miles of General Brown's camp, was but a type of the conduct of the American volunteers and Militia at this time. Decent officers of the regular service of the United States looked upon the proceedings with great dtsfevor. Major ,M'Farland of the '33rd U. S. Infentiy, in a letter dated the 25th of July, writes thus of the: St. David's afifoir and the conduct of the Militia and Indians. "The Militia and Indians plundered and burnt everything. The whole population is against us ; not a foraging parQr but is fired on, and not unftequently returns with missing numbers. This, state was to be anticipated. The Indians were sent off some days since as they were found useless except to plunder. The Militia have burnt sr^veral private dwell- ing houses, and on the 19th inst burnt the village of St David, consisting of about 30 or 40 houses. This was done within three miles of camp ; and my battalioa was sent to cover the retreat as they (the Militia) had been sent to scour the country of some Indians and Rangers and it was presumed they might be pursued.. My God I What a service. I have never witnessed' such a scene, and had not the commanding officer of the party, L:eut-Col. Stone, been disgraced and sert out of the army, I should have handed in my sheeppskinJ*' THB WAR OP l8l3. 897 Here we have the testimony of a respectable American officer as to the disgraceful doings of his own countrymen, and the weight of his evidence is enhanc- ed by the fiu:t that Major M'Farland was killed at Lundy's Une, while gallantly leading his regiment, on the afternoon of the same day that this very letter was written. General Brown had been promised the co-operation of Chauncey's fleet on the Niagara frontier as early as the loth of July, but it did not come. On the 13th, he wrote to Chauncey in moving terms begging him to hasten to his assisunce. "All accounts agree," said he, "that the force of the enemy in Kingston is very light Meet me on the lake shore, north of Fort George with your fleet, and we will be able, I have no doubt, to setde a plan of operations that will break the power of the enemy in Upper Canada, and that in the course of a Short time. At all events, let me hear from you. I have looked for your fleet with the greatest anxiety, smce the loth. I do not doubt my ability to meet the enemy in the field, and march in any direction over his country, your fleet carrying for me the necessary sup- plies. We can threaten Forts George and Niagara, and carry Buriington Heights and York; and proceed direct to Kingston and carry that place. For God's sake let me see you. Sir James will not fight Two of his vessels are now in the Niagara river. If you conclude to meet me at the head of the lake, and that immediately, have the goodness to bring the guns and troops that I have ordered from Sackett's harbor." General Brown was certainly very much to be pitied, for Chauncey with the timidity of a hare, had the obstinacy of a mule, and a very high idea of his own importance. a98 TNI WAR OP l8lJ. TlMre is fomtthing gfOMtque in his reply to Brown^t apptsl for sid>~"I shall/' said he, afford every assist- anee in my power to co-operate with the army whenever it can be done ilrithout losing sight of the giwtofcg'eet for the attainment of which this fleet has been created— the culture or destruction of the enemy's fleet But that I consider the primary object— We are intended to seek and fight the enem}'s fleet, and I shall not be diverted from my efforts to i^fiectuate it 1^ any sinister attempt to render us subordimvte to, or an appendage of, the army." This no doubt, was a fine example of American independence, but it was rather hard on the general who had undertaken to in /ade Canada. On the 14th, the day afiu^r he wrote to Chaunc^, General Brown called a counc'l of his officers. He had heard of Riall's movement to Fifteen Mile Creek but not of his having been reinforced, and he now iwtvthe question to them whether Riall should be attaeked or Fort George invested. Brown stated the force under General Riall at 3050 men, which was almost the eoKSCt number, and his own force at 3,700 Regulan and 1,000 volunteers. Militia nd Indians. Generals Ripky and Porter, and die engineer officers, M'Kee and Wood, advised an immediate attack on Riall, while General Scott and Adjutant General Gardner advised the invest- ment of Port George. The latter advice coincided with Brown's own views and he resolved to adopt it On die following day Generals Ripley and Porter with their brigades were ordered to reconnoitiv Fort George, and on die 20th, Brown moved forward the remainder of his army from Queenstown towards that fort. On the follow Jig day he learned for the first time that Riall had been reinforced, and retired to Queenstown which *: THI WAR OP i8ia «99 he re^xxupied on the aand. Brown in all hit move- ments at this time showed a great deal of timidity. On the sard he received a letter from GeneraJ Gaines who WMat Sackett's Harbor informing him that Chauncey was sick and the American fleet in port so that no Go-operaUon was to be expected in that quarter. Brown «t once ordered a retreat upon Chippewa. He sUtes in his official dispatch that his determination was to disencumber himself of baggage and march directiy to Burimgton Heights, and that his retirement to Chippewa was to mask this intention and draw from Schlosser a small supply of provisions. On the night of the a4th. General Brown witii tiie bulk of his army encamped on the south bank of Uie Chippewa, and, die same night. General Riall's advance under tiie command of Lieut.- Colonel Pearson was pressing on through tiie darkness towards the Niagara River, and at 7 o'clock on the morning of die a5t|i stood on die memorable batde field which diat day was to be consecrated by dieir valor, ^Uundy's Lane. The British advance was composed of die Glengarry Rcgt, 350 strong, under Lieut Col. Battersby, 40 men of die i04di, under Lieut Col. Drummond, die incorporated Militia, 300 in number, under Lieut-CoL Robinson, about aoo sedentary Militia of die County of Lincoln, under Lieut. -Colonel Perry of die 103rd, Major Lisle's troop of die igth dragoons, and a de^ tachment of Artillery, widi two 34-pounders and a howitzer, and diree six-pounders, in all about 980 rank and file. The main body of Riall's army, under Colonel Scott, which he had ordered to follow die advance at diree o'clock on die morning of die asdi, was com- posed of the 103rd Regt, about 500 strong, die 300 THE WAR OP XSia. ■I il ijp remaining men of the two fUnIc companies of the 104th, 50 mep of the Royal Scots, 330 of the 8th and 300 sedentary Militia, or about lajo rank and file. Had the troops marched at the hour orderd, they would have joined the advanced detachment during the forenoon, and the battle of Lundy's Lane would probably never have been fought But although under arms at that hour, the order for their march was countemutnded, and they did not move until past mid-day, and did not arrive on the field of battle until aiter nine at night In the meantime, great deeds had been done on that &mous field which overlooks the world's greatest cataract General Brown «in his camp at Chippewa was wholly unaware of the presence of the British advance at Lundy's Lane, only three miles distant, but about noon a courier arrived ^om Colonel Swifk, who commanded a party of New York volunteers at Lewiston, advising him that the British were in considerable force at Queenstown and on the Heights above it, that four of the British fleet had arrived on the preceding night and were then lying near Fort Niagara, and that a number of boats were in view moving up the river. Within a few minutes after this intelligence had been received, he was further informed by Capt Deumon of the Quarter Master's department, that the British were landing at Lewiston and that his baggage and stores at Schlosser were in danger of immediate capture. This alarming news led Brown to believe that a raid on the American frontier was contemplated, and he conceived that the best way to divert the British from that object was to re- occupy Queenstown. General Scott was accordingly directed to advance with his brigade and perform that THK WAK or i8ia. 301 duty, and he left the American camp, between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, in profourd ignorance of the &ct that the advance of Riall's army was but three milee away. The cauM of the sudden appearance of a British force at Lewiston, which had so much alarmed and astonish- ed General Brown, must now be related. General Drummond was at Kingston when the news of the battle of Chippewa arrived there, and he insUntly marched to York with the avaiUble force of the and battalion of the 89th Regt about 400 rank and file, leaving orders for De Watteville's Regt, to follow. On the evening of the a4th, he embarked at York with hia reinforcement, on board four vessels of Sir James Yeo's fleet, and arrived at Fort Niagara at daylight on the 2$th. There he learned from Lieut-Colonel Tucker that General Riall was believed to be moving towards the Falls of Niagara, to support the advance of his division, which he had pushed on to that pUce the pre- ceding evening. In consequence of this intelligence. General Drummond ordered Lieut-Colonel Morrison,, the distinguished officer who won the battle 3o6 THE WAR OF l8ia. under Major Jessop, has been sent through the bushes on the extreme British left, so that they might b^ threatened with a flank attack in that quarter, while Scott was attacking them on the Queenstown Road. The smallness of Drummond's force made it impossible for him to occupy the whole line between Lundy's Lane and the river, and Jessop was thus able, without any serious contest, to establish himself in the space between the extreme left of the British and the river, but at this stage of the battle he attempted nothing more. On the Queenstown Road, however, the contest was fierce, the 89th and the Militia battalion resisted every eflfort of the enemy, and' Scott's brigade was driven back wiA heavy loss. His whole force would have been dt* stroyed had it been possible to advance the British wing against his flank, but the near approach of die enemy's reinforcements rendered such a movement hazardous, and it was not attempted. Scott ha(* been engaged, according to General Brown's report, "not less than an hour" when he was reinforced by the brigades of Ripley and Porter, and the whole of the artillery. Ripley's four rsgiments of infinntry had sustained hardly any loss at the battle of Chippewa, and now numbered about 1280 rank and file. They had been joined that very day by the ist Regt., 250 strong, and were accompanied by Hind- man's Corps of Artillery. Ripley's brigade therefore numbered 1,630 rank and file. Porter's brigade consisted originally of 600 New York Volunteers and 500 Pennsylvania troops. The mounted men of the New York contingent, 100 in number, had accom- panied Scott, but Porter had been joined by 200 addi- tional New York Volunteers under Colonel Swift, and THE WAR OF iSlS. 307 he had under his command, 150 Canadian or traitor volunteers, under the infamous Wilcdx. Porter's infitntry, therefore, numbered 1.350 and the reserve artillery about 200. The entire strength of the rein- forcements under Ripley and Porter, which joined Scott within an hour after the commencement of the battle of Lundy's Lane, would therefore be 3,200 men, which, with Scott'f >riginal force of 1,450, would make upwards of 4,600 which the Americans brought into the field that day. During the two hours which followed the arrival of Ripley and Porter on the field, the British had to contend against an almost threefold superiorly of force, for no reinforcements reached General Drummond until after 9 o'clock. It was now after sunset and was rapidly growing dark. As General Scott's brigade had suffered severe- ly. Brown withdrew the three regiments of it, which were making a direct attack on each side of the Queenstown Road, and replaced them with the fresh troops of Ripley's brigade. At the same time Porter's brigade of volunteers were advanced on the left to attack the British right. The accession of these fresh combatants naturally put a severe strain upon the British, and the determined attack that was made on the centre of their position weakened their left wing. This enabled Jessop with his 25th Regt. to force back the troops on the British left, and for a short time obtain possession of the Queenstown Road, during which period General Riall, who had been severely \^bunded and was passing to the rear to have his wounds dressed, accidentally rode in amongst a party of the enemy in the darkness, and was taken prisoner with his aid, Capt. Loring. This, however, was the only ■ k i i I 308 THE WAR OF I8ia. advantage the momenuiy occupation of the road gave the enemy, for the Militia battalion and the detachmen^ of the 8th, which had been forced back, formed in the rear of the 89th fronting the road, and so secured the flank. In a few minutes the advanced position of the American right became untenable, and they were driven off the road and back to their own line, with the loss of about one-third of their force. The British guns, which were in front of the centre of their position, were causing great havoc among the enemy, and General Brown saw readily enough, that, unless they could be silenced, the battle was lost, not- withstanding his great superiority of force. The guns were defended by the light company of the 41st, and 320 men of the Royal Scots, both of which had already suffered severe losses. General Brown now ordered Colonel James Miller of the aist, to take his regiment and attack, and if possible, capture the British guns on the heights. Detachments of the 17th and 19th U. S. In&ntry were assigned to him to aid in the movement, and the ist Regt. of U. S. In&ntty. under Col. Nicholas, was ordered to advance on the left and make a feigned attack, in order to withdraw the attention of the British from the real object of the movement. The 23rd Regt of U. S. In&ntry was also ordered to sup- ;, -t Miller. It will thus be seen that the attack on the British guns, instead of being made by but one regi- ment, as American writers almost unanimously assert, was made by about 700 men belonging to three separate regiments, and was supported by 700 more, comprising the effective force of two other regiments. The ist Regt was now thrown against the right of the British centre, but was received with such a deadly volley by *' THE WAR OP 18 1 a. 309 troops there, and charged so fiercely with the bayonet, that it broke and fled, and was rallied with great difli- culty. This repulse, however discreditable to the regi- ment, served Miller's purpose very well, for it enabled him to creep up in the darkness to within a few feet of the British guns without being discovered. A volley of musketry stretched the gunners on thegiound, either dead or wounded, and before the British infantiy sup- ports could advance, all Drummond's artillery was in the h-"ds of the enemy. The aard Regt was now brought up to the support of Miller, and the ist Regt, which had been rallied, was placed on his left. The British infantry in the centre, now greaUy reduced in numbers, made two or three spirited charges to recover the cannon, but the Americans were too strong to be dislodged at that time. It was now after nine o'clock and very dark, but the reinforcements under Colonel Scott, were rapidly ap- proaching. These numbered, as already stated, about 1,370 rank and file,and comprised the 103rd Regt., about 300 sedentary Militia; detachments of the Royal Scots and 104th Regt.,' the remainder of the 8th Regt., and a few artillerymen with two six-pounders. Unfortunate- ly, owing to the extreme darkness of the night, the 103rd Regt and the sedentary Militia, under Cotonel Hamilton, with the two field pieces, passed, by mistake, into the centre of the American Army, now posted on the hill, and after sustaining a very heavy and de- structive fire, fell back in consequence. These troops were rallied by the active exertions of their officers and placed in the second line, as were all the others of Scott's reinforcement, except the company of Royal Scots and the flank companies of the 104th, with which 3IO THB WAR OP l8ia. General Drummond prolonged his front line to the right, so as to guard against the danger of being out- flanked in that quarter. A determined effort was now made to recover the guns which the enemy had taken, and it was finally successful. The Americans were driven back, and the cannon regained, with the exception of one six-pounder, which the Americans had pMt by miiMke, on one of their own limbers, leaving their gun, which they had thus exchanged for it, on a British limber. The British captured this American six-pounder and also a 5 i-a inch howitzer, which the American artillerymen had brought up, and so gained one gun. The battle raged foi nearly three hours after the arrival of Colonel Scott's reinforcements, and consisted mainly of determined but unsuccessful efforts on the part of the Americans to regain possession of the hill, and of the British cannon. All these attempts were defeated by the determined bravery of the in&ntiy who guarded the guns. Finally, about midnight, the Americans gave up the contest and retreated with great precipitation to their camp at Chippewa, leaving all their dead and badly wounded behind, and the victorious British in possession of the hard-fought field of Lundy's Lane. General Drummond, in his excellent and detailed account of the battle, dwells with particular emphasis on the conduct of the Canadian Militia. He says, "The zeal, loyalty and bravery with which the militia of this part of the province has come forward, to co-operate with His Majesty's troops in the expulsion of the enemy and their conspicuous gallantry in this, and in the action of the 5th inst. claim my warmest thanks." He refers- THE WAR OF l8ia. 311 In another place to "the very crediuble and excellent defence made by the incorporated Militia battalion, under Lieut Colonel Robinson/' and certainly the character of its efforts is well attested to by its losses, which amounted to 14a out of about 300 men in the field. The sedenury Militia suffered less severely, but General Drummond describes how they, with the other troops in the centre: "repeatedly, when haid pressed, formed round the colors of the 89th Regt and invariably repulsed the desperate efforts made against them." The British losses in the batUe of Lundy's Lane amounted to 84 killed, 559 wounded, 193 missing, and 4a taken prisoners, a total of 878. Among the killed were five officers, and 39 officers were wounded, including both generals. The militia lost heavily in officers, 16 of them being either killed or wounded. The losses of the Americans, according to their official returns, were 171 killed, 57a wounded and no missing, a total of 854. This return, however, is incomplete, for it makes no mention of the losses of the 17th and 19th Regt. both of which were in the battle and closely engaged. If they suffered in the same proportion as the two other regiments of Ripley's brigade, we would have to add 183 to the American total of losses, to make it complete, which would bring it up to 1047, and this may be near the truth. At all events, a 10 American dead, besJ Jcs a great many wounded, were found on the field of battle next morning, and between Lundy's Lane and Chippewa were a number of fresh graves in which the bodies had been so slightly covered that the arms and legs were in many instances exposed to view. The battle of Lundy's Lane has been claimed as an American victoiy, and this claim appears to have been f 'l I- m I: i I I ■, 'ii 31a THB WAR or 181 a. founded on Geneml Brown's official report Bonaptrte remarked of Marmont's account of the battle of Sala- manca that it contained "more complicated stuffing than a clock." Brown's report of the battle of Lundy't Lane belongs to the same order of composition, in which the narrator by vigorous misrepresentation endeavors to make up for hi.-} own lack of success in the field. Brown says :— "Awhile retiring from the field, I saw and felt that the victory was complete on our part, if proper measures were promptly adopted to secure it. The exhaustion of the men was, however, such as made some refreshment necessary. They particularly required water. I myself was ext««mely sensible of the want of this necessary article. I there- fore believed it proper that General Ripley and die troops should return to camp, after bringing off the dead, the wounded and the artillery; and in thb I saw no difficulty, as the enemy had entirely ceased to act" General Brown, who was wounded, left the field after giving these orders to Ripley, and when that General returned to camp with his army, he says : "I now sent for him, and, after giving him my reasons for the course I was about to adopt, ordered him to put the troops in the best possible condition ; to give them the necessary refreshment ; to take with him the pickets and camp guards, and every other description of force, to put himself on the field of battle as the day dawned, and there to meet and beat the enemy if he again appeared. To this order he made no objection and I relied on its execution. It was not executed." Unless Brown was in this report, deliberately stating what he knew to be £alse, for the purpose of deceiving his own countrymen, he did not know anything about THE WAR OF l8ia. 313 the bftttle of Lundy's Lane, in which he professed to wmmand. He was not awaie that the leason the British ceased to act. was because thejr had secured their guns and position, and were content to hold them until the wearied troops had a litde rest The Ameri. ^s had only marched between two and three miles before the batde, but Drummond's men had marched 14 miles, and the reinforcements under Colonel Scott, much ferther, having been nine hours on the march, and 18 under arms when they arrived on the field of tosttie. Had he inquired more particularly of Ripley, hewould have learned from diat officer, that, instead of obQring tiie orders tiut Brown says he gave him, he had left all of his dead and most of his wounded on tiie field, and so &r from bringing away tiie British guns he had left two of his own in tiie possession of Drum- mond s army. General Brown in his despatch grows quite patiietic over tiie deatii of his aide. Captain Spencer; "I shall ever tiiink," says he, "of tiiis young man witii pride and regret;" yet he forgets Uf inform tiie Secretary of War, tiiat tiiis "young man" was left wounded on tiie field of battle to become a prisoner to tiie British, and the fiwt tiiat Spencer did not die until tiie fifth of August, eleven days after tiie battie, shows tiiat Brown's report was "cooked" up after tiiat date, to suit tiie palates of his countrymen. General Ripley, strange to say, was no more obed- ient to Brown's order to return to tiie field and b« ^"^ fought 7n almo^ eveiy Britidi field fiom Blenheim to the pieeent daT Thitt gimnd old regiment, the fint of the Britiah line! fought 500 strong at Chippewa and there loet eaS men. It «ood 370 strong at Lundy's Une, and then lost 173 fought at Lundy's Lane, and it is gloiy enough to sav Aat the Canadian Militia who fought on that field were worthy to stand beside them. CHAPTER XVn. I, '< I Port Iri*.— TiM AflMricMM Mr m gthmt Um phw*.— 0«Mnl ■Mad t advMMa^Ujs •!•■« to Port Brio.— Uniiccwiflil attoapt en BUck Rock.— Copt Oobbo ciH>tiirM tho Ohio and Sonor^— Tho DofiMcoa of Port Irio— Goooral DnmuMod aaHMlta it.-«iort •caHor la dda ra .— Tho lalioat baMioa to Mown np and tho aaaaak &ito.-Oraat akuiKhlar aaMog tho Brlttoh.-«Ooaoral Gafawa' flttoa aeooont oT tho afldr.- Oporatiooa in tho North Woat-Macktaack rafarfbrood.— Prairto da Chka takon bjr tho Brittoh ftmoriran aspodition againat MacUnaek.— Ontrataooa procoadlnga at Sault St. Mario.— Paihira of tho attompt on MacUnaek.— Tho Amarirani ootahltoh a hk>ckado.'iOaUant captura of tho hkwkading rinato Amari c a n rakb on tho Woatom Poninaato.— Hooaoo burnt at Lon|r Point.— Tho faihabitanta of Port Talbot robbod.— M'Arthur'a raid. — Hto infiuBOua coodnet and cowardlj tight The defeated American army, after its flight from Lundy's Lane, reached Fprt Erie on the a7th of July and sought shelter behind its defences. During the interval of 34 days since its capture by General Brx>wn, the place had been greatly strengthened, and was now capable of sheltering a considerable army. As soon as Ripley got his men into camp he set them all to work industriously digging, and t^ the 3rd August, when General Drummond reached Fort Erie, the new defen- sive works of the place were, for the most part complete. Thus General Brown's army of invasion, which he had been for months preparing for an attack on Canada, the same army with which he said in his letter to Chauncey he would be able to march in any direction over this country, was. after a campaign of four weeks, reduced to *i THt WAR or i8ia. 3ir BriSri**!? ^TTf"^" *•' ^^ **'^ not dw« to me« the Genera] Drummond's advance had been delayed bv ^l!?h5r'''* '".'^ ^^-^ ^* c^pTSftS £^ir^?:*~!f "^ '•""^"- "• ^ -« home the whole of his .edenuor Militia, whose harvest opera. 2^ iLT t"*"^*^ **^'' '«'"^*»"' •«*« h«» been join- 4i»t Regt from St George, which was now garrisoned ^m*^"^' r k"^ "' ^ ^* '^•^' ^^ceF^theVt D^mZ ; r ** '""•l"'^ ^^* *• '""y- General Drummond s force, at the time of his arrival in front of Fort Ene, mcluding the embodied Militia, numbered pTr*^" ^r '*"'' ""^ ^'*- "^^ American forees in In°l ?*/ 7? ^""^ *'*' °^" »'»^"»«nt of their l„m T"*^ " ^"^ '° **»^* *^" ~"««' "'"'t have numbeied almost 3.800 men. but. after making a liberal allowance for error In the American official returns due t^Ll \r "^'^^ ^"•""" -""y '^hlch General Ripley took into the fort, could not have been less than 3.500 men. These troops were encamped on a plateau of about 15 acres on the shores of the lake, which the tZ.it'!'^ °'. ^^^'^ ^"' '""^*'»^' *"d besides these formidable works, they were protected by the three armed schooners Porcupine. Tigress and Ohio which were anchored in front of the fort. The Arnerican batteries at Black Rock, distant only a mile and a half from Fort Erie, were a powerful aid to the defence of the fort with their flanking fire. Drummond resolved to attempt their capture, and early on the morning of the 3rd of August, sent Lieut-Coi. iMH i t >( 'it f li »' t 1 , t i ■•' •'■ % i -l 'ii i 1 ■ '2 r I 318 THB WAR OF l8l2. Tucker with six companies of the 41st, the light com- pany of the 89th and the two flank companies of the 104th Regt, the whole force numbering less t|ian 500 men, to effect that object This detachment was landed about half a mile below Shogeoquady Creek, but unfortunately the Americans had been in- formed by deserters of the attempt that was to be made. When the British reached the Creek, they found the bridge over it removed, and Major Morgan with 250 riflemen and a body of Volunteers and Militia on the opposite bank, covered by a breast-work of logs. The British were met by a heavy fire, and the attempt had to be abandoned, after they had suffered a loss of 25 in killed and wounded. The Americans were so well protected that they had only two killed and eight wounded. On the 5th, Brigadier General Gaines arrived at Fort Erie, and took command of the army there, Ripley again resuming command of his brigade. On the following day Morgan with his riflemen, who had been brought over to the Canadian side of the river, was sent through the woods, between the British lines and the Fort, with orders 10 so manoeuvre as to draw them out of their position to a strong line of American troops posted on the plain below the fort This little strata- gem did not succeed ; the British refused to be drawn, and Morgan had to retire after losing nine of his men in a skirmish with the British light troops. As the presence of the three American armed schooners, which lay on the lake in front of Fort Erie, was a serious impediment to any attack upon that place, Capt Dobbs of the brig Chanvell of Sir James Yeo's fleet went up from Fort George with a party of seamen THE WAR OF l8l2. 319 and marines for the purpose of attetr.^t-ng their capture. The Charwell s seamen carried .he Captain'.; gig on their shoulders from Quecnstown to Frenchm.. -.'s Creek a distance of eighteen miles, bur ti^e Britisli had not even a boat on Uke Erie, and it was necessary to carry the gig and five batteaux from Frenchman's Creek to the lake, at a point several miles to the westwani of the fort, a distance of eight miles through the woods. This arduous ^k was accomplished by the militia under Lieut.^olonel Nichol, Quarter Master General of that force, and on the evening of the nth of August the boats were launched into the lake. Capt. Dobbs with Lieut Radcliffe of the Netley. with 75 seamen and marines, at once embarked in them, Capt. Dobbs leading one division, consisting of his gig and two of the batteaux, and Lieut. Radcliffe the other comprising the other three batteaux. Between eleven and twelve o clock at night the boats were discovered a short distance ahead of the Somers and hailed. They answered "provision boats," which deceived the officer on deck, as boats with supplies had been in the habit of pacing. Before he discovered his mistake, the boats drifted across his hawse, cut his cables and ran him aboard with a volley of musketry, which wounded two of his men, and before the others could get on deck the schooner was captured. In another moment the boats were alongside of the Ohio which was also taken after a more severe struggle in which Lieut. Radcliffe and one seamM were killed and six seamen and marines wound- ed. The Ohio lost one seaman killed and six wounded, including her commander Lieut Conklingand Sailinir Master M'Cally. The British boats had drifted past fhe third schooner, the Porcupine, before the Somers U^' i 330 THE WAR OP I«ia. and Ohio were secured, and she was not attacked, but neither she nor the shore batteries made any attempt to molest the British as they passed. The two captured schooners were carried into Frenchman's Creek. This affiiir was one of the boldest enterprises of the war. The Somers had a crew of thirty men and carried a lon^ a4-pounder and a short 32-pounder; the complement and armament of the Ohio were similar. On the day after this gallant capture, Gen. Drummond opened his batteries against Fort Erie. They consisted of one long iron and two short brass 24-pounders, a long i8-pounder, a 24-pound-carronade and a 10-inch mortar. These batteries were stationed about 600 yards from the enemy's nearest works, but after a cannonade which lasted two days, very little impression seems to have been made on the American defences, and their losses did not exceed fifty killed and wounded. As the fort was in no sense invested, and could not be so long as the Americans held command of the Lake, General Drummond determined to attempt its capture by direct assault ' Fort Erie, when it was taken from the British, was a small work standing about %oo yards from the lake, with two demi-bastions, a ravelin and two block- houses. The Americans erected a strong redoubt between the demi-bastions and outside of them two large bastions. On the extreme right of their encamp- ment, and close to the lake shore, they built a strong stone-work and connected it with the old fort by con- tinuous earth-works seven feet in height, with a ditch and abbatis in front. This stone-work, which was named the Douglas batteiy, mounted an 18 and a 6- pounder, en larbette. On the old fort itself, a 24 an THE WAR OF l8l2. ^j, 18 and a la-poundcr were mounted. From the left or ^«th side of the old fort, and in a line nearly parallel LfLaSf"'*' ?~"^ P^'^P** breastwork we^ bmlt for a distance of 900 yards, with two ditches and abattis in front At the south-western extremity of this line of works, on a natural mound of sand called Snake Hill, a batter,r 25 feet high was erected and five guns mounted upon it This was called Towson's Redoubt Be^een it and the old fort were two other batten^ each mounting two guns. From Towson's Redoubt to ^„c o. ?' r *''■"' °^^^'''' *^"^ completing the enclosure, which was about 15 acres in extent As the garrison of Fort Erie had been reinforced by Morgan's nflemen, as well as by a consideiable force from Lke Ontano. it must have numbered at least 4.000 men at this time. It certainly showed no small amount of danng to assault a fort with such excellent defences and so strong a garrison as Fort Erie then possessed. TewTH .' """"^ "^ "^*°^*^'- P^dent. in view of the result, may perhaps be doubted. General Drummond arranged his assaulting force mto three columns; the largest under Colonel Fischer consisted of the 8th and De Watteville's Regt with the light companies of the 89th and ,00th regiments and a detatchment of artilleiy. the whole numbering about JZ'^t.u"^ ^''- '^^' ^"^^^ °^*'^ "^* «>'"«" was to attack the enemy's redoubt at Snake Hill and carry the works in Its vicinity. The centre column unde^ of thfA^^l "'' Drummond of the ,04th. consisted of the flank companies of that regiment and of the 4,st. with a party of seamen and marines, the whole number- ing about a«Do rank and file. This column was to attack the old fort directly. The left column under 323 THE WAR OF l8l2. Lieutenant-Colonel Scott of the 103rd Regt, was com- posed of that regiment, 500 strong, and the flank com- panies of the Royal Scots, making altogether 650 tank and file. Its duty was to attack the enemy's right at the Douglass battery. At 3 o'clock on the morning of the 15th August, the Bnush right column advanc*^ to attack Towson's bat- tery on Snake Hill. The troops moved in two columns, the advance consisting of the flank companies of De Watteville's and the 8th, and the light companies of the 89th and looth, led by Major Evans of the 8th, and the main body composed of the remainder of De Watte- ville's and the 8th Regt under the command of Lieut- Col. Fischer in per^n. Capt Powell of the Glengarry Regt. conducted the column. Sergeant Powell of the 19th Dragoons, who was familiar with the ground, acting as guide. To prevent any musket from giving the alarm to the enemy, the men had been deprived of their flints, a very unwise arrangement as it turned out, for the garrison were on the alert, and the men were thus in a manner disarmed, while exposed to a deadly fire. As they advanced impetuously to the attack they were received with deadly discharges of grape from the guns of Towson's battery, and from the musketry of the enemy's infantry. Yet so sudden and daring was their onset that they almost surrounded the enemy's picket rutside the fort, and pursued them so closely that Major Villatte of De Watteville's Regt, Capt Powell and Lieutenant Young of the 8th, with about 50 men of the light companies of these two regiments, entered the abattis with the flying enemy and got in the rear of Towson's redoubt Here an entirely unexpected obstacle presented itself, which precluded any hope of i THE WAR OP l8ia. 323 success; the scaling ladders were too short to ascend the redoubt with, being but 16 feet in length, while the fortress to be scaled was 25 feet high. This checked any further attempt in that quarter, but on the right, in the face of a deadly fire which the soldiers could not reply to. the remainder of the attacking column attempt- «d to scale the abattis between the redoubt and the water. After five charges, which were most gallantly persevered in. they were forced to retire, the abattis being found to be impenetrable. At the same time a part of De Watteville's and the 8th Regt. marching too near the lake, m the darkness, became entangled between the rocks and the water, and being exposed to a very heay fire, many lives were lost. The right attack had finally to be abandoned, after the column had suffered a ^!1.H J'^.!."-^'Jl'^;,r""^'^ *"^ ™'^»"&' °f^hich two-thirds fell m De Watteville's Regt. The attack of the left and centre columns did not take place until the contest with the right column had commenced. Both columns advanced at the same moment, the left column moving along the margin of the water while the centre column proceeded directly apmst the old fort, the fire of which was immediately tion of the heroism of the centre column, which has never been surpassed since arms were borne by man, and in the thought, that the leader of that column, who died at the head of his men, and a large part of the troops that composed it, were Canadians. Yet as we consider this glorious example of human daring, so honorable to the virtues of man, what are we to think of the American general Edmund P. Gaines who in a dispatch written on the day of the assault on Fort Erie, wrote as follows : "They attacked us on each flank, got possession of the salient bastion of old Fort Erie, which was regained at the point of the bayonet with a dreadful slaughter." This in&mous liar, who preJEaces his falsehood with the remark, "my heart is gladdiened widi gratitude to heaven," knew right well that the bastion was not "regained at the point of the bayonet," but that the gallant men who had won it at the point of the bayonet, were destroyed by an explosk>n of gunpowder,, which if not fired by the hand of Gaines himself, was done by his immediate orders. On this point there can no doubt. Jabez Fisk, a soldier in the American army, who was in Fort Erie at the time, made the following statement in writing, of what occurred. -'Three or four hundred of the enemy had got into the bastion. At this time an American o£5cer came running up, and said, 'Genera Gaines, the bastion is full. I can blow them alt to hell in a minute I' They both passed back through A THE WAR OF l8ia. 3,^ Stone building, and in a short time the basUon and the Bntish were high in the air. General Gaines soon re- nHi?^'v'^"fl"?.^^f ^^' ""^ 'touting'. 'Murmhfor Littie Yorlcif" It would be a waste ofwoidsafter tftis to make further comments on any statement made by Gaines. Fort Erie was, a few days ^ter, . elieved of his presence in a manner that a behever in the Milaulo's theory of making the punishment suit the crime, would have thought veiy apposite. As he was sitting at his desk probably indicting another mendacious episUe to the War Secretaiy, a British shell fell tiirough the roof of his quarters, passed tiirough his writing desk and exploded at his feet, almost killing tiie "gladdened Games, and compelling him to relinquish tiie com- mand. . Leaving Fort Erie for the present still beseiged, it is now necessary to deal witii a number of important occur- rences in other parts of Canada. After tiie Americans obtained control of Uke Erie, tiiey resolved to recover tiie fort at MiMskinack which had been taken from tiiem at tiie very beginning of tiie war. To effect tiiis, an expediuon was organized under tiie command of Lieu- tenant-Colbnel Croghan, who had acquired some <*leb. nty by his defence of Fort Stephenson. This expedi- tion to to have started from Detroit early in April, but It did not get away until tiie beginning of July. In tiie meantime Mackinack had been reinforced by go men under Lieut-Col. M'Douall, consisting of a com- pany of tiie Newfoundland Regt, 23 seamen of tiie Lake Ontario fleet, and a few Canadian Volunteers. This detachment, witii tiie field guns and a supply of provisions and military stores, reached its destination in batteaux from a port on Lake Huron on the 18th { } )\v 3a8 THI WAR OP i8ia. ! i i:i Hi May. Early In June an American force took poaset- sion of the Indian post at Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi, almost 500 miles from Mackinack, and Col. M'Douall, who was now in command at the latter place, resolved to dislodge them. Accordingly, Colonel M'Kay of the Michigan Fencibles was sent to Prairie du Chien with a detachment consisting of his own corps and of Canadian Volunteers, 150 men in all, with a 3- pounder. He also was accompanied by about 500 Indians. The detachment reached its destination on the 17th July, and found that the Americans had erected a small fort on a height behind the village, with two blockhouses mounting six pieces of cannon. The fort was manned by about 70 effective men; lying at anchor in the river opposite the fort was a la;{^ gun boat, mounting 14 pieces of cannon and manned by about 80 men with muskets. She was so constructed that she could be rowed in any direction, without the men being exposed to the fire of musketry. Colonel M'Kay demanded the immediate rurrender of this formidable floating battery, upon which he brought up his one gun and commenced a vigorous fire on the gun boat, which lasted about three hours, while both gun-boat and fort replied. The men in the gun-boat finally, finding the place too hot for her, cut her cable and she was carried down the current to a place of shelter under an island. On the following day M'Kay advanced his men against the fort, upon which a white flag was immediately displayed, and the place surrend- ered with its garrison of 65 men and its cannon and stores. Not one man of M'Kay's white troops was even wounded in this brilliant affiiir, which reflected the greatest credit on every person concerned in the expedition. THB WAR or i8ia 339 The American force for the reduction of M«ckin«ck •rrived at St Joseph on the aoth of July. It consisted originally of 500 regulars and aso Militia under Lieut-Colonel Croghan, to which was added at Fort Gratiot, where tiie expedition halted, a regiment of Ohio Volunteers under Colonel Cotgreave, so that tiie land force must have numbered more tiun 1,000 men. They were embarked in tiie Niagara, Caledonia. Uw- rence. Scorpion and Tigress all of Perry's fleet. These vessels, which were in charge of Commander St. Clair, carried 46 guns throwing a broadside weighing 776 pounds, and were manned by upwards of 400 men, so tiiat Uie expedition was a formidable one in point of numbers and armament. The British post at St. Joseph had been abandoned and the Americans met witii no opposition in burning tiie few houses tiiere. From tills place Major Holmes of the U. S. jand Regt of in&ntry and Lieut. Turner of tiie Navy, with about 300 in&ntry and artillery, were detached to destroy tiie establishment of the British Nortii West Company at tiie Sault St Marie. The fiict that tiie property to be destroyed was private property, did not deter tiie Americans from tiiis act of vandalism which was quite characteristic of tiieir conduct in Canada during tiie war. Holmes reached Sault St Marie on tiie 31 st and then commenced a scene of rapine such as, fortunately for tiie credit of human nature, has seldom to be recorded. Mr. Johnson, the company's agent, had succeeded in carrying oflF a considerable amount of tiie company's property to a place of safety on tiie approach of tiie enemy. The brutal rage of Holmes and his men at being thus balked of tiieir expected prey knew no bounds. Everytiiing tiiey 330 THI WAR OP I8l9. f ; found on shore that could not be carried away was deetroyed. Not only were the houses, stores and vessels there burnt* but the cattle were killed, the gardens laid waste, the furniture stolen and, in some insunces the clothes pilfered from the children's backs. Several ofthe employees of the company were carried off as prisoners. Among the acts of cruelty perpetrated by these brigands, some of which will not bear repetition, one. of which an unfortunate horse was the victim, was of peculiar atrocity. Having made use of this animal all day in carrying the plunder of the settlement, they tied him while harnessed in the cart to a dwelling house which they set on fire, and amused themselves with the pitiable spectacle of the unavailing efforts of the poor beast to extricate itself from the flames. Holmes having thus illustrated the character of his countrymen, returned to St Joseph, and the whole expedition set out for Mackinack where others besides unarmed men and helpless women and children were to be encounte'"^. The Ameii' an forces under St Clair and Crog^an reached Mackinack on the a6th July, but no attempt was made to attack the place until the 4th of August. The interval seems to have been spent in reconnoitering, and in reconciling differences between St Clair and Crogan as to the proper method of conducting the assault It was finally decided that Croghan should land with his troops on the back or western part of the island, under cover of the guns of the ships, and at- tempt to attack the works in the rear. Croghan and his more than 1,000 men got ashore at Dowsman's fiirm, where there was an extensive clearing, without Col. M'Douall being able to offer any effectual opposition. THi WAR or i8ia. 33, IIln/S'.H'ftL"* '? •" •"'»~^"« PO."«to«. o, ft.«dd,whlchh.wMd««min«lto(to. Th. portion ••^of which h* h«l been only .We 10 lotve » Militi.. I J^ S^^f-«- by "m. former reeldej ",JSi htoirf, «lv«,o«l .lowly end cudourty, end M'Do«.ir, 1 ST*' !:^ t"*"™^' »p"«' "po" *««>rbL! TJ^J^ *V rtould h.ve h«l, for w.n.of «per«n«d gunnen «,d .n wlllery officer «, dl«ci A«". Their «l«nce In ftom WM chectod, but th« «« ptaing on d,e BritiA Idi (Unk, *. Indtan. wS r^h* • f '" ?• '"*^ *•'•• P«™i«lng then, to d««Al„g h» Mlchigen Fenciblee to oppose . rmnrZ a«^«.emy who were «lv.nd„g ,0 JWdsThU Colonel M-Douell th., the enemy', two l,rg«,. "hi™ h^ .nchored to .he rear of hi. left, .nd d«., tS^p. w« moving by , road in th.t direction tow«d, oibrts. He ther^re immediately moved to place hinuelf b^een ti« fo«. .„d the enemy. .„d toolTup a JSn «^*«lly covering ti,em. Then collecting the ™attr p.«of the Indian,, who h«i «ti«d, and^kinHS. advanced to support a party of tile Indian., who, with 333 THB WAR OP l8ia. their gallant chief Thomas, had commenced a spirited attack on the enemy. These judicious airangementt effectually checked the Americans at every* pdnt, and^. compelled them finally to &11 back in disorder to their shipping, leaving all their dead and a considerable number of their wounded on the field. The Americans admitted a loss of la killed, 53 wounded and two missing, but the return was evidently incomplete, for the British found seventeen Americans dead on the island. Among them was Major Holmes, the horse- torturing hero of Sault St. Marie. This handsome victory, which compelled the Americans to abandon their attempt on Maddnack, was achieved with no greater loss on the part of the British than one Indian killed. The demonUized condition of the American army may be judged from the language used by Commander St. Clair, in his ofiBcial report to his own government, in which he says : ' 'The men were getting lost, and fitlling into confusion, natural under such circumstances; which demanded an immediate retreat or a total defeat and general massacre must have ensued." Croghan and St. Clair now resolved to attempt an easier enterprise than the capture of Mackinack. They proceeded to the mouth of the Nautawassaga River, in which the North West Company's schooner, Nancy, was lying laden with fitrs, in charge of Lieut. Worsely with 23 seamen, under the protection of a blockhouse. Worsely sent away the furs in canoes, which escaped the enemy and got safely into French River, and held the blockhouse, which mounted only one gun, against the twenty fold superior force of the enemy until further resistance became vain, upon which he blew up both THE WAR OF l8ia. 333 blockhouse and vessel, and with his men escaped up the nver in a boat The expedition, the sole object of which was plunder, was. thanks to Lieut Worseley's energy and courage, a total fiiilure. St Clair's Squadron now sailed for Detroit with the exception of the schooners Tigress and Scorpion, which were lef^ to blockade the Nautawassaga. it being the only route by which provisions and other suppli« couW be sent to Mackinack. The Americans thus hoped to starve the place, which they could not uke bv !!!^"i^',J"'° A '""*"**"'' **"' "^^ P~«'««« scheme also felled. After remaining on their station for some time, tiie two schooners took a cruise towards St Joseph. On tiie 31st of August, Lieutenant Worsely • arrived at Mackinack witii tiie intelligence tiiat tiie schooners were in tiie vicinity of St Joseph, and five leagues apart It was immediately resolved to attempt their capture. Accordingly on tiie evening of tiie ist of September, four boats set out. one manned by 10 SMmen under Lieut Worseley. and tiie tiiree otiieis by 60 officers and men of tiie Newfoundland Regt under Lieut Bulger, witii whom were two artillerymen witii atiiree and a 6-pounder. five civilians of tiie Indian Department, and tiiree Indian chie£s. in all 9a persons. A number of Indians in tiieir canoes accompanied tiie expedition, but remained tiiree miles in tiie tear and took no part in tiie fighting. At sunset on tiie and tiie boats arrived at St Mary's Strait, and spent 24 hours m finding out where the American schooners were. All day on the 3rd tiie troops remained concealed amongst tiie rocks, but at six o'clock tiiat evening tiie nearest vessel, tiie Tigress, was made out six miles off. and tiiey pulled for her. At 9 o'clock tiiey were 334 THE WAR OF I8ia. approaching her, and were within loo yards of the enemy when they were hailed. On receiving no answer, the Americans on the Tigress opened fire upon the boats, both with musketiy and with the 34-pounder. The boats instantly da^^hed in, and in the course of five minutes, the schooner was boarded and carried by the boats of Lieut Worseley and Lieut Armstrong, on the starboard side and of Lieut Bulger and Lieut Raden- hurst on the port side. Of her crew of 28 men, three were killed, and five, including Mr. Champlain, her com- mander, dangerously wounded. The British had three seamen killed and Lieut Bulger and seven soldiers slightly wounded. On the following day the prisoners were sent ashore, and the British prepared to attack the other schooner, which they learned was anchored 15 miles fiuther down. The position of the Tigress was not altered, and the better to cany out the deception, the American flag was kept flying. On the evening of the 5th, the Scorpion was discovered working up to join her consort, and she came to andior about two miles from her. At 6 o'clock next morning the Tigress slipped her cable and ran down under her jib and fore- sail. Eveiything was so well managed by Lieut Worseley that the Tigress was within ten yards of the Scorpion before those on board the latter discovered that anything was wrong. It was then too late. The concealed British soldiers jumped up, poured a voU^ into her, which killed two and woundnl two men, and the next moment boarded and carried the vessel, her surprised crew making no resistance. The Scorpion carried one long 24-pounder, besides a long la- pounder, which was in her hold, and had a comple- ment of thirQr-two men. The capture of these two THE WAR OF l8ia. 335 schooners was a brilliant affair, and relieved the garri- son of Mackinack, from any further annoyance. The place remained in the hands of the British until re- stored to the Americans by the Treaty of Peace. Anaccountoftwoorthreeactsof American Vandal- ism will now suffice to complete the record of their op- erations west of the Niagara frontier in 1814. In May Colonel Campbell of the igth U. S. Infantry, witii everal of the more prominent inhabitants were not only robbed but carried oflF as prisoners, among them being Mr. Bamwell. a member of the Legislature of upper Canada, who was at the time in a verv weak state of health. ciy weaic The last eflFort of American ruffianism in the penin- sula of Western Canada, was General M'Arthur's raid «n October and November, 1814. M'Arthnr seems to 338 THB WAR OP I8ia. have been stimulated to this efibit by the successful foray of a band of ruffians who issued from the garrison of Detroit on the aoth of September, and spiead fire and devasution through an enUre Canadian setUement, bringing to utter ruin and misery a; fiunilies. M'Arthur's raid was on a larger and more ambitious scale. With 750 mounted men from Ohio and Ken- tucky, he left Detroit on the 32nd of October and proceeded up the western side of Lake St. Clair, and on the a6th crossed the St. Clair River and entered Canada. The absurd Lossing, by way of excuse for M'Arthur's conduct says the movement was made in consequence of "the critical situation of the American army under General BrbWn at Fort Erie,", and that its object was :— "to make a diversion in &vor of that general." As the siege of Fort Erie had been abandoned by the British a month before M'Arthur started, and as General Brown was not there at all but at Sackett's Harbor, his command at Fort Erie having been tnuis- ferred to General Izard who had about 8,000 men with him, it will be seen th&t the alleged reasons for M'Arthur's raid did not exist It was undertaken simply for the sake of the plunder, and the cheap gloiy it might yield. M'Arthur passed up the northern side of the Thames to Moravian Towns and thence to Oxford. The coun- try through which he advanced was given up to indis- criminate plunder, the houses of the settlers were reduced to ashes, and the miserable inhabitants were left to perish with cold and hunger. His design was to advance as &r as Buriington Heights, but at the Grand River he learned that a detachment of the 103rd Regt. was after him. This news set the cowardly raider TH« WAR OP i8ia. 339 I I I ■ompering bMk much fiwter thM he had come, and so not get within eight miles of him. He gS bwk to Dttroit on die 17th November, after three weeks of mwmuding, in which he inflicted gieat loss and mise^ on private individuals, but did noSTg f^hS cTun^ «»pt to make its name detested and despised in West- cm Canada. CHAPTER XVIII. Chauncay's flMt— Its mtpm* r itrMigth.— Sir Juam Yeo btocluidMl in Kiafitoii.— Lak* Ch—iplahi.— OwwnU Itard adN^iieM to Um froatiar.— >Forqrth's dMth.— Th* AoMriouis ratira to Plattab«uf .<- WmIucm of the AoMrioui arajr.— Tba Plattsbwir caapiUgii.— Sir Gaofi;* Pravoit liaavily reinliarcad. QoaU^ of Ida anqr.—Da* lay ia ilia advanca,— Nq^acto to attacli Flattsbttrv.-Sir OaofS* forcaa Downia into a liaadloBir attadc— S u parior forea and poaitioB of tlM AaMricans.— Downia's dafaat and daatlk— Sir Gaorga rafoaaa to p ar a a v a re in liia attacli Ob Plattabory.— Ordart a ratraat.— His diagrac«|l)il and cowardly condoct— Stigfat loaaaa of the army in tba oparationa.— Port Bria.— TIm Amaricana rain- forcad. — Sicknaat in Dniaunood'a caiBp.<->Ha raaotvaa to ratira to a h aa hbiar poaition.— Ganaral Brown nakaa a aortiai— Takaa two of the Britiah battariea.— Hia force driven back teto Port Erie. —General Dmmmond raiiea the dqpe.— General laard at the head of 8,000 aMn.— Hia advance.— Skimiab -* Lyon'a Cradu— Arrival of Britiah re info rcementa at Fort George.— laud lilowa op Fort Erie and abaadona Canada.— End of the operatkmi fai the Caaa* dian provincea. It has been already seen that the American Com- modore Chauncey did not venture to leave Sackett's Harbor with his fleet until the ist of August^ when the completion of two large ships, the Superior and Mohawk, gave him an overwhelming preponderance of force. Thus it happened that Sir James Yeo had control of Lake Ontario for the first three months of the season of open navigation, and in that time, was able to give valuable assistance to the army in the defence of Canada. The operations on the Lake during the time Chauncey held possession of it were not of great importance. His fleet was greatly superior, and Sir TMi WAS or i8is. 341 >««• Yao prudently rtdrad with his ]ug» T«Mel« to King«on. where he was Uodouled by Chaunoey for about six weeks. The American Comraodoie professed • great desire for an encounter, and oompbined very b tterly that Sir James would not giatify him by meeting his four larger vessels with the four largest British ship^ In a letter written to the Secretary of the Navy on August the loth he says: "To deprive the enemy of an apology for not meeting me, I have sent ashore four guns from the Superior to reduce her armament in number to an equality with the Prince Regent's, yield- ing the advantage of their 68-pounders. The Mohawk mounts two guns less than the Princess Charlotte, and tte Montoeal and Niagara are equal to the Pike and Madison." It is remarkable that this American Commodore was unable to tell the truth, even in a despatch to his own government, in regard to a matter of which he must have been fully informed. His Urgest vessel the Superior was heavier in armament than an oidinary 74;Iine of battle ship, and fiir more powerful than the Pnnoe Regent with which Chauncey compares her. me following statement of the four largest British and four largest American vessels on Uke Ontario, is taken from an American author, Roosevelt, and is therefore not likely to err in fitvor of the British. American Vessels. Naine. SiqMtior, ToaiMge. Crew. 500 BrcMuMde Metal. AnnaiMnt. 130 kmraj't 1.050 lb(k \ t iM^r a4'a ia6 •iiort4a'a 34^ THB WAK or l8l9. Mohawk* PtiMk • la6 lea* J14 abort • • UUfi 390 SS4 • • trs joo |fo •• • . JM aao 364 " }j; 4*39l i>390 a,3atlba. British Vbssbls. Naaao. Tonaag*. Craw. a4'a iTa ija'a al loaf a4'a ta'a Ariaeo Rtfaiit, • . ii4«o , 415 tyalha. I** S »• V 4 abort Wa Jaa •• 3a'a Priacaaa Charlotte, h»t$ 315 604 " 1 a6 loi« M'a V aahertA'a J 14 " 3«a Mootroal, • . • «3r aao aj8 «• }«i "^ *: Nfaigmim, • . • . 5to aoe 33a •• \ a looar ta'a /ae abort 3a'a 3,81a i,aao 1,966 Iba. From the foregroing statement it will be seen that the Americans wen) greatly superior, both in the size of their ships and their armaments. Sir James was there* fore wise not to risk an action, the loss of which might have wrought incalculable injury. On Lake Champlain the Americans had been active in constructing vessels during the winter, and in April, Commodore Macdonough, who was in command there, succeeded in launching his new ships which had been built at Vergennes, Vermont. On the 14th of May, Captain Pring, R. N., with the British flotilla appeared off the mouth of Otter Creek, in which Macdonoug^'s THt WA« or i8ia. 343 veMdi wtn lying, and commencad a cannonade upon 21 H^ ff " ^^"y ^ '^*»'«* ^ •ntoince was defended. 1^ American., however, wera pienaml for this attack ; they had been .trongly J|„foJS •nd, a. Captain Pring had no land for^ with hlm^S .^unable to accomplish anything and «> ^turned toWe A«x Noix. It wa. a «rio«. enor, for which Sir Geoige Prevort must be held responsible, that he did opening of lake navigation, to dmroy Macdonough's fj?!u:s*srpiar ' ^"^"- ^' ''- - -p^' l^rSi ?K* ^ ^T* « Plattsbuig, made a movement towards the ^Canadian frontier his advance being en- «^ *t Champlain, within five miles of the Intoma- tional boundaiy. This movement led to no other fwult ^n a few unimportant skirmishes between parties of Americans and the British outposts. In one of tiiese, L,eut<:olonel Forsytii, some of whose exploits as a mauiauderhave already been reUted. was killed by *«?..' ^'"«^ ""' **' Foraytii's followcis:^ Hotiy incensed because of die employment of die sav- «g«s by die British, diey resolved to avenge die deadi of dieir own leader, by taking die life of die leader of die Indians. A few days afterwards some of diem crossed die hne and shot Mahcw dut leader." The Ittjder who was shot was Captain MaiUoux, a remark- ably brave and vigilant Canadian officer. Itissin^i- UrLossing does not perceive diat in diis narrative he is showing diat Forsydi's men had ceased to be soldiers 111 5r r^"* ."''' 'assassins, lying in ambush to take die life of a single man. Their indignation at die 344 THI WAK Of l8lt. WK •mployoMiit of IndiAM by Um British mifht hAvt btw •omewhAt l«Mwn«l bad they known that about tho timt th«y ware lying conoaalad to aooompliah the murdar of the unfortunate Mailloux, General Brown was croaaing- the Niagara River, with 600 Indian warriors in his army» to invade Canada. The abdication of Bonaparte in April, 1814, which brought the long war with Prance to an end, enaUed a considerable proportion of Wellington's victorious army to be sent to America. These troops were embarked at Bordeaux and reached Quebec to the number of about 16,000 in July and August The hardy veterans who composed this reinforcement were ignorant of defeat. They represented the brave army, which to quote the words of Napier, "fought and won 19 {Htched battles and innumerable combats, made or sustained 10 sieges, took four great fortresses, twice expelled the French from Portugal, killed, wounded and took aoo,ooo enemies, and the bones of 40,000 British soldiers lie scattered on the mountains and plains of the Penin- sula." It was with the army of which this reinforce- ment formed a part, that their trusted leader conducted to its glorious close the campaign of Vittoria, of which the same brilliant historian writes: "In this campaign of six wedcs Lord Wellington with 100,000 men marched 600 miles, passed six great rivers, gained one- decisive battle, invested two fortresses and drove i30,ooa veteran troops from Spain. " The result of six campaigna had proved and every military man in Europe knew that this army was the best in the world, its record having been an unbroken series of victories, and yet the incompetent or traitorous Sir George Prevost was able to do wliat its enemies could not accomplish, and bring THB WAJi or i8is. 34S tWinoblt body of bmre mtn to tlMiiie Md humUladon. The miniMry in England had dMra i«l on an oUbn- •ivt campaign in Northarn New Yorii with a view, it would appear, of conquering part of that state. Their motive eeema to have been to obtain such a footing in the territory in question as would lead to a rectification of the boundary between the United Sutes and the Brit- i»h North American Provinces, which had been so grossly mismanaged by the British Commissioner, Mr. Oswald, at the close of the Revolutionary war. Such en attempt was unwise, as the Duke of Wellington had pointed out, more than a year before, in a letter to Lord Bathurst, and it was especially unwise because the plan of invasion was arranged by a ministry more than 3»ooo miles away, who knew nothing of the local cir- cumstances which might make their scheme advisable or otherwise. But the attempt having been ordered, it remained for Sir George Prevost to use the best means at his disposal to cany it out. Yet if this man had been in the pay of the enemy, he could not have arranged matters better to defeat the object of the expedi- tion than he did. The co-operation of a fleet to com-^ mand the Lake was considered necessaiy, yet only one vessel was constructed, and the work upon her was so much delayed that she was not nearly completed when tiie army was ready to move. When the army did start its advance was so tardy that the enemy had full warning of the point of attack, and ample time to pre- pare against it The force selected for the invasion of New York numbered 11,000 men, and was divided into three brigades under Generals Robinson, Power and Brisbane, the whole forming a division under the command of i 346 THE WAR OF l8ia. Major General De Rottenburg. The army was put in motion and crossed the international boundary line at Odelltown on the ist of September. This place is not more than 25 miles from Plattsburg, which they could easily have reached in two days and, no doubt, could have immediately earned, as tiie American force was very weak, having been reduced by the sending of a large detachment under General Izard to the Niagara frontier. The moment the British began to advance. Major General Macomb and the American troops under his command retired to Plattsburg. Sir George occupied his abandoned camp at Champlain on the 3rd, having been two days advancing somewhat less than five miles. The same snail-like rate' bf progression characterized the subsequent movements of Sir George. The left di- vision, numbering about seven thousand men, advanced on the following day to the village of Chazy, about five miles from Champlain, without experiencing the slightest opposition. On the 5th the troops halted within eight miles of Plattsburg having advanced about seventeen miles within the enemy's territory in the course of four days. On the sixth, the army moved upon Plattsburg in two columns on parallel roads, the right column led by Major General Power's brigade, supported by four companies of light in&ntry and a demi-brigade under Major General Robinson going by the Beckmantown road. The left column, which consist- ed of Major General Brisbane's brigade, advanced by the road which runs close to Lake Champlain. General Macomb had stationed a detachment of regulars with two field pieces near Dead Creek bridge, to obstruct the left column, while General Moers with 700 Militia, supported by Major Wool with 350 R^fulars and some THE WAR OF l8ia. 347 ^tillery, were sent to check the right column on the Beckmantown road. The Militia promptly tan away Ac moment the British appeared, or, to quote Uie language of tiieir own general. Macomb, -fell back most precipitately in the greatest disorder, notwithstand- «L?K r. -"^P* ^'^ "°' ^^'^ ^ «« °n *em except by their flankers and advanced patrols." As the flight of tiie panic-stricken Militia who, to quote Uieir own general once more, "could not be pre- vailed upon to stand," exposed tht force at Dead Creek to capture, ,t had to make an immediate retreat All the American histories are filled with accounts of the b«ve conduct of this party of Regu...sand of Major Wool s men, as they retreated, and of tiie great losses they inflicted on the British and, no doubt, die terrified Sfs ^r*? *^"* *^'''°~"» ^^ *« ^'' bought this petty skirmish to be a dreadful battle. On £is Macomb himself, who says: -The field pieces did con- siderable execution among the enemy's columns. So nLtli"'^' K^^^'T? ^** ** •"*">'' ^^ he never de- ployed in his whole march, always pressing on in column. Finding tiiat every road was foil of troops. crowding us on all sides, I orfered tht field pieces to retire across tiie bridge, and form a battery for its pro- tecuon, and to cover tiie retreat of tiie infiintiy, which was accordingly done." The Americans retreated to the soutii side of the Saranac, after destroying the bndge, while tiie British army encamped a short dis- tonce north of tiie River and witiiin a mile of Platts- The position occupied by tiie American army at 34S THS WAR OF l8ia. Plattsburg was on an elevated ridge of land crowned with three redoubts and two block-houses. The re- doubts were on a curved line across the neck of the peninsula, between the Saranac and Lake Champlain, on which the village stood, and were named respective- ly Forts Brown, Moreau and Scott This neck is about one-third oi a mile across. Fort Brown was on the bank of the river, half a mile above the lower bridge at its mouth, and the same distance below the upper bridge. Fort Moreau, which was the principal work, was 300 yards east of Fort Brown, and halfway between the river and the Lake, and Fort Scott stood near the shores of the latter. From the lower bridge to a point some distance abch^ Fort Brown, the right bank of the Saranac is steep and from 50 to 60 feet in height, and about 300 yards above the lower bridge, it is cleft by a deep ravine which extends from the river almost to the Lake. Near this ravine a block-house was built, and on a point to the eastward overiooking Plattsbuig Bay was another block-house. At the mouth of the river a short distance from the lower bridge, stood a stone mill which was also used for defensive purposes. These works mounted altogether about 20 guns, and were defended by 1500 American Regulars and 3,200 Militia. Had Sir George Prevost made an attack on Platts. bui^ the same day his army arrived in front of it, the place would have been taken in an hour and the entire American force there captured. But this system of making war might have hurt the feelings of the enemy, whom Sir George was always so desirous of conciliat- ing. Instead of making a prompt movement he halted his army for five days on the banks oi the Saranac, and THB WAR OP l8ia. 349 began throwing up batteries, while the Americans in full view of him were laboriously strengthening them- selves in their positions. The sight of this army, which a few months before, had scaled the Pyrenees and driven the veteran troops of France from a position which Soult had been fortifying for three months, being now halted in front of the paltry defences of Plattsburg, wascertainly one which probably no other officer of the British army but Sir George Prevost would have cared to exhibit But the natural timidity of this man steeled him effectually against all feelings of shame, and the soldiers whom he commanded could only wonder how they had £edlen under such control as his. The ostensible cause of Sir George Prevost's delay before Plattsburg, was his desire for the co-operation of Che fleet on the Lake. This fleet was miserably weak, •nd i.5 largest vessel, the Confiance, had only been launched on the asth of August, and was not neariy ready for service at the time of the advance on Platts- burg commenced. Yet it was on the fitness of this ship to meet and defeat the enemy that the whole success of the campaign was made to rest. Captain Downie, who had been one of Sir James Yeo's captains on Lake Ontario, commanded the British flotilla, and Sir George states in his official dispatch that imme- diately after his arrival at Plattsburg he requested Capt. Downie's co-operation. He does not, however, state that this request for Downie's assistance was made in such terms as must have been extremely galling to that brave officer, and led him to go into action before his vessels were ready, and to make his attack rashly and even recklessly, so as to give the enemy every advantage. Sir George sent one letter to the Commander of the !i 350 THE WAR OP l8ia. fleti. stating that the army had long been waiting for him ; that it had been under arms the day before from daylight, in expectation of the fleet, and closing with the hope that nothing but the state of the wind prevent- el the fleet from coming up. The brave Downie replied that he required no urging to do his duQr ; that he should be up the first shift of wind, and make the signal of his approach by scaling his guns. Capt Downie's flotilla was then lying at Isle La Motte, and a breeze that would be fair for it to come down the Lake, would be adverse when it sought to enter Platts- burg Bay and approach the American fleet The east side of the mouth of Plattsburg Bay is formed by Cumberland Head j the entrance is about a mile and a half across, and the other boundary south- west from the Head is an extensive shoal and a small low island called Crab Island on which the Americans had a two gun battery. Macdonough had arranged his vessels in a line extending from a point three-quarters of a mile inside of Cumberland Head to the shoal off Crab Island. The head of his line was so close to the eastern shore of Plattsburg Bay that an attempt to turn it would place the British under a very heavy fire from the battery on Cumberland Head, while the other end of the line was equally well protected by the shoal and the battery on Crab Island. The line was about a mile and a half distant from the American batteries, and therefore within range of their heavy long guns. Macdonough's force consisted of the ship Saratoga, the brig Eagle, the schooner Ticonderoga, the sloop Preble and ten gunboats. These vessels carried between them 86 guns, viz. 14 long 24% 13 long i8's, 14 long la's, seven long 9's, six short 42's, 29 short 32's and six THE WAR OF l8l2. 351 short i8*s, and they threw a broadside weighing 1,194 lbs. Captain Downie's fleet consisted of the ship Confiance, just Uunched, the brig Linnet, the sloops Chubb and Finch, and la gunboats carrying 87 guns, viz., 30 long 24% five long i8's, 16 long la's, five long 6's, 14 short 32's and 17 short i8's. These vessels threw a broadside of 1,113 lbs. Had Captain Downie's flagship, the Confiance, been fully completed and properly equipped, her superiority in long guns would have made her in a seaway for more than a match for the Saratoga, Macdonough's largest vessel, but thir superiority was wholly lost by the manner in which Downie attacked the enemy, and, as the battle was fought, the advantage was wholly with the Americans. On the morning of the nth September, Captain Downie got his fleet under weigh, and gave the signal of his approach to Sir George Prevost by scaling his guns. Presently, as Sir George states in his dispatch :— "Our flotilla was seen over the isthmus which joins Cumberland Head with the mainland, steering for Plattsburg Bay." Captain Downie relied on the in- stant advance of the army against the worko of Platts- burg, the moment his signal was given, and in haranguing his men before the engagement he said, "My lads, we shall be immediately assisted by the army ashore— Let us show them that our part of the duty is well done." Only this belief could have induced him to make the headlong attack he did, and it is safe to say that this attack would have succeeded and the American fleet been destroyed or taken had the army given their instant co-operation, as promised. But instead of do- ing this, the caitiff who commanded the British army» 1 1 m 1 iff 1^ H^m i^K ' £ H 1 1 351 THE WAR or :i;ia. when he had heard Downie's guns, ordered his men to cook, and never put his men into motion at all until the fleet was entering Plattsburg Bay, so that as the soldiers had a circuit of miles to make, they did not get within striking disUnce of the enemy's stronghold until nearly three hours had elapsed, and the naval engage- ment was at an end. Downie had been forced to an engagement under an enormous disadvantage; he had been slain and his fleet defeated, and all the larger vessels captured. Macdonough's line of battle, as already stated, extended across Plattsburg Bay. At its head or north- eastern end were two gunboats, each carrying one long 24>pounder and one short i8-pounder. Next to them was the Brig Eagle, carrying eight long la's and twelve 33-pounder carronades and throwing a brxMtdside of 264 pounds. Behind the Eagle were two gun-boats similar to those just described, and then came the ship Saratoga carrying eight long a4-pounders, six 4a-pound and I a 3a-pound carronades and throwing a broadside which weighed 414 pounds. Three gunboats were in line behind the Saratoga, two of them similar to those to the north of her, and the third armed with one long la-pounder. Then came the Ticonderoga armed with four long i8's, eight long la's and five 3a-pound car- ronades. This vessel's broadside weighed 180 pounds. Behind her were three gunboats and the sloop Preble, the latter being under the guns of the battery on Crab Island. Each of these gunboats carried one long la, while the Preble was armed with seven long 9's and her broadside weighed 36 pounds. All Macdonough's larger vessels were at anchor, but the galleys were under their sweeps and their position was therefore liable to be THB WAR OP l8ia. 3S3 dunged. They formed a second line about forty yanis back from the larger vessels. By this amngement Macdonough's line could not be doubled upon, there was not room to anchor on his broadside out of reach of his carronades. and the British wereYorced to attack him by standing in bows on. Such a course involved enormous difficulty, especially with an adverse wind, and the fiu:t that the American line could not be turned at either end, because of the land batteries which covered It, added greatly to the risk of such an attack. Downie had to assail an enemy of superior force in his own chosen position, which he had improved with all the skill at his command, for Macdonough not only had provided all his vessels with springs but also with anchors to be used astern in any emergency. The Saratoga was &rther prepared for a change of wind, or for the necessity of winding ship by having a kedge planted broad oflF on each of her bows, with a hawser and preventer hawser hanging in bights under water, leading from each quarter to the kedge on that side. On the morning of the nth of September there was a light breeze from the north-east which brought the British fleet rapidly down tiie lake. When Captain Downie had &iriy opened Plattsburg Bay he hove to with his four Urge vessels, and waited for his galleys to overtake him. Then he filled away on tiie starboard Uck, and headed for the American line, the Chubb to tiie north well to windward of tiie Eagle, for whose bows tiie Linnet was pointed, while tiie Confiance was to be laid atiiwart the hawse of tiie Saratoga. The Finch was to leeward with tiie gun-boats and was to engage the rear of the American line. As the Con- fiance approached the Saratoga opened upon her widi ri ! ; 354 THB WAR OP l8ia. her long a4ppounderi, to which she wu able to make no reply, and she suffered severely from the Are. She was bailed by shifting winds also and was soon so cut up by the fire of the American fleet, both her port bow anchors being shot away and many of her crew being killed and wounded, that she was obliged to port her helm and came to while still nearly a quarter of a mile distant from the Saratoga. Capt Downie came to anchor in good style,— securing everything carefully before he fired a gun, and then opening with a terribly destructive broadside. The Chubb and Linnet stood farther in and anchored forward of the Eagle's beam. The Eagle got abreast of the Ticonderoga, under her sweeps supported by the larger gunboats, five in number. The smaller British gunboats held aloof from close fighting throughout the action, and thereby destroyed any chance Downie might have had of win- ning Uie battle. The battle naturally divided itself into two combats, the van one between the Chubb, Linnet and Confiance on the British side, and the Eagle, Saratoga and seven gun-boats, on the American side ; and the rear combat between the Finch with the British gunboats and the Ticonderoga and Preble and three American gunboats, aided by the two gun battery on Crab Island. The Confiance carried ay long 24*8 and eight short 3a's and her broadside weight of metal was 432 pounds. The Linnet carried 16 long la's and threw a broadside weigh- ing 96 pounds. The Chubb carried 10 short i^'sand one long six and threw 96 pounds. The Finch carried seven short i8's, four long 6'^ an^ threw a broadside of 84 pounds. The five British gunboats which took an active part in the engagement, carried two long a4's» THB WAR OP I8l9. 355 Af«e long i8'fl and two aa-pounder carronadet. The force arrayed in each of these combau, was therefore as follows t — Van Combat. AmkAican. Weight of broMbid*. Eagle, - - - 264 lbs. Chubb, Saratoga, - - 414 « Linnet, - Seven gunboats 246 •* Confiance, British. Wtightofbroiidrid*. - 961h8. - 96 " - 433 " 94a lbs. 6a4 lbs. Rear Combat. American. British. Wdght of brauUd*. w«lght of bnMuldd*. Ticonderoga, - 180 lbs. Finch, - - - 84 lbs. Preble, - - - 36 «« Five gunboats, 166 " Three gunboats, 36 *• «5a lbs. 250 lbs. It will be seen from the foregoing statement that in the van combat there was a preponderance of more than one-half against the British in weight of metal, while in the rear combat the forces arrayed against each other were nearly equal. But the manner in which the American rear was covered by the gun battery on Ciab Island gave them a very great advantage. It was at this end of the line that the British experienced their first reverse, at an early stage of the combat The Finch, in manoeuvering to close on the Ticonderoga, struck on the shoal which extends out from Crab Island and grounded in such a position that she became help- less. The guns on the Crab Island battery opened isfi THi WAR or l8l«. i1 < upon her, white sh« wu nlrad by the Ttoonderoga, no that the was finally compelted to haul down bar flag. The five British gunboats under Lieut Bell now foroi4 the Preble out of the line, compelling her to cut her cable and drift in shore out of the fight. They then made a very determined attack on the Tioonderoga, and had they succeeded in capturing her the day would have been won for the British, but after a severe strug- gte th^ were repulsed, being much over-matched in weight of metal. In the meantime the fighting at the head of the line had been seve*^ The Confiance, although her equip- ment was so imperfect that she was quite unfit for an engagement, was moit gallantly fought, but it was among the most serisus disasters of that fatal day that Captain Downie should have been killed almoet at the beginning of the action. The Chub and Linnet, at the extreme end of the line, were excellently fought, but the former had her cable, bowsprit and main boom shot away and drifted within the American lines so that she was captured. The Linnet although of only about one- third the foroe of the Eagle, fidriy defeated that vessel and shot away her springs so that she came up in the wind. This compelled her comnwnder to cut his cabte, run down and anchor by the stem between the Ticonderoga and the Confiance, from which position he opened on the latter. The Linnet now directed her attention to the American gunboats at that end of the line, finally driving them off, and springing her broadside so as to rake the Saratoga on her bows. The Confiance, although so heavily overmatched by the gunboats and the Saratoga, had succeeded in wholly disabling and dismounting the entire starboard battery THI WAR Of i8ia. 337 ofUMktterTWMl. ThelMUtlewouldhavebetn wm but for the provision which Maodonough had madt for twinge Ing hia ship. When all his starboard guns had bean silanoad, hesuooeedad in getting the Saratoga round, so that he was able to open with his port batteiy on the Confiance. The huter attempted also to round but having only springs to rely on her efforts did little beyond forcing her forward, and she hung with her head to the wind. She had lost one-half of h%> crew, most of her guns on the engaged side were dismounted, and her stout masts had been splintered until they looked like bundles of matches ; her sails had been torn to rags and she was forced to strike about two hours and a half af^ she had fired the first broadside. The Linnet, commanded by the gallant Captain Pring, maintained the unequal fight for about 15 minutes longer, and only struck when, from the number of shot between wind and water, the water had risen a foot above her lower deck. Then the pluclgr little brig hauled down her colors, and the Bght ended about three hours after the first shot had been fired. The galleys that had been engaged with the Tioonderoga rowed away and escaped with the other seven under Lieut. Rayot, which had held aloof from the action. The American vessels were all too much disabled to follow them. The American loss in this action was about aoo and that of the British consider- ably more, probably about 270. Sir James Yeo's comment upon this action in his l^ter to Mr. Crocker, easily discloses the cause of the fiUlure of Capt Downie's attack. " It appears to me, and I have good reason to believe." said he, "that Capt. Downie was urged, and his ship hurried into action before be was in a fit state to meet the enemy., 11 <.| 3S> THE WAm OP l8l9. I am a!io of Um opinion that there was not the least necessity for our squadron giving the enemy such de- cided advantages by going into their bay to engage them. Even had they been successful, it would not in the least have assisted the troops in storming the batteries } whereas had our troops talcen their batteries first, it would have obliged the enemy's sqtuulron to quit the bay and give ours a fidr chance." Captain Macdonough's elaborate preparations for defence would have been of no avail, had Captain Downie anchored his vessi *i out of carronade range, and kept pounding the enemy with his long guns. Or if a headlong attack had to be made, Capt. Pownie should have thrown his entire force on the windward end of the American line, leaving to the enemy's vessels to leeward, the difficult or impossible task of woridng up to windward to the assiMtnce oi their comrades. Sir George Prevost states in his dispatch that his batteries opened on the enemy the instant the ships en- gaged. He also sa3rs:~"I immediately ordered that part of the brigade under Major-General Robinson, which had been brought forward, consisting of our light infimtry companies, third battalion a7th and 76th regiments, and Major-General Power's brigade, con- sisting of the 3rd, .ith and the first batuHon of the a7th and 58th Regts., to force the fords of the Saranac, and advance provided with scaling ladders to escalade the enemy works, when I had the mortification to hear the shout of victory from the enemy's works in conse- quence of the British flag being lowered on board the Confiance and Linnet, and to see our gunboats seeking their safety in flight This unlooked for event deprived me of the co-oi»?ation of the fleet, without which the THE wAm or i8ia 3S9 tohar prosecution of the .enrlce b«tme Impnurtlcable. I did not hedut. to Tmrt the oour.e of the troop. ^1"£ H "^"IT^' "^"^ *• "^^ complete .«^ c« would have been unavailing, and the possession of Ae enemy's worics oflfered no advantage to compensate forthe loss we must have sustained in acquiring possession of them." -cqumng Somuch for Sir George Prevow's reasons for his dis- «««A. «treat, which excited the Iceenest feeling of Indignation among all ti,e officers and men of the uLr which he commanded. Majo^Geneial Robinson, a *r^^ Si ! ""^^f' ''**^ ^ "^^^ ""^•^ Wellington ^^^"•djtgamstthe order of hi. millury superior t^ of the opinion that his loss of men would be greater in * retiittt than in an advance upon the American works. Majoi-General Brisbane offered to crou the Saranac in force and cany the enemy's works in twenty minutes. But nothing could move this miseimble geneial to uke LTr**T!*u ?*'''"«^ ^"""^ ^P^ O^'^nie into an action for which he was not prepared, and having in- duced h.m under fiilse representotions to make a head- long and rash attack, he now made his own &ilure to cooperate and tiie disaster which resulted from his own misconduct, tiie pretext for a dishonorable and disgrace- ^l^^bT '~" ^'^'^ *" ^"'"^ ^" -'^ -'- PifL^'^ K '*''?'!. '^'^'^ ^'* »*» *""y from Plattsburg on tiie night after tiie battie on tiie Uke What was tiiought of tiiis retreat at tiie time, botii by Canaduns and Americans, may be gatiiered from tiie following extract from a pamphlet written by a gentieman Hi 4 1!-,^ 3«o THE WAR OP l8ia. ^If who resided nmr the scene of action. This writer says: — "It is a fitct that the American commodore was so impressed with the idea that their worlcs on shore would still be carried, that he did not talte possession of our vessels for a long time after the action termi- nated; he being employed in getting his own out of reach of guns from the shore, apprehending that their own batteries would be turned against them. In the evening he expressed an expecution that the British colors would be seen flying upon the American worics^ and when General Macomb came off at daylight, to say that our army had retreated in the night of the nth, leaving their sick and wounded behind and destroying quantities of stores and provisions, Commodore Mac- donough would not credit the &ct; but when it was persisted in, cautioned Macomb to beware of a nm er the capture <^ the Ohio and Somers, by anchoring four armed brigs of Perry's fleet and a. schooner on the lake opposite Fort Erie. Yet with all these advantages General Brown did not consider him- self safe and insisted on being reinforced by Izard's command from Lake Champlain. The impossibili^ of the British army being readily reinforced from Kingston, owing to the command of Lake Ontario having passed for the time to Chauncey, and the weak state to which his force had been reduced by sickness, determined Drummond to remove his troops to a heaMiier position. Intelligence of this intention of die Briti^ geneml reached Brown by means of (kserters, and at the saamt time came the new& of the Plattsburg afiur. At this jtmcture. Brown was reinforced by the arrival of upwarcb of 2,000 vto make a grand sortie against the Briti^ works and therefore gain the credit of cempdtti^f Dr u m m o n d to raise the siege. This THE WAR OP l8ia. 363 g*n was carried out on the afteraoon of the 17th of September, when General Brown knew that De Watte- vUIe's Regt would be doing duty at the batteries. These batteries were distant a mile and a half from the British camp and situated in the midst of a thick wood. Three of them were armed with cannon, but a fourth which had been commenced, and which was intended to enfilade the western ramparts of the American worics, had not been completed owing to the want of guns with which to arm it The active batteries were numbered one, two and three respectively, beginning at the British left and going towards their right Shortiy after noon General Porter with his volun- teers, more than 2,000 in number, and parts of four regiments of reguUr infantry, advanced through the woods by a circuitous route, which had been previously marked, and which placed them within pistol shot of the British right battery. No. 3, without their being discovered. About the same time Brigadier General James Miller, with three regiments of in&ntiy moved by way of a ravine which concealed his troops, to attack the British centre. He was supported by tiie aist regiment under General Ripley acting as a reserve. The advance was made under cover of a heavy fire from the American batteries, and it was greatiy &vored by a thick fog which concealed the enemy's approach. At 3 o'clock Porter's men rushed from die woods in which they were hidden, and attacked the British right, while Miller's column penetrated tiie British centre, a little to tiie right of batteiy No. a. Being in overwhelming numbers and the attack being a complete surprise, die opposition they met with was oompaiatively slight Miller's column turned to the left and succeeded in 364 TKS WAR OP 181a. surrounding the British right then briskly engaged with Porter's men, and obtained possession of battery No. 3. The small blockhouse behind it, garrisoned by a few men of the 8th regiment, was also captured after a severe struggle. The three guns in the batteiy were immediately destroyed and the magazine Mown up. The Americans now turned to the right and attacked the centre British battery No. a. This also was carried, as well as the blockhouse behind it, and after a very gallant resistance from the weak detachment, composed of a part of the 8th and of De Watteville's Regt, by which they were defended. Miller was at this time joined by his reserve and he continued his advance to the right tor the purpose of attacking battery No. I. His attack on this work, however ftuled, for the arrival of reinforcements frraa the camp brought the short-lived success of Porter and MUler to a sudden end. The moment the alarm was given, the Royal Scots, with the 89th as a support, moved by the new road and met and engaged the enemy near the captured blockhouse in the rear of No. 3 battery, and checked his furdter progress in that direction. That gallant Canadian regiment, the Glengarry Light In- fantry, advanced by the centre road and heauled by Lieut.-Col. Battersby attacked the enemy's forces in the new intrenchments and drove them out of them. At the same moment, seven companies of the 8and Regt. under Major Proctor, and three companies of the 6th, under Major Taylor, the whole numbering less than 600 rank and file, were detached to the left to support batteries one and two. The latter had fallen into the hands of the enemy before this reinforcement arrived. THE WAR OP l8ia. 365 but Miller's strong coluain was immediately attacked by Trior's and Pro tor's men with the bayoMt, with such intrepid bravery that the Americans wen not only forced hack fina No. i ^amtfy but driven out of No. a with such hnstt. dut diey had no time to destroy it - to any oonaiderafaie extent The in flight, leaving a number of ^ . . '.— ^ ""^ IS CHAPTER XIX. Naval «agi«WMat« of iSi4.— Kmm with Phatb* and ClMnik.-PM. cockaad E|Mnriw-Waap and lUiadMr.-CjrnuM awl Uvaat with CoiMtHiitiM.-Captiir« of tb* PrMidaat-Paacock awl NaatlhM. — EaMport occupiad bjr tba Brkkh.— Tht ^uMagtou Em- pwiition.— 9anM3r's iotilla.— Advaaca of tba BrttUi .—Tba flodUa daRni3rad.-Alarm la Wadiiagtoa.-Dafaat of tba Amarieaaaat Bladaa^ury.— Washingtoa occnpiad by tba Britiab.— Oaatroction of tba PuUic BaUdbigB.~*Captnra ot AaaapoBa.— Tba Baltbaof* EBpaditkMi.-Battla of Nortb Pdat.«Failttra of tba attaaipt— Caatiaa aad Bangor occnpiad.— Ilacbiaa captomL-Tba Now Orlaaat Expaditioa.— The Traatjr of Poaca. Having brought the narrative of the events in Canada to a close, it now only remains to deal briefly with the naval and military occurrences on the ocean and sea> board of the United States from the beginning of 1814 to the end of the war. During the whole of this year, so strict a blockade was maintained by the British along the entire American coast, that very few of the enemy's vessels got to sea. It was only when the blockading vessels were driven off their cruising ground by severe weather that the blockaded warships were able to slip out and make their way to some distant sea where they could prey on British commerce. In 1813, tbe American frigate Essex, commanded by Capt. David Porter, entered the Pacific and captured a number of British Whalers. In January, 1814, she was anchored in the harbor of Valparaiso, in company with one of her prizes, which had been armed and named the Essex Junior. Here she was blockaded for 370 TNI WAM or ittia. MVttn wMks by Um British frigate Photbt, Capt Hil- ju, and tlM ship«loop Cbtrub. Th« foltowing MOt- OMat shows th« oonpaiativt foroa of thasa British. Wdsbtof Ambrican. s6 ioof irt 14 thert )>'• a leaf ia'» • IMW Sit sakort ifa Charub iS short ja'a 4aiMrt tVt aloof iaa\ 9'aJ 4Srfta. 34a Ibo. •39 Uw. Sloof la'a}''*** 10 ) traV 6a j Junior 10 abort tS*! )■ lae Iba. to looy 796 tba. It will be seen from this sutement that in weight of metal there was very little difference between the Brit- ish and American vessels, but the British were greatly superior in long gun metal. On the aSth March, the Essex tried to escape, but having carried away her mainmast in a squall, was compelled to anchor near the shore where she was attacked by the Phoebe and Cherub and forced to surrender. Capt Hilyar coolly selected his own distance and pounded the Essex to pieces with his long guns, just as Capt. Downie might have done on Lake Champhun. The loss of the Essex was III killed and wounded. Both the British vessels lost but five killed and ten wounded between them. On the 29th of April, the American ship sloop Pea- cock, Capt Warrington, captured the British brig Epervier, after an engagement which lasted three- quarters of an hour. The Peacock was much the superior vessel as the following comparison will show: fil Tm WAK or itis. No. of BraidsidtguM. II 9 Wtiffht 33Blbt. 974 " 3r« Crtv. 166 118 Bptnrfor TIm British vmwI had 33 Ulled and wounded, cht loM of the Peacock wae only tivo men. The gunnery of the Epervier seema to have been very bad. On the aath June, the Unhad Statei ship.«loop, Waap, captured the British brig^eloop. Reindeer, after a desperate engagement The comparative force of these vessels was as follows i— Broadside Weight of No. of Men guns. Metal. Wasp Reindeer II 10 338 aio "73 118 The Reindeer lost 67 in killed and wounded ; the Wasp 23. The action was one of the most stubbornly oontested of the whole war. On the ist September the Wasp fought a night engagement with the British brig Avon and reduced her to a sinking condition so as to compel her to strike. The Avon was of the same force in weight of metal and number of men as the Epervier. She lost 4a men in the action ; the Wasp lost three. The American vessel was prevented from taking possession of her prize by the approach of another British war ship which rescued the crew of the shattered and sinking Avon. In the eariy part of 1815 there were four affitirs on the ocean, which will be most conveniently disposed of here. The first WiUl OP i8ia. on the aoch of Fibniarjr. Th« Cyane was a oorvettv, and the Levant a ahipH^p, and their annament as eompared with the Constitution was as follows :->- British. CjTMM »i Bhoft yfa « American. W«%hter o • tVaV } I«vaat i« ahort sa's i^^ la Coudtntioo 31 loag »4'» \ .^ -_ 309lba> 7«3*fc It The Constitution carried 450 men ; the two British vessels had 3*0 men between them. While there b an apparent equality in the weight of metal, there was in '••Jity an enomMua disparity of force, for, to say nocUng of the superior thickness of her sides, a fi(st and weatheriy fri|^ like the Constitution couki keep her own disiaaoe out of rsich of the short guns of th® Cyane and Levant and destroy them both. The l-ewnt was afterwards recaptured by a British •quadron. On the 15th January the U. S. frigate President. Capt Decatar was captured by a British squadron con*, listing of the raaee Majestic, and the frigates Endy- mion, Pomona and Tenedos, off Sandy Hook. Th« President was first overtaken and engaged by the En- dyrnkm aad>this«poifefful frig«te woukl no doubt have captured the Amer i can ship unaktod, but for the arrival of her oooBons to whom Decatur preferred to surrender^ The cnpnivi of the Praskleat was a fortunato event, fot THE VTAM or i8ia. 373 it enabled the British naval officera tp show their countrymen the kind of marine monsters, misnamed frigates, against which the Guerrieie, Macedonian and Java had been rashly sent to contend. On the sard March, the United States ship sloop Hornet captured the British brig sloop Penguin in the south Atlantic. The American vessel was superior both in weight of metal and number of men, and the defence of die British brig seems to have been impaired by the early fiOl of her captain. .-^ On tiie 30U1 June, several months afker peace had been proclaimed, the Peacock encountered die East India Company's cruiser Nautilus off dieportofAnjier. The commander of die Nautilus, Lieut. Boyce, sent his purser, Mr. Bardett, in one of his boats, to inform Capt. Warrington of die peace. This sea bully and ruffian, instead of acting on die information thus given, immed- ialely confined Mr. Bardett below and advanced on die Nautilus. Lieut. Bq)fce dien hailed him to ask if he knew dial peace had been dedaied. Warrington demanded diat die Avon's cofon be hauled down, and 00 diis being refosed, fired a couple of broadsides into the Iftde vessel, which kiUed seven men, iadudiug her first lieuiMaat, and wounded eight. The Nautilus which was less diaa one-diird die force of die Peacock, ^hen struck her ooion. The assassin, Warrington,' having satisfied his diirst for muider by die shiying of ■even men, inslandy gave up die Nautilus widi many hypocritical apologies and ofiers of anistance. To shield himself against the storm of indignation which his cdndttcthad provoked, he resorted to die refuge of many of the naval and miUtaiy commandea of his Jittion during durt war, braten lying, and pretended 374 THE WAR or i8ia. that Mr. Bartlett, who wm aent ezpvcMly to notify him of the pMce, did not deliver his mesmge, a stoiy ■» absurdly and s ham el e ssly fidse that it would be an insult to the intelligence of the reader to notice it fiuther. This year, for the first time, the American peofrfe be-^ gan to realize the full significance of the war upon which they had so rashly entered. Hitherto the people c ' the sea-coast towns had only heard of it from a dis- tance, now it was brought to their own doon, and tta effects were experienced 1^ eveiy man, women and child in the oountiy. The foreign trade of the United States had practically ceased to exist, and universal bank- ruptcy was threatened. The revenues had greatly fiUlen off, in spite of the new and previously unknown forms- of taxation that had been introduced, and the govemo^ ment was in great distress for lade of mon^. Loans -could only be nuule at a ruinous rate of discount, and finally the prospect became so dark that th^ oouM not be made at all. The last loan attempted, for $35,000,- 000, whidi was oBtnd in March 1814, was less duui half taken up and that on terms so unfiivoraUe that die government was compelled to resort to die issue of treasury notes, which preseiidy fdl in value 35 per cent, while the army bills 0^ Canada were at a i»emium. The first land operation undertaken by die British on the coast during die year was directed against Moose Island or Eastport in the state of Maine. On the nth of July, Lieut-Col. Pilkington and Capt. Sir Thomas Hardy with H. M. S. Ramillies and two tran^KMts, bearing 600 oim of the imnd R^;t. arrived at Eas^rt from Sheibutne, N. S., and summoned Major Putnam who commanded m Fort Sullivan, to sunendec Hun- .v THB WAR or i8ia. i75 mind. He declined to surrender, upon which the tfoope were placed in the boets, but before they had reached the shore the flag of the fort was hauled down, and on their landing a capitulation was agreed to! Thus Moose IsUnd and the islands adjacent, together with Fort Sullivan and its garrison of 80 men, fell into the hands of the British without any loss of life. In the fort were found ten guns, six of them mounted, and a considerable quantity of ammunition and small arms. Eastport remained in our possession until the end of the war and during that period enjoyed a brisk trade. No two sutes in the Union had been more zealous advocates of the war than Maiytond and Virginia, which between them had a population of neariy a million and a half of souls, of whom more than half a million wef« slaves. Virginia was the home of Jefierson, to whose anti-British feeling the war was mainly due, and it was the native state of Henry Clay, whose inflammatoiy harangues in Congress and political intrigues, had led to hostilities between the two nations. It was therefore but natural and proper that Maryland and Virginia, as the main supports of this unnecessaiy contest, should be made to experience some of its wont efieets. It might have been supposed that in these slates, where patriotism appeared to be at such a fever of heat, and which claimed to be the seats of chivaliy and courage, there would have been some nobiMt displays of daring in the field, but it seemed that thv» men of Virginia and Maryland were only good at fighting with their tongues and pens. In this they resembled those fevorite sons of Virginia, Jefierson and Madison. They could talk bravely of war when it was at a distance, but when it came near tbetr own doon they could thiak of nethin^ il 376 THB WAR OP 1 81 a. but flight Jefferson was always a timid man, as his conduct in 1781, when Virginia of which he was then governor was invaded by Arnold and Simcoe, con* clusively proved, and Madison showed himself the same when Virginia and the District of Columbia were in- vaded in 1814. Vice Admiral Cockbum had long cherished the design of capturing Washington, and he was strengthened in the belief that this could be accomplished by his experience with the militia of Virginia and Maryland in the course of his operations in Chesapeake Bay. The American government had early been informed of the probability of an attack on their capital, and its defence had been entrusted to General Winder and a body of Militia and Regulars. In view of the threatened invasion a requisition was made on the several states for 93,000 men, of whom Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the states lying nearest to Weshington, were to contribute 33,000. These troops were to be embodied and held for immediate service, and if was intended that 15,000 of them should be kept at V/ashington for the defence of the seat of government On the 14th (tf August Vice Admiral Cochrane, with a fleet having on board a land force under Major General Ross, joined Vice Admiral Cockbum in Chesapeake Bay. The direct route to Washington was up the Potomac River to Port Tobacco, which is about 50 miles from its mouth, and thence over land 3a miles farther by the village of Piscataway, to the lower bridge across the eastern branch of the Potomac. The width of the river at this point, and the prospect of it being defended 1^ vessels, of war and a body of. troops on the opposite bank, however, induced Ross and Cockbum to THE WAR OP l8ia. 377 adopt the other route by way of the Patuxent Accord- ingly the main body of the British advanced up this river, while Captain Gordon of the Seahorse 38, with that frigate, the Euryalus 36, three bomb vessels and a rocket ship, moved up the Potomac to attack Fort Washington, which was about 14 miles below the capital. At the same time Sir Peter Parker, with the frigate, Menelaus 38, was sent up the Chesapeake above Baltimore to make a demonstiation in that quarter. The defence of the upper waters of Chesapeake Bay had been confided by the American goverement to Commodore Barney, an officer who had been tn the service of the French Directoiy. He had under his command a flotilla of 14 gunboats, each carrying one or two long 3a, 04 or 18 pounders, according to the sixe of the vessel. The aggregate crews of this flotilla numbered about 700 men. The Americans had expect- ed great results from this little fleet, but tiiey were disappointed. Barney had retirea with his vejsels into the Patuxent, and as the British advanced up that river he continued to retreat. Finally on the aand of August, when the British were close at hand, the flotilla which was at Pig Point, was destroy d by orders from Washington. The British were advancing up the river in barges, when Barney's much vaunted fleet was blown up and the crews who had nuinned it fled. They joined Winder's army which was charged with the ddience of Washington. While Rear Admiral Cockbura was pursuing the American flotilla with his seamen and marines, the army had been landed at Benedict, on the western bank of the Patuxent about 50 miles from Washington, and > 3i 378 THE WAR or :i;ia. U: I ' bad marched by Notdngham to Upper Marlborough where it arrived in the afternoon of the tame day that the flotilla was destroyed. On the following day the troop^were joined by Cbckburn and his marines. Washington was but 16 miles distant, and it was determined to make a bold dash for it» trusting to daring and activity rather than to numbers. That evening, the ajrd, the British forces which numbered about 4,000 men, advanced and bivouacked for the nij^t at Melwood, ten miles from Washington, near the junction of the roads leading to that ciQr and to Alex- andria Feny. The American army under Winder which the previous night had encamped at Long Old Fields, less than three miles away, was now lying across the eastern branch of the Potomac within the limits of the federal city. There was great alarm in Washington that night; President Madison, Secretary of Sute Monroe and War Secretary Armstrong, who could so lightly sanc- tion the invasion of Canada and destruction of Newark, were in a dreadful state of perturbation. Genetal Winder was fairly distracted, for every one was tender- ing him advice from the President down. Both Mon- roe and Armstrong had served in the Revolutionary war, and both believed themselves competent to command an army. Yet there was something ludicrous in the state of utter helplessness to which this warlike govern- ment had been reduced by the appearance of 4,000 British troops. On the morning of the a4th August, General Winder and the members of the administration were in council at his headquarters, when intelli- gence came that the British were marching in the direction of Bladensburg, which is on the eastern branch THI WAR OP i8ia. 379 of the Pocomac* six miles from Washington. Up to that moment President Madison and his advisers had believed that Ross would either turn towards Fort Washington, or anarch against the capital by the •astern bridge* which being half a mile in length, would have enabled Madison, Monroe and Armstrong to emu- late Horatius Codes and his undaunted companions, in defending their city in full view of its entire population, staves included. General Ross did not choose to gratify die American Cabinet so fiir. a circumstance which made an insUnt change of plans on their part necessary. The troops in Washington were immedtate> ly hurried oflF towards Bladensburg. Secretary Monroe was sent away in advance of diem to assist General Stansbury, whose brigade was already at Bladensburg, to post his troops. General Winder and his staflF fol- lowed, and lasdy War Secretary Armstrong, die Presi- dent and die Attorney General, all on horseback, and anxious to take a conspicuous part in die wariike spec- tacle about to be displayed. The army under General Winder, according to American accounts, numbered 7,600 men, of whom 6,540 were at Bladensburg. Of these more dian 4,000 were Maryland militia and volunteers, 12,050 were regulars of the army, or seamen and marines, more dian 1,100 were District of Columbia militia, and about 100 were Virginia dragoons. Bladensburg lies at die head of small craft navigation on die eastern branch of the Potomac, die river being crossed by a bridge about 100 feet long, which formed a part of die old post road from Washington to Baltimore. Another road from Georgetown joined die Washington road at an acute angle a few yards from die bridge. In die triangutar 380 THK WAR or i8ia. I{ j 1 ' il .^ " 1 1 ij 5 •pace formed by these two roads, the Americans of Stansbury's command, who had been stationed at Bladensburg, were posted on the moaning of the a4th of August On the brow of a little eminence, 300 yards from the bridge, was an earthwork which was occupied by the artillery companies from Baltimore under Capts. Myers and Magruder, 150 strong with six 6-pounders. On the right of the battery, near the junction of the roads and concealed by the bushes on the low ground near the river, Pinkney's Baltimore riflemen, f5o ir number, were posted. In the rear of the battery were two companies of Maryland militia, acting as riflemen. These were flanked by Capt Doughty's riflemen. Four hundred yards behind the b^i/titry were Sterrett's FifUi Regt of Baltimore volunteers, 500 strong, and the Maryland regiments of Ragan and Schutz, i,joo in number. Somewhat in the rear, on the extreme left, were the cavaliy, 530 all told, 140 of them Regulars. Between Sterrett's and the cavalry on the left wef« Burch's artilleiy with four guns. In the turnpike toad, at a distance of 500 and 800 yards from the river. Col. Wadsworth had placed two field pieces which completely command the highway. About 1400 yards from the Bladensburg bridge is a ravine, which Uie road crosses 1^ means of a snoall bridge. On the rising land behind this. General Winder placed a third line of troops. Colonel Kram- er's Maryland battalion was posted in front above the ravine, and the line was formed at a distance of about 400 yards behind them. In the highway were two i8-pounders, manned by Barnr^'s seamen, and protect- ed by his seamen and marines acting as inbntiy. To the right of the road, a little in advance, was a battery THE WAK OP l8ia. 381 Of three la-pounden. manned bjr the marine corpe under Capt Miller, and to the left. Peter't battery of •rtillenr with fix vine. Lieut Col. Soott with 300 wgulara of the t»-h, 36th and 38th Regts., Colonel Brent with the end Regt of Washington militia, and Major Waring with a battalion of Maryhmd militia, were posted in the rear of Peter's battery. To the left of them were two rifle companies, under Capts. StuU and Davidson, posted on an abrupt bluff which com- manded the road. On the right of the road was Colonel Beall's regiment of Maiyland militia. Alto- gether General Winder had 24 guns, and about 6.500 men w** 1 posted on the Heights in front of Bladensburg. when the British attacked him. With such a foit». in a situation so admirable for defence, it might have been supposed that the Americans would have offered a stubborn opposition to the advance of the British against their national capital, especially as their President was with them, and they were fighting, as it were, under the eyes of their countrymen and indeed of the whole civilized world. The militia had been told a few months before on the floors of Congress, by Mr. Wright of Maryland, from which state most of them came, that American valor was superior to Roman valor, this genUeman saying "He hoped whoever should speak hereafbr of Roman valor on this floor, would be considered as speaking of the second degree and not of the first." Under these circumstances nothing less was to be expected than that Bladensburg would be an American Thermopylae, but it proved to be only another Battle of Spurs. The British army, after a toilsome march of 14 miles beneath a hot August sun. reached liladensburg at h 38a THE WAR or i8ia. =1! ll 1 1 'If Not a mommt wm lott in making an attadi upon tha ttfong!/ poatad anarajr. Tha Britiah attadi. Ing fofta waa in two eohimna, tha right conaiating of 750 rank and file of the 4th and 44th Regts. led by Col. Brooke of the latter, and the left composed of the 85th Regt and the light in&ntry companies of the THI WAR OP eSiS. 383 army, numbtring Ims than 800 in«n. under Colonel Thornton. As twelve of the enemy's guns enfiladed the bridge at short rsnge, both columns suffered aeverely in crossing, which they galhuitly did under s vigorous fire both Urom the cannon and the riflemen* Once over the river, Captain Brooke's column instantly stormed the six gun battery, and captured three of the 6-pounders which one of the Baltimore artillery com- panies had abandoned after one discharge. The entire body of riflemen on both flanks of the battery, after one or two fires, fled. Thus was the first line disposed of. Colonel Brooke's little column now advanced againrt the American second line, which numbered 3,400 men, or more than three>fold his force. The regimenu of Ragan and Schutz, comprising Stansbury's brigade, which General Smith declared to be the finest set of men he ever saw, immediately became panic stricken, and to quote the language of an American historian, "fled in wild confusion." Col. Sterretfs regiment hela its ground a minute or two longer and then retired in such haste, that its retreat, to quote again the same author, was soon "a disorderly flight" It is well to have American testimony for his remarkable display of American valor. Colonel Thornton, in the meantime, had advanced with his column directly up the highway against the two guns which Colonel Wadsworth had posted on it to check the British. The latter, however, advanced so rapidly that the gunners had only time to give one discharge, and they also disappeared, leaving two la- poundns in the hands of the British. Thornton now crossed the ravine and ascended the opposite bank in the fiice of a heavy fire from Bam^'s i8-pounders. 384 THE WAR OP l8ia. He then turned from the road to the field south of it from which Knmer's men had retreated, and deployed in front of Miller's battery of three la-pounden. AAer a sharp contest with this battery and Bamey'a flotilla men, Thornton's force proceeded to turn the American nght by a wood, and in doing so encountered Colonel Beall's regiment which dispersed after a few volleys. By this tiiiie Colond Brooke's right column, after scattering their second line, had come on the left flank of their third line, with such violence that the troops there. Regulars and Militia, instantly broke and fled, leaving Barney's left uncovered. This ended the contest; Barney's two i8-poundere and Miller's thiee la-pounders were captured, and both these officers being left on the field severely wounded, fei! into the hands of the Bntish. The Americans fled from the field with such alacrty that only about lao prisoners were taken. Ten cannon and sac stand of arms were captured. The ^Ik of the American army fled to Montgomery Court House m Maryland, but a great mf.ny of the Militia never stopped running until they got to the safety of their own firesides. The American less was veiy small and, m addiUon to the prisoners taken, amounted to only a6 killed and 51 wounded. The British had 64 killed and 185 wounded, the galtont Colonel Thornton beinf among the latter. * Presidajt Madwon did not win undying gloiy on the field of Bladensburg. General Wilkinson, who him- self was no paladin as his campaigns in Canada show, fiivors the public in his memoirs with a graphic de- scnpuon of the conduct and deportment of the chief executive of the United States, the man who had recommended war to Congress, and who had afterwards THB WAR OP l8l3. 385 declared it« when brought into ectiuU contact with "grim viaaged war" itself. .^ot all the alluiements of fiune/' says Wilkinson, "not all the obligations of duty, nor the solemn invocations of honor, could incite a spark of courage; the love of a life which had become useless to mankind, and served but to embarrass the public councils, and prejudice the public cause, stifled the voice of patriotism and prevailed over the love of gloiy ; and at the very first shot, the trembling coward with a filtering voice excUimedl 'Come, General Armstrong: Come, Colonel Monroe: let us go, and leave it to the commanding general.' " A witty American writer turned this little speech into verse, in a neat parody of the words of Mahnion, thus: — "Fly, Monroe, fly I run Armstrong, run I Were the kst words of Madison." Madison and his Otbinet not only fled, but they' appear, as a further precaution, to have distributed themselves pretty well over the surrounding country. Two day's Uter the President and his Attorney General were at Brookville in Maiybnd; Armstrong and Mon- roe were at Frederick in the same state, and the Secre> tary of the Navy was in Loudon County Virginia. After the battle of Bladensburg General Ross halted his men for rest and refreshment, and then moved for- ward towards Washington which was reached about S o'clock the same evening. The troops were drawn up some distance from the dty while General Ross, Vice Admiral Cockbum and several other officers accom- panied by a small guard went forward to reconnoitre. They were fired upon from the house of one Sewell near the Capitol, and also from that building, one of the shots killing a soldier and aaother the horse on which 386 THE WAR OF l8l3. General Rom was riding. The light companies were at once brought up and the Capitol was token possession of and set on fire. The house from which the shots had been fired was also burnt and likewise the building containing the treasury and war offices. The only pub- lic building left stonding was the patent office. The Americans had themselves set fire to the Navy Vaid and to the fngate Columbia 44, and sloop Argus i8, which were nearly ready for service. A prodigious amount of ammunition in the magazines was blown up and a vast quantity of stores of every description de- stoyed. On the following day the British completed the work of destruction by burning two rope-walks and such stores and buildings in the Navy Yard as had escaped the torch the night before. The bridge across the eastern branch of the Potomac was also burnt. More than 200 cannon were taken and destroyed, and the public property thus lost to the United Stotes gov- ernment was valued at more than $a,ooo,ooo. The burn- ing of the public buildings was a severe measure but a just one. It was but a proper return for the burning of the public buildings of York in the spring of 1813. It was in these halls of Congress that the acts had been passed which led to the war. It was in these now ruined buildings that the invasion of Canada had been sanctioned and her fields, farmhouses and villages given up to de- struction. It was there the proud boast had been made that Canada could be token without soldiers; it was there that hypocritical prayers had been addressed to an All Wise and All Powerful God fdthis aid in the murder and enslavement of the people of Canada. And now the prayers had been answered to the confusion of those who made them, and President Madison and his THB WAR OP l8ia. 3«7 instruments, who had helped to complete the infiunous bargain which was the price of his office, were in cowardly flight. The British remained in possession of Washington, the whole of the asth of August, without seeing the sign of an enemy, and that night withdrew, retiring by Bladensburg, to Upper Marlborough. They reached Benedict 50 miles from Washington, on the agth, without the slightest molestation and there re-embarked in the vessels of the fleet on the following day. They had good reason to be proud of what they had achieved. In the course of ten days they had traversed one of the most thickly settled portions of the enemy's country for more than 100 miles. They had compelled him to destroy his flotilla ; they had defeated and dis. persed his army; they had occupied his capital and given up his public buildings to the flames; they had set the rulers of his government skurrying across che country, a crowd of miserable fugitives, and they had returned in safety without a hand being raised against them. A cry of rage and despair arose from the whole population of the Union at this unexpected calamity. The people of the seaboard cities were in daily expectation of a similar invasion, and for two or three months there was little beard about New York, Philadelphia and other cities but the sound of citizens plying the pickaxe and shovel as they raised intrenci ments to resist the British. It was a sad and humili- ating change from the condition of this arrogant people at the commencement of the war. While the British were in possession of Washington, Captain Gordon was ascending the Potomac to attack Alexandria. He reached Fort Washington on the 27th I : t I ii H ^„yj.L I J..U I L.I 388 THB WAR OP I8l3. m of August and as soon as he opened fire upon it, the commander. Captain Dyson, blew up and abandoned the fort. The way was now dear to Alexandria which Gordon reached on the evening of the aSth. On the following morning its humbled citizens appeared before the British commander and asked upon what terms he would spare the town. The terms were that all the public property should be delivered up. the vessels that had been sunk, raised, and the merchandise which had been removed, brought back. The loss sustained by the people of Alexandria by the surrender of their city consisted of three ships, three brigs, several small bay ..^d river craft, 16.000 lbs. of flour. 1,000 hogsheads of \ oacco. 150 bales of cotton and other goods to a large amount After the surrender, Captain Gordon was joined by the Fairy. 18. which brought him orders from Vice Admiral Cochrane to return. The river is very difficult to navigate, and the Americans made a desperate effort to stop him as he descended it. Com- modores Rodgers. Perry, Porter and Creighton were all engaged in this work. Batteries were erected at various points along the banks and fire ships were employed to destroy the British vessels, but all these attempts failed and Gordon got back to Chesapeake Bay with all his vessels in safety, on the 3rd of September, having sufiered hardly any loss. Baltimore was tiie next place to be attacked and no doubt would have easily fallen if assailed immediately after tiie capture of Washington. There was a good deal of deUy. however, during which the Americans were laboriously preparing for tiie defence of die place by erecting earthworks and collecting troops. To pre- vent the British fleet from entering the harbor they sank THE WAR OP l8ia. 389 24 vessels in the narrow channel between Fort Mc'Heniy and Lazaretto Point An extensive system of Und fortifications had been constructed and all the works were strongly manned. There were about a,ooo seamen of the navy in Baltimore whose ships had been block- aded tiiere, and by them die batteries were largely manned. In addition to tiiese. General SmiUi, who had charge of die defences of die city, had more dian 10,000 land troops, and dieir number was being hourly mcreased. ' Under diese drcumstances it certainly showed great daring on die part of die British to attempt die capture of a city so strorgly fortified and garrisoned as Balti- more was. However die eflFort was to be made, and on ^e ladi of September, about noon. General Ross and Rear Admiral Cockbum landed at Nordi Point, which IS 15 miles from Baltimore by land. The British force consisted of detachments of Royal and Marine Artillery, parts of die ist battalions of die 4di, aist and 44di Regts., die Ssdi Regt, die ist and and battalions of marines, detachments of marines from die ships, and 600 seamen, die whole numbering about 3,300 rank and file. They advanced about diree miles to a line of mtrenchments which had been dirown up by die «nemy, but diese were immediately abandoned and die troops continued to move forward. A few miles hcyond diese worics, die British General and die Vice Admiral, who had widi diem a guard of about 60 men, encountered about 400 of die enemy's riflemen, artillery and cavalry, who had posted diemselves at a point about eight miles from Baltimore, and a slight skirmish ensued. General Ross was in die act of moving alone towards his supports to order up die light troops when !' I Mff 390 THE WAR OP I8ia. he was shot by two riflemen concealed in a hollow at the edge of the woods, and in the course of a few minutes breathed his hut. tlie heavy loss the army had sustained was not known until, on the advance of th» light companies, he was found lying in the road. Colonel Brooke of the 44th Regt, who now succeed* ed to the command of the army, pressed vigorously forward to where the American army under General Strieker was drawn up, about seven miles from Baltic m;re, in order of battle. This general had about 4,500 men with him and six pieces of artillery, and his posi-^ tion was extremely fevorable for defence, covering as it did a narrow front from a branch of Bear Creek on his right to a swamp on the margin of Back River on his left, and protected by a strong paling behind which the troops were formed. An attack was instantly made. The light brigade consisting of the 85th light in&ntry and the light companies of the army covered the whole of the front, driving in the enemy's skirmishes on his main body. The 4th Regt. by a detour gained unper> ceived a lodgement close upon the enemy's left. The remainder of the rifi^ht brigade consisting of the 44th Regt., the marines of tl.s fleet and a detachment of sea- men formed a line along the enemy's front, while the left brigade consisting of the 21st Regt., the and battal- ion of marines and a detachment of marines under Major Lewis remained in columns on the road, with orders to deploy to the left and press the enemy's right, the moment the ground became sufiSciently open to admit of that movement In this order, the signal being- given, the whole of the troops advanced rapidly to the charge. The effect of the flanking movement of the 4th Regt may be briefly described in the language of TMi WAm OF i8ia. 391 »» TS. 5i« WW suddenly nrack »ith dinrav ud «*» finng . vollqr « „,,dom, broke ud «ed ta ^M dtaZ 3^ AM effort, tt, My the fi.giti«, „„ j, ^. The«i„ewntt,a,«,e the honor of hi, couiL^!; "»ta- *e r«„.ind., of Ae A««ic,„ .,^^X' ni«int«n their poeition for. time end then rett-Tir Wo field piece, were ebendoned." Colwiel bJ*. doe, not tiUte quite » n»ny word, to d«m^ the !^^ " I» lew th.n fifteen minuL." he waT" ,h. . ^'f* direction over the country, leaving on the field hra Xar^'^r'.' "^ " """"•"w! number rfldllS^ s T^".'?""""-" Of "^ '«'<*'. "bout ,00 !:i l-d but ,4 kilM end 1,9 wounded. The toul l^A "o^onehore .mounted to 46 kill«. .nd „T^o!S The Bntah troop, bring much fittigned. thi, bei"; ^1 V "^f" '"«">'>«rI..Uon*Li;n.l B^^ *«^ttd ha .rmy for the night on the ground th,Xj flie uth .dv,aced to within . mile end . half of B.1 imore. From thi, point it wa, proposed to mate a night ...ackupon ,h. enemy, woL. DunngThS A?Briti,r« f k""* °'^"'"«"« -«" bombail^L^' ^rl^ .K ' 1"' "'. ""'■"» "> *' "»llown.« of the water and the obstruction cauMd by the vcMel, that h.d b.«, «.„k in die narrow channel, the h^ ,hto could no, approach nearer the fort d«in two miJanT of' IT ; ^"^^ "^ •""»• "•>'<'»'• «smounang one a4-pounder in Fort McHenry. Vice Admi™! .( I ' I ^9^ THS WAA OF l8ia. Cochrane communicated to Colonel Brooke, the infor- mation that, as the entrance to the harbor was obstruct- ed by a barrier of vessels, the co-operation of the fleet in an attack on Baltimore woukl be impracticable, and consequently it was agreed to abandon the enterprise on the ground that the capture of the town would not have been a sufficient equivalent to the loss which probably might be sustained in storming the heights. The army re-embarked at North Point on the 15th leaving not a man behind, and without the slightest molestation from the enemy, who were too much cowed by the result of the battle to leave their intrenchments. The attack upon and capture of Castine and the territory about the Penobscot River, took place between the occupation of Washington and the attempt upon Baltimore. The expedition which was under the com- mand of Sir John Cope Sherbrooke, governor ot Nova Scotia, sailed from Halifiuc the last week in August It consisted of the Dragon 74, the firigates Endymion and Pwchante and the sloop Sylph with 10 transports h*. ing on board a cmnpany of Artillery, two com- panies of the 6oth, and the 39th, 6and and 98th Regt% in all less than 1800 rank and file. They reached the Penobscot on the 31st and were there joined by the Bulwark, 74, and four other ships of war. On the following day they appeared before the fort at Castine which was immediately blown up by its commander, the garrison escaping up the river. The American Coi^ vette Adams 38, had just returned from a cruise and was up the Penobscot, and arrangements were at once made for her destruction. This work was entrusted to Capt. Barrie of the Dragon, and Lieut. Col. John, who commanded the land forces detailed for the work. The "«• WAK OP l8lS m "•"B** apt Morri. of CaLI!?^ "^ """^ to oomnund the river .ppreJheT^ Hwipdei., » „ assembled at Hamn^.. •"« aoout 600 of them were force on the momine of thf^M » ^""•- ™» little BritiA deiMh^L .iS .,^"' ~ **«*«' ^y the The British aipt„~"L'f?*'^*"'°»«'*«>«»«.pl.. could overtake! ^^2S"l£^"'"'.»"»»y«th.j, Pushing on to BanJ^* ^'' '* P'"*» of cannon. •cc.ptefth^s'^J^rciG'^:^?^, *"/««•• "- "»"• They .ISO took heT ^ B"""""! .90 of hi, «.nd,of Jo« «d l*'s" 7 ^^r"""' *~ other ships, one of th^ .^Ji' ^^^' ""d two b«.u/l>t .wTv^toZ! "" " ""■«" •"'» •» were ^«vy" caiih"^; ^I^tS^r^^S-re'Tl*'""' ^"gor in «,di.ion» sni^ll L™t,"f ' "''■"P"'" «"" of Stores and ammunitir T' b t\ '*' """"'y garrisoned the fort at Sn..!."'' ""'"'" «"" possession to the "nd o^e "4""" " ""»'»«' '" *"' On the 9th of September, Lieut Col Piii.- sent with a small force to efe« *. . , '^"""S*'" ^^ ■he naval p.„ of ^^j^' '"£1"'"'' M«ohi«s, "» expedition being under the 394 THf WAS or l8fS« command of Cape. Hyde Parker. The British dis- embarked at Buck's Harbor, and after a difficult night march reached the rear of I^ort O'Brien at daybreak on the loth. The garrison which consisted of jo reguUrs and 30 militia instantly evacuated the fort and escaped into the woods, leaving their colors behind them. Machias, East Machias and the Point Battery were occupied the same day, and altogether a6 pieces of ordnance were taken, besides 160 sund of small arms and a quantity of ammunition. The militia of Wash- ington County agreed not to bear arms during the war and hostilities ceased. The result of these operations were that the whole of eastern Maine from the Penobscot to the New Brunswick boundary passed under British rule. The only other operation of the war that remains to be mentioned is the expedition for the capture of New Orleans. A full descripton of this unfortunate affitir is without the scope of this histoiy. It was an enterprise which had no connexion with the defence of Canada either directly or indirectly, and the causes which set it on foot were quite apart from the other circumstances of the war. Undertaken on imperfect and erroneous information, with an entire ignorance of the difficulties natural and artificial that had to be overcome, and with inadequate means, success was rendered impossible by the numerous delays which retarded the British advance, and in the final battle the soldiers of the British army were simply led up to be slaughtered by riflemen who could not be reached because no sufficient means of scaling the works which protected them were at hand. Ou this point we have the evidence of Major Latour, the Engineer officer who constructed the works for General Jackson, who says that the attack must have been THE WAR or tSli. 195 •fcV Iwl .Iretdr wtu^ il V "Mltto wbow v«lor brautworks. u leinin and .hhT "' ""' •wt it WM not put 10 the imTI a ^^ °'^"»' well »e„ uiev orettL^ ■..! ."*" •""'"'•d. "O th" U»d. ^ •? ;i^" " I'-IX-"' •» think •taughle, on one n'de of ttori^Tl^^ ^ '"? •» on the oUier. And to o^i. Tl ^ "" VKtoriou. America. 0.n^.'-^^ZJ^7iar^j' *^ » much ,rt«iU ^ CtlI!^^T" '" *'"'* drawing .fter U«Jta.Z?, !^', '"etoriously Bed, formidable oosition." v? 7 ? "*"'' *" "«>« defended J«:C?^«n«1° S"'^ *** ""'"^ «"» jaciBon s lines would have fled with equal 996 TNt WAM OP lilt. haM had Mt Mtural diflcuhiw prtvwtid tfat Brftiah from rMchinf thMB. Bdbra tht bftttto of Ntw Orliuif wu f»iight, a TfMir oTPMethud bwa signed at Ghmt by Um British plMipolMdariti and tlioss of tha Unltad StalM. Ont oftht lattar waa Hanrjr Clay, who in a spaach advo- cating dia war, had said of tiia Britisht— *«Wa must taka tha eontinant from tham, I wish ntvar to sae a peaca till wa do. " Yat tills blustering demagogue, who had done ao much to bring about a wholly unnecesssary war in which his own brother-in-law and thouMmds of better men were killed, waa glad enough to aneak off to Europe, and to spend tiie better part of a year in begging a peace which had become abaolutely neceasaiy unless the United States were to be wholly ruined and tiie Union dissolved. The war had been undertaken by the United States ostensibly on account of tiie B itish refusing to yiekl tiie right of search and the impreesment of seamen. In the instructions given to Clay and Russell in February, 1814, when leaving for Europe aa peace plenipotentiaries, they were told to insist on the right of search and of impressment being abandoned by the British. "Our fUtg,'* said the in- structions, must protect the crew, or the United States cannot consider themselves an independent nation." The British plenipotentiaries wholly refused to yield to this demand, and the ^atensible cause of the war was never mentioned at ah in the TreaQr of Peace. Yet, so weary were the people of the United States of the contest; so great was their joy at the return of peace, that the terms upon which it was made, so for from being criticized, were not even considered. It was enough for them that the war was ended. INDEX |t2£»t;A-^rtaMirdd«i^,4^ or "r&fefea?-- ■•* *■ ■*. BJ««riI G«Mi«l, 367. Amencan dafMt at. 184. i8i|*urrMMlera,iga. * Berlin decree, 18. 141. Boxer captured by Enterprise, an. Brock, Sir I«ac; 38, ^TSl SS 7*^ ht» death, 88; bi. mooaaiertt. ^ i i — «n, Admiral, 376. '^•'*~™,» Admiral, blockade. coast of United States as4, 3,6, J77» «t Washln^on, jSe. Congrew of United States in 181 1, a6s decUres war agrainat Great Britain, 3a ConaUtetion c -.^ Gwerriere, 398 INDEX. I ri7r captures Java, lao; capture* Cjranc and Levant. 371. Cwyahoga, achooaer, csylurcd bj Britiitta 46. o. Dearborn, Major-Gaiwral, 35, 75; 77. Invadm Canada, 115; cap- tures York, 15(1 occwpies Fort George, 164: recalled 183. DeRottenburi);* General, 194, 346. DeSalaberry, Major, 38, in, 333; defeats Americans, 326. Detroit 49; caplered by Brock, 73. Dover burnt bjr Americans, 335. Downie, Capt., 349; killed at PlatisburKt 356. Dnimmond, General Sir Geo., 247; 361, at Luady'a Lane, 305;aba»- Uons h^ge of Fort Erie, 366. Drummond, Lieut.>Col., at Sack- ett's harbor, 170 s killed 334. B. Eastport, captured, 375. Elliott, Lieut., captures tbc Cale- donia and Detroit, 83. Enterprise captures Boxer, 359. Erie, Kort, captured bjr Americans, 387; the Americans bes i eged in, 317; its deiences, 330; assaulted by British, 331; British losses, 335; sortie trom, 363; siege abiuidoned, 366; blown up, 368. Erie, Lake, battle of, 304. EsHex, frigate, 369; captured, 370. Eustis, Dr. U. S. War SecreUrjr, '7i 35i 391 resigns, 140. F. Forysth. Capt. B., 113. France and United States at war, •7- French Mills attacked, 1 14. Frencbtown, Battle of, 139. Frolic and Wasp, 131. a. Gaines, General, at Fort Erie, 318. Gananoque, American attack on, 13. Genet, French mmlster to U. S., r» fits out privateers ii| Dismissed, 13. George, Fort, captured by Ameri- cans, i64( abandoned 346. Ghent, Treaty of» 396. Glengarry FenciUea, 34, 47, 115, f43, 166, 364, 867. Gordon, 1 apt., his operations on the Potomac, 387. Guerriere and Gmihtitution, 119^ H. Hampton, General Wade, 331; de- feated at Chatcanguay 335. Hardy, Sir Thomas, 374. Harrison, General, 134; his boast- ing address, 136. at Fort Wayne, . 137; defeats Proctor. 316. Harvey, Lt.-Col., at Stooey Cre«k» . '75. '»7. Hflyar, Capt., 370. Hornet captures Peacock, 358, captures Penguin, 373. Hull, Brigadier General, 35, 40, 41, 49; invades Canada, 51; abandons Canada, 66; sur- renders, 73; tried by Court Martial, 76. I. Impressment of Seamen on Ameri- can ships, 13, 19. Ixard, General, 235, 363* 3662 abandons Canada, 3|67> J. Jackson, British minister, 33. Java and Constitution, 13a jay Treaty, 14, 15. Jefferson, Thos., hostility to Great Britain, 10 ; suppresses Pink- ney's Treaty, 31. John, Ueut.-C^, 393. LaColle, 1 15; Americans r* 'jcd, 374> Lee, General Harry, injured in a riot, 31. I Lingan, General, killed in a riot, Lundy's Lane, battle of, 304. im>nL / SntefliM^j^ 39^ "i^S'^'ft^^Ji ^«*»» Frontier, 79, it» t^a. ,.« M^^ £? "^"c*". ««. 63. 68< Hto nUd firom l»«rojt' -V* "" *««!«kHi.lI, Llwt-cSL'iSL ^ OucBeortowB, «g.^' """^ •* ^Hi.v.^, p^^;[^rj:„.,^ ^, ^ ^ *«^oid« «Kl Uok«| SUU., |o^**» ';«^ ^