V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ■•JO 1 '*' ii.25 III 1.4 I 1.6 *" Sciences CarporatiQii ^ **, 33 WHT MAM STMIT WIKTn,N.Y. U5M (71*)«7a-4S03 \ ■i CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de m Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas Technical and Bibliographic Notea/Notaa tachniquas at bibilographlquaa Tha Instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avaiiabia for filming. Faaturat of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. n □ D □ Colourad covers/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagia Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurte at/ou paiiicuite I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque r~~~| Coloured maps/ Cartas giographiquas en couleur □ Coloured inic (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations an couleur □ Bound with other material/ Rali6 avac d'autres documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareliure serrie peut causer de I ombre ou de la distortion la long de la marge IntArieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within tha text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttes •oro d'une restauration apparaissent dana la texte, mais. lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 4tt filmAas. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 4t4 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographiqua, qui peuvent modifier une image repn>duite, ou qui peuvent exJger une modification dans la mAthoda normala de filmaga sont indiqute ci-dessous. Thi toi D D D D D D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagtes Pagea restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaur4as et/ou pelliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dAcolortes, tachet^es ou piqu6as Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of print varies/ Quality in^gala de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprand du mattriai supplAmentaira Only edition available/ Seule Mition diaponibia Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partialiement obscurcies par un fauillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6tA filmtos it nouveau de fapon A obtanir la meilleure image possible. Thi poi ofi flin Ori baf tha aioi oth fira sloi or I Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmentaires: Irragular pagination: [I] - 464, 467 • 468. 469 - 470, 466 - 466, 471 - 472 p. Thi shi TIN whi dm an« had rigl raq This item is filmed at tha reduction raiiw checked below/ Ce document est f ilmA au taux da reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 1 X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X tails du odifiar una maga Tha copy fllmad hart haa baan raproduead thanka to tha OMaroalty of: Library of tha Public Archivas of Canada Tha Imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality poaaibia conaMaring tha condition and lagibllity of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha filming contract spacif icationa. Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara fllmad baglnning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad Impraa- alon, or tha back covar whan appropriata. Ail othar original copiaa ara fllmad baglnning on tha firat paga with a printad or illuatratad impras- sion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad Impraaaion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microfiche ahali contain tha aymbol — ^>(maanlng "CON- TINUED"), or tha aymbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. L'axampiaira fllmi fut raproduit grica i la gAnirositi da: La bibliothAqua das Archivas publiquas du Canada Laa Imagaa aulvantaa ont 4t* raproduitas avac la plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da l'axampiaira film*, at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fllmaga. Laa axampiairas originaux dont la couvartura an paplar aat ImprimAa sent fllmte an commandant par la pramlar plat at an tarmlnant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraasion ou d'iilustration. soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axampiairas originaux aorjt fiimia an commanpant par la pramlAra piga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraasion ou d'iilustration at an tarmlnant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un daa symbolas suivants apparattra sur la darnitra imaga da chaqua microflcha, salon la caa: la symbols -»> signlf la "A SUIVRE". la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN". Mapa, plati>.>, charta, ate, may ba fllmad at diffarant raductlon ratloa. Thosa too larga to be antlraly Included in one expoaura ara filmed heginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many framea as required. The following diegrema iiluatrata the method: Lea cartes, pienches, tableeux, etc.. peuvent fttre fllmto A das taux da reduction diffirants. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reprodult en un soul ciichA, 11 est f llmA A partir da I'engie aupAriaur gauche, de geuehe A droite, et de heut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'imagas nAcesselre. Les diegremmes suivents iilustrent le mAthode. errata J to a palura, ion A n 12 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 / '4. f^ HISTORY 't or THE WAR, M BETWEEN THE UmTED STATES JUVD GREAT-BHITAm, WHICH COMMENeEB IN JUNE, ltl2, AND CliOSBD IN VEB. 1815 ; CONTAINING THE CORRESPONDENCE WHICH PASSED BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, IMMEDIATELY PRE- CEDING, AND SINCE HOSTILITIISS COMMENC- ED; THE DECLARATION OF WAR, AND THE OFFICIAL REPORTS OF LAND ^ AND NAVAL ENGAGEMENTS. ./rro ;iy^ jr^' 't^^, COMPILED «HtEVUT VKOM PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. WITH AN APPENDIX, -h. . GOHTAININO THE G<»BEBPONDBNCE WHICH PASSED BETWEEN OUB COHHISnON- KE8, AND THOSE APPOINTED BT GEBAT-BRITaIN, IN TBBATIMO rOK PEACE. TO WHICH IS ADDED, THE TREATY OF PEACE, AND A LIST OF VESSELS TAKEN FROM &. BRITAIN DURING THE WAR. "^■■■i. COMPILiBD Bt J. RUSSELL, Jb. si" HARTFORD: PRINTED AND PUBUSHED BT B. &c J. RUSSEIX. ^ 1815. A ■ /:='- f^flKt Dislnd of Counecltcul, ss. TUS.? ^^-'^^' REMEMBERED, Thalon the TiJi^K tenth lUty of July y in the Fortieth year of the Jntkpendeuce of the United States of Americttt B. SC J. Russellj of the said District, deposited in this ofive the title of a Ho6k, the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following, to wit, * The Ilistorjf of the If or, between the United States *and Great Britain, which commenced in Ju\te, 1812, * and closed in Feb 1815, contatning the correspondence * which passed between the two Governments immedi- * alely preceding and since hostilities commenced ; lite ^declaration oj War, and the official reports of land * an^d naval engagements, compiled chicjly from ptihlic * documents. M ilh an appendix, containing the cor- * rcspondence which passed between onr Commissioners * and those appointed by Great Britain, in treating for * peace. To which is added the Treaty of Peace, and * a list of vessels taken from Great Britain during * the War. Compiled by J. RUSSELL; Jr.' In conformity to tlieactofthe Congress of the Uni- ted States, entitled, " An act for the encouragement of « learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and « Booh, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, " during the times therein mentioned." HENRY W. EDWARDS. Clerk of the District of C^nnecli^nt. A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me, H. W. Edwards, Clerk of the District of Connecticut 't:.."q:« i-X',/*. ■-- *, ' i :■■■ 'y--^nr:*? -m- A be exec In a but imp investig men are lobe w in whic cuous p The I the pres would h and ace cannot t will be [ values h the recit ed the h< in in seemed I be remei heat of tl der wou Modern least, m( apology, become s best evid ture histc quirer aft on questi can natic readers ' possess a tained, r IJ{ • • -r f\ INTRODUCTION. & AN history of recent transactions, must alua^ji)- be executed under many, and great disadvantages. In a time of war, many important occurrences arc but imi)erfectly known, till the trutli is elicited by legal investigation ; and, iiti addition to this, the feelings of men are so ardent, that an author cannot be expected to be wholly impartial, when recounting those events, in which himself, or his friends, have acted a conspi- cuous part. Tiie publishers were, therefore, of opinion, that at the present time, the most useful History of the War, would be a faithful collection of Official State Papers, and accounts of Military operations. Such a work cannot be tared with partiality ; and, it is presumed, will be perused with interest by every American, wha values his national rights, and whose bosom glows, at the recital of those deeds of valor, which have exalt- ed the honor of his country. If, in some instances. Commanding Officers have seemed to manifest a want of candor, it ought still to be remembered by the public, that they wrote iu the heat of the occasion ; and, often, while agonizing un- der wounds received from an exasperated enemy. Modern Histories of Campaigns, are not, to say the least, more candid, and are, surely, less entitled to apology. This collection of Documents can never become a useless volume ; for, besides furnishing the best evidence of fact to the inquisitive reader, and fu- ture historian, it is a ready munuel, by which every en- quirer after trutli, can at once adduce the best evidence on questions which affect the character of the Ameri- can nation, relative to her military prowess. Our readers will feel satisfied, after its perusal, that they possess all the Official information, which can be ob- tained, relative to the military movements, and bra- tf'-l;' '-li I' iv INTRODUCTION. very and skill of our countrymen in the field of bnttle. perhaps, in some instances, the losses and suftVrings ot the armies of both nations, have not been fully as- certained ; so wide is the field, that it \u somewhat difficult to collect all the facts. On the water, where "we have been peculiarly successful, the official ac- counts more fully and explicitly state the loss, as well as the comparative skill and bravery of the contend* ing parties. In the list of public and private vessels taken from the enemy during the war, we have not given the ivhole number of men and guns, on board of a large proportion of the merchant vessels, as it was never officially stated. In every instance of this kind, xvhere we could not obtam correct information, we bave lefl the number blank. We are sorry to say it is ■wholly out of our power to accompany the list of prizes with a correct list of the vessels we have lost ^. the enemy never having made a public statem-^nt of their prizes, we could not collect them from anj authentic source* /* 1> : 4 ■r.\. t;iS^;t vl- t>"»^*'V.' •■ - V^i ts ' i , * . * '."-i I ,1 1 ••:^r\'iii^iiM .'i ,■•. ■ . ■- I '.,.■;-' ■ •; *t.i<' _•■ i HO,;;<;!^!r>-f*;) '.•■'- •■■ i .■i')sHs: '.-:;•:» ;^ . :-y.h:... ,,. V • .. ,.> 5 ■„ , • :- -iMj ra *.••■ _•■*?»'••; PrMideat'i MeMre M Orders ii Adjastmen Sfonroeani President's Monroe ant Act, The Presid( Report of U Declaration Teas, and ^ House of Promulgatic The first Pri The first Pri Monroe and and Berlii President's I Mr Russell Orders in Order in Co Loss of Gen. Huirs ProGli Skirmishiog . t , ^■»-» ■'■•■■<} l> CONTENTS. IV ♦>!:>' CHAPTER I. .;. t Page Pmldent'i Menage, 9 Measra Monroe and Foster's Official Letters, relating to tbe Orders in Council, Blockades, and Impressment of Seamen, 16, 25, 86, 27, SO, 43, 62, 63, 60 Adjastment of the affair ofthe Chesapeake Frigate, 66 Monroe and Foster's Letters relating to the Chesapeake affair, 67,68,60, 70 " " relating to the Berlin and Milan Decrees, 71,82 n^: •:■ V-.,!,!^ ;>i CHAPTER II. President's Message, 75 Monroe and Fosters Letters relating to the Non-Importation Act, -T ' '^ 76,60 CHAPTER III. The President's Manifesto, SS Report of the committee on Foreign Relations, 94 Declaration of War, 109 Teas, and Nays, on tbe Declaration ci War, in the Senate, and House of Representatives, ibid. Promulgation of the Declaration of War, 1 1 1 CHAPTER IV. ; \ The fint Prisoner, 112 The first Prize, 113 Monroe and Foster's Letters, relating to the Orders in Council, and Berlin and Milan Decrees, 113, 117, 119 President's Message, 132 Mr Russell and Lord Castlerea^'g Letters relating to the Orders in Council, 122, 123 Order in Council, 131 Loss of Gen. Hull's baggage, 133 Hull's Proclamation, to the Canadians, ibid. Skirmishiog, near Sandwich, 135 17 I ■I 1 ^ VI CONTENTS. CMM^ •' 10S Capt. Porter's Victory, . i, ibid. « « Letter, . -. i' J J . Derenee of Fort flarrisoo, Ifajors Jessupvnd Tayloia' eorroboratioa of Col. Case* stale* ment, SkirmisUBg at 8t. John's river, <* ** at Cananoqua and Ogdensbarg, Affair at St. Regis, Capt. Elliot's victory, Evacuation of Fort Chicago, Com. Chauncey's battle in Kingston harbor, Battle of ^ueenston, .,?.,-, 163 164 161 ibid 169 17Q 171 174 177 ,;.;.■' il *» ', ') I CHAPTER V. Monroe, Graham, Russell, and Castlereagh's Letters, 186, 188, 191, 195, 198,300, 801 Mr. Monroe and Sir J. B. Warren's Correspondence, SOS, 204 British Cballange, and American Acceptance, , ^j ^ 208 '■ I Capt. Jones' Victory and Captvre, Com. Decatur's Victory, Com. Bainbridge's Victory, Capt. Lawrence's Victory, CHAPTER VI, f n, g-i^ CHAPTER VII. Capture of Little York, Gen. Winchester's Defeat, Massacre of Winchester's Army, Indian Expedition, Gen. Smyth's Expedition, Capt. Forsyth's Expedition,. ~-cM\\?r, ,'?!:0 r-i v» ■.«lK>,'; 209 Sit %\% 917 820, 823, 82S 886 88a 88) B8i '» :j.' flarrison's Capture of Capture of Com. Chai veying tt Battle at To Attack on Naval Expi Majur Crog Loss of the Capture of Burning of Attack on Capture of Murder of i Skirmishing Destruction A Yankee 1 Capt. Burro Perry's Vict Capture of t ace. transmitted to the Secretary of State, 3S0, ;yS8, 309 364,367 374, 382, 392, 396, 405, 414, 419, 421, 422 Treaty of Peace, 424 List of Vessels taken during the War, • ■, 435 Capt. Biddle's Victory, 463 s«^r ,Ki f .■3'Mji ^-.:f ■/* f W Tke Prei nicated tary, th the Ho IN call from your 1 yielded 1 Dur foreigi time of yoi ityoffurti iigerentpc more unite be pursued At the c hoped that tion of the our neutral ernment < Council ; ! isting obsti States. Instead i and friends were at a i }1 '*. HISTORY I .,•,!.*' •\ . : '.,'1 n THE WAR. .■d ;u ii? Jrt> CHAPTER I. * .'.' -■ '■ PRESIDENTS MESSAGE. oi WASHINGTON OITT, Tubboat, Novembek 5, IQj;. The President of the United States this day commu- nicated by Mr. Edtvard Coles, his private secre- tary, thefolUnving Message to Congress — FeltoW'Citizens of the Senate, and of ' ' '' the HottK of representatives, '■' ''' IN calling you to|^ether sooner than a separation from your homes would otherwise have been required, 1 yielded to considerations drawn from the posture of Dur foreign affairs ; and in fixing the present for the time of your meeting, regard was had to the probabil- ity of further developements of the policy ofthe bel- ligerent powers towards this country, which might the more unite the national councils, m the measures to be pursued. At the close ofthe last session of Congress, it was hoped that the successive confirmations ofthe extinc- tion of the French Decrees, so far as they violated our neutral commerce, would have induced the gov- ernment of GreaUBritain to repeal its Orders in Council ; and thereby authorise a removal of the ex- isting obstructions to her commerce with the United States. Instead of this reasonable step towards satisfaction and friendship between the two nations, the Orders were at a moment when least to have been expected. ■ i 1. I i I 'mC 10 HISTORY OF THE WAR. / \ put into more vigorous execution ; and it wad com- municated through the British Envoy just arrived, that whilst the revociition of the Edicts of France, as officially made known to the British government, was denied to have taken place ; it was an indispen- sable condition of the repeal of the British Orders, that commerce should be restored to a footing, that would admit the productions and manufactures of Great-Britain, when owned by neutrals, into markets shut against them by her enemy ; the United States, being given to understand that, in the mean time, a continuance of their non-importation act would lead to measures of retalit.Son. At a later date, it has indeed appeared, that a communication to the British government, of fresh evidence of the repeal of the French Decrees against our neutral trade, was followed by an intimation, that it had been transmitted to the British Plenipotentiary here ; in order that it might receive full consideration in the depending discussions. This communication appears not to have been received ; but the transmis- sion of it hither, instead of founding on it an actual repeal of the Orders, or assurances that the repeal would ensue, will not permit us to rely on any effect- ive change in the British cabinet. To be ready to meet with cordiality satisfactory proofs of such a change, and to proceed, in the mean time, in adapt- ing our measures to the views which hi>ve been dis- closed through that minister, will best consult our . whole duty. In the unfriendly spirit of those disclosures, indem- nity and redress for other wrongs have continued to be withheld, and our coasts and the mouths of our harbors have again witnessed scenes, not less derog- atory to the dearest of our national rights, than vexa- tious to the regular course of our trade. Among the occurrences produced by the conduct of British ships of war hovering on our coasts, was an encounter between one of them and the American frigate commanded by Captain Rogers, I'endered unavoidal menced i mander k unfortuna America! quiry, req ed J 'togel occurrenc Britannic the severa the subjec both the c which Goi interpositit has thougl of the Uni The jus on the par before ant authorised Jiave follo\i were due t ed by its a is yet givei done to thi store the g and condei fecting oui ing into qu er belligeri just princi prompt an In addit right, on th reason to fa pected res French doi not discont restrictions United Sta HISTORY OF THE WAR. Ill unavoidable on the part of the latter, by a fire com- menced without cause by the former ; ivhose com- mander 19 therefore, alone chargeable with the blood unfortunately shed in maintaining the honor of the American flag. The proceedings of a court of en- quiry, requested by Captain Rogers, are communicat- ed ; together with the correspondence relating to the occurrence, between the Secretary of State, and his Britannic Majesty's Envoy. 1 o these are added, the several correspondences which have passed on the subject of the British Orders in Council ; and to both the correspondence relating to the Floridas, in which Congress will be made acquainted ^ith the interposition which the government of Great-Britain has thought proper to make against the proceedings of the United States. The justice, and fairness which have been evinced on the part of the United Statestowards France, both before and since the revocation of her Decrees, authorised an expectation that her government would nave followed up that measure by all such others as were due to our reasonable claims as well as dictate ed by its amicable professions. No proof, however, is yet given of an intention to repair the other wrongs done to the United States : and particularly to re- store the great amount of American property seized and condemned under Edicts, which, though not af- fecting our neutral relations, and therefore, not enter- ing into questions between the United States and oth- er belligerents, were nevertheless founded in such un- just principles, that the reparation ought to have been prompt and ample. In addition to this, and other demands of strict right, on that nation ; the United States have much reason to be dissatisfied with the rigorous and unex- pected restrictions, to which their trade with the French dominions has been subjected : and which, if not discontinued, will require at least corresponding restrictions on importations from France mto the United States. .,1 'x ft . I it it 1 1 i i ; t 1 ■'f ^ i' 1 : ji 1 '1' ''i 1 ::'■! 1 ' J A J, .u^ iM 12 HISTORY OF THE WAR. On all those subjects our Minister Plenipotentiary, lately sent to Paris, has carried with him the neces- sary instructions ; the result of which will be commu- nicated to you, and by ascertaining the ulterior policy of the French government towards the United States, will enable you to adapt to ittliat of the United States towards France. '/ '^ Our other foreign relations remftin without unfa-> vorable changes. With Russia they are on the best footing of friendship. The ports of Sweden have afforded proofs of friendly dispositions towards our commerce, in the councils of that nation also. And the information from our special Minister toDenmaric, shews that the mission had been attended with valua- ble effects to our citizens, whose property had been so extensively violated and endangered by cruisers under the Danish flag. Under the ominous indications which commanded attention, it became a duty, to €Xjert the means com- mitted to the Executive Department, in providing for the general security. The works of defence on our maritime frontier have accordingly been prosecuted, with an activity leaving little to. he added for the com- pletion of the most important ones ; and as particu- larly suited for co-operation in emergencies, a portion of the Gun-Boats have, in particular harbours, been order- ed into use. The Ships of war before in commission, with the addition of a Frigate, have been chiefly em- ployed, as a cruising guard to the rights of our coast. And such a disposition has been made of our land forces, as was thought to promise the services most appropriate and important. In this disposition is in- cluded a force, consisting of regulars and militia, em- bodied in the Indiana Territory, and marched towards our North Western frontier. — This measure was made requisite by several murders and depredations committed by Indians ; but more especially by the menacing preparations and aspect of a combination of Uiem on the Wabash under the influence and direc- tion of a fanatic of the Shawanese tribe. With these exceptio: positions I mus claims fr rights a a ing them the protr« on the pa accnmuli tries, all friendsbif British Ci remedy f( fop it; but hold of 4 existing c the effect With tl ling on ri{ linquish, \ United Si manded b national sjc I recom be made f< listments o to be enga ceptanee < may court detachmen tions of the great body trinsic caps you of the which, in e\ part of our The mai proceeded sources of a emergencie for Conraret BISTORY OF THE WIR. Id ie lof exceptions the Indian tribes retain their peaceable dis- positions towards us, and their usual pursnits. I must now add, that the period is arrived which cUims from the Legidative Guardians of the National rights a system of more ample provisions for maintain- ing them« Notwithstanding the scrupulous justice, the protracted moderation, and the multiplied effoiia on the part of the United States, to substitute for the accumulating dangers to the peace of the two coun- tries, all the mutual advantages of re-established friendship and confidence ; we have seen that the British Cabinet perseveres not only in withholding a remedy for other wrongs so long and so loudly calling for it ; but in the execution brought home to the thresh- hpld of our Territory, of measures which under existing circumstances, have the character, as well as the effect of war on our lawful commerce. With this evidence of hostile inflexibility, in tramp- ling on rights which no independent nation can re- linquish. Congress will feel the duty of putting the United States into an armor, and an attitude de- manded by the crisis, and corresponding with the national spirit and expectations. 1 recommend accordingly, that adequate provision be made for filling the ranks and prolonging the en- listments of the regular troops : for an auxiliary force, to be eng^ed for a more limited term ; for the ac- ceptance of volunteer corps, whose patriotic ardor may court a participation in urgent services ; 'for detachments, as they ifiay be wanted, of other por- tions of the militia ; and for such a preparation of the great body, as will proportion its usefulness to its in- trinsic capacities. Morcan the occasion fail to remind you of the importance of those military Seminaries, which, in every event, will form a valuable and frugal part of our military establishment. The manufacture of cannon and small arms has proceeded with due success, and* the stock and re- sources of all the necessary munitions are adequate to emergencies. It will not be inexpedient, however, i'or Conrgess to authorize an enlargement of them. ' i? in 1 1 1 -I: ! ■ M 1 '.--i '1 , M-' m a, M I ! )l ..■i 1: 1 14 HISTORY OF THE WAIU Yolii' attention will of course be drawn to such provisions, on the subject of our naval force, as may be required for the services to which it may be best adapted. I subn/;*; to Congress the seasonableness also, of an authority to augment the stock of such ma- terials, as are imperishable in their nature, or. may not at once be attainable. In contemplating the scenes which distinguish this • momentous epoch, and estimating their claims to our attention, it is impassible to overlook tliose developing themselves among the great communities which oc- cupy the southern portion of our own hemisphere, and extend into our neighbourhood. An enlarged philan- thropy, and an enlightened forecast, concur in impofr* ing on the National Councils an obligation to take a deep interest in their destinies : to cherish reciprocal sentiments of good will ; to regard the progress of. events ; and not to be unprepared for whatever order of things may be ultimately established. Under another aspect of our situation, the early at- tention of Congress will be due to the expediency of further guards against evasions and infractions of our Commercial laws. The practice of smuggling, which is odious every where, and particularly criminal in free governments, where, the laws being made by all, for the good of all, a fraud is committed on every in- dividual as well as on the state, attains its utmost guilt, when it blends, with a pursuit of ignominious gain». a tveacherous subserviency in the transgressors, tu a foreign policy, adverse to that of their own country. It is then that the virtuous indignation of the public should be enabled to manifest itself, through the regu- lar animadversions of the most competent laws. To secure greater respect to our mercantile flag, and to the honest interest which it covtra, it is ex- pedient also, that it be made punishable in our citizens, to accept licences from foreign governments, for a trade unlawfully interdicted b)f them to other Ameri- can citizens ; or to trade under false colours or papers of aiiv sort. A pi €6pran( used in the adi States, < trade wi Aithc ately on but be V ^curing attained, the impu gation, t ed by t^ ments. Beside turers froi <3es might that, with our defen left ill uni And whih discrimini and an eq their nav mistaken, shippins^ place, the our produt body of nij service of diminished Therec« ding on th( thirteen mi Wed us to interest on tive million ring to the fiion. The "Ot the year lex- 3nS) >r a leri- HISTORY OF THB WAR. 15 A prohibition is equally called for, against the ac- ceptance, by our citizens of special licences, to be used in a trade with the United States ; and aj^ainst the admission into particular ports of the United States, of vessels from/oreign countries, authorized to trade with particular p«)rts only. Although other subjects will press more immedi- ately on your deliberations, a portion of them cannot but be well bestowed, on the just and sound policy of securing to our manufactures the success they have attained, and are still attaining, in some degree, under the impulse of causes not permanent; and to our navi- gation, the fair extent of which it is at present abridg- ed by i\!fe unequal regulations of foreign govern- ments. . Besides the reasonableness of saving our manufac- turers from sacrifices which a change of circumstan- ces might bring on them, the national interest requires, that, with respect to such articles at least as belong to our defence, and our primary wants, we should not be left in unnecessary dependence on external supplies. And whilst foreign governments adhere to the existing discriminations in their ports against our navigation, and an equality or lesser discrimination is enjoyed by their navigation in our ports, the effect cannot be mistaken, because it has been seriously felt by our shipping interests ; and in proportion as this takes place, the advantages of an independent conveyance of our products to foreign markets, and of a growing- body of mariners, trained by their occupations for the service of their country in tiiaes of danger, must b? diminished. The receipts into the Treasury, during the year, en- ding on the thirtieth of September last, have exceeded thiiieen millions and a half '- JAMES MADISON. Weuhingtorif November 5, 1811. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, Laid before Congress, on Tuesday, November 6. ORDERS IN COUNCIL. MR. FOSTER TO MR. . MONROE. i . ■ . . 1 .. . WASHINGTON, Jolt S, 1811. SIR, I have had the honour of stating to yon ver- bally the system of defence to which his majesty has been compelled to resort for the purpose of protecting the maritime rights and interests of his dominions against the new description of warfare that has been adopted bv his enemies. I have presented to yoii the grounds upon which his Majesty finds himself still obliged I shall I morniuj fore you to his IV Britain 1 beg pies on originall ly and e: hibited i Great-Bi ships anc means ol adequate professed tion of all unsanctia by any re This vi nations in retaliating of all con countries tern of CO The oh destructio regulation curity, at gence to would hav of Great- extent of was not at absolute p we prohifa such conm on throng}] It was e< cial to net aiSTORY or Tfffi WAB. 17 oblig^ed to continue that system, and I conceive Mtat I shall best meet your wishes as expressed to me this morning, if in a more formal shape I should lay be- fore you the whole extent of the question, as it appears to his Majesty's government to exist between Great- Britain and America. 1 beg leave to call your attention, sir, to the princi- ples on which his MMesty*s Orders in Council were originally founded. The Decree of Berlin was direct- ly and expressly an act of war, by which France pro- hibited ail nations from trade or intercourse with Great-Britain under peril of confiscation of their ships and merchandise ; although France had not the means of imposing an actu i ju;.,, 1 .' I I y^ 18 BISTORT OV THB WAS. :l and deeply reg^retted. But the injury to the neutral nation arose from the aggression of France, which had coUkpelied Great-Britain in her own defence to resoiito adequate retaliatory measures of war. Tlie operation on the American commerce of those pre- cautions, which the conduct of France had rendered indispensable to our security, is therefore to be ascrib- ed to' the Unwarrantable aggression of France, and not to those proceedings on the part of Great-Britain, which that aggression had rendered necessary and just. The object of our systeih was merely to counteract an attempt to crush the British trade ; Great-Britain endeavored to permit the continent to receive as large a portion of commerce as niight be practicabfo, •through Great-Britain ; and all her subsequent regu- lations, and every modification of her system by new .orders or modes of granting or withholding licences, have been calculated for the purpose of encouraging the trade of neutrals through Great-Britain, whenever such encouragement might appear advantageous to the general interests of commercOt and consistent with the public safety of the nation. The justifica- tion of bis Majesty's Orders in Council, and the con- tinuance of that defence, have always been rested up- on the existence of the Decrees of Berlin and Milan, tend on the perseverance of the enemy in the system of hostility which has subverted the rights of neutral commerce on the continent ; and it has always been declared on the part of his Majesty's government, that whenever France should have effectually repeal- ed the Decrees of Berlin and Milan, and should nave I'estored nei:tfral commerce to the condition in which it,stobd previously to the promulg^Uion of those De- crees, we sliould immediately repeal our Orders in Council, ■j'-sfi^'^f r''!*:f '*> France has asserted that the Decree of Berlin was a measure of just retaliation on her part, occasioned by our previous aggression ; and i^e French govern- ment has insisted that our system of blockade^ as it existed ] manifetit we must lin Decn blockade contrary By the cation ol < extends to harboi of blocki nations, « that the r tresses re) It is ai 'has dec before w even plac insufficiei empire.' jVeithei of nations by Franc complete blockade! If sucii come net tempt the our submi tions, wh vantages common It was was the cree of ^( that block tion, afib France. In poin ceded the HISTORY OF THK WAR. 19 existed previously to the Decree of Berlin, wait a manifettt violation of the received law of nations j we must therefore, sir, refer to the articles of. the Ber- lin Decree, to find the principles of our system of blockade, which France considers to be new, and contrary to the law of nations. By the 4th and 8th articles it is stated as a justifi- cation of the French Decree, that Great-Britain 'extends to unfortified towns anc'' commercial ports, to harbors, and to the mouths of rivers, those rights of blockade, which by the reason and the usage of nations, ai!« applicaUe oidy to fortified places.; and that the riffhts cf blockade ought to be limited to for- tresses really invested by a sufficient force.' It is added in the same articles that GreatrBritain 'has declared places to be in a state ot blockade, before which she has not a single ship of war* and even places which the whole British force would be insufficient tc blockade ; entire coasts, and a whole empire/ .» ofiitij'^^fMiJv mither the practice of Great-Britain, nor ne law of nations, has ever sanctioned the rule nowilaid down by France, that no place excepting fortresses, in, a complete state of investiture, can be. deemed kwfiilLy blockaded by sea. If such a rule were to be admitted, it would be- come nearly impracticable for Great-Britain to at- tempt the blodcade of any port of the continent, and our submission to this perversion of the law of na- tions, while it would destroy one of the principal ad- vantages of our naval superiority, would sacrifice the common rights and interests of all maritime states. It was evident that the blockade of JMay, 1806, was the principal pretended jusification of the De- cree of Berlin, though neither the principles on which that blockade was founded, nor its practical opera- tion, afibrded any color for the proceedings of France. In point of date, the blockade of JVfay, 1806, pre* ceded the Berlin Decree j but it was a just and legal 20 IIISTOIIY OF THB WAH. , blockade according to the established law of nations, because it was intended to be mniiitained, and was actually maintained by an adequate force appointed to ffuardtheexampled tyranny and oppression ov^ aU countries subject to, allied with, or within the reach of the power of France ; in the report of the French minister fur foreigfn a£birs dated last Decem- ber, and in the letter of tl^ French minister of justice to the president of the council of priats. To this latter, sir, 1 would wish particularly to invite your atten- tion ; the date is the 26th December, the authority it comes from most unquestionable, aid you will there find, sir, the DiikeofMassa, in giving his instructions to the CO of the U most cau crees wc but toti length fr new atii Hnd an t capture o the Berli plated b) special tl Ming su proclaina Its enforci Gui th repealed i President America Great- Bri the first q red to, api supposing clear that to that not New-Oile Grace-Au being cas< lin and IV niight thei tice by Ai France ha Americ voked as ii you, sir, in taken undc ed to t^'rm but may n< of the satisi noii-im}K)rt to the council of prizes in conwquence of the Pretideni of the Unitml ^tuteii' proclamation of November 9, mofti cautiously avoiding to aHsert that the {S^rencb De- crees were repealed, and ascribing not to such repeal, but to the ambiguous passage which he quotes at length from M. Champagny's letter of August 6, the new attitude taken by America ; and you will aU« And an evidence in the sunie letter of tlie continued cupture of American ships after November, luid under the Berlin and Milan Decrees, having been contem- plated by the French government, since tliere is a special direction given lor judgment on such ships being suspended in coni.cciuence of the American proclamation, and for their being kept as pledges for its enforcement. C(ua then, nir, these Decrees be said to have been repealed at the period when the proclamation of the President of the United States appeared, or when America enforced her non-importation act against Great- Britain? Are they so at this moment ? To the first question, the stale papers which I have refer- red to, appear to give a sumcient answer. For even supposing that the repeal has since taken place, it is clear that on November 3, there was no question as t«) that not beingthen the case ; the capture of the ship New-Orleans racket seized at Bordeaux, and the Grace-Aun-Green, seized at or canned into Marseilles, being cases arising under the French Decrees of Ber- lin and Milan, as is very evident. Great-Britain might therefore complain of being treated with injus- tice by America, even supposing that the conduct of France had since been unequivocal. America contends Ihat the French Decrees are re- voked as it respects her ships upon the high seas, and you, sir, inbrm me, that the only two American ships taken under their maritime operation, as you are pleas- ed to t rm it, since November 1, have been restored ; but may not Uiey hi^ve been restored in consequenoe of the satist'actiuii fi It in F* ance at the passing of the non-im}K)rtation act in the American Congress, f»« mmt < i > ^ BIST ORT OF THiB WAR. W il event so little to be expected ; for otherwise, having been captured in direct contradiction to the supposed revocation, why were they not restored immedi- ately? The fears of the French "^sivy however, prevent many cases of the kind occurring in the ocean under the Decrees of Berlin and Milan , but the must ob- noxious and destructive parts of those Decrees are exercised with full violence not only in the ports of France, but in those of all other countries to which Francethinks she can commit injustice withimpunity. Great-Britain has a right to complain that neutral nations should overlook the very worst features of these extraordinary acts, and should suffer their trade to be made a medium of an unprecedented, violent, and monstrous system of attack upon her resources ; a species of warfare unattempted by any civilized na- tion before the present period. Not only has America suffered her trade to be moulded into the means of annoyance to Great-Britain under the provisions of the French Decrees, but as construing those Decrees as extinct, upon a deceitful declaration of the French Cabinet, she has enforced her non-importation act against Great-Britain. Under these circumstances, I am instructed by m^ government, to urge to that of the United States, the injustice of thus enforcing that act against his Majes- ty's dominions, and I cannot but hope that a spirit of justice will induce the United States* government to re-consider the line of conduct they have pursued, and at least to re-establish their former state of strict neutralit)'. I have only to add, sir, that, on my part, I shall ever be ready to meet you on any opening which may seem to afford a prospect of restoring complete harmony between the two countries, and that it will at all times give me the greatest satisfaction to treat with you on the important concerns so interesting to both. 1 have the honor to be, &c. AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. To the hon. James Monroe, SCc. SIR, In con and the o part of m alluded t< ders in C right to e: ble mistal with his J It will already, h governme Council of vember, 1, adopted bj was consifj able part ol tvith the ei ports, on p This exf do away at to the conti effects whi( ally had on tions were ation of the countries. I have th tion and servant. n To the hi ' J 1 1''. 1 /< u'l HISTORY OF THE WAR. m Mr, Foster to Mr, Monroe. WASWNQTONt My 11, 181 1. SIR, Inconaequentseofour conversation of yesterday, and the observations which you made respecting that part of my letter to you of the 3d inst. wherein I have alluded to the principle on which his Majesty's Or- ders in Council were originally founded, I think it right to explain myself, in order to prevent any possi- ble mistake as to the present situation of neutral trade with his Majesty's enemies. It will only be necessary for me to repeat what has already, long since, been announced to the American government, ramely, that his Majesty's Order in Council of April 26, 1809, superceded those of No- vember, 1807, and relieved the system of retaliation adopted by his Majesty against his enemies from what was considered in this country as the most objection- able part of it ; the option given to neutrals to trade with the enemies of Great-Britain, through British ports, on payment of a transit duty. This explanation, sir, will, I trust, be sufficient to do away any impression that you may have received to the contrary i rom my observations respecting the effects which his Majesty's Orders in Council origin- ally had on trade of neutral nations. Those observa- tions were merely meant as preliminary to a consider- ation of the question now at issue between the two countries. I have the honor to be, with the highest considera* tion and respect, sir, your most obedient humble servant, . AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. To the hon. James Monroct life. • < f{ >: ^ IJ'! i! . •» I : ^ : > 1 i f'ltf / u r4 ■J > .i; P % i) '9 •I I i m Hlan^RV Of f ME WAU. Mr. Fmier «o SIR, I*. Momrne. WAHHINQTON, July 14, 1811. dit) MajeiHty'H iPftOket beat having been so lotag <)etoit»ed, «nd a fortmcirt having elapsed einoe ray ar- rival al this eapitd, ihw Royal Higbness, the Prince Reg^ent will tieciPssariK expect tbat I a^inst those meaaures which his Royal Highoess cannot butr c^nanler a«i most aajaslifiahte. How ^irable wonild it not he^ sir, if a stop) tould be put to any material progress i» such a 9ys|e«ii' of retaliation, whiclm frook stojpl to< sl«tf may lead, te^ the most unfriendly situation hetw^eO'the two «;ountvie9? His Majesty '» giavaF«a»ei4 willaecessqrily be guid^ ed in a gieai d«gree> hy, tha coiatents of my^ %st. dis- patches as ta this cooduol thi^ must adopt tpr«pesA my iie^pi^t<^learn>fvom you whether I me^'Hol convey vraat (know w^nddbe mostgratefaltohMRwyalHighaesfl^ Mings,; namely, the h(^ thiA he may beenabWd, by th^ speedy f etuvnof America, firom her nafrieudl^ attitude towards Gneajth Britain, to forget altogfether Itiat he ever yras obliged to have any otbev oi^ct uaview besides- that of en- deavoring to pi'omote the heat understanding possible between the two* countitiea. I have the honor to> be,, with the highest c^asidera- ticKH sir, youff nouost obedient hunible servant, AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. ' TathehetuJamei Mwv«9r^ I Hi A'"! n. ir .ff'V f-" Mr. Foster t^ Mr. Monroe. IKdSfUJVSrOAr, Ju/y 16, 1811. SIR, 1 had the honor to receive the letter which y oik ad- dressed to me under yesterday's date„ requesting an explanation from me, ia consequence of my letters 'f* I 28 HISTORY OF THE WAR. ' \ f of the 3d and 14th inst of the precise extent in which a repeal of the French Decrees is by his Majesty's flfovernment, made a condition of the repeal of the British Orders, and particularly whether the condition embrace^ the seizure of vessels and merchandize en- tering French ports in contravention of French regu- lations, as well as the capture on the high seas, of neutral vessels and their cargoes, on the mere allega- tion that they are bound to or from British ports, or that they have on board British productions or man- ufactUfes ; as also, stating that in your view of the French Decrees, they comprise regulations essentially different in their prinoipl«8, some of them violating the neutral rights of the United States, others operat- ing against Great-Britain without any such violation. You will permit me, sir, for the purpose of answer* iog your questions as clearly and concisely as possi* ble, to bring into view the French Decrees them-p selves, together with the official declarations of the French minister which accompanied them. In the body of those Decrees, and in the declara* tions alluded to, you will find, sir, express avowals that the principles on which they were founded, and provisions contained in them, are wholly new, unpre- cedented, and in direct contradiction to all ideas of justice and the principles and usages of all civilized nations. The French government did not pretend to say that any one of the regulafions contained in those Decrees was a regulation which France had ever been in the previous practice of. They were consequently to be considered, and were indeed allowed by France herself to be, all of them, parts of a new system of warfare, unauthorised by the established laws of nations. It is in this light in which France herself has placed her Decrees ; that Great-Britain is obliged tu cunsid- er them. The submission of neutrals to any regulations made by France, authorised by the laws of nations, and practised in former wors, will never be complained ofbyG and Mi the laws purpose Great-B distinctii the cessa so lately Imperia confirma Notui effectual be reston ly to theii ceive him to the saf< ingthe ju in his def^ I trust, enquires \ factory; i it may be greatest cl I sincen will be the ing there! tween Am attempted been made ruler expoi vates his sy endeavourii Great Britt tween the which stam universal ty Excuse I possible to i the result o governmenl HISTORY OF THE WAR. 39 of by Great-Britain; but the regrulations of the Berlin and Milan Deci'ees do, and are declared to violate the laws of nations^ and the rights of neutrals, for the purpose of attacking* through them the resources of Great-Britain. The ruler of Ffanpe has drawn no distinction between any of them, nor has he declared the cessation of any one of them in the speech which he so lately addressed to the deputation from the free Imperial Hanse Towns, which was on the contrary ^ confirmation of them all. Not until the French Decrees therefore shall be effectually repealed, and thereby neutral commerce be restored to the situation in which it stood previous- ly to their promulgation, can his royal highness con- ceive himself justified, consistently with what he owes to the safety and honour of Great Britain, in forego- ing the just measures ofrettdiation which his Majesty in his defence was necessitated to adopt against them. I trust, sir, that this explanation in answer to your enquires will be considered by you sufficiently satis- factory ; should you require any further, and which itmaybein my power to give, I shall with iUe greatest cheerfulness afibrd it. I sincerely hope, however, that no further delay will be thought necessary by the President in restor- ing the relations of amity which should ever subsist be- tween America and Great-Britain, as the delusions attempted by the government of France have now been made manifest, and the perfidious plans of its ruler exposed ; by which, while he adds to and agra- vates his system of violence against neutral trade, he endeavours to throw all the odium of his acts upon Great Britain with a view to engender discord be- tween the neutral countries, and the only power which stands up as a bulwark against his efforts at universal tyranny and oppression. Excuse me, sir, if I express my wish as early as possible to dispatch his Majesty's packet boat with the result of our communications, as his Majesty's government will necessarily be u)ust anxious to hear 4 11 VJ ■/ k 30 inSTOKT OF TBE WAR. i ' n from me. Any short period of time, faow^ver, which may appear to you to be reasonable, I will not hesi- tate to detain Mr. Ihavethehonor tobe withthe highest considera- tien snd respect, sir, your most obedient humble serrant. AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. - To tilt lum. James Monroe, Sf€. v-' ■■ , • •:; "• > ■• -^ ■ i ^ ' .lii SIR, Mr. Monroe to Mr. Foster. SEPARTMBNT OF STATE, July 23d, Iftll. I have submitted to the Preadent yeuv several let- ters of the 3d and 10th of this month relative to the British Orders in Counctl and the blockade of May, 1806, and I have now the honor to communicalie to yoo bis sentiments on the view which you have pre- sented of those measures of yoar govevnioent. It was hoped that your communication would have led to an immediate accommodation of the differences subsisting between our countries, on the ground on which alone it is possible to meet you. It is regretted ihat you have confined y omrself to a vindication of the measures which produced some oCthmn* The United States are as little disposed now as heretofore to enter into the question concerning the priority of aggression by the two bdiligerents, which could not be justified by either, by the [Nriority of those of the other. But as you bring forward that plea in support of the Orders in Council, I must be permitted to remark that you have yourself furnished a conclusive answer to it, by admitting that the block- ade of May 1806, which was prior to the first of the French Decrees, would not be legal, unless supported through the whole extent of the coast, from the Elbe to Brest, by an adequate naval force. That such a naval force was actualy applyed and continued in the reqnisilc strictness until that blockade was comprised iiiaadfl follDwii t^esam( BMtv without tended,! princjpj4 strength Deci happen to I am fa contained prosecute Great-Bri present it. effect oft tonishmen sion set u( patihle wi er states, tionable, a traJ coram I HISTORY OF TUK WAR. Si ui aad superceded l>y tlni Orders of Novenber of the following yeoTt or -^^^ ' until the French Decree of the safne year, will not I presuoie he alleged. But wHving this question of priority, cuoitbe seea without both surprise and regret, that it is still con- tMided, that the Orders in Council are justified by the principle of retaUaiion» and tb«t this principle is strengthened by the inability of France to enforce her Decrees. A retaliation is in its name, and its essen- tial character, m returning like for like. Is tlie dead- ly blow of the Orders in Coiuicil against one half of our ooBimerce, a return of like for like to an empty threat in the French Decrees, against tlie other half? It may be a vindicative hostility, as far as its ^ects falls on the enemy. But when falling on a neutral who on no pretext can be liable for more than the measure of injury received through such neutral it would not be a retaliation, but a positive wrong by the fdea on which it is founded. It is io be fuilher remarked that the Orders in Council went even beyond the plea, such as this has aippeatfed to he, in extending its operation against the trade of the United States, with nations which, like Russia, had not adopted the French Decrees, and with all nations which liad merely excluded the Brit- ish 4arg; an exclusion resulting as a matter of course with respect bo whatever nniion Great»Britaiii might happen to be at war. I am far from viewing the modificatioa originally coMtained in these Orders, which permits neutrals to proseci^ their Irade with the continent, through Great-Britain, in the favorable light in which you re- present it. It is impossible to proceed to notice the ejQEiict of this modification without expressing our as> tonishment at the extravagance of the political |M'eten- sion set up by it : a pretension which is utterly incom- patible with the sovereignty and i»dependance of oth- er states. In a commercial view, it is not less objec- tionable, as it cannot fail to prove destructive to neu- tral commerce. As an enemy, Great- Britain cannot t' i ! I 1 . ..it ■ ri4] • 'H W'i 02 UlS'rOKY OF THE WAR. 'ii trade with France. Nor does France permit a neu*> tral to come into her ports from Great-Britain. The attempt of Great-Britain to force our trade through her ports, would have therefore the commercial effect of depriving the United States altogether ot the mark- et of ner enemy for their prod', ctioas, and of destroy- ing their value in her market by a surcharge of it. Heretofore it has been the usage of belligerent na- tions to carry on their trade through the intervention of neutrals; and this had the beneficial effect of extend- ing to the former the advantages of peace, while suf- fering under the calamities of war. To reve.'se the rule, and to extend to nations at peace, the calamities of war, is a change as novel and extraordinary as it is at variance with justice and public law. Against this unjust system, the United States en- tered, at an early period, their solemn protest. They considered it their duty to evince to-the world their high disapprobation of it, and they have done so by such acts as were deemed most consistent with the rights and the policy of the nation. Remotefrom the contentious scene which desolates Europe, it has been their uniform object to avoid becoming a party to the war. — ^With this view they have endeavored to culti- vate friendship with both parties, by a system of con- duct which ought to have produced that effect. They have done justice to each party in every trans- action in which they have been separately engaged with it. They have observed the impartiality which was due to both as belligerents standing on equal ground, having in no instuuce given a preference to either at the ex|)ense of the other. They have borne too with equal itidulgenc*; injuries from both, being willing while it was possible, to impute them to casu- al ities inseparable from a cause of war, and not to a deliberate intention to violate their rights, and even when that intention could not be mistaken, they have not lost sight of the ultimate object of their policy. In the measures to which they have been compelled to resort, they have in all respects maintained pacihc Jt. led Itic HISTORY OF THE WAR. d8 relations with both parties. The alternative present- ed by their late acts* was oiTeied etiually to both, and could operate on neither, no longer than it should persevere in its agressions on our neutral rights. The embargo and non-intercourse, were peaceful measures. The regulations which they imposed oii our trade were such as any nation might adopt in peace or war, without ofl'enre to any other nation. The non-importation is of the same character, and it' it makes a distinction at this time, in its operation be- tween the belligerents, it necessarily results from a compliance of one with the offer made to both, and which is still open to the compliance of the other. In the Ci'iNcussions which have taken place on the subject of the Orders in Council and blockade of May, 1806, the British government in conformity to the principle on which the Orders in Council are said to be founded, declared that they should cease to operate as soon as France revoked her Edicts. It was stated al- so, that the British government would proceed pari passttt with the government of France, in the revoca- tion of her £dicts. I will proceed to shew that the obligation on Great-Britain to revoke her Orders is complete, according to her own engagements, and that the revocation ought not to be longer delayed. By the Act of May 1st, 1810, it is provided, * That if either Great-Britain or France should cease to vio> late the neutral commerce of the United States, which fact the President should declare by proclamation, and the other party should not within three months thereafter revoke or modify its Edicts in like manner, that then certain sections in a former act interdicting .the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great-Britain and France and their dependen- cies, should from and after the eKptration of three months from the date of the {>roclaimation, he revived and have full force against the former, its ^olonies and dependencies, and aguinst all articles the growth, pra- duce, or manufacture of the same.* 5 . A ru. 1 l^-. M^ W iM lIl,\il!i IJie trade of France iand her allies that (ircat-Biitain had committed similar violations by similar Editls. It was the revocation of those Edicts, so far as thi'y committed such viola- tions, wUkh iht IJinled J^tates hud in view, when they passed the law of May 1st, IHIO. On the 5lh of Augu«t, I'ilO, tli(! French minister of lo.('i[rn aitairH addressed a note to the minister plenipotentiary of the l^iitcd S'latcs at Pans, informing him that the Decrees of Beiliw ami Milan were revoked; there- vocation to take tjft'ect tm the 1st of November fol- lowing: that the inensurc had been taken by his gov- ernment in conti:; nee that the British government would revoke its Orders, and renounce its lew prin- ciples of blockade, or tin* the TTnitl'd States would cause Iheir rights to Le respeCiC J, conformably to the actof May 1st, 1810. This measure of the French government was founded on the law ot May Ist, 1810, as is expressly declared in the lel.er of the Dnke of Cadore announc-' ingit. The Edicts of Great-Britain, the revocation of which were expected by France, were those allud- ed to in that act ; and the means by which ihe United Slates should cause tlieir rights to be respected, in case Great-Biitain should not revoke her Edicts, were likewise to bi' found in the same act. They consist- ed meetly in the enforcement of the non-importation act aglnnkt Greitt-Bntain, in that unexpected and im- probable bontingency. The letter of the 5th of August, which announced the revocation of the French Decrees, was communi- cated to this government, in consequence of which tlie President issued a proclamation on the 2d of No- vember, the day alter that on which the repeal oi the French Decrees was to take elfdct, in whch he de- olareci that all the restrictions imposed by the act of HISTORY OF THE WAU. U.'» J^Iuy 1.s^ 1810, hIiouIiI ooasc nnd ho tlisconlinncd in I'c'hition to Pi'iuico uiul lior (Icpomleiicios. It was u iU!C'e>«iirv conseqnt'iice of Ihis proclanialioii, also, thiit if Greut-Briluiii did not revoke lu>r Edicts, the uoiw importation would o|u>i';itti on licr, at the cMid of three nioiithN. This nctiiallv took place. She declined the I'evocation, and on the -2d of Ftbrnary last, that law took effect. In continuation of the prr)cIani!\tion, an net of CongreHS wus passed on the 2d of Mtirch fol- lowing. Great-Britain still declines to revoke her Edicts, on the pretension that France has not revoked hrrs. Under that impression she infers that the United States have done her injustice by carrying' into eft'ecl the non-importation against her. ' The United States maintain that prance has re- yoked her Edicts, so far as they violaled'tiicir ncutra) rights, and were (rontemphited by thelavy of May Isl. 1810, and have on that i^'round parli( uiarly cluiined and do expect of Great-Britain a similar revocation. The revocation announced ofriciaily by the Froijcli minister of foreign alfau's, to the niinisttr .plcnipotcn» tiary of the United States at Piiris, on liie CAU of August, 1810, was in itself sufticient to justify Iht' cluiiii of the United States to a concspondent nieiisnre iVoiii Great-Britain. She had declared that she woul^ proceed pari passu in the repeal with Fiance, an4 the day being fixed when the repeal of the French Decrees should take efl'eet, it was r(!iison;iI>i ; to con- clude that Qreat-Bi'itain wo-.ild fix the saiup day for the repeal of her Orders. Had this been done, tlic proclamation of the President would have annouiiC(;d the revocation of the Edicts of both powers at the ^amctime and in consequence thereof the non-impor- tation would have gone into operation against neilher. —Such, too, is the natural course of proceeding in transactions between independant states ; and such the conduct which they generally observe towards each olher. In all compacts between nations, it is the duty of each to perform what it stipulates, and to pre- sume ou the good faith of the olher for a like pei- i^ ! I : B I wo HISTORY OF THE WAR. foiinonce. The United Slutt'u linviri^ made a pro- posiil to both Ixilligerentii wvve bound to accept n compliance from either, nnd it wah no objection to tbn French compliance, that it wns in a form to take c'fl'ect at a future dny, that being a form not unusual in other public acts ; even when itations are at war stnd make peace, this obligation of n( utral confidcn^cc exists and is respected. In treoMes of conunerce, by wliich their future intercourse is to be governed, the obligation is the same. — If distrust and jealousy are allowed to prevail, the moral tie which binds na- tions together in all their relations, in war as well as in peace, is broken. What would Great-Britain ha* . hazarded by a Erompt compliance in the manner suggested ? She ad declared that she had adopted the restraints im- posed by her Orders in Council with reluctance, be- cause ot their distressing cflPtct on neutral powers. Here then was a favorable opportunity presented to her, to withdraw from that measure with honor, be the conduct of France, afterwards, what it might. Had Great-Britam revoked her Orders, and France failed to fulfil her engagement, she would have gain- ed credit at the expense of France, and could have sustained no injury by it, because the failure of France to maintain her failh would have replaced Cjreaf-Britain at tLe point from which she had depart- ed. To say that a disappointed reliance on the good faith of her enemy, would have reproached her fore- sight, would be to set a high r value on that quality than on consistency and gou J f'xith, and would sacri- fice to a mere suspicion towards an enemy, the plain cijli(>ations of justice towards a friendly power. Great- Britain has declined procceding/^art /)a«s?e with France in the revocation of their respective £ cember last, and a letter of the minister of Justice to the President of the Council of prizes of the 2.jth of that month. There is nothing in the first of these papers incom- patible with the revocation ot the Decrees, in respect fo tlie United Stales. It is distincly declared by ,0 \ } , I ■'A da HISTORY OP THE WAR-. H i|f tbiB Empei'or in his speech to the deputies of the H^inse Towns, that the blockade of the British Islands shall cease whpn the British blockades cense ; and that the French blockade shall cease in favor of thoi^e nations in whose favor Great Britain revokes hers, or who support their rit^hts against her preten- sion, as France admits the United States will do by enforcing' the non-importution act. The same senti- ment is expressed in the report of the ministers of foreign affairs. — ^I'he Decree of Fontainbleau having po effect on the high seas, cannot be broughtiuto this discussion. It evidently has no connection with neutral rights. The letter from the minister of justice, to the President of the Council of prizes, is of a different character. It relates in direct terms to this subject but not in the sense in which you understand it. Afr- ter reciting the note from the duke of Cadore of the 5th August last, to the American minister at Paris, "which announced the repeal of the Fi'^nch Decrees, ^ and the proclamation of the President in consequencf of it, it stales that all causes arising under those De-> crees after the 1st of November, which were then be- fore the court, or might afterwards be brought before it, should not be judged by the principles of the De- crees, but be suspended until the 2d February, when the United States having fuifiled their engagement, the captures should be declared void, and the vessels and their cargoes delivered up to their owners. This paper appears to afford an unequivocal evidence of the revocation of thie Decrees, so far as relates to the United Stales. By instructing the French tribunal to make no decision till the 2d of February, and then to restore the property to the owners, on a particular event which has happened, all cause of doiibt on that point seems to be removed. The United States may justly complain,of delay in the restitution of the prop- erly, but that is an injury which effects them only. Great-Britain has no right to complain of it She WHS interested only in the revocation of the Decrees by which neutral rights would be secured from future violation ; would huv in repealii that day ai At the san might odd received fi our reprcsi are in accc Milan Dec the United best, and d operate, is-' Itisacai^e inent of af case occun they would plied, is a p these proof] not remind nieroiis ca which conti at e enforccf are suppose BulGrea letters, that Council, uii ed to the st Milan Deci are repeals to permit Gi it llitMi mea to trade wit thatej)och? conquests Great-Brita posed to tra in their situj and those o I Iiere is no ■IIIM HISTORY OP THE WAR. 89 violalioii ; or if she had been interested in the delay it Mould have aftbrded no pretext for more than a delay in repealing her orders the 2d of February. From that day at farthest the French Decrees would cease. At the sajne day ought her Orders to have ceased. I might add to this statement, that every communication received from the French government, either through our i-eprcsentatives there, or its representatives here, arc in accord with the actual repeal of the Berlin and Milan Decrees^ in relation to the neutral commerce of the United Stales. But it will suffice to remark that the best, and duly adequate evidence bf their ceasing to opei'dte, islliedefectfOf evidence that they do operate. It is a ca6e where the want of proof against the fulfil- ment of a pledge is proof of the fultilment. Every case occurring, to which if the Decrees were in force, they would be applied, and to which they are not ap- plied, is a proof that they are not in force. And if these proofs have not been more multiplied, I need not remind you that a cause is to be found in the nu- merous captures under your Orders in Council, which continue to evince the rigour with which they aie enfor<;ed, after a failure of the basis on which they are supposed to rest. -^i l'i;s>>'/' a .;r. .o, na'U>-voged to trade with them notwithstanding the change in their situation ? Between the enemies of one state and those of another, no discrimination can be made. There is none in reason nor can there be any of riglit. 't 1^ 1 1 ^'1- 1^1 ' i, II ! I 40 HISTORY OF THE WAR. in practice. Or do you maintain the general princw pie and contend that Great-Britain ought to trade with France and her Allies ? Between enemies there can he no commerce. The vessels of either taken by the other are liable to confiscation and are always confiscated. The number of enemies or extent of country which they occupy, cannot affect the question. The laws of war govern the relation which subsist !>€•> tween them, which especially in the circumstance un- der consideration are invariable. They were the same in times the most remote that they now are. Even if peace had taken place between Grent-Bri- tainandthe powers of the continent she would not trade with them without their consent. Or does Great-Britain contend, that the United States as a neutral power, ought to open the continent to her com- merce, on such terms as she may designate ? On what principle can she set up such a claim ? No ex- ample of it can be found in the history of past wars, nor is it founded in any recognized principle of war, or in any semblance of reason or right. The United States could not maintain such a claim in their own favor, though neutral — when advanced in fa- vor of an enemy, it would be the most preposterous and extravagant claim ever heard of. Every power w hen not restrained by treaty, has a right to regulate its trade with other nations, in such a manner as it finds it most consistent with its interest; to admit, and on its own conditions, or to prohibit the importation of such articles as are necessary to supply the wants, or encourage the industry of its people. In what light would Great-Britain view an application from the: United States for the repeal of right of any act of her parliament, which prohibited the importation of any article from the United States, such as their fish, or their oil ? Or which claimed the diminution oi'the du- ty on any other, such as their tobacco on which so great a revenue is raised ? In what light would she- view a similar application made at the instance of France, for Ihe importation into England, of any art' cle the [ was the If del merican merce ii tory basi observeci ested. France, tion of G epoch at place. ] able that which ha of the pi might no Every creases tl the princ are so un the 3d an your gov« wishes oi culties w Council. the calam pie mean tain with station. trals, thej their righ beyond e: which it h important character, so far as t Uiiited fc most des Britain fu ed will so< HISTORY O^ THE WAR. 41 cle the growth ot* manufacture of that power whiclTit was the policy of the British government to prohibits . If delays have taken place in the restitution of A« merican property, and in placing the American com^ merce in the ports of France on a fair and satisfac* tory basis, they involve questions, as has already been observed, in which the United States alone are inter* ested. As they do not violate the revocation by France, of her Edicts, they caimot impair the obliga- tion of Great- Britain to revoke hers; nor change the epoch at which the revocation ought to have taken place. Had that duly followed, it is more|than prob- able that those circumstances, irrelative as they are» which have excited doubt in the British government of the practical revocation of the French Decrees, wight not have occurred. Every view which can be taken of this subject in- creases the painful surprise at the innovations on all the principles and usages heretofore observed, which are so unreservedly contended for, in your letters of the 3d and 16th inbt. and which, if persisted in by your government presents such an obstacle to the wishes of the United States, for a removal of the diffi- culties which have been connected with the Orders in Council. It is the interest of belligerents to mitigate the calamities of war, and neutral powers possess am- ple means to promote that object, provided they sus- tain with impartiality and firmness the dignity of their station. If belligerents expect advantage from neu- trals, they should leave them in the full enjoyment of their rights. The present war, has been oppressive beyond example, by its duration, and by the desolation which it has spread throughout Europe. It is highly important that it should assume, at least, a milder character. By the revocation of the French Edicts, so far as they resfiected the neutral commerce of the Ui'ited States, some advance is made towards that most desirable and consoling result. Let Great- Britain follow the example. The grouind thus gain- ed will soon be enlarged by the concurring and preH- !■'. {Mii i* 1 42 HISTORY OF THE WAR* sing interest of all parties, and whatever is gained, wiH accrue to the advantage of afflicted humanity. I proceed to notice another part of your letter of the 3d inst. M'hich is viewed in a more favorable ligl^t. The President has received with great satisfaction the communication that should the Ordei*s in Council of 1807, be revoked, the blockade of May of the preced- ing year, would cease with them, and that any block- ade which should afterwards be instituted, should be duly notified and maintained by an adequate force. This frank find explicit declaration, worthy of the prompt and amicable measure adopted by the Prince Regent in coming into power, seems to remove a ma- terial obstacle to an accommodation of differences between our countries, and when followed by the re- vocation of the Orders in Council, . will, as I am authorised to inform you, produce an immediate ter- mination of the non-importation laM', by an exercise of the power vested in the President for that purpose. I conclude with remarking that if 1 have confined this letter to the subjects brought intd view by yours ; it is not because the United'btates have lost sight in any degree of the other very serious causes of com- plaint, on which they have received no satisfaction, but because the conciliatory policy of this government lias thus far separated the case of the Orders in Coun- cil from others, and because with : ^spect to these others,' your communication has not afforded axn reasoriable prospect of resuming them, at this time, with success. It is presumed that the same liberal ■view of the true interests of Great-Britain, and friend- ly disposition towards the United States, which in- duced the Prince Regent to remove so material a difficulty as had arisen in relation to a repeal of the Orders id Council, will lead to a moie favorable fnrther consideration of the remaining difficulties on that subject; and that the advantages of ar amicable adjustment of every question, de[)ending bet^neen *-'-ijll' {.''J'« ,«» ■■^^■Uii^'U&'Jt iS '> "^li i\- HISTORY OF THE >VAB. S Mie two coiinti'ies, will be seen by your government, m the same liglit, us tliey are by thiit of the United States. I have the honor, to be, &c. (Signed^ JAMES MONIVOJE. I I . i ■ .■> ,: • - - t ,• .Hi I ' • t*4 I I i Mr. Foster to Mr. Monroe. > ( SIR, \\1&SHXN6TPN, July 24th, 1811. Having been unable io ascertain distinctly from your letter to me of yesterday's date, whether it w^s the determination ot the President to rest satisfied with the partial repeal of the Berlin and Milan De- crees, which you believe has taken place, so as to see no reason, in the conduct t^f France, for altering the relations between this country and Great-Britain, by exercising his power of suspending the operation of the non«iniportation act, allow me to repeat my ques- tion to you ot) this point, as contained in my letter of the 14th iust. before I proceed to make any com- ments on your answer. 1 have the himor to be, with distinguished consid- eration, sir, your most obedient humble servant, AUGUSTUS J. FOSTEK. - ;'■! -i-'.'- .f}..;' i',-- Mr Foster to Mr, Monroe. i utv SIR, ,- -WASHINGTON, July 26lh, 1811. [ I have had the honor to receive your letter of July 23d, in answer to mine of the 3d and 14th inst. which you will permit me to say were not merely relative to his Miijesty*s Orders in Council, and the blockade of May 1806, but also to the President's proclama- tion of last November, and to the consequent act ot 1 i » i' If'! 44 HISTORY OF THIS WAR. Congress of March 2d, as M'ell as to the just com- plaints which his Royal Highness, the Prince Re- jfent, had commanded me to make to your govern- ment, with respect to the proclamation and to that act. If the Unitequcnlly tliut no pfroundu esiMt on %vliirli you can, witli justice, ileniiuul of Givut-Britnin n. revocntioii q\' her Orilent in Cou:icil ; — thut we liuve a right to coni|>laui ofthcconiUictot'thc American government, in enforcing the provisiouH of (he act of May, IHIO, to the exchision of the British trudt;, and aftciwui'ttH in obtaining n special hiw for the siune |)ur|)OMe, titough it was notoriouM at the time that France still continu- cil her aggression!* upon American commerce, and hud recentlv prouudgated anew her De<'roes, siift'er- jng no trade from this country, hut through licences publicly sold by her agent, and that all the suppo^i. tions yQU have formed of innovations on the part of Great-Uritain, or of her pretensions to trade with hei enemies are wholly groundless. I have also stated to you the view his Alajesty's government has taken of the question of the blockade of May, 1806, and it now only remains that I urge afresh the injustice of the United States' government persevering in their union with the French system for the purpose of crushing the commerce of Great-Britain. From every consideration which equity, good poli- cy or interest can suggest, there appears to bo such a call upon America to give up this system, whicii favors France, to the injury of Great-Britain, that I cannot, however little satisfactory your Communica- tions are, as yet abandon all hopes that even before the Congress meet, a new view may be taken of th' subject by the President, which will lead to a morr happy result. I liave the honor to be, with very high considera- tion and respect, sir, your most obedient humble ser- vaiit, ^^ - AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. To the hon, James Monrop, jfc. i h j.i^ I- ;v.J ,.. .jr.. • ffn 1 i 52 HISTORY OF THIS WAR. Mr, Monroe to Mr. Foster. !.'.'.'> SIR, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, July 27t1l, 1811. I had the honor to receive your letter of ye^erday's date, in time to submit it to the view of the President before he leftbawn. It was my object to state to you in my letter of the 23d inst. that under existing circumstances, it was impossible for the President to ternniinate the operation of the non-importation law of the 2d of March last; that France having excepted the proposition made by a previous law equally to Great-Britain and to France, and havit^g revoked her Decrees, violating our neutral rights, and Great-Britain having declined to revoke hers, it became the duty of this government to fultil its engagement, and to declare the non-iinpor* tation law in torce against Great-Britain, i'- This state of affairs has not been sought by the United States. When the proposition, contained in the law'of May 1st, 1810, was offered equally to both powers, there was cause to presume that Great-Bri- tain would have accepted it, in which event the non- importation law would not have operated against her. It is in the power of the British government at this time to enable the President to set the non-importa- tion law aside, by rendering to the United States an actof ju'^tice. If Great-Britain will cease to violate our neutral rights by revoking her Orders in Coun- cil, on which event alone the President has the pow- er, I am instructed to inform you that he will, without delay, exercise it by terminating the operation of this law. It is presumed that the communications which I have had the honor to n^ake to you, of the revocation by France of her Decrees, so far as they violated the neutral rights of the United States, and of her con- duct since the revocation, will present to your gov- ernment a different view of the subject, from tliat ^hich it li cils a con (Signed] August .'ur if.Jft'i SIR, I have 26th of Ji President. In answ notice a ci mineof th( the proclai and to the yourgover act of Mar My lette Having! nient in issi assigned, a them after \ Britain, as my placing naturally pi to, and the < while your the United I by a just re, had been ci to degrades sion by a g( degradation my reply to volved the c pies of justi • f,;\ N' HISTORY OF THt: WAR. dH which it had before taken, and produce in its coun- cils a correspondent effect. I have the honor to be, &c. ' ?• ' ; ,.;.. . (Signed) JAMES MONROE. Augustus J. Foster tlsq. 3fc. UV.r-j f'-', -' '•' ' Mr. Monroe to Mr. Foster. '< >' SIR, // J; ii-,vtiv/ ;y, 'hfU •:><',; t. mt I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 26th of July, and to submit it to the view of the President. In answering that letter, it is proper that I should notice a complaint that I had omitted to reply in mine of the 23d of July, to your remonstrance againsi the proclamation of the President, of November last, and to the demand which you had made, by order of your government of the repeal of the non-importation act ot March 2d, of the present year. My letter has certainly not merited this imputation. Having shewn the injustice of the British govern<^ nlent in issuing the Orders in Council on the pretext assigned, and its still greater injustice in a Bering to them after that pretext bad failed, a respect tor Great* Britain, as well as for the United States, prevented my placing in the strong light in which the subject naturally presented itself, the remonstrance alluded to, and the extraordinary demand founded on it, thai while your government accommodated in nothing', the United ^ates should relinquish the ground, which by a just regard to the public rights and honor, they had been compelled to take. Propositions tending to degrade a nation can never be brought into discus- sion by a government not prepared to submit to the degradation. It was for this reason that I confined my reply to those passages in your letter, which in- volved the claim of the United States, on the princi- ples of justice, to the revocation of the Orders in ! ,^l %f^ 'H I Mi J a lu I- P! |H |(- 54 HISTORY OF THE WAR. Council. Your demand, however, was neither' un- noticed or unanswered. In laying before you the complete, and as was believed, irresistible proof on which the United States expected, and called for the revocation of the Orders in Council, a very explicit answer was supposed to be given to that demand. Equally unfounded is your complaint that I mis- understood that passage which claimed, as a condi- tion of the revocation of the Orders in Council, that the trade of Great-Britain with the continent should be restored to the state in which it was before the Berlin and Milan Decrees were issued. As.this pretension was novel and extraordinary, it was neces- sary that a distinct idea should be formed of it, and with that view, I asked such an explanation as wpuld enable me to form one. In the explanation given, you do not insist on the right to trade in British property, with British vessels, directly with your enemies. Such a claim, you ad- mit, would be preposterous. But you dp insist by necessary implication, that France has no right to inhibit the the importation into her ports of British manufactures, of the produce of the British soil, when the property of neutrals ; and that, until France re- moves that inhibition, the United States are to be cut oiF.by Great-Britain from all trade whatever, with her enemies. , On such a pretenision it isalniost impossible to rea- son. There is I believe, no example of it in the his- tory of past wars. Great-Britain, the enemy of France undertakes to regulate the trade of France ; nor is thai all ; she tells her that she must trade m British goods. If France and Great-Britain were at peace, this pre- tension would not he set up, nor even thought of. Has Great-Britain Uien acquired in this respect by war, rights wluch she has not in peace? And does she announce to neutral nations, that unless they con- sent to become the instruments of this policy, their commerce shall be annihilated, and their vessels shall be shut up in their own polls ?. Iniighl to Grea».-j ther it be ti?e Britisl Thatth eftect the < to carry tl the consei Undertake all cases it will of the Nor is i ers, the tra poweris wli the prolibi state - it be V iw.) able for it. ■ and under^ be said, is, i^imilar mei be said to j Britain tovt The Un employmen ply of *Fran niunufactur Grent-Britj it. But t supplies on pliance vviti principles ii I)endeMt nat another po^ selves. All that ( oi'. was the lawful trad< As soon as our trade \\ ^V' .^ktSTORT OF THE WAR. ah re- I might ask whether French' gbods are admited in- to Grea^-Brilain, even in peace, and if they are, \rhe» ther it be cf right, w by the censetit and (lohcy of the British government ? That the property woald be neutralized does not eftect the question. If the United States have no right to carry their own productions into France without the consent of the French government, how can they Undertake to carry there those of Great>Britain ? In all cases it must depend on the interest and the will of the party. Nor is it material to what extent, or by what pow* ers, the trade to the continent is prohit)ited. If the poweris who prohibit it, are at war with Great Britain, the pruMbition is a necessary consequence of that state. ' i neace, it is their own act; and whetlie:* it be v < i j'y, or compulsive, they alone are answer- able for it. If the act be taken at the instigation and under the influence of France, the most that can be said, is, that it justifies reprisal against them, by a similar measure On no principle whatever can it be said to give any sanction to the conduct of Great- Britain towards neutral nations. The United States cah have no objection to the employment of their commercial capital in the sup- ply of France, and of the continent generally, with manufactures, and to comprise in the supply those of Glvat-Britain, provided those powers will consent to it. But they cannot undertake to force such supplies on France or on any other power, in com- pliance with the claim of the British governmetit, ou principles incompatible with the rights of every inde- pendent nation, and they will not demand in favor of another power, what they cannot claim for tliem- selves. All that Great-Britain could with reason complain of, was the inhibition by tlie French Decrees, ofthe lawful trade of neutrals, with the british dominions. As soon as that inhibition ceased, her inhibition of our trade with France oug!)t in like manner to have H*. ' I !1 '\^ : !"! 1 ■ t , 1 1 U^ ^ mt 56 BISTOItY OF TH£ WAK, V ceased. Having pledged herself to proceed part passu witb France, in the revocation of tlieirrespective acts violating neutral rights it has afforded just cause of complaint, and even of astonishment, to the Unit- ed ^tes,;that the British government should have sanctioned the seizure and condemnation of Ameri- can vessels^ und^r the Orders in Council after the revo- cation of the French Decrees was announced, and even in the very moment when your mission, avowed to be conciliatory, was to have its effect. I will only add that had it appeared finally, that France had failed to perform her engagements, it might at least have been expected, that Great-Bri- tain would not have molested such of the vessels of the United States as might be entering the ports of France, on the faiih of both governments, till that failure was clearly proved. To many insinuations in your letter I make no re- ply, beciiuse they sufficientKy suggest the only one that would be proper. 3^ift'>.; .ii i; 'ception only of coitlraband of war, and enemy's prop- erty, and to bring thence to their own ports in return, whatever articles they think fit. Why were contra- band of war and enemy's property excepted, if a commerce even in those aiiiclts would not otherwise liave been permitted under the reservation ? No or- der was necessary to subject them to seizure. They were liable to it ticcording to the K'lW of nations, as asserteit by Great-Britain. Why then did the British goviernment institute a blockade which with respect to neutrals was not rig- orous as to the greater part of the coast comprised in it ? If you will look to the state of things which then existed between the United States and Great-Britain, you will find the answer. A controversy had taken place between our governments on a diflierent topic, which was still pending. The British government had interfered wiih the trade between France and her allies in the produce of their colonies. The just claim of the United States was then a subject of ne- gotiation ; and your government professing its wil- lingness to make a satisfactory arrangement of it, is- sued the Older which allowed the trade, without •making any concession as to the principle, reserving that for adjustment by treaty. It was in this light that I viewed, and in this sense that I represented that or- der t6 my government; and in no other did I make any comment on it. When you reflect that this order by allowing the trade of neutrals, in colonial productions, to all that portion of the coast which was not vigorously blockaded, af- forded to the United Stales an accommodation in a principal point then at issue between our governments, and ot which their citizens extensively availed them- selves that that trade and the question of blockade, and every other question in which the United btates and Great of amical cause wh United Si make a fo pealed to urged my : or at least tion of the due to my action. \ or to treat plaint was \y commui want of sii ure was ap made. In turally doe and illustri which he ii I shall be respect to ! ivhich I ha The Un the blocka< ly can be i ative to the such an ini It is seer the applica give a bioc that chara< be applied. cation of ai and aotUiiU 1806, it w< repeal of tl abledifficu ry would b< to include t \m^ I HISTORY OL THi: >VAU. ^U and Great-Britain were interested, \vere then in a traiii of amicable negotiation, you will I think, me tho cause why the mini.<)ter who then represented the United States with the British government did not make a formal complaint against it. You have ap-i pealed to me who happen c\ to be that minister, and urged my silence as an evidence of my approbation of, or at least acquiesce in the blockade. — An explana^^ tion of the cause of that supposed silence is uot lessi^ due to myself, than to the true character of the trans- action. With the minister with whom I l^ad the hon- or to treat, I may ^.dd, that ap official formal pom- plaint was not likely to be resorted to, because friend- ly communications were invited and prefered. The want of such a document is no proof that the meas- ure was approved by me, pr that uo Complaint was made. In recalling to ray mind as this incident na- turally does, the manly character of that distinguished and illustrious statesmen, and the confidence with which he inspired all those with whom he had to treat, I shall be permitted to express as a slight tribute of respect to his memory, the very high consideration in ivhich I have always held his great talents and virtqes. The (Jnited States have not, nor can they .approve the blockade of an extensive coast. Nothing certain- ly can be infered from any thing that has passed reU ative to the blockade of May, 1806, to counteniuice such an inference. ai It is seen with satisfaction that you still admit that the application of an adequate force is necessary to give a blockade a legal character, and that it will lose that character whenever that adequate force <'eases to be applied. As it catmot be alledged that the appli- cation of any such adequate force has been continuedi and aotUiilly exists in the case of the blockade o( May, 1806, it would seem to be s| fair inference that the repeal of the Orders in Council will leave no insuperr able difficulty with respect to it. To suppose the contra- ry would be to suppose that the Orders in Council said lo iniQludethat blockade, resting theniselves Quapria* i \ 1 .1 ■I I n il ^ HISTORY or THE WAR. ciple of retaliation only, and not snstainetl by the afv- plication of an adequate force, woidd have the eftect of sustaining a blockade admitted to require the ap« plication of an adequate force, until Kuch adequate force should actually take the place of the Orders in Council. Whenever any blockade iH instituted, it w'\[\ be a subject for consideration, and if the l)lock<< ade be in confoimity to the law of nations, there wiU be no disposition in this government to contest it. I have the honor to be, 8cc. (Signed) JAMES MONRQE;. ': 4?'^V»'«*«^' Foster, Esq.i^c. •'vi ,*si •iw f,f<'r .'-^ .( \>> ;-' 1 V/ •,."« •>fr/H-J ': ;•?/ Mr. Foster to Mr, il/owroc. 't^-w- w » »;j WASHiNGTOX, October 22, 1811. • blK, I had the honor to receive your letter of the 17th inst. together with its three enclosures, on the road between Baltimore and this city ; 1 had that of re-r ceiving at the same time, your letter dated October 1, in answer to mine of the 26th of last July. Not having had any despatches from his Majesty's Government lately, I have not as yet received the copy of the recent communication from Paris in regard to rtie supposed repeal of the French Decrees which the cbarge'd'aifairs of the United States at London, has intimated to you that he understood the Marquis Wellesley intended to transmit to me, and which I conclude is the san^e as that contained in the letter of Mr. Russell, the American Charge d* affairs in France. I am however in daily expectation of the ;^rrival of his Majesty's packet boat, when it will in f probability reatrh me, and when if I should receive -.>..!y fresh instructions in consequence I will not fail immediately to acquaint you. lu the meanwhile, however, I beg you will permit me to make some rer marks in reply to your letter of October 1, lining ex- tremely an jeein to ha made fur I present ye It is, I t I find you degree pre Such an id ty's Gover friendly se ed States ] the channc had such a mand mad say that it to his Maj the chief o Anierica a hope^tbat I fore see th former foo nothing a{ pectation, the disposi her neutra view. I < that your < to put any my argur shewing tl I cannot c in the coi only owin of the Fre pears to hi opinion e^ which un< surely a v From t roy gover Iff I .j HISTORY OF THi: WAR. 01, tremely anxious to do away the impression which yoi\ jieein to have received relative to the demand I had made fur the repeal of the non-importation act of the present year. It is, 1 assure you, sir, with very great regret that I find you consider thai demand as involving in any, degree propositions tending to degrade your nation. Such an idea certainly never existed with his Majes- ty's Governmeut, oor would it be compatible with thi) Iriendly sentiments entertained by them, for the Unit^ ed State9 ; neither could I have suffered my»eUto be the channel of confeying a demand which I thought had such a tendency. — However you view the de- mand made on the part of Great-Britain, I can safely say that it was made in consequence of its appearing to his Majesty's Government on strung ■ evidence that the chief of the French nation bad really deceived America as to the repeal of hi» Decrees and in the hope^sthat thelJnitedStaies* Government would th^re.* fore see the justice of replacing this country. on its former footing of amicable relatipns with £ dence there is that the lav^ss and unbounded ambi<^ tion of the ruler of Franr^ has been the origin of it, and it cannot be a secret to the United States' govern- ment that his plan has been and avowedly continues to be, not to scruple at the violation of any law, pro<* vided he c er of Eng Great-Briti his having which he tl feet? You and Milan war and tti ot France, necessary t be expecte everything proof on a ] very desira free and un the essentia America ai of Great-B she hopes \ Britain, ant safety give adopted by cessation b; measures. I confess, on the part established ed Europe, the French draw their o instead of a inferred, tl ^uage have ing been cl ment, why plicit. While, h made on th( of the Deer tral ships ha if HI8T0IIY Of Tl» WAK vided he can thereb}^ OTcrthrow the maritime pow- er of England. Is it not therefore reasonable in Great-Britain to distrust an ambiguous declaral'on of his having- suddenly given up any part of a system which he thought calculated to produce such an ef* feet ? You say however that the Decrees of Berlin and Milan are revoked. America as not being at war and therefoi^ not seeing so clearly into the views ot France, may he less scrupulous as to the evidence necessary to prove the fact — but sir» it surely cannot be expected tliat Great-Britain, who is contending for everything that is dear to her, should not require more proof on a point so material to her. It is undoubtly a very desirable thing for the United States to have a free and unrestricted trade with both belligerents, but the essential security and most important interests of America are not involved in the question as are those of Great-Britain. France has levelled a blow which she hopes will prove deadly to the resources of Great- Britain, and before the British government can with safety give up the measures of defence in consequence adopted by them, very strong proof must exist of the cessation by France of hor novel and unprecedented measures. I confess, sir with the sincerest disposition to discover on the part of the ruler of France a return to the long- established practice of warfare as exercised in civiliz- ed Europe, I have been unable to succeed ; and if the French government had really meant to with- drawtheir obnoxious Decrees, it is inconceivable why, instead of allowing their intensions to be guessed at or infei-red, they should not openly and in plain lan- guage have declared so ; the Decrees themselves hav- ing been clearly enough announced on their enact- ment, why should not their revocation be equally ex- plicit. While, however, numerous declarations have been made on the part of France of tlu^ continued existence, of the Decrees and captures made under them of neu- tral ships have occm'red,a t'tw of the American vesseK- . I H ki ft HISTORY OF.TIfE WAR. Heized since Novenilier 1 , have been reslored, and th« i'oregoingi a very small. part of his plunder, is deMired by Bonaparte to be considered us a proof of the sin- cerity of his revocation by Aniericn ; Jut it roust be recollected that besides the object of ruininff the Bri* tish resources by his own unauthorised regulations, h«i hns also that of endeavoring- to obtoin the aid of the United States for the some purpose, and herein you will, as I had the honor to reniarK in a former lettcr^^ be able to observe the cause of the apparently contra*>- dictory language held both by bimfcelf nnd his uiin- isters. I shall be extremely happy, ttr-receive from yon, !iir, the infoimation thiit in a frank and unuuibigiious manner the chief of the French government hiid re- voked his Decrees. Why he should not do so is in- explicable if he means to revert to the ordinary rules <)f \t ar, but while he exercises such despotic sway wherever his influence extends, to ruin the resources of England, it cannot be expected that Great-Britain shall not use the means she jiossessesfor the purpose of making him feel the pressure of his own system. There is every reason to believe that ere long the ef- fects on the enemies of Great-Britain will be such as irresistibly to produce a change which will place com- merce on its former basis. In the mean time, sir, I hope you will not think it extraordinary if 1 should contend that the seizure of American ships by France, since November 1, nnd the positive and unqualified declarations of the French government are stronger proofs of the coittinued existence of the French i)e~ crees and the bad faith of the ruler of France, than the restoration of five or six vessels, too palpably given up for fallacious purposes or in testimony of his satis- faction at the attitude taken by America, isa| roof of their revocation, or of his return to the principles of justice. .rf- ' i *'>n 1 will only repeat, sir, in answer to your observa- tions, on the late condemnation of the ships taken uiw dei* his Majesty's Orders in Council, what I have alrvtdy hu which toi convequen governme revoked* i ofitf l>ein apoD its a| would bav the Britisli before th< there is no ernment i wards Gr France, a ernment w In reply GreatrBrit Decrees^ I made by £ tablished h in £urope. Milan decl has openly riiin the rei on the righ pose. If tl of unprecei of £nglaneing thought that the American goferitmentf upon its appearing that tltey were deceived by Fraiictb would have ceased their injurious measures againsl the firitish commerce. A considerable time elapsed before the decision took place on those ships, i-.jd there is no doubt, but that had tlie United Slates' gov- ernment not persisted in the unfriendly attitude to- wards Great-britain on discovering the ill faith c*' France, a spirit of conciliation in his Majesty's gov- ernment would have caused their release. In reply to your observations on the pretensions of GreatrBritain relative to tlie revocation of the French Decrees^, ! beg to repeat that the sum of the demand made by England is, that France should follow the es- tablished laws of warfare as practised in former wars in Europe. Her ruler by his Decrees of Berlin and Milan declared himself no longer bound by them ; he has openly renounced them in his violent efforts to imin the resources of Great«>Britain, and has trampled on the rights of independent nations to effect his pur- pose. Jf the French government make use of meanH of unprecedented violence to prevent the intercourse of England with unofiending neutrals, can it be ex- pected that England should tamely suffer th^ ^^'i,-h* lishment of such a novel system of war without reialia- tion, and endeavoring, in her turr to prevent the French from enjoying the advantages of vihich she is unlawfully deprived P Having explained alreody the situation in which the question of the blockade of May, 1806, rests, ac- cording to the views of his Majesty's government, and tht? desire of Great-Britain to conduct her system of blockade according to the laws of nations, I will only advert to it on th In occasion for the purpose of taking- the liberty of acknowledging to you the very great 9 I ; 11 V-'i H:,:il I ; , .1 !• ii ^ . HISTORY OF THE WAR. plensurel received from the highly honorable mark of respect which you have taken the occasion to ex- press for the illustrious statesman from >vhose counsels that measure emanated. 1 need not repeat to you» sir, what sincere satisfac- tion it would give me, if without the sacriiice of the essential rights and interests of Great-Britain all the points in discussion between our two countries could be finally adjusted. I have the honor to be, with the highest Gonsidera.- tion and respect, sir, yours, AUG. J. FOSTER. To the hon. James Monroct Sfc. ■T (»■»; y ' >; , •■j.nii I Adjustment of the affair of the Ghesa> PEAKE AND THE LeOPARD. i, ■^. ; , > y. MESSAGE. To tlte Senate and House of Representatives of the United aUates, I communicat' d Congress copies of a corraspond- ence between the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Great-Britain and the Secretarx' of Slate, relative to the aggression committed by a Brit- ish Ship of war on the United States Frigate Chesa- peake, by which it will be seen that the subject of dif- ference betwr en the two countries, is terminated by an offer of reparation which has been acceded to. JAMES MADISON. Washingtonj November 13, 18H. -'i ;r ji - V;. ••■ .; I, .-.I ,'i ' ; i' ,<» ? y^l^ - • -.r/,; r.i -./ s'-i - ■h\^ I its. .•>! A,. sia,:dT. Iha( came to tl his Royal and on the proceedim which ha United St peake Frij with the n< pending tt quence of whatever \ clear up tli ened so ms between oi the month Ship Presi when everj ment seem outrage hf war by an A Court in your let by order of conduct of ry to furlhe asked in th subsisting honor to aci the truest s terras of re commande( ernment, an convenienc< 'J \^) /i'A>,- HISTORY OF THE WAR. Mr. Foster to Mr. Monroe, 67 "l.'K ■j,\ SIR, iW' Washington, October 30, 181 1 . I had already the honor to mention to you that t came to this country furnished with instructions from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, for the purpose of proceeding to a final adjustment of the differences which have arisen between Great-Britain and the United States of America in the affair of the Chesa- peake Frigate; and I hadalso thatof acquaintingyou with the necessity under which I found myself of sus- pending the execution of those instructions in conse- quence of my not having perceived that any steps whatever were taken by the American government to clear up the circumstances of an event whicb threat- ened so materially to interrupt the harmony subsisting between our two countries, as that which occurred in the month of last May, between the United States' Ship President, and his Majesty's Ship Little Belt, when every evidence before his Majesty's govern- ment seemed to shew that a most evident and wanton outrage had been committed on a British Ship of war by an American Commodore. A Court of Enquiry however, as you informed me in your letter of the 11th inst. has since been held by order of the President of the United States on the conduct of Commodore Rodgers, and this prelimina- ry to further discussion on the subject being all that I asked in the first instance as due to the friendship subsisting between the two States, I have now the honor to acquaint vuu that I am ready to proceed in the truest spirit of conciliation to lay before you the terms of reparation which his Royal Highness has commanded me to propose to the United States' gov- ernment, and only wait to know when it will suit your convenience to enter upon the discussion. \ \ \ ^^^ I' i I I I ' h 'll '% H HISTORY OF THIS WAR. I have the honor to be, with the highest considera- tion and respect, sir, your most obedient hunable ser^ vant, AUG. J, FOSTER. The h !i>, \i Mr. Monroe ta Mr. Foster^ ,< ; Df^FARTMBNT ow Statb, Oct 31* 1$U< SIR, .1 1 have j«8t bad the bcnor tio receive yoqr letter of the 30tb of this month. I am glad to find that the commanication which 1< had the honor to make to you on the 1 1th inst. relative to the Court of Enquiry, which was the subject of it,' is viewed by you in the ^vorable light which yoo; bave stated. Although I regret that t&e proposition which yoin MOW make in consequeiice of that communication, has; bedn delayed to the present moment, I am ready tO' receive the ^rms of it whenever you tnay think proper to eo«HUiini<»ite them. Permit me tO' add, that the pleasure of finding them satisfactory wiU be dqly augmented, ifthev should be introductory to a^femovalof ALL the diflerences depending between «iir two countries, tb^faope of which is so little en- court^ed by your past correspondence. A prospect of such a result, will be embraced, on my part, with tt $pirit pf conciliation! equal to ^hat wl^icb ha^ been ex- jpressed by you. ^ ' I have the honor to be, &c, (Signed) JAMES MONROJI. AugustHs J, Foster, E»q. SCc, ■ •>' i':r 4 -i-f- r 'li ! I KfitORY M tub WAH. 6d .- >w ' . Mr, fostet to Mt, Mmtwf. ' > ■ • ^^ WASHiNGtdK, Kw. Irt, 1811. SfH, ■ -■•■'^^^■^^^'' In pur» pose of proceeding to a final adjustment of the differ^ ences which have arisen between Great-Britain and the United States, in the affair of the Chesapeake Frigate, I have the honor to accfuftint you — First, that I am instructed to repeat to the American govern- ment the p^oiApt disavowal ittade by his Majesty, (and recited in Mr. Erskine's note of April 17, 18(^^ lo Mr. Smith,) on beinj^ apprised of the unauthorised act of thci officer in ^ I have had the honor lo receive your letter of the 22d of this month, and to lay it before the President. The assurance which you have given of your dis- position to reciprocate, in our communication on the important subject'^ depending between our govern- ments, the respectful attention which each has a right to claim, and 'ihat no departure from it was intended in your letter of the 26th July., has been received with the satisfaiction due to the frank and conciliatory spirit in which it was made, I learn however, with much regret, that you have received no instructions from your government found- ed on the new proof of the revocation of the Berlin and Milan Decrees, which was communicated to the Marquis of Wellesley by the American charge d'af- fairs at London, in a document of which 1 had the honor to transmit to you a copy. It might fairly have been presumed, as I have before observed, that the evidence afforded by that document, of the com- plete revocation of those Decrees, so far as they in- terfered v/ith the commerce of the United States with the British dominions, would have been followed by an immediate repeal of the Orders in Council. From the reply of the Marquis of Wellesley, it was at least to have been expected that no time had been lost in transmitting that document to you, and that the in- .strilctions accompanying it would have manifested a change in the sentiments of your government on the subject. Th* -««rret therefore cannot but be increas- ed in Hnding Lhat cSe communication which I had thd honor to make to you, has not even had the effect of suspending your efforts to vindicate the perseverance of your government in enforcing those Orders. I regret also to observe, that the light in which you have viewed this document, and the remarks which you have made on the subject, generally, seems to mi: 1 n I Ut I ^ ■ -J H 1"; fi 72 9l9T^-tV PP TH» WA». pL'eclude any other vif w pf the cgpditions on which those Orders are to be revoked, than those that were furpifh^d b)' your tbriDef ^oinn)uniQatioMs. You still adhere to the pretension that the productinDf* ucd mau- ^ft^ctiuos of Gi^at-Britfiint wh^m nQutr»H;):€dr »'>^t 'v adfnitted into th^ pprti of your enemicii. This pre<- teni|ioii however vague iJke langv;[i>^e h^rf tofore \\e\d i)y ypqr.governmoHit, pi^rUcularly ify ihe Marquis of WeU^sley, in hh tOmmurDcationy with Mr. ]Pinkney, on the 9ubject, was never undm'!:.tood lo have bviin embraced. Nothing, indeed short of tlie specific de-^ claration^ which you have made; weald ha'i't^inc^u v^d ^ hehef ihat such w:i$ the ctise, I hav«>. the honor to be, Ste. (Signed) JAMAIS MONRQK. . Ai^gusius J. FostfTf i^c, . ... , ;. . , r,iy. i t. ■ it:. Mr. Fo9ter (o Mr. Monrot, ;. mo . ; I . • "' . \Tasbikoton» Oct. Ulst, 18! 1. SIR, . 1 did not reply at great It^ngth to the observationt contained in your letter of the lat inst. on the pre^ tensions of Great-Britain as relative to the French system* b( .;ause you seemed to me to have argued as if but a part of the system continaed« and even that pari had ceased to be considered as a measure of war agiinst Great-Britain. For me to have allowed this would have been at once to allow in the face of facts, that the. Decrees of France were repealed, and that her unprecedented measures, avowedly pursued in defiance of the laws of nations, were become mere ordinary regulations of trade. I therefore thought fit to confine my answer to your remarks, to a gene- ral statement of the sum of the demands ofGreatr Britain, which wan, that France should by efiectualiy revoking her Decrees, revert to the usual method of carrying on war as praclisetl in civilised £urope«> The pn merce in a the contiiu tions wliicl ai'e preced< ed on a de himself -^ V( characteris forget all i< ingsof hue war aduplf It is noi of mere c( pose, whic to blockade feeling, an against the system of i to the doctr continent t<, j^eize upon the sole pis or of their jonial prodi This pre tem, the wl the letter c corroborate French gov quivocal de sidered as s I In the CO to me, I an cover any i Decrees ha ready repea biy led to t ships taken crees after j to deny thai HISl'OAY OF THE WAR, «d The pretensions of France to prohibit all conof merce in articles of British origin, in every part of the continent, is one among the many violent innova* tions which are contained in the Decrees, and which a^e preceded by the declaration of their being found- ed on a determination of the ruler of France, as he himself '^^ vowed, to revert to the princi|jles which characterised the barbarism of the dark ages, and to forget all ideas of justice, and t : 74 HISTORY OF THE WAR. only he th ks they have assumed a municipal char* acter ; but in M. Champagny's declaration, ambigu- OU8 as it was, there is no such division of them into two different characters ; for if the contingency re- quired by the French Minister took place, the ISerlin and Milan Decrees were to cease, according to liis expression, without any qualitication. If therefore a part of them remain, or be revived again, as seems to be allowed even here, why may not the whole be equally so ? Where proof can be obtained of their existence, we have it, namely, in the ports of Prance, in which vessels have been avowedly seized under their operation since Nov. 1^ Of their maritime ex- istence we cannot so easily obtain evidence, because of the few French ships of war which venture to leave their harbors. Who can doubt however that had the ruler of France a navy at his command, equal to the enforcing of his violent Decrees, he "would soon show that part of them to be no dead let- ter. The principle is not the less obnoxious because it is from necessity almost dormant for the moment, nor ought it therefore to be less an object to be stren!- uously resisted. Allow me, sir, here to express my sincere regret, that I have not as yet been able to con\ ince you, by what I cannot but consider the strongest evidence, of the continued existence of the French Decrees, and consequently of the unfriendly policy of your gov- ernment in enforcing the non-impoiiation against us, and opening the trade with our enemies. His Royal Highness will, I am convinced, learn with unfeigned sorrow, that such continues to be still the determina- tion of America, and whatever restrictions on the commerce enjoyed by America in His Majesty *s do- minions, may ensue on the part of Great-Britain, as retaliatory on the refusal by your government to ad- mit the productions of Great-Britam while they open their harbors to those of His Majesty's enemies, they wilt, 1 am persuaded, be adopted with sincere pain, and with pleasure relinquished whenever this country shall resum between th I have tl tion and re vant, To the h Ui.iMtiiy The folloK 1812, tn of Congt toiheSem I commu Extraordin Britain to tl the latter. The con pondence, ernment a| considerati( ation of ad Washinti « 111 i HISTORY OF THE WAB* 75 shall resume her neutral position and impartial attitude between the two belligerents. I have the honor to be, with the greatest considera- tion and respect, sir, your most obedient humble ser- vant, AUGUSTUS J. POSTER. To the kon* J. Monroe, 8^. «* «( '1 '"t'/i r, ••/i^ '..! ?*»!i//'. ii\Ai -liti' m-iii \ii nwim I l ] i I I << -(,;»' :^i; HISTORY OF THE WAR. (.'.!':> Mr. Foster to Mr. Monroe. '»; 1 \ / Washington, Dec. 17. 1811. SIR, I did not mean to have written to you at this mo- ment on the subject of our late correspondence, but that I have luid the mortification to perceive state- ments, circulated from hij^hly respectable sources, which give a view of the pretensions of Great-Britain relative to the United States not warranted by any uf the letters which I liad the honor to address to you, and which, at a time when discussions are continuing so important to the two countries might, if left unrec- tified, produce an effect highly to be lamented by both the AmericaA and British governments, inasmuch as by creating unnecessary irritation, they might throw ohstacles in the way of a restoration of a friendly un- derstanding between them. I find it asserted, in the statement referred to, that I have, in the name of my government, demanded that the United States' government should pass a law for the introduction of British goods into the Ameri- can ports, and also that the United States should un- dertake to force France to receive into her harboi"s British manufactures. I beg permission, sir, to declare that neither of tliese demands have been made by me, and that my meaning must not ave been understood, if such was conceived to have been its import. I could not have demanded the passage of such a law as above stated, becau.se my government does not pretend to interfere with the internal government of a friendly power, nor did I mean to demand that America should force France to receive our manufactures. All I meant to say was, that the admission of French commerce wh>le that of England has been excluded from the United States' ports, was regar- ded by Great-Britain as highly unfreindly in Amer- ica, and that a contmuation of such policy would be 'retaliated upon by Great-Britain with situilir restric- tions on hei of like for 11 tation act States' por further ana American | of GreaUBi for the cqui ligerent po^ Secretary o part of the justly an ob of Great- Br tage which this state of pouetsinff r prey on the a refuge for The proh der tliese cii Britain in u have for rep cil, so as to li unavoidably tral nation, i cussion on I either by the ed, or the p prohibition, . tie.** of a neul With res] that Americ factures into that I shouk appears to hi tion of retail one between of the extrao our defence prohibit all ti ',i I inSTORY OF THK WAR. 17 tionN on her park, which was !to far merely an offering of like for hke. Bat while the American non-inipor- tatiou act excludes British trade from liie United States' ports, it mnst be recollected that it fi^oes still fuiiher and excludes also British armed ships from American ports, while it admits those of tlie enemies of Great-Britain. * A neutral nation is responsible for the equality of its rules of conduct towards the bel- ligerent powers' (to use the words of an American Secretary of State in the year 1700,) and therefore the part of the law which establishes an inequality was justly an object of more serious complaint on the part of Great-Britain. You are aware, sir, of the advan- tage which his Majesty's enemies liiive derived from this state of inequality, which enables them, though possessing no port in this hemisphere, continually to prey on tne trade of his Majesty's subjects, secure of a refuge for their cruisers and their prizes. The prohibition of entry to his Majesty's ships un- der these circumstances might perhaps justify Great- Britain in asserting, that whatever reason she may have for repealing or modifying her Orders in 0>un- cil, 60 as to lessen or entirely remove the pressure now unavoidably laid on the trade of America as a neu- tral nation, she might yet refuse to enter into any dis- cussion on tliHt subject witli the United States, until either by the revocation of the prohibition above stat- ed, or tlie placing all the belligerents under the same prohibition, America should cease to violate the du- ties of a neutral nation. With respect, however, to the supposed demand that America should force the entry ot British manu- factures into France, it is most particularly necessary that I should explain myself, as a total misconception appears to have taken place upon this point. The ques- tion of retaliation on the French Decrees is directly one between England and France. In consequenct- of the extraordniary blockade of England, we have in our defence boen obliged to blockade France, and prohibit all trade in French afticlos in ii'turn for thr; 'I 1 I 78 HISTORY OF THE WAR. ^•M i t n ' 1 i •a prohibition by France of all trade in English artioleir. ^hii measure of retaliation, it in wished* should oper. ate on France alone, but from the trade carried on with France by America, it unavoidably operates also on her; it \h a measure to destroy the French trade in return for the similar meaMure of France on which it is retaliatory, and its acting on neutrals is an inci- dental effect of it, consequent upon the submission of neutrals to the original measures of the enemy agaiuHt Great-Britain. It is indeed melancholy that the unna- tural situation of £urope whunld produce such a re- suit, but I cannot see how this can be considered as war on American commerce when all other Ameri- can trade but that which is carried on with our en- emy's ports in defiance of a blockade authorized by the laws of retaliation is unaffected by it. We com- plain that America does not resist the regulations of the Berlin and Milan Decrees, and object to permit- ting the French to trade with her during their con- tinuance against the commerce of England ; but thfi is not exacting, as has been represented, that Ameri- ca should force British manufactures into France ; it is pursuing only a just course of retaliation on our enemy. If America wishes to trade with France, if French commerce is of importance to her — we expect she should exact of France to trade with her as she has a right to demand in her quality of neutral ; but if she does not choose to exercise this right, all we ask is, that she should abstain froy lending her assistance to the trade of France, and not allow her commerce to be a medi- um of undermining the resources of Great-BHtain. I have thought it necessary thus to endeavor to set these two points in their true light : the repeal of the law was asked, as being an unfriendly measure, partial in its operation against Great-Britain, and a prospect of retaliation was held out on its commer- cial operation if continued. This is no demand on the United States to admit British manufactures ; they are at liberty to continue that law, only as it is of an unfriendly nature, some restriction of a similar kind was t respect to I S>ods, the e United lations of tl England tt ed if we coi mission to I I will no' that I have Stale, the r honor to tn pet. 17. 1 in it satisfai crees, and ( ceiices betw P^arded, eve m their fulli repealed, tc necessary, a for that licei The cont b;^ which tn of surprise, transaction, producing pri)duced, i order that w have been i any respect, to have beer of last July. esti ng, that publication own govern in fact the ] American si had become tion, and th( cumber 21, r ' i I HISTORY OF THE WAR, 79 kind was to be expeclecl from £i)glai>d : and with respect to the alledged demand for forcing^ British SK>ds, the property of neutral8, into French ports, if e United States are willins^ to acquiesce in the regu- lationii of the French Decrees unlawfully aifectiiig England through them, they cannot surely bo surprise ed if we consider ourselves as at liberty tu refuse per* mission to the French to profit by that acquiescence. I will now, sir, take the opportunity of stating to yon, that I have received from bis Majesty's Secretary of State, the correspondence of which you did me the honor to transmit tu me a copy in your letter dated Oct. 17. My government have nut been able to see in it satisfactory proof of the repeal of the French De- crees, and doubt whether the trade carried on by li. cences between France and^America, will not be re- garded, even here, as proof of the continuation of them in their fullest extent, for if ihey were to any extent repealed, to that extent i\l least no licence should be necessary, a licence being given to allow what, but for that licence, would be prohibited. The continued absence hitherto of any instrument by which the repeal has been effected, is a matter also oisiirprise, for if there were any fair dealing in the trausaction, no reason can be given by France for not producing it ; it is very desirable that it should be produced, if such an instrument be in existence, in order that we may know to what extent the Decrees have been repealed, if they really have been so in any respect. Mr. Russell however, does not appesir to have been in possession of it at the date of his letter of last July. It is indeed become particularly inter- esting, that we should see this instrument since the publication of Mr. Russetl's correspondence with his own government, by which it appears that really, and in fact the French government did not release any American ships taken afier November 1, until they had become acquainted with the President's Proclama- tion, and that vessels have been taken so lale us De- cember 21, in the direct voyage from this country to n ••( . i r^ I' 80 HISTORY OF THE WAH. London ; for until a copy of such instrument is pro- duced, it is impossible to know whether any otlier trade is allowed by France than that between her own dominions and the ports of the United States. I have the honor to be,, with the higbc-st considera- tion, sir, your most obedient humble servant, AUGUSTUS J. POSTER. To the hon. James Monroe, ^c. •i t'L It Mvh Monroe to Mr. Foster. r 1 Department or Statjj Jan. 14, 1812. SIR. I have had the honor to receive your letter of De- cember 17th, and I embrace the tirst moment that J could command, to make the observations which it suggests. It would have afforded great satisfaction to the President, to have found in the communication, some proof of a disposition in the British governmentto put ail end to the differences subsisting between our countries. — I am sorry to be obliged to state, that it presents a new proof only of its determination to ad> here to the policy, to which they are imputable. You complain that the import of your former letters has been misunderstood in two important circumstan- ces : that you have been represented to liave demand- ed of the United States, a law for the introduction of British goods into their ports, and that they should al- so undertake to force France to receive British manu- factures into her harbors. You state that on the first point, it was your inten- tion only to remonstrate against the non-importation act, as partial in its operation, and unfriendly to Great- Britain, on which account its repeal was claimed, and to intimate that if it was persevered in, Great-Britain would be cuuipelled to retaliate on the commerce of the United States, by similar restrictions on her part. And on t) urge, that ade of Euj to blocka French s France of It js «ufl whatever e is required ing to it, I repeal its < thus produ belligerent conduct of On the s planatioH g not meet th declare a b the United articles on bition no lo those Decr( within her violates no the United tion ai'e con tral rights c tion, which, to the fomif required tha lutions agaii change Iwr tli€ United { But you s revoked, an Mr. Russell vessels have their route t this remark;, dence, that c 11 ! I llkStORY Of miE WAR. m nten- ation reat- ,Hnd ritain ce of part. And on the second point, that you intended only to urge, that in consequence of the extraordinrry block- ade of Englftndk your government had been obliged to blockade France, and to prohibit all trade in French articles, in return for the prohibition by France of all trade in English articles. It is sufficient to remark on the first point, that on whatever ground the repeal of the- non-importation act 18 required, the United States are justilied in adher- ing to it, by the refusal of the British government to repeal its Orders in Council ; and if a distinction is thus produced between Great-Britain and the other belligerent, it must be referred to the difference in the conduct of the two parties. On the second point, I have to observe that the ex- planation given cannot be satisfactory, because it does not meet the case now existing. France did, it is true, declare a blockade of England, against the trade of the United States, and prohibit all trade in English articles onlbe high seas, but this blockade and prohi- bition no longer exist. — It is true also, that a part of those Decrees, did prohibit a trade in English articles, within her territorial jurisdiction ; but this prohibition violates no national rights, or neutral commerce of the United States. Stil! your blockade and prohibi- tion are continued, in violation of the national and neu- tral rights of the United States, on a pretext of retalia- tion, which, if even applicable could only be applied to the former, and not to the latter interdicts : and it is required that France shall change her internal regu- lations against English trade, before England will change her external regulations against the trade of tlic tfnited SUites. But you still insist that the French Decrees are un- revoked, and urge in proof of it, a fact drawn from Mr. Russell's correspondence, that some American vessels have been taken since the 1st of November, in their route to England. It is a satisfectoiy answer to this remark;, that it appears by the same correspon- dence, that every American vessel which hjid been n ■ M i 1' Iv A} m \ I !..!t 17 I i ^w, 82 HISl'OllY OF THE WAR. M •• '. taken in that trade, the seizure of whicli rested on the Berlin and Milan Decrees unly, were, as soon as that fact was ascertained, delivered up to their owners. Alight there not be other gound also, on which seiz- ures might be made ? Great-Britain claims a right to seize for other causes, and alt nations admit it in the case of contraband of war. If bv the law of nations, one belligerent has a right to seize neutral property in any case, the other belligerent has the same right. Nor ought r to overlook that the practice of counter- feiting American pa|jers in England, which is well known to the continent, has by impairing the faith due to American documents, done to the United Stales essential injury. Against this practice the minister of the United Stales at London, as will appea^ by refer- ence to his letter to the Marquis Wellestey of the 3d of May, 1810, made a formal representation, in pur- suance of instructions from his government, with an ofl'er of every information possessed by him, which might contribute to detect and suppress it. It is pain- ful lo add that this communicsttiou was entirely dis- regi rdeil. That Gre^it-Britain should complain of acts in France, to which by her neglect, she was in- strumental, and draw from them proof in snppoii of her Orders in Council, ought certainly not to have been expected. You remark also, that the practice of the French government to grant licences to certain American vessels, engaged in the trade between the United States and France, is an additional proof that the French Decrees stdl operate in their fullest extent. On what principle this inference is drawn from that fact it is impossible for me to conceive. It was not the object of the Berlin and Milan Decrees to pro- hibit the trade betvteen the United States and France. They were meant to prohibit the trade of the United States willi Great-Britain, which violated our neutral ri^^hts, and to prohibit the trade of Great-Britain with the continent, with which the United States have nothing to do. It the object had been to prohibit the trade be Britain for com in any n been by hibit it VI but a co- in certaii more tl instance! ex.tract f lun Deci trade be! might lu cences t( may hav( against t! was not ! fered froi one with have the ed on oti note. It is a your gov of Mr. nicate to has been ment, su Milan D dence of ed \ it Wi the Mart mitted to dependin no weigh Thed order giv ers, in & crees, is tl! UISTOKY OF THE WAR. trade betweon the United Stales jiud Prance, CJreat- Britain could never have t'oiuid in them any |)«etext for compluint. And if the idea of retaliation, couUI in any respect have heeii applicable, it would have been by prohibiting- our trade with herself. To pro- hibit it with France, would not have been a retaliation, but a co-operation. If licencing" by France the trade in certain instances, [U'oveany thing*, it proves nothing' more than that the trade with France iu other instances, is under restraint. ]t seems impossible to e>Ltract from it in any respect, that the Berlin and Mi- Ian Decrees are in force, so far as they prohibit the trade between the United States and England. I might here repeat the French practice of granting li- cences to trude between the United States and France, may have been intended in part, at least as a security against tUe simulated papers; the forging of which was not suppressed iu England. It is not to be in- fered from these remarks, that a trade by licence, is one with which the United States are satistied. They have the strongest objections to it, but these are found- ed on other principles, than those suggested in your note. It is a caus? of great surprise to the Presijjent, that your government has not seen m the corre.spondt.iv.e of Mr. Russell, which I had the honor to commu- nicate to you on the I7th of October last, and wiiich has been lately transmitted to you by your govern- ment, sufficient proof of the repeal of the !k!;ni anstitution of force for a resort to the responsible sovereign, which falls withni the definition of war. Could the seizure of British subjects, in such oases be regarded as with- in the exercise of a belligerent right, the acknowl- edged laws of war, which forbid an article of captur- ed properly to be adjudged, without a regular investi- gation before a competent tribuns^l, would imperious- ly demand the fairest trial where tiie sacred rights of persons were at issue. In place of such a trial, these rights are subjected to the will of every petty com- mander. The practice, lieiice, is so far from affecting British subjects alone, that under the pretext of searching for these, thous;uuls of American citizens, under the safe- guard of public law, and of their national flag, have been torn from their country, and from every thing dtar^othem; have been dragged oti board ships ol war t a fu.eign nation, and exposed under the sever- ities of their disciplin , to he exiled to the most dis- tant and deadly climes, to risk their lives in the bat- tles of their oppressors, and to be the melancholy in- struments of taking away those of their own brethren. Aiiainst this crying enormity, which Great-Britain would be so prompt to avenge if committed against herself, the Ignited .Slaves have in vain exhausted re- monstrances and expostulations. And that no proof! m'ghl be wanting of their conciliatory dispositions,! and no pretext left for the continuance of the practice, j the Briti readines uients, SI of Brilisl The com Britisli violating liover ovi comn»erc have add< harbors ; \vithin the Thepriiic a neutral i ents hovei commerce the less, by ofiences co went has I marks of h Under p ofaaadeqi ticability plundered try have b and a desti maritime i *ory measul from the effect be in important pursued these mookl forced in t. British gov a^ h^gal bloi tnally inves] sels bound Not conti laying wasti 'A :^ HISTORY OF THE WAR. m satc- hiwe thing hips ot sever- >st iVis- \e bat- loly iiv ethren. -Britain against stetl re- lo \n'cn)\ osilions, practice. the British government was formally assured of the readiness of the United States \o enter into arrange- ments, such as could not be rejected, if the recovery of British subjects were the real and the sole object. The cnmnuinication passed without effect. British cruizers have been in the practice also of violatin«^ the rights and the peace of our coasts. 'Viiey Iiover over and harrass our entering' and departing commerce. To the most insulting- pretensions they have added the most lawless proceedings in our very harbors ; and have wautonly spilt American blood within the sanctuary of our territorial jurisdiction. The principles and rules enforced by that nation, when a neutral nation, against armed vessels of belliger- ents hovering near her coasts, and disturbing her conuuerce are well known. When called on never- theless, by the United States to punish the greater ofi'ences committed by her own vessels, her govern- ment has bestowed on their commanders additional marks of lu>nor and contidence. Under pretended blockades, without the presence of aa adequate force, and sometimes without the prac- ticability of applying one, our commerce has been plundered in every sea : the great staples of our coun- try have been cut off from their legitimate markets; and a destructive blow aimed at our agricultural and maritime ittterests. In aggravation of these preda- tory measures, they have been considered as in force from the dates ot their notification ; a retrospective effect being thus added, as has been done in other important cases, to the unlawfulness of the course pursued. And to render the outrage the more signal, these mock blockades have been reiterated and en- forced in the face of official comnuniications from the British government declaring as the true definition of a legal blockade, • that particular ports must be ac- tually invested, vuid previous warning given to ves- sels bound to them, not to enter.' Not content with these occasional expe(iv<)!l 88 HISTORY OF THE WAR. Britain resorted, at length to the sweeping* system of blockades, under the name of the Orders in Council, which has been moulded and managed, as might best suit its political views, its commercial jealousies, or the avidity of British cruizers. To our remonstrances against the complicated and transcendent injustice of this innovation, the tirst re- ply was that the Orders were reluctantly adopted by Great-Britain as a necessary retaliation on Decrees of her enemy proclaiming a general blockade of the British isles, at a time when the naval force of that enemy dared not to issue fromhisown ports. She was reminded, without effect, that her own prior blockade, unsupported by an adequate naval force actually ap- plied and continued, were a bar to this plea : that ex^ ecuted Edicts agamst millions of our property could not be retaliation on Edicts confessedly impossible to be executed : that retaliation, to be just, should fall on the party setting the guilty example, not on an innocent party, which was not even chargeable with ^n acquiescence in it. When deprived of this f^imsey veil for a prohibi- tion of our trade with her enemy, by the repeal of his prohibition of our trade with Great-Britain, her cabi- net, instead of a corresponding repeal or a practical discontinuance of its Orders, formally avowed a de- termination to persist in them against the United States, until the markets of her enemy should be laid open to British products; thus asserting an obligation on a neutral power to require one belligerent to en- courage, by its internal regulations, the trade of another belligerent j contradicting her own practice towards all nations in peace as well as in war; and betraying the insincerity of those professions which inculcnted a belief that, having resorted to her Or- ders with regret, she was anxious to iiiid an occa- sion for pirtting an end to them. Abandoning still more, all respect for the neutral rights of the Dnited StatoN, and for its own consisten- cy, the British ^'ovcrnnH'nt now demands as pre-re- 2uisites to a TnitedStat the repeal i to their terra »nd that th portion of tb torial jurisd the high ses States, sliou tionto the t whatever nei be affected b insult, they condition ar government, from having official e'xpla the world, ar minister at ] foreign affair and emphatic It has beco commerce of as interfering Britain, not a which she hei the raonoply nnd navigati( lawful commt carry on acoi polluted by tl the most part ceed. Anxious to last resort of i withheld from ficalions, the I market, tlie lo profits accruin with other nat HISTOKY OF THE WAR. 80 ?uisites to a repeal of its Ordera, as they relate to the Inited States, that a formality should be observed io the repeal of the French Decrees nowise necessary to their termination, nor exemplified by British usage ; iind that the French repeal, besides including thnt portion of the Decrees which operates within a terri- torial jurisdiction as well as that which operates on the high seas against the commerce of the United States, should not be a single special repeal in rela- tion to the United States, but should bo extended to whatever neutral nations unconnected with tliem may be aifect^d by those Decrees. And as an additional insult, they are called on for a formal disavowal of condition and pretensions advanced by the French government, for which the United States are so far from having made themselves res[)onsible, that, in official i&'xplanations, which have been published to the world, and in a correspondence, of the American minister at London, with the British minister for foreign aflairs, such a responsibility was explicitly and emphatically disclaimed. It has become indeed sufficiently certain that the commerce of the United States is to be sacriticesd, not as interfering with the belligerent rights of Great- Britain, not as supplying the wants of her enemies, which she herself supplies, but as interfering with the raonoply which she covets for her own commerce and navigation. She carries on a war against the lawful commerce of a friend, that she n'uy the better carry on a commerce with an enemy, a commerce, polluted by the forgeries and perjuries which are for the most part the only passports l^y which it can suc- ceed. '■■''■ Anxious to make every experiment short of the last resort of injured nations, the United States have withheld from Great-Britain, under successive modi- fications, the benefits of a free intercourse with their market, tlie loss of which could not but outweigh the profits accruing from her restrictions of our commerce with oilier nations. And to entitle Ihf ko rxpfi'tmcnts 13 : 'i '' *ft l-i m uo UlbTOllY or TMK WAM. lo Ihe uioi'c I'avorable consideruliou, iliey ueie so Irumc'd us to i-iiiiblo her to |)l)K'e hei adversary uiidtr the exclusive operation of tlieni. To these appeals her goveriiiiient lias been equally inflexible, as if wil- ling to make sacrifices of every sort, rather than yield to ihe claims of justice, or renounce the errors of a false pride. Nay, so far were the nttempls car- ried, to overcome the attachment of the British cabi- net to its- unjust £dict8, that it received every en- couragement, within the competency of the Execu- tive branch of our government, to expect that a re- peal of them would De followed by a war between the United Stales and France, unless the French Edicts should also be repealed. Even this communication, although silencing' for ever the plea of a disposition in the Ignited States lo acquiece in those Edicts, ori- ginally tlie sole plea for them, received no attention. If no other proof existed of a predetermination of the British government against a repeal of its Orders, it luiglit be found in the correspondence of the Mmis- tt'i Plenipotentiary of the United Stales at London, and the British Secretary for Foreign Aftairsin 1810, on the question whether the blockade of May, 180(>, \vas considered as in force, or as not in force. It had been ascertained that the French government, which urged this blockade as the ground of its Berlin De- cree, was wdhng, in the event of its removal, lo repeal that Decree | which being followed by alternate re- peals of the other offensive Edicts, might abolish the whole system on both sides. This inviting oportuni- ly for accomplishing an object so important to tlit United States^ and professed so often to be the desire of both the belligerents, was made known to the Bri- tish government. As that government admits that an actual application of an adequate force is necessary to the existence of a legal blockade ; and it was no- torious, that if such a force had ever been applied, its long discontinuance had annulled the blockade in qu( stion, there could be no siifiicient objection on the part of Great-Britain to a formal revocation of it ; and no imn iuct that th< tion would principles o United Stal peal of her case the wn; repeal of tlu in which cai tified in tun France. 1' neither resci tence ; nor | affirmed by contrary by hended in'tl were compe ceedings. There wa the policy ot asestablishei Britannic M the diflferenc harmony of accepted wit ponding will ment. A fc and lastinof r quickly vani vowed by tli( nation which the disavows the commerr States. An( \ery momen the lansfuaofe ni the sinceri charged, a st ployed in inti sion of our g( hajipy ITnioi HISTORY OF THE MAR. Dl '.md no imaginable objeclion to a Ucclnration of l1i(> iuct that the bluckuile did not cKiHt. The declara- tion would have been consistent with her avowed principles of blockade, and would liavt; cnablod the United States to demand from Franco tlio pledged re- peal of her Decrees; either with success, in whicU case the way would have been opened tor : noral repeal of the bcllig^creat Edicts; or withm ncceAii, in which case tho United States would liu\ tilled in turning their measures exclusiv* France. The British government would neither rescind the blockade nor declare its non-exis- tence ; nor permit its non-existenco to be inferred and ntiirmed by the American Plenipotentiary. On the contrary by representing the blockade to be compre- hended in the Orders in Council, the United States were compelled so to regard it in their subsequent pro- ceedings. There was a period when a favorable change in the policy of the British cabinet was juiitly considered as established. The minister Plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majesty here proposed an adjustment of the differences more immediately endangering i\w harmony of the two countries. Tno proposition M'as accepted with a promptitude and cordiality corres- ponding with the invariable professions of this govern- ment. A foundation appeared to be laid for a sincere and lasting reconciliation. — The prospect, however, quickly vanished. The whole proceeding was disa- vowed by the British government without any expla- nation which could at that time repress the belief, that the disavowal proceeded from a spirit of hostility to the commercial rights and prosperity of the United States. And it has since come into proof, that at the lery moment when the public minister was holding the language of friendship, and inspiring confidence in the sincerity of the negociation with which he was charged, a secret agent of his government was em- ployed in intrigues, having for their object a subver- sion of our government, and a dismemberment of oui happy Union. ( . W;\ > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 ■a&12.8 u 114 US IM 12.0 P III u ^ ^ ^« ► dS^ 7 ^. V Sciences Corporation JV ^. <<^ ^. ^isely confides to the legislative Dep$rtment of the government. In recom- mending it to their early deliberations, I am happy in the assurance that the descision will be worthy the enlightened and patriotic Councils of a Virtuous, a free, and a powerml nation. ' Having presented this view of the relations of the U. States with Great-Britain and of the solemn alterna- tive growing out of them, I proceed to remark tliat the communications last made to Congress on the subject of our relations with France will have shown that since the revocation of her Debrees as they violated the neutral rights of the United States, her government has authorised illegal captures, by its privateers und public ships, und tliat other outrages have been prac- , 1 ' fi ^m ' ' \ 1. I h 1 «> -1 ft jl i -■ Jiy=i« 4 . Ul 'mi ■J 1 "■ 1|^ i! ?11 94 HISTORY or THB WAU. ^ i tised on our vessels and citizens. It will have been seen also, that no indemnity had been provided, or satisfactorily pledged, for the extensive spoliations committed under the violent and retrospective orders of the French government against the property of our citizens seized within the jurisdiction of FraVtce. I abstain at this time from recommending to the consid- eration of Congress definitive measures with respect to that nation, in the expectation, that the result of un- closed discussions between our Minister Denipoten- tiary at Paris and the French government will speed- ily enable Congress to decide, with greater advan- tage, on the course due to the rights, the interests, and the honor of our country. JAMES MADISON. Washington, June Ist, 1812. ..,«,,„. ... , . - j» . ..I ' . iji ■*<(:. mEPORT OF THE COM. ON FoREION RELATIONS. Tfie committee on Foreign Relations to whom was re- JereeLthe Message of the President of the United States of tite Ut of June, 1812. f«u^*f i>» <«*. n^s^^.** REPORt— That after the experience which the United St?> " have had of the great injustice of the British gov. ment towards them, exemplified by so many acto oi violence and oppression, it will be more diflficiili to jus- tify to the impartial world their patient forbearance, than the measures to which it has become necessary to resort, to avenge the wrongs, and vindicate the rights and' honor of the nation. Your committee are happy to observe on a dispassionate review of the con- duct of the United States, that they see in it no cause for censure. •^'^- If a long forbearance under injuries ought ever to be considered a virtue in any nation, it is one which peculiarly becomes the United States. No people ever had sti'onger motives to cherish peace — none have ever cherished it with greater sincerity and zeal :-^ ^ HISTORY OF THE WAR. 95 U-ilM' fiut the period has now arrived, when the United States must support their character and station among; the nations of the earth, or submit to the most shame* ful deeradation. Forbearance has ceased to be a Tir-^ tue. War on the one side, and pe.v.^e on the other, is a situation as ruinous as it is disgraceful. The mad ambition, the lust of power, and commercial avarice of Great-Britain, arrogating to herself the complete dominion of the ocean, and exercising over it an un- bounded and lawless tvraimy, have left to neutral na- tions an alternative only, between the base surrender of their rights, and a manly vindication of them. Hap- pily for the United States, their destiny, under the aid of heaven, is in their own hands. The crisis is formi- dable only by their love of peace. As soon as it be- comes a duly to relinquish that situation, danger dis- appears. They have suffered no wrongs, they have re- ceived no iusuUs, however great, for which they can- not obtain redress. More than seven years have elapsed, since the commencement of this system of hostile aggress'ou by the British government, on the rghts and interests of the United States. The manner of its commence- ment was not less hostile, than the spirit with which it has been prosecuted. The United States have in- variably done every thing in their power to preserve the relations of friendship with GreatrBritain. Of this disposition they gave a distinguished proof, at the moment when they were made the victims of uti opposite policy. The wrongs of the last war had not been forgotten at the commencement of the pre^ sent one. They warned us of dangers, against which 11. was sought to provide. As early as the year 1804, the minister of the United States at London was in-: structed, to ii)vite the British government to enter into a negociation on all the points on which a col- lision might arise between the two countries, in the course of the war, and to propose to it un arrange- ment of their claims on fair and reasonable condi- tions. The invitation was accepted. A negociation MlilH , I 1.^': t I ■ ,l"
  • ilar trade by neutrals with her <>iMrn colonies. It is known to the world, that Great-Britain regulates Her own trade, in war and in Eeace, at home ond in her colohies, as she finds for er interest — that in war she relaxes the restraints of lier colonial system in favor of the colonjes, aiid that H never was suggested that she had not k right to do it — Or that a neutral in taking advantage of the relax- ation violated a belligerent right of her enemy — But with Great-Britain every thing is lawful. It is only iu a trade with her enemies that the (Jnited States can do Nvrong. With them all trade is unlawful. In[theye6r ]70d, an attack was made by the British government on the same branch of our neutral trade, which had nearly involved the two countries in war. That difierence however, was amicably accommodat- ed. The pretension was withdrawn, and reparation made to the United States/ for the losses which they had suflPered by it It was fair to infer from that ar- rangettient, that the commerce was deemed by the Britisli government lawful, and that it would not be again disturbed, -j* ,m(|*)«>q hamn! '^i.a/ 9 From this period the British govemiMent has gone on in A continued encroachment «m the rights and in- terest of the United States, disregarding^ in its'course, in many induces, obligations which have heretofore been -held sacred by civilized nations. In May« 1806, the whole coast of the continent, from the Elbe to Brest inclusive, was declared to be in a state of> blockade. By this act, the well estab- lished principles of the law of ntUions, principles which have served fur ages as guides, and fixed the bouitdary between the rights of belligerents and neu- trals, were violated ; by the law ot riatwons, as re- icognized by Great-Britain herself^ no blockade is necessary be knowi evident which, the coast and rigoi lire is no force was from wha bellfgerei itself fron any prete; blockade, refinemen standing { claim mei party eith( eni to iofl on neutral remaric, tl not.appeaj it has beei the circun cularly th who annoi ceiyedin t to an a<)c be pretended. Whether Great-Brituin was able to maintaio^ leffally, so extensive a blockade, consider- ing the war in which she is engaged, requiring such extensive naval operations, is a question which is not necessary at this time to, examine. It is sufficient to be known, that such force was not applied, and %his is evident from the terms of the blockade itselt'^ by which, comparatively, an inconsiderable portion of the coast only was declared to be in a state of strict anxl rigorous blockade. The objection to the meas- ure is not diminished by that circumstance. If the force was not applied, the blockade was unlawful, from whatever cause the failure might proceed. The be|l|gereilt who institutes tha blockade cannot absolve itself from the obligation tO: apply the force under any pretext whatever. For a belligerent to relax a blockade, which it could not maintain, it would be. a refinement in injustice not less insulting to the under- standing than repugnant to the law ot nations. To claim merit for the mitigation of an evil, which the party either had not the power or found it inconveni- ent to inflict, would be a new mode of encroaching on neutral rights. Your committee think it just to remark, that this act of the British government does not.appear to have been adopted in Qie sense in which it has beea since construed. On consideration of all the circumstances attending the measure, and parti- cularly the ^ character of the; distinguished statesman who announced it, we are persuaded that it was con-* ceiyedin a. spirit of conciliation, and intended to lead to an a<)comniodation of all differences between the Umted States and Great-Britain. His death dbap- pointed that hope, and the act has since become sub- servient to other purposes, . It has been made by his successors a pretext for that vast system of usurpa* tiou, which has so long oppressed and, htirrassed our copanierce. !j roi .yi '■:■.nz^^ r:!; a i.^j I 1 it li J 5 ^' ' 1' > t I 1 1 ' nil r '''^ 1 :'' I 1 ' I :•> udJi/i II il 100 HISTORY OF THE Willi.- m\' ^ (;: The next act of the British §foverniuent which claims our attention is the Orders in Council of Jan. 7, 1807, by which neutral powers are prohibited tra- ding from one port to anotner of Prance or her allies, or any other country with which Great-Britain mitfht not freely trade. By this order the uretenMion of Eno-land, heretofore claimed by every otner powefi to prohibit neutrals disposing of parts of their cargoes at different ports of the same enemy, is revi>>ed and with vast accumulation of injury. Every enemy, howe- great the number or distance from each other, is con- sidered one, and the like trade even with powers at peace with England, who from motives of fvolicy had excluded or restrained Her commerce, was abo pro- hibited. In this act the British government evident- ly disclaimed all regard for neutral ri gilts. Aware that the measures authorised by itcOHM'find no pre- text in any belligerent right, none wtrs urged. To prohibit the sale of our produce, consisting ot innocent articles at any port of a belligerent, not blockaded, to consider every belligerent as one, aAd tinbject neu- trals to the same restraint with all, as if there was but one, were held encroachments. But t'o^rtestrain or in any manner interfere with our cnmtne^ce with neutral nations with whom Great-Britaiti wasikk peace, and against whom she had' no justitiable cause of war, for the sole reason, that they restrained or excluded fronii their ports her commerce, was utterly 'incompat- ible wUih the pacific relations subsisting between tlie two cdnntries. ^ ■ We proceed to bring into view the British Order in Council of November l|th, 1807, which i»ipei*ced- ed every other order, and consummated that svslem of hostility on the codamerce of the United ^ates which has -been since so citeftdily p«irsaed< By this Order all France and her allies «nd every othler A\ 'iu 'iou... It would (be. superfluous in your committee to state, that by thiib'oirder 'the British government declared direct and ^positive war against the United States. The doqiinoo of the ocean was completely usurped hy it, all oommerce forbidden, and every flag driven from it» or Aubjeoted to capture and condemnation, which did not subserve the policv of the British govern- ment by paying it a tribute and sailingunder its sanc- tion. From ItUs period the United States having in«' corredthe heaviest losses and most mortifying hunilia- itonsv > 'They haiae borne the calamities of war withr* out 'retorting) Aetti on its authors. • So far your GommUtee has presented to the view of the Housq Ihei^fgressions wkicli.have been eoa|init» ted under theMrtfabrity of the 'British government on the eommeree of the United- States. ■ We will iio Vr proceed tO' other wrongs which have been still mora severely felt. Among these is the impressment of our seamen, a prabtice, winch Jias been unceasingly maintained by Great*Britain in the warstd which she has been a parly since our revolution. Ypuc comr> m^tee cannot coii vey in adequate terms the deep sense whioh th^y entertain of the injustice and oppression of this proceeding. Under jJie pretext of impressing Brilish^Mamen, our £sUow citizens are seized in British ports^ on the high seas, and in every other quarter to which the British power extends, are taken on board British men of r^ar, and coqapelledto serve there as British suli^ccts. In ^s mode pur citizens are wai)- ■ 1 I If \ f M ill 111, lli ■j.H 102 uiyroRY ov tu£. was. lii {. ioiiljr uiAtohed from lh«ir country and Uieir familiet, deprived of their liberty, end doomed to on ignoaiin- ious and slaviih buodage, compelled to lighLtbe batF- Uet of a foreign country, and often to pensb in them. Our flpigbas given them no protection ; it luui been unceasingly violated, and our venels exposed to dan* ger by the lots of the men taken from them. Your committee need not remark that while the uractice is continued, it is impossible for the United Slates to consider themselves an inde(iendenfc uatioo. £very new case is a new proof of their degradation. Its continniince is the more unjustifiable, because the United States have repeatedly, proposed to the British government an arrangement which would secure to it the control of its own people. An esemptton of the citizens of the United States from this degrading oppression, and their flag from violation, is all thai they have sought. . . , ■ This lawless waste of our trade, and equally unlaw- ful imppessment of our seamen, have beea. much .ag- fravatod by the insults and indignities attending Ibem. Tnder the pretext of blockading the harbors of France and her allies, British squadronsliave been stationed on our own coast, to watch and anovy our own trade. To give effect to the blockade of European ports, the ports and harbors of the United Sitates have been blockaded. In executing these orders of the British government, or in .obeying the spirit which was known to animate it, the commanders. of these squad- rons have encroached on our jurisdiction, seized our. vessels, and carried into effect impressments withiv oar limits, and done other acts of great injustice, vio- lence, and oppression^ The United States have iieen, with mingled indignation and surprise, that these acts^ instead of procuring to the perpetrators the pan- ishment due to unauthorised crimes, have not failed to recommend them to. the favor of their govern- ment.' iH> ". vi.-/-' i'iti r>mi*U>^> •iirtiOit ^pxy'-ikk. .'nh AM-i-S < Whether the 'Krttjsh government has contributed by active-measures to excite against us the hostility llie are not' ing. C supply t these br some ini tish hosli failed t( those tri occasion tions of tish COB Sirrisoni at systc hosb^n ages, sex manity. Your < could clo is their du lignity, tl brought ti •ur Unio tion, by a foment di constitute disclosed proof thai British g( act, howe mit to ac the greate made whi at peace, \ between tl ences, thr< for the pu TheUnil bearance,i fin their ri A ^' VlflVOmY OV TBB WAB. JOS 0^ Mn MvtfBf tribes on mir frontrari, yonr committee are not disposed to occupy mach time in intettigat- \ng. Certain indicatioiui of general notoriety mmy supply the place uf aulhentic documents; though these have not been wanting to establish the feet in some instances. It is known that symptoms of £ri- tish hostility towards the United States, have never failed to produce corresponding symptoms amonc^ those tribes. It is also well known, that on all such occasions, abundant supplies of the ordinary muni- tions of war have beer afforded by the agents of Bri- tish commercial compah!«f*: and even from Britisli Sirrisons, wherewith they WvTc enabled to commence at system of savage warfare on onr frontiers, which hosb^n at all times indiscriminate in its effect, on all ages, sexes and conditions, and so revolting to hu- manity. Your committee would be much gratified if .they could close here the detail of British wrongs — but it is their duty to i-ecite another act of still greater ma- lignity, than any of those which have been already brought to your view. The attempt to dismember our Union, and overthrow our excellent constitu- tion, by a secret mission, the object of which was tp foment discontent and excite insurrection against the constituted authorities and laws of the nation, as lately disclosed by the agent employed in it, affords full proof that there is no bound to the hostility of the British government towards the United 8tate»-^no act, however unjustifiable, which it would not com- mit to accomplish their ruin. This attempt excites the greater horror from the consideration that it was made while the United States and Great-Britain wen: at peace, and an amicable negocialiun was dependin$c between them for the accommodation of their difier- ences, through public ministers, regularly authorised for the purpose. *^ ) t^) i The United States have beheld, with unexampled for- bearance,this continued seriesofliostileeiicroachmeiils an their rights and interests, in the hope, thnt, yieUl- ( I l.il ,r^j; ' i *% il'-! i ',li «■ M left HISTOKY X>9 THB WAH. t'ft.in«re ju^t policy towards theiti; but that hope no 'longer exiftts. They hare also weighed impartiaUy 'thi rea* sons whi<^h have been orgfed by the Britisfa govern* me'ntin vindication of these encroachments,, and found in them neither justification or apology. : uUti-Aji ;!• t The British government has alleged in yindif^tioh of the Oi-ders in Council that they vrert resorted to as a retaliation on France, for similar aggressions com*- mitted bvher on our neutral trade with the .British dominions. But how has this plea been supported ? The dates of British and French aggressions are well known to the world. Their origin and progress, have been marked with too wide and destructive a waste of the property of our fellow-citizens to have been forgotten. The Decree of Berlin of November 31st. 18U6, was the first aggression of France in the present war. Eighteen months had then elapsed, af^ ter the attack made by Great-Britain on our neutral trade, with the colonies of France and her aHies, apd six months froiii the date of the proclamation of May, 1806. Even on the 7th Jan. 1807, the date of the jfirst British Order in Coiintil, so short a term had elapsed, after the Belin Decree, that it was hardly posible tJiat the intelligence of it should have reached the United States. A retaliation which is to pro* dnceits effect, by operating on a neutral power onght not to be resorted to, till the netltnil had justified it by a culpable acquiescence in the unlawful act of the other belligerent. It ought to be delayed until after sufficient time had been allowed to the nentral toi*ef monstrate against the measure complained of, io rep ceive an answer, and to act on it, winch had nut been done in the present instance ; and when th^ Order of November 11th was issued, it is well known tliat a minis^ter of France had declared to the minister plen- ipotentiary of the United States at Paris, that it was not intended that the Decree of Berlin should apply to the United States. It is equally well known that !t ■• ■ HISTORY OF THE WARt 105 na American vessel had then been condemned under itv or seiesure been made, with which the British' gov- ernment .was acquainted. The focts prove incohtesti- bly, that the measures of Fcance» however uhjustiiiable in them|elves, were nothing more than a pretext for those of England. And of the insufficiency of that pre- text, ample -proof has already been afforded by the Pritishg>overnment itself, and in the most impressive form. Although Jt was declared that the Orders in Council were retaliatory on France for her Decrees, it was^ also declared^ and. in the Orders themselves, that owingtothesuperiority of the British navy, by which the fleets of France and her allies were confined with- in their own ports, the French Decrees were- consider'* ed only as empty threats. It is no justification of > the wrongs of one power, that the like were committed by another ; nor ought the fact, if true, to have been urged by either, as it could afford no proof of its love of justice, of its magnanimity, or eveh of iUs courage. It is more worthy the government of a great natioh, to relieve than to assail the injured. Nor can a repetition of the wrongs by. another power, repair the violated rights^ or wounded lionor, of the injured party. An utter inability alone to resist,, would justify a quiet surren- der of. our rights, and degrading submission to the will of others. To that condition the United States are not reduced, nor do they fear it. That they ever consented to discuss with either the misconduct of the other, is a proof of thdr love of peace, of their moderation, and of the hope which they still indulg- ed, that friendly appeals to just and generous senti- ments would not l)e made to them in vain. But the motive was mistaken, if their forbeurance was im- puted, either to the want of a just sensibility to their wrongs, or of a determination, if suitable redress was not obtained, to resent them. The time has now ar- rived when this system of reasoning must cease. It would be insulting to repeat it It would be degrad- ing to hear it. The United Status must act ns an in- 14 iiil! H' r>9 , , ) > I , 1 .«' ^r:il;i m i' 1 I i im HISTORY OF THE WAK..(( ^#i 1p! dependent nation, and assert their rights, and avenge their wrongs, according to their own entimale of them, with the party who commits them, holding H respiMi- sible for its own misdeeds, unmitigated by those of another. For the difference made between Great>Britain and France, by the application of the non-importalioni act against England only, the motive has been already toO'Often explained, and it is too well known to require further illustration. In the commercial restrictt<«i8to which the United States resorted as on evidence of their sensibility j and a mild retaliation of their wrongs, they invariably placed both powers on the same foot- ing, holdinif to each in respect to itself> the same ac-* commodation, in case it accepted the condition offer-^ ed, and in respect to the other, the sftme restraint, if it refused. Had the British govemroenl.coniirmed the arrangement which was entered into tvith the Bri* tish minister in 1809, and France maintained her De« crees, with France would the United States have had to resist, wilh thelirmness belonging to their charac- ter, the continued violation of their rights. Tliecom* mittee do not hesitate to declare, that France has greatly injured the United States, and that satisfacto- ry reparation has not been made for many of those injuries. But, that is a concern which the United States will look to and settle for themselves. The high charactei* of the American people,. is a suffi- cient pledge to the world, that they will not fail to settle it, on conditions which they have a right to claim. ."f More recently, the true policy of the British gov^ ernnient towards the United States has been complete- ly unfolded. It has been publicly declared by thosf; in power, that the Orders in Council should not be repealed, nntil the French government had revoked all its internal restraints on the British commerce, and that the trade of the United States, with France and her allies, should be prohibited until Great*Bri- tain was also allowed to tra()e with them. By this de'clarati of the Bi join Grei cute the without I: such a CO eroment i made ma by it as t thiit thbirj tbeir wel taken int committe( the Britis United S( possible tc ed States < From t British go present wa that the c< States, is n independei any of the a transitory the House intrench so wound so c could not ts cipal udvao The contrc regulating j the ocean J regulations and cootisc goes, as we without pre pressment o sels, on the them in boi sh gov^ plete- those not be >voked tinerce, IFraiice iBv this HISTORY OF THE WAR; lor declaration^ it appears, that to satisfy the pretensioiia of the British government, the United btates must join Great-Britain in the war with France, andprose^ cute the war, until France should be subdued^ for without her subjugation, it were in vain to presume on such a concession. The hostility of the British gov* eroment has been still further disclosed. It has been made manifest that the United States are considered by it as the commercial rival of Great-Britain, and thiit thbir prosperity and growth are incompatible with their welfare. When all these circumstances, are taken into consideration, it is impossible for your committee to doubt the motives which have governed the British ministry in uU its measures towards the United States since the year 1805. £qually is it im^ possible to doubt, longer, the course which the Unit* ed States ought to pursue towards Great-Britain* > From this view of the multiplied wrongs of the British government since the commencement of the present war, it must be evident to the impartial world, that the contest which is now forced on the United States, is radicnUy a contest for their sovereignty and independence. Your committee will not enlarge on any of the injuries, however great, which have had a transitory efiect They wish to call the attention of the House to those of a permanent nature only, which intrench so deeply on our most important rights, and wound so extensively and vitally our best interests, as could not tail to deprive the United States of Ihe prin- cipal advantages oi their revolution, if submitted to. The control of our commerce by Great-Britain, iu regulating it at pleasure, and almost expelling it from the ocean; the oppressive manner in which these regulations have been carried into effect, by seizing and confiscating such of our vessels with thetr^ car- goes, as were said to have violated her Edicts, often without previous warning <^ Ibeir danger ; the im- pressment of our citizens from on board our own ves- sels, on the high seas, and elsewhere, and holding them in bondage until it suited the convenience uf ^ •- Hi 1 _ ■ I- \y '!■■«- I 1 . 1 * 1 ^ ''. I •. Is il ? ■ i f m 1 i 1 1 , .'1 i ..i 1 'r 108 HISTORY OF THE WAB. r! 1 ii .V -f "i ; llil; '' );,tii 11 their' Oppressors to tleliver them up, are encroach- mentA of that high and dangerous tendency which could not fail to produce that pernicious etfect^ nor ivould those be the only consequences that would re- sult froRi it. The British government might for a while, be satisfied with the ascendency thus gained over us, but its pretensions would soon . increase. The proof which so complete and disgraceful a sub- mission to its authority, would afford of our degene- racy, could not fail to inspire confidence that there was no limit to which its usurpations, and our degra- dation might not be carried. Your committee, believing that the freebom sons of America are worthy to enjoy the liberty which their fathers purchased at the price of so much blood and treasure, and seeing, in the measures adopted by Great-Britain, a course commenced and persisted in, which might lead to a loss of national character and independence, feel no hesitation in advising resistance by force, in which the Americans of the present day will prove to the enemy and the world, that we have not only inherited that liberty which our fathers gave us, but also the will and power to maintain it. Kelying on the patriotism of the nation, and confi- dently trusting that the Lord of Hosts will go with us to battle in a righteous cause, and crown our ef- forts with success-r-your committee recommend an appeal to arms. Soon after the above Report was read, Mr. Cal- houn, from the committee of foreign relations, on leave being given, presented a bill, declaring war be- tween Great-Britain, and her dependencies, and the United States, and their territories; which, after seve- ral day's debate, passed the House of Representatives in the following manner ; and was approved by th^ Fresident, on the 18th day of June. .ttiimi'.. Veclarini Britaii and tite tories. BEitei sentatives gress ass< hereby det domsofG cies thereo their territ States be a land and i the satne vessels of t marque an think prop against to ment of th and Irelan June 18 Appro New-He Massach Turner, ai Jihode-l Vermont Qonnecti NeW'Yoi NeW'-Jer Penusyh berls, Pin^ vis, Lefevr and Smith- Delatvar* MaryUm Brown, ant RI8TORY OF THB WAR. 109 broach- which 3cti nor raid re- tt for a ; gamed ncrease. il a sub- degene- lat there ir degra- Dm sons .y which :h blood opted by sisted iu, icter and resistance i present . that we ir fathers lintain it. ,nd conii- go with our ef- iCnd an ir. CaU ^lons, on war be- and the fter seve. Mi^Atives by th« Mir «-' • DECLARATION OP WAR. nV^n. f AN ACT, ' '« .o.V»r/i,:.>T ■ -I VeclartiM'War between the United Kit^aimsofGredU Britain and Ireland, and the dependencies :thereof, and the United States of America, andtheii^Terri- • tories. ' 'iV^o'",' '.'" ,', BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Rehre- sentatives of the United States of America in Con- gress assembled, That WAR be and the same is hereby declarad to exist between the United King- doms of Great-Britain and Ireland and the dependen- cies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories : and that the President of the United States be and he is hereby authorised to use the whole Isind and naval force of the United States to carry the satne into effect and to issue to private armedi vessels of thie United States commissions, or letters 6f marque and general reprisal, in such form' as he shall think proper, and under the seal of the United States, against the vessels, goods and effects of the govern- ment of the same United Kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland, and of the subjects thereof. June 16, 1812. .,. Approved, JAMES MADISON. s»;*^f!i*ttif* i . YEAS -^j^MiJ'wv^tsnvi.' New- Hampshire. Dinsmoor, Hall, And Harper — 3. Massachusetts, Seaver, Carr, Green,' Richardson, Turner, andWidgery — 6. Jihode-Island. Vne. - H*>Hff*i>r»« ^^^^ Vermont Fisk, Shaw, and Strong— 3. '^'^v .. ^ Connecticut. None. — ij.t^. NeW'York. Pond, Avfery, and Sage— 3. '^''^■': NeW' Jersey. Condit, and Morgan— -2. ^^'^ Pennsylvania. Seybert, Anderson, Brown, Ro. berU, Findley, Smilie, Lyle, Whitehill, Bard, Pa* vis, Lefevre, Hyneman, Piper, Lacock, Ci'aWford, and Smith — 16. Delaware. None. «^ *«X^ Maryland. Kent, Little, M'Kim, Ringgold, Brown, and Archer — 6» i:: M|5;i '1 I \ \ \ \ \ A 1 illMiiili^ I :!l:Ji ^•i»f ■ r .t /; I I , no mSTORY .OF THE WAm^ I, 111 ■■'': !', ■ ' Vtrainia, Nelson, Gbolton, Goodwyn, Nlewton, Taliaferro, Dawson, Bassett, Smith, Hawes, Roane, M'Koy, Pleasants, Clopton, and BurwelU-14. JNorth-Carolitw. Alston, Blackledge, Macon, King, Cochran, and Pickens — 6. South'Carolina. Williams, d^ieves, Lowndw'S, Butler, Calhoun, Earle, Winn, and Moored. Georgia. Troup, Bibb, and Hali — 3. Kentucky, Johnson, D«ii>ha, New, M'Kee, and Orm«by— d. Tennessee. Rhea, Gnyidy, and Sevier — 3. / Ohio. Morrow — 1. I NAYS. ■■''' NeW' Hampshire. Bartlett, and Sullivan — 2. Massachusetts. Q,uiiicy, Reed, Taggart, Ely, Briffham, White, Tatlman, andWheaton— 8. Mhode'island. Potter, and Jackson — 2. 'j \erm.» ] Mo^tf^^- K^y* Goldsborough, and Stuart— 3. Viryinia. Randolph, Lewis, Baker, Brecken- ridge, and Wilson — 5. ISorlhrtaroliim' Pearson, M'Bryde, and Stan- ford— 3. ■ • ''"•' , .,,^.1 \ '-. Sauth^Cato^. None,,^ ;i-^ ".:..: iZ?(\ Gearyta. None. ^,,, ^uh^uO , ^,^^^,A ' ^. JTenfiicAy. None. *^. Tennessee, ^oue. *' Ohio. None. '^ Yeas, 79 ,hL -n yajohly for War, JNays, 49 ^,^^,^^ .v.v-«4f»Cl In Set TheE after its p which th« UN WHJEl by virtue < havedecla day of the the Unitet and the de of Americ I, JAMEI States of , all whom i on all pers the author! lant and u ly incident good peopi country; a from the vi the wrongs of injured means, urn abridging i in preservii tuining the supporting may be ad( obtaining a ■%^ • i ! IU8TOBY OP TUB WAR* 1M» Stan- ■r.i In Senate. Yeaa^ 19 . Nays, ia—T«l«l Majority, 36. ■ ■ \ <\mm>, .■■■" The Declaration of War, was announced tlie day after its passage, by the President's Fraclainatton, of which the idlltowiiig is a copy : — D*ni> ; ; > BY THE PRE8I0SMT Ot THE ';i.^(<^) ' UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. \)^ S0m(^i4 PROCLAMATION, ^,^,^^ WHflREAS the Congress of the United States, by virtue of the constituted authority vested in them, havedeclared by their act, bearing date the eighteenth day of the present month, that War exists between the United Kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland^ and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America, and their Territories : Now, therefore, I, JAMES MADISON^ President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the same to all whom it may concern ; and 1 do specially enjoin on all persons holding offices, civil or military, under the authority of the United States, that they be vigi- lant and zealous in discharging the duties respective- ly incident thereto : And I do moreover exliort all the good people of the United States, as they love their country ; as they value the precious heritage derived from the virtue and valor of their fathers ; as they feeX the wrongs which have forced on them the last resort of injured nations ; and as they consult the best means, under the blessing of Divine Providence! of abridging its calamities ; that they exert theoisetyes in preserving order, in promoting concord, in main- tuining the authority and efficacy of the laws, and in supporting and invigorating alt the measures which may be adopted by the constituted authorities, for obtaining a speedy, a just, and nii honorable peace. '! r !|!i|:i 1 ! I ■' h ' a 119 mSTORY OF THB WAS. In testimony whsrbof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the f United States to be affixed to these pres* sents. (SEAL) DONE at the City of Washington, the nine- teenth day of June one thousand eight hun- dred and twelve, and of the Indepebdence of the United States the thirty-sixtn. (Signed) JAMES MAPIPON. By the President, ji :. u..* i (Signed) tSSV\ KHi JAMES MONROE. Secretary cf State. 'hi;r ,';)«»w.it.i.i KJet/a ,biu 1*^3 I CHAPTER IV. , m >! vo.ij THE FIRST PRISONER. Was taken in Norfolk, Virginia. — A gentleman, by the name of fVilkinson, arrived in that place about the first of June, and put up at the British Censors. The citizens suspected him to be a British officer, and accordingly kept an eve itpon him. On the receipt of the Declaration of War, Wilkinson, as the mail boat was about to depart, was seen to make a precipitate retreat through the back street, which led from the Cousurs to the wharf, where the boat lay, when he sprang on board, darted into the cabin, and in a few seconds was under way. It was known that a man of war was hovering on the coast, and his intention was to communicate the declaration of war to her. Boats, from the navy yard and fort Nel- son, were immediately dispatched, which succeeded in taking Wilkinson. He proved to be a captain in the Royal Marines. ..,*... . ' "' ' ' 'if til h^h jMim mi fmfi Was the from. Gui cargo of t Wm.Ha To the i I trans of letters of State, Flenipote June I SIR, It has b your lettei receiveyei the Ameri iiion relati tween the sir, that it i letters whi office, to u remote ma ever be rea frankness, nently dist to belong t to discuss ^ But, sir, ing intofnl not but feel tious to mal I had a rig Uiem; and '^\ ■ HISTORY OF THE WAR. 11« tarn in THE FIRST PRIZE, Was the schoonttr Patriot, J. A. Brown, Master, firon^ Guadaloupe, Dound to Halifax, with a valuable cargo of sugar, taken by the revenue cutter Jefferson, Wm. Ham, Master, and arrived at Norfolk, June 26. PRESIDENTS MESSAGE. .To the Senate and Houlse of Ifepresentatives oftlte United /States. I transmit, for Ihc information of Congress, copies of letters which have passed between the Secretary of State, and the Envoy extraordinary and minister Plenipotentiary of Great-Britain. JAMES MADISON. June 15, 1812. Mr. Foster to Mr. Monroe. Washington June 10, 1812. SIR, It has been extremely satisfactory to me, to find by your letter dated June 6th, which I had the honor to receive yesterday morning, thstt it was not the wish of the American government to close all futher discus- sion relative to the important questions at issue, be- tween the two countries. I beg you to be assured, sir, that it never was my intention, in alluding to my letters which had remained without answer at your office, to use any expressions which could, in the most remote manner contain aiiy thing personal. I shall ever be ready with pleasure to bear testimony to that frankness, candor, and good temper which so emi- nently distinguish you, and have been acknowledged to belong to you, by all who have ever had the honor to discuss with you any question of public interest. But, sir, although you were not backward in enter- ing into fall explanations with me verbally, I could not butteel, particularly as I had just communication- tions to make to you of the greatest importance, that I had a right to expect from you a written reply to them ; and while I remembered that two of my form- 15 III \U<\ '• ". I'i • '■■f^. H i Ifilli I. iiji,li,i? 114 BISTOEY OV THE WAR. 1,1 I ' • > er notes were still unanswered, the one written three mondis ago, cc»ntnining among other important top- icks a particular question which I was expressly )n> structed to put to you, as to whether you could point ,to any public act, on the part of the French govern- ment, by which.they had really revoked their Decrees, and the other furnishing strong evidence of the con- tinued existence of those very Decrees ; also, when I perceived that my note, communicating the duke of Bassano's report, which you knew was to be sent to you on the Istinst. was not waited for, but that a mes- sage wa|i transmitted by the Executive to Congress, which it seems contained a reference to an insulated passage in the despatch on which my note was found- ed, that if taken unconnected with what preceeded or followed, it might be liable to misconstruction,! could not avoid apprehending that no means of further ex- planation might be left open to qne. I beg you to be assured sir, that if I was embarras- sed by your demands of an explanation as to what appeared to you to be a difference between lord Cas- tlereagh's despatch, comnmnicated to you, and my note, it arose from the novelty of the demand, that seemed to involve an informality of proceeding, in which I could not feel myself justified in acquiescing. Had you, in making a reply to my. communication, asked me how far a repeal of the French Decrees was demanded by my government and as to whether a special repeal, as far as respected America, would be sufficient I should have had no hesitation in giv- ing you every satisfaction. Your note of the 6th instant has, by shewing that the door was not absolutely shut to a continuance of our diiscttssion, relieved me from further difficulty on this point. I have no hesitation, sir, in saying that Great-Bri- tain, as the case has hitherto stood, never did, nor never could engage, without the grossest injustice to herself and her allies, as well as to other neutral na- tions, to repeal her orders as affecting America alone, leaving th dition that ly, Ameri will recoil ures of del in those D ried on by regulutioni [ml by Fra novel and expected t forts to thr she menac might seek the exercii cannot enf But, sir, case; upor the late re been publii the face of whatever hi Youdra this instrun the high evi pagnys no considered but, sir, yo of Baasano' companyini ris, is not i letter, offer crees, upoi tionstoo, VI tion of pai The con brought for blockade o( letter you h required by m HISTORY OP T»E WAR. 116 leaving them in force against other states, npon con- dition that France would except, singly and special- ly, America from the operation of her Decrees. You will recollect, sir, that the Orders in Conncil are meas- ures of defence, directed against the system contained in those Decrees ; that it is a war of trade v^hich is car- ried on by France ; that what yon call the municipal regulations of France, have never been called munici- [mlby France herself, but are her main engines in that novel and monstrous system. It cannot, then, bo' expected that Great-Britain should renounce her ef- forts to throw back upon France the evils with. which she menaces Great.Britain, merely because France might seek to alleviate her own situation by waving the exercise of that part of her system which she cannot enforce. But, sir, to what purpose argfue npon a supposed case ; upon a state of thmgs not likely to occur, since the late report and senatus consultum which have . been published to the world, as it were, insultingly in the face of those who would contend that any repeal whatever had taken place, of the Decrees in question. You draw a comparison between the mode in which this instrument has appeared, and that which you call the high evidence of the repeal as stated in Mr. Cham- pagny s note : and it would almost seem as if you' considered the latter as the most authentic of the two ; but, sir, you cannot seriously contend that the duke of Baasano's report, with the senatus consultum ac- companying it^ published in the official paper at Pa- ris, is not a Very different instrument from the above letter, offering a mere provisional repeal of the De- crees, upon conditions utterly inadmissible : condi- tions too, which really formed of themselves a ques- tion of paramount importance. The condition then demanded, and which was brought forward so unexpectedly, was a repeal of the blockade of May, 1806, which Mr. Pinkney, in the letter you have referred me to, declared to have been required by America as indispensable in the view of 1\- ■^' ■ 1 i |! r.ii 1' ; ^ ' 1 i 1 1 J ill •'I ^■'1 ■'1- ^ ill 110 HMTORY OF THE WAR. her acU of intercourfie and noii-intercourtie, un well 08 a re|M'al of other blockades of a itimilar cliarncter, which were maintained b^ Great-Britain, to be found- ed nn strict maritime rig^hts. The conditions now annexed to the French de». mand ara much more extensive, and as I have shewn, includes a surrender of many other of the mo.4t estab- lished principles of the public law of nations. I cannot, I confess, see upon what ground you con- tend that the report of the duke of BasNano, anbrds no proof against any partail repeal of the French De- crees. The principles advanced in that report are general; there is no exception made in favor of America, and in the correspondence of Mr. fiarlow« as officially published, he seems to allow that he had no explanation respecting it. How can it, therefore, be considered in any other light than as a republica- tion of the Decrttes themselves ? whicht as it were to take away all ground fur any doubt, expressly ad- vances a doctrine that can only be put in practice on the high seas, namely, * that free ships shall make free goods/ since the application of such a principle to vessels in port is absolutely rejected under his con- tinental system. It is, indeed, iiyipossible to see how, under such circumstances, America can call upon Great-Britain to revoke her Orders in Council. It i^ impossible that she can revoke them at this moment, in common justice to herself and to herallies; but, sir, while un«< der the necessity of continuing them, she will be readv t« manage their exercise, so as to alleviate as much as possible, the pressure upon America ;. and it would give me great pleasure to cunt'er with you, 4t any time, upon the most advisable manner of pro- ducing that effect. I have the honor, &c, (Signed) AUGUSTUS J, FOSTEK, To the hon. Jam£8 Monroe, Sfc .1* • ■ 0j4l'/liiU -','#■ ^<.-i "lii ii . .. ^ ■> swer; anc ■'N r HISTORY OF THE WAA. U7 ^Rv SIR, Mr. Monroe to Mr. Foster. Obpaatmsnt of State, June 13, 1812., 1 am not aware that any letter of yours, on any. ftubject, on which the final decision of this govern- ment had not been communicated to you, has been suttered to remain without a prompt and written an- swer; and even in the cases thus supposed to have been settled, which you thought proper to revive, al- though no favorable change had taken place in the policy ox measures of your government, I have never tailed to explain to you informally, in early inter- views, the reasons which made it imperiously tiie du- ty of the United States to continue to afibrd, to their v'ljrhXa and interests, all the protection in their power. The acknowledgment of this on your part, was due to the frankness of the communications which have passed between us on the highly important subjects, on which we have treated, and I am happy to find by your letter of the 10th inst. that in relying on it, I. have not been disappointed. The impropriety of the demand made by your gov- ernment of a copy of the instrument of instructions given by the French government to its cruizers, aflter the repeal of the Berlin and Milan Decrees, was sufficiently shown ia Mr. Pinkuey's letter to the Mar- quis of Wellesley of the 10th of December, 1810,. and in my letters to you of the 23d July, 181 1, and 14th January last. It was for this reason that I thought it more suitable to refer you to those letters, for the answer to that demand, than to repeat it in a formal - communication. It excites, however, no small surprise, that you should continue to demand a copy of that instrument, ' or any new proof of the repeal of the French De- crees, at the very time that you declare tk»^ the proof which you demand, in the extent to which we have a right to claim the repeal, would not if afforded, ob- tain a corresponding repeal of the Orders in CnnMcil. This demand is the more extraordinary, when it is 1 ' W ^•tM lit 118 HIISTORY of tHE WAR. % !li.. i considered, that since the repeal of the Decrees, as it respects the United States, was announced, your gov- ernment has enlarged its pretensions, as to the condi- tions on which the Orders in Council should be re- pealed, and even invigorated its practicie under them. It is satisfactory to find that there has been no mis- apprehension of the condition, without which your ^o^ernroent refuses to repeal the Orders in Council. You admit that to obtain their repeal, in respect to the United States, the repeal of the French Decrees must be absolute and unconditional, not as to the United States only, but to all other neutral nations ; nor as far as they affect neutral commerce only, but as they operate internally and affect the trade in Bri- tish manufactures with the enenlies of Great-Britain. As the Orders in Council have formed a principal cause of the differences which unhappily exist be- tween our countries, a condition of their repeal, com- municated in any authentic document or manner, was entitled to particular attention ; and surely none could have so high a claim to it, as the letter from Lord Castlereagh to you, submitted by his authority to my view, for the express purpose of making that condi- tion, with its other contentSj known to this govern- ment. With this knowledge of the determination of your government, to say nothing of the other conditions annexed to the repeal of the Orders in Council, it is impossible for me to devise or conceive any arrange- ment consistent with the honor, the rights and inter- ests of the United States, that could be made the ba- sis or become the result of a conference on the subject. As the President nevertheless retains his solicitude to see a happy determination of any differences between the two countries, and wishes that every opportunity, however unpromising, which may possibly lead to it, should be taken advantage of, I have the honor to in- foi'iu you that I am ready to receive and pay due atten- tion to any communication or propositions having the object in view, which you may be authorised to make. rii T HISTORY OF THE WAR. 119 )Vern- Under existing circomstances, it is deemed most advisable, ip every respect, that this should be done in writing, as most susceptible of the requisite pre- cision, and least liable to misapprehension. Allow nie to add, that it is equally desirable that it should be done without delay. By this it is not meant to preclude any additional opportunity which may be afforded by a personal interview. I have the honor to be, 8f.c. (Signed) JAMES MONROE. /, Augustus J. Foster. ^. Mr. Foster to Mr. Monroe. j Washington, June 14, 1812. . SIR. ■ I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant. It is really quite painful to me to perceive, that not- withstanding the length of the discussions which have taken place between us, misapprehensions have again arisen respecting some of the most important features in tlie questions at issue between our two countries ; which misapprehensions, perhaps, proceeding from my not expressing myself sufficiently clear in my note of the 10th inst. in relation to one of those questions, it is absolutely necessary should be done away. I beg leave again lo state to you, sir, that it is not the operation of the French Decrees upon the British trade with the enemies of Great-Britain, that has ever formed a subject of discussion between us, and that it is the operation of those Decrees upon Great-Britain, through neutral commerce only, which has really been the point at issue. Had America resisted the effect of those Decrees in their full extent upon her neutral rights, we should never have had a difference upon the subject ; but while French cruizers continue to capture her ships under their operation, she seems to have been satisfied if those ships were released by special imperial mandates, issued as the occasion arose ; and she has chosen to call municipal an unex- I 1 1 m f I' '! •i r 1 ii I, , I ii' ,i I ^ 130 HISTORY OF THE WAH. ampled assuinplion of authority by France, in coun« tries not under French jurisdiction, and expressly in- vaded for the purpose ot' preventing their trade with England, on principles directly applicable to, if they could be enforced against America. I beg you to recollect, sir, tha^ if no revocation had been made of the Orders in Council, upon any repeal of the French Decrees, as hitherto shown by America to have taken place, it has not been the fault Of his jVIajesty's government. It was France, and afterr wards America, that connected the question relative to the right of blockade with that arising out of the Orders in Council. You well know that if these two questions had not been united together, the Orders in Council would have been, in 1810, revoked. How could it be expected that Great-Britain, in common justice to other neutral nations, to her allies, and to her- self, should qot contend for a full and absolute repeal of the Fi'ench Decrees, or should engage to make any particular concession in favor of America, when she saw tliat America would not renounce her d e- mand for a surrender with the Orders in Council of some of our most important maritime rights. Even to tliis day, sir, you have not explicitly stated in any of the letters to which you refer me, that the American government would expressly renounce asking for a revocation of the blockade of May 1806, and the other blockade alluded to in Mr. Pinkney's letter ; much less have I been able to obtain from you any disclaimer of the rights asserted by Fi'ance to impose upon the world the new maritime code pro> mulgated by France in the late republication of her Decrees, although I have, by order of my govern* ment, exjH'essly stated their expectation of su^li dis- claimer, and repeatedly called for an explanation en this point. • h.*j jjj I will now say that I feel entirely authorised to assure you that if you can, at any time, produce a full and unconditional re|>eal of the French Decrees, as you have a right tp demand it in your rhnmcter of a neutral n\ connectio rights, W( tion of th( ducing su you regar give up 01 In refei letter in ai only say, t it imposibl consistent United St sure of the America, if we conlcl might have under the ii her own w teresl of A the incider that their re France to ^ crees, and i those measi breaking ol retaliatory tial and pro necessities < his Majesty would have of America ever, and fn felt encoura arising out t merely agai Great-Bntai forced, in be terest to rela '>ine that ret m\ '■ I HISTORY OF TUB WAtL 121 le pro- of her neutral nation, and that it be disengaged from any connection with the question concerning our niaritim* rights, we shall be ready to meet you with a revoca* tion of the Orders in Council. Previous to your pro* (lucing such an instrument, which I am sorry to ste you regard as unnecessary, you cannot expect of us to give up our Orders in Council. In reference to the concluding paragraph of your letter in answer to that in mine of the lOth inst I will only say, that I am extremely sorry to find yon think, it impusible to devise or conceive any arrangement consistent with the honor, rights, and interests, of the United States, which might tend to alleviate the pres- sure of the Orders in Conncil on the commerce of America. It would have given me great satisfaction if we could have fallen upon some agreement that might have had such effect. My government, while under the imperious necessity uf resisting France with her own weapons, most earnestly desires that the in- terest of America may suffer as little as possible from the incidental efiect of the conflict. They are aware that their retaliatory measures have forced the ruler of France to yield in some degree from his hostile De*- crees, and whether it were more advisable, to push those measures rigorously on until they complete the breaking of it up altogether (the main object of our I'etaliatory system) or to take advantage of the par- tial and progressive retractions of il, produced by the necessities of the enemy, has been a question with his Majesty's government. It is oiieon wiiith they would have been most desirous to consult the interest of America. Under existing circumstances, how- ever, and from our late communications, I have not felt encouraged to make you any written' proposal arising out uf this state of things ; I shall, therefore, merely again express to you, that as the object of Great-Britain has been throughout to endeavor^ whilp forced, in behalf of her most important rights and in- terest to retaliate upon the French Decrees, to com- '>jne that retaliation with the greatest possible degree 16 K > } I .A. ii f f 122 HISTORY or THC WAR. of attention to the interest of America, it would give his Majesty's government the most sincere satisfaction if some arrangement could be found which would have so desirable an effect. I have. &c. t; (Signed) AUGUSTUS J. FOSTER. To the lion. James Monroe, &c. PllESIDENT'S MESSAGE, To the Senate und House of BepresetUatives of the United States. : 1 communicate to Congress copies of a letter to the Secretary of state, from the charge d'affairs of the United States at London, and of a note to him from the British Secretary for foreign affairs. ■.; Uiii,U& ?«■, -STi «" § Mr. Bussell to the Secretary of State. '>i{* i«i{i London, May 2, 1812. fp SIR— After closing the duplicate of my letter to you of the 26th ult. I discovered the copy of the note of lordCastlereaghto meofthe 21st ult. had been left ont by mistake. I take the liberty of novt' handing it to you. To the hon. James Monroe, 8fC. . •! [Enclaned in the above.] *nl1ie undersigned, his Majesty's principal Secretary of state for foreign affairs,. is commanded by his Roy- al Highness, the Prince Regent, to transmit to iVi r. Russell, charge d'affairs of the government of the United States of America, the enclosed copy, uf a declaration accompanying an Order in Council which Jias been this day passed by his Royal Highness, the Prince Regent in Council. The undersigned is commanded by the Prince Re- gent to request that Mr. Russell, in making this communication to his government, will represent this measure as conceived in the true spirit of conciliation, and with a due regnrd, on the part of his Royal X ^v luld give itistuction ouldhave )TER. 1!! ^ but tbey do consider it their must imperious duty to protect themselves from the unjust operation of the unprecedented measure of retaliation professed by both powers, to be founded on such violation. In this operation, by whichever party directed, the Unit- ed States have never for a moment acquiesced, nor by the slightest indication of such acquiescence, afllbrd- ed a pretext, for extending to them the evils, by which England and France affect to retaliate on eacn other. They have in no instance departed from the observ- ance of that strict impartiality which their peaceful position required, and which ought to have secured to them the unmolested enjoyment of their neutrality. To their astonishment, however, they perceived that both these belligeretit powers, under the pretence of annoying each other, adopted and put in practice new principles of retaliation, involving the destruction of those commercial and maritime rights which the Unit- ed States regard as .essential and inseparable attri- butes of their independence. Although alive to all the injury and injustice of this system, the American government resorted to no measures to oppose it, which were not of the most pacific and impartial character in relsttion to both Uie aggressors. Its re- monstrances, its restrictions, of commercial inter'*' course, and its overtures for accommodation, were equally addressed to England and France : and if there is now an inequality iu the relations of the Unit- ed States with these countries, it can only be ascrib- ed to England herself, who rejected the terms proffered to both, while France accepted them, and who continues to execute her retaliatory Edicts on the high seas, while those of France have here ceased to operate. If Great-Britain could not be persuaded by consid- erations of universal equality, to refrain from adupt- iuiT any line of conduct, however unjust, forwhich she mi^ht discover a precedent in the conduct of her en- emy, or to a'andoii an attempt orrcniotuly and unceri taiuly amioyiiig that enemy througli the iiuuiediatQ niSTORT OF THE WAH. 125 )Ose it> I partial lis re- l inter* I, were and if ITnit- jascr.b- terms [n, and icts on Iceased :onsid- [adopt- lich she ier en- |uncer-> lediatQ and sure destruction of the vital interest of a neutral and unoffending state, yet it was confidently expected that she would be witlings to follow that enefmy also in his return towards justice, and, firom a respect to her own declarations, to proceed part passu with him in the revocation of the offending^ Edicts. This just «xpectation has, however, been disappointed, and an exemption of the flag^ of the United States from the operation of the Berlin and Mdan Decrees, has pro- duced no corresponding modification of the British Orders in Council. On the contrary, the fact of such exemption on the part of France, appears, by the de- claration and Order in Council of the British govern- ment on the 2l8t of this nionth, to be denied, land the engagements of the latter, to proceeds step by step, with its enemy, in the work of repeal and relaxation, to be disowned of disregarded. That France has repealed her Decrees so far a^ they respected the United States, has been established by declarations and facts, satisfactory to them, aUd which it was presumed should have been equally sat^ isfactory to the British government. A formal and authentic declaration of the French government com- municated to the minister plenipotentiary of the Unit- ed States at Paris, on the 5th of August, 1810, aa- nounced that the Decrees of Berlin and Milan were revoked, and should cease to operate un the Ist of th^ succeeding November, provided that a condition prer sented to England, or another condition presented to the United States should be performed. The condi- tion presented to the Untted States was |)erformed', and their performance rendered absolute the repeal of the Decrees. So far therefore, from this repeal dependnig upon a couditiou in which Great-Britain could not acquiesce, itbeciime absolute, independent of any act of Great-Britain, the moment the act pro- posed for the performance of the United States was accom[>lisi^d. Such was the construction given to this measure by tlie United Siites from the first ; and that )t wiis a correct one has been sufHoieutly evinced by the subsequent practice. ■nj tl! i. 1 \.i\ hm w 126 HISTORY OF THE VVAK. ^il Sever&\ instances of the acquittal of American ves- sels and cargoes, to which the Decrees wouUI have attached, If »ti 11 in force as^ainst the United States, have, from time to time, been presented, to his Brit- tannic Majesty's government. That these cases have been few, is to be ascribed to the few captures, in consequence of this repeal, made by French cruiz ers : and should no other buch case occur, it would be owing to the efiicacy of this repeal, and to the exact observance of it, even by the most wanton and irreg- ular of those cruizers. From the 1st of November, 1810, to the 29th of January of the present year, as appears by a note which 1 had the honor to address to the predecessor of your lordship, on the 8th of'Februury last, the Ber- lin and Milan Decrees had not been applied to Amer- ican property, nor have 1 heard that such application has since been made. But against the authentic act of the French govern- ment of the dih of August, 1810, and the subsequent conduct of the government mutually explaining each other, and conforming the construction adopted by the United States, a report said to be communicated by the French minister of forei<^n affairs to the con- servate senate, is opposed. Without pretending to doubt the genuineness of that report, although it has reached this country only in a newspaper, yet it is to be lamented thatas much form and evidence of authenti- city have not been required, in an act considered as furnishing cause for the continuance of the Order'* in (Bouncil, as an act which by the very terms of the«e Orders challenged their revocation.— The act of the 6th of August, 1810, emanating from the sovereign of France, ofhcially communicated to the British govern- ment, and satisfactorily expounded and explained by tl«e practical comments of more than eighteen months, IS denied to alford convincing evidence of the repeal of the French Decees, while i'wW proof of their con- tinuance is inlerrjd IVoni a report, whi<;1i, from its S'ery nature, must contain the mere opinions and spe- vCJ'iKj J;;'3lij>.;rM/ig "»ti cnlatic ity unt sented, authen and foi nient J thus asi discove it incon conduci United very exi who do undoubt Slates, (1 of that re France t Decrees terms en meaning the enga justice ar Your I acknowh in this Jig ^he same 1810, by present Fi the count to Ihe emr not to be c Jis Englan long vonr ' the Been the Orders to speak, < them for h( PHlladium i,^uage is a. i^ larch and I'!!' *r= M HISTOItY CF THE WAR. I2t ves- have tiltes, Brit- cases lures, cruiz lid be exact irreg- 9lh of i note jcessor le Ber- Amer- iication govern- sequenl ig each fpleil by inicaled phe con- iding to ;h it has ft is to be [uthenti- lered as irder* in |of these of the Ire^.gn of igovern- ined by [monihs, 3 repeal ir con- tVoin i*s ind spe- culations of a subject which is destitute of all author- ity until acted upun by the body to which it was pre- sented, which has found its way hither in no more authentic shape than the columns of the Moniteur, and for the proper understanding of which not a mo- ment has been allowed. — But even were the cause thus assigned to the i-eport just, it is still difficult to discover what inference can be fairly deduced from it incompatible with the previous declarations and conduct of the French government exempting the United Stales from the operation of its Decrees. The very exception in that report with regard to nations who do not suffer their flag lo be denationalized, was undoubtedly made with reference lo the United Slates, and with n view to reconcile the general tenor of that report with the good faith with which it became France to observe the conventional repeal of those Decrees in their favor. However novel may be the terms employed, or whatever may be their precise meaning, they ought to be interpreted to accord with the engagements of the French government, and with justice and good faith. Your lordship will, I doubt not, the more readily acknowledge the propriety of considering the report ia this light, by a riefcrence to similar reports made to the same conservative senate, on the 13th of Dec. 1810, by the duke of Cadore (the predecessor of the present Fr-^nch minister of exterior relations) and by the count dc Simonville. In these reports they say to Ihe emperor, (which proves that such reports are not to be considered as dictated by him) * Sire, as long us England shall perist in her Orders in Council, so long your Majesty will persist in your Decrees,' and ' the Decrees of Berlin and Milan are an answer to the Orders in Council. I'he British cnbinet, has, thuM to speak, dictated them to France. Europe receives tliem for her code, and this code shall become the palladium of the liberty of the seas.' Surely this lan- «(uage is as strong as that of Ihe report of the 10th, of iMarch and still more absoU'te ; torthei'e is no quaii- :1( m \< ' .'i 128 HISTORY OF THE WAR. * fication in it in favor of any nation; this lanforuage has bolb, by ai; explanation of the duke of Cadore to inc at the- same time, and by the uniform conduct of the French government since, been reconciled with the repeal of these Decrees, so far as they concerned the United States. Had the French Decrees originally afforded an adequate foundation fur the British Orders in Council, and been continued after tliese reports, in full force, iind extent, surely durini*' a period in which above a hundred American vessels and their cargoes have faU Icn a prey to these Orders, some one solitary instance of capture and coutiscation niUNlhave happened under those Decrees. That no such instance his happened incontrovertibly proves either that those Decrees aro of themselves harmless, or that they have been repeal- ed; and in either case they can afford no rightful plea or pretext for Great-Britain, for these measures uf pre- tended retaliation, whose sole eflect is to lay waste the neutral commerce of America. With the remnant of those Decrees, which is still in force, and which consists of municipal regulations, coniined in their operation within the proper and un- deniable jurisdiction of the States where they areexe^ cuted the XJ*^'^^^ States have no concern ; nor do they acknowIc^g^<^ themselves to be under any politi- cal obligation, cither to examine into the ends {impos- ed to be attained by this surviving portion of the con- tinental system* ov to oppose their accomplishment. Whatever may be intended to be done in regard to other nationsby this system, cannot be imputed to the United States, nor are they to be made responsible, while they religiously observe the obligations of their neutrality for the mode in which belligerent nations may choose to exercise their power, for the injury of each other. When, however, these nations exceed thejust limits of their power by the invasion of the rights of peaceful states on the ocean which is subject to the common and equal jurisdiction of all nations, the United States cannot remain indifferent, and by 3ttietly i iction, respecte Edicts Edicts ii and of c to acquii to contei spect for ration of empuon OrderLS, i applied t that they the Deer taliate. It is wi States ha believed tions of ri ed to yoi therefore, fessing to her intent until some by the Fr andMilai] repealed. States int compatibl is due to t to falsify t tion with t ed by abu ance, and ,cy of that its mode o with the re suj>posed t I I f Ill HISTORY OF THE WAR. 130 ropos- le con- ment. arti to to the nsible, i their lalions jury of xceed the ubject aliens, nd by Stiietly Consenting to yield up their share of this juris- iction, abandon their maritime right8.-^France has respected these rights by the discontinuance of her Edicts on the high seas ; leaving no part of these Edicts in operation to the injury of the United States; and of course, no part in which they can be supposed to acquiesce, or against which they can be required to contend. They ask Great-Britain, by a like re- spect for their rights, to exempt them from the ope- ration of her Orders in Council. Should such ex- emp'.ion involve the total practical extinction of these Ordert\ it will only prove that they were exclusively applied to the commerce of the United States, and that they had not a single feature of resemblance to the Decrees, against which they are professed to re- taliate. It is with patience and confidence that the United States have expected this exemption, and which they believed themselves entitled, by all those considera- tions of right and promise, which I have freely stat- ed to your lordship. With what disappointment, therefore, must they learn that Great-Britain, in pro- fessing to do away their disaffection, explicitiv avows her intention to persevere in her Orders in Council, until some authentic act hereafter to be promulgated by the French government, shall declare the Berlin and Milan Decrees are expressly and unconditionally repealed. To obtain such an act can the United States interfere? Would such -an interference be compatible either with a sense of justice or with what is due to their own dignity ? Can they be expected to falsify their repeated declarations ot their satisfac- tion With the act of the dth of August, 1810, confirm- ed by abundant evidence of its subsequent observ- ance, and by now affecting to doubt of the sufficien- cy of that act, to demand another, which in its form, its mode of publication, and its import, shall accord with the requisitions ot Great-Britam ? And can it be supposed that the French govcrniyient would listen to 17 \r' [mi III i lau UlS'l'OHY QV THB WAK. ;k IS f: ■'! Ill such a proposal made under such circumslances^ and with such a vieW? i n^ii. iMbftnn . . i i. While, therefore, I can perceive no reason, in the re|)ortof the French minister, of the lOkh of March, to believti that the United States erroneously assumed the repeal of the French Decrees, to be complete in relation to them ; while aware that the condition of which the Orders in Council is now distinctly made to dependvis the total repeal of both the Berlin and Mi- lan Decrees, instead as formerly of the Berlin Decree only ; and while I feel that to ask the performance of this condition from otheis, inconsistent with the honor of the United States, and to perform it them^^ selves beyond their power ; your lordship will per- mit me frankly to avow thai 1 cannot accompany the communication to mv government, of the declaration and Order in Council of the 21st of this month, with any felicitation on the prospect which this measure presents of an accellerated return of amity and mu< tual confidence between the two states. It is with real pain that I make to your lordship this avowal, and I will seek still to confide in the spint which your lordship in your note, and in the conversation of this morning, has been pleased to say actuates the councils of his Royal Highness in rela« tion to America, and still to cherish a hope th&i. the spirit will lead, upon a review of the whole ground, to measures of a nature better calculated to attain '..ois object, and that this object will no longer be made tu depend on the conduct of a third power, or contingen- cies over which the United States have no controul, but alone upon the rights of the United States, the justice of Great-Britam, and the common interests of both. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) JONATHAN RUSSELL. mA '.- rli-f'^-' , ,-- ** *■_ M ji At the April, 18 Regent i Whri cial repoi affairs to March It nf that g( in the ma the mariti British en independc plainly de that systei and Milan And wl his reading thereupon, should be i the commc tomed cou His Ro; to give till ness' dispo Majesty 8 ) the behalf of his Maj« and it is he time herea some anthe promujgati pealed, the Council of Order in ( shall, witht hereby dec HISTORY OF THE WAR. lai \The foUowing Order in Council should have been inserted in pat/e 123.] I'M.. '. OUDER IN COUNCIL. At the Court at Garlton-HoiMe, the 21 «t dny of April, 1812, present his Ruyul Highness the Prince Reiifent in Council. WHBRBASthe government of France has, by anofii« cial report, cummunicated by its minister of Foreign affairs to the conservative Senate, on the 10th of March last, removed all doubts as to the perseverance of that government in the assertion of principles, and in the maintenance of a system, not more hostile to the maritime rights and commerci^^l interest of the British empire, than inconsistent with the rights and independence of neutral nations, and has thereby plainly developed the inordinate pretensions which that system, as promulgated in the Decrees of Berlin and Milan, was from the tirst designed to enforce. And whereas his Majesty bus invariably profr^sed his readiness to revoke the Orders In Council udo[>ted thereupon, as soon as the said Decrees of the enemy should be formally and unconditionally repealed, and the commerce of neutral nations restored to its nccus-* tomed course : > His Royal Highness the Prince Regent (nnxious to give the most decisive proof of His Royul High- ness' disposition to perform the engagements of his Majesty s government) is pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, and by and with the advice of his Majesty's Privy Council, to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared that if, at any^ time hereafter, the Berlin and Milan Decrees shall by some authentic act of the French government, poijlicly promulgated, be absolutely and unconditionally re- pealed, then, and from thenceforth, the Ordep in Council of the 7th day of January, 1807, and the Order in Council of the 26th day of April, 180», !)hall, without arty further order, be, and the same arc hereby declared from thenceforth to be wholly and II i; i 1^ iJi ill' I ■ f i,i '•!i lii ! I :!1 Ti 132 HISTORY OF THE WAR. absolutely revoked ; and further, that tlie full benefit of this order shall be extended to any ship or cargo captured subsequent to such authentic act of repeal of the French Decrees, although antecedent to such repeal such ship or vessel shall have oommenoed and shall have been in the prosecution of a voyage which, under the said Orders in Council,, or one of them, would have subjected her to capture and condeinna- tion ; and the claimant of any ship or cargo which shall be captured or brought to adjudication, on ac- count of any alleged breach of either of the said Or- ders in Council, at any time subsequent to such au- thentic act of repeal by the French government, shall without any further Order or Declaratipn on the part ,af his Majesty's government on this subject, be at lib- erty to giveinevidence in the high C^mrts of ^dini- ralty» or any Court of Vice- Admiralty* before which such ship or cargo shall be brought for adjudication, that such repeal by tl^e Frenph gqverniqeut had been, by such authentic act, promulgated prior to. jsuch capture ; and upon proof thereof, the voyage shall be deemed and taken to have been a^ lawful as if the said Orders in Council had never been made : saving, nevertheless, to the paptors, such protection and in- demnity as they may be equitably entitled to in the judgment of the said Court, by reason pf their ignor- ance, of unpertaiiity as to. the repeal of the French Decrees, or of the recognition qf such repeal by his Majesty's government at the time of such capture. His iioyal Highness, bqwever, deems it proper to declare, that should the repeal, pf the French Decrees, thus anticipated and provided for, prove {^tterwards to have been illusory on the part of the enemy ; and should tl|e restrictions thereof be still practically en- forced, or revived by the enemy; Great-Britaiu will be compelled^ however reluctantly, aftt^r reasonable iiotice, to have recourse to such measures of retalia- tion as may then appear to be ju^t and necessary. And the Right Huiiorable the lords commission- ers ot'his Majesty's treasury, his Majesty's principi^^ HISTORY OF THB WAR. 133 Secretaries of state, the lords Comniis.sion6rs of the Admiralty, and the Judges of the hig^h Coivrt of Adi» miralty, and the Judges of the Courts of Vice- Admi- ralty, are to take the necessary measures therein as to them shall respectively appertain. CHETWYND. Previous to the Declaration of War, Gen. Hull, with about two thousand men, was ordered to proceed to Detroit. — ^The army arrived at the head of Lake Erie, about the time war was declared ;. and several officers, and ladies, with the baggage of the General Officers, proceeded down the Lake to Detroit, in a gun vessel.— >The British received the news of the war before Gen. Hull, and sent a brig in pursuit of his baggage, which succeeded in capturing her, and carried her into Maiden.-^— The British commander sent the ladies over to Detroit, in a flag of truce, which was the first intelligence they had received oi' the war. , .. •-.;'.-i/„p Gen. Hull, after concentrating his forces, at Detroit, crossed over the river to Sandwich, and issued the following singular General Order. _ . 1 ^i .»- ^T^ ft s'M'tf; BY WIT.LIASI HUI«L, Brigadier General and Commander of the A'bWA' Western ^rmy of the . United States f ~ -♦ A PROCLAMATION. b^;: Inhabitants op Caii^aii^! -ft-'rAk^ ivKi,«;-,;nri.' After thirty years of peace and prosperity, tlie United Slates have been driven to arms. The injur ries and aggressions, the insults and indignities of Oreat-Britain have once more left them no alterna- live but manly resistance, or unconditional submis^; sion. The army under nay command has invaded your country \ the standard of the Onion now waves over the territory of Canada. To the peaceable un- offending inhabitant, it brings neither danger nor dif- ficulty. I come tu tind enemies, not to make themr I come to protect, not to injure you. i 1' ■ i 1 i i ( ; I 1 . \M , I Hi i ■ \i 11 V ill if :^] "hi ■ !l i: 1 , 1 S 1^ ^U^a 184 HISTORY OF THE WAR. ' Separated by an immense ocean and an extensive wilderness from Great-Britain, you have no partici> pation in her councils, no interest in her conduct V ou have felt her tyranny, you have seen her injus- tice. But I do not ask you to avenge the one, or to redress the other. The United States are sufficiently powerful to afford every security, consistent with their ri^ts and your expectations. ( tender you the in- valuable blessing of civil, political and religious lib- erty, and their necessary result, individnal and gen- eral prosperity ; that liberty which gave decision to our councils, and energy to our conduct in a struggle for independence, which conducted us safely and triumphantly through the stormy period t^T the revo- lution — that liberty which has raised us to an elevated rank among the nations of the world ; and which af- forded us a greater measure of peace and security, of wealth and improvement, than ever fell to the lot of any people. In the name of my country, and the authority of government, I promise you protection to your persons, property and rights ; remain at yotu* homeiB ; pursue your peaceful and customary avoca- tions ; raise not your hands against your brethren. Many of your fathers fought for the freedom and in<- dependence we now enjoy. Being children therefore of the same family with us, and heirs to the same heritage, the arrival of an army of friends must be hailed by you with a cordial welcome. — You will he emancipated from tyranny and oppression, and re- stored to the dignified station of freedom. — Had I any doubt of eventual success, I might ask your as- sistance, but I do not. I come prepared for every contingency — I have a force which will break down all opposition, and that force is but the van-guard of a much greater .--If, contrary to your own interest and the just expectations of my country, you should take part in the approaching contest, you will be considered and treated as enemies, and the hon-ors and calamities of •war will stalk before you. If the barbarous and sav- age policy of Great-Britain be pursued, amUhesavn- ■'! HISTORY OF THE WABi 135 )ur as- g^sarelet loose to murder our citizens and butcher our women and children, this war nriU be a nvar of extermination. The first stroke of the tomahawk--* the first attempt with the scalping kiiife, will be th«! signal of one indiscriminate scene of desokttion. No white man found fighting by the side of an Indian will be taken prisoner — instant death will be his lot. If the dictates of reason, duty, justice, and humanity, cannot prevent the employment of a force which re* spects no rights, and knows no wrong, it will be pre* vented by a severe and relentless system of retaliation. i doubt not your courage and fimtness — I will not doubt your attachment to liberty. If you tender your services voluntarily, they will be accefited read* ily. The United Stales offer you peace, libeirty, and security. Your choice lies between these and war« slavery and destruction. — Choose then; but choose wisely ; and may He who knows the justice of our cause, and who holds in his hand the fate of nations, g:uide you to a result the most compatible with your rights and interests, your peace and huppiness. ' By the General, A. P. HULL, Captain of the IQth United States* regiment qflnr fantry, and Aid'de^anya. ¥ Head-Quarters, Sandmichf Jufy 12, 1812; WILLIAM HULL. . On the 10th of July, Colonels Cass and Miller, at* tempted to surprise a British post, 300 strong, at a bridge about five miles from Maiden. — They were discovered by the British, and after a slight skirmish. the British retreated, leaving eleven men killed and wounded, on the tield ; our troops returned to head* quarters, at Sandwich, and the British re-posted them* selves again, at the bridge. On the 19th and i4\h there was considerable skirmishing, with trifling suc- cess, on either side — our loss was six men kill^ and HTQunded — the British and Indians, lo»t sixteen killed, and several wounded. iiii ti ;i "l i 1 ! - t iii 1 ! I t r 1 '1 i! J U ) ■ i 136 HISTORY OF THE VfAVi. i 4 i ^iii 1 5 -!! \ i Hi! Soon after General Hull had crossed from Detroit, into Canada, and had issued his Proclamation, the greater part of the Militia of the neighboring' country gave themselves up to his protection, or relumed home peaceably, resolving to stand neutral, in the contest. — .Large bodiesof the Savage tribes offered their services to Gen. Hull, previous to his leaving Detroit, but he informed them that he was not autho- lised to accept them, and wished them to remain si- lent spectators, and not engage on either side ; but this was not their choice they immediately crossed overto Maiden, where they were accepted, and put into service by the British ; which circum- stance contributed largely to overthrow Gen. Hull, as will be seen by his oiHcial account of the suri^ender of Detroit and Michigan Territory, which we gi' e tit full length, with the remonstrance against his con- duct, of several officers under his command. Capt. Hull's Letter to the Secretary of THE Navy. United Hiates Fr^ate Coiistitution,\ Jd-Bi "i off Boslm LighU AugrdQy 1812. j €IR~I have the honor to inform you, that on the lOtli instant, at 2 p. m. being in latitude 41, 42, longitude 55, 48, with the Constitutioii, under my c(;.:imancl, u sail was discovered from the mast-head bearing E. by S. or £. S. £. but at such a distance we could not tell what she was. All sail was instantly made in chase, and soon found mo came up with her. At 3 P. M. could plainly see that she was a ship on the star* board tack, under easy sail, close on a wind ; at half past 3 P. M. made her out to be a Frigate ; continued the chase until we were within about three miles, when I ordered the light sails taken in, the courses hauled •up, and the ship cleared for action. At this time the chase had backed his main-topsail, waiting for us to come down. As soon as the Constitution was leudy for a^'tion, I bore down witli an intention to bring him to close a gun-shot wore, gi without € wearing ; an hour, could not and gib, made sail utes betbi tol shot, \ guns, dot well dire< in 15 min his main-; sails, very with equa tnain-mosl spar, exce ed firing, s side the ei standing, shattered, ried her d< After in riere, com had been t ces, so as t the short s| of the gall ship's com remains, tl fought wit pleasure to to the oldes all >yent in ing to be \\ Enclose! led and w( report of tl HISTORY OF THE WAR. 137 to close actio immediately ; but on our coming within gun-shot she gave us a broadside, and filed away, and wore, giving us a broadside On the other tack, but without effect ; her shot falling short. She continued wearing and manoeuvring for about three quarters of an hour, to get a raking position, but finding she could not, she bore up, and run under her top-sails and gib, with the wind on the quarter. Immediately made sail to bring the ship tip with her, and 5 min- utes before six, p. M. being along side within half pis- tol shot, we commenced a heavy fire from all our guns, double shotted with round and grape, and so well directed were they, and so warmly kept up, that in 15 minutes his mizen-mast went by the board and his main-yard in the slings, and the hull, rigging, and sails, very much torn to pieces. The fire was kept up with equal warmth for 15 minutes longer, when his main-mast and foremast went, taking with them every spar, excepting the bowsprit : on seeing this we ceas- ed firing, so that in 30 minutes after we got fairly along- side the enemy, she Surrendered, and had not a spar standing, and her hull, below and above water, so shattered, that a few more broadsides must have car- ried her down. After informing you that so fine a ship as the Gur- riere, commanded by an able and experienced officer, had been totally dismasted, and otherwise cut to pie- ces, so as to make her not worth towing into port, in the short space of 30 minutes, you can have no doubt of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and ship's company I have the honor to command ; it only remains, therefore, for me to assure you, that they all fought with grepl bravery ; and it gives me great pleasure to say, that from the smallest boy in the ship to the oldest seaman, not a look of fear was seen. They all went into action, giving three cheers and request- ing to be laid close along side the enemy. Enclosed I have the honor to send yOu a list of kil- led and wounded on board the Constitution, and a report of the damages she has sustained ; also a list 18 !• m m^ i)i.-a'/ 138 HISTORY OF THE WA». ' ^■/i! M' l. ^■I'l of the killed and wounded on board the enemy, ivith his quarter bill, &c. 1 have the honor to be^ with very great respect, sir, your obedient servant, ISAAC HULL. To tho hon. Paul Hamilton^ ^c. Return of Killed and Wounded on board tlie U. & FrUfate CONSTITUTION. i » 5 Killed. Seven. , .. .;>!-,ii .. Wounded. Seven* > : Total. killed and wounded Fourteen. - >' List of Kitledf Wounded, and missina, on board the GVERRIERE, Killed. Fifteen. .M Wounded. Sixty-two. t .... .,.» Missing. Twenty-four.* Total killed, wounded, and missing, 101. ■' 'i.i' .M'l ORDERS IN COUNCIL REVOKED. At the Court at Carlton House, the 2dd day of June, present, his Royal Highness, the Prince Re- gent in Council. u .s I 'u>5; A Whereas his Royal Highness, the Prince Regent was pleased to declare, in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, on the 21$ t of April, 1812, * That if at any time hereafter, the Berlin and Milan Decree* shall by some authentic act of the French government, publicly promulgated, )e absolutely and uncondition- ally repealed, then, ar.d from thence, the Order in Council of the 7lh of Jmuary, 1807, and the Order in Council of the 26lh Oi' April, 1809, shall without any further order, be, and the same are hereby declar- ed from thenceforth to be wholly and absolutely re- voked.* * Supposed to have gone overboard with the masts. HISTORY OF IHE WAR. 189 !cree» jrnment, Indition- Irder in Order without declar- itely re- lasis. And whereas the charf^e d'afFHJi's of the United States of America, resident at this Court, did, on the 21l^ day of May last, transmit to lord viscount Cnstle- reagh, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries, a copy of a certain instrument, then fur the first lime communicated to this Court, purporting to be a De- cree passed >>y the government of France, on the 28th day of April, 1811, hy which the Decrees of Berlin ana Milan are declared to be definitely no longer in force in regard to American vessels : And whereas his Royal Highness, the Prince Re- gent, although he cannot consider the tenur of said instrument as satisfying the conditions set forth in the said Order of tiie 21st of April last, upon which the said Orders were to cease and determine, is neverthe- less disposed, on his part, to take such measures as may tend to re-establish the intercourse between neu- tral and belligerent nations, upon its accustomed prin- ciples, his Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, is therefore pleased, by and with the advice of his Majesty's privy council, to order and declare, and it is hereby order- ed and declared, that the Order in Council bearing date the 7th day of January, 1807, >«,nd the Order in Council bearing date the 26th day of April, 1809, be revoked, so far as may regard American vessels ai^d their cargoes, being American property, from the 1st day of August next. But whereas by certain acts of the government of the United States of America, all British armed ves- sels areexcluded from the harbors and waters of the said United Stales, the armed vessels of France being permitted to enter therein, and the commercial inter- course between Great-Britain and the said United Stfttes is interdicted, the commercial intercourse be- tween France and the said United States having been restored : his Royal Highnoss, the Prnice Regent is pleased hereby further to declare, in the name^nd on the behalf of his Majesty, that if the governneiit of the said United States shall not as soon as may be. '] 'i\ ^^i \ 1 ( r 1 1 t ^ ■ i 1 ;: iy 1 j > ) 1 • ■ '1 i k ! \%\'\ I .i: : 140 HISTOP .Y or TUB WAB. ii I'l I ii ' # hff ■Hi I ii : after this order shall have been duly notified by his Majesty's minister in America to the said government, revoke or cause to be revoked the said acts, this pre> sent Order shall, in that case, after clear notice signi- fied by his Majesty's minister in America, to the said government, be thenceforth null and of no effect. It is further ordered and declare■'■ Lb QlM \i 143 HISTOBY OF THB WAR. t!(. (;: iP ^11 II ! \' \ I. formfttioh on any potntH, aboat which you may think proper to enquire. I am, very respectfully, , . i: u 7. Your most obedient servant, WILMAMHULL. J/ofi. W. Fmstist Skcretary of tin / hpartment of War. THE DISPATCH. Fort George, August 26, 1812. SIR — Inclosed are the articles ot' capitulation, by which the Fort of Detroit has been surrendered to Major-Generai Brock, commanding his Britannic Majesty's forces in Upper Canada, and by which die troops h«ve become prisoners of war. My situa- tion at present forbids me from detailing the particu- lar causes whidi have led to this unfortunate event. I will, however, generally observe, that after the sur- render of if tchi(imackinac, almost every tribe and ptition ofliNUans, excepting a pait of the Miamies and tit lawares, north from beyond Lake Superior, west froui 'beyond the Mississippi, «onth from tne Ohio and Wabasfi, and east irom every part of Upper Canada, and iVom'all the intermediate country, joined in open hostility under the British standard, ag«inst the army I commanded, contrary to the most solemn assuran- ces of a large portion of them to remain neutral j even the Ottawa Chiefs from Arbeorotch, who form- ed the dellegationto Washington the last summer, in -Whose friendship I know yon had great confidence, are among the hostile tribes, and several of Uiem dis- tinguished 4e«dePs. Amonf the vast number of chiefs vfho led the hostile bands, Tecumseih, Maiiplot, Lo. gan, Walk-Tn4he-water, i^plit-Log, &c. are consider- ed the principals. This niuneroiis assemblage of savages, under the entire inikwnce and direction of the Brvlish commander, enabled him totally to ob- struct the only communication which! 4iad with my country. This communication had been opened from the settlements in the stale of Ohio, two hun- dred miles through a ^wilderness, by the fatigues of ler, in lence, n tlis- chielK Lo. sider- fe of lion of ob. h my lened hun- aes of HISTOEY or TMB W4B. l49 the army, which I marched to the frontier on th rl> ver Detroit. The body of the liftke being commMid- ed b) the British armed ships, and the shores, and ri^ vers by gun-boats, theaimy was totally deprived otal* communication by w^ter. On this extensive road it depended for transportation of provisions, military stores, medicine, clothing, and every other nupply , on pack-borses-^all its operations were successful until Its arrival at Detroit, — in a lew daya it paitsed into tlie enemj^'s country, and all opposition seemed to fall before it. One month it remained in possession of this country, and was fed from its resources. In different directions detachments penetrated sixty miles in the settled part of the province, and the inhabitants seem* ed satisfied with the change of situation, which ap- peared to be taking place ■ the militia from Amherst> burg were daily deserting, and the whole country, then under the control of the army, was asking for protection. The Indians generally, in the first in- stance, appeared to be neutralized, and determined to take no part in the contest The fort of Amherst burg was eighteen miles below my encampment ?lot a single cannon or mortar was on wheels suita- ble to carry before that place. I consulted my offi- cers, whether it was expedient to make an attempt on it with the bayonet alone, without cannon to make tt breach in the firat instance. The council I called was of the opinion it was not — ^The greatest industry was exerted in making preparation, and it was not (intil the 7th of August, that two 34-pounder« and three howitzers were prepared. It was then my , in- teuliou to have proceeded on the enterprise. While the o;)erations of the army were delayed by these preparations, the clouds of adversity had been for some lime and seemed still thickly to be gathering around me. The surrender of Michilimackinac opened tli# northern hive of Indians, and they were swarming down in every direction. Heiuforcements from Nia- gara had arrived at Amherstburg under the command ol'Colonel Proctor. The desertion of the militia ceas- > I ill !) ,|.|| !i.>;^ 144 HISTORY or THE WAM. ii Jlr iAJ X...0 m \ i -: 1 ed. BeMidet the reinforcements that came bv walci*, •I received intbrmfition of'a very considerable force un* der the command of Major Chambers, on the river JLie,J^rench, with four field-pieces, and collecting the militia on his route, evidently destined for Amhcrst- burg ; und in addition to this combination, and io- create of force contrary to all my expectations, the Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawus, rottawatamies, Munsccs, Delawares, Sec. with whom I had the most friendly intercourse, at once passed over to Amherst- bnrg, and accepted the tomahawk and scalping knife. There being now a vast number of Indians at the British post, they were sent to the river Huron, Browtistown, and Maguago to intercept my communication. To open this communication, I detached Maj. Vanhornc of the Ohio volunteers with two hundred men to pro- ceed as far us the river Raisin, under an expectation he would meet Capt. Brush with one hundred and filly men, volunteers from the state of Ohio, and a quantity of provision for the army. Anambuscndc ivas formed at Brownstown, and Maj. Vanhorn's de- tachmentdefeated and returned to camp without efiect- ing life object of the expedition. in my letter of the 7th inst. you have the particu- lars of that transaction, with a return of the killed and wounded. Under this sudden and unexpected change of things, and having received an express from General Hall, commanding opposite the British shore on the Niagara river, by which it appeared that there was no prospect of any co-operation from that quar- ter, and the two senior officers of the artillery having statied to me an opinion that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pass the Turkey rivtr and river Aux-Caiinard, with the 24-poundei's, and '" that they could not be transported by water, as the j Q,ueen-CharIotte which carried eighteen 24-pounders, ' lay in the river Detroit above the mouth of the river Aux-Cannard ; and as it appeared indispensibly ne- cessary to open the communication to the river Kaisiii and the Miami, I found myself compelled to suspend if- >i il HISTORY OF THE WAR. 14a the operation ng^aiiut Amherstburg, and concentrate the main force of the army at Detroit, fi^ully intend- iug, at that time, after the communication was opened, to re-cro88 the river, and puraue the object at Ara- heritlburg, and Ntrongly desirous of continuing pro- lection to a very large number of the inhabitantM of Upper Canada, who had voluntarily accepted it un* der my proclamation, I establiNhed a fortress on the banks ot the river, a little below Detroit, calculated for a garrison of three hundred men. On the evening of the 7th, and morning of the 8th inst. the army, ex- cepting the {rarrison of 260 infantry, and a corps of artillerists, all under the command of Major Den- ny of the Ohio volunteers, re-crossed the river, and encamped nt Detroit. In pursuance of the object of opening the communication, on which I considered the existence of the army depending, a detachment of six hundred men, ynder the command of lieut. Colonel Hiller was immediately ordered. For a particular account of thjB proceedings of this detachment, and the memorable battle which w^s fought al Maguago, which reflects the highest honor on the American arms, I refer you to my lel>.er of the 13^h of August, a duplicate of which is enclosed, in this. Noth- ing however but honor was acquired by this victory ; and it is a painful consideration, that the blood of seventy-tive gallant men could only 0|)en the commu- nication as far as the points of their bayonets extend- ed. The necessary cere of the sick and wounded, and a very severe storm pf rain, rendered their return to camp mdispensabjy necessary for their own com- fort. Captain Brush, with his small detachment, and the provisions, being still at the river Raisin, and in a situation to be destroyed by the savages, on the 13th inst. in the evening, 1 permitted Colonels M' Arthur and Cass to select from tMeir regiment four hundred of their most effective men, and proceed^ an upper route through the woods, which I had sent an express to Capt. Brush to take, and had directed the militiu. of the river Kaisin to accompanv him as a reinforcc- 19 'T' '■ s :l 146 HISTORY OF THE WAR. !f||i! tl ^ii tnent. The fortie of the enemy continually increoK- ing, and the necessity uf opening the couiniunication, and acting on the defensive, becoming more appar- ent, 1 had, previous to detaching Colonels M'Arllitir and Cass, on the 11th inst. evacuated and destroyed the fort on the opposite bank. On the Idlh, in the (evening. Gen. Brock arrived at Amherslburg about the hour Colonels M' Arthur and Cass marched, of M'hich at that time I had received no information. On the I5)h, I received a summons from him tu sur* render fort Detroit, of which I herewith esulose you a copy, togellier with my answer. At this time I bad received no informutioh from Cols. M' Arthur and Cass. An express was immediately sent, strongly escorted, with orders for them to return. On the idth, ,as soon as General Brock ivceived my letter, his batteries opened on the town and tort, and continued until evening. In the evening all the British Ships of w ar came nearly as far up the river as Sandwich, three miles below Detroit. At day- light on the 16th, (at which time i had received no information from Cots. M'Arlhur and Cass, my ex- presses sent the evenmg before, and in the night, hav- ing been pr^veiiited from passing by numerous bodies of Indians) the cannonade recommenced, and in a short lime I "eceived information, that the British ar- my and Indians, were landing below the S[>ring wells, under the cover of their Ships of war. At this time the whole elective force at my disposal at Detroit did not exceed eight hundred men. Being new troops - and unaccustomed to a camp life ; having peifoiiu- ed a laborious march ; having been in a number of battles and skirmishcN, in which many had fnllen, and ' iiiorie had received wounds, in addition to which a 'large number being sick, and unprovided with medi- ' Clue, and the comforts necessary for their situation ; ' are the general causes by which the strength of the army was thus reduced. The fork at this time was filled with women, children, and the old and decrepit people of the town and country ; they were unsafe ii\ v\ HISTORY or TBB WAR. 147 iicreas- icalioii, a|)par« 'Arllmr :6lroyed , in the If about •lied, uf Tiiation. II to ant' ose you n time I ibur ai)d titrungly t^ceived and iort, g all the llic river At day- eived no my ex- ght, hav- 18 bodies and in a ritish ar- ng wells, Hs time ;troit did troops jeiionn- imber: of illen» and which a th medi- iituation i th of the time was decrepit uniafe in the town, as it was entirely open and exposed to th.e enemy's batteries. Back of the fort, above or below it, thc^re was no safety for them on account of the In- dians. In the first instance, the enemy's fire was prin- cipally directed against our batteries ; tuwards the close, it was directed against the fort alone, and al» most every shot and shell had their effect. It now became necessary either to fight the enemy in the field ; collect the whole force in the fort ; or pro- pose terms of capitulation. I could not have c:*rried into the field more than six hundred men, and left any adequate force in the fort. There w^re landed at that time of the enemy a regular force of much niore than that number, and twice that number of Indians. Considering this great inequality of force, I did not think it ex|>edient to adopt the first measure. The second niiust have been attended with a great sacri- fice of blood, and no possible advantage, because the contest could not have been sustained more than a day for the want of powder, and but a very few days lor the want of provisions, (n addition to Ihis, Cots. M* Arthur ftnd Cass would have been in a most haz- ardous situation. I feared nothing but the last altern- ative. I have dared to adopt it — I well know the high responsibility uf the measure, and I take the whole of it on myself. It w-.is dictated by a sense of duty, and a full conviction of its expediency. The bands of savages which had then joined the British force, were numerous beyond any former example. Their numbers have since increased, and the history of the barbarians of the north of Europe tice of such brave men, when t knew it was impossible for me to sustain my situation. It was impossil)le in the nature (|f things that an army could have been furnished with *;ii,.^i -master-General, for his great exertions in imto- curing every thing in his department which it was possible to furnish for the oovenience of the army ; likewise to brigade-major Jessup for the correct and punctual manner in which he has discharged Ms du- ty ; and U> the army generally for their exertion, and the zeal they have manifested for the public interest. The death ai Dr. Foster, soon after he arrived at Detroit, was a severe misfortune to the army ; it was increased by the capture of the Chacbaga packet, by which the medicine and hospital stores were lost. He was commencingthe best arrangements in the de- partment of which he was the principal, with the very »small mer deprived < by sickne! attached t gone to th United St and Capt. son's com| era are wil I have onl as early ae adnlk; an erandent v captivity, i have ialleO I have ll obedient «< Mm, ^ {bncl< regiment o army, with men, to pre cessary, to state of Oh and«scorti town a lar^ cade, and I iire, at the The whole Van Horn the retreat, officer, but aad wound) cers was ud their eompi I am, vei Jian. W %ll ^ m UIJTORY OP TttE WAtt.i i|^ ,r .small nlitnns ■wbicls he possefsed. I waO likewise, v desprived of4be necesiftry services of Capt. Partridge, <, by sickness, t!ie only officer of the corps of engineers attached to tJie army. All the oftcers and men have $roAe to their re^pectivp. homes, excepting the 4th United Stut'^V regiment, and a small part of the.firSt, • and Gapt. Dyson's company of artillery. Capt. Dv- son's company was lefi.att Amherstburg, anid the'Oln<« - era are with me prisoners — they amount to. abojit 34Qi. ' I have only to solidit an investigation of my condact, as early asfny situation, and the state of roiqgis will adntk; and to add the further request, that the gov- eranoent will not be uiunindful of my associates in captivity, and of the families of those brave men. who more havefalleU in the cc. '"^ I have the hoRor t '. y ery respectfully, your mo^ obedient «ervftttt. W. HULL, Brig. Gen.. iHan. W» EustiSf Secretary of < Ifar. ^: ^ v t .<> . • - ••■ [bnclosbo in the prbgbding dispatch. J : iri^i* Sandwich, 7th August, 1812. Sia-^4>n the4th inst. Maj. Vanhom. of CoL Findlev s regiment of Oluo volutittsers, was detached from this army, with thetommand of SOO.meii, principally riBet men, to proceed to the river Raisin, and further, if ne<^ cessary, to meet and reinforce iC, in M»jo/ Van Horn^s defeat-*^ Onptaias, ^*— 1 Lieutenant — 2 Ensigns — 10 privates. — ^Total 17. [enclosed in 't HE PRECEDTim mSPXIHCH.] Detroit, 13th August. 1812. SIR. "^^^H- J' The main body of the army having re-crossed the river at Detroit, on the night and morning of the 8th iitst; .six hundred met) were imme'liately detached und^r the command of Lieut. Col. Nil Her, to open the communication to the river Raisin, and protect the provisions, which were under the escort of Capt. Brush. This detachment consisted of the 4th Unit* ed States* regiment, and two small detachments un^ der the command of Lieut. Stansbnry and Bnsi gn Me Labeof the 1st regiment ; detachments from the Ohio and Michigan irolanteers, a corps of artillerists, with one six-pounder and an howitzer under the command of Lieut. Eiistman, and a part of Capt^iins Smith and Sloan's Oavalry commanded by Ciiptain Sloan of the Ohio volunteers. Lieut. Col. Miller marched from Detroit on the afternoon of the 8th instant, and on thfe 9th, about four o'clock, p. m . the van guard, com* manded by Capt. Sneliing of the 4th United States' regiment, was tired on by an extensive line of British troops and Indians at the lower part of the Maguago about fourteen miles from Detroit. At this time the main body was marching in two columnsrand Capt Sneliing m;iintained his position in a most gallant manner, under a very heavy fire, until the line was formed and advanced to the ground he occupied, when the whole, excepting the rear guard, was brought into action. The enemy were formed t>ehind a tempora- iry breast work of logs, the Indians extending in a thick wood on their left. Lieut. Colonel Miller or- dered his whole line to advance, and when within a small distance of the enemy made a general discharge, and proceeded with charged bayonets, when the RriU inh Ime and Indians commenced a retreat. They were pursued in a most vigorous manner about two BISTOBY OF THE WAH* m mUs,t uud the pvirsuii qisconlinued only on account oi the iaUtgue of the trpupii, the approach of eve- ning, and the necessity' of returning to take care of the woutided. The judicious arrangements made by LieiH. Cul. Miller* and the .^^tiiant manner in which they Mere executed, justly e:\title him to the highest honor. From the moment ti^e line commenced tlu; tire, it continually moved on, and the enemy main* tained their position until forced at the point of th« bayonet. T^i« Indians on. the left commanded by Tecumseh, fought with great obstinacy, but were coq- linually forced and compelled to it:treat. The victory ^'as complete in every pait of the line, and the suc- .cess would have bcfen more brilliant had the cavalry charged the enemy on the retreat, when a most favur- able opportunity, presented. Although orders were given for the purpose, unfortunately Uiey were not executed. Ms jors Van Horn and Morrison, of the Ohio volunteei's, were associated with Lieut. Colonel Miller, as field officers in this command, and were highly distinguished by their exertions in forming the line, and the firm pvd intripid manner they led their res^iective commands to action. Captain Baker, of the 1st United States regiment, Capt. Brevort of the 2d, and Capt. Hull of the 13th, my atd>de>camp; and Lieut. Whistler of the 1st. re^ quested permission lo jelandi'eof the Michigan volun- teers, who were attached to his command — and dis- tinguished by their valor. It is impossible for nie, in ! i Hr'^ ,'i ''i M *.^ii iil I i i 1^ Hll^TOKY dF TBS W4B; I': I i'ff'ItU I I 'M 1 1 r ■ ' i* . 1 ■ 1 i ; 1 1 :|| 1 , ; fl , this coiiimonicakion, to do justice to the officers and soldiers; who |^ined ibe Tictory whicb I have descri- be. They have acquired hrgb honor to themselves and jMW jiifltly entitled to the gratitude of their country. Major Muir, of the 4lst regiment coimualUlcdtlie Briti^' in'thiii action. The regulars and volunteers iitonsisted of AhtVut four hundred, and a large number 'of -iftdiiaite. M^jor Muir and two subalterns wers wounded, one of th^tii Sinlce dead. About forty In- dians were found dead on the field) an^Tecumseh, th^ir leader wds*slightty wounded. The number of wounded. Indians whoescapedhas not been ascv^rtain- ed. l^tiitorof M^jor Mu tr's detachment have Vi^een ntade jprisdn^rs; and iitleeh of the 41st regiment killedand ^wounded. The militia and volunteers attached to his command were in the severest part of the actipn, and their \btiM mtusit have been great— it hasaot yet been ascertained. - ' - ^.h'^lij ,. • "'' I have the honof to be, your most obedient servant, ^ WILLIAM HVLUBrisf' Gw. '. ^- MttriiWiHiaiXiEuStis, Secretary of War. . -^ *- '"Ihthef Ohio and Michijgftiri volunteersi 8 were killcMl ' ani? W \Voimdfed. ' ' - ^' '■•-.'-:: ' t % *^ >, WH iUAM HULL. 1'^-t? It is wi Hull annc has been c the follow Capituh into betwe BKtannic] General H of the Unil Arlicle' ulars as w( dered to tl Major-Ger prisoners oi militia of t( ed the armj Articles documents, ture, will b< Article 9 of every des Article 4 having expi slate of Obi one sent fro Col. M'Art ulation, it ii to be unden as have not turn home the war— 4h if belonging rA.'ii: .i«f i.m, ■ rs and tiescri' nselves Duntry. led jkhe nnteei'g lumber s went )rty In- :uinseh, mber of certain- inmfiwile lied and id to bw ipn, and ^et beea servaat Gw. : M^b«t^i( I officers le o^' the tistler of 'f and an to nie Ire kdlcHl i i' --C*' * ■'<'f« 1ft ' lilSTOllY OF T9B WAB» 1^9 GENERAL ORDERS. ' ' / , , ^ Jfiead-QHarters tU Detroit, Aug. 16» 1812. It is with paiii and anxitty that Brig^MKer General Hull announces to the North- Western ariny> that he has been compelled from a sense of duty, to agree to the following articles of capitulation. capitulation:. romp Detroit^ Aug. 16, 1813. Capitulation of surrendering^ fort Detroit, entered into between Major-General Brock, commanding hi» BHtannic iMajesty's forces, of the one part, and Brig. General Hull, commanding the N^tI^ ^^«>tern army of the United States, of the other part : Article' I'st. Fort Detroit, wtlh all the troops, reg- ulars as well as militia, will be immediately surren- dered to the British forces under the ooromand of Major-General Bro^(, and will be considered as prisoners of war, with the exception of such of the roilitiaof the Michigan territory, who have not join- ed the army. ' Article 3d. All public stores, arms, and public documents, including every thing else of a public na- ture, will be immediately given up. Article 3d. Private persons and private property of every description will be respected. Article 4thi His cixcelleqcy Brig. General Hall, having expressed a desire that a detachment from the slate of Ohio, on its way to join the army, as well as. one sent from fort Detroit, under the command of Col. M' Arthur, should be included in the above stip- ulation, it is accoi^ingly agreed to. It is, however, to be understood, that such pttrti of the Ohio militia as have not joined the arrays will be pemiitted to re- turn home on condition that they will not serve during the war— 4heir arms, however, will be delivered up if belonging to the public. 20 i I ' ii ! I ' Ml 1 'i Mi 1 1 154 fllSToRY 01* THE WAtC. Article 5lh. The ffsu'rison will march out at the hoar of 12 o'clock (his day, and the ISritish forces will takc! immediate possession of the fort. J. MDOWEL, U Col. Militia B. A. D. C. i/ rt. I. B. GREGG, Major A. D. G. ' ? (Approved) WILLIAM HULL, Brig. Gen. " JAMES MILLEU, Lt. Col. 5th U. S. Infantry. £. BRUSH, Cul. 1st Heir. Michi;;ran Militia. (Approved) ISAAC BROCK, Maj. Gen. The urmy at 12 o>lo6k th'"* day will march out. of the east gate, where they will stack their arms, and wiUie,theo suhjectto the articles of capitulation, >,^^ WILLIAM HULL^ Brig. Gen:.i. iiCiierfrom Cul. Cass of the army tate under the com- mun4 nf' Brig, Gen. Wm, Hull, to the Secretary . ojiyar. -UV) ;^u:.:P. h .ht '♦ J; ' ,;: ; WASmNGTOK, Si^t. 10, 1812. . SIR — Having been ordered on to this place by €oU M' Arthur, for the purpose elf eotumunicatitig to the goyernmeut particulars respecting the expedition lately commonded by Brig. General Hull* and its disastrous result, as might en^bje th$m correctly to appreciate the conduct of the officers and men { and to deveiope the causes which - produced so foul n stain upon the national character, I have the honor to sub- mit for your considjeratioo, the following statement. When the lorces landed in Canadtk; Vhey landed with an ardent zeal and stimulated with the hope of (joq^iejst. No enelfiy appeared within view of us, add^iiad ap immediate anil vigorous attack been made upon Maldep, it would, doubtless have fallen qn easy Victory* I know General, Hull atiterwards declared h# regretted this *ltiic|; bad not bjsen mad^,:and he )iad ev^ "V reas0n to believe success would have crown- ed hvi i '■'*. The ittaspQ given f(^ delaying our opetx,: ... .wastomqiu^our heavy iDannon, and to afiordlo. the Canadian miUtia timeimd opportunity to quit an obnoxious service. In the cout«e of two weeks the number of tbeirmilitia, who were embodi- UISTOUY OF Till: M'AM. m out at the ish forces :. D. C. gf. Oeh. • iifantry. itia. M<»j. Gen. irch out, of arms, and ilation, ig^. Gen> er the com' 9 Secretary urj J: • 0, 1812. I place by inicating to expedition n\\, and its lorrectly to en{ and to 'oul (I stain luor to sub- Aitetnent. t«y landed e hope of iew of us, been made en s\n easy H declared ad^,:.and he itoTe crown- laying our OHt and to portuoity to lime of two \irff oinbodi- #d, bad decreased by desertion from six hundred Ut one hundred men ; and, in the cour»>e of three weeks, the cannon were mounted, the ammunition fixed* an^ every prepaiation made for an immediate investment of the fort. At a council, at which .werf present %)| the iMd officers, and which wa^ b<$id two da^is bi^fora ouc preparations w,ere completed, it was untniimonslf agreed to make an iiDmediatie attempt, to accoiQplisll the. object of ihte expedition. If by waiting twQ d;iyp we could huve the service of our heiivy artillery, H was agreed to wait ; if not, it was deterinined to go without it, »nd attempt the ulace bv storm. Thiy opinion appeared to correspond with th^ view9 of tb§ ueneral, and the day was appointed for commencing our march. He declared to qae, tb^t h^ considered himself pledged to lead the army to MaldeO' Thi^ ammunition was placed in the waggons ; the CfinnoQ embarked on board the floating batteries, and every ror quisite article was prepared. The spiritand 7>^ ^M^y ^o ^l^eir country and themselves^ {)ut a ph'4ugi9 of nie(^m'e«* in opposition to the wishes i^nd opinions pf all the p^r eel's, way adopted by the Oi^neraj, ^he plan of s^r tacking Maiden W{|9 abandoned* and instead pf fe- ting oi^nsively, wo broke up our (ffinip, ^y^cMfitei^ Canada, and rycros!^ tbo river, ip the night, y^ithoi^t even the shadow of iin eneniy to iiyqre.ns. We letlt to the tender mercy of the epemy t(),e miif^P^to Can.- adian« who had joined us, {^n4 the protection, wo af- forded them was but a passport to vengeance, Tbi^ fatal and upi^ccount^ble step dispirited the^pons, i^nd destroyed the little ^onfidjence wh|cn ^ serie^ of tjinL^, irresolute itnd ind^pisive lo^^siii^ifh^d \ef^ in t^^^ f^oiiji- manding officer. ^ AbouttholQlh of August, the e^emy repeiveda reinforcement ol'four hundred men. On the tweittn the coflam»nding officeiji pf t^ree of tHe re^^iinooti^* t i ; I M i I ' 1 1 I i' .:,:,■ M ^46 HISTOBY or THE WAE. 'Hm; •i'l U|! \ I ' ;] iH ■M^': : . 1 |h 1 1 ; M Li L» (Ihe fonrth was alweiit) were informed through a me^ dwiii which admitted of no doAbt, that the General had stated that a capitulation would he n^^'^esiary; They on the same day addresfird to Governor IVfeigs, of Ohio, a letter, of which the following is an extract. * Bffieve all tkt bearer tviU teU yon. Helieve tf» koivever it may aikmith you, ai tnuek a$ if it had been told by one of us. JEvenQC n, M talked of by the Tke bearer wili ^Uthe vacancy* The doubtful fate of this letter rendered it necessa^ xy to use circumspection in itsdetaiis, and therefore these blanks were left. The word * capitulation' will fill the first, and* commanding general,' the other. As no enemy was near us, and as the superiority < of our force was manifest, wecouldseeno necessity for capitulatingt nor any propriety in allodingto it. Wo therefore determined in the last resort to incur the re- sponsibility of divesting the General of his conraiand. This plan was eventually prevented by two of the commanding ofiicers of regiments being ordered ijpon detachments. On the 18th the British took a position opposite tdi Detrpit, and began to throw up works. During that and th^ two following days, they pursued their object without interruption and established a bAttery for two 18 pounders and an 8 inch howitzer. About sun-set on the evening of the 14th a detachment of 360 men from t|ie regiments commanded by Col. M'Arthur, and myself^ wa^ ordered to march to the river Raisin, to escort |fhe provisions, which had some time remain- ed th^re protjejcted by a party under the command of eapt. Brash. On Saturday, the 10th about 1 o^clock, a flag of truce arrived from Bandwich, bearing a summons from general Brock for tfaa^nrrendk^r 'Abe town and fort of Detroit, stating he conid no I'^nger re^tlrain the jEiiry of the savages. To this an immediate and spir- ited refusal wa9 returned. About four o'clock their 'batteries beg^n to phty upon' the town* The fire, wsif JIISTOBY Om YBE WAIL IM Mtumed vmA continued wiilu)utinterru|ilion and with little.eflHBCttUldark. Thoir shells wero tUrown till eleven o'clock. . At day-lightthe firing on-both Hides recommenced^ oUoiit tke aame time. the enemy began to land troopo at the Spring wcllii, three mileg below Detroit, pro- tected t^ two of their ainned vessels. Between (i and 7 o'clock they had effected their Inndinp^, and imroe^ diately took up their line of march. They moved in close column of platoons, twelve in front, upon Ihd^ bank ofithe river. . !: ; ,: . The fourth regiment was stationed in the fort ; thor Ohio volunteers and a part' of the Michigan raiKtia; behind some pickets, in a situation in whic^the whole flank of the enemy would have been exposed. Tfafe residucrof the Michigan militia were in the :upper. part of the town to resist the incursions of,> the savagesn Two 24-pounders^ loaded with grape shot, vrere post^ ed on a commanding eminence, ready to sweep the advancing column. Ifi this situation the superiorly of onr position was appiirent; and . our. troops, in the eager expectation of victory, awaited the approach of the enemy. Not a discontent, broke u^>un the ear ; not a look of cowardice met the eye. Every man ex? pected a proud day for his country, and each was anxious that his individual exertion should contribute to the general result, > ^: c: When t|ie head of their column arrived within about five hundred yards of our line, ordera were received from Gen. Hull for the wliole to retreat to the fort, and for the 24*pounders not to open upon the enemy: One .Muiversal burst of indignation was apparent upon thereceipt of this . order. Those, whose . conviction was the deliberate result of a dispassionate examina^ tionof passing events, saw the folly and impropriety of crowding 1 100 men into a little work, which dOOmeit could fully man« and into which the shot and shells of the enemy were falling. The fort was in this manner filled ; .the men were directed to stack their arms, and IsarceLy . was an opportnnity afforded of moving. 1 \ \ •:li I ii ^11 \r< m IM BISTOHY OP THB WAR. Ill fin i ! ■ i u i^ Shortly after a white flag was hang oat upon tb« wali» A British oflSoer rodo up to inquire the cause. A communication pasited between the commaclin^ Gen erals, which ended in the capitula tion submitted U yon. In entering inio this capitulation^ the Genera took counsel from his own feeling only. Not an oflv> eer was consulted. Not one anticipated a surrender^ till he saw the white flag displaced. £venthewo« nen were indignant at so shameful a c|egradation of the Aniericaa character, and all lelt as they should have felt, but he who held in his hands the reins of authority. ^ Our morning report had ^llfii BDomiBg made out cfieetiv»men present, fit for duty lOQfti without inclu« dikig the detachment before afloded to, and without including 300 of the Michigan militia on duty. About dark on Saturday evening X\m detechment sent to escort the provisions, received orders from Oen, Hall to return with a« much oxpedition as possible. About ten o'clock the nest day they arrived witliin sight of Detroit Had a firing been heard, or any re* sistence visible, they would haveimmediotdv advanc* cd and attecked the rear of the enemy. The situa* tion in which this detachment was plaeed, althoufffa the result of accident, was the best for annoying the enemy and cutting off hisretreat that could have been selected. With his raw troops enclosed between two fires and ho hopes of succor, it is hazarding little to say, that very tew would have escaped. I have been informed by Col. Findley, who saw the return of their quartcr-master*generaltheday after the surrender, that their whole, force of every descrip* tion, white, red, and Mack, was 1030. T^y had twenty nine platoons, twelve in a platoon, of men dres- sed in uniform. Many of these were evidently Can* adian militia. The rest of the militia increased their white force to dbout seven hundred men.. The. num* ber of tbei Indians could not be ascertained with any degree of precision $ not many were visible. And in t^ev«ntof an attack upon the town and fort, ^ was a I HIMORT or THS VTAM 1^ t[ttcivs of forue whioh could have afturded lib material advantnffe to the enemy. I»i endeavoring to appreciate the motiveg and to m* vestigate the catisei, whi.>n enemy, ns inferior in the quality as in tlio number of his foii-es, were ctrcum- 1 I ' ' ' m : \ M Wi M . :il •M!lj ■ii i; 160 HISTORY. OF THE WAK. stances, which excited feelitiflfs of ihdignalion more easily felt than described. To see the whole of our inenilui^ed withithe hope of victory^ eagerly await-: ing tJie approaching contest, to aee thent afterwards dispirited, hopeless and desponding, at least 600 shed- ding tears,. because they were not allowed to meet their country's foe, and to. fight their conntry's biittles, excited sensations, wltich no American ha*^ ever be> fore had cause to feel; and which, 1 trust in God, will never again be felt, while.one man remains to defend the standard of the Union*'! >;c^< liiw yixff 'frRr» Mrr**-: > I am expressly authorised to state, that Cblonel M* Arthur, and Col. Findley,.and Lieut. Oil. Miller^ viewed thiflr transaction in theiight which I do. They know and teeU tiiat Qo circumstnpce in our situation; none in that of the enemy, can excuse a capitulation so dishonorable and unjustifiable. This too,':is the.tthi. vemd sentiment i among the > troops ; and I shall be surpriised tO: learn, that Uiere ia one mait,.whb thinks, it ws^. necessary to sheath his. sword, or lay down his musket. . ; . I wasjinformed by Gen. Hull the morning after the capitulation, that the British forces consisted of of 1800 regulars, and that he surrendered to prevent tbeeilJasion of human blood. That he magnified their^'egularforce nearly fi fold, there, can be no doubt. Whether the philanthropic reason assigned by him is a sufiicieiit jsstificatioil for surrendering a fortified town, an army and a territory, is for the government to determine. . Confident 1 am, that had me courage and conductot* tiie) Genei^l been cqusd tatlie spirit and zeal of t*^te. troops*: the event would have been; as briUifint and sttccessful as it now is dis- astrous and dishonorable. . yery respectfully sir, I have the honor to be your most obedient servant, ^oii .uiMiub'tKiei i . Qi Y^ijin^t^f-.j LKWIS CASS, i . Col. : ^ liegt.OJUo Volunteers. a The Horn William EmlkySea'€ttt$'y ^ Mflr. By hi HISTORY OF TUB WAlt. m [By the following Proclamation, it appears that Gen. . {lull surrendered the whole of Michigan Territory, . to.Oed. drocl^, although he has never made, publip . aqy instrument to that f(^\ I] , . , , . t i . . , v ^ PiMkJLAMAtlON. Bu haac jBr(H;ht Esq. Major-Gweralt eommandipff his majesty 8 forces in tfte prmiince q£^ Upper (JaUadax Whereas the Territory of Michigan was tliisday $y capitulation, ceded to the arms of his Britpinnir. Majesty, without any other condition than t)ie prptec- tiou of private property ; and wishing to give an early proof of the moderation and justice of the goveriv* ment, 1 do hereby announce to all the inhabitants of the said Territory that the laws heretofore in existence ^aill ijohlinne iii force until his Majesty's pleasure De kitown, or so long as the peace and safety of the Ter- ritory will admit thereof. And 1 do hereby also de- «lai^ atid'itaake kn6Wn to the said inhabitants that ih^y sliall be protected in the full exefcise and enjoy- ment of their religion ; of which all persons, both civil and military, will take notice and govern themselves accordingly. All persons having in their possession, or havine any knowledge of any public property, shall forlhwim deliver in the same, or give notice thereof to (he offi* Icier commanding, or Lt. Col. Nichol, who are hereby authorized td receive and give proper receipts forth6 same. Officers of the militia will be held responsible ths^t sill arms in possession of militia-men be immediately delivered up j and all individuals whatever, wbo'have irt their possession arms of any kind, will deliver them up without delay. Given utxler my hand at Detroit, this 10th day of August, 181 2, and m the 6ftd year of his Majesty s reign. . „ (!&lgned) ISAAC motK, r A true copy, • Major-General. J. M'DONELL, Lt. Col. Militia fk A. D. C. > .1^1 (M iii 11 !iS i\ 162 i i I !!ill |UST jllV. OF; THIi;, WAR. .ficvO '' i>t sffiafpi-T A- CARD, r tt(ii-«oi{oV»J} / .\ Colonel Syminesi of the senior division of the Ohib militia, presents his respectful complinients toMajot'- Ceneral firock, commamling his Britannic miajesly's furors, ivhilo and re.in Upper Canada. Colonel Symnies, observing^, that by the 4th article ofth^ capitulation of Fort Detroit to Major-general BrocHi all public arms moving towards Fort Detroit, are to be delivered op, but as no place of deposit is pointed out by the capitnlation,ybrify thousand stand of arms coming within the description, are at the ser- vice of Major-general Brock, if his excellency will condescend to come and take them. -■ v *^. 'f •'•';■ •t:t ' ! i: ■ Copies of letters 'received at the navg department from Capt, Porter t of the United States friaate Essex, ef ^AtSeayAngusill, 1812. 32 gpuns. i tii-' SlR^Y'Knve \%e honor to inform you that on the 13th liis Britannic Majesty' ssloopof war Alert, Captain T. P. Laugharne, ran down on Our weather quarter, gave three cheers, and commeiiced an action (if so trifling a skirmish deserves the name and after 8 minutes fir- ing struck her colors, with 7 feet water in her hold, and much cut to pieces, and three men wounded. I need not inform yon that the officers and crew ol Ihe Esse^ behaved as I trust all Americans will ip such cases, and it is only to be regretted that so much zeal and activity could not have been displayed on an occasion which would have done them more honor. The Essex ha^ not received the slightest injury. ' The Alert was out for the purpose of taking the Hornet! I have the honor to be, with great respect, youi obedient servant, Signed DAVID PORTER. Hon. Paul Kamilton, Secretary of the Na^vy. ,!ii -ft. i BISTORT OP THE WAR. 103^ i AJi A I i T;H "* ^< *c«r, .di/^/ 20. • SIR — Finding myself much einbafrassed by the Alert* fromi the great iiuinber of prisonei's we have al- ready made, [about 500] 1 concluded that before our arrival in America, the number would be considera- bly augmented, and as I found my provisions and wa- ter getting short, and being well satislied that a plan had been organized by them for rising on the ship: in event of an engagement ; I considered it to be the interest of my country to get clear of them as speedi- ly as possible, particularly as I was well assured that immediately on their arrival in St. Johqs an equal number of my countrymen would be released and find a sure and immediate conveyance. I therefore drew up written stipulations corresponding with the accompany ing letters; threw all the guns of the Alert overboard ; withdrew ifrom her all £e men be- longing t6 the jEssex ; appointed lieut. J. P. Wilmer to command her as atarlel, put all my prisoners on hoard of her and dispatched her. for St. Johns,' in liewfountUand, with orders to proceed from thence to New- York With such Americans als he may re- ceive in exchange. \ At a more suitable opportunity I shall do myself the honor to lay before you copies of cvei'y paper re- lative to this transaction^ and sinderiely hope that my conduci in. this afl&ur may meet with your appro- bation. - As the Essex has been so annoying about Bermuda, I^Qvtk Scotia, and Newfoundland, I expect I shall have to run the gauntlet Uf rough their cruisers ; yon may howevier rest assured that all a ship of 'her size can do diall be done, and whatever may be our fale, Qur countrymen shall never blash for us. < ^ ■/'' ^^ - I have the honor to be, &c. P;. ^ Signed, D. PORTEB, '*' Htm, Paul HamHton^ Secretary \ < : l!^'- - of the Navy, WasMnytm, j ■ > J*!?*^'^ • ajiij','. ■ v:ti««^ 'Htf ta Jififj vi-jfa*^ ioa.iiiiioa rhn ■ f \\ii WW :\ •it l\ 104 lilSTOliY OF T»R WAR., I ' ' jU,fS m DEFENCE OF FORT HARRISON. JdMerJrom Capt. Z Ttn^hr, commntidkiu; fort HuT' Uirison, Indiana Tervitortfi to Gen. Hanison. »/ FoT J ■ ARIMSON, Sept. 10, 1812. Dear Sir — On 1 :iuRiday evening, the 3d rnst. after retreat beating, four guns were heurd lo fir..' in the di- rection where two young men (citizens whQ resided here) were making bay, aboul 400 yards distant from thelort. I was immediately impressed witb an idea that they were killed by the Indians, a^ 1 bad that day been informed that the Prophet's party would soon be here for,the purpose of commencing hostilities. Pru- dence induced me to wait until 8 o'clock, the next morning, when I sent out a corporal with a small party to find them, which he soon did h they had beea each ebot with two balls, and scalped and cut in the most shocking manner. I had them brought in and bnried. In the evening of the; 4th insl. old ioseph I«enar, and bfstweenSO and 40 Indians arrived from the PropheCs town, with a white flag; among whom wrc^ about ten women : the men were cooiiposed of cbieis of the. differenti tribe» tliafe. compose the Prophet's party. A Shawanoe man, that spuke good iSugli^h, informed me. that, old Lenar imtoided to 8pefii^to.m<$t!Cxt morning, and ^^' to getsomething to ^t.. , . At retreat, beating, I examined the men's ai'n}s and. found, them all in. good order^ and com- pleted their cartriges to 16 rounds per man. As l had not b^emiible to mount a guard of more thaii six prir vates findwtwo non-commissioned officers, for some tin^e past,, and aometiii)e& part of then every other day, U)qf|) t^, unhealthinessl of the company^ It hail not.c^ilM^iytfd my force adeiquate for the deitence of- this post, should; it lie yigoroasly attacked* libad^just' recovered from a v«H*y. severe attack of the fever,iand was,9pi4b|^.tOibe up much through the nights After tattoo I cautioned tti|^ guard to be vigitant,< and or- dered one of the non-commiawooediOfiicers/as oenti- ne)s conid not see every part of the garrison, to walk around on the inside during the whole night, to pre- vJBnt the edthelv 1 o'clock, ceiitiiiels to their charge of Indians h tained the posited in ussingned post.) from both ready and extinguisi able at tha cause, the ders— 4he them into the water, fortnnateij sUtck havii part of the there, throi oat being I and i» spit in less than fled all out house adjoi tificationsi selves upifli getting an} from Ute ni ofstfveralh and childn wived, wh«l^ (iesp(m4ing than'SfUilt unptttoialnt j or Ifthien t eiihftrwek c il. HliSTOtlY 01* *twi WAu; m com- I had ax pri- somc other Iihadk nee '.v* *^e greatest difficulty ih'^ getting any of my orders' exeiat^^d—tind, sit*i 'Mhat from mt ragjndpolf the' Bre~^be pelting andi bowling ' of sklvdral hiiacir^ Indians^^the dries of nine womeii^^ and cbildMtv!0i part soldiers^ and a part ciVii^enil^^' wives, wh<^ Had'taken shielter in the fort)— and thntrance of 18 Or; 20 feet for the Indians lo enter after the house 'w.as (roiiRiim^j and that a temporary brei>.sl:-vvork might b« erected to pr»}V>ent their even 'ent«^.ring,' lliere. I coiiviiMed the men that this could be accomplished, apdjt apncur&fi to iuHpsre them with new life, and never did nr? > act with more firmness and despeira« lion^ Tho^a ^hat were able (while the others kept up a cu'iKjtant fire from the other blo^krliouse and the two^astionsy) mounted the roofs of the houses .with . Dr. Clark a|ibeir head, who acted with the greatest firmness 4nd presence of mind» the whole, time .the attack laMed, which was 7 hoursi under a sbowt^r of bu)|elS)ft0d in a moroentthrewoffasmueHoftheroof OS ,we> necessary. This ijraft done only w^b the loss of Qne man, and two wounded* andl am iti hopes neither of Uiem dangerous.— The man that was k\lJed was a. little derangrd, :and. didnot get.off .the liouse as soon. as directed, or be would nol have been hurt ; aiid althougr!i the bar^cks were several t times in a blaze, : and r.n immense quantity of fire against them, tbe men.ni^d such exertions that they kept it under, and before day raised a temporary breast- work as higli.«» a man's bead ; although the. ](ndi!aus, cpntinu* cd to pour iu a heavy fire of ball and^n imiumera* ble que^ntity ef arrows, during the vdbole time tthe .at- tack lasted, I bad l>ut one other mini killed inside the foit, and he lost his life by being toojaniK|iou8r7^beigoA intopne ^f the g^Uies pf the bastion^, ahd , fired ,over the pickets* and called qut,to his comrades that heihud killed (^n Indian, and negl^tingio stoop di>%n,1n an instafit he was shot dead. One of the men that jump- ed the pickets, returned an hour before day, and &'un" ning np towardH the gate>, begged fur God s sake for it to be o| the Inv'ini -I d?rcw'' ed to be, t{ of them fi other bast Clark di' -c hind an en atday ijorh i ntost sn« the Indian turning — ] The other giirrison, a up a const) morning, i day-light, I A party of to the citizc very readily well as a nu whole of t! heud, as Wti filled up be ing of the b which I got loathe who to live upon which I am whole of the pliet*b party, guage, whic believe Neg dinhs sufiTere off all that w (Signed) HtsExctUett ' ^•>. HISTOEY OF THE WAR. 167 (tto be opened. I suspected it to be a stratagem of the Inv^nnstoget in, as I did not recollect th« voice -I J;r .'ted the men in the bastion, where I happen- ed to be, tosh^othiinlethim be who he would, and one of them fi cd at hioibut fortunately he run up to the other bastion, wher'^ they knew his voice, and Dr. Clark directed him to lie down clos6 to the pickets be- hind an empty barrel that happened to be there, ' and (itday iin^ht I had him let in. His arm was broken in most shocking manner, which he says was done bjr the Indians— which 1 suppose was the cause of his re- turning— I think it probable that he will not recover. The other, they caught about 120 yards from the jl^iirrison, aiid cut him all to pieces. After keeping up a constant fire until about six o'clock the next morning, which we returned with some effect; after day-light, they removed out of the reach of our guns. A party of them drove up the horses that belonged to the citizens here, and as they could not catch (hem very readily, shot the whole of them, in our sight, as well as a number ofthc'r hogs. They drove off the whole of t^e cattle, which amounted to sixty-five head, as well as the public oxen. 1 had the vacancy filled up before night, (which was mad« by the burn.- iiig of the block house) w i)h a strong row of pickets, which I got by pulling down the guard house. We lo^ the whole of our provisions, but must make out to live upon green corn until we can get a supply, which I am in hopes will nut be long. 1 believe the whole of the Miamies or Weas, were among the PrO' piiet*s party, as one chief g^ve his orders in that Ian< gnage, which restembled Stone £ater's voice, an4 1 believe Negro Legs was there likewise. The In* dinhs suffered smartly, but were so immerous as toitnke off all that were shot. (Signed) v; Z. TAYLqR.W5: Ills ExctUtViC^ (Governor Harrison. i 'i^^^ii bi/s; M' i<^'t ;f>!ilr: .fhh-.d .-■ il i 'V|: i l\ « ; \ *■ III ■!ir ^Q» XISTOmV OV THE W4B. 1'^ i w iNii .'_ '[ i, ''1 liir 1 '.' 'k . . i i J t Copy of a ktti. from Major TJiOmas S. Jessup and Jam€$ Taylor^ O.. M* Gen, A. W. Army, to a yentlemanin Wu^lin^toH Cilyttkiied uii ^ ChiiicOlhcfOhiaJOvLJ. SIR— Your leUer has been received, itqnestingr from lis a corroboration of Col. Cass's statement to the Secretary of War, of the durreiHlef of the north- .west^rn army. We have read the, cotoneKs statement y/'\[\n attention, and 6nd it » pretty correct hidtory of oar situation, although we have observed that some important facts have been omitted. We havd also xead and examined the official report of Gen'. Hull, and .4|) «»:, . Brigade Mtff or M. V^, 4tm!/' JAMES TAYLQH, ir stand of arms, two barrels of fixed ammuaitiiion, ooe barrel of poivder, one barrel of flints, and a quantity «f plher pubUc property taken from the atore^house. -.ii^- Onthe 4th of October, about forty British boolt, escorted by two gun boafes, attempted to pass iVvMn Johnstown io Prescott, by Ogdensbarg.T--^n iheir 4eaving Johnstown, tbe batteries at Prescolt opened on Ogdensburg, and kept up a brisk fire, whksb was m- 32 :.r Mi i i U 'i ■k-l 1 ^ I I:i< f: ' ! •i 170 HISTORY OF THE WAR. turned in aspiriln Lett&rfrom CupUtin Elliot to the Secretary of ^ the Navy' ", Black Rock, Oct. 0, 1812. SIR — I have the honor to inform yuu that on the morning of the 8th iust. two British vessels, which I was inf«lrmcd were his Britannic Majesty's brig De- troit, late the (Jniled States brig Adams, and the brig Hunter, mountin;]^ 14 guns, but which afterwards proved to be the brig Ciileilonia, both said to be well armed and manned, cuuie down the Lake aad anchor«> ed under the (jrotection of Fort £rie. Having been on the lines for some time and m^a measure inactively employed, I determnied to make an attack, and if possible to get possession of them. A strong induce- ment to this attempt arose from a conviction that with these two vessels added to those which I have purchas- ed and am fitting out, 1 should be able to meet the re> mainder of the British force on the Upper Lakes, and save an incalculable expense and labor to the govern- ment. On the morning of their arrival I heard that our seamen were but a short distance from this place, and immediately dispatched an Express to the officers, directing them tq use all possible dispatch in getting their men to tliis place, as I had important service to perform. On their arrival, which was abouut I'i o'clock, I discovered that they had onlv 20 pistols and neither cutlasses nor battle axes. But on appli- cation to Generals Smith and Hall of the regulars and militia, I was supplied with a few arms, and Gen. Smith was so good on my request as immediately to de- tach fifty men from the regulars, armed with mus« kets. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I had my men select^ ed and stationed in two boats, which I had previous- ly prepared for the purpose. With these boats, 50 meA in each, and under circumstances very disadvan- tageous, my men having scarely had time to refresh themselves after afatigueing march of 600 miles, I put off from the mouth of Buffalo creek, at 1 o'clock the following morning , and at 3 I was along side the ves« i > ■ ! ^1 ■ • i- ^11 '1 i 111(1, Iff >* ^*^if^ st^ BISTORT OF THK WAlt I i 1 -Hi::. . ■; i i ; 1 1 wis. Tn the space of about ten minutes I had llie pris- oners all secured, the topftaiis sheeted home, and the vrs<«eli under way. Unfortunately the wind was not anfficiently stroni;|r to eet me up against a rapid cnrrtut hitothe Lake, where I had understood another amicd tessel lay at anchor, and 1 was obliged to run down the river bv the Forts, under a heary fire of found, g^pe, and cannister, from a number of pieces df heavy ordnance, and several pieces of flying artillery, and compelled to anchor at a distance olf about 400 yards from two of their batteries. AlW the dTscharg:e of the first gun, which was from the fit- ing artillery, I hailed the shore, and observed to the Officer, that if another gun was fired I would bring the fnisoners on deck, and expose them to the same fete we would all share-^but notwithstanding, they disregarded tlia caution and continued a constant and detractive fire. One tmgle moment's reflection de« teMnined me not to commit an act that would subject me to the imputation of barl>arity. The Caledonia kftd been beached, in as safe a position as the circum* stances wonld admit of, tinder one of our batteties at Ike Black Hock. 1 now brought all the gtuis of the Detroit on one side nett the -enemv, stationed the men at them, and directed a fire whicn was continued ^s long as our ammunition lasted and circumstances pennitted. During the contest I endeavored to |v«t the Detroit on our side by sending a line, there being BO wind, on shore, with all the mie I could muster ; but the current being so strongf, the boat could not real*)! the shore. I th^n -hailed our shore, iind re* quested that warps should be made fast on land, and sent on board, the attempt to all which agahn prov- ed useless. As the fire w»^ such as would, in all )).robability, sink the vessel in a short time, 1 dietermin* edto drift down the river out of the reach ofthebat^ teries, and make a stand against the Hying artilleiT: 1 acfcordinglv cut the cable, made sari with verv Hght airs, 9nd at tnat instant discovered that the pilot had abandoned me. I dropped astern for about 10 mi« nutes, when X was brought upon our shore on Squaw ■I i* miTOliy OV TUB WAtt. tn hltrnd — gol the boarding boat ready, had theprisoii- en pat in and sent on shore, with directions tor the officer to return for me and what property we could crt from the brig. He did not return, owing to the difficoKy m the boat*s getting on shore. Discover* ing a skiff nitder the counter, l put the four remain- ing prisoners in the boat, and with my officers I went on shore to bring the boat off. I asked for protec* tion to the brig of Lieut. Col. Scott who readily gave it. At this moment I discovered a boat with about 40 soldiers (rom the Bi^ishside^ making for the brig. They got oti board, but were soon compelled to aban« don ber, widi the loss of nearly all their men. Ma- jor Ormsbee, .Commandant of Fort Erie and 30 privates were killed, while on board. During the whole of this morning both, sides of the river kept ■p allerniftely a- continual 6re on thie brig, and so much injured her that it was impossible to have ioat- ecl her. Before I left her, she hbd t«veral shot of large fiize in her bends, her sails in ribbons, and rig* glng all cut to pieces. < * To my officers and men I feel under great obliga*' tion. ToCipt Towiton and Lieut. Roach of the 2d regiment of artillery. Ensign Prefttman of the infantry^ Captain Chapin, Mr. John M*Comb, Messrs. John Town, Thomas Dain, Peter Overstockf i, and James Sloan, resident gentlemen of Boffalo, ft>r their soldier and ipailor like conduct. In a word, sir, every man fought as if with their hearts animated only by the in* terest and honor of their country. The prisoners I have turned over to the military. The Detroiit mounted fourteen long guns, a com- manding Lieut, marines, a boatswain and gunner, and 56 men— «bout 90 American prisoners on board, muskets, pistols, cutlasses, and batde axes. In boar- ding her 1 lost one man, one officer wounded, Mf. John C. Gummings, acting midshipman, a bayonet Arough 1^ leg*— his conduct was correct, and de» serves the notice of the Department. The O^edonia mounted two small guns, blunderbusses, pistols, mus- kets, cutlasses, and boarding pik«s, 12 men iiicKidtn|^ I 1 ■i ■ ' i l 1 .1 'l s (I w i til j'it t: I t,; 1 1 i. ■;i ■( ,■■] 1! 'if '' • i 174 .HI^TOjRY OF THE WAtt. officers, ID prisoners on board. The boat boarding her was commanded by sailing master Geo. Watts, who performed his duty in a masterly style. But one man killed, and four wounded badly, I am atraitl mortally. I enclose you a list of the officers and men engaged in the enterprise, and i^lso a view of the Lake .and river in the different situations of attack. Ill a day or two I shall forward the names of the pri- soners. The Caledonia belongs to the JN. W. Com pany« loaded with furs worth 1 undei^^tood £200,000. With sentiments of respect, I have the honor to be, kc. JESSE D. ELLIOT. • Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary o/tlie Nai^jf. Extract of a letter from Cflpt. Heald^ late canmand' ant at fort Chicago, dcUed at Piftsbur^f Vet. 23^ lol*. • ,■ jftr f. ! '.it U.I'- ■ "> •ivi'f. ; .»<'"r^f'#- • J-?'-;;-!!.-.' * On the 9th of August last, I received ordere from General Hull to evacuate the post and proceed with my command to Detroit by land, leaving it at my dis- cretion to disposeof the public property as I thought proper. The neighboring Indiani) got the. informa> ^ioh as early as I did, and came in from all quarters in order to receive the goods in the factory store which they understood were to be given them. On the 13th Capt. Wells, of Fort Wayne, arrived with about .30 Miamies, for the purpose of escorting us in, by the re- quest of General Hull. On the 14th I delivered the Indians all the goods in the factory store and a consid- erable quantity of provisions which we could not take away with us. The surplus, and ammunition I thought proper to destroy, tearing they would make bad use of it if put in their possession. I, also de- stroyed all the liquor on band suon after they began to collect. The collection was unusutly large for that place, but they conducted with the strictest propriety till after I left the fort. On the 15th at 9 in the morn- ing, we commenced our march ; a partof the Miam- ies were detached in front and the remainder in, our rear,^s guards, under the direction of Capt. Wells, '■ il IIISTORT OF THE WAB. n§ The situation of the country rendered it necessary for us to lake the beach, M^ith the lake on our left, and a hig^h sand bank on our ri^ht, at about 100 yards dis- tance. We had' proceeded about a mile and an half, when it was disct/vered that the Indians were prepar- ed to attack us from behind the bank. I immediate- ly marched np with the company to the top of the bankf when tiie action commenced ; after firing one round, -we ch -rged, and the Indians gave way in front and joined tnose on our flanks. In about 1^ minutes they got posessiou of all our horses, provisions, and baggage of every description, and finding the Miamies did not assist us, I drew ofl^ the few men I had left and took prosession of a small elevation in tbe open prairie out of shot of the bank or any other cover. The Indians did not follow nv> but assembled in abody on the top of the bank, and, after some consultation among themselves, made signs for me to approach tham. I advanced towards them alone and was met by one of the Potawattamie chiefs called the Black Bird, with an interpreter. After shaking hands, he request- ed me to sun-ender, promising to spare the lives of all the prisoners. On a few moments consideration, I concluded it would be most prudent' to comply with his. request, although I did not put entire confidence in his promise. After delivering up our arms, we were taken back to their encampment near the fort, and distributed among the different tribes. The next morning they set fire to the fort and left the place, tak- ing the prisoners with them. Their number of war- riors was between four and five hundred, mostly of the Potawattamie nation, and their loss, from the best information I could get, was about 15. Our strength was 54 regulars and 12 militia, out of which 26 regu- lars and all the militia were killed in the action, with two women and twelve children. Ensign George Ronan, and Dr. Isaac V. Van Voorhis of my compa- ny, with Capt. Wells of Fort Wayne, are to my great sorrow, numbered amorg the: dead. Lieut. Lina T. Helm, with 25 non-commissioned ofiicers and pri^ ^t • ti tm > I I7f HISTOItT OF THB WABw <;t; tatefy and 11 women and children, were priMueN %hen we were separated. Mrs. Heald and myself were taken to the mouth of4he river St. Joseph, and, ^ing both badly wounded, were permitted to reside irith Mr. Burnet, an [ndian trader. In a few days after our arrival there, the Indians all wenl eflrto-takf! 'I^ort Wayne, and in their absence I engaged a Frencli* nan to take us to Michilimaokinac by water, wljere I gave mysdf up as a prisoner of war, with one of my sergeants. The commanding officer, Cupt. Roberta, offered me every as&istance in his power to render our situation comfortable while we remained tliere, and to enable us to proceed on our journey. To him I gave my parole of honor and eame on to Detroit and reported myself to Col. Proctor, who gave us a passage to Buffalo ; from that ())ace 1 came by the way of Presqoe Isle and arrived here yesterday.* Copg' nj n letter from Mr. S. T. Anckraon, enclotm^ one from Commodore Chauncey to the ^Secretary q/' the^avy* Sacket's Harbor, 18th Nov. 1813. ^at night SIR>-*«Stnce the enclo'ied letter from the Commo- dore was written, the Growler has returned with a |irize,: and m her Captain Brock, brother to the late . General of that name, with the baggage of the latter. By the prize we learned that the E^ Moim was off tite False Ducks, and the Commodore has put off in n snow storm in the hope of cutting her off from Kingston* From information received from Capt Brock, there is no question but that Kingston is ven' strongly de- fended. He expressed' surprise to nnd our vessels had got out of the. harbor after hating been in it ; and fays that the regiment tn which he belongs is quar- tered there, dOO strong, besides other regulars, and a well appointed militia. The resistance made fully .jnstiSeis this report. Be assured, m, that in the at- ■Ifif BlStORY OF THE WAR*. 17T (ibn of iit'Iiicti the Commodore has given you an Ak*- OQOnt^ the National honor has been most ably stip«- ported. In |(real hute« your mosf dbedient servant, SAMUEL T. ANDERSON. Hwt.. Ptnti ffamiitonf Secretary of the jSavy. Saekct*s Harbor, Idth Nov. 1812. StR*^l anilved here last evening in a gale of wind, the pilots having refused to keep 'he Lake. Ontlie 8th I fell in with the Royal George, and chased her into the bay of Qu«inti^ where 1 lost sight of her in the nighl. On tll^ morning of the 9th, we again ^ot sight of her lying in Kingston channel. We gave (hase, and fuUowed her into the harbor of Kingston, where we engaged her and the batteries for one hour and 45 minutes* 1 bad made up my mind to board ber« but she was so well protected by the batteries, and the wind blowing directly in^ it was deemed inb< prudent to make the attempt ftt that time ; the pilots also refused to take chai*ge of the vessel. Under these circumstances, and it b^ing after sun-down, I determined to haul off and renew the attack next morning. We beat u)> in good order under a heavy jkve from the Royal Geo[^ge and batteries, to 4 mile point, where we anchored. It blew heavy in squalls, irom the westward during the night, and there itas every appearance of a gate of wind. The pilots be- mSTOHV OV THE WAI^. t)](ro|ieh various channels in tjip sh^pe o( an alternative : t];iat they fnust have orders to act j or at all hazards, they would ffo /tome. I forbear here coDumenting up- on th^ obvious consequences to nie, personally, oT lon- ger withholding my orders under snch circumstances, I had a conference wit h • l as to the possibillily of getting' some perst .t^in correct intormation. On the morning of tiie 4th» hf vfi^otp to me that he had prQpured the man who bore his Jie^erto go over. lustructions were given him ; lie I'ast §e4 over-Troblajncd such ipforniation as warianltid an imip^di^t^ a^ttack* This was confidently communis fated V> several of my first officers, and produced grfsat Zj^^l to act ; more especially as it might have a cpntroling ef£^i upon the movements at Detroit,, iwhfre it was supposed General 1 l^frofk h^d gone with %\\ the force he dared spare from the Nitigara froutwr* Xi*^ W^X preparations in my power wer^» iherefor^^ made tp dislodge the enemy from the {jleights of fj^aeen^ton, anyere elsp sent to Gen. 3inyth to send down from Buf- faloe, such de^chmpnts of his brigade as existing cir- CMinstances in that vicinity might warrant. The at- l^ck was to have been made at 4 u'plock in the morn- ing pf the Uth, by crossing over in boats from tlie oi4 ierry opposite the He^/hts. To avpid ^ny entbarrassr fi/^nt in crossing the ri » er, (vvHieh is her^ a sliei^t of vior knt eddies) e\pmnncfi4 boatmen Wiire procured to take the bc«ats from ih« landing below to the place of embarkation. Jbieuk. Sim was cQnside>'ed the man of greatest skill for this service. He went ahead, and ija the e%tr«a>e darkn«ss, psissed the intended place fur 9p the river; apd there, m ^ most extraordinary man^ ner fai^tened ih^ boat to the shpre and abandoned the detachment lo (b(» front boat he had carried u^arly pvery oar this agonu ardor ha( night.to 01 which CQi and delugf light extin detachmen was to hav After th troops woa plan sugge act under, inrght be the pneVioi heart from I ti6ed to st( thought lai Onihen upon me fv that my reu and the ici Viewing I iqumediately ijmyth'a brij tion ; but hi Wn, I sent qi with the vie^ the force de tachment ab< |conttnued< Lieut. Qo I four mile Cr« Itemplated at I Ills men's sei I He now aga |Col.VanR€ Ithe honor of Ragem«at v u > ■' BlSffCmr OF TRB WilK. 181 fsvery oar which was prepared for all thehoaftt. In this agunizing dilemma, atood officers and men whose ardor had not been cooled by exposure through the night.to one of ih^ most tremendous uorth'^a^t lAormSp which continued, unabated, for twenty«-eight hours, and deluged the whole camp. The approach of day light eHtmguished every prospect of succesy, and tliie detachment returned to camp. Col. Van Hensselaer was to have commanded the detachment. After this result, I had hoped the patience of the troops would have continued until I could submit th« plan suggested in my letter of the 8th, that I might ict under, and in conformity to the opinion that might be then e^pressc^d. But my hope was idle : tbe previously excited ardoir seemed ta gain new heart from the late miscarriagennthe brave were mor- tified to stop short of their object, and the timed thought laurels half won by an attempt. On the morning of the 12tb, such was the pressure upon m« from all quarters, that I became satisfied that my refusal |q act might involve me in suspicion and the scrvicft in disgrace. Viewing affairs at Buffalo as yet unsettled, I bad immediately countermanded the march of General Smyth's brigade, upon the ti^ilure of the first expedi- tion ; but having now determined to attack Q,ueeus- I U>n, I sent new 9rder!< to Gen. Smyth tu march ; not I with the view of his aid in the attack, for 1 considered the forc^ detached sufficient, but to support the de- tachment aliould the conflict bts obstinate and long I continued^ Lieut. Qo\. Chryatie, who had just arrivisd at the Ifoiir mile Creeks had late in the ntglit of the^rst con- tein|)lated attack, gallantly ottiared rae his own and jliis men's service; but he got my permission too late. iHe now again came forward ; had " cotiference witli iCul. Van Rensselaer, and begged that he might have jthe hoiu>r of a command in the expedition. The ar- hageoMat was made. Col. Van Rensselaer was to 'I i ! i I 11 H 182 HISTORY OF TUE WAR. ^'^ Gommtod' one column of 300 militia ; and Lieut. Col.' Chrystie a column of the same number of regular troops. Every precaution was now adopted as to boats, and the most confidential and experienced men to manage them. At an early hour in the night, Lieut. Col. Chrystie marched his detachment, by the rear road, from Niagara to camp. At 7 'o'clock in the evening, Lieut. Col. Stranahan's regiment moved from I^iagara Falls — at 8 o'clock, Mead's — and at 9 Lieut. CoT. Bian's regiment marched from the same Elace. All were in camp in good season. Agreea« ly to my orders issued upon this occasion, the two columns were to pass over together; and soon as the heights should be carried, Lieut. Col. Fenwick's flying artillery was to pass over ; then Maj. MuUany's de- tachment of regulars ; and other troops to follow in order. At dawn of day the boats were in I'eadiness, and the troops commenced embarking, under the cover of a commanding battery, mounting two eighteen pounders, and two sixes. The movements were soon discovered, and a brisk fire of musketry was poured from the whole line of the Canada shore. Our "foat- tery then opened to sweep the shore ; but it was, for some minutes, too dark to direct much fire with safe- ty. A brisk cannonade was now opened upon tbe boats from three different batteries. Our battery re- turned their fire, and occasionally threw grape upon the shore, and was itself served wjlh shells from a small mortar of the enemy's. Col. Scott, of the ar- tillery, by hastening his march from Niagara Falls in the night, arrived in season to return the enemy's tire with two six pounders. The boats were somewhii emburrassed with the eddies, as well as with a shov/er of shot : but Col. Van Rensselaer, with about 100 men, soon effected his landing amidm a tremendous fire directed upon him from every |M>int ; but to the astonishment of all who witnessed the scei.e, thisv:\u of the column ad' msTORY or Tine war. 188 vcmced slowly against the fire. It was aseriou)i mfi^- tortuhe to the van, and indeed to the whole expedition, that in a few minutes after landing. Col. Van Rens- selaer received four wounds-*-a bali passed through the right thigh, entering just below the hip bone — another shot passed through the same thigh, a little below — the third through Uie calf of his leg — and a fourth cartused his heel. This was quite a crisis in the expedition. Under so severe a fire it was diffi- cult to form raw troops. By some mismanagement of the boatmen, Lieut. Col. Chryslie did not arrive until some time after this, and was wounded in the hand in passing the river. Col. Van Uensselaor was still able to stand ; and with great presence of mind ordered his officers to proceed with rapidity and storm the Fort. This service was gallantly perform- ed, and the enemy driven down the hill in every di- rection. Soon after this both parties were considera- bly reinforced, and the conflict was renewed in seve- ral places — many of the enemy took shelter behind a slone guard-house, where a piece of ordnance was now briskly served. I ordered the Hre of our battery directed upon the guard-house ; and it was so efiect- ually done^ that with 8 or 10 shot the tire was silenc- ed. The enemy then retreated behind a large store- house ; but ifi a short time the route became general, and the enemy *s fire was silenced except from a one gun battery, so far down the river as to be out of the reach of heavy ordnance, and our light pieces could not silence it. A number of boats now passed ^ver unannoyed, except from one unsilenced gun. For some time after 1 had passed over, the victory appear- ed complete ; but int'ie expectation of further attackt^, I was taking measures for fortifying- my camp imme- diately — the direction of this service I committed tu Lieut. Totten, of the engineers. But very soon the enemy v.'ere reinforced by a detachment of several hunared Indians from Chippewa — they commenced u furious attack, but were promptly met and routed l)y the rifle and bayonet. By this time I perceived 1 ' 1 i-r 1 n : r <■ "1 « 184 UlliTi>HT UV TUB W]IB. m %. my t. . om were embhrking very alowly. I pis^ inn lueitiately over to accelerate th^ir tnovem^htil ; but to mv Utter afto.iishnieiit« I found at the very moment ^hen — but in vain. Lieut. Gol. Bl6om,who had been wounded inHction.returhed^ mounted bis horse^ and rode through the camp ; an did also Judge Peck, who happened tu be hevt'« exhorting the companieft to l>ruceed->^but all in va.n. ' At this time a large reinfor .;ikient from Fort Georgt were discovered coming tip the river. As the battery ^n the hill was considered an important check againti (heir ascending the heights, measures wer^ itimiedi* ately taken to send them a fresh supply of amnmnio tion, as we had learnt there was left only twenty shot for the eighteen pounders. The reinforcement, hovn evevi obliqued to the right from the road, and formed a junction with the Indians in the rear of the heights* Finding, to my iiiiinitemortilicatiou^thatnoreinforce* meiit xtould pan^ over; seeing that anotlier severe con^ fliot mu»t snun ^!;ommen«;e: and knowing that the brave men ou the heights Were quite exhausted, and nearly out of animunitioti,all I could do was lo send them a fresh supply of cartridges. At this critical moment, 1 despatched a note to Gen. Wadsworth, ao*' quainting hiiki with our situatioii-^leaving the couise to be pursued much to hia own judgment-^with as>- smance, that if he thought best tu retre£lt, I would endeavor tu send as many boats as I could Commariil, and cover his retreat by every Hr^ I could safely make. But the boats were dispersed-^— ^nuany of the boatmen hud fled, panic struck-^and but few got ofl*. But my note could but little more than have reached Gen. Wadsworth about 4 o'clock, when a most severe and obstinate conflict commenced and continued about half an hour^ with a tremeiido(i» tire of canuOn, flying' artillery and musketry. The enemy succeeded, in tepussessing their battery ; and gaining advanta5(e on HISTORY OF THE WAB. IM every side, the brave men who had gained the victo- ry, exhausted of strength and ammunition, and griev- ed at the unpardonable neglect 6t' their fellow-sol- diers, ^ave up the conflict. I can only add, that the victory was reaUy won ; but lost for the want of a small reinforcement. One third part of the idle men might have suved all. I have been ho pressed with the various duties of burying the d^ad, providing for the wounded, collect- ing the pablic property, negociating an exchange of Krisoners, and all the concerns couHequent of such a attle, that I have not been able to forward this dispatch at as early an hour as I could have wished. I shall soon forward you another despatch, in which I shall endeavor to point out to you the conduct of some most gallant and deserving omcers. But I cannot in justice close this without expressing the very great obliga- tion I am under to brigadier-general WadsWorth, Col. Van Rensselaer, Col. Scott, Lt. Cols. Christie and Fen- wick, and Captain Gibson. Many others have also behaved most gallantly. As I have reason to believe that many of our troops fled to the woods, with the hope of crossing the river, I have not been able to learn the probable number of killed, wounded and prisoners."^ The slaughter of our troops must have been very considerable. And the enemy have snfiier^ ed severely. General Brock is among their slain, and his aid-de'-cannp mortally wounded. I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect and consideration, your most obedient servant, ^ (Signed; STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER. Metfor'General. JVf ajor-General jpearboro. r ' il • i , ^ 1 ii 1 (' IL. M I.I' I '' if ! 1 1, Mi * ttis tinee UMeertamed that 90 regtilara mid militia ntrt killed, flnrfSOC r^gHtfurf, and S78 militia^ Silteing tv tninded, made pri*- i'y*it 94 « < i vi:K •U ti *■ \ 1 ■4 1 ' 1 > '1 ■ 1 ^, ^^"i^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 1.25 li&MM |25 US ■ 2.2 ■ 4.0 INHH yuu 6" <^ VQ ^ '-^ I^iologFaphic Sdenoes COTporatioii 23 WBT MAIN STtliT WnSTm,N.Y. MSM (7I6)I72-4S03 ^^^2^ ^ ^ ^ *i H i i !■.■:, ; ji ill rm UIS'IOHY OF THE WAIl.i f ^. CHAPTER V. ;:n,'.. J •;;fj,'#^ :• Documents accompanyinff the Presidents Message . / of November 4, 1B12. Mr. Monroe to Mr. Russell, Department of State, July 27, 1812. SIR — I wrote you on the 26th of June, by Mr. T^oster, a letter which he promised to deliver to you iu person or by a safe hand. In that letter you were informed, that the Orders in Council, and other illegal blockades, and the impress, ment of our seamen by Great-Britain, as you well knew before, were the principal causes of the war, and that if they were removed, you might stipulate au armistice, leaving them and all other grounds of dif- ference, for final and more precise adjustment by trea- ty. As an inducement to the British government to oiscontinue the practice of impressment from our ves- sels, by which alone our seamen can be made secure, you were authorised to stipulate a prohibition by law, to be reciprocal, of the employmant of British seamen in the public ur commercial service of the United States. As such an arrangement, which might be made completely efiectual and satisfactory by suitable regulations snd penalties, would operate almost ex- clusively in favor of Great-Britain, for as few of our seamen ever enter voluntarily into the British service, the reciprocity \^ould be nominal ; its advantage to Great-Britain would be more than an equivalent for any she derives from impiessment, which alone ought to induce her to abandon the practice, if she had no other motive for it. A stipulation to prohibit by law the employment of British seamen in the service of the United States, is to be uiulerstood in the sense and spirit of the constitution. The passage of such law must depend of course on Congress, who, it might reasonably be presumed, might give effect to it. By authorising you to secure these objects as the grounds of an armistice, it was not intended to restrict HISTORY OF THE WAR. 187 you to any precise form in which it should be done. It is nol particularly necessary that the several points should be specially provided for in the convention stipulating the armistice. A clear and distinct un- derstanding with the British government on the sub- ject of impressmeiit, comprising in it the discharge of men already impressed, and on future blockades, if the Orders in Council are revoked, is all that is in- dispensibl0. The Orders in Council being revoked, and the proposed understanding on the other points, that is, on blockades and impressment, being first ob- tained, in a manner, though informal, to admit of no mistake or disagreement hereafter, the instrument providing for the armistice may assume a general form especially if more agreeable to the British gov- ernment. It may for example be said in general terms * that both powers being sincerely desirous to terminate the differences which unhappily subsist be- tween them, and equally so, that full time should be given for the adjustment thereof, agree, 1st, that an armistice shall take place for that purpose to com- mence on the day of * 2. That they will forthwith appoint on each side commissioners with full power to form a treaty, which shall provide, by reciprocal arrangements, for the se- curity of their seamen from being taken or employed in the service of the other power, for the regulation of their commerce, and all other intercittiug quf stions now depending between them. * 3. The armistice shall not cease without a previ- ous notice by one to the other party of days, and shall not be understood as having other effect than merely to suspend military operations by land and sea.* By this you will [>erceive that the President is de- sirous of removing every obstacle to an accommoda- tion which consists merely of form, securing in a safe and satisfactory manner^ the rights and interests of the United States in these two great and essential cir- cumstances, as it is presumed may be accomplished by the proposed understauding ; he is willing that it should be done in a manner the most satisfactory and i 4 ■ n / i ' •! ' , ' n 186 BISTOAY OV IHE WAU: rH|| jiili'ii: honorable to Great-Britain, as well ns to the' United Slates. I have the honor to be, &c. ' - JAMES MOISROE. Mr. Graham to Mr. Russell. Dbvartment of State. Ang. 0, 1812. SIR — The Secretary left this city about ten ilay« a^i^o, on a shor*: isting circumstances, consider Mr. Foster as vested with the power of appointing a charge d'affairs: but that no difficulty in point of form would be made, as any aufhentic communication through him, or any other channel, would be received with attention and respect. Secretary oj State to Mr. Russell. Department of State, Aug, 21,1812. [Extract.'] My last letter to you was of the 27th of July, and was forwarded by the British packet, the Althen, under the special protection of Mr. Baker. The object of that letter, and of the next preceding one of the 26th of June, was, to invest you with pow- er to suspend by an armistice, on such fair conditions as it was presumed could not be rejected, the opera- tion of the war, which had been brought on the Unit- ed States by the injustice and violence of the British government. At the moment of the declaration of wt>r, the President, regretting the necessity which produced it, looked to its termination and provided for it, and happy will it be for both countries, if the disposition felt, and the advances made on his part^ are entertained and met by the British government in a similar spirit. You have been informed by Mr. Graham of what passied in my late absence from the city, in an inter- view between Mr. Baker and Him, in consequence of a despatch from the British government to Mr. Foster, received at Halifax, just before he sailed for Eng- land, and transmitted by him to Mr. Baker, relating to a proposed suspension or repeal of the British Or- ders in Council. You will have seen by the note, forwarded to vou bv Mr. Graham, of Mr. Baker's J Ml ! 'i: i I MJ i; tl ;i li ,' . ^ll t I t, h ■ ■ 1 : > 1 ! I J ImM ^.1' 192 WSTOBTOF TH^ WAB*^ mi. m communication to him', that Mr. Foster had author- nted him to state that the commanders of the Britinh forces at Halifax would agree to a suspension, after a day to be fixed* of the condemnation of prizes, to await the decision of both gfovernments, without how- ever preventitisr captures on either tide. It appears also, that Mr. Foster had promised to communicate with Sir George Prevost, and to advise him to pro- pose to our government an armistice. Sir George Prevost has since propcsed to General Dearborn, at the suggestion of Mr. Foster, a suspen- sion of offensive opperations by land, in a letter which was transmitted by the General to the Secretary at War. A-provisional agreement was entered into be- tween Gen. Dearborn and Colonel Uaynes, the British adjutant general, bearer of Gen. Prevost*s letter, that neither party should act ofiensively, before the deci^ sion of our government should be taken on the subject. Since my return to Washington, the document al- luded to in Mr Foster's despatch, as finally decided on by the British government, has been handed to me by Mr. -Baker, with a remark, that its authenticity might be relied on. Mr. Baker added that it was not improbable, that the Admiral at Halifax might agree likewise to a suspension of captures, though he did not profess or appear to be acquamted with his sentiments on that point. ; .;. « ^' On full consideration of all the circumstances which merit attention, tlie President regrets that it is not in his power to accede to the proposed arrangement The following are among the principal reasons which have produced this decision. 1st. the President has no power to suspend judicial proceedings on prizes. A capture, if lawful, vests. a right, over which he has no control. Nor could he prevent captures otherwise than by an indiscriminate recal of the commissions granted to our . privateers, which hie could not justify under existing circumstan> ••Vr UKTQ&T or TUB WAU, m » 'it and acted on by the British governmeiit. :•: :^t cr . ., 26. ■.: .< , '.'■'. i 'il ' )| I;: !l w 194 HISTORY OF THE WAR. '% k i i l\w ' 2d. TKat the repeal is founded exclusively on the Freitch Decree of the 28th of April, 1811, by which the repeal of the Decrees of Berlin and Milan, an- nounced on the 5th of August, 1810, to take effect on the 1st of November, of that year, at which time their operation actually ceased, is disregarded, as are the claims of the United Slates arismg from the rew peal on that day, even according to the British pledge. 3d. That even if the Un'ted States had no right to claim the repeal of the British Orders in (Council prior to the French Decree of the 28th of April, 181 1, nor before the notification of that Decree to the Brit^ . ish government, on the 20th of May, of the present year, the British repeal ought to have borne date, from that day, and been subject to none of the limit* etions attached to it. These remarks on the declaration of the Prince Regent, which are not pursued with rigor, nor in the full extent which they might be, are applicable to it, in relation to the stale of things which existed before the determination of the United States to resist the aggressions of the British government by war. By that determination, the relations between the two countries have been altogether changed, and it is only by a termination of the war, or by measures leading to it, by consent of both governments, that its calam- ities can be closed or mitigated. It is not now a ques< tion whether the declaration of the Prince Regent is euch as ought to have produced a repeal of the non- importation act, had war not been declared, because, by the declaration of war, that question is superceded, and the non-importation act having been continued in force by Congress, and become a measure of war, and among the most efficient, it is no longer subject to the control of the Executive in the sense, and for the purpose for which it was adopted. The declara- tion, however, of the Prince Regent, will not be with- out effect. By repealing the Orders in Council without reviving tne blockade of May> 1806, 'or any other illegal blockade, as is understood to be the HISTORY PW THE WAR. 10(> €(06, ii removes a (i^reat obstacle to an accommoda- tion. The President coiHiiilei'8 it an iiidicuttun of a disposition in the British {{government to accommodate tb^ differences which subsist between the two conn* tries, and I am instructed to assure you, that, if such g disposition really exists, and is persevered in, and is extended to other objects, especially the important one of impressment, a durable and happy peace and reconciliation cannot fail to result from it. Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, Sept. 1, 1812. SIR«— You will perceive by the enclosed copies of notes which have passed between lord CiMtlreagh and me, that the moderate and equitable terms proposed for a suspension of hostilities, have been rejected, and that it is my intention to return immediately to the United States. My continuance here, afier it has been so broadly intimated to me by his lordship, that I am no longer acknowledged in my diplomatic capacity, and after a knowledge that instructions are given to the British Admiral to negociate an arrangement on the other side of the Atlantic, would, in my view of the subject, not only be useless but improper. It is probable, however, that the vessel in which I propose to embark will not take her departure before the 15th or 20th of this month. I have the honor to be, with great consideration, sir, your most obedient servant, JONATHAN RUSSELL. ^,r. y'hehon. James Monroe, Sfc. r.f^.- Mr. Russell to lord Castlereayh. ;, London, Aug. 24, 1812. • ;My lord — ^It is only necessary, I trust, to call the attention of your lordship to a review of the conduct of the government of the United States, to prove in- Qontrovertibly its unceasing anxiety to maintain the relations of peace and friendship with Great-Britain. Its patience in suffering the many wrongs which it HI ! I i ' 1 I* 1 ' i \ 4 .1 biMk w 106 histday op thb waU, ban ree«iv«a8Ned (to be reciprocal) to prohibit the employmeni of British seamen in the public or cominercif^ fervifili «f the United ^tat^. ■UTORY or THB WJKx 197 it ii iracisrely beli(Bv«d that Buch an arrailg^iDenl would prove mora efficacious in aacaring to Great* BriUinher aeamen, than the practice of impreMment, 10 derogatory to theaonroreign attribates of the United Slolet, and so incompatible with the personal rights of Iheur citizens. Your lordship will not be surprised that I have pr». santed the revocation of the Orders in Coiincil as a preliminary to- the suspension of hdstilitiest when it ia considered' that the act of the British government of the iSd of Jane last, ordaining that revocation, it nredicafted on conditions, the performance of which i rendered impracticable by the change which ia tioco'known to have occurred in the relations bf^tween the ,two countries. It cannot ti6w be expected that the government of the United States will immediate- ly on due notice of thatact^ refvdke or cause to be re^ voked its acts, excludinar from! the waters and harbors of the United States all British armed vessels, and in« terdicting commercial intercourse with Great-Bri« {ain. Such a procedure would necessarily involve consequences too uiireasonable and ettravagant to he for a moment presumed.--*The' Oilier in Council of the sad oif June last wiU therefore according to its own terms be null and of no effect, and a new act of ilie British government, adapted to existing circum- stances, is obvionsly required for the effectual repeal of the Orders in Council of which the United Stated complain. ' ;'* '" ^^^ The government of thie United States considers indemnity for injuries received nnder the Orders in Council smd other £dicts, violating the rights of the American nation, to be incident to their repeal, and it believes that latisfactorv provision will be made in the definite treaty, to be hereafter negociated, foi^ this purpose. The conditions now offered to the British govern- mentfor the termination of the war by an armistice as above stated, are so moderate and just in them- leives, and so entirely consistent with its interest and ' 1 ( ; 'I 1 1 1 ■ *: 4 1 \ , 1 n M,(:i|t ■J 198 HISTORY OF THE WAB. bonor, that a confident hope is indulged that it will not hesitate to accept them. In so doing it will aban^ don no right ; it will sacrifice no interests ; it will ab- stain only from violating the rights of the United States, and in return it will restore peace with the power from whom in a friendly commercial inter- course so many advantages are to be derived. Your lordship is undoubtedly aware of the seriou/; difficulties with which the prosecution of the war, even for a short period, must necessarily embarrass all fu- ture attempts at accommodation. — Passions exas- perated by injuries — alliances or conquests on terms which forbid their abandonment — will inevitably hereafter embitter and protract a contest which might now be so easily and happily terminated. Deeply impressed with these trutlis, I cannot but persuade myself that his Koyal Highness, the Prince Regent will take into his early consideration, the pro- positions herein made on behalf of the United^tateg, and decide on them in a spirit of conciliation and justice. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, my lord, your lordship*s most obedient servant, JONATHAN RUSSELL. T/te Right lion, lord VUcount Castlereagh, &c. :!.>.•' Lord Castlerenyh to Mr. Russell. Foreign Office, Aug. 29, 1812. SIR — Although the diplomatic relations between the two governments have been terminated, by a de- claration of war on the part of the United States, I have not hesitater\ under the peculiar circumstances of the case, and the authority under which you act, to submit to the Prince Regent the proposition con- tained in your letter of the 24th inst. for a suspension of hostlities. From the period at which your instructions must have been issued, it is obvious, that this overture was determined upon by the government of the United States, in ignorance of the Order in Council of the 23d ■li! HISTORY OF THE WAR. 199 June IhsI, and as you inform me tliat you are not at liberty to depart from the conditions set forth in your letter, it only remains for me to acquaint you that the Prince Regent feels himself under the necessity of declining to accede to the proposition therein contain- ed, as being on various grounds absolutely inadmis- sible. As soon as there was reason to apprehend, that Mr. Foster's functions might have ceased in America, and that he might have been obliged to withdraw him- self, in consequence of war having been declared, from the United States, before the above mentioned Order of the 23d of June, and the instructions consequent thereupon, could have reached him, measures were taken for authorising the British Admiral on the American station, to propose to the government of the United States, an immediate and reciprocal revo- cation of all hostile Orders, with the tender of giving fall effect, in the event of hostilities being discontinu- ed j to the provisions of the said Order, upon the coHdi- tions therein specified. From this statement you will perceive that the view you have taken of this part of the subject is incorrect ; and that in the present state of the relations between the two countries, the operation of the Order of the '23d June, can only be defeated by a refusal on the part of your government to desist from hostilities, or to .comply with the conditions expressed in the said Order. Under the circumstances of your having no pow- ers to negociate, I must decline entering into a de- tailed discussion of the propositions which you have been directed to bring forward. I cannot, however, refrain on one single poiitt. from expressing my surprise ; namely, that, as a con- dition preliminary even to a suspension of hostilities, the government of the United States, should hay^* thought fit to demand, that the British government should desist from its ancient and accustomed prac^ tice of impressing British seamen from the merchuni i i ::1 1' . « ^1 ■ 1 '1 i, '. -i '■ 1 ■1 / L I «! s I f| !' -I i i 1 Ul i hi \f^ 900 IM^TORY OF.THS V^ABi ^ips of a.for^igiijlete,: (KJiupIy pn the auifuraiie«.tlKJi « law tthall. hereafter b^;p«MNied tQ prohititl tije^^emplpy* mei)t .9^' Bii'itish seiupeo io the puhli^ Qr topm^rcml ' ^t) The Bi'iti«|i goyerpraent tiowi as .heretofpre> it rea^y.tQ receive trpngi th^ governiQent, of the United States, and atnicabl^r to dincuss, any proposition which professes to j^aye in view -either to loneck abuse inthi .exercise of the practice of iQipresstneot, or taitccQiB* plish by means less liable to vexation, |he. object for . wbicb impressiiient has hitherto been fopnd necessary, . biit.they cannot consent tp suspend , the exereisii of % I'ightupOQ which the naval strength of the. eoipirt mainly depends, until thev are fully convinced that «neaii» can be devised, and will be adopted, .bsy iivhich the object to be obtained by the Mercipe of thftt right, ran b0 effectually secured^ ■ h ; . .;; i*#ji forwarding to yoo an admiralty order for the protection of that ship as a cartel, on her voyage to America, and I herewith en- close to you a passport for the free embarkation of yourself and family, in confoimity to your request. The lords commissioners of his 'Majesty*s treasury will issue directions to the comissioners of the customs to give every facility to the embarkation of your ef- fects. . *;';':*'■•;'."• /''^ V""'.' If previous to your departure from England, yon can point out to me any particular manner in which I cantucilitate your arrangements, 1 beg that you will command my services. . His Royal Highness, has commaded me to signify to you, for the intbmiation of your government, that there will be no difficulty in allowing Mr. R. G. Beasely, as stated in your letter, to reside in,this coun- try, as the United States' agent for piispners of war. 1 have the honor to subscribe mjfself, with great truth and consideration, sir, your most obedient hum- ble servant, (Signed) CASTLEREAGH. /. BusselltEsq* I < »v CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SIR J. B. WARREK AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sept. 30, 1812. SIR — ^I'he departure of Mr. Foster from America, has devolved upon me the charge of making known to you, for the information of the government of the U- States, the sentiments entertained by his Royal High- ness, the Prince Regent, upon the existing relations of the two countries. You will observe, from the enclosed copy of an Order in Council bearing date the 23d of June, 1812, that the Orders in Council of the 71h of January, 1807, and the 26th of April, 1809, ceased to exist nearly at the same time that the government of the U. StateB declHBed war against his Majesty. WARREK HI$TORX OF THE WAR. 208 Immediately on the receipt of this declaration in London, the Order in Council, of which a copy is herewith enclosed to you, was issued on the Slst day of July, for the embargo and detention of all Ameri' can ships. Under these circumstances, I am commanded to propose to your giovernment the immediate cessation of hostilities between the two countries and I shall be most happy to be the instrument of bringing about a reconciliation, so interesting and beneficial to Ameri- ca, and Great Britain. ,.j^. r. I therefore propose to you, that the government of the U. States of America shall instantly recall their letters of marque, and reprisal against British ships, together with all orders and instructions for any acts of hostility whatever against the territories of his Ma- jesty, or the persons or property of his subjects ; with the understanding, that, immediately on my receiving from you an official assurance to that effect, I shall in- struct all the officers under my command to desistfrom corresponding measures of war, againM the ships and property of the United States, and that I shall transmit without delay, corresponding intelligence to the sev- eral parts of the world where hostilities may have commenced. The British commanders in which, will be required to discontinue hostilities from the re- ceipt of such notice. Should the American government accede to the above proposal for terminating hostilities, I am author- ised to arrange with you as to the revocation of the laws which interdict the commerce and ships of war of Great Britain from the harbors and waters of the U. States ; in the default of which revocation within such reasonable period as may be agreed upon, you will observe by the order of the 23d June, the Orders in Council of January, 1807, and April, 1809, are to be revived. The officer who conveys this letter to the Ameri- can coast has received tny orders to put to sea immedi- ately upon the delivering of this dispatch to the com- 1 'Ml ■ i> m 204 HISTORY OF THK WAR. ■ 1 . 1 ■ ? u petent authority ; and I earnestly recommend that no time may be loNtincommunicatinff tomethe deciHioo of your iroveffnment, persuaded as I feel that it cannot but be of a nature to lead to a speedy termination of thepresent differences. The flag of truce which you may charge with your reply wjll find one of my cruisers at Sandy Hook, ten days after the landing of this despatch, which I have directed U> call there with a flag of truce for that pur* pose. I have the honor to be. with the highest considera<* tiop, sir, your most obedient and most faithful humble servant. JOHN BORLASE WARREN. Admiral of the Bluet and commander in chief, kc, Mr, Monroe to sir J, B. Warren, D£PART9fRNT OF 6tatb, Oct. 27, 1813. SIR — I have had the honor to receive your letter of the dOth ult. and to submit it to the consideration of the President. It appears that you are authorised to propose a ces- sation of hostilities between the U. States and Great Britain, on the grround of the repeal of the Orders iu CSunncil, and in case the proposition is acceeded to, to take measures in concert with this government, to carrv it into complete effect on both sides. Von state, also that you have it in charge, in that event, to epter into an arrangement with the govern* ment of the U. States for the repeal of the laws which interdict the ships of war and the commerce of G reat Britain from the harbora and waters of the U. States. And you intimate, that if the proposition is not acced- ed to,* the Orders in Council (repealed conditionally by that of the 23d of June last) will be revived against the commerce of the U. States. iif '< I am instructed to inform you, thi|t it will be very satisfactory to the President to meet the British govern- ment in such arrangements as may terminate without d^ay the hostilities which now exist between the U. ^n i HISTORY OF THE WAHV 20d 6l«tM and Great Britain, on conditions honorable to both nations. At the moment of the declaration of war, the Presi^ dent ^ve a signal proof of ihe attachment of the U: States to peace. Instructions were given at that ear- ly period to the late charge des affairs of the U. States at London, to propose to the British government aii armistice on conditions which it was presumed would have been satisfactory. It has been seen with regret that the propositions made by Mr. Monroe, particu* larly in regard to the important interest of impress^ ment, was rejected, and that none was offered through ' that channel, as a basis on which hostilities might cease. As your government has authorised you to propose a cessation of hostilities, and is doubtless aware of the important and salutary effect which a satisfactory ad- J'astment of this difference cannot fail to have on the uture relations between the two countries, I indulge the hope that it has, ere this, given you full power Uii the purpose. Experience has sufficiently evinced that no peace can be durable unless this object is provided for. It is presumed, therefore, that it is equally the interest of both countries to adjust it at this time. Without further discussing questions of right, the ^ President is desirous to provide a remedy for the evils ' complained of on both sides. The claim of the Bri- tish government is to take from the^ merchant vessels of other countries British subjects, tn the practice, thd commanders of the British ships of war often take from the merchant vessels of the U. States, American citizens. If the United States prohibit the employ- '- ment of British subjects in their service, and inforce tlie prohibition of suitable regulations and penalties. ; the DMitive for the practice is taken away. It is in this mode that the President is willing to accommodate this important controversy with the British goverti- ment, and it cannot be conceived on what ground the arrangement can be refused. 1- ' ! >l li. 4 " ^\M' :r ■ I ' \ ll, • I- i , 1 1 i ■ I 'i ;' « SOtf BISTORT OF THB WAH. .; ■• '' ; ft: 1 1 A suspension of the practice of impressment, pend* ing^ the armistice, seems to be a necessary cooue- quence. It cannot be presumed, while the parties are engaged in a neg^ociation to adjust amicably this important differeace, that the U. States would ad- mit the right or acquiesce in the practice of the oppo- site party ; or that Great Britain would be unwilliiigr to restrain her cruizers from a pactice which would have the strongest tendency to defeat the negocia*4on. It is presumable that both parties would enter into the negociation with a sincere desire to give it effect. For this purpose it is necessary that n clear and dis'^ tinct understanding be first obtained between them, of the accdtnmodation which each is prepared to make. If the British government is willing to 8U8|)end the practice of impressment from American vessels, on consideration that the U. States will exclude British seamen from their service, the regulations by which this compromise should be carried into efFecit would be solely the object of negociation. The armistice would be of short duration. If the parties agreed, peace would be the result. If the negociation failed, each would be restored to its former state, and to all its pretentions, by recurring to war. Lord Castlereagh, in his note to Mr. Russell, seems to have supposed, that had the British government ac- cepted the propositions made to it, G. Britain would have suspended immediately the exercise of a right, on the mere assurance of this government that a law "would be afterwards passed to prohibit the employ- ment of British seamen in the service of the U. States, and that Great Britain would have no ageticy in the regulation to give efiect to that proposition. Such an idea was not in the contemplation of this government, nor is to be reasonably inferred from Mr. Russelfs note ', lest, however, by possibility such an inference might be drawn from instructions to Mr. Russell, and anxious that there should be no misunderstanding in the case, subsequent instructions were given to Mr. Russell with a view to obviate every objection of tht' mSTOBT OF THB WAR. 207 kind allnded to. As they bear date on the 27th Jnly, and were forwarded by the British packet Althea, it is imore than probable that they may have been receiv- ed and actei* on. I am happy to explain to you thus fully the views of my government on this important subject. The President desires that the war which exists between our countries should be terminated on such conditions ns may secure a sold and durable peace. . To accom- plish this great object it is necessary that the interest oft impressment be satisfactorily arranged. He is willing that Great Britain should be secured against the evils of which she complains. He seeks on the other hand that the citizens of the United States should be protected against a practice which while it degrades tne nation, deprives them of their rights as freemen, takes them by force from their families and their country into a foreign ser^'ice, to fight the bat- tles of 1 foreign power, perhaps against their own kin> dred and country. ^ u ^, . I abstain from entering, in this ccmimunication, in- to other grounds of difference. The Orders in Coun- cil having been repealed, ^with a reservation not im- pairing a corresponding right on the part of the U. States) and no illegal blockades reviveth parties, every other subject of controversy. I will only add that if there be no objection to an accommodation of the difference relating to impress- ment, in the mode proposed, other than the suspension of the British claim to impressment during tlie armis- tice, there can be none to proceeding, without the armistice, to an immediate discussion and arrange^- ment of an article on that subject. This great ques- :li,i. ao6 HUTOBY OF THB WiJb (ion b^ing sakitfactorily ddjaited, the wdy ^ill be open either for an armistice or any other co«ne lead- ing moHt conveniently and expeditiously to a general pacification. I have the honor, See. JAMES MONROE. I . t- ir- i 1 (: .'1* ■; i. ■A Hi- BRITISH CHALLENGE. , Ignorant of the fate of the blustering l>acrff, ^'ir James Yeo» of the Southampton frigfate, sent the follow- ing poUte challenge to Capt. D. Porter, commanderof the frigate Essex. The king, * the fountain of honor/ dubbed Sir James, a knight ; we wished Capt. Porter the pleasure of drubbing him into a gentleman. * A passenger of the brig Lvon from Havanna to New- York, captured by the brig Southampton, sir James Yeo, commander, is requested by sir James Yeo, to present his compliments to captain Porter^ commander of the American frigate Essex, wonid be glad to have a teie-a-4tte any where between the capes of Delaware and the Havanna, when he would have the pleasure to break his own sword over his damned head and put him down forward in iions.* ; AMERICAN ACCEPTANCE. . Captain Porter, of the United States frigate Essex, presents his compliments to sir James Yeo, command- ing his Britannic m^|e8ty's frigate Southampton, and accepts with pleasure \m polite invitation. If agreea- ble to sir James, captain Porter would prefer meeting near the Delaware, where, captain P. pledges his honor to sir James, that no other. American vessel shall interrupt their tete-a-tete* The Essex may be known by a flag bearing the motto — FREE TRADE AND SAILORS* RIGHTS ; And when that is struck to the Southampton, cap- tain Porter will deserve the treatment promised by sir James. Phihdelphia, Sept. \^t \^\2, .. I if*/.**' HISTORY OF THB WAE.' CHAPTER VI. $0& CAPTURE OF THE FROLIC AND WASP* Vapt. Jones to the Sevrelary of the Navy. New- York, Nov. 24, 1812. SIR — I here avail myself of the first opportunity of informing yon of the occurrences of our criiiHe, which terminated in the capture of the Wawp on the 18th of October, by the Poictiers of 74 jfuns, while a wreck from damages received in an engagement with the British sloop of war Frolic, of 22 guns ; sixteen •f them thirty-two pound carronades, and four twelve pounders on the mnin deck and two twelve pounders, carronades, on the top-gallant-forecastle, making her superior in force to us by 4 twelve pounders. The Frolic had struck to us, and was taken possession of about two hours before our surrenderitig to the Poic- tiers. We had left the Deliuvare on the 13th. The 16th had a heavy gale, m which we lost our jib-boom and two men. Half past eleven, on the night o\ the ITlh, in the latitude of 37 deg. N. and Ion. 65 deg. W. we saw several sail, two of them appearing very large ; we stood from them for some time, then shortened sail and steered the remainder of the night the course we had perceived them on. At day-light on Sunday the 18th we saw them ahead — g^ve chase and soon discovered them to beacouvuy of six sail, under the protection of a sloop of war ; four of them large ships, Biouiiting from 16 to 18 guns. At thirty-two min- utes past 11, A. M. we engaged the sloop of war, having first received her fire at the distance of fifty or sixty yards, which space we gradually lessened until we laid her on board, after a well supported fire of forty>three minutes ; and although so near while load- ing the last broadside that our rammers were shoved against the side of the enemy, our men exhibited the same ^acrity which they had done during tlie whole 27 I 'I ;il!. II in i 1/ ; ir^i I ■ 210 Hif^DRt OF tllE V/At. of the action. They inimedintely surrendered upon our gaining their forecastle, no that no loss was sus- tained on either sidi after boarding. Our niain-top-mast was shot away between 4 and 5 niii.utrsfrom Ihie cofninenccmetot of the tiring, and falling together with the niain-topnil yard across Ihc larbbard fore and fore-top-sail braces, rendered oiii head-yards unmanageable the remainder of the action. At eight minutes the gad and and main-top-gallant mast cumo down, and at 20 minutes from the begin- ning of the action every brace and most of the rigginj<; was shot away. A few minutes after separalini; from the Frolic bolh her masts fell upon deck, the mainmii»t going close by the deck, and the foremast twelve or hflcen feet above it. The courage and exertions of the oflScers and crew fully answered my expectations and wishes. Lieut. Biddle's active conduct contributed much to our success, by the exact attention paid to every de- partment during the engagement, and the animating example he anbrded the crew by his intrepidity. Lieuts. Rodgera, Booth, and Mr. Uupp, shewe spars that had fallen upon deck, which two hours* ev- ertion had not sufficiently removed. Mr. Biddle, who had charge of the Frolic, states that from what he saw and from information from the officers, the number of killed must have been about thirty, and tbit of the wound^l about forty or fifty — of the kil<> led is her first Lieut, and sailing master ; of tlie Ivounded Gapt. Whinyates, and her second I^ieut. * We had five killed and five wounded as per list^ the wounded are recovering. Lieut Claxton, who ii IllS'lOliV UF f.1 'ill previous b@ (it kiM ^cd by bis that wi; bust W9I conHned by sickness, lell bi!» to th« ^ngaf^uiiiciit, iiiid tboiii* b 4ivi»iQfi remained upon deck coaiUQsed luanner of noliu loMi uy his ilbtflttdie survi I am rjH|tl'ultyf \ #^ JACOB JONES. miliou Sccnlar^ of the Nuvif. decatubTviciory. . Com. IkcatHr (o (he Sacnt^ry of the Navy. U. 8. S. Vuileti tjltates, at ma, Oct »0, lai'i. SIR-r-I havie the honor t9 inform you, that on Ihe 3dth iiist being in Int. .39 d^g, N. loog. 39, 30 W. yre fell in with, and, nfter an action of one hour nnd a half, captured his Britannic Majesty's frigate Ma- cedonian, commanded by Cant. John Curdei), and mounting 49 sarriagie guns (the odd gun shifting.^ She is a frigate of the largest c)a89» two years ola, four months out of dock, and reputed one of the best sailers in the British service. The enepry being to windward, hid the ^vantage pf engaging us at his own distance, wbipb was so great, that for the ^r^t half hour we did not vse our carronades, and |it no jnoment was b^ within the complete ^fiect pf our musketry or grape— rio this circumstance and a heavy «well, wbicb was on at th^ time, I ascribe tjhe unusual leiigth of tiie action. 1 Tbe enthusiasm of every officer, seamen, ^nd n*a- ■rine on board this ship, ou discovering the enemy — their steady conduct in battle, and precision of their fire, could ivot be surpassed. Where all me;t my tVil- Jest expectations, it would be unju^ in me to discrim- inate. Permit me, however, to recommend to your.par- iicular notice, my first Lieut. William li. Allen. H^ has served with me upwards of tiye yeari^ and tO his uiireHiitteii exertions in disciplining the crew, is. tp be imputed the obvious superiority of our gunnery exhiixted in the rej»nlt of the content. Subjoiutid )s a list ol' the kilU d and wounded on both sides. Our los , compared with that of the en* ' f li i' i 212 ■! i I: >H I V I ii emy, will yoii will in a few great gallan tained asev The Mao OF THE WAR. small. Amongst our wounded, |e name of Lieut. Funk, who died Uhe action — he was an officer of |ise, and the service has sus> m her miimimast, fore and inain-top>masts and main yard, and was much rut up in her hull. The damage sustainedHftlhis ship was not such as to render her return into^mrt necessary, and had I not deemed it important that we should see our prize in, should have continued our cruise. With the highest consideration, &c. STEPHEN DECATUR. The hon, Paul Hamilton, Killed on hoard the United States seven — and five wounded. On board the Macedonian thirty-six killed — and sixty-eight wounded. -""'■ BAINBRIDGE'S VICTORY. Com. Bninbridye to t/te Secretary of the Navy, U. S. Frigate Constitutionf St.Salvador^Jan 3. 1813. SIR — I have the honor to inform you, that on the S9th ultimo, at 2 P. M. in south latitude 13 06, and west longitude thirty eight, ten leagues distance trom the coast of Hrazils, 1 tell in with and captured his Britannic Majesty's frigate Java, of forty nine guns and upwards ot 400 men, commanded by captain Lam- bert, a very distinguished officer. The action lasled one hour and 55 minutes, in which time the enemy was completely dismasted, not having a spar of any kind standing. The loss on board the Constitution w 1 have the honor to be, Sir, with the greatest re- spect. W.BAliNBRlUGE. ■; ' ' ' ■ i I 1 , I M Ir t i { i . 1 1 'it ii\ WT Ui SII9T01IY OF TI|E WAH* ! H Extract from Commodore Wra. Baii)bri^^e*N Joufr naif kepi on l^ord the U. Statiea Cons^itutipn. * Tuesday, Ufc. ^9* m2. ' At 9 A. M< discovered two strange sails on the .weather bow. At IQ discover^ ik^ titrangp sails to he ship^; one of them stood in for land ana the other 9tood off shore, in a direction towards ns. At 10, 45 A. M. we tacked ship to the northward and westward ;and stood for the sail standing towards us, and at II A> M* tacked to the sonlhward and eastward, hauled np the ma'msail and took in the royals. Atn>30, made the private signal for the day, which was not Qoawered, and then set the mainsail and royals to draw the strange sail o£f from the neutral coant, and separate her from the sail in company. * W«dne9dai/, Dec 30. * In lat 19, 9 S. long. 38 W. ten leagues from the re down with an intention of raking us, which we avoided by wear- 4(ng. At 2 P. M. the enemy being within half a mile of us, and to windward, and haviitg hauled down his colors except the union jack at the mizenmast head, induced me to give orders to the officer^ of the 3d di- vision to fire a gun ahead of the enemy, to make him show his colors, which being done, brought on a fire liromxisofithewhDlebnoad«ide, on which the enemy hoisted his colors, and immediately returned our fire. A general action with round and grape then com- menced ; the /enemy keeping at a much greater dis- tance than I wished ; but could not bring him to a closer action, without exposing ourselves to several rakes. Considerable manqettvers were madeJ>y bollt HfSTORV OF THE WAR. 315 vessels to rake und avoid b^ing raked. The follovr* ing minutes were taken during the action : * At 2, 10, P. M. commenced the action within, good grape and canister distanee, the enemy to wind- ward, but much farther than I wished. * At 2, 30, our wheel was shot entirely away, ' At 2, 40, determined to close with the enemy, not- withstanding his raking. Set the fore and mainsuil» and luffed up close to him. * At 2, dO, the enemy's jib-boom got foul of our miz- zen rigging. * At 3, the head ofthe enemy's bowsprit and jib-' boom shot away by us. * At 3, 5, shot away his fcre-mast by the board. ' At3, 15, shot away his main-top-mast just above the cap. * At 3, 40, shot away the gaff and sparker-boom. * At 3, 55, shot away his mizen-mast nearly by the board. * At 4, 5, having silenced the fire of the enemy com- pletely, and his colors in main rigging being down, supposed he had struck; then hauled down the courses to shoot ahead to repair our rigging, which was ex- tremely cut ; leaving the enemy a complete wreck ; soon after discovered that the enemy's nag was still flying. Hove too to repair some of our damage. ' At 20 minutes past 4, the enemy's mainmast went nearly by the board. * At 50 minutes past 4, wore ship and stood for the enemy. * At 25 minutes past 5, got very close to the ene- my, in a very effectual raking position, thwart his bows, and was at the instance of raking him, when he most prudently struck his flag ; for had he suffered the broadside to have raked him, his additional loss must have been extremely great — as he laid an un- manageable wreck upon the water. After the ene- my had struck, wore ship -and reefed the topsails — then hoisted out one ofthe only two remaining boats we had left out of eight,. and sent Lieut. Parker, 1st mv :.( ;'i!' :!;! m :;. i ■ i " n 216 HISTORY OF THE WAR. %^^ of the Constitution, to take possession of the enemy^ which proved to be his Britannic Majesty's frigale J.ava, rated :i8, but carried 49 gutis, and manned with upwards of 400 men, commanded by Capt. Lambert^ a very distinguished officer, who was mortaly wonudv ed. The action contmued from commencement to Uie end of the fire, oue hour aitd 55 minutes. The Java had her own complement of men complete, and upwards of one hundred supernumeraries, going to British ships of war to the East Indies — also sever- al officers, passengers, going out on promotion. The force of the enemy in number of men at the coni' mencement of the action was no doubt considerably greater than we have been able to ascertain, which is upwards of 400 men. The officers were extremely cautious in discovering the number. By her quater- bill, she had one man niore stationed to each gun than we had. * The Constitution was very much cut in her sails, and rigging, and many of her spars injured. ' At 7 P. M. the boat returned with Lient. Chads the first Lieut, of the enemy's frigate, and Lieut. Gen. Hislop,( appointed Governor of Bombay) Maj. Wal- ker, and Capt. Wood. ' Capt. Lambert was too dangerously wounded to be removed immediately. The cutter returned on board the prize for the prisoners, and brought Capt. Marshall, master and commandant in the British na- vy, who was at passenger on board, also, several other naval officers. * The Java was an important ship, fitted out in the completest manner, to carry Lieut. Gen. Histop and stafi' to Bombay.' Letter above alluded to^Jrom an officer of the Java. Constitution^ Sit. Salvador ^ Brazils Jan. 1st 1813. * My dear sir — I am sorry inform you of the un- pleasant news of Mr. Gascoine's death. Mr. Gas- coineand myself were shipmates in the Marlborough, and first came to sea togetJier. He was shut early in \h HISTORY OF THE WAR, 217 the action by a round shot in his risfht thigh, and died Id a few minutes afterwards Four others of his mess- mates shared the same fate, togethiT with 60 men killed and 170 «vounded. The official account you will no doubt have read before this reaches vou I beg you will let all his friends and relations know of his untimely fate. ' We were on board the Java for a passage to India when we fell in with this frigate. — Two parcels I have sent you under good care, and hope this will reach yon safely.* Yours truly, H. D. CORNECK. Liettt, Peter V. IVoodf 22d regiment foott > Isle of Frame or Bourbon, East Indies. LAWRENCE'S VICTORY. Captain Lawrence to the Secretary of the Navy, U. S. Ship Hornet, Holmes' Hole. March 19. 1813. SIR — I have the honor to inform you of the arrival at this port, of the U. S. ship Hornet, under my com- mand, from a cruise of 145 days, and to state to you, that after Cum. Bainbridge left the coast of Brazils, (on the 6tli of January last) the Hornet continued off the harbor of St. Salvador, blockading the Bonne Citoyenne, until the 24th, when the Montagu, 74, hove in sight and chased me into the harbor ; but night coming on I wore and stood to the southward. Knowing that she had left Rio Janeiro for the express purpose of relieving the Bonne Citoyenne, and the Packet, (which 1 had also blockaded for fourteen days, and obliged her to send her mail to Rio, in a Portuguese smack) I judged it most prudent to change our cruising ground, and stood to the eastward, with (the view of cruising oflF Pernambuco— and on the 4th day of February, captured the English brig Resolution, from Rio Janeiro, bound to Moranham, with coftee, jerked beef, flour, fustic, and butter, and about 25,000 dollars in specie. As the brig sailed dull, and could ill spare hands to man her, I took out the money and set her on tire. I then run down the 28 I lijy HIM' i i i i H 218 HISTORY OF THE WAR. lit. coast for Moranham, and cruised there a short time; from thence ran off Surrinani. Alter cruising oft' ! liat coast from the 5th to the 22d ot February, Without meeting a vessel, I stood for Dt- marara, with an inten* tion should 1 not be fortunate on that station, to run through the West Indies, on my Way to the United States. But on the morning ot the 24th, I discover- ed a brig to leeward, to which I gave chase ; ran into quarter less four, and not having a pilot, was obliged to haul off— the fort at the entrance of JDenrarara riv. , er at this time bearing S. W. distance about 2 1-2 leagues. Previously to giving up the chase, I dis* covered a vessel at anchor without the bar with £ng. lish colors flying, apparently a brig of war. In beat- ing round Corrobano bauk, in order to get at her, at half past three P. M. I discovered another sail on my weather quarter, edging down for us. At 4, 20, she hoisted English colors, at which time we dis- covered her to be a large man of war brig— beat to quarters, and cleared ship for action — kept close by the wind, in order if possible to get the weather guage. At 5, 10, finding I could weather the enemy, 1 hoist- ed American colors, and tacked. At 6, 20, in pas- ting each other, exchanged broadsides within naif pistol sliot. OI)serviflg tfa^ enemy in the act of wear- ing, I bore up, received his starboard bioadside, ran him close on board on the starboard quai'ter, and kept up such a heavy and well directed fire, that in less than 15 minutes he surrendered, being literally cut to pieces, and hoisted an ensign, union down, from his fore rigging, as a signal of distress. Shortly ai^er his mainmast went by the board. Despatched Lieut Shubrick on board, who soon returned with her first Lieut, who reported her to be his Britannic Majesty's late brig Peacock, commanded by Capt. William Peake, who fell in the latter part ot the action — that a number of her crew were killed and wounded, and that she was sinking fast, having then six feet of wa- ter in her hold. Despatched the boats immediately for the wounded, and brought both Tessels to anchor fill * I I HSSTORT OF THE WAR. 319 Such shot holes as could be got nt, were then plug- fed ; her guns thrown overboard, and every possible exertion used to keep her afloat, until the prisoners could be removed, by pumping and bailing* but with- out effect, and she unfortunately sunk in tive and a half fathoms water, carrying down 13 of her crew, and three of my brave fellows. Lieut. Conner, midship- man Cooper, and the remainder of the Hornet's crew, employea in removing the prisoners, with difficulty saved themselves by jumping in a boat that was lying on her bows as she went down. Four men, of the 13 mentioned, were so fortunate as to gain the fore- top, and were afterwards taken off by the boat». Previous to her going down, four of her men took to her stern boat, which had been much damaged during the action, who, I hope, reached the shore in safety ; but from the heavy sea running at the time, the shat- teredstate of the boat, and the difficulty of laading on the coast, I much fear they were lost. I have not been able to ascertain from her officers the exact number killed. Capt. Peake and four men were found dead on board. The master, one midshipman, carpenter, and Captain's clerk, and 29 seamen were wounded, most of them very severely, three of whom died "i their wounds after being removed, and 9 drowned. Our loss was trifling in comparison ', being only 2 , killed and 3 wounded. Our rigging and sails were much cut ; one shot through the foremast, and the bowsprit slightly injured. Our hull received little or no damage. At the time the Peacock was brought to action, the L'Espeigle, (the brig mentioned above as being at anchor) mounting 16 two and thirty pound carronadea, and 2 long nines, lay about six miles in shore, and could plainly see the whole of the action. Apprehensive that she would beat out to the assistance of her consort, such exertions were made by my o6fi- cers and crew in repairing damages, &c. that by ixine oVIock the boats were stowed, a new set ojf sajls h^iit, and the ship completely ready for action, At 2 A. M. got under way, and stood by the wind to the noiih- ward and westward, under easy sail. , !!fl . i. r :r\\ \') ii l| !'! bili 220 HISTORY OF THE WAR. i I " l:ti I *y On mustering' next murinng, found we had 277 souls on Ijoiini, including tlie crew of the Auiencan brig tiiHiter, ol Poitiand, taken a few days beture by tlie Peaco'k. And, as ue liad been on two thirds allowance of proviMor > for some time, and had but 3' 400 gallons of uaiei on board, I reduced the allow- ance lo three pints a man, and determined to make the best of my way lo the Ignited Hlales. The Peacock was deservedly styled one of the fin- est vessels of her class in the British navy, probably about the tonage if the Hornet. Her beam was greater by five inches ; but her extreme length not so great by four feet. She mounted 16 twenty -four pound carronades, two long nuies, one twelve pound carronade on her top-gaiiant forecastle, as a shifting gun, and one 4 or pounder, and 2 swiveis mounted att. 1 tind by her quarter bill that her crew consisted of 134 men, tour of whom were absent in a prize. With the greatest respect, ^c. ' Hii ,» i* JAMES LAWRENCE. \^ i\ P. S. At the commencement of the action my sail- ing master and seven men were absent in a prize, and Lieut. Stewart and six men on the sick list. * ■•».-. ji' •■I'lir, <•: \,i; .■.••■.«i 'i>,rn ^.n. -m^h' CHAPTER VII. ' .!!' CAPTURE OF LITTLE YORK. Major-General Dearborn to the Secretary ot War. ' Head-quarters, Yorh, Capital of Upper Canada, April 2Slh, 1813. Sir- After a detention of some days by adverse winds, we arrived at this place yesterday morning, and at 8 o'clock commenced landing the troops about 3 miles westward from the town, and one and a half from the enemy's works. The wind was high and in an unfavorable direction for the boats, which pre- vented the lauding of the troops at a clear field, the V,.V/;: j; HISTORY OF TBE WAR. 231 ,, 11 scite of the ancient French fort Tarento. It prevent- ed aho many of the armed veMHeU iVom takinjip posi- tion!*, which would have most etfeclualiy covered our landuig — out every thing that coutd be done was ef- fected. . . > . The Riflemen under Major Forsyth first landed, un- der a heavy fire from Indians and other troops. Gen. Sheaife commed the steadiness of veterans. Oar loss in the morning and in carrying the first battery was not great, perhaps 40 or 50 killed and wounded, aind of them a fall proportion of o£ficera. Notwithstanding the enemy's advantage in position and numbi.'rs in the coimnencement ef the action, their kws was greater than oars, especially in officersi. It was with great exei*! tin tiiat the small vessels of the fleet conld work into the harbor against a gale of wind, bat as soon as they got into a proper position, a tremendous cannonade opened upon the enemy's batteries, and was kept «p against them, ttutil they were carried or blown up, and had^ no doubt, a pow*> erful effect upon the enemy. Unfortunately the enemy's armed ship Prince Re- gent, left this place for Kingston a few days before we arrived. A large ship on the stocks nearly plaoftk- ed up, and much naval stores, were aet fire to by the «nemy soon after the explosion of tAie magazine. A considerable quantity of military stores andpmviaions remain, but no vessels fit for use. We have not the means of transporting the plison- ers, and must of coarse leave them on parole. I hope we shall so far comj^ete what is necessary •to be done here, as to be able to sail to-morrow for Niagara, whither I send this by a smalt vessel, with nolace to Gen. Lewis of our approach. I have the honor to be, &c. HENKY DEARBORN. HISTORY OF THE WAR. 8S3 Commodore Chaunoey to the Secretary of the Navy. v. S. Ship Madison, off York, April 28« 1813. SIR — Agreeably to your instruclions aod arrange- ments made with Major-General Dearborn, I tookoa hoard of the squadron under my command the Gen. and suite, and about 170U troops, and left Sacket's Harbor on Ihe 25lh inst.-for this place. We arrived here yesterday morning and took a position about one mile to the south and westward of the enemy's prin- cipal fort, and as near the shore as we could with safety to the vessels. The place fixed upon by the Major-General and myself for landing the troops, was the scite of the old French fort Tarento. The debarkation commenced about 8 o'clock, A> M. and was completed about 10. The wind blowing heavy from the eastward, tlie boats fell to leeward of the position fixed upon, and were in con- sequence exposed to a galling fire from theenemy, who had taken a position in a thick wood near where the first troops landed -, however, the cool intrepidity of the officers and men overcame every obstacle. Their attadiL upon the enemy was so vigorous, that he fled in every direction, leaving a great many of his killed and wounded upon the field. As soon as the troops were landed, I directed the schooners to take a posi- tion near the forts, in order that the attack on them by the army and navy might be simultaneous. The schooners were obliged to beat up to their position, which they did in a very handsome order, under a very heavy fire from the enemy's batteries, and took a position within about 600 yards v)f their principal fort, and opened a heavy cannonade upon the enemy which did great execution, and very much contribut- ed to their firtal destruction. The troops, as soon as landed, were formed under the immediate orders of Brig. Gen. Pike, who led in a most gallant manner the attack upon the forts, and after having carried two redoubts in their approach to the principal work, (the enemy having previously laid a train) blew up his magazine, which in its eflects upon our Uoops w»s '■Ji •".■ r,i 224 HISTORY OP THE WAR. ''f ' .'llr- Si dreadful, havinfjf killed nnd wounded a great many, and .imongst the former, the ever to be lamented Brig. Genernl Pike, who fell at the head of his col. umn by a contusion received by a heavy stone from the magazine. His death at this time in much to he regretted, as he had the perfect confidence of the Major-General; and his kiT^wn activity, zeal, and experience, make his Iohs a national one. In cunsec^uence of the fall of General Pike, the command ot the troops devolved for a time upon Cul. Pierce, who soon after took possession of the town. At about 2 P. M. the American flag was substituted for the British, and at abc )' 4, our troops were in quiet possession of the town. As soon as Gen. Dear- born leahit the situation of Gen. Pike, he landed and assumed the command. 1 have the honor of enclos- ing a copy of the capitulation which was entered into, and approved by Gen. Dearborn and mystlf. The enemy set fire to some of his principal stores, containing large quantities of naval and military stores, as well as a large ship upon the slocks nearly finished — the only vessel found here is the Duke ot Glouces- ter, undergoing repairs — the Prince Regent lefl here on the 24th for Kingston. We have not yet had a return made of the naval and military stores, conse- quently can form no correct idea of the quantity, but have made arrangements to have all taken on board that we can receive — the rest will be destroyed. 1 have to regret the death of midshipmen Thomp- son and Rrttfiel.l, and ^c>veral seamen killed — the ex- act number I do not know, as the returns from the dift'erent vessels have not yet been received. I have the honor to be, &c. ISAAC CHAUi\CEY. TERMS OF CAPITULATION, Entered into on the 27lh of April i81ii, for the sur- render of the town of York, in Upper Canada, to the army and navy of the United States, under the command of Major-Gen. Dearborn and Comiuo- (lore Chauncey : tnsTOllY OF tHB WAMt 83& fhxA the troops, re{(tjlar Riid tnilitiit, at this post, ;ind the navftl onicera and seamen, shall be surrender- ed prisoners of war. The troops, regular and militia^ sre to ground their arms immediately on parade, and the naval oflicers and seamen be immediately 8Urren« dered. That all public stolres, rfaVal and military shall b« immediately given up to the commanding officers of the nrmy and navy of the United States. — That aU {ffivnte property shall he guaranteed to the citi'iiens of he town of York. I'hat all papers belonging to the civil officers shall be retained by them - that such surgeons as may be procured to attend the wounded of the British regulars and Canadian militia shall not be considered prison- ers of war. That 1 Lieut. Golonel, 1 Major, 13 Captains, 9 Lieutenants, 11 £nsigns, I Quarter-master, 1 deputy Adjutant-General, 10 Serjeants, 4 corporals, and 204 rank and tile, of the militia. — Of the field train de- partment 1, of the provincial navy 21, of his Majesty's troops 2, and of iiu Royal artillery 1 bombardier and 3 gunners, shall be surrendered as prisoners of tvar, and accounted for in the exchange of prisoners between the United States and Great-Britain. G. S. MITCHELL, Lt. Col. 3d A. U. 8. SAMUEL S. CONINER, Maj and A. D. C. to Ms«j. Gen. Dearborn. WILLIAM KING, Maj. U. S. Infantry. JESSE D. ELLIOT, Lieut. U. S. JNavy. W. CHEWITT, Lt. Col. com. 3d Reg. Y. militia. W. ALLAN, Maj. 3d Reg. York mditia. F. GAURREAU, Lieut. M. Dpt. Extract of a letter from Major-General Dearborn to the Secretary of War. Niagara, May 3, 1813. York was one immense magazine, which supplied Niagara, Detroit, and foi t George. The troops were halted a few moments to bring up the heavy artillery 29 ( I li J ( 1 2/20 HISTORY OF THE WAR. r 'ifi 1 ii '':] ;i I 'i ill' i ■1 "1 k'^ b .W to play on the block house, when Gen. Sheafie des' pairing of holding the town, ordered fire to be put to the principal magazine, in which was deposited 500 barrels of powder, and an immense quantity of shells and shot. The explosion was tremendous, and rak- ed our column from front to rear with such effect that it killed 52, and wounded 180 of our men, among the latter was Brig. Gen. Pike, who died of his wounds shortly after. Notwithstanding this calamity, and the discomfiture that might be expected to follow it, the troops gave three cheers^ instantly formed, and marchtd on for the tonm. Notwithstanding the im- mense amount destroyed by them, we found more public property than our vessels could bring away. Gen. Sheafie's baggage and papers fell into my hands; they are a valuable acquisition. A FCALP was found in the Executive and Legislative Council Chamber, suspended near the h^peaker^s chair. A statement of our loss, as well as that of the enemy is subjoined. AMERICAN LOSS. Killed in battle 14 — do. . by the explosion 52 — total 66. Wounded in battle 23 — do. by the explosion 180 — ^total 203 total killed and wounded 269. BRITISH LOSS. Killed in battle 75 — do. by their explosion 40 — total 115. Wounded in battle 62 — do. by their explosion 23— total 85. Prisoners, militia 700 — do. regulars 50 — total 750 .. ■ total killed, wounded, and prisoners, 930. Brigadier Gen. Winchester, to the Secretary at War. Fort George, Upper Canada, Feb. 11, 1813. SIR — On the 23d ultimo, I had the honor of coro- juunicating to your excellency the result of the action at Frenchtown on the river Kaisin, of the preceding day. I have it now in my power to transmit to you a more detailed account of that transaction, togetlier HISTORY OP THE WAR. 227 ilosion 40— )losion 23 — with a more minute statement of onr loss. A list of the kiUed, and wounded, slnd missing, is herewith en- closed. The attack upon our camp was commenced about 6 o'clock in the morning, by a heavy fire of- small anns, together wuh the discharge of pieces of artillery, directed immediately at our lines, and the bouses and temporary breatwork, from behind which a portion of our troops were engaged with the enenfy. Early in the action a charge was made by the assail- ants; but the iire from our lines was so intense that they were quickly compelled to retire. ! In this charge the 41st regiment of British regulars principally suftered, their loss during the charge and in the subsequent engagement, being very considera- ble. Out of three hundred of these troops about 30 fell dead upon the field, and 90 or 100 wounded were removed from the ground. It is impossible to state with any degree of accuracy, the number of Canadian militia and Indians which were killed or wounded during the engagement; it could, however not have been small, having received forthree or four hours the constant fire of the musque- (ry and riflemen, from the breast-work uhder which they were formed. The action had endnred about a quarter of an hour, when the right division of our U'oops, who were less secured by a breast-work, and exposed to a heavy fire from a body of Indians and militia, who had possessed themselves of some out- houses within their reach, were obliged to retreat from their lines in the encampment, for the purpose of occupying ground less exposed. This retreat being discovered oy the enemy, the whole Indian force, to- gether with a portion of the militia, bore down upon them with redoubled violence, and prevented, by their superiority of numbers and the severity of then- fire, the practicability of ever again forming this |)ortion of our troops in order of battle. It was from this divi- sion that our principal loss was sustained, tew indeed having escaped. Every eflbrt in vain was employed to form them in some order of action, as aftbrding the im I J Ml !! i I it 111'! lly 228 HISKTORY OF THE WAR.' ip:^i m t ,. I Jill only meftns of either repellingthe pursuers or regains iiig the tem|>orHi V breast-vtork from behind which ihe reinairiing part of our troops still gallantly defend*! ed theinselvKs ; but every exertion was in vain em? ployed» anhn Overton, my aid-de-pamp, who i^ttended my person on the field, iny thanks are particularly due, for iheir prompt and willing exertion, during every period of the conflict. To the officers and soldiers who bravely maintained their ground in the tempo^t^ry fortifications, too much i<9 ise cannot be bestowed. Assailed by numbers, greats ly superior, suported by six pieces of aitillery, wey guUantly diefended tb'. m^eiyes with their small arms alone, tor near four hours of constant battle. JNo troops ev^r behaved with more cool and determiu« ed bravery ; from the commanding-officer down Iq the private soldier, there was scarce a single abandon* ment of duty ; and at the last when their am^iunition was nearly exhausted, and surrounded by the enemy, greatly superior in number and the means of war^sur^ reodered with a reluctance rarely to be tound upon i'l will I «i '■"'if: I BISTOBY aw THV WAB. 2ea limilar occasions. TM oii$c6rs comifianding i|i thfe bre^t-work and whotleNerve p»rtipul«ir noticp, if dis« tinctioD could easily be di'^wn, ivere Mtijs. 3^njamii| Graves and George Madison ', Cnpts. Hightowert Hart, Williams, C!hu|ier, Sebre^, Hiainilton. IC^^Ieby, !^ledNoe, Ballard, and Jamesi ; Brigade-jVf aj. James Garrard ; Adjt. John M^' Clailt>» <>«d i^uarter-master Pollard l^een ; tliey defended themseivei to the last, with great gallantry, and nierit my warmest gratitude* 9s well as the highest praise of their country. Wit^h sentiiqenN Qf thi^ highest respect, I am» sir* your obediqt servant* J. WII^CUKisTJBIR. 17 lifgf. U. ^. la/mvy lllill^d «a4 Missing ]iaO,^pnsoq^rs, Q4,-^total 184. ^entwiky Volunteer MHHw. ?[ill^d and ]yiissiqg'-r^277'r^FrisQners--^52.'^tota1, 2IH>f (he ii)issing ^ arrived at Gen. Harrison's CaiQp 9fS^, Tom ^iUedi» wounde^Tf and M\i»H>ngt ^^^> The force of the ^nemy was about )50Q,-«-^they lo^t ]|50 killed, and 158 wounded ; among th^ l!^tter» weriEi Col. Prpcter, and Xa^vS- Col. St Q^orge. MASSAqBB QF GISN. WINCflBSTBB^S 4B9{Y. ^ThefolUnv.iwf ^wrative of'tftf Mofsacre at French-^ tomn^ aj\^r Gen. Winqfie^ter's fiejeat, was drawn up ky Lieu(, Baker of the ilii liegt. (/. & Jfy'untry.] So much has ht^en said t^hout the Indian massacre^ t(X Fi^ci^chtqwn and its peighhorhopd, that something CircuiQstilOlial from one who had an opportunity of i^cquiring iuformation oq the subject may not be un^ 9cc^ptahle \f> the pahhc, | therefore submit the fol-i lowing narrative. On the morning oi the 32d of January, I was captured by the Indians about 9 o'clock, with anoth* er officer and about forty men. Closely pursued by an overwhelming force of Indians, we were endeav^ ormg to effect our escape, and had attained the dis^ tance of aiiout three miles from Frencbtown, when an ofier of quarter was made us by an Indian chief. Many Indian chills on horseback being in oiyr imI t t iu . I li . 1 ' li i ■ 1 ^ ' ll *i' > ( ' » 230 HISTORY OF THE WAR. > ^m w i|l.ai)! rear, tomahawking the hindmost, and withal the men being much wearied with running through tiie deep snow, we concluded it best to accept the cFii'd^s proposition. Accordingly we assembled aronndhim, and gave up the few remaining arms that were still retained in the flight. In a few minutes the Indians on foot came up, and notwithstanding the chief Ap- peared solicitous to save, massacred about half onr number. I was led back towards the river along the road we had retreated in. The dead bodies of my fellow comrades, scalped, tomahawked, and stripped, presented a most horrid spectacle to my view. I was at length taken to a fire near Col. I^roctor, where I remained till our army capitulated, and marched by me towards Maiden. Major Madison,* as he was marching past, demanded me of the British officer commanding the guard, as an American officer; but the noble Briton replied with a sneer, * You have too many officers,' and ordered the column to advance which had made a partial halt. I was taken to San- dy creek, about three miles off, on Hull's road, and there kept during the night with about 20 other pris- oners. Next morning my master left me in charge of the old Indian, and with the exception of 20 or 30, all the Indians in the camp went back towards the river Raisin. They returned about 2 o'clock, F. M. bringfing a number of fresh i Mps and about 30 pris- oners, many of whom were wounded, though with a single exception, none dangerously. I was told by the prisoners that the Indians had that morning re- turned to the village, and massacred Capt. Hickman and a great many others, and that they were fearful « After the surrender oT onr troopt to the British, at the' river Raisin, the Indians, in violation of the articles vf capitulation, crowded among them, and were plundering their properly — when the heroic Madison desired Col. Proctor to keep tbem oflT: — ' the Indians are fierce and unmanageable, (said Proctor) it cannr,t be dene.* Madison cooly re\ >lied, ' if you amnot tUsperae thenty I will' —the men were ordered >.o shoulder their arms, ,^nd Proctor fear- ing that ' charge bayonet' would follow, waved bib sword, and the ll^ians instantly withdrew. „ HISTORY OF THE WAB* 231 Maj. Graves and Cupt. Hart were of the number; that.some of the wounded had been scalped aUveand burned in the houses. I had scarcely been told these things, when a volunteer who was standing by my ijide, was knocked down, scalped, and afterwards tomahawked. Three others were successively treat- ed in the same manner. Seven days afteirwards, I was sold in Detroit to some American gentlemen, and the next day sent over to Sandwich, where I remained nearly three weeks. In this time I had an opportunity of making enquiry about the massacres, and found that 60 had been massacred subsequent to the day of battle, and two officers the day on which the battle was fought, after they had surrendered. Of the first were Capt. N. G. S. Hart of Lexington, Capt. Paschal Hickman of Franklin, John H. Woolfolk, Esq. thetieneraFs Secretary ; and of the latter Capt. Virgil IVrCracken of Woodford, and Ensign Levi Wells, son of Col. Wells of the U. S. Infantry. Judge Wood ward has ascertained several instances of great barbarity exer- cised on our prisoners, which will appear as soon as that truly philantropic and patriotic gentleman returns to his own country. — Mnssacres were not only com- mitted on the 22d and 23cl, but also on the 24th, 2oth, and 26th, and even tluvse weeks afterwards fresh scalps were brought into Maiden. Should this relation be doubted, many living wit- nesses of high standing for probity, may be found to attest them. Expedition against the Indians — Maj. Gen. Sam- uel Hopkins, on the lUhof Nov. 1812, marched with 1000 men under his conuuand, from fort Harri- son, on an expedition to the Fruphets town for the purpose of destroying their village, provisions, &o. On the morning of the lOtli, a detachment of UOO men destroyed a town, and a threat quantity of corn, belonging to the Winebago tribe, lying on the Ponce '\ • \\ '■S ! if , , ill Ml 1 ■I . ' ■ A 1 i'^ J ' ;f i iBi^i}^y. ^3^ IllStOR^^ 0I»' THii: \¥AlXi njll ill' Passu creek, one mile ffom the Wabasb, and fouft from the Prophets town. On the 20th, 2lKt. and-28d they destroyed) the Prophets toiivn and a Kickapoo^ village, on the op[)osite side of the river, consisting of upwards of 200 houses^ a considerable <|[uantity of com, 8cc« On the 21st a large body of Indians ivete discovered ab«>ut seven miles from the tdwnt by a small party, livhothelndiaris fired on, and killed one man; tlie next day Lseut. Cuis. Milter, and Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade, as well as gain a more com* filete knowledge of the situation^ and strength of the ndiunS) set out with a palrty of horsmen, consisting of about sixty ; the Indians hud placed themselves in a strong place, on a ridge of land, running between two large and rappid creeks, which conld not be asicended only by a steep ravine,''H>ur party returned, after a smart skirmish, in which we lost, in killed^ wounded^ and missing, 18 tD&n. On th^ 24th, the main body of the army stai ted ibr the pnpose of destroying the eiie>» my in their strong hold ; bat when they arrived at the spot, they found they bad fled, previous to the storm of snow, which felt very deep, on the 23d which pre- vented any further pursuit. Briff. GfA. Smtftk.-^lu Notember 1812^ General Smyth issiied several addresses to the inhabitants on the frontic rs, for the purpoi« of raising volunteers, to cross into Canada opposite Ntagara.«^Including the regular army under his command, and the volunteers that repaired to his camp^^ he had, on the 27th Nov. 4000 meri. Two partietr were sent across the river to destroy a bridge below fort Erie, and capture and spike the cunnon in the< batteries, and some pieces of light artillei y. Alter accomplishing their object, the parties separated by misapprehension ; Lieut. Angus, the seamen, and a partxif the troops returned with all the boats, while CaptK. King, Morgan, Sproul, and Houston, with about 00 men, remained. The party thus reduced, took and rendered unserviceable two of ii ore com* HISTORY OF THE WAR. 233 the' enemies* batteries, captured 34 prinoners, and 2 boats, in which Capt. King sent hii prisoners, his owii officers, and half of his men across, remaining^ him- self with 30 men, refusing to abandon them On the 30th Nov. Gen. Smyth again attempted to cross, with 3000 men, but by some misunderstanding only a few would, or could be made to embark. The killed in both these attempts amounted to about 20 — the wounded 30 — and prisoners 31. The ene- my lost 10 killed — 17 wounded, and 34 prisoner, besides an Indian chief. ill J. ! Capt. Forsyth, commandant at Ogdensburg, cross- ed over to Elizabethtown on the 7th of February, 1813, with about 200 volunteers from the militia and citizens, where they surprised the guard, took 42 pris- oners, with 1 Major, 3 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, and 120 muskets, 20 rifles, two casks of fixed ammunition, and considerable other public property, which was eSecied without the loss of a man. CHAPTER VIII. :v: Gen. Harrison to the Secretary at War, Head Quarters, Lower Sandmky, May 13, 1813. SIR — Having ascertained that the enemy (Indians as well as British) had entirely abandoned the neigh- borhood of the Rapids, I left the command of camp Meigs with Gen. Clay and came here last night. It is with the greatest satisfaction, I inform you, sir, that I havevevery reason to believe, that the loss of the Ken- tacky troops in killecj^'^'* ^^^ north side of the river • Stf I ri 234 HISTORY OF TBB WAR. ^It^ does not exceed fifty. On the 10th and lllh intt. 1 caused the ground which was the scene of the action and its environs to be carefully examined, and aAer the most diligent search 45 bodies only of our men ivere discovered — among them was the leader of the detachment, Col. Duiiley. No other officer of note fell in the action^ I have strong reason to believe that a considerable number of the Kentuckians eject- ed their retreat up the river to fort WinchrUer. Ci?n. Procter did not furnish me with a return c^ the prisoners in his possession, although repeatedly prom^^ ised. His retreat was as precipitate as it could pro« perly be, leaving a number of cannon ball, a new ele- gant sling-carriage for cannon, and other valuable ar- ticles. The night before his departure two persons that were employed in the British gun-boats ( Ameri- cans by birth) deserted to us. The information they Save me was very interresting — they say that the In^ ians, of which there were fl-om 1600 to 3000, left the Pritishthe day before their departure in a high static of dissatisfaction, from the great loss which they had sustained in the several engagements of the dtb, and the failure of the British in accomplishing their prom- ise of taking the post at the Rapids. From the ac- count given by these men, ciy opinion is comfirmed of the great superiority of the enemy which were de- feated by our troops in the two sollies made on the 5th inst. That led by Col. Miller did not exceed 350 men, and it is very certain that they defeated 200 British regulars, 150 militia, and 4 or 500 Indians. That American regulars (although they were riiw re- cruits) and such men as compose the Pittsburg, Fenn. and Petersburg, Va. volunteers, should behave weil^ is not to be wondered at — but .that a company of mi- litia should maintain its ground against four times its numbers, as did Capt. Sebres, of the Kentucky, i« truly astonishing. These brave fellows were at length however entirely surrounded l^ Indians, and £ II; |lTStOR\ %t:!f THA WAR. 385 1th init. 1 the action , and after four men leader of icer of note to believe :ians efl'ect- VincheUtr. turn c^ the edly prom^ could pro. , a new ele- iraluable ar- ;wo persons it8(Aineri< nation they that the In« OOO, left the high static of I thev had he dtb, and their prom- rom the ac- comfirmed ch were de- ladeon the exceed 360 ifeated 200 UO Indians. vere riw re- burg) Fenn. ehave weiK ipany of mi- )ur times its entucky, ii a were at Ddians,and would have been entirely cut off, but for the gallantry of Lieut. Owynne of the 19th regiment, who, with part of Capt. Elliott's company, charged the enemy And released the Kentuckians. I inclose you u list of the killed and wounded during the whole seige. It ia considerably larger than I had supposed it would be when I last wrote to you — but it is satisfactory to know that they did not bleed uselessly — but in the course of ituccessful exertions. You will also receive herewith a monthly return of the troops at camp Meigs for the last month ; the communication with the other post being cut off, the feturns. were not received. A copy of Gen. Ciay*^ report to me of the manner of his executing my order for the attack on the enemies batteries, is likewise forwarded, by which it will be seen thaf my intenti my were placed ; this plain was raked by four of our eighteen pounders, a twelve and a six. The enemy, even before their guns were spiked, could not have brought one to bear on it. So perfectly secured was their retreat that 150 men who came oft' effected it without loss, and. brought off some of the wounded, one of them upon the backs of his comrades. The Indinns followed tliem to the woods, but dared not en- ter into the plain. •'• . I am unable to form a correct estimate of the ^n6- my's force. The prisoners' varied much in their ac- counts ; those who made them least, stated the regu- lara at o50 and militia at 800^ ; but the numbers of In- dians were beyond cooiparison greater than have I 1 ' '[ill! ' il :i:. \ > i t I i'l;;l I . 230 HISTORY C7 THE WAR, 1 '. ! tt I 'Ml ever been brought into the field before ; numbers ar- rived alter the seige conninenced, and they iivereitide«d the « ilicient force of the enemy. J ... v < ! 1 have the honor to be, with great respect, sir, your bumble serv&rit. .. W. HARRISON. Return of the killed and wounded at the siege of fort Meigs and the several sorties against the besiegers. Killed, 81 Wounded, 180.~tolal S70. J. C. FALLAN, Asst. Adjt. Gen. . The followiny conversation took place between Maj. Chamberst and Gen. Harrittont on a demand for t/te mtrefKler ojfort Meiys, Maj, Chamhers — Gen. Proctor has directed me to demand the surrender of this post. He wisiies to spare the effusion o1 blood. Gen. Harrison — The demand under present cir- cumstances, is a most extraordinary one. As Gen. froctordid not send me a summons to surrender on bis first arrival, 1 had supposed that he believed me de- termined to do my duty. His present message indi- cates an opinion of me that I am at a loss to ac- count for. . fjiun Maj. Chambers — Gen. Proctor could never think of saying any thing (o wound your feelings, sir, — The character of Gen. Harrison, as an otfacer, is well known. Gen. Proctor s force is very respectable, and there is with him a larger body of Indians that have ever before been embodied. . Geu. Harrison — 1 believe I have a very coirect idea ot Gen. Proctor's force, it is not such as to create the least apprehension, for the result of the contest, whatever shape he may be pleased hereafter to give to it. Assure the Gen. hou ever, that he will never bave this post surrendered to him upon any terms. Should it fall into his hands, it will be in a manner calculated to do him more honor, and to give him lar- ger claims upon the gratitude of his government, than aiiy capitulation could possibly do. HISTORY OF TrU WAR. 237 CAPTURE OF PORT GEORGE. General Dearborn to the /Secretary of War-^ fTead- quarters^ Fort George (U. C.) May 21, 1813. SIR — The light troops under the cunimand of C>>- loiiet Scott and M vjor Forsyth, landed this morninfl^ at 9 o'clock. M'ijor-general Lewis's division, with Colonel Poller's command of light artillery, supported by them. Gen. Boyd's brigade landed immediately after the light iroops, and Generals Winder and Ciian- dler in quick succession. The landing was warmiy and obstinately disputed by the British forces ; but the coolness and intrepidity of our troops soon com- pelled them to give way in every direction. Gen. Cliandler, with the reserve, composed of his brigade and Colonel Micomb's artillery covered the whole. ComiViOdore Chauncey had made the most judicious arrangements for silencing the enemy's batteries, near the point of landing. The army is under the great- est obligations to that able naval commander for his co-operation in all its important movements, and es- pecially in its operations this day. Our batteries suc- ceeded in rendering Fort George untenable, and when the enemy had been beaten from his positions, and found it necessary to re-enter it, after tiring a few guns and setting fire to the magazines, which soon ex- ploded, he moved off rapidly by different rontes. Our lig^ht troops pursued them several miles. Tl.f^ troops having been under arms from one o'clock, in the morning, were too much exhausted for any further pursuit We are now in possession of Fort George and its immediate dependencies — to-morrow we pro- ceed further on. The behaviour of our troops, both officers and men, entitles them to the highest praise ; and the difference in our loss with that of the enemy, when we consider the advantages his positions affor- I ded him, is astonishing. — We had 17 killed and 45 I wounded. The enemy had 90 killed and 160 woun- ded of the regular troops. We have taken 100 pris- oners, exclusive to the wounded. — Col. Meyers of the m Osrf^ ^^ tas HUTORT OV THV WAR. n 49th, WM wounded tod taken prisoner. O^/onrs, on- ly one commiuioned officer was killed — ^Li«ut. Hobart of the liffht artillery. Ihavetlie hoaor to be &c _ H. Dearborn. Cfm, Dearborn to the Secretary oj Ww, Head-Quarters, Fort George, May 29, 1813. [Extract.] Lieut. Col. Preston took possession of fort £rie and its dependencies last evening, the post bad been abandoned and the inaga2ine blown up. I have ordered Gen. Lewis to return without aelay to this place, and if the winds favor us, we may yet cut off the enemy*s retreat. I was last evening honored with your despatch of the 15th inst. I have taken measures in relation to the 23 prisoners, who are to be put in close confine* ment. 1 have the honor, &c. H. DEARBORN. AMERICAN LOSS. Killed 80— wounded 111— totel 150. British loss. Killed 108- wounded 163— Prisoners 622-— total 899. £. BEE BE, Asst. Adjt. Geo. Com, Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, U. S. Ship Madison, Niagara, May 28, 1813. SIR — Agreeably to arrangements which I have already had the honor of detailing to you, I left Sack« et's Harbor on the 22d inst. with about 350 of Col. M*Comb*s regiment on boardr-^lie winds being light from the westward, I did not arrive in the viciuity of Niagara before the 25th ; the other parts of the si^iad* ron had arrived several days before, and landed their troops. The Fair Amerioati and Pert I had ordered to Sacket*s Harbor, for the purpose of watching the enemy's movements at Kingston. I immediately had an interview with Gen. Dearborn, for the purpose of making arrangements to attack the enemy as soon as possible, and it was agreed between him and myself HISTORY OF THK WAR, Ui9 to ii)ake the attack tlie moment that the weather was such as to allow tho vessels and boats to approach the shoro with safety. On the 2tfth, I reconnoitred the position for landing the troops, and at night sounded the shore, and placed buoys to sound out the stations for the small vessels. It was agreed between the Gen. and myself to make the attack the next morning (as the weather had moilerated, and had every ap- pearance of being favorable.) I took on board of the Madison, Oneida, and Lady of the Lake, all the heavy artillery, and as many troops as could be slow- ed. The remainder were to embark in boats and fol low the fleet. At 3 yesterdav morning the sign^.l was made for the fleet to weigh, and the troops were all embarked on board of the boats before four, and soon after Generals Dearborn and Lewis came on board of the ship with their suites. It being howev- er nearly calm, the schooners were obliged to sweep into their positions. Mr. Trant in the Julia, and Mr. Mix in the Growler, I directed to take a position in the mouth of the river, and silence a battery near the lighk house, which from its position commanded the shore where the troops were to land. Mr. Stevens in the Ontario, was directed to take a position to the north of the light house, so near the shore as to enti- lade the battery and cross the fire of the Julia and Growler. Lieut. Brown in the Governor Tompkins, I directed to take a position near to Two Mile creek, where the enemy had a battery with a heavy gun. I^eut. Pettigrew in the Conquest, was directed to an- chor to the southeast of the same battery, so near in as to open on it in the rear, and cross the fire of the Governor Tompkins. Lieut. MTherson in the Hamilton, Lieut. Smith in the Asp, and Mr. Osgood in the Scourge, were directed to anchor close to the shore, uud cover the landing of the troops, and to scour the woods and plain wherever the enemy made his appearance. All these orders were promptly and gallantly execnted. All the vessels anchored within musket shot of the shore, and in tea minutes after they iii^ ■i > I I ;i fVi ih 240 HISTOUY OF THE WAR. IT i 'i !l! opened upon the batteries, they were completely si- lenced and abandoned. Our troops then advanced in three brigades, the advance led by Col. Scott, and landed near the fort, which had been silenced by Lieut. Brown. The en> emy, who had been concealed in a ravine, now ad> vunced in great force to the edge of the bank to charge our troops. The schooners opened so well di- rected and tremendous a fire of grape and canister, that the enemy soon retreated from the bank. Our troops formed as soon as they landed, and immediate- ly ascended the bank, charged and routed the enemy in every «^irection, the schooners keeping up a con- stant well directed fire upon him in his retreat towards the town. Owing tu the wind's having sprung up very fresh from the eastward, which caused a heavy sea directly on shore, I was not enabled to get the boats off to land the troops from the Madison and Oneida, before the first ahd second brigades had ad- vanced. Capt. Smith with the marines, landed with Col. M'Cumb's regiment, and [ had prepared 400 seamen, which I intended to land with myself, if the enemy had made a stand ; but our troops pursued him so rapidly into the town and fort George, that 1 found there was no necessity for more torce ; moreover, the wind had increased so much and hove such a sea on shore, that the situation ot the fleet had become dan- gerous and critical. 1 therefore, made a signal for the fleet to weigh, and ordered them into the river, where they anchored immediately after the enemy had abandoned fort George. The town and forts were m quiet possession of our troops at 12 o'clock, aid the enemy retired in a direction towards Queens- town. Capt. Perry joined me from Erie on the evening of the 25th, and very gallantly volunteered his services, and 1 have much pleasure in acknowledging the great assistance which I received from hini. We lost but one killed and two wounded, and no injury done to the vessels. ISAAC CHAUKCEY. i;tf completely si. brigades, the near the fort, yn. TJieeiK ine, now ad- Ibe bank to ed so well di- ind canister, ' bank. Our d immediate- ;d the enemy ? up a con- reat towards r sprung up sed a heavy to get the iladison and lies had ad- anded with repared 400 ^self, if the pursued him that 1 found )reover, the b a sea on tcome dan- signal for the river, the enemy and forts 12 o'clock, Is Queens- vening of < services, Iging llie iini. We no injury CEY. HISTORY OF THE WAK. m Com, Chauncey to the Secretary qftJie Navy. V. S. Ship Madison, Sacket*^ Harbor, June 4, 1813. ■ S1R-~^I have th^ honor to present to ypu by the hands of Lieut* pudley^the British standard taken at York on the 27th of April last, accompanied by the mace, over which hung a human bC ALP> — ^These articles were taken from) the ParlaimeiU house by on^^ of my officers apd presented to me. The scalp, I caused to be presented to Gen. Dearborn, who 1 be- lieve still has it in his possession. I also send by i^ same gentleman, one of the British flags taken at fort George 9ti the 27th of May. I have the honor to be, &c. ISAAC CHAUNC3EY. Lieut* Chauncey to Cum. Chauncey. Sackel's Harbor, June 18, 1813. SI Rw^ According to your orders of the I4tfa inst;. I proceeded off Presque Isle in the schooner Lady of .the Lake. On the morning of the 16th I fell in with ,and captured the English sct^oner l^ady Murray, from Kmgston bound to York, loaded with provisions and ammunition. Enclosed is a list of one ensign, 15 non-commis- sioned officers and privates found Oil board, with 6 meu attached to the vessel. I have the honor to be, &c^ WOLCOTT CHAUNCEY. Battk tU'forly mile Creek, Upper Canacfa. Gen. Vincent having taken his stand at forty mile Creek, about 33 miles from fort George, after his de- feat at the fort. Brig. Gen. Winder was sent in pur- suit of him. On the 4th of June, Brig. Gen. Chand- ler, with another detachment, was sent off from fort George to reinforce Gen. Winder, and arrived at Head Q,uarters the dth, A deserter from the Amer- ican c.amp informed Gen. Vincent of the situation of the army, and gave him the countersign ; in five min- utes the whole English army were in motion, and at 31 ^^■li\ i' il !t '! ;. V. ; ;', i \{ ! n • i \t mM H - in , ( • , i j' ! .i i . 1 . 1 !'■•■ ' , 1 1 1 242 HISTORY OF THE WAR. 2 o'clock on the morning of the '6th entered our camp. The two Generals Winder and Chandler, in endeav. orin^ to form the troops, and the deputy quarter-mas- ter General Vandeventer, were surrounded and taken prisoners. Our army formed immediately and at- tacked the enemy at the point of the bayonet, which soon occasioned a general route, the enemy taking off his prisoners, and leaving Col. Clarke, sixty pris- oners, and 250 killed in our hands. Our loss was 17 killed, 38 wounded, and 100 missing -total 155 ATTACK ON SACKETT'S HARBOR. Gen. Brown to the JSetretary of War. Head Quarters^ SackHfs Harbor^ June 1, 1813. On the 25th ultimo, I received a letter from Gen. Dearborn, requestingme to repair to this post for the purpose of taking command. Knowing tnat Lieut. Col. Backns, an officer of the first regiment of dra- goons, and of experience, was here, I hesitated, as I would do no act which might wound his feelings. In the night of the 27th I re(^eived a note from this officer, by Maj. Swan, deputy quarter-master Gen. joining in the request already made by Maj. Gen. Dearborn. I could no longer hesitate, and accordingly arrived at this post early in the morning of the 28th. These circumstances will explain how 1 came to be in com- mand upon this occasion. Knowing well the ground, my arrangements for defence, in the event of an attack, were soon made. In the course of the morning of the 28th, Lieut. Chauncey, of the navy, came in from the lake, tiring guns of alann. Those of the same character, intended to bring in the militia, were tired from the posts. The ei)emy*s fleet soon after appeared accompained by a large number of boats. Believing that he would land on the peninsula, commonly called Horse Island, I deteitnined to meet him at the water's edge with such militia as I could collect and the Albany volunteers, under the command of Lieut. Col. Mills ; Lieut. Col. Backus with the regulars, formed a se- HISTORY OF THE WAR. 24a c0ttd line ; the care of fort Tompkins was committed to the regulai* artillerists and some volunteers, an(| that of Navy Point to Lieut.; Chauncey of the navy. IC driven from my position, Lieut. Col. Backus, was ordered to advance and meet the iiead of the enemy's column, while rallying my corps. I was to fall on iU flanks. If unable here to resist the enemy's attack, Lieut Chauncey was in that case to destroy the stores. Inc. and retire to the south shore of the bay, east of Fort Volunteer, while I proceeded to occupy that fort as our dernier resort. In the course of the 27th and during the nights of the 28th, and 29th, ultimo, a considerable militia force came in, and were ordered to the water side near H''*'se Island, on which was Lieut. Col. Mills and bi'" 'tu^nteers. Our strength at this point was now •5 > ^ le.)-— all anxious for battle, as far as profession would go. Tiie moment it was light enough to dis- cover the approach of the enemy, we found his ships in line between Horse Island and Stony Point, and in a tew minutes afterwards 33 large bo-its filled with troops, came off to the larger Indian or Garden Island, undercover of the fire of nis gun boats. My orders , were, that the troops should lie close and reserve their fire till the enemy had approached so near that every shot might hit its object. It is, however, im- possible to execute such orders with raw troops unac- customed to subordination. My orders were in this case disobeyed. Tne whole line fired, and not with- out efiect — but in the moment while I was contem- plating this, to my utter astonishment, they rose from< their cover and fled. Cot. Mills fell gallantly in brave but in vain endeavors to stop his men. I was' personally more fortunate. GiUhering together about 100 militia, under the immediate command of Capt. M'Nitt of that corps, we threw ourselves on the rear of the enemy's left flank, and I trust, did some execii- tion. It was during this last movement that the riB- S^ulars under Col. Backus, first engaged the eaemy— >^ nor was it long before they defeated him. ^V l liil ' *l i 1 ./■■' > ,1- '1 !I1^: 244 HISTORY bF tlht WAW. Hurryinflf to this point of action, I found the battle iitill racing, but with obvious advantage on our side. The result of the action, so glorious for the officers ftnd soldiers of the regular army, has already been communicated in my letter of the 29th. Had not Gen. Prevost retreated most rapidly under the guns of his vessels, he would never have returned to Kings* Ion. The enemy's force consisted of 1000 picked men, led by sirGcioi^ Prevost in person. Their fleet con* aisted of the new ship Wolfe, the Royal George, the prince Regent, Earl of Moira, two armed schooners, and their gun and other boats. Lieiit Col. Tuttle was in march for this post, but With every exertion was unable to reach it in time to take part in the action. This is felt by the Col. and every officer of his detachment, as a -misfortune. JACOB BROWN. Brig. Gen. ^; Y. Militia. AMERICAN LOSS. Killed, SI.— 'Wounded, 84,— Missing, 50,>-^ota1 ISS, WJVI. SWAI^N. Act. Adjt. 'Qenttral v BRITISBL SS. Killed, 99,— Wounded, 112, — ^Prisoi^ers, 85,^-4otal, 186. ' Gen. LenHs to the Saretary ojf War, Jacket's Harbor, July 20, 1^1 a. \Extrafit^ Our fleet has gone out of the mner bar* lior, and appearances are in favor of its going -to sea ih 48 hours at farthest. A little expedition ofvolanteers iVom the countrv, to which, by the advice of Com. Chnuncey, I lent 40 soldiers, s&iled from hence three day« since on board of two small row boats, with a six pounder each, to the bead of the St. Lawrence, where they captured a flne gun boat hiounting a 34 pouader, 14 oatteaux loaded. 4 officers and dl \na/ ,/Vi.: Yours with respect. > . J V G. CROGHAN, Maj. 17th U. S. Infantry. By a letter from Gov. Huntington, dated L&mr /jSandi(«%, Aug. 4, it appears that Major Groghan's force was 160, and that of the enem;y 800. It further, states that the enemy lost 40 men killed in the ditch HISTORY or THE WAR. 247 with Lieut. Col. Short, and several officers ; and aboat the same number of re^j^ulars while advancing to the attack, besides Indians. Our loss was one killed, and tive vi v inded. — ^I'lie enemy 8d killed and 25 prisoners.* * What will Gen. Proctor sav, when he finds he has been baffled by a youth but just passed his 21st year. He is, however, a^ Hero worthy of his gallant uncle Gen. George B. Clarke.' [See Gen. Harrison to J/ie Secretary of \Var^ ■-'■'■- LOSS OP THE CHESAPEAKE. iJ; Lieut. Budd to tlte Secretary of the Navy, HalifaXf June 15, 1813. SIR — ^The unfortunate death of Capt. Janus Law- fence and Lieut. Auymtus C. LudloWt has rendered it my duty to inform you of the capture of the late U. states Frigate Chesapeake. On Teusday, June 1, at 8 A. M. we unmoored ship and at meridian got under way from President's Roads, with a light wind from the isouthward and westward, and proceeded on a cruise. A ship was then in sight in the offing which had the appearencc ofashipof war, and which, from information received from pilot boats and crait, we believed to be the Brit> ish Frig&te Shannon. We made sail in chase and cleared ship for action. At half past 4 P. M. she hove to, with her head to the southward and eastward. At 5 P. M. took in the royals and top-gallant-^ails and at half past five hauled the courst^b jp. About 15 minutes before 6 P. M. the action commenced within pistol shot. The first broadside did great execution on both sides, damaged our rigging, killed auiong- others Mr. White the sailing master, and wounded Capt. Lawrence. In about 12 minutes after the coin- mencement of the action, we fell on board of the en- emy and immediately after one of our arm chests on the quarter-deck was blown up by a hand grenade thrown from the enemy's ship. In a few minutes on^^ of the Captain's aids came on the gun deck to inform me that the boarders were called. I immediutelv 'ilT illt I ( li I ^'iHiiiiiij 248 HIBTOBT OF THS WAS. I V I!. 5*1 1*^^ '^M }i \ if j" i|N i i! i i called the boarders away and proceeded to the ipa^ deckf where I found that the enemy had succeeded in boarding us and hud gained possession of dur quarter deck. I immediately gave orders to Laul on board the fore tack, for the purpose of shooting the ship clear of the other, and then made an attempt to re- gain the quarter deck, but was wounded and thrown down on the gun deck. 1 again made an effort to col- lect the boarders, but in the mean time the enemy had gained complete possession of the ship. On my beip|^ carried down to the ceck-nit, I there found Captaio Itawrence and Lieut. Ludlow both mortally wound- ed ; the former had been carried below previously to the ship's being boarded ; the latter was wounded in attempting to repel the boarders. Among those who .fell early in the action was Mr. Edward J. Ballard, ihe 4th Lieut, and Lieut. Jan»es Broom of marines. I herein enclose to you a return of the killed and wounded, by which yoit will perceive that every offi- cer, upon whom the charge of the ship would devolve, was either killed or wounded previously to her cap* ture. The enemy report the lo!« of Mr. Watt, their first Lieut. *he purser, the Captain'ti clerk, and 2S seamen killed ; and Capt. Broke, a midshipmui »" Iiitaiitry, which by the extraordinary exertions of that excellent officer, were emimrked before six o'clock the next ninrningf ; we arrived and anchored in the harbor of York, at about 3 P. M. on the dlst, run theshnonera into the up; erharDor, landed the marines a. id soldiers under the command of Col. Scott, with- out opposition, found several himdred barrels of flour and provisions in the public storehouse, iive pieces cf icannon, eleven boats, and a quantity of shot, shells and other stores, all which were either destroyed or broUjrht away. On the 1st instjust after receiving on board all the vessels could take, I directed the barracks and the public store houses to be burnt ; we then re-embarked the men and proceeded for this place, where I arrived yesterday. Between 4 and 500 men left; York for the head of the lake two days before we arrived there. Some few prisoners were taken, some of whom were paroled, the others have been landed at Port George. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant. ISA AC CH AlTNCE Y. ' Burning of Sodnst N, Y. — Sodnii Was the first town burnt in this war. This was a handsome little village of about 40 houses. The British appeared off file place, the 17th June, 1813, but finding a consider- able- militia force, put ofi^ into the Lake. The mili- tia were disbanded on the 20th, when the enemy ag^iu. returned, and efiected a landing.—Finding the public stores, chiefly removed, they immediately set fire to every valuable house in the village, and returned to their vessels, after suffering a loss of 4 killed, and sev- eral wounded, by a few citizens. The enemy's force consisted of the Royal George, Earl Moiru, Prince Regent, Simcoe Schr. and several small boats and tenders. Attack rn Crane^ Island. (Tirj— On the 20th June, the British attempted a landing on this Island, .32 i$: m l^ihilil 3 I Mi ill; 230 HISTORY OF TUB WAR. for the purfiose of more coMily conquering Norfolk. Thirteen ships of the hne anchored ufiJiDieM ri\er, from wliich about 3o0() troops viere embarked for Granev Island. — Coi». CasNin, of the gun boats and Capt. Morris of the Constellation frigate manned two batteries with 2'5U men on the point of the Island to receive them ; the remainder ot the force, 200 were stationed on the beach. At 8 o'clock the barges at- tempted to land, but were driven back, with the loss of 250 killed and wounded, and 45 prisoners, and their largest barge, which was sunk, with 75 men on board ; the boat and 20 men were finally saved by the Amtr- icans — our loss was 28 kUled and wounded. Capture of Hampton. — The 25th of June, the forc« that attempted Craney Island, landed at Hampton, and carried it atter a gallant defence made by our militia, 436 strong, for forty -iive minutes. The enemy attacked us by land and water ; their land force was about 2500 strong, of whom 400 were riflemen. Af- ter our men were completely surrounded, they saw that they must either surrender, or, break their way through the enemy's lines. They resolved upon the latter, when the gallant Maj. Crvtcfi/ield, led them on, and broke the lines, and made good their retreat, af- ter killing and wounding 200 of their adversaries. Our loss on this occasion was seven killed, twelve wounded, and twelve prisoners. Ascene now commenced sufficient to chill the blood of the Savages, and even put them to the blush.. *To give you, sir, (says Maj. Crutchfield in his offi- cial account to Gov. Barbour,^ an idea of the savage- likedispositionof theenemy,on their getting possession of the neighborhood, would be a vain attempt Al- though Sir Sidney Beckwith assured me that no un- easiness need be felt, in relation to the unfortunate Americans, ti< i fact is that on yesterday, [two days af- ter the'battlf.,J there were several dead Dodies lying unburied, and the wounded nut even assisted into the town, although observed to be crawling tlft'ough the fields towards a cold and inhospitable protectioti. '\,' : HISTORY OF THE WAR. 2ol ' 'The unfortunate females of Hampton, who could not leave the town, were suffered to be abuHcd in the most shameful manner, not only by th j venal savnj^e foe, but by the unfortunate and infatur.ted blacks who were encouraged in their excesses. They pillaged and encouraged every act of rapine and murder, kiU ling a poor man, by the name of Kirhy who had been lying on his bed at the point of death, for more than six weeks, shooting his wife at the same time in the hip, and killing his faithful dog lying un» Hlltf m UI8TQRY OF TBC WAE* they had no use for, and, in fuel, even utripiied th'*, shut off the back of G&>rye IJopet sen'r. aoout 7^ 3feurM of aue, nud took the NhueN ti'oni his feet, after pricking liipi with the bu\uiiet. JOHN WESTWOOD, Hampton. Murder of John B. Graves. — Mr. Graves was u tneutber of the 2dd regt. Inlantry, and was wounded through the arm at lite attack on iSackf tl's Harbor in May, and was removed to Oswego. When Oswego was attacked, Graves had so far recovered as to be able to load anik fire — and stood his ground like a hero. (Tnforiunattly he was again wuuikded, and carried to a log iiouKe with i.wo others. Our nieu shortly after retreated, and an ENGLISH orriCKR, a Lnvtenaiitt came to the door of the house, and | re- sented a fuzeeat hun ; upon which Gra\es exclaimed *0 mercift J or heaven s wiAe, sh«M me imicy ; dout thoot me ayain^ J am b(<(Hy wounded.' The officer cocked his piece, which was within its oun lejtgthof Graves, weltering in his blood, and with an iiiternal grill, said *l'hL SH£\I' YOU mekcy, goddaain YOU,' and immediately discharged lis contents, a ball and three buckshot into his brt ast. This inhuman villain soon met his reward, for st arrely had he turn- ed his eyes from the object of -his barbarity, when he was sh«»t through the brain, and fell dead almost withr in reach of Graves. Skirmishing ni fort Georye, U. Canada. On tlie 14lh of Aug. ]hl3, Gen. Proctor attacked our pickets at day break ; — after a sl.'ort engagement in which the enepiy had \& killed, and one Capt. and lieveral privates made (risoners our force retired to the fort with the loss of 2 killed and several wouiided. On the night of the 17tb, our troops and a fiew In- dians formed an ambuscade, about 300 strong, im- mediately in front of the British camp — at day light our Indians rose and gave the war-hoop, and the en- ftay considering it a friendly call, came foctb, aiioii all MiUeti, and oitide t^ut littlfi resiiitaiice ; 75 beiii|; kdled the tirKt iihot, and the reiuainder, 10, nurreiidered as piiHOiiers. Col. Wm. Rnsseli, of Vincennei, with 673 men cliiefly vulnnteers, from Kentucky and Ohio, uiarirh- e*i from Villo lia on the '^5th June, for the |>ur|N>8e of relieving the frontier inhal'itants of the Nf/ugfM. In marching through their country four weeks they suc- ceeded in destroying sixteen of their villugeH, and a considerable auantity of corn, &c. and returned with- out the lass of a single man, bringing in several pri»- onera, and 10 horsea which the Lidians had pilhiged a few days before of the inhabitants. • w A Kanikee/ricA.^-Onlhedthorjuly, 1813, Ctm. J- ules after 3 P. M. when within half pistol shot, the tiring commenced from both, and after being warmly kept up, and with some manoeuvring, the enemy hail- ed and said they had surrendered, about 4 P. M. — their colors hein;^ nailed to the tnastSj could not be hauled down. She proved to be his B. M. brig Box- er, of 14 guns, Samuel BIythe, esq. commander, who fell in the early part of the engagement, having HISTORY OF THB WAR. 2d0 received a cannon shot through the body- And I am sorry to add that Lieut. Burrows, who had gallantly led us into action, fell also about the same time by a musket ball, which terminated his existauce in eight hours. The Enterprise suffered much in spara and rigging, and the Boxer in spars, rigging and hull, having many siiots between wind and water. As no muster roll that can be fully relied on has come into my possession, I cannot exactly state tlie number killed and wounded on board the Boxer, but from information received from the officers of that vessel, it appears there were between twenty and twenty-five killed, and fourteen wounded. Enclosed in a list of the killed, and wounded on board the £n- ferprze. I have the bono; tc ':?. &c. EDWARD R. M'CALL, Senior Officer. . . ■ ■> • AMERICAN LOSS. ^ >t , > Killed 4,— Wounded, 10,— total 14. " , BRITISH LOSS. u,u Killed 25,— Wounded, 14,— total 30. ., ,/ 1 m'U :li < I CHAPTER IX. PERRY'S VICTORY. Com. Perry to the Secretary of tfte Navy. U. S. brig Niagara, Lake £rie,'Sept. 10, 1813. SIR — It has pleased the Almighty to give to the arms of the U. States a signal victory over their ene* mies on this lake. The British squadron consisting of 2 ships, 2 brigs, 1 schooner, and one sloop, have this moment surrendered to the force under my com- mand, after a sharp conflict. I have the honor to bc,&c. O.H.PERRY, lv*> . ,- :i.t:»i •<».-J »» i \\ iiy «. ;H 'H 'f M 266 mSTORY OF THE WAH. Hi:i|!i|| M!::i Com. Perry to the Secretary of the Navy. V. S.sch. Ariel, Put-in-bay ,'Sept. 13, 1813. SIR — In my last I infonned you that we had cari^ tured the e>iemy*8 fleet on this lake, t have now the honor to give you the most imijortant particulars of the action. On the morning of the 10th inst. at sun- rise, they were discovered from Put-iu-Bay, where I lay at anchor with the squadron under my command. We gfot under weig^h, the wind ligfht at S. W. aitd stood tor them. At 10 A. M . the wind hauled to S: £. and brought us to windward ; formed the line and bore up. At 15 minutes before twelve, the eneitiy commenced firing ; at 5 minuter before twelve the action commenced on our part, f^iliding their fire Yery destructive, owing to their long gufis, audits be^ ing mostly directed at the Lawrence,! made sail, and directed the other vessels to follow for the purpose of closing with the enemy. Every brace xi/cxA bowline being soon shot away, &4ie becarhe unmanageable, notwithstanding the great exertions of the sailing- master. Ill this situation she sustained the action up- wards of two hours within canister distance, until eve- ry gun was rendered useless, and the greater part of her crew either killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer annoy the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieut. Yarnall, who, I was convinced from the bravery already displayed by him, would do what would comport with the honor of the flag. At half past two, the wind springing up, Gapt. Elliott, was enabled to bring his vessel, the Niagara, giillantly in- to close action ; I immediately w^nt on board of her, wlienhe anticipated my wish by volunteering to bring the schooners which had been kepi astern by the light- ness of the wind, into close action. It was with un- speakable pain that I saw soon after I got on board the Ningaru, the flag of the Lawrence comedown, although I was perfectly sensible that she had been defended to the last, and that to have continued to make a show of resistance would have been a wanton sacrifice of the remains of her brave crew. But the Ml. !l! BISTORT OF THE WAB. 3^7 enemy was not able to take possessiun of her, and circumstanees suon permitted her Aug again to be hoist- ed. At 45 minutes past 2 the signal was made fur * close action.' The Niagara, being very little injur- ed, I determined to pass through the enemy's lines, boire up and .passed ahead of their two ships and a brig, giving a raking fire to them from the .starboard ffuns, and to a large schooner, and sloop, from the hrboard side, at half pistol-shot distance. The smal- ler vessels at this time having got within grape and Canister distance, (iidder the direction of Capt. Elliott, and keeping up a well directed fire, the 2 ships, a brig, and a schiiioner, surrendered, a schooner and sloop, making a vain attempt to escape. Those officers and men who were immediately un- ^er my observation evinced the greatest galla.itry, and i have no doubt that all others conducted themselves as became American officers and seamen. Lieut. Yarnall, first of the Lawrence, although several times wounded, refused to quit the deck. i have the honor to enclose you a return of the kil- led and wounded, together with a statement of th« relative force of the squadrons. The Capt. and firsfc Lit'Ut. of the Q,ueen Charlotte, and fiirst Lieut, of the Detroit were killed-^— Capt. Barclay, senior officer, and ihit commander of the Lady t*revost, severely wounded. The commanderof the Hunter and Chip- peway slightly wounded. Their toss in killed and wounded I have not been able to ascertain, it mu8t however have been very great. Very respectfully. 8cc. ,. O. H. PERRY. . U. S. Schooner Ariel, Put-in-bay, Sept. 13, 1813. SIR — I have caused the prisoners taken on the 10th inst. to be landed at Sandusky, and have requested Gen. Harrison to have them marched to Chilicothe, and there wait until your pleasure shall he known re- specting them. ,] 33 > .. ■". [ I if :.li »'^ / : 238 HISTORY OF TBB V IR. The Lawrence has been so entirely cut up, it is absolutely necessary she shiOuM go into ft safe harbor : t have therefure iMrected Lieut. Varnall to {Proceed to Erie in her, with !he wounded of the fleet, aiid dis- mantle and get her over the bar ais soon as possible. The two ships in a heavv sea this day at anchor lost their inasts, being much injured \h the action. I shall haul them into tlie inner bay at this place and mook' them for the present. The Detroit is a re- markably fine ship, sails well, and is very strongly 1>uilt. The Queen Charlotte is a much superior ves- sel to what has been represmited. The Lady P^evost is a large tine schooner. ^ ;' I also beg your inStructi(>ns re8'|[)^tin|f thb Wd'vnd- ed. I am satisfied, sir, that whatever steps I might take governed by humanity, would meet your appro- bation, tinder this impression, I have taken Upon "myself to promise Capt. Barclay, who is very dangelr- ously wounded, that he shall be landed as near lake Ontario as possible, and I had no doubt you Would allow me to parole him. He is under the impression that nothing but leaving this part of the country will save his life. Th^re i^ also a number of Canadian!) among the prisoners^ many wh6 have familieis. * I have the honor to be, &c, .0. H. PERRY. r '..,-. ^' Statement of the Jbrce of the Ainerican smtadron "Lawrence 20 guns —Niagara 20 — Caledonia 3— Ariel 4 — Scorpion 2— ^Somers 4— Trippe 1 — Tigress 1 — ^Porcupine 1-; — ^totalM guns. Statement of the force oftfte British squadron. Detroit 2 1^un» — Q,Ueen. Charlotte 18 — Lady Pre- Vost 14— Hunter 10 — Little Belt 3— Chippeway 3— 'total 63 guns. The exact number of the enehiy's force has not been Ascertained, but 1 have good reason to believe that it exceeded ours by nearly 100 men. oit is n re< HISTORY or THE, WAJft,. W» AMERICAN I.OSS. Killed on bnar4 fhe Lawrence, 22, Wounded (il. ^if^gara 2 ; Wounded 26-r-Cal|edonia Wounded 3. Somefs 2 wounded-:: Ariel I$[il)ed 1, Wounded S.-^- Trippe wounded 2— nScorpiou {billed 2- — total killed and wounded 123. CAPTURE OF THE DQMIN|CO. > Capt. John H' Dent to the Secretary of the Navy, : €hai)e8top, Aug. 2 J, 1813 thai the [Extract] I have the honor to inform you privateer schooner Decatur, of this port^ arriv'td here yesterday* with H. B. M. {schooner Dominiv' o, her priae. 3he was captured on the IStfa ipst. after a most gallant and desperate action of on^ hour, and carried by boarding, paving all her officers killed or wound- ed except one ipidshipman. The Dominico mounts 15 guns, one a 32 pounder on a pivot, and had a com- plement of 88 men at the commencepnent of th^ action, 60 of wbonpk were killed or wounded. She was one of the best equipped and ni.inncd yessels of her cl^$ I have ever seen. The Decatur mounts 7 guns, and had a complement of 103 men at the commencement of the action, nineteen of whom were killed and wounded. I have the hopor to be, &c. JOHN H. DENT. Killed on board the Decatur 5 — wounded lo. Killed on board the Dominico 18 — wounded 42. i capture: of malden. Cren. Harrison to the Secretary of War. > Head'Quarters Amherstburg, Sept. 23, 1813. SIR—I have the honor to inform you that I landed the army under my command about 3 miles below this place at 3 o'clock this evening, without opposition, aud took possession of the town in an hour after. Gen. Proctor has retreated to Sandwich with his reg- ular troops and Indians, having previously burned the fort, navy yard, barracks and public store houses; '!-■ Uii { if r> i; " it !.^.:i.| W i :/! 'i Hi Ml iriil; ■', * 260 HISTORY OV TUB W/^«. the two latter were very irilHiii;v;e, coverirrp" several iicreH of ground. I will fursiie t!)» enemy to-r» 'irrow, although there isiso probability oi' tnyuvertnls-iUghim as he has upwards of one thousand horses^ nnd\»d have not one in the army. J shrtll think myself ibrtu- nale to be ai)!e to collect aHufficiency to mount the General officers. !t is su\»posed here thrlGeii. Proc- tpr intends to establish himself upon the viver liVench, forU miles from Maiden. I hiive t'' honor, Sce. ■■^ WILLIAM H. tlAldHKSON. HARRISON'S VICTORY. Clen. Harrison to the Secretary of War. Head-Quurtera, Detroit, Oct. 9, 1813. SIR — In my letter from Sandwich of theSOth ulr timo, I did myself the honortp inform you, that I wasi preparing to pursue the enemy the following day. From various causes, however I was unable to put the troops in motion until the morning of the 2d inst. and then to take with me only about one hundred and for- ty of the regular troops, Johnson*>i mounted regiment and such of Governor Shelby's volunteers as were fit for a rapid march, the whole amounting to about three thousand five hundred men. To Gen. M'Ar- thur (with about 700 effectives) the protecting of this place and the sick was committed. Gen. C&ss's brig- ade, and the corps of Lieut. Col. Ball were left at Sandwich, with orders to follow me as soon as the men received their knapsacks and blankets, which had been letlt on wn island in Lake Erie. The unavoidable delay at Sandwich was attended "with no disadvantage to us. Gen. Proctor had post- ed himself at Dalsnn's on the right bank of the Thames (or Trench) fifty six miles from this place^ where I "was informed he intended to fortify and wait to re- ceive me. He mi)st have believed, however, that I had no disposition to follow him, or that he had se- cured my continuance here, by the reports that were circulated that the Indians would attack and destroy this place upon the advance of the army ', as he neg- HISTORT OF THE WAR. 261 mg several to-w 'irrow, r^.akin^hiin ies» :md v» d lyself ibrttt- niomit the Geii. Proc- »er t>Veiich« or, Sec. HKSON. r. • ^-^ War. ,9, 1813. the Spth ulr that 1 wsu» owing day. le to put the idinst. and "ed aiid for- |d regiment I as were fit ^ to about 3en. M'Ar- ting of this ZJfiSs's brig- i^ere left at oon as the ets, which s attended r had post- le Thames e, where I wait to re- iver, that I le had se- that were nd destroy as he neg- lected to commence the breaking up the bridges until the night of the 2d inst. On that night our army reached the river, which is twenty-live miles from Sandwich and is one of 4 Htreams crossing our route, over all of which are bridges, and being deep and muddy, are unfordable for a 'consideroble distance into the country — the bridge here was found entire, and in the morning I proceeded with Johnson^s regi- ment to save if possible the others. At the second bridge over a branch of the river Thames, we were fortunate enough to capture a Lieut, of dragoons and eleven privates, who had been sent by Gen. Proctor to destroy them. From the prisoners I learned that the third bridge was broken up and that the enemy had no certain information of our advance. The bridge having been imperfectly destroyed, was soon repaired and the army encamped at Drake's farm, feurmiles below Dalson's. The river Thames, along the banks of which our route lay, is a fine deep stream, navigable for vessels of considerable burden, after the passage of the bar at its mouth over which, there is six and a half feet water. The baggage of the army was brought from De- troit in boats, protected by three gun-boats, which Com. Perry had furnished for the purpose, as well as to cover the passage of the army over the Thames it- self, or the mouths of its tributary streams; the banks being low and the country generally 0|>en.(praaries) as high as Dalson's, these vessels were well calculat- jed for that purpose. Above Dalson's however, the character of the river and adjjcent country us consid- erably changed. — The former, though still deep, is very narrow and its banks high ana woody. The Commodore and myself therefore agreed upon thie propriety of leaving the boats under a guard of one hundred and fifty infantry, and I determined to trust to fortune and the bravery of my troops to effect the passage of then ver. Below a place called Chatham and 4 miles ^bove Dalsou's is the third aniordable I f ;^-^ M -i h a 'Nk ■* BISTOEV OV THft WAR. ^ranc|i of the 'if'hai^es ; the bridge over jts mouth b^d \ieea ta^eii pp \}y {\\e Indians)* as well as that at ^*C|regor*i|]\|iils one mile Mbove-severt^l hundred of ti)e Indians remained to dispute our pass^age, and upon t|ie arrival of (he advanced guard, commenred a hea? vy fire from the oppoi^ile bank of the cre^k as well as that of the liver. I^elieveing that the whole force of the enemy was th^e, ) halted the army, formed in order of h^ttle, ttnd brought i|p our two six poqnders to cover the par^y tb^t were ordered to repair the bridgfe— a few ^l^ot from those pieces, soon drqve offth^ Indians ^nd enabled i)s, in two hours to Repair the bridge and f rofs the troops, Cpl. Johnson's mounted regiment l^ng upon the fight qf the army, ji^d seized upon the remains of thiQ bridge at the mills ^ind^r a heavy fire fifom th^ Indians* Qurlosson this occasion, ^as two killed and three or four woupded, th^t of the ene- my was ascertained to be conidderably greater. A Ifoqse nisar t|ie bridge containing a very considerable piiniber of mu^ket^ had b^eii ^eton fire — but it was f^lingttished by our troops and the arms saved. At Uie first farm above the bridge, we found one of the enemy's vessels on fire, loaded with arms • and ord- nance stores, and learned that they were a few miles ^ead of us, still on the right bank of the river with the great body of the Ipdians. At Bowles' farm, four miles from the brdge we haulted for the night, found two other vessel^ and a large distillery filled -with ordnance and other valu^le stores to an im- mence amount in Qapesrr-it was impossible to put out the firerrrtwo twenty-fpnr pounders with their car- riages were taken . and a large quiantity of ball and shells of various sizes. The army was put in motion early on the morning of the 5\h, I pushed on in advance with the mounted regiment and requested Governor Shelby to follow as e^i^pediliously as possible with the infantry, the Governor's zfial and that of his men en- abled them to jkeep up with the cavalry, and, by 9 o'clock, we were at Arnold's Mills having taken in the course of the piorning two gun-boats and several batteaux loaded with provisions and ammunition. litsToi^Y W Tikfi ivAik, ^ Atr&pid at the river \\i Arhold'sm'ills affdrdik the oh^ )y fording to be ihet with tbr a considerable distance, but, upon examination, it was found to6 d^ep for thb iiii^nWy. Having, ho^evek*, fbrtiina'tely takeh Wo or three boats and sohie Indian caAoeA 'oh the spot, and obliged the hor^efmen to take a foot-man behind etich, the ^\i6\e were safbly crosihed by 12 o'clock. Eight miles frbm the crossing we passed^ farm, where ik part of th^ British troops had encaAijied iht night before, under the command of Col. VVarburtoh. The detachmrent With Gen. PrOetor had arrived th6 day before at the Moravian toWns, 4 mile^ higher up. Being now certainly near the enemy, I directed the advance of Johnson's regiment to accelerate their march for the purpose of procuring intelligence'. The officer commanding it, in* a shoit tim^ scfnl tOin- form me, that^his progress Was stopped by the enemy, who Were formed across Our Kne of mkrjh. 'Oilie of the enemy's waggonersbeing ^Iso takeh prisoner, from the information received fi-om hittt, and my own ob- servation, aitsisted by some of my oAiceiis, I soon as- certained enough of their position and order of bat'tliJ, to determine that, Which it was proper for me to adopt. 1 have the honor herewith to enclose you iny gene- ral order of the !27th 'ult. pri^scribing the drder Of march, and of battle when thc^ whole army shdtildiict together. But as the number and description of the troops had been essentially chkngfed, sihce the iiiisuing of the order, it became necessary lo make a corres- ponding alteration in their disposition. Fi'Om the . place where our army was last halted, to the Moravian towns a distance of about three aiid a half miles, the i'oad passes through a beach forest without any clear- ing, and for the first tu o miles near to ihe bank of the river. At frOm two to 300 yards froiti the river, a swamp extends parallel to it, throughout the whole distance. The interinediate ground is dry, and al- though the trees are tolerably thick, it is in many pea- ces clear of underbrush. Across this strip of lana, it» left appayed upon the river, supported by artillerv ,1 \\ w.\ ■I \ ! H i l,H J 664 HISTORY OF THE WilB. g laced in the wood, iheir right in the swamp covered y the whole of the Indian ioicvp the British troops were drawn up. . ,,. . The troops at my disposal consisted of about 120 rey^ulars of the 27tn reg^t. five brigades of Kentucky \oTunteer militia iufaiitry, under his Excellency Gov. Slielbvt averaging less than five hundred men, and Cut. Johnsoii's regiment of mounted Infantry, making in the whole an aggregate something amal dO(H). No disposition uf an ai-niy opposed to an Indian force can be safe luilt ss it is securi'd on the flanks and in the rear. I had therefore no difficulty in arranging the Int'antry cont'ormubly to my general order of but- tle. Gen. Trotter's brigade ot dUO men, formed the front hue, his right upon the road aud his letl upon the swamp. Gen. King's brigade as a second line, 150 yards in the rear of Trotter s, and Chiles' brigade as a corps of reserve in the rear of it. Tnese three brig- ades furnied the command ot Major-General Henr^f ; the whole of Gen. Desha's divison, consisting of two brigades, were funned en putence upon the tet\ of Trotter. Whilst I was engaged in forming the Infantry, I had directed Col. Johnson's regiment, which was still in front, to be formed in two lines opposite to the en- emy, and upon the advance of the Infaiitry, to take g) oiind to the left, and forming upon that Hunk to en- deiivor to turn the right of the Indians. A moment's reflection, however, convinced me that from the thick- ness of the woods andswampness of the ground, they would be unable to do any thing on hurseback, and there was no time to dismount them and place Iheir horses in security. I therefore determined to refuse my left to the Indians, and to break the British lines at once by a charge of the mounted Infantry ; the measure was not sanctioned by any thing I had ever seen or heard of, but I was fully convinced that it would succeed. The American back woodsmen ride better in the woods than any oiher people. A musket or rifle is no impediment to them, being ac- M 1 I ! MiU nrSTORY OF THE WAR. idd Mstomecl to them from their earliest yoath. I was persiiiidied, too, that the enemy would be quite mipre- Enred for the shuck, niid that they could not resist it. lonformable to this idea, I directed the regriment to be drawn up in clonic column, with itM right at the dis- tance of 50 yards from the road, (that it might be, in 9ome measure, protected by the trees from the artiU lery) its left upon the swamp, and to charge at full upeed as soon as the enemy had delivered their fire. The few regular troops of the 27th regiment, under Col. Paul, occupied in a column of sections of fou5 the sQdall space between the road and the river, for the purpose of seizing the enemy's artillery, and some ten or twelve friendly Indians to move under the bank« The crotchet formed by the front line and Gen. De- sha's division, was an important point. At that place the venerable Governor of Kentucky was posted, who at the age of sixty-six preserves all the vigor of youth, the ardent zeal which distinguished him in the revo- lutionary war, and the undaunted bravery which he manifested at King's mountain. With my aids de cauif), the acting assistant Acy. General, Capt. Butler, my gallant friend Com. Ferry, who did me the honor to serve as my volunteer aid de camp, and Brig. Gen. Cass, who having no command, tendered me his assistance, I placed myself at the head of the front line of Infantry, to direct the movements of the cav- alry, and give them the necessary support. The army had moved on in this order but a short distance, when the mounted men received the fire of the British line, and were ordered to charge ; the horses in the front of the column recoiled from the fire; another was given by the enemy, and our col- umn at length getting in motion, broke through the enemy with irresistable force. In one minute the contest in front was over : the British officers seeing no hope of reducing their disordered ranks to order, and our mounted men wheeling upon, them and pour- ing in a destructive fire, immediately surrendered. It IS certain that three only of our troops were wound- 34 I' I I f At \m^^^ I 1; f 1 M|:|: ill 200 IIISTORT OF THE WAR. ed in this charge. Upon the left however, tlie con« test wa» more severe with the Indians. Col. John- son, who commanded on thai flank of bis regiment, received a most galling fire from them, v/lnth was returned with great eflect. The Indians still further to the right advanced and fell in with our front line of Infantry, near its junction with Desha's division, and for a moment made an impression upon it. His Excellency Gov. Shelbv, however, brought up n regi- Ment to its support, and the enemy receiving a severe fire in front, and a part of Johnson's regiment having gained their rear, retreated with precipitation. Their loss was very considerable in the action, and many were killed in their retreat In can give no satisfactory information ofthenunv- ber of Indians that were in the action, but they must have been considerably upwards of 1000. From the documents in my possession, (Gen. Proctor's ofiicial letters, all of which were taken) and from the infor- mation of respectable inhabitants of this Territory, the Indians kept in pay by the British were much more numerous than has been generally supposed. In a letter to Gen. de Rottenburgh, of the 27th ult. Gen. Proctor speaks of having prevailed upon 3,200 of the Indians to accompany him. Of these it is certain that 50 or 00 Wyandot warriors abandoned him. The number of our troops were certainly greater than that of the enemy, but when it is recollected, that they had taken a position that efiectually secured their flank, which it was impossible for us to turn, and that we could not present to them a line more extended than their own, it will not be considered arrogant to claim for my troops the palm of superior bravery. In communicating to tne President through you, sir, my opinion of the conductof the officers who served un- der me, I am at a loss how to mention that of Gov. Shelby, being convinced that no eulogium of mine can reach his merits. The Governor of an independent state, greatly my superior in years, experience, and in military character, he placed himself under my UlttTORY OF TUB WAB. 367 r command, nnd wm not more remarkable for his zeal and activity, than for the promptitude and cheerful- ness with which he obeyed my orders. I loft the armv before an official return of the pris- oners, or that or the killed and wounded, was made out. It was however ascertained that the former amounts to 000 regulars, including 23 officers. Our loss is 7 killed and 22 wounded, & of which have since died. Of the British 12 killed, and '22 wound- ed. The Indians suffered most, 100 of them having been found upon the ground, including those killed un the retreat. On the day of the action, 6 pieces of brass artillery were taken, and two iron 24 pounders the day before. Several others were discovered in the river and can be easily procured. Of the brass pieces, three are the trophies of our revolutionary war, that were taken at Saratoga and York, and surrendred by General Hull. I have the honor to be, and that the^ should want for nothing, while the men would go and fight the enemy. That we need not troublie pursilyes about the enemy *8 garrison ; that we knew uotliing about ihem, and that our father would attend to that part of the business. You also told your red chi tdren, that you would take good care of your garrison here, which made onr hearts glad. Listen ! — When we were last at the Rapids, it is true we gave you little assistance. It is hard to fight, people who live like ground liogs. Father, listen ! Our fleet has gone out ; we know they have fought ; we have heard the grea^ gUiis ; .but know nothing of what has happened to our father, with one arm. Our ships h^ve gone on^ way» And "we are much astonished to see our father tying up every thing and preparing to run away the other, without letting his red children know what his inten- tions are. You always told us to remain here and take care of our lands ; it made pur hearts glad to hear that w as your wish. Our grtat father, the kii>g, is our )iead, and you represent him. You always toid us. HISTOBT OF THE WAR: 260' thatyotl wonkl never draw your foot off British ground ; but now, father, ^ve see you are drawing back, and we are sorry to see oar father doing so without^seeing the enemy. We must compare our father's conduct to a fat animal, that carries it)s tail upon its back, but when affrighted, he drops it between his legs and runs off. Listen^ Father f The Americans have not yet de- feated us by land ; neither are we sure that they have done so by water: we therefore, wish to remain here, and fight our enemy, if they should make their ap- pearance. If they defeat us, we will then retreat with oarf'ather< At the battle of the Rapids last war, the Ameri- caiMi certainly defeated us ; and when we retreated to our father*sf'ortat that place the gates were shut against us. We were afraid that it would now be the case ; but instead of that we now see our British father preparing to march out of his garrison. Fatfter ! You have got the arms and ammunition which oar great father sent for his red children. If you have an idea of going away, give them to us, and you maygo and welcome, for us. Our lives are in the hands of the Great Spirit. We are determined to de- fend our lands, and if it be his will we wish to leave our bones upon them. Amherstburg, bept. 18, 1813. <-J/; ; 470 HISTORY OF TH£ WAH* 11 1 ■ i I have an additional pleasure in informing you, that amongst the captured vesselii are the late U. S. schs. Julia and Growler, the others are gun vessels. I have the honor to be, &c. ISAAC CHAUNCEY. Meiuru of the troops of H. B. Ws. De Watte- vHk regimenti capfwed in the above vessels. 1 Major, 1 Captain, 3 subalterns, 1 surgeon, 10 sergeants, 4 drummers and buglep^, 202 rank and fi!t. Officers and marines, — 1 Lieut. 2 master*s mates, 35 seamen and marines of the royal navy, and 4 sail- ing masters of the provincial navy. J. GIBSON, Inspector Gen. Something SinmtUtr. — About the 1st of Oct. 1813, Capt. Morgan, ofthe rifle corps was sent from Sa.cketts Harbor, to Gravelly Point, near King$>!.on, for the purpose of taking possession of the Poiiu. beeing an jSuglish schr. gun boat, he concealed his men, about 60, and sent a small boat along the shore, which the enemy espied, and started in pursuit of. When the enemy came near, our men landed, and took to Ae woods ; the enemjr camfe near shore, and sent a party after the fugitives, when Morgan's campany rushed from their hiding place, and gave them so warm a reception, as either to kill or wound every one, as tb«y appeared on deck ; a few of our men waded out and toiok possession of the gunboat, while those on shore stood ready to fire at the first man who made ap- pearance on deck. We did not lose a man in this gal- lant little exploit ; the enemy lost 3 killed — 7 wound- ed, and 50 prisoners. Com. Rodgers, Sailed from Boston the 28d (ff April, 1813, and returned to Newport, Sept. 26.— After crossing the seas in almost every direction^ cruising for some time in the British channel, and on the coast of Norway, without seeing a public yessel. mSTORT OF THE WAR. «7l of the ehemyXexcepting a 74, and frigate in company, which chased him three days, often so near as to give, and redeive a shot, the Com. returned to port, to re- cruit his stores. The President, captured the following vessels on her cruise. — Brig Kitty, of 2 guns, and 12 men, car- go of codfish ; sent into France. Packet Brig Duke of Montrose, of 12 guns, and 34 men ; sent to Eng- land as a cartel, with 78 prisoners. Letter of Marque Brig Maria, of 14 guns, and 85 men ; cargo of cod- fish, sent into France. Schr. Falcon, of 2 guns, and 1 1 men, cargo of codfish, sent into France. Brig Jean, burnt. Brig Daphne, of 2 guns, and 10 men; sunk. Ship Eliza Swan, of 8 guns, and 49 men ; cargo of blubber oil ; ransomed for 5000 pounds ster- ling. Brig Albert, cargo of pitch and tar, burnt. BarqueLion, of 8 guns, and 53 men ; cargo of blub- ber oil, ransomed for 3000 pounds sterling. Brig Shannon, cargo of rum, sugar, and molasses, sent iiito the U. S. Brig Fly, of 6 ^uns, and 10 men ; cargo of coiFee, sent into the U. S. His B. M's Schr. High Fly. er, of 5 guns, 5 officers, and 34 men, brought into Newport ; the High Flyer was sold at auction for eleven thouand Dollars. m Col. Clarke to the Secretary of fVar. Camp Chazey-Landing, Oct. 15, 1813. It is with great pleasure I can inform you of asuc- cessful attack upon the enemy at Massesquoi bay on the morning of the 12th inst. At this lime I had only the riflemen with me, the artillery moving slow and the militia protecting their rear. We proceeded to the village (Massesquoi) and arrived within 15 rods of the enemy before we were discovered. We found them drawn up under Major Powell in a manne'. that would have annoyed us much had we altark- ed them by water, but wholly unprepared to defend themselves on the land side ; tliey commenced a iirf^ on the lefl flank, but in ten minutes afler the first at- tack they laid down their arms and surrendered them- selves prisoners of war. 4 ;i.i in HISTORY OF TBB WAH^ Understanding: that a force of 200 men under Col. Lock was marching to attack us, 1 despatched Capt. Finch with his company to reconnoitre them and us- oertain their course. He proceeded with such prompt- ness and ability 9l^ to surprise and capture the advanc- ed guard, consisting of cavalry, excepting one niaif who escaped, and giving the information the enemy retreated. The prisoners were then put on board our boats and sent to Burlington. Our whole force engHs^ed was 102 — the number of prisoners taken is 101 ; their killed 9, and woui)d(^d 14. - '' I am, sir, with respect, &c. ISAAC CLARKE. Massacre at fort Tensatv. — The following partic- ulars of the massacre at fort Tensaw, is received from Judge Tonlmiu of Mobile. * The dv"^ 'hi catastrophe which we have been sometime xpectiiig, ha« at length taken place ; the Indians } Hve broken in upon us in numbers and fnry unexam^ cd. A few days before the attack, (Sept. 1) some n«"^roe& of Mr. Girt's who hved in that part oi the Creek territory which is inhabited by half breeds, had been sent up the Alabama to his plantation for corn ; three of them were taken by a party of Indians. One escaped and brought down news of the approach of the Indianf^. The officer gave but little credit to him, but they made some further preparation to re- ceive the enemy, and on Saturday and Sunday con- siderable work was done to put the fort in a state of defence. Sunday morning three negroes were tent out to attend the cattle, who soon returned with an account that they had seen 20 Indians. — Scouts were sent out to ascertain the truth of the report ; they re- turned and declared they could see no signs of Indians. One of the negroes belonging to Mr. Ran- don was whipped for brniging what they deemed &, false report. — He was sent out again on Monday, and saw a body of Indians approaching; but afraid HISTORY OF THE WAR. 373 of beings whipped, he did not return to Mimii^'s, but to Pierce's fort ; but before his story could be coiiiinu- nicated, the attack was made. The commanding officer cail«d upon Mr. Fletcher, who owne4 another of the negroes, to whip him also. — He beiieved the boy, and resisted two or three applications ; but at length they had him actually brought out for the pur- pose, when the Indians appeared in view of the fort. The gate was open. The Indians had to come through an open iield 150 yards wide, before they could reach the fort, and yet they were within ^ teps of the fort at 1 1 in the morning, before they were noticed. The sentry then gave the cry ol * In- dians!' and they immediately set up a most terrible war-hoop and rushed into iL'^ ^ytQ with inconceivable rapidity, and got within it before the people of the fort had any opportunity of shutting it. This decid- ed their fate. Major Beasely was shot through the belly near the gate. There was a large body of Indians, though they probably did not exceed 400. Our people seemed to sustain the attack with undaunted spirit. They took possession of the port holes in the other lines of the fort and fired on the Indians who remained in the iield. Some of the Indians got upon the block house at one of the corners ; but after firing a good deal down upon the people they were dislodged. They succeeded ho .vever m setting fire to a house near the pickets, from which it was communicated to the kitchen and from thence to the main dwelling house. They attempted to do it by burning arrows, but failed. When the people in the fort saw the Indians retained full possession of the outer court, that the gate con- tinued open, that their men fell very fast, and Ihat their houses were in flames, they began to despond. Some determined to cut their way throu;;h the pickets and escape. . Of the whole number of white men and half- breeds in the fort, it is supposed that not more than 25 or 30 escaped, and of these many were wounded. The rest and almost all the womer; aud children fell a5 tf M :} ii' \\ I ;ll fi i I Ii! .' .^'■'" i-^^A KT '274 dUSTORt OP T&K WAlt. i1: It ! , a saoriHce ekher to the arms of the Indians 01* tb tbe flames. The battle lasted about five boui's and a buH. When the buildingpi were burning landtfafe few who remained were exposed to tbe heavy fire of the ene- my, they collected as many as they could of the guns of the deceased^ 9:td threw both them and the remain, ing stock of ammunition into the fiamcis, to {>reveiU their becoming subservient in the hands of the In> dians, to tbe destruction of their fellow citizens. Surely this wa<>- an instance of determined resolution and benevolent foresight of which there and murdered tbe armed and tlie helpless without discrimination. Our loss is 7 commissioned officers, and abottt 100 non-commissioned officers and privates, of the first regiment of Mississippi Territory volunteers. There were about 24 families of men, woniien and children in the fort, of whom almost all have pei-ished, amount- ing to about 160 souls. I reckon, however, among them alK>ut six families of half-breeds, and 7 Indians. There were also about 100 negroes, of whom a large proportion were killed, ^i J ■If. <.''< B*f William Henry Harrison, 21%'. Gen. in th«sei'' vice of the V. S. commander :n chief of the north- n'estern army, flwrf Oliver Hazard Perry, Caip*. in " the -/Vav^, andcommandi/ny^ the U. S. vessels on Lake Erie, > A PROCLAMATION. ^ y iereas, by the combined operations of the land and naval forcies under our command, those of the enemy within the upper district of Upper Canada have been captured or destroyed and the said district is now in the quiet possession of our troops : it be- comes necess;iry to provide for its government :— Therefore, we do hereby proclaim and make known* thai the rights and privileges of the inhabitants, !'>icl tlie laws and customt of tite country, as they existed pr were in force at the period of our arrival, shall con* IS 01* tb tbe 'sandaiiaK the f^ew wlio of the ene> of the guns the remain- }, to |>reveiit ds of the In- ow citizens. d resolution li^e not many low citizens, d murdered (crimination. aboM 100 ;, of the lirst eers. There and children led, annount- ever, among- id 7 Indians. t^hom a large II, m theser" of the north- TV, Capt. in issels on Lake softSie Itinil those of the pper Canada e said district •oops : it be- vemment :— nake knowtn labitants, ''•id they existed f&\j shiill con« UIS'TORV OP THE WAfS': ^76 < i tinue tb prevail. AH raagistrutes aud.<)|ther civ^l p;^.' corn are to resume the exerci^ oi' their fun<;li|(>9y ; previously takiiiijcaa oa^i to J^.%i(bhfMi to the go\;ern- meiitof the U. i)lbt«s,as long :tt^ they i^\vaI\ h^ jn m^] session of the country. Thi9 authprr|y of a)l qiiiU|^ commiMsions is suspended in\ said dirtti;icl4 iiud t)]|e)0^-. cers required to give their parpl|e, in f^ach way at^ the., officei-, who may be appointed % tl)^ coiuuinnding , Gen. to admiaisteif the govermnf^t, $Mil dir^tjlv The inhabitaQJts of said district iir^ 'p^ioiuiN^d pror tection tQ their perisions and propfiity. w(ith |hc epi^^cp- tion of those cases embraced hf \\^ [tvo(i\^\f^-4[\qn oif Gen. Proctor^ of lhe-ru|t. which i? de<:lured to W ii^ fojrcfe, and the powers tliereiix assuined tr^sfe^ed l,cf the offiicer appointed to adraitiister the. governnje^it. Givem under our kauds and sisals, . r4 Sa^d\|k^ipit,v this 17«b Oct. 1813. ,., , (Signed) WM, a liAHUlSON. r .J i... ., OLIVER H. mmx. ; •■ """ ..'io.'iih ". Gens. Wilkinson and HtfiWjP<9».-r-These two Gen-' e>all madie ah aj^mpt to take Mpot^r^ abop^ tk», }(^ of Nov. 1813. G«n. HfttnptpjB was stationed at Piattsbargb> and was to nioet Gei^ W>Iil(ii!«OH al French Mills; having succeeded in marching' through the forest 24 miles in one day, by way of Chatauguay, and entering- upon the second large forest, his guides left hiip» w|ii$|| ^({ciisioned the army to halt for three or four days ; in the mean Time our troops attempted the 0ji(e|ny's b|'efist work, tliixiiwn yp in the woods by t]l»Uing treea^ di|i^^in^ d.itciies, &c. and succeeded in. compMeiy driving- ^in& front , >t!l ; I i i 27» HISTORY OF THB WAR. i 1 ! If kiiMon WAS stationed at Sackett's Harbor, and con- veyed his army down the St. Lawrence in boats.' The enemy about 2000, from PreHCott, Kin^^ston, &c, hnngf on nis rear, and harrassed him continually. They arrived at Williamsburjaf the llth of Nov. and WHS obliged to face ahnvt and attack the enemy to save their bagirage. The forces were about equally strong, having from 12 to I'^OO men engaged ; each gave way by turns — our men getting out of ammuni- tion, left the field of action unmolested, and passed down the streights, without seeing the enemy again. Vie lost in this battle 102 non-commissioned officers «nd privates killed, and 237 officers and. privates wounded, with one field piece and several stand of arms: 3 officers and 28 privates of the wounded were taken prisoners. At Cornwall Gen. Wilkinson first received intelligence of the different route General Hampton had taken ; a council of General officers was held, and it was agreed best to abandon the ex- pedition.' .;^; -^ ' AMERICAN LOSS. Killed 102— wounded 237— missmg Sl-r-total 370. BRITISH L08S. Killed 21(>--wounded 248— ^)riHonerB 17— -total 475, CHAPTER X. ^i'!'.:i3ui.l.'n<.y ~tii\')\iv\\ i .^ CREEK WAR. .i;fe;: t? • Gen, Jacksj; • SIR — We have retaliated for the destruction tex Port Mims. On the 2d instant, I detached Gen. Coffise with a part of his brigarle of cavalry and Biuunted riflemen, to destroy Tallushatches, where a considerable force of the hostile Creeks were concen* ^led. The Gen. executed this in stile. A hun- dred ainl eighty-six of the enemy were found dead on the fittM| and tbout eighty taken priioners ; fort^ of HISTOAY OF THB WAB; 277 whcNOA have been brought here. In the number left, there it a sufficiency but slightly wounded to take care of those who are badly. I herein enclose Gen^ Coffee's official report of , the action. it* ^y^ftn 9*1 ; mill no ■yjitj'.'f'^ .irM'tyr « yhtua I have the honor lobe, &c. <; ; , , ANDREW JACKSON, j hm/i. Oen. Coffee to Geit, Jackson. ,^1■v(',Hr.fl^ Camp^at Ten hlaiuU, JSw. Ath, 1813. SIR,— I hmd the honor yesterday, of transmitting you a short account of an engagement that took place between a detachment of about nine hundred men from my brigade, with the enemy at Tallushatchea towns ; the particulars whereof I beg leave herein to recite to you. Pursuant to your order of the 2d, I detailed from.tny brigade of cavalry and mounted ri- flemeo, nine hundred men and officers, andf>roce(eded directly to the Tallushatches towns, crossing Coo^e^ river at the Fish Dam ford, 3 or 4 miles above this place. I avrlved within one atid a half miles of the (own (distant from this place south-east eight miles) on the > morning of the third, at which place I divided my detachment into two columns the right composed oi the cavalry commanded by Col. Allcom, to pross over a large creek that lay between us and the towns, the left column was of the mounted riflemen, under tiie command of Col. Cannon, with whom I marche4 myself. Col. AUcorn was ordered to march up oi| the right and, encircle one one half of the town, and at the same time the left would form a half circle on the left, and unite the head of the colums in front of the town ; all of which was performed as I could wis-h. When I arrived in half a mile of the towns, the drums of the enemy began to beat, mingled with their savage yells, preparing for action. It was af» ter sun-rise an hour ; when the action was brought on by Capt. Hammond and Lieut. Patterson's com- panies, who had gone on within the circle of align- ment for the purpose of d. awing out the enemy from . \ I ; ■ :.!• !Jl I i .^ i i I j: I- I Mil; in SlftVOlift OF THB W^a. I n f# !■ I ikvirtNnMiagis wbich ha;'i\Uej fought as lon^ 08 one existed, hot tlieip destruotion wa.s very soon completed ; our men rimhed op td the doors of llie houses, and in afewmimites killed the last war- rior of them ; the eneiny fought wiMi savag'el^ry, and met deaih with ail its qorpoHn^ withbkit shrinkitig or complaining, not one asked to bes|mrcd, iMit foi^ht tolone as Ihey could stand ov sil. in coiiBc<|uence .«f their flying to their houses arid niixin|^ < #ith the families, our men in killing the males, withcMlt inten- tion, killed and wounded a few squaws and children, vhich was regretted by every omcer and soldier of the detachment, but which coiild not he avtwded^ The number of the enemv killed was one himdred and eighty-six that were counted, and a iKMnfoerof oth- ers that were killed in the weeds not fbuivd. 1 think the calculation a reasonable one^ to say two hundred uf them were killed, and ei^hty-four prisoners of women ^d ehildren, were taken ; not one of fhe warrierH esca))ed te carry the news, a eirounMtanoe unknown Jieretofore I lost five men killed and forty-one woanded^ none mortally, the greater part slightly, a nuniiber with arrows; two of the men killed was with ritows j this fl^ppears lo form a very principal piirtof ehemy's amw for warfare ; every n»an having a bow ^ith a bundle of arrows, which is used afW '^e first fire vt'ith the gun, until a leisure time for loading offers. .' I have the honor to be, /ko. JNOPOFFEiE. BfSTOBT OF Tim W^B. 12?f I iiisti aranndr ar* l/.tsWdy'sfort,(Tale- 'ow us, with the . great force had were preparing to de- 6ich« Jnchson to GtMf. Bhunt Camp Ten iHtands ofGMiB, Novk Uv IBia. » [Extmoi.] 9IR~*I am jlist retarned trom an ex* (tursion which I took a few d«yls logo, and hasten to acquaint yoii with the result. Late on the evening of tl' rived from the friendly partv dega) dislant abodt thirty information that the hostile encamped near the pkuce, a • (itr4ly it; land eefruostly entreated that I would lose no time in aiifording reliefs Urged by tftitit* situation as well as by a wish to meet the enemy do. sooti as aii opportunity ^o«kl offer, I detierm(ined:u|ioii com^' mencing my march tfcither with all iny dispesabte force; we encamped that night within six mil» of the f6rt 1 bail, set out to itelieve. Atsttivisewie came within half a mile of thena, dnd: havilig formed my men, I moved on ia battle order. The iid«ittlv were in three lines— 'the mtlitia ob liie kft and tm volunteers on the right. Hie icav airy fomed tlhe-ex»i trame wings; and welre ordeved to adl^auce in a curve, keeping Uieir rear connected with the advance of theii' in&ntk'y lines, and to enclose the dnemiy in a circle. The advanced guard whom I sent forwafrd to bring on tli* engagement, met the attack of the enemy with great intrepidity ; and having poured u[>on them four or jfive very gallant rounds, fell back as they had been previously ordered^ to the main army. The enemy pursued and the front line was noiw ar<> dered to advance and meet him ; the ifire became general along the first line, and on that part 'Of the wings which were contiguous. The enemy, utiablv to stand it, begun to retreat; but were met at every turn, and pursued in every direction. The right wing cJMised them with a most destructive fire to the moun-i> tains, a distance of about 3 miles; the victory howev- er was very deoisive->-290 of the enemy were left dead; and there can be no doubt but many more were killed Wlho were not found. Wherever they rfwi :'. ' 1 ■ , I U: 1:5 I' ;'i: '*(P t •( ' 'Ml' iMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) V ^ // 1= 1.0 I.I 11.25 ;f iiiiM iiiiiM i^ lllliii 11112.2 :: itt llllio U II111I.6 - 6" <^ n v: >^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 -, I fjr Gen. Fht/d to Gen. fHniney. Catahouche, Dec. 4, 1813. [Ettract.'] SIR — I have llie honor to communicate to yoit an account of the action fought on the 20th bh. between part of the force under my command^ and a large body of the Creek Indians. Having re^ Reived inrormation that the hostile Indians were as* ii^mbled at Autossee, 1 proceeded thither with the force under my command, accompanied by about 800 friendly Indians. We encamped the 28tb, at night» within ten miles of our place of-destination, and the next morning by half past-6,' were formed for actien in front fi»f the town. li was my intention to have completely surround- ed the enemy, by appaying the right of my force on Cunlehee creek, at the mouth of wnich I was inform- ed the town stood ; and resting the left on the river below the town •; but to our surprise, as day dawned* we perceived a second town 500 yards !>elow Autos- fee. The plan of attack was immediately changed ; ^ve companies immediately surrounded the lower town, and the remainder attacked the upper. The battle now became general. The Indians presented themselves at every point, and fought with the despe- rate bravery of real fanatics; but the well directed fir^ of the artillerv, with the charged bayonet, soon forced them to take shelter in their houses, and manv» it is believed, secured themselves in caves previously Prepared in the high bank of the river. The friendly ndians were to cross the river above the town, for the purpose of taking such as might attempt to es- cape ; but owing to the coldness of the water, they \' • •1! ^- Hi. \ 1 ! t 1 i • !!; w t Ilit - ! ' k ■ J ■ ■ ' 1 i: ; i i : 1 „ ■ I', ! :n i. ||;i ■ 1 i i 1 -il i: i , il. ■:\ ■I iJ 1 ' i M| m Li 283 HISTORY OF THE WAR< declined, after making the attempt : they crossM' ihp creek, thronged to our flanks, and fought with an in* trepidit^ in^orthy of any troops. At 9 o'clock, the enemy was completely driven from the plain, and the houses of both towns wrapped in flames, to the num- ber of about 4(J0. It is difficult to determine the strength of the enemy, but the chiefs say there were assembled the warriors of eight towns, for the defence of Autossee,.il being their l)eloved ground, on which, they proclaimed, no white man could approach with- out inevitable destruction. It is believed the enemy lost at least, 200 killed, (amon^ whom are the Autos* see and Tallissee kings) and from the circumstance of their not making an eflbrt to molest our return, probably they lost more. Our loss was 11 killed and d4 wounded. — The friendly Indians lost several killed and wounded ; the number not exactly known. I have the honor to be, &c. JOHN FLOYD, Brig. Gen. Gen* Claibomet to the Secretary of War. Fort Claiborne, Jan. Ist, 1814. [Extract] SIR— On the 13th ult. I marched adetach- ment from this post with a view of destroying the towns of the inimical Creek Indians, on the Alabama, above the tl. -nouth of the Cahaba. After having marched at eighty miles, from the best infor- mation I could obtain, I was within thirty miles of a town n iwly erected on a ground called Holy, occupi- ed by a large body of the enemy, under the command of Witherford, the half breed chief. On the morn- ing of the 22d the troops resumed their line of march, chiefly through woods without a track to guide them. When rear the town on the morning of Uie 23d, my dispositon for attack Was made.->The troops advan- ced in three columns. With the centre column I ad- vanced myself, ordering Lester's guards and Well's troop of dragoons to act as a corps of reserve. About noon the right column, cooiposed of twelve month's vblbnteers, commanded by Col. Joseph Carson, came HISTORY OF THE WAR. tm' in view of the town called Eccanachaca (or Holy Groiund) and was immediately vigorously attacked by the enemy, who were apprized of our approach, and had chosen their field of action. Before the centre, commanded by Lieut. Col. Rus- sell, with a part of the 3d regiment of U. S. infantry and mounted militia riflemen, or the left column, which was composed of militia and a party of Choc- taws under Pushamuttaha, commanded by Muj. Smoot of militia, who were ordered to charge, could come generaly into action, the enemy were repulsed and were flying in all directions, and many of them, casting away their arms. Thirty of the enemy were killed, and judging from, every appearance giany were wounded. 'The loss on our part was one corporal killed, and one ensign, twa Serjeants, one corporal, and two privates wounded. A pur&uit was immediately ordered but from the nature of the country, nothing was eflected. ' The town was u'^arly surrounded by swamps and deep ravines, which rendered our approach difficult, and facilitated the escape of the enemy. In the town we found r. large quantity of provisions and immense property ot various kinds, which the enemy, flying precipitately, were obliged to leave behind, and whichi together with two hundred houses were destroyed The next day was occupied in destroying a town consisting of sisr.ty houses, eight miles higher up the river, and in taking and destroying the eiiemy*8 boats. At the town last destroyed was killed three Indians of some distinction. I have the honor to be, &c. , F£RD.L. CLAIBORNE. Brig. Gen. — m.'. GeH. FUtyd to Major Gen. Pinchney. 4 \]Extract\ Camp Defiance, Jan. 27, 1814. >t SIR — I have the honor to acquaint your excellen- cy that this morning at 20 minutes past 5 o'clock, a very larg^ body of hostile Indians made a desperate attack upon the army under my command. .They stole upon the ceakiuels, fired on them, and with great , ' . 1 t, ■• i 1' H\\ I ill Ii liifl 984 HISTORY OV THE WAR* 1 If i ' ! I' i ! I I lilil'l ^M!:i . i I I u nnpetaogity rushed npon our line : in 20 minutdl the action became general, and our fronW right and lett flanks were closely pressed, but the brave and gallant conduct of the Aeld and line officers, and thefiriUncM of the men, repelled them at every point. The steady firmness, and mcessaut fire ofCapt. Thomas's aitiller}, and (^apt AdamsV riflemen, pre- served our front lines. Tiie enemy ruirfied within 90 yards of the artillery, and Capt. Brodnax» who com- manded one of the picquet guards, maintained his post with great bravery, until the enemy gained liis iear,,and then cut his way through them to the army. As soon as it becaiue 'ight enough to distinguish ob- jects, 1 ordered Majoiv Watson's and FrenAnrs bat- tallions to viheei up at right angles with Majors Booth's and Cleveland's battallions, who formed the right wing, to prepare for the charge. The order for the charge was promptly obeyed, and the enemy fled in every direction before the bay oiiet. The signal w a» given for the charge of the cavalry, who pursued and tabi'ed 15 of the enemy, who let! 37 dead on the field. From the eflusion of blood, and the number of head dresses and war clubs found in various directions, their loss must have been considerable, independent ot their wounded. 1 herewith transmit you a list of our killed and tcounded, and have the honor to be, &c. -v' t--' JOHN FLOYD, Brig. Gen. Killed, 17— wounded, 132— total 149. Gen. Jackson to Gen. Pinkney, FiHt htrother, Jan. 29, 1814. [Extract:] SIR— 1 had ordered 800 Tennessee Tolunteers to join me on the 10th inst. but they tiid not arrive until tlie 14th ; the next day they, with the force before with me, 130, marched across the river to graze our horses. The motives which influenced me to penetrate further into the enemy's country were •lany and urgent. I received a letter from Colonel finodgrassy liitomiiog me tb^ aa attack was soon to tl If HISTORY OF THB WAR. 2M be maAe on fort Annstrong, bv OOii of the enemy, , collected fro.ii New Y«Mika« Oakfusikee, and (Jfaulev . toiriM» and were coiicentrated in the bend of the Tal- lapoosee. It' I could have hesitated before,,! could . Duw hesitate no longer. On the 10th I encamped at Eiitochapco ; here I soon perceived how little knowledge my spies had of the country, of the sitaa- tioii of the enemy, or of the distance we were from them, and the insuiiordination of the new troops, and want of skill in their officers, became more apparent ; . but my wishes and my duty remained united. We arrived within a few miles of our destination the iliXt and encamped on a high piece of grou.id ; . alK)ut 10 o'clock at night our picket tired upon a few . of the enemy, and killed one. At 1 1 o'clock our spies returned with inlbrmation that a large botly of. the enemy were encamped about three miles distent. , Being prepared at all points, nothing remained to be . done, but await their approach, or be in readiness to ■ attack them by day light, The enemy attacked our > left flank, about d o'clock in the morning, which was • vigorously met by our troops ; the attack lasted half an hour. So soon as it became light enough to pur- me the enemy, the brave Gen. Coffee led our troops on to the charge ; the enemy was completely routed- •t every point, and chased two miles with great slaugh- ter. Uen. Gofkt was now sent with ^X) troops to re^ connoitrethe enemy's camp, who returned after satr jsfying himself of their strength. In half an hour a . coniiderable fordeof the enemy made its appearance on my right flanl|i, and attacked us with great spirit. Gen. Coiee r^<(uested 900 men of me for the purpose of turning their left flank, which was grunted ; but by. some miilake, not observed at the time, only 54 followed him, who were chiefly old volunteer officera.. Tfitbthis little band of heroes, the Gen. attacked it* and drove them from the ground; at the same time SOU friendly Indians were ordered to fall U|)oii their, right, and co-operate with the General. Tais order mm aoon obeyra* and iu its executioiv what 1 exp^cjU ■il I i :il. tu I » L 4 .' '' n! » I. ; if" i;l 1 1 ^ • - 1 1 i; f i i_ , 1 1 1 ill M^ k.\ Sl|6 HISTORY OP THK WAE. •(], was realized. The dnemy intended the Attack on my righl as a feint, and soon attacked my left inrith their main force, which they hoped to find weak* ened and in disorder — they were disappointed— the whole line met the attack witli firmness and astonish- ing intrepidity, and having given a few fires charged with grreat vigor ; the efiect was immediate and in- evitable. The enemy fled with precipitation, and were pursued to a considerable distance with great slaughter. In the mean time Gen. Coflee was con- tending with a superior force, the Indians having i'oined my left. Jim Fife, with 100 friendly Indians [ forthwith ordered to his assistance ; he no sooner reached the spot than the Gen. made a charge, and the enemy routed and driven three miles, with the lost of 45 slain. I was determined to commence a return- ing march the next morning, as my provisions were nearly consumed. I considered it not necessary to pursue them any farther, as the object of a general engagement would be more certainly attained by commencing a return, which, to them, would have the appearance of a retreat, and would inspire them with new courage to pursue mej and not prudent because of my wounded, the starving condition of my horses, they not having neither eat corn nor cane for two days, and of the scarcity of provisions for my men-— influenced by these considerations, I commenc- ed my return march on the 23d and reached Enota- chopco that night. I took a diflerent route from the one we came in, to avoid a deep defile between two mountains. Having a deep creek to pass I issued a general order pointing out the manner in which the men should be formed, in case of an attack. The front guard and the wounded had crossed, when an alarm gun was heard in the rear. I heard it without surprise, and even with pleasure, as I calculated on the firmness of my troops, from the manner in which I had seen them act on the 22d. Having chosen the ground, I expected to have entirely cut off the ene- my* by wheeling the right and left columns on their ttlSTOHY OV THB WAS, S87 pivots, recroninff the creek above and below, and fal- lings npon their flanks and rear. But to my astonish- ment, after a few guns had been fired, I heheld the riffht and left columns of the rear guard give way. This shameful retreat was disastrous in the extreme ; drawing with it the greater part of the centre column, and producing consternation and dismay in the whole army. There was left to oppose the enemy a few of the rear guard, the artillery, and Capt. HusseU's com^ pany of spies : they realized and exceeded my best expectations. Never was there more bravery dis- [ilayed than on this occasion. Amidst the most gal- ing fire from the enemy, more than ten times their iiamber, they ascended the hill. In the hurry of the moment, in separating the gun from the limbers, the rammer and picket^ were left tied to it. No sooner was this discovered than Craven Jackson, and Gon- stantjne Perkins, gunners, found means to replace them ; Jackson amidst the galling fire of the enemy, polled ont the ramrod of his musket, used it as a pick- er, primed with a cartridge, and fired the cannon. Perkins having taken off his bayonet, used his gun as a rammer, acd J ackson using nis,former plan, again discharged her. Lieut. Armstrong soon ^ill, and exclaimed as he lay, ' my brave fellows^ some oj yov, may fall, but you must save the cannon.^ At this time a number crossed the creek, and entered into the chase, when they were pursued more than two miles, fleeing* in consternation, throwing away their packs, and left 26 of their warriors dead on the field. This last de- teat was decisive. In these three engagements our loss was 20 killed and 75 wounded. The loss of the enemy cannot be exactly ascertained; 189 of their warriors were found dead ; but this must fall consid- erably short of the number killed ; their wounded can only be guessed at. I am, sir, with sentiments of respect, &c. ANDREW JACKSON, Major Gen. i i il \ ■1; i. 1 , I I 'I .' I \\ 1 1 J,. I ' t mm fi' ^1 ! 'I'.ini ! -i 'i h ! I in SM iiisTOKT or Tin wa*. Gen. JaehoH to Chv. BlounI, Fort Williami, March aiit, 1814. ' [Extraety 8IR~-1 have juMl returned fram the ex. pedition whirh I ndviiied you in mv taut I waa about to make to the Tallapoosee ; and naatmi to acquaint you with the good fortune which attended it. I took uu the line of march from this place on the morning otthe2lNt iiiHt. and having opened a passage of 52 I'i miles uver the ridges whicn divide the wa* tersofthe two ri vera, 1 reached the bend of theTaila- pousce, three miles beyond where I had the engage* ment ot the 22d of .fan. and at the souihem extreme ty of New-Youkend resembles in its curvature that of a horse shue, and is thence called by that name among the whites. Nature furnishes few situations so eligible for defence^ and barbarians have never rendered one more secure by art. A cross the neck of-the bend which leads into it from the north, they had erected a breastwork of the greatest compactness and strength, from fivelo eight teethigh, and preparad with double port holes very artfully arranged. Ttte figure of this ^ all manifesti d no less skill in the projection of it, ihaii its construe* tion ; an army could not approach it without bein;; exposed to a double and crossfire from the enemy, \»ho lay in perfect security behn id it. In tliisbend the warriors from Oakfusky, Oakeha* ^, New Youka, Hiltibee, the Fish PoiidN, andEu- lauta towns, apprised of our approach, had collected their strength. Their exact number cannot be as- certained ; but it is said by the prisoners we have tak- en to have been a thousand. Early on the moriiiitg of the 27th, having encamp- ed the preceding night at the distance ot five miles from them — I detailed Gen. Coffee with the mounted men and nearly the whole of the Indian fore*', to cross the river at a ford about 3 miles below their en- j catnpment, and to surround the bend in such a man- ner that none of them should escape by attempting toj cross the river. With the remamUer of the forces I HlBTORY OV THB "WAB. 88$ Muc««^le ingf planted taj cannon (one sik and one three poun^ def ) on an eminence at the distance of 160 or 800 yards froni it, I opened a Tery brisk fire, playing uptiiig; to cross the river, which iaBli|«ad were Bot included in the above. >! < I I 1 I J « 1 ■ I i : 1; 1 r t n '.I I'll ll i- i . ■1 1 Ji : Hilt I '' idmf M' I r ftO JIltfVOBY OW THU WAWk, who hud conoitM UiemMlfM uodtr Um banks of Um river until we wert P9ff^ ^y ^ niffaU Tbit morning weJkilled '^^jflf!^ bad been concealed.— We look Ml^ priioiMPllli women and cbildren ex<^ cent two or tbree. Omr Ion is 100 wounded* and 3# kiUed. Miyor Mlntosb (tbe Cowetan) who joined my army with pari of his tribe, greatly distinguished himself. According to my original parpoite, I commenced iny return march fur fori \ViUiaats to-day, and shall, if I find supplies there, hasten to the Hickory ground. The power of the Creeks is, I think, for ever broken. I have the honor to be. Sec, ..^ J ANDR£W JACKSON, Maj. Gtn, 4>'^;-'> ii CHAPTER XI. «'4tit>> if. CAPT. PORTERS CRCJISfi. Caj9l. Porter to the lUkeretary of the Navjf. U. S. Frigate Essex, Pacific Ocean, July 2d, ISIS. SIR — On the 23d March last, I sailed sbapping my course to the northward, and on the 36ltb of. the same month, fell in with tibe Penivian corsair ship JSereyda, mounting 16 guns : she had a few days ber fore, captured two Amencavi whale ships, the crews of which (amounting in number to 34men)wei« then •detained prisoners onl^eardher ; and they assign no other motive for lhecaptare» than that tliey were the allies of 0* Britain, m as such, i^ald capture all American vessels they could fall in. with; tnere- &re, to prevent in future such vexatious proceedings^ I threw all her armament into the aea, liben^ the Americans, and dismissed the Nerevda. ,1 then proceeded with all possible dispatch fi>r'I plement of 42 men. Lieut. Downes joined me atTumbez,nearGniaquiI, en the coast of Peru, on the 24th June, after captur- ing three Letter of Marque ships. Hector, 11 guns 25 men — Catharine, 8 guns, 29 men — Rose, 8 gun, 31 men. The first had two men killed and six badly wound- ed in her rencontre with the Georgiana — and I have found by experience that the Georgiana did not de- serve the character given of her for sailing. I there- fore shipped her officers and crew to the Atlantic, tad mounted on her 20 guns, with a complement, of 60 men, and appointed midshipman Rich. Dashiell, acting sailing master, on board her; to this vessel I Site the name of Essex Junior. I also fitted up die ip Greenwith as a store ship, and mounted on her 90 guns, pkeing her under the command of Lieut. Gamble, of the marines. Onboard her I have put all the provisions 'and stores of my other prizes, ex- cept Asuroly of three and a half months for each, and have by tnis means secured myself a full supply of 9f^ty neCMsary aftide for seven months. I had hoped to dispose of my other prizes at Gniaquil : the Govs, in l^iTo^ however, are excessively alarmed at my ap- pearimce on the coast, as my fleet amounts now to nine sail of vessels, all formidable in their appearance, and they would if they dare, treat us with a hostility Httle short of declared enemies. J S I -\\ ii ■ . 1' •1 i ! Mi' ' -i •!^! p! i I ' 1 '*i iM iij \ 'jm mSTOHY OP THB VfMMt '. Indeed, sir, uhen I compare my present a(ituatio)t ^ith what it was when I doubled Cape Hcirnt 1 can* Bot but esteem myself fortunate in an extraordinary decree. Thert- my ship was shattered by tf mpestu-f ous weather, and destitute of every tbin^i^ ; my pffi- cei's and crew half starved, naked* and worn out with fintigue. Now, sir, uty ship is in prime order, abun« danlly supplied with every Uiinj^ necessary for her. I bave a noble ship for a consort of 2U guius, and well ipanned^astore ^hip ot'20 guns, and well supplied, with the best of every thing that we may want, and prizes which would be worth in England twp millions, of dollars : and what renders the cumparisQu more pleasing, the enemy has furnisled all. >)4 i ; The tmies of my best men have expired ; but tbei^Tr attachment to the ship and their zeal for the service we are enga^^ed on, prevent all complaints on lb.it account. It is not probable that you will hear o! me, forseveral months to come, unless some disiister hi>p- yens ; but 1 beg leave to assure you, sa*, that I shall, pot be idle. I have the honor to be, Sec. D.PORTER. JJotsofFort iVifayara.-Gen.M'Clure, alioul the first, of Dec. 1813, abandoned fort George, in Canada, and buritt the town of Newark, adjoining it, as a measure, be says, to prevent the enemy's occupying fort George, alter he had left it. On the I8th of the same mouth the Bri^'sh crossed to Lewistown, in considerable force, and burnt it to the ground; when their AUies were set at liberty, and indulged freely in their brutal, excesses, in murdering our defenceless citizens ; they then attacked and burnt Manchester, and Tuscarora, the latter an Indian town. In the mean time the Bri- tish attacked tort Niagara, and took it by storm, at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 19th; the gate being open, afler they had surprised the picket they entered before they were discovered, when a scene of terrible slaughter took place. They were not opposed by risQii more HISTOftT OP TMB WAR* 899 m^t^xeiep) a fe'ur wouiidiid meii in the southeast blocli Itouse, aiul a few of the ^uard, but, strange as it may tippear, the otenty bayonetted about 80 of our men» chiefly atWr th^y had cried' for quarters. The pre- ceeding facts were sworn to before a justice, by Roberl Lee, a gentleman of Lewistown, who was in the fori when taken. Burniwf of Hnffafoa atid Black Rock.-^Soon after the atormiiig of foil; Niagara, and the burning of Lew- iatown, 8tc. Maj. Gen. Hall repaired to the frontiers* for the purpose of collecting a force, (militia) suffit cient to defend B«iiFaloe and Black Rock. From ttie 22d, Dec to the 29th, Geii. Hall had collected aboul 2000 troops, militia and exempts, but was reduced to 1200 by desertions, on the morning of the battle ot the 30th. In the evening of the 29lb (says Gen. Hall, in a letter of the 30th Dec. to Gov. Tompkins,^ at about 12 o'clock, 1 received information that one of ourpa- troles had been fired on, one mile below Black RdcU* The eoeaiv advanced and took possession of the bat-r tery near Qonjokaties creek. Tne troops were imme- diately formed, and stood by their arms. I was nut yet certain what point the enemy meant to attack. Being anxious to anticipate the enemy's landing, to meet him at the water's edge, I gave orders for the troops at the Rock, to attack the enemy, and dislodge them from the battery, and to drive them their boats. The attempt failed through the confusion into which the militia were thrown, on the first fire of the enemy, and the darkness of the night. I then ordered corps un- der Major Adams, and Col. Chapin, to make Uie at- tack. These three detachments were thrown into, confusion, and were of no service afterwards. As the day dawned, 1 discovered a detachment ofthe enemy's boiits crossing to our shore, and bending their course towards the rear of Gen. Porter's house. I immedi- ately ordered Col. Biakeslie to attack the enemy's, force at the Water's edge. I now became satisfied as to the disposition and object of the enemy. Their left wing composed of about 1000 regulars, militiat s 1 1 ! J- 1 i\ ' i ; ( 1 '^ i-J: . t 1; 1 • -: I '■ JM ii I. S94 msTOttr oi» TH« WAtt. i' i: ': ■' I i " i and Indians, had been laiuled below the creek, tinder cover of the night. Witii their centre consisting of 400 royal Scotts, commanded by CoU Gordon, the battle was commenced. Their right which was pqr- posely weak, was landed near the main battery, mere- ly to divert our force, the whole under the immediate command of Lieut. Gen. Drommond and led on by Maj. Gen. Riall. They were attacked by fonr field pieces in the battery and at the water*s edge ; at the same time the battery from the other side of the river opened a heavy fire upon us, of shells, hot shot, and ball. The whole force now opposed to the enemy was at most, not over 600 men, the remainder having fled, in spite of the exertions of their officers. These few, but brave men, disputed every inch of ground, with the steady coolness of veterans, at the espenee of many valuable lives. The defection of the militia, and the reserve, and loss of the services of the cavalry, by reason of the ground on which they must act, left the forces engaged, exposed to the enemy's fire in front and flank. After standing their ground for half an hour, opposed by an overwhelming force and nearly surrounded, a retreat became necessary to their safety, and was accordingly ordered. I then made every ef- fort to i^lly the troops, with a view to attack their columns as they entered the village of Buffaloe ; but all in vain. Deserted by my principal force I fell back that night to Eleven Mile creek, and was forced to leave the flourishing villages of Black Rock and Buflaloe a prey to the enemy, which they have pillag- ed and laid in ashes. They have gained but little plunder from the public stores ; the chief loss has fal* len upon individuals.' Our loss was 50 killed,^*- 40 wounded,-*- and 69 prisoners, and one cannon. * I regret to add, (says Gen. Hall, to Gov. Tompkins, in his letter of Jan. 13) that on repossessing the battle ground, %e collect- ed 50 dead bodies, yet unburied, of the battle of the 30th alt The enemy admit their loss, to be, initilM apd wounded, 900,' 91STOKY .OF THB WAII. 9m i^'ixm r, •>. Col. Butler to Gen. Harrmn, [. Detroit, M«rch 7, 1814. {Exiracl^ SIR— By Lieat. Shannon, of tbi) 27th regiment, V, S. infantry, 1 have the honor of inforaoH ing you, thai a iletachiDenI of the troops under ny command, led by Oapt. Holmes of the 24th regiment, U. S. infantry, liave obtAined asignal victory over.the enemy; : ThMB affair took place on the 4th iost. about 1^00 miles from this place, on the river De Trench. Our force consisted of no more than 160 rangers mid moiuited infantry. The enemy, had from their own acknowLedgmeoA 236. The fine light company of^e royal Scots is totally destroyed ; they led the ;iltaickmost gallantiy, and their commander fell with- in ten paces of our front line. The light company of tbe^^dm has also suffered severely ; one officer of that company fell, one is a prisoner, and another is said to be badly wounded. In killed, and wounded, and pri- soners, the enemy lost about 80 — whilst on our^art tibere were but four killed and tour wounded. This great disparity in the loss on each side, is to be attri^ buied to be very judicious positiou occupied by Capt. Holmes, who compelled the enemy to attack him at grei4 disadvantage ; this, even more than his gallantry, verits the laurel. We took one hundred head of cattle also from tlie enemy, intended for Long Point or Burlington. H. BUTLER, Lieut. Col. WARRINGTON'S VICTORY. Copt, Wfinv^toH to the Secrelary of the Navy. V. S. sloop Peacock, at sea, April 29th, 1814. [J^tract] SIR-^I have the honor to inform you^ that we have this morning captured, after an action of 43 minutes, his Miyesty's brig £pervier, rating and mounting 18 32 pound carroaades, with 128 men, of whom It were kiled and 15 wounded. Not amau ill: tN Peacock was killed and only two wounded, uaitber dangerously so. The fate of the Epervier would have been determined in much less time, bitt 4# •% ri t '^ Hi! 1 1 - s il IM 'i i ! I 7^ V 1 \: sm ntsfonv yard, which was sent down, finished, and had the fore-sail set again in 45 niinlites — such was the spirit and activity oi our gal lant ctvw. Tlie Epervierhad un« der her convoy an English liermaphrmlite brig, a Russian and a Spanish ship, which all hauled their wind and stood to the £. N. E. I bad determined upon pursuing the former, but found that it would not answer to leave our prize in her then crippled state; and the more particularly so, as we found she had $120,000 ill specie, which we soon transferred to this sloop. Every ofiicer, seamen and marine did his duty, which is the highest complement 1 can pay them. I have the honor to be,&c. L. WARRINGTON. Lieut, Woolsey to Com. Chauncey. ^ Sackett's Harbor, June I, 1814. \Extract.'\ SIR — I had the honor to receive per express your communication of the 27lh, vesting.in me discretionary powers. I immediately despntclied HISTORY OF T|IE WAJgi. ^n i\fr. Dixon in the long gig, to reconnoitre the coast, f weut witii uiy officers to the falls, to run the t>oabs 4owapvor the rapids. At sun set we arrived at Os- v/ago Wit|) th^ boats (1(1 in number) loaded in alt with 21 long 3*2 pounders, ten ^4 pounders, three 42 do. (carronades) and 10 cables, besides some ligh( articles, apd distributed in t[ie batteaux a giiard of about 1-50 ridemen, under command of Major Ap- pling. Mr. Dixou having returned with a report bf th^ coast being clear, we set o/Tat dark and arriVec^ at Bjg l^^lmpn river about sunrise on the 29th, witl| th^ loss of one boat having on board two 24 pOiUnder^ ^d one cablp. At Big Salmon we met the Oneidas, whom I ha4 despatched the day previous, undisr tlie comniahd of Liet^t. {ijH, of the rifl^ regiuieiit. As soon '^as they haci talcen up their line of inarch along the shore to Big Sandy Cceek, I ^t^rted with ail the -boats and ar- rived at our place of destination about two niiJes up lhe.Ci'9ek. AV^ P- M- on the BOtFi, Ireceived your letter ,of the 29th, 6 P. M. per .eK])ress, and agreeably to the order cuittau^d therein, sent Lieut. Pierce tp luoKout as far as ^Stip^ney Ppiiit : about Q he returned^ having been pursued by » gun boat and three barges. Tjie qesit' possible disposition was made of the rifle- men and Lidiafis, about h^lf a mile below our boats. About 8 ^. IM. a cannonading at long tihot was com- meticedby the enemy *> and betievifig (as I did) that no attempt would be made W> land with their small force, I ordered Lieut. Pierce to proceed in erecting sheers and making preparations to unload the boa,ts. About 9 o'clock Capt. Harris with a squadron of ; dr.igoons, and Capt. Meiviu with a conipany of ligl^t artillery ^nd 2 O*pounders, arrived. Capt. Harris, Ihecommandiug officer, agreed with me that this re- intorcement should halt, as the troops best calculated for a biis!) tight were alreiidy on t^i^ ground, where tliey could act to the greatest advantage, and that the pueiuy seKing a large reiiiforcemenjt arrive,' would ntoiit probably retreat. About ^0, the enemy' having •3& %*.* j It'. f 1 ' \_ \ 1 i ! I. ? '.'.: I > I : • I I I ' il r 1 1 I Jk 208 BISTORT OF THE WAR. 11 ( -f tftnded and pushed up the creek with fuur gun boats, three cutters, atid one gig— the riflemen under that excellent officer. Major Appling, rose from their con- cealment, and after a smart fire of about 10 mhiutes, succeeded in capturing all the boats and their crews, without one havmg escaped. At al)0ut 5 P. M. buried, with the honors of war. Mi. Hoare (a British midshipman) killed in the action. The enipuiv's loss in this aifatr, is 14 killed, 28 wounded* and 141 prisoners, including two post Captains, and six Lieutenants ; 4 gun boats, one car- rying 1 24-poundc'r, and one 68 lb. carrouade ; each of the others carrying two heavy guns; two cutters and one gig. 1 have the honor to be, $cc. '\ M. T. WOOI^SEY. « ^■■' _^ ' . . . . ■ ; ' LOSS OF THE ESSEX. * ; Capt. Porter to the Secretary of' the NavyS Essex Junior^ at sea, July 3, 1814. {Extract^ SIR — I sailed from the Delaware, Oct. . 27, 1812, and repaired to Poil Praya, Noronlio, and Ciipe Frio. On my passage from Port Pray a to No- ronho, I captured hisB. M. Packet Norton ; af\ertak-l ing out 1 1,000 pounds sterling in specie, sent her fori America. Oft Cape Frio 1 captured a schooner withi hides and tallow, and sent her into Porto Rico. 11 proceeded to St. Catherines, to supply my ship with jpro visions. From St. Catherines I shaped my cuur for the Pacific, and arrived at Valparaiso March 14J 1^13. Of the success we met with iii our next cruisef \<)u have been informed in my letter of July 2, IHlliJ 1 received information that the Phoebe frigate, anl tlacoon and Cherub sloops of war, were in pur;r the coast of dliilit Deci 12, 1813. Previous to sailing I se- cured the Serintj^apatam, Greenwich, and Sir A. Hammond, under the guns of a battery which I had erected for their protection ; (after taking possession of this fine tsland, for the IT iiited States, and estab- lishing the most friendly intercourse with its natives) I led them tinder the care of Lie rub on my starboard hovr ; butfindhfig that gitnation a hot one, she bore up and run under my stern also ; Sirhere both ships kept up a raking fire. I had got 3 loiig 12 pbunders out of the stem porti), which were worked with so much bravery that in half an hour we so disabled both as to compel them to had off to re- pair damages. My ship had received many injuries, abd severdl had been killed and wounded, but all ap- peared determined to defend the ship to the last, and to die in preference to a shameful surrender. The enemy soon repaired his damages, and made a fresh attack with both ships on my starboard quarter, out of reach of my icarronades, and M'here my stem guns could not be brought to bear— he there kept up a gal- ling' (ire which it was out of my power to return. ]Thd only rope not cut was the flying gib- halliards, and that being the only sail I could set, 1 caused it to be hoisted, my cables to be cut, and run down on both ships, with an intetition of laying the Phoebe on "bdard. The firing on both sides was now tremendous ; I had let fall my fore-topsaii and foresail, but the waut of tacks and sheets rendered them useless, yet were we enabled for a short time to close with the en^my, although our decks were strewed M^ith the dead, otir cockpit filled with wounded^ our ship had been several times on fire, and a perfect wrecK, we were still encouraged to hone to save her, as the Chemb in her crippled state, liad been compelled to haul off. The Phoebe, from our disabled state, was enabled to edge oft', and choose her distance, for her long guns, and kept up such a tremendous fire, as to mow down my brave companions by the dozen. I now gave up all hopes of closing w.th h.m, and de- tei-mined to run onshore, land my men, and destroy iil ktiiiriiaa \ repairing 5 en€finy at Bck. The Itbe Che. sitnation a fd^rn also ; 1 had got vhich were in hour we qI off to re- ny injuries, but all ap- le last, and ider. The ide a fresh ]narter, oiil f stem guns pt up a gal- to return. [b-haUiards, aused it to n down on Phoebe on endous; I but the iseless, yet with the d With the r ship had wreck, we ler, as the mpelled to state, was ce, for her tire, as to dozen. I ahdde- ud destroy tfififdAV o]i< 'tub WAki. tm th« Vessel. We had approached the s\\6ft wilhJn tdttsket shot, when in an instant the wind shifted, and pv.yed our head down on the Phoebe. My ship wait now totally unmanageable ; yet, as her head Was tO" ward the c^eAiti and he to the leeWard of me, I Ktill hopeidto be vMt to board him. Finding the enemy was determined to avoid being boarded, and my ship alarmingly on tire, and the slaughter on board having^ become most horrible, I directed a hawser to be bent to the sheet anchor, and the bow anchor to be cut, to bring her hc^ad round : this succeeded, and we again got our gunil to bear ; but the hawser soon gave way and left us a perfect Wreck. Hie flames were fommt- ing np the hatchway, and no hopes were entertained of saving the ship, as a quantity of powder had al- ready exploded, and the fire h.ta nearly reached the magazine. Which served to increase the hon'ora of out (itaation. I therefore directed those who conid swiin to jiimp overboard and gain the shore. Some teue^h- ed itr^some were taken by the enemy-^and some perished. We who remained, turned our attention wholly to extinguishing the flames •, when we had succeeded, went again to our guns, TV'here the firing was kept up for some minutes. Almost every gun having been dismounted, and the impossvbnity of making further attempts to capture our antagonists, and the entreaties ot the remainder of my brave jrew, to surrender to save the wounded, I sent for the officers of divisions to consult them, but \irhat was my surprise, to find only aeting Lieut M'Knight remahiing. I was informs that the cock- pit, steerage, wardroom, and birth-deck would con- tain no more wounded ; and that the ship was fUHn^ with water Very fast. The enemy were enabled from the smoothness of the water, to take aim at us as a target— *in fine, ! saw no hopes of saving my vessel or making my escape, and at 20 minutes past 6 P. M. ;ifave the painful order to strike the colors. Seveuty- iive men, including officers, were all that remained of my crew when the colors were struck, capable of \t'-K^ ii ,i ■i; , il ..i ,: ■ ; t i/f: i'^ V- ' ;: . \ 302 HISTOBT OF THS WAR. I It doingf doty. I directed an oppoNite gun fired to nhew we intended no further resistance ; but they did not desist; a number ol men wr**? killed by my side and in other parts of the ship. I now believed he intends d to show us no quart* r, and thought it would be as well to die with my flag flying as struck, and was on the point of again hoisting it, when 10 minutes aft«r fiiiuling the colors down, he ceased firing. ,„<,,.' I must in justification of mvself and crew observe, that with our six twelve fiouiiclers only, we fought this action, our carronades being almost useless. Our loss is 58 killed — 65 wounded — and 31 mis- ling — total 154. I have the honor, Ike. DAVID PORTER. [Extract] Com. Chauncei/ to the Secretary of the Navy. U. 8. ship (Superior, Sackett's Harbor, IViay 16, 1H14. The enemy has paid dearly for the little liooty which he obtained at Oswego. From the best infor- mation which 1 can collect, both from desertf rs and my agents, the enemy lost 70 men killed and 165 wounded, drowned and missing — in all, 235 ; nearly ~lu> many as were opposed to them. Capt. Mulcaster is certainly mortally wounded ; a Capt, of marines killed, and a number of other officers killed aud wounded. Col. Mitchell^ to Gen. Brown. Head Quarters, Oswego, May 8th, 18J4. [Extract] SIR— I niforined you of my arrival at fort Oswego on the 30th ult. This post L>eing but occasionally and not recently occupied by regular Jtroops, was in a bad state of defence. Of cannon we bad out five old guns, three of which had lost their trunnions. What could be done in the way of repair was eflected. On the 5th inst. the British naval tone, consisting of four large ships, three brigs and a num- ber of gun and other boats were descried at reveillebi aU ing about seven miles from the fort. Iiilormalion was immediately given to Capt. Woulsey of the navvr ' \ HISTORY OF THV WAR. 303 (inho was at OHwego villiige) and to the neighboring militia, li being doubtful on what Mide of the river the enemy would attem|>t to land, and my force, (390 effectiveii) being too nmall to bear division, I ordered the tentH in Ntorc to be pitched on the village side, while I occupied the other with uiy whole force. It is probable that this artifice had its eOect and deter- mined the enemy to attack where, from appearances, they expected the least o|>i>osition. About one o'clcok the fleet approached. Fifteen boats, large and crowded with truo|)s, at a given signal, moved slow- ly to the shore. These were preceded by gun-boats sent to ruke the woods and cover the landing, while the larger vessels opened a fire upon the fort. Gapt. Boyle and Lieut. Legute, (so soon as the debarking boats got within range of our shot) opened upon them a very successful fire from the shore battery, and compelled iheiu twice to retire. They at length re- turned to the ships and the whole stood oiF from the shore for better anchorage. One of the enemy's boats which had been deserted, was taken up by us, and some others by the militia. The first mentioned was sixty feet long, carried thirty-six oars and three sails and could accommodate 150 men. She had receiv- ed a ball through her bow, and was nearly filled with water. At day break on the 6th the fleet appeared bear- ing up under easy sail. The Wolfe, &c. took a posi- tion directly against thefortand batteries, and for three hours kept up a heavy fire of grape, &c. Finding that the enemy had effected a landing, I withdrew my small disposable force into the rear of the fort, and with two companies met their advancing columns, while the other companies engaged the flanks of the enemy. Lieut. Pearce of the navy and some seamen, joined in the attack and fought with their character- istic bravery. We maintained our ground about thirty minutes, and as lO'.ig as consisted with my fur- ther duty of defending the public stores deposited at the tails, which no doubt formed the principal obfect 1 . ii j*i I I \ ) i? Il1i ao4 UJ9T0RY QF THIC WAR. :]■ II'! of the #;tpodilion on the part of the enemy. Nor was tliia inovttnMnt made prccipitattfly. I halted witliin 400 yards of the fort Capt. HuQiay»e*« compuny fprmed the rear guard, aiid, reoiaiiiing with it, I lyiarohed to this place in good ordvr, destroying the bridges in my rear. The enemy landed six hundred of D^ WatleviUe's regiment, six hundred marines, two companies of the Glengary corps, and three hun- dred and ttHy seamen. . Gen. Pruiumood and Cora. Yeo were the land and naval commanders. They burned th^ old Lyracks 9nd evacuated the fort about ^ o'clopk in the uiorning •I tlie 7ih. Otv loss in killed, is six ; in wonnded, Ihjrty-eight -«»4ind in missing, twenty five. 7'he enemy lost 70 l(ilLed> and 14i5 wouodtd, drowned, ^nd prisoners. iSfn. Brmn tQ the Secretary, of War, He0d-(^uarterMXhipp^wat July Itft, 1814. [Eictraot.] HIH-^Outhe. 2d inst. I isMied orders for croseing the Niagara, and made arrangements deemed necessary for souring the garri8t)n of Port £ne— 4he 3d, th^ post surrendered* at 6 P. M. Our loss in ftbie affiiir, was 4 wouud^d ; int. At U at night I joined him, with the reserve vnder 3rig. Gen. Ripley* with a«ir fijeld And battering tnunx, and corps of artillery. The next meriting Gen* Forlei' furnved with a part of {the X^ennsylv^pia and N. York volunteers, aud some Indians. ]£arly ii| the morning ofthei^thf ^he enemy commenced a petty war oppn our pickets, and, as he was indulged, hit presumption increased. F18TORY OF TItB WAK. 605 At 4 P. M. ai(reeai>ly to my ordcrii, Gen. Porter advanced from the rear of uur cannp* takiii|yf th« woods in order lo keep out of view of the enemy, in hopes of Nurronndinjjf their Mruuling nurtien. In half an hour Purter'N command met the light |mrNei« and drove them to camp ; and near Chippewa, i f t their whole column in order of battle. I immediiUe- ly ordered Geii. Scott to rdvance with his brigade, and Towsan*s aKillery, who met them upon the hiu^h plain in front of our camp. He advanced in the moMt officer like style, and in a few minutes was in close action, with a superior force of British regulars. Gen. Porter's command had given way, and fled in every direction, which cauHcd Scott's left flank to be greatly exposed. Capt. Harris, with his dragoons, was directed to stop the fugitiveti, behind the ravine frontmg our cump ; Gen. Ripley was directed to pnss to the left and skirt the woods, so as to keep out of view, and fall upon the rear of the enemy's rignt flank. This order was promptly obeved, and the greatest exertions made to close with the enemy —but in vain ; for such was the zeal and activity of the line com- manded by Gen. Scott, that it was not to be checked. Maj. Jessup, commanding the left flank, finding him- self pressed in front and flank, and his men falling fast around him, ordered his baltallion to < support arms, and advances* the order was promptly obeyed, amidst a most deadly and destructive fire. He gained a more secure position, and returned upon the eneniy so galling a discharge, as caused them to retire. By this time their whole line was falling back, and our gallant soldiers pressing upon them, when they broke their lines, and ran to regain their %vork8. In this effort he was too s'^ccessfui, when ihe guns o|)ened immediately upon our line, checked, in swme degree, the pursuit. At this moment, 1 deter- mined to bring up my ordnance, and force the place by a direct attack ; Maj. Wood, of the engineers and Capt. A'l'^tin, my aid, rode to the right of their line ' •-. . '30 . ', _ ■.,....:: ^'..; .-.;..;„. ' ' t t I • t n 'I it " : I 1 ill 306 HISTORY OF THE WAR. i 1 ■ ii if ' ''■ ' ! I! of works and examined them ; I was induced by their Import, to order the forces to retire to camp, till a future time. Respectfully and truly yours, JACOB BROWN. AMERICAN LOSS. . .i Killed 60 — wounded 244 — missing 19. BRITISB LOSS. Killed 199 — wounded 3'iO — prisoners 245. ..i. . Gen. B^owH to the Secretary of War. Buffalo, Aug. 17, 1814. [Extract.] SIR — Ydu are already apprised that the army had on the ^5th ult. taken a position at Chip- pewa. About noon uf that day, Col. Swifl, who was posted atLewistown, advised me by express, that the enemy appeared in considerable force in dueenstown and on its heights ; that four of the enemy's fleet had arrived during the preceding night, and were then laying near l^rt Niagara, and that a number of boats were in view, moving up the streight. Within a few iQinutes after thi» intelligence had been received, I was further informed by Gapt. Denmon, of the Quar- ter-Master's department, that the enemy was landing at Lewistown, and that our baggage and stores at Schlosser, and on their way thither, were in danger of immediate capture. Gen. Scott, with the 1st brigade, Townson's artillery, and all the dragoons and mount- ed men, were accordingly put in march on the road leadmg to Queenstown, with orders to report if the enemy appeared, and to call for assistance if that was necessary. On the General's arrival at the Falls he learned that the enemy was in force directly in his front-— a narrowpiece of woods alone intercepting his view of them. Waiting only to give this information, he advanced upon them. By the time Assistant Adj. Gen. Jones had delivered his message, the action be- gan ; and before the remaining part of the division had crossed the Chippewa, it had become close and general between the advance corps. Though Gen. Ripley with the 2d brigade, major Hindman with the u HISTORY OF THE WAR. 307 corps of artillery, and Gen. Porter at the head of his conimand, had respectively pressed forward with ar- dor, it was not less than an hour before they were brought to sustain Gen. Scott, during which time his command most skilfully and gallantly maintained the conflict. Upon my arrival I found that the General had passed the wood and engaged the enemy at Q,neenstown road, and on thu ground to the left of it, with the 9th, llth, and 22d regts. and Townson*8 artillery. The 25th had been thrown to the right to be governed by circumstances. Apprehending that these corps were much exhausted, and knowing that they had suffered severaly, I determined to interpose a new line with the advancing troops, and thus dis- engage Gen. Scott and hold his brigade in reserve. Orders were accordingly given to Gen. Riplev. The enemy's artillery at this moment occupied a hill which gave him great advantages, and was the key of the whole position. It was supported by a line of infant- ry. To secure the victory, it was necessary to carry this artillery and seize the height. This duty was as- signed to Col. Miller, while, to favor its execution, the 1st regt. under the command of Col. Nicholas, was directed to menace and amuse the infantry. To my great mortification, this regt. after a discharge or two, give way and retreated some distance before it could be rallied, though it is believed the ofiicers of the regiment exerted tnemelves to shorten this dis- tance. In the mean time. Col. Mdler, without re- fl^ard to this occurrence, advanced steadily and gal- antly to his object and carried the height and the cannon. Gen. Kipley brought up the 23d (which had also faultered) to his support, and the enemy dis- appeared from before them. The 1st regiment was now brought into line on the left of the 21st, and the detachments of the 17th and 19th, Gen. Porter oc- cupying, with his command, the extreme left. About the time Col. Miller carried the enemy's cannon, the 25th regiment, under Maj. Jessup, was engaged in a more obsitinAte conflict with all that remained to d^s- :! ri , ) ■ m i ! '' nil ! i i ; -f;!! m^ 1 1 ' i t ! 1. V (• ^ -■•.> 7 m'^ /T-i-^T^/ 'J- 1 i ''I ' i ■ ly 308 HISTORY OF THE WARi pute with us tl)« field of battle. The Maj. as has been ab'eady stated, had been ordered by Gen. Srott, at tl^ commencement of the action, to take ground tp hi^ right. He had succeeded in turning the eneniv's left flank — had captured (by a d^t^ichment under Captain Ketchum) Geu. Kiall qnd sundry o^her officers, and shewed himself again to his own armv, in a bluze of fire, which dt^fc^ated or destroyed a very superior force of the enemy. He was ordered to form on the right of the 2d regiment. The enemy rallying his forces, and as is believed, having received reinforcements, now attempted to driye us from (>ur position, and re- gain his artillery. Our line was unshaken, and the ^lemy repulsed. Two other attemptif haying the, same object, had the same issue, (ien. Scott was '4gain engaged in repelling the fonn^r of these; mid the last I saw of him on the fielcl of bisittie, he was. near the head pf his column, and giving to its marph a direction that wo\ild have placed hiin on the ene- my's right. It was with great pleasure 1 saw the good order and intrepidity of Gen. I^oiier's volunteers from the moment of their arrival, bi^t during the last charge of the enemy, those qualities werp conspicuous. Stimulated by the examples set by their gallant lead- er, by Maj. Wood, of t^e Pennsylvania corps, by (Jol, Dobbin, of New- York, and by their ofllicers general- ly, they precipitated themselves upon the enemy's line, and made all the prisoners which were taken at tbl£^ point of the action. Having been fpr spmetime x^ounded, and being a good deal exhausted by loss of blood, it becaoae my wish to devolve the command on Gen. Scott, and re- fire/rom the field ; \i\xi on enquiry, I had the misfor- tune to learn, that he was disabled by wpnnds; I therefore kept my ppst, and had the satisfs^ction to see the enemv^s last eft'ort repuljied. I no\v consigned the command to Gen. Ripley. I saw and felt the victory was poniplete. The ex- liauslion of our men was such as made sonie refreiihr ment necessary. They particularly required water, j; I therefore ordered Gen. Ripley to return to camp, has been (Div'h left r Captain ;ers, and I blaze uf rior force the right is forcesi, rcements, , and re- , and the iving the 5colt was lese ; ^nd , he wj^s. its marph I the ene-t f the good teers from ist charge ispicuoas. \ant lead- general- nay's line, leu at this, . '>,"i.»t |d being a •came iny and re- le misfor- Ipunds; I ion to see |igned \h^ The ex- refreyhr water, J I to camp« HISTORY OF THE WAS. 309 after bringing off the deiad, wounded, and artillery, which was effected in good order. I have th« honor to be, ^c. JACOB BROWN. American Loss. -■ -i Killed, 171— Wounded, d7i— Missing, 110. , . BrUish' Loss. Killed, 184>-Wounded, 6d9-*Prisoners, 221. DiiJiH CHAPTER XII. TO f, ■ Copy uf a Letter from tlie ma^or oj Alexandria ta the mayor uf Georgetown. Dear Sir — Enclosed is a copy of the tetms pro- posed to the common council of Alexandria, by the oommanding officer of the squadron now lying before the town, to which they were compelled to submit. Very respectfully, 8cc. CHARLSS SIMMS. .TERMS OP CAPITULATION. . His Ma;estys ship Sea Horse, Of Atexandrw, 29(t!.«!..H The town of Alexandria, with the exception of [public works, shall not be destroyed, unless hostilities {are commenced on the part of the Americans, nor shall the inhabitants be molested in any manner what- ever, or their dwelling houses entered, if the foUow- jing^ articles are complied with : Art. 1. All naval and ordnance stores, public or jprivate, must be immediately delivered up. 2. Possession will be immediately taken of all the bipping, and their furniture must be sent on board p)y the fwners without delay. . , - i ' i 1 ;l p Mi H H I li v| j' H ! !!'■ U i i iiffs i I Mi !•] ! : li >M 310 HISTORY OF THE WAB* 8. The vessels that have been sunk murt be deliv- ered up in the state they were, on the 19th of August, the day of the squadron passing the Kettle Bottoms. 4. Merchandize of every description must be in- stantly delivered up, and to prevent any irregularity, that miffht be conoiuiitted in its embarkation, the mer- chants have it at their option to load the vessels gener- ally etnploved for that purpose, when they shall be towed off by us. 5. All merchandize that has been removed from Alexandria, since the 10th inst. is to be included in the above articles. . f i<. 6. Refreshments of every description to be suppli- ed the ships, and paid for at the market price, by bills on the British government. 7. Officers will be appointed to see that articles Jib, 3, 3k 4 and 5, are stricUy complied with, and any deviation or non-compliance, on the part of the inhabitants of Alexandria, wi|l render this treaty null and void. ^ ihrtJ^- ^hjI mf .i I have the honor to be, kc, . .. JOHN A. GORDON, Captain of H. M. ship Sea Horse, ohif senior officer of H, M. ships off Alexandria, To the common council > o i— k a i€i^i i, /^ • of the town of Alexandria, . h.>.'J3^*^i jt-l Gen, Winder to the Secretary of War, Baltimore, August 27, 1814. SIR — When the enemy arrived at the mouth of j the Potomac, of all the militia which I had been aa- Ihonsed to assemble there were but about 1700 in the field, from thirteen to fourteen hundk-ed under general Stansbury near this place, and about 260 »t Bladens- burgh, under lieutenant colonel Kramer. After all the force that could be put at my disposal in that short time, and making such dispositions as I deemed best calculated to present the most respectable j force at whatever point the enemy might strike, I wasi enabled by the most active and harrassing movementsl igt be deliv- of August, lie BoUoms. nmst be in* irregularity, on, the mer- essels geiier- ihey shall be 'moved from e included in lobe suppli- rice, by bills I that articles ed with, and le part of the hii treaty null iBDON, Sea HorsBt ^ Alesandria, ;n r.^vi '•■.-■ •■ ' War, it 27, 1814. the mouth of had been aa- ut 1700 in the under general 50 at Bladens- er. at my disposal ispositions as I lost respectable It Htrike, I was ing movements HISTORY OF THE WAR.. • Q}! of the troops to interpose befor the enemy at Bladens- burgh about five thousand men, including three hun- dred and fifty regulars and commodore Barney's com- mand. Much the largest portion of this force arriv- ed on the ground when the enemy were in sight, and were disposed of to support in the best manner the position which Gen. Stansbury had taken. They bad barely reached the ground before the action com- menced, which was about 1 o'clock P. M. of thie 24th inst. and continued about an hour. The artillery from Baltimore supported by major Pinkney's rifle battalion, and apart of captain Dough- tey's from the navy yard, were in advance to com- mand the pass of the bridge at Bladensburgb, and played upon the enemy, as I have since learned, with very destructive effect. But the rifle troops were ob- liged after some time to retire and of course artillery. Superior numbers however rushed upon them and made their retreat necessary, not however without great loss on the part of the enemy. The right and centre of Stansbury 's brigfade con- sisting of lieutenant colou'^l Ragan's and Shuler's regiments, generally gave way very soon afterwards, with the exception of about forty rallied by colonel Ragan, aCter having lost his horse, and the whole or a part of captain Shower's company, both of whom general Stansbury represents to have made, even thus deserted, a gallant stand. The reserve under brigadier general Smith of the distiict cf Columbia, with the militia of the city and Georgetown, with the regulars and some detachments of Maryland militia, flanked on their right by com- modore Barney and his brave fellows, and lieutenant colonel Beal, still were on the right on the hill, and maintained the contest for some time with great effect. It is not with me to report the conduct of commo- dore Barney and his command, nor can I speak from observation, being too remote, but the concurrent testimony of all who did observe them, does Uiem il: I ! i i '• I ' <•: 1. .', M ,|; , 1 1 ■V: ; ' i ! r i r , ■' ! I ■ i 1 1 i! I I , '< i\ i 'i SIS HISTORY OP THB WAR. the hifii^hent justice for their brave resistance and the destructive effect they produced on the enemy. From the best intelligence, there remains but little doubt that the enemy lost at leasl four hundred killed and wounded, and of these a very unusual portion killed. Our loss cannot, I think, be estimated at more than from thirty to forty killed, and fifty to sixty wounded. They took altogether about one hundred and tweiu ty priNoners. I am with very CTeal respect, sir, your obedient •ervant. WM. H. WINDER. Briff. Gen. lOth military district. Com. Barney to the /Secretary cfthe Naijy. Farm, at Elk ridge, Aug. 20, 1814. - rErCracf.] SIR — ^This is the first moment I have had it in my power to make a report of the proceed- ings of the forces under my command since I had the honor of seeing yon on Tuesday, the 23d inst. at the camp at the * Old Fields.' On the afternoon of that day we were informed that the enemy was advancing upon us. Our army was put into order of battle and our positions taken ; my forces were on the rights flanked by the two baltalliors of the 86th and dStb regiments. A little before sunset Gen. Windercame to me - and recommended that the heavy artillery should be withrawn, with the exce|'tion of one twelve pounder to cover the retreat We touk up the line of march, and in the night entered Washington by the Eastern Branch bridge. The Gen. requested me to take command and place my artillery to defend tho passage of the bridge on the Eastern Branch, as the enemy was approaching the city in that direction. I immediately put my guns in position, leaving the marines and the rest of my men at the barracks, to wait further orders. I was in this situation when 1 had the honor to meet you with the President nnd heads of Departments, when it was detert^^ined I should draw off my guns and m«n, and proceed tO' ItlS'TOIlV 0» THfi WAH. 3ia ice and the emy. ins but little (idred killed sual portion at more than ty wounded, id and tweni ur obedient INDER. iary district. . 29, 1814. nient I have the proceed- nce 1 had the d inst. at the moon of that at) advancing of battle and on the right) ;6tb and dSth [Windercame >avy artillery [of one twelve up the line of iMgton by U«: UcHted me to |to defend the Iranch, as the rhat direction. , leaving the barracks, to atidn when 1 'resident nnd deter srined I id proco*«d lo' Mrardb Bladensburg, which was immediately put into execution. On our way I was informed the enemy was within a mile of Bladensburg ; we hurried on^ Ihouffh the day was very hot^ and my men much crippled from the severe marches we had experienced the preceding days. I preceded the men, and when I arrived at the line which separates the District from Maryland, the battle began. I sent an officer back to hasten on my men— ^they came up in a trot. We took our position on the rising ground, put the pieces* in battery, posted the marines under Capt. Miller, and flotilla men, who were to act as infantry under their own officers, on my right, to support the pieces, and waited the approach of tha enemy. During this pe- riod the engagement continued — the enemy advance ing, diud our army retreating before them-^apparently in much disorder. At length the «nemy made bis appearance on the main road in force and in front of iny battery, and on seeing us made a halt ; I reserved our fire; in a few minutes the enemy again advanced^ when I ordered an 1 8 pounder to be fir'Pd, which completely cleared the road ; shortly after, a second and third attempt was made by the enemy to come forward, but all who made the attempt weie destroy-* ed. The enemy then crossed over into an open field and attempted to flank our right. He was there met by three 12 pounders, the marines under captam Mil" ler, and my men acting as infantry, and again was to-, tally cut up. By this time not a vestige of the Ame- rican army remained, except a body of five or six hundred posteout two or three hundred men towards the corns 4Q ' ' ] m ' ••!!! 1 !r 1 i j 4 1*1) Vll' 314 HISTORY OF THE WAR. of Americans stationed as above describeil, \vbo to my great morliBcation nii\de no resistance, giving a fire or two and retiring, 'l,i;;«.i .» -^v^ In this situation we had the whole army of (he en- emy to conlerj with ; our ammunition was expended, and unfortu'..ate1y tlie drivers of my ammunition waggons had gone oft' in the general panic. At this time I received a severe wound in my tnigh* Finding the. enemy now completely in our rear and no means of defence, 1 gave orders to my officers and men to retire. The great loss of blood occasioned such a Weakness that I was compeiied to lie down. I re- quested my ofticers to leave me, which they obstinate- ly refused, but upon being ordered, they obeyed : one only remained. In a short time 1 observed a British soldier and had him called, and directed him to seek an officer ; in a few minutes an officer came, who, on learning who I was, brought Gen. Boss and admiral Cockburn to me. These officers behaved to me with the most marked attention, respect and po- liteness; had a surgeon brought, and my woutid dres- sed immediately. After a few minutes conversation, the general informed (after paying me a handsome compliment) that I was /^arofecf, and at liberty to proceed to Washington or Bladensburg, offering mc every assistance in his power, giving orders for a lit- ter to be brought) in which I ^as carried to Bladens- My M'ou.*)'^ is deep, but I flatter myself not dange- rous \ the l/dU is not yet extracted. "JOSHUA BABNEY. Com. Macdonouyh to the Secretary of the Navy. U. S ship Saratoga, off Platlsburg, Sept. 11, ISM SIB — ^I'lie Almighty has been pleased to grant I us a signal victory on Lake Champlain, in the cap- ture of one frigate, one brig, and two sloops of war | of the enemy. ... t. ; I bave the honor to be, &c. ' ^ T. MACDONOUGH. >^1''0!J (|:i HISTORY OF THE WAR. 31/> Com. Macdonumgh to the ISecretarjf of the Aaiv/r. . ■ U. S. ship Har&tosra, at iuichoi* oA') ,„ Plallsburg, .Se|>l. V\, 1814. > SIR — By lieutenant coiiimanilant Cassin I have the honor to convey to you the flags of hi» Britannic Majestv^s late squadron, captured on the 11th inst. by the Vnit^^l States' squadron under my command. T. MACDONOUGH. t!?1| » M fM f^vf^na J)»|t» Com. ^ucdonough to the Secrelari/ of the Navy. if. S. ship Saratoga, Piuttshurg bay, ) September 13, 1814. j SIR—I have the honor to give yju the parlicularN of the action' which took place on the 1 Uh inst. on this Lake. At 8 A. M. the look-out boat announced the ap- proach of the enemy. AtO, he anchored in aline ahead, at about three hundred yards distance from my line; his ship opposed to the Saratoga, his brig to the Eagle, his gallies, thirteen in number, to the schooner, slooh, and a division of onr gallies ; one of his sloops assisting their ship and brig, the other assisting their gallies. Our remaining gallics with the Saratoga and Eagle. In this situation the whole force on both sides be- came engaged, the Saratoga suffering much from the heavy fire of the Gohtiance. I could perceive at the same time, howeVer, that our tire was very destruc- tive to her. The Ticonderoga gallantly sustained her full share of the action. At half pa^t 10 o'clock the Eagle, not being able to bring her gtms to bear, cut her cable and anchored in a more eligible position, between my ship a+id the Ticonderoga, where she very much annoyed the enemy. Our guns on the starboard side being nearly all dismounted, or not manageable, a stern anchor was 'et go, the bower Cable cut, and the ship winded with afresh broadside on the enemy's ship, which soon after surrendered. Our broadside was then sprung to bear on the brig, fvhich surrendered in about Id minutes after, h^/c u> !-• ' n * l\ I tf'f : j.f" !):^ \: I !:et'ore the ene- my had landed, and began burning the vessels on the stocks; they immediately commenced searching the houses and stores, for arms and ammunition, taking all they could find, and destroying furniture to a con- siderable amount ; liquors of all kinds, when found, after satisfying themselves, were destroyed by staving the casks. Tnere was no opposition to their plunder, although they remained on shore till 10 o'clock, when they called in their men, and proceeded down tlie river about a mile, with a brig, a schooner, and 2 t. I ■' -iv^iivfr -i-t mnm ;'H' fi '5t:" r I )• di8 HISTORY OF THB WAIl. i;li sloops, where they anchored and lay till dark, when they set tire to their prizes, and proceeded down to their vessels. Attach on Sioninffton. — ^The British fleet off* New- London having been reinforceii on the 0th August, 1814, a part of it, to wit, one 74, two frigates, a sloop M war, and a brig, appeared off Stoiiington, when ^ir Thomas Hardy sent a flag on shore for the in- formation of the women and children, that if the town was not surrendered in one hour, the whole should be laid in ashes. The inhabitants informed Sir Thomas, that Stoninaton \ us not Petipautfe, and prejpared'their cannon, 2 long 18's, and ono 6 pounder, tor defend- ing themselves. The attack began at 9, at night, and contmued till 1 in the morning, with round shot, bombs, and rockets. The militia, 30 in number, re- turned the fire with great vigor and eflect. The at- tack was renewed next morning, and as warmly re- sented — th^ir brig, which lay nearest shors, was al- most cut to pieces, and one barge, full of men, was sunk, when the enemy withdrew. Our loss was 4 Wounded, 2 houses fired, and 2 horses killed. On the 1 1th tliey again attacked the place, before which the humane Sir Thomas sent in another demand for its surkrender, accompanied with a threat, that if it was not complied with, he would Ifty the whole town in ashes, or sacrHice his whole ford, consisting of' \^ shij^ of t.jr. Our little band of Heroes paid little attention io his threat, but went steadily to work at their cannon, and mauled the enemy so, that he was obliged to abtodon the expedition. '""'*> Gen. Gains to the Secretary of War. Fort Erie, Aug. 23, 1814. [Extract.y-^SIR — I have the honor to communi- cate the particulars of the battle fought at this place, on the 15th inst. I have heretofore omitted stating to you, that during the ISlh and 14th, the enemy had kept up a brisk cannonade upon this fort, which was HISTORY OF THE WAR. 319 briskly retnrnod from our bntt^rieti, without liny con- siilerublti loss on our part. At tl, A. M. of the I6ih, one of their shells lodged in n Nmall magazine, in Fort Erie, which was fortunately almost empty. It blew up with an explosion more awful in its appear- ance, than injurious in its eflects, as it did not dittable a man, or derange a gun. It occusioned but a mo- mentary cessation of the thunders ot the artillery ou both sides ; it was followed by a loud and joyooA shout by the British armv, which was immediately returned on our part, and Capt. Williams, amidst the smoke of the explosion, renewed tlie contest, by aa animated roar of his heavy cannon. The night was dark and rainy, but the faithful cen- tinel slept not. At half past 2 o'chick, the right col- umn of the enemy approached, and though enveloped in darkness,^ black as his designs and principles, was distinctly heard on our left, and promptly mark- ed by our musq-tetry and cannon. Being mounted al the moment, I repaired to the point of altuckt wh^re the sheet of fire enabled me to see the enemy's column, about 1 '00 men, approaching on that point ; his ad- vance nas not checked until it hud approached within tea feet of our infantry. A line of loose brush rep- i-eseiiting an abetiis only intervened; a column of the enemy attempted to pass round the abeUis through the water, where it was nearly breast deep. At this mo- ment the enemy were repulsed, but instantly renewed the charge, and were agai^ repulsed. My attention was now called to the right, where our batteries and lines were lighted by a most brilliant tire of cannon and musquetry ; it announced the approach ^^' tlie centre and left columns of the enemy, under Culs. Drummond and Scott; they were soon repulsed. That of the centre, led by Col. Drummond was not loii^ kept in check ; it approached at once every as- sailable point of the fort, and with scaling ladders* >{;*i-ii-i * I, with several of my officers, several ltnie», heard orders giv- en, ' (a give Ihe damned Yankee rascnfa no quarttrs .' iti /' •'^1 > . I; i I i ;! ' 320 HISTORY OF THE WAR. ascended the parapet, but was repulsed with dreadful carnage. The assault was twice repeated, and as often checked ; but the enemy having moved round the ditch, covered with darkness, and the heavy cloud of smoke which rolled from our cannon and mus- quetry, repeated the charge, and re-ascended the lad- ders, when their pikes, bayonets, and spears, fell upon our gallant artillerists. Our bastion was lost ; Lieut. M'Oonough, being severely wounded, demanded quarter, — it was refused by Col. Drummond. M'Do- nongh then seized a handspike, and nobly dfl'ended himself: until he was shot down with a pistol by the monster who had refused him quarter, who often re- iterated the order — -rjive tite damned Yankee rascak no quarter. > This hardened murderer soon met his fate ; he was shot through the breast while repeating the order to give no quarter. The battle now raged with increased fury on the right, but on the left the enemy was repulsed and put to flight. Thence and from the centre I ordered rein- forcements. They were promptly sent by Brig. Gen. Ripley and Brig. Gen. Porter. Capl. Fanning, of the corps of artillery, kept up a spirited and destruc- tive fire with his field pieces on the enemy attempting to approach the tort. Major Hindman^s gallant ef- forts, aided by Maj. Trimble, having failed to drive the enemy from the bastion with the remaining artil- lerists and infantry in the fort, Capt. Btrdsall of the 4lh rifle regmient, with a detachment of riflemen, giillantly rushed m through the gateway to their as- sistance, and with some infantry charged the enemy ', but was repulsed, and the captain severely wounded. A detachment from the 11th, I9th, and 2i2d, infantry, under Capt. Foster of the llth, were introduced over the interior bastion, for the purpose of charging the enemy. Major Hall, Assist. In. Gen. very hand- somely tendered his services to lead the charge. The charge was gallantly made by Capt. Foster and Miij. Hall, but owing to the narrowness of the passage \\\i to the l>-tiuii admitting only 2 or 8 meu abreast, it HtSrORY OF THG WAR. 321 feiiled. tt was often repeated, and ns often checked. The enemy^s force in the bastion was, however, much cut to pieces and diminished by our artillery and small arms. At this moment every operation was atrested by the explosion of some cartridges deposits- ed in the end of the stone building adjoining the con- tested bastion. The explosion was treniendous-^—it was decisive : the bastion was restored. At this mo- ment Capt. Biddle was ordered to cause a field pie<-6 to be posted so as to enfilade the exterior plain and salient glacis. Capt. Fanning's battery likewise play- ed upon them at this time with great effect. Th^ enemy were in a few moments entirely defeated, ta- ken, or put to flight. 1 have the honor, &c. ''■ E. P. GAINS. AMERICAN LOSS< Killed, 17— Wounded, d(i-^Mis8iiig, ll—total, 84. BHITISH LOSS. Killed, 422>-Wounded, 354— Prisoners, 186—863. ^K^' Gen, Smith to the Secretary of War, ; : Baltimore, September 19, 1816. lExlract.'\ SIR — I have the hcmor of statiug that th6 tnemy landed between 7 and 8000 men on the 12th inst. at North Point, 14 miles distant from this city. Anticipating this debarkation. Gen. Striker had been detached on Sunday evening with a portion of his brigade, to check any attempt the enemy might make in that quarter to land ; the General took a position on Monday, at the junction of the two roads leading from this place to the Point, having his right flanked 6n Bear Greek, and his left by a marsh. Here he waited the approach of the enemy, after having sent on an advance corps. Between two and threti o'clock the enemy's whole force came up, and com- menced the battle by some discharges of rockets, which were succeeded by the cannon from both sides, when the action became general. Gen. Strieker gal- lantly maintained his ground against this great supe- riority of numbtrti, one hour and 20 minutes, when 41 M J Fort £rie, Sept. 29th, 1814. [Extract,] SlR-^In my letter of the 18th inst. 1 brieflv informed you of the fortunate issue ot the sor-r tie which took place the day preceding. The enemy's camp 1 had ascertained to be situated in a field surrou&ided by woods nearly two miles dis* tant from their batteries and entienchuients. the ob* ject of wh'ch was to keep the parts of the force which 'Was not upon duly, out of the range of our fire from Fort Erie and Black-Rock. Tlieir infantry wa« h 1814. ) of satis- owned ibo sisting aud and force. yet, on the le Hermes, n. W n». H. o ; and the le, 18 guns. A 24 to 23 killed and :oll, of the inter. The 200 Creek oodbuie, of th one four E>y discharg* e-embarked Pensacula, there were d nieuf 158« CKSON. Hb, 1814. 18th utst. I lie ot the Hor-r be situated luilea dis*- Ints, the ob* 1 force which Lr lire from Wntr^ was HISTORY OF TnV WAK. 826 formed into three brigades, estimated at 12 or X& bun- dred men each. One of theHe brigades, with a de* taUfrom their artillery, was stationed at their works, (these being about 500 yards distant from old Fort Erie, and the right of our line.) We had already sufferied much from the fire of two of their batteries, and were aware that a third was about to o\teh upon us. Under these circumstances, I resolved to storm the batteries, destroy the cannon? and roughly handle the brigade upon duty, before those in reserve could be brought into action. On the morning of the 17th, the infantry and rifle* niHH, regular!) and mditia, were ordered to be para- ded and put in readiness to march precisely at ')2 o'clock. Gen. Porter with the volunteers. Col. G.b- son With the riflemen, and M^ijor Brooks with the 23d and 1st infantry, and a few dragoons acting as infantry, were ordered to mov e from the extreme left of onr position upon the enemy's right, by a passn^c opened through the woods for the occasion. Gen. Mdler was directed to station his command in the ra- vine which lies between Port Erie and the enemy's batteries^ by passing them by detachments through (he skirts of tie wood-*^and the 2 1st nitantry under Gen. Ripley was posted as a corps of reserve between the new bastions of Fort Erie j all under cover, and out of the view of the enemy. About 20 minutes before 3, P. M. I found the left columns, under the command of Gen. Porter, which were destined to turn the enemy's right, within a few rods of the British entrenchments. They were or- dered to advance and commence the action. Psissing down the ravine, I judged from the report of mus- quetry that the action had commenced on our left ; I now hastened to Gen. Mdler, and directed him to leize the moment and pierce the enemy's entrench- ment between batteries No. 2 and 3. My orders were p.'omptly and ably executed. Within 30 minutes af- ter the first gun was fired, batteries No. 2 and 3, the euemy's Ime of entrenchments, aad his two block 1 ( 1 ~ i '' ' i 1 ' ' : .ill i . H •ili :i f'^ '}> 'i'^,^ f. ,' )• mm 326 HISTORY OP THE VJATL. houses, were in our possession. Soon after battery No. I was abandoned by the British. The gunti in each were spiked by us, or otherwise destroyed, and the magazine of No. 3 was blown up. A few minutes before the explosion, I had ordered up the reserve under Gen. Ripley. As he passed me at the head of his column, I desired him as he would be the senior in advance, to ascertain as near as possible, the situation of (he troops in general, and to have a care that not more was hazarded than the occasion required : that the object of the sortie ef- fected, the troops would retire in good order, &c. Gen. Ripley passed rapidly on — soon after, I became alarmed for Gen. Miller, and sent an order for the 21st. to hasten to his support towards battery No. 1. Col. Upham received the order, and advanced to the aid of Gen. Miller. Gen. Ripley had inclined to the left, where Major Brooks' command was engaged, with a view of making some necessary enquiries oi that officer, and in the act of doing so was unfortu- nately wounded. By this time the object of the sor- tie was accomplished beyond my most sanguine ex- pectations. Gen. Miller had consequently ordered fhe troops on the right to fall back — observing this movement, I sent my staff along the line to call in the other corps. Within a few minutes they retired fi'om the ravine, and from thence to camp. Thus lOCM) regulars and an equal portion of mili- tia, in one hour of close action, blasted the hopes of the enemy, destroyed the fruits of 50 diiys labor, and diminished his effective force 1000 men at least. Lieut. Gen. Drummond broke up his camp during the night of the 21st, and retired to his entrenchments ;jebind the Chippewa. A party of our men came up with the rear of his army at Frenchman's creek ; the enemy destroyed part of their stores by setting fire to the buildings from which they were employed in conveying them. We found in and about their canip a considerable quantity of ci^nnou ball, and up* wards of 100 stand of arms, HISTORY OF THE WAR. 327 I send you enclosed herein a return of our loss. l*hc return of prisoners enclosed does not include the stragglers that came in after the action. I have the honor to be, &c. ' " JACOB BROWN. ' M:' AMERICAN liOW. Killed 79 — wounded 214 — missing 218. BRITISH LOSS. Killed 271— wounded 311— Prisoners 385. — ' ; ;>* . Gen. Macomb to the Secretary of War. Plattsburgh, Sept. 12, 1814. [JElxtract.l SIR — 1 have the honor to inform you that the British army commanded by Sir George Prevost, consisting of four brigades, a corps of artil- lery; a squadron of horse, and a strong light corps, amounting in all to 14,0(M) men, atler investing this place on the north of the Saranac river since the dth inst. broke up their camp and raised the siege this morning at 2 o'clock, retreating precipitately, and leaving their stck and wounded behind. The strength of this garrison is only 15()0 men fit for duty. The light troops and militia are in full pursuit of the enemy, making prisoners in all directions. Up- wards of 300 deserters have already come in, and many arrive hourly. Our loss in the fort is trifling indeed, having only one officer and 15 men killed, and one officer and 30 men wounded. Vast quantities of provision were left behind and destroyed, also an immense quantity of bomb shells, cannon ball, grape shot, ammunition, flints, 8cc. &;c. intrenching tools of all sorts, also tents and marquees. A great deal has been found concealed in the ponds and creeks, and buried in the ground, and a vast quantity carried off by the inhabitants. Such was the precipitance of his retreat, that he arrived atCha- %yt a distance of eight miles before we discovered that he had gone. We have buried the British officers of the army and navvr with the honors of wnr, and shewn every ill ^\¥. )! ' ij h V. !" f*l I ; ( h I ' ' 32S HISTORY OF TBV WAS. attention and kindness to those who have fallen into our hands. The conduct of the officers, non-coni^ missioned officers and soldiers of my command, dur- ing this trying occasion cannot be represented in too high terms. 1 have the honor to be, !k.c. A1J:XANDER MACOMB. - .>»! - AMBHICAM LUtM. Killed 37 — wuundeiHS— missing 20. ^KITlSH LUSH. Killed 368-wounded 494— prisoners 252— deserteo78b Capt Blaheky to the Secretary of the Navy, U. S. S. Wasp, L'Orient, July 8, 1814. SIR- On Tuesday the 28th ult. being then in lat- itude48, a6 JV. and long. 11, 15 W. we fell in with, engaged, and after an action of 19 minutes, captnred his britannic Majesty *s sloop of war Reindeer, Wil- liam Manners, Esq. conmiandelr. At half past 12, P. M. the enemy shewed a blue and white flag dingonallv at the fore, and fired a gun. At 1, 15, called all hands to quarters and prepared for action ; 1, 22, believing we could weather the en- emy, tacked ship and stood for him ; 1» 50 the ene- my tacked ship and stood from ns; 1, 56, hoisted our colors and fired a gun to windward ; at 2, 20, the en- emy still standing from us, set the royals ; at '2, 25, set the flying gib ; at 2, 29, set the upper staysails ; at 3> 32, the eiiemy having tacked for us took in th3 staysails ; at 2, 47, furled the royalty : at 2, 51, seeing that the enemy would be able to weather us, tacked ship ; at 3, 3, the enemy hoisted his flying gib — braiU cd up our mizen ; at 3, 15, the enemy on our weather quarter, distant about wed a bine 1 fired a gun< nd prepared alher the en- , 60 the ene- I, hoisted our 1, 20, the en- is; alisJ, 26, ler staysails ; took in th3 !, 51, seeing r us, tacked gib — brail- our weather ihittiitg g"n» round and le ; at a, 17, 19, fired it a e ; at 3, 24, lUng the en- to enable us i-lee, and at a with the af- mSTORY OF tHE WAR. 329 ler darronade on the starboard side, and fired in snc^ ,ceMion ; at 3, 34, hauled up the mainsail; at 3, 40, the enemy having his larboard bow in contact with our larboard quarter endeavored to hoard us, but wab repulsed in every attempt ; at 3, 44, orders were giv- en to board in turn, which were promptly executed, when all resistance immediately ceased, and at 3, 45, the enei^y hauled down his flag* The Reindeer ntounted sixteen 24 lb. carronades, two long 6 Or 9 pounders, and a shifting 12 lb. car'* ronade, with a complement on board of 118 men. Her crew was said to be the pride of Plymouth. The Reindeer was literally cut to pieces in a line with her pcu'ts ; her upperworks, boats and spare spars were one complete wreck. — A breeze springing British Loss. — filled llt3 — wounded 42. Capl. Blakeley to the Secretary of the Navy. U. S. S. Wasp, at sea, Sept. 1 1, 1814. {Exlract.l SIR — I have the honor of informing you of the destruction of H.B. M. brig Avon,of 18guns by this ship on the 1st inst. At 6, 30 minutes P. M. discovered 4 sail ; 2 on our starboard, and 2 on our larboard bow ; hauled up for one on our starboard bow, being farthest to windward. At 7, the brig made signals, with flags, lanterns, rockets, and guns. At 9, 29, the chase being under our lee bow, com- menced the action by tiring a 12 lb. carronade at him, which he returned, when we run under his lee, baw to prevent his escaping. At 10, believing the enemy to be silenced, ceased firing, and hailed and asked if he had surrendered. JSm answer being giv- I il I'- 1 % it' il r )■ li i: I I! i:ii;' t!!l 830 UISTOKY OF THE WAR. en, and he haviuc^ recommenced Aring, it was return- ed. At 10, 12, the enemy bavinroadside, which done considerable damage, and soon retraced her steps to join her consorts. Our prize, when we abandoned her, was firing guns of distress ; the two last sails came to her assistance, in time to save her crew from sinking with the vessel, Avbich went down soon aflerwards. I have the hon- or to be, &c. J. BLAKELE Y. American Loss. — Killed, 2 — wounded, 1. British Loss. — Killed, 12 — wounded 33. , „ ••! \ i GeU' M^ Arthur to the Secretary of War. Head-Q,uarters, Detroit, Nfov. 18, 1814. \Extract.'\ SIR - I have the honor of reporting to you the sate return of the mounted troops to this place. It was deemed expedient, from the arder of/ the Kentucky and Ohio volunteers and militia, that they should be actively employed in the enemy's terirtory, with a view to destroy their resources, and paraliae any attempt they might make on this post during the winter. Accordingly f)30 troops, and 70 Indians, were put in motion to destroy the valuable mills at the head of Lake Ontario, and Grand River. We proceeded over the river St. Clair, down to the Scotch Settlement, up Bear Creek, about OO miles, and u HISTORY OF Till-: WAU. '6iil cross to the Moi'av .an towns, where we arrivnil the 30lh ult. We were fortunate at this place in takings a Bri- tigh officer who was. |.roceedin{if to Burlington with the information of our approach, which enableil us to reach Delaware town undiscovered. The ran- gers were detached across the Thames, to pass in rear of thetown^to ^uard the different roads, whilst the troops were swimming their horses across. VVc were thus enabled to reach Oxford, loO miles from Detroit, before they heard of our approach. A i'ew hours before oar arrival at Buford, the enemy retreat- ed to Midcom's mills, on the road to Burlington where they were reinforced, to the number of 500 militia, and about 100 Indians. A deep creek of difficult passage, except at a bridge immediately in front of their works, which had been partly dcstri>yed, lay between us. Arrangements were made for a joint attack on their front and rear. The Ohio troops were thrown across, under cover of a thick wood, and the Kentucky troops were ordered to attack in front. The enemy were entirely defeated and dispersed, with the loss of 1 Capt. and 17 privates killed, and 3 Capts. 5 subalterns, and 103 privates, taken prisoners. Our loss was only one killed, and six wounded. The next day we proceeded on and took several priso ners, 200 stand ot arms, and destroyed five valuable mills, when we commenced our return much for this place, which we reached yesterday. I have the honor to be, 8;c. D. M' AHTHUU. .■'} ■ i CHAPTER XIII. Geu. Jackson to Gov. Earh/. Head-Q,uarters, Tensaw, Nov. 14th, 1814. [Extract.] SIR — O.i last evening I returned from Pensacoia to ihis place — I reached thit post on the evening of the Olh. On my approach, I sent Maj. Pierre witii u Hag to comuiunieate. the object of my. !, , I i ', \ 1 V ^'42 HISTORY Of TIIE WAR. fl|i ■> ! , (, '4 i \U\,'u : i h' ':: visit lo llir Gov. ol Pensncula. lie approachfd fort Si. (i('«,)rift>, with his tluji; diM|>luye(l, and wus tired on bv II e Cfiiiiori'truiii the lurt-~ lo returned and made I'f'port Ihertof to me. I ininudiatel)' wtnt with the Adj. Cien. and the Muj. with a small escoA, and vuwed tht'toit and found it defended by BritiMh and Spiiuish troo|»t». I immediately determined to storm the town. On the morning of the 7tli I marched with the efteclive regulars of the 3d, 39lh, and 44lh iiifpiitry, part of Gen. CoftVen brigade, the MisHissippi dra-« goons, and part of the Wt^st Tenessee regiment, and partoftheClioctaws led by Maj. Blue, ofthedOlh atid Maj. Kennedy of Missisnippi territory. Being encamped on the west of the town 1 calculated they would expert the assault from that quarter, and he p'epared to rake me from the fort, and the British armed vessels, seven in number, that lay in the hay. To cherish this idea 1 sent out part of the mounted men to show themselves on the vtest, whilst I passed iii rear of the fort undiscovered to the east of the town. When 1 appeared within a mile, 1 was i|i full view. My pride was never more heightened than viewing the uniform tirmnessof my troops, and with what un- daunted courage they advanced, with a strong fort ready to assail them on the right, 7 British armed ves- sels on the left, and strong blockhouses and hattenes of cannon in their front, but they still advanced with unshaken firmness, entered the town< when a battery of two cannon was opened upon the centre column composed of the reg^ilars, With ball and grape, and a shower of musketry from the houses apd gardens. The battery was immediately stormed by Capt. |je- vnll and company, and carried, and the musketry was soon silenced by the steady and well directed hre of the regulars. The Gov. met Cols. Williamson and Smith, who Jed the dismounted volunteirs, with a flag, begged for merry, and surrendered the town anti fort uncon- ditionally ; mercy was granted and protection given to the citizens and their property. , ',^ iiias enabled to choose his point of attack. It became therefore an object of importance to obstruct the nu- ^ merous bayous and canals leading from that lake, to the highlands on the Mississippi. This im})ortant S'ji'vice was committed to Major Gen. Villere coin- iQiiiiding the district between the river and the lakes, and who, being a native of the country, was presum- ed to be best acquainted with all those passes. Un- fortunately, however, a picquet which the Gen., had established at, the mouth of the bayou Bienvenu, and which notwithstanding my orders had been left un- obstructed, was completely surprised, and the enemy penetrated through a canal leading to hid farm, about two leagues beiiow the city, and succeeded ia catting :.il 1* i \\ in 'i\ ^r 3S4 HISTORY OF THE WAB. off a company of militia stationed there. — This intel- ligence was communicated tome about 12 o'clock on the 22d. My force at this time did not exceed in all 1500. I arrived near the enemy's encampment about seven, and immediately made my dispositions for tlie attack. His forces amounting at that time on land to about 3000, extended half a mile on the river, and in the rear nearly to the wood. Gen. Coffee was ordered to turn their right, while witli the residue of the force J attacked his strongest position on the left near the river. Com. Patterson having dropped down the river in the schooner Caroline, was directed to open a fire up- on tharcatnp, which he executed at about half after seven. This being the signal of attack. Gen. Coffee's men with their usual impetuosity, rushed on the en- emy's right and entered their camp, while our right advanced with equal order. A thick fog arose about 8 o'clock occasioning some confusion among the dif- ferent corps. Fearing the consequences, under this circumstance, of the prosecution of a night attack with troops then acting together for the first time, I eoiiteuted myself with lying on the field that night ; and at four in the morning assumed a stronger posi- tion about two miitis nearer the city. rKy#v In this affair the whole corps under my command deserve the greatest credit. The best complement I can pay to Gen. Coffee and his brigade is .to say they have behaved as they have always done while under my command. The two field pieces were well served by the officer commanding them. We have made 1 major, 2 subalterns, and sixty- three privates prisoners. I have the honor, i&c. ANDREW JACKSON. American £/0«s.-^Killed and wounded 100.. British Loss. — ^Killed (k wounded 344, prisoners 66. Gm. Jackson to the Secretary, of War. . Head-Quarters, New-Orleans, Jan. 13, 1815. [Extract.\ SIR — At. such a crisis I conceive it my duty to keep you constantly, advised of my situation. HlS'TOllY OF TH£ WAii. 335 £arly on the morning of the 8th, the enemy having* been actively employed the two preceding days m making preparations for a storm, advanced in two strong columns on my right and left. They were re- ceived however, with a firmness which seems, they lit^ tie expected, and which defeated all their hopes. My men undisturbed by their approach, which indeed they long anxiously wished for, opened upon them a tire so deliberate and certain, as rendered their seal* ing ladders and fascines, as well as their more direct implemeiits of warfare, perfectly useless. For up- wards of an hour it was continued with a briskness of which there have been but few instances, perhaps, in any country. In justice to the enemy it must be said, they withstood it as long as could have been expected from the most determined bravery. At length how- ever when all prospect of success became hopeless, they fled in confusion from the field— leaving it cov- ered with their dead and wounded. My loss was inconsiderable ; being only ''^seven killed and six wounded. . Such a disproportion in loss, when we consider the number and the kind of troops engaged, must, I kHOw,excite astonishment, and may hot, every where, be fully credited : yet I am perfectly satisfied that the account is not exaggerated on the one part, nor un- derrated on the other. Whether at\er the severe losses he has sustained, he is preparing to return to his shipping, or to make still mightier efforts to attain his tirst object, I do Qot pretend to determine. It becomes me to act as though the latter were his intention. One thing, however, seems certain, that if he still calculates on effecting what he has hitherto been unable to accbm- |)lish he must expect considerable reinforcements as the force with which he landed, must undoubtedly be diminished by at least 3000. Besides the loss wnich he sustained on the night of the 2^d ultimo, which is estimated as four hundred, he cannot have suffered * This mu in the action .on l/ie lint—ajtirmarda a tkirmiahing was kept up in nhich afim more q/'ottr men nerefost. Mi (! ■iU ■-! \ m II it. •i '' V . ti'l, i 886 HISTORY OF THE WAR. ]es6 between that period and the morning' of the 6th inst, thaii 800 ; having within that time, been repulgtd in two general attempts to drive us from our position, And there having been continual cannonading nnd skirmishing, during the whole of it. Yet he is still .able to show a very formidable forces The commanding Gen. Sir JGdward Fackenhtifn was killed in the action of the 8th, and Maj. Gensv Kean and Gibbs were mortally wounded. : I have tliie honor to be, 4(C. > u. ANDREW JACKSON. American Loss — Killed 7-^wounded 6« British Loss— Kiiied 70U^wouuded 1400—pritr. .4ners dOO. ,um'* < Lieut. Shields to Com. Patterson^ .[Eietract.'] New Orleans, Jan. 25th, 1816 . -SIR — I have the honor of reporting the result 'gne, yesterday, at 4. A. M. On the 5th inst. I proceeded down to the east mouth of the Pass, to ascertain the enemy's position ; findings at anchor there one bri^, 3 gfuiiboats, 3 Schooners, and several bars^es, the brig lying a mile distant from the others, I returned, and determined on making an attempt to destroy her. Mv crew now amounted to 38 men ; with this force t was confident I should be able to destroy her, although I had been previously inform- ed she mounted 4 peices of cannon, and equipped ac- cordingly. On the 6th at 4, A. M. we boarded the brig, her crew consisting of a Cupt. a sailing-master, and 8 marines, making no resistance. It being nearly daylight, I ordered the prisoners into my boat, and set fire to the brig, which proved to be the Cyrus, loaded with rum, bread, and soldiers clothing. I have the honor to be, <&c. ' .,r VVM. JOHNSON. 'A I.! 'ff ADDRESS, Directed by Major General Jackson to be read at tJte head of each of the corps composint/ the line below New-Orleanst Jan. 21, 1815. Citizens and fellow soldiers! The enemy has i'e> treated, and your general has now leisure to pro- claim to the world what he has noticed with admira- tiun and pride — your undaunted courage, your patri- otism, and patience, under hardships and fatigues. — Natives of dif}ereut States, acting together for the first time in this camp; differing in habits and in lan- guage, instead of viewing m these circumstances the germ of distrust and division, yon have made them the source of an honorable emulation, and trom the seeds of discord itself have reaped the fruits of an honora- ble union. This day completes the fourth week since fifteen hundred of you attacked treble your nu«ibei -... . ■.• 43, ; 1. i| il H ili: !i l\ d3ft HISTORY OF THE WAR. cf men, who had boastrd of their discipline and their services under a celebrated leader, in a long anri eventt'ut war — attacked them in their camp, the mt- mcnt they had profaned the soil of freedom withtheii hostile tread, and inflicted a blow which was a pre- lude to the final result of their attempt to conquer, or their poor contrivances to divide us. A few hours was sufficient to unite the {gallant band, though atlhe moment they received the welcome order to march, they were separated many leagues, in different direc- tions from the city. The gay rapidity of tl.c march, and the chceifnl countenances of the officers and men, would have induced a belief that some festive « enter- tainment, not the strife of battle, was the scene to which they hustened with so umch eagerness and hi- larity. In the conflict that ensued, the same spirit was supported, and my communication to the executive of the U. S. have testified the sense I entertained of the merits of the corps and officers that were engag- ed. Resting on the Held of battle, they retired in perfect order on the the next morning to these lines, destined to become the scene cf future victories, which they were to share with the reei of you, my bnve companions in arms. Scarcely were your lines a protecl!on against musket shot, when on the 28th a disposition was made to attack them with all the pomp and parade of military tactics, as improved by those veterans of the Spanish war. Their batteries of heavy cannon kept up an inces- sant tire; their rockets illuminated the air; and under their cover two strong columns threatened our flanks. The foe inmlently thought that this spectacle was too imposing to be resisted, and in the intoxication of his pride he already saw our lines abandoned without a contest— how were those menacing appearances met? By shouts of defiance, by a manly countenance, not to be shaken by the roar of his cannon, or by the glare of his firework rockets ; by an artillery served -with superior skill, and with deadly efl'ect. Never, my brave friends, can your Gen. forget the tetimoni- als of attachment to our glorious cause of indignant hut- line and their 1 a long- anri amp, the mt- om with theii h was a pre- conquer, or A few hours though at the tier to march, ifferent direc- of tl.L march, cers and men, festire^enter- the scene to ;rness and hi- le same spirit the executive ittertained of were engag- jy retired in 9 these lines, dories, which J, my bf^ve your lines a )u the 28th a with all the improved by . up an inces- r; and under ed our flanks, tacle was too ication of his ed without a arauces met? countenance, on, or by the tillery served feci. Never, the tetimoni- ndignanthut- HISTORY OF THE WAR. 839 red to oar foe, of effectiunate confidence in your chief, that resounded from every rank, as he passed a ong your line. This animating scene damped the cour- age of the enemy ; he drop|)ed his scaling ladders and fascines, and the threatened attack dwindled in- to a (kmonstrationf which served only to shew the emptiiiessof his parade, and to inspire you with a just confidence in yourselves. The new year was ushered in with th) most tre- mendious fire his whole artillery could produce, a few hoiirs only, however, were necessary for tlie brave and skilful men who directed our own to dismount his catnion, destroy his batteries, and e^lectually si- lence his fire. Hitherto, my brave friends, in the contest on our lines, your courage had been passive only ; you stood with calmness, a fire that would have tried the firmness of a vetran, and you anticipa- ted a nearer contest with an eagerness which was soon to be gratified. On the 8th of Jan. the final effort was made. At the dawn of day the batteries opened and thecornmns advanced. Knowing that the volunteers from Ten- nessee and the militia from Kentucky were stationed on your left, it was there they directed their chief at- tack. Reasoning always from false principles, they ex- pected little opposition from men wliose oftic ers even were not in uniform, who were ignorant of the rules of dress, and who had never been caned into disci- pline — fatal mistake ! a fire incessantly ke|)t up, di- rected with calmness and with unerring aim, strewed the field with the bravest ofllicers and men of the col- umn which slowly advanced, according to the most approved rules of European tactics, and was cut down by the untutored courage of American militia. Unbie to sustain this galling and unceasing fire, some hundreds nearest the entrenchment called for quarter, which was granted — tl.<; rest retreating, were rallied at some distance, but only to make them a surer mark for the grape and cannister shotofourartiller), which, without exaggeration, mewed dowu whole ranks at ! • ; \X \ l\i ; M \ u- I 1 i '■ 1 ' 'hi i < i;r" I i ■»:< 3 I \ t i 1 . 1 340 HISTORY OP THE WAR. V ■: i i: ' > .1 ■; Hi'j A ;i every discharge : and at length they precipitately re- tired trum tlietield. Our right had only a short conte.st to sustain with a few rash men who falally for themselves, forced their entrance mto the unfinished redoubt on the river. They were quickly dispossessed, and this glorious day termmated with the loss to the enemy of their com- mander in chief and one Maj. Gen. killed, another Maj.Gen. wouhded,the most experienced and bravest oi their officers, and more than throe thousand men killed, wounded and missing, while our ranks, my friends, were thinned only by the loss of six of our < brave companions killed and seven disabled by vounds — wonderful interposition of Heaven \ unex- ampled event in the history of war ! Let us he grateful to the God of battles who has di- rected the arrows of indignation against our invaders while he covered with his protecting shield the brave defenders of their country. After this nnsuccessiul and disastrous attempt, their spirits were broken, their force was destroyed, and their whole attention was employed in providing the means of escape. This they have effected ; leaving their heavy artillery in our power, and many of their wounded to our clemency. The consequences of this short, but decisive campaign, are incalculably impor- tant. The pride of our arrogant enemy humbled, bisforces broken, his leaders kdled, his insolent hopes of our disunion frustrated — his expectation of rioting in our spoils and wasting our country changed into ignominious defeat, shameful flight, and a reluctant acknowledgment of the humanity and kindness of those whom he had doomed to all the horrors and hu- miliation of a conquered state. On the other side, unanimity established, disafiec- tion crushed, confidence restored, your country saved from conquest, your property from pillage, your wives and daughttrs from insult and violation* — the union preserved from dismemberment, and perhaps a period * Prrvious to th*> attack Oen. Packenham gave out f.ir watch- tvord, ' Beauty and Booty* aiid promised three days riot and plunder. )Halely re- istain with >rced their the river, orious day their ct»m- [\f another iiid bravest jsaiid men ranks, my six of our « sahled by b'en) unex- vho has di- iir invaders d the brave tempt, their Iroyed, and pviding the |d ; leaving ny of their nces of this biy inipur- humbled, jolent hopes 11 of rioting inged into reluctant indness of rs and hu- I, disaffec- intry saved Ivour wives -the union )!s a period It f-• IM, 1 ) >, 1 J'i 4 I vi. < I 3i2 HISTORY OF THE WAR. » t I .! had increased our distance from the razee, but the next ship astern, which was also a large ship, had gained and continued to gain upon us considerably ; yve immediately occupied all hands to lighten ship. At 3, we had the wind quite light ; the enemy who had now been joined by a brig, had a strung breeze, and were coming up with us rapidly. The Eiidy- mion (mounting 50 guns, 24 pounders on the main 'leek) had now approached us within gun shot, and had commenced a fire with her bow guns, which we returned from our stern. At 5 o'clock she had ob- tained a position un our starboard quarter, within half point blank shot, on which neither our stern nor quarter guns would bear; I remained with her in this position for half an hour, in the hope that she Avould close with us on our broadside, in which case I had prepared my crew to board, but from his con- tinuing to yaw his ship to maintain his position, it be- came evident that to close was not his intention. £very tire now cut some of our sails or rigging. To have continued our course under these circumstances, would have been placing it in his power to cripple us, without being subject to injury himself, and to have hauled up more to the northward to bring our stern funs to bear* would have exposed us to his raking re. It was now dusk when I determined to alter my course south, for the purpose of bringing the enemy abeam, and although their ships astern were drawing up fast, I felt satished I should be enabled to throw him out of the combat before they could come up, and was nol without hopes, if the night proved dark (of which there was every appearance) that I might still be enabled to effect my escape. Our opponent kept off at the same instant we did, and our fire commenc- ed at the same time. We continued engaged, steer- ing south with steering sails set two hours and a half, when we completely succeeded in dismantling her. Previously to her dropping entirely onto*" the action, there were intervals of minutes, when the ships were broadside and broadside, and in which she did not HISTORY OF THB WAK. 343 fire a (pin. At this period, half past 8 o'clock, al- though dark, the other ships of the squadron were in sight, and almost within gun shot. We were of course compelled to abandon her. In resuming our former course for the purpose of avoiding the squad- ron, we were compelled to present our stern to our antagonist — hut such was his state, though we were thus exposed and within range of his guns for half an hour, that he did not avail himself of thi3 favorable opportunity of raking us. We continued ihis course until 1 1 o clock, when two fresh ships of the enemy (the Pomona and Tenedos) had come up. The Po- mona had opened her fire on the larboard bow, with- in musket sliot ; the other about two cables' length astern, taking a raking position on our quarter ; and the rest (with the exception of the Endymion) within gun shot. Thus situated, with about one fifth of my crew killed and wounded, my ship crippled, and a more tlian four-fold force opposed to me, without a chance of escape left, I deemed it my duty to sur- render. It is with emotions of pride [ bear testimony to the gallantry and steadiness of tvevy officer and man I had the honor to command on this occasion, and I feel satisfied that the fact of their having beaten a force equal to themselves, in the presence, and almost under the guns of so vastly a superior force, when, too, it was almost self-evident, that whatever their ex- ertions might be, they must ultimately be captured, will be taken as evidence of what they would have performed, had the force opposed to them been in any degree equal. For 24 hours af\er the action it was nearly calm, and the squadron were occupied in repairing the crippled ships. Such of the crew of the President as were not badly wounded, were put or board the dif- ferent ships ; myself and a part of my crew were put on board this ship. On the 17th we had a gale from the eastward, when this ship lost her bowsprit, fore ai d main-muiits, and mizen top-mast, all of which were badly wounded^ and was, in consequence of ■ 1! i i ■ ' ;(! J! j ' !' 1 2 : ; ! ' i i .' ! ; ■ ♦ 5 1 ■'mil- 844 HISTORY OF THE WAR. I'wi ii'! I V'l PJ! . i« m k her difinbted condition, obliged to throw overboard all her u per deck ^uiis. I have the he nor to be, 'Sec. STEPHEN DECATUR. American Loss. — Killed 21 — wounded 56, > • British Loss — Kdled 15— wounded 28. Capt. Bttyle to Mr. Gtorge P. Stephenson. Dated at sen, March 2, 1815. \Extract?\ SIB — I havf the honor to inform you, that of the enemy's barges, containing about 250 men, which had attempted to proceed up the river to burn Mr. A. C. ark's mills. The enemy were first attacked by the Putriots from the Florida shore, near Camp Pinckney, when the barges immediately tacked about to n '. sat, but onr men being in ambush on this shore gave them a se- eoud rece|>tiou, and thus the lire was k^i t up from )im iu^■^ii; iu^ , 44 , . : , ■' 'A li ,^vll: i ii a ' '1 1 ! !; y jji! ' ! ' I iia i 94^ itJSl'OliY Of TUB WAlt. l)olh fthor^ unt'l they got into ft greater extent 6fr\t*. erthan our riflemn could reach. The enemy lout 160 killed and wounded.-^— We had one inan severely trounded through the body* and several received balls through their clothes, but no further injury. WILLIAM SCOTT. Sailing-mmhr John Hurlburd to Com, Ctunphell. U. B. Gun Boat, No. 168, Cumberhind Sound,) March 18, 1615. j [Extract] SIR-^Procieeding with the despatch which you did me tb^ honor to entrust to my care, I isailed trom Tybce bar, at 1, P. M. on the 16th inst. fvind N. £. steering south ; at half past 3 descried a kail in the S. £. quarter, which we soon found to be a ship standing N. N. W. about 40 minutes after she fired a gvm and hoisted her colors, the shot passing; over our fore gaff; our colors were hoisted, con- tinued our course for a few minutes, When anoth- ijfer gtih was fired ; the shot passed abaft the main rig<- ^ng over the lee quarter. Heaving hii vessel too on the starboard tack, hailed me by saying, * you damn'd rascal, if you don't lower your ooat down and come on board immediately, I'll fire into you, TU sink you, God damn you.' Seeing me in the act of taking in tile square sail, ' why don't you heave to, God damn you, I'll sink yon ; I'll fire a broadside into you.' As so6n as I could foe heard I aaid> this is a U. S. ■vessel, from Savannah, with despatches for Admiral Cockburn. In the act of pronouncing the last words, B musket was fired at me, th« ball passed near my shoulders, ov^'r the hand of the man at the helm, strHc- ing the water frbiM twenty to thirty het itota th^ ves- isel. Putting the helm down, I again infdrmed him of the character of the vessel, 8ayiiTg,if you Wit^ for further satisfaction you are at liberty to send your boat tn board ; he said, * I doni care a damn for the des- patches nor Admiral Cockburn either; God damn them and the United States too ; I'll fire a broadside into you and sink you, if yon don't lower yoiw boat down and come on board, you rascal.' Put about and HISTORY OF THB WAR. 847 run close under the ship's lee, saying, ' this is the U. States' gun veosel No. 1H8, with despateh(?9 for the AUuiiral off Hi. Mary's ; if you doubt her being what she nppears to Us you'c^n send your bout on to ird. Turning to me, he savs, * God damn you, come on board or I'll sink yout—I'll fire thunder into you.' I replied, * if you doi 1 shall return yuur com- plements with lightning.' Al this time I received, if possible, a greater flood of vulgar abuse than be* fore I hove about, stood to windward of !iim, heav- ing too on his starboard quarter, with the larboard tacks on board ; when a Lieut, came alongside, .uid ordered me into the boat, saying, * if you do poi ^o on board, every om Qf you will be taken out and carried to Cliarleston.' do pn board a J tell your commander that J shall not lower my t oat's reaching the ship .si:* e a gun was fired; the shut passing to leewaiu, through the mainsail, near the mast, cutting away one of the stays, going between the forei. )ast and rigging ; while he gave full vent to his vulgar abuse. I now sow every one of •ur little crew aoxiousiy waiting the order to fire in- to the apparent enemy ; but 1 considered that several lives would in all probability be lost, and the flag struck at last. Under these considerations, I fired a gun across his bows, as the vessels were lying, sunk the signals, And hauled the colors down. A Lieut, came on board, to whom I made a formal surrender ai' the vessel ; he observed that .lie was only a Lieut. ' Send an oflicer on board, (I replied) the officers and men are your prisoners.' He ordered me on hoard ifrl! t HI !i i m^] Ij '1: h. >u - M ) ■ 1 ; - i ' ; . . ; . i. t 1 1 1 > 1 1 ir ' ' : iv . 1 li-' \^ i . ' "f l.i'' i L iyn'iSiii 1 %! L^ kl^ il/ 348 "HISTOUY OF THE WAR. the ship. On my arrival on board the ship, I was met by the Capt. near the niaiirmnst, saying, this is his majesty's ship Erebns, Bartholomew, ronimander. •This is myii\Vord, (1 replied) that is the U. Stales gun vessel No. I(j8, which I surrender as your prize, myselt, officers and crew as your prisoners.' He said a^ain, ' how dare you refuse to come on board his majesty's ship when ordered ?' * I know not nor do I acknowledge any right you have to order me on board, or to inlerrnpt me sstiting along the Amer- ican coast. I shall, however, make a fair representa- tion of this most flagrant abuse of power on your part to my government. I very much regret that t have not the command of u vessel of 20 guns, which would save the trouble of demanding satisfaction at a future day, by taking it on thes^^ot.' He said, *I only wish to warn you ofl^'the coast; will you see my orders from the Admiral to warn all vessels from the coast i!* * As I am governed by the orders of my own gov- ernment, 1 can have nothing to do with those of Ad- miral Cockburn.* He said * I tUoiit^ht you migtit be from the Cape ot Good liope.' ^ Yoti could n'bt be- lieve any such thing, when you see she has no quar- ter, has not the ap))earaiice of having iieen at sea any length of time ; her boats not stowed as if to remain long at sea; nor could you suppose that were I from a long cruize, I should run past the portof Havannali, thereby exposing my vessel to any British ciuizer that might happen to be on the coast.' He then said ' upon my honour, 1 believe it was an accident, but I am sure the last shot would not have been ftred if you had not been trying to run away from me.' * You could believe no such thing; you saw both gibs to "windward, and the helm a-lee.^ He said, * upon my honor, I don't no whether it went off liy accident or was fired, no orders were given to tire ' After walk- ing the .]uarter-deck for a few minutes, returning, he said, ^ will you see my orders to warn all vessels oft' the coast.' * As 1 have nothing to do with them 1 can have no wish to see them.' * If you think this will cuufte any dispute between the two governments;^ I '.: HISTORY OP THE WAR. 849 (said he) I will return with you to the Admiral and have it settled.' I re^^lied, * I do nut feel inyHelf authorised in my present sitnabioi) to receive any sat* isfactiun you may havf in your power to offer for such, a wilful insult oifered to the U. Stales.* I was then ordered on board, and to proceed with the des- patches. JOHN HURLBURD. Capt. Stewart to the Secretary of the Navy. U. 8. ft'is^ate Ciinstitutioii, May, — 18 15. SIR— On the 20th of February last, the Island of Madeira bearing^ about W. S. W. distant 60 leagues, we fell in with his Britannic Majesty's two ships of war, the Cyane and Levant, and brought them to ac- tion about o'clock in the evenmg, both of which after a spirited engageuiCnt of 40 minutes, surrender- ed to the ship under my command. Considering the advantages derived by the enemy, > from a divided and more active force, as also Iheir superiority in the weight and number of guns, I deem the speedy and decisive result of this action the strong- est assurance which can be given to the governmentr that all did their duty, and gallantly supported the reputation of American seamen. Inclosed is a list of the killed and wounded ; also a statement of the actual force of the enemy, and the number killed and wounded on board their ships as near as could be ascertained. I have the honor to be, &c. CHARLES Sl'EWART. FORCE AND LOSS OP THIS CONSTITUTION. 32 tweuty-four pounders. — 20 thirty-two pounders.-— 52 guns. Officers, men and boys 406. Killed 3 — wounded 12. FORCE AND LOSS OF THE CYANE. A>i^ 22 thirty-two pounders — 10 eighteen do. — 2 twelve do. — 2 brass swivels— officers, men and boys 180. Killed 12— wounded 23. POllCE AND Loss OP THE LEVANT. 18 thirty-two |>ounders — 2 nine do. — 1 twelve do^ officers, men and buys 156. Killed 23— wounded 16. *i'hl: ii iv .1. i > \ m: I !l K i ' 1 1 1 J ■ \ 1 ' ' 1, 1 1 1 ' 1 ^;,i i' !i:].|: I ■ ^ li:- ^i ilii ' 'I i i.liii^a r 'i'" J ii i 1 'i 1 1 fc-Si h T • t • V APPENDIX. ! !t:. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, iUtt AFVBMDIX. 3^1 We answet«d, that sve h^alrd' these ileiclamtion!) with great satisfaction, and that our government had acceded to the proposal of negociation, with the most sincere desire to put an end to the difi'erences which divided the two countries, and to lay upon just and liberal gi^odndsthe foundation of a peace which, secure ing the rights and interests of both nations, should unite theia i>y lasting bonds of amity. The Brititm commissioners tiieu stated the follow" iag subjects, as those upon which it appeared to theM that the discussions would be likely to turn, and on whfch they wei^e instructed. I. The forcible seiiiure of marinem bn board of mer^ chant vessels, and in connection with it, the claim of his Britannic Majesty to tbc all^lianoe of all theaative subjects of G. Britain. We undertitood them to intimatfen that tlie British government did not propose this point as one whidi they were particularly desiroira of discussing ; but that, OS it had. occupied so prominent a place in the disputes between the two countries, it necessarily al-* tracked notice and was considered as a sabjetit ithich would come tinder discussion. 2. The Indian alUes of G. Britain to he included in the pacification, ami a definite boundary to be settled for tlieir territory. The British commissionens stated, (hat an arrange-^ llient upon this point was a sine qma noti ; that ihey were not authorized to conclude a treaty of peaco which did not embrace the Indians, as allies of his Britannic Majesty ; and that the eslablishment of a definite boundary of the Indian territory ^as necessa- ry to secure a permanent peace, not only with the In i: i 1 • ■ j ! ■ ■ I! ;< ■ i i 1 t . ^ ' 1 ■ii' ' I ! r'ti T lis ^ ' 'I'll! ' 352 APPENDIX. ! I i(: ! I •!'■ r-'v AAer having' stated thfse three points as sulvjectH of discumion, the British commissioners added, that he. fore they dirtstred any answer from us, they teltit in> cumbent npoii them to declare, that the Briti»h^overn- ment did not deny the right oC the Americaits to the tisheries generally, or in the open seas ; but that the privileges, t'ornierly granted by treaty to the U> S. oftishing withni the limits of the British jurisdiction, and of landing and drying Ash on the shores of the British territories, would not be i^enenved without an equivalent. .ii ^sU h; :t The extent of what was considered by thenii'as wa> ters peculiarly British, was not stated. From the manner in which Uiey brought this subject into view, tliey seemed to wish us to understand Uiat they were nut anxious that it should be discussed, and that they only intended to give us notice that these privi- leges had ceased to exist, and would not be again granted witiiout an equivalent, nor unless we thought proper to provide expressly in the treaty of peace for their renewal. . The British ccoiissioners having stated, that tliese were all the subjects winch they intended to bring for> ward or to suggest, requested to be informed, whether we were instructed to enter into neguuiation on these several points, aad whether there was any aniougst these which we thought it unnecessary to bring into the negociation ? aud they desired us tostate«oii our part, such other subjects as we might intend to propose for discussion in the course of the negociatiou. The meeting was then ajouriied to the next day, in order toaffoixl us the opportunity of consultation among; ourselves, before we gave an answer. In the course of the evening of the same day, we received your letters of the 2dth and 27th of Jnne. There could be no hesitation, on our part, in in- forming the British comnnssioners, that we were not instructed on the subjects of Indian pacitication or boandary, and offiisheries. ^'or did it seem proba- ble, although neither of these points had been stated with suHicient precision in that first verbal oouference, s as subjectH 0/ dded, thai be- they ielt it in. Jnlish g-overn- lericaiis to the ; but that the y to the U. h jurisdiction, Khnres of the ^d without an ylhemas wa> 1. From the set into view, lat they were ed, and that it these jtrivi- not be again IS we thought of peace lor fii-- d, that tliese to bring for* iied, whether tion on these inv amongst bring into Ktate«ou our id to propose atiou. Tlie iiy, in order tion among; ne day, we of June. part, in in- I'e were not :itication or '■eiu proba- been stated oouference, APPENDIX. 353 that they could be admitted in any shape. — We did hot wisn, however, to prejudge the result, or by any hasty proceeding abruptly to break oft' the negocia- tion. It was not impossible that, on the subject ot* the Indians, the British government had received er- /oneous impressions from the Indian traders in Can- ada, which our representations might remove: and it appeared, at all events, important, to ascertain dis- tinctly the precise intentions of G. Britain on both points. We, therefore, thought it advisable to invite the British commissioners to a general conversation on all the points ; stating to them, at the i^ametime, our want of instructions on two of them, am^ holdnigout no expectation of the probability of ou: agreeing to any article respecting them. At our meeting on the ensuing day we informed the British commissioners, that upon the first and third points proposed by them we were provided with instructions, and we presented as further subjects considered by our government as suitable for dis- cussion : 1st. A definition of blockade ; and as far as might be mutually agreed, of other neutral and belligerent rights. 2d. Claims of indemnity in certain cases of capture and seizure. We then stated that the two subjects, 1st of Indian pacification, and boundary, and 2d of fisheries, were not embraced by our instructions. We observed, that as these points had not been heretofore the grounds of any controversy between he government of G. Britain and that of the (J. S. and had not been alluded to by lord Castlereagh, in hisletter proposing the negociation, it could not be expected that they should have been anticipated and made the subject of int'tructions by our government, that it was natural to be supjtosed, that our instruc- tions were confined to those subjects upon which differences between the two countries were known to exist ; and that the proposition to define, in a treaty 4i • , i 1 X 1 '1 1' '■ i 'I' i ( ! . I - 1. V ■ ' !■■? *' «) i l?l''!:'W'i 954 IIFWWDTX. m m I j'^' between ihe IT. State<» und G. Brilain^the boundary of the Indian po88es«>K>u^ within our It/'itories, wa»-Hfw and without exantple. Ko 5ow- er in relation to the same ik^ir.ption of people, ex< isting snider like ciroumHtanv cs. We would say, however, that it \,vouiu nc he doubted, that peace with the Indiaiis wouifj certainly t'cllow a peace with G Britain : that we had information that commis* ftioners had already been appointed to treat with them; that a treaty to that effect might perhaps, have been already concluded : and that the U. S. having no in* terest, nor any motive to continue a separate war agamst the Indians, there could never be a moment When our government would not be disposed to make peace with them. We then expre^Med our wish to receive from the British commissioaera a statement of the views ard objects of G. Britain upon all the points, and our wil- lingness to discuHii them all, in order that, even if no arrangement should be agreed on, upon the points not included in our instructions, the government of the LT. States might be possessed of the entire and precise intentions of that of G. Britain, respecting; these pointy and that the British government might be fully informed of the objections, on the part of the U. States, to any such arrangement In answer to our remark that these points had not been alluded to by lord Castlereagh, in his letter pro- posing the negociation, it was said, that it could not be expected, that in a letter merely intended to invite a negociation, he should enumerate the topics ofdis> cussion, or state the pretensions of his govenimenl ; since these would depend upon ulterior events, and might arise oui of a subsequent state of things. In reply to our observation, that the proposed stip< ulation of an Indian boundary was without example in the practice of European luttionsy it was asserledf ATPElSHlXs 856 that the Indians must in some sort be considered as an independent people, since treaties were made with them, both by G. Britain and by the U. States : upon which we pointed out the obvious and important dif<» ferences between the treaties we niitrjit make with Indians, living in our territory, and such a treaty as was pro{K)sed to be made, respecting them, with a foreign power, who had solemnly acknowledged the territory on which they resided to be pai't of the U. Sates. We were then asked by the British commissionei^ whether, in case they should enter further upon the discussion of the several points which had been stated, we could expect that it would terminate by some Provisional arrangement on the points on which we ad no instructions, particularly on that respecting the Indians, which arrangement would be subject to the ratification of our government ? We answered, that before the subjects were dis- tinctly understood, and the objects in view more pre- cisely disclosed, we could not decide whether it would be possible to form any satisfactory article ou die subject ; nor pledge ourselves as to the exercise of a discretion under our powers, even with respect to a provisional agreenient. We added, that as we should deeply deplore a rupture of the negociation on any point, it was our anxious desire to employ all possible means to avert an event so serious in its consequences; and thaft we had not been without ho|>es that a discus- sion might correct the eftect of any erroneous infor- mation which the British government might have re- ceived on the subject which they had proposed as a preliminary basis. We took this opportunity to remark, that no na- tion observed a |)olicy more liberal aid humane to* wards the ludians than that pursued41)y the U. States ; 4hat our object hod been, by all practicable means, to intioduoe civdizalion amongst them ; thattlieir posses- sions were secured to them by well defined bounda- ries, that their persons, lands and other property were now more effectuaily protected against violence or Jil i '•1^ ii '! I % I , V , ! i! m^'-' w. '*" ,\ Iji' . i; ! ! 3^6 APPENDIX. frauds from any quarter, than they had been under any former government ; that even our citizens were not allowed to purchase their lands ; that when they gii\e up their title to any portion of their country to the IT. States, it was bv voluntary treaty with our guveroment, who gave them a satisfactory equivalent; and that through these means the U. States had suc- ceeded in preserving, since the treaty of Greenville of 1795, an unmterrupted peace of sixteen years, with all the Indian tribes ; a period of tranquility much longer than they were known to have enjoyed here- tofore. It was then expressly stated on oar part, that the proposition resfiectmg the Indians, was not distinctly understood. We asked whether the pacification, and the settlement of a boundary for them were both made a sine qua non. Which was answered in the affirm- ative. The question watt then asked the British com- missioners, whether the proposed Indian boundary was intended '(o preclude the U. Slates from the right of purchasing by treaty from the Indians, without the consent of G. EVitain, lands la^'ing bt'-yond that boun- dary ? And as a restriction upon the Indians from sel- ling by amicable treaties lands to the U. States as had been hitherto practised ? To this question,- it ^'as first answered by one of the commissioners, that the Indians would not be re- stricted from selling their lands, but that the U. States "would be restricted from purchasing them ; and on reflection another of the commissioners stated, that it was intended that the Indian territory should be a barrier between the British dominions and those of the U. States that both G. Britain, and the U. States should be restricted from purchasing their landt^; but the Indians might sell them to a- third party. The proposition respecting Indian boundary thus explained, and connected with the right of sovereign- ty ascribed to the Indians over the country/, amounted to nothing less than a demand of the absolute cession of the rights both of sovereigntv and of soil. We cannot abstain from remarking to you, that the sub- APPENDIX. 969 ject (of Indian boundary) was indistinctly statfd yi/Uen first proposed, ami that the explanations \^ere at first obscure and alv^ ays given with reluctance. Audil was declared from the first moment, to be & sine qua non, rendering any discussion unprofitable until it was admitted as a basis. Knowing that we bad no power to cede to the Indians any pari of our territory, we thought it unnecessary to ask, what pro- bably would not have been answered till the principle was admitted, where the line on remark nlion of the In- dian country was proposed \v be established. The British commissioners, after having repeated that their instructiuns on the subjecl of the Indians were peremptory, stated that unless we cuutU give some assurance," that our powers would allow us to make at least a provisional arrangement on the sub* ject, any further discussion would be fruitless, and that they must consult their own government on this state of things. They proposed accordingly a sus- pension of the conferences, until they should have re- ceived an answer, it being understood that each party might call a meeting whenever they had any proposi- tion to submit. They despatched a special messen- ger the same evening, and we are now waiting tor the result. Before the proposed adjournment took place, it vras agreed that there stiould be a protocol of the con- ferences ; that a statement should for that purpose be drawn up by each party, and that we should meet the next day to compare the statements. We according- ly met again on Wednesday the 10th inst. and ulti- mately agreed upon what should constitute the proto- col of the conferences. A copy of this instrument, we have the honor to transmit with this despatch. They objected to the insertion of the an- swer which they had given to our question respecting the effect of ihe proposed Indian boundary ; but they agreed to an alteration of their original proposition on that subject, which renders it much more explicit than as stated, either m the first conference or in their proposed draught of the protocol. They also object- • i illJ im'l 'p it 368 An er jionilH lo whiciitlicir intttructiuns extended, which nuff\ii with imipnety he ubjeutM of diHcuNSion, either in the negticiutiun ot the peace, or in that of a treaty of conmierce, which in the case of a propitioiiN ler« mniation of the present cunferences, they wen- hke- wiKe authorised to conclude. Thul for the pur|K>He of factlitating the iinsion, called upon us to-day, at I o'clock, and invited us to a coaferuice to t>e held at three. This was agreed tn^ f 7] i ,J •ir ,•■ J'*#^'t' 360 APPENDIX. !i .3 ; ! and the British coinniimionerM opened it. by saying that they had received their further instructions this mtiin- in&f, Hiid had not lont >i inoiiient in requcHling a meet- ing lor the(Hirpo»e of communicating the decision of their government. It is proper to notice that lord Can lereMgh had arrived lust night in thiscitv, whence, it IS said, he will depart to-morrow on his way to BruNseJN and Vienna. The British commissioners stated that their gov- ernment had felt some surprise, that we were not in- structed respecting the Indians, as it could not have been expected that they would leave their allies, in their comparatively weak situation, exposed to our resentment. Great-Britain might justlv have suppos- ed that the American government would have fur- nished us with instructions authorising us to agree to a poH.tive article on the subject ; but, the least she could demand was that we should sign a provisional article admitting the principle, subject to the ratifi- cation of our government ; so that, if it should be ratified, the treaty should take efiect ; and, if not, that it should be null and void ; on our assent or refusal to admit such an article would depend the continu- ance or suspeiisiou of the negociation. As we had represented that the proposition made by them, on that subject, was not sufficiently expli- cit, their government had directed them to give us every necessary explanation, and to state distinctly the basis which must be considered as an indispensa- ble preliminary. It was a sine qua non that the Indians should be included in, the pacification, and, as incident thereto, that the boundaries of their territory should be per- manently established. Peace with the Indians was a subject so simple, as to require no comment. With respect to the boundaries which was to divide their territory from that of the United Slates, the object of the British government was, that the Indians should remain as a permanent barrier between our western settlements, and the adjacent British provinces, to jprevent them from being contermiuous to each other : '1 APPENPJX. 801 and that neither the United Slates, nov Great-Britain, ihuuld ever hereafter have the right to purchase, or acquire any part of the territory IhuH rticbguizod, as bc'loiigiiiff to the Indians. With regard to the extent of the 1 1 luiau territory, and the boundary line, the British government would propose the lines of the Creenville treaty, as a proper boitis, subject, however, to discussion and modincations. Wu stated that the Indian territory, according to these lines, would cumprehcnd a great number of American citizens ; not less, prehups, than a hundred thousand: and asked, what was the intention of the British government respecting them, and under whose government they would fall 1' It was tmswered that those settlements would be taken into consideration, when the line became a subject of discussion ; but that such of the inhabitants, as would ultimately be included within the Indian territory, must make their own arrangements and provide for themselves. The British commissioners here said that, consid- ering the importance of the question we had to de- cide, (that of agreeing to a provisional article) their government had thought it right, that we should also be fully informed of its views, with respect to the pro- posed revision of the boundary line, between the do- minions of G. Britain and the U. States. Ist. Experience had proved thut the joint posses- sion of the lakes, and a right common to both nations, to keep up a naval force on them, necessarily pro- duced collisions, and rendered peace insecure. As G. Britain could nut be supposed to expect to make conquest in that quarter, and as that province was es- sentially weaker than the U. States, and exposed to invasion, it was necessary, for its security, that G. Britain should require that the U. Statlif should here- after keep no armed naval force on the Western Lakes, from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior, both inclu^ve; that they should not erect any fortified or military post or establishment on the shores of those lakes ^ and that they should not maintain those which were . i iV'. I ^ r. * I ', 7 ■ ■ :|; K! S'^ :iii '>r..,i;i 362 APPEWDIX. i 1' I I w Ml li-t 'B'M: "i 'r i' i if M already existing. Tliis must, Ihey said, be considof-. ed as a moderate demand, since G.Britam, if she had not dis( lainied the intention of nny increase of terri- toiy, might with propriety have asived a cession of the adjacent American shores. The commercial naviga- tion and intercourse would be eit on the same foot- ing lis heretofore. It was exp.ressly stated, (in an- syvtrto a question we asked, j thai G. Britain was to retain the right of having an armtd navai foi>. on those hkkes, and of holding military posts and eslabiish- nients on their shores. 2 The boundary line west of Lake Superior, and thence Mti e Mississippi, to be revised and the treaty right of G. Britain to the navigation of the Mississip- pi, to be continued. Wi en asked, whether they did not mean the line from the lake of the Woods to the Mississippi, the British commissioners re|)cated that they meant the line from lake Su|>erior, to that river. . 3. A direct communication from Halifax and the province of Ncw-Brunswick to Quebec, to be secur- ed to G. Britiiin. In answer to unr question, in what manner this was to be etlected. we were told that it must be tione by a cession to G. Britain of that por- tion of the district of MiiUe (in the slate ot Massa- chusetts) vihich nitervenes between New-Brunswick and Quebec, ai.d prevents that direct cumniumca- tiun. Reverting to the proposed f)rovisional article, re- specting the Indian pacification and boundary, the British commissioners concluded by statii g to us, that if the conterences should be suspended by our re- fusal to agree to such an article, without having oh- taihed further instructions from our government, G. Britain, would not consider herself bound to abide by the terms winch she now oft'ereil, but wouid be at lib- eity to vary and regulate her demands according to sulkequent events, and in such manni ras the state of the war, at the time of renewing the negociation, might warrant. We asked whether the statement made, respect- ing pro^JOaed revision of tiic boundary hue between APPENDIX. 96a .'uiiuiiunica- ihe U. States and the dominions of G. Britain, em- bruced all Uic objects she meant to bring' forward for discnsskon, and what were, particularly, her views wilb respect to Moose Island* and such other islands in the bay of Passamaquaddy, ns had been in our possession till the present war, but had been lately Captured ? We were answered, that those Islands, beiongin^r of right to C Britain, (as much mo, one of the commissioners said, as Northamptonshire,) they Mirouid cerlandy be kept by her, and were not even supposed to be an obji ct of discussion. From the forcible manner in which the demand, Ihal the U. Slates should keep no naval armed force on the lakes, nor any military post on thtir shores, has been brought forward, we were induced to in- quire whether this condition was also meant as ixsine qua non P To this the British commissioners declined giving a positive answer. They said that they had been sufficiently explicit i that they had given us one sin: qua non^ and when we had disposed of that, it would be time enough to give us an answer as to anolHer. We then stated that, considering the nature and importance of the communication made this day, we wished the British commissioners to reduce their proposals to writing, before we gave them an answer; this they agreed to and promised to send us an official note without delay. We need hardly say that the demands of G. Britain will receive from us an unanimous and decided neg- ative We do not deem it necessary to detain the .Tohn Adams for the purpose of transmitting* to you the official notes which may pass on the subject and close the negociation. And wo have felt it our duty immediately to apprize you, by this hasty, but cor- rect sketch of our last conference, that i^^re. i^ not At present, any hope of peace. • V /' " ,' We have the honor to be, &c. ■•-VI JOHN a ADAMS, J. A. BAYARD, A. GALLATIN. H. CLAY, JONA. RUSSELL. ill ;l i i'' • ! ; . il "« '. M V 'I ' . M ',11? 364 APPENDIX. Noteoftlie British Commissioners. Received ajhr the above letter was written. The nndersigned, Plenipotentiaries of his Britannic Majesty, do themselves the honor of acquainting the Plenipotentiaries of the U. States, that they have communicated to their court the result of the confer- ence which they had the honor of holding with them tipon the 0th inst. in which they stated, that they were unprovided with any specific instructions, as to comprehending the In'iian nations m a treaty of peace to be made with G. Britain, and as to defining a boundary to the Indian territory. The undersigned are instructed to acquaint thd Plenipotentiaries of the U. States, that his Mnjesty's government having at the outset of the negoCtation, with a view to thd speedy restoration of peace re- duced as far as possible the number of points to tie discussed, and having professed themselves willing l.o forego on sonic important topics any stipulation to the advantage of 0. Britain, cannot but feel sum6 surprize that the government of the U. States should not have furnished their Plenipotentiaries witu '\n* structions upon those points vVhich conld hardly fail to come under discussion. Under the inability of the Anierican Plenipotentia- ries, to conclude any article upon the subject of In- dian pacification and Indian boundary, which shall bind the government of the U. States, his Majesty's government conceive that they cannot give a better proof of their sincere desire for the restoration of peace, than by professing their willingness to accept a provisioiial article upon these heads, in the event of the American Plenipotentiaries considering them* selves authorized to accede to the general principles, upon which such an article ought to be founded. With a view to enable the American Plenipotentia- ries to decide, how far the conclusion of such an arti- cle is withm the limit of thieir general discretion, the undersigned are directed to state, fully and distiii*ctly, the basis upon which alone G. Britain aiees any pros- I ; f M^,' JBTPEVSIX 305 pect of advantage in the continuance of the negocia* tions at the present time. The undersigned have already had the honor of stat« iug to the American Plenipotentiaries, that in con- sidering the points above referred to, as a sine qua non of any treaty of peace, the view of the British govern- ment is the permanent tranquiUty and security of the Indian natioiis, and the prevention of those jealousiei and irritations, to which the frequent alteration of the Indian limits has heretofore given rise. For thts purpose it is indis|;)ensably necessary, th.it the Indian nations who have been during the war m alliance with G. Britaui should, at the termination of the war, be included in the pacification. It is equally necessary, that a definite boundary iihould be assigned to the Indians, and that the con-* trading parties should guarantee the integrity of their territory, by a mutual stipulation, not to acquire by piu'chase, or otherwise, any territory within the specified limits. The British government are willing to take, as the basis of an article on this subject, those stipulations of the treaty ofGreenvdle, subject to mo- difications, which relate to a boundary line. As the undersigned are desiroin of stating every point in connection with the subjt < % which may rea- sonably influence the decision of the American Fleni- potentiaries in the exercise of their discretion, they avail themselves of this opportunity to repeat what they already stated, that G. iKitain desires the revi- sion of the frontier between her North American do- minions and those of the U. States, not with any view to an acquisition of territory, as such, but for the pur^- pose of securing her possessions, and preventing fu- ture disputes. The British government, consider the lakes from lake Ontario to lake Superior, both inclusive, to be the natural mililary frontier of the British possessions in North America. As the weaker power on the North American continent, the least capable of acting 6fiensively, and the most exposed to sudden invasions, G.Britain considers the militnry occupation of thesp iMil 3. I 'm I 1 ■ 1 it. il Al if 1' ' 7 '■ i !'l • 1 I i \ ' 5 . I r ■'• ^11 1 ) 1 :• r V . ■ 1 : i 1 \ : 1 1 W ! 1i ill ' 966 APPENDIX. Lake» as necessary to the security of ^er doiuinion;;- A l)OUiidar^ line equally divifling these waiters, wiib a right to each nation to arm, both U|>on the lakes and upon their shores, is calculated t<> create a con- test for naval asce^idancy ui (>earc as well usin war. The power which occupies these lakes should, as a necessary resuP, have the military occupation of both shores 111 furtherance of this object the Bi'itsh sfovernment is prepared to propose a boundary. But as this miq^ht be misconstrucled as an nitenlion to extend their possessions to the south ward ot the takes, which is by no means the object they have in view, they are dis- posed to leave the territorial limits undisturbed, und as incHlent to them, tlu: free commercial navi^ahon cf the lakes, provided that the American govermnent will stipulate not to maintuin or construct, any furtiu cations noon, or within \ limited distanceof the sh .»i-e.s or maiiv ,*■•■ ->» construct any armed vessel upon the lakes m uesti.>.i, or lu the rivers which empty them- selves ^ito the same. li fcl. -^ Ci.n be adjusted, tliere will then remain for diseu«<-ion the arrangement of the north western boun-r dary MCtweei lake Superior .inropo'ied, in such a manner, as the state of war, at the time ol resuming the conferences, may in thcirjndgment rerider advisable. APPENDIX. 367 The uiKlersig-ned avail themselves of ihis occasion to renew to the Plempotentiaru's of the U. Slates, tlie awiurapce of their high eonsideratioi' CAMHIER, H GOl LBURN, W. ADAMS. Ghent, August 19, 1814. The ministers plenipotentiary and extraordinarif of' the f . iStal(s to the pUnpoientiaries oj his Bri- tannic Majesty. Ghent, August 24, 1814. The undersiai-ned ministers |)leiii|)oteiiiiary and extraordinary from the Uniled Stales ol America, have g^iven lo the ofl^cial note which tijey have hud the honor of receiving lium his Britannic niajeslN's pleni|)otentiarics the deliberate attention which the importance of its roiitenls required, and have now that of transmitting to them their answer on tlie sev- eral points lo which it refers. They would present t. tl e consideration of the Bri- tish plenipotentiar.es, that U.vd Castiereagh, in his let- ter of the 4th of Novemher 1HI3, to the American secretary of stale, pledges the faith of the British gov- ernment that Hhey were willmg to center into discus- sion With the govtrnmentof America for the concili- atory adjustm«iitof the di>^»^rences subsisting between the two tales, with an earnest desire on their part lo bring them to a favorable issue, upon principles of perftct reciprocity, not inconsistent with the eslab- hshed maxims of public law, and the maritime rights of the British empire.' This tact alone might srutlice tushew, that it ought not lo have been expected that the American government, in acceding to this pro- position, should have exceeded itsteruvs andfurnisli- ed the uudersicrued with instructions auihorisinur them to treat with the British plenipotentiaries re- specting Indians situated within the boundaries of the U. Slates. That such ex|>ectation was not enter- tauied by the British government might also have been intCTied from the explicit assuriuice^ which tlie •'[ lii '■(' ;'! !:M i i I J It >f ' ''™"/C :^r.-f 11! I t I *' I 968 iPPJSNDIX. firititih pknipolentiaries gave, on the part. of their government, at the first conference which the under- signed had the honor of lidding with them, that no events, subsequent to the first proposal for this nego- ciation, had, in any manner, varied either the dispo- sition ofthe British government, that it might termi- nate in a peace honorable to both parties, or the ternts upon which they would be willing to conclude it. It is well known that the differences which unhap- ily subsist between Great-Britain and the U. States, and which ultimately led to the present war, were wholly of a maritime nature, arising principally from Ihe Bi'itish Orders in Council, in relation to blockades, and from the impressment of mariners from on board of American vessels. — The boundary of the Indian territory had never been a subject of difference be- tween the two countries. Neither the principles of reciprocity, the maximsi of public law, nor the mari- time rights of the British empire could require the permanent establishment of such a boundary. The novel pretensions now advanced could no more have been anticipated by the government of the (J. States, in forming instructions for this negociation, than they seem to have been contemplated by that of G. Britain in November last m proposing it. Lord Castlereagh's note makes the termination ofthe war to depend on a conciliatory adjustment of the differences then sub- sisting between the two states and in no other condi- tion whatever. Nor could the American government have foreseen that G. Britain in order to obtain peace for the Indiiaiis, residing within the dominions of the U. States, M'houi she iiad induced to take part with her \n the war, would demand that they should be made parties io the treaty between the two nations, or that the boun- daries of their lands should be permanently and uie- vocably fixed by that treaty. Such a proposition is contrary to the acknowleclged principles of public law, and the practice of all civilized nations, partic- ularly of Great-Britain and of the U. States. It is nut founded on reciprocity. It is unnecessary for the APPENDIX. 3dd attainment of the object which it professes to have in view. No maxim of public law has hitherto been more universally established among the powers of Europe oossessing: territories in America, and there is none to which Great-Britain has more uniformly and in* flexibly adhered, than that of su^Terin^ no interposi- tion of a foreign power in the relations between the acknowledged sovereign of the temtory, and the In- dians situated upon it. Without the admission of this principle, there would be no intelligible meaning attached to stipulations establishing boundaries be- tween the dominions in America, of civilized nations possessing territories inhabited by Indian tribes. — r Whatever may be the relations of Indians to the na- tion in whose territory they are thus acknowledged to reside, they cannot be considered as an independent power by the nation which has made such acknowl- edgment. The territory of which Great-Britain wishes now to dispose, is within the dominions of the U. States, was solemnly acknowledged by herself in the treaty of pc'^'^e of 1783, which established their boundaries, and by ivhich she relinquished all claim to the gov- ernment, propriety, and territorial rights within these boundaries. No condition respecting the Indians re- siding therein, was inserted in that treaty. No stip- ulation similar to that now proposed is to be found in any treaty made by Great-Britain, or within the knowledge of the undersigned, by any other nation. The Indian tribes for which Great-Britain propo- ses now to stipulate have, themselves, acknowedged Ihis principle. By the Greenville treaty of 1795, to which the British plenipotentiaries have here alluded, it is expressly stipulated, and the condition has been contimied by every subsequent treaty, so late as the year 1810, ' That the Indian tribes shall quietly en- joy their lands, hunting, planting, and dwelling there- on, so loiig as they please, without any molestation from the (j, States : but that m hen those tribes, or 47 n 'I I <\ i 7 4 '\ I '!( r ■ •'1 '1- : III I (li 370 Ain*ENDTX. any of tliem, shall he disposed to sell their lands, tliny shall be Mold only to the U. Statcti : that until siicli sale, the V. States will protect nil the said Indian tribes in the quiet enjoyment of their lands against all citizens of the U. ir^tates, and against all oti er white persons who intrnde on the same, and that the said [ndian tribes again acknowledge themselves to be under the protection of the said U. States, and of no other power whatever.* I'hat there is no reciprocity in the proposed stiptr- lation is evident. In prohibiting G. Britnin and ttie U. States tVom purchasing laitds within a part of the dominion of the latter power, while it processes to take from G. Britain a privilege which she bad not, it actually deprives the U. States of a right exclusively belonging to them. The pro^msitiun is utterly unnecessary for the pur- pose of obtaining' a pacitication for the Indians resid- ing within the territories of the U. Stales. The un- dersigned have already had the honor of informing the British Pteiiopotentiuries, that, under the system of liberal policv adopted by theU. States in their re- lations with the Indians within their territories, an un^ interrnpted peace boil sobsistod from the year 1775> not oidy between \\\e (J. St;vte!i and nil those tribes, but also amongst those tribes themselves for a longev period of time than ever had been known since tiie iirst settlement of North America. Against those Indians the IT. States have neither interest nor incli- nation to continue the war. They have nothing to ask oi' them but peace. Commissioners on tivir part have been appointed to conclude it, and an armisticti was actually made last autumn with most of those tribes. The British government may again have in- duced some of them to take their side in the war, but peace with theni will necessarily follow immediately a peace with G. Britain. To a provisional article similar tu what h;is been stipulated in some former livaties, engaging that each party will treat for the Indians within its territories, include them in the ^'ace, au1X. 871 eir luiitls.tliey lat until siicli le said Indian lands against ainst all otl er e, and that the themselves to States, and of jroposed stipw- ritain and ttie n a part of the processes to she had not, it Ut exclusively ry for the pur- in ill those trihes, ves for a longev nown since the Against those ?re.st nor incli- ave nothing to rs on tiv ir part d an armistice most of those again have in- in the war, but »w immediately trisional article II some former II treat for the e them in the prevent tbeto uom (umniitling liostillities against the citi/cns or subjects ot the other party, the undersigned might as- ;;ent, and reiy on the approbutiou and ratiHcatioii of then* goveranititit. Ttiey wuutd aisu for the purpose of secunng the duratioti of peace, a id to prevent col- lisions which might interrupt it, pripose a sti;>u!ation which siiould j reciuiic ilio subjects ov citize.;S of ench natioii, reii.ieclively from trading with the I liiiuns residing in ihe territory of the other. But to surretider both the rigiits of sovereignly and of soil over nearly one third of the territoiial dominions of the U. States to a number of Indians not probably exceeding twenty thousand, the uudei'signed are so far from being instructed or authorizf.d, that any ar- rangement fur that purpose would be iostantaaeously rejected by their government. JSol only has this extraordinary demand been made asiiie qua non, to be admitted without a discussion, and as a preliminary basis ; but it is accompanied by others equally inadmissible, which the British Ple- nipotentiaries state to be so connected with it, that tliey may reasonably influence the decision of the un- dersigned upon it, yet leaving them uniformed how fai' these other demands may also be insisted on as in- dispensable conditions of a peace. As little are the undersigned instructed or empow- ered to accede to the propositions of the Bi'itish govrn- ment, in relation to the military occupation of the western lakes. If they have found the proposed inter- ference of G. Britain in the concerns of Indians residr ing within die U. States utterly incompatible with any established maxim of public law, they are no less at a loss to discover by what rule of perfect reciprocity theU. Slates can be required to renounce their equal rightof maintaining a naval force upon those lakes, and of fortifying their own shores, while G. Britain reserves exclusively the corresponding rights to heiv self. That in point of military preparation, G.Bri- tain in her possessions in Norih America, ever has been in a condition to be terme^i, with propriety, the , weaker power in comparison with the t). States, the^ I ) i ■i ] n 372 APPENDIX. ♦llllli i ; i undersigned believe to be incorrect in point of faci. Inrep^ard to the forlitication of the shores, and to the forces actually ke|>t on foot upon lhi)Me frontierM, they believe the Huperiority to have always been on the side of G. Britain. If the proposal to dismantle the forls upon her shores, strike forever her military flag upon her lakes, and lay her whole frontier defenceless in the presence of her armed and fortified neighbor, had proceeded not from G Britain to the U. States, but from the U. States to G. Britain, the undersigned may safely appeal to the bosoms of his Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiaries for the feelings with whirh, not only in regard to the interests, but the hon- or ut their nation, they would have recefved such a proposal. What would G. Britain herself say, if in relation to another frontier, where she has the ac- kno\^ ledged superiority of strength, it were proposed that she should be reduced to a condition even of equality with the U. States ? The undersigned further perceive that under the alledged purpose of opening a direct communication between two of the British provinces in America, the British government require a cession of territory forming a part of one of the states of the American union, and that they propose, without purpose speci- fically alledged, to draw the boundary line westward, not from the lake of the Woods, as it now is, but from lake Superior. It must be perfectly immaterial to the U. States whether the object of the British govenment, in demanding the dismemberment of the U. States is to acquire territory, as such, or for pur- poses less liable, in the eyes of the world, to be ascri^ bed to the desire of aggrandizement. Whatever the motive may be, and with whatever consistency views of conquest may be diselumied, whde demanding for herself, or for the Indians, a cession of tei ritory more extensive than the whole Island of G. Britain, the duty marked out for the undersingned is the same. They have no authority to cede any part of the terri- tory of the U. States, and to no stipulation to that ef- fect will they subscribe. ' 'V« j 5" ' APPKNDIX. 37a The conditions propoHcd by G. Britain linve no re- lution to the subsisting difterences between the two countries: they ore inconsistent with nclcnowledg^td principles of public law : they are founded neither on recipt ocity not un any of Uie usual bases of negocia- tion, neitlier on that o t possidetis, or of status ante belluni : they would *he most vital injury on the U States, by disi ; their territory, by ar- resting their natural . 1(1 increase of poj'ula- tion, and by leaving lncir nuriliern and western fron- tier equally exposed to British invasion and lo Indian aggression : they are, above all, dishonorable to the U. States, in demanding from them to abandon ter- ritory and a portion of their citizens, to admit a for- eign interference in their domestic concerns, and to cease to exercise their natural rights on their own shores and in then' own waters. A treaty concluded on such terms would be but an armistice. It can- not be supposed that America would long submit to conditions so injurious and degrading. It is impossi- ble, in thtt natural course of events, thvit she should not, at the first favorable opportunity, recur to arms, toi: the recovery of her territory, of her rights, of her hon- or. Instead of settling existing differences, such a peace would only create new causes of war, sow the seeds of a permanent hatred, and lay the foundation of hostilities for an indefinite period. Essentially pacific from her political institutions, from the habits of her citizens, from her physical sit- uation, America reluctantly engaged in the war. She wishes for peace ; but she wishes for it upon those terms of reciprocity, honorable to both counties, which can alone render it permanent. The causes of the war between the U. States and G. Britain having disappeared by the maritime pacification of Europe, the government of the U. States does not desire lo continue it, in defence of abstract principles, which have for the present, ceased to have any practical ef- fect. The undersigned have been accordingly in- structed to agree to its termination, both parties res- toring whatever territory t4;ey may have taken, and "i ': ' 1 i ♦ 4 ■11' 4 ( '\i .%» ^^>.^c IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /> »'A^ € ' o ^/; »» »* '^ / Photographic Sciences Corporalion a>- iV*" ^^ 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WiBSTII,N.Y. MSM (716)172-4503 .^ 4^ 4^ S^ \r.i ■■i ii , -I i if ';■ 374 APPENDIX. both reserving all their rights, in relation to their re* spective seamen. To make the peace between the two nations solid and permanent, the umiersigiied were also instructed, and have been prepared to enter into the most amicable discussion ot all those points on which differences or uncertainty had existed, and -which might hereafter tend in any degree whatever to interrupt the harmony of the two countries, without, however, making the conclusion of the peace at all depend upon a successful result of the discussion. It is, therefore, with deep regret, that the under* signed have seen that other views are entertained by the British government, and that new and unexpected pretensions are raised, which, if persisted in, must op- pose an insu|)erable obstacle to a pacification. It is not necessary to refer such demands to the American fovernmeiit for its instruction. They will only be a t subject of deliberation, when it becomes necessary to decide upon the expediency of an absolute surren- der of national independence. The undersigned request the British Plenipoten> tiaries to accept the assurance of their high esteem. ' JOHN a ADAMS. J. A BAYARD, H.CLAY, JONA. RUSSELL, A. GALLATIN. The British to the American Commission's. ' Ghent, i^ept. 4, 1814. The undersigned have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of the American Plenipoten- tiaries, dated the 24th ultimo. It is with unfeigned regret that the undersigned ob- serve, both in the tone and substance of the whole note, so little proof of aiiy disposition on the part of the government of the U. states tu enter into an amica- ble discussion of the several points submitted by the undersigned in their former communication. The uiidei'signed are perfectly aware, that in bringing for- Avard those points for consideration, and stating with so much frankness, as they did, the views with which they were proposed, they departed from the usual i.i APPENDIX. 887 course of neg'oeiating< by disclosing all the objects of their governnient, while those which the American government had in view were withheld : but in so doing they were principally actuated by a desire of bringing the negociation as soon as possible to a favor- able terminHtion,and in some measure by their willing- ness to comply with the wishesexpressedby theAmer- can Plenipotentiaries themselves. It is peifertly true that the war between his Majes* ty and the U. States, was declared by the latter pow- er upon tlie pretence of maritime rights alledged to be asserted by G. Britain, and disputed by the U. States. If the war thus declared by the U. btates had been carried on by them for objects purely of a maritime mature, or if the attack which has been made on Can- ada had been for the purpose of diversion, or the way of defence against the British forces in that quarter/ any qustion as to the boundaries of Canada, might have been considered as unnecessary ', but it is noto- rious to the whole world that the conquest of Candn, and its permanent annexation to the U. States, was the de- dared object of the American government. If i^ consequence of a different course of events on the con- tinent of Europe, his Majesty's government had been unable to reinforce the British armies in Canada, and the United States had obtained a decided supe- riority in that quarter, is there any person who doubts that they would have availed themselves of their situ- ation to obtain on the side of Canada important ces- sions of territory, if not the entire abandonment of that country by Great Britain? Is the American govern- ment to be allowed to pursue, so for as its means will enable it, a system of acquisition and aggrandize- ment to the extent of annexing entire provinces to their dominions, and is his majesty to be precluded from availing himself of his means, so far as they will enable him, to retain those points which the valor of British arms may have placed in his power, because they happen to be situated within the territories allot- ted under former trciities to the government of the Unl^d States? ,. . . i) 1 * ; I ■ : 11 .^ l'^ 'Si I I V I I '< 1 u 1 1 ; i '1^ .: :;! i-'ii -■ 376 APPENDIX. Such a principle of negociation was never avowed antecedent to ihatot the revolutionary ^ovenimeutof France. If the policy of the United States had bten essen- tially pacific, as the American plenipotentiaries as- sert it oui^ht to he, from their political institutions, from the habits of their citizens, and from their phys- ical situation, it nughi not have been necessary to propose the precantionnry provisions now under dis- cussion. That, of late yeurs at least, the American government have been influenced by a very ditl'erent policy ; by a spirit of aggrandizement not necessary to their own security, l>ut increasing with the extent of their empire, has been too clearly manifested' by their progressive occupation of the Indian territories ; by the acquisition ot Louisana ; by the more recent attempt to wrest by force of arms from a nation in amity, the two Floridas: and, lastly, by the avowed intention of permanently annexing the Canadas to the United Slates. If, then, the security of the British North American dominions requires any sacrifices on the part of the U. States, they must be ascribed to the declared poli- cy of that government in making the war not one of self defence for the redress of grievences, real or pretented. b( paitufa system of conquest and ag- grandizrment. o? . . The :3ritish government in its present situation, is bour.d 'ill duty to endeavor to secure its North Amer- ican dominions against those attempts at conquest, which the American government have avowed to be a principle of their policy, and which as such will un- doubtedly be renewed, whenever any succeeding war between the two countrit'S shall aftbrd a prospect of renewing them with success. The British plenipotentiaries proposed that the military possession of the lakes, from lake Ontario to lake Superior, should be secured to Great-Briain, be- cause the command of those lakes would afford to the American government the means of commencing a War in the heart ot Canada, and because the command APPENDIX. 377 never avowed i the command of Uieni, on the part of Great-Britain, has been shewn by experience to be attended with no insecurity to the tjnited States. When the relative strength of the two powers in North America is considered, it should be recollect- ed that the British dominions in that quarter do not contain a population of five hundred thousand souls, whereas the territory of the U. States contains a pop- ulation of more than seven millions ; that the naval resources of the United States are at hand for attack, and that the naval resources of G. Britain are on the other side of the Atlantic. The military possession of those lakes is not, there- fore, necessary for the protection of the U. States. The proposal for allowing the territories on the southern banks of the lakes above mentioned to re- main in the possession of the government of the U. States, provided no fortifications should be erected on the snoies, and no armament permitted on the wa- ters, has been made, for the purpose of manifesting, that security and not acquisition of the territory is the object of the British government, and that they have 110 desire to throw obstacles in the way of any com- merce which tlie people of the IT. States may be de- sirous of carrying on upon the lakes in time of peace. The undersigned, with the anxious wish to rectify all misunderstanding, have thus more fully explained the grounds upon which they brought forward the propositions contained in their former note I'especting^ the boundaries of the British dominions in North America. They do not wish to insist upon them beyond what the circumstancesmay fairly require. They are ready, amicably to discuss the details of them with a view to V.xe adoption of any modifications which the Amer- ican plenipotentiaries, or their government, may have to suggest, if they are not incompatible with the ob- ject itself. With respect to the boundary of the district of Maine, and that of the north western frontier ofthr 1 1 (M I ■ i i'i : I ., 48 4(:: Ii i 373 APPENDIX. I i !|: U. States, the undersigned were not prepared to an< ticipute the objections contained in the note of the American plenipotentiaries, * that thev were instrnct- ed to treat for the revision of their boundary liius/ with the statement which they b;ive subsequently made, that they had no authority to cede any part, however insignificant, of the territories of the United States, although the ()roposal left it open to them to demand an equivalent for such cession either in fron- tier or otherwise. The Ainerican ph nipotcntiaries must be aware that the boundary of the tiistrict of Maine has never been correctly ascertained ; that the one asserted at pre- sent by the American government, by which the di- rect communication between Hahfax and Quebec becomes interrupted, was not in contemplation of the British plenipotentiaries who concluded the treaty of 1783, and that the greater part of the territory iu question is actually unoccupied. The undersigned are persuaded that an arrange' ment on this point might be easily made, if entered into with the spirit of conciliation, without any pre. judice to the interests of the district in question. As the necessity of fixing some boundary for the north western frontier has been mutually acknowl- edged, a proposal for a discussion on that subject can- not be considered as a demand for a lession of territO' ry, unless the U. States arc prepared to assert that there is no limit to their territories in that direclipn, and that availing themselves of the geograjthical er- ror upon which that part of the treaty of 1783 was founded, they will acknowledge no boundary what- ever, then unquestionably any proposition to fix one< be it what it may, must be considered as demanding a large cession of territory from the U. States. Is the American government prepared to assert such an unlimited right, so contrary to the evident intention of the treaty itself? Or, is his niajesly'si government to understand that the American pleni- potentiaries arc willing to acknowledge the boundm'v from the lake of the Woods to the Mississippi (thf !» i prepared to an- the note of ll»c jy were insUncl- bounclar} lines,' ve subsequently cede any pa'U •,C8 of the tTniled open to them to on either infron- nust be aware that le has never been e asserted at pve- by v'hich the di- ifax and a«ebec itemi'lation of the uded the treaty of ' of the territory ui I that an arrange- made, if entered , without any pre- ; ni question. iJouudary fortht mutually acknowl- on that subject can- a lessioti of ttTnto- pared to assert that in that direcUpn, e geographical er- Irealy of 1783 was iio boundary what- jposition to lix one, ered as demanding iie U. State*. prepared to assert •arv to the evident Or*, is his niajestyM le American pleni- fledge the boundiuvj the Mississippi m APPEKDXX. 379 arrangement made by a convention in 1803, but not ratified) as that by which their government is ready to abide ? Tiie British plenipotentiaries are instructed to ac- cept favorably such a proposition, or to discuss any other line of boundary which may be submitted for consideration. It is with equal astonishment and regret the under- signed find that the American plenipotentiaries, have not only declined signing any provisional article, bv which the Indian nations who have taken part with Great- Britani in the present contest may be included in the i>eacc, and mav have a boundary assigned to them, but have also thought proper to express surprise at any prupositiun on the subject having been'advanced. The American Plenipotentiaries state, that their government could not have expected such a discus- sion, and appear resolved, at once, to reject any pro- position on this head ; representing it as a demand contrary to the acknowledged principles of public law, tantamount to a cession of one third of the terri- torial dominions of the U. States, and required to be admitted without discussion. The proposition which is thus represented is, that the Indian nations, which hav^ been during the war in alliance with G. Britain, should at its termination be included in the pacification ; and with a view to their permanent tranquility and security, that the Brir tish government is willing t> take as a basis of an ar- ticle on the subject of a boundary for those nations, the stipulations which the American government con- tracted in 1795, subject, however, to modifications. After the declaration, publicly made to those In- dian nations by the governor Gen. of Canada, that G. Britain would not desert them, could the Ameri- can government really persuade itself that no propo- sition relating to those nations would be advanced, and did lord Castlereagh*s note of the 4th Nov. 1813, imply so great a sacrifice of honor, or exclude from dis- cussion every subject, except what immediately rela- ted to the martime questions referred to in it P ■ i ■ i 1 1 ■ 1 1 ' i * • / I ( I ! ! i :i U :ll ■i ■■■ i !• 11 U80 APPENDIX. 1^; 1 ■ 1 ' I Mi iii^^' When the undersigned assured the American Plf nipotentiarics of the anxious wish of the British government that the negociation might terminate in a peace honorable to both parties, it could not have been imagined that the American Plenipotentiaries would thence conclude, that his Majesty's govern- ment was prepared to abandon Mie Indian nations to their fate, nor could it have been forscen that the American government would have considered it as derogatory to its honor to admit a proposition by which the tranquility of these nations might be secured. The treaty of Greenville established the boundaries between the IT. States and the Indian nations. 'J^Jie American Plenipotentiaries must be aware, that the war which has since broken out, has abrogated that treaty. Is it contrary to the established principles of public law for the British government to propose, on behalf of its allies, that this treaty, shall, on the paciti- cation, be considered subject to such modifications as the ca«e may render necessary ? Or is it unrea- sonable to propose, that this stipulation should be amended, and that on that foiyidation some arrange- ment should be made which would provide for theex- istance of a neutral power between G. Britain and the IT. States, calculated to secure to both a longer con- tinuance of the blessings of peace ? So far was that specific proposition respecting the Indian boundaries from being insisted upon in the note, or in the conference which preceded it, as one to be admitted without discussion, that it would have been difficult to use terms of greater latitude, or which appeared more adapted, uot only not to pre- clude but to invite discussion. If the basis proposed could convey away one third of the territory of the U. States, the American govern- ment itself must have conveyed it away by the Greenville treaty of 1796. ' It is impossible to read that treaty without remark- ing how inconsistent the present pretensions of the American government are, with its preamble and provisions. The boundary line between the lands of '■ I nations. 'J^lie APPENDIX. 381 the U. States and those of the Indian nations, is there- in expressly defined. The {rcneral character of the treaty, is that of a treaty with independent nations ; and the very stipulation which the American Pleni- potentiaries refer to, that the Indian nations should sell their lands only to the U. States, tends to prove that, hut for that stipulation, the Indians had a general rig-ht to dispose of them. The American government has now for the first time, in effect, declared that all Indian nations with- in its line of demarkation are its subjects, living there upon sufferance, on lands which it also claims the ex- clusive right of acquiring, thereby menacing the final extinction of those nations. Against such a system the undersigned must for^ mally protest. The undersigned repeat, that the terms on which the proposition has been made for as- signing to the Indian nations some boundary, mani- fest no unwillingness to discuss any other proposition directed to the same object, or even a modification of that which is offered. G. Britain is ready to enter in- to the same engagements with respect to the Indians living within her line of demarkation, as -hat which is proposed to the U. States. It can thercio/e, only be from a complete misapprehension of the proposi- tion, that it can be represented as being not reciprocal. Neither can it, with any truth, be represented as con- trary to the acknowledged principles of public law, as derogatory to the honor, or inconsistent with the rights of the American government, nor as a demand required to be admitted without discussion. After this full exposition of the sentiments of his Majesty's government on the points above stated, it will be for the American plenipotentianes to determine whether they are ready now to continue the negocia- tions ; whether they are disposed to refer to their government for further instructions ; or, lastly, wheth- er they will talre upon themselves the responsibility of breabng off the negociation altogether. 1 ' h lit ': If !; yj r ■] asi APPENDIX. J 'J .;!. i :\'\ . i i ('■ •!. li Tbc undersigned request the American Plenipu- tentiaries to accept the assurances of their high con< sideration. GAMBIER. ' ' HENRY GOULBURN, WM. ADAMS. I / The American to the British Commissioners. Ghent, Sept. 0th, 1814. The undersigned have had the honor to receive thcnoteot'hisBi-itannic Majesty's Plenipotentiaries, dated the 4th inst. If in the tone, or substance of lh(; former note of tlie undersiened, the British cummis- tioners have perceived little proof of any disposition on the part of the American government, for a dis- cussion of some of the propositions advanced in the first note, which the undersigned had the honor of re- ceiving from them, they will ascribe it to the nature of the propositions themselves, to their apparent incom- uatibilily with the assurances in lord Castlereagb's letter to the American Secretary of state, proposing the negociaiion, and with the solemn assurances of the British Plenipotentiaries themselves, to the under- signed, at their first conferences with them. The undersigned, in reference to an observation of the British Plenipotentiaries, must be allowed to say, that the objects which the government of the U. States had in view, have not been withheld. The subjects considered as suitable for discussion were fairly brought forward, in the conference of the 9th nit. and the terms on which the U. States were willing to conclude the peace, were frankly and ex- pressly declared in the note of the undersigned, dated the 24th ultimo. It had been confidently hoped that the nature of those terms, so evidently framed in a spirit of conciliation, would have induced G. Britain to adopt tliem as the basis of a treaty ; and it is with deep regret that the undersigned, if they have rightly understood the meaning of the last note pf the British Plenipotentiaries, perceive that they still insist on the exciqsive military possession of the lakes, and on a APPENDIX. 9«8 ! permanent boundary and independent territorory for the Indians residing^ within the dominions of the U. States. Tiie Hrst demand is grounded on the supposition, that the American government has manifested, by its proceedings towards Spain, by the acquisition of Lou- isiana, by the purcliases of Indian lands, and by an avowed intention of permanently annexing the Cana- das to the LT. States, a spirit of aggrandizement and conquest, which justittes the demand of extraordinary sacritices from them, to provide for the security of tlie British possessions in America. In observations which the undersigned felt it their duty to make on the new demands of the British government, they confined their animadversions to the nature of the demands themselves : they did not seek for illustrations of the policy of G. Britain in her conduct, in Various quarters ot the globe, towards other nations, for she was not accountable to the U. States. Yet the undersigned will say, that their government has ever been ready to arrange, in tlie most amicable manner, with Spain, the questions re- specting the boundaries of Louisiana, and Florida, and that of the indemnities acknowledged by Spain du6 to American citizens^ How the peaceable acquisitiou of Louisiana, or the purchase of lands within the ac- knowledged territories of the U. States, both made by fair and voluntary treaties for satisfactory equivalents, can be ascribed to a spirit of conquest dangerous to their neighbors, the undersigned are altogether at a loss to understand. Nor has the conquest of Canada, and its permanent annexation to the U. States, been the declared object of their government. From the commencement of the war to the present time, the American government has been always willing to make peace, without ob- taining any cession of territory, and on the sole con- dition that the maritime questions might be satis- factorily arranged. Such was their disposition in the month of July, 1812, when they instructed Mr. Russell to make the proposal of an armistice; in tbe If l-j!-' ■i ■: III ill ' f f I 111 ■1 !;l !i ^iij ;ir „ j^ 'i ,;; Jii 384 APPINOIX. monlli of October of ilie same year, when Mr. Mou roe answered Admiral Warrcn'it |)ru|)0.s»lt( to tht same effect; in April, 1H13, when instruction!! were given to three of tlie undersigned then appointed to treat of peace, under the mediation of Russia ; and in JanUiiry, 1814, when the instructions under which the undersigned are now acting, were prepart^d. The proposition of the British plenipotentiaries is, that, in order to secure the frontier of Canada against attack, the U. States should leave their own without defence ; aud it seems to be forgotten, that if their superior population, and the proximity of their re- sources give them any advantage in that quarter, it is balanced by the great difference between the mil- itary establishments of the two nations. No sudden invasion of Canada by the U. States could be made, >vithout leaving on their Atlantic shores, and on the ocean, exposed to the great superiority of the British force, a mass of American property far more valuable than Canada. In her relative superior force to that of the U. States in every other quarter, Great-Britain may find a pledge much more effacacious for the safety of a single vulnerable point, than in stipulations ru- inous to the interests and degrading to the honor of America. The best security for the possessions of both countries will, however, bo found in an equal and solid peace ; in a mutual respect for the rights of each other, and in the cultivation of a friendly under- standing between them. If there be any source of jealousy in relation to Canada itself, it will be found to exist solely in the undue interference of trailers and agents, which may be easily removed by propei' restraints. The only American forts on the lakes known to have been, at the commencement of the negociation, held by British force, are Michilimackinac and Ni- agara. As the U. States were, ut the same lime, in possession of Aniherstburg aud the adjacent counlry it is not perceived that the mere occupation of those two forts could give any claim to his Britannic ma- jesty to large cessions of territory, founded upon the APPENDIX. 385 right of conquest ; and the undersigned inny be per- mitted to add, that even if the chances of war should yield to the British arms a momentary possession of other parts of the territories of the tJ. States such events would not alter their view with regard to the terms of pence to which they would give their consent. Without recurring to examples drawn from the re- volutionary governments of France, or to a more re- cent and illustrious triumph of fortitude in adversity, they have been taught by their own history that the occupation of their principal cities would produce no despondency, nor induce their submission to the dis- meinljerment of their empire, or to the abandonment of any one of the rights which constitute a part of their national independence. The general position, that it was consistent with the principle of public law, and with the practice of civilized nations, to include allies in a treaty of peace, and to provide for their security, never was called in question by the undersigned. But they have denied the right of Great-Britain, according to those princi- ples and her own practice, to interfere in any man- ner with Indian tribes residing within the territories of the U. States, as acknowledged by lierself, to con- sider such tribes as her allies, or to treat for them with the U. States. Tliey will not repeat the facts and arguments already brought forward by them in sup- port of this position, and which remain unanswered. The observations made by the British plenipotentia- ries on the treaty of Greenville, and their assertion that the U. States now, for the first time, deny the absolute independence of the Indian tribes, and claim the exclusive right of purchasing their lands, require, however, some notice. If the U. States had now asserted, that the Indians within their boundaries, who have acknowledged the U. States as their only protectors were their subjects, living only at sufierance on their lands, far from being the first in making that assertion, they would only have followed the example on the principles, uni- 49 I ■ ■ ii.|l ■' 7 I i! use APPENDIX. i ' i ■J !' i 'I [ ! ! It ; J fornily and invariably awerted in substance, and tVe> quently avowed in express terms by the British gov- erninent itself. What was the meaning of all the colonial charters granted by the British monarchy, from that of Virginia, by Elizabeth, to that of Georgia, by the immediate predecessor of the present king, if the Indians were the sovereigns and proprietors of the lands bestowed by those charters ? What was the meaning of that article in the treaty of Utrecht, by which the five nations were described, in terms, as subject io the dominion of Great Britain ? or that of the treaty with the Cherokees, by which it was de- clai>ed that the king ok Great Britain granted them the privilege to live where they pleased, if those sub- jects were independent sovereigns, and if these ten- ants, at the licence of the British king, were the right- ful lords of the lands where he granted them permis- sion to live ? What was the meaning of that procla- mation of his present Britannic majesty issued in 1763, declaring all purchases of lands from the In- dians null and void, unless made by treaties held un- der the sanction of his majesty's government, if the Indians had the right to sell their lands to whom they pleased? What was the meaning of boundary lines of American territories, in all the treaties of G. Bri- tain with other European pcwers having American possessions, particularly in the treaty of 1763, by which slie acquired from France the sovereignty and possession of the Canadas ; in her treaty of peace with the U. States in 1783 ; nay, what is the meaning ol the north western boundary line now proposed by the British commissioners themselves, if it is the rightful possession and sovereignty of independent Indians, of which these boundaries dispose i* Is it indeed, ne- cessary to ask, whether Great Britain ever has per- mitted, or would permit, any foreign nation, or with- out her consent, any of her subjects, to acquire lauds from the Indians, in the territories of the Hudson bay company, or in Canada? In formally protesting agamst this system, it is not against a novel preten- sion of the Am. Britain, they alone must be responsible for the consequences of her own act in having induced them to withdraw themselves from the protection of the U. States. The employment of Ravages, whose known rule of warfare is the indiscriminate torture and butchery of women, children, and pri8oners> is itself a departure from the principles of humanity observed between all civilized and christian nations, even in war. The U. States have constantly protested, and still protest against it as an unjustihable aggravation of the calamities and horrors of war. — Of the peculiar atrocities of Indian warfare, the allies of G. Britain in whose behalf she now demands sacrifices of the U. States, have during the present war, shewn many de- plorable examples. Among- them, the massacre in cold blood, of wounded prisoners, and the refusal of the rights of burial to the dead, under the eyes of British officers who could only plead their inability to controul these savage auxiliaries, have been re- I • .1 ' 1 l\ 'I' I i-i i . h^w-k }■ ■ I k !'■ "IN i" I ; I a9u APPENDIX* peated, and are notorious to the world. Tlie United States might at all times have employed the same kind of force against G. Britain, to a greater extent than it was in her power to employ it against them ; but from their reluctance to resort to means so abhor- rent to the natural feelings of humanity* they abstain- ed from the use of them until compelled to the alter- native of employing themselves Indians, who «Uher- wise would have been drawn into the ranks of their enemies. The undersigned suggesting to tlie British plenipotentiaries the propriety of an article by which G- Britain and the U. States should reciprocally stipulate never hereafter, if Uiey should be again at -war, to employ savages in it, believe that it would be infinitely more honorable to the humanity and chris- tian temper of both parties, more advanbigeous to the Indians tliemselves, and better adapted to secure their permanent peace, tranquility, and progressive civil- ization, than tlie boundary proposed by the British plenipotentiaries. , , ^ ^l^ mni in ■■ > ",m With regard to the cession of a part of the district of Maine, as to which the British plenipotentiaries are unable to reconcile the objections made by the undersigned with their previous declaration, they have the honor to observe, that at tlie conference of the 8th ult. the British plenipotentiaries stated as one of the subjects suitable for discussion, a revision of the boundary line between the Bi'itish and American ter- ritories, with a view to prevent uncertainty and dis- pute: and that it was on the point thus stated, that the undersigned declared that they were provided with instructions from their government; a declara- tion which did not imply that they were instructed to make any cession of territory in any quarter, or agree to a revision of the line, or to any exchange of territory, where no uncertainty or dispute existed. The undersigned perceive no uncertainty or mat- ter of doubt in the treaty of 1783, with respect to that part of the boundarv of the district of Maine which would be affected by the proposal of G. Britain on that subject. They never have understood that the l^Hi . The United [>yed the same greater extent against them ; leans so abhor- y, they abstain- ed to the alter- 1)8, who other- ranks of their gtotlie British tide by which lid reciprocally aid be again at hat it would be nity and chris- iitsigeous to the 1 to secure their rogressive civil- by the British |t of the district plenipotentiaries IS made by the eclaration, they e conference of « stated as one a revision of the American ter- ;ainty and dis- |u8 stated, that were provided lilt; adeclara- ere instructed [iiy quarter, or ly exchange of ite existed, rtainty or mat- respect to that Maine which G. Britain on fstood that the APPENDIX. 391 i^ii British plenipotentiaries who signed that treaty, had contemplated a boundary different from that fixed by the treaty; and which requires nothing more, in or- der to be definitely ascertained, than to be surveyed in conformity with its provisions. This subject not having been a matter of uncertainty or dispute, the undersigned are not instructed upon it ; and they can have no authority to cede any part of the state of Mas- sachusetts, even for what the British government might consider a fair equivalent. In regard to the boundary of the northwestern frontier, so soon as the proposition of Indian bound* ary is disposed of, the undersigned have no objec- tion, with the exi^anation given by the British Ple- nipotentiaries in their last note, to discuss the subject. The undersigned, in their former note, stated with frankness, and will now repeat, that the two propo- sitions, Ist, of assigning in the proposed treaty of peace a definite boundary to the Indians living with- in the limits of the United States, beyond which boundary they should stipulate not to acquire, by pur- chase or otherwise, any territory ; 2dly, of securing the exclusive military possession of the lakes to Great- Britain, are both inadmissible ; and that they cannot subscribe to, and would deem it useless to refer to their government, any arrangement, even provisional, con- taining either of these propositions. With this un- derstanding, tlie undersigned are now ready to con- tinue the negociation ; and as they have already ex- pressed, to discuss all the points of difference, oi- which might hereafter tend in any degree lo inteiTupt the harmony of the two countries. The undersigned request the British plenipoten- tiaries to accept the assurance of their high conside- ration. J. a. ADAMS. ,/ k I JONA. RUSSEIJ., J. A. BAYARD. * s ^ | A. GALLATIN. II, CLAY, I' 1-. .'R* ; ;. »-uf -t/';*! '*','i»^s4 a.'.'-i-t' "ii- fl i il i) li \ ,1 V I t '■I' ''li. 1 ^ t ; j I' , '^i ' 1 ^1^^ ■ i i i 392 APPENDIX. ■'■■'■ The British to the American Commissioneri, Ghent, Sept. 19th* 1814. The nndersigned have the honor to acknowledfif* the receipt of the note addressed to them by the American plenipotentiaries, on the 9th inst. On the greater part of that note, the undersigned have no intention to make comments, having pro- posed to themselves throughout the negociation to avoid all unnecessary discussions, more especially when tending to create irritation. On the question of the northwestern frontiers, tliey are happy to find that no material difficulty is likely to arise. With respect to the boundary of the District of Maine, the undersigned observe with regret, that although the American plenipotentiaries nave ac- knowledged themselves to be instructed to discuss a revision of the boundary line, with a view to prevent uncertainty and dispute, yet, by assuming an exclu- sive right at once to decide what is or is not a subject of uncertainty and dispute, they have rendered their power) nugatory or inadmissibly partial in their ope- ration. - ■ :/ i- After the declaration made by the American ple- nipotentiaries, that the U. States will admit of no line of boundary between their territory and that of the Indian nations, because the natural growth and popu- lation of the U. States would be thereby arrested, it becomes unnecessary further to insist on the proof of a spirit of aggrandii^cment afforded by the purchase of Louisiana from France, against the known con- ditions on which it had been ceded by Spain to thai country, or the hostile seizure of a great part of the Floridas, under a pretence of a dispute respecting the boundary. The reason given by tlie American plenipotentia- ries for this declaration, equally applies to the assign- ment of a boundary to the U. states on any side, with whatever view proposed ; and the unlimited nature of the pretension would alone have justified G. Bri- tain in seeking more effectual securities against itfi vv r APPENDIX. 803 imisaionerit i. 19lh^ 1814. to acknowledsfft o them by the h inst. ;he undersigned ts, having pro> ! negociation to more especially 'n frontiers, tliey ifficulty is likely the District of ith regret, that tiaries nave ac- ;ted to discuss a view to prevent iming an exclu- tr is not a subject e rendered their ial in their ope- American ple> admit of no line and that of the rowth and popu- reby arrested, it on the proof of by the purchase tlie known con- >y Spain to that real part of the te respecting the ,n plenipotentia- es to the assign- on any side, with inlimited nature ustified G. Bri- 'ities against it(i application to Canadr., thnn any wiilvh the under- signed have had the honor to propose. Had the American plenipotentiaries been instruct- ed on the subject of Canada, they would not have asserted that its permanent annexation had not been (he declared object of their government. It has been distinctly avowed to be such at different times, par- ticularly by two American generals on their respect- ive invasions of Canada, if the declaration first made had been disapproved, it would not have been repealed. The declarations here referred to are to be found in the proclamation of general Hull, in Ju- ly, 1812, and of general Smyth, in November, 1812, copies of which are hereunto annexed. It must be also from the want of instructions that the American plenipotentiaries have been led to as- sert that G. Britain has induced the Indians to with- draw from the protection of the U. States. The government of the U. Slates cannot have forgotten that Great-Britain, so far from inducing the Indiuns to withdi'aw themselves from the protection of the U. States, gave the earliest infornialiou of the inten- tion of those nations to invade the U. States, and ex- erted her!»elf, though without success, to prevent and appease their hostility. The In inpled in Iheir ted wqrld has irope, G. Bi'i- AVTEVDIK. 9QA tain lias made considerable sacrifices. To complete the work of general pacification, it is her earnest wish to establish a peace with the U. States, and in her en- deavors to accomplish this object, to manifest the same principles of moderation and forbearance ; but it IS utterly inconsistent with her pi'actice and her principles ever to abandon in her negociations for peace, those who have co-operated with her in war. The undersigned, 'Iherefore, repeat, thatihe British government is willing to sign a tiieaty of peace with Uie U. States on terms honorable to bot}i parties. U has not offered any terms which the U. States caw justly represent as derogatory to their honor, nor can it be induced to accede to any which ai'e injurious to its own. It is on this ground that the undersigned iwe authorized distinctly to declare, that they are instruct- ed not to sign a treaty of peace with the plenipoten- tiaries of the U. States, unless the Indian natioris are included in it, and restored to all the rights, privile- ges, and territories, which they enjoyed in tue year 1811, previous to the commencement of the war, by virtue of the treaty of Greenville, and the treaties subsequently concluded between them and the United States. From this point the firUiih plenipotentiaries cannot depart. They are further instructed to offer for discussion an article by which the contracting parties shall re- ciprocally bind themselves, according to boundaries to be agreed upon, not to purchase the lands occu- pied by the Indians within their respective lines of demarcation. By making this engagement subject to revision at the expiration of a given period, it is hooted that the objection to the establishment of a boundary beyond which the settlement of the United States should be forever excluded, may be effectual- ly obviated. The undersigned have never stated that the exclu- sive military possessions on the lakes, however con- ducive they are satisfied it would be to a good under- standing between the two countries, without endan- gering the security of the U. States, was to be coii<« iil lit ■ \ LJmJ I I'' ^. t1ii„ 1 1 i j i ; i i ! . ; i hi ' it 1 i .< 1 -■ r ' : ': m y \ji d96 APPKNDIX. sideredaH aKinu qua non in the negociation. Wiien- ever the qutislion relative to the paciticatioii of the Indian nations (which, subject to the explanatio ns already given, is a sine qua non,) shall be adjusted, the undersigned will be authorized to make a tinal proposition on the subject of Canadian boundarii^s, so entirely founded on principles of moderation and justice, that they feel confident it cannot be rejected. This proposition will be distinctly stated by the un- dersigned, upon receiving an assurance from the American plenipotentiaries that they consider them- selves authorized to conclude a provisional article on the subject, and upon their previously consenting to include the Indian nations in the treaty, in tlii* man- ner above described. The undersigned avail themselves of this oppor- tunity ofrenewingtothe American plenipotentiaries, the assurance of their high consideration. GAMBIER, • ' , HENRY GOULBURN, WILLIAM ADAMS. The American to the British Commissioners* Ghent, Sept. 26, 1814. In replying to the note which the undersigned Iiave bad the honor of receiving from his Britannic majesty's plenipotentiaries, dated on the. 19th inst. they are happy to concur with thera in the sentiment of avoiding unnecessary discussions, especially such as may have a tendency to create irritation. They had hoped that, in the same spirit, the British pleni- potentiaries would not have thought allusions again necessary to transactions foreign to this negociation, relating to the United States, and other independent nations, and not suitable for discussion between the United States and Great-Britain. The observation made with respect to Louisiana is the more extraor- dinary, as the cession of that province to the United States was, at the time, communicated to the British government, who expressed their entire satisfaction with it, and has subsequently received the solemn n ) 1 APPENDIX. 397 ilion. Wlien- cation of the explanations be adjusted, make a tinal I boundaries, >dei-utiou and t be rejected. id by the un- uce from the Dusider thcui- inal article on consenting to , in tlir man- sf this oppor- nipotentiaries, n. . . JLBURN, DAMS. itanction of Spain hetKelf. The undersigned will further say, that whenever the iraiisacliuns of the V. States, in relation to the boundaries of Louisiana and Florida, shall be a proper subject of discussion, tliey will be found not only susceptible of complete justi- tioation, but will demonstrate the moderation and forbearance of the American government, and their imdeviatingrespect for the rights of their neighbors. The usidersigned are far from assuming the ex- clusive right to decide, what is, or is not, a subject of uncertainty and dispute, with regard to the bound- ary of the District of Maine. But until the British plenipotentiaries shall have shown in what respect the part of that boundary which would be affected by th6ir proposal, is such a subject, the undersigned mav be permitted to asset t that it is not. The treaty of 1783 described the boundary as* a line to be drawn along tUe middle of the river St. Croix, from its moulh in the bay of Fundy, to its source, and from its source directly north to the high- lands which divide the rivers that tall into the Atlan- tic ocean from those which fall into the siver St. Lawrence, and thence along the said highlands to the north westernmost head of Connecticut river.' Donbts having arisen as to the St. Croix designa- ted in the treaty of 1783, a provision was made by that of 1794 for ascertaining it : and it may be fairly inferred, from the limitation of the article to that sole object, that even in the judgment of G. Britain, no other subject of controversy existed in relation to the extension of the boundary line from the source of that river. That river and its source having been ac- cordingly ascertained, the undersigned are prepared to propose the appointment of commissioners by tho two governments, to extend the line to the highlands, conformably to the treaty of 1783. The proposal, however, of the British Plenipotentiaries was not to as- certain, but to vary those lines in such manner as to secure a direct communication between Q,uebec and Halifax ; an alteration which could not be effected 'Vithout a cesi^ion by the the U. States to G. Britain U hi 'I ■; .: Ml 098 APPENDIX. 'I'i of nil that portion of the rttute of INIaMacliusetts inter- vening between the province of New Bruniiwiuk and Quebec, although unquestionably included within the boundary lines nxed by that treaty. Whether it was conlein|ilated on the part of G. Britain to obtain the ceMiion, with or without an equivalent in frontier or otherwise, the undersigned, in stating that they were not instructed or authorised to treat on the subject ol' cession, have not declined to discuss any matter of uncertainty or dispute which the British Plenipoten- tiaries may point out to exist, respecting the bounda- ries in that or in any other quarter, and are, therefore, not liable to the imputation uf having rendered their powers on the subject nugatory or inaduiissibly par- tial in their operation. The UntiKh plenipotentiaries consider the under- signed as having declared, * that the IT. States will admit of no line of boundary between their territory and that of the Indian nations because the natural growth and population of the U. States would be thereby arrested.' The undersigned, on the contra- ry, expressly stated in their last note ' that the lands inhabited by the Indians were secured to them by boundaries, defined in amicable treaties between them and the (J- States :* but they did rei'use to assign, in a treaty of peace with G. Britain, a detinitive and {permanent boundary to the Indians, living within the imits of the U. States. On this subject, the under- signed have no hesitation in avowing, that the U. States, while intending never to acquire lands from the Indians otherwise than peaceably, and with their free consent, are fully determined in that manner, progressively, and in proportion as their growing po- pulation may require, to reclaim from the state of na- ture and to bring into cultivation every portion of the territory contained withii) their acknowledged boun- daries. In thus providing for the support of millions of civilized beings, they will not violateany dictate ut I justice or humanity, for they will not only give to the few thousand savages, scattered over that territory, an ample equivatent for any right they may surren m 1 1 lacliUJielts inter- Brunswick uiid luded within the Whether it was n to obtain the it in frontier or g that they were n the subject oi s Hny matter of itish Plenipnten- n|^ the bounda- idare, therefore, ig rendered their inaduiissibly par- sider the under- eU. States will ;n their territory ause the natural Slates would be d, on the contra- i * that the lands red to them by lies between them et'use to assign, in a dettnitive and living within the ect, the under- ng, that the V. ;quire lands from y, and with their in that manner, heir growing po- rn the state of na- ery portion of the nowledged bouii- opportot millions ilate any dictate ot )l only give to the rer that territory, hey may surren APPENDIX. dd» drr, but will always leave thcin the possession of lands more than they can cultivate, and more than adequate to their subsistence, comtovt and enjoyment by cultivation. If this be a spirit of aggrandizement, the uiideraign- cd are prepared to admit, in that sense, its existence ; but Ihey must deny that it affords the shghtest proof of an intention not to respect the boundaries between them and European nations, or of n desire to en- croach upon the territories of G. Britain. If, in the progi-ess of their increasing population, the American people must grow in slrenglh projiortioned to their numbers, the undersigned will hojie that G. Britain^ far from repining at the prospect, will contemplate it with satisfaction. They will not snpposethat thatgov- ernment will avow, as the basis of their policy towards the U. States, the system of arresting their natural growth within their own territories, for the sake of preserving a perpetual desert for savages. IfG. Bri- tain has made sacrifices to give repose to the civilized world in £urope, no sacrifice is required from her by the U. States to complete the work of general pacifi- cation. 'J^his negociation at least evinces, on their part, no disposition to claim any other right, than thut of preserving their independence entire, and of gov- erning their own territories without foreign interfer- ence. Of the two proclamations, purported copies of which the British plenipoleiitiaries have thought proper to enclose with their last note, the undersigned might content themselves with reniurking, that neith- er of them is the act uf the American government. They are enabled however to add, w;ih perfect con- lidence, thai neither of them was authorised or ap- prov«Hi by that government. The undersigned arc not disposed to consider as the act of the British gov- rntnent, the proclamation of Admiral Guchruiie, herewith oiuii scd. exciting a portion of the popnla- lionof the U. States under the promise of military employment, or ol f- Hsettlcnienl in the NVesl-In ect, all of which secure peace and one ot the propo- British plenipoten- heir assurances l<' peace, so tar as il k^ould immediately d added, thai lh» aled ui the sanu re the commence- 1 . plenipotentiaries iidian nations sluiH be included in the treaty of peace between Great- Britain and the (J. States, and be restored to all the rights, privileges, and territories which they enjoyed in the year 1811, previous to their commencement of the war, by :virlne of the treaty of Greenville, and the treaties subsequently concluded between them and the U. States. Setting aside the subject of boundary, which is presented as for discussion only, there is no apparent difference with respect to the object in view ; the pacification and tranquility of the In.lians, and placing them in the same situation in which they stood before the war, all which will be equally obtained in the manner proposed by the un- dersigned, and tlie only point of real difference is, the British plenipotentiaries insist that it should be done by including the Indians, as allies of G. Bri- tain, in the treaty of peace between her and the U. States. The U. States cannot consent that Indians residing within their boundaries, as acknowledged by Great- Britain, shall be included in the treaty of peace, in any manner which will recognize them as independ- ent nations, whom G. Britain, having obtained this recognition, would hereafter, have the right to con- sider in every respect, as such. Tims to recognize these Indians as independent and sovereign nations, would take from the U. States, and transfer to those Indians, all the rights of soil and sovereignty over the territory which they inhabit; and this being ac- complished through the agency of G. Britain, would place them etiectually and exclusively under her pro- tection, instead of being, as heretofore, under that of the U. States. It is not perceived in what res- pect such a provision would differ from an absolute cession by the U. States of the extensive territory in question. jsb.' -' « />•' The British plenipotentiaries have repeated the assertion, that the treaty by which the Indians placed themselves under the protection of the U. States, was abrogated by tiie war; and thence infer, that thev 51 I ^ r I i ii \ m w > ffi 402 APPENDIX. are no longer tu be considered ns under the protec- tion of the U. States, whatever may be llie import of the term ; and that the right of G. Britain to in- terfere in their behalf in the negociation of peace, can only be denied on the ground that they are re- garded as subjects. In point of fact, several of the tribes, parties to the treaty of Greenville, have con- stantly been, and still are, at peace with the United States. Whether thai treaty be, or be not abrogated, is a question not necessary to be t)ow discussed. The right of the U. States to the protection of the Indians within their boandaries, was not acquired by that treaty ; it was a necessary consequence of the sove- reignty and independence of the U. Stales. Previ- ous to that time the Indians living within the same territory, were under the protection of his Britannic majesty, as its sovereign. The undersigned may refer the British plenipotentiaries to all the acts of their own government, relative to the subject, for proof, that it has always considered this right of protection as one of the rights of sovereignty, which it needed no Indian treaty to confer, and which the abrogation of no Indian treaty could divest. They will particu- larly bring to their recollection, that when a sipnilar proposition of considering Indian tribes as independ- ent nations, to serve as a barrier between the French and English territories, was made by France to England, it was immediately rejected, by a minister to whom the British nation is accustomed to look back with veneration, and rejected on the express ground, that the king would not renounce his right to pro- tcclion over the Indians within his domirions. But whatever the relation of the Indians to the U. States may be, and whether under their protection or not, G. Britain having by the treaty of 1783, recognized the sovereignty of the U. Slates, and agreed to certain limits as their boundaries, has no right to consider any pei-sons or communities, whether Indians or others, residing within those boundaries, ns nation> independent of the U. Slates. 'n APPENDIX. 403 der the protec- ' be Uie import . Britain to in- ation of peace, lat they are re- , several of the nlle, have con- kith the [Tnited ! not abrogated, discussed. The a of the Indians :qnired by that ce of the sove- States. Previ- irithin the snme }f his Britannic dersigned may the acts of their jecl, for proof", ht of protection fvhich it needed the abrogation ey will particu- when a similar »es as independ- een the French by France to by a minister ed to look back express ground, s right to pro- amirions. But o the U. States itection or not, 83, recognized crreed to certain ht to consider ler Indians or ries, as nation* The 13. States claim, of right, with rrspcct to alt £uropenn nations, and particularly with res[)ect to G. Britain, the entire sovereignty over the whole territory, and all the persons embraced within the boundaries of their dominions. G. Britain has no right to take cognizance of the relations subsisting' between the several communities or persons living therein. They form as to her, only parts of the do- minions of the U. States, and it is altogether inunate- rial, whether, or how far, under their political insti- tutions and policy, these communities ur persons are independent states, allies, or subjects. With respect to her and all other foreign nations, they are parts of a whole, of which the U. States are the sole and ab- solute sovereigns. The allegation of th6 British plenipotentiaries, that it is inconsistent ^i'ith the practice or principles of G. Britain to abandon in her negociations for peace, those who have eo-operated with her in war, is not appli- cable to the Indians, but on the erroneous assumption of their independence, which, so far as she is concern- ed, has been fully disproved. And although no pow- 6r from these tribes to the British government to treat in their behalf, would, for the same reason be admit- ted by the undersigned, they n^ay nevertheless ob- serve, that the British plenipotentiaries having produc- ed no such powers, having no authority to bind the Indians, to engage for their assent to the pacification, or to secure the continuance of peace on their part whilst speaking of them as allies, do really propose to treat tor them not as if they were independent nations, but as if they were the subjects of G. Britain. The undersigned so far from asking that, in rela- tion to the Indians, G. Britain should pursue a course inconsistent with her former practice and principles, only desire that she would follow her own example re- specting them, in her former treaties with other Europe- an nations, and with the U. States. No provision for the Indians isfotind in the treaty of 17()-3, by which France ceded Canada to G Britain, although almost ulUhe Indians living within the territory ceded, or ii ' ;; i. i: 1: i ( * i i I i \ 1 : t. S' ■?li t I 404 APPENDIX. N ;i n ^ 1 f acknowledged to belong to G. Britain, hud taken part with France in the war. ^o such provision was inserbedin the treaty ot'peaceof 1783, between i •■ . Bri-> tain and the U. Slates, although almost all the Indian tribes living witlnn the territory recognized by the treaty to belong to the U. States, had dnring the war, co-operated willi G. Britain, and might have been considered as her allies more justly than on the pre- sent occasion. So far as concerns the relations be- tween G. Britain and the U. States, these Indians can be treated for only on the principles by which amnes- ties are stipulated in favor of disafi'ected persons, who, in times of war and invasion, co-operate with the en- emy of the nation to which they belong. To go as far as possible in securing the benefit of the peace to the Indians, now the only object professed by the British government in their present sine gua nvn, the undersigned offer a stipulation in general terms, that no person or persons, whether subjects, citizens, or Indians, residing within thy' ■li ' •'^i'liil!^ i^i i ' I 1 .! I M ^ 1 ; ^ = . \ .''■ ^JA| ; 1 406 APPENDIX. instrument by which the consent of his Catholic ma* jesty is alledged to have been given to the cession of Hi has never been made pubhc. His Cathohc ma- jesty was no party to the treaty by which the ces- sion was made, and if any sanction has been subse- quently obtained from him, it must have been, like other cdtemparaneous acts of that monarch, involun- tary, and as such cannot alter the character ot thn transaction. The Marquis of Yrujo, the minister of his Catholic majesty at Washington, in a letter ad- dressed to the President of the U. States, furmally protested against the cession, and the right ot France to make it. Yet, in the face of this protestation, so strAiigly evincing the decided opinion of Spain as to the illegality of the proceeding, the President of the U. States ratitied the treaty. Can it be contend- ed that the annexation of Louisiana, under such cir- cumstances, did not mark a spirit of territorial ag- grandizement? ' : . His Britannic majesty did certainly express satis- faction when the American government communi- cated the event, that Louisiana, a valuable colony in the possession of France, with whom the war had just been renewed, instead o." remaining in the hands of his enemy, had been ceded to the U. States, at that time professing the most friendly disposition to- wards G. Britain, and an intention of providing for her interest in the acquisition. But the conditions under which France had acquired Louisiana from Spain^ were not communicated ; the refusal of Spain to consent to its alienation was not known ; the pro- test of her ambassador had not been made, and many other circumstances attending the transaction, on which it is now unnecessary to dilate, were, as there is good reason to believe, industriously concealed. The proof of a spirit of aggrandizement, which the undersigned had deduced from the hostile seiz- ure of a great part of the Floridas, under ti)e most frivolous pretences, remains unrefuted ; and the un- dersigned are convinced that the occasion and cir- cumstances under which '^at unwarrantable act of 1; t APPENDIX. 407 9 Catholic ma- ) the cession of Cathohc ma- hich the ces- lias been suhse- Ave been, like tiai-ch, involun- iiaracter ot the , the minister of I, in a letter ad- Slates, fornially right oi France protestation, so lion of Spain as the President of in it be contend- under such cir- >f territorial ag- \\y express satis- iment communi- iluable colony in m the war had ling in the hands le U. blates, at J disposition to- if providing for the conditions Louisiana from refusal of Spain tnown ; the pro- made, and many transaction, on e, were, as there isly concealed, dizement, which the hostile seiz- under tiie mosi ited ; and the un- occasion and cir- arranlable act of ai^gression took place, have given riae thraughoui £uro|)e to but one sentiment as to the character of the transaction. After the previous communication which the under* signed have had the honor of receiving from the American plenipotentiaries, they could not but feel nnicii surprized at the information contained in their last note of their having received instructions dated subsequently to January, 1814. The undersigned have no recollection whatever of the American ple- nipotentiaries having communicated to them, either collectively, or individually at a conference or other- wise, the receipt of instructions from the govern- ment of the U. Slates dated at the close of the month of .fune, and ihey must remind the American pleni- ])otentiaries that their note of the 9th ull. distinctly stated that the instructions of January, 1814, were those under which they were acting. If therefore, the American plenipotentiaries received instructions drawn up at the close of the month of June, with a liberal consideration of the late events in Europe, the undersigned have a right to complain, that while the American government justly considered! <,hose events as having a necessary bearing on the existing dijffer- ences between the two countries, the American ple- nipotentiaries should nevertheless have preferred act- ing under instructions, which, from their date, must have been without the contemplation of such events. The British government never required that all that portion of the state of Massachusetts intervening be- tween the province of New Brunswick and duebec, should be ceded to G. Britain, but only that small portion of unsettled country which interrupts the com- munication between Halifax and Q,uebec, there be- ing much doubt whether it does not already belong to G. Britain. The undersigned are at a loss to understand how vice Admiral Cochrane's proclamation illustrates any topic connected with the present negociation, or bears upon the conclusion which they contended was to be PENDIX. dent in their relations with the U. Stules, }ct the eir* cumstaiice of living within the boundary of the U. States disables them from forming such conditions of alliance with a foreign power, as shall entitle that power to negotiate ^r tnem in a treaty of peace. The principle upon which this proposition is found- ed, was advanced, but successfully resisted so far hack as the treaty of Munster. An attempt was tlieu made to preclude France from ncgociating in behalf of certain states and cities i.« Germany, who had lO* operated with her in the \v;\t', because although those states and cities might be considered as indopendent for certain purposes, yet being within the boundary of th^ German empire, they ouglit not to be allowed to become parties in the general pacification with the emperor of Germany, nor ought France to be per-, roitted in that negociation to mix their rights and in- terests with her own. The American plenipotentiaries, probably aware that the notion of such a qualiHid independence, for certain purposes, and not for others, could not be maintained, either by argument or precedent, have been compelled to advance the novel and alarnnng pretension, that all the Indian nations living within the boundary of the United States, must in effect, be considered as their subjects, and, consequently, if engaged in war against the U. States, become liable to be treated as rebels, or disaffected persons. They have further stated, that all the territory which these Indian nations occupy, is ut the disposal of the United States, that the U. States have a right to dispossess them of it : to exercise that right, whenever their policy or interest may seem to them to require it : and to confine them to such spots as may be selected, not by Indian nations, but by the American govern- ment. Pretensions such as these G. Britain can nev- er recognize : however reluctant his royal highness, the Prince Regent may be to continue the war, that evil must be prefered, if peace can only be obtained on such conditions. APPENDIX. 411 ;«, jel the cif- lary of iheU. i conditiunH of tl entitle that of peace, sition is foiind- resiHted so far tempt was tlieu itiiiK in behalf , who had to- although those IS indopendent ihe boundary of be allowed to ation with the iince to be per-. ■ rights and in- robably aware ependence, for s, could not be irecedent, have and alarming s living within ist in effect, be ansequently, if become liable persons. They ry which these 1 of the United it to dispossess whenever their require it: and y be selected, erican govern- ritain can nev- oyal highness, the Wiir, that ly be oUaiued ' To support those pretensions, and at the same time to show, that the present conduct of Great-Britain iit inconsistent with her former practice and principles, the American plenipotentiaries have referred to the treaty of peace of 1783, to 'oat of 17(33, and to the nc- gociations of 1701, during the administration of a minister, whom the American plenipotentiaries have staled, and truly stated, to be high in the estimation of his country. The omissions to provide in the treaty of 1783, for the pacification of the Indian nations, which were to be included within the pro))08ed boundary of the U. States, cannot preclude G. Britain from now ne- gociating in behalf of such tribes or nations, unless it be assumed, that the occasional non-exercise of a right is an abandonment of it. Nor can the right of protection, which the American plenipotentiaries have failed in showing to have l[>eenever claimed by Great Britain as incident to sovereignly, have been transfer- fed by G. Britain to the U. States, by a treaty, to which the Indian nations were not parties. In the peace of 1 7(J3, it was not necessary for G. Britain to treat for the pacification of the Indian na- tions, and tlie maintenance of their rights and privi- leges, because there had been no Indian nations living without the Britfsh boundaries, who had co-operated with G. Britain, in the war against France. '< ' With respect to the negociations of 1761, between G. Britain and France, on which the American pleni- potentiaries more particularly rely, they appear, in the judgment of the undersigned, to have much misun- derstood the whole course of that negociation. It is very true that the French government brought forward, at one period of the negociation, a proposi- tion, by which a certain territory, lying between the dominions of the two contracting parties, was to have been allotted to the Indian nations. — But it does not appear that this formed a part oi their ultimatum, and it is clear, that Mr. Pitt in his answer, did not object to the proposition. He objected indeed to the propos- ed line of demarkation between the countries belong- I, 412 ArPENDIX. i 1 . \ -i i i' ; I I ' \ ' ' \i 1 ■-- ■ 1 ' ■ I I K II ing to the two contructing parlies, upon the two grounds : Ist. that the proposed itorthern line wouhl have given to France, wliat the French had them- selves acknowledged to be part of Canada, the whole of which, aii enjoyed by his most Christian nuijetity, il had been stipulated, was to be ceded entirely to G. Britain : 2dly, that the southern part of the proposed line of demarkation would have included within the boundary ot Louisiana, the Cherokees, the Creeks, the Chickasaws, the Clioctaws, and another nation, who occupied territu.ies which had never been included within the buunda. it^: of that settlement. So far was JVIr. Pitt from rejecting, as alledged by the American plenipotentiaries, the proposition of considering In- dian nations a barrier,, that at one period of the ne- gociation he complained that there was no provision for such a barrier ; and he thus energetically urges his objections, in his letter to Mr. Stanley, the British plenipotentiary at Paris, dated on the 2(ith of June, 1761; tentiaries ot his nstant. persuading the States was liable a spirit of con- tions, the under- ■n several ot the ipotentianes dur- by the sole ino- ns. e, they will now lish minister was t the transfer of government for nfact, delivered and thai if the d it had not been je, a French col- the evidence of jas been promul- Iged disability of APPENDIX. 415 the Spanislii luonarch, nor the inference which th^ British plenipotentiaries would seem to deduce from it ; on the contrary, the assent was voluntarily given in the year 18Q4, by the same king who, about the same time, ceded Trinidad to G. Britain, and prior to the time whien he was again engaged in war with her. The cession by France was immediately com-r municated to G. Britain, no circumstance affecting it, and then within the knowledge of the U. States, be- ing intentionally concealed from her. She express- ed her satisfaction with it; and if in any possible state of the case she would have had a right to ques- tion the transaction, it does not appear to the under- signed that she is now authorisf.d to do so. After stating, generally, that the proclamations of Generals Hull and Smyth were neither authorised noc approved by their govtirnmeut, the undersigned could not have expected that the British plenipotentiaries would suppose that their statement did not embrace the only part of the proclamations which was a sub- ject of consideration. The undersigned had, indeed, hoped, that, by stating in their note of the 9th ultimo, that the gov- ernment of the U. States, from the commencement of the war, bad been disposed to make peace without; obtaining any cession of territory, and by referring to their knowledge of that disposition, and to instruc- tions accordingly given from July, 1812, to January, 1814, they would effectually remove the impression that the annexation of Canada to the U, States waa the declared object of their government. ISot only have the undersigned been disappointed in this ex- pectation, but the only inference which the British plenipotentiaries have thought proper to draw from this explicit statement, has been, that either the American government, by not giving instructions subsequent to the pacification of Europe, or the un- dersigned, by not acting under such instructions, gave no proof of a sincere desire to bring the present ne- g'ociations to a favorable conclusion. The undersigu- ^ did not allude, in reference to the alledged inten- • 1 I < ;i ': I III 'I' 1 i 1 il t f i . : 1 I ; 1 i ' I.' ■Hi i i;i i ■ 'i u 416 APPENDIX. 111! ( I I ■! i y i i; I! I''; ■. il ril i tion to annex Canada to the U. States, to any instruC" lions given by their government subsequently to Jan- utiry last, because, asking at this time for uu accession of territory, it was only of its previous disposition that it appeared necessary to produce any proof. So er> roneous was the inference drawn by the British ple- nipotentiaries, ill both respects, that it was in virtue of the instructions ot June last, that the undersigned "were enabled, in their note of the 24lh of August, to state, that the causes of tin? war betwet n the U. States and G. Britain, having disappeared, by the maritime pacification of Europe, they had been authorised to agree to its termination upon a mutual restoration of territory, and without maktrtg Uie conclusion of peace to depend on a successful arraii<;enient of those points on which diiferences had existed. Considering the pn sml state of the negociation, the undersigned will abstain, at liiis time from addu- cing any evidence or remaiks upon the influence which has been exerted over the Indian tribes inhab- iting the territories of the CJ. States, and the nniiiie of those excitements which had been employed by Bri- tish traders and agents. The arguments and facts already brought forward by the undersigned, respecting the polilu al condition of those tribes, render it unnecessary for them to make many observations on those of the British pienipoten- tiaries on that subject. The treaties of 1 703, and 1783, were those princi|iaily alluded to b^ the un- dersigned, to illustrate the practice of G. Briliiin. She did not admit in the first, nor require in the last, any stipulations respecting the Indians who, in one case, had been her enemies, and in the other, her al- lies, and who, in both instances, feil by the peace with- in the dominions of that power against wt>an they had been engaged in the preceding war. The negociation of 17(51 was quoted for the pur- {»08e of proving, what appears to bo fnl!y es'al 'i^^hed )y the answer of England to the ulttniMlum ot I'^iiiuce delivered on the first ot Sejjtombir ol Jhiil v; •(!•. that his Britannic majesty would not renounce his right of t> 1!^ APPENDIX. 417 I to auy insti'UC'- iquently to Jan- for uii accession disposition that proof. So er- tlie British pie- was in virtue of he niitlersij»'ned I of August, to n the U. States )y the maritime !i authorised to al restoration of elusion of peace it of those points he necrociatiout I me from addu- (I the intineikce an tribes iohub- nd the naUii e of ployed by Bri- M'oug'ht forward ilu al condition 3r them to make lish plenipoten- of 17G3, and to b) the un- ? of G. Britain. uire iii the last, ins who, in one e other, her al- lh«' jieure with- wi)>mthey had ed for the pur- il!y eslali'»shed Mtuni ot FiiViCe that voar. ihat mce liis right of IS i:- protection over the Indian nations reputed to be withr m his dom'mions, that is to say^ between the British settlements and the' Mississippi. Mr. Pitt*s letter, cited by the British plenipotentiaries, far from contra- dictini^ that position, goes still further. It states that Hhe fixation of the new limits to Canada, as propua> ed by France, is intended to shorten the extent of Canada, which was to be ceded to England, and to lengthen the boundaries of Louisiana, which France was to keep, and in the view to establish what musfc not be admitted, namely, that all which is not Canada is Louisiana, whereby all the intermediate nations and countries, the true barrier to each province, would be given up to France.' This is precisely the princU pie uniformly supported by the umlersigned, to wit* that the recognition of a boundary gives up to the nation, in whose behalf it is made, all the Indian tribes and countries within that boundary. It was oa this principle that the undersigned have confidently relied on the treaty of 1783, what fixes and recognis- es the boundary of the U. States, without making any reservation respecting Indian tribes. But the British plenipotentiaries, unable to produce a solitary precedent of one European power treating for the savages inhabiting within the dominions <^* another, have been compelled, in support of their principle, to refer to the German empire, a body con- sisting of several independent states, recognized as such by the whole world, and separately maintaining with foreign powers the relations belonging to such a condition. Can it be necessary to prove that there is ab sort of analogy between the political situation of these civilized conimunitities, and that of the wan- dering tribes of North American savages? In referring to what the British plenipotentiariep represent as alarming and novel pretensions, what tentiaries, and rniing. h plenipotentia- e Indian tribes e U. States free int MvHh the re- naintained with e of an amnesty, is not liable the views uni- ed, of placing respect, in the tood before the irticle, thus pro- ve so often as- »uld necessarily s is highly proli- Britain and the ree to admit it, subject, in the British govern- oftlie govern- ig given no in- point, cannot be t on the subject, at if, unhappily present negucia- reed to shall be ure negociation, f way ofargu- as an indispen- cepted, the un- entiaries to com- eaty embracing 3ritain ; the uii- deliver imtaedi- APPENDIX. 419 ately after, a counter project with respect to all the articles to which they may not agree, and on the sub- jects deemed material by the U. States, and, which may be omitted in the British project. J. a ADAMS, J. A. BAYARD, H. CLAY, ... ■ JONA. RUSSELL, A. GAU^ATIiN. j) ■.,■■.! I i The British to the American Commiss'*oiiers. Ghent, October 21, 1814. The undersigned have had the honor of receiving the note of the American plenipotentiaries of the 13th inst. communicating their acceptance of the article which the undersigned had proposed on the subject of the pacification and rights of the Indian natioiis. The und'^rsigned are happy in being thus relieved from the necessity of recurring to several topics, which though they arose in the course of their discus- sions, have only an incidental connection with Ihv? difference remaining to be adjusted between the two countries. With a view to this adjustment the undersigned prefering in the present state oi the negociation a general statement of the formal arrangement of arti- cles, are willing so far to comply with the request of the American plenipotentiaries containedin their last note, as to wave the advantages to which they think they were fairly entitled, of requiring from them the first project of a treaty. The undersigned having stated at the first confer- ence the points upon which his majesty's government considered the discussions between the two countries as likely to turn, cannot better satisfy the request pf the American plenipotentiaries than by referring them to that conference for a statement of the points which, in the opinion of his majesty's government yet remains to be adjusted. With respect to the forcible seizure of mariners from on board merchant vessels on the high seas, and the right of the king of G. Britain to the allegiance of all his subjects, and with respect to the maritime \ \'< 1 i > I i ^ I <■ if { « I ;^ : I i'i ■ ! :'=i •I '|![| I i " 1 i 420 APPENDIX. rifrhts of the British em|»ire the underKicrned conceive, that after the pretentions asserted by the guvernnient of the U. States, a more satisfactory proof of the conciliatory spirit of his Majesty's government catmot be given than not requiring any stipulation on those subjects, which though most important in themselvr:«, no longer in consequence of the maritime pacitica- tiun ot Europe, produce the same practical results. On the subject of the fisheries the undersigned ex- pressed with so much frankness at the conference al- ready refered to, the views of their government, that they consider any further observations on that topic as unnecessary at the present time. On the question of the boundary between the do- minions ot his majesty and tliose of the U. States, the undersigned are led to expect from the discus- sion which this subject has already undergone, that the north west boundary from the lake of the Woods to the Mississippi, the intended arrangement of 1803, "will be admitted without objection. In regard to other boundaries the American pleni- potentiaries in their note of August 24th, appeared in some measure to object to the propositions then made by the undersigned as the basis of «(t possidetis. The undersigned are willing to treat on that basis, subject to such modifications as mutual convenience may be found to require, and they trust that the American plenipolentiaries will shew by their ready acceptance of this basis, that they duly appreciate the moderation of his majesty's government in so far con- sulting the honor and fair pretensions of the U. States as in the relative situation of the two countries, to authorise such a proposition. The undersigned avail themselves of this opportu- nity to renew to the American plenipotentiaries, the f^ssurance of their high considertion. GAMBIEK, -« ' ' HENRY GOULBURN, WILLIAM ADAMS. > ,'■1 ')f..! C ' ■;!-'; 1-* APPENDIX. 41:1 ned conceive, le governnieni proof of the iinient cannot tioii oil those in theraselvrs, time p&citica- ical results, idersigiied ex- conferenee al- vernment, that on that topic itween the do- the U. States, ni the discus- idergone, that of the Woods ement of 1803, merican pleni- th, appeared in ions then made uti posstdelis. on thRt basis, convenience trust that the >y their ready appreciate the it in so far con- the U. States countries, to if this opportu- lotentiaries, the Uv Ji.t-V ULBURN, .DAMS. The American to the British Commissioners. Ghent, October 24, 1814. The undersigned have tlie honor to ackon a sucessful result of the discussion, and having since agreed to the preliminary article proposed by the British government, had believed that the negocia- tion already so long protracted, could not be brought to an early conclusion, otherwise than by the commu- nication of a project embracing all the other specific propositions which G. Britain intended to offer. They repeat their request in that respect and will have no objection to a simultaneous exchange of the projects of both parties. This course will bring fair- ly into discussion the other topics embraced in the last note of the British plenipotentiaries, to which the undersigned have thought it necessary to advert at the present time. The undersigned renew to the British plenipoten- tiaries the assurance of their high consideration. J. a ADAMS, J. A. BAYARD, H. CLAY, JONATHAN RUSSELL, ALBERT GALLATIN. I!lf I ■ The British to the American Commissioners Ghent, Oct. 31st, 1814. The undersigned have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note addressed to them by the Amer- ican plenipotentiaries on the 24th inst. in which ttiey object to the basis of uli possidetis proposed by the un- dersigned as that on which they are willing to treat in regard to part of the boundaries between the do- minions of his Majesty and those of the U. States. The American plenipotentiaries in their note of the 13lh inst. requested the undersigned to communicate to them the project of a treaty embracing all the 'i' lance depends I their note of id and pu; wr- on of all the linty had ex- I to interrupt lev would not I 'depend ui>on d having since ipcsed by the t the negocia- not be brought by the commu- > other specific ided to offer, ipect and will xchange oftlie will bring fair- ibraced in the }, to which the to advert at the ish plenipoten- lideration. lUSSELL, LATIN. nmissioners t. 3i8t, 1814. o acknowledge sni by the Amer- ;. in which they )osed by tba un- 'illing to treat in itween the do- le U. States, their note of the communicate >racing all the APPENDIX. 423 points insisted on by G.Britain, eiij^'aging on their part to deliver immediately after a contre project as to all the articles to which they might not agree, and as to all the subjects deemed material by the U. States, and omitted in the project of the undersigned. The undersigned were accordingly instructed to wave the question of etiquette and the advantage which might result from receiving the first commu- nication, and, confiding in the engagement of the American plenipotentiaries, communicated in their note of the 21st inst. all the points upon which they are instructed to insist. The American plenipotentiaries have objected to one essential part of the project thus communicated : but before the undersigned can enter into the discussion on this objection, they must require from the American plenipotentiaries that, pursuant to their engagement, they will deliver a contre project containing all their objections to the points submitted by the undersigned together with a statement of such further points as the government of the U. States consider to be ma- terial. The undersigned are authorized to stat ; distinctly, that the article as to the pacification and rights of the In- dian nations having been accepted, they have brought forward in their note of the 21st inst. all the proposi- tions they have to offer. They have no farther de- mands to make, no other stipulations on which they are instructed to insist, and they are empowered to sign a treaty of peace forthwith in conformity with those stated in their former note. The undersigned trust therefore that the American plenipotentiaries will no longer hesitate to bring for- ward in the form of articles or otherwise, as they may prefer, those specific propositions upon which they are empowered to sign a treaty of peace between the two countries. ! GAMBIER, ' HENRY GOULBTTRN, W. ADAMS. i ! ^- 1 1 • ■ J 1 ; 424 I : AVPENTIIX. TREATY OF PEACE. JAMES MADISON, <',\->,h 'I in: PaRSIOINl' ••» iHt, UMTtD sTA'lGx utf aMKBICA; Ti^ all undsinyvlar to whim these presents »hall CQme, Greettwf : .( <('! .u i,leiiti;irieR respectively apf)ointed for that purpose ; and the said treaty having been, by and witli the advice and consent of the senate of the United States, duly accepted, ratified, and confirnied, on the seventeenth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and titieen ; and ratifie friendship, and good understanding between them, have, for that purpose, appointed their respec- tive plenipotentiaries, that is to say : his Britannic majesty, on his part, has appointed the right honorable James lord Gambler, late Admiral of the white, now Admiral of the red squadron of his majesty's fleet, Henry Gaulburn, Esquire, a member of the imperial parliament and under secretary of state, and William Adams. Esqnire, doctor of civil laws : — and the Pre- sident of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the senate thereof, has appointed John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatint citizens of the United States, who, after a'reciprocal communi- cation of their respective full powers, have agreed up- on the following articles : ih if 1 1 '. i'l III; ; ent$ shali comCt amity between I Brilaiioic nia- nty-t'ourth day ilred niid four- ve\y ap(M>inted haviii|^ been, by e senate of the and confirmed, , one thousand 1 copies thereof lie tenor of the )wing, to wit ; his Britannic f America. lited i^tates of war which has countries, and 6ct reciprocity, nding between id their respec- : his Britannic right honorable the white, now majesty's fleet, of the imperial e,and Wiiliam ; — and the Pre- fi^ith the advice appointed John , Henry Clay, tint citizens uf rocal communi- [lave agreed up- Ai»PENnix. A2o ARTICLK THE FIRST. There shall b(' u tirm and universal peace between his firitannic majesty and the United States, and be- tween Iheir respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people, of every degree, without exception of places or persons. All hostilities, both by sea and land, shall cease as soon as this treaty shall have been ratified by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned. All territory, places and possessions whatsoever, taken from either party by the oilier, during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of this treaty, excepting only the islands hereinafter mentioned, shall be restored without delay, and without causing any destruction, or carrying away any of the artillery or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain liierein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, or any slaves or otlier private property. And all archives, records, deeds, and papers, either of a public nature, or belonging to private persons, which, in the course of the war, may have fallen into the hands of the offi- cers of either party, shall be, as far as may be prac- ticable, forthwith restored and delivered to the prop- er authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong. Such of the islands in the bay of Piis- samaquaddy as are claimed by both parties, shall remain in the possession of the party in whose occu- pation they may be at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, until the decision res- pecting the title to the said islands shall have been made in conformity with the fourth article of this treaty. No disposition made by this treaty, as to ftuch possession of the islands and territories claimed by both parties, shall, in any manner whatever, be construed to aflect the right of either. AUTICLE THE SECOND. Immediately after the ratifications of this treaty by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned, orders shall be sent to the armies, squadrons, officers, subjects and citizens, of the two powers to cease from all hns- : f'f ; . If i'll iu| J ill! 15 I ,.:ll; i'i I. iii B ill I 420 APP£M01\', tilities : and to prevent all causes of coiiiplaiiit ^h\c(» noij^ht arise on acconnt of the prizes which may lib taken at sea after the said ratifications of this treaty, it is reciprocally agreed, that all vessels and effects tvhich may be taken after the space of twelve days from the Niiid ratifications, upon all parts of the const of ?4orth America, from the latitude of twenty-three deg:rees north, to the latitude of fifty degrees north, and as far eastward in the Atlantic ocean, us the thirty-sixth degree of west longitude from the meridi- an of Greenwich, shall be restored to each side. That the time shall be thirty days in all other parts of the Atlantic ocean, north of the equinoctial line or equator, and the same time for the British and Irish channels, for the Gulf of Mo:-:ico and all parts of the West-Indies ; forty days for the North seas, for the Baltic, and for all parts of the Mediterranean; sixty days for the Atlantic ocean south of the equator as far as the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope ; ninety days for every part of the world south of the equator ; and one hundred and twenty days for all other partn of the world, without exception. ARTICLE THE TUIliD. All prisoners of war taken on either side, as welt by land as by sea, shall be restored as soon as prac- ticable after the ratification of this treaty, as herein- after mentioned, on their paying the debts which they may have contracted during their captivity. The two contracting parties respectively engage to dis« charge in specie, the advances which may nave been made by the other for the sustenance and mainten- ance of such prisoners. ARTICLE THE FOURTH. Whereas it was stipulated by the second article in the treaty of peace, of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, between his Britannic majesty and the United States of America, that the boundary of the United States should comprehend all islands M'ithin twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due eaiit from the points where the aforesaid bounda^ APPENDIX. 427 ne^f belwccii Nova Scotia, on the one pnrt, nnd En%l jPMorida on the other, shall reHpectively touch the Bay uf Fuiiilay, and the Atlantic ocean, excepting such islandN as now ai'e, or heretofore have heen, within the limits of Nova Scotia ; and whereas the several islands in the B;iy of Passamnqnoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fnndv« and the island of Grand Menaii in the said Bay of Fundy, are claimed by the United States as being comprehended within their aforesaid boundaries, which said islands are clai'ned as belong* ing to his Britannic majesty, as havi .g been at the tinve of, and previous to, the aforesaid treaty of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three within the limits of the province of Nova Scotia : in order, there- fore, finally to decide upon these claims, it is agreed that they shall be referred to two commissioners, to be appointed in the following manner, viz. one com- missioner aihall l»e appointed by his Britannic majes- ty, and one by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the senate thereof, and th ' ;}t ■ ■; \ 1 1 i 428 APPENDIX. '< i \»< ': i, . I i I I iSI; jointly or separately, a report or reports, as well to the government of his Britannic majesty as to that of the United States, statnig in derail the points on which they ditiPer, and the grounds upon which their respective opinions have been formed, or the grounds upon which they, or either of them, have so refused, declined, or omitted to act. Aud his Britannic ina- jesty, and the government of the United States here- by agree to refer the report or reports of the said com- missioners, to some friendly sovereign or state, to be then named for that purpose, and who shall be re- quested to decide on the diffierences which may be stated in the said report or reports, or upon the report of one commissioner, together with the grounds upon which the other cuimnissioner shall have refused, de- clined, or omitted to act as tiie case may be. And if the commissioners so refusing, declining, or omitting to act, shall also wilfully omit to state the grounds upon which he has so done, in such manner that the said statement may be referred to such friendly sovereign or state, together with the re- port of such other commissioner, then such sovereign or state shall decide ex parte upon the said report alone. And his Britannic majesty and the govern- ment of the United States engage to consider the de- cision of some friendly sovereign or state to be such and conclusive on all the matters so referred. ARTICLE THE FJFTH. Whereas neither that point of the highlands lying due north from the source of the river St. Croix, and designated in the former treaty of peace between the two powers as the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, now the norlh- westernmost head of Connecticut riv- er has not been ascertained ; and whereas that part of the boundary line between the dominion of the two powers which extends from the source of the river St. Croix directly north to the abovementioned north-west angle of Nova Scotia, thence along the said highlands which divide those rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean to the north-west-^ 1 , as well to IS to that of 3 points on which their the grouuds s so refused, •itannic ma- Stales here- hesaid coin- r state, to be shall be re- tich may be on the report rounds upon refused, de- ise may be. r, declining, ally omit to done, in such \ye referred to • with the re- ch sovereign said report the govern- isider the de- ,e to be such red. Iilands lying l. Croix, and 1 between the Jova Scotia, lecticut riv- leas that part liinion of the i)urce of the ^ementioned along tho I that empty from those north-west-5 APPENPIX. 42l» €rnmost head of Connecticut river, thence down along the middle of the river to the I'erty-tifth degree of north latitude ; thence by a line due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois or Catarag- ny, has not yet been surveyed : — It is agreed that for those several purposes two commissioners shall be ap- pointed, sworn and authorised, to act exactly in the manner directed M'ith respect to those mentioned in the next preceding article, unless otherwise specified in the present article. The said commissioners shall meet at St. Andrews, in the province of New Bruns- wick, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said com- missioners shall have power to ascertain and deter- mine the points abovementioned, in conformity with the provisions of the said treaty of peace of one thou- sand seven hundred and eighty -three, and shall cause the boundary aforesaid, from the source of the river St. Croix to the river Iroquois or Cataragny, to be surveyed and marked according to die said provisions. The said commissioners shall make a map of the said boundary, and annex to it a declaration under their hands and seals, certifying it to be the true map of the said boundary, and p» 'cularizing the latitude and longitude of the north-west angle of Nova Sco- tia, of the north-westernmost head of Connecticut river, and of such oUier points of the same boundary as they may deem proper. And both parties agree to consider such map and declaration as finally and conclusively fixing the said boundary. And in the event of the said two commissioners differing, or both, or either of thv<>ui, refusing or declining, oe wilfully omitting to act, such reports, declarations, or state- ments, shall be made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or rtate, shall be made, in all respects as in the latter part of the fourth article is contained, and in as full a manner as if the same was herein repeated. ARTICLE THE SIXTH. Whereas, by the former treaty of peace that por- tion of the boundary of the United States from the hi n * 1 i ■• 1' )" iu ; !• . ' • 'ill / i' I m I : i 430 APPENDIX. point where the forty fifth dejs^rce of north latitndc; {Strikes the river Iroquois or Gataragiiy to the laktt Sii|)erior, was declared to be 'along the middle of said river into lake Ontario, through the middle of said lake until it strikes the communication by water between that lake and lake Erie, thence along the middle of said communication into lake Erie, through the middle of said lake until it arrives at the water communication into the lake Huron, thenne through the middle of said lake to the water communication between that lake and lake Superior'. And whereas doubts have arisen what was the middle of said river, lakes, and water communications, and whether cer- tain islands lying in the same were within the domiri ions of his Britannic majesty or of the United Stalt in order, therefore, finally to decide these doubts, t! , shall be referred to two commissioners, to be appoint- ed, sworn, and autltorised to act exactly in the man- ner directed with respect to those mentioned in the next preceding article, unless otherwise specified in this present article. The said commissioners shall meet, in the first instance, at Albauy, in the state of New-York, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said commissioners shall by a report or declaration, under their hands and seals, designate the boundary through the said river, lakes, and water commuiuca- tions, and decide to which of the two contracting par- ties the several islands lying within the said river, lakes, and water communications, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the said treaty of one thousand seven hundred and eighty- three. And both parties agree to consider such de- signation and decision as final and conclusive. And in the event of the said two commissioners differing, or both, or either ofthem, refusing, declining, or wil- fully omitting to act, such reports, declarations or statements, shall be made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or state shall be made in all respects as in the latter part ot the fourth article is contained, and in as fulla mannei as if the same was herein repeated. . ill 1 lorlh laliUidc ,y to the lak«^ Lhe mi'idle of lie middle ot ktion by water ijce along the Erie, Ihrouafh s atlh«5 water hence through jommunication And whereas He of said river, I whether cer- ilhin the domn' s United Stalt ese doubts, t! ' j 3, to be apponit- Dtly in the man- enbioned in the wise specified m missioHcrs shall r, in the state ot adjourn to such think fit. The rt or declaration, tethe boundary later coiumunica- , contracting par- in the said river, do respectively intent of the said red and eighty- jonsider such de- -jouclusive. And fsioners differing, declining, or wil- ', declarations or or either of them, Lvereign or stale [the latter part oi inasfuUanv4niiei APP£NDi:t. 431 ARTICLE THE SEVENTH. ' It is further agreed that the said two last mention- ed commissioners, after they shall have executed the duties assigned to them in the preceding article, shall be, and they are hereby authorised, upon their oaths impartially to fix and det*irmine, according to the true intent of the said treaty of peace, of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, that part of the boun- dary between the dominions of the two powers, which extends from the water communication between lake Huron and lake Superior, to the most north-western point of the lake of the Woods, to decide to which of the two parties the several islands lying in the lakes, water communications, and rivers, forming the said boundary, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the said treaty of peace, ot one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three ; and to cause such parts of the said boundary, as require it, to be surveyed and marked. The said commission- ers shall, by a report or declaration under their hands and seals, designate the boundary aforesaid, state their decision on the points thus referred to them, and particularise the latitude and longitude of the most north-western point of the lake of the Woods, and of such other parts of the said boundary as they may deem proper. And both parties agree to consider s|ich designation and decision as final and conclusive. And in the event of the said two commissioners dif- fering, or both, or either of them refusing, declining, or wilfully omitting to act, such reports, declarations, or statements, shall be made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or state, shall be made in all respects, as in the latter pai'tof the fourth article is contained, and in as full a manner as if the same was herein repeated. ARTICLE THE EIGHTH. The several boards of two commissioners mention- ed in the four preceeding articles, shall respectively have power to appoint a secretary, and to employ such surveyors or other persons as they shall judge neces- sary. Duplicates of all their resj»eotive reports, dtv » I 111 I' f it \] J32 AVPEXDIX. clarations, statements, and descisions, and of their ac- counts, and of the journal of their proceedings, shall be delivered b^'theni tothe agents of his Britannic majesty, and to the agents of the U. States who may be respect- ively appointed and authorised to manage the business on behalf of their respective governments. The said commi!::$ioners shall be respectively paid in such man- ner as shall be agreed between the two contracting parties, such agreement being to be settled at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. — And i^all other experces attending the said commissioners shall be defrayed equally by the two parlies. And in the case of death, sickness, resignation, or necessary absence, the place of every such commissioner re- spectively shall be supplied in the same manner as such commissioner was first appointed, and the now com- missioner shall take the same oath or atiirmativon, and do the same duties. It is further agreed between the two contracting parties, thai in case any of the Islands mentioned in any of the preceding articles, which were in the possession of one of the parties prior to the com- mencement of the present war between the two coun- tries, should by the decision of ixny of the boards of com- missioners aforesaid, or of the sovereign or state so re- ferred to as in the four next preceding articles, con- tained, fall within the dominions of the other party, all grants of land made previous to the commence- ment of the war by the party having had such posses- sion, shall be as valid as if such Island or Islands, had by such decision or decisions, been adjudged to be within the dominions of the party liaving had such possession. ARTICLE THE NINTH. The U. States of America engage to put an end immediately after the ratification of the present treaty to hostilities with all the tribes or nations of Indians, with whom they may be at war at the time of sucli ratification ; and forthwith to restore to such tribes ov nations, respectively, all the possessions, rights and privileges, which they may have enjoyed or been en- titled to in one thousand ei^jht Imii.'qix. ibrls Lamprey transport biig« 197 sch'r Mary Ana ship Mary 14 Bch'r — sch'r Diligent 2 schooners a Snow sch'r Jane 'ship Ann Grr en 10| barque 8t. Andrews 8| brig Shamrock 6; 16 [ScliV Sally ich'r Nelson ichooner — ch'rS Brothers barque lirig— ship Henry 10 gch'r Alfred sch'r Eliza br Lady Sherbroke br Eliz. &. Esther aliipBoyd 10 bri,'? Ranger 6 sch'r Polly , ., ^, brigs sloop Mary Ann ship Hassan 14 brig Harmony i 4 brig- ship Briganza 'IS brig Waldo sch'r Ann | 4 sh. Prince Adolpbus 8 ship sch'r Harriet brig Ceres brig- brig William 189-11 5 ships &(. brigs 116-117 brig &(. schooner 118 sch'r Industry 119 sch'r Perseverance 120 ship Simon Clark 16 121 Honduras Packet* 2 122 brig Amelia 10 123 sch'r Mary 124 schooner — 1S5 sch'r Union 20 28 21 36 108 39 12 17 F. EssexK do. Buckskin Dolphin Fair Trader Polly Snowbird Rev. Cutterf Dolphin Gossamer Rapid Rev. Cutterf Teazcr BHckskia Fame Wiley Reynard Catharine Polly Comet Spencer Polly Marengo Got. M'Kean Globe Matilda Wiley Reynard do. Paul Jones do. Yankee do. Tom Teazer Globe Got. M'Kean Teazer High Flyer John Lynn Rossie do. do. Benj. Franklin Nonsuch Globe Mary-Ann do. do. do. John i f Baltimorn ransomed Salem do. ".Viscnssct Saltern do. Savannali Marblehead Boston Portland Savannah made a cartel Salem do. Boston Portland ransomed Baltimore do. Salem New York Philadelphia do. do. - \ Boston Wiscasset Philadelphia Savannah New York made a cartel Baltim ire Portland Baltimore Pliiladelphii^ Portland Baltimore SHlcm Gloucester Boston burnt made a cartel New-York Charleston Norfolk Charleston do. burnt made a cartel Salem 1/ BaltimorH ranaomcd Salem fiu. Wiscnssct Sah'm , do. Saraiinali Marblehead Boston iPortland Savannah innde a cartel Salem do. Boston Portland ransomed Baltimore do. Salem New York Philadelphia do. do. - Boston Wiscasset Philadelphia Savannah I New York made a cartel Baitim 18^ 185 IHB 187 188 189 190 191 1U2 193 19-^ 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 203 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 2ld 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223-225 226 APPENDIX. ship Elizalietb sch'r Jmnefi brig Pursuit 10 Sarah-Ann Charleston Holphin Baltimore Rapid Portland brii; IV do. do. »hjp nrilannia 6 Thrasher do. brig Howe « Dart do. brig Elizabeth Decatur Newport ithip Jamaica 7 21 High Flyer Baltimore brig Alert« i to 122 F. Essexf New York transport ship« 378 do. made a cartel brig King George do. BostoR ship— 1 4 26 Revenge Portland brig Ocean 7 26 Saratoga New-York brig Tulip Atlas Philadelphia ship Esther < 2 25 Montgomery Gloucester Bch'r Venus Saratoga New York ship Quebec 6 52 do. do. ship Richmond 1 4I 25 Thomas Portland jship Adonis 2' as Montgomery Salem ship Falmouth 1 4| 30 Thomas Portsmouth brig Two Friends 1 Benj. Franklin Boston isnow Two Friends 6 Dart do. Ibrig William Rossie do. seh'r Trial Leander Providence Bch John &c George Regulator Boston ship — J Poor Sailor Wilmington brig— -> •' t Dart Portland scb'r Mary Ann Black Joke Norfolk brig Laura* 1 50 Diligent Philadelphia seh'r Rising States do. do. brig Hannah Montgomery Salem sch'r Mary do. do. brig- Dart Castine brig Pomona 2 Decatur made a cartel (trig Devonshire do. France brig Concord do. burnt brig Hope do. made a cartel •cb'r Minorca Wasp Savannah Itarque Charlotte Decatur Boston •.hip Mariana Gov. M'Kean Norfolk brig Diana Dart| Portland brig-- Teazer do. brir^ Isabella do. do. ship- Decatur Marblehead 3 vessels Dolphin burnt ship John i 4 35 Comet Baltimore (C/^Those in IttUie are Letters of Marque vessels t Tliis Privateer came into the harbor of Portland triumphanlly mounted on the deck of her prize ! !! barleston iltimore irtland do. do. do. t>wport ialtimore [en York lade a cartel loatna 'ortland lew-York 'iiiladelphia iloucester 4ew York do. t>ortIand Salem Portsmouth Boston do. do. Providence Boston Wilmington Portland Norfolk Philadelphia do. Salem do. Castine made a cartel b'rance urnt ade a cartel avannah iBoston orfolk ortland do. do. arblehead urnt altimore lessels \land triumphantly APPENDIX. -227 :228 22'J 2-10 231 2J2 2a3 234» 235 236 237 238 239 2W 241 2V2 243 2U 245 246 247 248 240 250 251 252 253 254 265- 267 258 2u9 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 374 275 276 i77. 18 4 12 hip Commerce 141 brig Industry loj privateer Nassau 4 privateer brig 8 brig Tor Abbey brig Mary ship Prina. Amelia 10 BChr. — brig- brig Orient sehr. Jenny sch'r Adelia brig Point Shares jbrig San Antonio jbrig Detroit* ^schV Caledonia* BCh'r Single-Cap ^sch'r Fame ,8hip Phoenix brig Concord brig Favorite brig sir John Moore brig lord Hhelfield sch'r Betsey Ann brig William br;g Heury Bch'f Four Brothers sch'r four Sous 256|2 sch'rs sch'r Antelope sch'r Oawsun brig Diamond brig George brig Neptune dhip Jane Rch'r— bI'p Louisa Ann sliip Venus brig Ja. &. Cbarlott brig Fr. Blake brig 8wallow# brit; Purgie ship Ned sch'r Sisters jch'r Comet Privateer Scorcher sch'r Mary »ch'r Mary Hall sV. Elizabeth transport sch'r* 2t 2( 3( 4( 3( 14 10 2 1 7t 16 17 3C H 2C Decatur Comet Dolphin Rapid Thresher Benj. Franklin Itossie Teazer Marengo Teaier do. Rosamond Jiallimore Marengo QunBoatsf do- Matilda Nonsuch Mary Ann do. Industry do. Marengo Fame Montgomery John Fame do Dart Rosamond Wasp Alfred do. John do. Saucy Jack Benj. Franklin Tfvo Brothers Auierica Nonsuch F.Presidenlf High Flyer John k. George Fame Rapid do. do. ship Gen. Pikef do. do. Portland Vilmington ' V iHltimore . . lumt Cape Ann Charleston •• t -savannah Portland \t>wburyport Portland do. NeW'York Ualtimore Philadelphia tiurnt HIack Rock New- Orleans Savannah Charleston do. Lynn do. I ' >)urnt < > t Salem ' ! . do. do. do. do. I Portland Charleston avannah Salem do. do. do. iiadea cartel Portland burnt Salem Charleston '■■ rtallimore SorMk Salem tio. Savannah lurnt ransomed Sacketts Harbor do. tturnt !- i1; i ii I ( t 440 S78 S79 280 881 882 S83-S 286 287 288 380 890 291 892 893 294 895 898 297-3 S07 898 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329- 353 334 335 3J6 3J7 3i8 339 SV) Ai*rKNbix. brig Union 1 Gen. Annstrong Boston leh'r Neptune Revenge Cape Ann liarque Piiher Fox K>ortland brig Jamei Bray Bunker Hill J Boston brig lady Harriet orders in Council ^ewYork 285 3 veueli do. ransomed brig Freedom 6 Thorn Vlarhlehead RchV America Fame £c Dromo Jalem brig— Joel Farlow Sew- London paoliet John BuH* Rover lestroyed ihip Argo 13 20 P. Presidenff laltimore P. Macedonian* 49 306 P. United HIates't Vew-York ship John Hamilton 1 Hi SO Dolphin laltimore brig- brig Argusf lampton Koadii ach'r Lorain Revengo Philadelphia l)rig Bacchus do. Salem brig Venus 10 Polly BavanMb -306 nine vessels Patriot lunk &. burnt packet Townsend* 9 28 Tom ransomed lacliet DurchalU Highflyer Baltimore lohV— 74 do. made a cartel Brig Criterion do. NewYork icb'r Neptune Revenge made a cartel brig Neptune ioh\— Roba Portland Revenge durnt brig Fancy Joel Barlow Sew London sloop Nelljr Revenge Philadelphia brig DefODsbire Decatur Prance (rjtl'r — Retaliation New- York ship James 22 67 Gen. Armstrong destroyed brig two Brothers Benj Franklin NewYork brig Active 10 18 Highflyer Charleston ' brig- Dart Portland brig Pomona 8 Leo Belfast ship Betsey 5 Revenge Wilmington brig Dart 8 America Salem ship Queen 10 40 Gen. Armstrong wrecked brig Charlotte 10 America Salem ich'r William 2 30 Liberty Savannah brig Recovery brit; Argusf New-York brig Liicey &(. Alida Revenge Norfolk -332 three vessels Jacks Favorite burnt sch'r Swift Rolla do. sch'r— 150 Roll a made a carl ft »loop Reasonable Liberty destroyed schV Maria do. ransomed BchV Catherine 3 24 Lady Madison Charleston ich'r iVIaria du. made 8 cartel ship Rio Nouva 18 25 Rolla New-York sch'r Rebecca Jacks Favorite New-London APPETCDIX. 441 Boston Cape Anil Portland BottOD I New York ranaoined MarMehoad Halem New London lestroyed Baltimore ifJNew-York Baltimore Hampton Uoatlii Philadelphia Salem Savanaah sunk &(. burnt ransomed Baltimore made a cartel New-York made a cartel Portland burnt New London Philadelphia France New-York ng destroveti NewYork Charleston Portland Belfast Wilmington Salem tng wrecked Salem Savannah New-York Norfolk burnt do. made a carl t- 1 riestroyed ransom<*d Charleston (made a cartel New-York New-Londun in >n n41 brig— 3Hi iirirateer Richard 343 thip Hope 3U ihip Ralph 345 ihfp Eupbemia 346 brig — 347 Kchooner — 348 Dch'r Meadau 349 »hip Mary 3fi0 sch'r Erin 351 panktft Nocton« 352 briitBarrossa 353 sch'r Mary 354 brig Pegicy 355 ship Arabella 356 brig Andalusia 357 brig &. sloop 358 P Java» 359 brig — 360 ihip Diligence* 361 schooner— 362 ihip Neptune 363-364 two vessels 365 ihip — 3GB 4hip Volunteer 367 thip— 3G8 ^ch'r Ellen 369 thip Jane 370 sch'r Pr. of Wales 371 ship Aurora 372-373 tivo vessels 374 brig Pelican 375 thip— :i76 brig Emu* 377 brig Ann fns brip— 379 sch'r Sabik.e .!80 transport Canada^ 381 brig Isabellf 382 brig 3 Brothers 383 loop Mary Ann 384 irivateer Andalusia 385 tch> George 386 «hip Albion 387 mg Harriot 3BS 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408-410 411-413 414 41i-416 417 APPENDIX. >ri^ Shannon l)rig Ctres ^Itip Mentor sChV Huzzar brig Resnlulion ^hip Peacock* brig Antrim Mg Ply schooner— brig Earl Percy brig Hero brig RoTer transport Alder* brig Return )rig Thomas] three Tessela three Teasels sloop- two vesaels brig— 41 8-420 three vessels 421 421 423 424 425 426 427 428 4 4^ 431 432 433 434 435 496 437 438 489 440 441 442 443 444 445 121 IS 10 2213^ 8 to 10 10 privateer Caledonia brig Tartar tender Pox» br London Packet 3ch*r Farmer Dchooner — privat. sch'r Crown 10 ship Francis brig Malvina brig Charlotte Du. of SloucesterK prir. sch'r Richard irir. sloop Doreas brig Edward tchV Hope brig- ship Nanoy chooner— sch'r Delight mcket Mary Ann* hip Dromo brig— Invinc. Nkpoleonf packet Ann* /fOh'r Greyhound | 16 8 12' 12 i 16 50 2b 86 30 38 Yankee Paul Jones Saucy Jack Libfrty ship Hi>rnelf do. Saucy Jack Yankee do. ChesApeakff do Alfred Yankee Paid Jones Yankee Snap Dragon do. do. Dividedwe-Fall Ao. do. sch'r Nonsuchf Bristol Chatham Ww-Orlean» avannab nui-nt :iiink New-Orleans (Charleston ''aq)aulin Cove Sew-York Mirnt Sftlem ' iiristol hathatn Boston burnt .i^ade cartels made a tender ransomed sunk ransomed Charleston Gen. Armstrong Georgetown Eero Paul Jones Sparrow Wasp militia volunteers r. blood, yankee JW-rf Montgomery ship Madison Hnlkar do. Alexander do. Pox York Town ship Gen. Pikef- Fame Got. Tompkins Thomas do. Young Teaser do. do. Mystic wrecked given up * Machias Waldohorough Brest (France) Wilmington Salem Sackett's Harbor Scvannah made a cartel Salem made a cartel Portsmouth Bristol Sackett's Harbor Machiaa Boston Wiscasset ' Boothebay '• Portland do. '•'•'- do. X This ship maa driginally a French privateer^ and captured by H B. Majeaty'i J.::^ Mutine ; re captured % tlie. Alexander of Salem ; rere- captured byHB Mujrdy's frigate Sliannon, and re re recaptured by the Teazer of JSfen York, and sent into Portland t ! ! APPENDIX. Bristol fjv Chatham Vew-Orleans ?avaonah lurnt 'orts mouth '•■ tristol acfcett's Harbor [achias ioston l^iscasset '^ lonthebay ^■■ ortland ''■■ do. ":;^- do. iptured by H B. of Salem ; re-re- 'ccdplured by Ihe 44C brig Mary 417 br. Kiogston packet 443 brig IV^utiny 449 , br S. Geo. Prevos 450 privateer L. packet 451 King's packet ;» 452 brig David 453 Packet* 45 4f ship Mary 455 ship William 45G brig Harriot 457 brig Mars 458 sch'r Pearl 459 «>rtvateer sloop 460 brig— 461 brig — 462 brig Dinah 463 sich'r Briiuuak 464 ship Loyal Sam 465 ship Venus 466 ship Susan 467 ship Seaton 468 scb'r Elizabeth 469 iihip Pelham 470 brig Margaret 471 trans Ly. Murray* 472 brig Morton 473-476 rj vessels 476 brig Sally 477 brig — 478 brig Hero 479 brig Resolution 480 brig Hero 481 brig James &. Saral im brig— J 488 brig— 484 brig Janttes 485 brig Sally 486 brig Ann 487 brig Thomas 4lit brig— 489' barqiie 480 ship Betsey 4t| ship Eliza 48i sch'r Success 49} sch'r Lady Clark 494 Bch'r Sally 495 sch'r Blonde 496 sch'r Ann 497 sch'r Dorcas 14 14 10 i.i3 40 40 30 22 Anaconda Globe do Rolla Thames Anaconda Gov. Plumer Anaconda do. Grand Turk Anaconda Pox Liberty do. Gov. Plumer Sabine Globe Grand Turk Siro Globe Siro Paul Jones Globe do. America L. of the Lakcf Yorktown Young Teazer Benj. Franklin Teazer do. Nancy F. Essexf do. Marengo Gen. Armstrong ^>rders in Council John Teazer Decatur Holkar Dolphin • Revenge Yankee Benj Franklin Bunker Hill Wiley Reynard John do. Liberty 4J?3 JiTew London Ocracoke Beaufort Sew Orleans Portsmtiuth Ocracoke Portsmouth nade a cartel New Haven rtalem Sew Bedford Portsmouth mvannah Dade a cartel •urnt do. Ocracoke Pirtland i'harleston Beaufort k^'rancc lurnt do. do. Salem ->ackett's Harbor nade a cartel Portland i-ansomed iVe'v York -^astine Portland lurnt ■ansomed Vew London .^lartha's Vineyard ^few York Boston Portsmouth made a cartel New York nurnt Wilmington Boston ransomed New York Boston ransomed Salem ransomed I !* ii-, t I ' ;! ^1 'i i H I ^ U ii J.14 498 499 SOO £0| 502 i>03 £04 505 A06 £07 508-5 ;C 511 512 513-527 528 9Z9 530 531 5S2 533 534. 535 53S 537 538 SS9 540 54^1 £42 643-5*7 £48 £49 £50 £51 £52 £53 554 £55 £56 £57 558 APPENDIX. sloop Eaglet} brig Union liip Aurora ship — hip Integrity brig Avery hip Husan ship Fox ch'r Leonard brig Betsey ihree vessels ?r.h'r — brig — i.ti &. ]4transp» ch'r 3 Sisters sch'rGen. Husford brig Nelly sloop Pejjgy ^('h Broth Sf Sist irig Louisa -loop F'X -.loop William ■loop Js &. Eliza oii^ Chance brig Mnry ship Venus brig Morton ■ich'r Dominico* ^hip Ijon Trader five brigs privateer Fly sch'r C^'res barque Henrietta brig Ann sch'r Flying Fish sloop Catherine sch'r Kate ship L'^uisa brig 3 Brothers brig Earl of Moira shooiier — £^9-560 'wo vessels £61 Isch'r Louii^a £62 £63 £G4 56.1-567 £68-569 570 57i ■il) 16 priva. Kg of Rome ship — schooner — rhrpe vessels hvu vessels b.ig— schooner — 4 13 GunBoatsf T. B. Yankee do. Rambler T B Yankee Yorktown do. to' 20 brig Argusf T. B Yankee Jacks Favorite America Fox Yankee 65 2 row boatsf Saucy Jack Decatur Fox do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. Dolphin Yorktown 88 Decatur j do. Snap Dragon 30 brig Enterprizi^f Yankee Snap Dragon do. Saucy Jack do. do. do. do. Industry Terrible Swirtsure 26! Expedition 40 brig Argusf F. Presideotf do T. B Yankee Leo Brutus 10 Gen. Armstrong purnt New York France do. wrecked Norway New Bedford France sunk .!o. Plymouth made cartels ransomed Bristol Sackett's Harbor St Mary's Savannah lurnt rausttmed burnt ransomed Norway France ransomed Norway burnt Salem ' ' Wilmington Charlestua do. destroyed Portsmouth made a cartel Beaufort do. ransomed Cape Henry do. burnt St Mary's Machias Eastport Machias Newport destroyed France do. do. do. ransomed »> ^^r. APV£NDIX. A ^ew York 672 brig Boxer* !8| 96 brig Enterprizef Portland France fi7S schooner- Mate and crew ! Castine do. fi74 schooner — Terrible lansomed vrecked 075 brig Jane Snap Draggon Newbern 'Norway 676 brig— Grampus burnt Sew Bedford 677-578 2 vefsels Terrible Sulem F'rance 579 ^chV Lilly PUot ransomed unk 680 brig Mary-Ann do do !o. 681 brig— Gen. Anmlrong burnt Plymouth 682-58J 1 brig and sloop Industry Machiaa made cartels 684 packet Lapwing* Rattlesnake made a cartel ransomed 685-586 2 ships T. blood. Yankee France Bristol 687 sloop Traveller Lark iVIachias Sackett's Harbor 588 Duke of Montrose* P. Presidentf made a cartel 3t Mary's 689 brig Jane and Ann do sunk Savannah 690 brig Daphne do do burnt 591 ship Eliza 8 do ransomed ransomed 692 brig Alert do burnt burnt 693 barque Lion 8 do ransomed ransomed 694 sch'r Hig^ Flyer* 5 do Newport Norway 595 ship Industry L\ blood.Yanker Norway Prance 696 ship Lnnd. Packet 14 Arf^is Boston ransomed 697 )>rig Atlantic do ransomed Norway 698 brig Jane do made a cartel burnt 599 brig Jane Snap Dragon ransomed Salem 600 •>rig Venus do made a cartel WilmiDgtoa 601 ^ch'r Elizabeth do given up Charlcslun 602 brig Harpy do do do. 603 barque Reprisal do ransomed Jestroyed 60* privateer Datt 12 45 R. cut. VIgillan' Newport Portsmouth 605 ach'r Salamanca 6 16 brig Argusf tiestroyed made a cartel 606 brig Susannah do made a cartel Beaufort 607 brig Richard do burnt do. 1 608 brig Fowey do do ransomed 1 609 sloop Lady Francis do do Cape Henry 1 6iO trans. Barbadoes* do do do. 1 611 trans Alliance* do do iturnt 1 612 sch'r Cordelia do do 5t Mary's 1 613 ship Betsey do France Vlachias i ^'^ ship Mariner do sunk ^HRtport 615 sloop — do France yiacbiaa 616 >>rig Helena do made a cartel Newport * 617 brig- do burnt lestroyed 618 brig Diana & Betty do do i'rance SI9 ship Defiance do do do. 620 brig Baltic do do do. 621 sloop — do (nade a cartel do. 622 brig Belford do ■ JJ. L'L. i It 446 APPE^DIX. 615 Itransport Julia* ll 21202 shin Madisonf Sacketts Harbot 628 1 sch'r Hrowler* 1 1 4? do. do. £27-6293 Gunboats* 6 45 do. do. 6S0 Guu boatir i i£ do. lurnt 681 packet Morgiana* I B .»>'■; Saratoga Newport «S2 1 3hip-~ do. burnt 633 ibrig Sdiah | ' do. do. 634 sch'r— Gen. Stark Machias 635 ship Economy Scourge & Rattle Norway 668 ship Pax do.[snakf do 837 ship Oiiigeot do. do* «38 ich't Liberty do. do> 639 brig Betsey do. do. 640 brig Hope do. do. 641 »hip Hull do. do 642 siiip Jot. Bachellor do. do- 643 ship Experioieot do. do* 644 btig Ruby do. do. 645 ship Brifannia do. do. 646 sch'r Prosperous do. do. 647 brig BurtoQ do. do. 648 ship Latona do. do. 649 ship Friends do. do. 650 ship Nottingham do. do. «5i ; br. WestRiorelaod do. do. 652 brig Brothers do. do. 653 sloopPerseverance do. 1 do. 654 nh\p Harford do. 1 do. 655 ship Thetis do. do. 656 brig Brunswick do. do. 637-669 13 vessels Leo burnt 670 Gun boat* J SOftiofgar's riflem. Sacketts Harbor 671 ship Brutus Rattlesnake made a cartel 672 sch'r Fame Saratoga vvrecked 673 ship St. Lawrence America t^ortsmouth 674-675 |two vessels Yankee iuade a cartel 676-690 15 vessels Lady Cordelia destroyed 691 brig- do. wrecked 693 brig President Polly Savannah 693 brig Favorite ISO Yankee made a cartel 694 brig Mary do. Chatham 695-69(i two ships Scourge Vorway 697 sch'r Katy Yankee 'gbt vessels ship Castor brig Active ship Watson ship Cora brig Eliza Bch'r Traveller sch'r George rloop Experiment sloop Vigilanttt schooner— br Toung Husband •773 nine vessels brig Tullock ship Minerva IC 10 10 29 40 21 26 28 24 25 26 29 7b 17 t4l 30 Fox Washington Saratoga do. do. Saratoga do. Saucy Jack Revenge Caroline Comet P. Essexf do. do. do. do. P. Essex Juni 'rj do. do. P. Congressf do. do. Eliza Saucy Jack do. Caroline Gen. Stark Caroline Grand Turk do. Caroline Revenge Roger do. Gov. Tompkins T. B. Yankee do. do. do. do. do. Frolic Fly do. Comet Peiapsco Gov. Tompkins Comet Fox do. Polly Landing Portland burnt ransomed New York nadea cartel lansomed - of 20 guns 3 VVru do. riade a cartel Jiirnt iiade a cartel f 1 : MIl^ :(■ " 448 A1»PEM>1K. 14 776 Iphip— i 777 brig Isabella 778 jaloop— 778 ^chr. ll!»rniony 780 i>ioop Humbird 781 brig— 782 pig— 783 pobr. Mary 784 sloop— '?85 ship W«uilerer 786 'ship E(!^var John 881 ' brig Brothers 822 ship Victory 823-826 Tour ships 827 'hip— 828 brig Elizabeth 888 , khip AnuCatheriiu iGo<7.Tontps:n8 made a cartel ^ri|^ Ratlf< f^i ike-f Wilmington ( Gi'-yrtd S'.'k'L wrecked Terribk' Portsmouth Surprize Mh'^hiaa brig Rnttlesnaki faunk 10 12 SO 80 Fox Maadoniuj U)pe F P.p&identf do. do. Mars Alfred do. Chasseur T.B Yankee do. Frolic Leo Delile burnt ransomed Philadelphia sunk do. do. New- Bedford Marblebead burnt Beaufort France ' do. destroyed Cape Francois sunk brig EnterprizefSt. Mary's Mars Charleston bs. Rati. & Ent f Wilmington Grand Turk Diomcde Ttickahoe do. America do. Diomede do. Fox Diomede France wreciicu burnt do. Portsmouth burnt Savannaii New- York Gloucester Bristol bs. Rail. &c Ent.fburnt do. ilo. Invincible. VVMImingtoD Mars do. Viper Newport Fairy Wilmington America Charh'ston Mary NeW'Yoik Viper Newport Saucy Jack Charlcsloii America Spain Viper Camden Rattlesnake Norway do. Krance Caroline Charleston Saucy Jack tiavannuli ■ - ■ APPENDIX. 449 . 1 ft 1 made a cartel sso 3chr. Nimble 1 Saucy Jack Beaufort 1 t^ iVilniingtoii 331 4chr. Jason Caroline biirnt n \ wrecked •; 832 ichr. — Kemp Cape Francois 1 *ortBinouth nas iclir. Trinitaria Saucy Jack Savannali I tfk'^hiaa 834-042 nine vessels P. Neufchattel Prance ' 7 unk 843 851 nine vessels Comet destroyed 1 lunit Sfi^- &jfi tour vessels do. 'ansomed ansomed 86G-857 two vessels do. Wilmington Philadelphia 858 brig Apollo Q America Salem sunk 859 brig Anne do. made a cartel Jo. i 860 cutter Patty do. uink Jo. 861 briK— do. Jo. ! VewBedford 862 brig Henry 6 Gov. Tompkins New.York tfarblehead 863 brig Abel do. Elizabeth City f lurnt 864 ship— Invincible Wilmington Beaufort 865 sch. fincouragem't.' Frolia destroyed t Prance 866 brig Two Sisters i Wasp Philadelphia do. 867 schr. Hope America burnt destroyed 868 schr. Sylph do. do. f \ Cape FrancoiE 869 jchr. Eclipse Wasp wrecked sunk 870 schr. Cobham Jonquilla Wilmington i St. Mary's 871 brig Louisa Kemp Elizabeth City Charleston 872 ship Hive Surprize Norfolk i Wilmington 873 schr. Picton* 8 20 F. Constitutionf sunk Prance 874 ship Lovely Ann do. made a C8''*<'' wrecked. 875 schr. Phoenix do. sunk burnt .« 876 brig Nimble Invincible Teneriffe do. 877 brig Ceres Grampus burnt ' Portsmouth 878 schr.— Saratoga NewBedford burnt 879 dch. Friends Adv'tr. Fox Wiscasset Savannali 880 brig Fanny GaUomay Prance New York 881 brig- Fox burnt Gloucester 88'i schr. Eliza Snap-Dragon Beaufort Bristol 883 icht. Kentish Saratoga Pairhaven •f'bunit >i 1 884 schr. Prince Regen; 1 Invincible ransomed ilo. 885 cutter Lyon do. given up Wilmington 886 iirig Portsea B do. ransomed do. 887 brig Conway 1 do. Portsmouth Newport 888 sch Francis & Luc} do. made a cartel ■ I Wiluiingiton 889 brig James Young Wasp Prance CharU'stun 890-891 two vessels vio. made cartels New-Yoilc 892 ■ichr. — boat Alertf Burlingtoa i- Newport ■ 393 ship Union Rambler wrecked Charicstoii 894 brig. Fair Stranger Fox Portsmouth Spain 895 transport Mary* 1! 2 82 Rattlesnake France 1 Camden 896 brig— Expedition destroyed Norway 897 sch'r Miranda Chasseur do. I'Vance 398 sloop Martha 4 20 do. made a cartel j Charleston 899- 90d two vessels do. destroyed ! Savannuh mi !< 'oh'r Adeline ■ji SO Fxpedition , NewYork -. i «'"»^'= I it 1 • .,i I|-:l^ ' ;< ,1 t li 4oO A1»PEX1>JX. 902 )r. Experience Caroline \ Trtckfd 903 hip Experence Rapid ! javnnah 90^ *rh'r— Perry Norfolk 905 *i'h't Francia Midas )urnt 906 cli'r Appellodore do. do. 907 4ch'r William 20 do. made a cartel 908 ■loop Irwin 30 do. do. 909 n\^ Bellona Globe iarracoa 910 ich'r Prince ship Adauisf [)urot 9)1 3chV Industry do. do. 912 -loop— do. given up 913 )rig Roebuck do. made a cartel 914 ^hip Equity Rattlesnake burnt 915 ship Adston do. «unk 916 'ch'r— Saratoga Fairbavcn 917 sloop Regent do. sunk 918 seli'r — do. ransomed 919 sloop EperTier* •' 128 brig Peacockf Savannah 920 ?Ioop Cygnet (Saratoga Wilmington 921 ich'r Diligence York destroyed 922 sloop Bonita Delisle do. 923 brig Robert Zebec Ultor Charleston 924 brig Faiorite David Porter viven up 925 b.-ig— 10 do. do. 9.i6 ship Susan IS do. ransomed 927 *hip Doris do. do. 928 brig Curlew do. burnt 92tf Itiig — Rattlesnake Portsmouth 930 ship James Young Wasp ransomed 931 brig Swift 4 15 Zebec Ultor Baltimore 932 brig CHinelion Mammouth Portsmouth 93J-934 fwo vessels Caroline Ipstroyed 9d 5-944 10 vessels Tom &. Leo Prance 945 sch'r Hope Pike Saco 946 ?ch'r Pickrel do. sunk 947 shipPelham > 2 Sacey Jack Charleston 948 rhip Fortuna Roger Beaufort 949 Bch'r — Viiier Newport 950 ship Phoebe Hawk Wilmington 9»l brig Kutusoff I 40 Surprize Frankfori. 958 >■ schr* Youn. Furmer Henry Ouildcr NewYori'c 963 sch'r Miranda Chasseur burnt 954 transport Martha* do. made a carle 95i sch'r Ann Maria do. burnt 956 sch'r William do. do. . 957 ship Joanua do. sunk 958-95£ two vessels Janwa Monroe burnt 960 r Funchell shipLon. Packet brig Astrea privateer Dash sch'r Union G.B. Black Snake* hip Friendship sch'r Alert sch'r Active schT Mary Ann brig Lord Nelson sch'r Nancy schooner — jsch'r Sambo 'schooner^- Scourge burnt do. do. do. sunk Fox. burnt do. made a cartel IS do. Portsmouth G. n Pike Damarescotta Lawrence Portland 16 104 Diomede Wiscasset 4 20 prizp ship Upton made a cartel Diomede •iunk do. do. do. do. 6 Chasseur Newport do. Beau fort Roger Norfolk Leo Newport Rattlesnake made a cartel 10 30 Grand Turk Baltimore do. burnt do. ransomed I0i80 Applings riflemen Sackett's Har Diomede Thomastown Lawrence Portland Diomede Casline Hero Charleston Caroline do. Hero Newbern 16 Amelia made a cartel 6 30 do. burnt Iti do. made a cartel Hero ransomed Harrison Charleston sloop Frolicf riestroyed do. do. Hero Newbern 12 Chasseur Portsmouth 14 Miurnt do. made a curie) *iurnt do. do. { rnn. P«!r»everaacc« IIGV HohV Nancy* ii] 20' 11tt5 . 'raiia. £nileavor* HUB liulter Jubilee 1 1 67 icIiV Alexarulria 11G8 liri^ IrUh Aliuer IIG'J lirip; Miiry 117(i brig Eliza 1171 4ch'r Esperance 1172 ihi|i London 117J -ihiii Pustethwell li74 Irl'; Nancy 1175 bup— 1176 ihip Detroit 1177 4hi|» QCharlotte* 1178 brig Lady Pre vostn 1179 >rig Hunter* 1180 ^loup Little Bell» 1 1 i) I ich'r Chippeway* 1182 h\ Cunfiaucc« 1183 iirig Linnet* 118^ doop Chub* 1185 doop Finch* 1186-1188} Gun Boats* 1 1 89 ransport Farmer* 1190 l)rig Britannia 11 91-1 193 three brigs 1194 ir Fortune of War S 1195 ihip Corontandel 2 1196 *irig Cyrus 1 197 sloop Regulator 1198 tirigQ Charlotte 1199 ibip Milnea 1200 brig Lively 1201 ich'r P. Regent 1202 ship Dorrts 120J brig Willing Maid 1204 brig Polly 1205 scb'r Sally 1206 privateer Lively 1207 ship Caledonia 1203 brig Eagle 1201) brig Traveller 1210 brig Wellingtou 1211 brig Eliza 1212 ich'rAnn > 121 J transport Strangerx 66 1214-1216 three vessels set 7 Ketch Expedition bhif) Lawreocef dc». do. Hurprir.c Whig df». do. do. do. do. do. d'l. Porlsinoutb do. 3. Perry's fleetf do. do. do. do. do. Uric destroyed do. do. made a cartel burnt made a cartel di!b(ruye«l made a oartel >kuuk do. do. Portland nade a cartel Put in Bay do. do. do. do. t do. 1 1 , ( . ( .iOO 120 40 40 127 40 66 M'O Olio's fleetf Plattsburgh 15 15 17 100 16 82 20 do. do. ao. do. Mammouth do. do. Gun Boatsf York do. do. Burprize do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. Fox Spark Grampua do. do. do. sunk do. do. burnt Sapelo Baltimore made a cartel Chatham destroyed burnt do. do. ' • do. do. do. do. Salem i ransomed do. made a cartdl do. '- do. ) Salem do. &;iven up New-York ( < \ ■' s u i.\. ' I APPENDIX. 46.i Jrlo * ' ' 1218 Rcli'r Charlotte Ann Surprise kSaco ettroyed ii2l9 4ch'r William Vi|)cr Salem do. 1220 brig Eclipse 14 Chasseur INew York do. 1221 ht\g, Catherine Grampus wrecked nade a cartel 1222 sch'r Retrieve Fox l)urnt urnt 1223 packet Lfith* sloop Peaeockf do. nade a cartvl 1224 seh'r Williain&Ann do. do. , i!b(royetl 1225 br. Pcguy &. Ann do. do. , < nadu a aartcl 1226 Cutter Fy ing Fifih Sabine Baco 1 uiik 1227 brig Aaron do. do. do. 1228 brig Harvest York Machias do. 1229-1230 two vessels Green destroyed 'orlland 12.11 bri^ Steady Prin. Neufchattel burnt ] nade a cartel 1232 .4chV James do. do. 1 Put in Bay 1233 brig Coaliers Amelia do. do. 1234 brig Harmony do. made a cartel do. 1 235 brig Elizabeth do. burnt do. ' ' 1236 -•hip — 8 do. Jallimore do. ^ 1237 Princess Mary Whig burnt do. 1238 4ch'r F.liza do. made a cartel Platt^burgh ' > 1239 brig Stranger sloop Peacockf burnt do. 1^40 »ch'r— Leach ransomed do. 1241 ship Hermes* 28 176 Mobile Fort l>lown up do, -J 1242 sloop Jane Prin. Neufchattel burnt sunk ' ' I 1243 brig Tritor 8 do. sunk do. < 1 1244 trans, ship Aaron* 4 do do. do. 1245 brig Apollo do do. iurnt 1246 Cutter Gen. Doylr do. do. Sapelo ' 1247 sloop George do. do. Baltimore 1248 br. Boswick Packet B5 do. made a cartel oaade a cartel 1249 brig Sibron 4 do. lunk Dliathain • 1250 brig Nymph do. made a cartel [ lestroyed i 1251> brig Albion 4 do. t>urnt i )urnt ( 1252 ship Harmony 4 do. ransomed] *"- f do. • ' ( 1263 brig Charlotte 8 do. l)urnt * do. • • ' 1 1254 brig Mary Ann do. do. 1 do. '- i 1255 brig Douglas to do. N'antucket | do. • 1 1256-1257 Launch P8» {14 do. do. , ! do. -'-U 1258 one do. do. 0*20 do. (sunk " Amelia New- York do. p Christianna 50 Chasseur 1285 brig Pnulcnce do. 1286 Moop Favorite do. 1287 brig Cornwaliis lOO do. 1288 briw Alert do. 1289 iri^ tiarmony 43 do. 1290 ship Carlbury do. 1291 brig Seafiower ^ 10 ship Peacockf 1292 brig Stranger 8 20 do. 1293 jloop Fortitude do. 129* brig Venus do. 1295 brig Diana 6 20 do. 1296 i(l do. 1321 ship Champion 60 do. li«2-1323 fwo vessels d(.. 1324 schr. Thomas 40 do. !326 ich'r Good latent 18 do. burnt do. do. do. do. do. made a cartel burnt made a cartel (',1 bur»t do. made a cartel burnt made a cartel Baltimore destroyed do. do. do made a cartel destroyed do. do. do. made a cartel destroyed do. do. do. Portland burnt Portsmouth do. Portland Barnstable Charleston sunk burnt made a cartel burnt do. scuttled burnt do. da. made a cartel destroy t"l made a cartel do. li At^PENDliC. 467 burnt do. do. do. do. do. made a cartel burnt made a cartel i'^ bur"t do. made a cartel burnt made a cartel Baltimore destroyed do. do. do made a cartel destroyed do. do. do. made a cartel destroyed do. do. do. Portland burnt Portsmouth do. Portland Barnstable CbariestoD sunk burnt made a carte! burnt iio. scuttled burnt do. da. made a ctrtel destroy e'l made a cartel do. 327 328 329 330 S41 332 J 333 i34 33S 336 337 338 339 340 341 34S 34i 344 345 346 347 348 349 3 SO 351 652 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 381 362 368 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 376 brig Joseph 102| Mammoth | made a cartel tiri^ Eliza dc. given up jch'r-- Cus. House barge Camden ' ' lirig Atalanta sloop Waspf Savannah brig Europa 10 22 Petapsco Wilmington brig Canada 10 Lawrence do. sch'r Pox* 2 25 by her own cren Newbern brig William Chasseur do. brig Lulice 7 sloop Waspt burnt " ^ brig Bon Accord 7 do. sunk transport Mary* 2 10 do. burnt brig Three Brothers 7 do. do. brig Bacchus * ' 11 do. do. ship Ann Dorothy ' Saratoga Boston brig Hiram David Porter ransomed brig NaiiCjr Scourge New-York ship Lord Hood do. burnt brig Belfield do. do. brig Susan &l James Fox do. sch'r Retrieve do. do. brig Concord do. made a cartel brig Cossac Surprize Boston sch'r Pink Grand Turk sunk brig Brothers do. do. brig Belgrade 60 do. made a oertel brig Robert Stewart do. burnt sch'r Commerce do. do. sch'r Mary Surprise sunk sch'r Bird Grand Turk Salem trans, ship Ocean* Gen Putnam do. sch'r Georgiana Grand Turk do. sloop — Scorpion do. sch'r— do. sunk sch'r Eugene Midas do. sch'r Stringer do. do. sch'r Betsey &c Jane j Cadet Thomastown hrig- Jonquille ransomed BlilOp Saucy Jack do. sch'r Mary do. do. sch.KingstonPacket do. made a tender sloop Cyrus Packet tender burnt ^loop Jane Saucy Jack made a cartel ship Amelia IS 40 do. burnt sch'r Weasel do. St. Mary's sch'r Jane do. Savannah brig Louisa Macedonian lurnt brig Britannia do. do. ship Sir Ed Pellew 2 19 do. sunk sch'r Mariner 22 do. made a cartel sch'r— r.8 ResolutioD Charleston n wv 1^ 1 ! ' '1 U'l ! 158 APPENDIX. 1376 brig S, D. 2 12 Kemp Cbsrieafoti 1377 ship Rosiibell 16 35 do. do. r 1378 )rig Fortsea 8 26 do. do. 1379 ship Princess 2 14 do. do. 1380 sch'r— Young Wasp Ocracoke 1381 sch'r Hazard Surprize burnt 1SB2-1388 two vessels do. made cartels 1384 sclj'r Mary do. burnt 1385 Krig Courtney Yankee Fairharen la86 ^cb'r Polly Dash Boston 1387 «nh'r Swift Expedition Machias 1388 ship Amiable Roger Wilmington 1383 sch'r— Hero Beaufort i3a0 transport sbipf Fort Buwyer Mobile , r> 1391 sch'r Mary-Anu Cadet Thomastown ia92 sch'r St. John Jonquilla ransomed l39.{ -ch'r— do. made a cartel 1394 brig Gen. Mailland Dash Portsmouth 1395 sloop Mary do. made a cartel 1396 jch'r— Fume ThomastowH 1397 r.ch'r Peegy Caroline (nade a cartel l3i(8 $loop Efiza do. $uuk 1399 sch'r Mariner do. made a cartel 1400 brig Stephen 14 30 do. do. 1401 »l ; Thomastown ransomed made a cartel Portsmouth made a cartel TbomastowH made a cartel iiuuk made a cartel do. I)urnt Boston ^riven up Philadelphia Boston burnt . ,.f. ■ansomed made a cartel burnt ■ansomed do. made a cartel Philadelphia , do. wrecked Portsmouth made a cartel burnt do. do. do. do. ■vrecked Blizabelh Ct(j ck wrecked given Hi» 1427 1428 1429 14S0 1431 1432 U33 1434 1435 143,", 143", 143S 1439 1440 1441 1442 brig Only Hon lender* transport* 4hip Jane brig Wm. Neilson «ch'r Nine Bisters brig Louisa ship Wm. &, Alfred transport Janef brig Courtney ^hip St. Andrew brig Speculator brig Patriot brig DantKic tender* transport Cyrus* 1 443-1 4<49|Beven transports* 1450 brig Peier 1451 brig John 1452 brig Nancy 1453 ach'r— 1454 ship William 1455 brig— 1466 sch'r— 1457 ship Mary 1458 tender sch'r Brent* 1469 brig— 1460 sloop Enterprize 1481 brig Brunswick 1462 sch'r Britannia U63 brig Race Horss 1464 sch'r Mary 1465 sch'r Good Intent 1466 3Ch'r Nancy 1467 sch'r Hazard 1468 sch'r Sea Flower 1469 sch'r Lucy- Ann 1470 brig Forth 1471 ship Star 1472-1473 two vessels ship — brig Athill ich'r George brig WilUam brig- brig Susanna brig Flying Fish ship Corona Ipack Lady Pelham« brig Sarah .si 20 12 118 10 3fi Tlasli Barucf X.Orleans militia Harpey do. do. do. do. do Yankee do. do. Brutus Paul Jnnes Virginia militia 14 Lch. N Orieansf t>urnt 1474 1476 1476 1477 1478 1479 1480 1481 1482 \m 26 8 10 40 S Launchesf Lawrence Perry do. Warrior Charles Stewart Harrison do. Little George Boatsf Kemp Whig do. do. do. Surprize do. • do. do. do. do. do. do. Roger Ranger Lawrence David Porter Lawrenr<) Champlain Sine qua non Dav;d Porter Chasseur Kemp Warrior nvfn up '< 'liaHeston urnt do. made a cartel •urnt ansomed do. made a cartel ansomed do. riade a cartel Oharleston Vlachias .Norfolk .ake Borgne lieaufort Baltimore made a cartel tvrecked Bath ransomed do. Marblehcad Charleston Ocracoke nade a cartel burnt do. do. do. do. do. do. do. made a cartel burnt Baltimore burnt do. France made a cartel Beaufort Portsmouth do. New-Bedford Wilmington do. suok I ,iL I ■ ': i '\ iH i( 460 1484 J 485 1486 148/ 1488 1489 1490 1491 1492 1493 1494 1495 1498 1497 1498 1499 1500 1501 1502 1503 1504 1505 1506 1507 1508 1509 1510 1511 1512 1513 15U 1515 1616 1517 1518 1519 1620 1521 1522 1523 1524 1625 1526 1527 1528 1629 1630 I5ni 1532 1533 A1»1'EN»1X brip; Ly Troubridgc| 8 luo burnt ship Mary &, Susan Chas<;eur Savaunali JCh'r Arrow America Salem 3loop6f.Lawrence« 14 85 Chasseur made u carte) ship Adveuture do. Cli'irlestou sch'r Robert AmeficR destroyed i\oop Jubilee do. do. ich'r Hope do. Salem ship Emulation Syren Graciosn schooner — Macdonough burnt 3ch'r Ceres Reindeer do. sch'r William do. do. sloop Unity do. Miadc n cartel brig Daphne 2 do. ranso'netl br. Crown Prince Portsmouth Sedgwick transport Juno» do. made a cartel brig Ocean do. bnrnt brig Langtoo do. ransomed brig Adeona America Salem sch'r Si'Kaa Morgiaua W^iimington )rig Sarah Warrior burnt )rig Legal Tender David Porter Machias t ..or- Prin. Neufchattel sunk >■ , .'.iguia Fox Portsmouth L ip Lioieriek Morgiana New-York ''jrig Helen do. do. hrig ''lutus YoMog Wasp ;iven up ship Mary Ann do. do. iirig liurd Duncan Morgiana burnt 'trig Cossac 6 do. made a cartel 5ch'r Resolution Kemp Beaufort sloop — d do. j;iven up U)ip Otway 3 do. ransomed brig- 18 42 do. do. brig Alexander Leo wrecked brig Eagle Lawrence do. brig Susannah P. Constitulionf New-York brig Lord Nelson do. burnt ship Arabella liamhkr Macao brig Madeira z 25 do. giver up ship Anne 4 Zebec Ultor Nev, York sch'r Perseverance do. burnt >rig John do. do. br. Maria- Arrabella do. do. sloop Twins do. do. sloop L'Esperaocf> do. do. sloop Constitution do. do. brig Mohawk do. Baltimore ship — Avon ransomed Jhip — Jacob Jones do. >urut ;594 javanimb l5.-<5 jalem 1536 uade a carle t 1537 :;!>HrIe8tou 1338 lestroyed 1539 do. if)kO Salem l.'i41 3racioso li>i2 lurnt 15W do. 1544. du. 1545- nadc B cnrt^i 1547 ranscned 154-8 Sedgwick 1549 made a cartel 1550 fiDrnt 1551 ransomed 1552 Salem 1553 Wilmington 1554 l>uriit 1555 Alaebias 1656 Hunk 1657 Portsmouth 1568 New-York 1659 do. 1660 given up 1561 do. 1662 burnt 1S63 made a carte! 1564 Beaufort 1665 j;iven up 1666 ransomed 1567 do. 1568 wrecked 1669 do. 1670 New-York 1571 burnt 1672 Alacao 1673 ^iver up 1674 Nev, York 1676 burnt 1676 do. 1677 do. 1678 do. 1679 do. 1580 do. 1581 Baltimore 1582 ransomed L-jas do. 1 1584 -1546 APPENDIX. 46] frigate Cyanew ' J4irsirig.Couslitutionf, New- York brig Baltic Grand Turk wrecked sloop Busy America burnt " ' ^ch'r Black Juke do. do. sloop Enterprize do. made a cartel pack. sh. EliKabeth 8 .^i' do do. ach'r Patriot >Rev Cut. Jeffer'n Nortbik pilot Boat Custom House Eastport sch'r Ontario N. Y. Militia St. Vincents -hip William brig Vixenf New York ship Hero Teaz-er Machias » two sch'rs Buskin kSnlem brig — Paul Jones Norfolk bri{'. Resolution Nancy Pjrtinnd brig Ranger 20 Matilda Phiiadelpbia sch'r Peggy Wiley Reynard Portland i^hip Contluenaia Wasp Charleston ship King G-»orge Essexf nidoston sch'r Two Brot.;...- United we stain; Newport ship Commerce Decatur Pv,rtlaud ^hip Diana do. do. orig Concord Marengo Aew York ship — Industry ^larbltheatl ship Ned 1 16 Revenge Sulem sloop Brothers Saucy Jack Charleston sch'r Sally Gen. Washington do. brig John 1 .1 18 Benj Franklin do. sch'r Robin Revenge Portland sloop Caroline Retaliation New- York brig Ann Growler isakm ship Mentor Jack's Favorite New Orleans brig Antrim do. do. brig Emma Holkar Newport sch'r Betsey 18 .4. Prisoners Campeachy sh. RalphNickerson America Salem sloop- Ontario Sack et's Harbor sloop Earl Camden Yankee France brig Elizabeth 2 8 do. do. brig Watson 3 15 do. do. brig Mariner do. do. schr— Saucy Jack given up ship Grotius Frolic Salem brig Jane Gordon 1 20 do. burnt 4ch'r Hunter do. made a carte! sch'i Susan do. do. sch'r Vigilant do. ransomed brig Maria P. Presidentf France sch'r Falcon do. do. brig Jane Cordelia burnt sloop Little Vhvah do. do. 'i i 462 APPENDIX. 1585 Kloop Fame \ Cordelia burnt 1536 sloop Chance do. do. 1687 ■ch'r Deep Nine do. made a cartel 1588 sloop Watt do. do. 1689 si. Charming Eliza do. sunk Iff 90 sloop Jamaica do. do. 1691 scb'r Phoenix do. made a cartel 1692 brig Marquis Yankee Mew Bedford 1693 brig Concord Rattlesnake Norway 1694 BCh'r— F. Essezf sunk 1595 Tender* Virginia Militia Norfolk 1696 ship Barclay P. Essexf Peru 1697 ship Ashum T.BIood Yankee France 1698 brig Trident Scourge burnt 1599 brig Haddock do. do. 1600 seh'r Columbia Port«mouth Newburyport 1601 brig Fire Ply Sabine Wilmington 1602 brig Mary Argo burnt 1603 sch'r Kliza Ports 'nouth Machias 1604 brig Argo Surprize Portland 1605 brig — Grampus do. 1606 trans. Lord Keith 4 Mars iS'ewporl 1607 brig Penguin* 22 li 8 Horaetf sunk !, 1 1 R'^ Total, guns S083.~-1 1797 men. M Ifmi APPENDIX* 463 burnt do. made a cartel do. sunk do. made a cartel ?^ew Bedford Norway sunk I Norfolk Peru France burnt do. Newburyporl \¥ilmiDgtoD burnt Mac/hias Portland do. Newport sunk 'u->"^>'''^--t' BIDDLE'S VICTORY. t^^y ■ 144»-,- f^^yofa Letter from Caplain Biddle to Commodore Deealur^ dated U. Slates' Sloop Hornet, off Triatan'd dcunha, March 25, 1815. SIR— I have the honor to inform, that on the morning of the 2dd inst. at half past ten, when about tu anchor,, off the north end of the island of Triatan'd Acunba, a sail was seen to the southward and east- ward, steering to th« westward, the wind fresh from the S. S. W. In a few minutes she had passed on to the westward so that we could not see her for the land. 1 immediately made sail to the westward, and shortly after getUng sight of her again, perceived her to bear up before the wind. I hove too for him to come down to us.— 'When she bad ap- proached near, I filled the maintopsail, and continued to yaw the ship, while she continued to come dowxi ; wearing occasionally to prevent her passing under our stern. At 1 40 P. M. being nearly within musket shot distance, she hauled her wind on the starboard tack, hoisted Eng- lish coIoiJ, and fired a gun. We immediately luffed too, hoisted our ensign and gave the enemy a broadside. The action being thus com- menced, a quick and well directed fire was kept up from this ship, the enemy gradually drifting nearer to us, when at Ih 55m, he bore up, ap- parently to run us on board. As soon as I perceived he would certainly fall on board, I called the boarders so as to be ready to repel any attempt to boan' us. At the instant every officer and man repaired to the quarter deck, where the two vessels were coming in contact, and eager- ly pressed me to permit them to board the enemy : but this I would not permit, as it was eviitent from the commencement of the action that our fire was greatly superior both in quickness and in effect. The enemy's bowsprit came in between our main and mizen rigging, on our starboard side, affording him an (,< :urtuiiity to board us, if such was his design, but no attempt was made. Tliere was a considerable swell on, and as the sea lifted us ahead, the enemy's bowsprit carried away cur mizen shrouds, stern duvits and spanker boom, and he hun^ upon our larboard ({uarter. At this moment an oflicer, who was afterwards recognize** to Ije Mr. M'DonoId, the first lieutenant, and the then commanding officei^ called out that they hnd surrendered. I directed the marines and mus- Uetryiiien to cease firin<;, and, while on llije taffrail asking if they had biirreiiikred, I received a wound in the neck. The enemy just then <^ot clear of us, and his foremast and bowsprit being both gone, and per- ceiving us wcarin>; to give him a fresh bioadside, he again called out that lie had surrendered. It was witli difficulty I could restrain my crew tram firing into him attain as he had certainly fired into us after having surrendered. From the firing of the first gun, to the last time the enemy cried out he had surrendered, was exactly 22 minutes by thu watch, ijhe proved to be H. B. M. brig Penguin, mounting sixteen o III carronades, two long 12's, a twelve lb. carronade on the top gallaui forecastle, with swivels on the capstern and in the tops. She had u sjiaro port forward, so a'; to frht bolii hir long guns of a side. She sail- 464 APPENDIX. ed from England iu September last. She is in all respects, a remark ably fine vtrssel of ber clafts. The eneiOy acknowledge a complement of 182 men ; 12 of them supernumerary marines from the Medway 74. They acknowledge, also, a loss of 14 killed, and 88 wounded ; but Mr. Mayo, who was in charge of the priae, assures me that the number of killed was certainly greater. Among the killed is Captain Dickenson, who fell at the close of the action, and the boatswain ; among the woun- ded, is the second lieutenant, purser, and two midsliipmen. Each of the midi^hipmen lost a leg. Having removed the prisoners, and taken on hoard such provisions an:l stores as would be useful to us, 1 scuttled the Penguin, this morning before day-light, and she went down. As she was completely riddled by our shot, her foremast and bowsprit both gone, and her mainmast so crippled as to be incapable of being secured, it seemed unadvisable, at this distance from home, to attempt sending ber to the United States This ship did not receive a single round shot in her hull, not any ma- terial wound in ber spars ! the rigging and sails were very much cut ; but having bent a new suit of sails and knotted ind secured our rigging, we are now completely ready, in all respects, for any service. We were eight men short of complement, and had nine upon the sick list the morning of the action. Knclosed Is a list of killed and wounded I have the honor to be, &c. J. BIDDLE. AMERICAN LOSS. \'' Killed, 1 —Wounded, 11. ''>'■ BRITISH LOSS. ■ ' Killed, 14.— Wounded, 28. NOTE — The above Victory was net reedvctl in time to be inserted in itt proper plme. •if. ; I. !M .-.; I ' ii I ii, espects, a remark dge a complemenl m the Medway 74. wounded ; but Mr. hat the number of )aplain Dickenson, ; among the woun- hipmen. Each of isonera, and taken til to us, 1 scuttled e went down. As and bowsprit both le of being secured, to attempt sending r hull, nor any ma- •e very much cut ; ecured our rigging, any service. We upon the sick list led and wounded J. BIDDLE. ' i. -•;■ - ^ . I'.' to be. inserted in iti n.t.u I .i^r:-i ■ ■ 1- .,,, ; SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 407 Peter Ralman Stephen Sullet Caleb Thomas 'Ihomas Tilli^on Henry J Vasburgli Litchjicld liuman Agard Siliis Bigelow E W. Holies Ruiihael Beach Samuel Bradley H Bulkley Sninuel Barber Deiij. Bissel James Carman Tlios. Crosby J(»lin Churchill, jr. Emus Birununs jHC(»t) Qristvold, jr. Morgan Griswold Arthur O Hard K Lawrence, jr. John Laodon Jacob Northrop Hemait Osborn Eijnh Phelps, jr Josiah Parks Ji»l)u Palmer Emanuel Russell Vim. Rew James Stone, 2d. Julius Stone Eli Taylor Asahel Towner JanifS Tryon £ B Whitman David We-sels William Ward, jr. Curtis Williams Jonathan Wright, 2d Lansingburgh, N. Y. John Bt-ntley Joseph Chout John F Chout John Dufft'y Levi Eastman Joshua Griffin Isaac Hasbrook Sheldon Judson Ileuben King J. L LHnsing David iM'Murray ti I. M'Donald C'iiarleJ Olmsted r. B Pa.vne lohn Wright ljf.mx, Mai$. Kranci;* Douglass Isaac Uills i^e, Alaaa. Samuel Bayard Josiah Hadlock misha Whiting Maiisjwld stephctt G I'lelds Ira Siiaffiird •lamui'l P Reed MUford S.itn. Buckingham, jr. l-ivereit Baldwin Dan Bassett Vrilhony Bristol lonah CInrk Garry Gillett N ah Kelsey ,VI isrs Mallory, jr. Peter Mr rrimau Isaac Tibhalls Kufus Tibballs Middldonn Clark & Lyman. .1uben Randall Montgomery, V. F. John Andross Nem Hartford (ra Hubbell S.'iimim Johnson ttichard Lane Gilbert Smitti N'orthampton, Mass. \retus Belden Prescot Bartlett jcrsham Clark Vbcl Marsh White Osboro Hiver Pommy {■■orge Parsons Vm W Partridge John Woodard J Nen-Mi'f9rd Israel Graves ^larcus LII Lt'dlHy W'»oth%' M Naniau Suffidd Thadeiia G' anger Levi Hart Jesse Honaieson Thomas Jostling EMsha Farmalee Horace Sheldon S}>riti/^Jield, Mass. Aril'iit- Andrus Daniel Austin, Jr. Daniel Ashley Oliver Allen Timothy Allen Freeman Allyn Aaron Burriel Alfred Bates Erastus C Baker Ben) A. Bennett Charles Burnatn E. W, Bliss Wm Bail Abner Grain ElamChatfee Joshua Crosby Samuel Chandler John Crook Elijah Cutler NnJian Croektr Curtis H. ('hH|)in Jdiiies Chapman, Jr. J. seph Carew Ji)>n Ailfinijah Poote iN'>ah Fnnle L>\vi» Foster Calvin Gay Geiirgf Hunt Jo»ieph HopKins ilanisey Hall Zrnas Hancock James Ha!«selt, Jr. Luther Hitchcock Michael Hancock Luke Junes riiienus King V^'^n Loyd Uav'd Leonard (vhiiries Lathrop Bnoch Luden'on IVloses Leonard Eli Moore Jason Mills Samuel NoblfS, Jr. Richard Orchard Stephen Popkins Jacob Perkins John Patrick Daniel Prince Jesse Pomroy Asa Parsons Benj. Phelps Czra Richmond R;nuy Russell i'e irRC Reynolds Kufus Richardson !iimon Sanborn Calvin Shattuck Perez Smith Horace Stebbins •Vustin Stedman B S. Tufts i EberWard Samuel Wardwell |Thf odore White AUlhan M Wood Shfjftfid Seal M'Kv. ver Shmmfft Jes! Carr rpenter lan Darling Green I Harrison t!c Hulcomb Kendall id Post d iMke, JV. Y. it Arnold O Blunt rt Bennett D Butts Bowers Ciperly Ferry Hawley ge Steele und Stoddard ns Stone Stevens, jr.— -6 Bn Taylor Torrimrford Bisseit ce Gillet Mills Rood iiel Woodward Troy, N. V. Aktrly ham Brower Walter Bugler Wm. P Davis tiphraim Bacon Jr. Pt (tr Barl Miita Hytia John JMUies Ofi)r_e VV. Kr««
  • J Payn«» Jr. Wm Russell John Robsoii David 'Spencer N. G Vanderburg ^llViiman Webster Winthor, N. Y • ti»r,ri;e Harper WtHturh. JV. V. 'Jnniis biliin^s Henry Clark Kuiiklin I osier U hn G.ren Jr. Daiiiel Garrlnier Jr. Daniel Huyek Zinos W. Lay Wm MClure Diiriil Rugar F.« (ieuck Rosekransc I) J D Verpiaiik W. Springjiild, Masn, Benj Ashley Jr. Genubeth Bliss Hosea Bliss Hiram Baggs Samuel Carter Daniel Dole Waterman lUlis James Kent Owen TiOomis Gains Munger lohu Porter George Phelps John Rockwell Jerry Stebbios Wm. Tinker Wysox Pa. Clarisa W B; rstonr Cyp Grant Godfrey Vouch Jlniherxt H. James &, S. Mortoi Jlshfurd t^lisha Kinney itlrastus Stebbins Caleb Lewis Samuel Collins fVederick Cutter Andrew Perkins Job Wheaton .Simeon Staples jr. George Nichols Leonard Simmons Barkhumslcd Truman Walling GeoriEre Deming ^ ^%.^'>^ \^ '***> > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) y m // V K<^ V. *\^ ^ ^1^ 1.0 ■JO ■^~ lii^M ■^ 1^ 12.2 1.1 ^"^ I- M L25||,.4,^ < 6" ► Sciences CorpQralion 23 WKT MAIN STRHT WnSTIR,N.Y. 14SM (716)t73-4S03 4^ r f,;' 470 SUBSCRIBERS NAMEtf. ',h i{ i ! !l A. , Bellomt Folia William liowell Orrio Hikes Bant Joseph SeltoQ Canaan Oren Perry Albert Keys Nathl. Foster N. homiah Uubbell Silas Cook Latt Kingsbury Frederick J Fane W Mead Lawrence Mix Solomon Petts Jarpi) Hinsdale MIcah B. Welioo Herman Hinsdale Samuel Ferij;U8on Sebastian C. Dean IFalter Hfwit Braiirord Deaa Isaac Mix Obas. Rundall.jr. ColfJtrotie Eli Morshall Alien Dtfrnlng Samuel Barber Michael Orinell, jr. Barnes Hubbard Jared Rexrord Eli»ha Loomia Stephen Hart Joel Loomia Enos North Seth Dart Roman Perry Chauncey Peny Reuben BoIIps, 2d. Wm. Pierpont, 2d. Bubbell West Thomas Simons Elisiia Howell Canton John Coiyer, jr. James Golyer CorntviUl Wm Bennett Frederick Main jiEdmund Cole Joel Barnes J^tsiah Dean ' ' David W Norton Claremota VV.H. loses Gay George W Farge Uriel Dean David Hitchcock Cliarles Higbe jr Joseph Whitmore Benedict Tyler Beta 1 Shury Charles Stearnea Charleston N U. Richard M'c Crae Josiah Hartjr Crangton (R. I ) Piiilip Warer Chdsta larrey Hale ChnrM*m vVilliam P'»illp8 Dudley Bphraim Upliara Barlow S. Wild (bphraim Adams Jacob C. Gould /tseph Schollield Daniel Mullet Doi^loMn Samuel H'*lbrook 'lenjamln Craggen Oomrort Gould Thomas P Gordon \mos Alarch jr. Calvin Gould /oseph Lee John 0alcom jr. U S Rowson Stephen Kemrson Theodore Stone Vloses Knap Rurus Gould Allen Starnes Elias Guild Robert fV Rammett Liberty fr<>od Samuel B. G>>ddard Qawdoin Arostow Dexler Shove ComrortB Thorpe Charlea Martin Reuben IFhite /ohn Andrews VIelcome Whipple Sylvanus Cone \rnold Imnar Mosefl Taft Levi Hubbard Nelson Thayer Preston Wilmorth George Doud Elisha Thayer EaatUartford 'net Simonds Roswcll Williams Russell Burnham Giles Burnbam \u-it:!. W. Johnson David Johnson •Sarah Ann Johnson Asa L. Johnson P. W. Joraleman ■lames f.ewis David liyncli John M'Farran .lames Nutts Denj. Ostrauuer Merchant Price Samuel Parsons (Charles Rice .Todeph Pobbids P S. Van Rensellear Josiah Smith H. Sturtevant S. B. Sherwood Elisha Tripp Henry Turner Aaron Tyler Richard Thomas ijohn Trotter Charles Vandorvoort Harvey Williams J. A. Wemple James Warren Samuel L White Wm. Wood James Winchester Eli Wadsworth Bradford (PaJ Samuel Dunham Jonah Fox Jonathan Pease Beiij. Shoemaker Bozrah George W. JillsoD Berlin Wm. Steele BolUm Henry S. Tucker BinghanUct,S . Y. Harlow Barnaby Aurora Bnrrell S. Cloze James M'Kenny David H. Peas Tracy Robinson Henry T. Shipman Bristol James Hart Orrin Brorison 69 ... . Boookfield Amon Dibble Phadeus Gray- Stephen Gregory J. Wileman Berkshire Isaac Keeler Johnson Tuttle Belhteliem A Y. Joseph Babcock — 1 1 I\mos Bailey Elijah Comstock riiomas Carbart farvis Streeter Paul Weatherbee Coventry I. Ripley Columbia iVIosely Brewster /esse Newcomb Chatham Geore;e Gates Cairo N Y. Charles P. Howell Nathaniel Stone Chenango N. Y. IMason Whiting Canaan Wm. Bailey Chatham N. Y. James Barnes Cornelius Kesler A £. Mo>iber Wm. Peterson Daniel Travies Coeymcns JV. Y. I Zimry Belts Andrew Barger Stephen Coverts jr. \ Vathan Coleman Robert Martin jr. 466 SUUSCRIBEns NAMES. ■\m I .11! , il i " l' 1 i 11 1 i i '^ t'' ' IT • ! i Simpon Piifler Jacii^) RMiidall John Row Dnviil Spriagsted Jr. Eli Stewart Jessp Smith A I) Schermerborn Ira Si ink ins Israel Shears Jarob J .Schermerborn John Teneyck Thomas Wilbec James Waldron DarAury. Israel Anibitr Lemuel W. Benedict T R Urown Piatt Benedict Walter Brig^ Elam Benedict Walter Dibble John Foot N S. Penney John VV Gould Ebenezer Hack, jr. Aaron Hoyt Zar Joyce Jonathan Lygctt Znlmon Lyon John Murphey David S Mygatt Joseph Moore Aaron Nichols Thomas R Peck Wm. Peck John Smith Hugh Starr John F. Smith Eleazer Sprague Samuel Tweedy James B. Weed Durham, N. Y. T. H. Bagley Thos. Carter, jr. Wm T. Howell John Shafeth Vincent Stilwill Ebenezer Tyler A. Van TasseU l» Deposit, N Y Wm Butler I Enal tVtndsor rTimothy Allyo ;Reuh«n Reed Jusiah Wilbur East Hartford jDarda Bidwfll jiElei'ta Kilbourn Daniel Marsb, 2d. C. Piikin Enfitld Nabum King Abner Russell Charles Rucid Ebeneser Richardson Fartmngion James K Camp A W LaiiKdnn Lemuel Whitman I Fairfield Amos Burr Ephraim OinniDgs Jonathan Lewis Ooshin Lewis C. Wadhama Gtaslenbury David Porter Oreenteich, N Y. John Williams areenviUti,N. Y Gideon Cobb Joshua Nelson Reuben Bundle, jr. Hartford Silas Andrus— 200 Augustus Andross Harry Burr Thontas Cooley Grin Day James Foster Ephraim Goodwin Wm S. Marsh— 1000 Alfred Milts Wm J. M'Cready Joshua Miller Frederick Robins Wm. RusRell Amareth Smith lEIijab Smith |John Steele, 2d. Wm Thoiitpson Horace Wells A m Weare Harmuton Frederick Phelps David Wooriin Hudson, N. Y. Kichard Barker Henry Burehstead. Jerod Ct>ffin tihn G. Davis A L Fonda Eliaa Hopkins John W Jenkins Samuel Munsoo Henry Miner C. G Pinkham John Paddock Walter Studley Frederick Starr Lemuel Steele, jr. D. W Williams Lvman Webster HarpersfifJd, X Y. James Austin llames Bell ■Jacob Foote Irhomas Hendry nMathew Lindley Thomas Maxou Abner Mack Daniel Matthews Ebenezer Peimfield Truman Pennfield E Wilcoa Huntington Hezi'kiuh Mnrsh Hntndm Rev E. B Coleman Hillsdale, JV. Y. George A ll'^n Reymond Hadsit Zodock Koapp 8te|.hen W. Murray Daniel Morehouse Benjamin Tiffanny Kinderhook, N. Y. f "Jacob D. Crofman Aaron Gardnier .#- SUBSCRIBERS* NAMES. 471 teele, 2d. 'hompson Wells Veare Harwinlon jck Phelps Woodii) ubon, JV. Y. d Barker Biirrhgtead. Coffin 3. Davii Poiula Hopkins W Jenkins el Munson r Miner Pinkham Paddnck er Studley i>rick Starr iiel Steele, jr. W Williams an W«'b»ter trpersfield, .*''. Y. •s Austin is Bell b Fonte mas Hendry lew Lindley mas Maxou , er MhcU iel Mattliews ii'xer Peiiiifield nan Pennfield rilcox Huntinglon kiuh Mnrsh Hamden E. B Coleman Hillsdale, JV. Y. rpe All'-n mond Hadsit nek Knapp hen W. Murray ie! Morehouse jainin Tiffanny 'inderhook, N. Y. )b D. Crorman on Gardnier Aaron IHIIard jr. Joseph Amsden jr. James B Sumner Peter Gebuoa Zebina Lull Hartford Vt. Ana Kembafl Jonathan W. Gay David Matson Edward Kibbe Job Densmore Nathan Hayes Joseph M. Buvkland David Trumbull Harvey Bruce George E. IFales Moses Marsh Johnaton, R. I. George R. Stone Isaac Harris William Waterman Movrny Remball J')b Waterman John B. Brown Harvy Smith Ruasell Dudley William Cullen S J R Buwen Phelps Mowny John Hans C. Cobgrave Alfred Alarich J. D Kumba!e A. J. 0. Seaham G B Hutchins Killingly John W. Cook OIney Williams Spencer Lain Kent Jesse Higgins Ira Judd Tollman A. Charabler William Ross Bethel Smith Samuel Green Sam. Stuart Keem James Wells Josiah W ood W»i. Sawyer Calvin Ward Antone Helt /<>hn W Eaton David Aarker Silas Perry Ludlow ftseph Sheldon Lebanon AT. U. Banter Skinner Montague Hosea Dennis Momon Thos Riddle Blisha Rider Auii;u»tus Stebbins Sidney Pego Simon Bumsted B ii. A. fKhiting SamI JKells Calvin Gibbs Sand Patten lhn Cadwell Norlhfield /ohn Abbott /ohn /lowers Bb. Nisihtingale, jr.-- /esse Thom|ison New Marlborough Wm Ablwtt Reuben Pettis Burr &k Adams Salmon Mnson Isaac Cleveland Edwin Bfnton Oaiiiel Tatt David Foster New Hartford Aaron Merrill B Spencer ' North Bridge. Joel Lackey Lyman Fay S. L. Alarich * « Sam Whiting Danford Draper •fohn Habin Oxford Tileston Bacon \mold Johnson Bli E. Burt > ihn Barns /ohn Tyron H^elcome Gane tf'iliard Uowland /•Tathcr Dibble \^'In. M'ilUaiTi- 47-2 SrvSCRIBURs' NA31£S. N. Teomans k. CurtisbUbhn S. Dudley i ii I li I if 41 '' ■■V 1 1; j 1 1^' k. John A. Elliott Clark Sherwood E. Reed & Wilkint Sylve«ter Wheeler Samuel Strong SaUbury Chas. Wright Edward N. Holley Benjamin Hinman Chauncey Bragg Stephen Patterson Wendall King Benjamin Q. Olmsted SuUon Jonathan Howard Samuel Williams Sheffield I^UTaft,jr. Heber Bosworth Plin Bri£;ham Slafford Cyrus Thompson Samuel Blass, jr. Joseph N fraies David Copeland Calvin Smith Eli Hodges Calvin IKalker Somrra Lyman Kibbe Samuel McNary Edward CoKon Sivanzty David Twitchet Joseph Cross, jr. Soutiuttick Orrin Carrington Elihkim Stiles Aaron French James Stocking Jauob Bnckoian Siiiubwy ThoddcusTuller.jr. Luther Barber Loren Weaton SmUhfield Alexander Ttiain Alexander C. ITitt Chester Mann 4. Bullard B. Pratt OIney Esbu /uhn Drake Q. A. Tripp Gril Flint Robert Cook Abiatfaer Fl^hiie Daniel Theny Thomas Bettlehill Slurhridge Ezekiel Bullarld Jr. Suilott Sam. Burt iohn Vant Vathaniel Putnan John Putnan Bufuf Sibley Thompson Daniel Perren jr. tohn Jacobs 4th. John Houghton l^aac Ellis I. K. J< ifs Lewis Haywood Solomon Newell •ifth Trip Tolland Erastus Stores Hezekiah Nye Urren Hatch fKm. Chapman Hpencer Aldin Torrington Gurdon Browu Samuel Spencer Uri Taylor Nathan Gillett Abtjah Osborn Curtiss Tuttle Horace Cowles Thomas Hurlbut Bri Tuttle Preston Pond \)an8on H. Kingsbury iteubcn Loomis Siijah Pond, jr. barren Loomis *ifm. Chcmcw jBarzilla Blak« James EgglestoB ' Oliver Loomis *. Demas Coe it^n* t^ii .'ii £. Loomis -.^.i :\ IVinehester Allyn Jewfttt John P. Ovortt John H. Storrs v ' Jesse Williams Belah Austin Charles C Caal Ward Walton Blarney McMaoos ohn Perkins Reuben Champion William Bolles Nehemiah Johnaoo Selden Welton James Wright Elias Tyrrell Asa Mallory Alexander Cleveland Moses Hay den Daniel White Oliver White Elijah Pinney :\. ,'»' Zenas Wilson I -^ William More, jr. '; Alpheus Moore . . .^ Isaiah Tuttle Weatjuld lafeth Stiles .. . Jacob Noble '^ A Hezekiah Farmer a ^' Henry Fowler David King .v 1 John W. Taylor Roswell Dewey B ■.■.tiivjJl Sacket .' ■ .'-aiiiH P(«vler . tjjaS \t Sffringjield Hatbeway .-ofi^ ' >-