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CAMPAIGNS 
 
 . I' 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WAR OF 1812-15, 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 GREAT BlUTAIN, 
 
 SKETCHED AND CRITICISED; 
 
 WITH 
 
 Irtaf ^iojnijiIibH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AMERICAN ENGINEERS, 
 
 BY 
 
 BVT. MAJOf^-GENERAL GEOp W. CULLUM, 
 
 COLONEL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY-RETIRED. 
 
 t -^ 
 
 NP:VV YORK: 
 
 JAMKS MILLER, PUBLISHER 
 
 779 BROADWAY. 
 
 1879. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by 
 
 QF.ORGE W. CULLUM, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress. Washington, D. C. 
 
 A. <!. SHKliwooD A Co., PrlnlerB, 7« Nlath St., N. Y. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 This w<U{K does not profess to ijjive a minute 
 History of the War of 1812-15, by the United States 
 ai,'ainst Great Bi'itain ; but the sketches of the Cam- 
 paigns are sutticiently detailed for an intelligent 
 understanding of their military features, and to indi- 
 cate their tactical and strategical errors. Each Cam- 
 paign is illustrated with a good skeleton Map of its 
 Theatre of Operations and with outline Plans of its 
 principal Battles, Sieges, etc. ; for most of whicli I 
 am deeply indel^ted to the Messrs Hai-pers Brothers, 
 who courteously y -"litted me to copy them from 
 the "Pictorial Field -jk of the War of 1812, by 
 Benjamin J. Lossing " — the distinguished author of 
 so many valuable histories. 
 
 The Biographical Sketches of our American 
 Engineers, interwoven with the narrations of the 
 cam[)aigns of this war, are of men who, in character, 
 intelligence and love of country, were the worthy 
 successors of oui' patriot soldiers of the Revolution. 
 For most of the materials with which to write the 
 sketch, in Chapter I., of General Jonathan 
 Williams, I am greatly indebted to his son, lately de- 
 ceased, under whose hospitable roof, at Chestnut Hill, 
 
PUEr'ACE. 
 
 near Pliiludelpliia, I lia<l jtlaccd at my disposal all of 
 his fatliei''s well preserved public and private papers. 
 For tlie ])rej)ai'atioii of the sketch, in ('ha|>ter II., I 
 had great advantages, having, after l)eing graduated 
 at the Militai'v Academy, served my ])i"ofeHsional 
 ajiprenticeship under (rKXiiiiAL 'J'ottkn, and con- 
 tiinied sul)ject to liis orders, as ('liief Kngineer of the 
 Army, till his death in ISfU. After vexatious 
 delays and much tedious correspon<lence in search 
 of data for writing the sketch, in ('ha[>ter III., of 
 LiEUT.-CoLONKL Wooi», I fortunately discovered, at 
 last, the residence of the survivors of his brothers' 
 families, who have been untiring in hunting up a 
 few precious })a])ers from which I have piepared an 
 account of this knightlv soldiei-. For sketching 
 General Swiff's biograjdiy, in Chaj)ter IV., I had 
 every desirable facility, his brother, formerly a 
 prominent ofiicei' of Toj)ograi)hical Engineers, having 
 given me free access to the General's diary and his 
 many valuable papers. The preparation (►f the 
 sketch, in Chapter V., of Colonel McUee, was a 
 very difficult task, as he wrote little, and I had, 
 therefore, mainly to rely uj)on my recollection of 
 conversations with otiicers who had served with him 
 on the Niagara and else^vhere. Major Douclass, 
 the subject of Chapter VI., I })ers()nally knew and 
 had all his professional papers placed at my disposal 
 through the courtesy of his worthy son — Rev. Mai- 
 
PUKFACVE. 
 
 O 
 
 eoliii Doui^Iuss, D.l). F(tr flu* sliort sketch of Gkn- 
 KUAL Akmisti;ai>, in Cliaptcr \'II. my iiiat«M'iaIs were 
 very iiieanre. Of Ma.hui IwAToik, wliose l)i<>gra])liy 
 is briefly sketelietl in Cluipter N'lII., I extremely 
 rei^i'et I could learn l>ut little, tliougli eveiy avenue 
 of information was thorouglily explored, in which 1 
 had the most etticient assistance of my friend, (Nil- 
 (Hiel Kdwai-d A. I'alfrey, of New Orleans. The 
 sketches, in Chajiter IX., are of Kn(;ixkkks, with 
 some of whom 1 enjoyed years of [)ersonal intimacy. 
 
 As a fitting appendix to my work, I have given 
 in Chapter X., the giaphic Jochxal of Likct.- 
 CoLoxKL AVooD, while Chief Kngineer of Major-Gen- 
 eral Harrison, in his Northwestern Campaigns of 
 1812-18. This Journal, often quoted from by his- 
 torians of the War of 1812-15, never before has 
 been published. Through the great kindness of the 
 ColoneFs niece, Mrs. I). G. Dodge of House's Point, 
 N. Y., I ])rocured the original niannscript, with the 
 excei)tion of a few missing [)ages, and to prevent fur- 
 ther loss of any part of this valual)le document, I 
 obtained her consent to its appearance in this work. 
 
 These ten chaptei's make up a volume, which I 
 trust will pi'ove woi'thy of the })erusal of historical 
 students. 
 
 G. W. C. 
 
 315 Fifth Avenue, 
 New Yobk City, June 17, 1879. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CMAl'TKU FIlfST. 
 
 PA<»E 
 
 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAUSES OF THE WAK ; WITH 
 A BIOGUAPIIICAL SKETCH OF HUIOADIEU-CENEIIAL 
 WILLIAMS, 9 
 
 CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1812 ; WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL JOSEPH G. TOTTEN. ... 65 
 
 C^IIAPTER THIRD. 
 
 WESTERN CAMPAIGN OF 1813; WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL 
 
 SKETCH OF LIEUT.-COLONEL ELEAZER D. WOOD, . 91 
 
 CHAPTER FOURTH. 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGN OF 1813; WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL 
 
 SKETCH OF BRIG. -GENERAL JOSEPH G. SWIFT, . HI 
 
 CHAPTER FIFTH. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1814 ; WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
 
 COLONEL WILLIAM McREE, 199 
 
8 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER SIXTH. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SIEGE AND DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE, IN 1814 ; WITH A 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAJOR DAVID BATES 
 DOUGLASS 234 
 
 CHAPTER SEVENTH. 
 
 CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGN OF 1813-14 ; WITH A BIOGRAPH- 
 ICAL SKETCH OF BRIG.-GENERAL WALKER K. 
 ARMISTEAD 269 
 
 CHAPTER EIGHTH. 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF ISU-lo ; WITH A BIOGRAPH- 
 ICAL SKETCH OF MAJOR A. LACARRIERE LATOUR, 305 
 
 CHAPIER NINTH. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ENGINEERS ENG 
 THE WAR OF 18)2-15, 
 BRIG.-GENERAL CHARLES GRATIOT, 
 (CAPTAIN WILLIAM PARTRIDGE, 
 BRIG.-GENERAL SYLVANUS THAYER. 
 BRIG.-GENERAL RENI^ E. DE RUSSY, 
 LIEUT. GEORGE TRESCOT, . 
 LIEUT. HORACE C. STORY, . 
 
 \GED IN 
 
 342 
 342 
 ;i53 
 354 
 355 
 360 
 361 
 
 CHAPTER TENTH. 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE NORTHWESTERN CAMPAIGN OF 1812 13, 
 UNDER MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM H. HARRISON. 
 BY BVT. LIEUT-COLONEL ELEAZER D. WOOD, CAPT. 
 CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY, . . . .362 
 
CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAUSES OP THE WAR; 
 
 WITH A BIOCJRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 •ExpERiEXCE in the first eainpaigiis of tlie War of 
 the Revolution strongly impressed on the mind of 
 Washington the absolute necessity of a systematic 
 anny organization. His chief difficulty in carrying 
 out such a plan was to obtain properly instructed 
 engineei's which, except the few wlio had seen service 
 at Louisburg, Crown Point, Ticonderoga and QueV)ec, 
 were not to be found in the country ; hence common 
 surveyoi's, men with a modicum of scientific knowl- 
 edge, and adventurers professing to have been edu- 
 cated in foreiiiii military schools, were often com- 
 missioned with liigh rank in the C\mtinental Amiy. 
 Washington's correspondence is filled with com- 
 plaints of the impei-fect qualifications and the paucity 
 of engineers in the army. To Congi'ess, July 10, 
 1775, he writes of his lack of engineers to direct the 
 defenses of Boston, "the skill of those we have being 
 very impeiTect " ; to (xovernor Trumbull, Nov. 2, 1775, 
 he says: "I sincerely wish this camp could furnish a 
 good engineer"; and to the Committee of Safety of 
 Pennsylvania, June 17, 1776, which had applied to 
 
10 MILITARY EDUCATIOX AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. 
 
 him for an engineer to erect a redoubt at Billiiigspoi*t, 
 he rej)lies : " I liave but one cm whose judgment I 
 should wish to depend in hiying out any work of tlie 
 least consequence. Congress well know my wants in 
 this instance aii<l several of my late letters to them 
 have pressed the api)ointment of gentlemen (jualified 
 for the business," Congress authorized a Corps of 
 Engineers, Dec. 27, 177H, but most of tliose emj)loyed 
 proving to be incompetent charlatans. Congress at 
 last, through our Commissioners at Paris — Dr. 
 Franklin and Silas Deane — was compelled to ask 
 Louis XVI. for engineers; for, said the sarcastic 
 General Charles Lee, " we had not an officer who knew 
 the difference between a chevan.v-dr-fri.sH and a cab- 
 bage garden." From this time till the end of the 
 Revolution we probal^ly had in service some thirty 
 engineer officers, mostly foreigners, exclusive of those 
 attached to the three com])anies of engineer troops — 
 all of whom, on tlie conclusion of peace, were dis- 
 banded. 
 
 From the termination of the War of Indepen- 
 dence, in 1783, to the end of his life, AVasliington 
 urged upon his country the importance of military 
 instruction. Before the Continental Army was dis- 
 banded, he called ui)on his general officers, April 14, 
 1788, to present their \'iews with reference to a peace 
 establishment, to enable him to prepare his elaborate 
 report to Congress, in which military education was 
 strongly recommended. No such j)rovision having 
 been made, AVashington, in his speecli to Congress, 
 December 8, 1793, asks whether, in the act more 
 effectually to provide for the national defense, "a 
 
BRIG.-GENEltAL .JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 11 
 
 iHJiterial feature in our ini])r<)veinent of it ought not 
 to he to afford an opportunity for tlie study <^f those 
 branches of the military art which can scarcely ever 
 be attained by practice alone." On this reconinien- 
 dation, Congress in 1794 created the subaltei'u grade 
 of Cadet, tlie cadets being attached to their regi- 
 ments and "furnished at the jniblic ex])ense with tlie 
 necessary books, instruments and ap]>ai'atus '' foi' their 
 instruction ; but this plan of educating ycumg oiticers 
 at their posts was f(MUi<l inii)racticable ; hence Wash- 
 ington, in liis last animal message, December 7, 17.Hi, 
 again ui'ged in the most cogent language the estal)- 
 lishment of a Military Academy, where a ivgular 
 course of instruction in the science of war could 
 be given, "Whatever argument," says he, "may 
 be drawn from particular examples, supei'iicially 
 viewed, a thorough examination of the sul)ject will 
 evince that the art of war is at once com])rehensive 
 and conn)licated ; that it demands much ])revious 
 study ; and the possession of it, in its most imi)roved 
 and pei-fect state, is always of great moment to tlie 
 security of a nation. This, therefore, ought to be a 
 serious care of everv wvernment." After leavinir 
 the executive chaii-, he writes, December 18, 1798, to 
 the Secretary of War upon the importance of having 
 good engineers and artillerists, and the impossibility 
 of forming them suddenly, when " much i)revioiis 
 study and experience are essential." Again, May l'^, 
 1799, he writes to liim earnestly upon the necessity 
 of having instructed engineers; and finally, two days 
 before his death, Decem})er 12, 1799, in his last pub- 
 lic letter, he says to (General Alexander Hamilton : 
 
^^mm 
 
 12 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. 
 
 "The establishment of a Military Academy upon a 
 respectable and extensive basis has ever been con- 
 sidered by me as an object of primary importance to 
 this country ; and Avhile I was in the chair of govern- 
 ment, I omitted no proper op])oi'tunity of recom- 
 mending it in my public speeches, and otherwise to 
 the attention of the legislature." 
 
 At last his earnest efforts and those of the patriot 
 statesmen and generals of the Revolution, secui'ed 
 the establishment, March 16, 1802, of the Military 
 Academy at West Point, then a school for ten Cadets 
 of Engineers and forty of Artillery ; and now a 
 world renowned institution, educating over three 
 hundred pupils for all branches of service in the 
 Anny. 
 
 General Jonathan Willia:\is, the first Superin- 
 tendent of the Military Academy, is so identified 
 with its early struggles, and by his noble character 
 so fashioned the future of his pupils, particularly 
 those of his own cor))s — our American Engineers, 
 who participated in the War of 1812-15, against 
 Great Britain — that we must enter somewliat into 
 the details of liis biography, though, for reasons 
 which will appear, he took no active part in our 
 second struggle for Independence. 
 
 Jonathan Williams was boi'n. May 2(), 1750, in 
 Boston, Mass. Ilis father, of the same name, was a 
 much respected merchant largely engaged in the 
 West India trade ; was a staunch Whig and aiiKmg 
 the foremost [)at riots who took part in the struggle 
 of the Colonists against the mother country; was 
 moderator, in 1773, of the memorable meetings at 
 
RUIG.-dK.VKKAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 13 
 
 Faiieiiil Hall to f(»rl)i<l the landing of tlie tea, sub- 
 8e(|uently thrown into the harbor; and in 1775, 
 became a fugitive from B(^8ton, tlien occujned by 
 Britisli troo[)s who burned liis store and seized all liis 
 property. His mother, Grace Williams (^nee Harris), 
 a lady of good abilities and cultivated tastes, was the 
 niece of the celebrated Dr. Benjamin Franklin. 
 
 Young Williams received a good English edu- 
 cation, but before it was completed lie was placed 
 in his father's counting house to be brought up as a 
 merchant. He was an intelligent and studious boy, 
 devoting all his leisure to the ac(piirement of knowl- 
 edge, thus obtaining a considerable proficiency in the 
 classics and a ready and familiar acquaintance with 
 the French language without even a master, his father 
 refusing him one because of his dislike to French 
 principles. Williams' letters from the West Indies 
 and many parts of Europe where he traveled, dis- 
 play his maturity of Judgment, excellent business 
 faculties, and clear conceptions of men and things. 
 
 He went to England in 1770, taking up his resi- 
 dence with his grand-uncle, Dr. Franklin, to whom 
 he made himself very useful by putting his accounts 
 in complete order — a labor so liighly appreciated by 
 Franklin that he presented to Williams a handsome 
 gold watch, ui)on receiving which he remarked that 
 he would nuich prefer the Doctor's old one, which 
 was given to him and is now a family heirloom. 
 Ever after he was a great favorite of his grand-uncle. 
 
 He returned to Boston, in 1771, where lie was 
 engaged for three years in mercantile pursuits. Just 
 after the famous Boston "tea-party" of Dee. 16, 
 
^ 
 
 14 MILITARY EDFCATION AXT) CATTSES OF THE WAR. 
 
 1773, lie again went to England, and pi'ol)a])ly car- 
 ried abroad the first account of this bold proceeding, 
 as will appear from the following letter to liis fatlier : 
 "After seeing my merchants, I went to see tlie Doc- 
 tor (Franklin) whom I found in exceeding good 
 health and spirits, and was welcomed by him with a 
 degree of joy and affection which surpassed even 
 the expectations I had formed from the former 
 proofs I received of extensive goodness and friend- 
 ship. I waited again on my uncle, ]>ut he was not 
 at home; went then to Lord Dartmouth's (Colonial 
 Secretary) at whose levee I met my uncle. After 
 sending my name and business, I was inunediately 
 admitted to his lordship, who received me with great 
 l)oliteness. AVhen he had read the letters he asked 
 me many questions, which I answered as well as I 
 was able. I told him of the opinion of tlie people, 
 their firmness, their determination, and their inten- 
 tion of a junction of the colonies, which I delivered 
 perhaps not in polite, but in American language. I 
 left out nothing which I thought would give his lord- 
 slii}) a true idea of the importance and virtue of the 
 Americans, and having the strictest truth for my 
 guide, I was not in the least confused nor abashed, 
 but spoke as I would to any other man. He heard 
 me with great politeness and although I frecpiently 
 discovered a sense of the impropriety of the admin- 
 istration, he seemed ]ileased. He then asked me my 
 private opinion. 'Mr. Williams,' said he, 'I wish to 
 come at truth, and as a man alone, shall be glad of 
 your sentiments with regard to the disposition of the 
 Americans. I ask it as a private gentleman; this 
 
 .^r 
 
BRIO.-OHNEItAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 15 
 
 convei'Hation is confidential, and you may depend I 
 shall make no public use of what you tell me.' I 
 made some little apology for my inferiority in point of 
 abilities, but said, that as he had assured me we wei-e 
 private gentlemen, 1 would relate to him all I knew ; 
 but being unused to elegant addresses, I should pre- 
 sume on his indulgence, and deliver my sentiments 
 in mv own unadorned way, and endeavor to utter 
 sim[)le truths, without confounding the matter by 
 seeking to establish the manner. I then told him 
 that the Americans never would submit; that they 
 would not be surprised when the <>ther acts should 
 arrive; that they ex})ected the worst, and were 
 accordingly prepared ; tliat I believed the junction 
 would take place ; and that they thought now or 
 never was the time ; that they supposed by submis- 
 sion they would make themselves the most abject 
 slaves on eai'th ; and that by opposition they could 
 not be worse ; that Parliament had no right to tax 
 them ; and that they would die by this opinion ; and 
 that a universal non-exportation would l)e attended 
 with salutary effects. His lordship, after some time, 
 asked me if I knew ' Mr. Williams who appeared as 
 moderator of that assembly (the meeting at Faneuil 
 Hall).' He is my father, my lord. 'And is your 
 father a principal in these disturbances ? Mr. AVil- 
 liams, how comes that, sir^ My father, my h)rd, is 
 an honest man, and one who seeks not fame. He 
 was in that meeting as any other man might be, 
 and when chosen was much suqu'Ised ; he expressed 
 himself as being unacquainted with the oiRce ; and 
 on the motion being put, and passed in the negative, 
 
16 MILITAUV KUrCATION AND CAl SKri OF TIIH WAU. 
 
 f 
 
 he tlierefore officiated. ]V[y fjitlier, my lord, lias 
 been so little, heretofore, engaged in political dis- 
 putes, that I was as much surprised as I should he 
 had your lordshij) been in the desk. But, my lord, 
 I am only relating facts ; it is not for me to disj)ute 
 on the merit or demerit of my fathers conduct, but 
 I am sure he acted according to the dictates of his 
 conscience and upon horiest princi})les ; and thus 
 acting I hope your lordship will not think him 
 wrong, though you may not agree in sentiment. He 
 smiled, and after })aying me a compliment for my 
 plainness antl freedom, said laughingly, so, then, 
 your father may say with Falstaft* : ' Some men are in 
 pursuit of honor, but others have honors in pursuit 
 of them.' " 
 
 He writes again, in September, 1774, that he antici- 
 pated warm work in Parliament, and that greater 
 opposition than is expected would be encountered in 
 the ministry ; but that our unanimity and firmness 
 nuist eventually gain the point. 
 
 After a shoi*t visit to France, he writes, May 15, 
 1775, from London almost prophetically. He says: 
 " I have passed two months in the most agreeable 
 manner possible, except with regard to my reflections 
 relative to my unhaj)py coimtry, which ahvays at- 
 tend me wherever I go * * * The French are 
 all in oiir favor. They suj)po8e England to have 
 arrived at its pinnacle of glory, and that the Empire 
 of America will ris;^ on the ruins of this Kingdom ; 
 and I really believe that when we shall be involved 
 in civil war, they will gladly embrace the first op])or- 
 t unity of renewing their attacks on an old enemy, 
 
BRia.-GEXERAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 17 
 
 wlio tliey imau^ine will be so wealceued by its interiijil 
 broils, as to become an easy c;on([uest. Altlu)ii<T^li I 
 profess myself an American, I am still an Enj^lisli- 
 man ; I only wish the titles to be synonymous;* and 
 therefore do not liope for the destruction of this 
 country; I only wish the jn-osperity of my own; and 
 that its rij^hts and i)rivileo:es may ever I'emain in- 
 violate, to secure which no sacrifice should be thouii'lit 
 too dear; so I do not ffive the French so much 
 credit for their ]>artiality, for I believe it to jn'oceed 
 in general more from a hatred to England, than ah)ve 
 to us ; though in some particulars, I believe the natural 
 rights of humanity are the basis of their opinions." 
 
 Full of youthful hope that our differences with 
 the mother country Avould yet be reconciled, he had 
 nearly completed a mercantile cimnection Avith a 
 large Ensrlish house extensivelv eiiijaged in the West 
 India trade, when the inevitable sej)aration of the 
 two ct)untries decided liim to quit England and 
 reside in France. Writitrg from Nantes, Feb. 11, 
 1777, he says : " When I wrote to you from England 
 I was in the ex])ectation of taking up my residence 
 in that country. The scene is now changed ; and 
 since it becomes a question which of the Uvo coun- 
 tries I Avould prefer in a separate state, I did not 
 hesitate to (piit all my lucrative views, and to come 
 hither, to do all the service I can, without expecta- 
 tion of further emolument than a subsistence. It is 
 n(^t improbable that I shall engage in the American 
 
 • See " Sabine's Loyalists in America " for the sentiments at thl? time 
 of Adams, and other distinguished Americans with regard to England. 
 
18 MrLiTAUY KorrATroN axd cafsks of the war. 
 
 trade ill some ])ai't of Fruncc, or ivturii to some ])art 
 of America, diarized witli tlie maiiai^ement of com- 
 mercial matters. Wliatever I do in this way will T)e 
 upon a large scale, and whilst I am doinu!; essential 
 service to my country, I may advance my (►wn for- 
 tune. In this, however, I make a distinction ; what- 
 ever I am ca])al)le of doin<( for the benefit of the 
 cause, I will undertake, with pleasure, gratis; hut 
 otherwise, in all commercial enu:a<i:ements with indi- 
 vidiials of another nation." 
 
 These letters, of which there are many others, 
 be it remembered, were the effusions of a young 
 man of twenty-six, yet how simply and forcibly ex- 
 pressed ; what an exhil)ition of self-reliance and 
 conscious rectitude; how full of patriotic fire and 
 indignation against wrong ; what perception of the 
 springs of ^ human action and knowledge of their 
 effects ; and, gras[)ing the significance of ])assing 
 events, liow pr()])hetic of the future ! His letters to 
 Dr. Franklin, then in America, and to Rol)ert 
 Morris, one of his cherished corres])ondeiits, breathe 
 a like love of country, and display a large insight 
 into men and nations. 
 
 As a commercial assent of the United States at 
 Nantes, thougli separated from the land he loved, 
 and deeply interested in her struggle for indepen- 
 dence, he performed, with honorable fidelity, his 
 l)romise of gratuitously doing all in his power for 
 the freedom of America. 
 
 He married, Sept. 12, 1779, Marianine Alexander, 
 dauijhter of William Alexander of Edinburi::, in 
 Scotland, a connection of Lord Stirling. The cere- 
 
BRIO.-fJENKKAL JONATHAN AVILTJAMS. 
 
 19 
 
 numy took \Aiive in Paris, in tlie cliaiu'l of the Dutcli 
 Aiiihassador, Dr. Franklin Itcin*; ))reMent. 
 
 lie was aj)i»ointe<l, in 178.'i, l)y tlie Fanners-Gen- 
 eral of France, as their auent to sn))]»ly tlieni witli 
 tohacro, tlien and now a <i;ovei'nnient monopoly, which 
 took him to St. (Termain-en-La\e. iVftei* two years 
 he returned to Amei'ica with Di-. Franklin, takinir 
 U]) his residence in Philadelj)hia. 
 
 Diiriiii^ the next three years lie remained in the 
 United States, enii'aijfed in settlinij and ari-ani:;in_i2: his 
 aifairs which had become involved in conse(|Uence 
 of the wai', the de])reciation of the currency, and 
 the ditHculty of collecting debts. Duiingthis period 
 of comparative leisure he devoted himself to scien- 
 tific ])ursuits, for which he had a givat fondness; 
 attended several courses of Medical lectures; pub- 
 lished numerous [diilosojdiical papers; received, 
 July 18, 17s7, from Harvard Univei'sity the degree 
 of A. M. ; and, July 20, 1788, became Mend)er and 
 Secretary of the Amei'ican Phil()so])hical Society, to 
 whose transactions he contril)ute(l numerous ))apers. 
 
 He went to England, Nov. 80, 178i), for the last 
 time to bring back his family to Philadeljihia, which 
 he selected as his future Inmie to enalde him to l)e 
 near his earliest, kindest and dearest friend — Dr. 
 Franklin; but (ni his return in August, 1790, he 
 received the melancholy tidings that the great phi- 
 h)sopher and eminent statesman was no more. 
 
 At "Mount Pleasant," his beautiful country seat 
 on the banks of the Schuylkill, near Philadeljdna 
 (now within the Fairmount Park), suri'oinided by 
 his interesting family and enjoying the respect of a 
 
20 MILITAUV KDIJCATION ANU C'AITSKS OF TIIK WAK. 
 
 1jii'i(<^ Mocial circle, lie devoted Iiim time to the duties 
 of Ji useful citizeu aud tlie pursuit of conireuial 
 studies — Matlieinatics, Pliilosopliy, Medicine, Botany 
 aud even Law; ac([uirin«2; enouti:li of the hitter to 
 Hul)se([ueutly become a Judjj^e of the C'ourt of ('om- 
 mon Ph^as in Phihideljdiia. 
 
 In his various voya_a^es lie had noticed that the 
 thermometer fell when the vessel approached sound- 
 ini^s, either over a Lank or on the coast. It occuri'ed 
 to him that this would be a certain protection at the 
 trifling expense of a nautical thermometer. After 
 repeating his exi)eriments many times, he was sat- 
 isfied that the temperature of the sea over banks was 
 colder than the main ocean in the inv^erse ratio to 
 the depth. The importance of this discovery he set 
 forth before the American Philosophical Society, 
 Nov. 19, 1790, subsequently publishing his paper in a 
 small volume, entitled " Thermometrical Navigation." 
 
 He accompanied, in 1794, the forces to quell the 
 western insurrection in Pennsylvania ; and, under the 
 act of Feb. 23, 1795, he held provisionally, from 
 April 28 to May 28, 1800, the position of Purveyor 
 of Public Supplies, "vvhose duty, under the direction 
 and supervision of the Secretary of the Treasiir}', 
 was " to conduct the procuring and providing of all 
 arms, military and naval stores, provisions, clothing, 
 Indian goods, and, generally, all articles of supply 
 requisite for the service of the United States." 
 
 President Adams appointed Williams, Feb, 16, 
 1801, a Major in the Second Regiment of Artillerists 
 and Engineers, and on Dec. 14th following. President 
 Jefferson, under the act of March 3, 1799, commis- 
 
iuir<).-(jKM;ijAr. .ionatii.w wii,i,iams. 
 
 21 
 
 sioned liini Inspector of Fortifications. In tlie sum- 
 nier of 1801, Willijiins made a tour of insjtcction 
 along tlie Oliio River from Pittsljui'g to Cantonment 
 Massac (eleven miles helou' the mouth of the Ten- 
 nessee); and, as ordered while making this tour of 
 inspection, went to West Point and assumed com- 
 man<l, Dec. 15, 1801, of the embryo Military School 
 which jM'eceded the present Military Academy. 
 
 Mr. Jefferson (with John Adams and Henjamin 
 Fi'anklin) one of the U. S. Conunissioners to ne<»:o- 
 giate commercial treaties with Eui'o|)ean nations, was 
 introduced at Paris, in 1784, to Williams, then an agent 
 of the ?\irmers-(Teneral of France at St. Germain-en- 
 Laye. This ac([uaintance ripened into nuitual a])pre- 
 ciation and esteem, and a consefpience was, tliat 
 when Jefferson became President of the United States, 
 he transferred, A])ril 1, 1802, Major AVilliams to the 
 head of the (^u'ps of Fjigineers created by the 
 recent law of March 1(5, 1802, in which it was pro- 
 vided that the Principal Engineer should have the 
 Superintendence of the Militaiy Academy. On the 
 8th July, following, he was promoted to be Lieut.- 
 Colonel. 
 
 It was truly fortunate iov the Military Academy 
 that its first Su[)erintendeut was such a man as Major 
 Williams, with the ripe experience of fifty-two years 
 of an eventful life; with the patriot instincts of 
 his Revolutionary sire ; with a mind liberally edu- 
 cated and stored with much scientific and general 
 information ; with the pen of a ready writer which 
 had done good service in our struggle for independ- 
 ence ; with a judgment matured by a mercantile 
 
22 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. 
 
 iiitercoui'se abroad and liigli social position at liome ; 
 with great decision of character and nntii-ing zeal in 
 the public service ; and withal a most kind and ])()]- 
 ished gentleman and a l^rave and chivalric soldier. 
 To* such pledges for success in his impoi-tant com- 
 mand, he added industry, exactness, patience and be- 
 nevolence ; hence under his eminent example the 
 Academy quickly received tone and character, stead- 
 ily advanced in discij^line and usefulness, and brought 
 forth golden fruit in its distinguished graduates. 
 
 Major AVilliams assumed his new command, 
 May 13, 1802, but did not take up his residence at 
 West Point till July 3d following. Mean^vhile, in 
 various connnunications to the Secretary (►f AVar and 
 others, he presented his views of the object and \\ants 
 of tlie projected Academy. He reconunended tlie pur- 
 chase of the best military and scientific books; the 
 procuring of })hilos()phical and other apparatus; the 
 enn)loyment of artificers to make models; the detnil 
 of soldiers for general ^vork ; and pro[)osed brief 
 regulations for conducting studies, for occupancy of 
 existing ])uildings, and for the command of the insti- 
 tution and post of West Point — the headtpiarters of 
 the Corps of Engineers which, luuler the law of 
 March 16, 1802, constituted the "Military Academy." 
 
 Under Majo)' Williams, as Su]Hrintendent, the 
 Military Academy was formally ojiened for insti-uc- 
 tion July 4, 1802, with nine Cadets* — Joseph G. 
 
 ■/> 
 
 ''fi 
 
 ■m 
 
 * Cadet literally means a younger l)rother ; in France a young volunteer 
 without pay and not enrolled, to whom a discharge cannot be refused ; 
 In Spain, a junior volunteer oincor ; m England and the United States a 
 student in a military school preparing to be fitted for a commissioned officer 
 
 4 
 It 
 
 i 
 
 -S 
 
 'f 
 
 3 
 
BRI(K-(tENEUAL JOXATIIAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 28 
 
 Swift, Joseph Proveaux, Simon M. Levy, Ileiirv B. 
 Jackson, Samuel Gates, William (rates, A\'alker K. 
 Armistead, John Lillie and John Livingston — all of 
 whf)m, exoe[)t the h>st, had been a})j)ointed prioi- to 
 the law of March lO, 1802, which authorized ten 
 Cadets of enijineers and forty of artillery. The 
 Superintendent was without any military staff, and 
 there w^ere only two teachers — Ca])tains AMlliam x\m- 
 herst Barron and Jared Mansfield of the Cor])s of 
 Engineers — l)oth giving instruction in Mathematics, 
 the former in the line of geometrical, the latter in 
 that of algebraic demonstration. 
 
 Witli these slight a])])liances, instruction was 
 necessarily much circumscribed ; but AVilliams aspired 
 to something higher than those feeble beginnings, as 
 a})i>ears from one of his letters to an Engineer ofticei", 
 in AVashington, in which lie says : " Li your conver- 
 sations with the Secretary of ^Yar pi*ay impress upon 
 liis mind the importance of making any candidate 
 for a commission serve some time as a Cadet, and 
 then give proof of his merit before lie is promoted. 
 * * * Young men who care for nothing ])ut the 
 extei'ior of an officer, have no ])usiness among us. 
 In all your conversations with the Secretary never 
 lose sight of our leading xtdr, which is not a little 
 mathematical school, but a gi'eat National Establish- 
 i»ient to turn out characters which in the course of 
 time shall e([ual any in Europe. * * * We must 
 always have it in mind that our officers are to be 
 men of science, and such as will by theii' ac<piire- 
 ments be entitled to the ii(>tice of learned societies. 
 Could we arrive at such a state before the present 
 
24 MILITAUY P:DUCATI0N and causes of the WAll. 
 
 peace is disturbed, we may defy foreign invaders of 
 all nations." 
 
 AVitli a few Cadets and the addition by law of a 
 Teacher of French and Drawing, the institution 
 struggled on in its end)ryonic condition till the 
 beginning of the academical session in April, 1808. 
 Up to this time a Company of Artillery had been 
 stationed at AVest Point to guard public property 
 stored there after the Revolution. Between the 
 Captain commanding this Company and the Super- 
 intendent of the Military Academy (piestions of 
 authority had ai'isen which continued till May 21, 
 1808, when Captain Izard ^vas ordered to Norfolk, 
 Va., leaving, however, a detachment of his Company 
 luider Lieut. Osborne, thereby lessening but not 
 removing the cause of irritation between the com- 
 mander of the troops and that of the Academy. 
 
 Lieut.-Colonel AVilliams, whose duties as Chief 
 Engineer had taken him to North Carolina to inspect 
 the Coast Defences, on his return through A\ ashing- 
 ton, in an interview with the Secretary of AVar to 
 whom he had submitted the question of the rights 
 of his command at AA^est Point, found liis authority 
 over the troops would not be sustained by General 
 Dearborn, then at the head of the AVar Department, 
 whereupon, ^vitllout a moment's hesitation, he threw 
 uj) his connnission, by which the Cori)s of Engineers 
 lost its efficient Chief, his officers their adored father, 
 and the Military Academy its devoted and distin- 
 guished Superintendent. 
 
 In his letter of resignation of June 20, 1803, he 
 says : 
 
 ^ll 
 
BKIG.-GENEUAL JOXATHAX WILLIAMS. 
 
 25 
 
 3, he 
 
 "Notliinu: is more orratifvinii: to my mind than tlie 
 ])nrsuit of scientific o])jects, and tlie station I was 
 placed in, by tlie partiality of the President of the 
 United States, gave me the pleasing hope that my 
 future life would he so employed as at once to pro- 
 duce the best effect to my country that I am cajiable 
 of, in the manner the most pleasing to my taste and 
 disposition. 
 
 " The answer you liave just been pleased to make 
 to cei-tain points, which I had the honor of submit- 
 ting to you })revious to my going to North Carolina, 
 gives me the painful certainty that I can no longer 
 hold my commission without a sense of humiliation 
 which would not only render me contemptible in my 
 own eyes, but totally destroy every shade of respect- 
 ability with the ofiicers of the Corps I conunand. 
 
 "I hope, sir, that notwithstanding this difference 
 of oj)inion, you will represent me to the President 
 in the most res])ectful terms, and believe that I am 
 not infiuenced by any other motive than what I have 
 stated." 
 
 The next day the Secretary urged Lieut.-Colonel 
 Williams not to resign, but as there was no chance 
 in the Secretary's views, he adhered to his resolution 
 and soon after took up his residence at Perth Am- 
 boy, N. J. 
 
 The ])oints alluded to in Lieut.-Colonel Williams' 
 letter of resignati<m, were in substance : That engi- 
 neer officers have the same military authority, accord- 
 ing to rank, as officers < >f any other corps ; that two 
 independent military commands cannot exist at the 
 same post, and West Point being by law declared to 
 
■^ 
 
 26 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAUSP:s OF TIIK WAR. 
 
 be the station of the Encfiiieers, the cliief of that 
 Corps, when of highei" grade, nmst command eveiy- 
 thing at that post ; tliat the aiitliority to arrest 
 
 officers and confine sokliers bekjiigs to 
 
 Engineers 
 
 in like circumstances as to other officei's ; tliat a 
 senior Engineer could not be refpiired to accept the 
 l)arole or countersign from an inferior officer of any 
 other Corps; and that the proceedings of a Court 
 Martial ought not to be submitted to the revision of 
 any officer inferior in rank to the highest engineer 
 sitting on that court. On these issues the Secretary's 
 opinion was, in eifect, that, notwithstanding the 
 General-in-Chief had just i)laced Major Wadsworth 
 of the Engineers in command of the post and gar- 
 rison of Ft)rt Adams in the Mississijipi Teri'itory, no 
 military command should be attached to any officer 
 of Engineers, asserting tliat this principle was in 
 accordance with general usage and the practice 
 during our llevolutionary war. 
 
 The Secretary's principle is certainly not to be 
 found in the law of March 16, 1802, organizing a 
 Corps of Engineers to consist of officers of various 
 grades with fixed ranh, pay and emoluments, and 
 with commissions from the President stj'ictly charging 
 all officers and soldiers under their command to be 
 obedient to their orders. Certainly it was never 
 denied that the officers of the Corps of Aiiillerists 
 and Engineers, under the old peace establishment, 
 were entitled to command according to seniority of 
 rank, equally with the officers of infantry or cavalry, 
 and why, by the separation of the Corps into two 
 distinct coi'ps — one of engineers and another of 
 
 •3 
 
 an< 
 
 f(.i 
 
 on 
 
 Ai-i 
 
 the 
 
BRIO.-GENERAL JOXATHAX WTLLIA.AIS. 
 
 27 
 
 be 
 
 mg a 
 
 to be 
 never 
 erists 
 iment, 
 tyof 
 vaby, 
 o two 
 ler of 
 
 1 
 
 .>s 
 
 
 rJS 
 
 artillery — all the aiitliority should be transferred to 
 <^ne set of offieers and none to tlie other, cannot be 
 conceived, for the new organization was but a 
 separation of artillerists from engineers. 
 
 Tlie President was not empowered to /'(t/.sc but 
 to oir/inuze a Corps of Engineers, as was ^vell under- 
 stood, by the transfer of suitalde officers to it from 
 the old Cor])s of Artillerists and Engineers. In fact 
 all were transfei'red witli theii* orii^-inal dates of com- 
 mission, proving tlie new Cor]is of Artillerists and 
 the new Coi'ps of Engineei's to be <mly a v<)iiti)iK- 
 at Ion, in separate branches, of the old Coips of 
 Artillerists and Engineers. Certaiidy officers trans- 
 ferred to the Engineers felt at the time elevated, not 
 (leg faded in rank and authoi-ity, or they would have 
 lemained in their former Cor])s. 
 
 That engineers have and can successfully com- 
 mand troops is attested by the practice of foreign 
 nations as well as our own. In our day we have 
 seen in connnand of corps and armies sucli well 
 known engineers as Cavaignac, LaMoriciere, Niel 
 and Valliant in Fi'ance; Gordon in China; Omer 
 Pasha in the Crimean War; Napier in Al)yssinia ; 
 and Todleben, recently at the head of the Russian 
 foi'ces in Turkey. During the late Civil A\'ar, out of 
 our small ])odv of Euijfineei's eleven commanded 
 Army Coi'[)s, five each an Army during a portion of 
 the war, and many commanded Divisions, Briirades 
 and Uegiments ; wliile on tlie Confederate side three 
 engineers, Lee, Johnston and Beauregard, com- 
 manded iijreat Armies. 
 
 Without a proper head the Military Academy 
 
28 MILITARY EDUCATIOX AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. 
 
 was fast going to destruction, and the only hope of 
 restoring it was to induce Williams to return to his 
 old position. An engineer officer writing to him, Oct. 9, 
 1804, says : " Never was West Point so much in want 
 of you as at this moment. Everything is going to 
 ruin. Morals and knowledo-e thrive little and courts 
 martial and flc)gging prev iil. Tlie Military Academy, 
 instead of being the seat of knowledge and the place 
 of application, is fast turning into that of ignorance 
 and idleness. However, I shall drop the subject, as 
 I know it must be ])ainful to you." Other officers 
 of Engineers saw this same deplorable condition of 
 things and earnestly, by interviews and letters, 
 entreated Williams to return to service. Headed by 
 Major Wadsworth, the senior officer, they went so 
 far, N<^v. 5, 1804, as to pro[)ose a direct appeal to the 
 President in relation to the points in controversy 
 which had occasioned Lieut.-Colonel Williams' resiu- 
 nation. There is no doubt the Secretary of War had 
 discovered his error ; but pride forbade his confessing 
 it. Soon after, however, January, 1805, by placing 
 Lieut. Swift, of the Engineers, in command of the 
 post and artillery garrison at Fort Johnston, N. C, he 
 yielded the point at issue to a Subaltern which he had 
 denied to the Chief, for whose return to service both 
 he and the President in many ways clearly mani- 
 fested their sincere desire. General Wilkinson, the 
 General-in-Chief, who had been most zealous in the 
 good work, wrote to Lieut.-Colonel Williams : " I can 
 report nothing more than that I know both the 
 President and Secretary wish you to resume your 
 commission ; but there are delicacies on both sides 
 
 I 
 
 ■n 
 
 til 
 
 IV 
 
BRrG.-(JKNEKAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 29 
 
 in the 
 " I can 
 til the 
 e vour 
 sides 
 
 ^t 
 
 I 
 
 which I shuU hi])()i' to accommodate." The folhnving 
 manly letter from Lieut.-Colonel Williams to General 
 
 Wilkinson, dated Jan. 5, 1 805, best expresses his views. 
 * * * a J l^iiQy^y yonr sentiments with respect to 
 the rights of the engineers, and were yonr power 
 e([nal to ycmr disposition to do them justice, I would 
 have no hesitation in su})mitling everything respect- 
 ing myself to you ; but there is a consistency of 
 character which I can by no means consent to forfeit, 
 and therefore, if I enter the army again, it nuist be 
 with the full a]^])robatioii of the government, and 
 with a certainty tliat my situation will be rendered 
 e(|ually honorable and pei'inanent. * * * How 
 has it happened that the Corps of Engineers sliould 
 be degraded below the other j)arts of the armv ? If 
 it ^vas worth organizing, it was surely worth \vhile 
 to have more of some sentiment of honor to com- 
 pose it ; but how can this ever be the case where they 
 are exposed to be pointed at by the slow-moving 
 finger of scorn ^vhic]l must inevitably follow the 
 ])resent humiliating system ? A slight, but candid 
 revision of the situation of the Corps, since this 
 unfortunate question was first agitated, must evince 
 the impossibility of its ever being reputably filled 
 unless its rights are restored to it. Major Wads- 
 worth avowedlv remains only because he has not at 
 present other resources, and is taking measures to 
 enable him to resign.* Captain Mansfield has ob- 
 tained a more lucrative oflice, and Captain Barron 
 has assured me that the same reason induces liim to 
 
 * Resigned February, 1805, 
 
30 MILITARY EDUCATION AM) CAl'SES OK TlIK U AU. 
 
 remain, and is looking out for some other means of 
 support, and there are no ap[)licants for engineer 
 commissions. How can /eal be ex})ected from men 
 who, Hke tlie apothecary in Romeo and Juliet confess 
 tlieir ' j)overty, not their will consents ' i This thing 
 is so unaccountahle and so extraordinary that it 
 seems to me like a dream, althousj^h it is eiLditeen 
 months since the reality foi'ced me out of the Corps. 
 Were I to judge from tlie i)ersonal de])ortment and 
 verbal expressions of the Secretary of AVar, before 
 the last and decisive interview, I sliouhl Inxve suj). 
 posed the Cor[)s of Engineers to have been in his 
 estimation the most important part of the army, 
 which he was disposed to cherish to the utmost in 
 his po\\'er. The President expressed himself in rela- 
 tion to tlie Corps in terms not merely })olite, ])ut of 
 the most friendly description. Where then is the 
 cause of this change i I cannot charge it to any 
 conduct of mine, because that, especially in the last 
 piece of duty, appeared to be fully approved. Can 
 it be owing to any jealousy in the other pai'ts of the 
 army i I think not, for all the officers I know are 
 completely of my opinion, and cmi' friend. Adjutant 
 General Gushing, seemed to be of the opinion that a 
 line might be ado))ted pei-fectly agreeable to the Sec- 
 retary of AV ar and me. What that line is he per- 
 liajjs may toll you, but 1 know it not unless it l)e 
 what I have stated." 
 
 To this letter Gen. Wilkinson replied, jNIarch 29, 
 1805 : "I am authorized by the Secretary of War to 
 inform yoii, that if agreeable to you, tlie President 
 will reappoint you to the command of the Cor2)s of 
 
 
 :.i\ 
 .'■i 
 
""^ 
 
 BRKi.-OKNintAL JOXATIIAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 31 
 
 1 '^M 
 ill" to 
 
 (lent 
 ps of 
 
 En<niieers on tlie express condition tliat you are not 
 to intei-fere with tlie (lis{'i])line, ])oli('e or command 
 of the troops of the line ])ut by his oniers, to which 
 alone you are to he subject, and that in all other 
 respects you are to enjoy the honors due to your 
 rank. 
 
 "Sh(mld this proposition be acceptable to you, 
 you will be pleased to signify your disposition to the 
 Secretary of \\\ar without delay, and in such explicit 
 terms as may preclude misapprehension. 
 
 "The President is now at Monticello, Liit will be 
 here abo\it the 8th of next month, at which time, 
 should it be agreeable to you, you may make a visit 
 to the city in order to pay your respects to our 
 superior. 
 
 " Permit me, sir, to add my earnest hopes that you 
 may not pause for a determination in this case, 
 V)ecause I am convinced you will stand acquitted by 
 every professional man of intelligence and honor, 
 should, you embrace the j)roposition. It is unques- 
 tionable that the elevated pursuits of the Corps du 
 Genie do not allow time for the necessary attention 
 to the details, police, and discipline of the lin^, and 
 it follows, as in other services, that the officers of 
 that Corps should not be burthened with the respon- 
 sibility attached to duties in their nature incompati- 
 ble. But admitting the practice of other nations to 
 be at variance with our own, if the United States 
 are ackno\v'ledged to be sovereign and independent, 
 we cannot deny to the regular authority powers and 
 capacities to ordain such subordinate arrangements as 
 DLiy be deemed conducive to the public weal, and it 
 
[\2 MILITAIIY KDITATION AND CAISKS Ot TUK WAR. 
 
 is the duty of every good citizen to conform, wlien 
 Hucli conformity does not aifect his lionoi'. In tlie 
 case before us, the suspension of ex-official command 
 is deemed essential to tlie interests of a ])articidar 
 corps, but no subversion of inhci-ent jn'inciples or 
 fundamental right takes effect, because f/on are held 
 liahJe to general command upoti the orders of the 
 President. 
 
 " I beg to hear from you soon, and I liope to my 
 satisfaction. You owe much to the partiality of the 
 President, more to tlie claims of your country." 
 
 Major Macond^ of the Engineers, subsecpiently 
 General-in-Chief, in a private letter of April 2, 1805, 
 ex[)resses the desires of the Corps of Engineers: 
 * * * " It is the wish, I ani ])ersuade(l, of the 
 officers of the Corps. You have had assurances 
 enouiih of their attachment and I feel confident that 
 you are interested in their welfare, and I believe it 
 no ilattery when I tell you that their resj)ectability 
 as a corps and their future prosperity depend almost 
 entirely on your return. Feeling satisfied that you 
 cannot resist the call of your country and the solici- 
 tations, of yoiu' own Corps to take your former 
 station, I am, etc." 
 
 This correspondence led to the General-in-Chief s 
 official order of A])ril 17, 1805, as follows : 
 
 "As the scientific ^<ursuits of the Corps of En- 
 gineers do not allow time for attention to details, 
 police, and discipline of the troops of the line, it 
 follows, as in other services, that the officers of that 
 coi-ps should not be burthened with the responsi- 
 bility attached to duties in their nature incom})atible. 
 
 ■I 
 
BUIO.-OENERAL JONATHAN WILT,IAMS. 
 
 88 
 
 ^' 
 
 "The President lias tlioui^lit ])r<»])er to decide 
 that the ofticeis of the KiiijineerH shall not intei'fere 
 with the disci[)line, ])oliee, or command of the troo])H 
 of the line unless by his sj^ecial order, to whicli alone 
 they ai'e subject. 
 
 " But this sus])ension of official command, though 
 deemed essential to the interests of a ])articular 
 cor])s, does not subvert any iidierent principle, or 
 fundamental rijj^ht, ])ecause the supei'ior officers of 
 Enjjfineers are held liable to be called into general 
 command whenever the ]nddic service may require, 
 and the will of the President direct. 
 
 " In all cases not aft'ected by this regulation, the 
 officers of the Corps of Engineers are invariably to 
 enjoy the respect due to their commissions ; and they 
 are to receive the same honors ^vhich are i)aid to 
 officers of similai- grade in the line of the Army." 
 
 Lieut.-Colonel Williams accepted, Ajnil It), 1805, 
 the re-a])pointment of Chief Engineer, and writes to 
 the Secretary of War: "In answer to the obliging 
 information vou have given me in the connnand of 
 the Cor])s of Engineers, I beg leave to assure you 
 that this honorable mark of favoi- has made a deep 
 imju'ession on me, and it is with heart-felt gratitude 
 that I again offer to devote my life to the service of 
 my country. I hope and trust that the President 
 will permit me to resume my old commission in the 
 same manner as if it had never been resigned. It 
 must be evident to him that I never had a wish to 
 (piit the service, and that the circimistances by which 
 I was influenced, although arising out of misapju'e- 
 hension, ai)})eared to me paramount to my own will. 
 
34 MILITAKY KDrCATlOiV AM) CAISKS OF IIIK WAR. 
 
 The explanation wliicli lia-^ taken ]»la('(» lias put the 
 subject on u correct t'ootini;, whicli will not in future 
 tuhnit of mistake, and it is my wish so to come into 
 service au^ain that the whole mi^dit l)e hnried in 
 oblivion." 
 
 I )urin_i]^ the twenty-two months that Lieut.-Colonel 
 Williams had been out of service neither the Mili- 
 tary Academy nor the Coi'])s of Enifineers proo;ressed 
 one step. In that interval but two cadets had been 
 graduated ; " not a cadet's ^varrant was applied for " 
 says the best authority ; and, of the dozen who 
 entered the Academy, half the appointments had 
 probably been previously promised, and the other 
 half were from the newly acfjuired Territory of 
 Louisiana, perliaps more ostensibly to mark Pi-esi- 
 dent Jefferson's important purchase, April 13, 1803, 
 of that magnificent domain. 
 
 Immediately upon Lieut.-Colonel Williams being 
 notified, Ajml 22, 1805, of his re-appointment, he 
 repaired to West Point and assumed command of the 
 Military Academy. At (mce he vigorously applied 
 himself to much needed reforms, the details of Avhich 
 more properly belong to tlie liistory of the Military 
 Academy. 
 
 Notwithstanding: his o-reat industry and zealous 
 devotion to the wants of that institution, AVilliams, 
 as the head of the Corps of Engineers, was necessa- 
 rily much of his time attending to professional 
 duties, pai-ticularly the construction of the defenses 
 of New York harbor, of which he took jjersonal 
 charge. During his absence from West Point the 
 temporary command of the Academy devolved upon 
 
 I'M 
 % 
 
 m 
 
 
IMtlfi.-fJK.VKKAr. .TOXATIIAX WILLIAMS. 
 
 .^r> 
 
 tile senior eiii^ineer |)reseiit, \vli(» did not prove com- 
 jK'tt'iit f'oi" that responsil)!*^ diiiy. 
 
 Our f(H('iii;ii relations were sucli, in ISOT, that tlie 
 State of New York was unwiliinL;; to trust tlie safety 
 of liei- ij^reat eonnnercial capital to the snndl aj)])ro- 
 pi'iations <i;ranted by Coui^ress. Fortitieations conse- 
 (jueiitly \vere autliori/ed to be eivcted on Stateii 
 Island for tlie defense of "the Narrows." The 
 authorities haviiii:; i^reat conHdenee in Lieut.-(\)lonel 
 W illianis, (tlieii superintend inii,' the inner defenses of 
 the harl)or of New York,) as a man of solid learninic, 
 sound Judgment, and possessini,^ a practical knowl- 
 edufe of the military ai*t, selected him to ])lan and 
 conduct their works (Foi'ts Richmond and Toni])- 
 kins). So devoted was he to those duties, which 
 consumed most of liis time, that the Freedom of the 
 City of New York was bestowed ujx^n him by the 
 Coi"j)oration, Aug. 1, 1807, "in consideration of his 
 important services in protectiuiz; and fortifyinii; said 
 city." Subse(]uently, Governor Daniel 1). Tompkins 
 of New Y<>rk sent a larii:e check to Lieut.-Colonel AVil- 
 Hams in a very complimentary letter, saying : " Your 
 services to the State are not only viewed by me, but 
 also by the Legislature,, in the most thankful man- 
 ner." Perhaps it is uimecessary to add that the 
 check was politeh^ returned by the noble-minoid 
 recipient. 
 
 AVilliams \\ith great vigor pressed forward these 
 defenses of New York harbor, for to his mind war 
 was inevitable, and not a moment was to be lost in 
 providing for the protection of our great commercial 
 capital. 
 
36 MILITARY EDUCATION AND CAT'Sp:s OF TIIK W'AK. 
 
 The Treaty of Pai'is, of 1788, ])\ wliicli our inde- 
 pendence was acknowled<]:;ed by tlie niothei" ooiintry, 
 wa8 virhially a truce, not a peace. The Revolution 
 had effected our political emancipation and proved 
 our capacity for self-defense ; but our moral, physical 
 and mental independence were yet to be achieved, 
 and the strength of republican and confederate 
 nationality demonstrated. Wearied Avith war, ^ve 
 had continued, from the termiiiation of our se\'en 
 years' struggle, to practice patient forbearance under 
 the pressure of accumulated wrongs. Great Britain, 
 still our bitter enemy, had violated lier plighted 
 faith by retaining the American posts upon the 
 northern frontier ; her voice was loud along the 
 border continually inciting the Indian savages to 
 war upon us ; our commerce was the prey of her 
 cruisers and privateers ; our merchant vessels were 
 searched and our native sailors impressed upon the 
 high seas ; our trade and navigation became tlie 
 sport of her cupidity and assumption ; and tlie 
 enormity of her paper blockades was exceeding all 
 bounds. The British order in council of May 16, 
 
 1806, declared the whole French coast in a state of 
 l)lockade ; an order which Napoleon retaliated by his 
 l^erlin decree of Nov. 21, 1806, declaring the block- 
 ade of the British Islands ; and this latter was 
 answered by another oi'der of the former, January 7, 
 
 1807, prohibiting all coast-trade with France. Great 
 numbers of our vessels, under these op})re8sive 
 orders and decrees, were seized by the cruisers of 
 both belligerents and (Uir lucrative neutral commerce 
 was nearly destroyed. British ships of war hov- 
 
■Tsr 
 
 BRIG.-GEXERAL JONATHAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 37 
 
 lited 
 the 
 tlie 
 
 3S to 
 
 her 
 were 
 1 tlie 
 the 
 the 
 
 '■4 
 
 ered, in warlike disphiy, n})oii our coasts; blockaded 
 our ports ; penetrated our bays and rivers ; anchored 
 in our liarbors ; tlireatened our cities and towns witli 
 conflagration ; and even tired upon the unprotected 
 inliabitants of our shores. The ])ul)lic mind was 
 liiglily incensed by these gross violations of our 
 neuti'ality; but the climax of insolence was readied, 
 June 22, 1807, in the ever memorable attack of the 
 ship Leopard of iifty guns, under countenance of 
 the British scpiadron anchored witliin American 
 waters, upon the United States frigate Chesapeake, 
 by which twenty-one men Avere killed or wounded. 
 The President, by proclamation, interdicted our 
 harbors and waters to all British armed vessels, 
 forbade intercourse with them, and demanded imme- 
 diate rei)aration for this lasc high-handed outrage ; 
 but not till fom- years after did the tardy atonement 
 C(^me. Anotlier order in council was issued, Nov. 11, 
 1807, forbidding neuti'al vessels to enter French 
 harbors \intil they had previously stopped at a 
 British port and paid duties on their cargoes. Na- 
 ]>oleon, not to be outdone, answered, Dec. 17, 1807, 
 ]>v his famous Mijan decree, confiscatini? any vessel 
 wliich shoidd submit to British search or pay any 
 duties to his gn^at enemy. 
 
 The United States could no longer, with honoi", 
 permit its flag to be insulted, its citizens to ])e 
 enslaved, and its ])ropei*ty to be ]>lundered on the 
 highway of nations; but placed between the upi)er 
 and nether millstones of two colossal powers and 
 unprepared to contend with either, Congress, upon 
 the reconmiendation of the President, temporized 
 
M8 MILITAKY l^DI'CATTOX AND CAUSES OF THE WAK. 
 
 by luyiiisT^ an eni])arg<), Dec. 22, 18 u])(>n all vessels 
 in American ])()i'ts, and ordered the immediate return 
 of all our shipping afloat. 
 
 This gloomy condition of things rendered it 
 manifestly proper for the Chief Engineer to ask for 
 an increase of his Corps, then composed of a few 
 officers superintending an extended line of coast 
 defenses; and to subnut, 8e})t. 19, 1807, a ])roject to 
 remodel the Military Academy on a scale connnen- 
 surate with the needs of the nation, placing its 
 direction, external and internal, entirely in the hands 
 of the President. 
 
 The rapid progress of ev^ents was fast culmina- 
 ting to a crisis. The dangers to our country arising 
 from the c<mtests of other nations ; the ruin of our 
 conunerce in the Mediterranean ; the (■a])ture of our 
 vessels bound to the Baltic, France and Spain ; the 
 violation of our territory ; the insults to our people, 
 and the deixradino; of our character in the eyes of the 
 whole world, roused the President to ask Congress, 
 Feb. 25, 1808, for an augmentaticui of our militaiy 
 force to (>,000 regulars and 24,000 volunteers. 
 Ra}>idly our situation grew more critical, and the 
 great belligerents seemed determined to tramj)le 
 under foot the law of nations and annihilate every 
 vestige of our neutrality. 
 
 President Jefferson, no loiiijer doubtini; the con- 
 stitutionality of a Military Academy, sent to Con- 
 gress, March 18, 1808, the i'ollowing s])ecial message. 
 
 "The scale on which the Military Academy at 
 West Point was originally established has become 
 too limited to furnish the number of well-instiiicted 
 
^w 
 
 BRia-OKXEUAL JOXATIIAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 81) 
 
 •iicted 
 
 au])jects ill tlie dift'erent bi'aiK'lies of Artillery and 
 Eii<i:;ineeriii^ wliieli tlie servi-je calls for. Tlie want 
 of sucli cliaracters is already sensibly felt, and will 
 be increased with the enlar<»;enient of onr plans of 
 military o})eration. The Chief Eni2:ineer havino: been 
 instructed to consider the subject, and to propose an 
 ausi^nientation which niig'ht render the establishment 
 commensurate with the present ciivumstances of our 
 country, lias made the report which I now transmit 
 for the consideration of Coiiirress." 
 
 The report of Colonel Williams (promoted 
 P'eb. !23, 1808) referred to by the President was a 
 loiiij^ document narratinii; the struo-<2;les of the Military 
 Academy since its establishment, concluding with 
 wise suggesti<ms for its reorganization and inij)rove- 
 meiit to which he had given the l)est efforts of his 
 life. 
 
 With the new administrati<>n of President Mad- 
 ison, William Eustis became, March 9, 1809, the 
 Secretary of War. Hardly had he been inducted 
 into office before he began to show his hostility to 
 the Military Academy, as his sul)se(pient acts fully 
 proved. He meant to crush it, notwithstanding our 
 increasing dangers made it apparent that to his hands 
 were entrusted the successful or disastrous issues of 
 the nation's arms. 
 
 France had infringed her treaty, burned our \'es- 
 sels on the iiigli seas, and subjected to ca])ture our 
 commerce with her maritime foe. (rreat Kritain 
 continued to violate, our territory, depredate on our 
 conunerce, impress our seamen, exclude our exports 
 from market, and subject to tribute the staples of 
 
40 Mn.ITAIiY EDUCATION AND CAUSES OF THE WAIJ. 
 
 our country. Eacli po\ver, under pi'etext of retalia- 
 ting on us for oiu* alleged submission to the otlier, 
 had carried their injustice and violence beyond all 
 bounds of endurance, and every possible foi'ui of 
 negotiation having failed ^sith both belligerents, 
 nothing seemed left but war to preserve our liberty 
 and honor. 
 
 Secretary Eustis began his administration of the 
 War Department by an effort to dlspei'se the few 
 cadets at the Military Academy, degrade them to 
 coiamon laborers, and deprive them of all educational 
 advantages. By mid-sunuuer of 1810, he, by his 
 failui'e to make new a[)pointments and by his con- 
 stant detail of cadets for clerks and company duties, 
 had left so few at West Point that the Military 
 Academy, except in name, had virtiudly ceased to 
 exist ; and disci[)line was so palsied by his constant 
 intermeddling that only by the most summary meas- 
 ures could AMlliams preserve even its semblance. 
 
 Worn out by the apathy of Congress and Secre- 
 tary Eustis' criminal perverseness and A'iolation of 
 all olRcial com-tesy and consideration, Williams began 
 to despair. In a letter to Mr. Jefferson, of Sept. 15, 
 1810, he pours out his heart in lamentation over the 
 noble institution founded by the ex-President : " I 
 wish I could make use of your voice to excite our 
 general Legislature to some attention to the Military 
 Academy. We want military more than any other 
 description of talent * * * and yet, strange to 
 tell ! we are cold, chilling cold, u])on every subject 
 relative to Military Instruction. Nine-tenths of Con- 
 gress seem to me not only ^cold, but blind, stone 
 
 I 
 
 hi 
 
 off 
 
 ail 
 
|{i;i<;.-(M'.ni:kai- Jonathan wiij.ia.ms. 
 
 41 
 
 [iilia- 
 tliev, 
 il all 
 111 of 
 i-ents, 
 bei-ty 
 
 •f the 
 
 e few 
 
 3111 to 
 
 ,tional 
 
 )y his 
 
 Ls con- 
 
 tluties, 
 
 ilitary 
 
 Lsed to 
 
 nistant 
 
 T meas- 
 
 ice. 
 Secre- 
 ion of 
 began 
 pt. 15, 
 
 ver the 
 "I 
 ite our 
 
 ^lilitaiy 
 V other 
 inge to 
 subject 
 of Con- 
 1, stone 
 
 l)lin(l, to the true interests of our nation on the seoiv 
 of its defense. I have l)een eiiiraged eiglit years in 
 the eniV)rvo of a military seniinary and have at last 
 barely brought it into existenee. It lives indeed, but, 
 in coni])aiison to what It ought to be, it is i\ puni/, 
 rivhefij chihl. 
 
 "I am tired, my dear sir, heartily tired; and 
 although r never wished to terminate my labors but 
 with my life, I must in future ])e excused from med- 
 dlinir with the Military Academv unless, by some 
 means or other, I ean see a ])rospect of jiroducing 
 some benefit to my country, and, pardon my vanity, 
 some hoiioi' to mvself." 
 
 President Madison, in an able state pa})er com- 
 municated to Congress, Dec. 5, l.Sl(>, set foith the 
 usefulness and necessity of a ])ro])erly organized 
 ^[ilitary ^V(;ademy to teach the art of war with little 
 expense to the nation, and vrithout danger to the 
 liberties of the peo[)le. Tliough Congress failed, in 
 its short session, to carry out tlie President's earnest 
 reconunendations, it was hardly to be expected that 
 his own chosen Cabinet Minister could, on the very 
 verge of hostilities with one of the most ])owei"ful 
 nations of the earth, have totally neglected his duty 
 in carrying out the clearly ex]>ressed views of his 
 cliief, as he certainly did. 
 
 The hostility of Secretary Eustis to tiie Military 
 Academy, tlie Corps of Kngineers, and the ade(|uate 
 defense of our coast, had tilled Wilbanis' cu]) of 
 bitterness to oversowing. To a proud, ambitious 
 officer this condition of things was most liumiliating, 
 and bound hand ;uid foot by the or<lei-s of a petty 
 
42 MILITAUY KDICATIOX AM) ( Al SKS Ol" TIIK WAU. 
 
 tyrant wlio luid some small spite to avenge, Colonel 
 AVilliams felt there was no release but by resij^nini;" 
 liis commission. A warm friend wi-itin*;' to liim, at 
 this time, says: "I know all your difficulties and 
 with what you have had to contend, but I think the 
 ])ros|)ect may brighten, and a few more months of 
 anxiety perhaps will compensate for all, if the Nation 
 is not determined on giving u]) everything that is, or 
 has been military. * * "^" I would, if I were you, 
 with such a Cc^rps looking Uj) to you, and I may say 
 to //(>/(, alone, saci'ifice a little more })efore (putting it." 
 A few (hiys later an officer of Engineers writes 
 to him privately: "lam sorry to see you are in 
 such bad spirits. If your exertions to j)romote the 
 interests of the Institution conunitted to your ehariiv 
 have been unavailing, you ought not on that account 
 to desj)ond, for you can always console youi'self with 
 the conviction of having done yonr duty, and your 
 Cor])s and country will ever bear testimony to your 
 useful hd^ors. If a man witli your })hilosophy can. 
 not bear up with the apathy of govermnent and 
 that total disregai-d of everything but po]»ulai'ity, 
 who can i ^^>u are the last man in the world I 
 should susj)ect of being touched with any thing- 
 coming from such men as have liad, for these ten 
 years j)ast, the control of affairs (in the Wai'De])art- 
 ment). * * * \\ e must with patience wait for 
 a change for the better (for it cannot be worse), but 
 always pei'severing in doing the best. If they neg- 
 lect their duty it is no reason we sliouhl be disheart- 
 ened, however great the o))stacles may be whicli sucli 
 neglect may throw in the way of your zeal. * * ^* 
 
HUI(i.-(iI-;NKUAL .(ONAIIIAN WILI.IAMS. 
 
 r.\ 
 
 loiiel 
 >;irnig 
 111, at 
 \ niid 
 k tlie 
 lis of 
 Nation 
 IS, or 
 e j^oii, 
 ay say 
 n,«: it." 
 
 writes 
 are in 
 >te tlie 
 t'liai'ijje 
 
 tCCOllllt 
 
 If with 
 (1 your 
 ) your 
 y can. 
 it and 
 ularitv, 
 >rl« 1 ' 1 
 ytliiuu' 
 se ten 
 )e]»art- 
 ait for 
 sc), but 
 ey ueji;- 
 slieart- 
 
 oil SlK'll 
 
 V( 
 
 4 
 
 Vou hint a deteniiination to resign, if certain cir- 
 cumstances more favorable to youi* views do not 
 follow. * "■ '■■ T hope it will be the last thinii' 
 you will think of." 
 
 The Secretary of Wai', with the same imbecile 
 spirit and policy which had characterized many <»f his 
 acts since entering upon office, pro])osed to the C'haii-- 
 man of the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations, 
 1,00U I'egulai's and 1, <>()() militia for manning (f// the 
 defenses of our great commeivial capital against the 
 whole power of Britain's fleets; and hardly a resj)cct- 
 able scarecrow of an arjiiy of 10,000 men to invade 
 Canada and jnotect our extended coasts and frontiers. 
 
 The President's annual message le<l to animated 
 debates in Congress upon the relative advantages of 
 volunteer militia and regular trooj)s. The advocates 
 of volunteers contended that the raising of the 
 foi'iiier was in accoi'dance with the spirit of the Con- 
 stitution, and the latter dangerous to civil liberty, as 
 })roved by the overthi'ow of other nations. The 
 sujiporters of regulars answered that the term vol- 
 unteer was not to be found in the Constitution, and 
 the visions, sci'U])les, a[)preheiisions and imaginary 
 spectres of <lemagogiies weiv not to be substituted 
 for //.s' provisions; that "the i)ower to raise and su|>- 
 ])ort ai'mies " was limited only by the national exigen- 
 cies to be judged of )»y C^)ngress ; that Washington 
 — wise in council and action, and experienced as 
 soldier and statesman — had iie\ er recommended noI- 
 unteers, had em|)hatically condemned militia as the 
 soui'ce of all our disasters, and never had expresse<l 
 apprehensions of a standing army; that since his 
 
 ^ 
 
44 MILITAltY KDICATIUN AM) « Al SKS <)1' TIIK WAIJ. 
 
 PreHideiicy volunteer niilitiu luul been advocated 
 mainly on the ground that if they did no good tliey 
 could do no liarni ; tliat tliere was no (huiger to tlie 
 nation from any species of force maintained hy 
 yearly a|)])ro[)i'iations and composed of our own cit- 
 izens, sons and brothers; that the Ku)>icon was now 
 passed, and it was not the time to try doubtful 
 exj)edients in sustaining our foreign relations with 
 energy and firnuiess; that war was an art not to be 
 learned in a day, luit a science \vhose })rinci})les nuist 
 be long studied in schools or on the field ; that all 
 who had ])ai'tici[)ate(l in our .struggles knew the 
 necessity of discij)lined troojts without which we 
 could not meet Euro])eaii veterans landed on our 
 shores; that the Democratic dogma of onr chief 
 reliance ])eing u])on militia was a fallacy, for, as 
 Pickering said, it had "nevei' done any good to the 
 country, exce})t in the single affair of Bnnker Hill ;" 
 that the cry for a patriot not a mercenary army \vas 
 mere claptraj), instancing the Continental soldiers as 
 paid trooj)s whose compensation did not lessen their 
 patriotism nor diminish their gallantly; that even 
 the New])r.rg letters of an artful incendiary could 
 not inflame the impoverished Revolntionary army 
 to deeds of violence or tlie saci'ifice of our dear 
 bought liberties; and that corru])tion, not militaiy 
 force, was the ])regnant cause of the downfall of 
 nations. 
 
 A 
 
 s Ave s 
 
 hall 
 
 see in the following pages o 
 
 f tl 
 
 us 
 red 
 
 work, the volunteer militia, witli< >ut experience, i)ro\ 
 almost worthless till two disastrous cam})aigns had 
 taught the necessity of <lrill and discipline, which 
 
' ''-(f 
 
 K. 
 
 nKr(;.-<ii:NKi!.\i. .(onatiian willia.ms. 
 
 45 
 
 I they 
 to tlie 
 h\ ])y 
 vii c'it- 
 LS now 
 iil)tful 
 ^ with 
 t to be 
 s must 
 hat all 
 ■w the 
 ich we 
 on oiii" 
 r chief 
 for, as 
 to the 
 Hill;" 
 ly was 
 iers as 
 n their 
 it even 
 couhl 
 y army 
 11' dear 
 lilitary 
 mfall of 
 
 of this 
 ) roved 
 irns had 
 \vhich 
 
 
 I 
 
 caused our arms to so n'loriously triumpli in tlie 
 tliird camj)aiixn at Cliip}iewa, Nian;ara, Plattsburg 
 and Foi-t Erie ; provini?, as did our hite civil contest, 
 that no troops in the world ever surjmssed our Vol- 
 unteers when imu-ed to war by constant traininj? and 
 battle, thus becominu", except in name, the bravest, 
 best and most intelli!;i:ent of Re2;ulara. 
 
 In this connection we cannot forbear ([uotino- 
 from a brilliant speech delivered since the alcove 
 was written. Addressinij: the Society of the Army 
 of the Pi^tomac, the elo(|uent orator of the occasi<m, 
 the Rev. D)'. Ilenrx Ward Beeclier, said : 
 
 " Those who quake with dread at the mention of a 
 standino; army ni\ imder the influence of old prej- 
 tidices, based upon European exjiei'ience. Standino- 
 armies in the hands of ambitious monarchs, in the 
 midst of a multitude of contliyuous and iealous 
 nations, are not to be the types of American armies. 
 In the whole history of our ijovernment there has 
 never been a <listurbance or even a threat or sus- 
 picion of dan^^er from the jirofessic^n of ai-ms in the 
 regular army. Our most eminent oihcers have been 
 profound lovers of peace. There has nevei' been an 
 accusation of plot or plan to augment their power 
 or to usurp any function of government. We luive 
 had a boiling and bulibling caldi'on often, and our 
 private citizens have brought fuel to it ; our dema- 
 gogues have roared, our politicians have plotted, our 
 statesmen have plunged the country into blunders 
 and whelmed it in war; but the armv and the great 
 generals whose names are our glory have never 
 bi'ouii-ht on a disturbance; have alwavs counseled 
 
u\ 
 
 MIM'IAUV KDICAI'IoN A Nh ( A ISKS (»I' Til K \VAl{. 
 
 foi' ])ea('('; linve pxti'icated tlie coiiiiti'v fr<»iii its 
 eiiil)arrassiiuMitM and daiiuvrs ; and liave, In tlu^ir 
 iinifonii and univei-sal |)i'nd(M»c't', ivspect for law and 
 ^ood f(dl()wslii|), proved tlieniselves to he safer i»;uides 
 tliaii Iiave been oiir civil leaders. Since the fouiui- 
 inn" of tills ij^oveninient, I challeiiijje the pro<luction 
 of a single niischief-inakiiiii; military man. Ff any 
 names ai'e recalled of i^enerals who hav<- ot'eii rasli 
 and daiii^vrons, in every instance they will l)e found 
 to he extemporized ij;eiiei'als, made out of ))rofessional 
 politicians. Otficei's and soldiers ai'e the very men 
 who ai'e ahove all others the friends of peace. Caucus 
 and C'onji;ress are ))ellicose: the Army it is that is a 
 National Peace Society. 
 
 « 
 
 "And yet no class of men of eipial attainments 
 and character and i:;enera] ahility are as severely 
 criticised, as intentionally underrated, as uncei-enio- 
 niously crippled and ahused, as our sohliers. 
 
 "Tliis nation is indehted to tlie West Point Mili- 
 tary Academy for as iiohle a hand of L;;raduates as 
 the workl can ])ro(luce. The standard of honoi- is 
 nowhere liiijlier. Resj)ect and reverence for law and 
 lil)erty are nowhere more ])rofound. Scru]»ulous 
 fidelity to <luty is nowliere more nearly a relio:ion, 
 and the honor of honesty, fhe honor (>f lioiK^sttf^ 'nil-; 
 HONOR OF HoxESTV, is uowliere so siojnally illustrated 
 as in the (graduates of the West Point Military 
 Academy. What university, what college, what 
 theoloo;ical seminary can point to its two tliousand 
 i^rad nates and say: 'There has never been an in- 
 stance of dishonesty in the administi-ation of ])ul)lic 
 monevsT The onlv institution in this coiintrv that 
 
HKKi.-iJKXKIlAL .(OXATHAN WII-MA.MS. 
 
 iM its 
 
 their 
 
 V au<l 
 
 guides 
 
 'oiuui- 
 iK'tioii 
 f niiy 
 
 II I'iisll 
 folllKl 
 
 ■^sioiiiil 
 y u\en 
 Jaiu'us 
 at is a 
 
 nnu'iits 
 Bverely 
 •erenio- 
 
 it Mili- 
 ites as 
 mor is 
 i\v and 
 unions 
 eliu'ioH, 
 
 ///, THK 
 
 strated 
 dilitaiy 
 , wliat 
 ousand 
 \ an iii- 
 ] ml die 
 trv that 
 
 can say tiiis is tlnit Academy. And yet this nohlc 
 cradle of iinldc men has never been pain|)ered and 
 dandled. Fnnds have l»een ifrndu'inu'iy voted for its 
 hare snhsistence ; inipiox'ements ha\'e hecn ivsisted ; 
 it has hcen treafe(l witli snspicion and jnvjndice; 
 and it has wroiiu'lit out its nnexampled ivsnlts, not 
 hy ahnndance of means, hut hy the devotion of its 
 cor[)s of piud'essoi's and teachers under the rii^or of a 
 financial system which lias carried economy to 
 stiiiii'iness. 
 
 "What, then, is the attitude of the United States 
 Army to-day^ The smallest in proportion to the 
 [)()[»ulation and the teri'itory which it i:;uiM'ds of jiny 
 army on the <>;lol)e ! It has l»een in the field almost 
 without rest for tweutv vears. It is scattei'ed alonii' 
 a vast frontier, in small companies, wateliinu' nii>ht 
 and day Mexican thieves, or ti^htinL-' savai«;es; march- 
 ini:: thronn'h trackless wastes, in severest wintei' 
 stoi'ins, or seorehed hy summer oir arid [dains; yield- 
 ing- U]) itsCanhysaud itsCusters. It has been made 
 the seapei,^oat of l)ad men. And all this while it is 
 assailed in the I'earhv hound ino- jxditicians, whooare 
 nothinu' foi- its honor, who would retrench its uum- 
 l)ers, dinunish its revenues, and make hard and hitter 
 tiie lives of men who have served their country at 
 ]»ains and jiei'ils whieh would have aj)palled the 
 stoutest heart of the self-denyiui:: hei-oes of Caucus 
 and Conii:ress! " 
 
 To the same purport we further (|Uote from a 
 historical sketch by a forcible writer, H. C. C, on 
 the "Lahor Strikes' of 1877." He says: 
 
 "Whisky riots, Orange riots, Anti-vSlaveiy tumults, 
 
4S MILITARY KDI'CATroX AM) (AISKS oF TIIK WAIf. 
 
 Kiiow-Notliiuii riots, Draft riots, Feniaii (listiirhances, 
 and Hiially the Kailioad Strikes and I^al>(>r Troubles 
 the Slimmer of 1877, Iiave each, in tuiii, demon- 
 stratetl tlie inability of the local c(tnstal»ulaiT to 
 deal with them, and the stern, unavoidable necessity 
 of calliuii' to the ivscue the traine<l, impartial sol- 
 diei', who is 'a useless hireliuij:' when the dear 
 j)eo|>le do not shake with feai', and 'apati'lot hero' 
 when tliey do. 
 
 "Tlie most jealous and exactinu' 'i-e^'ular/ how- 
 ever, could ask no ijfi'eater tril)ute to his business 
 (lualifications than was accorded him by the i-ed- 
 haiK'ed and blood-stained mo])s of 1877. In e\ erv 
 listurbed conununity whei-e the customaiy i;uar- 
 ians of the peace were jxtwerless, and the ii;or- 
 ojeously-attired militia failed to sustain themselves, 
 even hy tlie free use of bayonets and ))all-caitridues, 
 the measured tread of the national soldier was a 
 suiiicient signal for |)roni))t retreat. Ilis presence, 
 with 'ten days' rations aiul two hundred rounds of 
 
 « 
 
 ammunition,' intimated consecpieiices and forbade 
 affiliation, and the i>;amiiis of enraired ]*ittsbur<i' were 
 (piick to see and say, 'Them fellars aiiTt ^ot no 
 bokays in f/teir fjuns.'' 
 
 "Not a Federal musket had to be tired at any 
 j)oint, and an insurrection which had spi-ead with 
 the celerity of a jn'airie fire over a dozen of the 
 richest and most tliickly-[)o])ulated States of the 
 Union, sns])en<led trans] )ortation, ])aralyzed trade, 
 destroyed life and pro])erty, awed ca])ital, threat- 
 ened to sack the Treasuiy at WashiuLCtoii and burn 
 the beautiful Ca))itol liuildinir, and by Its vast 
 
 
 th 
 (h 
 ti<- 
 ac 
 
 i 
 
Ml{I(J.-(iKNi:it M, .roXATHAN WnJ-FAMS. 
 
 4t> 
 
 'vvteiit Mini insolent fciocitv Ii.-nl convulsed tlic civil- 
 ized \soi'l(l, was quickly (jiiclled l»y a handful of 
 soldiers, the ureater jtart of whom, to theii* eternal 
 uloi'iticati(»n he it i'ecorde<l, were at that very mo- 
 ment, hy a straniife coincidence, serving without ])ay 
 oi' ))rosj)ect of pay foi" months to come, and with the 
 hitter j'ec('llecti<»n of a CN)nii;ressional motion t(» dis. 
 hand them hy default fresh in their minds. No tri- 
 um|)li of arms oi* chai'acter could have heen ui'ander 
 than this silent exhihition of unconditional fidelity." 
 Both of the ahove quotations are only modifica- 
 tions of the sentiments of the truth-tellinij; and wise 
 Wk \Vashin<,^ton, who, after more than thii'ty years of 
 ^ civil and military exj)ei'ience ( not in seek ini,'' office 
 
 i hy deuounciiiii; Reo:dars and Standinii; Armies as 
 
 • menacino- lihertv and entailini"- C'a'sai'ism), sav;^: 
 
 "The jealousy of a standinu: army and the evils 
 
 :,^ to he a])prehen(led from one aiv remote and, in my 
 judii-ment, situated and circumstanced as we are, not 
 
 ;, at all to be dreaded ; hut the conse(|uence of wantinu; 
 
 }| one, accord iniLi; to my ideas formed from the pivsent 
 view of things, is certain and inevitahle i-uin. For 
 if I was called upon to declare upon oath whethei* 
 the militia have heen most serviceable or hurtful 
 upon the whole, I should subsci'ibe to the lattei-, I 
 do not mean by this, liowe\ er, to ari'aisj^n the con- 
 duct of Conii'ress; in so doino; I should equally con- 
 demn my own measures. Hut ex])ei'ience, which is 
 the best criterion to work bv, so fullv, clearlv, and 
 decisively reprobates the practice of trusting to mili- 
 tia tliat no man wlio regards his own honor (►r char- 
 acter will risk them upon this issue." 
 
50 iAlII.ITAIJV KDICATIOX AND (AISKS (»r TIIK WAK. 
 
 Sec'i'etury Eiistis' liostility to Colonel Williams 
 became at leiiLi'tli so marked that he felt there was 
 iio alternative but to resio-n liis |)osition of Chief 
 Enu:ineei-. Few traces of liis feeliiiifs are to he 
 ^'ound in his official correspondence; but the ])rivate 
 lettei's of his devoted wife tell the story. " ILive 
 you heard," says she, " anythinii; un[)leasant from the 
 Secretai'v, that you talk of resio-ninu: immediatelv i 
 Make up your mind, and rest assured that I shall 
 be perfectly ha])})V in s])endini;" the rest of my life 
 at Mount Pleasant if you can be content to relin- 
 quish tlie bustle of the world." Again she writes: 
 ''If you are sure you liave not suffered ])ersonal 
 resentment to influence you in the least, or to carry 
 you one Jot beyond the true line (»f moderation and 
 proj)riety, I think you ])erfectly riuht to ])ursue 
 your way regardless of consequences, and to sup- 
 port, whilst you belong to it, the interest and honor 
 
 belonsr : 
 
 1(1 ol 
 
 )S TO 
 
 'Ol 
 
 only prepare yourself so as not to be fretted l)y any- 
 thing they can do. ILiving already almost made u]> 
 your mind to resio;n it is as well to do all the good 
 
 yon can to those you leave behind vou. 
 she says 
 
 that 
 
 Later 
 1 am (piite grieved to see by every letter 
 
 I think it 
 
 you are in j)urgatory 
 
 unfortunate that you did not make U|) your mind to 
 I'esign sooner. Now I })resume that you must wait 
 till the (piestion of ])eace or war is decided. ''' * * 
 We liave sufficient witli i)rudence to live U])on; 
 banish therefore all concern of that kind from your 
 mind, and make a determination to give uj) y( 
 
 )U1' 
 
 conunission whenever the situation of the countr\ 
 will admit it." 
 
*% 
 
 \\l. 
 
 iuji(;.-<;i:m:kal .i<»natiia:s wim.iams. 
 
 51 
 
 Ulaiiis 
 V wtis 
 
 Chief 
 to l)e 
 )i'ivute 
 ' Iljive 
 1)111 the 
 lately i 
 I shiiU 
 my life 
 1) rcliii- 
 wi'ites : 
 )ei'soii'cil 
 to carry 
 ion and 
 
 pursue 
 
 to SU|)- 
 
 tl honor 
 
 l)elon«2; ; 
 
 l)y any- 
 
 iiade u]) 
 
 lu' !j;o(h1 
 
 Later 
 
 ry letter 
 
 tiiink it 
 
 mind to 
 
 lUst wait 
 -:;■ -K- •X- 
 
 e u]>on ; 
 i(»iii your 
 
 u)) your 
 ' countrv 
 
 ;« 
 
 The othcers of Ills ('ori)s, who, to the liighest 
 otheial res])eet, joined the most affectionate regard, 
 entreated him not to I'esion. One speaks of tlie 
 "almost ])ateriial care of its ])eloved chief;"' and 
 another writes: " I am sorry to liear you talkiiiu' of 
 private life. * * * I believe your remaining: at 
 
 l_ », » . 
 
 the head of the Corps, at this time, is more essential 
 to its respectability and its hajtpiness than it has 
 been ever before. For now we have a Father who 
 has tlie affection of his sons, and, without his ])rotec- 
 tion an<l unceasing labors for their honor and wel- 
 fare, they stand at present but a pool- chance of 
 arrivino; at that elevation in which you would wish 
 to leave them." 
 
 Colonel Williams, nevertheless, July in, 1.S12, 
 tendered his resignation as Cliief Engineer of the 
 United States Army and ex-othcio Superintendent of 
 the jSIilitarv Academy, which was accepted Aug. '?5>, 
 to date July .'U, 1<S1:2. The history of tills trans- 
 action, inv< iving military princi])les, will be given 
 somewhat at lengtli. 
 
 Colonel AN'illiams, it will be recollecte<l, had once 
 before, June '2(\ 180.S, resigned <m a ([iiestloii of his 
 i-ights of command. After twenty months, March 1, 
 1.S05, Lieut. Macomb wrote to him: "I rejoice 
 to let you know that it has l»een hinted bv the 
 President that your return to the service would be 
 very pleasing to him"; and, on the 2Uth, (renera.l 
 Wilkinson from A\'asliingtoii, says: "The partiality 
 which the I^esident cherishes for you, and tlie ser- 
 \lce of your country, will not only justify but 
 deman<l some concessions of opinion on doctrines 
 
52 MILITARY KDrc ATroX AM) ( ACSKS OF THE WAR. 
 
 which depend much (Hi feeling' ;" and, he continues, 
 "■ t/our I'ii/Jit of comman'l U li'hl in, trui<.t by the 
 President, and will he eonfi-rreil wlien it may lie 
 deemed convenient to the [)ul)lic service, in the mean- 
 time ifcm are suhject to his order.^ onh/y 
 
 A general order, first approved by the Secretary of 
 War, was then issued recoi2:nizin<>' the j)rinciples al)ove 
 stated, ai d in two or three (hiys afterward, A])i"il It), 
 1805, Colonel \yilliams accepted his connnission of 
 Chief Engineer whicli he had resigned June 20, 1 808. 
 
 The Act establishing the Rules and Regula- 
 tions for the government of the Army, was passed 
 April 10, 1806; and, by the 08(1 of these Articles of 
 War, the power of the President to grant the com- 
 mand, by sj)ecial engagement held iti trai^t by him, is 
 formally recognized and made law. 
 
 Till May 27, 1812, Colonel Williams continued 
 to receive his orders from the War Department only ; 
 but on that day the Secretary of War, through the 
 Acting Adjutant General, thought proper to turn 
 him over to Brig.-General Bloomfield, to whom the 
 command of the city and harbor of New York had 
 been confided. 
 
 On the 21at of June, 1812, by the return of 
 that post whicli brought to New York the Declara- 
 tion of War against Great Britain, Colonel Wil- 
 liams claimed the command "■ held in trust by the 
 President of the United States^' and legally desig- 
 nated by the 63d Article of ^\'ar. He sa}'s in a 
 respectful letter: " By the 27th Section of the Act 
 of March 16, 1802, it is declared that ' the Engineers 
 shall be sul)ject at all times t« do duty in such 
 
 
 
u. 
 
 iimes, 
 y the 
 ay be 
 iiiean- 
 
 aiT of 
 above 
 n-ilU), 
 uoii of 
 
 , iso;^. 
 
 legula- 
 passed 
 cles of 
 le c'lMii- 
 liiin, is 
 
 itiiuied 
 it only ; 
 igli tlie 
 to turn 
 koni the 
 )rk had 
 
 turn of 
 Dechira- 
 el. Wil- 
 
 by the 
 Iv (lesig- 
 lys hi a 
 
 the Act 
 ngineers 
 
 hi such 
 
 BUIG.-(ij:NKHAL JOXATHAX WILLIAMS. 
 
 58 
 
 phices and on sucli service as tlie Piesich^ut of the 
 United States shall direct,' and by the (5;^! Article 
 of AVar that ' the Euii-ineers are not to assume nor are 
 they subject to be ordered on any duty beyond the 
 line of their immediate profession, e,vcepf hi/ tlw 
 special order of the President of the United States.^ 
 
 " AVhile the peace estaldishmeiit existed," says 
 Colonel Williams, "I had but three suj)erior officers — 
 General Wilkinson and Colonels Hurbeck and Cush- 
 ing. I have now fourteen superiors, and, while I 
 caiuiot assume the command of a subaltern, I am ex- 
 posed to perform professional duty where a sul)al- 
 tern conunands. 
 
 "AVW beinu: now declared, my situation in this 
 harbor becomes humiliating in the last degree. Tlie 
 \vorks that have been constructed by me became 
 inhabited and conunanded by my inferi(^rs, for in 
 military command I liave not the authorit}- of a 
 sergeant. 
 
 "I pray you, Sir, to relieve me from this unpleas- 
 ant situation, and by a special order, wliich you 
 alone can give, to })lace me in that \vlii('h my nom- 
 inal rank naturally points out and wliich my honor 
 re(|uires. I indulge in hope that this reasonable 
 ie(|iiest will be complied with immediately and that 
 by return of j)ost I shall be placed in a command 
 consistent with my character, and such as T lio])e, 
 also, is not unmerited by the public services I have 
 rendeivd." 
 
 On the '2'M of June the President directed the 
 required command to be given, which the Secretaiy 
 of Wai- conmunicated to (leiieral Hloomtiehl in the 
 
r)4 MIMTAKY KDICA I'loX AND CAI'SKS OK I H K WAI!. 
 
 followiiiii: tei'iiis: " It is the pleasure of tlie President 
 that, wlienever tlie exii^encieft of tlie service may 
 re(juii'e tlie talents and kiiowled,<i;e of tlie otficers of 
 the Corps of Eiii^ineers beyond the line of their 
 immediate ])rofession, you may assign to those under 
 y(mr eommand sueli duties in the line of tlie army 
 as may comport with tlieir rank." On the 27tli, 
 General Bloomtield assured Colonel Williams that 
 arrangements should Ije made to accord with his 
 wishes. 
 
 The order was verbally communicated to Colonel 
 Williams, Castle Williams designated as his post, 
 and he gave on the '2d of July his estimate of the 
 force and organization of its garrison. On the 7th 
 he put the Engineers un<ler the direction of Major 
 Armistead, reported himself i-eady for duty, and was 
 al)out to take (|uai'ters on Governors Island to exer- 
 cise the command due to his rank and in conformity to 
 the President's order, comnuinicated on the 28d of 
 June 1)V the vSecretarv of A\ mi-. 
 
 X ^Memorial signed by eighteen c(>mj)any officers, 
 principally subalterns, was diivcted to Colonel Bui"- 
 beck, in command of the Artillerv in the liarboi' of 
 New York, and left on the table of General Bloom- 
 field's (juarters. This memorial indulged in nuich 
 (kJ (•<i)>f(iii(hiiii declamation, ex])ressed givat personal 
 resj»ect foi'the Kngineers, and acknowledged the "lati- 
 tu<le given to the IVesident by the Act of March 1<), 
 1K0*2, justifyinghiminassumingthe [)owertocall them 
 to comnnnid troo])s ; " but affirmed that "the officers 
 of the Corps of Kngineers aiv A// l((ii\ universal 
 custom and the importance of theii' |)i'(d'essional 
 
AK. 
 
 i?ki<;.-<ji:ni;uai. .ioxatman wii.i.iams. 
 
 ,).) 
 
 esideiit 
 e may 
 Lcei'M of 
 f their 
 3 under 
 3 army 
 B 27tl"i, 
 us tliat 
 ith liis 
 
 Colonel 
 is post, 
 
 of the 
 the 7th 
 I-' Majer 
 ind was 
 to exer- 
 rniity t<> 
 
 2 ad of 
 
 ( )iheers, 
 lel Bur- 
 arhor of 
 Hloom- 
 n much 
 personal 
 he " lati- 
 arch 1 <>, 
 all them 
 \^ officers 
 
 fessional 
 
 t 
 
 duties separated from the line of the army," for«ji:et- 
 tiiiijj tliat the law makes no such declaration and that 
 there can he no " universal custom " in a country where 
 tliei-e never had heen a regular Corps of Enuineers 
 fully organized till the existing enactment of 1)S()2, 
 the foreign engineers, dui'ing the devolution and 
 suhsefpiently, having been sj)eciHcally employed as 
 se])ai'ate individuals connected hy no defined cor])s 
 organization whatever. 
 
 On the rumor of this opposition General Bloom- 
 field had, on the <)th of July, written to the Secretary 
 of War for fresli instructions, and on the 11 th tlie 
 Secretary answered, "leaving the employment of 
 the Engineers altogether subject to liis judgment and 
 decision." AVhile awaiting the Secretary's reply, 
 (it'ueral Hloomtield had, on the lOtli, comnumicated 
 to Colonel Williams a copy of liis suspended order, 
 which was to have been pronudgated on the 3th. 
 It is as follows : 
 
 " It being 'the ])leasure of the IVesident,' that 
 ' irliciu r<i' ihc <:viin-n('i(x (tf tlte aerr/cc i)/(fi/ nqiiit-ii 
 the talents and knowledge of the othcers of the 
 Cor|)s of Engineei's, beyond tlie line of their imme- 
 diate ])rofession,' that those under command at this 
 |»(»st 'be assigned such duties in tiie line of the 
 army as may com[)ort with their rank;' and the 
 (leneral conunaufling, believing that ' fJu- (.v'^jcm-if-s 
 of flip w^/vvVr r<(/uirp\m this occasion the talents and 
 abilities of .lonathan Williams, Es(|., the Colonel of 
 the Corps of Engineers, thei'efore, in ])ursuance of 
 the ordei-s of the Pivsident, directs that Colonel 
 \\ illianis take upon jiiniself such duties in the line 
 
■^■^^ 
 
 ill 
 
 . ! iill - 
 
 56 MILITARY KDUOATIOX AXI) ( ATSKS OF TIIK WATI. 
 
 of the 'iniiy stationed in this liarhor an<l city, as 
 may coin[)oi't with tlie rank of Colonel in the Army 
 and service of the United States, accordinsj; to sen- 
 lority of commission; and he is to be respected and 
 obeyed accordingly." (Signed,) Josepli Bloomfield. 
 A copy of the remonstrance of the eighteen com- 
 })any officers was also connnunicated to Colonel 
 Williams to explain the suspension of the above 
 order. In forwarding this remonstrance, on the 9th, 
 to the Secretary of War, (xeneral Hloomfiehl says: 
 " r liave deemed it correct t(> exercise that discretion 
 with which the pleasure of the President has hon- 
 ored me, to suspend calling Colonel Williams or any 
 of the Corps of Engineers to exercise the duties in 
 the line of the army contemplated by your commu- 
 nication of the 'ilJd of June last, until I shall be 
 favored with the further orders of the President 
 in this unpleasant business." 
 
 Upon receiving, on July 10th, the above connnu- 
 nication from Genei'al Hloomtield, C\)lonel A\'illiams 
 wi'ote to the President of the United States as 
 follows : 
 
 "Since my letter to you of the L*lst of June, (xen- 
 eral Bloomfield ccmimunicated to me an order from 
 the Secretary of War which in substance agreed 
 with the retjuest I had the honor to make to you, 
 and of which you have a cojn' enclosed. After 
 com])letiiig some official duties at Philadelphia I 
 returned to New York and reported mvself readv 
 to take such command an mii>'lit 'comi)ort with mv 
 
 O J- V 
 
 rank.' 
 
 'Mxeneral Bloomfield was about to issue the re(|ui- 
 
 
 1 
 
r\n. 
 
 BRI(J.-<iEXKKAL .lOXATIIVX WH.LIAMS. 
 
 Ol 
 
 LMty, as 
 
 i Army 
 
 to sen- 
 
 4 
 
 ted and 
 onitield. 
 gn coni- 
 Colonel 
 c^ above 
 tlie 9tli, 
 d says : 
 scretion 
 las lion- 
 8 or any 
 uties in 
 coninm- 
 sliall be 
 "resident 
 
 connnu- 
 iVillianis 
 itates as 
 
 ne, (len- 
 ler from 
 ; agreed 
 :^ to you, 
 Aftei- 
 elpliia I 
 If I'eady 
 \vitli my 
 
 lie reijul- 
 
 site order when lie received a coinmunieation of 
 which I enclose a cop}, being a remonstrance against 
 the measure signed by eighteen company otHcers. 
 Far be it from me, Sir, to create any division among 
 men whose jn'ofession, of all others, sliouhl form a 
 well connected and affectionate l)rotlierh<tod. But 
 I must be permitted to judge for myself in what 
 relates personally to me, therefore it only remains to 
 do the lasi act tliat can be <lone consistently with 
 my honor and a desire to pi'eserve harmony among 
 the officers in the army, and I hereb\' resij^n my 
 commission. 
 
 "The case is too impei'ions to need much ai'gu- 
 ment ; but it may not be impro])er to observe that 
 after having resigned on a former occasion, I was 
 called again into service upon an express stipulation 
 which was afterwards made law by the 68d x\rticle 
 of tlie Rules and Regulations for the government of 
 the Army. This being the c(mdition upon wliicli 
 alone I accepted my conmiission, I hold myself 
 absolved from all obligation the moment it ceases to 
 operate. The loss of an officer in his sixty-third 
 year may not be considered of great importance 
 when compared with that of eighteen officers in the 
 vigor of youth, for by the tone of the remonstrance 
 it is to be presumed that this consecjuence would 
 follow if tlie order were to be enforced." 
 
 At the same time Colonel Williams wrote to 
 Secretary Eustis : " For reasons offered to the Presi- 
 dent of the United States, I have resigned and do 
 hereby resign my commission as Colonel in the Cor})s 
 of Enu'ineers," 
 
58 MILII AIIY Enm'ATlOX AXI) CAUSES OK THE WAR. 
 
 Colonel Williams iiiiuounced liis resignation to 
 his command in a feeling and manly (jrder, conclud- 
 ing tluis : 
 
 "In making this comnnmication to the C\)rj)s of 
 Engineers, the Colonel Coniman(hint is equally influ- 
 enced, by motives of self justification, to those for 
 whom he has, from the first moment of his connection 
 with them, felt the affection of a parent ; and of 
 leaving behind him a monument of his sense of what 
 ia due to the honor of that Cor])s, which is by the 
 records of the Army |)laced at the Head of the List. 
 That it may never suffer the humiliation of being 
 deprived of those rights, which the other Corps iu- 
 discriminately enjoy, shall ever be his constant 
 prayer. 
 
 "Farewell, my deal' P'riends ! Farewell!" 
 
 General T. H. Crushing, Adjutant (xeneral of the 
 Army, in transmitting, Aug. 2t), 1M12, the acceptance 
 of Colonel Williams' resignation, "to take effect on 
 the 'Ust July, 1812," adds the following private 
 letter : 
 
 " In communicating an order which dissolves our 
 connection as Brothers in Arms, permit me to offer 
 my warmest wishes for your prosperity, happiness 
 and honour, and to express the regret I feel, in com- 
 mon with many res})ectable military and civil friends, 
 at the public loss sustained by the resignation of an 
 officer so distinguished for Intelligence, Industry and 
 Zeal in the public service." 
 
 Thus was lost to the Army one of its brightest 
 ornaments ; to the Corps of Engineers a Chief whose 
 devotion to its welfare and honor was unbounded ; 
 
 J 
 
'% 
 
 AR. 
 
 tion to 
 Diiclud- 
 
 ()r])s of 
 ly iiiflu- 
 lose for 
 iiiectioii 
 and of 
 of wliat 
 I by the 
 he list. 
 )f heing 
 !oi'ps in- 
 constant 
 
 al of the 
 ceptance 
 effect on 
 ; private 
 
 L)lves our 
 I to offer 
 iai)piness 
 , in com- 
 1 friends, 
 on of an 
 Listry and 
 
 brightest 
 lef whose 
 bounded ; 
 
 HRI(i.-<JKNERAL JoX ATIIA X WII.I.IAAfS. 
 
 59 
 
 .111(1 to tlu* Military Acudeniy an Alma Pater, who 
 for years tenderly watched over its infancy and h)ng 
 struggled for its advancement ami eminence against 
 tlie continued Jipathy of Congress, the feeble su[)port 
 of Secretary I)earl)()rn, and the bitter liostilitv of his 
 narrow-niin(U'd successor. 
 
 It will be naturally asked why the administration 
 of l*rcsident Madison had not essayed some adju.st- 
 ment of difticidties in the seven Aveeks it had lield 
 Colonel Williams' resignation under consideraHon. 
 Why, if it valued his great services and eminent 
 abilities, it had not declined to allow him to leave 
 the head of his distinguished Corpse or why, to cut 
 the (Tordlan knot of his just rights, it had not gen- 
 ei'ously given one of its noblest veteran.s, fourtli i" 
 rank in the whole Army, a higher grade instead of 
 ('onferi'ing such superioi' appointments U})on infei-ior 
 men unknown to fame ^ It was l^ecause William 
 Eustis was Seci'etary of War and could not, nor 
 would not, rise " to the heiglit of this great argument " 
 in a liianner befitting a (Cabinet Ministei-of tlie infant 
 ltej)ublic entei-ing upon a death struggle with a giant 
 of the earth. His hostility, somewhat political, 
 ( Williams heing a Federalist of the Washington 
 school) was moi'e splenetical, he having, from his 
 entrance u[)on office, vowed wai' against the Military 
 Academy and Corps of Engineers. Boui'bondike, lie 
 knew nothing of military matters heyond what he 
 had learned in the Revolution, where oui' engineers 
 were .soldiers of fortune serving for [lay and titles, 
 with, except in name, no more rank and command 
 than so many wagon-mastei's. In the prejudiced 
 
 m 
 
 Tl! 
 
 iP 
 
60 MIIJTAUY EDI^fATlON ANP CATSKS OF THE WAK. 
 
 r^m 
 
 ih. 
 
 mind of an ii^nonint Secretaiy, those Revolutionary 
 ideas were paramount to all our subse([ueni ex])eri- 
 ence, aiu' *t was not for his narrow comprehension co 
 ap])reciate the noble disinterestedness of one who had 
 created a Cor])S of Engineers from native talent ; who 
 had organized a Military Academy for the education 
 of our own officers; who had com])lete]y metamor- 
 phosed our coast defences; and wlio, as President 
 Jefferson had sai<l, coml)ined the virtues with the 
 love of science of his illustrious kinsman — Dr. Benja- 
 min Franklin. 
 
 After his resignation, C/olonel Williams retired 
 to his beautiful country seat, on the banks of the 
 Schuylkill, to enjoy that i-epose which had been 
 denied him for long years. In imitation of Metaa- 
 tasio, he could now sav : 
 
 " Tlianks dear 
 
 -, imliil{i;eiit clieut. 
 
 Kind Heaven, and your more kind deceit, 
 
 At length liave set me free. 
 1 feel iio rival's i)roud control, 
 I feel no inmate in my soul 
 
 But peace and liberty." 
 
 At Moiuit Pleasant he received constant tokens 
 of the attachment of his brother officers and of the 
 civilians who had been associated with him. In a 
 jn'ivate letter, DeAVitt Clinton says: "If we con- 
 sider your a])sence from the C\nnmissi()n for the 
 Defense of New York Ilarljor as so great a ])riva- 
 tion to us as an individual, be assured that your 
 resignation as an officer is a subject of general regret, 
 considering our exposed situation and the confidence 
 reposed in you by all our citizens. AVe esteem your 
 departure as a loss that cannot be supplied.'' 
 
 
 
llJ. 
 
 Blt[({.-(JKM:iJAI- .r(LNATlIAN WILLIAMS. 
 
 Gl 
 
 onary 
 
 • 
 
 'Xi)eri- 
 sioii to 
 lo had 
 ; who 
 icatioii 
 taiiior- 
 'sideiit 
 th tlie 
 Beiija- 
 
 retired 
 of the 
 I l)eeii 
 Metas- 
 
 tokens 
 of the 
 111 a 
 ve coii- 
 for tlie 
 I pi'iva- 
 it your 
 1 regret, 
 liideiice 
 
 (xeiieral AEortoii of Xew York writes : " I cannot 
 sup[)ress a feeiingof in(lii:;nation wlieii I retlect that, 
 from tlie weakness and wickedness of men in office, 
 we have hwt the virtues and talents wliieli would 
 have henetitted and honored our country " 
 
 AEajor Swift echoes tlie unanimous sentiments of 
 his brother engineers when he says to Colonel Wil- 
 liams: "The Corps are never to be without your aid 
 so long as you remain on this world's stage; and you 
 can never be Avithout their grateful regard." As 
 they could no longer enjoy his presence at West 
 Point, the Corps of Engineers recpiested him to sit 
 for his full-leno-th likeness which was executed by 
 Sully and now adorns the library of the Military 
 Academy. A copy of tlie same v\'as ordered, Novem- 
 ber 1, 1813, by the City of Xew York, "in consid- 
 eration of the high sense the Common Council 
 entertain of the important services rendered to the 
 city by Colonel Jonathan AA'illiams in preparing and 
 executing plans of defense f(^r the Port, and as an 
 evidence of the distinguished esteem they entertain 
 for his character and professional talents." 
 
 Governor Tom])kins of New York, highly esti- 
 mating Cohmel Williams' talents and services to the 
 State, conferred upon him, May 17, 1814, the Brevet 
 of Brigadier-General of the State Militia; and, 
 Feb. 13, 1815, he was commissioned a full l^rigadier- 
 General, by a vote of the Legislature of Ne\v York. 
 
 These were no uncommon testimonials to the 
 talents and character of a citizen of another state 
 stationed amono; them only for a few years. 
 
 After the retirement of Secretar\- Eustis from 
 
 I 
 
<)*i Mll.ri AKY KDIi A'I'KiN AND CAl'SES ol' THK WAK. 
 
 tile office lie liad so iinwoi'tliily filled, li is MUccessor — 
 (reiieriil Anustroiisj; — .m soldier who |)ro))ei'ly <'sti- 
 iiiated true merit aii<l eiiiiiieiit services, made, with 
 the [^resident's sanction, tlirou*::]! John Hullus, Navy 
 Ai^eiit at New ^'ork, a proposition for Colonel Wil- 
 liams' return to the head of the Corps of Kiiii^ineers, 
 with the lank of Major-(ienei'al, which, for some 
 unknown reason, was not carried into effect, tliouuli 
 Williams had intimated, April 2\), isia, "that such 
 an offer could not he declined consistently with the 
 sentiments he had avowed I'elative to the service," 
 j)articularly as the u'overnment by its late acts had 
 "ac((niesced in the principles foi- which he had 
 contended." 
 
 Hardly had Colonel AMlliams returned to private 
 life before he was called from his retirement to be- 
 come the executive member of the C^»mmittee of 
 Defense of the Delaware Kivt^r and Bay for the 
 security of Philadelphia. At the same time lie was 
 fre(|uently consulted res[)ectini;- the fortifications of 
 New York harbor; nnuiy thino;!^ relatiuii; to the oMili- 
 tary Academy; and was the presidinix director of the 
 Lancaster and Schuylkill Bridu'e Company. 
 
 In the autumn of ]S14, General Williams' feUow 
 citizens of Philadelphia, relyinij; upon his superior 
 abilities and varied experience, elected him to Con- 
 gress ; but lie was not destined to add a statesman's 
 reputation to that of a useful citizen, a firm ])atriot, 
 and an accomplished soldier, death having;. May IH, 
 1815, removed him, at the ao-e of sixtv-five to a 
 higher reward than he had received on earth. 
 
 
A I!. 
 
 V csti- 
 
 0, with 
 
 1, Niu-y 
 el Wil- 
 ;ineevs, 
 r some 
 though 
 i:it such 
 
 ith the 
 ;ei'viee,'' 
 cts had 
 
 he had 
 
 M 
 
 » private 
 lit to be- 
 littee of 
 for the 
 e he was 
 itioiis of 
 the ^nii- 
 ,or of the 
 
 us' feUow 
 superior 
 11 to Coii- 
 atesmaii's 
 n ■|)atriot, 
 :, May 16, 
 -five to a 
 th. 
 
K Kl 
 
 CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1812 ; 
 
 WITH A HIOORAPHirAL SKETCH OF 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL JOSEPH G. TOTTEN. 
 
 AVhkx War was declared against Great Britain, 
 June 18, 1812, there were only thirteen P]ngineer 
 (xraduates of tlie ^Eilitary Academy m the Army, 
 (^f these, some were occnitied in foi-tifvino- the 
 Atlantic coast, and some employed as instructors at 
 West Point, leaving only seven available for service 
 on tlie Canada frontier, where, in the course of the 
 war, each of these latter gained one oi- two hrevets 
 for gallant and meritorious conduct. Among the 
 most distinguished then, and in his sulisequent 
 career, was the otHeer whose hiographical skettdi is 
 given in this cha])ter. 
 
 Josi:i>ii GiLHKRT T(rrTKX was born in New Haven, 
 Conn., August 28, 1788. His schoolmate — Ralph Tn- 
 gersoU — descril)es him as a bi-ight, noble youth, of 
 fine mind, fond of study, and alwaA's at the head of 
 his class, gentlemanly in his deportment, and greatly 
 l)eloved. He entered the ^lilitary Academy Nov. 4. 
 1802, under the auspices of his uncle, Ca))tain Jared 
 ^[anstield, then an Acting Professor of Mathematics 
 at AVest Point ; was graduated from that institution 
 July 1, 180.-), when he "was promoted to be a Second 
 Lieutenant of Engineers; and resigned from the 
 
 U5 
 
66 
 
 OAAIPAKJN OI' 1812. 
 
 Army Mai'cli 31, 180(;, to at'i'ompany, as Secretary, 
 his uncle, Captain Mansfield, wlio liad been appointed 
 by President Jefferson, Surveyor-General of Ohio and 
 the Northwest Territory. Yonng Totten, Feb. 28, 
 1808, re-entered tlie Corps of Engineers; was pro- 
 moted to be a First Lientenant July 28, 1810, and 
 Captain July 81, 1812; and served, till the outbreak 
 of hostilities with Great Britain, at Castles Williams 
 and Clinton, then under construction, for the defense 
 of New York. At tlie early ai>:e of tAventv-four lie 
 became the Cliief Engineer, in tlie Campaign of 1812, 
 on the Nia2:ara frontier of the " Army of the Centre " 
 under General Van Rensselaer, 
 
 Tn conducting this cam[)aign, the United States 
 attempted to invade Canada with one column (Army 
 of the Northwest) crossing the Detroit straits ; 
 another (Army of the Centre) passing the Niagara 
 river; and a third (Army of the North) moving 
 from the foot of Lake Cliamjilain to threaten Mon- 
 treal ; besides minor isolated o])erations of little 
 importance. 
 
 AmiY OF THE Northwest. — Major-General Hull, 
 with a force of 2,000, chiefly of western militia, in 
 excellent health and spirits, reached Detroit, his base 
 of oi)erations, seventeen days after the declaration 
 of war; crossed the straits into Canada, July 12, 
 1812, without op[)osition; found the ])opulation, if 
 not friendly, hardly to be called hostile; was almn- 
 dantly supplied from the resonrces of the country ; 
 and the only avow ed foe Avas at Fort Maiden, scarce 
 eighteen miles off ])v an miolistructed road. Not- 
 withstandinu' these fortuitous circumstances of time, 
 
ma.i<>I!-(;i:m;i{ai. .ioskimi <;. 'iotikn. 
 
 67 
 
 place, and ivlativf stiviiutli, when it was of the 
 utmost importance (piickly to strike a l)low at this 
 in(lefensil)le work* witli a feeble ijfarrison, Ilnll, 
 (luring a month, did nothinii; hut send two or three 
 unsupported detachments to the Canards, a small 
 stream four miles short of this object ; marched back 
 his army to Detroit on the Ttli of Auo-ust; witli 
 little resistance allowed liimself, by the defeat of his 
 inade([uate detacliments sent to Bi'ownstown and 
 Maguao'o, to be cut from liis base of supplies ; 
 capitulated to an inferior force without a show of 
 o]>position ; and to crown his uns])eakable (bsgrace, 
 gave up a well-armed fort, his entire army and the 
 whole of Michigan Territoiy, thus ending liis five 
 weeks' campaign most disastrously to our arms. 
 
 Akmv of Till-: CEXTin:. — Early in Oct., 1812, we 
 had on the Niagara, stretching from liake P]rie to 
 Lake (Ontario, (),8()0 regulars and militia ; about half, 
 uu<ler the inunediate command of ^Tajor-Geueral 
 Stephen \'an IJensselaer, l)eing at and near Lewis- 
 ton, N. Y. ( )n the morning of Oct. l.Sth, a force of 
 'iOO, half I'egulars and half militia, was to cross the 
 Niagara and take ])ossession of Queenstown Heights, 
 when the remaining troops were to follow and 
 <lrive the British from the town. Owing to the in- 
 sufiiciency of boats, only al)out 800, mostly i'egulars, 
 made the first crossing ; scaled the steep ascent 
 
 * A train of heavy arUUery was not required to l)atter a l)reacii for tlie 
 assault ; it was not necessary to ilre a single <^u\\ ; not a cartridge need 
 have been expended ; the hayonet alone was adeciuate to have taken 
 Maiden at any hour from the moment the American army crosf^d into 
 Canada till its most shameful retreat. T/ie fort was not enclosed .' one 
 entire side was open to assault ! 
 
nil 
 
 68 
 
 CAMPAKiX ol' 1,^12. 
 
 against all opposition ; stoi-med mid carried the redan 
 battery half way up the slope ; and took })ossession 
 of the Heights after des])erate fighting with the rein- 
 forcements from Foi't (xeorge, under Genei'al Brock, 
 wlio was killed. For hours we remained masters of 
 the position, which Cajitain Totten of the Engineers 
 strengthened by every means at hand ; while Lieut.- 
 Colonel Winfield Scott (the future con([ueror of 
 Mexico), anxiously awaiting reinforcements from 
 Lewiston, brushed away a body of Indians which 
 much annoyed him ; but about 4 P, M. he was assailed 
 by the whole British force of a thousand trooj^s 
 (su2i})orted by their savage allies) under General 
 Sheaife. Van Bensselaer did his utmost to incbice 
 the militia at Lewiston, by stirring appeals to theii* 
 humanity and patriotism, to cross the Niagara to 
 support their conu'ades, but <'0)i>^fitiifion<il scn/p/fs 
 forbade them to leave their State, where there was 
 no enemy — or rather the distant smell of gunpowder 
 paralyzed the honor and courage of these poltro<uis, 
 who tremblingly, fi'om the Americjui shore, \\atched 
 the inevitable l)utchery or captivity of the bi'ave and 
 devoted band on Queenstown Heights, which, after 
 a heroic resistance, was compelled to ca])itulate to a 
 greatly superior foe. The bearers of two flags of 
 truce having been shot down by the Indians, Colonel 
 Scott himself, fixing a white cravat on the ])oint of 
 his sword, and accomjianied by Captains (tibson and 
 Totten (from whose neck the im})rovised signal of 
 submission was taken), marched througli a shower 
 of Indian bullets, and barely escaped the knives and 
 tt)niahawks of two savages, who leaped like tigers 
 
MA.lOlMiEXKHAL .JOSEPH <i. nnTKX. 
 
 69 
 
 upon them from the road. Unlmrt, as by a miracle, 
 they tinally reached General Sheait'e, to whom was 
 suiTendered our whole force on the Canada side of 
 the river, connistinii; of 293 survivor^ of the fierce 
 battles, and some (300 skulkers, who had done no 
 more fighting than spectators in a balloon might have 
 claimed. 
 
 This second invasion of Canada, though more 
 creditable to our arms, was as unproductive of results 
 as Tlull's ridiculous promena«le down the river and uj) 
 again. General Van Uensselaei', <lisgusted witli the 
 conduct of the militia at Lewiston, resigned his com- 
 mission, and was succeeded in command by General 
 Smyth. Having 4,500 troops about Black Kock, 
 the new chief, after nnuiy braggart ordei's, and ])ro- 
 claiming his anxiety " to die for his country," resolved 
 to invade Canada on th? mornini; of Xov. 29, 1812. 
 Two detachments, one of regulars and seamen, the 
 other of volunteers, were sent across the Niagara to 
 secure a landing for his army, which, tliough gal- 
 lantly conducted, failed in the darkness, through 
 want of ])ro])er concert of action, to effect their ob- 
 ject. The General-in-Cliief, who was s])oiling for a 
 fight, notwithstanding this mishap, order(Ml his 
 troo))s to man their boats at sunrist', where for hours 
 they sat shivering in the cold till he concluded tliat 
 l»y Shrewsbury clock it was time " to discnd)ark ff/x/ 
 <//'/!>%' and thus spare Canada fnuu the smell of 
 villainous saltpetre. Soon aftei', in a duel with his 
 subordinate, (xeneral P. B. Porter, who luul accused 
 him of c-owardice, he fired his only shot on the 
 Niagara, which fell as harndcss to his antagonist as 
 
70 
 
 rAMPVIGN OF 1S12. 
 
 ^.^'1 
 
 ^^!'l! 
 
 his tei'i'ihlr tlireats of invasion to (•anuda. Tlie only 
 other event, during Smytli's command on tliis tVontiei', 
 was the bombardment of Fort Niagara, Nov. 21, 1812, 
 wliere Lieut.-C(jlonel W. K. iVrmistead, Cliief Engi- 
 neer to Major-Genera 1 Dearborn, was engaged. 
 
 AuMY OF THE North. — Major-General Dearborn, 
 in comnniml of about 7,000 troops, near the foot of 
 Ijake Cham])laiu, was ordered "not to lose a moment 
 in attacking tlie British posts in his front;" yet he 
 tarried till Nov. If), 1812, l)ef<)re moving to invade 
 Canada; crossed the frontier toward Odell Town, 
 with 3,0(»() regulars and 2,000 militia, with what ulti- 
 mate ol)ject no one knew ; confronted a mixed British 
 force under Lieut.-Colonel De Salal)erry on the La 
 Cole ; crossed this little tributary of the Sorel on 
 tlie 20th; surrounded a block-house fi'om which the 
 small uarrison escai)ed through our line; enjoved a 
 brief half-hour's contest with some New York militia, 
 coming from another direction, before finding out the 
 mistake; and when discovering tlie ival enemy in 
 fi'ont, both detachments beat a retreat, to return to 
 winter (pmrters, thus ending their fruitless expedition. 
 
 The operations against the British and theii- 
 Indian allies in the Xorthwest, and the abortive 
 winter exi)editioii in 1812-18 of Major-General Har- 
 rison's arm}- to recover Micliigan Territory w^ill be 
 described in the next chapter. 
 
 From the foregoing narrative of events, it will 
 be seen that the Cam])aign of 1812, from begimiing 
 to end, was a stupendous blunder, for which the 
 War Dejtartment must ])e held mainly accountable. 
 
 William Kustis, the Sccretai'v of War, was doubt- 
 
MA.I<H:-(iKNEUAL .lOSHPIf (i, TOTTKX. 
 
 71 
 
 less a worthy gentleiiiaii in private life, and had 
 made a respectable member of Congress from tlie 
 State of Massachusetts; but lie cei'tainlv lacked 
 
 ft' 
 
 those commanding talents and enlarged views recj- 
 uisite to a wise administration of the AVar Depart- 
 ment in a u^reat crisis. AVhen he entered President 
 Madis(m's Cabinet in 1809, though war was im[)end- 
 ing, he forgot that he held a statesman's place, and 
 was content, with folded arms, to ])lav the role of a 
 party demagogue. During his three years in otHce 
 preceding the war, he pro])ose(l no adecpiate meas- 
 ures to increase our armies; he asked foi- no sufficient 
 apjn'opriations for the defense of our coasts; he 
 failed to ])rovide for the necessary munitions of war; 
 he strangled the Military Academy, our only school 
 for educating ofHcers; he sneered at all judicious 
 ])lans for meeting the enemy ; and at last when 
 roused from his lethargy l)y actual hostilities, he ex- 
 ])ected Canada to be con<[uered by 1(»,(>00 raw re- 
 cruits, mostly militia, led by old incompetent gener- 
 als exhiuued from the llevolution. 
 
 As Secretary of War he was ])riniarily account- 
 able for the [)lans of the camj)aign, and the means 
 of conducting them to a fortunate issue, which 
 iiiN'olved tlie selection of the po'tntx of attack, the 
 ihiio for makinsi: tliem, the fonu- to command success, 
 and the apjwintinent of skilful generals to ensure 
 victory. 
 
 I^oiXTs OK A'lTACK — British America, in its mil- 
 itary relations to the United States, may be assimi- 
 lated to ti tree, of which Halifax is the fajj-roof, 
 <v)uebec the sfxt/ijt, Montreal the truiil; Niagara river 
 
72 
 
 CAMVAiay OK 1812. 
 
 tlie /o//\^/' linihs, aiifl the U2)per Lukes the fop 
 hrmwhes. To sever the tap-root Ih to aniiiliihite the 
 tree; curtail it to tlie stump and little is left; cut- 
 tiiiii; the ti'uiik aiujmtates tlie brandies ; but lopping; 
 ott' its linil)s simply mars its l)eaiity and inilicts only 
 temporary wounds. Therefore to possess ourselveH 
 of British America, it was necessary to aim our 
 blows at the lower not the higher points. 
 
 Halifax, the lowest of these points, with its large 
 dock-yanl, ample arsenal, and excellent jtort, was 
 the great rendezvous and [»i'inci|>al American sta- 
 tion of British naval ])ower; it was the bastion jut- 
 ting into the ocean from which England could |»roject 
 her shi])s of war, like missile wea])ons, upon the 
 wings of every wind, to flank our entire Atlantic 
 coast ; and it was the citadel of Britain's strength, 
 never, like the ice-bound St. Lawrence, closed to her 
 assistance. By seizing it the naval power of Eng- 
 land in America would be ])aralyzed, one of lier 
 great nurseries of seamen destroyed, and Canada cut 
 off from all su[)portof the mother country. C ertainly 
 Halifax in 1812, with its small ])o])ulatioii and feeble 
 fortifications, was not so ditficult a coiKpiest as was 
 Louisbiirg in 1745, when, without British troo])s, 
 the gallant Peperell, with his brave New Englaiid- 
 ers, ca])ture(l that well-armed and strongly gai'risoned 
 fortress, built at enormous cost, and with all the 
 skill of Erencli engineering art. When it was pro- 
 j)()sed by Major Jesiij) (subsecpiently Quartermaster- 
 ( General of our army) to deal here a death-blow to 
 British |)ower in America, Secretary Eustis sneered at 
 it, merely remarking that 'Mt was a very pretty ])lan." 
 
 mar 
 
 fccli 
 
 (■(.111 
 
 lean 
 
 half 
 111 1 ' 
 
 III 1 
 '\ 
 
 l.y(i 
 
 «>iil\ 
 
 till 1 
 
 f{y tl 
 
 lean 
 
 tlie e 
 
.MAJOK-GENKRAL .(OSKI'II (i. Tn'ITEX. 
 
 73 
 
 (^iH'lx'c was tlic next vital |)<)iiit tlii'<>ui;li w liicli 
 to attack I)i'itisli America. W'olfVs aniiy, in 17')!), 
 liad A\ rciiclicd it from tlie Frencli by n sinu:le battle 
 ill its front; and, in 1775, it j)i'ol)ably would have 
 been cai'ried by assault by oui' liandful of Kevolu- 
 tionary heroes, had the ])oints of attack been better 
 selected, Arnold tlie leadei- of one stoi'miny' column 
 not ])('en wounded, and Mont^'omery the leader of 
 the other not been killed. Certainly to ivach it, in 
 j.sl'j, Avas a much less ditlicult enterprise than 
 Arnold's memorable march throu<j::h tlie wilderness 
 of Maine In 1 77r). 
 
 Montreal, the third most important point in 
 British America, had ca|>itulated to(ieneral iVmherst 
 ill 17<)<», and was captured by a small body of our 
 ("oiitinental Army in 177."). The Sorel river, by 
 which it was directly aj)])roached, had been the 
 theati'e of active opei'ations in every can i])aiLin from 
 the heirinninu' of the old French war till Buro'oyne 
 marched, in 1777, to his surrender at Saratoga. The 
 feeble I^ritish force, on this im|)ortant strategic line, 
 could not have been any serious obstacle to Amer- 
 ican invasion in 1.S12, had it been conducted with 
 half the ente)-])ris(^ of A[ontgomery''s ex])edition 
 in 1 77."). 
 
 The Niagara (oi' rather the fort of that name built 
 hy the French in 1 750 at the river's mouth,) had been 
 only a small link in the chain of British operations 
 till I75i>, when the fort fell into their ])ossession. 
 By the Ti-eaty of Pai'is, in 17'S;i, it became an Amer- 
 ican ])ost, and had some importance in commanding 
 the enti'ance to the river from Lake Ontario ; but it, 
 
!l ' 
 
 <4 CAMl'AKJN OI' 1812. 
 
 and ])()iiitH liiu'licr up tlu* stream were of little eoiise- 
 (jueiu'e ill tlie attack of Canada. 
 
 Detroit and Mackinaw had no niilitary value 
 ex('e|)t as i^ood positions for the coniniand of the 
 water cojimninicatiidis to the ni>l>er Lakes. 
 
 Secretary Kustis, thonuh no soldier, must have 
 read enoUi;']i of the iiiilitai'v history of the wars in 
 C^anada to know that British America was not to \h' 
 destroyed hy strikinji; at the twigs and branches of 
 the tree to which we likened the enemyV territory 
 aloni:: our northern frontier ; yet, he sanctioned the 
 invasion of Canada fi'oni Detroit Straits, Niau'ara 
 River, and Lake Chani])lain, j)oints about 4(><> miles 
 apart, nn'asured on tlie nearest roads. As we have 
 seen, this resulted in TLilI's aboi'tive effort and in'iio- 
 minioiis surrender of Fort Detroit, his army, and 
 ALichio'an territory, without pulliuLC a triu'u'er; \'an 
 Kensselaer\s and SmytlTs disij;race'fiil failures on the 
 Niasjfara; and Dearborn's i»:rand strateu'ic maivli from 
 Lake Chainplain to ca])tiire a small block-house, and 
 return with his laurels to winter (piarters. 
 
 Ti.MK OK Attack. — -The principal advantairt' 
 
 accruing' to a nation, which is the first to declare 
 war, is that of sekH'tini>; its /////(^ as well as itsyx///// 
 of attack. War \vith (Ireat i^ritain had been f(»r 
 years an almost certainty; yet Avheii declared, iittle 
 ])reparation had been made at once to strike a deadly 
 blow. On that day, June IS, 1S12, Secretary Kustis 
 wrote two letters to (leneral Hull, then se])arated 
 from the froiitiei' by one Inindred miles of wilder- 
 ness, instead of l)eing on it ready for action. Tn 
 one of these letters no mention \vas made of the 
 
 or 
 
AIA.IolMiKNKIJAL J(VSK|«II <;. 'I'oTTKX. 
 
 <•) 
 
 (IccH.'iratioii of \v;ii*; in tlu' otlicr it was distinctly 
 iiiul ortifially aiin()iiiR'('(l. Tlie foi'iiicr was carefully 
 (l('sj)atcluMl by a s])('cial niessciiu-ci', wlillc tlic latter 
 was sent ])y the ofdinai'y mail. Tlie result was that 
 the n<itice of the declaration of war did not reach 
 its destination //// <i</hf dans, aftrr If iiuix rfcdrcd Inj 
 tin (Hciinj, niidcr tJie fr<nik((l (iirdojn- of oiii- oim 
 Sccrddrii of the l)-<<(sii rii. In conse([nence of this 
 tai'<ly and inexcusable transmittal of the most vital 
 information, I lull's sick and convalescents, 1 >au'ii;aij^e, 
 stores, intrenchini;' to(»ls, army retui'ns, and s;(>vei'n- 
 inent instructions, sent l)v water /// iiilraiicc of h'm 
 troojhs^ wt'i'e all ca])tured o|)])()site Maiden, by a 
 liritish subaltern with six men ; and tlie comman- 
 dant of St. Jose[)hs, with thirty reu'ulars and a rabble 
 of enu'aii"'''es and savages, was enabled to take ])os- 
 session of oui' fort at Mackinaw, without even a 
 formal refusal to surrender. 
 
 Wdien the attempted invasion of (^anada was 
 finally essayed, instead of beimi; made at one ])oint, 
 or simultaneously tVoni the several selected, the 
 Deti'oit was crossed July I'Jth by Hull ; the Niaji:ara 
 at (^ueenstowu Oct. l.'Uh by \'an Ivensselaer, and 
 au'ain, Nov. LMlth, by Smyth's van»i'uard ; and not till 
 Nov. KJtli did Dearboi'n move from l^ake Chamj)lain 
 u|»on that formidable l)lock-liouse on tlie La Cole. 
 'i'liis ne<j::lect of synchronous movements enabled 
 lirock to o|)]»ose Hull with his whole J^ritish force 
 on the Detroit, and move ])ack to the Xiairai'a in 
 time to defeat Van Rensselaer at (^ueensto.wn ; 
 Sheaife, liis successor in command, to rendei- abortive 
 Smyth's projected invasion from Hlack Hock; and 
 
ill I 
 
 
 CAMI'AKi^' Ol" lftl2. 
 
 Dc S;ilal»('n'y's smnll Unvv to iiidiK-t' DcarlxM'ii to 
 yi('I<l liis (IrcniMs of coiKiiicst for ('oiiifortal)l(' ^villteI• 
 (HiMi'tt'is oil liakc Cliaiiiplain. 
 
 FoKCK FOI5 AriAcK. — Tlic tliii-d t'lciiiciit of tlie 
 ('aiii|)aiii;n was i\w fo/'r< to Ix* ('iMj)Ioy«'(l. Wlicii tlie 
 war was declaivd, Hull had 2,0(i(» ti'ooi)s of all anus, 
 mostly militia and volunteers; the returns of Se]»t. 12, 
 1S12, sli<»\\, within Dearlxn'n's eouunand on tlie 
 Nia<!:ara and Lake (lianijtlain, a force of I .S,000. 
 Tlie Britisli reu'ulars at tlie same time were ahout 
 4, ;■)(>(», whieh, with a lai'Lirer numl)er of (anadiaii 
 militia and Indian allies, were scattered fioni (^)u<'l»cc 
 to Lake Sii])erior. Ljum the outbreak of war, had 
 an army, even (»f l.S, ()()(», been led 1)V a skilful u'en- 
 eral aij^aiust our weaker antau'onist on a single, instead 
 of three or four )>oints of the frontier, oiu' invasion 
 of (Canada must have been a, success, and a peace 
 have been cou(|Uered in a short cam])aii;n ; for the 
 British could oppose but few reii:ulars, the boi'der 
 Indians weiv neutral, the Canadiaus were disposed to 
 be friendly, the mother country was completely sur- 
 prised bv our declaratiou of hostilities, and (ireat 
 Britain was wholh- absorbed in herinii^dity struiiude 
 with the Conijueror of Europe. 
 
 Ainiv Commanders. — The last, and not the least 
 im])ortant element of the cam] )aii»:n was the selection 
 of GencndK. Instead of choosinjj^ yonno;, active and 
 enterprisino; leaders for onr armies, like Brown, Jack- 
 son, Scott, (laines, Williams, vSwift, McRee, Jesu}), 
 Totten, Wood, Kearny, Thayer, etc., such men were 
 ap]>ointed to high commands as Hull, Harrison, 
 Dearborn, Smyth, Chandler, Winder, Bloomfield, 
 
MA.TOR-OENERAL .TOSKPH (i. TO'ITKX. 
 
 
 Winchester, etc. ; some, i^my- 1 leaded veterans, whose 
 faculties were l)eniini])e(l by tin* fVosts of a<i,'e ; some 
 who had never set a S((uadi'oM in the flehl ; some dis- 
 tiiiii'iiislied onlv for inactivity and l)ai"i'enness of 
 mind; some whose names weiv weihled to disaster; 
 and none who won a sinti'le hiurel in tlie campaiu'n. 
 
 CoN('Lrsn>N. — -Sucli was the inii-h)rions fiasco <»f 
 isl'J, for wliicli William Eustis, as Secivtary of 
 W ai", was mainly res|)onsi])le. Instead of conqn*'!'- 
 inu' a peace in a few weeks hy one viuorous l)low at 
 the vitals of the enemy, luirdly i-onsed to the exist- 
 ence of tlie war, he l)ei^an hostilities without [»re])- 
 aratioii or any knowledu'e of the oj)|)osiniL;' force ; 
 connnunicated our declaration of war to the foe 
 l)efore makinu; it known to our own comnuuiders; 
 selected senile and inert u'enerals to lea<l our armies, 
 composed maiidy of raw recruits; scattered our 
 foi'ces over a thousand miles of frontiei- without 
 nuitual sup])ort or concert of action ; neo'lected to 
 draw in the garrisons from isolated and distant posts 
 exposed to capture; permitted the enemy to concen- 
 trate with ini])unity to repulse ourtlireatened attacks; 
 assailed the least vital points instead of dealing 
 hlows at the heai-t of the adversai'y ; consumed six 
 months in fruitless efforts when a single battle, \>\ 
 the mass of our force at the ti'ue objective j)oint, 
 \\<»uld have decided the contest ; commenced ojiera- 
 tioiis in a sj)irit of palti-y ])arsimony and ended with 
 lavish and unjustifiable i)i-()(ligality ; and, in fine, 
 tarnislied our arms with a succession of defeats, 
 made blundei's that were crimes, and inflicted deep 
 disgrace u[)on the nation which two years more of 
 
78 
 
 CAMPAKiN OF 1812. 
 
 war soiU'coly cifact'd. Had a (*ai'ii<>t or Stanton beoii 
 Minister of War, citlicr Halifax would have Ikhmi 
 vii^'oroiisly uttucked, as iirojxisrd by Jcsuj) ; or (^)u(d)('(' 
 In'eii carried as by AN'olfe's arni\ in 17.")*.); or Mon- 
 treat Ijeen (•a[>tured as ])y Montu'oniery in ITT.")", and 
 tlie c'ani])aii;n liave liad a glorious issue. But Seere- 
 tary Kustis, iunorant of the iirst I'udinients of tlu' 
 military ])rofession, projxtsed tryiiiu' to kill tlie 
 Hi'itisli Lion by piiieliing liis tail at Detroit, oi- pull- 
 iiiu' his mane on tlie Niaii;ara. Ilis stujuMidous folly 
 culuiinated iu the captui'e of Mackinaw; the massa- 
 cre at Foi't Dearborn ; tlie desti'uction of Nan Iloi-n's 
 deiacliment by Tecumseh ; the siirrendei' of Michi- 
 Territorv and an arni\ at Detroit, unparalleled 
 
 iraii 
 
 by tlie car-itulation of Ulm (»r Heylen ; the niisei'able 
 faibires to ci-oss the Tsiauara at Lewiston and lihudv 
 Hock: the ]>itiful miscarriap' of Dearborn near 
 Lake C'hain])lain ; aud the absurd vintei- march of 
 
 11 
 
 u'l'ison s 
 
 1' 
 
 'SS ( ) 
 
 f w'estei'ii cln\ alr\' "" for the 
 
 recovery of De'troit, in violation of every military 
 ])rinci|)le, and successful only as ji magniticeiit raid 
 upon the Ti'easui'y, Chaos reiu:ned supreme till the 
 cani})aii'"n closed in total ecli])se, without one redeem- 
 m<f feature to raise it above the utter contempt of 
 military criticism. 
 
 Such an accuuuilation of disasters was justly 
 visited by an in(b<i;nant and outi'au'ed public upon 
 the chief authoi' oF all our woes — Secretary Lustis — 
 ^^■ho \vas waitei' ujton by a committee of (\)nii:;ress- 
 nieii of his own party, and compelled to teiKJer his 
 
 resiu'nation, 
 President. 
 
 •hicl 
 
 1 was imme( 
 
 liatel 
 
 N" acc 
 
 ept 
 
 e«l 
 
 !l\' 
 
 tl 
 
 le 
 

 MA.TOK-OF.XKnAL JOSKI'II (;. ToTTHX. 
 
 70 
 
 We liave dwelt so loiio' in narrjitiiiLi' nud c-riticis- 
 m^f this (•Minpain'ii, tlint we must uivnt''; ;il>i'i(lu«' 
 what we had to say of (^a])taiii Totteii, who was in 
 no way i'es|)oiisil)h' foi' the [)hin of military o}H'ra- 
 tions in lSli>. Upon the ivsiu-nation of (reiiend 
 \'an Rensselaer, he was transfViTed as Chief Enu'i- 
 neer to the Ai-my of tlie Xoi'th, under (xenerai Dear- 
 horn, who, in the sj)i'inij: ">f l''^l''*>, assend)led 4,000 
 ti'oo[)s at the head of Lake Ontario, with which it 
 was desiii-ned to land in I)Ui-lini''ton \h\\ : then to 
 take in rexerse all tlie British (h'fei>ses alonii' tlie 
 XiaL!;ara river, and eut theii" coiiiniunieations with 
 Kinii'ston and Montreal. In earryini^' out this ]>i'oj. 
 eet. Fort (ireoia'e, at the mouth of the Niagara, liad 
 Hrst to l>e captured, an opei'ation which was ])rill- 
 iantly executed ^^ay '27, isl.'i. Here Totten so 
 (listinn'uished himself as an enu'ineei', that the com- 
 mandinu" (ieneral stronu'ly conuiiended him, with 
 only four othei-s, to the W ar I)e])artn'.ent Un' " theii- 
 judicious and skilful execution in destroyiuii: tlie 
 enemyV hattei'ies." Ai^-ain, June (»tli, in the I'epulse 
 of the Hiitisli flotilla on Lake ( )utario, nuich of the 
 damaii'e was due to the hot shot heated in a furnace 
 he had improvised at rlie mouth of Foi'ty-mile ( Veek. 
 For his " mei'itorious serxices," in this last operation, 
 he was l>i"e\'ette(l a ^Ltjor, thouu'h he had won that 
 honor ten days l)cfore at Fort (reor^'e. When Dear- 
 li<»iii was recalled, July l.Vh, Totten, ha\ in;^' c»>m- 
 l)leted the defenses of our cam]) at Foi't (Jeoru-e, 
 joined Colonel Swift, Wilkinson's Chief Fni^'ineei', 
 at Sackett's ILirhoi', as his assistant in the St. Law- 
 nnice cuui[)aigu, which terniiuated November 14tli. 
 
 : «».■.'. ■..„.-^" 
 
80 
 
 CAMI»AI(iX OK 1812. 
 
 Tliree d.'iys nftei", <»ii the departin't' <>f ('oloiicl Swift 
 w itli dlspatclies to ^Vasllill^•toll, Tottcii was left as t lit' 
 C'liicf Knu'iiieer of W ilkinsoii's army. Here, at 
 Freiicli Mills, on the Salmon I'iver, he built and for- 
 tified the winter (luai'ters of the left winu' of the 
 Northern Army, aiid then pixteeeded to do the same 
 at Chateauuay Four-eornei'S, for tlie riu'lit wini;' under 
 IIam|>lon. 
 
 Wilkinson after l»i'eakinu' u)) his cantoiunent at 
 Freneh Mills, took ])ost at Plattshui'u' Kel). ir)th, to 
 t)])en (lie eampaii;n of 1S14 against the British, who 
 threatened the same o[)eration as was attempted l>y 
 Iiui'go}ne in 1 777, by Lake Cliam[>lain and the Hud- 
 son, thus to cut off New Kngland, sujtposed to be disaf- 
 fected, from the I'est of the I'nion. To meet and 
 frustrate such efforts, countervailing measures were 
 adopte*!, Totteii being sent to fortify a ]>osition near 
 Rouse's Point, to prevent the I^ritish s(pia<lron at 
 St. John's from getting into Lake ("hamplain ; but, 
 ))efore the defenses could be built, 'J, 500 Uritish trooj 
 were concenti'ated at La C\)le Mill, south of Ivouse's 
 Point. \\'ilkins()n, March .".<»th, moved with 4,(MKi 
 men to dislodge the enemy fiom this strong stone 
 structure. At first he was successful, but, having 
 no l>reaching artillei'y and its garrison l)eing rein- 
 forced, lie withdrew, terminating with this inglori(»us 
 affair his active military career. 
 
 iMaioi'-CJeneral (Jeoru'c Izard succeeded \\ ilkin- 
 son on tlie Champlain fi-ontier. Major Totten ])eing 
 liis Cliief Lngineer. Hy the middle(»f .[un*' 1m' had 
 disposed his tr(»ops for a movement into ("ana<ia, 
 b{.>th armed belliLTeivnts ])einu" eau'cr for the fra\. 
 
 IS 
 

 MAJOR-GENERAL .TOSEI'Tl (i. TCVrTEN. 
 
 81 
 
 Skiriiiisliiiiu- along tlie Ixtrdcr was of frcMjiU'iit occiu'- 
 reiicc, and 4,r)()(> of our ti'ov>|)s wtn-e at CMianiplain, 
 wltliin five miles of (/anada; l)ut already Naj)oleon 
 w 'led to Kn)a,and \\'ellinii;toirs veterans, released 
 
 fr(...i Spain, were ai'ri\ inii; at Monti'eal, and soon 
 after wei'e pourint:; down the Sorel in overwlielniinin' 
 force foi" tlie contemplated inxasion of our territory. 
 At this ci'itical moment, almost as if in aid of the 
 enemy's design, I/ard was ordered to tlie Niagara, 
 
 MORTAR BATv 
 
 DEFENSE OF PLATTSBURG 
 1814 
 
 ,i rf \ CHURCH ruL ^c 
 
 MV\ rORT MOREA 
 
 ,j"^ PLATTSBURG 
 F, SCOTT ^*^->^ PLATTS3URC «K.N£ M.wV.V V, ^^:\ 
 
 ^n, ^"S.v 'J"" "=^., -—- ; MM I ( 'BA Y) ) ! ; i))i;;J 
 
 '— V.V r. j:i 1 ::j I Ti caboim ' |N'A\\\\\-> i ■ i If'//" H 
 
 r 
 
 for which he departed with 4,<>0(i ti()oj)s, Aug. iMlth, 
 leaviuLi' Brig.-denei'al Macoml», his successor, with 
 the care of his sick, an<l scai'ce l,*iO(» (>tfecti\e men 
 t(» defend Piatt's Point and ('uml)ei'land Head, and 
 to hold Provost's 14, <»(»() veterans at hay. Macond>, 
 till 1S1l> a Lieutenant-Colonel <»f Kngineei's, well 
 knew how vital to oui' cause was tlie successful 
 defense of IMattshuig, f<»i' that p(>int passed, all was 
 
 ^tti» 
 
■■ r-^ 
 
 
 82 
 
 CAMI'AKiX OF 1R12. 
 
 ojHMi to tlic Hudson; luMUH' lie sti'.'liiHMl every muscle 
 to iiic'i'ease Lis forc'(! witli New ^'ol'k and Vermont 
 \<>liniteei's, wlille Totten toiled day and nii;lit to 
 complete his fortiHeations. These consisted of a 
 strong redoubt and batteries on ('um])erland Head;* 
 Forts Hi'own, Moreau, and Scott, protecting tlie neck 
 of tlie j)eninsula between the Saranac and Lake 
 ('haiui)lain ; and several block-houses and many 
 batteries along the river and shoi'es of l^latts))ui'g 
 l)ay. We do not ])ropose here to detail our doubles 
 victory which followed on the lltli of Se]»tember 
 when the bold ^Nlacdonough beat the supei'ior Brit- 
 ish Heet, and the gallant jNIacomb, behind his en- 
 ti'enchments, defeated and comj)elled the retreat of 
 I*rovost's vetei'an army of thi'ice his force. 
 
 * Tlio forlilyinij of tliLs posilioii to prevoiit the oiiomy's entranco into 
 Ti;ik(^ Chiiiniiliiin, was ordcrod by (leiicral Izanl ai;'aiiist tlio advici; of the 
 Secretary of War and tlio cariu'st protest of Major Totten, who .strongly 
 reconiniended the occupation of Rouse's Point, whicii, says Izard, July 12, 
 rs 14, to tlie War Department, "has been long an object of my attentu)n. 
 Jt is admirably situated for the establishment of a heavy battery, wliich 
 would command the passa,i;e of the lake at its narrowest part ; liut there 
 is not room for defensive works in its rear, and its immediate vicinity to 
 the enemy's principal post, at La Cole (now surrounded l)y intrenchments), 
 would mak(^ its occupation very hazardiuis. The (lueslion next lay between 
 Poinl-aux-Itoclies and Cuml)erland Head. I have decided in favor of the 
 hitter." After the War of isfi-l') Colonel Totten, writiiii;- to (Jeneral Arm- 
 stroii;;' .Vu::;usL <S, 18:iS, on this subject, says : "There was ground enough 
 in the rear of Rouse's Point for small works, and for such a.'^ would, with an 
 aiie<|iiate garrison, defend the position against great enterprises, and even 
 a siei^e. Having no faith in the power of any works on Cumberland Head, 
 capalile of impeding or materially injuring a passing srpiadron, I felt 
 bound in conscience to slate my views to the (ieneral, bittthomjli ini/ oppo- 
 sition irns eiinics/, it iras in rain. I do not now see, and never have sup- 
 posed, that there was anything in the vicinity of La Cole Mill, or in the 
 character of its garrison, to rtMider the occupation of Rouse's Point hazard- 
 ous to our army." The sami' views were expressed August 5, IH'iX, by (Jen- 
 eral Swift, formerly Chief Hngineer U. S. Army. 
 

 MA.TOi;-(iKNKRAL JOSEPTI (i. TOT'I'KX. 
 
 83 
 
 Tims ended tlie Imttle of l*l;itts])uro;, and tlio 
 second Invasion of the State of Xew York. In his 
 ottieial dispatch to tlie War I )ej)ai'tnient liivini;; an 
 account of this signal victoiy, tlie coinniandinu' u'en- 
 cral " I'ecoinniends t(» the particnhir notice of tlie 
 u'oN ernnu'iit " « le\en oiHcers who had "distinu'uished 
 themselves 1)\ their uncommon zeal and activity, 
 and had Leeii ureatly instrnmental in jn'odncinu' the 
 haj)]»y and uioi'ions results of the sieii'e."" Of these 
 elex'en, fliiur wci'e the otiicers of engineers — I'otteii 
 the chief, and Delviissy and '^Frescot his assistants — • 
 all of wliMiii wei'e brevetted for theii' " uallant con- 
 duct at the battle of Plattslairu-." After his skill 
 and labors had gixtMi such eminent results to his 
 country, B\ t. Lieut.-Colonel Totten joined (Jenei'al 
 Izard on the Niagara, s(»on after the successful soi'tie 
 from Fort Erie. This fort Ix'ing of no fui'thei' use to 
 us, Totten, with the saiu-tion of the general, mined it, 
 and Nov. ."ith laid it in ruins — one of the last acts of 
 this War aiiiU list (\'iiiada. 
 
 '^rotteifs military experience, with his mathemat- 
 ical training at West Point a<lmiral»ly 1itte(l one of 
 his acute intellect for \\ hat was destined to l»e the 
 great labor of liis life — planning and constructing 
 sea-coast fortifications. 
 
 During the Kevolutioii some of <nir more imi)or- 
 lant harbors had l)eeii fortitied with feeble earthen 
 
 works, and from that time till the v\ 
 
 ose o 
 
 f tl 
 
 le secoiK 
 
 war with (ireat liritain, many sm;dl, weak and ill-de- 
 sio'iie(l forls and batteries were built b\- foreiufii 
 
 engineers in our service, oT clieap and ])eri 
 
 f ch 
 
 (1 
 
 diabh 
 
 materials 
 
 Tl 
 
 le on 
 
 ly 
 
 ariie casern 
 
 iited 
 
 wor 
 
 was 
 
lit 
 
 84 
 
 ca:\ipaign of I812. 
 
 Castle AVilliaiiis, on the M(»ntal('iiil)ei-t system, built 
 in 1<S()7-1U, in New York liarboi'. 
 
 A peniiaiient Board of Engineers was created 
 Nov. 1(), 1810, (leiieral Bernard, the great constriic- 
 ter of tlie citadel of Antwer[) under Xa))oleon, being 
 at its head, with Colonel Mcliee and Lieut.-C(jlonel 
 Totten nienil)ers, to which was contided the labor of 
 woi'kingout the funihiniental principh^s and elaboi'a- 
 ting the projects for durable works to (h^'end oui' 
 entire sea-coast. The masterly re[)orts of this l)oard, 
 most of them written by Totten, laid down the 
 great principles of National Defense so forcibly and 
 incontestibly that they have ever since been the safe 
 gnides to all succeeding boards; and, though often 
 ably attacked, have stood firm against all assaults. 
 Till 1888, when Totten became Cliief Engineer of 
 the Army, he continued most of his time on the 
 Hoard of Engineers, though after 1825 he was 
 also the constructer of Fort Adams, Newj)oi't har. 
 bor, R. I., the second woi'k in area in the United 
 States, and the first in its c()nd)ination of the prin- 
 ciples and details of the art of fortification. When 
 this fort was conunenced, little was known of build- 
 ing great structures in this countiy ; hence he 
 had to make numerous ex))ei'iments to test the (|ual- 
 ities and adaptabilities of almost evei'y kind of 
 matei'ial. 
 
 Besides these military \voi"ks, he was often called 
 ui)on to devise and direct harboi' an.d river im|)rove- 
 ments, and other important civil constructions for 
 the (rovei'nment. States, Cities and (\)ri)orations; 
 and, as Chief Engineer, was ex-otHcio Insj)ectorof the 
 
 .^•stj**' 
 
MA.r<)R-OEXKRAL .KtSKril (i. TO'n'EX. 
 
 S;-) 
 
 Militiiry AcjultMiiy, liaviiiii' cliai'ii'c <»f tlic fjoiiernl 
 direction (»f tlic institution, 
 
 Foi- twenty-six years lie e<»ntinue(1 at the liead of 
 the Kiiii'ineer I)e])artnient, administerinii", with nntir- 
 ini:: (Unotion, spotless inteu'rity, and siuiial alality, 
 the varie(l details, the tinancial res[»onsi])ilities, and 
 the pi'ofessional labors of that ai'ni of service so 
 essential to oui' national defense and internal devel- 
 o])inent. 
 
 In the War with Mexico, (renei'al Scott sum- 
 moned his early com])anion-in-arms, in whose judii:;- 
 ment he had the most unl)ound<*(l confidence, to ai<l 
 him with his j»i(»fessional skill in the sie<i:e of \'era 
 Cruz, which he directed with such si<.nial ability tliat 
 he was not only a]ipointed one of the (\)nunissioners 
 foi' arranu'inu' the terms of its ca)titulati(»n, hut also 
 was brevetted, March 21), 1H47, a P)riiradiei'-(ieneral, 
 for his "pdlant and meritorious conduct." 
 
 In addition to (Jeneral Totten's multii)lied mili- 
 tary avocations, he was an active an<l most useful 
 member of the Lio-ht House Hoard, fi'om its orijani- 
 zation in lsr)'2; a Keixent of the Smithsonian Insti- 
 tution from its establishment in 1<S4() ; a ('or])orator 
 of the National Academy of Sciences, created in 
 1S()8; one of the llai'bor Commissioners for the 
 cities of New ^ Ork and l^oston ; and a member of 
 many scientific associations, to some of which he 
 made valuable contributions. 
 
 He ]'ose from the lowest to the hif;;hest i^rade in 
 his branch of the army ; was Hve times c()m])limente(l 
 by advance rank for meritorious and distinguished 
 services ; became a Brigadier-(ieneral by a special 
 
 
si; 
 
 CAMl'AKi.N OK 1S12. 
 
 act of ( 'oiin'rcss ill 1S('>;5, wIkmi the 'ro[>oura|>lii('al 
 ('oi'j)s was nuM'u'cd into the ('oi'[)s of Eno:iiieeis ; after 
 iH'ar tlircc score years of "Ioiilc, faitlifiil, aii<l eiiii- 
 iieiit services,'' was bi'evetted a Major-(ieiieral in tlie 
 Army; and tlie next day, April '22, ISIU, hreatlied 
 his last in the City of Washington, terniinatinu' his 
 illustrious career, at the advanced ai^e of seventy-tive. 
 (ieneral Totten, ])hysically, iiientally,and morally, 
 was a reniarkal)le man. Com])actly l)uilt, witli a 
 sti'oiiLi', rohust frame, a vii^orous constitution exempt 
 From most ailments of life, and Avith teni])erate and 
 reii'ular liabits, his ])ow'ers of endurance were aston- 
 ishinii;. N(» elemental chaiiii'es, no hodily |)i'ivations, 
 iKtr any amount of laboi', seemed sensil)ly t(» affect 
 him ; and ]iis e(jual)le dis])osition and serenity of 
 thouii'lit ])revented tlie disturl)ant;e of his even bal- 
 ance and protected him from polemic excitation. 
 1 1 is intellect was thoroiiii'hly disciplined, system ])er- 
 vaded his daily life, and his ])erseverance nevei- tla^- 
 ued till the i^oal of his efforts was attained. The 
 constitution of his mind was remarkably sound, 
 miisculai', and (»f the Baconian order, followiuii' more 
 the iiKbictive than sylloixystic metJKxls. All his 
 o'reat and \arie(l powers received tlieir dii'ection from 
 common sense, for he ^vas eminently j>ractical — a 
 thoroiiii'h man of the world. 1' .oin the lii^'hest he 
 disdained not to descend to the lowest, and tlie luwt 
 moment could ])ass from the microscopic to that 
 which recpiired the u'lvatest ain]»litud(^ of com[>re- 
 hensioii. Often would he leave the elal)oration of 
 the minutest contrivance at his (b-awinn'-tabh', ])er- 
 haps to prepare a masterly report on national defense. 
 
]\iA.ioi:-(ii:Ni:i!Ai. .ioskimi (i. 'idi'ikn. 
 
 <S< 
 
 He (l(^V(>iii'('(l 1)<)()ks — litcr.'iry, scientific mikI jiroiVs. 
 sioiiiil — tliouu'li lie " rcjid ii<>t t(t contradict, nor to 
 
 1)cl 
 
 i('\(' 
 
 hut t 
 
 o wciu'li and consider 
 
 li 
 
 H'nce lie ^\as 
 
 accurately ini'ornie(l, an insti'uctive talker, and a 
 \rvsv, vin'oious and masculine writer, never saciviticinii' 
 strenii'tli to polish. It was Ix'cause lie du*;' deep that 
 he was able to pile hiiLih. ('onsei'\ati\ «' in all his 
 views, he was slow to adopt innovations; yet he was 
 e\-er foremost to end)race all n'reat |)rofessional ini- 
 proxcmeiits. \\ itli no coiitroNcrsial tendencies and 
 few j)rejudices, he could weiuh deliherately and 
 
 I'ecene 
 
 trutl 
 
 IS as iruests, not as eiiemie 
 
 II 
 
 IS i)e] 
 
 ceptive were e(piai to Ins reflective qualities, no 
 
 flecti 
 
 1' 
 >thini:'. 
 
 io\\('\ cr minute, escapiiin' his ea^ie eyt 
 
 Hi 
 
 IS jiid!''- 
 
 iiieiit was as sound as his reason, and his almost Dra- 
 conian sense of justice re(piire(l of others the meas- 
 ure of riii'ht ]U'actise(l Ly liimself. Ilis self-control 
 was amazinu', no murmur escapiiiu' him undt'r the 
 sevei'est trials of bereavement or injustice. TJior- 
 ouu'hly subjuu'atinui; liis feeliiiii's, and discij)lined to 
 ohedienoe, not vwn the persecutions of a corrupt 
 sui)erior, like Seci-etarv Flovd, shook his imnmtalde 
 
 infeii'i'ity, which no sophistry could swer\e, no po\\<'r 
 bend, no hlandishmeiits veer, and no influence war]», 
 for it "was the pole-star of all his actions. But \vitli 
 all his sterner virtues, lie ])ossessed in an eminent 
 decree, the u'races of life. lie liad a (Udicate ap])re- 
 ciation of music, was a connoisseur of the fine arts, 
 could desiu-n and draw beautifully, was distinguished 
 for urbanity of manner and u'eiiial social (jualities, 
 had the keenest sense of w it and humor, and al)ove 
 all, possessed that ijfreat nun'al excellence which 
 
s.<^ 
 
 r.VMI'AKJX OF l«12. 
 
 adoi'iis tlic Clirisliaii soMici'Miid i:;(Mitl('iii!iii. in fine, 
 lie was a |)()lisli(Ml, true and iji'eat man ; a pati'iot iii 
 its hi'oadest sense; and in an ai!:e of soldiers, like 
 that of Louis X\y or Naj»oleon, lie would have heen 
 awarded tlie liiirlif^t military honors. 
 
 (reueral l^arnard, in his elaboi'ate eulouy of (ieii- 
 ei'al 'I'otten, delivered lu'fore tlie National Aeadeniy 
 
 of Scieiiees, sa\s of him 
 
 II 
 
 e A\as no 
 
 triri 
 
 er with 
 
 til 
 
 the realities of life, who dallied with them foi' his 
 pleasure, oi- who wielded them as iiistrumeiits of 
 amhition or stdf-inteivst. To him, as to all true men, 
 the meaninn' of life was concentrated In one sinu'h' 
 
 word 
 
 I) 
 
 riv, 
 
 This 'chief end of man,' which is t( 
 
 ii'lorify (rod l»v oliedieiice to His laws in the use of 
 the faculties lie has l)est(»wed, was his I'uliiiu- princi- 
 ple — the celestial cynosure to which his eyes wci'e 
 e\ei' directed, and from which n(» allureuient of lower 
 motives could dixci't it. Xor was his sense of dut\ 
 of that friii'id, rejmlsive nature which reduces the 
 conduct of life to a foi'inula, and, suLstitutiiiir rules 
 
 for emotions, seems but a retined seltishne 
 
 ss. 
 
 Ht 
 
 was AN'arm and syni|)atlietic, findiiiL!: his chief hap])i- 
 ness in the pleasures of domestic and social inter- 
 course, hut sinii'ularly susce[)til)le to everythinjj; that 
 ministers to innocent enjoyment. * "' * * 
 (reutle, kind and u^ood ; mild, modest and tolerant ; 
 wise, sa<>:acious, shrewd ajid learned ; yet sini])le and 
 un])retending as a child — lie <lie(l as he had lixed, 
 surrounded by hearts uushiiiii; with aifectiou, and the 
 object of resj>ect and love of all with whom lie liad 
 
 evei- l)een associ 
 
 ated. 
 
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CHAPTER TIIIRD. 
 
 WESTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813 ; 
 
 WITH A IlIOGRAl'llIt'Ari SKETt'II OF 
 
 LIEUT. -COLONEL ELEAZER D. WOOD. 
 
 FoiLKi) in every attem])t to iuv.-ide Canada in 
 IMl*, and thrown upon tlic <l('tVnsive witliin our 
 own ])onler, it was IiojhmI tliat in fiituic op«^iations 
 we would profit by past disasters. Our losses liad 
 ])een p'eat in men, money and leputation ; hut infi- 
 nitely file least loss was tliat of William Kustis, 
 compelled l)y public iuilii-nation to ivsii,'n from tlie 
 head of the War J)epartnient. ]\[ajor-(ieneral John 
 Armstrouij:, who became the new Secretary of War, 
 .lanuary 13, 181.*{, was a veteran of the Revolution, 
 an officer «>f lartre exjterience, and a man of com- 
 mantliuir intellect ; vet lie bci^an his administratiou 
 
 b 
 
 >y repeating Ins predecessors eriors nt directinir 
 movements au:ainst the enemy by isolated columns 
 aimed at the least vital points of his powei-. The 
 ('amj>aiirn of 1818, thouufh differiuLj: in its tletails 
 and modified in after execution, was, in principle, 
 essentially the same as the plan which had resulted in 
 the wretche<l fiasco of 1812. The Northwestern. <»r 
 Army of the Left, under Tlari'ison, was, as before, 
 t«» inva<le Canada by the Detroit Stiaits ; the Aniiy 
 «>f the Centi*e, under Dearboin, instead of })v the 
 Niai'ara as in 1812, was to attack the enemv's ter- 
 
 91 
 

 
 V u 
 
 t»L> 
 
 WKSTKUN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 ritory hy l)l<)\vs nt Kiiii^ston, York mul Fort Georcre 
 on the Nortlieni shore of Luke Ontario; wliile tlie 
 Nortlieasterii, oi- Army <>t' tlie Rii::lit, under TTani[)- 
 ton (later in tlie season) threatened a inovenieiit on 
 Montreal from Lake C'hamplain. Siil)se([uently, tlie 
 Army (►f the CVntre was (H-dered t<> descend the 
 St. Lawrence river to co-o[)erate in tlie cajtture of 
 Montreal. Thus were our forces again scattered, 
 over more than a th(tusand miles of frontier, witli- 
 out mutual support, and anew were doometl, fiom 
 false strateiiy, to icap few laurels. 
 
 In this chaptei' we ))ropose to limit ourselves to 
 the operations of the Xorthwestern Army, of which 
 Captain Wood was |)ractically the Chief Kiii^ineer, 
 his senior — Ca])tain (iratiot — luini!; most of liis 
 time ahsent on other duty or too sick for active 
 service ; and, for the hetter understandini!: of the 
 Western (^ami)aiu'ns of 181.'}, we must dwell a little 
 on [)recedini,M'vents which transpired in the territory 
 north of the Ohio. 
 
 Miitterin|Li;s of the comins; storm of war, had 
 been heard for years, amontc the Lidian tribes of 
 the Ni^rtliwest undei' the bold leadershij) of Tecuin- 
 seh and his wily lu'otlier — tlie l*rophet — who were 
 dissatisfied with the Treaties of (irreenville and Fort 
 Wayne. Instii^^ated to hostilities by British emmis- 
 sarit's, the latter chief had unsuccessfully attacke(l 
 (rovernor IIarris<m at Tippecanoe, Nov. 7, bsll, 
 frustratiiii;' for a time the hopes of tlie hostile tribes. 
 Had we promptly followed up this vi^'orous bl(»vv 
 all would have })een well, and the after horrors of 
 the tomahawk and scalping-knife been averted ; but 
 
 wai 
 
 Wll( 
 
 Ken 
 (ien 
 o\er 
 foi'iil 
 
LTET'T.-rOLON^KL ELEAZKR D. WOOD. 
 
 03 
 
 Seeivtary Kiistis, {itteiii])tiiiii; to sootlir savairt*?< with 
 soft words, was laiiu'lied at for his rrediilitv, our 
 mistaken for})earaiU'e was inter] >ivte«] as weakness, 
 and Tec'uniseli's alliance witli the Hritisli was ensured. 
 Tliis bold chief auain in arms, and aided l»v the 
 moral influence of the capture of Mackinaw, tlie 
 destruction of the <rarrison at Fort Dearborn, and 
 the snrrendei- of Detroit, was soon enabled to array 
 numerous tribes against us undei- command of C'«>1- 
 onel I*i-octor of the British aiiny, at heai"t a more 
 inhuman savaye than himself. Proctor, witli liis 
 allies again on the war-path, determine<l immediately 
 to led uce Forts Wayne and Ilairisoii : ]>ut both of 
 these sti'ong stockades resisted all assaults till relieved 
 by the great uprising of the Western ])eopJe wh<), 
 in hordes and from all ranks of society, with pati-i- 
 otic anlor volunteered to avenge the past disasteis to 
 our arms, exterminate the brutal savages, and expel 
 theii" Biitish allies from the soil of tlie Republic. 
 Xund)ersand enthusiasm, however, were weak antag- 
 onists to encounter the organization and disripline 
 of Furopean legulai's and the wilv warfare of the 
 warrioi-s of the wilderness. 
 
 In a short time, ovei' 1(>,(I»M> ill-cMpiipped and in- 
 ex|>ei'ienced volunteers, com])ose<l of this excellent 
 raw material, with a few icgulars of our army, were 
 embodied under the command of (iovei-noi- Hanison, 
 who had been commissioned Hi'evet Majoi-(i«'neial of 
 Kentucky Militia; and, "^v^i. 17, lHli>, a*; a lirigadier- 
 (leneial of the United States Aiiny, was placed 
 over his senior — (irenei'al Winchester — because of ids 
 former services and gi'eat [>o[)ularity in the West, 
 
04 
 
 WESTEUX CAMPAKiXS OF 1813. 
 
 '' I 
 
 I rjiirison's orders tVom {]w War Departiih'iit were 
 Ut provide for tlie seeurify of tlie Western frontier; 
 to retake Michigan Tenitoi'v ; and, witli a view to 
 the eoiKjUest of Upper Canada, to juMietrate tliat 
 country as far as the force under his conunaiid wouhl 
 justify liini to ju'oceed. lie was a(lvise<l tliat every 
 exertion was niakiiiijf to furnisli him witli a train of 
 artilI(M'v from IMttshuriih and witli all other neces- 
 sary sn])i>lies. 
 
 At once abandoninii; liis imjnactical)le project of 
 capturiiiLi^ Detroit by a <o/tjH/<-ut((iH with mounted 
 troops, Harrison d invested a new plan of campaijj^n. 
 To su[»port his army and better to ])rotect the frontier, 
 lie established his base of operations alonu: the edne 
 of the swam|)y district, extendinuj from St. Mary's, 
 ])y Fort McArthur, to r])[)er Sandusky in Ohio, 
 which three places were to be the principal p(»intsof 
 coiiceiiti'ation of ti'oops and depots of sup[)lies pre- 
 j»aratory to a <i'eneral advance by columns marchini;, 
 from each of these localities, upon the Uaj>ids of the 
 Maumee (ik^v Perry sbursi;), which was to l)e the iirst 
 oh'/rctlre of the cani[)aiu'n. The left column, under 
 (reiieral AVinchestei', wascomj)osed of the Kentucky 
 militia and his few reujulars; that of the centre, 
 (reiieral Tupper command iiiii, consisted of 1,*J()() Ohio 
 militia and SOO mounted infantry; while the column 
 of the rijjjht, to l)e made up of briirades from Pennsyl- 
 vania, Virii:inia and Ohio, led by (leneral Harrison 
 in person, was to a])proach its object by way of 
 
 liOW 
 
 er SaiK 
 
 lusl 
 
 kv 
 
 A more sjjallant army than Harrison's never went 
 to battle ; but seldom was discomlitiire more conii)lete 
 
LIETTT.-COLONEL ELEAZEU D. WO(»l>. 
 
 95 
 
 or fjitjil tlijiii was tlieirs. While Ilamsoii with tlie 
 rii^lit wiiii^ WHS \vaitin£j for supplies at Sandusky aiul 
 Tupper uiakini; al)sur<l inovenieuts with the centre 
 colunui, Winchester, eoiuniaiulinji; the left, was in- 
 duced to detach Colonels Lewis and Allen, of Ken- 
 tucky, to advance beyond the reach of ])ronipt 
 support, for the pr(>tection of Frenchtown (now 
 Monroe, Michiifan) on the River Raisin, a small 
 stream em[)tyini!; into the western end of Lake Erie. 
 Our decided victory at this place over Major Rey- 
 nold's combined Bi'itish an<l Indian foive, Jan. 18, 
 1813, pr<Kluced a degree of most unfortunate con- 
 Hdence, As soon as the news of our success was 
 known at the Rapids, all were eager to rush forward 
 to support and share tlie glory of their comra<les. 
 Wincliester, with a small re-enforcement of but 250 
 men, reached Frenchtown on the "JOth, but, failing 
 to enti'ench his position, his scattered forces were 
 surprised and attacked, on the 2'Jd, by the whole of 
 Proctor's army, his detachment defeated, himself 
 cai)tured, and, by a base strategem, all the heroic 
 survivors were induced to conditionally surrender. 
 The terms of the capitulation were bai']>arously 
 violated by tlie Britisli conunander, the pi'isoners be. 
 ing treated with the most brutal inhumanity; the 
 dead, denied sepulture, scal])e(l, and left t<> be de- 
 voured l)y the hogs and dogs of the village; while 
 the ])owei'less woiuuUnl were uban<loned to the 
 "surgeiy" of the savages, who, with knife, torch, 
 and tomahawk tortured them to death. And will it 
 be credited that the monster, responsilde for all this, 
 ^vas an officer of a Christian mition and was pro- 
 
<)«*) 
 
 WESTKIIX fAMPATONS OF 1813. 
 
 
 i;; 
 
 
 
 moted to the lionor}il)lp rank of lii'iiradiei'-Ciciieral foi* 
 his services in this Imtcheiy of a ti'iistiniz; foe! 
 " Wluit a contrast," says M'Afce, "Ix'tween this ])ase 
 jterfidy of tlie liritisli officf^rs, in ex|)osinL!; tlieir 
 prisoners to massacre, after stIpKhtfiiKj to jtrotect 
 them; and the noble luimanity <»f tlie American tars 
 I aftei' Pei-rv's victory on Lake Erie I in saci-iticiiiLT 
 their own lives, to save tlieir foes who had sur- 
 rendered iinc<ni<Jltl(Hi<illiiy 
 
 Witli the massacre of the River Raisin was vir- 
 tually terminated this tVuitless vvintei- cam|taiirn of 
 isl 2-1. 'i, by which we had uained no lost uround, 
 etfaced no disiri-ace to our ai'ms, and accomplished 
 nothiiii:', while time and money weic wasted and 
 pivcious lives and re])utation saci'ifice<l. 
 
 ILai'i'ison, witli his raw levies, doubtless labored 
 hard to defend the extensive froiitiei*, to conten<l 
 
 a<i:;ainst a formidable fo«', and t(» oveivome the many 
 V)stacles which nature interposed ; yet, all these 
 
 o 
 
 hindi 
 
 ranees do not ju 
 
 ^tifv 1 
 
 lis violation of the j)rin 
 
 ciplesof sti*atei;y. Pei'ha])s he was not to blame for 
 the tirst plan of camj)ai<::n, suuvested by the u'(»^■• 
 
 eminent wliile that oru'aniz«'r of failure 
 
 \V 
 
 illiam 
 
 Eustis — ^was at the head of the War Department. 
 \V hen,on tlie .'{(►tli of Sejttember, he took command at 
 St. Mary's, tlie rainy season was fast ajtproachin*;, 
 and nothiiiLC ^vas ready f(tr an autumnal advance; 
 hence lie had no choice but to [)i'e|)are for operations 
 ill the spriiiif, or attem[)t a wintei' camitaiicn — always 
 ditticult ami seldom successful. Had Hari-ison been 
 as bold as lie was brave, he W(Mild have chosen the 
 former and not have adopted the latter, havini; "a 
 
LIKUT.-COLOXKF, KLKAZKU D. WOOD. 
 
 07 
 
 complete <'(fi't(^ hJinii'lt ('"''' t<» coiiduct tlie \s\\\ as \w 
 saw fit. In extenuation of liis mistake, he wrote, 
 Jan. 4, 1S18, to the War Department : "The wishes 
 of the ^ovei'nment, to I'ecover tlie i^round which ha«l 
 Keen lost and to con(|Uei' Upper Canada, were, how- 
 ever, ex])ressed in such sti-onii; terms, and the fun<ls 
 which were ])laced at my disposal were dcclarecj to 
 he so ample, if n(»t unlimited, that I <li<l not consiiici' 
 mvself authorized to adopt tlie alteinative of dela\ 
 fi 
 tl 
 
 •om anv othei- motive tiian tliat of the safetv of 
 
 le armv 
 
 But the wliole ]>rol)lem of Nortliwestern opeia- 
 ti<»iis had chanL!;ed since Winchester had been ordered 
 to support Hull, and irai'i'ison to defend Indiana and 
 Illinois aiiJiinst hostile Indians. Now Detroit and 
 Michigan Territory wei'e in possession of the enemy; 
 we had lost most of our western frontier posts and 
 sctth^ments ; the savauv ti"ib<'s, north of the Ohio, 
 weiv in open hostility; till Xovembei' nothing' l)ut a 
 few laids uj)on Indian cam]>s ha<l been etfecte<l ; the 
 weather was cold and the rainy season had set in ; 
 land transj)ortation throuii:h the swamps was alm()st 
 impracticable; deticient food and clothing' were 
 workiuiT tlieir baneful eifects ujton the health and 
 spii'its of the ti'oops; supplies and nnmitions of war 
 were far in the ivai' ; bad beef, liickory roots, elm 
 l>ark, and beech nuts were often the substitutes foi* 
 i:'oo<l rations ; an<l, withal, the troops were without 
 efficient oriranizatioii, jn'opei- instruction, or military 
 discipline. Ivnowinjj^ full well all these disadvan- 
 taires under wliich he laboicd, Ilari'ison persisted in 
 undertakinu' a wintei' cam))aiun au'ainst an activ<' 
 
irr 
 
 98 
 
 WESTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 enemy, in front, familial- witli tlie wilderness ; with 
 ('(>1«1, storms and all the elements opposed to him ; 
 an<l nnmerons months to feed withont the ])ossil)ility 
 of transporting sntficient snpplies except at enor- 
 mons cost in money, men and animals. Besides, he 
 conld not have forgotten that (iJeneral Wayne's army 
 in l7yH, after a whole sninmer's preparation, had not 
 been able to advance more than seventy miles from 
 the Ohio, and had then been ordered, by the prndent 
 President Washington, into winter (|uarters, at, ac- 
 cording to Harrison's own statement, "tlie very season 
 when his own arrangements were Im/iiDiiiuiy Hav- 
 ing, however, decided to attempt this crusade against 
 the enemy and the elements, as a soldier he was 
 bound to conduct liis ()perations accoi'ding to estab- 
 lislie<l military princi])les. The well-known maxims 
 of war reipiire the selection, if possible, of a single 
 and of the shortest line of operation ; that when mul- 
 tiplied lines are a necessity, they should ])e within 
 nuitual supporting distance; that isolated colunms 
 should have a place of concentration out of reach (►f 
 the enemy ; and that the objective ])oint, when 
 attained, should be decisive of the cain])aign. C'er- 
 tainly Harrison did not conform to these necessary 
 I'ules of warfare. Instead of following HulTs route, 
 which was the safest and most direct line of o])era- 
 tion,his army marched in three colunms, separated by 
 from thirty to fifty miles of impassable swamps and 
 trackless wilderness; the Maumee Rapids, his ])oint 
 of concentration, was within less than sixty miles of 
 the enemy's whole force ; and hence it was in Proc- 
 tor's power with liis entire army, rapidly and in 
 
TJETTT.-COLONKL ELEAZKH D. WOOD. 
 
 99 
 
 Hiuressioii, to sti'ike eucli of our ooluiims Lcforc 
 ivucliiiiii; tlitMi' ]>oiiit of junction, tlius <U*sti'oyintr 
 Ilairison's urniv in detail without unv rink to hinisflf. 
 AV^incliesttM's advance to tlie Hiver Kaisin, tliontrli 
 made from tl»e best and most urL?ent motives, was a 
 still i^reater fanlt, Frenclitown beinij within ei«,d»teen 
 miles of the enemy\s hea(h|uarters at Maiden, while 
 it was more than double that distance to the Mauniee 
 Kapids, the nearest ])oint of HU])port, and about on** 
 hundied miles on an avera<j:;e fVom the other corjis 
 of the ^\merican Ai'iny ; hence the ]H)ssil)ility of 
 i'e-enforcin«; the left wi' g, against any speedy move- 
 ment of the enemy, was chimerical. Tlie tii-st news 
 of this advance, says C/a])tain Wood, "for a moment 
 paralyzed the army, or at least tlie thinkinu' part of 
 it, for no one couhl imagine that it was possible for 
 him to be guilty of such a hazardous stej). (leneral 
 Harrison was astonished at the impru<lence and 
 inconsistency of such a measure, which, if carried 
 into execution, could be viewed in no other light 
 than as attended with certain and inevitable destruc- 
 tion to the left wing. N(»r was it a ditftcult matter 
 for any one to foresee and [uvdict the terrible conse- 
 (|Uences M'hicli weiv sure to mark the result of a 
 scheme no less rash in its conception than hazardous 
 in its execution." He c<mtinues, after speaking of 
 the battle of Frenclitown and massacre of the River 
 Raisin: "Thus was there a cor[)s of 1,0(M) men, the 
 elite of the army, totally saciiticed in the most 
 wanton manner possible ; and that to<^, without the 
 slightest benefit to their country or posterity. With 
 onlv one-third or oue-foui'th of the force destined for 
 
rr 
 
 100 
 
 wp:stkrx tampatoxs of 1813. 
 
 that service ; destitute of nrtiliery ; <»f eiii^ineei's; •)£ 
 men wlio had ever seen or heard the least of an 
 enemy; and with hut a veiy inade(|uate supply of 
 anuniuiition; how lie eoidd have entertained the 
 most distant hope of success, oi" what riicht lie had 
 to presume to claim it, is to me one of the strangest 
 thinifs in the world. An adei)t in the art of war is 
 alone authorized to deviate from the ordinary and 
 established rules, hv which that art for a LTi'eat leiiLfth 
 of time has been usefully and successfully ap[)lied. 
 Winchester was destitute of every means of suj)- 
 porting his corj)s long at the River Raisin, was in 
 the very jaws of the enemy, and beyond tlie ivacli 
 of succor. lie who lights with such tlinisy preten- 
 sions to victorv, will always be beaten, ami eternallv 
 ought to be." 
 
 This is doubtless a just criticism U[)on the fatuity 
 of Winchestei- ; but it does not excuse Harrison, f(»r 
 he alone was responsible foi' the conduct of the 
 whole army, and should, in the most positive man- 
 ner, have controlled Winchester's movements, for 
 his plea that he always "considered him rathei- in 
 the light of an associate in command, than an infe- 
 rior" will not sutfice. As Napoleon, in 177<), told 
 the Frencli Directory which, jealous of his success, 
 had ])roposed to divide the army of Italy: "It was 
 better to have the whole commanded by one inferior 
 general, like Killerman, than b\' firo snjurlnr ones, 
 "like himself." 
 
 Harrison, to shirk res]»onsil)ility, as is customary 
 with weak men, after the disastei- of the Raisin, 
 called a council of war at the Rajtids. As Councils 
 
LIKtTT.-COLONKh KLKAZKH P. WOOli. 
 
 101 
 
 |)r<)v<*rl)i;ill\ ii«*v(^r liirlit, it w.is r('s«»lvf<l to al>;m«loii 
 tlu' camp oil the Maiiiiict', destroy a laru;*' (|iiantity 
 of su|>j)lies collcctiMl tlicic at eiioiiiioiis cost and 
 Ial)oi-, aii«l I'ctrcat ciiilitccii miles to l*oitai;c river — 
 a retroLjradc movement altou'etlier unnecessarv in 
 the actual state of affairs, as subsequent ev«Mits 
 |>rove<l. Harly in Fehruarv, lHl;{, he advanced 
 auain tot lie Ha)>ids, the most <'liLj'ilde |>()sition toc(»ver 
 the fi'oiitier and threaten Detroit aixl the enemy's 
 hea<li|Uarters at Maiden. ( )n the Hth he sent, 
 throiiirh deej) snow, a <letachment airainst somejilun- 
 deriiii; India!is, whicdi, aftei- a fruitless <diase, soon 
 returned. Aufain, March lM, he sent another detach- 
 ment to burn the Hiitish fleet fVozen uj) near Maiden: 
 but the ojK'iation was fiustiated in conse(|uence of 
 Lake Ki'ie beiuLT Jiartially ojh'Ii and no bridire of ice 
 
 a( 
 
 ross Detroit strait^ 
 
 Tl 
 
 lese unsuccess 
 
 fill 
 
 expedi 
 
 tions closed this disastrous camjtainn, which ha<l 
 been jtrosecuted at incalculable e\[>ense to the j^ov- 
 ernment, witli little > ledit to our arms, and involved 
 botli otficers and men, little inured to war,* in tlie 
 irreatest ti'ials and privations. 
 
 * Tiie waste of money was enormous. Tiie flour for Harrison's armj- was said 
 to have cost $100 per barrel. Tlie immense distances, without roads tlirouj^h 
 tangled swamps and almost traciiless wildernesses, could only be traversed 
 by thousands of pack-horses, eadi of wiiicli could carry but half a barrel of 
 l)rovisions, and mu^t be attended liy trains of other horses witii forage for 
 those laden with i)rovision8. Few horses survived more than one trip; 
 many sank under <me. Of 4,000 pack-horses to supply the Nortliwestern 
 Army, scarce 800 survived till the spring of IRl.!. Multiplied incidental, 
 iiut iiievital)le charges, w.re of frightful amount, f^arge (juantities of (lour 
 wvre buried in mud and snow, from inal)ility to carry it any farther, and 
 much was damaged when it reached its final destination. Two-thirds of 
 that deposited at Fort Meigs was spoiled and unfit for use. Fluctuations 
 and increase of prices were so great that many contractors were ruineu. 
 
fl' 
 
 102 
 
 WKSTKltN CAM1>AI(4XS (>y 1813. 
 
 Eleazer Dkiiky Woon, ])ractically tlie Ch'wi 
 Eiiixiiieer of tlie Nortliwesterii Army, was born, 
 Deceiuber, 1788, at Luiien])iirg, Mass. lie was of 
 l)rave New Eiiu^laiid stock. Two of liis l)i'otliei's, in 
 tlie defense of Plattsimrg Se])t. 11, 1818, were 
 amoii*:; tlie last to retire ])efore the enemy, across 
 the Saranae, on the naked strinu--])iec'es, the phink- 
 coverini; haviiii; already heeii taken uj) to prevent 
 the British passiiiLr in force. While crossinji;, one of 
 the brothers cauirht a wounded man as he was fall- 
 in<i: into the stream, and carried him safelv Nvithin our 
 inti'enchmeiits. Another brother, while performing; 
 his duties as a Custom-Ibmse officei', was cai)t!ued 
 July 80, 1818, in his own boat on Lake Champlain, 
 carried to Canada, and for over six months was eon- 
 fined as a })risoner of war near Que])ec. 
 
 Except that younsi; Wood commenced llie study 
 of medicine at Alburi;, Vermont, we know little of 
 his early histoiy before goinix. May 17, 1805, to West 
 Point. While a Cadet he was noted for his soldiei'ly 
 (pialities, rii^id comj)liance with regulations, devo- 
 tion to study, and fondness for the sciences, in which 
 he displayed such proficiency that he was at times 
 detailed for enjj^ineer <luty in New York Harbor. 
 lie was ii;raduated from the Military Academy and 
 ])romoted, Oct. 80, bSOfJ, to be a Second Lieutenant 
 of En«2;ineei's in the U. S. Army. lie was immedi- 
 ately placed on duty with Colonel AViliiams, the 
 
 and it became necessary to purchase, at exorbitant rates, of other persons 
 wiien disappoinleil of regular supplies by contractors. 
 
 The waste of life was also very great from malaria, |)rivation8. exposure, 
 excessive fatigue, and the want of competent surgeons, instruments and 
 mediciaes. Our hospitals did more for the enemy than our arms. 
 
 )!■( 
 
 cojl 
 
 iiiiC 
 
 linv 
 
 the 
 
 del" 
 
 now 
 
 r 
 
 CX'tl 
 
 noi 
 
 l(>S( 
 
 saci'( 
 bled 
 
LIEUT.-COLONEL ELEAZER D. AVOOD. 
 
 103 
 
 Chief Eiiirineer, to assist in tlie construction of tlie 
 defenses of (lovernor's Island, New York Harbor. 
 In tlie winter of ISOT-?^, lie was occnjned in his pro- 
 fessional stndies at West Point, the head(|Uarters of 
 the Corj)s of Engineers, in which he became a First 
 Lieutenant, Feb. 23, 1808. vSoon after, he was 
 ordered to Noifolk, Ya., to aid in fortifyino: its har- 
 ])or, where he remained until 1810, when he again 
 returned to West Point, becoming then the Military 
 Agent of the post till 1812. From here he was 
 oi'dered to the charsre (vf the defenses of New Lon- 
 don Harbor, Conn., and to erect a battery at Sag 
 Harbor, Long Island, N. Y. 
 
 In Noyember, aftei' Hull's surrender of Detroit, 
 AVood received his much-coyeted orders for service, 
 " where war is most active." He had long felt the 
 great wrongs suffered by our country, and dee]>ly 
 deprecated tlie a])athy of the naticm in not resisting 
 ccmtinued insults and British oppression. In writ- 
 ing to his sister, November 8(\ 1812, he says: "I 
 have spent eight years [including his cadetslii]>| in 
 the army for the pur])ose of pre]>aring uiyself t<» ren- 
 der my country a service. * * * The period has 
 now arrived when I am to be tested as a soldier. If 
 I ]irove to be one and fortunate, it will no doubt be 
 extremely pleasing and gratifying to you all. If I 
 sh(i1lf((II ill f/if' prf'Sffif cof/ffirf, you must not grieve 
 nor moui'ii, but rejoice that you had a bi'other to 
 lose for the maintenance and ])i'eservation of those 
 sacred rights for which our Revolntionary Patiiots 
 bled and fell." Noble man ! and seer of his own 
 glorious end ! 
 
104 
 
 WKSTKUX OA.MI'AIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 For causes ]>ei'oi'e stated, tli<)U<ji;li assi«j;iie(l as an 
 assistant to C-aptaiii (xratiot, he ))ecunie virtually the 
 Chief Kiiii'ineer of the Northwestei'u Army, IFis 
 J«)Ui-nal, ij^iveii eutii-e in ('liai>tei' IX., sliows tlie ini- 
 [)ortant services upon whifh he was constantly en- 
 ira<re«l, how in(lisj)ensal)le lie was to tlie C-oniinaiul- 
 ini:: (Tcneral, and tliat in his knowledij^e of tlie art of 
 
 w 
 
 ar he had no superior in that army. The fe 
 
 w 
 
 extracts we have given from this journal evince the 
 comprehensiveness of Wood's mind, his remarkably 
 matui'e judunient, ami his unusual familiarity with 
 every detail of the campaiun. 
 
 Harrison at the Maumee Ilai)ids, in the Sprini:: 
 of l<Sl;}, was less than sixty miles from Proctor at 
 Maiden ; hiit the latter, for every offensive move- 
 ment, had, when the ice disapi)eared, the great ad- 
 vantage of possessing naval means for crossing Lake 
 Erie or ascending the Maumee Kiver. Harrison, in 
 making any advance, must march hy land, which 
 involved taking ])retty much the same I'oute as 
 Hull followed in 1812, which, besides being very 
 circuitous, exposed his communications, with his 
 base at the Ra])ids, to be cut at any moment by the 
 enemy (piickly throw inghis whole force from Maiden 
 
 across 
 
 the Detroit Straits. Under these cire 
 
 um- 
 
 stances nothing seemed feasible but to intrench his 
 army till Captain Pei'iy's Fleet, about to be built at 
 Pres(pie Isle (Erie Harbor, Penn.\ should be com- 
 pleted, and the naval control of the lake be secured. 
 While Harrison occu])ied his time in accumulating 
 provisions, and providing gairisons for isolated posts, 
 AVood, with the 1,800 remaining troops, set to work 
 
LIErT.-COLONEL ELP^AZER D. WOOO. 
 
 105 
 
 foi'tifviniT a stromj; 2)<)siti(>ii on the ritrlit bauk of the 
 Mauniee (nearly o]»})osite Wayne's l)attle-irr<>un«l of 
 Auiifust 20, 17i>4) which was alM)ut one hnndred 
 feet above the river and (•omj)letely eoninnunled it. 
 This excellent jtosition, says Wood, "was judiciously 
 chosen by General Harrison and Ca])tain Gratiot, on 
 the 8d and 4th of February, IHbS." This camj), 
 subse«juently called Foi-t ]\Ieiijs, after the Govenioi" 
 of Ohio, h.ad a perimeter of 2,500 yards, an<l enclosed 
 about eiirht acres. FiXce])t at intervals, left for ]>at- 
 teries and blockdiouses, the whole was to be pali- 
 saded with twelve inch timber sunk three feet in tlie 
 irround and risinji; abo\e to theheiijjht of twelve feet. 
 Each workiuii: ])arty was assigned its allotted task, 
 and all labored with laudable zeal to complete their 
 portion i»f the defenses as (piickly as possible. To 
 cut and plant nearly a mile a)id a half «»f ])alisades; 
 build all the store-houses and ma<»;azines for the army 
 su])plies; to put U])eiLrht l)lock-houses of double tim- 
 ber; and erect four lari:;e elevated batteries — was no 
 ordinary undertaking:, to say nothiuffof other harass- 
 iuiT fatiijue duties and the daily anxieties and priva- 
 tions of cavip life. "Besides," says Ca])tain Wood, 
 " an immense deal of labor was likewise retpiired inex- 
 cavatinu: ditches, makini»; abatis, and cleariuir a wi«ltli 
 of 800 vards of oak and beech forest all around the 
 camp; and the whole was t<> be done at a time when 
 the weather was inclement, and the srrountl so hard 
 that it could scarcely be opened with the mattock and 
 pickaxe. But in the use of the axe, mattock ami 
 sjiade consisted the chief military knowledsr^" «>f <»ur 
 aiiny ; and even that knowledge, however trifling it 
 
106 
 
 VVKSTiiKN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 may be siip]>()se<l by some, is of tlie utmost impor- 
 tanee in many situations, and in ours was the salva- 
 tion of the army. So we fell to worlv, heard notliing 
 of tlie enem\', and endeavored to bury ourselves as 
 soon as [)ossil)le." 
 
 Soon after this auspicious commencement of Fort 
 Meiij^s, (ireneral Harrison was called to Cincinnati, 
 by sickness in his family, and to push forward re- 
 cruits for his army ; w Idle, at the same time, Captain 
 Wood was reipiired at Sandusky to su])ervise de- 
 fensive works for tliat post, where considerable sup- 
 plies had been accumulated for ulterior o])erations 
 Avithin easy reach of Lake Erie. Colonel Leftwich, 
 who temporarily succeeded to the command of 
 Fort Mela's, thinking only of how soon he and his 
 Virginia militia would ivturn liome, sto])]H'd all 
 work (m the stockade, regardless of the exposure of 
 the stores and safety of the troo])s, and actually 
 })urned the ])icketing for fuel, though a dense forest 
 was close at hand. When Caj)tain Wood returned, 
 he found his fortifications nearly destroyed, the 2:ar- 
 ris<m ex])osed to the most inclement weather, and 
 all the costly stores an easy jH'ey to the enemy. 
 Well might he call Leftwich, "an old phlegmatic 
 Dutchman, who was not even fit for a pack-horse 
 master, much less to l)e entrusted with such an im- 
 portant ccmimand." 
 
 Wood anew hurried forward, with unabated ac- 
 tivity, his Sisy[)hus task of ie[)lacing his destroyed 
 intrenchinents, at that time an almost Herculean 
 labor, the gari'ison being greatly reduced by expira; 
 tions of enlistments. But not a moment was to be 
 
 \vei'i 
 
 arri' 
 
 catii 
 
 Wo.| 
 
 are 
 
 comi 
 
 \vhi<| 
 
 l»ac 
 
 (n-ed 
 
 file 
 
 Hot ,'| 
 
 Miiti 
 '>ankl 
 
LIEUT.-COLOiNKL ELP:AZKK D. W«MH», 
 
 107 
 
 lost now tlijit tlie iijivi<j:ati(>ii of the lake ami river 
 was ()])eii for any meditated attack fioni the British 
 and their savage allies under Proetor, wlio, elated by 
 his ])ast sanii'uinary siuvess at Frenchtown, saw, in 
 the future, visions of victory, j)ers«»nal glory, and 
 othcial ])roniotion, A report, at this time, was jnit in 
 circulation that the whole of the Northwestern Army 
 had been ca])ture<l and were on their way to Montreal 
 as prisoners of war. In wiitini:". A]>ril In, isl.S, 
 from Fort Meigs of this re|)oi't, Ca])tain Wood says 
 to his l)i'other: "So far as resj»ects our being on our 
 way to Montreal, is coriect ; but we take our time 
 and choose our route. NO, brother, the Knglish have 
 not yet got the Northwestern Army, and, what is 
 more, they will never get it until at least l,n<M» oj- 
 1,;")0() of them sh(»uld be willing t<t lie down con- 
 tented in the Bed of Honour, which I don't think 
 they will be solicitous of doing." 
 
 General Harrison, with about .*?(»<» men, which 
 were all that could be s|)ared from the other posts, 
 airived, Ai)ril 1 l\ at the Kapi<ls, everything indi- 
 cating a s])eedy attack on Fort Meigs. Caj»tain 
 Wood had toiled day and night, until, says he, "we 
 are intrenched uj) to our teeth," to prej»arp for the 
 coming siege of the weakly garrisoned work from 
 which the bad roa<ls and swollen streams Inid kejit 
 back the expected re-inforcements under General 
 (ireen CUay. 'J'he latterV advance fortunatelv readied 
 the fort before the arrival of the enemy, wh<» did 
 not a])])ear in force till the 28th of April, when the 
 British beijan to land with their artillerv on the left 
 bank of the Mauniee, their Indian allies going to the 
 
;fk"V 
 
 108 
 
 WESTERN CAMPATONS OF 1813. 
 
 ri<!;ht bank, tlius (•()iu]>letely investing tlie fort. 
 Proctor estal»lislie(l liis main camp two miles l)elow 
 tlie Rapids, jind constructed one mortar and two 
 ufuii batteries, nearly op])osite to the foi-t, on the 
 high l)ank of the river about i\0() yards from its 
 north shore, which were completed, and opened their 
 tii'e on tiie 1st of AFay. In the meantime, Harrison 
 had issued a stiri'ing order to the garrison ; our 
 guns greatly im])eded the enemy's operations, Cajitain 
 (iratiot rising from a sick bed to take charge of a 
 ])attery ; while the indefatigable AVood, with the 
 whole army under his control, with incredible rapid- 
 ity, ])ushe(l foi'ward the defenses, mid dai'k nights, 
 pouring rains, and incessant annoyance from Indian 
 l)ullets and Hi'itisli gra[)e and shells. As the enemy's 
 batteries commanded the fort, Wood constructed on 
 the high ground, through its middle, a traverse of 
 earth, nearly a thousand feet long, twenty in wi<lth 
 at base, and twelve feet high. What was the as- 
 tonishment of the British engineer when he saw this 
 vast sliield of earth, exposed to view by the removal 
 of our tents to the other side of the traverse ! Instea<l 
 of a doomed camj), from wdiich Proctor liad boasted 
 he would soon " smoke out the Yankees," he found 
 h(nv futile were all the efforts of his gi-eatly superior 
 force in men, ordnance and gun-boats — all of which 
 had kept up an incessant fire U])on Fort Meigs. 
 For five days their cannonading and bombarding 
 continued, though producing slight injury to our 
 defenses and garrison, wh*" ^ the American bat- 
 teries rej)lied with great effect. However, tlie scar- 
 city of ammunition and the uncertainty of the pos- 
 
LIKUT.-COLONEL KLEAZK!? I). WOOD. 
 
 109 
 
 sible duration of the siege, compelled ilie ecoiioniiz- 
 iiig of our artillery discharijces, and often obliged us 
 to return the enemy's shot from our own guns. Said 
 Wood, "with plenty of ammunition we should have 
 blown John Bull from the Miami." Proctor, now 
 seeing that his direct tire could not effect his purpose, 
 (HI the 2d, under cover of his gun boats, sent a 
 force of British and In<lians to establish a battery of 
 twelve pounders on the right bank of the Maumee, 
 to take the fort in Hank and reverse ; all of which 
 the divining Wood had anticipated, and provided 
 against by the erection of cross-traverses. 
 
 At last General Green Clay's expected 1,200 
 Kentucky militia were, on the morning of the 5th, 
 Hearing the Rapids in eighteen boats. Instead of 
 l)eing allowed to form an innnediate junction with 
 the garrison, these troops were ordered to debark 
 above the foi't, two-thirds on the left bank, "to turn 
 and take the British batteries there, s[)ike the can- 
 non, cut down the gun-carriages, .'ind regain their 
 boats as speedily as possible ; " while, simultaneously 
 with this movement, "the remainder of the brigade 
 sliould land on the opposite shore, fight its way 
 through the Indians into the camp, and thus favor 
 a .s(}rfi(^ to be made by the garrison upon the l^iitish 
 ))attery on the right bank." 
 
 This plan had decided merits ; but its execution 
 
 was (le[)en( 
 
 dent 
 
 u 
 
 pon 
 
 )rave 
 
 but 
 
 undiscip 
 
 lined mili- 
 
 tia, untrained com[)any officers, and all without mili- 
 tary experience or knowledge of the ground to be 
 traversed. Colonel Dudley, in command on the 
 north bank, after safely landing, formed his detach- 
 
no 
 
 WKSTKKX CAMl'AKJXS OK 181:5. 
 
 ment in tliree columns, with skinnisliers covcmmul; 
 liis Icftilaiik; iiuirclied a mile jiiid a half unohservtMl 
 thi'(>Ui:;]i the wtxMls; valiantly fell upon the liritish 
 batteries; captured their heavy guns then [)layin<;' 
 ujton Foi-t Mei<i;s; spiked eleven, without losim;" a 
 man ; and jMilled (U)wn tlie British flai,'' amid wihl 
 shouts fi'om the lteleai;'uered foi't. Had Dudley 
 oheved his orders and returned to his hoats, the 
 main object of the expedition would have been 
 
 DKKENSE OF KORT MKIOS. 
 
 ha])]>ily acc»>mplished ; but, unfortunateiy, the ex- 
 cessive ardor of the victors, wlio had announced 
 their presence neai' the batteries bv loud Iventucky 
 yells, involved them, while indiscreetly i^oini*; to the 
 rescue of some of their comrades, in a bush ti^'ht 
 with a few straii'i^dinjj;' Indiai^s. These savai2;es con- 
 trived to amuse them until Proctor had time to com- 
 pletely cut off theii' retreat, and destroy more than 
 three-fourths of the whole command in its precipitate 
 and disorderly rout. 
 
 Foi 
 
 so 
 
 the 
 
 tlie 
 
 seri 
 
 iiiv( 
 
 and 
 
 Vor 
 
 now 
 
 Mal( 
 
 Ilea 
 
 till a 
 
 vi 
 
If 
 
 LIKUT.-COLONKL lOLKAZKIl D. Wool). 
 
 Ill 
 
 iij 
 
 While these trui^ic scenes wei'e tniiispiriiio; on tlie 
 left Imnk of the Miiuniee, the reinainder of (Ireen's 
 Iventuekhins succeeded, after various niisliai)s, in 
 Hi,ditinu: their way to tlie f(U't witli ti'iiling K)ss 
 au'ainst Britisli artillery and Indian rifles. Here they 
 were met 1)V a sortie of v<)lunteers and n few reifu- 
 lars, the united force falliui^ u])on and utterly I'oiit- 
 \n^^ theii' dusky foes. 
 
 C'olonel Miller, with a detaclinient of .'^oO, com- 
 ))ose(l of the 1 Ttli and lUtli regulai's with a few vol- 
 unteers and militia, now sallied from Fort Meigs; 
 furiously attacked tlie motley enemy SHO strong; 
 di'ove tliem from the riglit bank battery at the j)oint 
 of tlie bayonet; spiked all their guns; and dis[)ersed 
 them in confusion to the woods and a ravine in rear. 
 Though Miller lost some brave men, he accomplished 
 his object and brought in 4.'5 pi'isoners as trophies of 
 his hard won victory. 
 
 Proctor now virtuallv aban(h)ned the sieiji'e of 
 Fort Meigs. Though he had defeated Dudley and 
 regained his l)atteries on the left l)ank, he had been 
 so roughly handled that eventual success was out of 
 the (juestion. His Indian allies were desei'ting him ; 
 the Canadian militia were turning hc^meward ; no 
 serious impression had been made on the fort ; his 
 investment had failed to keej) out re-enforcements 
 and supplies; the news of (renei'al Pike's ca])ture of 
 York luid reached the British camp ; and notliing 
 now I'emained to save liis army but a retreat to 
 Maiden. To cover this movement and save his 
 heavy guns, wliich he could not embark on the boats 
 till a change of whid, he, with his usual effrontery. 
 
 if: 
 
lit 
 
 112 
 
 WEtJl'KUN (.AMFAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 Ill' 
 
 rt^sorted to tlie same device employed uii'uiiist Ilidl 
 and Winchester — att'ecte<l Inmuiiiity, ridiculous uie- 
 iiaces, and insolent demands. Accoi'dini:;ly lie sent 
 Majoi" Chambers, on the evening of the oth, to 
 demand the immediate surrender of the foi't aiul 
 army as " the only means left for saving the latter 
 from the tomahawks and scaljjing-kuives of the sav- 
 ages." Harrison, seeing through the enemy's finesse, 
 and knowing Proctor's practice in humanity at the 
 River Raisin, admonished the Hi'itish general that, 
 if he rei)eated his folly, he should regard it as a 
 desisi:ned insult. ('liaiiij:iniir his tactics. Proctor, to 
 gain time to embark his artillery, now made a pro- 
 j)osal for an exchange of prisoners by which he 
 delayed matters till the morning of the 9tli, when, 
 the wind having shifted, the British moved oif with 
 neai'ly everything except a few cannon-balls. 
 
 Tlu whole foive of the enemy at the siege, or 
 rather investment, was about GOO regulars, 800 Can- 
 adia.i militia, and 1,800 Indians; while ours did 
 iioi. exceed 1,200 for the defense of a work designed 
 for a garrison of more than double that numbei'. 
 
 Proctor, in his retreat, left on the banks of the 
 Maumee a record of infamy only paralleled by the 
 atrocities in the massacre of the Raisin. Captain 
 Wood and others have testified that on the surren- 
 der of Dudley's command the [)risoners were niarclie<l 
 down to Fort Miami and then, under the eye of 
 Proctor and his ofUcers, the Indians, who had already 
 plundered them and murdered many on the \vay, 
 were allowed to shoot, tomaliawk, and seal}) more 
 than twenty of these defenseless prisoners, all of 
 
 hb 
 Wii 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 th 
 
 use 
 
 the 
 
 ant 
 
 tain 
 
 Hi'st 
 
 tioi 
 
 dec 
 
LIKlT.-rCLONKL ELKAZKU I). WOOD. 
 
 113 
 
 wlioiii would have been despntcliwl in tlie same 
 manner had not tlie hnttdiery JK'en stopped l)y 
 Tec'umseli, a less brutal hiped-hloodhound than the 
 comniandiui^ <i;enei'al of the army of a civilized 
 Christian nation. 
 
 General Harrison, in his oiiieial despatch of 
 May 9, 181 ;i, to the War Department, after com- 
 mendini^ the conduct of commandants of corps in 
 the o|)erationsat Fort Meigs, says : " Captain (Jratiot 
 of the Engineei's, having; ])een for a long time much 
 indisposed, the task of fortifying the post devolved 
 on Captain Wood. It could not have been placed in 
 better hands. Permit me to recommend him to the 
 President, and to assure you that any mai'k of his ap- 
 [)robation bestowed on Captain Wood, would be highly 
 gratifying to the whole of the troo[)s who witnessed 
 his arduous exertions." On this recomniendati(>n of 
 his connnanding general. Wood was brevetted, May <>, 
 1818, a Major "for distinguished services in the 
 Defense of Fort Meigs." In his order of the day to 
 his command, Harrison further says : " Where merit 
 was so general, indeed almost universal, it is diHicult 
 to discriminate. The Ceneral cannot, however, omit 
 to mention the names of those whose situation gave 
 them an (Opportunity of being more particularly 
 useful. From the long illness of Ca]>tain (Iratiot, of 
 the Corps of Engineers, the arduous and imj)ort- 
 ant duties of fortifying the camp devolved on Cap- 
 tain Wood, of that corps. In assigning to him the 
 first palm of merit, as far as relates to the transac- 
 tions within the works, the General is convinced his 
 decision will be awarded by every individual in the 
 
 i' ■ i\ 
 
 I'. 
 
 1 
 
 ,«i: 
 
 i'. 
 
 'I 
 
 ri'i 
 
 m 
 
 
 
114 
 
 WKSTKKN (JAMI'AKiNS OF 1813. 
 
 oanip \vli<» witiieMsed l»is iu(lefatii::nl>le exei'tioiiH, Iuh 
 (•(Hisuminatc skill in pi'ovidiiig for tlie safety of every 
 point, an«l in foiling any attempt of the enemy, and 
 his iindannted bravery in tlx' perforniance of his 
 dnty in the most exposed situations. An unfortu- 
 nate WiHiiid in the commencement of tlie siege 
 <le[)i'ived the General, after tliat time, of tlie able 
 services of Majoi' istoddard of the artillery, wliose 
 zeal and talents had been eminently useful. Cap- 
 tain (iratiot, in the remission of severe illness, took 
 charge of a battery, and managed it with ability 
 and eit'ect." 
 
 The retreat of Pi'octor relieving Harrison of all 
 inmiediate apprehension for the safety of Fort Meigs, 
 he left General Clay in command of the work and 
 stai-ted for Lower Sandusky to provide for its better 
 protection, and then j»roceeded to the interior to se- 
 cui'e tlie Erie frontier against British and Indian 
 laids. 
 
 While Harrison was thus engaged, Proctor was 
 not idle, for he knew Perry's jH'ogress in building 
 and e(jui))ping his fleet at Prescpie Isle, and that inac- 
 tion was fatal to his control over his Indian allies. 
 Hence he meditated a new demonstration against 
 Fort ^[eigs, which he hoped to carry by assault. On 
 leaving Maiden, for this [)urpose, his immense body 
 of Indians were divided into three commands, re- 
 spectively under Tecumseh, Dixon, and Round Head. 
 Pr(>ct<^)r, on reaching Fort Meigs, on the 2r)th of July, 
 and seeing the formidable j)re[)aratioiis to receive 
 him, abandoned the idea of storming the work. His 
 substituted design was, with his British troops, to 
 
I 
 
 LIKI'T.-COLONKI, KLKAZKll D. Wool). 
 
 115 
 
 nuMiJU'c tlie work in front ; luid to send tlu* Indians to 
 the wood in tli<* ivjir of tlie fort, there l>y tirini; and 
 yells to deceive (leneral (May into tlie })elief of a )>attle 
 being waited with tlie expected re-enforeenients and 
 thus decoy him into sallyinij; with his I'aw militia to 
 their rescue; or else Harrison, hurryin^'to the relief of 
 the j^arrison, on his march would fall into an ambus- 
 cade j»re[)aredl)y the savai^es for his destruction. Tlie 
 Indians, failing; to deceive either Harrison or Clay, 
 in a few days became impatient, and their rations 
 fallinu; short, Proctor, on the !?Sth, raised his camj), 
 sent back part of his Indian allies, and with the re- 
 mainder and his British resi^ulars, hastened to attack 
 Lower Sandusky, defended by a garrison not exceed- 
 ing l(iO men, in a weak stockade re(h)ubt, armed 
 with a single worn out six-pounder iron gun. For- 
 tunately tlie work was commanded by the very young 
 but brave Major Croghan, who had disregarded Har- 
 rison's order to abandon the redoubt, "should the 
 enemy ap))roacli in force and with cannon/' well 
 knowing that the remoi'seless savages were in his 
 rear, and that he had less to fear from the fortune of 
 war than from a British attack in front. While 
 landing his ai'tillery and an-anging his gun-boats, 
 Proctor demanded the surrendei- of Fort Stephen- 
 son (mnv Fremont, Ohio), acconi[)aiiie(l with the 
 usual menaces of Indian massacre in case of refusal. 
 Croii-han was not to be intimidated into a betrayal 
 of his trust, whereon the enemy's tire was opened 
 u])on him, and continued without interruption during 
 the whole night of August 1, 1813. At dawn the 
 next morning, a battery was ])lanted within l>5() 
 
 inm 
 
 ti.: , 
 i' V.I 
 
i 
 
 . X i. 
 
 116 
 
 AVESTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 yards of the Fort upon the northwest angle of wliich 
 the wliole tire was concentrated till 4 i'. m., when 
 the meditated real attack was fully devekiped ; at tlje 
 same time tw^o feints were made towards the south- 
 ern anu;le. Major Croghan promptly hastened to 
 .*treiigthen tha menaced angle with bags of sand and 
 sacks of flour. Hardly had he completed this work 
 when the enemy, under cover of the smoke of their 
 guns, rushed to within twenty paces of the i)ickets, 
 
 where a well-directed volley from tlie gari'ison stag- 
 gered tlie assailants. The storming i>arty, (piickly 
 rallying, descended into the ditch, when the head of 
 tlie column, only thirty feet distant, was completely 
 crushed by the heavy discharge of slugs and grape 
 from Ch'oghan's only gun, till then masked from 
 view. Few in the ditch escaped tlie carnage, while 
 a well-aimed dischai'ge of rifles coni[)leted the work 
 
LrETTT.-COLONEL ELKAZER r>. WOOD. 
 
 117 
 
 of destriu'tion of tlie sn]>]>ortini»; t-olninn. Tlie few 
 survivors beat ti prec*i])i<"jite retreat, and t]ius was 
 the contest ended between our 1()0 heroes, and tlie 
 allied enemy of 500 British re<':ulai's and 800 savages. 
 Proctor's loss beinc; about ir)0, and having no ho])es 
 of ca])turing the fort, he ininiediately returned to 
 Maiden, with all lie could collect of his fugitive 
 forces. 
 
 It was now more than a year since the declara- 
 tion of war, yet we were on the defensive far in the 
 interior of the Northwest, We had lost much ter- 
 ritory, and few gleams of victory by land lightened 
 up the general gloom caused by our many discomfit- 
 ures and the wretched mismanagement of the war. 
 AVithin the same time, the gallant navy had won 
 unfading laurels, and to its crown of glory was soon 
 to be added Perrv's brilliant victorv over the British 
 tleet, giving us, Se])t. 10, 1813 the naval sujiremacy 
 on Lake Erie. This was not only a grand trium])h 
 for that sister arm of service, but it enabled the 
 Northwestern army at once to invade Canada and 
 put to flight the enemy which so long had baffled 
 the efforts of Hull and Harrison. 
 
 A new invasion of Canada was now meditated 
 foi" which a force of more than 7,0<M) regulars and 
 militia had, by the loth of Septenil)ei', assend)led on 
 the southern shore of Lake Krie ; and Perry's suc- 
 cess had already removed all obstacles to a move- 
 ment (m Maiden. Accord imflv, the end>ai'kation of 
 the army, \i])on Perry's fleet and the l)oats prepai'ed 
 by Major Jesu[) at ('leveland, was commenced on the 
 20th ; and its landing. Major Wootl having charge 
 
 
 ■ 5 ' 
 
 I 
 
 r JS 
 
 t;M-l 
 
/ 
 
 118 
 
 WESTERN CAMPAIOTS^S OF 1813. 
 
 of tlie {ii'tillery, was safely eifected in ])attle order 
 on the 27tli, at Hartley^ Point on the C^anada shore, 
 tliree or fonr miles below Maiden.* The cowardly 
 Proctor, feariiiii: Kentucky reti-ibntion for his bar- 
 barity, with the energy of despair had already pre- 
 cipitately tied northward with all the booty he could 
 carry, after burniii<>; the j)iiblic stores, niairazines, 
 1)arracks, navy yard, and the fertile fields about 
 ^[al(len, In vain did the more nol)le Tecumseh 
 remonstrate against this uunnmly flight from over- 
 rated danger. On the morning after taking posses- 
 sion of iMalden, Harrison eagerly commenced the 
 pursuit of the enemy; the baggage, provisions and 
 annnunitioii folhmed in boats and vessels bv the 
 l)etr<>it rivei'; Colonel Johnsoirs cavalry I'eached 
 Detroit on the MOth ; and, October 4th, the united 
 force of 3,000 men reached Chatham on the Thames 
 river. Here a skirmish took ]ilace for the ])ossession 
 of a bridge, Wood, still in command of the artillery, 
 having fortunately driven off the savages by a few 
 well-directed shots before any sei'ious damage was 
 done to the structure. 
 
 Proctoi', finding escajJC impossible, goaded to 
 fight by Tecumseirs re]n'oaches, and strong in every- 
 thing but courage, at last, on the ."ith, stood at bay 
 near Moravian Town. lie drew u]) his army in bat. 
 tie order at a well-chosen position in av. open wood, 
 his left resting on the high, precipittms bank of 
 the Thames, and his right on an impassible swamp 
 
 * The roHsli ilraft of tl)e order for landing and marching up Detroit river 
 is among Wood's papers, but whetlier prepared by him is uncertain tliough 
 it is in hid handwriting. 
 
l.IEUT.-rOLOXEL EI.EAZER I). WOOD. 
 
 119 
 
 nearly ])arallel to and about 500 yards from the 
 riyer, wliile a narrow niarsli diyided his l)attle-iield 
 into nearly e(|iial parts. The British retridai-s, about 
 800, in two lines, with the ai-tillery eonunandinir the 
 riyer road, occupied the space between the Tlianies 
 and the little marsh ; Avhile the Indians, 1,2<M> strong, 
 were posted between the small and large swamps 
 and along the margin of the latter, to sweep the 
 
 BATTLE OK THE THAMES. 
 
 ground oyer which Harrison must pass to attack 
 Proctors front. The American f)rder of battle was 
 in two lines, with a third in I'eserye, parallel t<» the 
 enemy's front; while Desha's diyision, thr«>wn back, 
 rti jiofe/we, nearly at right angles t<» our front, coy- 
 ered the left Hank from any attack of the Indians 
 jtosted im the edge of the great swamp. AVhen 
 ryeiT preparation for attack was completed. Major 
 
II , I ■■■ 11^ 
 
 120 
 
 wp:stern campaigns of I813. 
 
 AVfKxl, wlio liad just returned from a close ivcon- 
 iioissance of tlie enemy's position, informed (ireneral 
 Harrison tliat the British lines were drawn u]i with 
 intervals between the files, which led to the hi-illiant 
 conception of ordering; Johnson's mounted reijiment 
 forward to the attack, the first battalion moving 
 aujainst the Hritish reo;ulars while the second, under 
 the Colonel, encountered the Indians between the 
 two swamps. Moving slowly through the woods, 
 after receiving two British volleys, and the latter 
 one from the Indians, almost in theii* faces, both 
 boldly charged. The British first line, and then the 
 second, was broken and scattei'e<l in all directions, 
 and a destructive fire being poured u])on the rear of 
 the shattered lines, they, cravenly crying for quarter, 
 thi'ew down their ai'ms, and in less than five minutes, 
 all, except Proctor and a few fugitives, wei'e made 
 pi'isoners. Against Tecumseh the fight i-aged longer 
 and more furiously, the Kentuckians dismounting in 
 the tliick woods and eufjaLcinjj: the Indians in a hand 
 to hand encounter with the battle ci'y of " Beniem- 
 ber the Kiver Raisin." A'ictory on our left seemed 
 for a moment doubtful, when a regiment of infantry 
 with their deadly rifles, turned the scale, the sava- 
 ges being j)ut to flight, but fighting as they fled. 
 The nund)er of killed and wounde<l in this shoit, 
 shaij) and decisive battle was comparatively small ; 
 but the trophies of victory were great — six cannon, 
 r),00O small arms, (WIO ])risoners, valuable spoils, 
 recovery of Michigan Teiritory, ])eace and indus- 
 try restored to our ex])osed frontier, the utter rout 
 of the Britisli army, and the dissolution of the In- 
 
lip:ut.-('()Loni:i. klkazkk d. wood. 
 
 1L>1 
 
 (liaii alliaiu-e, Tecuiiiseli, tlieir l)ia\e and ilistiii- 
 i^uislied leader, being slain. 
 
 Tec'uniseli was al)<)Ut forty-tive wlien lie fell in 
 tlie flight, lie was a Sliawncjese savaire of lieroic 
 nionld, as uracefully i)r(>])()rti()ned as a (ireek statne. 
 and liis [tenetratinsi; eyes illumined his sad, stern 
 countenance. He was a horn leader of the chil- 
 dren of the wilderness ovei' whom he was omni}>o. 
 tent; and was alike the liiiht of the canij>-fire and 
 wisdom of the council. Insidious in jnejtarini:; as 
 undaunted in executinu' enter])rises, in liis despeiate 
 forays he wielded foi" their success the influence of 
 an hundred wari'iois. Thouu'h a <lemon «»f niiscliief 
 and rapacious of plundei-, he was uvnerous t<> foes 
 and lavish of his liains. In the control of his 
 people he was cuunlni^ and ))lausil>le, and fired their 
 passions l>y his nei'xous, lilowinu and impressive 
 ehxjuence ; in niilitaiy jicnius and manhood he 
 eclipsed his British chief, who to him owed nearly all 
 he had won, e.\ce))t his heritage of iid'amy; and in 
 line, Tecujuseh was a j)otentate unitinir the prowess 
 of Achilles and the authority of Airaniemnon. 
 
 In Ilai'rison's official des])atch <)f the liattle of 
 the Thames, aftei' complimentinu' those of hiirhei- 
 raidv, he says: "Major Wood of the Kngineers, 
 alivady distini;iiislu'd l>y his conduct at f'oit Meiirs, 
 attended the army with tw(> six-[)ounders. IlaviuLr 
 no use for them in the action, he joined the [)Ui'suit of 
 the enemy, and with Majoi- Payne of the mounted 
 ren'inient, two of my aids-de-cam[> — Todd an«] Cham- 
 hers — and three privates, continued it f<u- several 
 miles aftei' tlie rest of the troops had halted," The 
 
 "ji 
 
I ' 
 
 122 
 
 WIOSTEUN^ CAMPAKINS OF ISliJ. 
 
 j)m'suiii<^ foi'cc secured iilxnit fifty [»ris(nu*rs, and, 
 tli()iiu;li mial)l«' to overtake I^roctor, Wood sueeeeded 
 ill eaptiu'iiiu' his sword, liat, i)aj)ers, trunk and car- 
 riaii^e. Wood ami Todd heinu; far in advance of thv 
 otluTs, a mounted I^ritish otHeer, who was among 
 tlie ea])ture(l, endeavoui'ed ti'eaclierously to slioot 
 Todd. This attemj)t was instantly discovered ])y 
 Major Wood who struck tlie assassin down \vith liis 
 sword, and thus saved the life of his com[>anion-in- 
 arms, who, sui)se(juently, after filling many imj)ortant 
 civil offices in Kentucky, ))ecame in 1841-45 United 
 (States Minister to Russia. 
 
 This battle, the last whicli llari-ison evei- fought, 
 gave him extraordinary rejuitation, and his laui'els, 
 thei'e won, [)rol)al)Iy [)i"omot(Ml him in 1(S41 to the 
 Presidency of the United States. Doubtless this 
 last was the best of his three cam[)aigns, for the 
 conduct of which he had more experience, a Letter 
 knowledge of the enemy, a pre])onderance of regu- 
 lai' ti'oo])s, his staff composed of skilled officers, and 
 an unmolested control of water trans])ortation for 
 liis brave troops and his ani])le supj)lies. But much 
 of his good fortune was due to the pusillanimity, 
 inefficiency and blundei's of Proctoi' ; and, as Chat- 
 liani said, "the degrading of an army of soldiers 
 into a 1)and of maraudei-s and assassins." The chief 
 omissions of Proctor were: 
 
 Mrsf : After the ice liad disap[)eared fVom the 
 Lakes in l.Sl.H, ha<l the Pritish general, instea<l of 
 wasting his strength against the fortified positions 
 at the Maumee Ra|)ids and Lower Sandusky, sent a 
 strong force with Baivlay's fleet against Cleveland 
 
LrKin'.-roLoxEr. !:ij:.\/i;i; d. wood. 
 
 1 'j;? 
 
 jukI Kric, \\v rould liiivc cMptiircfl all <»ur Itoats at 
 tlie foi'iMcr place and !)uni('(l Pci'i'v's fleet in the l)ay 
 
 () 
 
 f I 
 
 i'es(iue 
 
 lsl( 
 
 StcoixJ : By igiumiiiiiously ruiuiiiiii" away and <le- 
 sti'oyiiin" his defenses, Ilai'risonV landing in Canada 
 was un<)])])osed, and the sniokiiiLj I'nins of Mahlen 
 checked liini not a moment. Tin' British retreat 
 from Sandwich ]>e<j^an Se])tend)er L^Sth, and tlie 
 Amei'ican pursnit not till October 2d, conseipiently 
 we reached the Thames in less than half the time 
 the enemy consn?ned to make this maich to that 
 hattle-field. Onr ])ath thronu;h tlie foi'est was unol)- 
 strncted by the fellinL!; of a ti'ee, scarce a boat was de- 
 stroyed, and tlie bridi^es wei-e left nearly intact Hj)on 
 our ap])roacli. What a conti'ast to the impediments 
 inter[)osed by Schuyler to Burii'oyiK^'s adxance on 
 Sai'atoi^a in 1777! Here Harrison mai*clie(l in a 
 country, covereil with foiests and intersected with 
 mai'shes and streams, /// ////V7 (Uid a Ji<(lf<I<n/s, double 
 the distanc*' that Huro'oyne, with his utmost eifoi'ts, 
 moved over in tlu' Hudson valley, from Scanesbo- 
 I'ouuh (Whitehall) to I^emus Heights in t'i<jlif 
 
 ircf 
 
 h 
 
 Third : Though choosing a vei-y advantageous 
 battle-field on the Thames, Proctoi' neglected to 
 cover the front of his deni(»i-ali/e(l army with the 
 simplest intrencliinent oi- even a strong abatis; and 
 then foi'ined his forces in open oi-<ler of battle, 
 through the files (»f which oui' mounted rifiemen 
 ])asse(l without difficulty, winning their victory in ten 
 minutes, and caj»turing almost evei'ything except the 
 cowardly commander of the Hi'itish an<l allied trooj)s. 
 

 124 
 
 WESTERN OAMPArONS OF 1813. 
 
 35ai|jjj 
 
 Tlie Ainericaii unuy had now made i'oiii' cam- 
 paiii'iis ill tln' Nortliwest ai^aiiist the treacherous 
 eU'iiients and tlie iiKH'e treacherous foe ; yet, with all 
 our saeritiees, we were, territorially, after sixteen 
 months of sore trial, just whei'e we began in this 
 ill-directed war. 
 
 After the Thames cam])aign, Major Wood accom- 
 ])anied Harrison to the Niagara frontier; but the 
 General, in November, having gone on leave of al)- 
 seuce to see liis family, and the season foi- active 
 oj)erations lieing over. Wood returned to the head- 
 (|uarters of the Corps of Engineei's at AVest IN)int, 
 where, during the winter, he was deeply absorbed 
 in study and [>rej)aration for coming events. 
 
 Major-General -Jacob Brown, who had so bravely 
 defended Sackett's Harbor, May L>tl, 1 SI 8, and had 
 commanded the elite of the army in Wilkinson's 
 descent of the St. Lawrence in 1S18, had, as early 
 as February 1814, been designated by the Secretary 
 of War as the General-in-Chief of the force whicli 
 subseijuently became the Army of the Niagara, of 
 which Major ^[cKee was to l)e the Chief Engineer, 
 assisted by Brevet Major A\\K)d with laurels freshly 
 won in the Northwest. On the iJUh of P^'ebriiary, 
 the latter, under orders received the 10th, left West 
 Point, and repaired, tirst to Albany and then to 
 C'anandaigua, N. Y., to take part in the pi-eparatory 
 ai'rangemeiits for the coining campaign. In a letter 
 to a brother engineer, dated Feb. 21, 1814, after 
 detailing some of these ])re[)arations, Wood says: 
 " I hope we shall be able to do something for the 
 honor of the service in the spring.'" Soon after he 
 
 f 
 
 1'^ 
 
 o 
 
 en 
 ba 
 tec 
 \\a 
 T 
 
 Vo 
 
 Sc( 
 Sc( 
 me 
 <lai 
 fin 
 
 O) 
 
TT 
 
 LTEUT.-OOLONEL EI.ICAZEI! I>, WOfiD. 
 
 1 2'y 
 
 was tt'iM[)()i'iirily ('iii!:.'ii;e(l, from A|»i'il i^"), to Mmv "iC), 
 1S14, ill streiii:;tluMiiiig the defenses of Sac-kett's 
 Ihirhor. 
 
 Eui'lv ill June tlie openiiiii' of tlie caiii])ni^'n was 
 e.\))eete(l ; l)iit the first stej> did ii<)t take |)hiee till 
 eliilv .'?d, wlieii the Xiai^ara was crossed by Brown 
 and Fort Erie ea])tiired. Under Meliee, tlie C'liief 
 Enn'ineer, Wood was actively employed in crossini^ 
 the ordnance over the river, recoiinoitriiiii' the fort, 
 and selectiiiiLi' sites, on the left l)ank, for batteries, 
 only one of which, for 1<S j)oiinders, was established 
 before the work sui'rendered. The snbseijiient 
 events which transj>ire(l in this campaiuii will be 
 detailed in this chaptci-, only so far as Major Wood 
 was directly connected with them. 
 
 Wood, on the ."itli, accomj)anied (leneral Porter's 
 small force of Pennsylvania V<»liiiiteers and Indians 
 which endeavored to interpose between a British 
 skirmishing party and their main bo<ly at C-liip- 
 ])ewa. Porter was successful in ])uttinu; an outj)ost 
 of the enemy's light trooi)s to Hight; but soon after, 
 encountering the whole Hi'itish force advancing in 
 battle order, lie was comjtelled to retreat t() the j)ro- 
 tection of the left of General Scott's Brigade, wiiicli 
 was advancing to the attack and defeat of the enemy. 
 Towson's Battery, (me of the guns of which Wood 
 volunteered to serve, <lid admirable execution on 
 Scott's right. At the close of this gallant tight, when 
 Scott drove Uiall to th ^ ])r()tectioii of his intrench- 
 meiits beyond (vhippewa Creek, Wood made a most 
 daring recoiinoissance nearly up to its right bank, 
 finding the bridge across it covere<l by a tete-<Je-pont 
 
 ;|l 
 
TT 
 
 120) 
 
 WKSTKKX r.VAIPAKJXS OK 1813. 
 
 ItjitttM'v, and its planking- torn iij), wliicli j>i('\ »'iit(Ml 
 the t'uitln'r puisiilt of tlie eneiuy. " Wood's repoit 
 of this r«'foiinoissanct', and the lateness of the hour/' 
 says (ieii. I^rown, induced him "to older the forces 
 to retii'e to eanij)." 
 
 After tlie l»urial of the dead, and ivnioval of tlie 
 wounded, tlie engineers were eiieriietieally oc('Uj)ied 
 
 in reeoiiiioiteriiig the adjaeeiit eoiintry to ascertain 
 the |)ractical)ility of attackinii' the front or turnini:; 
 the right Hank ot UialTs strong jtositioii covered in 
 front by Chippewa Creek and on the left hy the Niag- 
 a River. The result of this recoiiiioissance was the 
 
 ai 
 
 discovery of an old disused road leading to tlie junc- 
 tion of Lyon's Creek witli tlie Chippewa, which, in 
 the o|)inion of both McKee and Wood, could be and 
 was made practicable during the day for wagons and 
 artillery, Karly on the 8th, the British (leneral, 
 alarmed at the raj)id progress of our flanking opera- 
 tions and the menacing attitude of Scott in his front, 
 which threatened his capture or destruction, wisely 
 decided to al»andon his cani]>, disable his artillery, 
 and retreat ra[)idly. Throwing i)art of his force into 
 Forts (leorge and Mississaiiga, liiall fell back twelve 
 miles further U[) the Lake to Twenty-Mile Creek, 
 desiii'iiiiii'- to i>roceed to Burliiijj'ton ITeiidits, and 
 there await re-enforcements. 
 
 Brown, on the 0th, followed the enemy and on 
 the next day established his camp on the [)laiiis of 
 Queenstown. At a council of \\ai', held on the 
 14th, McHee, Wood, and a majority of the officers, 
 urged an immediate attack on Riall before he could 
 be re-enforced : but Brown and the minority advised 
 
 Th 
 nia 
 at 
 
 Bi 
 
LIKUT.-COLONKL KLKAZKIl D. \V<«>|). 
 
 127 
 
 I 
 
 jui investment of Fort dreori^e, tlioiii^li the arni\ IijkI 
 no Hieo;e artillery. 
 
 Major Wood, on the ir)th, acconijianied (Jenei'al 
 Porter's liriuade <»f \01unteers, with two pieees of 
 artillery to within a mile, in full view of Fort 
 (teorge, and tluMi with a stroni^ eseort advanced elose 
 enoui2:h to make a i)erfect reconnoissanee of the woi'k. 
 
 Brown was pre])ared to invest Fort (leori^e. On 
 tlie 2(>th, tlie advance took phice to witliin a mile of 
 the work, and on the next day Wood and I)ontii:lass 
 of the eniiineers, made u dashing reconnoissanee un- 
 dej' an incessant tire of the enemy, to within 7<>(> 
 yards of tlie fort, enal)linL!: them to ascertain rlie 
 niind)er, location and character ()f all the lefenses, 
 new and old. 
 
 The American Coinman<ler, on the 22(1, being 
 a])|)rised that Kiall had been re-enfoived, withdrew 
 t(> Qneenstown Heights, and the day after, learning 
 there was no ho[)e of C/ommodore Chauncey's co-op- 
 eration, or of any re-enforcements reachinu" his own 
 army, he continued his retreat to the strong position 
 of Chi])pewa, there to be governed by circumstances. 
 The British followed, their advance, after u f(>rce<l 
 march, encam])ing on the 25tli on a small eminence 
 at Lundy's Lane. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 25th, Major Wood, with 
 a countenance of unusual animation, riding up to 
 Lieutenant Douglass, of the Engineers, said : "The 
 British are understood to be ciossing the Niagara 
 at Queenstown, and threatening a dash up the river 
 on that side. They are also in movement on this 
 side. We wish to Mud out what their dispositions 
 
 m 
 
inr 
 
 128 
 
 WKSTKUX f!AMI»AI(i.\S OF 1813. 
 
 an*; and tli<' (Ictacliiiiciit l>('f(>r<' us, uiidrr the <'(>in- 
 iiiand of (ieiKMVil Scott, is oidcrcd to make a iccoii- 
 iioissaiict* and create a di\ ('rsi<»ii, should circum- 
 stances i-eijiiirc ; and, if we meet tlie enemy, we shall 
 j)r(»l»al>ly feel his jjulse."" Both olhcers iuinuMliately 
 rode forward to the front of the vanuiiaid, and aftei- 
 ju'oceedinu' three-fourths of a luile, i-eached the resi- 
 dence of Mrs. Wilson near the 'i'alde-rock, at Niauara 
 Falls. Had they arrived ten luinutes earlier, they 
 would have ca|)tui'ed (ieiu'ial Iliall, with his 
 whole staff, who had just h'ft tht^ house to join his 
 command, which was innnediateiy aftei- eiiLrau'cd 
 witli Scott's Hri^ade. Thus he^an the l»rilliant Hattle 
 of Xiai^aia, where the Ameiican Army won unfadiiii:: 
 laurels in its terrible coutlict with tlie greatly supe- 
 rior Hritisli force, lar«i:;ely composed of veterans 
 fresh from victories o\er the ureat Marshals of the 
 Coiujuenu- of Kurope. In hisotlicial account of this 
 
 l»attle, (leneral Brown sav 
 
 T 
 
 lie enu'ineer 
 
 M 
 
 ijor 
 
 McKee and \\ Ood, were ^-reatly distinii'uished on 
 thi » day, and theii' hiuh military talents exerted 
 with great effect ; they were much under my eye, 
 and near my |)erson, and to their assistance a ureat 
 deal is to he fairly asci'ihed. I most earnestly 
 recommend them as worthy of the highest trust and 
 Accord iiiLclv, I )oth were l>i-evetted liieu- 
 
 coi 
 
 ifi<l 
 
 ence. 
 
 tenant-Cohmels " f«u- gallant conduct in the I^attle of 
 Niagara." These two Enu:ineers andTirigadier-(ien- 
 eral Scott were tlie only officers w ho, foi' their meri- 
 torious services in that fiei'ce contest were, at that 
 time, siimled out for honora])le distinction l>y brevets 
 to a higlier gratle. 
 
f n 
 
 LIEUT.-(."OLONP:ri ELKAZKU I). WOOD. 
 
 129 
 
 Fi'oin tills point it was tin* iiit«'ntioii of (MMicral 
 I{i|)l«'V, wlio succeeded to the cinimiaiid (»f the aiMiiy 
 on lii'own's and Sc(>tt's disability from woun<ls, to 
 retreat acioss the Niai^ara into our own territory; 
 a disastei- which was only ]>revented hy the advice 
 of Mclvee and Wood. When the |>i<)|Ktsition was 
 aL''ain submitted, these aide euLrineers were consulted 
 hy (leneial Hr(»wn, who administeied a severe re- 
 l)uke to his subordinate, Hipley, and soon after su- 
 ]>ei'seded him liy the appointment of (Jeneral E. I*. 
 (laines to the c(»mmand. 
 
 Brown, on the "iTth, ordered Kipley to take u]) 
 a jjood p<>sition just above Fort Eiie, and personally 
 directed the enuineei's to strengthen and extend the 
 woi'ks to sustain a siege. Day and niirht they 
 labored at their heavy task to tiansfoiin a feeble 
 f<)rt into a strong fortification. Lieutenant-! Jeneral 
 Drunmiond, the Biitish commandei', invested the 
 American intrenchments August 'U\, and continued 
 the siege (d* the camp till Sei)tembei' 17th, when 
 Ri'own's successful sortie destroyed the enemy's 
 laboi's of forty-five days, comjtelled his reti'eat, an<l 
 vii-tually terminated the Niagara Campaign. 
 
 In the defense of our intrenchments, Wood not 
 only ]»ei-formed his duty as an engineer, but took 
 conunand, for the j)rotection of the ex])osed left <>f 
 our line, of the gallant Twenty-first Infantry, with 
 which the brave Miller ha<l carried the British bat. 
 tery on the hill at Lundy's Lane, lie and McKee, 
 constantly on the alert, on the evening of the 14th 
 of August made careful inspection of the works 
 and ])i'e])ared everything to meet an anticipated 
 
 ' I 
 
 l:i 
 
 1' I 
 1' I 
 
w, 
 
 130 
 
 WESTERN CAMPAICtNS OF 1813, 
 
 Til 
 
 attack befoi'e (Lnvii of tlie next moniiii^". lliey 
 were not mistaken in tlieir jn'edictions, wliicli were 
 I'ealized before dayli^-lit of the lotli, by siniulta- 
 net)Us assaults of British columns on oui- right, 
 centre and left. The latter, 1,4(M) strong, under 
 Lieut.-Colonel Fisher, was to escalade Towson's ])at- 
 tery, and storm AVood's defenses between it and the 
 lake. What was liis astonishment wlien, instead of 
 finding tlie garrison asleep, his advancing ranks 
 were lit up by a volley of flame from AN^xxVs in- 
 fantry, while the batteiy, twenty feet higher, [touivd 
 forth a conthmous blaze of artillery tire, giving it 
 from that night the appellation of "Towson's Light- 
 house!'' Failins; to carry the battery or penetrate 
 the abatis, the British, wading in the lake, attempted 
 to turn our left, but after a des])erate sti'uggle were 
 i-epulsed. Five times with fixed bayonets they 
 moved to the assault of AVood's defenses and as 
 often were foiled, till, finding their closed ranks 
 mowed down with musketry, gra])e and canister, tlie 
 l)eaten Bi'itish abandoned the fruitless contest. In 
 this defense, says (xeneral Ki])ley in his official 
 re[)oi-t : " AVood has tlie merit, with the Spai'tan 
 band, in connection with (^ii)tain Towson's artillery, 
 of defeatinir a vaunted foe of six times his force.'' 
 The attacks of the other column were ecpially unsuc- 
 cessful. 
 
 Colonel AVood's official dis])atch, dated Aug. 1(>, 
 1H14, of the oj)ei'ations of his command in the 
 Assault of Fort Erie on the night of the 14th, 
 we give entire, never having seen it in ])rint. lie 
 says: '"In obedience to your instructions, 1 have 
 
LTETTT.-COLONEL ELEAZEll D. WOOD. 
 
 181 
 
 tlie lienor to report tlie gallant conduct of my com- 
 mand during the attack wliicli took place on the 
 night of the fourteenth instant : 
 
 "I cannot do greater justice to the troo])s, which 
 1 had the honor to command on that occasion, than 
 to state that the Twenty-tirst infantry, together with 
 a small detachment of the Seventeenth un<ler Ca])- 
 tain Chunn, in all about three hundred men, aided 
 by the skill and activity of that distinguished olticer, 
 Ca])tain Towson of the Artillery, who conunandcd 
 the battery on Snake Hill, met and rejtulsed five 
 im]>etuous charges given by Colonel Fisher at the 
 head of fourteen hundred British I'eii'ulars. These 
 troops were formed in columns of attack and storiued 
 without Hints in their nuiskets. Our lines were 
 completely manned and every thing ready to receive 
 the enemy when he a})i)roached. And, ])erhaps, a 
 more signal examjde of tii-mness and steady valour 
 was seldom, if ever, given by the veterans of Europe. 
 Finding himself ivpulsed at all j)oints with great 
 slaughter, Colonel Fishei' saw lit to retire with his 
 shattered colunuis at dawn of day. 
 
 "For the happy result, which crowned oui' arms 
 at this particular ])oint, I am under great obliga- 
 tions t(> Ca])tains Marston and Ro]»es, the former 
 of whom conmianded on the left and the latter com- 
 manded the Cor])s of Reserves which i'e|»ulsed the 
 enemy at the i'd^Xi' of the water after he had turned 
 the left of the abatis and completely gaine<l mv 
 I'ear. Capt. Chunn, who commanch^d on my right, 
 had not the good fortune to come in contact wit!) 
 the enemy until he A\as sent to re-enforce the gar- 
 
 
 

 132 
 
 WESTKRX OAAtl'MONS OF 1813. 
 
 I'ison at Fort Ei-i<' wlu'ie lie had a fair opj^ortunity 
 and Leliaved Avitli ureal skill and bravery in exjiel- 
 ling the enemy from that j>laee. The small re-en- 
 forcements of riilemen, A\hich airived before the 
 enemy made his last'chari2;e, under that brave ot!icer 
 Capt. Birdsall, rendered me eonsidei'able service. 
 
 " Lieutenants Bowman, llid<lle, Hall, Larned nnd 
 Ensigns Bean, Neely, (liven, Jones, CUimmings and 
 Thomas were all extremely active and perfc.rmed 
 their duty with alacrity. I have to regret that the 
 army is deprived of the services of Lieutenant 
 Bushnell and Ensign Cissney, both of whom are 
 severely if not mortally wounded. Our tro])hies in 
 the morning were about one hundred and twenty 
 ])risoiiers and a considerable num])er of scaling 
 ladders, ])icks, axes, etc." 
 
 Both belligerents no\v prepared for another strug- 
 gle. Brown, seeing his impending danger from the 
 greatly superior numbers of his antagonist, deter- 
 mined to attempt the bold design of destroying the 
 enemy's siege- works by a sortie from our intrench- 
 meiits, to which the engineers gave a hearty concur- 
 rence. Towards noon of September ITtli, (leneral 
 Porter on the left, aiwl (leneral Miller in the centre 
 sallied fortli witli their res})ective divisions. Wood, 
 leading the former as engineer, and, at tlie same time 
 commanding a column com]>osed of 400 regidars 
 from the 21st and 25111 infantry, followed by 500 
 volunteers and militia. The enemy was sur[)rised, 
 his batteries captured, cannon and carriages destroye<l, 
 maga/ines blown U[), numerous prisoners taken, and 
 the objects of the sortie fully accomplished. Porter's 
 
lieitt.-colonp:l ELj:AZf:R d. wood. 
 
 133 
 
 victor 'vas complete; but it was won at a feai-fiil 
 cost, ; > tliree pi'iiicij)al leaders being moi-tally 
 wounded. " Anions; our losses," says Lieut. Douglass 
 of the engineers, ''I liave the sorrow to name our 
 ever to be lamented and gallant friend, Colonel 
 AVood. He went out with the volunteer division, 
 and, amidst the confusion which necessarily attends 
 a fight in the woods, was, somehow, separate<l from 
 them. When they retiu'ned after the battle, he was 
 missing. En(|uiiy was made, next day, by a fl.ig ; 
 an<l we received the unwelcome intelligence that he 
 was mortally wounded in the action, and <lied in the 
 Hi'itish cainji, the night after, })rofessing, it is said, 
 the most ardent attachment to his country, and a 
 jealous solicitude for the honor (►f her arms, com- 
 mending her, with his last breath, to the favor and 
 protection of the Almighty." 
 
 "Oil (leatli resistless! how tliy sovereign sway, 
 Sweeps from our earth its fairest sons away. 
 Columbia mourns ; thy favorite Wood's no more, 
 Ho bravely fell on Erie's hostile shore ; 
 Could angels weep to view a mortal's doom, 
 Celestial pity would bedew his tomb. 
 ***** He was by all admired, 
 By age respected and by youth revered, 
 His friends with pleasure viewed his rir-ing fame. 
 And dwelt with transport on his honored name ; 
 When lo ! a cloud ascending from the North, 
 Blackening still deeper as it rolled forth ; 
 Death rode upon the whirlwind as it came, 
 Mid l)lood and slaughter and devourinir tlame ; 
 Arm'd with his dart — commissioned from on high. 
 Wood felt the wound ; and knew that he must die. 
 Oil no soft down his l)l('eiling form was laid, 
 No mother dear sustained his sinking heail ; 
 No sister kind whom soft afl'ections move. 
 Stood round his couch to pour the balm of love, 
 
 tai 
 
 7'- 
 
 Mm 
 
 ;:,JviK 
 
 Mil 
 
 -li 
 
 ■mfji 
 
 AS 
 
 mt 
 
 m 
 
134 
 
 WKSTKUN ("AHI'AIOXS (»K IHlli. 
 
 Rut Goil was lln'n>— liis spirit inovM aroiiml 
 III Holomii .silfiio* ; wliili! a licav'iil.v sound, 
 111 blissful acconts, such as angels brnatlic, 
 WIkmi siMit iiiiiiiorlal lilossiiij^s to hciiucatlic, 
 Uoso in his car ; ami in thai awful paiiso, 
 Wood iIIcmI, a inarty.' in a i^donoiis cause." 
 
 Tims (Midcd tlic )>ri(vf' mikI bfilliuut cnreer <>f tliis 
 iiobU^ soldit'i', wlio had few <MHials;md was surpassed 
 
 1) 
 
 f( 
 
 oiniLT Jii aiii' 
 
 )y none ot Ins [M'oTcssion and peers, 
 lie was a veteran in the art of war. His eioht years 
 of army life " luid imiforndy been jm exhibition of 
 military skill, aeute jndi!;ment and heroic \alor;'' 
 and, in the lanii;naiie of his commandiiij; general, 
 "no oiiieer of his ii:;rade eoiild have contributed more 
 to tlie sjifety and honor of the ai'my." lie wastndy 
 tlie scml and ti^enius of every enterj)rise in which he 
 
 was eniraired ; one o 
 
 .f " tl 
 
 le nmnoi 
 
 ■tal 
 
 names 
 
 that 
 
 were 
 
 not born to die," His dtiily companions loved him, 
 for he was social and i!;enial, the most honorable and 
 i^enerons of men, and as affectionate and ii;entle as a 
 maiden. His otficial snperiors vied in their ti'ibiites 
 to his worth, for he was the intellectii;d lii^dit of the 
 council and the lion of the battle-tieM. 'I'hotin'h 
 e.vtremely retiring!; and modest in manner, his foi'm, 
 features, military air and bearing; disclosed the beau- 
 ideal soldier, the \\"a\ fn-riir clK-rdlirr^ wlio, wherever 
 dan_i»;er ai»i)eared, was there as calm, fearless and 
 self-[)ossessed as u|)on a (piiet ])ai'ad(\ 0\\ the field 
 of Niai>;ara, meetinu' Brown almost faintinu; fVom his 
 wound, Wood exclaimed, with u^reat emotion : "Never 
 mind, my dear (ieneral, you arenaininii;theL!:reatestvic- 
 torv which has ever been won f'oi- \<>ur coinitrv." He 
 thought not of physical pain, but, amid the carnage 
 
 iiiei 
 
 an 
 
 di?( 
 
 rtyii 
 
 ('hi 
 
 ol 
 
 fan 
 the 
 he 
 
 |>i-ai 
 Hro 
 whe 
 
 grea 
 
LIKf'T.-COLONKI. VAAl.V/AAl I>. Wooll. 
 
 LS;") 
 
 of battle, liis heroic soul i;1o\v«m1 witli lofty eiitlm- 
 siasiii for his comiti'v's i:;Iory. His iiohility of nature 
 iiii|)resse(l every one. Says the IJev. Dr. Doui^lass, 
 speakiiin' of his father's lectuivs on the ('ani|taiirii " 
 of 1SI4: "His mention of ('ol«»nel Wood was 
 luaiked with un(lis<i;uise(l waiintli an<l affectionate 
 feeliui:;. It seiMued impossible for liiin to look ))ack 
 
 to th 
 
 le >'oun<j:; davs or an ardent ajid i^enerous jimln- 
 
 1 
 
 di 
 
 tion, wi 
 
 thout 
 
 ►f 
 
 I paui;' or soi'i'ow, at rne reeo 
 
 t th 
 
 )llect 
 
 ion 
 
 of the hiufh-minded and chivalious man, wlio was 
 liisfrien<l and l)rother-in-arms ; his compainon, amidst 
 scenes of the most soul-stii'riuLT interest ; liis tutor in 
 militaiy science ; his Mentor in the [>erple.\ities of an 
 early and impoi'tant res|)onsil)ility ; Ids iruide and 
 exainjde, in all that was hi<^h, no))h' and <lisinter- 
 ested, in tlu^ walk and j)rofession of a s«>]<lier." 
 
 It was Wood's [)ecuHai' i^ood foi'tune to be j>rom- 
 inent in every brancli of Ins jirofession ; wliether as 
 an eni^ineer, making; the dariui^ reconnoissance, oi* 
 directinij defenses; as an artillerist, pursnini; tlie 
 flyini:; fo(i to the Thames, or sej'vini; in tlie l>atterv at 
 Chipi)ewa; us a Paladin cavalier, in the final rout 
 of Proctor's Inst fugitives; oi the accomplished in- 
 fantry connnander leading; the colnnm ami char<jfini; 
 the besieu^ei's at Fort Krie. While Hrst in battle, 
 he was also first in the estimation of those lie so 
 faithfully served. Harrison assiirns to him "the 
 first [)alm of merit" at Foit Mei^^s, ami hiu^hly 
 |)raises his eftieiency in the invasion of (*anada ; 
 Hrown reports his marked distinction at Xiairara, 
 where his"hiuh military talents were exei'ted with 
 ii'ieat effect," and to wdiose "asai.stance a jrreat deal 
 
 ■ ri 
 
 III 
 
 .•i!|. 
 
Iffilij 
 
 186 
 
 WESTERN (iAMPAIGNS OK 1813. 
 
 11 . 
 
 
 is fairly to be nsci'ibed " ; Gaines says, " in the com- 
 maiul of a regiment of infantry lie lias often proved 
 liiniself well (jiialiried, but never so cons])ioiiously 
 as in tlie repulse of the British assault on Fort Erie''; 
 Ri[)ley, on the same occasion, acknowledji;es his in- 
 debtedness to ''this officer's merits, so wtII known 
 that ap])rol)ation can scarcely add to his reputation"; 
 Porter, under whom he led a column in the sortie 
 from Fort Erie, reports to Brown, "yni know how 
 exalted an o])inioii I have always entertained of 
 him" ; and his Command in<»; General, when this pillar 
 of his power lay prostrate in death, pronounced this 
 truthful eulo_2;y to his worth : "Wood, ])rave, gener- 
 ous and enterprising, died as he had lived, Avithout a 
 feeliiiii: but for the honor of his country and the 
 glory of her arms. His name and exam])le will live 
 to guide the soldier in the path of duty so long as 
 true heroism is held in estimation." 
 
 All authority warrants us in saying that, during 
 the whole o])erations on the Niagara, no terms of 
 praise could do justice to Wood's gallantry, zeal, 
 skill and perseverance, whether in reconnoitring the 
 enemy, ascertaining and rej»orting his j)osition, en- 
 couraging the troo])s, conducting columns to their 
 destination, ])lainiing judicious movements, pi'oviding 
 against emergencies, devising defenses, seeing the 
 key-])oint of the battle-field, or gras[)ing the whole 
 problem of the campaign. 
 
 After the termination of the war, 8e])t. 12, 181 <>, 
 Major-(ieneral Jacob Brown, then (ienei'al-in-Chief, 
 addressed the following letter to Brigadier-Creneral 
 Joseph G. Swift, Chief Engineer of the Army. 
 
 Ill' 
 
 WV' 
 
LTKIIT.-COLOXEL ELEAZER D. WOOD. 
 
 137 
 
 " I tliiiik it [)i'oper to express to you, as Cliief of 
 the Corps <>f En^iiieei-s, tlie liigli sense I entertain 
 of the services of Coh)nel McRee, Lieutenant-Coh)nel 
 Wood, (\a]itain Doiiij^lass luu] Lieutenant Story, who 
 served with my division upon tlie Niagara in 1814. 
 They \vere all greatly distinguished, Init Colonel 
 MeKee and Lieutenant-Colonel Wood have ])articu- 
 lar claims uj)on me for the cheeifulness and ardor 
 with wdiich they entered upon the execution of every 
 enterprise, luiving in view the honor of my com- 
 mand, and for the zeal and talent they uniformly 
 dis])layed. 
 
 " Lieutenant-C\)lonel Wood fell! The occasion 
 and the manner of his death secure to him the 
 patriot soldier's best reward — ])ure and imperishable 
 fame. To this I can add nothing; but, as a tribute 
 of my respect foi' the hero and the man, I request 
 you to cause a moiuinient to be erected, at my ex- 
 j)ense, to his memoi-y. Let it stand near the Mili- 
 tary Academy, at West Point, and, tliough it cannot 
 elevate his name, it may stinudate the soldiers of his 
 school to die, like liini, without a feeling but for the 
 honor of their countrv and the u'lorv of hei' arms." 
 
 In compliance w^ith this re(piest, so honoralde to 
 (xeneral Brown, the C*hief Engineer had executed 
 the white marble obelisk now gracing the little 
 knoll, north of the West Point Plain, looking up 
 the Hudson upon the most beautiful river view in 
 the world. Lr])on the occasiim of the erection of 
 this monument, (xeneral Swift, August 17, 1818, 
 directs Major Thayer, Superintendent of the Mili- 
 tary Academy, to conduct the ceremony with all 
 
 t.-ii 
 
 r' 
 
 i = 
 
188 
 
 WKSTEUN CAMPAKINS OF IRl.J. 
 
 due iiiilitarv honors, and to issue nn a|)proi)]'iate 
 or<l(M- to lils coiiimaiid, "to j)ortray tlie cliaracter of 
 oiii' dt'ccased l)rotluM' oftictM'.'' 
 
 Tliis siiii|)l«' nionuiiient )>ears tlie followiuii; in- 
 sciiptioiis : Xo.fli Si<I(' — "To the Memory of Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Vj. I). Wood, of the ('Orps of Enu;i- 
 iieers, who fell while leading a eharge at the Soi'tie 
 of Fort Ej'ie, L'[)j)er Canada, 17th Sejtteniher, 1S14, 
 in the 81st year of his age." H^W Si(h : "He was 
 exemplary as a Christian, and distinguished as a 
 Soldier." Sotrf/f Sl<7(^ : "A Pupil of this Institution, 
 lie died an honour to his coiuitry." I'jd^f Side : " TJiis 
 Memorial was erected by his friend and commander — 
 Major-General Jacob Brown." 
 
 After this monument to C\»lonel Wood was 
 erected, the following lines were composed by the 
 late General I. Moiton: 
 
 " Wliat thonji;]! on foenian's land lie fell, 
 No stone tlie sacred spot to tell, 
 Yet where tlie noble Hudson's waves, 
 Its shores of lofty fi;ranite laves, 
 The loved associates of his youth, 
 Who knew his worth — his spotless truth. 
 Have bade the niariile column rise, 
 To bid the world that youth to prize ; 
 T(j teach the youth lii^e him t' aspire, 
 And never-fading fame ac<iuiro ; 
 Like iiim on (Jlory's wings to rise, 
 To reach, to pierce the azure skies, 
 And oft the Patriot then shall sigh. 
 And sorrow oft cloud Beauty's eye, 
 When'er foml ineinory brings again 
 The Youth who sleeps on Erie's plain." 
 
•>f!Il. 
 
 m 
 
 wi 
 
 li 
 
 w 
 () 
 
 t] 
 
 C( 
 
A 
 
 CHAPTER FOURTH. 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813 ; 
 
 WITH A mOGRAPHIOAL SKETCH OP 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL JOSEPH G. SWIFT. 
 
 In tlie Second projected Invasion of Canada, 
 Quebec was deemed too strong' to 1)e assailed with 
 success; and Montreal, Avliose loss would involve 
 tliat of Upj)er Canada, ])roniised an easier conquest. 
 For this ultimate i)urpose as stated in the previous 
 chapter, three columns were i)ut in motion in 1818; 
 one desiii;ned to penetrate the enemy's territory by 
 the Detroit Straits ; another somewhere on the On- 
 tario border; and the third by the outlet of Lake 
 Champlain. This was repeatinir, essentially, the 
 plan which had resulted in the miserable failure of 
 1812. We have already ij^iven the operations of the 
 Northwestern Armv, or Left Column, terminatiniii; in 
 Harrison's victory of the Thames. In this chapter 
 we will sketch the chief movements of the Armies 
 of the Centre and Right, the former o])eratin<i" on 
 the Ontario frontier, and the later movinjj: from Lake 
 Champlain. 
 
 General Dearliorn, in command of all the forces 
 destined to take part in the Eastern Campaii2:n of 1813, 
 was directed by the War Department to reduce 
 Kingston and York (now Toronto) on Lake Ontario 
 and Forts George and Erie on the Niaojara. The 
 Commanding General, however, for reasons totally 
 
 141 
 
 
 
SI 
 
 ■.. ' n 
 
 I 
 
 142 
 
 KASTKU?'. CAMI'AKJNS OT IM!!. 
 
 insufficient, dccidtMl to leservr tlic uttack 
 
 (>i 
 
 Kill!::- 
 
 ston for tlie ^^s7, tliouuli it was the p'/sf in iiiipor- 
 taiice, beiiiiz: the naval I'imhIczvous the IJritisli 
 
 < >ntai'io fleet, and the liead-cjiiai'tei-s i the Knulisli 
 hmd fVuves. 
 
 Ill |)rosirnti(»n of tliis inverted plan of eanipaiiz'n, 
 l)ear])orn, witli 1,700 men crowded on Chauncey's 
 fleet, sai U'd from Saekett's llarhor, A|)rii !>.'), Is];',, 
 an<l, after a IxM.^terons passau'e ot* two (hiys, arrixed 
 off ^'ork, W'liieh was feel)ly jn'oteeted l»y a few 
 l)h»ek-hoiises and eartlien ])attei'ies <;an*lsone(l with 
 al»oiit .S0(> i-eij:ulars, militia and Indians. (Jeneral 
 
 Dej 
 
 irhorn, l)eini;' m ill-nealtii, remained on siiij* 
 
 1th 
 
 di 
 
 Ixmrd, w hile our troops, led hy (n*'' 1 Pike, landed 
 
 under a brisk tire, foun'ht their 
 
 tiu-ounh tiie 
 
 thick woods, carried tlie fiist l)uttery, took ])ossession 
 of tlie " llalf-moon,'' and were ])reparini<' to assault 
 
 th 
 
 le mam uitrenchnients when the u'reat mauazim 
 
 ]d( 
 
 d 
 
 ew up with a tremeiKloiis e\j>|osion, scattering- 
 
 i-uiu on every su 
 
 le, k 
 
 killiui'" and maimiiiLi" over two 
 
 humlivd of our men and many of their own, and 
 mortally woiindinu; the intrepid Pike who died soon 
 aftei- like a true hero, 'riiou;-h we ha<l captured 
 tlie ]>lace and a larii'e amount of stores, (Jeneral 
 Slieaffe, the British commander, with liis reu'ulars 
 was allowed to escape, and a vessel on the stocks to 
 be destroyed. 
 
 The first object of the expedition beinu" accom- 
 ])lished, the troo) )s were immed lately re-end)arked, 1 )ut, 
 on account of adverse winds, did not leave York liar- 
 bortill May<Sth,and not until the 27th was the attack 
 ui)on Foi't George essayed. An entire month of the 
 
 ea 
 
 Fi 
 
 M" 
 
 fol 
 
 aiH 
 
 of 
 
 tli< 
 
 S(| 
 
 v< 
 
 mi. 
 a fl 
 
HI{Ui.-(ii:M;KAI- .losKlMI (i. SUIIT. 
 
 un 
 
 licst 
 
 (•.•mipMiuiiiiiii' sea.son was 
 
 lost 
 
 111 luiiiuiiiii- r«MMi- 
 
 t'orceiiKMits from Sju-kett's Ifarlxn', and iiM»tlit*r tlila- 
 torv iH'Ofeeiliiiii-s. Deaihoru'saiiiiv, iimulHM-iniriu'arlv 
 (5, (MM) was ivadv for tlie fi'av on tlu* UKU-ninsj: <>f tlie 
 'iTtli, l)ut tile ('oiiiiiiaii(liiin(n'ii(Mal iviiiaiiKMl on shi])- 
 
 hoard as at York, ruder 
 
 cover <» 
 
 r ti 
 
 le u'liiis o 
 
 (Miauiu'ey's fleet, our uallaiit soldiers rea<died tlie 
 shore, with intrepidity clanihered up the steej* l)aiik 
 exposed to the enemy's lire, an<l in twenty minutes 
 of se\-ei'e iiiihtiiin' j)ut the foe to tliiiht. (xenei-al 
 \'incent, the Biitisli commander, satisfied that after 
 our success he could no loiiy-cr hold Fort (ieorge, 
 onh^'ed its <;'Uiis to be spiked, the work to l>e aban- 
 <loned, and the garrison to ilee to Heavei' Dams, a 
 strong' ]»ositiou amoni>" the hills. Colonel \\ infield 
 Scott, in rapid ])ursuit of the enemy, learniniLC I'i-** 
 <lesigns, detached two coiii[)anies who saved the foii: 
 after one of its three mauazines had been blown \i\\ 
 Scott viii'orously pursued, and could easily have 
 ca[)tured Vincent, but was reluctantly compelled 
 by re])eated orders to give U]) the chase, return to 
 Fort (ieorge, an<l abandon the almost attained cou- 
 (|Uest of the Niagai'a Peninsula. 
 
 Two davs aftei' these events, while most (»f 
 
 our 
 
 forces were afai' <»ff at the head of Lake Ontario, 
 and Sackett's Harbor at its foot was nearly strij)pe(l 
 of its garrison, Governor-General Provost, with a 
 thousand men from Xingstoii assisted by the British 
 s(|uadron, decided to retaliate for oui- attacks on 
 York and Fort George ])y ca})turing our naval and 
 military stoies at Sackett's lIar])or, and bv tlestroviuij: 
 a tine sliip {the General Pike) tliere on the stocks. 
 
III. 
 
 144 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 vm \ 
 
 FortiiiiJitely, a few reguhirs, under the hold Colonel 
 Backus, had been left to guard this property, and 
 the ifallant General Jacob Brown ^^•as at hand to 
 assume command. Though the militia iled U])on tlie 
 enemy''s ap[)roach, Brown tlnvarted his design, com- 
 pelled liis precipitate retreat, and gained ,. complete 
 victory — the last success of our inglorious campaign 
 of 1818. Unfortunately in the confusion of the 
 attack, throuixh some misunderstandiiii'" of aifairs, 
 the naval otKcer, in charge of ihe stores and ship on 
 the stocks, set them on tire. 
 
 After the ca[)ture of Fort George, General Dear- 
 born, when too late, ordered ihe })ursuit of Vincent, 
 who, in tlie meantime, having (h'a^^ n in all his scat- 
 tered forces, posted himself, <^n the LM)th of May, at 
 Burlington Heights, a j)osition vital to the safety of 
 the Britisli, without which they could neither retain 
 the Peninsula, nor make a safe exit from it. On the 
 1st of June, («eiieral Winder was sent to dislodge 
 the enemy with a small brigade, which was iiiade- 
 <juate t(» the task. I 'j)oii asking for re-enforcements, 
 General Ghandler, on the oth, brought u[) an(»ther 
 brigade, giving a total force of 1,.S00. Instea<l (»f 
 |)rom]»tly marching to attack Vincent, only a few 
 miles off. Chandler, the senior geneivd, halted at 
 Stony Creek and carelessly encampt-d for the night, 
 which Vincent discovered Iw a bold rec(>nnoissance 
 in the evening. Knowing that not a moment was 
 to be lost, if with his inferior forces he was to main- 
 tain his position, he wisely decided to attack at once 
 rather than be attacked the next day with every 
 chance of discomtiture. Having decided to surprise 
 
 P 
 

 
 BRKi.-GENERAL JOSEPH G. SWII'T. 
 
 145 
 
 Cliaiidler, the Britisli cohniin of TOO, silently inov- 
 inar at midnioi-lit, seized everv man of the American 
 picket, and made two false attacks, while the real one 
 on our centre was eminently successful in capturing- 
 some artillery and a hundred prisoners, including 
 both of the American generals. Vincent, the British 
 commander, in the confusion of the night-attack, lost 
 his way ; Itut fortunately for the enemy, he was suc- 
 ceeded bv the able Lieut.-Colonel liarv^ev (su])se- 
 (juently (xovernoi" of New Bi'unswick), while our 
 forces fell under the conn land of Colonel Burns, a 
 brave but inexperienced officer, who at once called a 
 council of war, which of course did not advise fight- 
 ing, prefei'i'ing to fall back before half their niunbers 
 and await furtlier orders. Had a resolute and ener- 
 getic officer then have directed oui' f(n'ces, Vincent 
 would have been ])ut to flight or captured, the 
 Peninsula been ours, our march on Kingston l)een 
 unim[)eded, and the after disasters on the St. Lawivnce 
 been avoided. 
 
 Another fortnight of inaction followed, dui'ing 
 which General Vincent and Colonel Bisho])]) were 
 indefatigable in strongly occupying the mountain 
 losses from Queenstown to York. At last, ihe tinal 
 mishap of our campaign that sunnner on the Penin- 
 sula occui-red. Colonel Hoestler, with <iOn men, 
 was sent to Beaver Dams to attack a fortified store- 
 house where considerable supplies were stored. The 
 detachment, June 24th, fell into an Indian ambus- 
 cade, and, after a three hours' contest, when about 
 to retire, were deluded by a small British force of 
 regulars, by threats of savage slaughter, into a ca])it- 
 
146 
 
 EASTEItX CAMPAIGNS OF 181:5. 
 
 ul.'itioii. Except some mids nloiii;' tlie Niau'ara, 
 destroying iiuicli pi'o]»ert\, iiotliiiiii' more was done 
 in tliis (juai'tei' during this campaign. The l^ritisli 
 now ])oldly ndvanced U])on (^)neensto\vn, hehl Hui*- 
 lini!;toii Heiijchts, and invested Fort (ieoro'e witli for- 
 mi<L'il)le forces. 
 
 Dearborn, discj^ualified l)y age and ill-liealth foi' 
 active command, was superseded on the ()th of .June, 
 and took leave of tlie army July 15th, (icnei'al 
 Hoyd temporarily succeeding to tlie command till the 
 arrival of (-'eneral Wilkinson. The latter, with the 
 l)ulk of our forces did not leave Fort (ieorge, till 
 ( )cto])er iid, until which tiim our army was coo]»ed u]) 
 ill that work under orders of the Secretary of \Vt\v 
 to hold the eneniv at l>av. Thu^, from May to Octo- 
 her, while the enemy was most active, we, during 
 these four most favorable months foi cani])aigning, 
 did nothing. 
 
 (xenei'al James Wilkinson, who succeeded Deai'- 
 born in the command of the Northern Arm\, had 
 lieeii an active oihcer of the Revolution, [)articulai'ly 
 on the stalf of Gates wlien BiU'goyne suri'endered at 
 Saratoga. Now, too old for his position, he soon 
 fell ill with a fevei', divaded responsibility, and was 
 weighed down with nioj'bid anxiety. \\ liilc on his 
 way to Sackett's Harbor, to assume his new duties, he 
 had issued, August K), his tii-st order to (reneral 
 \V ade Hampton, who had been assigned to the com- 
 mand of the forces on Lake C'ham]>lain. Hamj)ton 
 Inid also been an otliccr of the llevolution, as a [>ar- 
 tisan ranger in South C'a -olina, in connection with 
 Marion. This order of Wilkinson's aroused tlie ire 
 
BUIG.-GENKIJAI. .lOSKPII (J, SWirP. 
 
 147 
 
 of tli«^ old sljive-lioldinii' aristocrat, and intensified 
 his former liatred of tlie new General-in-Chief, lie 
 innnediatelv wrote to <"he Secretarv of War tliat liis 
 was a se|)arate eoniniand. Armstrong tried to ree«»n- 
 eile him to a distinction between separate an«] inde- 
 pendent eommand ; but the implacable enmity wliieh 
 liad been enu'endered continued to rankle, and, as 
 the secjuel \\I11 show, defeated the success of the 
 eamjtaiu'u. 
 
 After nearly half a year's fruitless effort to make 
 a permanent lodiiiuent on the Ontario sIkuv. the 
 Secretary of W'ai's original j)r()ject of eam[»aiun was 
 again revived. 'J\> this \\ ilkinson oljjected, while 
 Armstrong insisted ; the former in tlie mean time, 
 without any detinite plan of operations to be pursued, 
 having departed for Sackett's Ilarboi-. lie liad a 
 nominal army of about 12,000 men, one third at Bur- 
 lington, Vt., under Hampton; another third at Sac-k- 
 ett's Harbor, and the remaining third at Fort (leorge. 
 At a council of otiicers it Avasres<dved to aband<»n and 
 destroy Fort (leorge, and ti-ansfer the troops to Saek- 
 ett's Harbor ; but the W'ai- I)ej)artment <U'dere<l <)0n 
 i-egulars to continue to garrison that work, the re- 
 mainder of thetroops there, as we have bef<>re state*], 
 having end)arke(l on the fleet. Most of the ivgu- 
 lars, left in gai'rison under Colonel Scott, soon after 
 joined Wilkinson's St. Lawrence Expedition, their 
 ])laces being su])[)lied by militia, under General 
 McClure, who subsequently abandoned the work, 
 an<l burned Xewark, Avhich outrage was sununarilv 
 avenged by tlu^ destruction of six villages, manv 
 isolated ciuiutry houses, and five vessels, an<l the 
 
148 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 l)iitclieriiig of innocent persons at Fort Niagara, 
 LeAviston, Sclilosser, Tuscarora \"illage, Black Hock 
 and Buffalo. 
 
 General Wilkinson assumed coniniand, at Sack- 
 ett's Harbor, August 29, 1813, having for his Chief 
 Engineer Colonel Joseph G. Swift, the Chief Engi- 
 neer of the United States Army. Soon after, the 
 Secretary of War arrived tit that post, ostensibly to 
 promote harmony between Wilkinson and Hampton, 
 but more probal)ly to assume the functions of Gen- 
 eral-in-Chief. He was a headstrono;, ambitious man 
 of Irish descent, his father having emigrated to 
 Pennsvlvania about IT-tO, where he became a Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel in the old French -war, a Brigadier- 
 General in the Continental Army, and a Major-Gen- 
 eral, commanding the Pennsylvania State troops in 
 the defense of Philadelphia, and the Battles of 
 Brandywine and Germantown. Ft is said that the 
 son, then Secretai'v of War, wanted to play a more 
 distinguished role than the father, and as])ire(l to be 
 a Lieutenant-General to conmiand all the Armies of 
 the United States, but that he Avas not a favorite 
 with Presi<lent Madison; consefpiently, had that 
 office been created by Congress, (\)lonel James 
 Monroe, then Secretary of State, would have been 
 apjx tinted. 
 
 AVhile Wilkinson and Armstrong at Sackett's 
 Harbor were confronting the enemy at Kingston and 
 discussing plans for its attack, Hampton, with 4,(M)0 
 infantry, a squadron of horse, and a well-a|)pointed 
 train of artillery under Major McRce, of the Engi- 
 neers, set out towards Montreal foi' the [)urpose of 
 
 Hesi 
 
 ()ct( 
 
 come 
 
 sepai 
 
 flueii 
 
 reiiL'i 
 
 the 
 
 Ii 
 miles 
 wlieiv 
 In th 
 had i 
 hlock- 
 witli .' 
 
 11? II 
 
I{RI(i.-(;ENEKAL .FOSKIMI (i. ^^^VI^T. 
 
 149 
 
 l»0 
 
 denionstriitioii or attack, as ciiviiinstanees miLdit ren- 
 der most expedient. 
 
 Leaviiio; Clarke's ln'iu'ade of Vermont militia to 
 draw I*rovost's attention to an attack bv the Sorel, 
 Hampton, on tlie ll>tli of Septend>er, beiran liis march 
 from ('ui]il)ei'land Head, opposite Plattslmrir, direct 
 on Odell-Towii (just within the Canadian border), 
 which he reached on the 21st; but a pre vail ini; drought 
 caused liis retrograde movement to Chazy, and the 
 adoption of the Chateangay ronte to the St. Lawrence. 
 At the " Foui'-Conieis," now the village of Chateau- 
 gay, he encam])ed foi' twenty-six <hiys awaiting orders. 
 
 During this month of delay, Hampton, having 
 satisfied himsflf that Provost's scattered forces were 
 less than half his own in nund)ers, determined to 
 [)ress forward, crusli all o])[)osing troops, make him- 
 self master of Montreal, and without Wilkinson's 
 assistance, become the laureled hero of the campaign. 
 Resuming, therefore, his march on the 21st of 
 ( )ctober, on the evening of the next «lay he had over- 
 come twentv-four of the fortv miles which had 
 separated him from his goal. Here, near the con- 
 fluence of Outard Ci'eek and Chateau^av River, he 
 remained till the stoi'es and artillery came u]) on 
 the 24th. 
 
 Immediately in tVont of Ham]>ton were seven 
 miles of open country along the river to Johnson's, 
 where an extensive and dense forest lay in the way. 
 In this Colonel I)e Salaberry, with a thousand men, 
 had intrenched himself behind a log breast- work and 
 block-house, protected bv a sti-ouif abatis and covered 
 with a i)icket line of Indians and a light corps of 
 
1 50 
 
 EASTERX CAMPAIGNS OF 1S13. 
 
 Canada militia. On tlic 2.")t]i Traiiii)t()ii tlioiiu'lit to 
 iiTasp Lis coveted laurels; hut 
 
 " The best Iiiul sclioiiies o' mice and men 
 Gang afl ii-gioy ; 
 And leave us naught l)ut grief and pain 
 For promised joy." 
 
 llauiptou (lis])atelied Colonel Purdy and the liulit 
 troops of Boyd's l)rii:;ade to force the ford ei<i:ht miles 
 below, turn the enemy's left, and gain the British 
 rear by dawn of the 2()th, while (leneral Fzard with 
 the main body was to assail the front as soon as 
 Purdy's tire sliould open. But the ignorant guides 
 h)st their way in the thick hendock swam]) during 
 the darkness, so that it was not till t^\() in the after- 
 noon that the crack of Purdy's ritles was hear<l and 
 then in a wrong direction, he ha\ing fallen into an 
 ambuscade, whereupon his dist-oncerted detachment 
 ^i'd on the tirst tire; the enemy, (Mpially discreet and 
 coui'ageous, doing the same, fn the meantime, I/ardV 
 column drove in two [)ickets and '^vas soon engaged 
 with I)e Salabei-ry, the British commandei-, who ])er- 
 cci\ing that he was gi-eatly outnumhei'ed, resorted to 
 a ruse worthy of the days of Jericho. I*osting 
 huglei's along his thin but covei'cd line, these windy 
 warriors, when some concealed militia opened tire 
 U])on IlamittoiTs tlank, blew loud and rej)eated 
 signals for the charge, which so alarmed the (ireneral 
 and so thorouii'hlv convinced him of the thousands 
 of rogues in l)uckrain before hiiu, that, aftei- a long 
 liour's fight by Shi'ewsbury clock, an immediate I'e- 
 tre.at was ordered and promjitly ol)eyed. Thus ended 
 the valiant advance of this coiKpiering army, to ])re- 
 
 and 
 1 ():5( 
 S\\ i 
 
 inoii 
 
 our 
 
 tc rS 
 
 " Cu 
 
 ot'th 
 
 was 
 
 li«'r s( 
 
 was 1 
 
 COlllj) 
 
BTJIO.-OEXKRAL JOSEPH O. SWIIT. 
 
 151 
 
 serve ^vlli(•ll a solcinii coiiiu'il of wur deemed it 
 pi'()[)er to seek a |)lace of safety, and soon after go 
 into winter ([Uartei-s. 
 
 Before giving i lie nio\enients of Wilkinson's army 
 fi'om Sackett's Harbor, we must introduce liis (Hiief 
 I'vUii'lneer in this eaini)aii»:n. 
 
 JosKi'M (tahdnkh Swiit was the First (xraduate 
 of the Military Academy, at West Point, N. Y., and 
 succeeded Colonel Jonathan Williams, July 31, 181:2, 
 as (/liief Engineei- of the V. S. Army. 
 
 Ilis ancestors on his father's side were English 
 husbandmen, wlio migrated to Sijuantum, in ^Lassa- 
 chusetts Bay, soon after the tirst Colony landed at 
 Plymouth ; and on his mother's side were Huguenots 
 fi'om Leyden, in Holland, who also landed in Boston 
 Bay. Among their descendants weiv a ( 'hief Justice 
 of Connecticut, a Senator fnmi Vermont, a Governor of 
 New York, and several Kevolutionarv ofHcers of note. 
 
 He was dii'ectly descended from Thomas Swift 
 and Ho|)estill Foster, who were tlie tirst settlers, in 
 1().'50, of Dorcliester, Mass. His grandfatlier, Samuel 
 Swift, a graduate of (\-iinbri(lge, in 173,"), was a law- 
 yei' of Boston (nuMitioned in the elder Adams' me- 
 moirs), who fell in ITTT), one of the tirst martyrs in 
 our sti'uggle for inde[)endence. His father. Dr. F\)s- 
 ter Swift, in 178'2, was a [)risoner on board the frigate 
 " CuUoden," of Ilodnev's fleet, and died a Suro-eon 
 <>f the U. S. Army, .Vugust In, ls;U"). His niotlier 
 was Deborah Delano, of Nantucket, ]\[ass., wliere 
 liei- son was born on the last day of the year 1783, and 
 was named after Dr. Jose])h (Tardner, of Boston, in 
 compliment to his father's old school-teacher. 
 
 r' f 
 
H 
 
 ». ii 
 
 ir)2 
 
 EASTERIsr CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 Young Swift grew uj) aiiioiiii' the pi-iiiiitive j)eo- 
 ple of his native isle, noted for their coiifidiiiu; iiiti- 
 mncy, simple hospitality, and those domestic virtues 
 wliich cluiracterized his after life. At the age of 
 six he saw the "Hero" — Washington — on Boston 
 CVmimon, which made an indelible impression upon 
 the ])recocious hoy, and, [)()ssil)ly, planted the genu 
 from wliich grew the after soldier. 
 
 In 1792 his father removed to Taunton, Mass., 
 which became the future home of the family. Here 
 young 8wift, under the tutelage of the Rev. Sanuiel 
 Daggett, acquired an academical education fitting 
 him to enter Harvard College. 
 
 From his father^s diary he liad read, and from 
 an iii':imate friend of the family — -Genei'al David 
 Cobb, Aid-de-Camp to Washington — he had heard 
 vivid descriptions of scenes of the AVar of Indej>en- 
 dence, and of Shay's Insurrection, which strongly 
 excited him. These were intensified by the stirring 
 events of the French Revolution then transj)iring, 
 and though a boy but ten years old, he, having a 
 remarkable musical talent, used to sing translated 
 French songs at the civic feasts, given in 179^^, on 
 Taunton Green, in honor of French li])erty. His 
 military enthusiam was i-ekiiidle<l in 17'.>t>, when the 
 Fourteenth Regiment of Knifed States Infantry en- 
 camped on the banks of the Taunton River. 
 
 Hy the advice and with the assistance of Genei'al 
 Cobb, then a member of Congress, young Swift was 
 appointed by President John Adams, May 12, 1800, 
 a Cadet of Artillerists and Engineers. On the 12th 
 of June following he reported for duty, in NeAvpoi't 
 
 P 
 
 inte 
 of th 
 ))een 
 I 
 then 
 little 
 the 
 
BKn4.-aENEKAL JOSKl'H (i. SWIFT. 
 
 153 
 
 llni'bor, R. I., to the veteniii Lieiiteiiniit-Coloiicl 
 Lewis Tons.'ii'd, wlio liad l)eeii a Captain in the Con- 
 tinental Ai'niv, and in 177<S had h)st an arm in tlie 
 eniC'iij^einent of Quaker Hill. It was Toiisard who 
 built the " Duniplin Tower/' on Connanieut Island, 
 and sliared in the construction of old Fort Adams 
 at Hrenton's Point. Cadet Swift was attached to 
 Captain Stothlard's company, at Fort Walcott, on 
 (xoat Island, a work rebuilt in ITUo by Colonel 
 Rochefontaiue. Transferred from the quiet of Taun- 
 ton to the charms of active life, he was ensj^ai^ed liei-e 
 until October 7, 1801, upon the various fortitlcations 
 about New])ort, and while at this, even then fash, 
 icmable watering- ])lace, he formed the ac<juaintance 
 of many distiuLCuished men : the (libbs, Champlins, 
 Perrys, Auchmutys, Alstons, Hunters, Malbones, 
 etc. Heiuii; an ardent Federalist, he, at this time, 
 also took an active j)art in the discussions of the 
 day, ])articularly the (piestion <»f peace oi- war 2:row- 
 inii' out of our foreig'u relations. Thouu'h war with 
 (xi-eat r^ritain for a time had l)een averted by Jay's 
 treaty of 1 7*.*4, hostilities with France actually ex- 
 isted, C^)nnnodore Truxton havintr ca))tured the 
 friii'ate Insur^-ente, and crii)pled the Vengeance. 
 The fierceness and acrimony of party, by the more 
 intelligent class as well as the masses, since the days 
 of the Whigs and Tories of the Revolution, had not 
 been sur])assed. 
 
 During the Summer of bSOl, (leneral Deai'born, 
 then Secretary of War, had given notice to our 
 little army that President Jetfei-son had ordered 
 the establishment of a Military School at West 
 
 
154 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIONS OF 1813. 
 
 Point, for the education of cadets, under the law of 
 1794, and subse(|uent acts of Tongress which author- 
 ized the appDintment of [)i'()fessors of the arts and 
 sciences, and tlu' purchase of api)aratus and insti'u- 
 ments necessary for tlie instruction of the artillei'ists 
 and engineers. To this school, Swift, as directed by 
 the Secretary of Wai*, repaired, and i*e})orted Octobei- 
 14, 1801, having visited, on his way, the battle-^eld of 
 Long Island, and ascended the Hudson, whose banks 
 had scarcu ceased to echo the stirring events of our 
 Revolutionary history. What a contrast to the varied 
 scenes since enacted on the Plain of West Point was 
 thisstri])ling boy, standing alone, tlie solitary ])ioiieer 
 of thousands whose fame has filled the pages of 
 their Country's history ! The same gorgeous land- 
 scajje then as now, was lit n\) by a calm (Jctobei- 
 sunset, and the hills around were as eloipient with 
 legend and story of the })ast; but how little could 
 he foresee the future glories of the present renowned 
 institution of which he was the tirst oleve ! 
 
 George Baron, who was in charge of this school, 
 was a North of England man, who had been a fellow 
 teachei' with Charles Tlutton in the British Military 
 Academy, at AVoolwich. lie was i-ude in manner, 
 but was an able instructor, and had l)een a[)])ointed 
 June 6, 1801, under the law of 171)8, to ])e Profes- 
 sor of Mathematics. By him Cadet Swift ^vas 
 insti'ucted in the tirst pi'oblems of Iluttcjii's Mathe- 
 matics, ex[)lained at the blackboard, which a])[)ears 
 to have been thus early in use at West Point. The 
 study hours were fi-om eiii-ht to twelve in the morn- 
 ing, the afternoon being " variously occupied in some 
 
 Pol 
 
 ing 
 ren 
 off( 
 
 trim 
 
 selli 
 
 shoo 
 
 gra\- 
 
 ord( 
 
 one 
 
 e.vch 
 
 iiitei'i 
 
 \vJion 
 
 |i 
 
BRIO.-GENEKAL ,f()«El*lI (i. SWIIT. 
 
 155 
 
 brief iiiilitaiy exercises, l)ut umcli iiioiv in Ht'ld 
 
 Major Joiiatliaii Williams, lusjtectoi' of Fortifi- 
 cations, took command, Dccemhci' IT), ISOl, of this 
 first military school at West Point. Swift made 
 good |M'of»;ress in liis studies under the new superin- 
 tendent, who was very kind to him, loaned him 
 books, and received liim often at his table, t]ierel>y 
 estal)lis]iing those cordial relations which formed 
 "one of tlie briy'litest i'emend)rances of liis life." 
 
 In the new Military Academy, established )>y 
 tlie law of ^birch K), l!S02, Swift made excellent 
 progress; was transferred July '28, 1802, to be a 
 Cadet of Knuineern ; and was considered by Colonel 
 Williams "the foremost Cadet on the score of genius 
 and (piickncss of a] (prehension." After examina- 
 tion he became, October 12, 1802, tlie first grad- 
 uate of the present celebrated Military Academy. 
 
 Till xVpril .'i<>, 1804, he continueir at West 
 Point, exce})t while on leaye of absence and attend- 
 ing Courts Martial, in those days of fretpient occui- 
 rence and often for the trial of the most trivial 
 offences — a Colonel refusing to cut off his cue and 
 trim his whiskers to a prescribed line, a INbijor for 
 selling milk to his conunand, and a Lieutemtnt for 
 shooting his Captain's ducks. For the trial of such 
 grave delin(iuencies, officers of high rank were often 
 ordered from the remotest parts of the Union. To 
 one of Swift's social nature it was delightful to 
 exchange the dull routine of gari'ison life for the 
 intercourse of gentlemen of position and culture 
 whom he often met when attending these courts. 
 
 I 
 
156 
 
 KASTKUN CAMI'AKiXS OK 181.1. 
 
 He especially enjoyed the society of j)ul>lic men, 
 witli wlioiii he co'.ild disfiiss national affairs, he 
 heiiii^ an ardent Federalist of the \\'ashin«rton school. 
 Diniiiij: one (hiv with the l^resident. Swift, then 
 only just of age, did not hesitate freely to argue 
 U|>oii the policy of the country with Mr. Jeft'erson, 
 who was reinarkal)h' f<n* his urbaiiitv to voiini; men. 
 Swift's diary is full of reminiscences of his intei- 
 coiirse with such men as Alexander Hamilton, Aaron 
 Burr, General Dearhoi'ii, , Luther Martin, (Jeneral 
 Katon (hero of Derne), Viscount Holingbroke, Clem- 
 ent Hiddle (Q. ]\I. (xeneral of Wasliington's Army), 
 Mr. ^[adison, (Tcneral St. Chiir, Judge Marshall, 
 (xovernor Smith, of North Carolina, and other shin- 
 ing lights of the day. 
 
 Swift, June 17, 1S()4, took charge, as Superin- 
 tending Kngineer, of the construction of the defenses 
 of the mouth of the Cape Fear Kiver in North Car- 
 <>lina; and in Januaiy ISOa, by order of the (Tciieral- 
 in-Chief, relieved Lieutenant Furgus of the command 
 of Fort Johnson, X. (\ The right of engineer officers 
 t(^ command troops by this order was admitted, 
 though, June 20, bS()8, Colonel AVilliams had been 
 driven out of service because the Secretary of War 
 had denied to him the .same claim. During this 
 winter of 1805, he performed the double duties of 
 Engineer and Post Commandei- ; was June 11, ISO."), 
 [H'omoted to a First Lieutenancy; and Oct. 30, 180(3, 
 became a Captain of Engineers. 
 
 Continuing on duty in North C/arolina till 
 March 20, 1807, he had formed the acrpiaintance of 
 many intelligent southern gentlemen and studied 
 
 hv 
 nil 
 
 ]u 
 
 eha 
 
 em 
 
 Nf 
 
 Li( 
 
 En. 
 
 I>v 
 
 eno-i 
 
 and 
 But 
 
 
Biii({.-(JKNi:uAi. JosEFMi (i. swirr. 
 
 i.r 
 
 11 
 
 soiitlu'i'ii institutions, [);irtic'ul.'irlysljivei'y, upon uliicli 
 lu^ held (leci<l(Mlly advanced opinions. 
 
 Swift, relieved from duty in North Carolina, 
 arrived at West Point, Apiil, <>, 1H(>7, and on the 14th, 
 when Major William Amhei'st Haii'on, the senior 
 enu'ineer oHieei* ju'esent, was arrested, took command 
 of the Militarv Academy in the absence of Colonel 
 Williams, (hen on a tour of ins]>ection. Here he re- 
 mained till Nov. 2?{, 1(S07, when the Academy was 
 closed foi- the winter vacation, and he was relieved 
 from duty at West Point. 
 
 At this time the arrou'ant maritime pretensions 
 of Enii'land ovei" our neutral commerce, as set forth 
 in her Oi'ders in Council, and the no less insuiferalde 
 mandates of Napoleon in his Berlin and Milan De- 
 crees, roused the United States to a true sense of the 
 imtion's dignity. Thouii|;h unj)re[)are(l for war with 
 either of these <;Teat powers, Con«^ress resolved, 
 in 1808, to [)lace the country iu an attitude of defense 
 by increasinii; the Army and makiufj large appropri- 
 ations for fortifications and ordnance. 
 
 Swift, promoted to be a Major of Eniyineers, 
 Feb. 2.'i, 1.S08, was assio-ned, March 14th, to the 
 charufe of the defenses of the " Eastern I)e])artment," 
 end)raciniii; the coasts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, 
 New llam]>shii'e and Maine, having for his assistants 
 Lieutenants Totten, Thayer and Willard of the 
 F]ngineei-s. The existini*: works in this district, built 
 by Rochefontaine, Rivardi and Tousard, French 
 engineers who had been in our service, were small 
 and totally inade(piate for the defense of our harbors. 
 But deficient as were these "nai'i-ow redoubts,'' the 
 
Mr; 
 
 158 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 War Department, not to he outdone in ignorance of 
 the engineering art, undertook, at Wasliingtoii, with- 
 out surveys, to ])hui fortifications for all selected 
 sites. Notwithstanding Swift's engineering ability 
 was thus ignored by the War r)e])artnient, he ini- 
 niediately commenced making examinations and 
 surveys of the various harbors. lie I'econunended 
 the occupation by defensive works of (Teorge's Island 
 and Long Ishuid Head to command the main enti'ance 
 into Boston Harbor, and selected Naugus Head at 
 Salem, Black I^>int on the Merrimac, Kittery at 
 Portsmouth, and S])ring Point and House Islam! at 
 Portland, as eligible sites for new works. The wisdom 
 of these selections has since been am])ly confirnie<l 
 by numerous Boards of Engineers, which have, 
 from time to time, j)rojected im])ortant forts and 
 batteries for most of these localities. But the War 
 Dei)artment assmning ;i monopoly of engineering 
 skill, sent to Major S^vift, May 10, 180S, a score of 
 "plans of a s])ecies of Star Fort, too small for any 
 Hank defense and too complicate for a mere battery, 
 and unsuited to the positions for which they had l)een 
 devised." The only resort left Swift "was to turn 
 these plans on their ceiiti'es until they might suit the 
 sites as best they might, in Bostcui, Portland and 
 otlier hai'bors.'" 
 
 The "Washington Stars" were supposed to be 
 emanations of the brain of Colonel Heni'y Burbeck, 
 an honest old veteran and good artillery officer, but 
 whose whole knowledge of engineering was ]>ro])ably 
 derived from some treatise on fortificatio!i of the 
 Middle Ages. I)es])ite all I'enionstrance upon their 
 
 (rei 
 
 at 
 
 toS 
 
 at 
 
 llv 
 
 at 
 
 Jero 
 
 less 
 
 stall I 
 
 intei 
 
 cies 
 
BKIG.-GENKKAL JOSEPH (i. SWIFT. 
 
 159 
 
 absunlity, they were ordered to I)e built. Some of 
 them remain to tliis (hiy aj^ monuments of past io-no- 
 riuice and the folly of the old reii'ime of the War De- 
 partment, which distrusted the ability ourof young 
 officers of engineers educated at the AEilitary Acad- 
 emy; and believed more in its own learning in the 
 art of war, which must have come like Dou:bei'r\'s 
 knowledge of reading and writing. 
 
 Though the engineering duties imj)osed U})on 
 8\vift, now but twenty-five years old, were onerous, 
 he found time to pre[)are the projectiles, implements 
 and gun carriages for the works under his charge. 
 
 At Boston, Swift became intimate with Doctor 
 William Eustis who was ai)])ointed by President 
 Madison to l)e Secretary of War, March 7, ISO!). 
 The unfledged Cabinet Minister invited the young 
 Major of Engineers to accom[)any him to Washing- 
 ton and induct him into the mystei'ies of his new 
 vocation. Touvther thev set out, March ^oth, and 
 arrived at the Capital, A})ril 7, 18(>l>. In the course 
 of this journev Swift met manv distinii'uished men : 
 (reneral Cobb, foi-merly Aid-de-Cam]» to Washington, 
 at Trenton ; Colonel David Humphreys, ex-Minister 
 to Spain, at New Lon(h)n ; lion. I*ierre])ont Edwards, 
 at New Haven ; Coh)nel Marin us Willet, of tlie 
 Revolution, at New V(»rk ; Colonel William Duan**, 
 at Piiiladel))hia ; (xeneral Samuel Smith and Mrs. 
 Jerome Honai)arte, at Haltimore, and many others of 
 less note at vai'ious j)oints. \\'ith pei'sons of this 
 stani]) he was upon a familiar footing, and by such 
 intercourse became ac<piainted with the [)ast deficien- 
 cies and futui'e wants of the countrv. On the dav 
 
16U 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1813. 
 
 !' 
 
 the Secretary took cliaro^e of tlie War T)e[)artiiieiit, 
 lie, Sw^ift, and niaiiy other [)ersoiian'es diiieil with 
 Pi'esideiit Madison, whom lie found "a very instriie- 
 tive person in conversation and foiul of story-telling, 
 l»articiilarly reminiscences of the progress of the 
 (Tovernnient after the peace of 178;}, and es[)ecially 
 of scenes in the Convention to form the Constitu- 
 tion of 1 787." xVfter Swift's return to the east, 
 though much occupied with his duties, he found 
 time to cultivate the ac(|uaintance of prominent 
 men, which had a large iiiHuence in giving him that 
 hreadth of thought and those liberal views which 
 made him a leading man in after years. 
 
 Swift, during his residence in Xorth C^u'olina in 
 1804-7, had so endeared himself to the Southern 
 ]>eo]^le, and commanded such an intluence in the 
 State, that he was again ordered to his old station 
 at the iiKMith of the Ca])e Fear Kiver, for which he 
 embarked fi'om Boston on the last of Octobei', 18()i». 
 
 The ap])roi)riations for foi'tifications in 1810 
 being small. Swift's o]>erations were confined to 
 re])airs of defenses and building of barracks. Con- 
 gress then, as now, thought more of making pai'ty 
 ca]iital than ])roviding for the coimnon defense of 
 the nation, seriously threatened with war by both 
 England and France. 
 
 On the 2(»th of July, bslJ, Swift was detailed 
 as a member of the Court Martial for the trial of 
 (Teneral Wilkinson, (iieneral-in-Chief of the Army, 
 which convened at Fivderick, i\bl., Sept. 1, l.sll. 
 (teneral Wilkinson, says Swift, "came into court 
 with his counsel, Roger B. Paney (subsetpiently 
 
 no 
 la 
 
 S(» 
 
 aci 
 
 di>j 
 
 tha 
 
 <.f 
 
 tlie 
 
 Cn 
 
 seir 
 opii 
 
HKIG.-GENERAL JOSEl'Jl G. SWIFI. 
 
 161 
 
 Chief-Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court), and w itli 
 ek)(|ueut address said to (ieiieral Gansevooi-t — ' Mr, 
 President, this sword/ unclasping it from his side, 
 ' has been tlie untaiiiished companion of my thigh 
 for fort\' years, witli a resohition never to surrendei' 
 it dislionoral)lv to an eneniv. I am now by the 
 order of tlie iioyernment of my country ordered to 
 place it in your hands,' and stepping forward, handed 
 the sword to (reneral Ganseyoort, who, with much 
 simplicity and dignity, and uncommon brevity, re- 
 ])lied : ' General, I receive your sword — these ofticers 
 are jissembled to try you, and will doubtless do you 
 justice. xVre you ready. General T 'I am/ said 
 Wilkinson. 'Mr. Advocate (General AValter Jones 
 of \'irginia), ])lease to ju'oceed with the trial.'" 
 
 The Court, after a session of four months, ad- 
 journed Dec. '2-1, ISII, having accpiitte*! General 
 Wilkinson of all the charges against him. On tlie 
 •i()th of Dec, says Swift, '' I j)aid my respects to tlie 
 Stvretary of War at Washington, and found myself 
 not as graciously received as was the w<»nt of that 
 gentleman who had favored me with his intimacy. 
 I also found in this place of large gossip, esj)ecially 
 so in the time of the session of Congress, that the 
 accjuittal of (leneral W ilkinson was receive<l with 
 disappointment by the Kxecutive, and it was rumore<l 
 that some charges had been made by an underling 
 of the War Department (Mr. Simmons) adverse to 
 the impartiality of some of the elder othcers on the 
 Court: but that President Madison would n()t con- 
 sent to any such mode of iminigning the rights of 
 opinion, and that the charges were sup])ivsse<l." 
 
 ^ 
 
sr 
 
 162 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAIGNS OF 1613. 
 
 The imniiiieiice of ^v^^l• at last roused the lethar- 
 ij:;ic Seeretarv of Wai-, ^vho directed Swift in March, 
 1812, to iiial:e a careful ins])ectiou of tlie condition 
 of our seacoast defenses in (xeoru^ia, South and 
 North Carolina, Viricinia and Maryland. Having 
 completed this duty and nuide his re[)oi't in j)erson 
 at Washing'ton, the President, a|)})reciating his ability 
 and energy, offered him, May 28, 1812, the com- 
 mand of a regiment, but Swift, jn-ef erring to do 
 duty in his own Cor[)s, was ordered to return and 
 report to Major-General Thomas Pinckney as Chief 
 Engineer of the '' Southei'ii Department," which 
 y)osition, as well as that of Aid-de-Camp, he held 
 till Sept. 28, 1812— in the meantime, July 6, 1812, 
 having been promoted to be Lieutenant-Colonel of 
 Engineers. 
 
 Inunediatelv upon beinu: officially notified of the 
 resignation of Colonel Williams as Cliief Engineer, 
 Swift, as next in i'aid<, assumed command of his 
 Corps, ])ut he did not reach Washington till Oct. 21, 
 1812. Tlis nominati(Mi was now before the Senate 
 to fill the vacant Chief Engineership, but, nuich to 
 his surprise, he learned " that Secretary Eustis was 
 ju'ivy to a plan to supercede him in that office, by 
 appointing, under the ])rovisions of the law to pro- 
 mote Vi'diout regai'd to raid-:; and that Kobei't Ful- 
 ton, tlie distinguished Civil Engineei', was the 
 candidate that he j)referred. This saciifice of the 
 continued intimacy ])etween Eustis and myself may 
 have ])een just in estimatinic the relative ability of 
 Mr. Fulton and myself, but it met no suj)port from 
 the President." Swift was unanimously contirmed 
 
ii 
 
 BRIG.-GKNEKAL JOSEPH G. SWIFT. 
 
 163 
 
 Dec. 4, 1812, with strong expressions of connnenda- 
 tion MS Colonel and Chief Enirineer, to rank as snch 
 from July 31, 1812, the date of the acceptance of 
 tlie resignation of Colonel Williams. 
 
 Pending his confirmation. Swift was ordered 
 back to su[)erintend the defenses of North Carolina; 
 hut before leaA'ing AVashington he sent orders to 
 Cai)tain Partridge, the senior engineer officer at 
 West Point, to open the Military Academy (then 
 |)ractically defunct) in the coming spring. 
 
 Swift, when becoming Chief Engineer of the 
 Army, and e.v-ojficio Superintendent of the United 
 States Military Academy, was but thirty years of 
 age. Young as he was lie liad much preparation for 
 his responsible j)osition, for in Revolutionary times 
 men have to think fast and act promptly, compressing 
 years into days. lie was born just at tlie close of 
 the War of Independence; his childhood had passed 
 amid the excitements incident to tlie f(»rmation of 
 the u'overnmeut and its institutions : his l)ovish imaif- 
 ination was inflamed by the stirring events of the 
 French Revolution ; and his early manhood had l)een 
 occupied with active duties, in a large intercourse 
 with public men much his seniors, and in pre]iaring 
 for our second strugijfle with one of the giants of the 
 earth. How he acipiitted himself of tlie important 
 trust now c(^nfided to him the secpiel will show. 
 
 After placing the woi'ks on the Cape Fear Rivei- 
 in good order and organizing a [)lan of defense, by 
 militia and gunboats, for the entire Coast of Nortli 
 Carolina, Swift returned to Washington, March 2, 
 1813, to take upon himself the duties of his new 
 
 
164 
 
 EASTERN CAMPAKiNH OF 1813. 
 
 office. With (xeneral Anustroiii;', now Secretai*}' of 
 War, lie consulted on military matters generally, ami 
 particularly upon the application of the large ap[)ro- 
 priations for fortifications. These arranged, he ])ro- 
 ceeded to New York harl)oi', where, on the Oth of 
 April, he re]>orted himself for duty to (xeneral 
 George Izard, the commandant of the I)e})artment, 
 from whom he received, as s[)ecially ordered ])y the 
 President, the command of Stateii Island, including 
 a brigade of infantry (82d and 41st regiments), in 
 addition to his duties as Chief Engineer and kSu[)er- 
 inteiident of the United States Military Academy. 
 
 In the latter capacity he made fi'e([uent \isits to 
 West Point ; arranged plans for new l)uildings (Mess 
 Hall, Academy, and South I^arracks), tracing their 
 fouiidati(ms on the ground in June ; obtained author- 
 ity to em[)loy an acting Chaplain to be Professor of 
 Ethics, History and Geography; remodeled the func- 
 tions of the Academic Staff ; and assumed the 
 Inspectorship of the institution, to bar the assuni])- 
 tion of authority claimed by ( -aptain Partridge as 
 local commander. 
 
 Having com])leted the re})airs of the New York 
 forts, and l)iiilt a svsteni of block-houses alonii: the 
 shores of the harbor to prevent a sur[)rise from the 
 Bi'itish Heet, then anchored off Sandy Hook, Swift 
 refpiested oi'ders for the field. 
 
 On the 9th of August he was assigned as Chief 
 Engineer of the Northern Army undei- Genei'al 
 Wilkinson, and on the .'Ust reported to that officei' 
 at Sackett's Harlioi'. Here lie found everything in 
 a most disgi'aceful and deplorable condition ; no 
 
BKI<i.-(;Kj\ERAL JOSEIMI G. SWIFT. 
 
 Ifto 
 
 [)laii of cainitaiiuni studied or detiiiitely fixed; the 
 enemy's positions unknown, and tlie St. Lawrence 
 nnexi)lored ; su[)[)lies deficient tlirouii;]! neglect or 
 incompetency of the War Department; expense of 
 trans])oitation enoi-mous, tliat of a single fieUl-piece 
 costing over a thousand dollars*; our troo])S mostly 
 recruits, and sic-k froiii eating contract provisions; 
 the army si)lit into factions, with no one to liarmon- 
 ize discord; and authority a triple-headed Cerberus 
 — Armstrong, Wilkinson and Hampton — barking 
 and biting at each othei' with a venom disre])utable 
 to tlieir [)rofession and destructive of all success to 
 our arms. 
 
 After holding various councils of war, whicli 
 consumed j)recious moments of the fast Avanii-.g sea- 
 son for active operations, it was finally I'esolved to 
 i-endezvous jdl the troops in the vicinity of Sackett's 
 Harbor; in co-operation with Chauncey's s(|uadron 
 make a bold feint on Kingston ; then rapidly slij) 
 down the St. Lawrence; and in conceit with Ilani])- 
 ton's division, moving north from Lake Cham])lain, 
 capture Montreal. Swift thought that in two days, 
 with a thousand men, Kingston could be sui'prised 
 and the public stores burned, hut was o))pose(l to 
 its attack should it delay the army's descent of tlie 
 river. Up to the lilth he lieard no more of an assault 
 on Kingston, and as he had completed his reconnois- 
 sauce of the head of the St. Lawrence, he proceeded 
 
 • The sum exptMuled in Ijuildinj:; vessels for Lake Ontario was |1.8f)!t,077 ; 
 that expenih'il on Lake Erie $10().(iO:i; and that spent on Lake Champhiin 
 |2!)(i,a2l): ainiosl | :. 500,000 for mere siiip-buildinf?. The expenditures for 
 Mie coiK|uest of the lower lakes would have paid for the transportation of 
 a large army from New England to Halifax. 
 
 

 16fi 
 
 EASTERN OAMPAirrNS OF 1813. 
 
 to examine tlie vicinity of Prescott and to ])repare a 
 plan of attaL'k on that post, wliicli was completed 
 
 bv the ;nst. 
 
 After criminal delays and various misliaps, Wil- 
 kinson, with all the pomp and circumstance of glo- 
 rious war, embarked, November ()tli, from French 
 Creek for tlie descent of tlie St. Lawrence, the 
 flotilla of the foe ra[)idly pursuinsi;. The next day 
 our armv landed to march throui^-h Ou'densburu', 
 while Swift at uii^-ht conducted Wilkinson's boat 
 and the bau'ij-aue past Prescott, under a lieavv but 
 ineffectual fire of the batteries. Though this ])eril 
 was ended, new danger thickened. Before them 
 were fearful rapids, the enemy's gunboats hung upon 
 their rear, and British troops harassed them on 
 every side and at every turn. So pressed was Wil- 
 kinson that, on the morning of the 11th, he sent 
 Swift, who was his Aid-de-Cam[> as well as Chief 
 Engineer, with an order t(^ (xeneral Boyd to land, 
 drive back the enemy, and ca[)ture his artillery. 
 The bold Boyd, who had had a peculiar military 
 career in India and had been distinguished for gal- 
 lantry in the Battle of Ti[)pecanoe, prom])tly obeyed. 
 The British troo])s were well ]X)sted on Chrysler's 
 Field, being drawn up in «''chelon order [»erpendicu- 
 lai* to the St, Lawi'ence, the line resting its right on 
 the river, the left u[)on a dense black-ash swamjt, 
 and covered by skii'inishers and several rugged 
 ravines, while seven or eight gunboats swept with 
 their tires the whole plain in front. It w.as obvious 
 that our main attack must be made upon the enemy's 
 left flank. Accordingly, General Swartwout was 
 
m 
 
 RT^in.-OEXERAL JOSEPTT O. SWIFT. 
 
 lr>7 
 
 detached, with the fourth hriL-ade, to dislodc^e the 
 eneniv's liLflit troops in tlie ()])eii field; while Gen- 
 eral Covinu'ton, with the thir<l l)ri.ii:ade, was ordered 
 t<» ])e witliiii sii]»j)ortini2: distance. Swartwout, dasli- 
 ini:: ,<i;allantly tlirouuch a second-.^-rowth wood, was 
 followed by Colonel Kii>leyV 21st Infantry, which 
 soon drove tlie British liu'ht troo])s back uj)on their 
 main line. Here the victorious leader was joined, 
 
 on his left, by General Covington, when the com- 
 bined forces beat l}ack the enemy more tlum a mile. 
 Durinii; tliis time the detachment of the first brigade, 
 under Colonel Coles, delayed by dee[) mud of plowed 
 ground and greater distance frcnn the scene of 
 strife, rapidly came into action against the enemy's 
 left ajnid show«'rs of sehi-apnel-shells and bullets. 
 The H<>-ht now became more stationary until the 
 
 I 
 
TlV 
 
 168 
 
 EASTKTIIV CAMI'AION'S OF 1813. 
 
 hi'iirade fii'Ht eiiij^UL^ied, liuviui; «'\li;uiste(l its jiiiiimi- 
 iiitioii, was directed to fall back to a more def<'iisil)lc 
 |)ositi<ni to wait for a re-supply. Tliis retroij^radc 
 iiioveineiit so disconnected tlie line, tliut tlie first 
 l»rii2:ade also retired. Unfortunately the artillery, 
 from the broken character of the ground nnd conse- 
 ([uent circuitous route it had to take, did not reach 
 the scene of action till the infantry had fullen back; 
 but now, placed in good position In' (V)lonel Swift, 
 the fire of our guns was steady and destructive. 
 
 The enemy, (piickly discovering our disorder and 
 slackened fire, ])ushed vigorously forward and en- 
 deavored by a fiank movement to ca])ture our cannon, 
 when Adjutaiit-dreiieral Walbach, n (xerman veteran 
 in our army who liad seen riuch foreign sci'vice, 
 gave the order "to charge mit de Di'agoons" and 
 thus saved the |)ieces. The effort was renewed, and 
 when, finallv, the batterv was ordered to retire, hav- 
 ing to ])ass a deep ravine, one ])iece was unfortu- 
 nately lost. Its gallant commander. Lieutenant Wil- 
 liam W. Smith, one of the early graduates of the 
 Military Academy, was serving it with his own 
 hai;ds, most of his gunners being killed, when he 
 too was mortally wounded and taken prisoner. 
 
 The whole of our line was now re-formed on tlie 
 margin of the woods, when, night and storm coming 
 on, Boyd retired, in good order and without moles- 
 tation from the enemy, to the vicinity of our flotilla. 
 In this spirited action (xeneral C(n'ington was mortally 
 wounded, and one-fifth of our force put liors de romhai^ 
 and, though our troo])s were safely re-embarked, oui' 
 dead were left on the field in possession of the British. 
 
IJUKJ.-OENERAL -lOSKlMl (J. SWIIT. 
 
 169 
 
 In li'iH (les^patcli to the War Department Wilkin- 
 son says: " Colonel Swift took the boldest and most 
 active part in the action of the 11th, of any indi- 
 vidual enjj^aged, except Adjutant-Cienei'al Walbach." 
 The next day a letter was received from IIam])toii, 
 declininii; a junction of his army at St. Regis, which 
 ended the St. Lawrence campaign — Wilkinson on the 
 14th, going into winter (piarters at French Mills, on 
 the Salmon River, he having spent more days than 
 it now takes liours in the descent of the rivei*. 
 
 The genius of mismanagement seemed to lead 
 our armies in every attempt to concpUM* (\anada, for 
 Wilkinson's campaign was, in execution, as abortive 
 and discreditable as Hull's, and in design only paral- 
 leled by Andierst's absurd flank movement, in 1760, 
 of four hundred miles to reach Montreal by way of 
 Oswego and the St. Lawrence, wdien from the foot of 
 Lake Champlain he was within an eighth of the dis- 
 tance, and on the true strategic line to reach liis 
 objective point. 
 
 Leaving Brevet Major Totten as Chief Engineer 
 of the Northern Army, Swift, on the ITtli of Nov., 
 departed from Salmon River witli confidential des- 
 patches from the General-in-Chief to Hampton and 
 the War De[)artnient. After conferring with the 
 former, he wrote to Wilkinson the exact condition of 
 things, and gave him some admirable advice upon 
 the manner of conducting a winter or spring cam- 
 paign against Montreal, suggesting that the Sorel 
 was the true strategic line of o])eration, as followed, 
 in 1775, by Montgomery. On his way to Washing- 
 ton he met at Albany the Secretary of War, and 
 
17(» 
 
 KASTKKN' CAMI'AKi.NS (»!■ IMi;!. 
 
 aocoiiij»;nu('(l liim to the (•a|)it,'il, wliciv lie fivcly u^jivc 
 his views oii the coiKliict of tlic \\;ii* hoth (o the 
 Secretary and tlie Picsiih'iit, whidi prohaMy irri- 
 tated tile toniier mihI lost to Swift the just reward 
 for his ijallaiitrv at C'lii'vsler''s Field. Instend of 
 Noveiid)ei- 11, lSl;5, the (hite of the hattle, he was 
 not, till Fel). 1*.», 1 <Sl 4, bre vetted a Hriuadier-Cieiieral, 
 and then only for "meritorious services." Arm- 
 stron^-'s dislike to \\'ilkinsou, the frien<l of Swift, 
 may also have Iiad its inllucnce, to say notliini^ of 
 his unwilliniji;ness to become i'esj)onsil)le in any way 
 for the shortcoiuinii's of the St. Lawrence campaign. 
 
 This Canipaii;-n of isl.S, as befoi'e stated, was in 
 principle the same as that which had so sio-nally 
 failed in 1812. The chief defects we will now point 
 out, but will not considei' many minor faults. 
 
 Points of Aitack. — The Invasion of Canada was 
 nndertaken at three points, on a thousand miles of 
 frontier extending from Lake ^Michigan to Lake 
 Champlain, by columns too distant for any mutual 
 suj)[)ort. That of the L(d't, aftei' long and costly 
 ti'ial, did recover ^Michigan Territoiy, but ^vhh useless 
 as an attack on (Canada in which it made no ])erma- 
 nent lodgement ; that of the (Ventre struck at sev- 
 eral unimpc^rtant i)oints, wasted a whole season in 
 useless ex})eriments, and accomj)lished nothing for 
 the invasion of Canada; and that of the Right not 
 only made a ridiculous promenade, but actually dis- 
 graced our arms. 
 
 Time ov Aitack. — As in LSI 2, there were no 
 synchronous movements of our columns invadina: 
 Canada. The Left entered the enemA^'s territorv 
 
 e 
 
 Si 
 
 t'u 
 1>I 
 
ni!ni,-(ii:xKitAL joskimt a. swiit. 
 
 171 
 
 U t 
 
 ho 
 
 iu\'ir ^[Jll(^'ll, S»'|)t(Mn])ei' *2!)tli ; the CVntre cajiturtMl 
 Vork Ai)ril 27rli, mid Fort Cleorife May I'Ttli, jind 
 linally iM'uaii the (lese<Mit of tlie St. Lawrence 
 Noveiuher ."itli ; aiul the Ivlnlit eroj^sed tlie ])order 
 Se[)teiiil)er 2(ttli, and a moiitli after, Octol)er 21st, 
 moved forward to its tield of t^loi'V at Chateaiiijav. 
 Tliis want of concert of action [XMinitted the enemy, 
 of which lie avaih'd liiniself in some instances, to 
 concentrate his forces upon our isolated columns. 
 
 FoiicK FOR Attack. — Though our forces were 
 (generally superior to those of the enemy at tlie 
 points attacked, there is no doul)t that, had HaiTison 
 heen left to recover Michisj^an Territorv and small 
 <j!;arrisons been ])laced to guard exposed points of our 
 frontier, we might have massed our remaining troops 
 at the outlet of Lake Champlain and, under a com- 
 petent general, have marched to Montreal in May 
 when the season was the most favorable, and thus 
 have saved the disgi'ace of our movements six months 
 later in stormv November. 
 
 AiiMY Commanders. — The ex])ei'ience of the for- 
 mer campaign had not iin])ressed upon the War 
 De]\artment the importance of vigorous and able 
 leaders to our forces who were still the Dearborns, 
 ILarrisous, ^^'ilkinsons, Hamptons, Chandlers, Wind- 
 ers, etc., while we had in our armies a Brown, Pike, 
 Swift, Scott, Miller, McRee, Totten, Wood, etc., in 
 positions where they could accomplish but little. 
 
 Conduct of the Campaign. — DefecHve as was 
 its plan, had it been conducted with spirit, resolu- 
 tion and prom[)titude, much might have l)eeii accom- 
 plished. Had the instructions of the War Depart- 
 
1 
 
 72 
 
 EASTERN CAMI'AKiNS OF 1813. 
 
 merit been eairied out by General Dearborn early in 
 April of strikiiii^ first at Kingston wlieii its garrison 
 was weak and the Britisli Heet fast moored there 
 in ice, the place could easily have been captured ; 
 the fleet burned ; the military and naval stores 
 destroyed or removed ; an end have been put to 
 Indian hostilities in die West ; Upper Canada been 
 severed from the Lower Province ; and Montreal 
 soon after have fallen into our possession. Instead, 
 however, of accomplishing all this, our forces were 
 removed to the head of Lake Ontario as soon as the 
 navigation (>])ened, therel)y ex])()sing our principal 
 depot of supplies and ship-yard at Sackett's Harbor 
 to a capture by the eiiemy's army and navy, from 
 which, as by a miracle, it liarely escaped. 
 
 The attack on York had no military importance 
 as proved by our swift al)andonment of it as soon 
 as captured; and, though brilliantk' carried, the 
 results were a heavy loss of troops including their 
 gallant leader, the escape of the British garrison and 
 its commanding general, and the possession of some 
 stores which were removed to Sackett's lIar])or, 
 and s\d)se(piently burned there through mistake of 
 the naval officer in charge. 
 
 After a month more of uni)ardonable delays 
 Fort (xeorge Avas captured, but, as at York, its gar- 
 rison and commanding general were allowed to 
 escape. Had Colonel Winfleld Scott not l)een or- 
 dered to desist from his hot [)ursuit, he could easily 
 have captuicd the British forces. This error.eons 
 order .mabled Vincent and Sheaffe sid)sequently to 
 shake hands in the mountain passes, retain the Niag- 
 
 th 
 Fa 
 
 sa 
 
 iiio 
 
 ii|)( 
 
 Ilea 
 
 f ( )( ) 
 
 aiK 
 
 foe, 
 
 at a 
 
 eiiti 
 
 aiKJ 
 
HIJKi.-GKNEKAL .lOSKPII O. SWII-T. 
 
 i7;i 
 
 ' ''11!! 
 
 '"■ 
 
 
 jini Peninsula, and save an ai'niy wliich inflicted 
 upon us another year of humiliation and disaster. 
 Four niontlis of the most criminal niismanao:ement 
 foHowed, wlien we finally withdrew from tlie Penin- 
 suha for whose con([uest we had Avasted more tlian a 
 wliole summer, lost many ])reci(ms lives, incurred 
 very heavy expenses, and tai'uished the re[)utation 
 of our arms. We retained notliing except Fort 
 (reorge, which soon after fell into the hands of the 
 enemy, who now being unopposed desohited our 
 whole border from Erie to Ontari(^. 
 
 Tlie failure, however, of the campaign on the 
 Ontario frontier after tlie loss of so much time, men, 
 money and reputation did not yet open the eyes of 
 the government to the secret of our recurring disas- 
 ters — the employment of effete conunanders. It 
 still persisted in its blindness in retaining, for the 
 direction of the autumn expedition to Montreal, two 
 Old veterans who had seen much service and had 
 thereby become as learned in strategy as I'rince 
 Eugene's jackass after making twenty cani])aigiis. 
 
 Wilkinson and nann)ton, instead of securing a 
 safe iunction within our own territory and then 
 moving with their united forces by the shortest line 
 ui)on Montreal, decided to dei>art, one from the 
 head of the St, La^yrence and the other from the 
 foot of Lake Champlain, each making a diflicult 
 and dangerous flank march in })reseiice of oui' active 
 foe, in the hope of uniting within the enemy's territory 
 at a point and time not specified, thereby giving the 
 ♦'iitire British army the opportunity of falling up(m 
 and ci'usliiim-, in succession, both of our isolated col- 
 
 
174 
 
 KASTKIIN CAMI'AKiXS (»F lsi:5. 
 
 f?:?!: 
 
 umns before L!;('ttiii!ji: witlilii i'c.mcIi of iiiutiial sup- 
 port. Tlic success of eitlicr colinuu uiust li;t\«' hceu 
 iuii:;.'itorv, witliout tlie same i;'o(mI foiiuue atlcndiuu' 
 tlieni l)otli. 
 
 I'lius iuii'loriouslx' eiidefl ilie second \-eai- of the 
 
 war. 111 wliicli our ai'iuies 
 
 had I 
 
 »e(^ii uuenii) 
 
 h>\('d 
 
 ol' 
 
 iniseiin>loyed ah)Uu: an extensive fVontlei- at urcat 
 loss of labor and chaiacter, thus exliaustinu' tlie 
 nation's patience, when h'ss force and treasure, well 
 directed, would have con(piered (^anacha. 
 
 We forbear furtliei- ei'iticisni on tliis campaiun, 
 for we have much to say of (ieneral Swift, whose 
 l)iou'raphy is tlie subject of tliis cliaptei'. 
 
 Karly in the spriiiii; of 1814, and in accoinhmce 
 with the wislies of (xeneral Hi'own, he aj>|)lied foi* 
 rders to take the field as Chief Knuineei- on liie 
 Niagara frontier ; but tlie Secretai'y of War refused 
 his application, on the ground that the ( *oast De- 
 fenses, which he then was insjH'ctinu", I'eipiired his 
 attention; but ])ossibly a secret grudgt' against the 
 friend of Wilkinson mii^ht haxc had somethinu' to 
 
 o 
 
 do wi 
 
 thl 
 
 lis I'( 
 
 fusal. 
 
 Swift, early in flune, in conjunction with the 
 Committee of Safety of the citv of New York, 
 
 ft- I' 
 
 made a reconnoissanceof the appi'oaches to its harbor, 
 and decided iij)on the necessity for lines of works t<» 
 covei' New York and lirooklyn from any descent 
 upon our shores from the Hritish scpiadron then 
 cruising off the coast. 'I4ie Manhattan line was 
 begun July 15, 1<S14, at llallett's J*oint (since so 
 famous from (lenei-al Newton's great blasting opera- 
 
 tions 
 
 ) by th 
 
 le construction ofc a work, jormimj: the 
 
 ''>\ 
 
 
''■■' im: 
 
 ii 
 
170 
 
 eastp:kn campaigns of isis. 
 
 riglit of tlie line, named Fort Stevens, after the Kev- 
 olutionaiy patriot — General Stevens — a prominent 
 ofHcer of artillery at Saratoga in 1777. Two days 
 later, gronnd ^vas broken on the left at Mount Alto 
 on the Hudson, the line passing thence, by McGowan's 
 pass and the elevated ground that overlooks Harlem 
 Flats, to Hell Gate. The trenches were opened by a 
 detachment of citizen volunteers from the city, 
 under Major Vau Horn, a Kevolutionary worthy. 
 This short inner line was adopted because uien and 
 money were not at command to build a longer outei' 
 line. Operations were connnenced, August (>, 1814, 
 on the Long Island line, at Fort Greene (now within 
 Brooklyn city limits), by a detachment of a thousand 
 citizens. Soon there were from 1,200 to 2,000 work- 
 ing regularly upon the two lines, and 20,800 at call 
 habitually under arms and sufficiently drilled to man 
 the works, though not more than 12,000 of them 
 were encamped within the intrenchments. Swift 
 was appointed Inspector General of the whole force, 
 and was virtually in command, he having to suj^er- 
 vise everything, not only the construction of the 
 defenses and their armament, but the providing of 
 commissary and medical supplies. In a few weeks 
 nuich was accomplished, gentlemen Avith pick and 
 shovel working as day-laborers in the trenches. 
 The enthusiasm of ])t)tli youth and as^e was con- 
 stantl}^ stinudated by elo(pient speeches, [)atriotic 
 songs, thrilling stories, valorous deeds of our navy, 
 heroic feats of the Niagara army, and last, not least, 
 the news of the vandal destruction of the Cai)itol. 
 By the close of Novend^er New York and Brooklyn 
 
 (\ 
 
niUO.-fJENKHAL JOSEPH (i. swiri'. 
 
 177 
 
 Avere safe, and tlie well-maimed lines, Ijristling with 
 artillery, bade defiance to the foe. 
 
 Swift's services were so hiiihly esteemed that the 
 corporation of New York voted that he was a " Ben- 
 efactor to the City," placed his porti'ait by Jarvis in 
 the City Hall, presented j\[rs. Swift with a magnifi- 
 cent service of plate of foiiy-three pieces, and him- 
 self with a Leautifnl case of silver drawing-instin- 
 ments and a large pleasnre l)arge. 
 
 No sooner had Swift completed the defensive 
 lines to cover New York and Brooklyn, than his 
 talents and experience were called into re(piisiti()n 
 upon the board to form a new system of Infantry 
 Tactics ; soon after, upon the commission to reduce 
 the army to a Peace Establishment; and later, with 
 Colonel George Bomford, to decide upon the rebuild- 
 ing of the Ca])itol at A\'ashington, destroyed by the 
 barbarious conflaijration ordered by Admiral Cock- 
 burn of the British Navy. 
 
 The War with England being terminated by the 
 Treaty of Ghent, Swift, in his new headcpiarters at 
 Washington, devoted himself afresh to his duties of 
 Chief Engineer, nearly a million of dollars having 
 been aj^propriated for fortifications. He Avas also a 
 meml)er of the joint Army and Navy Board to select 
 a northern site for a defensible naval depot between 
 Ne\v York and Casco Bay. 
 
 Early in 181(), a disturbing element came sadly 
 to mar Swift's future careei-. Notwithstanding the 
 experience in our service of intriguing Conways 
 and other imported chai'latans of the Bevolution, 
 Congi'ess, infatuated witli an exalted idea of the 
 
 w^m^ 
 
 
17.S 
 
 EASTERN" rAMI'AHiNS OF 1813. 
 
 superiority of l'or('i<j:ii military talent, autlioi'ized, 
 April iMItli, the President to «Miij)loy a skillful i\ssis- 
 tant, to lie attached to the (\»i'|>s of Kiio-iiieers, with 
 the ])ay of its Chief, Upon the reeoniniendation of 
 A11)ert Gallatin and the Mar(|uis Lafayette, the selec- 
 tion fell upon BriL^adier-(ieneral Simon Bernard of 
 the French Army, a ilistinuniished enn'ineei- undei' 
 Napoleon, particularly as the constructer of the 
 great forti'ess of Antwer]), where he so won the con- 
 fidence of his sovereio-n that he annuallv called hiin 
 to preside over the " Conseil su[)erieur du Genie " 
 wliich projected the entire defenses of the Empire ; 
 took him as Aide-de-Canip to Saxony in 1818; and 
 made him Director of his Toju^graphical Bureau in 
 the Waterloo campaign of LSI 5. Lpon Bernard's 
 arrival in the United States, the Secretary of War, 
 November IG, 181G, placed him at the head of tlie 
 Board of Engineers, at the same time General Swift 
 being oi'dered to assume the personal superintendency 
 of the ^Lilitarv Academv. >\'hatever miujlit have 
 been tlu^ merits of General Bernard, this cei'taiidy 
 was a cruel blow to a ])rou<l otHcei", who, for fourteen 
 years in peace and war, had been so zealous and 
 able in the ]>erformance of every duty entrusted to 
 his charge. Swift, of course, ])rotested against this 
 <>:ross insult to himself, and humiliatinu' dei-radation 
 of the Corps of Engineers, formed of native talent, 
 expressly to avoid recourse to foi*eign aid ; scientifi- 
 cally educated at our INLlitarv Academ\ established 
 for that special pur)K)se ; just crowned with vic^^o- 
 rious laurels won in the cam])aign of 1814; and 
 wliose pride and emulation had built up a body of 
 
JUJIU.-CiKNKKAL .lOSKlMl (J. SWIIT. 
 
 1 7'.» 
 
 ortict'i's of wliicli ;uiy iintioii iiiiulit well he proiul. 
 He oiiIUmI to iiiiiid liow iiiiicli the i:'ov<'i'iiinent had 
 alreudv suffered from the futile essjivs au<l serious 
 ])lundei's of iiiilitary adventurers and iui])oi'te(l cugi- 
 ueei's, and ai'gued witli great force Uj»on the iin))oli('y 
 of entrusting our defens«'s to any foreigner, wliat- 
 ever liis ability, whose interest was tliat of Ids own 
 country, not ours, and who, in the ('vcnt of war, 
 iui<i;lit become our most daiio'ei'ous (Mieniv. IIow- 
 ever, liaving a courteous regard for (ieneral Bernard, 
 and recognizing liis eminent services in Kui'ope, 
 Swift sugu'ested that his abilities and ac(piirements 
 could be most ju-otitably employed in teaching the 
 art of war at tlie Militaiy Aca<lemy. rnder tlie 
 law it was tliouglit this could not be done, hence lie 
 continued, until 18^)1, upon the Board of Engineers. 
 His talents and exj)erience were doubtless of con- 
 siderable vabie to our country; but it is questionable 
 whether his magniticent ideas (ff fortifications, re- 
 (piiring millions foi' their construction were suited 
 to the wants of this counti'y, scjjarated by a <lee]) 
 wet moat (8,000 miles broad ) from any European 
 besieger. Certainly the (iidf works, Forts Caswell, 
 Hamilton and Monroe, designed by Bernai'd, are 
 less adapted to their sites than most of the (h fenses 
 pi'ojected by our (twn engineers. 
 
 Swift's duties in the field dui'ing the war with 
 (ireat l^ritain had much interfered with his direc- 
 tion of the jVIilitary Academy, but hai'dly had i>eace 
 been ])roclaimed l)efore lie gave his attention to an 
 extended organization of that institution. The first 
 want beinu' an efficient head, he recommended the 
 
 I 
 

 IHO 
 
 EASTERN CAMI'AKINS OF lftl3. 
 
 sending to Eiir<)[)e of two of our ablest engineer 
 otHcei's — M«'Re<' and Tlia\er — ostensibly to examine 
 the Freneli and Netlierland fortitications, an<l pur- 
 cliase l)ooks to form a library at West Point ; but, 
 tliougli not mentioned in tlieir instructions, it was 
 d()u])tless intended that by the study of tlie mili- 
 tary schools of northern Europe they were to tit 
 themselves to become, one or the other, the Super- 
 intendent of the Military Academy, there being 
 much dissatisfaction Avith the otticer in local com- 
 mand at West Point. The next want was funds to 
 cai'ry on the Academy, no ap])ropriation for that object 
 l)eing then available. PViling to secure a loan for 
 the purj)ose from the New York banks, Swift, with 
 the sanction of the War De[)artment, concluded an 
 arrangement Avith Jacob Barker, a rich Quaker mer- 
 chant, by which he was to advance $();'), 000 at seven 
 })er cent., thereby preventing the dislmndment of 
 the institution. Considering the condition of the 
 " Public Credit," this was a highly patriotic act on 
 Bai'ker's part. This difficulty arranged, tlie old one 
 recurred — an efficient head for the Academy at 
 West Point. Ca])tain Partridge, then in command, 
 was a good mathematical teacher and a mai'tinet 
 drill-master, but a poor administrator, and unfitte<l 
 from temperament and mannei' to conti'ol students 
 and professors. Both the President and Secretary 
 of AVar were nmcli displeased with the conduct of 
 affairs at West Point, and urged the removal of 
 Partridge from command ; but yielded to the solici- 
 tation of the Chief Engineer to delay action. Soon 
 after, it was s!ipposed the (Joi'dian knot ha<l ])een 
 
W'{t 
 
 IJHKJ.-CJKNKIIAL .lOSKlMI (i. SWII'I'. 
 
 181 
 
 cut l)y tlie resolution of Con2:i'esH jiutlioriziui' tlie 
 (Miiploynieut of a skilful foivit;"n otticer, to l)e virtu- 
 ally at the liead of the Corps of Kui^ineei's, thoujjjh 
 ostensibly under the orders of its Chief. Ai.'tin<^ at 
 AVashington on that hypothesis, Swift was ordered 
 to West Point, the legal head* quarters of the Corps 
 of Engineers, with dii*eetious to assume the personal 
 su])erintendeney of the Military Aea<leniy. This he 
 did Novendjer 25, 181(), without making any fac- 
 tious opposition to wliat he felt was a gross ])ersonal 
 indignity, and an illegal attem[)t to de[)rive him of 
 his just rights as (/hief Englneei'. lie made a dig- 
 nified remonstrance against this procedure, detei'- 
 mining in his own mind to resign his commission 
 rather than submit to dishonor. For the seven 
 weeks of his enforced banishment at West Point he 
 went on in the even tenor of his way, atteriding 
 strictly to his duties, and in no manner attem])ted to 
 imj)e(le the public service; but, Jan. 18, 1817, he 
 left Captain Partridge again in local connnand of the 
 Military Academy, and proceeded to Washington to 
 lay his grievances before President Madison, whose 
 Acting Secretary of War — George (ii-aham — had 
 usurped SwiiVs functions in giving direct orders to 
 (xemeral Bernai'd, without any notice to the Chief 
 Engineer. This residted in Swift's resuming his 
 proj)er position in Washington at the head of tlu^ 
 Cor])s of Fhigineers, and leaving (xeneral l^ei'uard 
 without any military control whatever, not even tlie 
 Presidency of the Board of Engineers, which Swift 
 had assumed Novend)er 19, ISK). 
 
 Mr. Monroe, with whom Swift had always had 
 
IS -2 
 
 KASTKUX CAMI'AKi.VS ()F 18i:S. 
 
 the most cordial relations, Ix^caiius March 4, ISIT, 
 the I*r»*si(l('iit ot* tlie ljiiit«'(l States, and John C. 
 Calhoun his Secretary of War. 'I'he hittei- had un- 
 fortunately ini))il)ed tlie common idea of General 
 Bernard's ti'anseendent i^enius, and conse(|uently 
 often thwarted the views of Swift when in conflict 
 with those of the French en<;'inee)'. Thouo'h at 
 times o'l-eatly annoyed, Swift continued conscien- 
 tiously to ])erf()rm his duties, which were now niucli 
 with the l>oard of FnL;"ineers. 
 
 Upon the invitation of Presi(hMit Monroe, Swift, 
 as Chief of his military staif, accompanied him from 
 June 1 to July 17, ISIT, on his triumi»hal tour 
 through the Nortliern States. During this gala 
 campaign of seven weeks. Swift was not entirely 
 ahsoi'bed with fetes, processions and illuminations ; 
 but saw much of distinguished public men ; visited the 
 battle-fields c^f the Kevolution and AVar of 1812-15 ; 
 inspected arsenals, navy yards and fortifieatiims; 
 attended military reviews, and studied the ca])acity 
 of the counti'y for defense; and examined institu- 
 tions of learniui'", naiticularly tlie Military Academy, 
 in whicli the President was much interested. 
 
 On the occasion of this latter visit to AVest 
 I*oint, it was decided to su[)ersede Captain Partridge 
 ])V Brevet ALijor Svlvanus Thaver, who beii:an his dis- 
 tinguished su])erintendency of the Academy July liS, 
 1817. The subse(pient return of Partridge to West 
 Point, his violation of orders in usurping command, 
 and his trial and sentence of dismissal ludong to the 
 history of the Militaiy Academy. Suffice it to say, 
 in this connection, tliat Swift's kind heart interposed 
 
¥ 
 
 in;i(!.-<ii:Ni:K \i, .iosimmi <;. swiri'. 
 
 ^s'^ 
 
 to save tlie t'utal full of his fornuT favorite, \\li(» was 
 at liis iii'u'eiit iv(jiiest allo\V('(l to I'csiLiii liis (•(Himiis- 
 sioii ill the (Joi'])s of Kiioiiiccrs. We I'eii'i'ol to a(hl 
 tliat Swift's noi)h^ eonsideratioii was soon alter re- 
 cruited with the basest iiiuratitiide. Partridu'e ae- 
 tually |)referred eharu'es of inaladiiiiiiisti'atioii au'ainst 
 liis benefactor, who had saved him from tlie evei'- 
 lastiiii;- disu^race of beini;' "Cashiered,''' as was his 
 sentenee ; but tlie President and Secretai'v of \\ ai- 
 were so well satisfied that these aemsations were 
 malicious and false that all proceediny's in refei'- 
 erence to them wei-e instantly denied, while Swift's 
 accounts were promptly examined by the aiiditinu' 
 officers of the Treasury and pronounced to be just 
 and accurate. 
 
 The Presidential tour extended eastward to Port- 
 L'UkI, Maine, where Swift ]>arted from ]\Ii-. ]\b)nroe, 
 who ex})ressed i^reat satisfaction with the services 
 of the ('liief Eno;ineer. He then, with the Joint 
 Board of Army and Xavy otlicers, made examina- 
 tions, fi'oui the Penobscot to the Thames, of all suit- 
 al)le sites for naval depots. Soon after, he accom- 
 ])anied the Board of Kn<i;ineers to the Chesapeake 
 and its tributaries, to select sites foi- fortifications, 
 and, with the otHcers of the navy, to locate a navy 
 yard near Norfolk, Va. The winter |)uttinii: u ^top 
 to further ex])loratious, Swift axailed himself of the 
 op])ortuiiity to revisit Noi'th ('arolina, where he was 
 received with open arms and was much feted by old 
 friends. 
 
 On the 1st of A])ril, isbs, he was again at 
 AVashington, and on the 20th of May resumed his 
 
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 l^|28 |2.5 
 
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184 
 
 EASTKRPf CAMPAIONS OF 1813. 
 
 labors witli the Board of Engineers on tlie Chesa- 
 ])eake. Being joined by the President and tlie 
 Secretaries of War and Navy, they togetlier visited 
 Ilainpton Roads and adjacent waters; examined the 
 scene of Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown ; and 
 ])artook of the. usual junketings incident upon a 
 Presidential tour. After further examinations of the 
 northern tributaries of the Chesapeake, Swift pro- 
 ceeded to AVashington, and from thence in September 
 made his last inspection of the Militaiy Academy, 
 he beinir already enijaijed with (Touverneur Kemble 
 and four others in establishing a foundry at Cold 
 Spring on the Hudson. For more than two years 
 he had contemplated entering civil life, and accord- 
 ingly tendered his resignation, Nov^ 12, 1818, of his 
 commission of Chief Engineer; but expressly reserved 
 all liis ri2:hts as a Brevet Briijadier-General in the 
 Army, to be called into service in the event of war. 
 Till his death, he maintained that his brevet rank 
 Avas liehl in, trusit by the President, to be restored on 
 the occurrence of hostilities with a foreign foe. 
 
 Thus was a second Chief Engineer of the Army 
 forced out of service by the injustice of our govern- 
 ment. From the moment Cfeneral Bernard was in- 
 vited to be the head projector of the defenses of our 
 coasts, the iron entered into the soul of the high- 
 spirited Swift, who keenly appreciated the humili- 
 ation <>f his position, and, after wrestling over two 
 years with his pride, at last felt compelled to sacri- 
 fice all his life-lonjj: anticipations of a soldier's (jjlorious 
 
 O I. O 
 
 career. Soon after, the "hivah-ous Mcllee, who had 
 won two brevets and the admiration of the whole 
 
1{UI(j.-(ji:n'kkai. .foskimi a. swift. 
 
 185 
 
 ,'inny in the c';mii)aiu'ii of 1814, inortififd tliat ]iis 
 
 talents and services were deemed iiifericn' t<) those of 
 
 a foreign engineer, also resigned liis eonimission. 
 
 Major Totten, subsecjuently acknowledged to liave 
 
 had few rivals in his ])rofession, would havef(>llowed 
 
 suite had he possessed the means of living in civil 
 
 life. Other officers of engineers were ready to do 
 
 likewise, foi- their esprit <le corps was gone. Was 
 
 it then generous in our government so cruelly to 
 
 wound the self-resj)ect of these able and <listinguished 
 
 native engineei's, either of whom, in character an<l 
 
 talents, was the proud peer of the iniporte<l foreigner, 
 
 as their past and succeeding reciu'ds amply testitiedi 
 
 Resides, was it go(Ml j)olicy to take fr«»m the Bourbon 
 
 armv one permittecl by his sovereiirn to enter our 
 
 service, not from love to us, but rather that he might 
 
 l)lan defenses against England, then deemed the 
 
 common foe of both America and France; an<l was it 
 
 statesmanship to introduce a Grecian horse within 
 
 our Ti'ojan walls, ])erha[)s in time to be turned against 
 
 us^ It is a well-known historical fact that this same 
 
 Assistant Engineer carried abroad the secrets of our 
 
 coast defense, and became, in 18.*U, after the fall of 
 
 the Bourbons, the Aide-de-Cam[) of King Louis 
 
 Phillipe, and five years later his Minister of War. 
 
 Can any one doubt, had we unfortunately, at this 
 
 time, been engaged in hostilities with France, what 
 
 would have been the course (»f action of lier diief of 
 
 the I)e])aitment of War { 
 
 Bernard was doubtless an officer of much scientific 
 ability, high military attainments, varied professional 
 experience, and having been a favorit*^ engineer ol:* 
 
 m 
 
 I'li 
 
1S() 
 
 KASTKIJN « AMI'AKiNs oK isl:{. 
 
 Lis 
 
 the ufreatest soldier of the sige, ii^ave imu-Ii wciniit to 
 the (U^liberatioiis of tlie l^oanl of KiiiLiineei's, and 
 matei'ially aidiul in the ('stal)lisliinent of oui" national 
 policy of coast (U'fense, ])y j)ennan<*nt foititications. 
 
 lit 
 
 e was also pi'oniinent in inauuiiratin!;: sudi wor 
 
 as the Delawaie Breakwater, Chesajieake and Ohio 
 (^anal, and othei' of our important intei-nal improve- 
 ments. Rut, with all his acc<>mplishments as an 
 eiiirineer and iivntleman. Hernar«l, in tlie opinion of 
 Mclvee, the bright particulai- star of our \\'ar of 
 1812-15, was "colddiearted, n»»t a man of genius, 
 Imt s]»ecially suited for administrative duties." 
 
 Swift, the day after his re>iii-nation, accepted the 
 Surveyorship of the l*oit of Xew York, not fioni 
 
 cUoice 
 
 Init 
 
 as a means of livin<j,' 
 
 N 
 
 ecess 
 
 itv k 
 
 new 
 
 no law; ])ut how ualling it must liave been to his 
 proud spirit thus to ti-ansfei* his honored name from 
 the Ainiv Henister to the head of a Molasses C'ask. 
 However, he continued his connection with the Hoard 
 <>f Kngineers till near the end of Februai-y following. 
 As a civil engineer, he was soon after «'ngage(l on 
 various imjxn'tant projects, being, in l.sl«.>, consulted 
 upon the feasibility of banking and draining the 
 Newark Flats; in 1820, appointed by the Legislatuic 
 of New Jersey to su]»erintend the plan to o[>en the 
 Morris Canal im[»i()vement, in which he held a lai'ge 
 interest foi' many years; in 1h22, as one of three 
 Connuissioners to regulate the streets and diainage 
 of the eastern ])ai't of the City of X»*\\ York; the 
 same yeai* to ex])lore a j)racticable route for a canal 
 and inclined [tlanes ])etween Kaston, Pa., and 
 
 N 
 
 ewai 
 
 k, N. J.; and, in 1Sl>.~), 
 
 as a Commissioner 
 
m{i(j.-({KNKi!.M. .losKi'ii <;. swirr. 
 
 ih; 
 
 to cxuiiiiiie' tin' Hnuix and C'rotoii Rivers, to test 
 tli^'ir (•aj)acity to suj)j)ly New York City with an 
 abundance (►!' pniv water. 
 
 Besides these various i»i-ofessionaI eniratrt^nients. 
 
 b"r>' 
 
 lie found time to make ehil)orate reports u[)on the 
 duties of liis office ; in 1820, to be President of tlie 
 Ilanihd and llay(bi, niero^ed, lH2'.i, into tlie Pliil- 
 liarmonic Society, of wliicli he was elected Vice- 
 President; in iHiT), besides belnji; a Director of the 
 Pulton Hank, to su[)erinten(l the manaijrt'ment of the 
 "National Advocate" news[)aper ; and, in 1X25-6, 
 to become an Aldeiinan of the City of Brooklyn. 
 
 Unfortunately his otiice <luties and numeious 
 outside avocations did n(>t so entirely absorb him as 
 to ju'event his venturinn' ujton the (piicksands 
 of Wall Street, where, with Henry Pckford, Mat- 
 thew L. Davis, and others, he ])ecame connected 
 with a Life and Trust Insurance (\)mi»any, of which 
 he was electe<l \'ice-President in IS^T). Ilavinjir 
 iin]>li<-it faith in the intei^rity of Kckfoi'd, who se- 
 cretly used the bonds of the ('om|tany for hia own 
 
 M 
 
 )eculations, what was Swift's astonishment, in Julv 
 
 182(5, upon i-eceivinijr a lettei' from the fam<ms ship 
 buihlei', announcinu that the Life aiui Trust Com- 
 |)any c(»ul<l not meet its oblii^ations, and the next 
 day to be served with a notice fVom the District 
 Attorney that the whole Company was indicted for 
 
 defraud th 
 
 tate. 
 
 tl 
 
 le oi 
 
 a consi)iracv to defraud 
 ti'ial the first (piestion was whether a company, 
 issuinjj^ l)onds, and failinn* to redeem tliem on de- 
 mand, could be deemed i^uiity of conspiracy or fraud, 
 uj»on which the jury <1isagreed, eiglit to four. Tlie 
 
 ;^ 
 
188 
 
 KASTKKN CAMI'AKiNS OF lSi:t. 
 
 Court tlieii decided that tlic trial of Swift, Vice- 
 Pi'esident of the Coinj^any, should !«' scjuirjitc froui 
 tluit of the otliei'H. Tlie testiniouy iu Swift's ease 
 was l)rief and siui|)le, liis defense heiuu^ in tliese few 
 words of conscious innocence : " I know myself not 
 to have been guilty of any fi'aud or of any desio;n 
 to defraud, and if tliis jury can find me guilty on 
 tlie evidence, I shall silently submit as a juuiish- 
 ment for my credulity." Tlie jury in a few minutes 
 returned with a verdict of "• JVot gxiltif, hut iK'i'xe- 
 cntedy The latter addition the Judge''^' refused to 
 receive, when the verdict of ^^ 2\^of ffi/i/f//'" was alone 
 rendered; whcreu])on a cry of a))|)robation I'ang 
 through the crowded audience, and IVtei' A. Jay 
 the adverse counsel, with tears in his eyes, went up 
 to Swift, exclaiming: "This is a righteous verdict, 
 and I am thankful for youi' acquittal." Subseijueutly 
 the indictment came before the Su[)reme Court, 
 which pi'onounced the whole ])roceedings illegal. 
 
 I*ending these trials, Pivsident John (^)uincy 
 Adams assunvl Swift's fViends that, if he should be 
 acquitted, he would I'enominate him for the Survey- 
 orshi[), but when the time came, the [U'omise was not 
 fulfilled. Mr. Adams, pei'haj)s, remenil)ei'ed that 
 Swift had written a pamphlet advocating the elec- 
 tion of John C. Calhoun — his rival candidate for 
 President; besides, Swift, inadvertently, had failed, 
 when [)residing at a public dimu'i-, to propose the 
 health of the President — two unj)ai'donable offenses 
 
 * Judge Ogden FIdwards. March 20, I81'.», declared in tlio presence of 
 C. H. Hall and Henry Weston, that Ids conviction was that Swift's iionor 
 was not inipuj^ned by tlio testimony given at tiiat trial. 
 
HUIO.-{iK.NKUAL JOSKI'II C5. SWII<T. 
 
 1SJ> 
 
 ill tlie eves (»f Mr. Adams, not ivpiited to liave iiiiicli 
 of tile (/liristiuii virtue of forui-iveness, us iiiav l)e 
 seen bv wlioever reads )ds "Diarv," in wliieli, of tlie 
 ])roiidest iiaiiie of his own Massaeliusetts, lie says: 
 "Such is human nature in the gi^-aiitic intellect, the 
 envious teni[)er, the I'ancorous ambition, and the 
 rotten heart of Daniel Webster." 
 
 Giving up all his property in l^rooklyn and New 
 York (now worth millions), to li(piidate obligations 
 of the Life and Trust Coiiij)aiiy, Swift, at the be- 
 ginning of 1827, found himself without the means 
 to support his large family. In the great City 
 of New York, whose archives recorded him "its 
 Benefactor," he could tiiid no occupation, for his 
 misfortunes had the usual effect of depriving him of 
 influence as well as of property. Under these un- 
 toward circumstances he decided to move to a small 
 farm belonu:iii<ii: to his wife, in Haywood Countv in 
 Tennessee, where he bt'gaii cotton })laiitiiig, ami 
 built himself a log cabin, with only one room, which 
 had to serve for parlor, library, chamber, and dining 
 apartment. Finding the title to this plantation de- 
 fective, and his children suffering from the climate. 
 Swift, in November, returne<l to New ^'ork, and 
 the following year engaged in civil engineering, 
 taking charge of the Baltimore and Susquehanna 
 Railroad in Maryland. 
 
 ()ntlie4tli of March, lS2t), he visited AVashington 
 to witness the inauguration of the new Bresident, 
 when he so connneiided himself to (leneral Jackson 
 that he was a[)pointed to superintend the Harbor Iiii- 
 [H'ovements on Lake Ontario, a position he held for 
 
 1:1 
 
 ill 
 
 ' M 
 
 •Ifl 
 
ItU) 
 
 KASTKUV ("AMI'Af<;NS ol' ISl.'l. 
 
 m 
 
 sixteen years, durinti; wliicli time Lis skill, /ejil, inteir- 
 ritv mikI wntclifuliiess fully jiistitied the President's 
 sjiij^neity and judunient in seleetini; liini to jterforni 
 these inipoi-tant duties, under the same depaitnient, 
 <>ver whieli, for yeais, he had so al)ly |)resi<U^d as 
 CMiief KuLrineei-. 
 
 With the authoi'ity of the Secretary of War, 
 while the Lake works were sus|)en<led, in the winter 
 of 1H29, Swift took e]iaru:e of the ('(»nstruetion of a 
 railroad from New Orleans to Lake Pontehartrain, 
 five miles Ion*;, throui^h u dense swamj) eonsidered 
 im])assal)le, and whieh coidd be neithei* drained nor 
 |)iled. This was one of the pioneer railroads of the 
 Soutli, and it is believed tlie fii'st in Anieriea U]>on 
 which iron edij^e-rails were use<l. Its cross-ties and 
 strinijers were of red ce(h*ir cut in the swamp, and it 
 was l)allasted with "fossil shells of tlie mounds," 
 since so successfully a]>plied to form the famous 
 "Shell Koad " to the Lake. It was on this struct- 
 ure, befoi'e the iron rails were ])ut down, that the 
 Hon. Heiu'v Clay, the ujreat cham[)ion of intei-nal 
 imjtrovements, took his first railroad ride ui)on an 
 
 11 
 impi'ovised ]>latform car, ju-opelled by six men usini;; 
 
 iron-shod setting-poles. 
 
 Swift, in IS<V2, succeeded Benjamin Wright as 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Harlem Rail- 
 road ; but, finding his admiiiistration of its concerns 
 interfered with by tin- Board of Directors, he re- 
 siirned the next yeai'. 
 
 Hobart College, at Geneva, N. Y., which was 
 now Swift's ])lace of residence, elected him Professoi* 
 of Engineeriuij and Statistics. Th(Miu:h he «leclined 
 
 'r> 
 
IMMii.-CiKNKIJAF. .loSKIMI (i. SWIIT. 
 
 11)1 
 
 tliiM honor, he accepted the nieiiil)ershi|), tendered to 
 liini, of the Society <>t" Statistics, Paris, France. In 
 statistical and educational matters, lie took nuicli 
 interest. In lS;i.'5 he was requested hy Bishop W'ain- 
 wriuht and otliers to i)resent liis views of liow far 
 tlie West Point syst<'ni ()f discij)line and instruction 
 could l)e adai)ted to a University to ])e estal)lishe(l 
 in the CUty of New York ; in IN.'U lie ])i'oposed a 
 plan to (irovernor Marcy, for Normal Schools in each 
 Senatorial district of tlie State of New ^'ork ; and 
 it was throu^di his advice that tlie Hon. Townsend 
 Ilai'i'is secured the sei'vices (►f Professor Horace 
 \\ ebster as Su[>erintendent of the Free Academy 
 (now College of the City of New York). 
 
 In 18.'};") occurred the " (treat Fire "in and near 
 AN'all Street, New York, when, by request of the 
 Mayoi', Swift, at great pei'sonal risk, took charge of 
 the blowing U[) of buildings, to ai'rest the progress 
 of the Hames; thus saving millions of property 
 w ithout doing any damage to neighboring houses. 
 For a like service at (Quebec, two years later, a young 
 otticer of British Engineers was knighted. 
 
 Though the su])ervision of the lake harbors con- 
 tinued to occuju' much of Swift's time, he found 
 o|)portunities, during the suspension of these works 
 foi- want of ai»i)ropriations, to serve as projecting, 
 directing or consulting engineer of numerous pri- 
 vate, company, city, state and national im])rovements, 
 jM'ominent among which were the Hudson River 
 Railroad ; the Sodus Canal, to connect the Sus(pie- 
 hanna River with Lake Ontario ; the establishing of 
 the Watei- Front of Brooklvn City; and his pi-oiect 
 
 ' 
 
 m 
 
 m%m 
 
\\)'2 
 
 KASTKIIN « AMI'AICXS OJ' ISKl. 
 
 ;' 
 
 for M Naval Depot at the ln-ad of the Harlem Hiver, 
 wliich should he ojten at all times, )x)th to tlie Souinl 
 and tlie Sandy Hook exits. 
 
 DuriiiL? this same jieriod he dei'liiied tlie (»t!'er of 
 Pi'esident Houston, in 1S;U, to become a meml)er of 
 liis Texas ( ahinet ; in 1<S4(>, he ret'nscd the DtMiio. 
 eratic nomination For Mayor of tlie City of New 
 York ; and 1841, during our northern border dis- 
 turl)ances, was sent by President Harrison on an 
 embassy of peace to tlie (lovernors of Canada, Xova 
 Scotia, and New liiunswick, <»f which lie ac(|uitted 
 himself to the ureat satisfaction of the ijovernment. 
 
 When his services on Lake Ontario terminated, 
 lie was ottered the iMiief Clerkship of the War De- 
 partment ; an<l, in 1<S4'.>, the j)osition »)f Commis- 
 sioner of I^atents was tendered to him. Owing to 
 the ex[)ense of living in Washington, he declined 
 l)oth places. 
 
 Swift alwaAs interested himself in the passinor 
 
 • I- O 
 
 events and movements of the day — hence we see him 
 in 1824, presiding over a meeting in behalf of the 
 o[)[)ressed (Ireeks; in IS.'}."), the \'ice-President of a 
 ConveiitiiHi to promote Internal Im[)ro\enients and 
 Domestic ^lanufactures ; and during the slavei'v 
 agitation of 1850, he pi'esided over a meeting to 
 sii[)port Clay''s Conii)romise Resolutions; yet, when 
 Southern aij^icression so stronu'lv manifested itself 
 ten years later, he threw the whole weight of his 
 influence against Secession. 
 
 As a (xraduate of the Militarv Academy, lie felt 
 that his services were always due to his country in 
 
 lier 1 
 
 lour ot i)eri 
 
 f 
 
 P 
 
 il— 1 
 
 lence, in 
 
 18.S-J, he ottered, with 
 
intn;.-<ii:NKiJAr< .rosKPir a. swiiT. 
 
 103 
 
 acomnumd of 1,"J(M> youiii^ \<*\\ Voi'kcrs, to aid in tlw 
 su|tj)r(*ssi(>ii of South ('arolinji's thrcatciu'd nulliti- 
 catioii ; ill l.s.'W;, with a Itrinadc of Sea FtMu-iMcs, 
 was ivady to i;uard our harbors ai^aiiist tlie antic- 
 ipated hostilities of (ireat liritain ; in 184(5, was 
 anxious to take tlie tieUl in tlie Mexican War; 
 aiul, in 18('»1, tlioiiicli veri^iiiii" on four score years, 
 lie would, if permitted, have drawn Ids sword in 
 defense of the Inion. 
 
 ThoUixh alwavs readv for war a<;ainst liis coun- 
 try's foes, lie was also a Soldier of the (^ross, being 
 a stauncli sup[)orter of tlie i';;j)iscopal C'hurcli, in 
 wliich he held several lay otlices, and was prominent 
 as a delci^ate to several (xeiieral Conventions. 
 
 Swift, thouiih not what miuht l>e called a stu- 
 dent, was well read, and a careful ol)server; could 
 speak tiueiitly, l)ut laid no claims to oratory ; and 
 wrote tersely and with much force. Besides his 
 " Diary," .niving the prominent events of his life, 
 from boyhood till lie had reached over four score 
 
 « 
 
 vears, he wrote an account of President Monroe's 
 
 • 
 
 Northern Tour in l-SlT, and of liis own journey 
 to Euro})e ill 1851 ; pre[)ared several brief biogra- 
 [)liies of deceased friends ; and sometimes indulged 
 in essays and lectures on literary, military and scieii- 
 title subjects. His last recorded utterance \vas for 
 the safe delivery and future prosperity of his coun-. 
 tr> , just emerging from the horrors of four years of 
 civil war. 
 
 Swift, in 180."), married Louisa, the daughter of 
 (/a))taiii James Walker, of AVilmington, X. C, 
 with whom he passed over iifty years of wedded 
 
104 
 
 KASTKKN CAMI'AKiNS OK lK|;i. 
 
 I)liss ill liis own clieerful mikI Imjn^' lioine, 
 encircled witli n lai'ire r.'iniilx of intclliu'ciit sons ainl 
 accomplished <1auLi;Uters. Smiounded u itli liis Pen- 
 ates Jit liis fireside, lie was the most charmini; and 
 interestini:; of conij)anions, for tluM-e, in conversation, 
 he Monred out the hoarded stores of lonij real's of 
 silent tlioiiijht, close observation and clear analyses 
 of strikinii; events, his memory Ix'ini; marvellous, 
 and he haviiiLf seen the staire of life with all its 
 shiftiiiuf scenes. Ilis winniiiin' ways, courtly ])olite- 
 ness and lively sympathies always insured him a 
 cordial i^reetiiii"" and a warm lodLiement in the hearts 
 of the yomiii;, for whom he ha<l a paternal attacli- 
 nu'iit, and to whom he was ever a wise coiinsellnr 
 and faithful friend. 
 
 t 
 
 '•Of manners gentle, of affection mild; 
 In wit a man, simplicity a child." 
 
 Soon after Swift left the army, the Corps of En- 
 o;ineers, to show their respect and affection for their 
 late Chief, retpiested him to sit to Sully for liis like- 
 ness, now huuir in the library of the Militai'v Acad- 
 emy at West Point— the fit depository of the ])or- 
 trait of its first (rraduate, second Siipei'intendent, 
 and sul)se(iuent rnspector. Whoever looks upon 
 that am]>le luow can I'ead of the vii::or(ms brain 
 within; whoever peers into those benii^niant eyes 
 feels there was a u'cnerous heart below; and who- 
 ever watches those expi'essive lips, sees lioverin^' 
 there only utterances of [)atriotisiii, honor, and manly 
 pride. When the writer first knew him, a<i;e had 
 silvered oVr his flowing locks, and his almost apos- 
 
lUMfS.-CKNKK \I, .loSKI'II (J. SWlir. 
 
 \K) 
 
 nii; 
 \ 
 
 Mil 
 
 ;)S- 
 
 tollc <'(>iint<Mi}in('<' wore n saintly air, iiiiiiii'liiiu' ten- 
 derness, charity, and all the sweet offices of hive 
 and dnty. 
 
 " A man li(> scoiiiM of cliccifiil yt'slonln.vs, 
 Anil coiillilcnl to-niorrows; with ii fact' 
 Not worlilly-niindi'd, for it l)oi<' too niucli 
 Of nature's impress — ^^aicty and health, 
 Freedom and hope; l)ut keen withal, and shrewd, 
 Ills ^xraeefiil ijestmes, and his tones of voice 
 Were all vivaeions as his mi«'n and looks." 
 
 At tlie uTeen (»ld auc <»f (i^/ffftf-firo. Swift, snr- 
 ronndiMl with liis fond family and .-.ttached friends, 
 died .Itdy lM, isC,.'), at (iciieva, X. V.— fnll of 
 years; fnll <»f honors; faculties Itiiuht and affec- 
 tions warn) to the last; nincdi lani<'nt<'<l ])y tiie pub- 
 lic; and sincerely mourned l>v a wide circle of 
 bereaved relatives. 
 
 (ieneral ('ullinn,the Superintendent of theUnited 
 States Militaiy Academy, in directiniT, .Inly .'{<>, 
 iSliT), hoiiois to be jtaid to Swift's memory, after 
 briefly recoiintini>; his varied sei'vices, conclnch's Ins 
 order as follows ; 
 
 "Born at the ch)se of the American IJevolntion, 
 and dyinu" at the termination of the American Re- 
 bellion, (ieneral Swift lived throu«;h the most 
 momentous period of histor\-, and was Itimself a 
 ])rominent actor in tlie gi-and drama of our national 
 existence. His military career beuan Avitli that of 
 the Military Aca<lemy, which he fostered in its 
 feeble infancy ; and he lived to see, in its developed 
 maturity, the sons of his cliei'ished Alma Mater 
 directiuiT tlie liijjfh destinies of his country on victo- 
 rious fields in Canachi, Florida, Mexico, an<l witliin 
 
196 
 
 KASTKRN OAMPAIGXS OF \H\:\ 
 
 tlie wide (lonuiiu of our Soutlieni border. He now 
 cjdiMly sleeps, utter a loiii!" jind useful life of more 
 tli.'Mi four-seore years, leavin<j: this woi'ld in the bliss- 
 ful couseiousness that he and his brother u^raduates 
 of this Institution have ably perfoiiued their allotted 
 part in su])duin<>; the savage foe, in con(|uering for- 
 eign enemies, and crushing treason in our midst, 
 and tliat he has left beliind a rescenerated fatherland 
 of (file 2)eople, with l)ut (>>if end)lem of nationality, 
 sacred to liberty, and the trium])h of the best gov- 
 ermnent on earth. 
 
 "Tlie pei'sonal excellence of General Swift can 
 be only ap|»reciated by those who knew and loved 
 him, and they were (t// whom lie met on his long 
 journey of life, for he had no enemies l>ut his 
 country's. Amiable and sincere, spotless in integ- 
 rity, staunch in friendshiji, liberal in charity, Gen- 
 eral Swift was a model gentleman, a true patriot, 
 and a Christian soldier, Avorthy of the imitation of 
 all who, like him, v»ould live honored and revered, 
 and die universally regi'etted. 
 
 " As an ap[)ropriate tribute of respect from the 
 Military Academy to his memory, there will be 
 fii'ed, under the direction of the Connnandant of 
 (\'idets, eleven minute guns, commencing at meridian, 
 to-morrow, and the national flag will be displayed at 
 half-statf from the same lioui' until sunset." 
 
ji 
 
(Ml 
 
 iu\ 
 
 fi(| 
 
 till 
 
 mi 
 
 tn 
 
 <-iii| 
 
 si(i 
 
 X 
 
CHAPTER FIFTH. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 18U ; 
 
 WITH A lUOGRAPIIUAL SKET<II OF 
 
 COLONEL WILLIAM McREE. 
 
 .11^- 
 
 " PEHSKVERAXrE,"says Sli;iks])eaiv, "keeps IIonok 
 l>i'iLi:lit ;" l)ut our i^oveninient's lioiior, certaiiily, was 
 not iimcli l)riLi'liteiie(l l)y its perse veiaiu-e in false 
 stratei!;y after two years of aimless efforts without 
 tanij^ihle results. Our military policy, instead of 
 Ix'ing- active and aggressive within the enemy's ter- 
 ritory, became eminently defensive in repelling jwtty 
 J (artisan attacks, making the record of the past, to 
 continue our (piotation, "hang, (piite out of fashion, 
 like a rusty nail in monumental mockery." The 
 en<'my, it was true, was superior in the organizati<Mi 
 and discipline of liis forces; had more of the prac- 
 tice, prestige and paraphernalia of war; understood 
 the value of time in making assaults by prom]»t 
 movements; and, above all, had the great advan- 
 tage of occu])ying the concave side of the frontier 
 and lienee, generally, ha<l shoi-ter lines of operation 
 to reacli any i)oint u))on it than we on the convex 
 side of its circumference. These disadvantages some- 
 what palliate, but certainly do n<)t justify our persist- 
 ence in error. 
 
 lay 
 
200 
 
 CAMPAIGX OF 1814. 
 
 n 
 
 The (lis.'istroiis Cuiiipaii^iis of 1812 ami 181. S, 
 unfortnii.'itely, had not convinced na tliat our gladi- 
 atorial trident, of three isolated columns on a thou- 
 sand miles of frontier, scarcely wounded the enemy ; 
 for, again in 1814, we renewed our triple assaults 
 upon Canada. Three corps wei'e anew to be lannclied 
 au:ainst the enemy ; the Kii^ht, under ^lajor-General 
 Izard, commanding on Lake C'hamplain, was to cut 
 the connection on the St. Lawrence between Mont- 
 real and Kingston; the Centre, commanded by 
 Major-General Brown, ^vas to assemble on the Niag- 
 ara fi'ontier and seize the Canada IVninsula between 
 Lakes Ontario and Erie; while the Left, under Col- 
 onel Croghan assisted by the navy, should proceed 
 against the British on the Upj)er I^akes to attem[)t 
 the recovery of Mackinaw and St. Josephs, and the 
 destruction of Matchadach, a newly-established fur 
 trading post supposed to be near the northeast cor- 
 ner of Lake Huron. 
 
 Li our secoud chapter we have sufficiently de- 
 tailed the operations of the Right column to render 
 unnecessary any further remark upon it. The Left 
 colunni, of about 1,000 men, July 12th, moved from 
 Fort Gratiot; on the 20th, reached St. Joseph's, 
 which was burned after having been abandoned by 
 the enemy ; on the 21st, Holmes' detachment de- 
 stroyed a Biitish factory at St. Mary's; on the 2Gth, 
 Croii'han arrived before Mackinaw, findiiii'- the work 
 too formidable to be stormed and too high to be 
 damaged by the navy's guns ; on the 4th of August, 
 our land force attem[)te(l an attack from a height in 
 rear of the fort, which resulted in a sharp conflict, 
 
 u 
 
(KLONKL WILLIAM Mc|{i:i-: 
 
 201 
 
 cliiefly with riidi.ius, in ;i tliick wood and tlie retreat 
 of our troops; oii Sept. 1 .'Uli, a (letaclinieiit, under 
 Captain Gratiot of tlie engineers, destr<»yed tlie 
 enemy's sup[)lies, for six niontlis, on the Xatewasaga 
 river; and, finally, ('r<»uhaii returned to Detroit, late 
 in August, aftei- a six weeks' disastrous ex})edition, 
 of no consecpience even had it heen successful. 
 
 Having disposed of the Eight and Left columns, 
 we will now confine ourselves to that of the Centre, 
 which was soon destined to confront an ai'iiiy of 
 British veterans, inured to wai-, which tlie jmcifica- 
 tion of Kurope upon Xapoleon's exile to Klha ha<l 
 released. Early in May the advance of these re-en- 
 forcements hegaii to arrive in (^niada, and, by tlie 
 oj>eiiing of tlie cam])aign on the Niagai'a, several of 
 them and other reginuMits relieved from duty in the 
 lower pr<>vinces, wei'e ia])idly moving towards the 
 threatened frontier. 
 
 Major-dreneral .lacoh Brown, in February, ha<l 
 marched a division of Wilkinson's army from its 
 winter (|uarters at French Mills to Sackett's Harbor. 
 Mistaking the object of the government's oi'deis, 
 received here, which conteiii] dated a movement on 
 Kingston as the nnilii ohjrct, and that towards the 
 Niagara a f< tnf, he, in doubt, oscillated east and 
 west till the end of .luiie, finally making his liead- 
 (piai'ters at Hutfalo, where his subordinate — Brig.- 
 (ieneral ^^'inHeld Scott — ha<l established a camp of 
 instruction. In the tliii-ty yeai's, since the days of 
 the llevolutioii, «»ur tr(»ops had never undei-goiie a 
 more thorough and ethcient drill than was here [)iac- 
 ticed to <leveloj> their full Hghting powers, and dis- 
 
 m 
 
•20 -J 
 
 CAMI'.\I<;\ (»!•• ISll. 
 
 (•il>liii(' tliciii to rival sturdy i-cu'iilars. Hy the tii'st 
 of July, Hrowii found liiuisclf at the head oi a suf- 
 ticient force to invade Canadji and earry out the 
 government^ new instructions, which were- — "to 
 cross the river, caj)ture Fort Ki'ie, march on Chi])- 
 pewa, risk a cond)at, menace Fort (ieorue, and, il' 
 assured of tlie ascendency and co-o])eration of the 
 Meet, to sieze and foi'tify Burlin<;'ton llei<»hts," thus 
 con([uerin<i; tlie Peninsuhi and cuttiiiLi" the enemy's 
 conununication between l'j)j)er and Lower Canada. 
 The force assiirned to Brown foi' this diiticult task 
 ccnisisted of Scott's and Kiplcy's infantry-bi'iuades 
 of regulars (to each of which was attaclied an eth- 
 cient train of artillery and a small 8(|uadron of cav- 
 alry), and Porter's In-igade, made up of ."iOO IVnn- 
 svlvania and (UKi New York volunteers, w ith from 
 five to six lunidred Indians. The aggi'egate foi'ce 
 was about .S,r)<)(>. Of this uallant armv tlu' Chief 
 
 E 
 
 '^niiineer was jViai<»i 
 
 Mj 
 
 Will 
 
 lam 
 
 Mel 
 
 iee 
 
 assis 
 
 ted 1 
 
 >\' 
 
 tlie brilliant Brevet Major AV()o<l, the subject of our 
 third chapter. 
 
 \\'iLLiAM ^bKKK was born, December 1 .'i, ITS', in 
 Wilmington, N. ('. His father — ]\lajoi' and Bievet 
 Colonel (xi'ithth .John AlcRee — was an active cavalry 
 officer of the Noi'th Carolina line, in the Ke\-olu- 
 
 tionarv ^^ 
 
 ;ir 
 
 an( 
 
 1 li 
 
 us mother was a dan 
 
 o-ht 
 
 er <» 
 
 f 
 
 Doctor Joliu Fei'gus, a distinguished physician of 
 Wilmington who was of Scottisli descent, had ])een 
 e(bicated in Fdinburgh, and subsecpiently wus a 
 Surgeon in Braddock's army. 
 
 ColcMiel Jonathan \\ illiams. Chief i^ngineei' of 
 tlie Army, while (»u a tour of inspection of the 
 
COLOXKL WILLIAM .M< i{KK. 
 
 208 
 
 (It'fcnscs <tf Ca|)e Fear Rivei", became ae(|uaiiite(l 
 witli youiiii; MeUee, wliose l)rii;'lit intellect, decision 
 of character, and tenacity of juirjiose so interested 
 liiin tliat lie secnred his appointment as a Cadet, 
 April 14, 180,'i, to the Military Academy. Here the 
 youth of fifteen displayed an ardent and iiKpiisitive 
 mind, a fondness for science, and a devotion to tlie 
 study of the militar\ art. He was irraduated from 
 the institution, July 1, LSO.'), and became a Second 
 Lieutenant in the CV)rps of En^nneei's, subseipiently 
 beinsj: ])ronioted a First Lieutenant, Oct. 150, 1S0(), 
 Cajttain, Feb. 28, 1 SOS, and Major, July 81, 1812. 
 I'ntil the beuinnini;' of this campaii^'U, lie was em- 
 ployed upon the defenses of the Carolina coast, par- 
 ticularly at Charleston; from Se]»t. 8(», 1S12 to 
 May 2."), 1 si 8 was Chief Fn^-ineei' to Generjd Thomas 
 Pinckney, conuiiandinu' the Department of Georu^ia 
 and the Carolinas ; in 1S18, was Chief of Artillery 
 (conimandinLi" four conij»anies and the seiii:;e-train ), 
 under Major-(Teneral IIamj)ton, whose failure at 
 Chateauii'ay was rendered nuich less disastrous by 
 the ])rompt and energetic acti<ni of the younui; engi- 
 neer; in the tirst part of 1S14, superintended the 
 defenses of Sackett's Harboi-; and, at the early age 
 of twenty-six, became the Chief Kngineer of Major- 
 (xeneral Hi'own's army on the Niagara. 
 
 Fort Frie (nearly opposite Buffalo), garrisoned 
 with 170 lii-itisii regulars, was the first point to be 
 attacknl to ensure a safe f(»oting for our ai'my on 
 the (\*inada shoiv. Hividing his scanty trans])orta- 
 tion between his two regnlar bi-igades, Brown, 
 July 2d, issued his orders that Scott's should pass the 
 
204 
 
 (AMIVVHiV <>l" ISll. 
 
 m 
 
 I' ' 
 
 Xiaii'MiM tliioiiirli the Black Rock l{a])i(ls, aiwl 
 U i pi ey's cross fVom BiitValo; the foi'iiier to land a 
 mile ])elo\v, and the latter a nnle above the fort. 
 Scott, proinj)tly <d)eyin<T;, reached his destination 
 hefore dawn <»t' the .'id, and was immediately fol- 
 lowed by Brown, with his staff, the eniiineei-s 
 directing the debarkation of the trooj)s. lvi]>leyV 
 movement was reluctantly and tardily made, with 
 remonstrance extendinji; to the tenderinij; of his 
 resignation ; conse([iiently, it was broad daylight 
 before his bi'igade was embarked. Scott, imme- 
 <liately upon landing, ])ushed forward Major Jesup's 
 battalion of light troops and a few Indians, which 
 drove in the enemy's [)ickets, and, under the guid- 
 ance of the engineers who had l)een I'econnoitring, 
 invested the fort withimt waiting for Ri)»ley. McHee 
 and AVood now lost no time in crossing the ord- 
 nance, selecting ])ositions for batteries, and mount- 
 ing an 18-jwunder on Snake Hill, when Brown de- 
 manded and received the surrender of the fort from 
 its commander, Major Burns. The celebration of the 
 anniversary of our Inde])endence, the next day, was 
 graced with its entire gai'rison as jtrisoners of war. 
 
 Elated with his good foitune and knowing the 
 value of time, Brown, eai'ly on the morning of July 4th, 
 despite Uii)ley's desire for delay, [»ushed Scott's 
 bi'iu:ade and Towson's artillerv d<>wn the Niajxara. 
 For sixteen miles his march was a continuous skir- 
 mish with the enemy, till, iinding the British 
 strongly intrenched behind the Chippewa, Scott 
 called in his light troops, and encamped for the 
 night behind Street's Creek, wheiv, about 11 v. m., 
 

 (OJ.ONKl. WILLIAM MrUKK. 
 
 205 
 
 1m' was jiMiied 1>\ tlu' Geiieral-in-CMiiefiind all of his 
 rciiiilai's. It was an anxious iiio'lit, fcn' few there 
 had everbeeii eno-uu^ed with a <leadlv foe. All, how- 
 cNcr, had couHdeiice in their comniander, and in 
 their ow'ii prowess, for constant drill and discipline 
 had Vanished feai" from theii' thonu'hts. 
 
 The ii'loi'ious and aus|)icious morn of .Tuly 5th, 
 saw the hostile ai'niies confronting; each other, the 
 British strongly posted behind the Chi])pewa, and 
 the Americans covered by Street's Creek, while, be- 
 tween, was a full mile of level ])lain, Hanked on the 
 »'ast by the Xiagjira, and a dense forest on the west. 
 From early daw n desultory firinu' had been kept up 
 between the opposing pickets, which, becoming very 
 annoying to our left, oui' skii-niishers fell back to 
 di'aw on those of the enemy; while (ieneral Poi-ter, 
 with 'M)0 rennsylvania volunteers and about 400 
 Indians, was ordered, in the afternoon, under cover 
 of tlie woods, to turn the light troops in advance of 
 the enemy's right, fall u[)on tluiv rear and cut tliem 
 from theii' main l)ody massed beyond the Chip[)ewa. 
 In executing this order, Poi'ter fell in with a Hritish 
 outpost, which he soon routed, and was actively 
 pui'suing, when, in debouching fV(»m the woods, lie 
 encountered the entire British urmy advancing in 
 order of battle which convei'ted his forward move- 
 ment into a disorderly rout. 
 
 Brown, ever on the alert, (piickly divined, from 
 the rising dust, that the whole of liiall's forces were 
 in motion to crush him. Immediately he ordered 
 Scott, then under ai'ms for his daily drill, to lead 
 his l»rii:ade, with TowsoiTs ai'tillei'v, across Street's 
 
 i'^'^J 
 
•J(m; 
 
 ■Si I 
 
 CHIKPtWA 
 
 pzn [C3 BSB puff-ittk 
 
 i :i i' i! iA 
 
 ■ B'fl I t:i sM. ■'^ 
 
 • 'Lj' '■ • 
 
 ixzM Kzca Daaa ia9au*H> 
 I U ti ! i ''" 
 
 i:i:i 
 
 -^OWy 
 
 pohterVJ (\ ?iB 
 
 ^AMERICANS t*. 
 
 <TREETi'HOr®^. 
 
 •♦/^T-rcHlrtOflTy 
 
 -BioDi:c.«6ATr. 
 
 WITH 
 
 REGULARS 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^P^ © iV CAP, TREATiii 
 
 Rattle yy\ \ 
 
 I 
 
 ms\ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^laKaiiBBBHilMaiiiifiiriiTTTiiT' 
 
 ( 'i«'«'k to iiu'ot 
 tlu'cnciiiN ;;m(l 
 Kiplcv t<» |H(»- 
 <•('('<! cautions- 
 ly tliioiigli the 
 woods to 
 tlnvjiten tlu' 
 Uritisli lio-lit, 
 mimI thus pro- 
 duce a divci-- 
 sioii ill Scott's 
 favor. 
 
 Uiall ad\ aiic- 
 «'(! ill tlircc col- 
 imiiisjiis front 
 and flanks be- 
 inu" sn|ti>(ti'te(l 
 1»\ I iii'lit troops, 
 Indians, and 
 nine ]»ieces of 
 artillery. Af- 
 tei' an lionr's 
 furious tiiilit- 
 ini!; along the 
 entire front of 
 l)(>tli armies, 
 they confront- 
 ed each other 
 within eiuhty 
 jiaces. The 
 British line 
 was ]»r<>l<en in 
 
 •IS 
 
I • •' 
 
 r 
 r 
 
 H 
 
 COl.oNKI, WILLIAM MiIJKK. 
 
 207 
 
 <«'\('i;il places, tliiis «'.\|>(»siiiM' Hjiiiks, (tf wliii'li a<lvaii- 
 
 t:i^"(' Nt'ittt (|iiU'kly avail«M| liims* 
 
 led li 
 
 •If. M<-N 
 
 fill s am 
 
 I 
 
 L»*av«Mi\V(>i'tirs iviriiiuMits, takiiiLj; positions <>hli([uely 
 to the left and riulit cxtrciiiiti^'s of the ciieiiiy's front, 
 delivered tlieir deadly firew itii fatal ett'ect, while Tow- 
 son, on our extreme riu'ht, poiired in his murderous 
 canister and shells \\|ii(di l>le\\ up one of the enemy's 
 caissons. Dniinii' these oju'ratioiis aloiiiz; the front, 
 Major .lesnp, on our extreme hd't, h<»tly pressed by 
 the I^ritish li^ht screeneil 1>\ a lo^- fence. a«lvance(l 
 upon its flank in face of a dea<lly tire, coolly marcdi- 
 
 inLi: witli arms at a sii|)port, an<l then, cliari;in<i; with 
 the Itayonet, routed everytliiiiii; before him. The 
 enemy, ])ressed <»n e\ery side and cut down by our 
 unerrini^ marksmen, l)roke and fled in uncontrollable 
 disor«ler to tiie slielter of their C']ii[)pewa intrench- 
 ments. 
 
 Thus ende(l this u-lorious victory, fairly won, in 
 which tlie American reiiulars, most of them on tlieir 
 first field of battle, with a f(H'ce not over two-thirds 
 that of tlie enemy, overcame tlie picked veterans of 
 liritain ; for the actual combat was essentially be- 
 tween Scott's sino;le briij-ade and Hiall's wliole army. 
 Our "o'ray-jackets"" were at first sup[)osed by tlie 
 enemy, who was soon undeceived, to be Buffalo 
 militia. The British officers sul)se(|uently remarked : 
 " We beo'an to doubt, when we found you stood 
 tirmly, three or four rounds; and when, at length, 
 in the midst of our hottest blaze, we saw you 'port 
 arms,' and advance Uj)on us, we Avere utterly amazed. 
 It was clear enough we had something besides 
 militiamen to deal with." (reneral Riall, thouti'h he 
 
 
20S 
 
 CAMI'AKiV OK ISll. 
 
 liroiiglit Up the Kiiii;'s lieijiiiM'iil, tin* Uoyal Scots, 
 ami his best troops, in his otlicijil (Icspiitcii iuliiiits 
 that, iiotwitlistaiuliiiu; their iTMllMUtiy, " thry sutV'ci'tMl 
 MO Hevercly tliat he was ol)liii(Ml to w itlidi'jiw tljeiii." 
 Chippewa was a crucial test of i)luv*k In'twccii 
 Anglo-Saxons aiul Anglo-Americans, (teneial \\ il- 
 kinson, not likely to ])e partial to a junioi- who had 
 superseded him, justly desci'ilx'd this ])attle as lieing 
 an "obstinate contest, fought on a plain an<l in direct 
 order, whose simjdicity presented few occasions foi- 
 <lis[»lay of tactical skill ; litei'ally a trial of strengtii 
 and courage, breast to breast, in which the American 
 
 arms ti'iuiu[ 
 
 ihed. 
 
 Again tlu' brave, pi-oud Hi'it(tn 
 
 had found the same soldiers on American soil as 
 tlieir ancestors who had cai)tured whole armies at 
 Saratoga and ^'oi'ktowii. 
 
 After liiall had I'etreate* I across the Chip[)ewa, 
 Coh>nel Wood of the engineers made a most daring 
 reconnoissance U[) to its right )»ank. Finding sti'ong 
 intrencliments on the oj>[)osite side and the bridge 
 over the i-iver with its [)lauking toi'u u])an(l c(»vered 
 by a i('ti'-(li'-i>i)nf battery, Hi'own, upon this infoi'nia- 
 ti<>n, encamped behind Street's ('reek. TIk' Sixtli 
 was employed in removing the woun(h^d, burying 
 the <lea<l, and reconnoitring the adjacent country to 
 determine the pi-acticability of turning Riall's forti- 
 fied position, which was too sti'ong to he assailed in 
 
 front. The result of tl 
 
 le enirineers exi) 
 
 >lorat 
 
 ion was 
 
 the discovery of an old, disused I'oad leading to tlie 
 mouth of Lyon's creek, a tributary of the Chippewa, 
 which McRee and Wood made practicable, foi- artil- 
 lei-y and the trains, in the course of tlie day. Karly 
 
COLONKI- WILLIAM MoUKK. 
 
 L>(M.» 
 
 oil tlic ni(»riiiiii: <>f the Stli, lJI])l('y's l»r'nr.'i<l(' Jiiid 
 porter's volunteers, witli two ('oiiij)ani('s of jirtillciy, 
 were directed to tile oH^" from tlie rear of tlie eaiiip, 
 iiiaicli to tlie nioiitli of Lyon's creek, and cross the 
 ( "liippewa to turn IJiall's rii^dit ; while Scott's lnii;- 
 ade, with the remainder of the artillery, should 
 threaten his front. IJipIey, as usual, inter|»osed de- 
 
 so 
 
 lays when lirown in person took the command, 
 that it was three <M'lock in the afternoon when the 
 column arrived at the stream, whicli «:;uve tlie enemy 
 time to destroy the Lridii'e across it. Our artillery 
 was inime<liately piaced in two Latteries to com. 
 maiid the o|>))osite ]>aiik (occupied by a small picket 
 and two jj;uiis) and, at tlie same time, to jn'otect «>ur 
 workmen wliile constructing a new bridge. Tlie 
 <'neniy, ([uickly di\ ining our ilank movement which 
 menaced the safety of his camp and communications, 
 promptly destroyed liis lieuvy artillery, abandoned 
 his intrencliments at the mouth of tlie ('hij)])ewa, 
 ra])idly retreated on (^)ueensrowii, threw garrisons 
 into Forts (feorge and Mississauga, and with the 
 remainder of his forces fell back to Twenty-mile 
 Creek, designing to [U'oceed to l^urlington Heights, 
 there to await expected re-enforcements. 
 
 Leaving I*orter's command to guard the stores 
 and repair the bridge at the mouth of the Chi[)})ewa 
 abandoned by the enemy, Brown, on the 0th, |»ur- 
 sued the Hying foe, who, u]Hm liis a])])roach, left his 
 works on (.,)ueenstow'n Heights which oiu- army im- 
 mediately occu])ied. Witli the British forces either 
 coo])ed up in Fort George or esca])ing to the head 
 of Lake Ontario, Brown was now master of the 
 
lM<» 
 
 CA.MI'AKiN OF ISl 
 
 |«^;' 
 
 m- 
 
 ( ) 
 
 PciiiiisulM of Nvliicli lie colli I lijivc k('[)t control Imd 
 he Mot «lct'iiic(l tile ('\|)('ctc<l ii;t\ nl co-o]>ei'Jitioii essen- 
 tial t<» liis safety. riifoi-tiiiiately, Cliauiicey was 
 sick, the fleet hlockaded in Sackett's Ilai"I»oi-, and 
 tliere was no friendly ship sallyinir forth to hrinii' 
 trooj)s (.)• snjtplies from Sodus or the ('cnesee i'i\'ei', 
 
 W liile Bi'ow n, on his <^)neensto\\ n percli, was 
 swee|)in<i: the lioi'izon foi- friendly sails \\ hicli came 
 ii(»t, the engineers wt-re explorinLC the country ai'ound 
 and their escorts daily skirniishlnir witli tlie enemy. 
 On tile -Jiith, Brown moved to within alxmt a mile 
 of Fort (jreorne, whicdi was deeme<l t(»o stroni:; t(» he 
 carried l)y assaidt and oui- artillei'y too liuht t 
 ])reac]i its walls. I'nder these circumstances, and 
 learninj.:; tliat Kiall had been stronizly re-enfor<'ed 
 witli some veteran reuinients, I)r<»\\n, on the L^L^I,fell 
 Lack to liis inti'encliments on <^)u(M'nsto\\ n JIeii;lits. 
 Here, a letter received fVom (ieneral (raines, at Sa(d<- 
 ett's lIarl)or, dispelled tlie hist hope of Chauncey's 
 co-oj)eration ; but Brown resolving' not to lose the 
 fruits of liis \ alor, decided to <lisencund)er himself of 
 heavy baij:;iL^ain:;e, and at all liazards to ]»ush forward 
 to liui'lington Heights. To make this movement 
 an<l r<'|)lenish liis st(»res from Schlosser, he, <tn the 
 24th, retii'ed across the ('hipjtewa, leaving a battal- 
 ion on the noi'th side t(» hold the enemy's (tid works, 
 still entire and (piite formidable. On passing Niag- 
 ai'a Falls tlie enemy's light troops hung upon our 
 rear, showing, as wus coiudiisively proved the next 
 dav, his near aj)[)ro.'i(di in force. 
 
 The obstinate, sanguinary and extraordinary niglil 
 battle of .Iiilv 'Jatli, variously called Niauara, Lun- 
 
n'^ 
 
 (<»i<)\i:i, wiMjAM M(I:i:k 
 
 211 
 
 (ly's \/,\]u' .'111(1 I^iidiicw.'itcr, was niicxiH'cted l>y botli 
 contestants, and not till noon of tliat day was Blown 
 apjtrist'd of RialPs forwai'd iiio\ ciiu'iit and of Druni- 
 iiiond's landiiiL!' with r«MMif(»r<'('iii('nts of some of W el- 
 
 linu'toii's \«'t('raii rcuinicnts. 
 
 At 
 
 >(> 1'. M., IM'Wi 
 
 caiiH' that a tlionsand BritisJi, witli four jticccs of 
 artillery, liad arrived at (^)neenstowii ; werealtout to 
 attack oiir militia near Lewistoii *m the (»|tj>osite 
 liaiik ; aii<l push iip the river to destroy oiir jninci- 
 pal depot of supplies at Schlosser, I'o divert their 
 attention fiom the j)roseciition of this enterprise, 
 Scott, then at afternoon drill, was oi'dered witli his 
 briii'ade, '^ro\\soirs artillery, Harris" cavalry, ami 
 Wood and Doiii^lass of the eiinineers — about a tli<ms- 
 
 iiid m all — to move down towart 
 
 (Is (Ji 
 
 leenstown am 
 
 show liimself before the Ileiiihts, liut was not ex- 
 ])ecte(l to Hi:"lit, \\'it]i this small force, Scott at tlie 
 Falls met tlie advance of the British forces, consist- 
 inii' of a s(|uadr(»ii of drau'ooiis and a few Indians, 
 disreiifardinLC wliicli he j>roceeded to ^Irs. \\ ilson's 
 tavern, near Ta])le Itock, from whicli (Jeneral Iliall 
 and his staff, eiiij^aujed all day in recoiinoitriiii:-, iiad 
 scarce esca|)ed. While Lieutenant Douinlass, and 
 then Major Jones, wer<' <lesj»atched to aj>prise dren- 
 eral Brown of tlie jtreseiice of the enemy, Scott's 
 column, prec"<led by the draudoiis, <»n its forward 
 march was soon tired upon from a copj)ice on the 
 riuht of the road. 'I'lu' column 1<ept on throuirh the 
 
 W'ooo, under a verv 
 
 hea\ \ fire of art ill 
 
 er\ , mu; 
 
 <ket 
 
 rv 
 
 and riK'kets, in a manner worthy of the best disci- 
 |)rme<l troops. Passing tiiis forest defile, Scott 
 emerged into an open field to the left of the roatl 
 
 m 
 
2] '2 
 
 rAMI'AICN (»F \>^\\. 
 
 and at once fonned in line of l)attle at Lnndy's Lane 
 facing the enemy, •2,500 stronu', snpported by nine 
 ])ieceH of artillery ((> to •J4-]K>iin(lei's) on a eoniniand- 
 in<>; lieiu'lit. 
 
 Scott's position was full of danger: to stand 
 still would be fntal ; to retreat very hazardous; and 
 to attack a force, (h>uble his own, and well })osted 
 on a field of its choice, was perilous in the extreme. 
 Thirsting, howevei', for glory, and witli the laurels 
 of CMiippewa yet fresh u])on liis l)n)W, Scott hes- 
 itated not a moment to attack, trusting that the 
 remainder of the army would soon arrive to his sujv 
 ])ort. Quickly surveying the field witli his glass, he 
 discovered an unoccupied s[)ace of two hundi'ed 
 yards, covered by bi'ushwood, lietween the liver and 
 the British left, through which he directed Jesu]»to 
 force his way, gain possession of the (^ueenstown 
 road and thus cut oft' the enemy's re-enforcements 
 now a])proaching the field of battle under Lieut.- 
 (reneral Drununond. The ^Majors task was l)rill- 
 iantly executed, and among the ti'opliies of his suc- 
 cess wei'e the capture of General lliall, several (»tliei' 
 officers, and 160 men — ^the number of prisoners of 
 war a])Out e(pialling his whole eft'ective strength. In 
 the mean time, the enemy attem])ted to turn vScott's 
 left by a furious assault which was re[)ulsed with 
 heavy loss, and, aftei- an hour's bloody contest, <"he 
 British artillery alone stopd firm. Drunnnond's offi- 
 cial despatch confessed that when he arrived <^n the 
 field, he found Kiall's ''advance in full retreat; and 
 when his own for^iation wms completed, the whole 
 front was warndy and closely engnged, the principal 
 
("<»L<»NKL W IF J.I AM MiRKK. 
 
 21-S 
 
 Aiiicricjm ctforts dii-t'ctcd against tlic Hritisli left 
 and centre; aftei- re])eated attacks, those on tlie left 
 forced back, and the Americans irainin*:; tenij)orar3^ 
 possession of tlie road." 
 
 BRlT/s;^'% 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 0m. 
 
 BRITISH RESERVESc 
 A OVA NCI NO 
 
 %°^ 
 
 m 
 
 •'■'^'VWv^V 
 
 © tJ I 
 
 ^ ^ ©■■• .^ ^ o 
 
 «9® # 
 
 ^•AMERICANS 
 
 JNiaA^MAFALLS 
 
 
 While Scott's little ])and of heroes, now reduced 
 to onedialf by death and wounds, was still keejmiu- 
 the enemy at bav, Brown, informed of tlie situation 
 
 i.. 
 
 M 
 
■ li 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 lM4 
 
 CAMI'AKiX <»l' 1814. 
 
 and lieai'iiiii; tlic continuous rattle of niusk«Hi'y an<l 
 roar of ai'tilh'i'v, |)usln'<l ra[)i(lly forward, tlie brii^;- 
 ades of Kipley and Porter, from Cliippewa, Al)out 
 dai-k, in advance of tlieir arrival, Mcllee, tlie Cliief 
 Knuineer, hurried at speed to reacli the field. (^)ui('klY 
 reconnoitring the position, lie stop[>ed at the foot of 
 the height u\Hm which the British hatterv was posted. 
 After contemplating it for a few m(»ments, he turned 
 to Li(Mitenant Douglass, of the engineers, and with 
 his peculiar emphasis said: "That hill is the key of 
 the ])osition and mnst he taken." To General 
 I^row n, ^vho soon came nj) accompanied by Major 
 AVood, he made the same statement and more fully 
 explained his reasons. So soon after as the engi- 
 neers could select and lead the troops to the l)est 
 positions to interpose those just arrived to cover the 
 wreck of Scott's brigade, lirown ordered the gal- 
 lant 21st Regiment to storm and cany the British 
 battery. " IM try, Sir," promptly i-esponded the vet- 
 eran driller, its (^oloiiel.'"' Oft and bravely, since 
 the days of 'i'ippccanoe, had he faced the foe, but 
 never before had such a tei'rible task been given to 
 him to perfoiiii. However, with his characteristic 
 alacrity, he led forwai'd his three hundi'ed Spartans 
 
 * Gt!iuM';iI Uiplev'.s claini lo llic iliscovcry of llie iiiiijoitiuict' of curryiiii; 
 llio Hritisli l)aUery iiiitl 8u;:;i;ostinL;; its captiiro to General JJrown, is com- 
 pleloly set asiile by Milli'i" l;iiii,st'lf, who wrolo to his wife three (hiys after 
 tiie Itattle : " Miijor Mcliee, tlu> Chief En.Ljiiieer, told General Brown he 
 eoiiUl do no ;^ooil until that hei:;ht was carriefl, and those cannon taken or 
 driven from their position. It was then niijiit, but moonlight. General 
 IJrown turned lo me and said 'Colonel Miller, take yoni' reji;iment and 
 storm that work and lake it.'" General lii'own in his manuscript memo- 
 randum of the Campaign, says : "The Commanding General rode to Colo- 
 nel Miller, and ordered him to charge und curry the enemy's artillery with 
 
 
CULOXKL WIUJAM M. KKK. 
 
 21;") 
 
 to afliirve .'i iH'NV Tlu'nuojtN lu'. Stealthily, uikUm' 
 slioflit cover, he a])i)i'oiit'lie(l witliiii two rods of the 
 eiieiiiyV o-uiiiiers, {)rej)ai'e(l with inatelies liii;]ite(l to 
 (leal <leatli and destruetion ; delivered, over a slio-lit 
 I'ail fence, one witheriuL!: volley; rusiied instantly to 
 the midst of tlie l)attery; bayoneted tlie artillei'ists 
 at tlieir unns; di'ove back tlie infantiy snpports in 
 a liand-todiand strnu"ui;le; and triuni])liantly remained 
 mastei- of the nine pieces and of everythini;" on the 
 heii^lits, until Uij)ley l)ronii'ht two reu'inients to 
 In's assistance. " In the dai'kness of tlie nio-lit," says 
 the Hritish comnian<ler s otiicial despatcli, "in so 
 <letermined a manner was the American attack 
 directed aj^ainst our i;uns, that our artillerymen were 
 bayoneted ])y them in the veiy act of loadinu", and 
 tlie muzzles of the American sj;uns were advanced 
 within a few yai'ds of ours." 
 
 The Bi-itisli drixtMi down the liill, leavinu' their 
 i:;uns and their killed and wounded in the hands of 
 tlie victors, rallied at its foot for a new etfort to 
 ren'ain the heiii'ht. Meanwhile, Scott's torn brii;ade, 
 reduced t(» less than half its streiiu'th by tlu'ee hours 
 of bloody battle, was consolidated into a battalion 
 under I^eavenworth, at Lundys Lane. When infor- 
 mation came that the re-enforced armv was advan- 
 
 ^J 
 
 M 
 
 I' If: 
 
 tilt! bayonet. lie ivplicil in a torn; of j;(t()il Immor lliat he woiiM /?•// to 
 oxecuio the oriler." LioiiUMiaiit I)ouii;lass, wlio was co;:Ciiizant of llio whole 
 Iraiisaction, iu ii public lecture said : " 1 am correct in statiiii; tiiat ii w:..s 
 first siii;jj;esle<l to the niind of tiic ConiiiiaiKlcr-iii-Ciiicf by Colonel McUi f. 
 The .storniiii,:^ of the heij^hl had been fully di-;('UHsed and arran;;('il before 
 (Jeneral Ripley arrived. It was i)rol)ably ten uiiiiuterf after all this, before 
 the head of the second l)rij;ade (Ripley's) arrived, lhrou;j;li the openin;^- of 
 the woods, on the sceiK! of action; and the order beini^ iriven, the Twenty - 
 lirst innnediately took up its position for storiinnji the heights.'' 
 
 iv m- 
 
L'Ki 
 
 ("AMl'AKi.N (»F 1814. 
 
 ciiiui; to ivtjilvc tile ])atterv, Scott led his h.-ittulion- 
 briij^adein an iiiij)etii()iiscliar<j:;e which j)iit the British 
 left to iliglit. Miller's New Ilaiupshire heroes, firm 
 as their own granite hills and supported by .Ri]>ley's 
 closed ranks, reserved their tire till tlie iiasli of the 
 storiners' trims indicated, in the darkness, the posi- 
 tion of the victims to their unerrin<; aim. Again 
 and again the British re-formed and renewed the 
 attack, at such close (piarters that bayonets were 
 crossed and the Haslies of o[)posing muskets mingled. 
 Ilistoi'v no where furnishes an example of more 
 des])erate determination t(» do oi- die. 
 
 Drummond, now re-enforced with 1,500 fresh 
 troops, led a fourth assault to I'egain his battery ; but 
 this foi'lorn hope was as unsuccessful as those wliich 
 preceded it, though the British stoi'iners far outnum- 
 bered the American defenders rooted to that ])lood- 
 drenched height. 
 
 Thus ended this terri])le night, whose wild tu- 
 mult was only rivaled by the roar of the near Niag- 
 ara's downward [)lunge : — a contest unecpialled in 
 this war, and in heroic valor, (logged tenacity, and 
 dreadful carnage, rarely sur[>assed in the annals of 
 our country. In this Titan struggle, we certainly 
 can cl.-iim the higher ci'own of glory ; for here the 
 enenn's [)osition ^^as strong, well chosen and thoi'- 
 oiighly reconnoitred ; his arms of the best, ammu- 
 nition abundant, and his [)owerful artillery admira))ly 
 posted ; his troops inured to wai', many being fresh 
 from Wellington's veteran army ; and certainly he 
 possessed every advantage of time, place and circum- 
 stance. Vet, in a ])rolonged battle of tive hours. 
 
COLONKL WILLIAM M( REE 
 
 21 
 
 niDstly in darlviiess and on a field unknown to lis, 
 the British were beaten by half their niiinl)ers of 
 Americans, few of whom, except at Chippewa twt^nty 
 days before, had ever heard a hostile shot. Cer- 
 tainly there could be no more glorious and decisive 
 victory; no more thorough dissolving of the charm 
 of British invincibility. 
 
 After Drummond's last assault, the enemy ex- 
 hil)it^d, l)y liis desultory firing in the woods, 
 evidences of great confusion ; while our troops, form- 
 ing three sides of a hollow scpiare covering our own 
 and the enemy's artillery, remained drawn up in 
 good order for more than an hour in undisjnited 
 possession of the field of our triumph. ITiifortunately 
 all, except one of our general officers and most of 
 the other seniors of our ai-my, wei-e disabled, which 
 devolved tlie command on (reneral Ripley, ^vho rarely 
 in this campaign was found at the I'ight time in the 
 right place. " The enemy," says General Brown, 
 *' seemed to be effectually routed ; his forces dis- 
 appeared. In a conversation which occurred a few 
 minutes after between the Major-General, Majors 
 Wood and McRee, and two or tliree other officers, it 
 was the unanimous belief that we had nothing more 
 to apprehend from the foe with whom we had been 
 contending ; Init it appeared to be admitted by the 
 whole that it would l)e })roper to return to camp. 
 The idea did not occur to any one present, that it 
 would be necessary to leave behind a man or a 
 cannon. It was ol)served by Major McRee, expressl}^, 
 that there would ])e no difficulty in removing the 
 cannon by hand." 
 
218 
 
 (AMPAKiX (H" 1811. 
 
 Tlie bjittle tliUM being ended, .'ind Genernl Brown 
 Heverely suffering from liis wound, tlie witlidniwnl 
 of llie nrniy to eanij) was left to General Ripley, 
 wliicli was executed in good order and without 
 molestation from the enemy ; but he had not lu'ought 
 off the enemy's artillery. "An hour after the battle," 
 says General Hrown in his official despatch, " I sent 
 for him, and after giving him my reas(ms for the 
 measures I was about to adopt, ordered him to put 
 the troo[)s in the best possible condition; to give 
 them the necessary refreshment, to take with him 
 the pickets and camp-guards, and every other 
 description of force ; to put himself on the tield of 
 battle as the day dawned, and there to meet and 
 beat the enemy if he again appeared. To this order 
 he made no ol)jection, and I relied upon its execution. 
 It )imf< not e.vcrnted.'''' Uipley, with his usual dila- 
 toriness and perverseness, failed to cross the Chippewa 
 till it was sunrise ; halted his colunm at Bridgewater 
 Mills, a mile from Lundy's Line ; and protesting 
 against proceeding further, fell back to head-([uarters. 
 
 General Hrown thoroughly dissatistie<l with the 
 conduct of General Rij>ley on tlie night of the 25th 
 and morning of the 2(>th, and his and General Scott's 
 condition not permitting their taking the field, it 
 was resolved to temporarily devolve the command of 
 the remnant of the heroic Army of the Niagara 
 u[)on General Gaines, who was at once ordered, for 
 this pur])ose, from Sackett's Harbor. 
 
 While the wounded were being removed l)y 
 water to Butt'alo on the 2<>tli, Kipley abandoned his 
 strong position behind the Chippewa, which he could 
 
1 r 
 
 i*U: ' 
 
 n\ 
 
 COLONKI- UTLLIAM XcIlKK. 
 
 2 1 i » 
 
 ur 
 
 he 
 
 it 
 
 Ol 
 
 lira 
 
 t'< >r 
 
 Ibis 
 .1(1 
 
 cusily have \\v\d till I'e-eufoived ; and fell hack to 
 J^lack R<K'k Ferry, where lie would liave crossed to 
 the American shore, bnt for the firm opposition made 
 by General Porter and Majoi's Mcliee, Wood and 
 Towson. Still persistinti^ in liis disregard of liis 
 conntry's lionoi', Ri})ley left the army <m the 27th to 
 obtain Brown's permission to abandon C'anada, in 
 which he signally failed; was indignantly I'ebnked ; 
 ordered to occupy Fort Erie; and turn over liis 
 command to General (mines immediately upon his 
 reporting for duty. 
 
 The army was now encamped on the lakeshore 
 just above Fort Erie, while that work and its ex- 
 tensive exterior intrenchments were, day and night, 
 rai)idlv made ready ])ythe enii-ineers to resist a sieire. 
 Drummond's losses in the battle of Niagai'a were so 
 heavy and his ai'nry so demoralized by defeat, that 
 he remained (piiet at Lundy's Lane to rest his ti'oops 
 and receive re-enforcements ; hence he did not reach 
 Fort Ei'ie in force till a week after, of which respite 
 we diligently availed ourselves in preparing for 
 coming events. 
 
 The details of the Siege of Fort Erie Ave will 
 reserve for our next chapter. Now we will only 
 I'emark that McRee, as Chief Engineer, was untiring 
 in pushing forwar<l the defenses of the great in- 
 trenched camp of which Fort Erie proper formed an 
 im[)ortant part. lie was jtresent everywhere, day 
 and night, su])ervising the construction of trench and 
 battery, carefully reconnoitring all the surroundings, 
 and with an eagle's eye watching the slightest indi- 
 cations of the enemy's movements. After Drum- 
 

 ■J'-. 
 
 220 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1S14. 
 
 nunKTs fierce })oinb{ir(lment of Aug. 18-H, in certain 
 e.\[>ec'tjiti()n of an aswault, McRee made every })rej»- 
 aration in his [)ower to meet it. Late in the nii^ht, 
 to malve assuiance (loul)ly sure, lie went the rounds 
 of tlie entire camp and i^ave such directicms and 
 counsel to the different commanders as the occasion 
 seemed to i'e(|uire. "Be pronn)t and enerij^etic," 
 was his lan<i^uai»;e to Douglass on the extreme right, 
 "for you may be assured, that whatever else 
 they may do, f//i.s will be one of their points of attack." 
 Accordingly, while trusting the gallant Wood of 
 the engineers vigilantly to watch the left, IVfcKee 
 posted himself on the right extremity of our lines 
 (personally managing a six-])ounder) to guard it from 
 being turned by an assaulting cohunn. As he had 
 anticipated, the enemy made persistent attempts in 
 the darkness, before the dawn of the latli, to effect 
 liis object, and not till daylight and the terrific ex- 
 plosion in the bastion of Fort Erie had taken })lace, 
 did Drummond cease his efforts to carry the place by 
 coujMle-mahi. 
 
 General (xaines, then in command, in his official 
 report of this bi-illiant I'ejndse of the enemy, says: 
 "To Major McRee, Chief Engineer, the greatest credit 
 is due for the excellent arramxements and skilful 
 execution of his plans for fortifying and defending 
 the right, and for his correct and seasonable sug- 
 gestions to regain the bastion." Again, on the 26th, 
 he reported to the AVar Department: "Our p<^sition 
 is growing stronger every day by the exertions of 
 Majors McRee and Wood." During the remainder 
 of August and half of September, l^oth armies were 
 
rOLONKL WriJ.IAM M(;UEK. 
 
 001 
 
 nil 
 
 tii, 
 
 loll 
 
 OT 
 
 Her 
 M'e 
 
 receiving re-eiiforcemeiits und pivpuriug for an ulti- 
 mate trial for siijtremacy. The sliarji rattle of pick 
 and slK)vel, directed by our engineers, continually 
 varied the l)ooniing hass of the enemy's artillery till 
 the 17th of September, when Brown, who on the 2d 
 had I'esumed command, seeing the impending danger 
 of })eing overwhelmed by the su[)erior numbers and 
 ordnance of Drummond, ivsolved to sortie from his 
 camp; if possible demolish the enemy's siege works; 
 and destroy the fruits of his month and a half of 
 unremitting laboi-. This brilliant final trium])h of 
 our arms, greatly "due to the counsels of Colonel 
 McRee and Major Wood," terminated the C'ampaign 
 of 1814, and compelled the retreat of the British 
 army. 
 
 In his official report of Sept. 211, 1814, General 
 Brown says: " Lieut.-Colonel McKee and Lieut.- 
 Colonel Wood, of the Corps of Engineers, having 
 I'endered to this army services the most im[)oi'tant, 
 I must seize the opportunity of again menticming 
 them j)articularly. On every trying occasion, I have 
 reaped much benefit from their counsel and excellent 
 advice. No two officers of tlieir grade could ha\e 
 contributed more to the safety and honor of tliis 
 army. Wood, brave, generous and enterprising, died 
 as he had lived, without a feeling but for the honor 
 of his country and glory of her arms. Plis name 
 and example will live to guide the soldier in the path 
 of duty as long as true heroism is held in estimation. 
 McKee lives to enjoy the appr()l)ation of every 
 virtuous and generous mind, and to receive the re- 
 ward due to his services and hiuli militai'\' talents." 
 
I 
 
 !H 
 
 000 
 
 m^ m m 
 
 (A.MI'AION (U- 18U. 
 
 Tliis ln'ilHaiit three nioiitlis' ('aiMi>ainii of LSI 4, in 
 wliic'li our {iriiis liad so o;loiiously triiiiiiplu'(l over 
 siipei'ior imiiibers of Hiitisli picked vetenins in two 
 san<::ulnai'v battles and a deadly defense afcainst a 
 stnbhoni sie<;e, was in strikinLf eontrast to the sad 
 fiascos of IHl'J anci 181. S; yet, stratei2;ically con- 
 Hidered, we conrpiei-ed notliinu; exeejtt victory and a 
 pro'ud name for the s|)ii'it, (liscij)iine, endurance, and 
 skill of tlie American arms. As we began, so we 
 ended the campaign, without ac(|uiring an inch of 
 Canada; for the useless fort in our j)ossession, when 
 we retired to our own soil, was blown uj) and 
 abandoned. 
 
 Tlie prominent defect in the Cam|)aign of 1<S14 
 was the scattering of our forces along an extended 
 frontier, and making our greatest effort on the Niag- 
 ara remote from the true objective point in any con- 
 quest of Canada. In conducting this, its most 
 important featu]'e, many grave faidts were committed. 
 
 FivHi : AVe should liave invaded Canada by 
 crossing the Niau-ara near its mouth rather than at its 
 liead, the fovmer being nearer to our true objective 
 j)oint. Here a single successful battle woidd have 
 cut oil' the enemy from re-enforcements ; probably 
 have destroyed his ai-niy ; and certainly, at once, 
 liave secured the whole Peninsula. 
 
 Sec<»i<l : Placing our principal depot of supplies 
 in the defenseless position of Schlosser, between us 
 and the enemy where it Avas difRcult to guard, open 
 to attack, and in gross viohition of military princi- 
 ples, for which we would have severely suffei'ed at 
 the hands of a nK>re enterprising antagonist. 
 
lies 
 
 us 
 
 hen 
 
 lu'i- 
 
 at 
 
 COLONKI, WILFJAM McUKK. 
 
 W M •> 
 
 Third : Aftei" tlic cjqttiire «»f Fort Krie we were 
 ii<;lit in promptly nioviiii^ forwai'd to meet tlie enemy, 
 hut (leeidedly wronu; in oui- mode of attack; fortius 
 l)attle of (Miip])ewa was essentially fou^'lit l)y SeottV 
 sinL!;le l)rigade, instead of l)y the whole army. Had 
 Brown thi'owii lialf his foree, under eovei* of tlie 
 woods, to aetuall\ tuin RialTs ri^lit, when tlie hitter 
 was advaneiui:; to the su[>j>ort of his skirmishers, 
 and, at the same time, have opjjosed liis front and 
 tlireatened his left witli tlie other half, the J^ritish 
 army would have been utterly routed, the Chippewa 
 crossed, and the enemv's stront"' intrenchments have 
 fallen that nin'ht into our possessicm. An assured 
 victory here wcmld have been decisive of the Penin- 
 sula campaign. 
 
 Fourth : After the battle, when the engineers 
 rej)orted the practical )ility of turning the I'ight of 
 the C^hippewa intrenchments, Brown shoidd instantly 
 have thrown the mass of his forces upon the 
 enemy's communications to cut him from his Ijase 
 and re-enforcements, thus to compel lliall to fight 
 for his existence in a position of our own choice. 
 Our delay, till the 8th, in crossing the Clii})pewa, 
 saved the British army, enabled lliall to garrison 
 Fort George, and remain niastei* of the Peninsula. 
 
 Fifth : Brown, after crossing the Chippewa, 
 should not have halted at Queenstown. With a single 
 brigade he had beaten Uiall, who, now weakened 
 by the force thrown into Fort (reorge, could 
 easily have been defeated or driven from the Penin- 
 sula, leaving us free to occupy and intrench Burling- 
 ton Heights. Thus we would have accom])lislied 
 

 224 
 
 CAM PA K J N OF 1811. 
 
 tile irijiin object of {\w. caiiipjiiL;'!! in this (jiiui'ter ; 
 been ready to meet DruiiiinoiKrs udvaiuMH^- re-eii- 
 forcenieiits ; linve moved, witliout serious opposititm, 
 down Luke Ontario; cajttiiiH^d Kini::ston witli the 
 assistance of tlie ijjarrison of Sackett's Ilarljor and 
 Cliauncey's fleet; and, Hnally, have tiinnij)liantly 
 readied Montreal, tlie ii;oal <xf our eiuh^avors. 
 
 Sh'th : Brown, feariui/; for tlie safety of liis ill- 
 [tlaced depot nt Sclilosser on the 2r)tlj of July, wisely 
 resolved to save his menaced mai!;aziiies by thi'eat- 
 ning the (Mieiny in front; but, unwisely, he sent for- 
 ward an inade<|uate force, and, as at (/]ii[)pewa, 
 fou<i;ht his bloodiest battle by detachments, in viola- 
 tion of all sound military axioms. With his united 
 army he must have erushed Kiall tirst and Druni- 
 niond afterwards, ami thus have ii;ained, with half 
 his actual losses, a decisive and crowning victory at 
 Niagara. 
 
 SeiU'iifh : After th<* des])erate night-batth^ at 
 Lundy's Lane, when our army i-(^turned to camp for 
 refreshment, thei'c was no excuse for (ieiieral Ivij>I(^y's 
 leaving the cajttured British artillery on the Held, 
 if his foi'ee of men and horses was insuHicient to 
 drag it away, he could, nt least, have spiked and dis- 
 mounted the guns; have bi'oken off their trunnions 
 and burne<l the carriages; or, othei'wise, have ren- 
 dered useless this battery, the after possession of 
 which thinly veiled the eiunny^s (lefeat,and was of in- 
 estimable value in his subs('(|uent siege of Fort Krie. 
 
 AVy///// ; When our army ha<l returned to the 
 (Jhi|)j»ewa intrenchments, Ripley had no excuse for 
 abandoning them ; f<>r we had, with inferiiu' forces, 
 
("OLONKL WILLIAAl McUKK. 
 
 M « «' 
 
 just Ijcutt'ii (lie ciicniy in ji stroiii;; position of his 
 own (rlioicci, who (M'l't.'iinly, in his crippIcMl mikI dcnioi- 
 jilizcd (•on(liti()n, coiihl not Ii.inc dislodi^^cil us tVoui Ji 
 foi'tilicd (';un|) with wliich we wcr*' now fiiiniliar. 
 
 Ninth: llij)h'y's conduct In cn<h';i\ <n-in<j^ to rc- 
 ti'tNit to oni" own tci-i'itory, ()cfoi-c :i l)c;itcn foe, was 
 wholly unj»;irdon;d)lc, and justly ('.\j)os('<i him to the 
 chai;i:;(' of moral, if not of j)hysical <'owar<iicc. 
 
 Vr///'// ; Al'tci- the vic.toiy of ChipjK'wa, and 
 Brown had reached the vicinity of Fort (ieoi<r(.^ the 
 failure of (lianncey to co-opei'ate with the army 
 was the excuse, rather than the necessity, for not 
 prom]>tly followini:; up and Ix^atini^ Kiall hefoi'e he 
 could l)e re-enforced by Di'ununond. 
 
 Khrciifh : (JencM'al I/ard's dilatory and aind< 
 
 MS 
 
 movements, from Aui(Ust2iMh t(»()ct, loth, deprive<l 
 us of ji laru;e force in the cam|)aii:,"n. Had he remained 
 on Lake ( 'hamplain, IMosost miL','ht have sliared the 
 same fatt^ at IMattshui'i;', in 1814, us had !iuri:;oyne 
 lit Saratoga, in 1777, wIumi on the suuie line of op<'r- 
 utions he teiininate<l Ids march hy the capitulation 
 of liis whole army. Oi', ha<l he not jM'oceeded to 
 the Niau'ara at the slow rate, 1>\ land and water, of 
 
 l)()Ut ei! 
 
 d.t 
 
 miles a < 
 
 tune 
 
 to 1 
 
 lave |oine( 
 
 J' 
 
 lay 
 d \\ 
 
 he won 
 
 Id I 
 
 lave ai'rived m 
 
 I'own s arm 
 
 )■ 
 
 an( 
 
 w I 
 
 th th 
 
 united foi-ce of S,()()0 comhatants, w<' coidd liav 
 
 1) 
 
 driven l^rummom 
 
 1 to I 
 
 iOWCI' 
 
 ( 
 
 anada 
 
 !.• 
 
 McI 
 
 vee, w 
 
 hen he became the Chief iMiuineel" of 
 
 (Jenei 
 
 al H 
 tl 
 
 I'own s ai'iuN', was on 
 
 ly 
 
 M 
 
 ijor 
 ]) 
 
 hut 
 
 dnriuL!,' tlu^ campaiL^n, lu^ nobly won two ])ievets — 
 that of i.ient.-Coh.nel, July 2;"), ISII, "for gallant 
 conduct in the Hattle of NiatrJii'u," and of Colonel, 
 
220 
 
 CAMPAKJX OF 1814. 
 
 ; i I 
 
 August IT), 1814, '' for (listiiiguislied services iu tlie 
 Defense of Fort Erie." Tlirougliout tlie campaign 
 Mcliee enjoyed, in tlie liigliest degree, the confidence 
 of tlie whole army ; was foremost in the councils of 
 every movement and plan; and, be it said, to the 
 lasting honor of the General-in-Chief, he was, at all 
 times and on all occasions, then and after, prompt 
 and explicit in acknowledging liis official oljligations 
 to his able, energetic, and brilliant Cliief Engineer. 
 McRee and Wood, sa> s Brown in his report of the 
 Battle of Niagara, "were greatly distinguished on tliat 
 day, and their high military talents exerted witli great 
 effect ; they Avere much under my e}'e and near my 
 person, and to their assistance a great deal is fairly 
 to be ascribed. I most earnestly recommend them 
 as wortliy of the highest trust and confidence." His 
 estimate of Mcliee's services in the defense of Fort 
 Erie we have already quoted. He freely stated tliat 
 "Mcliee's iiuhistry and talents were the admiration 
 of the whole army," in which he would doubtless 
 have been made a Brigadier-General liad the war 
 continued. On the death of General Brown, Feb- 
 ruary 24, 1828, a distinguished member of Congress, 
 who enjoyed the confidence of tlie President, says in 
 a private letter to a deceased officer of the army, 
 now Ixifore us : " Mcliee is spoken of as a prominent 
 candidate for General-in-Chief." Another hero, of 
 another field of glory iu the Campaign of 1814, won 
 the })rize ; but few will deny that it would have been 
 most \vortliiIy bestoAved, with honor and profit to 
 the nation, upon the Chief Engineer of the Niagara, 
 who, to the highest science, militai'V talents, culti- 
 
COLONEL WILLIAM .MoKEE. 
 
 227 
 
 vated liiiiid, and eiuiueiit fitness, added a sjnrit, 
 energy, kn- ledge of details, ])<)wer<)f C()nd)ination, 
 and a genl.. ior connnand ecpial to direct the largest 
 army ever upon an American field, 
 
 Genei'al Winfield Scott, no ordinary judge of 
 soldiers, said of McKee in a letter of May 81, 1843: 
 "In my o])inion, and, perliaps, in that of all the 
 army, he condnned more jjjeniusand military science, 
 \yitli high courage, than any other officer who par- 
 ticipated in the AVar of 1812. I know that this 
 \yas at least a very general opinion. If the Treaty 
 of Peace had not preveiite<l, lie could, as I also 
 know, have l)een made a general oflieer in 1815, and 
 I am confident that he would in the field, have illus- 
 trated ihe highest grade." 
 
 Scarcely had the war with Great Britain termi- 
 nated, when Colonel McKee and Major Thayer (sub- 
 secpiently the eminent Superintendent of the INIilitary 
 Academy) were selected Marcli 20, 1815, by the 
 government, to accompany Commodore Decatur's 
 expedition to chastise the Algerine pirates who had 
 been preying upon our commerce in the Mediter- 
 ranean waters. Suddenly, April 12, 1815, their des- 
 tination was changed from Africa to Europe, with 
 instructions to visit the fortifications and militai'v 
 establishments of France and the Netherlands; and to 
 ])urchase maps, books, etc., to form a suitable library 
 for the Military Academy at AVest Point. 
 
 Provided w ith otficial and private letters to dis- 
 tinguished [)ersonages abroad, they sailed, June 10, 
 1815, fi'om Boston in the U. S. Frigate Ccmgress. 
 ( )n the passage they spoke the cartel "John Adams," 
 
228 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 18U. 
 
 ■Ji 
 
 i 
 
 m 
 
 from wliic'li they lejinied tlint N;i])()leoii liad escaped 
 from Elba, giviiiu; tlieni liiu:li liopes of reaching 
 France in time to [)artic'ii)ate in the roming struggle 
 for its em])ii'e. On arriving in the Straits of Dover 
 these cherished anticipations were Idasted by the 
 fatal tidings of Waterloo and the disastrons termi- 
 nation of the " Hundred Days." Without stoi)ping, 
 they passed on to the Island of Walcheren and, 
 after examining the foi-titications, landed near Bruges. 
 When they reached Paris, after its fall, tlie English 
 were encamped about St. Denis, the Prussians occu- 
 pied the Bois de Boulogne, and the Russians had 
 only readied Vertus, Avhere, with General AVintield 
 Scott of our army, in the staff of the Duke of Wel- 
 lington, they were present at a great review, by his 
 (Irace, of all tlie troops of the Emperor Alexander. 
 At Paris, they daily saw the Allied Sovereigns, 
 tlieir well-disciplined armies, and the great evolu- 
 tions and fetes given in their honor — all of which 
 produced a profound impression on these young 
 and enthusiastic American soldiers. After these 
 stirring scenes, they visited Metz and other military 
 schools, examined the Netherland fortifications, and 
 those of Lille, Cherbourg and Brest in France, and 
 made important purchases for the West Point library. 
 Having performed his European mission with 
 much credit to himself and advantage to the govern- 
 ment, ]\[cRee returned to the United States in May, 
 1817, when he found he had been detailed, Nov. 1(), 
 1810, as a mendjer of the Board of Engineers to 
 project the system of defense for our Atlantic and 
 Gulf coasts. Tpon this most important duty, which 
 
COIOMOL WILLIAM McUKK. 
 
 00») 
 
 called into action all his untiring industry, extensive 
 acquirements, and deep study of the practice and 
 theory of war at home and abroad, he \\'as diligent- 
 ly engaged for two years ; when, having similar 
 views to those of the late Chief Engineer (which we 
 have detailed at leno-th in our sketch of Bi'io-adier- 
 General Joseph G. Swift) respecting the impolicy 
 and injustice t)f introducing General Simon Bernard, 
 a foi-eign engineer, into the United States military 
 service, Mcllee, with ci'ushed pride and wounded 
 heart, resigned, March 81, 1810, from the army, in 
 which he had so faithfully and honorably served 
 from boyliood till he had attained the full rank of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineei's, and Brevet Colonel, 
 U. S. Ai-my, Subse([uently, strange to say, one of the 
 works, projected by this same (leneral Bei-nard foi' 
 the defense of Pensacola Harbor, was named Fort 
 McKee, after his junior in rank, but his c(pial in 
 knowledge and talent. 
 
 In this connection, we give at length tlie opinion 
 of the very sagacious and eminent acbninistratoi', then 
 at the head of the AVar Department. In a letter of 
 July 12, 1848, John C. Calhoun, says : " I have great 
 regard for Cokmel William McKee. I lis talents 
 and character were of the highest order, lie only 
 lacked opportunity to distinguish himself as a great 
 military chief. 
 
 "When General Swift, who was at the head of 
 the Corps of Engineers, received a civil .•i])point- 
 ment, I was anxious to place Colonel JMcKee in liis 
 place, in order to retain him in the military service. 
 I knew he contem[)lated retiring. Colonel Armistead, 
 
I 
 
 2;^o 
 
 CAMPAIGN OK 1814. 
 
 u nijiu t)f grent worth, jind for whom I liad mucli 
 respect, was his senior. Tlie step could not he. 
 tjilven with propriety without his assent. I spoke 
 to him witliout apprising; Colonel McHee of my 
 intention. He had tlie highest admiration for him, 
 and felt the same solicitude he should continue in 
 the service that I di(h lie gave his consent without 
 hesitation, accompanied by declarations alike lionor- 
 aljle to Colonel McRee and himself. I communi- 
 cated ^^•hat had occurred, with my wish to have 
 Colonel McKee placed at the head of the Corps, to 
 President Monroe, who readily agreed to it. lie 
 had also a very high opinion of Colonel McRee. I 
 made known to him the facts, but so delicate were 
 his feelings, and such his esteem for Colonel Ar- 
 mistead, that it was impossible for me to overcome 
 liis oljjections to be placed over him, even with his 
 assent. I know that Mr. Monroe participated in 
 my desire to continue his services in the Corps, and 
 when he had made up his mind to retire, felt every 
 disposition to give him some eligible civil appoint- 
 ment. * ^ ^- * * * * * 
 
 " He was a member of the Board of Ensz-ineers 
 to take into consideration the defense of the country 
 and report on a system of fortiiications, with (xen- 
 eral Bernard. The lattei' was not strictly an officer 
 of the army, but he had the pay and emoluments of 
 a Hrigadier-(Teneral. Mis position was anomalous, 
 and excited a good deal of discontent in the army, 
 and in the C-ori>s of Engineers j)ai'ticularly ; and it 
 w^as tlu^ught by many it was felt by Colcmel MclTee. 
 But he was not the man to make complaints; if lie 
 
COI.ONKL WII.I.IAM MrUKi:. 
 
 L>M1 
 
 !hI 
 
 
 ■» 
 
 
 felt, he never expressed any discoiiteiit tome; but 
 always spoke liiglily of tl»e talents and character of 
 General Bernard, as lie did, invariably, of Colonel 
 McRee to nie. They were both eminently talented 
 and skilful engineers. I regarded Coh>nel McRee 
 fully e(pial to the General, and his reports to the 
 Department, when they made sej^arate, will, I think, 
 fully hold me out in this opinion." 
 
 After McRee's resignation from the military 
 service, seeking the quiet pleasures of private life, 
 he resided in the Western States, holding, for a 
 short period, the position of United States Conunis- 
 sioner for locatins: the "National Road" 'west of the 
 Ohi(>; and, again, under the Act of March 8, 1825, 
 temporaril}', that of the Chief Conuuissioner, to 
 survey the western waters, and locate and plan the 
 "Western Armory." His letters from the West, 
 many of which we have carefully read, give gra])hic 
 accounts of his explorations in the Mississippi Val- 
 ley ; his sharp struggles with poverty, for he had no 
 money-saving talent ; his sale of almost everything, 
 even his much loved books, to defray the moderate 
 expenses of his frugal living ; his declining tenders 
 of lucrative positions to which he modestly thought 
 himself une(pial ; his n()])le disinterestedness to pro- 
 mote other's fortunes by the selection of lands; his 
 devotion to his few warm, and steadfast friends ; his 
 stern integrity amid the most alluring temptations; 
 and his continuous cheerfulness under the severest 
 trials. 
 
 At last, necessity knowing no law and his last 
 resources becoming insufficient for his stinted exist- 
 
P^ - 
 
 '2:\'2 
 
 tAMJ'AKiN ()!■' 1814. 
 
 ?! 
 
 eiice, lie was compelled to listen to the persuasions 
 of his friends and to ac'c'e2)t, Fel). 22, 1825, the office 
 of Snrv^eyor General of the United States for the 
 District of Illinois and Missouri. In the discharge 
 of the duties of that troublesome and thankless 
 office he continued till -Tuly 25, 18;}2, having been re- 
 appointed in January, 1829. At the time of leaving 
 this office liis name had l)eeii sent to the Senate as a 
 proper person to survey the l)()undary line between 
 the United States and Mexico, but he never entered 
 upon the <luty. J^rokeu in health, he retired to his 
 congenial seclusion till May 15, 1838, when the 
 Asiatic cholera at St. Louis, Mo., terminated his 
 mortal career in his forty-sixth year. 
 
 Colonel JNIcKee was a bachelor; small in stature; 
 chaste and tem})erate in habit ; and grave, reserved 
 and almost austere in manner. AVhen, however, he 
 Avas interested in conversation his steel-ldue eye light- 
 ed up his pale, melancholy face,he becoiuing eloquent, 
 instructive, and earnest, even to being sarcastic ; yet 
 he was ever kind, considerate, and deferential to those 
 whose opinions were worthy of respect. Winning 
 the mai'ked reu'ard, and excitinix the warm admiration 
 of all within the sphere of his acciuaintauce, he 
 seemed to withdraw with morlnd sensibility from 
 general notoriety. He despised syco[)haiits and 
 scorned demagogues. He possessed a highly culti- 
 vated mind, strong '"easoning faculties, (piick per- 
 ceptions, firm convictions, and I'esolute will, making 
 him a leader more than a follower of men. He was 
 an omnivorous reader and studied the classical as 
 well as modern models of men, Brutus and Cassius 
 
^^\ 
 
 COLOXKr, WILLIAM McItKK. 
 
 288 
 
 lo- 
 
 Pll 
 lie 
 
 ti- 
 
 ng 
 
 las 
 las 
 
 lis 
 
 being his heroes among tlie ancients, while Frederic 
 and Napoleon were his modern [)aragons. Though 
 military in his tastes, he did not confine liimself to 
 [)rofessional thoughts, for he revelled in history and 
 literature, preferring the times and types of i-evo- 
 lution, such as the daring Luther, the sturdy Crom- 
 well, the fiery Mirabeau and the passionate Byron. 
 He wrote but little, for notoriety was distasteful to 
 him; yet the public archives contain many forcible 
 memoirs from his pen, showing strong intellect, 
 wealth of knowledge, marked originality, and close 
 observation. His report on the establishment of the 
 Pittsl)iirg armory evinces not only a sohlier's, but a 
 statesman's views ; and his remarks, in the New York 
 Scientific and Literary Magazine upon the present 
 resources and magnificent future of the "Great West," 
 are pregnant with original and far-seeing predictions. 
 McRee was a modest, wortliy and eminently dis- 
 tino-uished son of his cherished Alma Mater, which 
 had educated him for the service of the nation, for 
 whose glory he gave liis highest endeavors and the 
 best years of an active life. The General-in-Chief of 
 the Niagara Army, with just magnanimity, ascribed 
 to McRee much of the eminent success of his com- 
 mand, and well he might, for his Chief Engineer in 
 that memorable campaign of 1814, though only 
 ffoenff/sLv years of age, was old in wisdom, the 
 Mentor of the Council and the Palinurus of the 
 Battle-field. 
 
I 
 
 CIIAPTEll SIXTH. 
 
 SIEGE AND DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE IN 1814 ; 
 
 WITH A mOORAI'IIICAL SKETCH OK 
 
 MAJOR DAVID BATES DOUGLASS. 
 
 Spades are Trumps in tlie Attack and Defense 
 of Fortified Places ; and tlie j^i'oininent playeis of 
 these winning cards are Engineer Troops, technically 
 termed Sappers and jNIiners. 
 
 It was to reward the whole French "Corps dn 
 Genie," in the jxM'son of its real chief, both by rank 
 and merit, that the Grande Monar( pie gave the baton 
 of Marshal to the illustrious Vauban, who fought 
 140 battles, conducted 58 sieges, and l)uilt and 
 repaired 300 fortifications. Prior to the wars of 
 Louis XIV, infanti'}' troops were detailed for sap- 
 pers and instructed in their duties by engineers. So 
 impei'fect, however, was the system, that Vauban, in 
 1670, urged the propriety of a separate organization 
 of 1,200 Sappers and Miners. In 1(55)0, the first 
 company ^vas organized under the command of 
 Vauban himself, who says: "To such a degree have 
 I felt the necessity of Sappers, that I have always 
 had reason to re])eiit of not having more urgently 
 solicited the creation of this company."" 
 
 So valuable were engineer troops considered, that 
 
 234 
 
MA.JOK UAVII) MATKS l)()[(iLAS6. 
 
 235 
 
 tliey continued to be increased in nnnd)ei- till the 
 outbreak of the French Revolution. In the wars of 
 Napoleon, which followed, tliere are innumerable 
 instauces in illustration of the delays and disasters 
 attendinj^ the operations of armies notsupjilied with 
 sufficient euL^dneer troops; and, on the other hand, 
 the advanta<!;es resultinuj from their services when 
 ample in numbers and j)r()perly organized and in- 
 structed. 
 
 From the first to the second emj)ire, tlie influence 
 of engineers continued to be more and more appre- 
 ciated. To the French military establishment there 
 are now attached 8,000 of this arm of service. 
 
 Frederic the (Ireat organized two companies of 
 Miners in 1742; but previous to 1810, Prussia had 
 no regular 8api)ers, foi* which neglect and that of her 
 fortifications this country paid the forfeit in the disas- 
 trous cam})aign of Jena in 1806. Since then, Prus- 
 sia lias become a nation of soldiers, Northern Ger- 
 many now having in her vast army nearly 11,000 
 encfineer officers and men. 
 
 When AVellington went to the Spanish Penin- 
 sula, he wrote to the Secretary of State : " It is in- 
 conceivable with what disadvantages we undertake 
 anything like a siege for the want of engineer 
 troops ;" and Colonel Napier says: ''When the first 
 serious siege was undertaken by the British army, 
 to the discredit of the English government, no army 
 was ever so ill-provided with the means of promo- 
 ting such an enterprise. The engineer officers were 
 exceedingly zealous ; and many of them were well 
 versed in the theory of their business. But the 
 

 
 '2'M\ 
 
 SIVMK AM) DKl'KXSK OK FOUT KUIK IN 18U. 
 
 ablest trembled when retleetiiiix on their utter desti- 
 tution of all tluit belouii;ed to rejd service. Without 
 a eorj)s of sappei's and miners to carry on an aj)- 
 proacli nndei- tire, they were ('omj)elled to attack for- 
 tresses defended by the most warlike, practi md 
 scientlHc troo])s of the as^e, The best oHIce.s and 
 [U'ivaie soldiers were obliii^ed to saci'itice themselves, 
 in a lamentabh* manner, to compensate for the negli- 
 gence and inca[)acity of a government always ready 
 to plunge the nation into war, without the slightest 
 care of what was necessary to obtain success. Tlie 
 sieges carried on by the Hi'itish in Spain were a suc- 
 cession of butcheries; because the commonest mate- 
 rials, and the means necessary to their art, were 
 denied the engineers." (\)lonel John T. Jones writes 
 in nearly the same tei'uis of the early sieije the 
 
 Peninsnhi, and with respect to the siege of ^. jos, 
 adds in express terms, that "a body of sappers and 
 miners, and the necessary fascines and gabions would 
 have rendered the reduction of the work certain." 
 Soon after this siege, a body of the Corps of Royal 
 Sappers and Miners, ci-eated in 1812, arrived from 
 England ; but their luimber proved insutlicient, and, 
 for yeai's, the British army struiryled on with a most 
 impei'fect army organization. The engineer arm 
 was gradually increased, so that, in the last year of 
 the war, it numbered 1,730 officers and men. Exclu- 
 sive of officers, the present force is 4,500, 
 
 E^ery military student acknowledges the import- 
 ance to the British army of the vast Lines of Torres 
 Vedras ; the iield works of Ronda ; the intrenched 
 camps of the Pyrenees, Bayonue, Toulouse, etc.; 
 
MA.IOU DAVID UATKS DOFCJLASS. 
 
 2.S7 
 
 and Wellin^'toii's pivpamtioii foi- liis HjiuI struggle 
 nt Waterloo, just het'ore wliicli battle he employed 
 18,000 peasants and 2,ooo hui-ses under the direetion 
 of the engineer otticers and men. 
 
 It is unnecessary here to exhibit the importance 
 attached by other Kuro])ean |)(>\vers to having well 
 oi'ganized and insti'ueted engineer troops. 
 
 In our first chapter, we have shown how Wash- 
 ington sutt'ered in the early days of the Revolution 
 for the want (►f instructed engineers; but it was not 
 till May 27, 177N, that Congress authorized tlii'ee 
 companies of Sa[)pers and Miners, which served till 
 tlie end of the Revolution with efficiencv and dis- 
 
 « 
 
 tinction, and were mustered out of service in 
 Noveml)er, 1788. To the [)resent C\)rpsof Kngineers, 
 se])arated tVom the Artillery March 1(5, 1802, there 
 were added, Fel). 28, 1808, nineteen enlisted men, and, 
 April 2t), 1812, a company of " B(^mbai'<liers, Sa|)pers 
 and Miners," making a total of 118 engineer soldiers. 
 This company did admiialde servdce in the campaign 
 of 1814 on the Niagai'a frontiei', as we shall ])resently 
 show, and was disbanded U[)on the reduction of the 
 army in 1S21. Sul)se([uently, the necessity of re- 
 cruiting such a l)ody of men was strongly urged by 
 the Chief Eno'ineer in elaborate reimrts showinfj; 
 their usefulness ; but not till May If), 184(), was a 
 company of one hundred " Sappei's, Miners and 
 Pontoniers " authorized, which so soon as enlisted, 
 organized and drilled, was ordered to Mexico. It 
 took ])art in the siege of Vera Cruz; attack of Cerro 
 Gordo; the battles of Contreras, Churubusco and 
 Molino-del-Rev ; constructed butteries aijainst Cha- 
 
; 
 
 288 
 
 SIEGE AND DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE IN 1814. 
 
 
 pultepec ; and did excellent service at the garita San 
 Cosme on tlie ca])ture of the City of Mexico. Since, 
 detachments have been detailed on various expe- 
 ditions, and the wliole company efficiently served in 
 the Utah campaign of 1858. In August, 1861, 
 Congress authorized four additional companies, and 
 the whole five, forming a battalion, were attach d 
 to the Army of the Potomac. Tlieir services, through- 
 out the Civil War, were of incalculable value in 
 throwing up intreiicliments, bridging streams, pre- 
 paring battle-fields, making reconnoissances, and in- 
 structing volunteer engineer soldiers, of which many 
 regiments Avere called into service, soon becoming by 
 means of tlieir skilled lal)or and high intelligence, 
 the most valuable adjuncts. In no Avar have more 
 wonderful and dai'ini>: feats of eiisji'ilieeriiii'" been so 
 expeditiously pei-formed, than by our armies aided 
 ])y the reijular and volunteer enixiiieers : such as the 
 field intrenchments everywhere; the Defenses of 
 Washiugioii, with their 68 enclosed forts and 
 batteries, numerous gun emplacements, and 20 miles 
 of I'itie-trenches ; the sieges of Fort Wagner, Island 
 Ten, Vicksburg and Knoxville ; the formidable 
 works before ^'orktown, Corinth, Mobile, Cold 
 Harbor, and Petersburg; the almost continuous 
 lines and l)atteries from Chattanooga to Atlanta ; 
 and the remarkable lu'idge structures across the 
 James, Cniickahomiiiy, Potomac Creek, Etowah, Chat- 
 tahoochie, etc., the former the longest ever built 
 by engineers in the field, and some of the latter re- 
 constructed almost before the originals they replaced 
 ceased to Inirn. 
 
JfAJOU DAVID HATKS DOUGLASS. 
 
 239 
 
 The five re<i;ul;ii' eiiuineer eoiiipanies are still 
 I'etaiiied in service, tliou<]i:li tlie strenijth of the bat- 
 talioii is only 2<)<>, or about 1 to 60 of our infantry 
 troops, while the propoi'tion eonsi<lere(l necessary in 
 the Prussian army is 1 to 3(3, in the English 1 to 34, 
 and in the Frencii 1 to 33. 
 
 David I^atks I)(>i(;i.ass, son of Xathaniel and 
 Sarah Bates Douglass, was l)orn ^Nfaivh 21, 179U, at 
 I'onipton, N. J. llis mother, a woman of superior 
 mind and high princi]>les, carefully directed his 
 studies till he entered Vale College, in 1809, from 
 which he was graduated, with high honors, Sept. 18, 
 1813. 
 
 liike all young men of true spirit, " he desired 
 to serve his country," then at war with (rreat Bri- 
 tain, "and, if possible, in the highest branch of the 
 service." Acc(M'dingly he traveled, alone and al- 
 most unaided, to Sackett's lIarl)oi', to make a[)[)lica- 
 tion to the Chief Engineer of the Army, for a com- 
 mission in the cor[)s he commanded, (ieneral Swift, 
 seeing that he was a young man of high charactei' 
 and abilities, at once gave him a letter to the Secre- 
 tary of War, then at Sackett's irar])or, which 
 resulted in Douglass being appointed, Oct. 1, 1S13, 
 a Second Lieutenant in the Coi'ps of Engineei's. He 
 was inunediately ordered to West Point, and Nov. 3, 
 1813, placed in command of the com])any of 
 bond)ardiei's, sap|)ers and miners. Here he spent 
 seven months diligently studying his new profession 
 and drilling his conunand, with which he was or- 
 dered, June H), 1S14, to proceed foi-thwith "and 
 join the army under Major-( ieneral lii'own." 
 

 11 
 
 'i 
 
 240 SIEGE AjSD DKFEXSE of KOHT EIUE in 1814. 
 
 Though the meinbei'.s of the eoiiipuiiy were taken 
 by surprise, as they had l^eeii enlisted for duty at 
 West Point, the whole, with hearty good will, set to 
 work making their pre})arations for departure ; on 
 the evenino; of the 19th were on board of a 
 slow sailing sloop for Albany ; thence in thirteen 
 marching days traveled 360 miles ; reached Buffalo 
 July 9th, and at once, without refreshment, em- 
 barked on the Niagara in a leak}' launch ; by mid- 
 night, with much difficulty, reached Chippewa; there 
 joined Porter's volunteer brigade, forming tlie rear 
 guard of our forces ; iwid on the next morning reached 
 the main army at Queenstown, where half of the 
 siege train was assigned to the Bombardiers and 
 fought l)y them, subsequently, to the end of the 
 campaign. It is unnecessary again to recount the 
 stirring events recorded in our last chapter. Suffice it 
 to say that Douglass and his command were, in all 
 emergencies, prompt, active and efficient in the per- 
 formance of every duty entrusted to them as engi- 
 neers, artillerists, or infantry. A more brilliant 
 career, however, was reserved for them in the De- 
 fense of Fort Erie, before which (reneral Drum- 
 moiid, after resting a week at Lundy's Lane and 
 waitinsj; to be re-enforced by DeWatteville's strons: 
 brigade, made his a[)[)eai'aiice with more than dou])le 
 our numbers, August 2, 1814, establishing his camp 
 in the woods at a most resj)ectful distance beyond 
 cannon-shot. On the next morning began the invest- 
 ment of the work, Douglass himself tiring the first 
 gun at the enemy when he approached to recon- 
 noitre our position. 
 
.MA.IOIJ DAVID KATES DOUGLASS. 
 
 241 
 
 Fort Erie was now a small aiul feeble ([uadraii- 
 giilar bastioned work, tlioiigli soinetliiiig had been 
 done by us to strenirtlien it after its ca[)tnre, July 8d, 
 and much more since the battle of Niagara. It 
 formed the right of a large Inti-enched Camp, en- 
 closinii: about fifteen acres aloni2: the bank, twelve to 
 fifteen feet high, of the eastern end of Lake Erie, 
 which was traced and l»egun after our return to the 
 fort. On the extreme right of this camp, near the 
 shore, was a stone structure made from the ruins of 
 a lime-kiln, named the " Douu'lass Batterv," after the 
 youuo: eni>:ineer by whom it was built. This was 
 connected wifh the gorge of the fort by a seven feet 
 high [)arapet having an exterior ditch. From the 
 left of the fort, extending some 800 yards in a nearly 
 parallel dii'ection ^vith the lake shore, was a parapet 
 of strong profile with a double ditch in front. At 
 the southern extremity of this line of intrenchment, 
 on a sand mound, called Snake hill, was " Towson's 
 Battery," twenty-five feet high, for five guns. A 
 heavy abatis covered the front of the intrenchments 
 and enveloped both extremities of the camp to pre- 
 vent theii- being turned at the water's edue where 
 the lake was shallow. Three armed schooners also 
 su|)ported our left and guarded our conunnnications 
 with the American shore. 
 
 Colonel McRee being the Chief Engineer of the 
 army of the Niagara, most of his time was absorbed 
 in directinu', insi)ectini'', and takinir ireneral charge 
 of the defensive arrangements of the camp. Lieut.- 
 Colonel AVood, the engineer next in rank, in conse- 
 (pience of the loss of officers in tlie preceding bat- 
 
if i 
 
 I^B 
 
 1 '. 
 
 '^H 
 
 ■1^ 
 
 'ii 
 
 ll 
 '1 
 
 -'Jl 
 
 E 
 
 242 SIKOE AXD DEFEXSK OK FORT ERIE IN I81t. 
 
 ties of Chippewa and Niafjarn, had been assigned to 
 the command of the 21st Infantry, which recpiired 
 mncli of liis attention. Lieutenant Story, tliough 
 belonging to the engineer company, was most of his 
 time on detachment duty at Buffalo and Black Hock. 
 Thus on Lieutenant Douglass, the only other officer 
 of engineers, almost exclusively devolv^ed the con- 
 struction and repairs of the works at Foi't Erie. 
 His excessive labors are best to be inferred from his 
 own words: "On the 2d of August, at evening, my 
 own little battery, though not quite finished, was 
 platformed and the guns mounted. 1 made my bed 
 on the platform, that night; and, for many weeks 
 afterwards, took no rest, except on the trailed 
 liand-spikes of one of the guns, with an old tent 
 spread upon them, and wrapped in a horseman's 
 cloak." 
 
 Before entering upc^n the Siege of Fort Erie, 
 Drummond saw the importance of capturing our 
 batteries at Bhick Rock, covering onr su]>[)lies and 
 magazines i-emoved from Schlosser to Buffalo; and 
 the three armed schooners in the lake protecting the 
 water a[)})roaclies to Fort Erie from our depots on 
 the American shore. Though, on August 3d, he 
 failed to accomplish the first ; he succeeded, on the 
 12tli, in capturing two of our negligently guarded 
 vessels. 
 
 That Drunnnond, with his great sujieriority of 
 force, limited himself on the 3d to an attempt to 
 take our batteries at Black Rock, and not attack our 
 scarcely outlined camp, is only to be accounted for 
 by assiui-niiii'- to the battle of Nia<::ara its true char- 
 
MAJOR DAVID BATP:R DOFGLASS. 
 
 243 
 
 of 
 to 
 
 our 
 for 
 
 lliar- 
 
 acter — a signal, im])ressive and decided victory on 
 our part. 
 
 (xeneral Gaines arrived at Fort Erie on the 4tli, 
 and assumed connnand the next day to the great 
 joy of the army, wliich, witli reason, had little con- 
 tidence in General Ripley. The enemy's tire ^vas 
 inconsiderable till the 7tli, when his iirst completed 
 battery of tive pieces opened u])on us from a dis- 
 tance of 900 yards. From this time, the cannonade 
 became severe and unremitting on both sides ; and, 
 as the enemy's ricochet tire passed lengthwise through 
 our camp, the engineers erected massive traverses at 
 right angles to the line of intrenchments, wliich 
 saved many lives. Despite the enemy's efforts, our 
 works were carried on with vigor and steadiness, 
 Towson's battery being completed on the 10th ; tlie 
 intrenchments between it and the fort, incbiding two 
 batteries on the line, had been much advanced ; and 
 the other defenses were in sufWciently good condi- 
 tion to protect the camp. 
 
 In the meantime, both parties had been re-en- 
 forced and every preparation made for the desperate 
 attack impending. Drununond's arrangements being 
 completed, his trenches opened, his batteries estab- 
 lished, and his covering camp made defensible, he, 
 on the morning of the 13th, opened a furious can- 
 nonade and bond)ardment upon our works, which 
 was ke[)t up till 7 r. m. of the 14th. Gaines and 
 his engineers, thus apprised of the coming assault on 
 the dark niglit before them, inspected every part of 
 the works, gave explicit orders to meet all emergen- 
 cies, kept one-third of the garrison in turn under 
 
L>44 
 
 sie(;e and dkkexse of foiit ehie in ism. 
 
 • I 
 
 LRiiKNr). — A, old Foit F.rie ; ((, a, denii-hastinns ; /;, ;i ravtlin, ami (, i . lildLk-liniisL's. 
 Tliese were all tniilt by til-: llrilisli prcvicnis to its capture at the liegimiinn of July. (/, d, 
 ba-tioiis Imilt by the Americans diiriiiK tlie seiKC ; V, e, a redoubt built for the security of the 
 deml bastious, ((, a. 
 
 H, the American camp, secured on the right by the line fl, the Douglass Hattcry, I, and Fort 
 Krie ; on the left, ami in fniut, by the lines,/,/,/, and l)atleries on the extreme right and 
 left of tiiem. 'I'hat on tlic right, immedialely under the letter i in the words i.i:\ i-i. ii.mn, is 
 'I'ottson's; h, h, etc., camp traverses; n, main traverse; (>, magazine traverse, covering also 
 the heail-iiuarlers of (ieneial ( '.aincs ; /), hospit.d traverse ; q, grand parade and ijrovost-guard 
 traverse ; r, lieneral Urown's bead-cpuirters ; .s', a ilrain ; t, road from (.'bipiiewa up the lake. 
 
 C, the encampment of Volunteers outside of the intrencbments, who joined the army a few 
 d.ij's before the sortie. 
 
 D, 1), the liritisb works. 1,^, H, tbcir first, second, and third battery; I', the route of 
 Porter, with the left column, to attack the Uritish right flank on the ITth ; X, the ravine, and 
 route of Miller's conimand. 
 
:ma.i<)i; kavid p.atks doicjlass. 
 
 2.45 
 
 ■1U1U-.CS. 
 
 of the 
 
 ml Fort 
 ^lit .iiul 
 
 IAIN, is 
 
 ng also 
 it-giuiiJ 
 lake. 
 y a few 
 
 oiite of 
 lie, and 
 
 jii'ins, and made cvei'v i)r('i>aiati()ii t(» guard again.st 
 the expected hlow. At tliis time, Lieutenant Doug- 
 lass conunanded his own l)atteiy on tlie riglit ; Caj)- 
 tain Williams, Fort Krie ])ropei'; Ca])tain Towson, 
 his l)attei'v on Snake hill ; Caj)tains Bi<ldle and 
 Fanning, the two l)atteries well situated on tlie front 
 intrenehments ; and Lieut.-Cohmel Wood, with the 
 21st infantry, tlie extreme left; while the remainder 
 
 of 
 
 brio-ad 
 
 rA'i 
 
 ider Colonel A? 
 
 all. 
 
 Scott s veter 
 
 was posted, in su])))ort, on the right ; Ripley's brigade, 
 on the left; and Porter's ^•olunteers occu[)ied the 
 centre. 
 
 jMidnight came undistui'hed and calm ; but it 
 was the lull before the tem])est. Already three 
 Britisli assaulting colunms were pre])aring for their 
 deadly errand. One, 1,4<>() strong, under Licut.-Col- 
 onel F^ishei", was to assail our left; the second, of about 
 700, commanded by Lieut. -Colonel Drummond, was 
 to attack Fort Krie; and the third, nund)ering 750, 
 led by Colonel Scott, was to turn our right. At 
 half-past two, on the morning of the 15th, tlie storm 
 first l)urst upon our left; but, no sooner were our 
 pickets driven in, tlian a sheet of flame from Tow- 
 soifs artillery and \\'oo(rs infantry disclosed the 
 enemy's advance to within ten feet of our lines, and 
 soon after, making an effort to turn tlie abatis by 
 wading breast-deej> through the lake. After a des- 
 perate struggle, the enemy was re]Milsed ; but, ral- 
 Ivino-, aa'ain and auain, the attack was renewed, till 
 fiv^e times failing to gain any advantage and being 
 terribly cut up by our murderous fire, Fisher finally 
 abandoned the enterprise. 
 
IM^ 
 
 •24(1 
 
 ) SIEGE AXD DEFENSE OF FOKT EHIE IN 181t. 
 
 
 
 Near to three o'clock our pickets on tlie right re- 
 treated and soon was heard the measured tread of 
 Scott's column of attack, moving to penetrate the 
 camp by the intervals between the fort and the ex- 
 treme rij^lit. Soon the tlash of Douo-lass' and McRee's 
 guns, loaded heavily with grajie, canister and mus- 
 ket-balls, made darkness visible, ])lowed furrows 
 through the moving mass, and finally repulsed the 
 brave Britons who, failing to scale or l)reak through 
 our works, retire discomfited, at day-break, to join 
 their reserve near the ^v<^ods. 
 
 Colonel Drunnnond, simultaneously with the 
 assault of Scott on our right, with daring courage 
 approached every assailal)le point of Fort Erie 
 proper, endeavoring to carry it by escalade. Thrice 
 he led liis sanguinary folloAvers up the parapet, but 
 was thrice repulsed with great carnage. Desperate 
 to gain the fort, which six weeks before the British 
 had lost, some hundred of the boldest of the Royal 
 Artillery, under cover of the low hano-infr smoke, 
 stole silently around the ditch, with great celerity 
 mounted the parapet, and gained a sure footing in 
 the l)astion before they could be <lislodge(l. Goaded 
 to madness by his losses, Drummond gave orders to 
 show no mercy to the " damned Yankees." Many 
 of our men were inhumanly slauo-htered. The 
 gallant Lieutenant Macdonough, severely wounded 
 while defending himself with a handspike and 
 pleading for his life, was murdered by Drummond's 
 own land, but the wretch soon paid the forfeit of 
 his b.',\rbarity, being shot by one of our soldiers 
 through the heart, while the cry of " no quarter " was 
 
MA.IOi; I).\V11> r.ATKS DOUGLASS. 
 
 im: 
 
 still on his lij)s. The iiohle conunaiuler of the fort, 
 Captain AVillianis,""' was also mortally wounded, 
 dying in an hour. 
 
 Re-enforcements were now brought up on our 
 side, and rej^eated attempts having failed, a more 
 furious charge was to be made to dislodge the enemy 
 from the l)astion of Fort Ei'ie. ''To this enterprise, 
 then," says Douglass, "the only thing now remain- 
 ing to com])lete the rej)ulse of the enemy, the atten- 
 tion of every beholder was most anxiously bent. 
 
 Captain Alexander John Williams was the oldest son of Colonel Jona- 
 than Williams, the first Chief o[ the present Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, 
 lie w;is born Oclol)er 10, 1790, in Phihulelphia, Pa.; entered the Military 
 Academy, as a Cadet, Jnly 0, ISOG; and was gradnatod from that institn- 
 tion, and promoted Marcii 1, ISll, to he a Second Lieutenant of Ensxineers. 
 He continued on duty at West Point till 1812, when he was ordered to 
 superintend the construction of Fort Milllin, Pa., and while there was pro- 
 moted, July 1, 1812, to a First Lieutenancy. Heliovin;; that he would see 
 more active service, and be more rapidly ads-anced in the Artillery, during 
 the War now declared a;;;ainst Great Britain, lie asked for a transfer to that 
 corps, in which he was commissioned a Captain, Marcli 17, 1813. Ills resi- 
 dence of over a year on the low lands of the Delaware River, at this time 
 had brought on a dangerous fever, yet, so anxious was he to share the 
 honors and perils of the campaign of 1811, that, before he was convalescent, 
 ho applied to be ordered to the Niagara army, which he joined in time 
 to take part in the Defense of Fort Erie. Here his aliilities were so con- 
 si>icuous that lie was selected for the important command of the old work 
 liefore the assault was made upon it. Tiirice, on the morning of Au<rust 15, 
 1814, had he repulsed the enemy, laid, when a fourth desperate assault 
 was being made upon the bastion of the fort, he perceived a lighted port 
 fire in front of the enemy, enabling them to direct their (ire with great 
 precision. Instantly lu! sprang forward, cut it otV with his sword, and 
 in the act fell mortally wounded— thus noliiy sacrillcing himself to save his 
 men. So perished tliis gallant and acconiiilished olllcer, not twenty-four 
 years old, sincerely lamented by his friends for his private worth, and 
 deeply n>grelted by the whole army, with which he was a favorite. 
 Though ambitious of distinction, he was perfectly unassuming; with laud- 
 able spirit, he was indefatigable in the discharge of every duty; and, by 
 his intelligence, zeal and exemplary deportment, won the esteem and ap- 
 plause, not only of his subordinates, but of every superior in command. 
 
V I 
 
 248 sik<;k a\I) i)Kri:\si: oi- kokt kimk in 18U. 
 
 The flrinii; wltliiii tlie fort liad already begun to 
 shu'ken, as if to give place to the cliarging party ; 
 the next moment was to give us the clang of weap- 
 ons ill (h'adly sti'ife. But, suddenly, every sound 
 was jiuslied hy the sense of an uiuiatural tremor 
 beneath our feet, like the first heave of an earth- 
 quake ; and, ahnost at the same instant, the centre 
 of the l)astion buist uj), with a territic ex[)losion ; 
 and a jet of flame, mingling with fragments of tim- 
 ber, earth, stone, and bodies of i len, rose to the 
 heii2:ht of one oi" two hun(b'ed feet in the air, and 
 fell in showers of ruin, to a great distance, all 
 around. One of my men was killed by the falling 
 timber." 
 
 This destruction and appalling explosion of our 
 anuinuiition chest (not a magazine or mine as has 
 been often stated) struck such panic among the 
 enemy that the surviving British offtcers could not 
 rally their men. Biddle, though wounded, now, 
 Avith his guns, enfiladed the glacis and esplanade 
 in front of Fort Ei'ie, while Fannino-'s l)attery dealt 
 terrible execution upon the enemy flying, in com- 
 plete disorder and dismay, with the loss of nearly a 
 thousand in killed, wounded, and prisoners, or 
 twelve times that of ours, which was but eighty-four. 
 
 It was now broad daylight, and the contest was 
 over ; but what a scene of carnage presented itself ! 
 " At every point," says Douglass, "where the battle 
 had raged, were strewed the melancholy vestiges of 
 the recent terrilile conflict. There is the ruined 
 bastion, the scene of such desperate strife, smoking 
 with the recent explosion, and, all around it, the 
 
r :» 
 
 AfA.JOU DAVID HATES DOUGLASS. 
 
 249 
 
 [e\i ! 
 ittle 
 PS of 
 [ned 
 
 Ung 
 the 
 
 ground covered with the bodies of the dead and 
 wounded — the former in every stage and state of 
 mutilation. Near the bastion lay the dead body of 
 a noble-looking man, Colonel Drunimond, the leader 
 of the British charge at that point; his counte- 
 nance was stern, fixed and commanding in death. 
 In front of our tii'es, between the bastion and tlie 
 \vater, the ground was literally piled with dead." 
 
 (leneral (iraines, in his othcial (les[)atch to the 
 War Department, says of this " handsome victory": 
 " The Ninth, under the command of Cai)tain Ed- 
 mund Fisher, was actively engaged against the left 
 of the enemy, and, with the aid of I.ieutenant 
 Douglass' corps of bombardiers, commanding the 
 water battery, and of that of the volunteers, under 
 Captains Broughton and Harding, elfected their re- 
 pulse." Again, writing in IHlf), he says: "Anu>ng 
 the many brilliant scenes, which combined to dispel 
 the clouds and light up the darkness of that memor- 
 able morninu:, the defense of the Doui-'lass batterv 
 stands rivalled by few, and, according to the number 
 of guns, surpassed by none. The youthful com- 
 mander of that battei'v excited niv admiration. His 
 constancy and courage during a brisk cannonade and 
 bombardment of several weeks, often in the night as 
 well as in the day; his gallantry and good conduct 
 in the defense against a vigorous assault by a vast 
 superiority of numbers, are incidents which cannot 
 cease to be cherished in my memory, as among the 
 most heroic and pleasing I have ever Avitnessed." 
 
 While Ave were much elated A\ith victory, the 
 enemy Avas correspondingly depressed by his defeat 
 
 Ml 
 
I \ »! " 
 
 il ii i! 
 
 I „ 
 
 250 SIi:«iK AM> Dill KN'Si; OK r<)|!|' KIMi: l\ IHII. 
 
 hikI severe losses of mI'oiiI one roiirlli of liis whole 
 force. Tliis t^jivc us ;i few (1,'iys I'espile frotii liis 
 
 HI 
 
 (ill 
 
 er\' life, (»l wliieli we tii,i(le nl 
 
 li'^eiil 
 
 use III I'jin- 
 
 idly repMilill'j' I lie (|;mi;ii^'e(l l);istioil, eo||i|(|e(iiij; 
 the lllilililshed iiil reilellliielils, st I'eiiLl't lieiiiim' weak 
 points, elosiiii; opening's, reiiewiiiLi' the }i)).Mlis, jMhl- 
 iiiij^ new defenses around Kort Krie, inakini^ fraises 
 of j)ikes to the parapets, and iinprovini:; oiw condi- 
 tion i^^eliel'ally. 
 
 In the nieaiiliine theeiieiiiy was not idle, tlioin/h 
 their lire was siispeiide*!. 'riM'V extended (heir 
 intrenehineiits and const riicte<l a new l>attiM'v, which, 
 with the oiK' already erected, opened a leri'ihh! lire, 
 <»n the 2lHt, of from 2<»() to ■)()() shots per day. Ten 
 (lays later, thi-ir inlreiMdiinents had Im-cii pushed far 
 to their ri^hf ami a third battery, constructed at r)00 
 yai'ds, i^reatly i-etar<le(l, l»y its lire, our woi'k on I^'ort 
 Krie, necressitatin-j,' much ((> We don<' in (Ik^ nii^ld ; 
 hut;, notwithstandiii'^, our defenses were (pii((* com- 
 pN^te and all tlie ^uns nionn(e(l hefoi-e the middle of 
 Se|)t»!ml>ei'. 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 n conse(|uence (»f (Jaines' i-ecent wound and 
 
 tilth 
 
 vipiey s un|Ktpularily w illi tiie amiy, iieiieral lir<»wn, 
 tlioULch still feeble, resumed command Septemher 2d. 
 S(H'ini^' the pertinacity of the enemy, the raj)id pi'o.i"'- 
 
 I'ess ol Ins woi 
 
 ks, I 
 
 IIS accessions ol new reu'imeiits. 
 
 and despairing; of IxMnji; liinis<'lf re-enforced hy 
 I/ard, tin* CommandinLi* (Jenei'al hci 
 
 oicalU' rcHo 
 
 Ived 
 
 (o save his army, or jterish in (he a(tempt. After 
 careful iiKpiiry Brown found that the I^ritisli camp 
 WHS two miles distant and (Micij-cled hy thi(d< woods; 
 that tlie British ai'iny was diNided into tlire(! l)ri- 
 
;ilU 
 
 \ 
 
 rown, 
 (■!• 2<l. 
 
 incuts, 
 |1 ))>' 
 t()l\«'(l 
 
 |cuii»l> 
 |()(»(ls ; 
 
 MA.IOU U.WIK MAIKS iMMKil.ASS. 
 
 iiiM 
 
 i^'udcs, nicli of l,'_Mio (<• I, ."»(»<» Inraiilr)' Im's'kIcs llicir 
 !irtill<'|-y ; IIimI one of (Iirsc, in I urn, I'ttrnicil llicd.iily 
 sM|>|«»it l(» lln' si«'i^«' woI'Ins, iIkmi }hI\ Miicrd tu williin 
 |(»(» Id r»(IO VJii'ds of l^'oit I'lii*' ; llijit the li('a\ v ('<|iii- 
 noctinl slorms luid Hooded llic coiinh-y, |»rodu('ini;" 
 nincli lyplioid rc\riin I )niinniond'M coinninnd ; ;iiid 
 that idl iiidicutioiis foretold a new assanll upon his 
 int r<'nclint(Mits inoie forinidaMc lliaii llie last wliicli 
 had IxM'ii so siL!;nally defeated, ("aiefully wcin'hinn' 
 all thing's, and consnltini;' his nutst li-'.isled axUiscM's, 
 he deeifled I hat his Itest def(Mise was in (dVense, 
 though he was far inferior in fore*- to the t'neniy. 
 He resolved to make a hold soi'lie upon the foe, 
 "storm the hat lei'ies, dest I'oy the cannon, and roughly 
 handle the l)i'iL!;ade on duty before those in reserves 
 could he hron^ht into action" fi'om Iheii' distant 
 camp, Makini^" liis prej)arations with ^icat secr<'cy, 
 fati^Mie-part/u's uii(h'r ahh^ olHcei's wei't^ sent, on the 
 l()th, to mai'k a I'oad throuL:;h the swampy and 
 wooih'd ground heforc oui' cam|>, \\hi(di, undis- 
 co\t'i'e(l, succeeded in liiiniiiL;,' the ri^ht and i^ctlinL;" 
 in I'ear of the enemy's hatteries; while a small 
 ivixiue, running from alxtut the middle (»f our in- 
 trenchments to IIm' edn(. of t|i(> forest, was e.\|>loi('d. 
 Kverythin^' heini;" favoi-ahle, the sky cloudy, and 
 tlu^ atmosphere thi<'k with driz/liiiiLi; I'aiii, oui- troops, 
 on the mornini^ of the 17th, werc^ pai"ade<| ['m the 
 dai'ini!,' attack. The left column, in three divisions 
 headed res|>ectively hy (»ihs(»n, Wood and I)avis, 
 tlic wdiole undei' (Jeneral l*(»i-ter, Ljalue*!, hy the cir- 
 cuitous route mai'ked out the day hefore, the lii-itisli 
 rigiit Hank ; while Miller's column, passing' in small 
 
 
it 
 
 Hi 
 
 252 SIEGE AND DKFEXSE OF FOIJT KKIE iN IRU. 
 
 cletacliineiits tliroui;!! the nivine at rii^lit ans^les to 
 tlie middle of our front, reached tlie edije of tlie 
 woods, under cover of wliich it inarched to the liead 
 of another ravine, passing down which it took up 
 its position nearly opposite the enemy's centre. Rip- 
 ley's column was in reserve under Ft)rt Erie ; and 
 the artillery was ready to coxer the return of our 
 troo})8. 
 
 Before three o'clock of the afternoon of the 17th, 
 Porter assaileil the right of the enemy's works ; 
 while Miller, charging from the ravine, pierced the 
 enemy's intrenchments. In a few minutes, they had 
 taken possession of the block-houses; captured the 
 second and third batteries; disabled their guns; 
 blown up a magazine ; cleared the siege works of de- 
 fenders ; and, after a short struggle, the first battery 
 was also cari'ied. T\w British reserves were inune- 
 diately j)ut in motion, at their camp, to march to the 
 rescue ; but already our sallying cohnnns had done, 
 mostly with the bayonet, their allotte 1 task, and 
 were safelv retirinii; in ijood order to the fort. 
 
 In this glorious achievement, the losses in killed 
 and wounded were about 500* on either side ; but 
 we took 385 prisoners. Among the mortally 
 wounded, we had to mourn the three gallant 
 leaders of Porter's divisions — Davis, Gibson and 
 AVood. " Thus,'' said Brown, in his official des- 
 patch, " one thousand regulai's and an equal portion 
 of militia, in one hour of close action, blasted the 
 
 * Miijor-Goneral Sir Jiiiiiea Cannicliael-Sniytli in liis Precis of tlio Wars 
 of Cuniida, says : "Tlie nritish iiad GOD oIHclts ami men killed and 
 wounded ; the Americans 510," 
 
JIA.TOli DAVID BATES DOUGLASS. 
 
 253 
 
 ^ to 
 
 the, 
 lead 
 : up 
 Uip- 
 
 and 
 
 our 
 
 1 7 til, 
 )rks ; 
 I the 
 y had 
 d the 
 o;uns ; 
 of de- 
 attery 
 iuune- 
 to the 
 U)ue, 
 and 
 
 killed 
 
 ; l)ut 
 
 )rtally 
 
 • allaiit 
 
 [1 and 
 
 |l des- 
 
 jortioii 
 
 led the 
 
 Ihe Wars 
 lilletl anil 
 
 hopes of tlie enemy, destrt)}'ed the fruits of fifty 
 days' labor, and diminished his effective force one 
 thousand men at least." Jesu]>, subsequently the 
 Quartermaster-General of our Army, says: "Tlie 
 st)rtie from Foi't Erie was l)y far the most splendid 
 acliievement of the cam])aiLi:n, whether we consider 
 the boldness of the conception, the excellence of the 
 plan, or the a])ility with which it was executed." 
 And Napier, rcfei'ring to it in his " Peninsula AV^ar," 
 speaks of it as " tlie only instance in liistory where 
 a besieii;ini;' army was entirely broken u[) and routed 
 by a sino'le sortie." 
 
 Drnnunond broke up his encamjmient duriuijc 
 the ni<2;lit of the 21st, and retired to his intrench- 
 ments behind the Chi})])ewa; and so ])recipitate was 
 his retreat that he altandoned some of his stores 
 in front of Fort Ki'ie, and <lestroyed <»tlu'i's at Fi'ench- 
 man's Creek. 
 
 C'hi])pewa, Niauara, lMattsl)nri;', and Fort Erie 
 will ever remain j)roud names to conunemoi'ate the 
 Campaign of 1814, and make us almost ftu'get tlie 
 sad disasters of lSli> and \S\:\. 
 
 Douglass' ex[)osures, privations, fatigues, and 
 anxieties in this eventful campaign, proved too great 
 for him. After making a survey of our works at 
 Fort Erie, Colonel McRee, towards the end of Octo- 
 ber, ordered him from the field while ]>rostrated by 
 a bilious fever, from which, thanks to liis tem[)erate 
 habits and a vigorous constitution, he gradually 
 i-ecovered, though nevei- |)ei'manently. 
 
 For his " distinguished and meritorious services 
 in the Defense of Fort Erie, U. C," Lieutenant 
 
ff 
 
 if: 
 
 ml 
 
 i; 
 
 \ ^ 
 
 
 254 
 
 SIKGE AND DKFEXS?: OF FOltT KlUE IN 1814. 
 
 Douglass was brevetted a C^aptain to date from 
 Sept. 17, 1814. Late in 1814, lie was detailed for 
 duty with tlie army then organizing against Castine, 
 when the proclamation of peace changed his destina- 
 tion toAVest Point, where he became, January 1, 181;"), 
 the Principal Assistant Professor of Natural and Ex- 
 perimental Philosophy in the Military Academy. 
 
 For his new career he was admirably suited, both 
 in his love for science and a})titude for its teaching. 
 At this time the ^Military Academy, under connnand 
 of Captain Partridge the senior engineer oflicer 
 present, was in a ratliei- chaotic condition. Doug- 
 lass, fresh from Yale (College, where ordei' and sys- 
 tem existed, determined, with the aid of the other 
 members of the Academic Staff, having like views, 
 to use every effort to effect a radical change. The 
 opportunity soon presented itself, he, as senior 
 engineer in the absence of Captain Partridge, ])ei'- 
 suaded himself that it was proj)er to do wrong, in 
 usurj)ing power not belonging to a temjun'ary com- 
 mander, to accomplish a great good to the Military 
 Academy. Accordingly, so soon as Partridge had 
 left West Point for Washington, Douglass, Oct. 30, 
 1815, issued a circular re(|Uesting "the Professors, the 
 Assistant Professors and Teachei's of the Military 
 Academy, as a body, to deliberate on the propriety 
 of arraiii^iiiii: a course of study for the Academv, 
 and of casting the cadets into grades, according to 
 their progress in that course ; also on the i)ro[)i'iety 
 of di'aw'lng up a code of regulations for the govei'ii- 
 nient of the Academic Start' in their ])rofessional 
 duties, and on such other subjects connected with 
 
MAJOR DAVID IJATKS DOUGLASS. 
 
 255 
 
 ao, 
 
 lie. 
 Iiry 
 
 iiy, 
 
 to 
 
 irn- 
 ml 
 ItU 
 
 the interests of the Staff as they might tliiiik proper/' 
 The Academic Staff met that evening, agreed upon 
 a general outline c^f a course of study, and recom- 
 mended a chissitication of cadets by means of an 
 examination which Douglass, tlie next day, ordered 
 to be held at once. After a continuance of this 
 examination, for nine days, more than eighty of the 
 cadets were reported as "not (pialified agreeably to 
 law to enter U[)on the Academic course,'' though its 
 re(iuirements were very small. Douglass' reign as 
 Acting Superintendent was shoi't ; but it produced 
 good fruit. Though Partridge, on liis return, disaj)- 
 proved of all his suboi'dinate's ju-oceedings, he, in 
 December following, ordered an examination to take 
 place before an invited Board of Visitors, which 
 practically ado|)ted Douglass' views. Accordingly, 
 an order was issued by the Chief Engineer to the 
 Acting Superinten<lent and Academic Staff* to i)re- 
 ])are and reconniiend a coui'se of instruction. The 
 after wrangles between Partridge and the Academic 
 Staff* it is not [tertineiit to exhibit in this ])lace. 
 Sufhce it to sav, that Brevet Major Svlvanus Thaver 
 superseded Captain Partridge, becoming Sujteriu- 
 tendent of the Militarv Academv Julv 28, 1H17, 
 from which day (hites the beginning of the glorious 
 career of the Institution. 
 
 l'j)on the death of .Vndrew KUicott, August 21), 
 1820, his son-in-law Douglass succeeded him, as 
 Professor (^f ]\[atliematics in the Military Academy 
 and vacated his conunissioii of ('a[)tain of En- 
 gineers, to which grade he had been promoted 
 March .'U, 181 i>. Tlie text books in Mathematics, 
 
 III 
 
smam 
 
 '* t 
 
 ,, 
 
 
 <; 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 ■ : 
 
 
 1 
 
 [! 
 
 j 1 
 
 
 • ' 
 
 
 (:" 
 
 
 
 256 SIEGE AND PEFEXSE OF FORT EKTE IN 1814. 
 
 whicli had been used in the Academy, were derived 
 from English sources and constructed on the synthetic 
 plan. Even Algebra was not taught analytically ; 
 the Dift'erential and Integral Calculus had not been 
 introduced ; and a moderate modicum of Mathemat- 
 ics sufficed, till young, living energy had been infused 
 into the institution by Major Thayer's superinten- 
 dency and Douglass' promotion. The former, while 
 abroad examining educational estaldishments, ha<l 
 become enamored of the analytical method of in- 
 struction, and the latter fully appreciated its value. 
 Hence, at once, were adopted for the lowei" classes, 
 tlie elementary text books which had recently been 
 translated from the French into English l)y Professor 
 Farrar of IIal'^■ar(l ; the higher branches being studied 
 lu the original language by the more advanced 
 cadets. This was a great step in the })rogress of 
 scientific education at West Point, by wliidi the 
 Military Academy greatly profits to this day. 
 
 ll]>(>n the resignation of Professor Chuide Crozet, 
 educated at the celebrated Polytechnic School of 
 Paris, and who had served under the great Napoleon 
 as an artillery officer, Douglass was ti'ansferred. 
 May 1, 1828, to the chair of Civil and Military En- 
 gineering. This change was much to his taste, for, 
 though fond of mathematical instruction, the bent 
 of his genius led to the science of construction, for 
 which he had lull scope in his new professorship. 
 Crozet liad done nuich, particularly in Descriptive 
 Geometi'y as elementarv to Em^ineerino: ; but as 
 there wer<' no text books on the subject, almost 
 everything had to be taught by lectures. Few public 
 
 L 
 
UfAJOR PAYID HATKS DOT'OLASS. 
 
 )ii)l 
 
 works then existed in tliis eonntiy, .'ind few pnbli- 
 cations had reached ns ofivino; the results of Euro- 
 pean constniction ; lience tlie new Professor liad to 
 supply deficiencies by unremitting labor in compi- 
 ling information from every available source for his 
 lectures, often of three hours' dnrati(>n, given at the 
 black-board. By great assiduity lie soon I'educed 
 this department of instruction to a practical system, 
 adapted to the wants of the service and the neces- 
 sities of the country. His eleves, of whom he was 
 justly proud, were such eminent engineers and sci- 
 entists as Mahan, Bache, Bowman, Brown, Bartlett, 
 Childe, Church, Mason, Lee, Swift, and the many 
 who subsecpiently profited l)y his instruction on the 
 l)attle-fields of Mexico. 
 
 Douglass, in his sixteen gears' service at the j\Til- 
 itary Academy, had ac(|uired such a scientific re})U- 
 tation that his professional advice was often in re(|ui- 
 sition. While on leave of absence from the Mili- 
 tary Academy, dui'ing the sunnner vacation of l<Slt), 
 he was the Astronomical Survey oi' of the Commis- 
 sioners for determininjT: the U. S. Boundary from 
 Niagara to Detroit, and, the following summer, he 
 accompanied Governor Cass, in a similar capacity, to 
 the Northwest ; during his [sunnner vacations from 
 1826 to 1880, as Consulting Engineer of the State of 
 Pennsylvania, he was employed upon the Conneaut 
 and Lake Erie Canal, French Creek feeder, Upi)er 
 Delaware Canal, and the terminus of the Pennsylva- 
 nia Railroad ; directed other state improvements, 
 such as the Sandy and J^eaver Canal in Ohio ; and 
 declined several distinguished positions, besides the 
 
# '■ 
 
 'i :' 
 
 V: 
 
 I 
 
 i(.. ; 
 
 'J 
 
 258 SIEGE AM) DKI'ENSE OF FOltT ETIIE IN 1814. 
 
 Chief Eiigiiieei'sliip of three States. It was duriiiij^ 
 one of tliese suiiiiiier vacations tliat lie became con- 
 nected with tlie A[ori'is Canal C/ompany of New 
 Jersey, lor the purpose of ])ringing inclined planes 
 into effective operation in lieu of locks for canal 
 naviff-ation ; and not l^eino- able to ijjet an extended 
 leave of abseuce, he resigned liis Professorship in 
 the ]\[ilitary Academy, May 1, 182.S, to accept the 
 Chief Engineershi[) of this important work which 
 he successfully carried out to a practical result. 
 
 In 18-S'2, he was ap[)ointed Professor of Natural 
 Philosophy in the University of the City of New 
 York, then startino- into life with lar<i:e plans and hiixh 
 expectations ; but tinding his professorship to inter- 
 fere with his engineei'ing pursuits, he relin([uislied 
 this position after one year's duty, though he was 
 borne on the rolls, till 1840, as Professor of Civil 
 EuLrineeriiiii: and Architecture, durino; which time 
 he (lelivered eighty lectures on these su})jects. The 
 beautiful building of the University, on AVashing- 
 ton 8(piare, New York City, was erected tVom his 
 designs. 
 
 In 183.S, he was the Chief Engineer of the 
 Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad, on Long Island, N.Y. 
 
 Eor nearly sixty years, the subject of supjdying 
 the City of New York with pure water had agi- 
 tated the public mind, and various projects had been 
 ]»roposed to ])ring it from Manhattan Island creeks, 
 Bronx river, Ilye ]»onds, streams in New Jersey and 
 Connecticut, the upper Hudson, and, finally, in an 
 o[)en canal from Croton river. In 1832, the Asiatic 
 cholera "was very severe in New York, while Phila- 
 
 Il ! 
 
u! 
 
 MAJOR BAYID BATES DOT^GLASS. 
 
 259 
 
 delpliia, bountifully supplied witli Scliuylkill river 
 water, suffered little. This fact and tlie proof that 
 one hundred tons of excrement daily poisoned the 
 wells of New York, gave the crowning impulse to 
 the great question of ^vater supply for the city. 
 
 In February, 188.S, Water Commissioners were 
 appointed by the Legislature of the State, who em- 
 ployed Mr. Canvass White, an experienced engineer, 
 and Major Douglass " to make separate and distinct 
 examinations of the Croton, Sawmill and Bronx 
 rivers, in tlie counties of Westchester and Putnam, 
 together with their several tributaries ; to provide 
 the Conunissioners with a map and ])rotile of the 
 country; and their opinion of the (juality of the 
 water, the supply that might be dej)ended on in all 
 seasons, and the pi'acticability of conveying it to 
 the city at an elevation of sutHcient height to pre- 
 clude the use of machinery, and answer all the ])ur- 
 [loses contem])lated." They were also instructed to 
 desio-nate the best and most feasible route foi' con- 
 ducting the water, the most tit and proper manner 
 for constructing the conduits and reservoirs, the 
 pro])able amount of damage that would l)e sustained 
 by the pro[)rietors of the water to be taken, and of 
 the land it might be necessary to occupy in the con- 
 struction, toi»:ether with the total amount of cost to 
 the city for completing and putting in opei'ation the 
 whole pi'oject. 
 
 Other enoau'ements i)revented Mr. AVhite from 
 performing his allotted })art ; conse(piently, all the 
 preliminary examinations and extended surveys de- 
 volved upon Major Douglass. In ten weeks lie 
 
^Tr 
 
 '' H 
 
 h 
 
 
 200 SIEGE AND DEFENSE OF FOP.T ERIE IN 1814. 
 
 completed them and demonstrated tlie practicability 
 of the ]H'oject ; and, Nov. 1, 1888, submitted his 
 I'eport, Avitli ])lans and estimates, to the AVater Com- 
 missioners, who, on the 12th, forwarded it, with 
 their full aj)proval, to the. Common Council. Tlie 
 re])ort reco^unended the use of the Croton river 
 and its tributaries, the water to be conveyt^d by an 
 enclosed masonr\' a(|iieduct, as cheaper and more 
 (hirabh^ than ii'on pil>es, of thirty-seven miles long- 
 to ^Manhattanville, and tive and a half from thence to 
 tlie Distributinii' Reservoir, including an aqueduct 
 bridge across Harlem river, 1,180 feet long, and 120 
 feet high above the foundations of the piers support- 
 ing nine semi-circular arches. 
 
 The ('ity of New York was jubilant over the 
 solution of tlie great problem ; the State Legislature, 
 May 18, 1884, authorized the work; the people, at 
 the sju'ing election of 1885, endorsed it; Commission- 
 ers were permanently organized ; and Douglass was 
 unanimously appointed the C^hief Engineer. With 
 an inadeqnate force, he began, in July, 1885, accord- 
 ingly, to lay out the boundary of the Croton reser- 
 voir and the line of the aijueduct over the nmgli 
 region near the Hudson ; and, early in October, the 
 locati(m of the Crotxm dam was completed, to which 
 the Commissioners objected and changed it, as also 
 its height, to GarretsonV Mill. 
 
 Durini"- the winter, Douijlass was en2:a2:ed in 
 oflice-work which brought him more frequently in 
 contact witli the (■omiiiissioners, who could not, or 
 would not appreciate the scientiHc character of this 
 great work; who interfered with the discipline over 
 
MAJOR DAVID HATKS DOUGLASS. 
 
 201 
 
 siil)()i'(liii{ites ; were iinwillijig to establish an engineer 
 (lejuirtment nnd define Douglass' prerogatives; and, 
 in fine, treated tliis vast undertaking as little more 
 tlian an extended job of plain masonry, wliicli 
 miglit be carried on at triHing exi)ense. 
 
 In the spring of 188(5, Douglass, witli his small 
 force, was again in the field (•om])leting liis surveys 
 prepai'atory to adjusting tlie claims of proprietors of 
 lands to be used for tlie woi'ks. AVhile thus engaged 
 in tlie field, the Conunissioners were plotting in the 
 city. Suddenly, without making any charges against 
 the Chief Engineer, the Conunissioners passed a reso- 
 lution removing Douglass, Nov. 4, ls;}(i,and appointed 
 as his successor a gentleman with whom it appears 
 they had been in correspondence for some time. 
 
 The change of engineers, however, effected no 
 material change in the a(|ueduct, exce[)t of the 
 Crotoii dam, as a plausible pretext for their ai'bitrary 
 act, which was built after three years of lal)or, and, 
 before another was at an end, \vas s^vept a\\'ay by a 
 freshet. 
 
 Major Douglass, says the late Rev. Di-. Hale, 
 "had entered ii|»on the survey and plans for this 
 great work with (diaracteristic enthusiasm. He saw 
 it in idea, rivalling the most celebrated of ancient or 
 modern times, the glory of the city and his own. 
 The difficulties in the way of its construction only 
 stimulated his ingenuity, and furnished so many 
 opportunities for dis[)laying the skill which could 
 ov^ercome them. He saw them and saw through 
 them. He was master of the science of construction, 
 and he hoped to erect a work ^vhich would not only 
 

 2n"2 SIKOE AND DKKKXSK OF FOHT KKIK IN 18U. 
 
 last for centuries, 1)ut n))()n wliicli for a contiiry at 
 least tlie liamiiier of tlie rej)airer should liave no 
 occasion to Ix' lieai'd. Tliis concc^ption of n ])erfect 
 and |)erniMnent woi'k lie (Mnlenvored to connnunicate 
 to tlie ConunissioiuM's, nnd fully ]»ersinided that no 
 
 sucli woi'k cou 
 
 Id 1) 
 
 acconiplis 
 
 lied 
 
 on tlie conunon 
 
 system of contracts, and esju'cially wIkmi contracts 
 
 are iriven 
 
 fi 
 
 IVOl'S. 
 
 Hut riirlit vr 
 
 wi'oni;, liis concejytions \vei'<' not the conceptions of 
 
 the ( 
 
 oimnissioners. 
 
 II 
 
 is Niews wei'e no 
 
 ttl 
 
 leir \i(nvs. 
 
 lie was for them an impracticable man, * * * 
 " lie felt deej)ly this disappointment of his hopes ; 
 this check in his professional career. He knew that 
 his reputation must be assailed for the vindication of 
 those who had intlicted upon him this injury; but 
 he bore all with ^-reat resionation, assured of the 
 respect of those who best knew how to a[)preciate 
 his merit, and conHdent too, that time which spares 
 
 no im[K'i 
 
 ■feet 
 
 work, would vindicate h 
 
 us plans 
 
 1 
 
 Douijlass' next ])ubric work was the Greenwood 
 Cemetery on Lonii' Island, X. V., of which he oi'liri- 
 riated the iirst distinct idea ; was active in it from 
 the besTjinninii:, becominii; the tirst President of the 
 corporation; and, in ls;i*»-4(), laid out the grounds 
 with geometrical skill, showing his perfect knowl- 
 
 edtre o 
 
 f th 
 
 le relations o 
 
 f lin 
 
 es, SI 
 
 irfi 
 
 ices an( 
 
 I f 
 
 orms, 
 
 cond)ined with the highest ai'tistic beauty. His 
 work at Greenwood, so varied in landscape and so 
 retined in taste, has given ])leasure to thousands ; 
 has taken from death its desolation ; and has been 
 the prototype Necropolis of many throughout our 
 country and Canada. 
 
:MA.I()n DAVID IJAI'KS J)()r«iLASS. 
 
 J 03 
 
 wood 
 oriL^i- 
 fi'oiu 
 r the 
 DUiids 
 inowl- 
 ornis, 
 His 
 11 id so 
 ijviids ; 
 l)eeii 
 t our 
 
 Willie I*ivsid('ii( of ( Jiccnwood Ceiiietery Asso- 
 c'i.'ition, Mild [tract iciiii;' liis jirofcssioii of Civil Kiii;i- 
 iieer, lie \v;is elected President of KeiiNoii ('»»Ileu'e, 
 
 wliicli lie ju'cep 
 
 ted. 
 
 UIK 
 
 1 ill is II, ivi 
 
 llO\(M 
 
 1 to ( 
 
 l.-llll- 
 
 bier, Ohio, when lie coimiieiiced his lahoi's in the 
 institution with ureat eaniestiM^ss and industry, in 
 aiitici[>ation of a loiii^ career of usefulness in a 
 sjiliere for which he was so well suited l»y taste and 
 e.\|)erieiice. Here he flattered himself that he was 
 to spend the reinaiuder of his days away from the 
 collisions of party strife, the coiiliicts of pecuniary 
 interest, and the rivahMes of low ambition. Hut his 
 al)0(h^ ill liis new arena of actixity was of scarce 
 three years' duration, lie beiiiij; suddenly, Feb. l\), 
 1844, removed from his office, which he had declined 
 to resign, because no charges were jtreferred auainst 
 him. A committee of the Board of Trustees, wliicli 
 speaks of Douglass as "a most excellent man, well 
 worthy of universal ' respect and afb^'tion," de- 
 clared him inipojnihd'^ ])ut, " in regard to the justice 
 of this difficulty, they do not pretend to speak." 
 To be un[)opular with students is so universal, when 
 a President exercises a rigid discipline in the j)er- 
 formance of a very responsible duty towards the 
 institution of which he is the head, that few, who 
 have had to deal with unreasoning college-boys, 
 consulting their own more than the interests of 
 their Alma Mater, would attach the slightest im- 
 portance to such a charge. True or false, however, no 
 ])ro()f was alleged, and, certainly, it was a most arbi- 
 trary l)roceediiig to be judge, jury and executioner of 
 one against whom they admitted, "nothing at all " 
 
'v 
 
 i i:; 
 
 /I 
 i I'.j: 
 
 204 
 
 SIK(iK AM) l)i:i'"KNSK OF KoItT KlUK IN 1811. 
 
 mi 
 
 was imputed, wliicli consiMUHMitlvMUVcliKlcd Doui^luss 
 from mnkiiiij any defense. Of tlie i-eul animus for liis 
 removal, it is unnecessary to speak in tliis l)rief sketeli. 
 
 After tliis untoward event, Douglass surveyed 
 and j)rej)ared the gr()unds for several ])urial places, 
 for wliicli work he had shown such aptitude at Green- 
 wood. In 184r)-('), he laid out a beautiful neci'opo- 
 lis neai' Albany, N. Y. ; in 1S47, developed the land- 
 sea] )e feat ui-es of Staten Island; and, in 1<S48, pro- 
 jecte<l the Protestant Cemetery, at (Quebec, Canada. 
 
 While eni^aijred in this latter work, he was 
 elected Professor of Mathematics and Natural Phil- 
 osophy in (ieneva (\>llege, N. Y. Though tlie 
 salary was small, and he had more lucrative oft'ei's, 
 the desire, at his age, to have a fixed home for liis 
 family, in<biced him i)romj)tly to accept the office 
 U[)on which he entered, Oct. 1(>, 1848, with high 
 hopes of sowing, in youthful heads and liearts, tlie 
 seeds of ti'ue wisdom and sound principles garnered 
 ui> in his own treasure-house by h)nif years of close 
 study, deep reflection and varied experience. Here 
 he continued his congenial duties till towards the 
 close of the college year, when the effects of his Fort 
 Fji'ie exposure, in 1814, and a recent fall at Quebec, 
 produced symptoms of a malady which carried him 
 to his grave, Octol)er 21, 1841), in the sixtieth year 
 of his eventful and active life. 
 
 We cannot better conclude this sketcli of this 
 distinguished teacher, notable scientist, eminent en- 
 giiieer, and sincere Christian, than in the words of 
 the Rev. Dr. Hale, President of the college in 
 which Douglass Avas a prominent professor: 
 
 r 
 
m 
 
 MA.F(U{ h.WII) MATKS l>ol GLASS. 
 
 265 
 
 tl 
 
 m 
 
 bt en- 
 Is of 
 
 te lu 
 
 " His l)i<><;;ini»li_\, fully written fi'oiii such mate- 
 rials as arc left in liis \ (dmriiiious pajx'rs and corres- 
 poiHlciice and nii<::lit be u'atlu'icil fioiii the recol- 
 It'ction of his conversations, joined to an exhibition 
 (»f his laboi's, would speak to the heai'ts of tlie 
 youiiii; and ijjenerous, and inspire them with an am- 
 bition in wliich then' would lie neither seltishness 
 nor hai'dness. He united, in a rcmai'kalde det^ree, 
 the ii'entleiiess of the cliild to the courau'c of tlie 
 soldier — the freshest interest in whatever was in- 
 tei'cstiuiji: of those around him (o the hi<jf]iest powei' 
 of scientific a])straction, jierfect simplicitv to the 
 most ])olished manners, and hin'h enjoyment of the 
 innocent i)leasurt's of tliis life to the elevated devo- 
 tion, tlie self-denyiui:: life and earnest ho])e of tlie 
 CliJ'istian. AVliat he was he appeared witliout any 
 politic disL!;uises ; what he thought he said, some- 
 times with an unwary frankness ; and what he 
 thought it his duty to do in the position in which 
 tlie ])rovidence of (Jod had [>laced him, he did witli 
 all his might, simply and earnestly. We have in 
 this character the key to liis life. With a tithe of 
 his ca])acity and attainments, many a man has ac- 
 complished more for himself, though not for the 
 public — nioi'e, that is, if we judge as men usually 
 judge, tVom fortunes accunudated and high places 
 secured." Of Douglass' stamj) of mind, and his 
 a])ilitv to instruct, he elsewhere savs: '' Bv the 
 cast of his mind and the <[ualities of his heart, no less 
 than by the extent of his attainments, he was fitted 
 to be a teacher. lie had a I'ai-e facility in acquiring 
 knowledge and making himself master of it in all its 
 
m 
 
 I. !■ 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
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 If 
 
 I 
 
 llf 
 
 266 SIEGE AND DEFENSE OF FOUT ERIE IN 1814. 
 
 broadest ])riiieiples and minutest details ; l)nt it seemed 
 tile <i;i'eatest pleasure and the peculiar tendency of his 
 mind to impart it. lie loved hooks, but if I may judge 
 from my ac(piaintance witli him, which was intimate, 
 lie \\as less a reader than a thinker. lie looked rever- 
 ently upon books — books which he desii-ed and 
 s< night — and read them, not for amusement, but a seri- 
 ous occupation for his mind and heai't. lie read, 
 therefore, not superiiciall\', but intently, as he would 
 have listened to the voice of a te;iclier in answer to 
 earnest and important iiK^uiries. lie possessed 
 great jKiwers of analysis, which he exercised, not in 
 a captious or doubting spirit, but that he might 
 better know and form the material whereon to 
 exercise that faculty of his intellect which was 
 more peculiarly his characteristic, the constructive 
 talent. Hence, whatever he knew, he knew tlor- 
 oughly and systematically. Hence, his views, his 
 opinions, his aims, were .all definite. Hence the 
 depth and clearness of his instruction. Htnce, in 
 conversation, he was still the teacher, and, without 
 any of the forms of argument, his discoui'se, clear 
 in its light, Avas full of information." 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
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iiied 
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 1(1 ge 
 iiate, 
 3ver- 
 
 aud 
 seri- 
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 ctive 
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 Noi |-. — Ill till' ^111.1 1 Icr ~r. tic HI n( I 111-. iii.i|i, the |Mi-,iiii>ii 1. 1 I .•rt.iin ||(m>|is .irc imli' .ili-il a^ follou s : .">, Sc' "ii'^ 
 regimi-'nt nf Smitli's liii;;a(U' ; Ii, M.ijni I'l ti r\ liMtlciy ; i, M.ijnr Waniiy's luiit^linii ; S, Sc otl'-, rcj;uliir> ; H, ' "Hi- 
 paiiics iif Sliill ami DaviilMiii ; 1(1, Kazan's icuimciu ; 1 1, Si luil/'s ; I'.', Kifili lialliiiiuie rcj^imcnt ; PJ, Ilunh'i 
 artillery ; 10, (Militia and Killcmon ; 17, I!alliiinirc artillery ; ami 'Jtl, ilii- Hiiii>l,. 
 
nor, 
 
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 "ctr, 
 
 '"A 
 
 ''^^Tot 
 
 "^^^y. 
 
 CUWTVAl SKVFATli. 
 
 CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGN OF 1S1;}-14 ; 
 
 WITH A lilOGRAl'lHCAL SKKTCII OF 
 
 15RIG.-GENERAI. WALKER K. ARMISTEAI). 
 
 
 AQUA SCO 
 
 A 
 
 BCNEOICT 
 
 Ifollows ; 5, S.-i.a 
 
 KN<;r-ANi>, in ISI.'), liaviiiu" h<> siiiplus troops to 
 spurt' from licr li'reat Kiir(»|)e;ui i-oiitcst, and \\ islilug 
 to divert our forces fj'oiii an invasion of C^mada, 
 <leterniiiied to use lier navv t(» Moekade our coast, 
 lay waste our sea-])oard, l)urn our dock-yards, and 
 destroy oui" sliIpj)inL'". A tit instrument for tliis 
 maraudiui;' warfare slie found in Hear .Vdmiral Sir 
 (Jeorge Cocl<l)urii, second in conmiaml on tlie Aniei'i- 
 can waters, wlio, under the I^ritisli ( ))'der in Council 
 of I)ecend)er iMi, ISl'J, declared tlie Cliesajteake and 
 DelaAvare Hays in a state of rigorous l)locka<le, and, 
 February 4, 181,S, entered the Virginia (\'ipes with 
 +'our 74-gun shij>s, se\eral smaller arnu'd vessels, and 
 a good supply of surf-boats for landing on the 
 defenseless shoi'es. ( )n boai'd (»f this tleet was a land 
 force of about 1,S0() foicign i'enega<les, called 
 Chasseurs Hrittani([ue, enlisted in Sjiain tVom among 
 the ])risoners and vagabonds taken oi- tbund there, 
 who j)i'efei-red to engage in the British mai'ine service 
 to i-isking prolonged continement in Dartmooi' jtrison. 
 
 While some of the smaller vessels under Com- 
 
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 270 
 
 CHESAPEAKE CAMPAKIN OF 181:5-14. 
 
 uuxlore Beresford, visiting tlie Delaware shore, were 
 utterly foiled in their predatory enterprises, Admii'al 
 Cockburn took position in Lynnhaven Bay, from 
 Avhic'h he sent forth marauding expeditions to burn 
 farm-houses, seize cattle, capture negroes, and carry 
 on every species of uncivilized warfare against a 
 sparse prpulatioii scattered along the shores and 
 having no means of defense. 
 
 Emboldened by the success of a more honorable 
 exj)loit in the capture of our privateer Dolphin in 
 the liai)pahannock, April 8, 1818, he resolved to 
 engage in more ambitious adventures, such as plun- 
 derinji: and burninij: defenseless villaiifes and hamlets 
 about the head of the Chesapeake. For months was 
 the British trident trailed in the mire, and the after 
 companion of the Prince Regent of Great Britain 
 disgraced by the destruction of market-shallops, 
 oyster-boats, and pleasure-l)arges, the burning of 
 barns, bridges, cottages and stables, and the midnight 
 plundering of uin)rotected dwellings. 
 
 On the tirst of June, the piratical Admiral 
 having received a (H)nsideral)le naval re-enforcement, 
 and })erhai)s sated with the contemptible warfare 
 which he had waged against uni»rotected tire-sides, 
 made the bold resolve of attacking Norfolk and our 
 tlotilla, consisting of the frigate Constellation and 
 twenty gun-boats in Hampton Roads, or, more 
 pi'operly speaking, tlie mouth of Eliza1)eth River, the 
 feeble defenses of which had been streiiLfthened and 
 new batteries atlded by Lieut.-Colonel Armistead, 
 the Chief Engineer of the Chesapeake, of whom we 
 will ijive a brief sketcli. 
 
HliIG.-OJ:NEltAL WALKKU K. AKMISTEAD. 
 
 271 
 
 Walter Keith Armistead was born about 1782, 
 in Virginia ; descended from excellent stock; was 
 api)ointed, May 1, 1801, a Cadet of Ai'tillei-ists 
 and Engineers ; joined the Military Academy upon 
 its lirst organization in 1802 ; and was graduated 
 from that institution, March 5, 1808, when he was 
 })romoted to be a Second Lieutenant, Cor})S of 
 Engineers, U. S. Army. He served at Norfolk, 
 Va^, and West Point, N. Y., till October, 1812, 
 when he became Chief Enu:ineer to Major-General 
 
 C? ft 
 
 Henry Dearborn, having attained, July 81, 1812, 
 by successive promotions, the rank of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel. 
 
 On the morning of November 21,1812, the British 
 opened a heavy cannonade and bondjardment upon 
 Fort Niagara from five batteries, at and near Fort 
 George, on the opposite bank of the river. From 
 dawn till twilight, one incessant storm of projec- 
 tiles was poured upon our fort. Though the shells 
 did little damage, the two hundred red-hot shot, 
 Avhich were thrown at us, set fire to the buildings 
 and threatened their desti'uction ; but, says Colonel 
 McFeely, in command of Fort Niagara, in his official 
 despatch, "from the extraordinary vigilance of the 
 officers and men, particularly Major Armistead, of the 
 United States C/orps of Kngineevs, whose indefatiga- 
 l)le exertions were extended to all j)arts of the gari'i- 
 son, the fires wore got under without being observed 
 by the enemy." Among the extraordinaiy instances 
 of bravery on this occasion, Avas the conduct of the 
 wife of j)rivate Doyle, who, during the most furious 
 cannonade, served the six-pounder on the old mess- 
 
 
. ill'; 
 
 
 CirKSAl'KAKE OAMl'AUiX OF 1813-14, 
 
 m 
 
 house Avitli red-liot shot, and showed fortitude 
 woi'tliy of the Maid of Orhvuis. 
 
 After the tenuinatioii of oj)ei'jitioiis on tlie 
 Niagara frontier, in 181'2, Arniistead was sent early 
 in tlie fo]k)wini;- spring to tlie Cliesa})eake. He dili- 
 gently a])])lie<l liiniself at once to protecting Norfolk, 
 the most important town on the (1iesa|)eake sliores, 
 and wliose excellent harbor he well knew would 
 tempt our great naval enemy. 
 
 Noi'folk, in ISl.'i, was covered hy Fort Norfolk 
 on the right, and Fort Nelson on the left bank of 
 Elizabeth Kiver. These two feelde works and two 
 small redoubts, called Forts Tar and Bjii'bour, pro- 
 tecting the hind ajjproaches, Ijeing entii'ely insuf- 
 ficient for a good defense, Arniistead threw up some 
 additional intrenchments on Craney Island (contain- 
 ing about thii't\ acres), at the mouth of the river 
 and commandiiiii' its entrance. This Island beinci: 
 the key to the position, it was armed with all the 
 available artillery, f(,)ur (5, one 1 8, and two 24-pounders, 
 and had a u:ai'rison of 737 militia, resrulars and sea- 
 men, commanded by Lieut. -Colonel Beatty. The 
 remainder of our forces, mostly nulitia, occupied the 
 othei" defenses, the whole of our land forces ])eing 
 under the control of Hrig.-deneral Robert B. Taylor, 
 a vei'v etHcient otticei'. 
 
 At daylight of June '2'2, 1813 (the aimiversary 
 of the captui'e of oui' luducky frigate Chesapeake 
 by the Leo|'ard, which in 1807 had so roused the 
 whole nation against the insolence and agu'ression of 
 Kuii'land ), the l^)ritish landed about '2,M){) infantry 
 and marines, at Ilotlleiu' Creek, and moved towards 
 
ni:T(;.-(;i:M:i;.\r, avai.kki: k. aumistead. 
 
 27:i 
 
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 Craiicy Island, opciiiiiu' liiv with ('(miiivve rockets 
 and lijilit ai'tillerv; at the same time execiitiiiii; a 
 ilaiik moNt'ineiit to uaiii the rear of our forees on the 
 main land. Simnltaneonslv with the advance of 
 
 these ti'oo|»s, lifty laip' liritish harges, tilled witli 
 1, ;-)(>() sailors and niaiines, in donhle eolnmnjed by the 
 heautii'ul C'entii)ede heionuinu' to Admiral Warren, 
 were seen approaehinn' under cover of the shore. 
 
 iil 
 
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 Ml 
 
 274 
 
 CIIKSAPKAKE CAMI'AKiN OF 1813 14. 
 
 From our battery on tlie Island, to tlie north end of 
 wliich all our artillery had to })e moved, was opened 
 a rai)id and well-directed tire of gi-ape and canister, 
 which soon drove off tlie land troops and }»ut the 
 Bi'itish barges into the greatest confusion, sinking 
 the Centipede and four others, and compelling the 
 reniaindei" to seek the protection of their shi[)s. The 
 enemy lost few lives, but more credit in this feeble 
 and illy-sustained action. Some of the gallant 
 officers from our own flotilla, forming a crescent line 
 from Craney Island to Lambert Point to cover the 
 Constellation and protect the main channel to Nor- 
 folk, secured the Centi2)ede, from wliich had escaped 
 the wounded ctmimander, Captain Ilachette, the 
 illegitimate son of (leorge III. Thus, while one 
 brother was disgraced by a handful of militia in an 
 attempt to capture a miserable island in the C^hesa- 
 peake, which Sancho Pan/a would have scorned to 
 govern, three other brothers — George IV., William 
 IV. and the King of Hanover — succeeded to thrones. 
 This ignominious defeat so exasperated Cockbnrn 
 that the bold buccaneer, three days after, took his 
 unworthy revenge by the commission of atrocities 
 on the defenseless village of Hampton not less brutal 
 and inhuman than those which, six months before, 
 had been j)erpetrated on the River Kaisin by his 
 worthy j)eer — the butcher I^roctor. A combined naval 
 and land force, including the Chasseui-s Hrittani([ue, 
 not less than 2,500, landed, and, thougli oui' small 
 force of about 450, mostly raw militia, fought well, 
 they were soon overcome by superior numbers, ^vhen 
 this little fishing town was immediately given up to 
 
TmiO.-OKXEMAL WALKKlt K. AUMISTEAD. 275 
 
 pillage jiiid destnictioii. A cori'espondciice, respecting 
 the eiioi'iiiities there committed, took place ])et\veen 
 Geiiei'al Tayloi' and the British commander of these 
 tr()oj)s, from which it appears, after making due 
 deductions and allowances, that barbarities were com- 
 mitted almost too I'evolting to relate. "Women," 
 says Ingersoll, " who coidd not esca})e, were hunted 
 down l)y perpetrators of eveiy indignity on their 
 persons. No hel]) was given to the wounded. The 
 dead were left unburied. The females were not only 
 violated by these wretches, but they encouraged the 
 slaves to violate their own mistresses. Tlie sick 
 were nuirdered in l)ed — the maimed and the decrepit 
 from age. Silver plundered from dwellings was 
 perhaps not illegitimate spoih But the pulpit and 
 the conmninion tal)le of the E[)iscopal Church at 
 Hampton (the C'hui'ch of England, as commonly 
 called in this country), together with all the plate, 
 although the donor's name was engraved on it, to- 
 gether with the parish to ^\'hich it belonged, were 
 saci'ilegious booty. Shirts and shoes stripped from 
 aged [)ersons, indiscriminate i-ape, one woman 
 ravished by many men — these, and many more such 
 outrages, ini(loul)tedly committed, it woidd wrong 
 hist(>ry not to record and ci\ili/ation not to repro- 
 bate." A Select Conuuittee of C\)ngress, com- 
 posed of very distinguished mend)ers, say in their 
 report : " The shrieks of the innocent victims of in- 
 fernal lust at IIani})ton wei'e heard by the American 
 prisoners, but were too weak to leach the ears or 
 disturb the repose of British officers, whose duty as 
 men re(iuired them to protect every female whom 
 
kt W I 
 
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 27G 
 
 C'HKSAl'EAKK CAMI'AIGN OK 1813 14. 
 
 , ,, i> 
 
 the fortiiiu' of war liud thrown iiit(» tlicir j>o\v«'r. 
 Huiiuin laiiL''ua<iv affords no ttTiiis stroiuj; enoui:;!! to 
 express tlie einotioiis wliicli tlie examination of tlie 
 evidence has awakened. In tlie eonespondence l)e- 
 tween tlie American and British coinnianders will 
 l)e found what is e([uivalent to an admission of the 
 facts by the latter. No jtiinishmeiit has followed 
 conviction of the gnilty. The power of retaliation 
 being veste<l in the execiitixc, no measure is pro])osed 
 by this report. Such enormities, instead of ins[)irin<^ 
 terror, as was ])robably intended, beinp^ calculated to 
 [>roduce the contrary eifect, the committee close with 
 a resolution that the President be reijuested to collect 
 and present to the House evidence of every departure 
 of the enemy, during the war, from the ordinary 
 mode of coinbicting it among civilized nations." 
 
 On the first of -Inly the Bi'itish tieet of twenty- 
 five vessels left Hani])ton Roads and entei'ed the 
 Potomac, then only defended by old Fort Warbur- 
 ton (now Washington), just above Mount Vernon. 
 Alexandria, Washington, and Georgetown were 
 greatly alarmed; but, as no vessel then ai)proached 
 nearer than seventy miles to the Capital, the panic 
 soon subsided. Annapolis and Baltimore were then 
 tlireatened, but, ])eing deemed too strong for a 
 successful attack, the freebooter Cockburn with<lrew 
 to plunder and alai'in the Carolina and ( Georgia coasts. 
 
 Tlie piratical Admiral having withdrawn from 
 the Chesa])eake in 1818, no further danger Avas 
 apprehended jit Washington. Even the abdication 
 of Napoleon at Foiitainbleau, April 11, 1H14, and 
 his banishment to Elba, leavino- Enu'land free to 
 
HHK5.-(JKNi:i!.\L WALKKIJ K. Al{ MI STEAD. 
 
 'Ji i 
 
 traiisjxn't lici' vast vett'ian forces to Aint'i'icji, did not 
 disturl) tli«' ('(luaiiiiiiity of our statesmen at tlie 
 ('a[)ital oi" rouse tlieui to a. reali/iiii;' sense of the 
 daiiLi'ei' to wliicli we were exposed. One ('assan<li*a, 
 under the tith' of " Aniei'ieanus," in tlie "National 
 Intelliij::eneei-," did uttei' a note of waiiiinir, )»nt tlie 
 |)ro|)h<'i'y was not l>elieved till the enemy was 
 almost within (»ur walls. No preparation was made 
 to oppose the foe. One company of ai'tillery at 
 Fort \Var))urt(»n, and another of marines at Wash- 
 inii;ton, wei'e the sole trustworthy jiroteetion to the 
 (^apltal scarcely two m(»nths before its ])ul)lic edi- 
 fices were laid In ashes. 
 
 Notw^ithstanding i'e[)eated warning <d' Kniilamrs 
 extensive [)re))aration to transpoi't many troops to 
 our shores, no official plan of defense was consid- 
 ered by our government till the Pi'esident and his 
 (•ablnet assembled In lugul)rIous council to deliber- 
 ate on the situation, 'Inly 1, 1<S14, oidy a few days 
 after ])ositive information had reached New York, 
 by a cai'tel, that in the harbor (»f l^ermuda there 
 was anchored " a Heet of transports, with a large 
 force on board, to sail in one or two days to some 
 [)ort in the Tnlted States — probably for the I^)to- 
 mac." The next day, the Tenth Military District, 
 end>racing \'ii-ginia between the Ka[>])ahannock and 
 Potomac, the State of Maryland and tlu^ District of 
 (_Viluml)ia, was created and put under c(»nunand of 
 Brig.-General Winder, who had just been released as 
 a prisoner of war, ca[)tured on the northern frontier, 
 where he had won few laurels. On the fourth of 
 duly the vSecretary of War made re([uIsitIons upon 
 
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 278 
 
 CHKSAPKAKE CAMPAIGN OF ISI3 14. 
 
 the States for tK{,r)0(> iiiilitiu, in wliich were iucliKled 
 neitlier cavalrv iior rltleiiieii, "to he lield in readi- 
 ness for iiuinediate service," I)iit only the District (►f 
 Colunil>ia and State (jf Maryland were called u[)on 
 to provide their reu;ular (piota, in whole or ])art, "in 
 case of actual or menaced invasion," while Penn- 
 sylvania was directed to send '),(HH) and Viri^inia 
 2,000 to the militia rendezvous. Connnodore Har- 
 ney, a dashing veteran of the Navy was put in 
 command of a small tlotilla of jj^unboats in the 
 Patuxent. 
 
 Winder's army on |)a|)ei' was a niagniticent array 
 of nearly 100,000 men, the largest foi'ce that had ever 
 been destined for the tield in America; but, through 
 otticial apathy or incom[)etency, defective State laws 
 and dilatoriness everywhere, Winder, two weeks 
 after the enemy had ai)peared in heavy force in the 
 Chesai)eake, was unable to report more than 5,000 
 troops, mostly raw militia, on his rolls, a large [>art 
 of wliich were yet to be collected. In other words, 
 the General was practically powerless, for he had 
 only the semblance of an <u'ganized force; in person 
 was com[)elled to attend to every detail, he being 
 without a staff or engineers; and, unaided by cav- 
 aliy, had no means of ascertaining the enemy's 
 movements. 
 
 While such were our feeble preparations, the 
 British stjuadron in the Chesapeake was re-enforced, 
 August IH, 1814, by twenty-cme vessels under Ad- 
 miral Cochrane, and was soon after joined by another 
 under Commodore Malcolm. (Jii board were several 
 thousand of Wellington's Peninsular veterans, com- 
 
BKI(J.-(iENKHAL WALKKR K. AHMISTKAl). 
 
 27W 
 
 nianded by a hvave and enterprising Irislinian — 
 Maj(>r-(Teneral Ross. 
 
 After C(H-k})urn'H return to the ('hesapeake, tliis 
 I'apacious freel««>ter at once resiuned l»is predatory 
 waHare of hurnini; and rol))>inii; villages, farm 
 liouses, and everything on which he eoidd lay liands, 
 " crnisiiii'' about in everv direction," savs an otticer 
 of lloss's army, "threatening the whole line of coast, 
 from the entiance to the very bend of the bay ; and 
 thus ke})t tlie Americans in a constant state of 
 ahirm. Wlienever a favorable oj)portunity [)resented 
 itself, parties landed, plundered or destroyed tlie 
 government stores, laid towns and districts under 
 contribution, and brought off all the shi[)ping which 
 could be reached. In a w<Md, the hostilities carried 
 on in the Cliesapeake resembled the expedition of 
 tlie ancient Danes against Great Britain, rather than 
 a modern war ]>etween civilized nations." What the 
 atroci(»us character of that Danish invasion was has 
 been told bv Hume and other British histoiians. 
 
 In the midst of his disgraceful career, finding 
 liimself o[)posed by a Ixdd l)ut more humane sailor, 
 C^Vinnno(h)re Barney, who with liis snuill craft set at 
 defiance even tlie lirigs and frigates of liis Brit- 
 tanic Majesty, Cockburn resolved to punish such 
 audacity by the capture and destruction of our 
 flotilla. Accordingly, (m the 18th of August, the 
 Kuiflish Admiral ascended the Patuxent as far as 
 Benedict, when he landed a few snudl guns and a 
 force of 4,500 regulars, marines, and disciplined 
 negroes. 
 
 Up to this time little danger was apprehended 
 

 
 m 
 
 280 
 
 CirHSAPKAKK CAMIVVrciV (>V \s\:\ It. 
 
 at the Capital, the [>ress iii.i<l<' liulit of it, the ('ul)i- 
 net was not alarmed, tin- War ScerctaiT iclmked 
 all iiiisgiviiiirs, Wiiidci's i-e(|iiisitioiis \\«'i"(* still neir- 
 leeted, and the entii'r piihlic sccmkmI \M'a|)|»ed in 
 
 .sonino 
 
 lent 
 
 secniitv 
 
 The eertain ap|»i'o.icli of the (Mumnv and the fall- 
 inir l>aek (»f our flotilla to Xottinuhain, finally awoke 
 tlie Sceretarv of W'ai- from his dreams and induced 
 him to sanction Winder's cills foi* more trooj)s, with 
 the understandinu:, however, at this moment of ahso- 
 lute danirer, that he would so woi'<l his re(|uisitions 
 for volunteers as "to uuard auaiiist interferiiiLT with 
 the leiLral draft." The comtnandinL:," general, hy ijrreat 
 personal activity, on the LMst, was at the head of 
 8,L>(M> men 
 
 and seventeen ])ieces of small artilleiy. Had Winder 
 been untrammeled by the Presidt'ut and his Cabinet, 
 with this force, thouiih undiscijdim'd, aided by 
 Harney's flotilla and the natural (»bstacles besettini; 
 the enemy's path, he should have been able to defv 
 the invader, who l)ol<lly continued his advance. 
 
 Cockburn's raid was well planne(l. While send- 
 inij^ two small sipiadi-ons to make demonsti'ations, one 
 towards Anna])olis and Haltimoi*', and the other uj) 
 
 arms, inchulinn" a few troops of cavalry 
 
 tlie Potomac, he, with his smaller craft. 
 
 CO\ t'IV< 
 
 1 tl 
 
 le 
 
 march of Ross" army up the southern bank (»f the 
 Pntuxent, ostensibly in j)ursuit of Harney, but, in 
 reality, if the uenei-al could be persuadtMl to co-opei'- 
 ate, to make a dash on \\ ashin!j:tt)n — the iroal of 
 his avarice an<l ambition. 
 
 The entii'e distance from ("(tckburn's landini; 
 place at IVnedict to WashiuLTton was less than fifty 
 
I tlu* 
 It, ill 
 
 juper- 
 ill of 
 
 iliiiiji; 
 lifty 
 
 BIIICJ.-OENKRAL WALKKR K. AUMISTKAD. 
 
 281 
 
 miles ; but, owiiii; t<> tlie extreme lieut of t]ie weutlier, 
 the (leV)ilitate(l state of tlie troops lonj^cooped-up <>ii 
 sliip board, and tlie diHiculty of maivliiiii:; in a coun- 
 try intersected with streams an«l covered witli 
 forests, tlie l^iitish advance was very slow. Not till 
 the evenini; of the 21st had the enemv reached Not- 
 tini^ham, from whi<'h our tlotilla had esca|)ed to 
 simie ten miles higher up the river above Pig's Point. 
 Resuming the marcli on the ni< truing of the 22d, the 
 gi'eat torch-bearer soon found his love of destruction 
 gi'atitied by (»ur own Seci'etary of the Navy, who, 
 in the general panic, had given ordei's to set tire to 
 our flotilla, which was l)uined l)efoiv the enemy 
 coidd reach it. 
 
 At this late date, Windei- had pushed forward 
 about 8<M) cavalry and rifles, with a battery of artil- 
 leiy, to reconnoitre aiul harass the enemy, while the 
 remainder of his force was to follow in support. 
 Findinii: the enemv urreatlv sui)erior in numbers, the 
 general ordered the advanced detachment to fall 
 back to the " \Vo<Ml-yard,'' and there await him. 
 Our entire force at hand, including infantry, sailors 
 and marines, was about one-half that of the British. 
 
 Our Secretary of the Navy having kindly per- 
 formed the chief service for which the great incen- 
 diary had undertaken his raid up the Patuxent, 
 Mephistopheles-like he ])oure(l into the ear of Ross — 
 a ready listener where laurels or l)ooty were to be 
 w<ui — the following insidi(>us argument, according 
 to Dr. Thompson, substantially as follows: " (^ur 
 antagonist, from deficiency of force, or want of c(»n- 
 fidence in what lie has, having hitherto shown no 
 
 I 
 

 €W 
 
 W^ 
 
 Jl' il 
 
 ii 
 
 282 
 
 ("IIKSAI'KAKK ("AMPAIOX OV 18i:»-14. 
 
 disposition to ohstnict our views, and liaviiiir at last 
 blown up his flotilla, wliicli, if w«'ll fouij^lit, nii£j:lit 
 liave cost us nianv lives — may we not conelude, that 
 his defense of Washinufton will not ])e more vi<:;(U-ous^ 
 And if so, has not the condition on which we are 
 permitted to attack that town arisen *. It is ti'ue 
 that Washington presents no object strictly military 
 — a navy-yard c<un[)aratively em})ty, and a sma'l and 
 poor po])ulation — hut we must not for<;et that incon- 
 sidei'al)le in this view as it maybe, it is the metroj»o- 
 lis of the nation, and that names, as well in war as 
 in peace, do much. I^y capturing it, we shall give 
 no small edat to our arms abi'oa<l : and to our- 
 selves, a more solid gratification, if the government, 
 to save the city, be disposed to make a liberal dona- 
 tion of their money." The latter mercenary sugues- 
 tion, more than glory or vengance was doubtless the 
 moving imj)ulse which actuated this avaricious 
 
 corsai r. 
 
 The prospects of untold prize-money j)ro\ed t(»o 
 dazzling to l)e resisted by Ross. Leaving a naval 
 officer and some seamen tt> shi]) the plunder, the Irish 
 General and the English Admiial, with about 4,r)(Mi 
 combatants and thive small pieces of artilleiy, set 
 out on the morning of the 22d, with three days pro- 
 visions, direct for Washington, aftei'wards changing 
 their course to induce Winder to believe that their 
 destination might be either Annapolis or Fort \\'ash- 
 iuirton. Winder, in the meantime not thinkiuij: it 
 prudent to risk a battle, fell back to " Long Old 
 Fields," an admirable strategic position covering a 
 direct advance on Washington and both its tiank 
 
BRrn.-OENERAL \V.\LKI':T{ K. AFniTSTKAD. 
 
 283 
 
 (1 too 
 naval 
 . Il'isll 
 
 4,r)«M) 
 A, set 
 
 s })ro- 
 
 11 lining 
 their 
 
 Vasli- 
 
 iiiii; it 
 iT "( )ia 
 
 •iu<i; a 
 rtaiik 
 
 a))j)roat'lies — on tlie left 1)V tlie hla(leiis})urg road, 
 and on the riijlit ])v tliat t«^ Fort Wasliini^ton. 
 
 Tlie Secretary of State —Colonel Monroe — an old 
 Revolutionarv soldier, who had been witli Winder 
 for several days, eoimiiuiiicate<l to the President his 
 a|»|)rehensi(>ns of the p'eat daiii^er to the Caj)ital, 
 and reeomniended that he "had better remove the 
 records," and "have the materials prepared to des- 
 troy the bridixes." Fortunatelv, most of the public 
 archives reached a place of safety, but some were lost 
 or so mutilated that they were never of further use. 
 Upon the receipt (tf Colonel ]\[onr<»eV messaife, 
 Washino^ton was in the wildest panic, and an exodus 
 of thousands of its inhabitants immediately took 
 place. 
 
 Events were now raj)idly culininatiniij to a crisis, 
 and the worn-out Command inLr-(ieneral, with only 
 2,500 men fit for duty — nearly all raw militia- 
 was s<^)rely perj)l(^\ed as to the pro[>er course to be 
 pursued, thoiiudi, as usual on such occasions, he was 
 well supplied with the advice of every one from the 
 President, then with him, down to the country 
 s(piire ; in the multitude of counsellors, however, he 
 found no safety. 
 
 On the mornini; oi the 2.'{d, Ross was at Upper 
 Abirlboroui^h, while Winder was at Old Fields, 
 where, instead of concentrating his scattered forces, 
 only a few miles separated, for battle, or to watch 
 the enemy's movements and threaten his communi- 
 cations, our (■ommanding-dreiieral abandoned this 
 strong and advantageous position so soon as Ross 
 and Cockburn moved forward in the aftermxm, thus 
 
 mil 
 

 284 
 
 CIIKSAI'KAKK < AMPATON OF 1S13 14. 
 
 I I 
 
 imikiiii; (IctVat ccilaiii In dcprt'ssinu' tlic conHdem-e 
 of our little ai'iiiy, which, at sunset, made a disoilei'ly 
 retreat aei'oss the Hasteni Hraneh l>ri<l<:;e into Wasli- 
 iui^t<Hi. This flight was a deathblow to our cause, 
 l)oth in a luilitary and moral sense. Militai y : because 
 our small forces were thus scatteied over a front of 
 fifteen miles from Hladenslxiru;, where (ieiieral Staiis- 
 l)ury was ordered to take j>osition, to Fort Washing- 
 ton, covered l>y (Teneral Yoiinu; with a small Ixxly. 
 Moral: for on the niiiht of the '2'.\(\ all was conster- 
 nation in tlie Cajutal, the President and his C'al)inet 
 vacillated in tlieir course of action, the troo[»s, worn 
 out witli aimless marches and counter-marches, were 
 (lis])irited, and the ( 'onunandiui^-iieneral, weak every- 
 where, knew not whitlwr to turn ; while tlie enemy, 
 oiily ten miles distant, was gii'dinjj;" up his loins to 
 pring upon liis [)rey and seize liis [»luii<ler. 
 
 On the morning of the lUth, [x'liding the Council 
 of the President, his Cabinet, and tlie leader of our 
 forlorn hope, Ross was moving towards liis coveted 
 prize, not directly where a l)i'oad river inteiposed, 
 but to turn our left flank wheiv the stream was ford - 
 able. When undeceived as to the enemy's intentions, 
 evervthinjjc was hurried forward to Hladensburi::, 
 wliere tardily were assembled about r),<K»0 weary, 
 undisciplined and demoralized troops, to meet a like 
 number of veterans trained to war, inured to fatigue, 
 and accustomed to victory. All 'in our army was 
 confusion, and though Winder was called the com- 
 mander of this motley mass, there was more than one 
 volunteer generalissimo from the President's mounted 
 Cabinet, one of whom (the Secretary of State), with- 
 
 s 
 
HUI(}.-(SKXKIJAr< WALKKi: K. AinilSTKAD. 
 
 285 
 
 U'uce 
 
 (U'l'ly 
 Vasfi- 
 •ause, 
 
 »iit of 
 Stalls- 
 sliiu.u'- 
 
 l)o(ly. 
 mster- 
 al)iiift 
 , worn 
 ■i, were 
 
 t'verv- 
 eneiiiy, 
 oins to 
 
 oiiiu'il 
 of our 
 (»vete<l 
 
 xtsed, 
 IS t'onl- 
 ntioiis, 
 islmrg, 
 
 weary, 
 t a like 
 fatii^iie, 
 ny was 
 |u' colli- 
 liaii one 
 
 lio 
 
 untetl 
 ), witli- 
 
 oiit Winder's knowledge, e]ianti'e<l Ids order of ])uttle, 
 and anotliei- (the Secretary of War), wlio a few lioiirs 
 liefoi'e had been invesved hy the President witli tlie 
 entire coinniand, Imt fortunately Ids oi'«ler was sus- 
 pended before the l)attle i»eL:;an. 
 
 Hladens])nri»;, which has given its name to tlie 
 diso-raceful action fouuht Auirust 24, 1814, is a sniull 
 village on the left hank of tlie Knstern Branch of 
 the I*otoinac River, connected l>y a hridge (ahout 1<M> 
 feet long) with the right hank, upon vhiidi in hot 
 haste oururiny was drawn up in three nearly straight 
 lines, none of wliich were Hanked or ))rotected l)y a 
 cross-fire of our 2(5 pieces, mostly li<dit artillery. 
 About noon, at the turn «»f the roiid where it <lescends 
 the hill ])eyon(l Bladensburg, lloss discovered the; 
 American forces drawn up on tlie other side of tlie 
 river. With his Irish audacity, and estimating our 
 militia as no better than Spanish soldiery, at the 
 head of his eh'te of about l,r)(Ml Pen'"*^idar yeterans, 
 after a momentary check, he dashed a. the bridge 
 despite our heavy artillery fire, threw out sliarp-shoot- 
 ers and rocket-men on his flanks, (piickly dis[)erse«l 
 our skirmishers, threw our Hrst line into disorder, 
 and ca])tured two i)ieces of* aitillery left l)y our 
 retreating forces before they had hardly made any 
 resistance. F^lated by their success, the British 
 light brigade threw asi<le their knapsacks and haver- 
 sacks, and, without waiting for support, dejdoyed 
 in thin order to make their fi'ont e(pial to that of 
 our second line, which, l)eing nioie coui[)act, with- 
 stood the onset and in turn «lrove back the attenuated 
 British line to the riyer bank. Here they contested 
 
IP; If 
 
 280 
 
 CUKSAPKAKK CAMI'AKlN OK 1«I3 U. 
 
 tluMT i^i'ound till the secoinl Hi'itisli l)ii^}ule fr()Hs<M| 
 t\n' hridj^c, tlic ic-riiforccd cikmiiv tluMi |>i('ssin<^ f<n'- 
 ward an<l tuniliiL' tli«' l«'i'( <>!' <»iir second line, while 
 a fliLflit of hissiniij r<K'kets put two «>f our niilitiji 
 regiments Into disorderly ilii^lit. The C'oininandin^- 
 (icneiul in vjiin triecl to rally them, and, though the 
 right for a short tiin(i maintained its ground, the 
 whole of the second line in turn gave way to dis- 
 gi'aceful reti'eat. 
 
 The nuite of our tii'st and second lines liaving 
 been acconi[>lished, the triumphant liritish pressed 
 forward to the attack of the Ameiican thii<l line, 
 hettei' |>oste(l and composed of sternei" stuff than 
 either the Hist or second. The )>attle here, for more 
 than an honi', raged furiously, tlieenemv being badly 
 
 'Ut up 
 
 li 
 
 >11 
 
 > l»v our \vell-serve(| artillery, and driven 
 
 till( 
 
 d di 
 
 back 
 
 to tlie plateau or (dd duelling-ground, several of 
 tlieir disabled officers falling into our hands; but 
 our success was short lived, for the gallant l^arney 
 was seveiely wounded, oui' artillery was deserted 
 by its infantry su|)port, BealTs militia was dispersed 
 by the assault of a heavy column, and ])oth our flanks 
 ])eing turned by the l^ritish light troops. Winder 
 ordered a general retreat, m<»st (»f the militia moving 
 t<>wai'ds Montgomery Court House in Maryland. 
 
 " \N ith the (;.\ce|)tion of a party of sailors from 
 the gun-boats, under the command of Commander 
 Harney," says a Hritish otKcei- present, "no troops 
 could lK*hav(! worse than they did. Tlie skirmishers 
 were (b'iveii in as stxni as attacked, the fiist line gave 
 way without otf<M-ing the slightest resistance, and 
 the left of the main Ixxiy was broken within half an 
 
MItI(i.-<;KNi;iJAr, WALKKI: K. AltMISTKAl). 
 
 2H7 
 
 r for- 
 
 lilitia 
 ulin^- 
 ;h tlu' 
 I, the 
 
 (lis- 
 
 lavini^ 
 
 1 line, 
 f tlum 
 r more 
 'l)!ullv 
 n hjK'k 
 cral «>f 
 
 ^; l>iit 
 ianiey 
 I'serte*! 
 
 J|)('fS«'<l 
 
 thinks 
 iVinder 
 liioviuK 
 
 Uh 
 
 1. 
 
 tVoni 
 ler 
 
 iiaiu 
 
 tl'OOj 
 
 )S 
 
 hers 
 
 Ills 
 
 ic <j;ave 
 
 3e, 
 
 and 
 I half an 
 
 Iioiir after it was seriously ciiLCaLje*!. Of tlie saihd's, 
 ho\vev<'i', it would he iiijiisti«'e not to spcjik in the 
 terms which their ('(niduc't merits. Thev weie »Mn- 
 ployed as Lfunners, and not only did tln^y serve their 
 iruns with atiuiekness and precision which astonished 
 theii- assailiints, hut tliey stood till some of them 
 were a<'tualiy hayonettMl, with fuses in their hands; 
 nor wjis it till their lea<ler was W(tunde<l and taken, 
 and they saw themselves descrte*! on all sides by 
 the soldiers, that they (jiiitted the field." 
 
 'i'lius terminated the disi^raceful battle of Hla- 
 denshurii', oiii- laurels lost far exeeediui^ our loss of 
 heroic defendeis. 'I'he contest began about noon 
 .ind ende(l at 4 v. m., the British casualties Ixung 
 upwards of r)(M) killed and wounded, includini; sev- 
 eral (dliceis of rank and distinction, while oui' loss<'s 
 wei-e fai- less, beinu" variously estimated at 10 to 2G 
 of the former and 4(» to .")! (jf the latter. 
 
 Ross, with only two of his biigades, having 
 secured an easy victory, ordered his third to join 
 him on the battlefield, where, aft<'r a short rest and 
 having nothing to oj>pose him, he moved towards 
 Washington. Leaving the mass of his forces a 
 mih* and a half from the Capitol, and finding no 
 official with whom to negotiate a ju'cuniary ransinn 
 for j)rojterty at his meicy, he, and his far less scru- 
 pulouscompani(»n in ini(juity — Cockburn — with their 
 guaid of tor<'h-bearers and plunderers, lode into the 
 city at eight o'clock in the evening, where, says I*res- 
 i<lent Madison in his jn-oclamatioii of vSeptember 1, 
 1814; "'I'hey wantonly destroyed the public (Mlifi- 
 ces, having no relation in their structure to opera- 
 
 
ffir 
 
 288 
 
 (•nKSAI>KAKK TAMPAMiN OK 1K13 14. 
 
 ■ 
 
 tions of wiw, nor used at tlic time for iiiilitarv 
 Jinijoyanct* ; some of these edifices heiiii^ also Mjstly 
 iiKiimineiits of taste an<l "f the arts, aiul others 
 (lepositori<'s of the public aichives, not only pre- 
 cious to the nation as the memorials of its origin 
 and its early transactions, )>ut interesting to all 
 nations as contributions to the genei'al stock of his- 
 torical instruction and ]>olitical science." Of the 
 [Miblic buildings only the Post Office was saved ; 
 tlie printing establishment of the "National Intelli- 
 gencer" and a few private dwellings were destroyed ; 
 some houses and stores were plundered, and the 
 Navy Yard and Potcmiac Bridge, to prevent their 
 falling into the enemy's hands, were burned by 
 ourselves. 
 
 The wild Russian Cossacks, who had sacrificed 
 their own saci-ed Mosc<>w, in 1812, as an act of 
 ])ati'iotism, had s])ared Paris when their hour for 
 vengeance had struck, in 1814; bur it remained f<>r 
 civilized Hi'itons, "the paiagons of ])erfect men," iia 
 sung by their own Spencer, in the Nineteenth Chris- 
 tian Century, to conunit an act of vandalism against 
 the children of their own loins worthy of the bar- 
 barous ages of Alaric oi' Danish \'ikings. 
 
 The capture of the Capital filled the nation with 
 consternatioti and mortification, and, <m tlie assend)- 
 ling of Congress, in Se}»tend)er, an able committee 
 was a[)pointe(l to investigate the causes of our great 
 disaster; but, where so many men of shining mark 
 were im])licate(l and occuri'ences so disgraceful to 
 the government existed, it was difficult to ai'rive at 
 the exact truth and apportion resjumsibility. Angiy 
 
HHKJ.-(}KNKKAL WALK Kit K. AKMISTKAO. 
 
 289 
 
 crimiiiatioiis jind n'-ciiiniiiatioiis f,>r lout; years were 
 ina«le; ))ut, as (lie actors of that sa«l drama have 
 ]>asse<l tVoni tlie stajjje, the (hojM'urtain <»f <>])livi(>ii 
 has }ii(hhMi them from view. The cliief indignation 
 of the puhlic was agaijist tlie Secretary of War, 
 wlio was charged witli jx^ixistent pervei'sity and cul- 
 l)alde inefticiency. Tlie clamor of wliat his sarcas- 
 tic pen called "n village mob," was so strong, that 
 the I*resideiit would not support him, and Arm- 
 strong, forced to leave Washington, resigned his 
 position September .'i, 1.S14, at Haltimore, giving his 
 reasons in an acrimonious communication to the 
 press of that city. 
 
 Tloss and Cockbnrn having fultilled their infam- 
 ous mission, and fearing that the hand of retrilmtion 
 might cutoff their retreat, secretly stole away, after 
 a terrific tempest, in the (hu-kness of tlie night of 
 August 2r)th ; left their dead unlmried and their 
 wounded to our humanity; safely reached Benedict 
 on tlie 25)th, and embarked on ship-board with their 
 booty on tlie HOth — thus completing their ten days' 
 caini)aigii, a I)ecameroiH>f most unfragrant history. 
 
 According to Cocklmrn's well <levise(l scheme of 
 coiKpiest, while the modern Kiostratus was himself 
 firing the C^a])itol, Gordon, his lieutenant, with a 
 light s<|uadron of seven vessels, was j)roceeding up 
 the Potomac on his errand of arson and plunder; 
 reached Fort AVashington, August 27th, which was 
 evacuated by its small garrison, through the pol- 
 troonery of its commander, on the discharge of the 
 first shell of the enemy ; ^vas in hostile array before 
 Alexandria on the 2ytli, which, being a defenseless 
 
290 
 
 CHKSAPEAKE (AMI'AKiX <>F 1813 14, 
 
 ■V< -fS 
 
 town with not over one lumdred male (•onil)atants, 
 was compelled to submit to tlic British ('a])tjiiirs 
 hard and liuiniliatinL^ terms | commenced his retreat, 
 Se[)teml)er .'kl, t'earini;, with just cause, that it miglit 
 be cut ott' by shore-batteries, fire-ships, and other 
 ol;)stacles ; and, on the 5)th, by a combination of dili- 
 ujence, skill and i^ood fortune, reached an anchorage 
 of safety for his entire s([uadron and liis twenty-one 
 prize-vessels laden with rich booty. 
 
 Wliile C'Ockburn in j)erson was making his foray 
 on AVashington, and Gordon moving up the Potomac, 
 Sir Peter Parker was <letailed to carry out the other 
 ])art of tlie Adniirars programme of harassing the 
 C'hesapeake coasts and threatening Annapolis and 
 Baltimore. The latter as a demonstration, for 
 which it was originally intended, was unnecessary 
 after the fall of Washington, nevertheless, the cus- 
 tcmiary destruction of [)rivatc as w<dl as public j.rop- 
 erty was continued. 
 
 Parker, on the evening of August "JOth, desiring 
 as he said, ''to have a frolic with the Yankees," for 
 which he had prepare<l himself by a carousal with 
 his otticers, debarked about two hundred men with 
 a view of sui-prising a militia camp at Moortields on 
 
 the Eastern Shore of Marvland 
 
 The movement, 
 
 though made with great caution, did not escape the 
 vigilance of C/olonel Read, commanding about two 
 hundred Marylanders, well posted, residute, and 
 readv to receive Parker's impetuous attack made on 
 the centre of the camp and then extending to botli 
 flanks. After a brief but severe contest, tlie British 
 retreated leavin<r thirteen dead and three wounded on 
 
nKF(i.-(ii;M:i:AL walkki; k. armistead. 
 
 291 
 
 the field, linker irmiself liad the main Jirteiy of 
 his tliiu:li cut l>y a musket-ball and bled to death 
 before he reached his ship, thus trajjjieally termina- 
 ting his night's amusement. 
 
 \\ hen Coekburn and I^>ss had reached the 
 Chesa[)eake and learned that (lor(h)n's expedition u[) 
 the Potomac was successful, they at once began to 
 plot new mischief. For some time they liad had a 
 longing eye upon the rich city of Baltimore whicli 
 jtromised a more valuabU' booty than A^'ashington, 
 (»f which they had made such an easy con(piest. 
 Accordingly, with a lai"g<' and \\v\\ appointed tieet, 
 liaving on board an army of (»,<)( >0 vetcan soldiers, 
 Admii'al Cochrane, now in command, entered tlie 
 Patapsco, Septend)er lltli. Fortunately the Halti- 
 morians, fully ai)preciating their danger from a visit 
 from C\>ckburn, the Hi'itish buccaneer, had made 
 early pre[>arations to pariy the expected attack, 
 The local forces had lu'cn organized, intrenclunents 
 had been thrown U]> to protect the city by land, and 
 Forts Mtdlenryand Cox ington, with some additional 
 works, were well armed and garrisoned to guard the 
 water-a})j)roach. 
 
 Deeming it easier to attack Baltimore by land, 
 lloss, on the morning of Sej)tend)er 1 '2th, debarked 
 at North Point, a. foi-ce of 0,000 fighting men, of 
 which 2,000 were marines and 2,000 sailors. Imme- 
 diately ui>on learning the Hritish movements, Gen- 
 eral Strike!', with .'i,200 men, was sent by General 
 Samuel Smith, an (»ld Revolutionary officer in com- 
 mand at Hallimoie, to watch the enemy. lie judi- 
 ciously posted his forces in three lines, their right 
 
 pl^ ' 
 
■ ■■■ » ^ f 
 
 
 QUO 
 
 ^ (./ *J 
 
 rilKSAPKAKE CAMl'AIOX OF 1813 14. 
 
 resting on a luaiidi nt Hear Ch-eek, and tlieir left 
 upon a niai'sli. Ross, always l)i'ave and (MHifident 
 of success, led liis troops as at Bladeiisburg, but, 
 before the battle was engaged, the British (Jeneral 
 was mortally wounded by one of our sharp-shooters, 
 which devolved the coniiiiand upon C^olonel Brooke, 
 of the 4:4th regiment, who Aigor<^)Usly j^i't'f^^ed fV)r- 
 ward to the attack. Though our army was greatly 
 inferior in numbers and training to the enemy's, 
 victory was doubtful for two hours, when some of 
 our militia gave way. Finally, at four in tln^ after- 
 mxm, Striker, finding that the siH)erior British 
 forces could no longer be held in check, ordered a 
 retreat, which was well executed, to within half a 
 mile of the city intrenchinents, the enemy remaining 
 on the battle-field, where Brooke bivouacked for the 
 night. 
 
 On the night of Sept. 12th, Cochrane, pioneered 
 by a frigate sounding the channel, moved up the 
 Patapsco with sixteen large ships, five of which were 
 bomb-ketches, coming to anchor two miles fiH)m Fort 
 McHenry, out of reach of its guns. This now his- 
 toric little fort was then much smaller and less 
 powei'ful than at })resent. Fortunately it had a 
 brave garrison, commanded by a true soldiei", who 
 had done good service on the Niagara frontier — 
 Major George Arinistead, of the Third U. S. Artillery 
 a brother of Brig.-(ieneral W. K. Armistead, the 
 Biographical subject of this Chapter. 
 
 From sunrise in the morning till two in the 
 afternoon of Sept. 18th, the British ])omb-vessels 
 poured a heavy fire upon our works, which the 
 
f I 
 
 HRKJ.-tiKNKRAL WALKKIl K. AUMISTEAn. 
 
 293 
 
 galljiiit Aniiistesid was compelled to endure witlioiit 
 being able to infliet any injury u[>on the enemy, who 
 lay beyond the reach of his artillery. At last a shell 
 dismounte<l one of our 24-pounder guns, killed an 
 otticer and wounded several men. (\)chrane, seeing 
 tlie confusion produced by this lucky shot, moved up 
 three of his boml)-vessels into easier range, to the 
 manifest delight of Armistead, who instantly poured 
 forth from every gun a storm of shot and shell, 
 which com[)elled the venturesome intruders in half an 
 h<)ur to fall back to safer distance, from which the 
 bond)ardment was resumed more furiously than be- 
 fore, and continued with one or two short interrup- 
 tions until past midnight. At this time, under cover 
 of the darkness, the Admii'al had sent above the fort 
 \,2M) })icked men, in barges with scaling-ladders, to 
 capture Fort C-ovington and the City Battery, and 
 to assault Fort McIIenrv in the rear. Unfortunately 
 for these daring men their movement was discovered 
 by the \\\Ait of theii* own rockets, tired to make visible 
 the shores upon which they were to land. Instantly 
 the alarm was given, and from Fort McIIenry and 
 the other works a tierce tire was kept up for two 
 hours, till these invaders weie com[)elled to I'etreat. 
 The bombardment from the fleet continued till seven 
 o'clock on the morning of the 14th, having lasted 
 for twenty-tive hours, during which the enemy threw 
 from 1,500 to 1,K0(> shells, of which about 400 fell 
 within the works, inflicting on us a loss of })ut four 
 men killed and twenty-four wounded. It was on 
 this memorable occasion that Francis 8. Key, who, 
 while conHned on board the enemy's fleet, an un- 
 
 
 iif 
 
WW 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 294 
 
 CHESAPEAKE rAMI'AFON OF 1K13 14. 
 
 willing spectator of the lK)ml)ai'(linent, wrote that 
 song, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which is destined 
 to live for all time in the heai't of every [)atriot "of 
 the land of the free and the home of the l)rave." 
 
 While the fleet was poui-ing its iron rain uponFoii 
 McHenry, the British land forces, early in the morn- 
 ing of the l^Uli l)roke cam]) and marched to within 
 sight of the Baltimore intrenchments, Bi'ooke ma- 
 menvred all day withont snccess, to discover some 
 weak point or to elude the vigilance of General 
 Smith, when upon ascertaining that the bondjardment 
 of the forts was producing little effect, he held a 
 conference in the evening with xVdmiral Cochrane, 
 both concluding that the capture of Baltimore was 
 a failure. Accordingly the l^ritish army stole oft* 
 to North Point to re-end)ark, while the discomtited 
 Cochrane weighed anchor at t> a. >[., on the 14th, 
 and stood down the Potapsco. 
 
 This Campaign, which l>egan with our credita- 
 ble success at Craney Island and ended in the bril- 
 liant defense of Baltimore, had an intermediate 
 history most humiliating to the nation, for which 
 the civil, far more than the military authorities were 
 responsible. Upon these short-comings we will otter 
 some criticisms. 
 
 The first and most important omission of the 
 government was the total neglect of any timely 
 defense of its Capital. War was inevitable for 
 many years prior to its declaration, June 18, 1812, 
 during which ])eriod mau}'^ of the capitals of Eu- 
 rope had fallen l)efore the conqueror. In December, 
 1812, a British squadron was known to be at Ber- 
 
 f 1 
 
BRIG.-GENEIIAL WALKER K. AKMISTEAD. 
 
 295 
 
 (lita- 
 ])nl- 
 idiate 
 liicli 
 were 
 offer 
 
 the 
 |iuely 
 
 for 
 .812, 
 
 Eu- 
 Inber, 
 
 Ber- 
 
 miulji destined for some southern port ; Februarv 4, 
 181.'}, ii Heet entered the Cliesapeake ; and June 22, 
 1818, the attempt to take Norfolk occurred. After 
 a maraudini;* excursion to tiie C^arolinas, Cocklnun re- 
 turned, March 1, 1814, to resume theplunderini^of tlie 
 Chesapeake shores ; in the meantime, January 20, 
 1814, some 4,()()(» Peninsular veterans liavins^ reached 
 Bermuda. These sliadows of coming events were 
 soon followed by the abdication of Napoleon, 
 Api'il 11, 1814, and the availability of Wellington's 
 whole veteran army for tlie invasion of the Ignited 
 States. It was announced, June 28, 1814, tliat a 
 large iieet liad left Bermuda with troo[)s on board, 
 wliich arrived in the Chesjqjeake, July 14, 1814. 
 Yet, witli all these am[»le warnings, and knowing 
 that the eneniv had visited almost everv river fall- 
 ing into tlie Cliesapeake, nothing was <lone to in- 
 crease our navy in these waters or make additions 
 to our land defenses. Not a battery was ))uilt, not 
 a gun was mounted, nor a regiment mustered into 
 service for the defense of Washington, of whose 
 coming danger we had had more than twelve months 
 m^tice, and of its impending [)eril not less than six. 
 Oidy six weeks before the Ca])itars destruction, was 
 the administration roused from its long-continued 
 torpor. The Cabinet, July 1, 1814, when finally 
 roused from its sleep of security, met in des])onding 
 consultation liow to save Washington, and adopted 
 a programme of defense, magnificent on paper, 
 though practically almost worthless. An army of 
 nearly 100,(K)o militia w^as decreed to ])e held in 
 readiness, of which 15,000 were to be fortliwith 
 
I[ 
 
 21)6 
 
 CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGN OF 1813-14. 
 
 ii 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
 1! 
 •I 
 
 11 jl! 
 
 i: 
 
 muHtered into service. But of tliis i^raiul array few 
 turned out, raont of tlie <jUotas continuing home- 
 soldiers. Owing to a defect in tlie state law, the 
 OjOOO re((uired at once from Pennsylvania could not 
 be drafted ; through lack of timely notice the Vir- 
 ginia (juota of 2,(M)() was summoned too late to be 
 mustered in ; and of the <),00(> Marylaiidersre(iuired, 
 but 2,()(H) ever appeaivd, and these ari'ived, jaded 
 and disorganized, only in time to be defeated at 
 Hladeiis])urg. Hence, Winder's army numbered not 
 much over 5,000, mostly raw militia which had 
 never drawn a trigger against an enemy. At this 
 time only 'MW regulars were left in the extended 
 limits of the Tenth Military District, oOO having 
 been marched from Washington to the Northern 
 frontier only two weeks before, notwithstanding the 
 alarm of an impending attack on the Capital, which 
 the Secretary of War e\en then rebuked as an idle 
 dream. 
 
 This small force, which had been assembled by 
 driblets, was provided with neither staff nor engi- 
 neers, and had hardly a handful of cavalry. Instead 
 of being placed in camps of instruction, where our 
 forces could watch the threatened points — Haiti- 
 more, Annapolis, Alexandria and Washington (all 
 within ten days' reach of the enemy), when they 
 finally came together they were without the organi- 
 zation, drill and discipline essential to an army, or, 
 to use the words of General Winder, " not two men 
 of the whole knew any thing of military science." 
 
 From the Secretary of War's dilatoriness or hos- 
 tility ^o General Winder, who had been selected to 
 
BRIG.-OENERAL WALKKI^ K. ATJ^FTSTEAD. 
 
 207' 
 
 eiigi- 
 steiul 
 e our 
 Balti- 
 
 they 
 
 >n 
 
 1 »r lios- 
 !ted to 
 
 rominatul theTentli District instead (►f(n'iiejal Moses 
 IWter, who was Aniistron,ii;'s dioice, Wasliinuftoii was 
 defenseless, as tlie enemy well knew, u|> t»> the very 
 (lay <d' the a<'tual invasion ol" oui- soil. Winder, so 
 early as July Dth, a few days after his a)>|»ointnient 
 to eonuinuul, in an able eonunnnieation [minted out 
 our deticieneies and made some (wcellent sniriJfestions ; 
 but the Secretary of War vouchsafed no reply, con- 
 tentiuii; himself with objectini; to callini!; out more 
 troo])s, liecause lie considered militia only available 
 on sudden emeriji;encies, and the exj)ense of their 
 beinii; encam[)ed till called inti> action, would l»e a 
 useless charsj::e u})on our empty treasury. 
 
 This dejtloi'able condition of thinii's does not, 
 howevei", hold the (\)nnnan<lin<i:-CTenerjd blameless, 
 for he had s<>me force, the elements w<M-e all in his 
 favor, Jind the |)ath of the invader was beset with 
 nHdtij)lied difficulties. Ross' army was destitute of 
 cavalry; had but two small pieces of ai'tillery 
 dragji;ed by han<l ; was enervate<l by long confine- 
 ment on shi[)d^oai'd ; had to march, with hesitation 
 and apj)rehension, forty miles in sultiy August, men 
 continually falling by the way side overcome l)y 
 heat; and the country was covered with forests and 
 intersected by streams, defiles and marshes, where a 
 single lioTU''s stout resistanc<' would have checkec! 
 further advance. Vet, with all these advantages 
 and a local knowledge of the banks of the Patuxent, 
 not a bridge was burned, no i-oad obstructed even 
 by the felling of a tree, no shaij)-shooters hung upon 
 the flanks and rear of the coming foe, and not for 
 one moment was the passage of a stieam oi' ravine 
 
298 
 
 CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGN OF 1813-14. 
 
 disputed. How different was tlie course of Schuyler 
 wlien Bui'goyue, invading our territory, came down 
 the valley of tlie upper Hudson in 1777 ! 
 
 The next ea:rei!:ious blunder was the order of the 
 Secretary of the Navy to destroy Barney''s flotilla, 
 thus accomplishing for the enemy the j)rinc'iple pur- 
 pose for which he undertook his difficult and dan- 
 gerous expedition. The bold Coinmodore, l)ef()re 
 and after, showed what he might have done Avith his 
 small craft and courageous sailors to harass the 
 enemy. By this act of inexplicable terror which 
 seemed to paralyze the government, all naval means 
 of threatening the enemy's communifations with 
 his ships were removed, the army rendered more 
 hopeless, and Cockburn invited to prosecute his raid 
 and achieve his daring design of plundering and 
 burning Washington. 
 
 After the enemy had reached Uppei' Marl- 
 borough, it should have been evident to Winder that 
 Cockburn and Ross, Avith the great prize of Wash- 
 ington before them, Avere threatening other points 
 (mly as demonstrations to deceive him, hence our 
 Commanding-General should have concentrated every 
 thing at Long Old Fields, an admiral)le and strong 
 position covering our Avhole base of operations fi'om 
 Alexandria to Bladensburg. Had he fouc;ht his 
 battle here where he had seventeen pieces of artillery 
 and 3,200 combatants, Avhicli could have l)een in- 
 creased in a day to 5,000, his chances of success 
 would have been better than at Bladensburg ; and 
 in the event of defeat his retreat on Washington was 
 quite as easy, with the advantage of a broad river 
 
BRIG.-GENKKAL WALKER K. ARMISTEAD. 
 
 299 
 
 yier 
 own 
 
 I the 
 tilla, 
 pur- 
 dan- 
 efore 
 h his 
 i the 
 vhic'h 
 neaiis 
 with 
 more 
 is raid 
 ijr and 
 
 Marl- 
 that 
 IW ash- 
 points 
 e our 
 every 
 strong 
 ( from 
 it his 
 tillery 
 en in- 
 uccess 
 and 
 )n was 
 river 
 
 inteiiiosed between him and Ids pursuei's. Tins 
 fatal 22(1 of August, of Americ.-ui ina(3tion, of Win- 
 der's failure t() throw the slii^htest obstacle in the 
 enemy's path, of almost [)aiu(' in the presence of the 
 foe, and dastai'dly retreat almost without firing a 
 shot, was the knell of our safety and signal to em- 
 bolden the British corsair to carry out his fiendish 
 purposes. It was the anniversary of Bosworth field, 
 so calamitous, moi-e than three centuries before, to 
 the House of York, and a safe deliverance from dan- 
 ger to that of Lancaster. 
 
 Winder, having abandoned his advantageous 
 position at Long Old Fields about five on the even- 
 ing of the 23d, retreated, or rather ran, direct to 
 Washington, leaving General Stansbury to occui)y 
 Bladensburu:, thus cfiviuijc Ross the advantage, had 
 lie been moi'e alei't, of falling first upon one corps 
 and then upon the othei', thus easily destroying 
 both. 
 
 Our so-called ai'my, exce[)t Barney's seamen and 
 Peter's rei^ulars, was a heteroi^eneous mass without 
 order or discipline, and had scarcely one ofHcer with 
 the least knowledge of actual W7irfare. The various 
 bodies at, and ari'ivingin hot haste near Bladensburg, 
 on the morning of August 24tli, nund)ered about 
 5,100 combatants, exclusive of Colonel Minor's force 
 of 600 who were detained at the armory watchiny; 
 the counting (►f flints by the cautious issuing oflicei". 
 Most of them had been under arms nearly all nifcht, 
 were worn down with constant marchin<i:and counter- 
 marching under an almost tropical sun, and thus, 
 weary and dispirited, w^ere hurried into action in 
 
300 
 
 niESAPKAKE CAMI'AKJX OF 1813 It. 
 
 three lines of ])attle too far apart for mutual suppoi-t. 
 Ill their front the bridice acr<)ss the str«'ani was not 
 destroyed, n(»r the villajjje of Bladensl)ur<r, ])artly 
 built of brick, converted into a defensible ti'tc-dt-jHni.t; 
 everytliing on tin* contrary beinu^ done to invite the 
 easy apj)roacli of the enemy. To add to our mis- 
 fortunes, instea«l of one, we had at least three Com- 
 nian<linii:-(Tenerals — Winder, Monroe, and Armstrong 
 — each giving orders without any concert of action. 
 '^ Everything seemed done to organize defeat, every 
 pre2)aration made toyield, nosj)iiMt shown oi* arrange- 
 ments to conquer." 
 
 The battle being lost and the I'etreat oi'dered, no 
 rallying point was designated, hence, most of the 
 troops were jmictically disbanded. When the British 
 threw 600 brave infantry undei- C'olonel Musgrave 
 into Chew's house at (Termantown, they successfully 
 resisted a laige part of Washington's army, and turned 
 the tide of battle. TIow ditferent misjht have been 
 the fate of the Ca[)ital, had some of Winder's forces 
 been thrown into the strong, well built public build- 
 ing, which Ross had no artillery to breach I 
 
 Our troo])S being dispersed and utterly demoral- 
 ized, no attempt was made to im])ede the enemy's 
 retreat to his ships, though a few active partisan 
 corps might have inflicted severe punishment on the 
 British, or at least have compelled them to abandon 
 their booty. 
 
 Many minor criticisms could be made, all of which 
 would be to the same jmrport, showing that govern- 
 ment apathy, divided councils, want of preparation, 
 reliance upon raw levies, and ignoring military expe- 
 
Bl{r(i.-(JE\KUAI, W.M-KFU K. AKMISTKAI). 
 
 801 
 
 moral- 
 
 irtisau 
 i>u the 
 
 wliic'h 
 i-overu- 
 ratiou, 
 
 ex 
 
 pe- 
 
 rieiice uiul education, do not conduee to tlie snecess- 
 ful eondnct of war nor to tlie honor of a nation's 
 arniH. 
 
 We will conclude tliis sad cliapter of our history, 
 with a brief ncjtice of Iirig.-(ieneral Arniistead, who, 
 after the successful defense of Craney Island, con- 
 tinued to superintend the fortifications of the Ches- 
 apeake and its tributary waters till N< )vend)er 12,1818, 
 when he hecanie Colonel and Chief Engineer, U. S. 
 Army, with head(|uarters at AVashington city. 
 
 On the re-oruanization of the Army, he was 
 transferred, June 1, 1S21, to the head of the Third 
 Regiment of Artillery; and, "for faithful services 
 ten years in one grade," was brevetted, November 12, 
 1828, a Brigadiei'-General. In 188(), he was ordered 
 to Florida, where he remained five years engaged 
 against the Seminole Indians, part of that time, 
 (May (), 1840 to Uny 81, 1841) being in conmiand 
 of the Floi'ida army, making his headijuarters at St. 
 Augustine. He ordered expeditioas in various 
 directions to penetrate the everglades; but the ex- 
 treme heat, the unknown haunts of the savages, and 
 sickness among the troops fi'ustrated the operations 
 of the Commanding-General, who, in other respects, 
 conducted the cami)aign with zeal and energy. 
 
 Upon his I'eturn fVom Florida, he was placed, 
 October 15, 1841, on a Board to select a site foi- a West- 
 ern Ai-mory, upon which he continued till February U, 
 1848, subse(|uently making the head([uarters of his 
 regiment at Fort Aloultrie, S. C. ; but his long ser- 
 vice, particularly in the swam]»s of Florida, had so 
 undermined his health that he died, October 18, 1845, 
 
302 
 
 CUKSAI'KAKK CAMI'AKiX OK 1813 14. 
 
 S1 
 
 lit h'lti home in Upperville, Va., at the age of sixty- 
 tliree. 
 
 General Annistead was not a hrilliant iiuin ; but 
 a brave, eai'iiest and faitliful soldier. He ponsessed 
 a very kindly nature; was noted for his generous 
 hospitality ; and always conscientiously dischai'ged 
 every duty entrusted to liis performance. 
 
 lii 
 

'S^ " 
 
 ; 
 
 ! ; 
 
w 
 
 m 
 
 CHAPTER KKJn.TIl. 
 
 LOUISJANA (^AMPAKIN OF 1H1M;> ; 
 
 Wiril A HKKJUAl'lllCAI. SKiorcit OK 
 
 MAJOR A. LACAURlKin-: LATOUK 
 
 ^L 
 
 vi "■. 
 
 
 From Simmkr (\\Mi'Ai(iNs lu the Friu'id Nortli, we 
 now turn to the Uriel', hrilliaiit, decisive and nieniora- 
 ble Winter CniMpainii of 1 S 1 4 IT) in tlie Sunny South, 
 wliicli added another ilhiininated ])an(' to our coun- 
 try's liistory, and tei'ininated in a l»Ia/e of ,ii;h)ry, a 
 war Ix'Liiiii in i;l(»(»!n, disaster and national dishonoi". 
 
 in obedience to Hi'itain's l>arl>arous or(h'rs "to 
 destroy and lay waste such towns and disti'icts u})on 
 tlie coast as may he accessihle to naval attack," the 
 (^irolina and ('hesa|teake shores had heen wantonly 
 ravage<l ; the puMic, and some j>rivate l)uildinii;s of 
 tlie nation's Capital were hurned ; and Baltimore 
 s.'ived from like destruction, by the hraxc defense 
 of Fort Mel lenry, under " the Stai'S|>anii:led Banner 
 which so triumphantly waxed" till the crest-fallen 
 foe had iuiioiuiniously lied from tin* l*atapsco. 
 
 New (Orleans was to be the next doomed city, for 
 the c.ipture of which an army ol' foiiiteen thousand 
 \ cterans, fresh IVom Feninsular victories, sui»j)orted 
 by a ileet of lifly ships, iiicludinu' ti'ans|)()rts, waw 
 destined; while an Indian war was t(» be fomented 
 
 Mi} 
 
306 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814 15. 
 
 Uu 
 
 _i jiii i. 
 
 Oil our soiitliern border. No woiuler tluit tlie great 
 Emporium of tbe West, indejteiideutly of its lich 
 " booty " tempting British cupidity, sliould liave 
 been selected as tlie objective point of the campaign, 
 for, every\vhere, the Gulf coasts were ap[)roachable ; 
 numerous bayous, rivers and lakes freely admitted 
 water-craft close to the city ; forts and batteries no- 
 where defended its outposts ; neighboring S})anish 
 settlements freely har])ored British ships; Louisiana's 
 mixed })opulation was scarcely Americanized ; we 
 had l)ut a single sloop of war and six gun-boats to 
 oppose to the enemy's powerfid fleet ; a handful of 
 newly recruited regulars was our only force to meet 
 England's army of picked troops ; and for Ijotli bel- 
 ligerents the stake, to be won or lost, was immense, 
 for it was the precious key to the mighty Mississipj)i 
 cutting in twain our entire territory, and almost 
 connecting the Gulf of Mexico with the enemy's 
 vast Canadian possessions. 
 
 8o conlident was the British government of 
 complete success, that a full set of officers wafe em- 
 barked on board the s(|uadron, for the administra- 
 tion of civil affairs in Louisiana, which was ex- 
 pected [)ronn)tly, and without difficulty or danger, 
 to fall into their hands. But Eni»:land little knew 
 the character, energy, and genius of the man, who, 
 out of discordant and heterogeneous matei'ials, as if 
 by magic, could create and organize a small but 
 efficient army, im])iied with his own spirit and 
 love of country, which was destined, in a campaign of 
 a few weeks, to humble the arrogant pride of 
 haughty Albion. 
 
kiigli of 
 lide of 
 
 MAJOR A. LACARRTERE LATOUR. 
 
 307 
 
 Andrew JuckHoii, " the saviour of LouiHiaiia," was 
 commissioned a Major-dreneral, May 1, 1814, in the 
 I'nited States Army, while resting at the " Hermit- 
 age," after his arduous (•am])aign against the Creek 
 Indians. From tiiis charming home, near Nash- 
 ville, he was called to the command of the Seventh 
 Military District, with head<[uarters at Mobile. 
 His Argus vigilance soon unmasked British intrigue 
 among the Southern savages ; thwarted their seduc- 
 tive otters to win over Lafitte's Baratarian snmg- 
 glei-s; counteracted their ])lots to excite hostility 
 among Louisiana's mixed population ; and discov- 
 ered S])anish violation of neutrality at Pensacola, in 
 whose harhoi' the British ships lay at anchor, from 
 whence sup[>lies were distributed, and in whose 
 foils anununition was stored. While promjjtly 
 arranging to crush this alliance of Britons, Span- 
 iards and Indians, he was no less active in secui-ing 
 volunteers in Kentucky and Tennessee to give })roofs 
 of his determination. The American Hercules re- 
 solved to destroy, by one vigorous blow, this triple- 
 headed Cerberus guarding the <>uter sea poi-tal to 
 Louisiana. 
 
 Meanwhile from their Pensacola base, the Bi'it- 
 ish and theii" Indian allies were pi'eparing to seize 
 an innei' i;ate to New ( )rleans — Fort Bowyer — a 
 feeble work on a headland of Mobile Bay. Jackson 
 threw into it 180 regulai- infantry, under the bi'ave 
 Major Lawrence, wh(», with twenty small pieces of 
 artillery behind low, thin parapets, gained Septem- 
 ber 15, 1814, over four slii})s and a land force, hav- 
 ing 92 guns and 1,880 men, a glorious victory, I'e- 
 
 !'. 
 
m 
 it ■ ' 
 
 l\OS 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAKiN OF 1814 15. 
 
 suiting in the destnu'tion of the enemy's flag-sliip 
 and killinii' 'Mu\ woundinii; '282 of their wliole force, 
 while our loss was but eight. This repulse was 
 fatal to British j^restige, and weakened their hold 
 upon the savages, who tied to their forest fastnesses 
 to escape the wrath of one they had much reason 
 to dread. It also gave a great impulse to recruiting 
 volunteers and harmoiiizini; all discordant elements 
 in New Orleans. 
 
 The defeated enemy were received as friends 
 and allies at Pensacola, the sii])servient S])anish 
 suffering the British to garrison their forts. Jack- 
 son, without waiting for orders, determined to carry 
 out his meditated plans upon his own responsibility, 
 "peaceably if he could, forcibly if he must," and 
 thus i)romptly end this gross vit)lation of the hnv 
 of nations in giving aid and comfort to the enemy, 
 Accordinj^h', so soon as he could assemble a suth- 
 cient force, he marched to West Flori<la ; seized Pen- 
 sacola, November 7, 1814 ; compelled the British fleet 
 to put to sea ; dispersed the remaining savages ; and 
 caused the fortifications, u])on which they had relied 
 for protection, to be destroyed. 
 
 By this vigorous execution of his l)old concej)- 
 tion, Jackson had secured his left flank, produced a 
 great moral effect upon the Indians, and [>re vented 
 future Spanish co-operation with the enemy. lie 
 now marched westward; and, after providing for the 
 defense of Mobile, arrived, December 2, 1814, at New 
 Orleans. 
 
 Though worn down by fatigue, anxiety and sick- 
 ness, his coming had an electrical effect on the citi- 
 
AFAJOR A. LACARKIERE LATOl'R. 
 
 309 
 
 zens, and tlie cry of " Jackson's come '' jmssed from 
 moutli to moutli, fillini:: «ill with hope and banishing 
 despondency. Divided councils, chaotic confusion, 
 lack of troops and arms, o])en ])asses unguai'ded, an<l 
 the neai' ap})roach of the enemy had seemed to fore- 
 doom the city to certain destruction, and ])i-esaijed 
 that Louisiana could only be saved from capture by 
 a Providential miracle. 
 
 Jackson lost not a moment, nor s])ared any exer- 
 tions to establish order, maintain disci] )line and 
 inspii'e contidence. He devoted himself to the study 
 of the to]»oo;raphy of the country ; closely examined 
 every approach to the city ; and bent all his enei'i^ies 
 to check the advance of the enemy. He ordered 
 forts to be repaired, batteries to be built, and bayous 
 to ])e obstructed by his Chief Kuijineer. 
 
 Major Arsp^.xk Lacauhikre Latofr, then a Civil 
 Engineer of Louisiana, filled this imj)ortant ])osition. 
 Of this excellent officer, whose modesty eipialled 
 his intelligence, we regret, after the most diligent 
 search, that we have only the scantiest materials for a 
 biogi-aphical sketch. That so little should be known 
 of him, even at New Orleans, is most strange, for 
 lie must have been a man of proniinence t<> have 
 been selected l)y General Jackson for the responsi- 
 ble duties that devolved upon him at such a crisis. 
 Besides, we have evidence that he was an author of 
 note, foi- in his "Historical Memoir of the War in 
 West Florida and Louisiana in 1H14-15," we have 
 the best account of that great Southei-n cam|)aign, 
 whicli has been the basis of all that has since been 
 written upon the subject, and the careful ])erusal, 
 

 ^ 
 
 310 
 
 LOITI8IANA OAMPAIfiN OF ISIl 15. 
 
 which we liave <^iveii to tlic woik, satisfies lis of tlie 
 accuracy and conscicMitious tich^litv of the iiarnition. 
 
 Major Latour was horn during the French Revo- 
 hition ill Auveri^ne, France, tlie fertih' huid of <^reat 
 Hohliers like Turenne, DeliUe and Desaix; and, 
 <hni})tless, was a descendant from tlie same family 
 with Latour (T Aiiverj^ne, the ''First (Jrenadier of 
 France," who "Died on the Field of Honor," fFune 27, 
 1800, at Oberliausen, He received an ex<'eilent mil- 
 itary echication ; in 17i>.'{, left his nat ve land to 
 seek an asylum in St. I)omiii<ji;o, from whi(di lie was 
 driven by the insurrection of the blacks; and finally, 
 in 1S02, took u]> his residence in Louisiana, tlieii 
 French territory. The enujineer i:;raduates of our 
 own Military Academy })eini( mostly eni*;aii;e(l on the 
 Northern frontier and in su[>erintendini; tlu* coast 
 defenses, (ieneral Jackson was compelled to seek 
 elsewhere for a competent Chief Fnt^ineer, and was 
 fortunate in tindinii: Major Latour who had heeii 
 fitted in a French i^overnmeiit <Mi<j::ineer school for 
 the jM'ofession, and besides was familiar with the 
 wliole theatr<M>f war in Louisiana, ])articularly about 
 New Orleans, of which he had made surveys. 
 
 Latour, under (ieneral JacksoiTs orders, repaired 
 Fort St. Philip, destroyed tlie wooden barracks 
 within the work, and mounted additional aitillerv 
 upon the ram))arts and covered-way. Mcn'e effectually 
 to defend the passa<ii;e by the Mississippi, he erected 
 two batteries for 24-])oun(lers on the rii,dit bank of 
 the riv^er : one on the site of old i'^)rt Bourbon, and 
 the other half a mile above. Other batteries were 
 thrown up to guard the most important passes to 
 
MAJOR A, LACAHUIEKE LATOUK. 
 
 311 
 
 I the 
 ition. 
 levo- 
 n-reat 
 aiul, 
 imily 
 er of 
 lie 27, 
 it inil- 
 
 11(1 to 
 
 e was 
 ill ally, 
 
 then 
 f our 
 i>n the 
 
 coast 
 ) seek 
 
 1 was 
 
 IxMMl 
 
 ol t'oi' 
 
 \\ the 
 
 ilxmt 
 
 |)airt'< 
 Irraek 
 
 Killery 
 •tually 
 
 h'CCtcMl 
 
 k of 
 
 1 
 
 1)11 
 
 11, aiK 
 
 were 
 
 kses 
 
 to 
 
 New Oi'leaiis, particularly at the confluence of the 
 bayou Sauvaijje and C'hef-Menteur ; while all others, 
 from Attakaj>as to Manchac, leadini^ from the ocean 
 into the interior of the country, were obstructed to 
 the extent that time and means pennitted. For 
 executing these im])ortant works and siil)se((uently 
 for throwiiiii; up the intrenched lines on both banks 
 of the Mississi]>pi, soldiers were drafted by detach- 
 ments from each of the several corps, and kept hai'd 
 at work, sometimes ])ast midnight, without their 
 showing the least imj)atieiice or expressing a murmur 
 of discontent. Like ti'ue patriots they were actuated 
 by the no})lest feelings, a])))reciated that a rich eity 
 and a gi'eat territoiy weiv under their protection, and 
 exulted in the thought of defending their fellow cit- 
 izens and a\enging theii- countryV wrongs. Laige 
 gangs of plantation negroes also assisted in the good 
 work. 
 
 The exjH'cted <Miemy, fast a])]»roaching on his 
 errand of destruction, supj)osed that we were still 
 ignorant of his movements; but (^)mmodore Pattei'- 
 son, commanding th<* New Orleans naval station, 
 had received a letter from Pensacola, dated Dec. oth, 
 informing him of the arrival of a large British fleet, 
 with an army on board, which was destined to act 
 against New ( )i-l<'ans. A few days latei-, this fleet 
 anchored between (^at and Shij) Islaiul, and in small 
 boats rapidly exj)e(lited troo[»s through the shallow 
 waters of Lake Horgne, hoping to sur[)i'isc Jackson 
 and ca]>ture the city before their presence was even 
 susj)ected. I low little the enemy knew of the sleep- 
 less energy and indomitable will of their great antajjo- 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 .•U2 
 
 LOUISIANA ( AMI'AKiN (»I' 1«H 15. 
 
 iiist tlie s(MjUf'l soon |>ro\(Ml. Alrcjidy our i:;mil»oiits, 
 imdci' Licutciiaiit Jones of (lie i\ji\v, li;i<l t;ik«'n 
 position, nc.'ii" MalluMinMix Island in Lake lioi'ujne, 
 to (lisputc tlic t'nrdicr passaii;*' of the lifitisli haru^eH, 
 wliicli, Dec. 14th, viLCoi'ously attacked tliein. Our 
 tive Li;nnl)oats, fast j)lanted in tlie mud, with lSi> men 
 on board, wei'c atta('k<Ml l»y r<»i'ty-t wo I»ai'i2;«'s and 
 iaunelies haviiiij:; a (•oni[)Ieinent of l/J<Ml men. Not- 
 witlistandiiii:: this enormous disparity ol' f'<»ree, tlie 
 Americans defended tlienisel\'es i'oi- an h(»ur and a 
 lialf, and did not strike tlieir tlai:; until they liad 
 destroyed moi'e tliaii one-third of the enemy's foi'ce, 
 one of their launches which we" sunk carryiiii^ as 
 many men as manned our w hole mos(juito tieet. 
 
 I'he Britisli, lia\ imj; n(»w complete control of Lake 
 Horgne, cpiickly rend(^zvoused their lroo|)>< on IVji 
 Island, off the month of Pearl Kixci', wli<'i'<' some 
 thirty oi' forty Spanish lishermen ai<led tlieir <lis- 
 end>aikation, and, heinii; (piit<' as i-eady to sell their 
 country as their fish, acte(l as sj»ies to ^ixc the tMiemy 
 informatitm and as <^ni<les to lead them throuiih the 
 diHicult inlets, Jackson had ali'eady j)rocIaimed 
 martial law; and had occupi«'d with men, batteries 
 and redoulits nearly every assaila))le point of which 
 the enemy <'onld mak<' choice. Tliouuh the danii:er 
 was now so inuiiinent. the intensest enthusiasm pre- 
 vailed, military airs r<'soun<led in the streets, every- 
 where the din of pi-eparation was heard, troc^ps and 
 citizens were eaij^er for the fray, and the onuiipresent 
 leader directed every department of this n<»w \ast 
 camp. 
 
 By some straiiije oversif]i;lit, no special attention 
 
MA.IOK A. I.ACAIMMHKK LATOl'U. 
 
 :\]-A 
 
 11 \)\v- 
 'vcrv- 
 
 aiKl 
 
 rest' 
 
 lit 
 ast 
 
 'iition 
 
 liad IxM'ii |»ai<l to (>l)striictiiiLi' tin- liaynii IVicnvcniK*, 
 ('iii|»tviiiU' into (lie head (tf Lake IJoPLiiic, distant, in 
 a (liicci iiiM', only six miles from the Mississipjti, or 
 al»onl <|()Ml)le that distance followinir tlie sinuosities 
 <»r the water ah»nu' IJienvenue, Mazant, and th(^ 
 X'iUerie (anal. ( >n the '2^H\\ of I )ecenil>ei', a <lis- 
 uiiised Hi'itisli oiricei', i^uided \>\ thr<'e of the Spanish 
 scoundrels IVoni the lishei-nien's \ illai;'e, e.\|iloi"ed this 
 route, w liicli, on his report, it was decided to a(h>pt, 
 not only liecause it was short and practical)le, hut h'd 
 to within nine miles of tlie city. 
 
 < >n the niornlnL;- oi" Decemltei- 2."»(l, about L',4(M) 
 British, after ca|tturinu' the few pickets u-uardinu' this 
 conununication, ieache<l the Mississippi Itej'oi'e noon 
 without ol»sei-\ alioii or o|»position. 'I'liis was a 
 brilliant achievement, and had the British (Jeneral's 
 sul)se(|uent o])erations Ihmmi conducted witli like s|)irit 
 and judn'ineiit, Louisiana mi^'ht have fallen, notw'ith- 
 standiuii' the most sti'enuous efforts of hersturdy de- 
 tVndei's — then less than r),(HMi men, mostly militia. 
 I^'roni this jioint which theVneniy had so successfully 
 readied, neither ti'oops nor obstacles j>re\«*nted the 
 l)i'itisli adxance, in a b'W hours' march, <»\'er a h'vel 
 road aloiiL^ the le\ ce ; but the enemy left unL^athere<l 
 the fruits of his own enteiprise. Stweral of the most 
 sai^'acioiis oflicers of this Britisli force appreciated 
 the ad\antaii'(^ of a c(>ii/>-f/r-/i/tf/'/i, but more cautious 
 counsels pi'e\ailei| and the u'olden o[)portunity was 
 lost, ne\'er to return. 
 
 Jackson received rei'tain intelli<j:enc«', through 
 Major liatt)ur who ha<l recoiiiioitereil tlu^ enemy, of 
 this threatening iiio\<'ment, in less than two hours 
 
I' 
 
 
 ilii 
 
 314 
 
 LOnsiANA CAM PA ION OF 1814-15. 
 
 after its accomplislimeiit. His troojis wei'e tlieii 
 scattered to guard the \ari(>iis ai)i)roa('lies to tlie city, 
 and he dared not concentrate tliein all <n» the ene- 
 my, who might be only attempting by a feint, to open 
 other avenues to liis direct march, paiticularly by the 
 (rentilly road, wliere tlie general had reasonably 
 expected tlie enemy would a])proach, IIa[)[)ily for 
 himself and for his country, Jackson, with his char- 
 acteristic vigor and valor, resolved instantly to assail 
 the enemy. "The British are below," said he, "we 
 must fight them to-night." After protecting the 
 Gentilly road, all the force he could prudently with- 
 draw from exposed points was about 1,800 men, of 
 which less than half were new regulars, and the 
 remainder raw militia who had never battled with 
 a civilized foe. This small, inexperienced force was 
 now to measure swords, at the (^)uatre-Hras of 
 another AVaterloo, with greater numbers of the ene- 
 my, soon after swelled to 4,500 veteran troo])s which 
 had won their distinction on the bloody fields of 
 S})ain and Portugal. 
 
 Among the many versions of this vital action, we 
 much prefer the brief and spirited account given by 
 General Jackson in his own official despatch, of 
 Dec. 27, 1814, to the AVar Department, in which 
 he savs : " General Coft'ee was oi'dered to turn the 
 enemy's right, while with the residue of the force 
 I attacked his strongest ])osition on the left, near 
 the river. Commodore Patterson having drop})ed 
 d(nvn the river in the schooner Carolina, was directed 
 to open a fire upon their cam[>, which he executed 
 at about half after seven. This beiim- the signal 
 
 -:£* 
 
MA.fOK A. LAOAKHIKHK LATOIfJ. 
 
 815 
 
 then 
 city, 
 », ene- 
 open 
 ►V the 
 niibly 
 
 y ^'*>'" 
 I ohar- 
 
 jisssiil 
 
 ', " we 
 
 \<r the 
 
 f witli- 
 
 iien, of 
 
 11(1 the 
 
 I witli 
 
 •oe was 
 
 5ras of 
 
 lie ene- 
 
 which 
 
 'Ids of 
 
 ion, we 
 IV en l)y 
 Itch, of 
 
 w 
 Urn 
 
 hich 
 the 
 
 He 
 
 force 
 
 Ift, near 
 
 llropi 
 
 »e(\ 
 
 llireeted 
 uted 
 
 Ixec 
 
 ^liiiui 
 
 of attack, (lenei-al ('otVet'''s men, with their nsiial 
 irnpetuosity, rnshed on tlie enemy's riiz;ht, and entered 
 tlieir cam|>, while our right advanced with e([ual 
 ardor, 'I'here can he but little douljt that we 
 should have succeeded on that occasion, with our 
 infei'ior force, in destroying or captui'ing the enemy, 
 had not a thick fog, which arose alH)Ut eight o'ch>ck, 
 occasioned some confusion among the <liiferent cor[)s. 
 Fearing the conse(|uences under this circumstance, 
 of the further prosecution of a night attack with 
 troops then acting together for the first time, I con- 
 tented myself with lying on the field that night." 
 In concluding this despatch, after com[)limenting 
 the mei'itorious commanders of troops, he says of 
 his Chief Kngineer • " Major Latour, having no com- 
 mand, volunteered his sei'vices, and was (►f gi'eat 
 assistance to me." Our killed, wounded and })ris. 
 oners in this engagement were 218; while the ene- 
 my lost about double that nund^er. The British 
 commander, General Keane, in his official report, 
 says: "A more extraordinary conflict has perhaps 
 never occni-red ; absolutely hand to hand, both offi- 
 cers and men." 
 
 New^ Orleans being now open to attack, at any 
 moment, by forces superior both in numbers and 
 discipline, Jackson, though he had produced a great 
 moral effect u])on the enemy, sensibly felt the neces- 
 sity of immediately intrencliing his foi'ces, and not 
 putting evei'ything to hazard by a field-fight with a 
 veteran army. Accordingly, at dawn of the 24th, 
 he took u]) a position, two miles above, behind Rod- 
 riguez Canal, where the I'iver and swamp were but 
 
'tfTT 
 
 
 
 
 .Slfi 
 
 Lorrsr.wA campatox of isit ii. 
 
 a short diHtjiiice iijt.irt, whiN* soiin- c.'ivuln ;iii<i r«'L;ii- 
 Inr infjintry obsri'vcd tluMMiciny's moveiiuMits. Major 
 Latoiir cut tlie Mississij)[)i levees to t1oo<l the uji-ouikI 
 b(U\veeiithe l)elliLrei'ents and prevent tlie enemy's ad- 
 vance ; but the expedient was of litth^ vahie, as the 
 swell in the river hovu subsided, leaving the left 
 bank drv. 
 
 « 
 
 Wiiile our army, day and night, was piling u[) 
 eartli and bales of cotton to form the intrenchment, 
 exten<ling from the rivei- deep into the morass, 
 Latour was called to strengthen tlie j)osition at the 
 contluence of Hayou Sauvage and Chef Menteur, 
 an nnfoundc'l rumor liaving been spread that tlie 
 eueniv was niovinu: on our rear b\ the (Jentillv road. 
 Fortunately, during four precious days, the demoral- 
 ized British moved neither to the front noi' rear. 
 They did little else than rejoice, on CMiristmas, over 
 the arrival of General l^ickingham, the "Jh'ro of 
 Salamanca,'' and briug from the fleet some heavy 
 artillery, j)lace(l in batteiy oii the L^Tth, with \vhich 
 they set tire to, and blew u[) our sejiooner Cai'oline. 
 AVhile these things wvi-e transpiring on the left bank 
 of the Mississippi, Colonel Alorgan was ordered to 
 abandon his position at the "English Turn," leave 
 his artillerv and a small o'lin-ison at Fort St. Leon, 
 and, with the remaining forces, occupy a [)osition 
 on the right bank of the rivci', opposite Camp 
 Jackson. 
 
 Packingham, the new connnander-in-chief, with 
 an army of 8,000 excellent troo])s, was determined to 
 drive Jackson l)efore him and carry his intrench- 
 ments by storm. On the evening of the 2Tth, the 
 
T 
 
 MA.IOIl A. LACAIMMKIIK LATcH'l}. 
 
 an 
 
 1: 
 
 enemy advanced, drove in <>nr pickets and oiit-jjosts, 
 reconnoitred otii- position, ludted l)ct'ore dark uitliin 
 a few liiindred yards of our line, and ]mssed tlie 
 niji'lit in buildinu' hattei-ies for tlie morrow under a 
 eontinuecl (Iroppini^ Hre of our liu'lit tro()j)s. Jack- 
 son, durinii; tliis loui^ winter night, was not idle. 
 (Heariiii:; liis front of all ohstacles to give full play t«) 
 liis twentv i-'uns, Ids 4, odd infantrv, and to the tiank- 
 ing fire of the schoonei" Louisiana in the rivei-, he was 
 ready, at day1)reak of the L*Stli, to give a warm wel- 
 come to the enemy advancing in tno colunuis. 
 That on the right, under (teneral (libln, moved 
 along the woody margin of the cy[»ress swamji ; 
 while that on tlie left, under (ieneral Keene, followed 
 tlie public road neai" tlie river's ])unk — each ])re- 
 ceeded by skirmishers in open order, forming nearly 
 a continuous line from the river ([uite into the morass 
 with a view of turning our left. ( )nward tliis impos- 
 ing array, dischai'ging showers of rockets, ])rocee( led 
 to witliin close view of our intrenched line, from 
 which poured forth a death-dealing fire of artillery 
 and musketi'v, crossed by more than 800 shots from 
 the Louisiana. From this terri])le storm, Packing- 
 ham recoiled, Avithdrew his assailants to wherever 
 they could Hud sheltei-, and, after a vain effort to 
 turn oui- left, resolved, on the advice of a council of 
 Avar, to adopt a more cautious [)()licy. Accordingly, 
 he brouii-ht forward heavy sieu'e-ujuns from the ships 
 l)efore attempting anothei' sei'ious attack upon Jack- 
 son, who was not to be seduced into fighting with 
 liis raw militia in the open field ; nin* to be terrified 
 into submission by showers of shells and rockets 
 
ii 
 
 ^1 
 
 ai8 
 
 LOriSIAXA CAMl'Ar':N OF 1814 15, 
 
 which (lid nodaiiiuge to liis works and little to their 
 defenders, sixteen killed and wounded being our 
 total loss in the late assault. 
 
 Paekinghani was in great per2)lexity ; to advance 
 on a narrow front, barred by a strong intrenched 
 line, was to lead his troops to almost certain slaugh- 
 ter, and foi" his renowned veterans to retire, before 
 raw militia, was degrading. As the only alternative, 
 he determined to treat our slio-ht field-works like 
 strong S[)anish fortifications. Accordingly, by the 
 night of the JHst, heavy guns were established in 
 three batteries at 600 yards from the American line, 
 ammunition accumulated, and, throughout the night, 
 Sir John Burgoyne, the British Chief Engineer, was 
 busy with spade and shovel. Meantime our line had 
 been strengthened and new artillery added : while, 
 on the right bank of the Mississippi, Major Latour, 
 to provide against contingencies, had thrown up a 
 strong bastioned intrenchment l)ehind Boisgervais' 
 Canal, and formed from a brick-kiln a heavy 
 redoubt, opi)osite New Orleans. 
 
 The hours of the closiiiijr vear " i2:ave dreadful 
 note of [)reparation " ; but Jackson, " thawing cold 
 fear," determined to make New Vear a like unha[t[»y 
 holiday as Christmas had been to the British army. 
 The misty dawn of January 1, 1815, concealed the 
 workmen coin))leting the enemy's )»atteries, and the 
 formation, several lines deej), of his troops for 
 assaiiltino: the breaches so soon as made. About 
 8 A. M., the fog lifted, when the cannonade, with 
 every advantage to the enemy, became active and 
 general, continuing for two hours with great vigor 
 
MA.TOi; A, LACAUHIEUK LATOTJU. 
 
 819 
 
 the 
 (I the 
 
 for 
 Jumt 
 with 
 
 uiul 
 vigor 
 
 iiiul precision. The contlic't was now terrihle, but 
 tlie ascendency of our return tire was evident, dis- 
 mounting: the enemy's artillery, killinji: and disabling:: 
 tlieir gunners, and almost demolishing their batteries, 
 which were nearly silenced at mid-(Lay. General 
 Coffee liad, at the same time, frusti-ated tlie enemy'."^ 
 effort to turn our left, Before 8 i>. m, the Britisli 
 army, confident in the morning of entering Xe^v 
 Orleans before night, tied in hot haste to the ditches, 
 sought shelter whei'ever it was to be found, and, 
 under coyer of the coming darkness, crawled back to 
 their cainj), leaying tiye pieces of artillery a spoil for 
 the Americans. 
 
 Wellington's heroes, ^vho liad trod the path of 
 victoi'y from Lisbon to Toulouse, and liad success- 
 fully stormed Spain's strongest fortresses, had, by 
 raw troops, a second time, been " not only batlied and 
 disaj)p()inted, but disheartened and discontented;" 
 and soon were destined to learn a third appalling 
 lesson, not dreamt of in their })liiloso])hy of war — 
 that freemen, fighting for tlieir tire-sides, were not to 
 be subdued even by the compierors of Euro])e. 
 
 Before ))roceeding to describe the memoralde 
 events of the ever glorious 8th of January, 1815, 
 reflectiiiii; the liiuhest renown on Ainerican arms, we 
 must give a brief descrij)tion of the defenses which 
 were thrown uj), under the general direction of Major 
 Latoui', in the two weeks of coid, wet weather, pre- 
 ceediiiii; the decisive battle for the salvation of New 
 Orleans. 
 
 Behind the levees to prevent the Mississip})) from 
 overHowing its banks, were narrow strips of dry 
 
i: i 
 
 320 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMl'AIGX OF ISU lo. 
 
 land, bordered by dense cypress swamps. Tlie river 
 beiiisj; ordinai'ilv liiu'lier tlian the niarslies, c;:nals, in 
 many ]>laees, were cut to utilize the power of *" >e 
 water, deseendini;' throuiifh tlieni, to turn mill-wh' I . 
 at their heads, 'J'he mode of defense therefore, was 
 obvious and sim])le, that of obstructing the sti'i]> of 
 dry land, on either bank of the river, with transverse 
 barriers behind the mill-races. Such was the famous 
 Jackson intrenchment on the h'ft bank, five miles 
 below New ( )rleans, on the north side of the old 
 Rodriguez canal, or mill-race, which formed itsshallow 
 wet ditch in front. At this narrowest part of the 
 di'v land, the intrenched barrier was about a mile 
 long, more than " half of which ran from the river 
 to the wood, the remainchir extending into the de])th, 
 where the line took a direction towards the left, 
 which rested on acy])ress swamp almost impassable.'' 
 The troo])s, citizens and slaves, of all classes and con- 
 ditions, wei-e indefatigable at their labors, and their 
 works, stivnu'thened from dav to dav, soon inspired 
 contidence. The line, nearly straight, except a short 
 indentation near the woods, necessitated by some 
 deej) holes, was vei'v rudely formed, of \ ai'iable 
 height and thickness, and constructed of e\ ery 
 species of material at hand ; cotton bales being used 
 near the rivei-; fence-rails serving to revet portions 
 of the jtai'apet : and, within the swani]), whei'e ex- 
 posed only to nuisketry tii'e, it was formed of logs, 
 
 ten feet apart, laid over 
 
 th 
 
 eacii oriiei' an< 
 
 (I til 
 
 n 
 
 )ace 
 
 between tilled with eai'th. ( )n the south side(»f the 
 canal, close t(t the rivei', was a small redoubt servinir 
 
 th 
 
 to sweep tlie road on the I'lver bain<, and en 
 
 ifilade 
 
MAJOII A. LA( AintlEUE LATOUR. 
 
 321 
 
 I'lver 
 Is, ill 
 
 I:- :. 
 
 , \vas 
 ij) of 
 
 verse 
 
 lUOUS 
 
 miles 
 e old 
 allow 
 )f tlie 
 I mile 
 river 
 ileptli, 
 e left, 
 •sable." 
 (1 eoii- 
 their 
 j)ire«l 
 sliort 
 some 
 riable 
 every 
 used 
 rtioiis 
 re ex- 
 loL!;s, 
 space 
 .f the 
 erviiig 
 nil lade 
 
 the front of the iiitreiieliiiieut. l^ehiiid the ])arapet 
 were eiglit batteries, judieioiisly ])laee(l, luouiitiiig 
 tliirteeii ])ieees of artillery, fi to H2-j)ounders. Acoss 
 the river was I*atterson's marine hatteiy, of nine guns, 
 commanding the plain of Clialmette, aided by the 
 fire of the sehooner Louisiana, The infantry behind 
 Jackson's line nnmbered 8,'2(M) men, of whom only 
 8(M> were newly-recrnited regulars. General Coffee's 
 500 men, holding the extreme left of the line, were 
 coni[)elled to stand knee-deep in the mud and water 
 of the swamp, and ))ivouac on tloatiiig logs lashed to 
 the trees. 
 
 Two miles highei" up the I'iver, the weaker, un- 
 armed men, with, their oidy weapons, picks and 
 shcwels, lield a second line servinjj: as a rallvins: 
 position ill the event of disaster; and still a third 
 line was established just below the city limits. 
 Jackson's entire force, armed and unarmed, on the 
 left bank of the river, was 4,204, as stated by Gen- 
 eral Cass, when he was Secretarv of War in Presi- 
 dent Jackson's cabinet. 
 
 The defenses on the right l)ank of the ]Missis- 
 si[)pi, where the strij) of dry land, between the river 
 and swamp, vai'ied in width fi'om one to two thous- 
 and yards, consisted of four transverse earthen lines, 
 two of which wei'e lower down the river than Jack- 
 son's main line, the third about abreast of it, and 
 the fourth a mile and a half still higher u[) the 
 stream. The lonust^ at Kaguet's old canal, extended 
 but 'JOO yards from the river, the remaining dis- 
 tance to the swamp, some 1,800 yards, presenting no 
 other obstacle than the ditch. The sccoikI, a convex 
 
 Iff 
 
322 
 
 LOnSIANA CAMPAIGN OK 1814-15. 
 
 bastioiied line, lialf a mile in rear of the first, was 
 at tlie narrowest and strongest position on the right 
 bank; but, after Major Latour had marked it out 
 and commenced throwing it up, his orders, unfortu- 
 nately, were countei'inanded by superior authority. 
 Tlie third line — Jourdan's — important as being 
 
 abreast of Jackson's on the left bank, does not ap- 
 pear to have been more tinui laid out. '^\\q fourth^ 
 beliind Boisgerv^ais' canal, three miles ])elow New 
 Orleans, designed to be secured with })astions and 
 redoubts, was incomplete. These right Ijank lines 
 under connnand of General Moruan, were feebly 
 
MAJOR A. LACARRIKUK LATOT'Il. 
 
 323 
 
 was 
 •iglit 
 out 
 ortn- 
 )rity. 
 
 IUILlA rr^ 
 
 )t a|>- 
 
 New 
 
 lis and 
 
 lilies 
 
 1 feebly 
 
 manned with a1)()ut 800 raw and badly armed militia, 
 some of whom, without food, had marched live 
 miles through deep mud just before going into 
 action. 
 
 Under cover of the night of January 7th, Packing- 
 ham resolved to send 1,500 infantry, with artillery, 
 to attack and carry Morgan's }>osition, and from bat- 
 teries there enfilade Jackson's intrenchment, while 
 the mass of his army, on the left ])ank, should storm 
 it in front. These assailants, instead of arriving on 
 the west l)ank fresh for their dithcult task had been 
 much exhausted In previous labor in deepening, 
 widening and })rolonging Villerie's canal tlirough 
 which to })ass their l)oats, instead of transporting 
 them over the narrow neck of land by means of 
 rollers as tliey before had moved their heavy artillery. 
 
 Packingham's plan was simple, tliougli he com- 
 mitted the great error of making his princi[)al attack 
 on the left bank, whei'e flackson was much the 
 strongest lu pr/:s()iui(/ iind material defenses. Before 
 dawn of the Sth, the assault on the I'ight bank was 
 to be made with vigor by Colonel Thornton then in 
 command, the sound of whose guns was to be the 
 signal for (leneral (ilbbs' column, i)rovided with 
 susar-cane fascines to till the ditch and scalinsj: lad- 
 ders to mount the })ara})et, to storm Jackson's left, 
 while (leneral Keane's column was to threaten the 
 riji-ht. 
 
 < )n the afternoon of the 7th, Jackson became 
 satistied that the ^^ei**;ht of the enemy would fall 
 upon the tr(M>ps on the left bank of the river. The 
 enemy's pieparations were everywhere visible, and, 
 
 
I 
 
 7 
 
 324 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814-15. 
 
 i i,.. 
 
 shortly after niglit-fall, the sound of pick and shovel 
 could be heard reconsti'uctino; their destroyed batter- 
 ies ; while theii- pickets were increased to screen 
 these and other operations. In our cam]) all was 
 composiu'e, half of tlie ti'oops alternating with the 
 other lialf on duty behind the intrenchiuents ; while 
 the whole anxiously awaited at dawn of the calm, 
 cold and lowerinc: inorninij: of the 8th, for the com- 
 ing of the foe just re-enforced to l(),()0() strong. 
 Jackson was roused from his (piiet slumber, soon 
 after midnight, l)y a call for more t!'ooj)s to defend 
 the rio-ht bank. "Hurry back," said he to the mes- 
 seno;er, "and tell General Mori»:an he must maintain 
 his })osition at all hazards, while we resist the main 
 attack which will be made here." However, he 
 ordered 500 Kentuckians to cross the river, while 
 he, with his staff, went to his lines to be ready to 
 ward oif the swift coming tempest lowering on his 
 front. 
 
 Thornton, who was to open the Ijattle on the 
 right bank of the Mississi])])i, was delayed by the 
 caving-in of the banks of the \'illerie canal, wliicli 
 impeded the ]>assage of the boats. At last, embark- 
 ing Avith half his force, he was swept down ])y the 
 current of the Mississippi a mile and a half below 
 the intended point of debarkation; hence before all 
 had left their boats, the day had (hiwned, and 
 " battle's magnificently-stern array " was already en- 
 irasred on the fatal field of Chalmette. 
 
 Packinghani, jiftei' a sleepless night, had ad- 
 vanced GiblW and Keane's assaulting columns to 
 within 450 yards of Jackson's entrenchment, Lam- 
 
MAJOR A. LArARKIKHE LATOUR. 
 
 825 
 
 l)ei't\s(livisi()ul)eiiii^ left in reserve. In the misty dawn 
 lie was anxiously awaiting Tlioniton's siirnal-u^uns 
 to beiiin liis i)ai't in the day's dianni. Already our 
 retii'ing out-posts had ap[)rised Jackson of his 
 (h'lnger, wlien suchlenly, as tlie fog lifted, tlie red 
 line of Britisli was disclosed to our tro(>ps and 
 Lieutenant Spotts, from battery six, opened fire 
 iil)on it. Instantly a signal rocket went u]) on the 
 Bi'itisli I'iglit, and another on the left. With three 
 cheers and under a cloud of Congreve rockets, with 
 steady and measured tread, suppoi'ted by the fire of 
 their batteries, on came that brave British infantry, 
 which had so often faced death. Gib]>s' close col- 
 nnui, sixty files front, jn'otected by the projecting 
 woods, advanced to within 200 yards t)f our intrench- 
 ment, when it became exposed to the fury of bat- 
 teries six, seven and eight, and the terrible volliesof 
 our Kentucky and Tennessee marksmen, in four 
 ranks, alternating their fire. For some time the 
 Hritish officers stimulated the coura2:e of their 
 troo[>s to move obli<piely on battery seven, oj)ening 
 wide gaps through the colunui, which were instantly 
 filled with fresh troops, to share in turn a like fate. 
 For twenty-five minutes these British veterans en- 
 dured this lead and iron rain, some of the boldest 
 with matchless courage reaching the brink of the 
 canal ; but, without fascines or the ladders which had 
 been left behind, human power had reached its limit, 
 and the whole column, broken, dispersed and dis- 
 heartened, retreated in the utmost confusion to the 
 shelter of the bushes and the ditch, 400 hundred 
 yards in rear. Here depositing their knap-sacks, 
 
f SI 
 
 326 
 
 LOUISIAXA CA:MPAIGX of 181t-16. 
 
 ■■■I 
 
 I 
 
 V i1 
 
 they were i-allied, recruitt'd with i'lvsh troops, and 
 again formed foi* the eoiiHict ; but all in vain, for a 
 
 
 column of Sjiartans could not Avithstand that Ameri- 
 can rolling fire of musketry and artillery pouring 
 
MA.TOR A. LACARRIERE LATOI'R. 
 
 82' 
 
 I 
 
 .s 
 
 
 [meri- 
 
 forth its inessen2;ers of deatli. Packiiii^liain had 
 fallen a victim to liis own intrepidity, and (iil)l)s, tlie 
 ))rave leader of tlie eolunin, liad ])een wcninded ; 
 yet the surviving officers essayed to make the troops 
 form a third time; but notliinii: could move them 
 from the ditcli in rear, wliere tliey passed the remain- 
 der of the day. 
 
 Some of tlie enemy's troops made a false attack 
 throu«i:h tlie woods to ascertain the feasibility of 
 turniiii; our extreme left in the swamp, but General 
 Coffee's brisk fire soon made them letire. 
 
 Keane's colunni, ra])idly moving, soon after 
 (xibbs', along the river bank, followed our retreating 
 out-])ost8 so closely that its advance reached the 
 unfinished redoul)t in front of our extreme right, 
 and through its embrasures got possession ; but 
 its stay was of short (Ur'atioii under the front fire 
 of onv artillery and of the seventh regular infantry, 
 assisted ])y Patterson's flanking fire of the marine 
 battery on the oj)posite shore. Like the column on 
 the rioht, it was obliired to retire in disorder, leavinir 
 the road, levee and river bank strewed with its dead 
 and Avounded, among the latter being the gallant 
 leader of that forlorn lio])e. Our artillery was now 
 turned u])on the enemy's batteries on the river bank, 
 which, in two hours, became untenable. 
 
 General Laml)ert, now the senior in command, 
 on hearing of the British disaster, came forward 
 with his reserves ; but unal)le to retrieve the for- 
 tunes of the day, he abandoned the Aceldama of 
 Chalmette, literally covered with theii' dead and 
 dvino:, and contented himself with coverinii: the 
 
 ■: • 
 
 1 
 
I 
 
 i l 
 
 328 
 
 l.oriSI.WA ( A.MI'AKiX OI' iSlt 15. 
 
 ivtrent of the iiintihit(Ml mikI flyiiii;- wreck of that 
 valiant ai'iiiy, a few hoiiis het'ore so full of liope, 
 pi'lde and eontidenee. 
 
 "Ah soon as the wrecks of the lii-itish column 
 liad disa|)j)eared," says Alajoi' Latour in his Ilistoi'i- 
 oal Memoir of (he ('am})aiu'n, " the tire of our nuis- 
 ketrv ceased, and oui- artillei-y nnly lli-etl at intervals 
 at tlie enemy's batteries, oi' at scattered [>latoons 
 that were perceived in the wood. At tliis time, 
 men from all our dItfertMit corj)s, pi-ompted merelv 
 by sentiments of humanit\', went, of their own 
 accord, to assist the wounded liritish, to uixc them 
 drink, and carry them (as they did several on their 
 backs) within our lines. All our troops unani- 
 mously a])plauded the humane sentiments of these 
 brave men, whose dauntless hearts were urieved to 
 ])ehold the slauu'hter of the day, and in theii- 
 wounded enem\' sa\v but their sufferinu,' fellow^ 
 creature. 
 
 "But, withhoiTor I record the atrocity! while 
 they were in the verv act of administeriui:: consola- 
 tion — while they were carrying tlie wounded British 
 — tlie troops tliat were in the ditch (in front of our 
 lines) tired tm them, and killetl and wounded some 
 men. Yet the otiiers, regardless of tiie danger to 
 which they ex[)osed themselves, ])ersevered in their 
 huidable purpose. This instance of ])aseiiess may 
 have proceeded from individuals; nor can it be pre- 
 sumed that the men ^^•ere ordered to fire by any 
 ofHcer of rank. Tlie known tenor of (leneral Lam- 
 bei-t's honorable and soldiei'ly conduct, sets tlie com- 
 mander-in-chief far al)ove the suspicion of his ])eing 
 
MA.IOK A. LACAURIKHK LATOIR. 
 
 329 
 
 'How 
 
 >f our 
 
 some 
 
 cr to 
 
 tlieir 
 
 iiiav 
 
 pie- 
 any 
 
 iLaui- 
 eom- 
 
 Ix'iiiij; 
 
 cnpablo of sucIj atrocity. Hut the otticers wlio com- 
 iiiaii«le<l tlie troops in the ditch, within musket-shot 
 of tlie men tired on, cannot alle<2:e tliat they miscon- 
 ceived the intention of <>ur men, most of them beini^j 
 unarmed, and assistin*; tlie woun<hMl. Tliey were 
 Ileal' <'nou<ili to see tlieir actions, and seeiuij^ these, 
 (liey could not possi})ly misconceive their motives. 
 Upon a full view of this fact then, whatever reluc- 
 taiKM' we may feci, in brand in^ij with infamy milit{iry 
 men whose actions should ever he directed by 
 honour — men, amonji^st whom there were perhaps sev- 
 eral who wore the honorable decorations of valour 
 and ij;ood conduct, we cannot forbear to give them 
 the aj)j)ellati(m of barbarians. The private soldiers 
 cannot be reproached with this atrocious act ; the 
 the guilt of it rests solely with those who com- 
 manded them.'' 
 
 While the great battle was raging on the plain 
 of Chalmette, the British were not idle on the west 
 side of the Mississipj)i, where, nominally, we had 
 four lines of defense ; but, in reality, only one — that 
 behind the Boisgervais canal — of any real strength. 
 Thornton, the British commandei", as we have before 
 stated, instead of beginning the conflict, did not dis- 
 embark on the rio-ht 'bank till after da vHirht when 
 Packinghani was fully engaged. To oppose his 
 landing, (leneral Morgan sent one hundred ill-armed 
 Louisiana militia, under Major Arnaud, to Morin's 
 estate. As was to be expected, this handful of un- 
 disciplined men soon took to flight, followed by the 
 enemy's troops and flanked by their three ascending 
 gun-boats. Tliey did not halt till they reached 
 
 m 
 

 
 t-: 1 
 
 330 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814 15. 
 
 Davis' 250 wearv nnd poorly arnicd KtMitiickiuns on 
 Maliew's plantation, about a mile in front of Mori2:an 
 wlio liad taken position l)eliin(l the weak intrench- 
 ment at Raguet\s canal, of which only the 200 yards, 
 next the ri ,vas built. Arnaud's detachment soon 
 took to tlu .oods, and Davis, |)ressed in front and 
 tlnnk, after tii'inu^ a few voUies, fell back to M()r<i;.'urs 
 right, who, with his now total force of 000 men and 
 three small [)ieces of artillery, had to hold a line over 
 a mile long, of which only a tenth, adjoining the 
 river, was intrenched. Of course he could not long 
 resist the onset of British veterans supported l>y the 
 flank tire of their gun-boats. Morgan's undefended 
 right being turned and his centre j)ierced, he spiked 
 and threw into the river liis guns, and Hed in wild 
 confusion t lie Boisgervais intrenchment, when most 
 of tlie tro nere rallied behind this, the only de- 
 fensible line on tlie right l)ank. The Bi'itisli, no 
 longer opposed, pressed forward to the marine bat- 
 tery with the guns of which Patterson had done such 
 terrible execution in sweeping the ])lain in front of 
 Jackson's intrenchment on the left bank. The Com- 
 modore, virtually powerless without infantry sup- 
 ports, turned his fire upon tlie advancing foe, soon 
 after spiked his guns, and retreated to the Louisiana 
 which he had pushed into the stream out of the 
 enemy's reach. 
 
 General Jackson, learning this only disaster of 
 the campaign, immediately sent over (Tcneral Hum- 
 bert, an exi)erienced French officer, with 400 troops, 
 to rectify affairs on the west bank of the river. 
 Fortunately while the discussion of seniority in 
 
MA.IOK A. LACAKKIKUK LATorU. 
 
 331 
 
 mnk" WMH ,u:oing on, the enemy withdrew und Tlioin- 
 ton I'e-enibui'ked liis troops to join liin (lefeate<l 
 comrades. Tliouij^h the operations on the riglit 
 hank were in striking contrast with tlie gh)rioiis 
 acliievements on the h*ft, onr h>HS was only one 
 killed and five wounded, while tlie casualties of tlie 
 enemy were liiO. On hoth sides of the river, on the 
 ht\\, the Americans had 13 killed, 3!» wounded and 
 19 missing — total 71 ; while the enemy lost, exclu- 
 sive ()f the 120 on the right bank, 700 killed, 1,400 
 Avounded, and 500 prisoners — in all 2,000 men, which 
 is probably an nnder estimjite. 
 
 It will naturally be asked, how an army com- 
 posed of the best veteran troops, accustomed to vic- 
 tory and to overcome all obstacles, utterly failed in 
 a brief conflict against a third of their number of 
 raw levies who never before ha i seen a battle-field, 
 and who, ill-armed, killed and wounded of their foe 
 one hundred times as many as they lost? The 
 difference was doubtless due to the protection of the 
 intrencliments, behind which were resolute marks- 
 men ably conuiianded, and fighting for their families 
 and fire-sides. The lilgh<ist authorittj^ (xeneral Jack- 
 son himself, has said that not one British soldier 
 entered his works, "except the wounded, who stag- 
 gered in, and those who, in the extremity of dan- 
 ger, sought refuge there till the storm should pass 
 away." 
 
 For the creation of these field-vv^orks. much is due 
 to the Chief Engineer, Major Latoiir, who, says 
 Jackson, in his general order of January 21, 1815, 
 noticing the conduct of the most meritorious of his 
 
332 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814 15. 
 
 officers, was "useful to the army by his talents and 
 l)ravery." 
 
 According to the testimony of Latour's godchild 
 — -Camille Louise Boucher Douvillier, wife of 
 Autcuste V. Dtilche, of New Orleans — the Major re- 
 mained some time after 1815 in Louisiana, where he 
 wrote his able and interesting "Histoi-ical Memoii' of 
 the War in Wes' Florida and Louisiana, in 1S14-15." 
 He then went to the Island of Cuba, where he spent 
 four years in Havana, when he returned to his 
 native France, where, in the latter part of lS,'i9, he 
 died in the city of Paris. These meai2:re details of 
 the life of this excellent engineer we regret are all 
 we have been able to obtain after a very l<uig and 
 most diligent search, in which we have had the in- 
 telligent and zealous co-operation of C'olonel Edward 
 A. Palfrey, of New Orleans, La. 
 
 While the armies wei'e buryinjT; their dead on 
 the field of strife, tive hostile vessels, as a co-operating 
 force, were endeavoring to reach New Orleans by 
 the Mississip[)i. From the l>th to the 18th, the enemy 
 threw a thousand shells, with many round and gra]»e 
 shot against Fort St. Philip, which resulted in noth- 
 ing more than killing two and wounding seven of 
 the feeble gai'risoii. After nine days of fi-uitless 
 effort, the little British s([uadron witlidivw without 
 spoils or glory. 
 
 Having abandoned all hopes of coiupiering 
 Louisiana, the enemy, after a general exchange of 
 prisoners, without loss, withdrew from his perilous 
 position; and, on the Dth of Februaiv, })roceeded i > 
 besiege Fort Bowyer, wliich the gallant Major 
 
MAJOR A. LACARRIEKE LATOT'R 
 
 333 
 
 Liiwrence was obliired to siin'eiider on tlie 12tli to a 
 greatly sii])erioi' force. 
 
 Tlie news of peace with Great Britain arrived 
 amid our exultant rejoicings over the great triumph 
 of New (Orleans, and while Congress and the whole 
 nation were pavinij; liomao:e to tlie heroic Jackson and 
 his brave army, which, in less than a month, had ter- 
 minated the Louisiana campaign, ever memorable in 
 the annals of America ; and, in a few hours, had 
 van(juished a powerful foe on the field of Chalmette, 
 washed by the mighty Mississippi, Monarch of 
 Waters, and bordered by morasses where, in wild 
 luxuriance, grew the laurel of the victor and the 
 cypress of the van(piished. 
 
 Though this brief cam])aign was so ably and ener- 
 getically conducted, and ended the war with (jreat 
 Britain in a ])laze of glory, it had its blemishes, 
 which military criticism must not conceal. 
 
 l^lrd: Though the defense of Fort Bowyer ended 
 September lath, in the complete defeat of the British 
 naval and land forces, it is doubtful whether the 
 withdrawal of its gallant coninumder and garrison 
 from the subsecpient Louisiana operations, was 
 compensated by the short retention of a feeble 
 fort, without any after influences on the campaign 
 till its final ••jij)itulation, February 12th, an event 
 so humiliatini>' amid our rejoicinii's and so consol- 
 ingto the enemy after his great catastro[)he at New 
 Orleans. 
 
 /Second : The seizure of Pensacola, November 7tli, 
 though <lis])laying great energy, indomitable will, 
 and reasonable retaliation for past wrongs, hardly 
 
if 
 
 
 i'ii''':: 4 
 
 834 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814-15. 
 
 justified tlie loss of precious time and forces for the 
 capture of some worthless forts, the dispersion of 
 Nicholl's small body of Neg^ro and Indian allies, and 
 the driving away of the British ships to some other 
 ecpially good harbor ; while these acts violated in- 
 ternational law, and Jeopardized our relations with 
 Spain with which we could not then afford to go to 
 war. 
 
 Thii'd: The capture of our Gun-Boats, Decem- 
 ber 1 4th, by nine times their number of large, well- 
 appointetl and formidably armed British barges, was 
 inevitable; and conclusively proved the neglect of 
 the government in providing only such inade([uate 
 naval appliances for the defense of New Orleans, 
 open on every side to approach by water. But, 
 whether these few armed vessels should have been 
 sent on a reconnoissance of the enemy's powerful 
 fleet, which they could not lioj)e to successfully 
 oppose ; or have remained in the shallow bayous to 
 prevent the enemy's landing — is (piite anothei* <jues- 
 tion. As adjuncts to the army, they would have 
 been invaluable, as subse([uently demonstrated in the 
 distinguished part taken by the navy in the little 
 Carolina and Louisiana. 
 
 Fourth : Another serious deficiency was tlie lack 
 of fortifications ade(|uate to guard the vulneral)le 
 points of Louisiana, which were well known to the 
 government by maps and re])orts made, nearly two 
 years before, by Major Latour and his assistant engi- 
 neer. Tliat this territory was destined to l)e imaded 
 was well known, that its scattered and mixed po})u- 
 lation furnished a feeble defense, and tliat New 
 
MA.TOK A. LACARRIEIIE LATOUR. 
 
 335 
 
 hiok 
 •altle 
 > the 
 
 tAVO 
 
 eiigi- 
 aded 
 u»pil- 
 New 
 
 Orleans, tlie })riceles.s einporium of the mighty Mis- 
 sissi])])i valley, was almost naked to the enemy. 
 
 Fifth : ( )n the arrival, December 2d, of General 
 Jackson at New Orleans, the personnel of defense 
 was as appallingly deficient as the materiel. He 
 had at hand onlv two skeleton rei^iments of newly 
 recrnited regnlars, the remainder of his force being 
 raw militia drawn from the invaded district. On 
 the IGtli, he informed the Secretary of War that 
 neither the Tennessee nor Kentucky troops had 
 arrived, though daily expected. The supply of 
 arms and annnunition was wholly inadetpiate to the 
 exigency, but was partially remedietl by General Car- 
 roll's foresight in transferring some of it, slowly de- 
 scending the Ohio, to his own swifter boats; other- 
 wise, the whole Kentucky re-enforcement would 
 have l)een weaponless on the day of trial. As it 
 was, 1,50(> of them, (jn the 8th of January, were 
 mere lookers on, having only picks and sho^'^els for 
 arms ; and, as stated in Jackson's despatch of Feb. 18, 
 1815, to the Secretary of War, "when the enemy 
 landed, Ite had not a flint except what was procured 
 from the Baratarians." 
 
 Sirth : The political obstacles, in the way of the 
 conunanding general's exei'cise of power, were nu- 
 merous ; but l)elong to civil rather than to mill- 
 tarv criticism. 
 
 Seventh: So confident were all that the enemy 
 w<>uld move upon New (Orleans by the Gentilly road, 
 or some other well-known pass, that the Bayou Bien- 
 venue, emptying into the head of Lake Horgne, was 
 un watched, except by a feeble guard which was cap- 
 
336 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMI»AIGN OF 1814-15. 
 
 tiired by the enemy. It certainly sliould have been 
 in some way fortiiied oi' obstructed to [H'event tlie 
 passage of the enemy's boats ; but, whether tliis 
 neglect was due to the Chief Engineer, or some other 
 officer, we have not been able to ascertain. 
 
 Ki(jhth : (xeneral Jackson's prompt attack of the 
 enemy soon after his arrival upon the left bank of 
 the Mississippi nine miles below New Orleans, 
 doubtless saved that city ; but, as night assaults are 
 almost always attended with much confusion if not 
 fatal disorder, it prol)al)ly would have been more 
 Judicious to have accunmlated troops, made all his 
 dispositions under cover of the darkness of Decem- 
 ber 23d, and surprised the enemy at dawn of the 
 24th with no unreasonable hope of captui'ing the 
 whole, o' at least a part of this British advance. 
 
 N'tiifli : Rodriguez Canal was a well-chosen ])osi- 
 tion where to dam the torrent of British invasion 
 sweeping onward to overwhelm the rich city of New 
 Orleans, and was sufficiently distant from it to pro- 
 tect the place from the enemy's fire, and at the same 
 time to admit of additional interior lines upon whicli 
 to fall back in the event of disaster. The eneri^v 
 displayed in strengthening this line, and the judi- 
 cious a])plicatioii of materials at hand, were admir 
 able ; and the three successive defenses, especially 
 that of January 8th, were above all praise. 
 
 Tenth : The pre}>arations, on the west bank of 
 the Mississippi, in troops, arms and fortifications, 
 were so defective that a slicrht accident alone delaved 
 the enemy from pi'omptly pushing uj) to the Bois- 
 geiTais line, the only intrenchment on the right bank 
 
MA.IOli A. LACARUIEKE LATOUR. 
 
 337 
 
 of any real strenii'tli. Arrixed liere in time the 
 enemy would liave taken in reverse tlie Rodriguez 
 line on the left bank, ])()ssil)ly turninsj^ the tide of 
 battle, causing its complete evacuation, Jackson's 
 retreat to the Dujn'e line, and the successful storm- 
 ing of the latter weak intrenchment by tlie large 
 force in front under Packingliani. 
 
 KUrentJi : After the overwhelming defeat of the 
 enemy on the 8th of January, two courses pre- 
 sented themselves to the victor: one to make a vig;- 
 or<uis sortie fi-om his works and crush, if possi})le, 
 the greatly demoralized enemy; the other to main- 
 tain his defensive attitude befoi'e New Orleans, a 
 city which it was his first duty to save. With vet- 
 eran disci])line(l ti'oops, familiar with tactical evo- 
 lutions, there is no (question, according to all the 
 rules of war, that Jackson should have sallied out 
 from behind his intrenchment, destroyed the enemy's 
 heavy artillery in his batteries, and have rajtidly 
 pursued and cut to jiieces the tlying foe; but, with 
 raw militia, badly ai'med, unskilled in field man- 
 O'uvi'es, and having no military exi)ei'ience otlier than 
 that just gained, it is vei'y doubtful whether it was 
 not better to build a bridge for the enemy's escape, 
 than to tight an ai'niy of old ti'oo[)s in the open' field. 
 However, as the best ci'itic on the war holds differ- 
 ent view s, we oi\ c General Armstrono:'s renuirks in 
 his own woi'ds : 
 
 "In General Jackson's official letter of the 9th of 
 January, we have a detail of the impoi-tant occurrences 
 of the day preceding — exhibiting, on tlie [)art of the 
 enemy, a total route, setting at defiance both per- 
 
 ■ii 
 

 
 338 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMI'AKIN OF 1814 15. 
 
 suasion and autliorlty ; a fact, wliicli at once j)resents 
 the question — wliy, under sucli circumstances, the 
 victory had not been consununated, V)y a prompt and 
 vigorous pursuit of the fugitives. To tliis ([uestion, 
 tlii-ee answers, different if not discorchuit, liave been 
 given ; that of Jackson himself ascribes the omission 
 altogetlier to ' tlie defeat of Morgan on the western 
 side of the river'; that of Eaton, tlie (Ttaieral's bio- 
 gra[)her and jirotego, 'to a want of ai'ins, Avliicli tlie 
 government Iiad failed to supply'; while the his- 
 torian of Louisiana attri])utes it to 'a bonhommie,' 
 somewhat akin to the inspiration which, acciu'ding 
 to Phitarch, ])reveiited Hannibal fi'om entering and 
 sacking liome at the l)attle of Caniue. 
 
 "It may not be useless to see how far such 
 reasons will be sustained by rules, probal)ly coeval 
 with war as a science. According to these, 'when, 
 from any cause, you find your enemy weak and dis- 
 pirited, it l^ecoines your <luty to attack him promj)tly 
 and vigorously,' — ' Nothing should [)revent you from 
 pursuing a beaten and flying enemy, but a total 
 want of provisions' — 'why engage in a wai', but to 
 subdue an adversary^ And if so, wliy, after beat- 
 ing him to-day, give him time to rally and fight you 
 to-morrow^ The mere possession of afield of bat- 
 tle, is a barren victory' — 'Decisive battles shorten 
 wars, and thus confer a benefit on both belligerents.' 
 Yielding, h<>wever, to (xeneral Jackson, the right of 
 inter})reting military maxims, as freely as he was 
 wont to interjH'et constitutional ([uestions and legal 
 enactments— tliat is, ^ a>i Ju- inylersitood tJiein' still it 
 may be asked, why, if forbidden by ])ru(ience and 
 
MAJOR A. LACAURIKllE LATOl'K. 
 
 339 
 
 liumaiiity fioiii destroying a beaten enemy, he should 
 not have followed the exani])le of Caesar, who, 
 refusing on this gi'ound to tight Africanus, was, at 
 the same time, careful to seize sti'ategic ]X)ints, cut 
 him off from his su[)[)lies, and thus, without shed- 
 ding a drop of l)lood, compel him to surren<ler. 
 
 "That the a(k)[)tion of this policy by Jackson, 
 at any time between the battle of the Sth, and tlie 
 retreat of the 18tli of January, would have had a 
 similar eifect on Lambert, will not be doubted by 
 those who know that, <lui-ing the j)eriod we have 
 mentioned, the temper of the British ai'my had l)een 
 much soui'ed ; their disci[)line greatly imj)aii'ed ; 
 theii' self-confidence entirely lost; their mairazine 
 nearly exhausted ; and their oidy source of su[)p]y 
 (the British shl[)ping) eighty miles distant ; ten of 
 which were (juagmire, furnishing a single, narrow, 
 and dano'erous ])athway, on which were stratetric 
 [>()ints, which, if seize<l and defended, by even small 
 corps, would have com[>letely severed Land)ertfrom 
 his base, and conn)elled him to choost between a 
 surrender and famine. 
 
 " If a pursuit of the enemy on the 8th, was, in 
 the Generars opinion, a game too hazardous to be 
 ado])ted, what, under any view of the subject, 2)re- 
 vented a seizure of the cannon, left l)ehin(l on the 
 Held of l)attle till midnight { A detachment of 
 one hundied men would have anticipated Lambert, 
 and depiived him of his guns, eithei" by removing 
 them, or by knocking off* their ti'unions. Tlie omis- 
 sion to do this is the more extraordinary, as the 
 British batteries, after their abandonment, were 
 
im. 
 
 
 340 
 
 LOUISIANA CAMPAIGN OF 1814-16. 
 
 visited, and the i^nins counted, by a part of Jack- 
 son's army." 
 
 Twelfth : Having; freely discussed our own, let 
 us turn to the enemy's errors, which were even 
 i^reater. 
 
 Havino; a fleet and numerous liorht-drauirht harcres, 
 the British had free clioice of any of the Avater- 
 approaches to New Orleans, and after ca])turing our 
 few gun-boats, could have made a sudden descent 
 anywhere. In fact, without Jackson's knowledge, 
 2,400 combatants reached the junction of Villerie's 
 canal with the bayou Mazant at four on the morn- 
 ing of December 23d, and before noon took a ])()si- 
 tion on the left bank of the Mississippi, within nine 
 miles of New Orleans, to which there Avas a good 
 road. At this time Jackson's small undisci])line(l 
 force was mostly on the Gentill}' road, hence no 
 obstacle lay in the way of the enemy, who, by a 
 rapid march, could have reached the defenseless city 
 by 3 p. M., and have captured it before Jackson 
 could have marched to the rescue to save the city 
 from the grasp of the invaders, of whose approach 
 he was entirely ignorant till 1.30 p. m. Failing in 
 this, on the morning of the 24th, when his force had 
 swelled to 4,800 veteran combatants, the enemy 
 certainly could have beaten or have put to flight 
 Jackson's small force of raw troops. The British 
 general's fatal delay till the 28th, gave the energetic 
 Jackson time to throw up intrenchments, and led 
 Packingham then to conclude " that the works to be 
 assailed were not to be longer considered as fleld- 
 fortifications, but to be proceeded against by a regu- 
 
MA.) »R A. LACARRIKRE LATOUR. 
 
 341 
 
 \av siege," wliieli lie undertook, Janiiaiy If^t, when, 
 our ai'tillery fire jn'oving superior to his, the British 
 general deferred further action till the 8th, hoping to 
 gain his object by making a diversion on the right 
 bank of the Mississip})i. This hitter was very badly 
 executed, in nf)t having sufficient traiisj)ortation for 
 Thornton's whole force to cross the river; want of 
 l»unctuality in assembling the boats ; making no 
 allowance for the current of the river ; having no 
 ])reconcerted signals between the army, on the left, 
 and the detachment, on the right bank; and finally, 
 through all these delays, nullifying the entire effect 
 of the demonstration by letting its action folJoir 
 instead of i^recede the main operation. But much 
 the greater mistake was in not making the move- 
 ments on the left bank subsidiary to those on the 
 right, where the fortifications were weak ; their 
 defenders few, ill-armed and undisciplined ; and 
 where, from deficiency of water-craft, re-enforce- 
 ments could not have l)een transported across the 
 river in time to prevent the storming of the Bois- 
 gervais intrenchment, the only real obstacle l)e- 
 tween the enemy and New Orleans. 
 
hv 
 
 I 
 
 Br; 
 
 CHAPTER NINTH. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ENGINEERS, 
 
 ENOAdEn IN THE 
 
 CAMPAIGNS OF THE WAR OF 1H12-15. 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL CHARLES GRATIOT. 
 
 1 787-1 sr);'). 
 
 4 
 
 Charles Gratiot was l)oni, Anij^nst 29, 1787, at 
 8t. Louis, Mo., then Louisiana Territory. His an- 
 cestors were Hugiienots, who, u])on the revocation 
 of the Edict of Nantes, \vere coni[)elled to einigi'ate 
 from France to escape I'eligious persecution. Tliey 
 took refuge in Switzerhmd, carrying with them their 
 morals and industry. 
 
 Charles Gratiot, tlie father, after whom the sub- 
 ject of this sketch was named, was ))orn, in 1747, at 
 Lausanne on Lake Geneva; was adopted by an 
 uncle, by whom he was educated in London, as a 
 protestant ; ^vhen twenty years old, became a mei-- 
 chant in Montreal, Canada; and, being j^ossessed of 
 strong sense and energy, \vas placed at the head of a 
 
 trading ex})edition beyond the Great Lakes, where 
 
 ;M2 
 
BRIO.-GENERAL CHARLES CJRATIOT. 
 
 343 
 
 he founded tlie.old Hritisli pont of C^uliokia, and ob- 
 tained o'lvat wealth and iniluence. His sliare in huh- 
 tainini:; (ieneral (ieori>i;e lloi^ern (Darke's eon(|uest of 
 the Noitli-west Tei'i'itorv, from the British, in 177H, 
 is well known; and, so hii^ldy did the Colony of 
 Virii;inia ap]>reeiate tliese etl'orts in iicr Itehalf, tl»at 
 slie (h^si<»;ned to ]>resent (xi-atiot witli 3(),0(>(> aeres of 
 land in Kentucky, the fulfilment of whicli |)urpose 
 his i^enerous ifature failed to claim at the time wIkmi 
 the Ancient I)<^niinion acknowledged tlie del»t, and 
 which, unfortunately for his descendants, was not 
 sul)se(juently confirmed when Virginia became one 
 of the laiited States of America. 
 
 As a slight recognition of the fatliei-'s generous 
 and efficient services, President Jeiferson, a Vir- 
 ginian, soon after the ac(iuisition of Louisi, jia from 
 Fi'ance, appointed his eldest son, C^iiarles, a C'adet 
 of the V. S. Military Academy, which he entered 
 July 17, 1804. Upon his graduation therefrom, 
 October 30, 180(», he was prcmioted, in the Army, to 
 be Second Lieutenant of the Cor])S of Engineers, in 
 which arm of the service he remained for tliirty-tvvo 
 years, passirig through all its grades to the highest — 
 that of Chief Engineei'. While yet a Cadet, he was 
 detailed for duty at Grovernor's Island, New^ York 
 Harbor, and was then sent to Rocky Mount, S. C, 
 as an assistant engineer upon the works there in 
 progress. Upon his promotion, February 23, 1808, 
 to be a Ca})tain, he was ordered to Charleston, S. C, 
 as princi[)al assistant .ipon the fortifications in that 
 harbor, tlien under the supei'intendence of Major 
 Alexander Macomb. In the fall of this same xear 
 
344 
 
 FlRIfJ.-OKVKHAI, CHAHLKS (JKATIOT. 
 
 lie took cii.'ii'i^c, t('iM|)oraiiIy, of tli<' cojist (N'I'ciiscs of 
 Nortli Carolina, and, sonic in<tntlis later, Ix'canie en- 
 j^ineer on the stati' of (iciici-al Wade ilanijiton, 
 whose liea(l(|Uai'tei"s were neai' Natchez. In the 
 spi-in*:: <'f l''^J" tli(^ ( aptain was ortU'icd to West 
 Point, N. v., wliere lie remained in coninian<l of the 
 Post (exclusive of the Miiitai'v Acath'iny) till isll, 
 during; the uhsence of ('oh)nel Williams, then Chief 
 Knpneer. 
 
 The day aftei' his hcariiiu' of the Declai-atioii (»f 
 War against (ireat Hritian, ('a]>tain (Jratiot, bein^- 
 then at St. Louis visitinic his parents duriiiii; his leaxe 
 of absence, immediately [)roceeded to W ashinii;toii 
 to ask for active service; and was at once ap|toiiited 
 Chief Engineer of the North Western Army, with 
 orders to stop m 
 
 mutt at Pittslmrg to aid in the 
 preparation of ordnance and ordmuice stores for 
 General Harrison's forces then in the Held. Not till 
 November, 1812, could Cajitain (iratiot and his 
 escort of 300 men move, with the heavy train of 
 twelve pieces of artillery and two hundred loaded 
 vehicles, to Lower Saiulusky through an almost 
 trackless wilderness where a wheel had never I'olled. 
 After persistently overcoming winter's cold, bad 
 roads, want of forage, an<l numerous other dllHcul- 
 ties, he delivered, January 5, 1818, his whole charge, 
 without even the l<>ss of a bullet, to the Commander- 
 in-Chief, who, soon after Winchester's defeat, directed 
 (Iratiot to join him without delay at Maumee I\a))i<ls, 
 He promptly obeyed ; crossed the l^lack Swamp; in 
 forty-eight hours re[)oi'ted to Harrison ; and re- 
 ceived his warm acknowledgments, not onl}' for his 
 
BRIrt.-OENERAI- rilAUI-KS OIIATIOT. 
 
 345 
 
 great deMpatcli, but also for fi,(M)() cartridges he had 
 brought in liis own sled, without which the troops 
 theiv would not have been able t<» make the least 
 resistance, had they been attacked. 
 
 It is unnecessary to repeat what we liave so fully 
 given in c]ia[)ter third, res[)ec'ting Harrison's marches 
 and counter-marches; of tlie selection l)y Caj)tain 
 Gratiot, February 3-4, 1813, of the excellent de- 
 fensive j)osition (»n the right bank of the Maumee ; 
 its occupation by tlie North Western Army ; and of 
 the energ<.^tic construction of Fort Meigs by Captain 
 Wood. 
 
 During the Spring of 1813, Gratiot's labors, 
 anxieties and exp(>sure had brought oi» a severe 
 typhus fever, from which he was hardly convalescent 
 when the first attack was made on Fort Meigs. Not- 
 withstandinii:, he took char<i:e, dav and nisjht, of a 
 l)atterv, and manauvd it with such abilitv and effect 
 as to call forth special encomiums in general orders. 
 
 After the battle of the Thames, Harrison, with 
 the elite of his army, moved to the Niagara frontier, 
 leaving in Upper Canada and Michigan a broken 
 and disorganized foive of about 2,700 men, under 
 General Mc Arthur. This oiHcer, and others of rank 
 present at the fall of Detroit in 1812, were summoned 
 as witnesses before a C/ourt Martial, to be convened 
 at Albany, for the trial of Major-General Hull. The 
 withdrawal of every officer of rank and experience 
 embarrassed the commander not a little. To remedy 
 the evil, so far as practicable, it was suggested by 
 General Lewis Cass, Just appointed by Harrison 
 Military Governor of Michigan, that a commission 
 
346 
 
 JmiG.-dKNERAL CIIARLFIS GRATIOT. 
 
 in the State militi«a could ])e issued to any one of 
 the sul)oi'dinates in whom confidence was re])osed, 
 and tlius obviate tlie difficulty. This suijijestion ))e- 
 ing approved, Ca})tain (xi-avii^t was brevetted, (Oc- 
 tober 5, 1813, Cohmel of Michii^an Militia, and 
 placed at the liead of a res])onsible connnand of 
 militia and reo-nlars, with hea(h[uai'ters at Maiden, 
 the country around which Proctor had devastated up- 
 on his recent retreat, havinii: also exhausted Michigan 
 of its resoui'ces. Under these circumstances, and 
 with a depleted (piartermaster and connnissary de- 
 piartment, it \vas no easy matter to subsist an army and 
 prevent the starvation of the iidial)itants ; yet the 
 new Colonel, by his excellent discipline and admirable 
 management, so well ])rovided for both, during the 
 entire winter and ensuing spring, that not a single 
 complaint was made, nor punishment inflicted. In 
 recognition of these services, one of the counties of 
 the State of Mic-higan has l)een named (rratiot. 
 
 After our recovery of Detroit and Michigan 
 Territory, (xeneral McArthiir, coimnanding the 
 Eighth Military Disti'ict, the l)etter to secure these 
 ac(piisitions against Bi'itish and Indian incui'sions, 
 and cover, in case of disaster, the I'etreat of an ex- 
 pedition he designed sending in the spi'ing to 
 recapture St. Josephs and Mackinaw, directed 
 works to be erected at the outU4 of Lake Huron, the 
 construction of which was connnitted to (Jratiot, 
 who, with a force of 300 men, fortified tlie heights 
 at the head of St. Claii' Straits. In six weeks the 
 works were coin])lete(l, and, in honor of tlie engineei", 
 when the fleet sul>se<[uently passed this point of 
 
Blllft.-GENETIAL CHARLES ORATIOT. 
 
 347 
 
 seeuritv, ])otli tlu' land and soa comiuaiiders, in ex- 
 pression of their approval, <»\ive tlie fort tlie name of 
 (iratiot, wliic'li it lias since hoi'ne. 
 
 The naval expedition under Comniander St. Clair, 
 with the land forces commanded by the gallant 
 Colonel Croghan, did not leave Detroit till the be- 
 ginning of July, 1814, the details of which we have 
 given in our chapter on that cam])aign. (rratiot 
 accompanied this ex])edition, and ])articlpated in all 
 its operations, ])ai'ticularly the attack on Fort 
 Mackinaw, August 4, 1814, and while in conunand 
 of a detachment landed, Se])tember 13, 1814, near 
 the mouth of the Natewasaga Kiver, and succeeded 
 in destroying six months' supplies of provisions de- 
 poHited there by the enemy for ti-ansportation to 
 Mackinaw. 
 
 After the Pi'oclamation of Peace with (ireat 
 Britain, (Jratiot was promoted, February ^>, 181;"), to 
 be a ]\[ajor and was assigned to the supervision, in 
 181(i, of the fortifications of Delaware River and 
 Bay. 
 
 Inder the Treaty of (xhent, Mackinaw and its 
 dependencies were surrendered to us. (iratiot, as 
 Chief Engineer of De[)artment No. 3 (embracing 
 Michigan and the North West Territories) in 1817, 
 accom])aiiied the trooj)s destined to garrison these 
 works, which he put into a |>ai'tial state of defense, 
 and established the j»ost of (Jreen Hay. 
 
 Among the first works projected by the Board of 
 Engineers were those for the defense of the great 
 anchorage called " IIani]>ton Roads," at the mouth 
 of James River. The instruction of these works — 
 
 a 
 
11 >i 
 
 348 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL CHARLES GRATIOT. 
 
 llr 
 
 Fort Monroe and Fort Callionn (now Wool) — was 
 intrusted in 1819 to Major (Iratiot — a marked com- 
 pliment to him, they being among the most impor- 
 tant defenses on the entire Atlantic coast. Foi' ten 
 years he was engaged U|Hm the rip-rap foundation of 
 Fort Calhoun, and in buihling Fort Monroe, the 
 largest in area and tlie e(]ual in armament of any of 
 the coast defenses of the United States. 
 
 Soon after the death of Majoi'-deneral Jacob 
 Brown, the Chief Enij-ineer — Alexander Macoml) — 
 was appointed to succeed him as (Teneral-in-Cliief, 
 the place, left vacant, being filled, May 24, 1828, l)y 
 the promotion of Lieut.-Colonel (Iratiot to be Chief 
 Engineer with the rank of Colonel, he l)eing at the 
 same time brevetted a J^rigadier-(ieneral, U. S. Army, 
 '* for meritorious services and general good conduct." 
 
 As Ciiief Engineer of the Army, and {cv-opicio) 
 Inspector of the A[ilitary Academy, General Gi-atiot, 
 with headtpiarters at Washington CUty, continued in 
 the active performance of his varied and res])onsible 
 duties till I)ecend)er (5, 18,'^8, when, most unex- 
 pectedly to himself, his corps, the whole army, and 
 his numerous friends, he was dismissed l)y the I^'csi- 
 dent of the United States, for "having failed to pay 
 into the Treasury the l)alance of the moneys placed 
 in his hands, in iS.'i."), for public j)ur])oses, after sus- 
 pending therefrom the amount which he claims to be 
 due liini on settlement of accounts, according to the 
 President's oi'der, communicated to him by the 
 Secretary of War on Hie 28th November, 18.')8 ; and 
 having neglected to render his accounts in obedience 
 to the law of Januaiy .'H, 1828." 
 
imrG.-(iEXEHAL CIIAULKS OUATIOT. 
 
 349 
 
 atiot, 
 (m1 ill 
 silile 
 iiiiex- 
 aiul 
 Pivsi- 
 (I pay 
 )la('«'(l 
 tr sus- 
 1 to l»e 
 to the 
 y the 
 ; ; and 
 ilieiK'e 
 
 AN'^liile we think the President's siininiary dis- 
 missal of a meritorious officer, upon an (tlIe(j((tion of 
 defalcation, was, to say the least, very harsh; and 
 that Gratiot was entitled to a fair trial hy his mili- 
 tary peers — we cannot justify the General's course in 
 the premises, notwithstanding all its extenuating 
 circumstances. Tlioiiu'li he was chai'ii'ed Avith retain- 
 ing a much larger sum of government funds than 
 was subsequently ]3ro\'ed ; tlujugh, for years, he had 
 endeavored to secure an equitable adjustment of 
 his accounts with the Treasury, and was ready to 
 pay over any balance that might l)e due ; though liis 
 only supposed redress was in com[)elling suit against 
 him, as lie c(mld not bring an action against the gov- 
 ernment ; and thouirh this mode of reasonin<2; was 
 sound in his own mind ; vet, while believino; him 
 not guilty of an intentional violation of a trust', we 
 cannot justify him in taking the law into his own 
 hands, and doing wrong that good might come. 
 
 It would lead us beyond the limits of this brief 
 sketch to take up the various issues of this case ; we 
 must, therefore, limit ourselves to giving the con- 
 clusion of the Report of the Judiciary Committee 
 of the United States Senate, made August 31, 1852, 
 on the memorial of General Gratiot : 
 
 " The case of General Gratiot, who Avas the 
 Cliief of the Corps of Phigineers, in the Army of 
 the United States, lias been so elal)orately discussed 
 in every circle, and so fully rei)orted upon to Con- 
 gress, that the history of the whole case is familiar 
 to every one. 
 
 "The alleged grievance, which constitutes tlie 
 
r4' 
 
 350 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL CHARLES GRATIOT. 
 
 cause of his dissatisfaction, was the suinmary dis- 
 luissal of tlie petitioner from the army, in the year 
 1888, l)y the President of the linited States — first, 
 upon tlie plea tliat the power thus exercised was 
 arbitrary, and contrary to the true meaning and 
 intent of tlie act of Congress conveying it ; and 
 secondly, that a defalcation in the accounts of the 
 petitioner, which was the cause assigned for the 
 removal, did not and never did exist in truth. 
 
 "In supi)ort of his first plea, the petitioner 
 exhibits a mass of testimony, which is certainly 
 entitled to be very calmly Aveighed and measured ; 
 and among the same is the opinion of the General 
 Conunanding-in-Chief, upon a })arallel case, than 
 which no authority can be higher. 
 
 " In support of the second plea, he denies totally 
 the truth of the charw of defalcaticm, and contends 
 that he is not, and never was indel)ted to the United 
 States for moneys misused by him, and that a just 
 and legal adjustment of his accounts will bring the 
 United States in debt to him ; that the withholding 
 of the funds, upon the demand of the Secretary of 
 Wiiv, was a measure of self-defense, justified by the 
 circumstances of the case, and that he was then and 
 is now })repared for an e(piitable settlement, which 
 is his demand and desire. 
 
 " It seems to the committee that both of the 
 pleas are reasonal)le, and should receive attention, 
 urged as they are, with the earnestness of conscious 
 rectitude, by a gallant soldier, who has accjuired a 
 right to be heard from the blood he has spilled in 
 battle. 
 
BRTO.-OEXERAL CHARLES GRATIOT. 
 
 351 
 
 hicli 
 
 •lOlll^ 
 
 " Fui'tlier tlian this the coiiiiiiittee regret that 
 tliey cannot go, as it is not in their [)o\ver to aifonl 
 an a(le(|uate remedy by reconiniending tlie passage 
 of any hiw for tlie relief of the petitioner, and tliey 
 tlierefore ask to be discharged from the further con- 
 sideration of the subject." 
 
 From such an unex])ected reverse it was not easy 
 to recover, though he bore u}) under his misfortune 
 most wondei-fully, ho]>ing, for years, that some happy 
 turn of the wheel of fortune would bring liini relief. 
 Poverty, however, soon stared him in the face, com- 
 pelling him to acce])t, in 1840, the position of a com- 
 mon clerk in the Land Office at \Vashinij:;ton. He 
 who had so bravely battled for his country, and was 
 the son of one who liad so disinterestedly lavished 
 his wealth in the accpiisition of a vast territory 
 foi'mingso many of our ricli Northwestern States, to be 
 cast down from one of the most honored places in the 
 land to the lot of a subordinate clerkship, was truly 
 a sad change and a most melancholy spectacle. He 
 struggled on, loved by those an ho knew his worth, 
 respected by the whole community in which he 
 lived, and in conscious rectitude cheerful to the last, 
 was released bv death from all earthly trouble, 
 May 18, 1855, at St. Louis, Mo., which had grown 
 from a wilderness to be a great city in the sixty- 
 seven years he had lived. 
 
 Professor William H. C. Hartlett, one of Gen- 
 eral (iratiot's most intimate friends, sends to us the 
 followiuii; beautiful summai'y of his character: "His 
 mind was clear, ca[)acious and well [)oised ; and as 
 an administratoi", he had few superiors. His life — ■ 
 
\- 
 
 If 
 
 ;■ ' '■' 
 
 
 
 352 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL CHARLES GRATIOT. 
 
 private and public — was adorned with the finest 
 traits of lumianity. Genial and hospitable by dispo- 
 sition, his door was ever open and his well-supplied 
 table was accessible to all who had a right to seek 
 them, especially to the younger members of his 
 profession. He was a kind and devoted husband; 
 a tender and indulgent parent ; a tried and steadfast 
 friend ; and, as a fitting finish to his well rounded 
 character, nature had given him that chiefest of all 
 the virtues, an abundant charity. 
 
 "The writer of this willing tribute to his cherished 
 memory was associated with him for many years on 
 terms of closest official and social intimacy, and he 
 can recall no instance of his ever hn\'ing uttered a 
 disparaging judgment of the motives of others. 
 And even when oppressed by the wrongs that sep- 
 arated him from the Army and afterwards by a per- 
 sonal rudeness fnmi a (piarter in whose behalf he 
 had long exerted to its utmost his official influence, 
 he never forgot his self-respect, but his last words, 
 like those of his Divine Master in affliction, only 
 uttered forgiveness, and he died in the full faith of 
 the ultimate triumph of truth and a confident belief 
 that time would vindicate his good name. He was 
 not mistaken. General Gratiot was a pure and good 
 man in the largest and best meaning of these terms." 
 
CAFPAIX WILLIAM PARTRIDGE. 
 
 353 
 
 CAPTAIN WILLIAM PARTRIDGE. 
 
 1788-1812. 
 
 William Partridge, born, 1788, in \'erniont, was 
 graduated October 30, 18()(), at the Military Academy 
 and promoted to be Second Lieutenant in the Corp.s 
 of Engineers ; served till 1812 at AVest Point and 
 on the defenses of Charleston Harbor, S. C ; and, 
 having' attained the rank of Ca[»tain, July 1, 1812, 
 became Chief P^ngineer of (ieneral Hull's army ; ill- 
 health, however, preventing his taking any active 
 part in the campaign. 
 
 Hull, j)receding his cai)itulation at Detroit, called 
 a council of war under the [>arapet in old Fort 
 Shelby, during wliich much was said against the 
 necessity of a surrender, not a single officer present 
 being in its favor. When Hull, to the astonishment 
 of the whole council, announced his determination 
 to capitulate, he ordered C^aptain Snelling of the 
 Fourtli Infantry "to cross the river with a flag," to 
 which the indignant Captain re[)lied, "I'll see you 
 in h — 1 first," \\\wu the General's Aide-de-Camp — 
 Captain Hull — was directed to perform that humili- 
 ating duty of capitulation. Captain Partridge, one 
 of the council, when Hull jtroclaimed his decision, 
 broke his sword across his knee and threw the pieces 
 at the General's feet. Of coui'se I*artridge became a 
 prisoner t)f war l)y the surrender of Detroit and its 
 garrison ; but a montii after, Se[)tember 20, 1812, 
 he died in the entjmy's hands at the early age of 
 twenty-four. 
 
 fliil! 
 
354 
 
 imiO.-GENERAL SYLVANUS TIIAYEH. 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL SYLVANUS THAYER. 
 
 1785-1872. 
 
 J-V: 
 
 Sylvanus Thayer was born, June 9, 1785, at 
 Braintree, Mass. ; received a classical education at 
 Dartmouth Colle<z;e, N. H. ; was i^raduated, when 
 twenty-three, from the Military Academy ; eiitered 
 the Corps of Enijineers, February 23, 1808, a Second 
 Lieutenant ; as Captain, was tlie Acting Chief En- 
 gineer to Major-General Ham])ton in 1813, his senior, 
 Major Mcliee, being in conunand of the artillery 
 train ; rose through all the successive grades to 
 C/oh)nel ; was, after a brilliant military career of 
 more than half a century, retired from active 
 duty; became a Brevet Brigadier-General "for dis- 
 tinguished and meritorious services " ; and died, 
 September 7, 1872, at Soutli Braintree, Mass., near 
 where he was born, at the advanced age of eightv- 
 eight. 
 
 As General Thayer's biogra})liy belongs chieliy to 
 the history of the Militarv Academv, of which he 
 was justly styled "The Father," we will only add, in 
 this place, that subse({uently to the Campaign of 1813, 
 he performed no other duty in this wai", except that 
 of Chief Engineer, in 181-1, to B\ t. Brig.-General 
 Moses Porter's forces in the defense of Norfolk, Va., 
 where, "for his meritorious services," he was bre- 
 vetted a Major in the United States Army. 
 
BKFG. -GENERAL KENE E. DE KUSSY. 
 
 355 
 
 BRIG.-GENERAL RENE E. DE RUSSY. 
 
 17Hl)-18(i5. 
 
 Rene E. De Rcssy, Lorn, Fe1»iiiai'y 22, 1789 
 iu tlie Island of Ilayti, West Indies, was of noble 
 ancestiT datin<j!: back to the Ci'usader, 8ii' Armolot 
 de Russy, who served nnder Riehard CVeur de 
 Lion. Ilis father, Thomas De Russy, a native of 
 St. Malo, France, was a Midshipman in the War of 
 the Revolution, subse(iueutly brevetted })y Di*. 
 Franklin (one of oui' Conunissioners to France) to 
 a Lieutenancy foi- his nieritorious conduct in the 
 action of the " Pallas," of Paul Jones' fleet, which 
 ca})tured the '' Countess of Scarborough" off Fhmi- 
 borough Head, September 1*8, lV7t>, the same night 
 on which took place the desperate ))attle of the "Bon 
 Homme Richard" against the Bi'itish ship " Serapis," 
 aided by the traitor Lan(hus in the "Alliance." After 
 the Revolution, Thomas De Russy came with Paul 
 Jones to Amei'ica, where he had a Hattering recep- 
 tion. On returning to France he sold his [)atrimo- 
 nial estates and emigrated to St. Domingo, where he 
 purchased a j)lantation. The doctrines of ecpiality 
 and freedom for all, proclaimed by the French Na- 
 tional Convention, designed to l)e confined exclu- 
 sively to the whites, soon had theii' logical sequence 
 when the blacks, in 17l*l, rose in insurrection and 
 conunitted the most iiorrilile atrocities. Thomas 
 de Russy, with the sagacity of an ex})erienced 
 sailor, early provided a retrejit foi- his family. His 
 infant son Rene, was carried in the nurse's arms on 
 
WW 
 
 3;") 6 
 
 imiO.-CiKXKUAL KENE K. DE KIJSSY, 
 
 board an American vesHel of Wai, then at anchor in 
 the harbor of Port an Prince, the father barely 
 escaping captnre wlien seeking tlie same refnge. On 
 the ari'ival of tlie sliip in the United States, the 
 former services of Thomas J)e Knssy were not for- 
 gotten, and, accordingly, two of his sons — Rene and 
 Louis — when of tlie proper age, were placed in the 
 Military Academy to be educated. 
 
 Rene E. De Russy was appointed a Cadet, 
 March 20, 1H07, and U[)on his gi-aduation from the 
 U. S. Military Academy, was [)i'omote(l to be Sec- 
 ond Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, June 10, 
 1812, from wliich he rose through all the successive 
 grades till he became Colonel, March 3, 18G3. 
 
 A week after De Russy's entrance into the Army, 
 war was declared by the United States against 
 Great Britain, he beiuii* then enij:ai''ed as an assistant 
 eno-ineei' on the fortifications of New York harbor. 
 The next year, September 6, 1818, he reported at 
 Sackett's Harbor, to Bi'ig.-General Joseph G. Swift, 
 the Chief Eiiijineer of Wilkinson's army then about 
 to descend the St. Lawrence, In this campaign he 
 was engaged in reconnoitring the ap])roaches to the 
 river; in the repulse of the British tlotilla, Novem- 
 ber 1-2, at the mouth of French Creek ; and in the 
 battle of Crysler's Field, November 11,1818. When 
 this army left its wintei* cpiarters at French Mills, 
 De Russy accompanied AA'ilkinson to Lake Cham- 
 plain, and was engaged in the attack of La Cole 
 Mill, March 80, 1814. After Wilkinson was super- 
 seded, De Russy continued with that army and took 
 an active part, under Major Totten, in the construe- 
 
HKHi.-riENKlIAL IJKXK K. DK ItrsSY. 
 
 357 
 
 tioii of tilt' (lefeiise^<of CuinbcrlaiKl ITcad and Platts- 
 huru;. In the ])attU' of S('j)tenil)er II, 1814, at the 
 latter [>Ia('e, lie was ('ons])ic'Uoiis ; was liio:]ily com- 
 ])Hnieiite(l in tlie eoininandiiiiLi:; i^eneraTs otticial des- 
 [)atc'li ; and was bivvetted a Ca])tain for his "gal- 
 lant conduct/' Aftei- (lovenior Provost's defeat, 
 Maj(H' Totten joined (rencral Izarcl on his niai'ch to 
 the Niauai-a frontier, which left Captain I)e Russy 
 the Chief Knu'ineei" of (reneral IMaconil/s Division. 
 Aft<'r the war, till 18.S;}, he '.vas pi'incipally engaged 
 nj)on the defenses of Rouse's ]\)int, of Xew ^'ork 
 harhor, and of the (iulf ()f Mexico. 
 
 Whih^ in charge of these latter woi'ks, Afajor- 
 (xeneral Andrew Jackson was in conmiand of the 
 Southern Military Division of the United States, and, 
 upon our acipiisition of Kloi-ida from Spain in 1821, 
 was made (lovernor of tlftit Territory. Jackson wish- 
 ing the services of his nephew — Lieutenant A. J. Don- 
 elson, of the Corps of Engineers — then on duty with 
 the Captain, re(|uested De Russy to consent to his 
 transfer to the (Jenerars command in order to be- 
 come his private Secretary. ( )f course the courteous 
 De Russy assented, which obliging complaisance had 
 doubtless no small intluence in the old hero's selection, 
 when President of the Iniited States, of Major De 
 Russy to succeed Colonel Thayer in the Su])erin- 
 tendency of the Military Academy, in the command 
 of which he continued till Se[)tember 1, 1888. Tlis 
 predecessor had left the institution in so Houi-isliing a 
 condition, that little more was to be done than to 
 continue its foi'ward imj)ulse. However, under De 
 Russy'.s administi-ation, the present fine Academic 
 
8r)8 
 
 IJUKJ.-OKNKKAL UKNK K. DK IM SSY. 
 
 Hall was coiinnenced ; a Piofossorship of Clicmistiy, 
 Miiu'raloiry and (icoloi^y was {Tcatcd ; and many 
 minor additions were mad<^ t(» tlie public buildings. 
 At tlie same time lie found leisure to devise, in IH.'iy, 
 a Depressinu:; (iun-( Carriage for Sea-Coast Hai'bette 
 Batteri<'s, eontaii»in<!: the principles of the aftei- de- 
 vice of Colonel Moncriett" of the British Army, to 
 whom in Kui-oi)e the credit of the invention, due to 
 I)e Russy, is generally gi\en. The working model 
 of this carriage which was tlien deposited in the Engi- 
 neer Bureau at Washington, was exhibited at the 
 (Vntennial Kxhibition in the (lovei'iiment Building, 
 in the sunnnerof bSTC), and attracted much attention 
 among military men. It was during De Ivussy's 
 su[)erinten(lency that the ( )ld Library Building was 
 burned, Fe!)i'uary 1*.>, iS.'iS, with most of thearcliives 
 of the Academy, an<l the Revolutionary records of 
 the post of West Point. 
 
 From tlie time De Russy was relieved from the 
 Military Academy till the l)eginuingof the Rebellion, 
 he was in charge of the defenses of Hamilton 
 Roads, Va. ( Forts Monroe and ( 'alhoun ), except from 
 1854 to IS;-)" while fortifying the entrance to San 
 Fi'ancisco Bay, C'al. At the same time he directed 
 many river and harbor improvements in the States 
 of Delaware and \'ii'ginia, ; was a meml)er of various 
 boards, particularly for coast-defense and internal 
 improvements; and from Decendjer 22, 1858 to 
 January 2, 181)1 was in command, at Washington, 
 of the Cor])s of Engineers. 
 
 After the Rebellion he wtiH ordered to San Fran- 
 cisco, where he remained till he died, November 23, 
 
BUrO.-OKNKUAL IlKXK K. DK Rl'SSY. 
 
 859 
 
 lie 
 i(»n, 
 
 )ti)U 
 
 San 
 cted 
 ates 
 ■ions 
 null 
 to 
 ;t(Hi, 
 
 ISl)*), lit the at^e of He\eiity-six, lie then heinuj the 
 oldest graduate of the Military Aeadeiny in aetive 
 service; the senior C/olonel of the Corps of Kn- 
 gineers; an<l a J^revet Hrigadiei'-Genei'al, W S. 
 Army, "for long and faithful service," 
 
 (irenei'al I)e llussy was a preii.r chonOuv of the 
 old school of gentlemen ; always aifal)le, ever refined, 
 punctiliously jtolite, and lavish in hos|)ita!ity, as the 
 many distinguished persons who sat at his board, 
 among them th<* Prince de Joinville and iiouis 
 Napoleon, can testify. Tie was, besides, a devoted 
 husband, a tender parent, a faithful friend, and a 
 ujost loyal soldier. Major-Genei-al llalleck, com- 
 manding the Division of the Pacific, in directing 
 military honors to })e paid to his memory, concludes 
 his order by saving: "Of great kindness of heart, 
 and ]H)ssessing most urbane and [)olished manners, 
 he was endeared to a large circle of friends, and the 
 surviving graduates of the jVIilitary Academy who 
 were educated under his superintendence, will 
 cherish his memory as that of the kindest of fathers. 
 By his strict integrity in the expenditure of many 
 millions of public money, his faithful discharge of 
 every duty of office and of life, and his unsullied 
 honor, he has left an example most worthy of imita- 
 tion." 
 
 i 
 
 Iran- 
 23, 
 
360 
 
 LIEI'TEXANT GEOHGE TKESCOT. 
 
 LIEUTENANT GEORGE TRESCOT. 
 
 1708-1827. 
 
 George TuEsncr was horn in Soutli Carolina, 
 from wliicli State lie was appointed, Mai'cli 11, 1818, 
 a Cadet oi tlie Military Academy, wlien, at tliat time 
 tliere were few pn[)ils and little instruction. Seven 
 months later, October 1(>, l8l.'{, lie, constitutinii^ his 
 entire class, was o-raduated from the institution, and 
 immediately ordered to join Wilkinson's army on the 
 St. Lawrence, reachinij: it in time to i)articipate in 
 the battle of Chrysler's Field, X(»vemb(»r 11, 1813. 
 When the army went into winter (piarters at 
 French Mills, he assisted in fortifvinij; the camj>s of 
 the Northern xVrmy, which, subseipiently, he accom- 
 panied to Lake Cham])laiii. As an assistant to 
 Major Totten, he was eni>:ai>:ed in the consti-rc^ion of 
 the defenses of Cumbei'land Head and I'lattsburi:;, 
 taking a conspicuous })art, Se])tembei' 11, 1<S14, in 
 the battle at the latter place, iit which for his "o:al- 
 lant conduct " he was bi-evetted a First Lieutenant. 
 After this battle, he accom[)anied Major-iJeneral 
 Izard to the Niagara fiontier. 
 
 He was ])romoted, February t>, ISIT), to be a 
 First Lieutenant of I^igineei's; in IS 1(1, was ordered 
 to su[)erintend the repairs of the South Carolina and 
 Georgia Coast Defenses; in ISlS, became an Assist- 
 ant Engineer in the construction of the (xulf fortifi- 
 
LIEl TENANT HENRY C. STORY. 
 
 361 
 
 cations; and March 81, 1819, resi<»;ne(l from the 
 Ai'my. 
 
 Becoming now a rice planter on Cooper River, 
 near Charleston, S. C, he resided there till M ' 12, 
 1827, when he died at Pine Ridge, St. John's Parish, 
 S. C. 
 
 LIEUTENANT HENRY C. STORY. 
 
 18 1828. 
 
 Henry C. Story, brothei- of the late Justice 
 Story of the I'nited States Snpreme Court, was ap- 
 lK)inted in the Army from Massacliusetts, to l)e Sec- 
 ond Lieutenant in the Corps of Kngineers, March 11, 
 1814. lie was attaclied to the Company of Hom- 
 l)ardiers. Sappers and Miners, with wldch he served 
 during the Cam[)aign of 1814 on the Niagara frontier, 
 and, for his galhint conduct in the Sortie from Fort 
 Erie, Lpper Canada, was brevetted, Se))teml)er 17, 
 1814, a First Lieutenant. After the war he was 
 engaged in various engineer duties ; was promoted, 
 April 15, 181M, to a full First Lieutenancy ; and died, 
 July 28, 1828. 
 
m 
 
 CHAPTER TENTH. 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 OK THE 
 
 NORTHWESTERN CAMPAIGN OF 1812-13, 
 
 UNDER 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM H. HARRISON. 
 
 BY 
 
 B\T LIEUT.-COLONEL ELEAZER D. WOOD, 
 
 Cai'tain Gobi's ok Knoinf.eub, U. S. Armv. 
 
 Ma.tor-Gexeral William H. Harrison, having 
 been appointed to the command of the Northwest- 
 ern Army, arrived at Upper Sandusky early in ,Ian- 
 uary, 1818, with tw^o brigades of militia, under 
 Brigadiers Leftwieli and Crooks, tlie former from 
 Virginia and the latter from Pennsylvania, tosrether 
 with a few regulars and volunteers, making a foive 
 in all of about 1,500 men. These troops princi- 
 pally constituted, and were denominated, the right 
 wing of the Ai'niy. The object in raising of which, 
 seemed to have been the secui'ity of the Northwest- 
 ern frontier; the ex})ulsion of the enemy fi'om the 
 Michigan Territory; and the invasion of Uppei' 
 C^anada, the Intter, jKtrficuhirli/ for tlie ivduction of 
 Maiden. These inijiortant (>l)jects, if attained at 
 all, weiv t(» be attaiiUMl with a foi'ce almost entirely 
 composed of raw inilitl<i. As the ofticei's were utterly 
 
 3G2 
 
MA.T.-(JKN. IIATJUISOn's CAMPAIGX OF lfil2 13. 8(i.S 
 
 igiioi'ant of tlu'ir<luty, or to use the words of a wortliy 
 young officer in seivice, " many of them incapable 
 of learning it," and the men entirely unaccustomed 
 to obedience or subordination, it became necessary 
 to halt the army a few days at this ])hice to e([uip, 
 and, as ^s possi])le, to establish some little sys- 
 
 tem of Ki.-.ci|>line. A halt was f^qually necessary to 
 await the arriv^al of tlie tiehl batterino; train of artil- 
 lery ; the hitter, consisting of five 18-])ounders, were 
 re([uired for the Siege of Maiden; also the'pi'ovis- 
 ions, foi'age and oinlnance stores. Everything was 
 done by the (xenei'al that possibly couhl be acccmi- 
 plished towards establishing subordination and dis- 
 cipline among the troops; but men who, at that 
 inclement season of the year, had just left tlseii- 
 comfortable dwellings to endure the hardships and 
 [)rivations incident to a winter campaign in the wil- 
 derness, were not to be made soldiers of in fifteen, 
 
 or even twen 
 
 tv di 
 
 ivs 
 
 But 
 
 IS mucii was i'e(iun'e( 
 
 every human exertion must be made. ' A large pro- 
 portion of the troops were on daily duty, in buihl- 
 ing block-liouses and store-houses, the latter to 
 de[)osit the supplies in, an<l the f<»rmer for their jm-o- 
 tection ; in fact, the as))ect of affairs announced the 
 speedy ap]M'oacli of that state of pre])aration neces- 
 sary to the commencement of active operations. 
 
 Alxnit the I'Jth, the ai'tillery came into camp, 
 and large (juantities <»f every kind of supplies were 
 constantly arriving. 
 
 At Upper San<lusky was established the [>rinci- 
 j)al depot of the army. 'I'his place is situated on 
 the Sanduskv River, about sixtv miles from the Lake, 
 
«56-4 lieut.-coloxp:l e. d. wood's jocunal of 
 
 forty ahove Lower Sandusky, thirty from Norton, 
 and seventy from the lla])i(ls of tlie Miami. Tliese 
 two I'ivers, tlie Miami and Sandusky, are thirty-six 
 miles a})art, and tlie country, which lies between 
 them, is almost an entire marsh, or sunken swamj) ; 
 which, on account of its beiniji: miry and <ji:enerallv 
 covered with an immense body of ^ater, can 
 scarcely be })assed at any otlier time than in the 
 summei" or middle of wintei", after its waters are 
 sutHcIently frozen to bear the travellei-. Throuirli 
 the middle of this marsh runs the Portage River, 
 which, like an a([ue(bict, receives, conveys and emp- 
 ties its waters Into Lake Erie, about two miles west 
 of the Sandusky Bay. The Rapids of the Miami 
 are about ei<ji:hteen miles from the Lake, sixtv from 
 Fort AVayne, and thirty-six from the lliver Raisin, 
 which latter place is oidy eighteen miles from the 
 village of Bi'ownstown, situated o})posite to Am- 
 herstbui'i]:, and twenty miles below Detroit. 
 
 Brig.-General Winchester, who commanded the 
 left wing of the Army, consisting of one thousand 
 Kentucky Volunteers and the Re<j:ulars, had been di- 
 rected to take the i-oute of Fort Wayne; as well for 
 the jnirpose of strengthening that [)lace, as to con- 
 struct blockhouses and stockades, at such other 
 points as he might deem best calculated for the de- 
 fense and security of the inhabitants along the 
 frontier. And as soon as the pre])arations of the 
 right wing should be found sutticiently matured to 
 enable it to connnence o]ierations against the enemy, 
 it was understood that lie was to descend the Miami, 
 and the two corj)s form a junction nt the foot of the 
 
MA.r.-GEX. IIARUISON's campaign ok 1812 13. ^(]i) 
 
 I'ton, 
 'liese 
 y-six 
 ween 
 im]> ; 
 'vally 
 , can 
 1 the 
 ■s are 
 rough 
 [liver, 
 enip- 
 \vest 
 Miami 
 T from 
 Raisin, 
 in the 
 
 msaiKl 
 K^n di- 
 •11 for 
 |(» con- 
 other 
 
 lie 
 
 )f the 
 
 Ired to 
 
 [nemy, 
 
 ^riami. 
 
 ()i 
 
 liapids. This was an excellent [)lan ; foi' by dividinii; 
 the troops and sending them ditt'erent routes, witli a 
 view of concentrating somewliere in the neighbor- 
 liood of the enemy, the operations of the army would 
 not only be facilitated, ])ut the frontier would be 
 more effectually })rotected. 
 
 Parties liad been sent on ahead to open roads, 
 bridge creeks, and prepare the way as much as possi- 
 ble for tlie army, which it was expected wouhl soon 
 follow. Tlie artillery liad already arrived and V)eeii 
 sent on towards the Rapids ; and time, patience, 
 perseverance and fortitude, seemed only ner-essary to 
 enable the army to surmount the numerous obstacles, 
 which nature alone had raised to its future glorv. 
 
 General Perkins, with five or six hundred Ohio 
 militia, was at Lower Sanduskv, where he had been 
 stationed some time for the immediate protection of 
 tlie inhal)itants alono- the maro;in of the Lake ; and 
 General Tupper, with about as many more militia, 
 was somewhere in the B'ack Swamp (such is denomi- 
 nated that ])art of the country lying between 
 Upper Sandusky anil the Rapids), west of the route 
 from Upper Sam lusky to the IVliami ; no one could 
 tell exactly where. This latter named General had 
 S(mietime ju'eviously been sent on an exjiedition 
 against the Lidians who were then lying ()p[)osite to 
 th3 Rapids, and by whom he was readily met and 
 compelled to fall ])ack. This affair was not thought 
 altogether honoial)le to the Geiie»'al ; however, his 
 conduct afterwards underwent an investigation, and 
 was approved by the C(Hiimanding-General. 
 
 About the luth of January intelligence was 
 
i|W^ 
 
 366 LIEUT.-COLDXEL K. I). WOOD's JOUHXAL OB^ 
 
 
 
 l)rou<i;lit to camp that Oeiieral Wiiu'liester liad 
 already arrived at the Ra[)i(ls, aiul that he intended 
 advancing immediately to the lliver Raisin. This 
 news, for a moment, })aralyzed the army ; or at least 
 the rejecting part of it. (reneral Harrison was 
 astonished at the impi-ndence and inconsistency of 
 snch a step, whicli, if carried into effect, could he 
 viewed in no other light than as attended with inev- 
 italde destruction to the coi'ps. Noi' was it a diffi- 
 cult mattei- foi- a man entii'ely destitute of theory or 
 a knowledii'e in the art of war, to forsee the terri- 
 ble conse(piences which were certain ^o mark the 
 result of a .sc/ieine, no /e.y.v rd^li in it>> conception^ titan 
 humi'doux in its cjcecution. 
 
 But wdiat human means within the control of 
 the (Jeneral, could prevent the anticipated disaster 
 from taking place, and save the left wing of the 
 army, which was already looked upon as destined 
 for destruction i Certainly none ; because neither 
 orders nor troops could reach him in time. Besides, 
 he was already in motion, and General Harrison still 
 at Upi)er Sandusky, seventy miles in his rear; the 
 Aveather inclement, the snow dee[), and a considerable 
 portion of the l^lack Swamp yet open. What could 
 a Turenne or an Eugene have done, under such a 
 pressure of end)arrassing circumstances, more than 
 Harrison did i He directed (Jeneral Leftwich to [)ut 
 his brigade in motion for the Rapids ; mounted his 
 horse and started for Lower Sandusky, whence he 
 took a part of (leneral Perkins' brigade, and pushed 
 with all ])ossible expedition for the River Raisin. 
 
 General Proctor had posted a small party ut the 
 
 4ie^ 
 
MA.T.-GEN. IIAUHISOn's CAMPAKIX OF 1812-13. 3f)7 
 
 ol of 
 master 
 f the 
 tilled 
 itlier 
 ddes, 
 11 still 
 ; tlie 
 r;i}>le 
 onkl 
 oh a 
 than 
 ) put 
 I his 
 e he 
 shed 
 n. 
 the 
 
 River Raisin to wateli our luotious, and eo-o[)erate 
 witli tlie Indians in their predatory incursions upon 
 our frontier. 
 
 General Winchester arrived at the River Raisin 
 and attacked this pic(piet on the isth of January; 
 a few were killed, some prisoners were taken and 
 the rest di'iven oft'. Thus had the left wing, become 
 the van, fought a battle, gained a victory, covered 
 itself with glory ; and all at a veiy little expense too. 
 But the temerity of an insult, thus oft'ered in the 
 very teeth of the enemy, was not long to go unpun- 
 ished ; and the very authors of it were the ill fated 
 creatures who were to receive the chastisement due 
 to the folly and rashness of their conduct. How- 
 ever, elated with this flush of success, the troops 
 were permitted to select for themselves such (piar- 
 ters as pleased and suited them best in the village 
 on tlie west side of the river, whilst the General 
 posted himself on the east. Not the least regard 
 was paid to order or regulai'ity in the (juartering of 
 the men. No fortifications were erected nor any 
 information obtained of the enemy, or what he was 
 about, although .»ut twenty miles distant. 
 
 Haviiiii: obtained the necessary information oi the 
 strength and manner in which General Winchester's 
 corps was (piartered (for it was not encamped), on 
 the morning of the 2 2d of January, at break (^f day, 
 the enemy approached and commenced a most furi- 
 ous attack upon the right ^vitll cannon and mus- 
 ketry, whilst the Indians advanced upon the ice in 
 the rear, and separated at once the General from liis 
 troops, of which he was never able afterwards to 
 
368 LIEUT.-COLONEL E. D. WOOd's JOURNAT. OF 
 
 take comnijuul, nor to join until lie met with them 
 ill captivity. 
 
 Tlie troops on tlie right, which were tirst at- 
 tacked, attempted to change their positicm, in doing 
 whicli tliey were thro^vn into confusion, and mostly 
 very soon captui-ed ; tlie left, consisting of about 
 500 men under Major Madison, conducted much 
 better; they were posted behind scmie old ])ickets, 
 which served them as a breastwork, and which 
 enabled them to maintain tlieii- position till 10 or 
 11 o'clock in the forenoon ; when, having entirely 
 exhausted theii- ammunition, they were compelled 
 to lay down their arms and submit to the iitdhj- 
 iiltiex of an KikjUxIiiikiii, and the criu-Jti(f< of a 
 Saiuu/e. 
 
 The enemy suffered much on this occasion; and 
 perhaps, may with propriety, be said to have paid 
 dear for the laurels of the 22(1 of January, which, by 
 the inhuman and barbarous treatment of his prison- 
 ers, were withered on his brow, ere lie could leave 
 the crimsoned plain on which they seemed untimely 
 gathered. 
 
 How many of our troops were killed and wound- 
 ed in this engagement, has never been correctly as- 
 certained ; but the loss is supposed to have been 
 very great, for the number in battle. The dead 
 were left lying as they fell, and ha\e never been 
 buried to this day; and such of the wounded as 
 were not tomahawked upon the field, were put into 
 houses and Indians furnished as attendants ; who, 
 on receiving a large (piantity of whiskey from (xen- 
 eral Proctor, as a sign of approbation, set fire to the 
 
MAJ.-»iKN. IIAIMMSON's CAMI'ArfiX OF 1812-13. 369 
 
 whole of tliein, and in one volume of Hame, sent 
 theii' contents jill to lieiiven ! 
 
 Tims were these, a corjKs of 1,000 men (the elite 
 of the army too) sacrificed in the most wanton, and 
 re|»i-ehensil)le mannei-, and that too, without the 
 least benefit to themselves, to their countiy, or to 
 tlieir ]K)sterity. With only one-thii-d of tlie army, 
 entirely destitute of artillei-y, of engineers, and with 
 l>ut a very inade(|uate supply of musket ammuni- 
 tion, wliat I'iii'lit had General AVincliester to believe 
 that lie could o])))ose, successfully, the coml)ined 
 British and Indian forces at and in the vicinity of 
 Mahlen { to say nothiuij!; about his advancing with- 
 out orders. Until a general has a bettei' claim to 
 victory than (ieneral Winchester had at the River 
 Raisin, lie will be eternally beaten, whether he 
 expects it or not ; and, what is more, etermilly ought 
 to be. 
 
 (xeiieral Harrison was unable to get fartlier than 
 the Miami Rapids, before he had the pain and mor- 
 tification to meet the fugitives flying from the tragi- 
 cal scenes of the River Raisin. General Harrison 
 imnie<liately fell back upon the Portage River, a 
 distance of fifteen miles, as well for the purpose of 
 covering tlie artillery, then in the swamp, as to meet 
 the re-enforcements, Avhich were already far advanced 
 from Up[)er Sandusk\', on tlieir way to the Rai)ids. 
 This |)ositioii was taken about the 24th of January, 
 and maintained till the 1st of February, when the 
 artillery and re-enforcements having arrived, the 
 army again returned to the Miami, and was en- 
 camped ii[)oii a beautiful ridge near the foot of the 
 
r 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 i 
 t- 
 
 i 
 
 j 
 
 i 
 
 ( 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 370 LIEIT.-COLONKL K. D. WOOl/s JOFUNAL OF 
 
 Ruplds, on tlic i'iii;lit hunk of the river, iiiul alxmt 
 150 yards distant from it. Tlie camp was situated 
 two and a lialf miles al)ove old Fort Miami, and 
 directly opposite the i^round on whicli old Anthony 
 Wayne gave the Indians sucli a di-id»l)inn- in 'l>4. 
 It was judiciously chosen l)y (leneral Harrison and 
 C^aptain C'. Gratiot of tlie Kngineers, and afterwards 
 fortitied with blockdiouses, batteries and palisadoes, 
 in such a manner as to stand the test of British 
 artillery for five days, closely a[)plied. But this 
 must be s[)oken of in its pi'()[)er [)lace. 
 
 Here the army lay with its rear to tlie river, be- 
 ing covered by a considerable ravine in front, wliich 
 extended round, and commuiucated with anothei- 
 very deep and wide one, which passed the left, and 
 entirely secui'ed it. 
 
 A tine train of artillery (which always gives con- 
 fidence to troops), consisting of five l<S-pounders, six 
 12-pounders, six H-pounders and tliree howitzers, to- 
 gether with a small supply of ammunition having 
 arrived in camp, the countenance of the army began 
 very mucli to brighten, and the late shock at the 
 River Kaisin seemed in some measure to be forgotten. 
 
 General Tupper, having found himself, and 
 arrived in camp, our number of troo])s amounted to 
 about 2,000 or upwards ; and General Crooks, who 
 had been left at U[)per Sandusky with 600 or Too 
 men for tlie purpose of completing a stockade, had 
 not yet made his a])pearance. It was now about 
 the 10th or 12th of Februaiy, when a rumor was 
 spread through camp that a great council was then 
 in session, and that the subject of deliberation was, 
 
>rA.I,-(li:N. lIAKUfSOX's ("AMI»ArOX OF 1812 13. 371 
 
 Avlu'tlicr or no jirrangeiiuMits slioiild not \>e inmle im- 
 iiKMliately foi'tlie jiniiy to advniice jiii'ulnst the (Mieiny. 
 'i'liat such a council did sit is a fact, and that it was 
 decided tliat the ai-iiiv slioidd not, or was not in a 
 situation t(»ad\ance, is also a fact, for althougli the 
 writer was not one of tlie council, vet he received 
 his information fi'oin a source which could not he 
 doul)ted. 
 
 It was shortly afterwards directed l)y the (ienei'al 
 that a canip for l\(I(»o men should be laid out and 
 strongly fortified; and that this work might ])e in u 
 state of j)i'ogression, the lines of the camp were im- 
 mediately designated, and a large ooi'tion of labor 
 assigned among every corps or regiment in tlie army. 
 Each Brigade or Regiment commenced that par- 
 ticulai' portion of woi'k which was assigned it, with 
 great vigor and s|)irit. 
 
 The cam]) was about 'i,')!)!) yards in circumfer- 
 ence, winch distance, with the exception of several 
 small intei'vals, left for block-houses and batteries, 
 was every foot to be j)icketed with timber, 15 feet 
 long, from lU to 1 L^ inches in diameter, and set 8 feet 
 round. Such were the instructions of the en- 
 
 s' 
 
 giiuer. To complete this picketing, to put u]> eight 
 block-houses (the number recpiired) of double tim- 
 ber, to elevate four lai'ge batteries, to build all the 
 store houses and magazines reipiired for the supplies 
 of the armv, toiivther with the ordinarv fatiifues of 
 the camp, was an undertaking of no small magni- 
 tude. Besides, an immense deal of labor was to be 
 j)erformed in excavating ditches, making abatis, and 
 clearing away the wood about camp, and all this to 
 

 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 h 
 
 A 
 
 
 y. 
 
 fA 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
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372 LIEfTT.-COLONEL E. I>. WOOD's JOURNAL OF 
 
 
 be (lone too, at a time when the weather was ex- 
 tremely Revere, and the ground ho hai'd frozen, tliat 
 it was ahnost impossible to open it with a spade and 
 })ick-axe. But in the use of the axe, mattock and 
 spade, consisted all the military knowledge of the 
 army. So we fell to work to biuy ourselves as fast 
 as possible, and heard nothing of the enemy. The 
 army was tolerably healthy, and well provided with 
 bread and meat ; for the woods were literally alive 
 with beeves, hogs, and pack horses loadetl with 
 flour. 
 
 Somewdiere about the loth of Februarv, intel- 
 ligence was brought the General that a party of 
 Indians were still lurkincj near the mouth »>f the 
 river, at a small cluster of Indian huts, called Pres«jue 
 Isle. A party of spies (for at this time these were 
 the greatest characters in the army), were imme- 
 diately despatched to the mouth of the river to get 
 all possible information relative to the strength and 
 position of this impudent foe, and after l>eing absent 
 one day and a part of a night, returned and reported 
 that, from what they could discover without giving 
 the alarm (of which they were generally very cau- 
 tious), they were induced to believe the enemy con- 
 sisted of about one or two hundred. (There might 
 have been perhaps five orsix.) An expedition of 1,10(» 
 men was ordered to be in readiness to march the 
 following night against those demons of the wood. 
 The plan and order of march was thus: — Brig.-Gen- 
 eral Perkins, with 600 men formed in column by 
 compani-^s, at entire distances, and marching by the 
 left, was to leave camj) at 8 o'clock in the evening 
 
MA.r.-oEN. Harrison's campaion of I812-13. 373 
 
 and move <lown the river on the ice ; at half-past 
 eii^ht, General Tiipper, with 500 men formed in the 
 same manner as the preceding corps, was to follow; 
 and General Harrison to c(miinand the whole. Every 
 necessary arrangement having been made, the night 
 arrived, and the trooj)s under General Perivins were 
 ]mt in motion, agreeably to orders ; and half an hour 
 after, they were followed by General Tupper who 
 was accompanied l)y General Harrison and staff. 
 On arriving within four or live miles of tlie destined 
 place, a halt of the front was ordered to give time to 
 the I'ear to come uj), and to await the return of tlie 
 spies who had been sent ahead to gain further infoi"- 
 mation of the enemy ; but as they did not return so 
 soon as was expected, the rear having come up, it 
 was determined to advance; so we moved on within 
 one or two miles of Pres<pie Isle, when the sjties were 
 met, and informed that the ejiemy had burnt a part 
 of the houses, taken their cattle and horses, and gone 
 on to the River Raisin. This was a monstrous dis- 
 ap})ointment indeed; however, all hopes of meeting 
 with the enemy were not vet tied, as the General, 
 after a short halt, gave directions for the troops to 
 be again j>ut in motion for the River Raisin, in lio[)es 
 of coming up with the Indians at that j)lace. The 
 night was light, moderately cold, and there was a 
 little snow ui)on the ice, which enabled us to dis- 
 cover and follow the ti'ail of the enemy. After [pro- 
 ceeding six miles further it was found that the men 
 were generally very much fatigued, and that many 
 <)f them had actually given out, and were not able 
 to march a step further without refreshment and 
 
374 LIEI'T.-COLONKL K. 1). WooiVs JOITRXAL OK 
 
 iMi' 
 
 if- i 
 
 us; 
 
 rest. For thiw piir[)ose, the army was again lialted 
 upon a small island, and tires over the whole of it 
 were instantly bnilt. Here we lav till eii^ht the 
 next mornini'', when a j)oor Canadian citizen livin<r 
 near the Ki^ er Raisin, havinir heen taken a prisoner 
 by a party that went on ahead, and })rought in to the 
 General, informed him that the Indians we were in 
 pursuit of had already arrived at the Hivei- Haisin, 
 and gone to Maiden. 
 
 The expedition was therefore abandoned, and 
 the troops ordered back to camp, where they arrived, 
 very much worried and fatigued, at about 4 o'clock 
 in the afternoon, after having performed a march of 
 forty-eight miles in twenty-four hours. On this 
 occasion "the mountain had brought forth a mouse," 
 and I thought oui' spies desi rral to he well scoHnffd. 
 
 The weather being severe, and the ground in 
 many places, where the men had to work, extremely 
 wet and bad, the lines of defense naturally pro- 
 gressed but slowly. Xo event of any importanci^ 
 occurred for some time. Small pai'ties which were 
 almost constantly passing between the different 
 posts, were not unfre<juently attacked by the In- 
 dians, though usually but little damage was done. It 
 was not unconunon for the enemy to be about the 
 camp at night, but probably his ])resence was more 
 frequently imagined by the sentinels, than real, ior 
 scarcely a night passed without one, two (^r three 
 alarms, and the army as often turned out under 
 arras. The practice of turning the troops out be- 
 cause a frightened sentinel happens to hear a rust- 
 ling in the ])ushes, or a l)ug fly over his hea<l, is one 
 
MAJ.-(iKN. HAKKISON's (AMPAK.X OF 1812-13. 875 
 
 of tlie most nhsiinl j)mcti('es tliat ever entered into 
 the head of a general, and i« no less destructive to 
 an army tlian an ejndemie among the trooj)s. Vain 
 and unnecessary alarms were never known in tlie 
 Camps of Coiido, nor will they ever be made 
 within any cam]) where the general correctly under- 
 stands and pei-forms his duty. 
 
 About the 2(>th, (xeneral Crooks (not a man of 
 books), who had been left to complete the stocka<le 
 at lJpj)er Sandusky, having tinished that duty had 
 been ordered on to head<iuarters, an<l arrived at a 
 Hme when the sei'vices of his men were very mucli 
 wanted indeed. 
 
 A plan was now set afoot for the burning of tlie 
 Queen Charlotte, a British vessel then lying by the 
 wharf at Andici'stbuigh, inniudidtely vmler flu- (/uns 
 of Midden. Hut tlmt nntde n<i d'l^'t rence, — xhe n'Os to 
 he hunit. To carry this enterprise into execution, 
 Captain Langham, a very gallant otticer, was selected 
 with one hundred men; Maj<n- Stoddard of the 
 artillery, and Ca})tain Wood of the Kngineei"s, were 
 directed to prei)are suitable combustibles for the 
 destruction of the unfortunate Queen ; to prevent 
 distortion of featui'es, ami to preserve her beauty to 
 the hist moment, it was determined not to administer 
 this inflammable dose by her head but by her tail — 
 or stern. 
 
 Everything preparatory to the enterprise having 
 been rejxn'ted ready, the forlorn hoi>e (if there ever 
 wavS one) was paraded; the (xeneral made a few ob- 
 servations to them, setting forth the dauntless 
 courage of their C'oniniander, and the imj«)i-tant 
 
37fi LIEUT.-COLONEL K. D. WOOD's JOrRPfAL OF 
 
 itli 
 
 national advantages which must certainly result from 
 the destruction of this Lady of the Lake ; when, 
 having finished, Captain L. put himself at the head 
 of his paitv and moved oif by the way of Lowei- 
 Sandusky for Maiden. Sleighs were got at Lower 
 Sandusky in which the party jtroceeded to Put- 
 in-Bay, where they discovered that the lake was 
 quite open between them and Amherst}>urgh, and 
 that it was utterly impossil>le for the object of tlie 
 exi)edition to be accom|)Iished ; so, after being absent 
 several days, they steered for the mouth of the Miami, 
 and arrived at camp on tlie oth of March. Tlius 
 did tlie co([uettisli Queen disappoint an drdiiit and 
 Huwere lover, reserving her .s7////f.v and ch^innx ft)r the 
 more fortunate and ijalhint Perrv. 
 
 ()nthe4th, (.'aptain E. I). Wo<Klof the Kngineers 
 was sent, by way of tlie lake to Lower Sandusky, 
 with directions to assume the conunand of the 
 garrison and to s])end ten or fifteen days in construct- 
 ing such additional wcn'ks as in his opinion might be 
 found necessary for the security of the l\)st, and to 
 save it from falling an easy prey should the enemy 
 think its reduction an object worthv of his notice ; 
 then to return to tlie llapids. 
 
 As the presence of General Harrison was no 
 h>nger particularly re([uireil, he gave the necessaiy 
 instructions to (ireneral Leftwich relative to the im- 
 portance of a vigorous prosecution of the lines of 
 defense, and, on the Hth, left camp f<>r Chillicothe. 
 This became necessarv% as well to make arrange- 
 ments for su[)plying the ai-my, as to take seasonable 
 nieasures for getting on a re-enforcement of militia, 
 
MA.J.-<JP:X. HAUltlSOX's ("AMI'AKiX OF 1812-13. 'M7 
 
 to fill the places of the Virginia and Pemisylvauia 
 militia whose tei'iiis of service would expire, the 
 former on the 2nd and the latter on the Gth of April, 
 leaving (unless re-enforced) not more than OOO or 
 700 men to gai'ris(Hi and defend the camj) at the 
 Rapid s. And as there were many sick and unable 
 to pei'form their duty, it was probable that not to 
 exceed 400 or 500 would by the first of April, be 
 found capable of rendering the least assistance. 
 
 General Harrison foresaw the lamentable situa- 
 tion in which the army was likely to be placed, and 
 in conse(pience of the ebbing and flowing of the 
 militia, endeavored to be as well prepared to meet 
 the event as possible. The two brigades of Ohio 
 militia, under Perkins and Tupper, were already 
 discharged and gone home, and it was generally be- 
 lieved in camp that not one, of either the \'ii'ginia 
 or Pennsylvania militia could be prevailed on to 
 remain a single day after the expiration of their 
 legal tour of duty ; but to the immortal honor of 
 the latter, in this belief we were hai)pily disap- 
 pointed. For, on the 6tli of April, finding that we 
 were threatened with an immediate attack, and that 
 the Virginians to a man, and to their eternal dis- 
 grace, had gone home, their (leneral the first to set 
 the example, and that no re-enforcements had yet 
 arrived, 150 of the Pennsylvania troops very hand- 
 somely volunteered their services to remain fifteen 
 days, or even longer in case that re-enforcements should 
 not arrive in the mean time. Finding that it would be 
 impossible, from the badness of the roads and the 
 tardiness of the militia, to get the new draft from 
 
 jjniM iTitii 
 
 m 
 
.'^78 LIKl"r.-("(»M)NKL K. I), wood's .lOlRNAI. OF" 
 
 Pi 
 
 i;; 
 
 
 V.sl 
 
 1: 
 
 hi'- 
 
 VJt». 
 
 ' 1 ; i 
 
 
 Kentucky <>n to Camp Meij^s l)y the 1st or even tin* 
 middle of April, General Harrison had very wiselv 
 written to I^rigadiers Leftwich and C^-ooks desirin*; 
 tliem to use every honoi'ahle means to induce a part 
 of their men to remain a few weeks after tlieir term 
 of sei'vice should have expired; and stated to those 
 Generals the dreadful conse«pieneesthat were likely to 
 attend their leavingthecamp with all their men before 
 other troops should arrive to till their places; and 
 that, in the event of the camp fallinuj into the hands 
 of the enemy, the disaster in a i»;reat measure would 
 be attributed to them. But all availed nothinir 
 with Leftwich — nothiuir could excite his feelings 
 nor anmse his patriotism, for he was as destitute of 
 both (except where his interest was concerned) as a 
 Dutchman is of i^enius and vivacity. The "Jd of 
 April ari'ived, and away went every Virginian be- 
 longing to the drafted militia, without the least con- 
 cern as to what became of those they left behind, or 
 caring whether the enemy oi' ourselves Avere in ])(»s- 
 session of the camp, so long as they could escape 
 from the defense of it. 
 
 The conduct of General Leftwich on this occa- 
 sion was highly rej)rehensible indeed, for notwith- 
 standing he had received ex])ress directions to pros- 
 ecute the lines of defense with all possible vigoi-, 
 and to place the camp in the best possible situation 
 to sustain a siege, which it was almost certain sooner 
 or later it would have to undergo, and evidences <»f 
 which became more apparent everyday; yet this 
 phlegmatic, stupid old granny, so soon as General 
 Harrison left camp, stopped the progress of the 
 
MA.r.-OKN. irARKISOx's CAMPAION OF 1812 13. 379 
 
 1 the 
 iscly 
 irin'j; 
 ])iirt 
 term 
 :h(>st' 
 -lyto 
 efor*' 
 ; and 
 lands 
 voiild 
 fthin*; 
 eliiiiis 
 lite of 
 ^ as a 
 •Jd of 
 n be- 
 
 lt eon- 
 
 n« 
 
 I, or 
 
 works entirely, assignini; as a reason tliat lie couldn't 
 make the militia do anything, and therefore they 
 mifi^ht as well ])e in their tents, as to be kept out in 
 the mud and water, and accordinjjcly were gratified. 
 So far from inijU'oving the works they were permit- 
 ted to burn the timber, which had been lu'ought 
 into camp with an immense deal of la}>or, for 
 pickets and block-houses; not only did they burn 
 this timber, but on the 20t]i of March, when Cap- 
 tain Wood returned from Lower Sandusky, he had 
 the pain and mortification to find several of the men 
 actually em})loyed in jtulling the pickets out of the 
 gnnind, and conveying them ott' for fuel. On ask- 
 ing tlieni who gave permission for tlie picketing to 
 be taken down and carried off in that manner, he 
 was informed that no body gave permission, but 
 that it was a common thing for each mess to take 
 wliat thev wanted and nothini; was said aV)out it. 
 \V as not this most per[)lexing and vexatious indeed 
 to an officer the least aciiuainted with our situation, 
 and particularly to one inti'usted with the impoi'tant 
 duty of planning and fortifying the canij), and on 
 the success of which, in the event of a siege, his honor 
 and rejmtation entirely depended i Ca|)tains Croghan, 
 Bradford and Langham of the 17th and 19th regu- 
 lars had remonstrated in the strongest terms against 
 such an alxnninable and wanton destruction of work 
 which had been ei'ected with so much lalior and 
 trouble ; and on which, they foresaw, depended in 
 a great measure the future salvation of the army, 
 but all to no pur])ose. Captain Wood found great 
 ♦liiticulty in sto])ping the militia from destroying his 
 
380 LIEUT.-rOLONKL E. D. WOOn's JOIIUXAL OF 
 
 works, hut niiicli greatei- in gettini; tlieni to n»[)uir 
 tlie breaches and depredations already made and 
 connnitted on tlie lines. 
 
 Alxuit this time, near the end of Maich, the 
 Indians were getting to be (juite troublesome I'ound 
 the eamp ; no pai'ty could be sent out after fuel, 
 tind)er, oi* anything else witliout being tired on, and 
 frecjuently one or two persons killed, and as many 
 more taken prisoners. The militia officers as well as 
 men were frequently in the habit of ci'ossing the 
 river without arms, for the purpose of examining the 
 remains of old Fort Miami, and prowling about to 
 gratify a vain and foolish curiosity, until at length a 
 thick-headed Pennsylvania Lieutenant with two or 
 three men went to see this famous ohl work, 1)ut no 
 sooner were they well engaged in examining it, than 
 a i)arty of Indians, who were lying in the bushes at- 
 tentive to their duty, fired and killed the Lieutenant 
 and wounded two or three of the men ; l>ut not so 
 badly but wliat they were able to effect their escaj)e. 
 The Lieutenant was scalped — and I thought he de- 
 served it. (^n this occasion a man's ivligion saved 
 his life — or rather a Psalm Hook which was in his 
 pocket, and wliicli saved his side from being pene- 
 trated with a ball. This was a wonderful escape 
 indeed — when I tii'st heard of it, the idea of a man's 
 havini; reliijion somewhere about him, even if it was 
 in his pocket, struck me very forcibly. 
 
 Scmie where al)out the 26th or 28th of March a 
 party consisting of three citizens came through from 
 Detroit and informed us that (xeneral Proctor had 
 issued a proclamation dire i .^ all the militia in the 
 
MA.T.-OKN. ItAURISON's PAMPAIOX OF 1812-13, 381 
 
 vifiuity of Maiden, and u[K>n the rivt'i' Detroit to as- 
 senil>le ut Saiidwicli on tlie 7th of April, for tlie pur- 
 pose, it was well understood, of aiding \v. an expedi- 
 tion to be carried into effect ajj^ainst Camp ^^eil»:s. 
 One of the [)ei"sons, a man l>y the mime of Bucknel, 
 a I'espectahle inhabitant of Detroit, stated that he 
 liad often been in comp'^ny with Major Meui', and 
 tliat while in liis company had lieard him describe 
 the j>lan of attack that was to be pursued in case 
 Cieneral Proctor went to the rapids, and the success 
 of which enter[)"ise he obsei'ved could not l)e 
 (lou])ted a nKnneiit. The principal plan of attack 
 was as follows : — On arriving before the camp, the 
 Indians were to be immediately thrown into our 
 rear, or rather they were to invest tlie camp, and cut 
 off at once all communication, while the troops were 
 to be employed on the opposite side of the river in 
 pre[)aring the batteries and mounting the guns to 
 cannonade and bombard the camp — and tliat in a 
 very few hours after the batteries were opened upon 
 the Americans, they would be compelled to seek 
 safety by flying to the swamps, when the Indians 
 would accomplish the rest. Major Meur s opinion 
 was, that they should " U ahle to xmohe the Yanheex 
 out^'' in the course of the first day's cannonade ; but 
 on this occasion, that gentleman certainly reckoned 
 without his host. 
 
 A party of British officers had been down to the 
 Rapids and reconnoitred our position, and from the 
 situation they found it in, it is not at all surj^jrising 
 that such an opinion as Major Meur's should have 
 been formed, and the plan they had formed was per* 
 
382 LIKUT.-('MU)XKL K. I>. Woou's JOirUXAL OF 
 
 Imps ;is i^<K)(l a oiu' as (mhiKI luive l>een fallen U[)on 
 for the attack in the first instance, but it sliouK' have 
 been abandoned and chanj^ed altoi^etlier sosoon as it 
 was discovered that we wei'e Ijeirinnins; to entrench 
 ourselves, entirely anew, within the origiind lines of 
 the camp. 
 
 It was now tlie Ist of April, when all became 
 perfectly coiivincetl of the approaching storm, and 
 that in the course of a very few days we might ex- 
 pect a ])orteiitous visit from his Excellency (ieneral 
 l^roctor, accompanied Ijy the great Tecumseh, and 
 both attended with a numerous retinue. 
 
 The \'irginians left us on tlie Hd and 4th, and 
 the Pennsylvanians had not yet made up their minds 
 how many, oi* whether any, would volunteer to re- 
 main a week or two, or not. From the example just 
 set them by the \'irginians, nothing could be ex- 
 pected ; however, anotlier letter in the meantime was 
 recei\ ed by Brig.-General Crooks, from General Har- 
 rison, soliciting him to exert his influence to the 
 utmost among the men, to get a part or the whole 
 of Ids brigade to volunteer their services for a few 
 <hiys, until he could liave time to arrive at the 
 Ra[)ids with a small party of regulars and militia, 
 both of which were already on their march. But 
 the woods were almost impassable, and it was not 
 expected they could arrive befoi'e the 10th or 15th 
 of the month, the very time that it was presumed 
 the enemy would be engaged in carrying on the 
 siege ; Avliich, were they permitted to commence be- 
 fore those re-enforcements arrived, all hopes of suc- 
 cor were cut otf, and these troops must fall a prey to 
 
MAJ.-(}EN. HAKKISDN'h CAMPAION OK 1X12 IX 383 
 
 the enemy on arrival in tlie vicinity of the cttinj). As 
 Jilrendy .stuted, about 150 of those patriotic militia 
 from l*ennsylvania were, with some ditfculty, pre- 
 vailed on to remain tifteeii or twenty days longer. 
 This conduct, when contrasted with that of tlie 
 Virginia militia, was noble indeed. 
 
 On the 8th, Lieut.-Colonel Ball, with about 200 
 drago(Mis, arrived at the Kapids, and in fine time to 
 aff(»rd assistance, which was very much wanted, in 
 the com])letion of works. A short time aftei'wards 
 (ieneral Harrison arrived with a small cor|)s of 
 regulars and militia. 
 
 The enemy did not make their a[)pearance so 
 soon as we had expected. 
 
 About the '20th the fifteen days' volunteers were 
 ])aid off, highly com[)limente<l in general orders, and 
 peiniitted to return home. The whole number of 
 tro(>ps in camp at this time was about 1,200 or 1,300, 
 of which not more than 8r)0 were rei)oi*ted fit 
 for duty. They were better than half regulars and 
 volunteers, and the rest Kentucky and Ohio militia, 
 who had just been drafted into service, and of 
 coui'se utterly imiorant of their duty. In the event 
 of an attack, it was on this liandful of undisciplined 
 and inexperienced troops that General Harrison 
 would liave solely to rely for tlie defense of the 
 camp, and the safety of the immense sup[)lies of pro- 
 visions and ordnance, both of wliicli had been got 
 to that place with great difliculty, and at an enormous 
 expense. And it was now all but certain that tlie 
 place would soon be invested, for we received infor- 
 mation tliat the enemy were assembling in great 
 
i 
 
 if.;^ 
 
 h^\ 
 
 
 
 [i 
 
 m 1' i ' 
 
 384 LIKFT.-COLONEL E. D. WOOd's .TOTKA A J, OF 
 
 force Jit Sandwicli, jiiul that a large number of 
 Indians liad just arrived at Detroit from St. Jo- 
 sepli and the neiij^hborliood of Mackinaw. Small 
 parties of scattering Indians were ccmstantly round 
 the camp, whose object it seemed to be presum- 
 ably to take i)ris«)ners, as we supposed, for the 
 purpose of obtaining information relative to oui* 
 strength and situation, and which, as we after wai'ds 
 learned, was actually the case. 
 
 Our block-houses, bntteries, magazines and con- 
 necting lines of defense were now generally com- 
 2)leted ; and the apjiearance of the camp, in every 
 direction, was such as to inspire confidence in the 
 minds of those whose duty it had become either to 
 defend, or with it throw themseh^es into the hands 
 of an Enu^lish savay-e. 
 
 Fuel for the garrison, and timber to repair 
 breaches and to make bombproofs should itbef(/und 
 necessary, were brought into cam]) in great abun- 
 dance ; and two or three wells were instantly com- 
 menced, and everything <lone that possibly could be 
 to place the cam}) in the best situation to sustain a 
 length \' sicii-e. 
 
 (.)n the 2r)th a scouting party was sent down to 
 Pres(|ue Isle, to see if any discoveries could be made 
 of the ai)pr()ach of the enemy, which paiiy returned 
 in the aftei'uoon of the same day, and reported that 
 they saw several tents pitched ujion the west side of 
 the river, and two or three sail boats off the mouth 
 of the bay. On the 26th, in the afternoon, a party 
 of horsemen, consisting of about fifteen or twenty 
 English officers and Indians, debouched from the 
 
 1 1 • 
 
 
maj.-(jp:n^. ir.\HRrsox'.=5 campaion of 1812 is. 885 
 
 j:;:: 
 
 woods in toll a siiuill phiiu on the opposite side of 
 tlie river, and iji;all(»ped over it apiuirently with a 
 design of exaniinini>; its h)eal jK)sitioii, and to select 
 suitable sites for the placing of tlieir l)atteries. Our 
 guns were all instantly loaded ; but liefore we 
 could get ready to pay due honors to these new guests 
 they thought i)i'oj)er to dispense with all ceremony 
 on that occasion and to be off. The next morning 
 sixty 01 eight}^ dragoons were «lespatched a sliort 
 distance down the river to see wliat the eneniv were 
 about. 
 
 They had proceeded but a slK)rt distance before 
 they met the Indians, who by tlieii* manoeuvering 
 manifested a design of getting into the rear of the 
 dragoons, which the intrepid Lieutenant who com- 
 manded the party did not altogether like so well ; 
 lie therefore o]iposed a counter manoeuvre by bring- 
 ing his men su(hlcidv to the right about, and hasten- 
 ing expeditiously back to camj), where he arrived 
 safe with only one man slightly wounded. This 
 was certainly the best thing he couhl have done. 
 
 It afterwards aj)peared, that on the 25tli the 
 combined Britisji and Indian forces consisting of 
 800 militia, 500 regulars, and 1,500 Indians, all 
 luider the command of Brig.-deneral Proctor, arrived 
 at the mouth, and landed on the left shore of the 
 Miami, and instantly threw a pjirty of Indians across 
 the river, to observe and ^vatcll the conduct of our 
 troops, should any of them be sent out to recon- 
 noitre, as was the constant practice. The next day 
 the army was [>ut in motion, keeping its left to the 
 river, and arriving with the gunboats and batteries, 
 
 ! 
 
386 LIEUT.-COLONEL E. D. WOOd's JOURNAL OF 
 
 II* 
 
 \^h 
 
 in which were the artillery and ordnance stores, and 
 advanced gradually up until it arrived on the 27th 
 at old Fort Miami, situated, as already described, 
 two and a half miles below Camp Meigs, and near 
 the foot of the rai)ids. The bateaux were imme- 
 diately unloaded and employed in conveying the 
 balance of the Indians to our side of the river. To- 
 day the camp was completely invested, an<l on the 
 following night the enemy br<)ke ground in four 
 diffei'ent places, and were very industriously em- 
 ployed until morning, when their works were dis- 
 covered to be in a tolerable state of forwardness. 
 No sooner were these nocturnal works discovered, 
 than ordei's were given for all our guns, that could 
 be brought to bear, to open instantly U])on them, 
 which orders were executed with alacrity and 
 promptitude ; and those works of one night's growth, 
 soon looked as if they had been but a moment's. 
 
 Understanding now })erfectly the enemy's }»lan 
 of attack, and where each of his princi[)al batteries 
 were going to be erected, and the particidar object 
 of each, and knowing that we should be greath 
 annoyed in our })resent state by his artillery, it 
 became necessary to intrench the army entirely anew, 
 which of course must be done within the origi- 
 nal lines of the camp. A plan for a kind of in- 
 trenched citadel had been some time before arranged 
 and recommended by Captain Wood of the engineers 
 to(ieneral Harrison as the only effectual secuiity foi' 
 the army in case the enemy should attack with artil- 
 lery, and which in a measure had been mentioned by 
 him. It had not only met his api)robation, but he 
 
 ;«•-■ 
 
MAJ.-OKN. KARKISOn's ('A.UI'AIGN OK 1812 13. 387 
 
 had on one or two occasions ol»ser\e<l tlmt lie 
 tboiii^ht it luul better l)e conunenced and in a state 
 of progression, tluit we niiglit he tlie better prepared 
 for tlie reception of the enemy in case he slioidd 
 come smhlenly u[)on us. Ordei-s were given for 
 Captain Wood to commence tlie new iiitrenchments. 
 On the 28th in the morning the whole army was set 
 to work, and continued in the trenches until 
 "tattoo"; when, on account of darkness and rain, a 
 suspension of their labors until reveille was recom- 
 mended by the engineer to the (leneral and readily 
 approved of; the troo})s ^vere accor<lingly dismissed 
 with directions to the different commandants of par- 
 ties to resume their stations in the trenches again at 
 break of day, which orders were strictly complied 
 with. 
 
 Orders had been previously given in the forepart 
 of the day for the troops to continue at w-ork all 
 night in the trenches ; l)ut they had progressed most 
 rapidly through the day, and the night being a very 
 bad one, it was thought that more labor might be 
 accomplished the next day by letting the men rest, 
 than by keeping them all night at work. 
 
 Never did men l)ehave better, on any similar 
 occasion than did ours on this. The Indians had 
 now^ bec(^>me extremely troublesome ; there was not 
 a stum[), bush, or log, within musket shot of the 
 camp, but what shielded its man, and some of them 
 two or three. Unfortunately, we had not been able 
 to clear the wood away to a sulRcient distance, on 
 our left, of which circumstance those demons of the 
 forest very readily availed themselves, and, instead 
 
388 LIEUT.-COLONKL E. D. WOOd's JOITRNAL OF 
 
 I'!;' 
 
 of remaining idle at the foot of the trees, they hoiinced 
 into their tops, witli as much agility and dexterity us if 
 they had been taught it from their infancy : and 
 from those elevated stations, poured dov.i: iiiio our 
 camp prodigious shower;; of musketry ; but the 
 distance being so great, out of the numerous 
 (piantity of balls received in camp, but very few 
 took eifect ; many of the men, however, weie 
 wounded and rendered incapable of perfoi-ming duty 
 for some time. This ethereal .'innoyance from the 
 Indians, certainly served as a source of great stimu- 
 lus to the militia in camp, for notwithstanding their 
 prompt o])edience to orders and attention to duty, 
 yet their movements w^ere very much accelerate* I by 
 it, as will always be found the case whenever nuis- 
 ketiy is brisk about their ears. 
 
 It is by no means astonishing that any kind of 
 tro'^^ps should act with energy and courage A\hen 
 situated as were those in Camp Meigs, one hundred 
 miles distant ivom. any settlement, in an im])enetrable 
 swamp the camji entirely surrounded with Indians, 
 who filled it with nuisketry as thick as hail, no hope 
 of relief, and the active prepai'ations across the ri\er 
 for cannonading and bombarding the camp, all an- 
 nouncing the necesxity for the most spirited and 
 
 vigorous resistance. 
 
 After the first day's labor in the trenches, one- 
 third of the troops only, were kept in them con- 
 stantly, who were relieved every three hours by 
 fresh ones. In this way we continued our operations, 
 occasionally firing at the civilized savages across the 
 river, as well as upon the wild ones in the woods, 
 
MA.T.-GEN. Harrison's campaign of 1812 13. 889 
 
 whenevei' the former exposed themselves, or the latter 
 hecame too tnnihlrsonie. 
 
 The General was extremely active through the 
 (h'U', was evervwhere to he seen in the trenches, 
 urgin<r on the works, as well by precept asexam))le. 
 lie sle))t but little, and was uncommonly vigilant 
 and watchful thr<)Ui^h the niorlit. 
 
 The tirst thing commenced, to shield the troops 
 against the annoyance of cannon, was a traverse, of 
 about twenty feet base, laid [)arallel with the river, 
 upon the most elevated ground, which was near the 
 middle, and running the whole length of the camp; 
 it was fi'om ten to fifteen feet high, and completed 
 early on the morning of the 1st of May. An 
 avenue, as it ^vere, had been opened through the 
 tents and as manv left standing on that side next 
 the enemy as possible, to cover from his view our 
 operations, until the ti'averse should be completed, 
 and which seemed from his conduct to have answered 
 the ])urpose extremely well. 
 
 This particular piece of work was completed early 
 on the morning of the Ist of May, just as it was dis- 
 covered that the enemy had finished three of his 
 l)rincipal batteries, had got his guns in, was then 
 loading and bringing them to battery; when orders 
 were directlv ijriven for all the tents in front to be 
 instantly struck and carried into the rear of the 
 ti'averse. This was done in almost a moment, 
 and that beautiful prospect of beating up our 
 ([uarters, which but an instant before presented 
 itself to the view of the eager and skilful artil- 
 lerists, had now entirely fled, and in its place 
 
390 LIKl'T.-COLOXKr. K. I). \V<10I)'s JorUXAL OF 
 
 «.!■'.'.' • . 
 
 ■ fiti ■ 5 
 
 IP 
 
 
 m- I 
 
 1 
 
 s 
 
 
 ^i!^ 
 
 
 suddenly Ji[>peart^tl an iniiiuMise shield of ejirth, ob- 
 Hcuring from liis sii^lit evei y tent, every horse (of 
 which thei'e were 200) and every ei'eature belonfrinc: 
 to the cann). How disappointe*! must have ]>een 
 the in(lefatiii:al)le and skilful enmneer on discoverins: 
 tlie futility of all his works, and wliat a jjloomv 
 and hopeless prospect presented itself to the ardent 
 and scientific artillerist ! 
 
 Those canvas houses, which in a gieat measure 
 had covered the growth of the ti'averse, by keeping 
 from the view of the enemy the operations about 
 it, were now with their inhabitants in them, entirely 
 protected in their turn. 
 
 But as neither the tjeneral, enij-ineer or nrtiller- 
 ist were convinced of the fo/lf/ and fufiJlfti of their 
 works, everything being ready, the batteries must 
 be opened, and five days of ai'duous cannonading and 
 bombarding were necessary to produce a fhorotu/h 
 (Hinniction. At 11 o'clock a. m. their })atteries Avere 
 therefore opened, and a most tremendous cannon- 
 ading and bombardment was commenced and kejit 
 up, the {ormer until dark, and the latter until 11 
 o'clock at night, when all was again silent. As we 
 sustained l)ut little injury through the day, having 
 but one or two men killed, and five or six wounded, 
 (the latter })rincipally by the Indians) and our 
 supply of ammunition being quite inadeipiate to the 
 necessities of a lengthy siege, we fired very little 
 during the day, ccmtenting ourselves in safety and 
 listening to the enemy's mnsic. Some shells and a 
 few rounds of grape were occasionally fired at the 
 Indians, to drive them from their stations whenever 
 
MAJ.-GKN. MAKKISON's ("AMI'AICJX «>K 1812 13. '^9\ 
 
 they ajtproaclied too near tlie Hues, wliicli, in eoiise- 
 (jiience of their teasiiiii:, were kept in ahnost a eoii- 
 Htant ))laze with musketrv. < )ii the 2(1, at dawn of 
 (hiy, tlie cannonade aij^ain coninienced witli i^reat 
 vijj^or, and the l)atteries continued to phiy witli cou- 
 sidera)»le briskness through the day, and with ahout 
 the same effect as the preceding day. Tlie position, 
 however, of one of our inaga/.ines was discovered in 
 the course of the day, and great liopes seemed to 
 have been entertained by tlie enemy of effecting its 
 destruction^ the roof having been hit by a 24-pound 
 shot ; the whole of the batteries were instantlv 
 directed upon it, and the traverse not being of suf- 
 ficient height to protect the roof, that })art of it was 
 pretty soon battered down, or rather blown off* by 
 a shell, which fell and exploded directly ujxni its 
 loft, no damage of conse([uence, however, was done 
 to it. As soon as the firiiii; ceased in the eveniiiir. 
 Captain Bradford (a most excellent otiicer) with a 
 party of men, went to Avork, and before day had 
 the magazine entirely repaired. Its loft had been 
 covered with two tier of large timber, with plenty 
 of raw hides placed between them, so as to jirevent 
 the tire from falling down into the magazine in case 
 of shells lighting upon it ; these timbers were hewn 
 on two sides, and well s[>iked together. It had 
 been apprehended that the enemy finding he could 
 not effect his ])ur])ose by battering from the o])j)o- 
 site aide of the river, might take it into his liead to 
 establish ])atteries somewhere along our front, or on 
 <me or other of the flanks, and in order that we 
 might be ])repared t(k receive him at all points, 
 
35)2 LrEFT.-rOLONEL E. 0, \V<)(»n's JOrUN'AL OF 
 
 tU' •! 
 
 p: 
 
 In'- 
 
 t . 
 
 n;-- 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 tf 
 
 another traverse, parallel witli the first, and distant 
 alxnit one hnndred yards liad been eoninienced — 
 was soon finislied, and tlie two connected by several 
 short ones. Tliis was (h)ne with a view to cut the 
 space ii{) so mncii that i-icocliet tirini; lenii^tliways tlie 
 camp sliould be attended witli no injury while the 
 men were in tlieir tents. 
 
 Our intrenchnients now, in a manner, formed a 
 complete citadel, wliich could have been defended 
 to gi-eat advantaui^e, and would have been found ex- 
 tremely ditttcult to force had tlie enemy been able to 
 have effected a ])assage at the first lines, which he 
 never could have d<me without sustainiuijc an un- 
 mense loss. 
 
 On the 3d, at 10 o'clock a. m., our apprehensions 
 respectiuij: the enemy's crossinoi: the river were com- 
 j)letely realized, for it was now discovered by the 
 fire of three or foiu* pieces that he was already on 
 our left, with his cannon stuck in the edge of a 
 small ravine. From a few of the first shots some 
 damage was sustained, but the best position had not 
 yet been taken, and by setting two or three 18-})ounders 
 to work upon those impudent fellows in the ''bush" 
 we were soon able to silence them for a time. An 
 attack from the left having been anticipated its con- 
 sequences were, in a great measure, foi-eseen and 
 guai'ded against. The person who was employed 
 with the howitzer seemed a friend or possessed of 
 veiy little skill in his profession, for notwithstand- 
 ing he was but about three or four hundred yards 
 distant from the camp, yet not more than one out of 
 four or fiv^e shells thrown ever came inside the lines. 
 
 
MAJ.-(<KN^. HARIUSOx's ("AMI'ArCJN (»K 1812 1:5. 393 
 
 It was tlie opinion of many of our men that he 
 certainly mii8t be a friend, and felt for our witnation. 
 Be that as it may, he badly ae(]uitte(l himself. In 
 course of tlie third day we had two or three dra- 
 goons killed, several sliifhtly touched, and a number 
 of horses killed ; in fact, it seemed to have been 
 pdi'tiruldiiij an iniforfmiate day for the cavalry. 
 
 On the 4th, the enemy neither opened his bat- 
 teries so early in the morning as he had been accus- 
 tomed to do, nor did he tire them with his usual 
 activity. The tire, though somewhat lively in tlie 
 morning, grew less so through the day, until toward 
 evening when it became (piite dull ; and everything 
 about the batteries appeared as if the enemy were 
 convinced that their labor was entirely lost, and 
 that a farther j>rosecution of the attack from that 
 side of the river would only be attended with an 
 immense' waste of powder and ball, and ultimately 
 prove of no avail. 
 
 From excess of fatigue and almost constant 
 watching in the trenches, through the night, our 
 troops had become somewhat broken down, however 
 their s})irits were yet good, and a little refreshment, 
 with a few hours rest, were only necessary to render 
 them as effective as ever. The garrison frecpiently 
 showed itself above the works, and occasionally 
 gave three cheers, especially when the tire of the 
 enemy was not brisk, and when it could be done 
 with safety. It always occasioned a most hideous 
 yell from the Indians. These rascals appeared to be 
 greatly delighted at the bursting of the shells in 
 our camp, and whenever great or material damage 
 
394 LTEUT.-COLONEL K. D. WOOd's JOITRNAL OF 
 
 I: 
 
 iftp 
 
 was HUjjposed to have been (lone ])y an explosion, 
 they were snre to expresH their approl)ation by 
 
 At about 1 2 o'clock on the night of the 4th, Mr. 
 Oliver, a young man who had been dispatched to 
 meet General ('lay, who was supposed to be some- 
 where on the Miami, returned and brought informa- 
 tion that the General was then within about eight 
 miles of the camp with 1,200 militia; and that he 
 would be aide in all prol>al)ility, to reach Camp 
 Meigs before day. Mr. Oliver left camp to meet 
 General Clay on the 28th of Api-il. (ireneral Harri- 
 son immediately formed a i)lan for having the 
 enemy's batteries across the river stormed and the 
 guns spiked. Captain Dudley was furnished with 
 spikes, and directed to get out of camp as secretly 
 as possilde, to take a canoe, and make the best of his 
 way up the river luitil he should meet wnth General 
 Clay to whom he was to deliver the following in- 
 structions : — that he must land the whole or such 
 l)art of his troops on the opposite side of the river 
 early in the morning, as he might deem sufficient to 
 storm and carry the enemy's batteries and to spike 
 their guns ; the bearer of the orders to act as a 
 guide, and to conduct the storming columns to the 
 batteries. The magazines wei'e likewise to be de- 
 stroyed, and the troops instantl}- to return to theii' 
 boats, and recross the I'iver to Camp Meigs. Cap- 
 tain Dudley reached General Clay in time to delivei* 
 his orders. Of the 1,200 men, 800 under the direc- 
 tions of Colonel Dudley (a man alike ignorant and 
 I'ash, and who had never heard a hostile gun), were 
 
MA.T.-UKN. HARRISOx's CAMPAIGN OF 1812-13. 395 
 
 ordered to land at dawn of day, to perform thin gal- 
 lant service. 
 
 The troops were formed into three columns and 
 moved down to the attack, but they did not reach the 
 batteries until al)out 5) o'clock in the morniiii;. On 
 coming witliin .'iOO or 400 yards of the works, liis 
 men set up a most tremendous yell (under an im- 
 pression, I suppose, that a Kentucky yell was more 
 to be dreaded than their arms), and pushed on with- 
 out order or op[>osition and took possession of all 
 the enemy's works, almost witliout firing a single 
 gun, and without tlie loss of a single man. The few 
 artillei'ists who were about the l)atteries, on hearing 
 this tremendous yell, took the alarm, snatched the 
 colors from their standards and flew with great 
 precij)itation to the main force below, which was at 
 old F'ort Miami — nor were they easily overtaken. 
 Colonel Dudley now found himself in complete 
 possession of the objects of his enterprise, and he 
 had nothing further to do l)ut to spike the guns 
 blow up or destroy the magazines, and return with 
 all possible celerity to his boats and cross the river 
 before the enemy should have time allowed him to 
 march the army up from Fort Miami, and attack 
 him in return. 
 
 But, great God ! neither knowing how to obey 
 orders nor to profit by success. Colonel Dudley re- 
 mained with his men upon the ground, gi-atifying 
 a vain curiosity, without spiking but a part of the 
 guns, and leaving tlie magazines entire, until the 
 enemy had ample time to collect his forces, and re- 
 turn to repossess himself of his works, and chastise 
 
30n I.IEFT.-roLONEL K 1). WOOd's JOIUNAL OF 
 
 If:"; 
 
 t:-i 
 
 
 i 
 
 ri'Si 
 
 in tlie seveivst niaiUMM' tlie teiiuM'ity, tolly, iLfiionnjcp 
 and Htupidity of tliis most unroitunate coninuunh'r. 
 Yew, it seemed as it' tl>ose miserahle ereatnres were 
 only waitino; upon the theati'e of tlsoir suceesH an<l 
 glory, for the enemy to l)e fully prepared to take 
 ample revenife. 
 
 These batteries were situated near the bank of 
 the river, up(Mi a .-mall plain, with a wood in the 
 rear, and entirely edged with thick bushes exc'e])t in 
 front; and the ground, on leaving the plain to go into 
 the woods, was consideral)lv intersected with small 
 ravines, whose banks were entirely covei'ed with 
 under-mail brush. After remaining in grou})s upon 
 this j)!ain, in the most disorderly manner jmssible, 
 for about thirty minutes, the Indians returned, and 
 conunenced a scattering fire from the edge of the 
 bushes, which instantly drew the militia from the 
 plain into the woods; in the meantime a colunm of 
 British ivgulars were marched along U[) the river 
 until they came upon the ground just left by Colonel 
 Dudley, when they halted, formed in order of bat- 
 tle, and advanced to the attack of his rear. Thus 
 situated between two fires, his troops in the great- 
 est disorder, skirmishing with the Indians, in every 
 direction, and possessing not the leist knowledge of 
 the local situation of the field of battle, what was to 
 be expected, or what could be done by Colonel 
 Dudley? No human means within the control of 
 this unfortunate ofiicer could save him, his fate was 
 fixed, and the desti'uction of his corps inevitable. 
 The contest was but short — a few minutes were 
 sufficient to place this gallant corps of 800 Ken- 
 
M.\.I.-(JKN. IIAKIMSOn's CAMI'AHiN OF 1H12 l:j. .'{97 
 
 !lll| 
 
 tuckiuiiM at tlie mercy of a most crnd, s(tr(tf/f' and 
 Ixd'lKiroHx f<K^, wlio only knew to conqncr and 
 Hlani^liter. Of the S(M> in this cni^atifement, only 
 about 100 were able to effect tlieir retreat — 80 or IM) 
 of them i(ot across the river to Camp Meigs, and the 
 ])alance escaped to Fort Wayne, (50 or To were 
 killed and the rest taken prisoners. Upwards of 
 <)0() were taken and marched under an escort of 
 In<lians to lu'ad([uarters and confined in Old Fort 
 Miami, with a strong chain of sentinels round the 
 works. The Indians were then permitted by (leneral 
 Proctor to assemble upon the surrounding lam^iart, 
 and there at their leisure, to amuse themselves by 
 loading and firing at the crowd of prisoners, until 
 at length, they preferred slaughtering those wretched 
 mortals in a manner more suitable to their savage 
 feelings; they therefore laid by their riiles, walked 
 into the slaughter-pen, seized such persons as they 
 pleased, and leading them to the gateway, there toma- 
 hawked and scalped them without mercy or restraint. 
 Nine bodies were found lying in one pile, near the 
 gate of the Fort, after General Proctor left the 
 Miami. Many were ft)und in other ])laces toma- 
 hawked and scalped, and their bodies mangled in 
 the most barbarous and inhuman nnmner. Colonel 
 Dudley was found on the field of battle, scal[>ed, 
 his breast cut open, and his heart taken out ! He 
 fell a victim to his own indiscretion and folly — and 
 shared the fate of many of his brave countrymen, 
 who were less foiiunate, in escaping death upon the 
 iield of battle, as a more horrid one awaited tiiem at 
 Fort Miami. Long will Kentucky have cause to re- 
 
398 LIEUT.-COLOXEL E. D. WOOd's JOURNAL OF 
 
 p. 
 
 IH' 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 iiieiiil)ei' the oth <luy of May, as well as the 22d of 
 January, no less memorable for the massacre at 
 Kaisiu. Just as the unfortunate contest terminated 
 on the other side of the river, another of much less 
 importance took place upon our side and within a 
 few hundi-ed yards of the camp. 
 
 On attemptini^ to land the balance of his men from 
 tlie boats in \V'hich they had descended the Miami, 
 General Chiy met with considerable opposition from 
 the Indians, \vho poured forth from the woods in 
 great swarms, and seemed determined that not a 
 single man should i-each tlie camp. The Kentuck- 
 ians, wishing to see the works and tlieir friends in 
 camp, obstinately persisted in pushing on, and a 
 sharp tire soon ensued. Such guns as could be 
 biought to bear upon the enemy, from the camp, 
 were played with great briskness. Lieut.-Colonel 
 Ball with 200 dragoons and one battalion of Infantry 
 was sent to the assistance of General Clay, who by 
 this time had been able to repulse the enemy, and 
 to get within a short distance of the camp ; being 
 re-enforced, he drove the enemy quite into the 
 woods, when orders were sent for the troops all to 
 return to camp. In this aifair he had fifteen or 
 twenty killed, and one man taken priscmer; the 
 enemy^s loss was somewhat greater. General Clay's 
 men had got into camp, and that ahme was all the 
 advantage we could boast of. In fact, I thought it 
 rather unprofitable business, for the lives of fifty 
 savages will not, in my opinion, compensate for the 
 loss of one single brave soldier. Those guns which 
 Colonel Dudley had failed to spike were played 
 
 
MAJ.-GEN. Harrison's campaign of 1812 13. 399 
 
 upon the camp, and tlie rear of our ti'oops, during 
 their skirniisli witli the Indians, with _ij!:reat vehe- 
 mence and considerable effect; this was truly l)er- 
 plexing and vexatious. Tnat we should exi)erience 
 annoyance from these ])iece8, which l)ut a few 
 moments before were in the possession of our troops, 
 and might so easily have been spiked and rendered 
 useless to the enemy, seemed almost insupjK>rtable. 
 In fact, it was but too just to say that Dudley's 
 conduct merited almost any fate that could possibly 
 befall him. 
 
 General Clay and Colonel Hall having got into 
 camp with their wounded, (xenei'al Harrison deter- 
 mined to tiy one other ex[)eriment with the enemy ; 
 he therefoi'e ordered Colonel J. Miller of the 19th 
 Regulars with 850 men to rally from two different 
 places, and to storm those batteries which were 
 erected upon our left, on the 3d of May. This 
 officer, always ready to distinguish himself, formed 
 his men and moved along the small ravine until lie 
 came near the enemv without beini^: discovered, but 
 on risinu: the bank within fiftvor one hundred vards 
 of the batteries he appeared in full view of twice 
 or thrice his force. His men, liowever, were ordered 
 to charge, which they did in the most gallant man- 
 ner, and in a moment had possession of the batteries, 
 and the guns were dismounted. The enemy were 
 pursued some distance into the woods when ordei*s 
 were received for these brave fellows to return to 
 camp, which they did, but suffered much from the 
 Indians while returning to the lines ; two lieutenants 
 and forty-one pri\'ates, were the fruit of this att'air. 
 
400 LTETJT.-COLONEL E. I>. WOOd's JOURNAL OF 
 
 H V 
 
 Our loss was al^oiit thirty killed and three times 
 that number wounded. Many reasons tend to confirm 
 a belief that the enemy's loss in this affair was much 
 greater than oui's. Cjiptains Croghan (now Colonel 
 Croghan), Laugliam and Bradford, particularly dis- 
 tinguished themselves in this action (if such it may 
 be called) as did several subalterns, among whom 
 were Ensigns Shipp, Mitchell and Stockton. The 
 com[)any of volunteers from Petersburg (Virginia) 
 particularly distinguished themselves by their in- 
 trepid and cool conduct while approaching the bat- 
 teries under a heav}' fire of musketry. Colonel 
 Miller commanded his troops with cons[)icuous courage 
 and gallantry, but being the only ofiicer on horse- 
 back it was out of his power to see what occurred 
 on the fianks and in the centre at the same time, or 
 to get the requisite orders conveyed to those places, 
 in conse([uence of which the Indians came v^ery 
 near turnino; his rio-ht and ixettinir into his rear, which 
 had they gained, being at that time very numerous, 
 it is more than probable that the consequences 
 would have been terrible indeed. Lieutenant 
 Gwynne, then commanding a company on the right, 
 fought his men man to num, foi* some time, and held 
 the Indians in check until their manoeuvre was com- 
 pletely understood, and Colonel Miller had time to 
 counteract it. 
 
 It was now about 12 or 1 o'clock when all the 
 firing had ceased, and each looked as if he had 
 received all the injury that the other could possibly 
 do him. The Indians were seen passing constantly 
 to and from Colonel Dudley's boats, which were a 
 
MA.T.-OEN. Harrison's campaign of I812-13. 401 
 
 short distance up tlie river, with iiiimeuse loads of 
 phinder. Flags were now passing between the two 
 armies upon the subject of an exchange of prison- 
 ers, whicli cei'emony the Indians soon availed tlieni- 
 selves of by hoisting a white sliirt or towel on 
 a stick, and then prowling ah^ng before us with 
 heavy h^ads of plunder, and in the most impudent 
 manner. 
 
 In tlie course of the afternoon. General Proctor 
 had the audacity to summon us to surrender the 
 camp ; he was very properly answered and told that 
 if ever he got possession of Camp Meigs, it would be 
 under such circumstances as to give him greater 
 claims upon the gratitude of his pountry than he 
 possibly coidd have by its })eing surrendered into 
 his hands — or words to that effect. 
 
 The day was extremely wet and cold, and having 
 no comfortable places for our sick and wounded, 
 both seemed to suffer much. But everything was 
 done for them that possibly could be, and no means 
 were spared to make them as comfortable as the 
 nature of their situation would admit. The wounded 
 had hitherto been lying in the trenches, on rails 
 barely sufficient to keep them up out of the ^vater, 
 which in many places, from the bleeding of the 
 wounded, had the appearance of puddles of blood. 
 These poor fellows were many times lying in that 
 state without any other cover of shelter than that 
 of the heavens. 
 
 It was now ])elieved that General Proctor, con- 
 tenting himself with the partial success he had 
 met witli, woidd soon raise the siege and return to 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
402 LIEUT.-COLONEL E. D. WOOd's JOURXAL OF 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 
 #1 - 
 
 Maiden ; and without troubling us any more, on the 
 morning of the 9th he accordingly left us. The 
 prisoners which he took were carried down to 
 Huron, and there landed. 
 
 Having many sick and wounded, as was natu- 
 rally to be expected after a close siege of nine days 
 (five days batteries open), and our force greatly 
 impaired besides by the sorties fiom the right and 
 left, on the 5th, it now became an object of the great- 
 est importance to make such provisions, and to take 
 such measures as might tend speedily to a restoration 
 of health and vii^^or in the arm v. The block- 
 houses about the lines were immediately cleared of 
 the guns and stores and converted into temporary 
 hospitals ; tents were pitched with arbors about 
 them, and such general arrangements were made to 
 soften and alleviate their distresses as their situ- 
 ation and the nature of circumstances would admit. 
 They, however, were but badly provided with the 
 little necessaries and comforts which belong, and 
 afford so much relief, to the brave soldier who has 
 recently lost a leg or an arm, or had his side pierced 
 with a bayonet while gallantly mounting the ram- 
 parts of his country's enemy. 
 
 There was no head to the Hos})ital Department, 
 which was extremely deficient in almost every respect. 
 Those to whom the important duties of that depart- 
 ment had been committed were but a young, inexperi- 
 enced set of men, with nothing but the title of Sur- 
 geon to recommend them, or to give them a claim to 
 employment, and the principal part of whom had 
 been picked up here and there among the militiii, 
 
MA.T.-GEN. Harrison's campaign of 1812-13. 403 
 
 wherever a person could ])e fouiul with a lancet 
 in his pocket, or who liad bv some means or other 
 ohtained the title of doctor. Such were the pei-sons 
 wliose duty it became, to say whetlier the limb of 
 a gallant officer or brave young soldier should be 
 lopped oil:', oi" pi'eserved. There had previt>usly been 
 a man of skill and talents at the head of the Hospital 
 Department, but one alike destitute of honor and 
 reputation, and Avhose departure from the army was 
 followed with disgrace. What was to be expected 
 from that de])artment, thus managed and most 
 wretchedly supj)lied i What prospects of recovery 
 had the wounded ; dying for a gill of gin or a spoon- 
 ful of vinegar i Neither were to be had I Not a 
 particle of vegetables, nor a i)ound of fresh meat; 
 and one hundred miles from any inhabitants ; not 
 more than one-third of the army fit for duty, and 
 tliat third to })erform all the ordinary duties of the 
 camp ; to make many considerable repairs in the 
 lines (for we knew not how soon the enemy might 
 return) and to give the I'equired and necessary at- 
 tendance on the sick ; in short, so much exhausted 
 and so low were the s))irits of those who were re- 
 })orted for duty, that for a number of days it was 
 painful for an officer to be under the necessity of put- 
 ting his men upon the slightest service. The camp 
 exhibited a very melancholy spectacle for s<^)nie time. 
 The success of having defeated the enemy, and 
 disappointed his best expectations, was nothing 
 when contrasted with the sufferings and hardsliips 
 \vhich they had to undergo. It was by no means 
 astonishing that the troops should be generally 
 
 I 
 
Lit'! 
 
 r>Ml:' 
 
 fm 
 
 404 LIEUT.-COLONEL K D. WOOd's JOURNAL OF 
 
 gloomy and low spirited, when we come to consider 
 that they were i)rinci[)ally men of family and who 
 were on a tour of duty only for a few days ; that 
 many were ah'eady dead, others dying constantly ; 
 and that the shocking disaster of Dudley's defeat 
 of the 5tli was still fresh upon their recollections. 
 
 * 
 
 •se- 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 We regret that the remainder of this most in- 
 teresting narrative of the Cam])aign of 1818 in the 
 Northwest, hy one of its distinguished participants, 
 is not to be found. It was doubtless loaned and 
 not returned ; hence, jjrobably, we shall never read 
 Wood's grapliic account of Proctor's sec(nid ex- 
 pedition up the Maumee to attack Fort Meigs, and 
 the inglorious defeat, by the gaHant Croglian, of the 
 baifled British savage, at Fort Stephenson. Tliese 
 events, however, we have described in our sketch of 
 the Western Campaign of 1813, in the third clia])ter. 
 
 Fortunately, in an old note book found in 
 Wood's pocket, when he was killed at Fort Erie, we 
 have found the following entries i-elating to Hai-ri- 
 son's invasion of Canada which describe the t)pera- 
 tions up to the battle of the Thames, an account of 
 wdiich action we have before fully given : 
 
 Camp on the Peninsula, 
 
 Septemher 11, 1813. 
 
 I received orders on the 9th inst., to repair to 
 Lower Sandusky — there to assume the immediate 
 command of two companies of artillery, connnauded 
 by Captains Price and Thomas, the latter Pennsyl- 
 vania drafted troops, and to embai'k them with all 
 
 
MA.I.-GEN. HAUFtlSON's CAMPAIGN OF 1812-13. 405 
 
 or such part of the ordnance as I might deem most 
 proj)er. 
 
 In pursuance of said orders, I went to Sandusky, 
 made the necessary arranj^ements, and on the 12th 
 at 8 o'ch)ck a. m., my detachment, consisting of 130 
 men witli eleven i)ieces of ordnance, were .ill on board 
 the boats. T\w day was fine — we set sail with a 
 fair wind and delightful music ; and just at night 
 landed on the south side of the Peninsula and near 
 the mouth of Sandusky River. 
 
 This river is generally fi'om 60 to 80 yards wide, 
 and is naviijable for bateaux as hisrli ui) as San- 
 dusky, or Fort Ste[)henson — a place rendered mem- 
 orable on account of the gallant defense which 
 Major Croghan made, on the 2d of August, 1818, 
 against the coml)iiied attack of English and In- 
 dians. 
 
 The banks along the Sandusky River are gen- 
 erallv very low, and edsred with a beautiful border of 
 wild grass — especially tow^ards its mouth, where it 
 seems entirely to w'aste itself in a large prairie and 
 is again collected in the spacious Bay below. It 
 is 18 miles from Sandusky to the mouth of the river 
 and the same distance from thence to the mouth of 
 the Hay. The land along the river, from Sandusky 
 down, and the Peninsula, is extremely rich and 
 fertile. Bull Island which lies at the mouth of the 
 Bay, is a perfect garden, spot. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 12th, I mounted 
 my horse, took Captain Holmes and two spies, and 
 went to the mouth of Portage River, a distance of 
 two miles ; on arriving there, I met with Captain 
 
406 LIET'T. -COLONEL E. D. WOOd's .rOT'RNAL OF 
 
 Stockton of the infantry juwt from the fleet, with 
 dispatches for General Harrison, whicli contained an 
 acconnt of the orlorious victory wliicli our Navy 
 gained over the enemy on Lake Erie on the 10th inst., 
 and reijuesting assistance in hmding and securing tlie 
 prisoners. 
 
 . I instantly returned to camp, mounted Captain 
 C, and gave liim a guide and he went on to head- 
 quarters. I wrote the following letter, and sent it 
 by him to the General : 
 
 M 
 
 : 
 
 
 
 ■M 
 ■'■! 
 
 Camp on the Peninsula, 
 
 Sq)tHnher 12, 1813. 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 With my detachment and eleven pieces of ord- 
 nance I have encamped on the south side of the 
 Peninsula, near the mouth of Sandusky Run. 
 
 I am informed ])y CJaptain Stockton that Com- 
 modore Perry is in great ^vant of aid, having many 
 prisoners aboard the fleet, and his crews very much 
 exhausted. In conseipience of ^vhich information I 
 have tliought proper to despatch Captain Price with 
 a detachment of fifty men to his assistance. 
 
 I have laid out an excellent road to the mouth 
 of Portage River, and find at that place a delightful 
 situation to encamp our troops. 
 
 I am, etc., 
 
 E. D. Wood, 
 
 Major of 3igineers, Gommamiing Detachment of ArtUiery. 
 
 MajoIi-Genebal William H. Hakiiison, 
 Vomnuindinij the N. IV. Army, 
 
MA.i.-oEN. Harrison's campaign of 1812 i:j. 407 
 
 Camp on the Peninsula, 
 
 Scqytenihcr 12, 1813. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I am informed by Captain Stockton, who lias 
 just lefttliis for thelieadciuartersof the N. W. Army, 
 that you have a large niniiber of prisoners on board 
 the fleet ; that your crews are ([uite exhausted, and 
 that you are in want of aid. I thei'efore have thoui!:ht 
 proper to despatch Captain Price with a detachment 
 of fifty men to your assistance. Should you see fit 
 to 8en<l anv in'isoners ashore, 1 shall have it in mv 
 power to secure as many as Cjiptain Price's detach- 
 ment Avill l)e able to bring. 
 
 Permit me to congratulate you, sir, on the splen- 
 did victory you have achieved over the enemy on 
 Lake Erie. 
 
 I have the honor to be, with high consideration 
 and esteem, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 E. D. Wood, 
 
 Major Commnnding Detachment of Artillery, 
 Commodore Perry, 
 
 Commandhiij the American Fleet on Lake Erie. 
 
 On the 13th of September I marched a detach- 
 ment of 100 men to the mouth of Portage River, 
 and in the course of the same day, got all my ord-' 
 nance across the Peninsula to that place, which I had 
 selected as the most eligible situation as well for the 
 encampment as for the embarkation of our whole 
 army. General Harrison, like a flash of lightning, 
 to my utter astonishment, arrived there the same 
 evening — as did also Colonel Paul with his regiment. 
 
 The next day we fired several signal guns for the 
 
408 LIEnT.-COLONKL E. I). WOOn's JOruXAL OF 
 
 
 w 
 
 fleet to come in, that the [H'isoriers miu;ht be bi'oii<i;ht 
 ashore. At about oVhx'k in tlie moriiin<j^, seeing 
 nothing of the fleet, I climbed into tlie top of a tall 
 tree, from which with my glass, I ^\as able to dis- 
 cover four vessels just getting under way near Put- 
 in-Bay, and standing in for the shore. They arrived 
 off the mouth of Portage at 4 i'.m., and immediately 
 began landing their [)ris()ners. That night and the 
 next day about 300 and u[)\\*ards were hinded and 
 put under a stiong guard, 
 
 I was re(|Uested by the General to take some of 
 the oflRcers to my f|uarters, which I did — notwith- 
 standing I had a very great aversion to Knglishmen, 
 and wished to meet them no where ])ut on the field. 
 
 Two Lieutenants, brothers, by the name of 
 Garden lived with me until the morning of the iSth, 
 when I received ordei's from the Adjutant General 
 to embark my corps together with the ordnance, 
 and proceed to Put-in-Bay and there land on one of 
 the islands. 77iese rmwe very plenHhig aniens to ine 
 for I alwaj/s like to he alieml of the main Armi/, and 
 to tarry hut a very short time in any one plare. 
 Colonel Paul received orders at the same time. We 
 embarked our corps — and under the immediate 
 directions of General Cass, we proceeded to Put-in- 
 Bay and landed late in the afternoon on Edward's 
 Island. The wind breezing up late in the day and 
 some of my bateaux being loaded, it was with 
 some diflSculty they were able to get in. Only one, 
 commanded by a timid old maid, put back, and did 
 not arrive for one or two days afterwards. 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 i^^±: 
 
M.U.-UKN. HAKUISON's CAMI'AION OF 1812 13. 409 
 
 Se[)tem)»ei* 'iOtli. 1,500 ti'oojw jirrivcd on 
 Edwjinrs Islniid from cjinij) No. 2, at the mouth of 
 Poi'tjiL,'*^ River, since yesterdjiy morniiiL';. The Army 
 in tine healtli and s[)irits ; tlie weatlier extremely 
 pleasant and favorable to our o|)erations. 
 
 Se[)tember 24, 1818. This morning at 9 o'clock 
 the troo|)s began to embai'k on board tlie vessels, 
 and to move on to the Westernmost Sister. Genei'al 
 Ilari'ison end)arked, ])ut in coiise(iuence of bad 
 weather and adverse winds, after going out a short 
 distance, returned with the transports, and landed. 
 
 4 o'clock P.M. Just received orders to hold mv 
 command in readiness to embark to-morrow m< ►ruing 
 at 8 o'clock — all ready and have been so sih-je 8 o'clock 
 this morning. 
 
 September 25tli. To-day the army left Put-in- 
 Bay and went to the Middle Sister, a small island 
 situated in the Lake, and a])out 18 miles from Mai- 
 den. That night after we arrived on the island. 
 General Harrison, Commodore Perry, the General 
 Staff and myself went on board a pilot boat, for the 
 purpose of going on a reconnoitring trip to Maiden. 
 The wind being fair, at break of day we got under 
 way, and run up to Maiden — or within a very short 
 distance of Amherstburo^h, took soundincrs and ex- 
 amined the coast for three or four miles below the 
 town. We discovered that Maiden and all the pub- 
 lic buildings had been burnt. Its ruins were yet 
 smoking. We returned to the island — spent the 
 night there and early the next morning the army 
 was embarked for the invasion of Canada. The 
 wind was fair and the day extremely beautiful. Our 
 
410 LUWT.'COhO^EL K. D. WOOD's .TOntNAL OK 
 
 j;;* 
 
 i~ rl;i 
 
 )+,:! 
 
 hu'ffe vessels and from 80 to 90 hjitejiiix all started 
 at the same time, and exhibited one of the fj^randest 
 scenes, almost, that my eyes ever beheld. The day 
 was important and interestini^ to every one in the 
 army whi.Ii consisted of abont 4,500 Kentucky 
 militia and 2,r)00 regulars. 
 
 On this occasion, I commanded a battalion of 
 artillery — all Ijelonging to the N. VV. Army — and 
 crossed the lake with six ])ieces mounted in bateaux 
 — one gun in each — loaded and matches lighted 
 — so that I could have fought as well by sea as 
 land. 
 
 At three in the afternoon of the same day, we 
 landed three miles below Amherstburgh, without 
 opposition — the same night marched up to Foi-t 
 Maiden, and encamped, where we remained till the 
 next morning, when we commenced our nuircli and 
 proceeded about half way to kSandwich. 
 
 On the 29th, the army arrived at Sandwich 
 where it i-emaiiied nntil the 3d of October. 
 
 General Proctor, after burning Maiden and all 
 the public buildings in Andierstburgh, had retreated 
 to Sandwich, where he remained till our army was 
 in possession of the ruins of Maiden, ^vhen lie again 
 took up his line of march for the River Detroit. 
 
 The Indians were very numerous on our approach 
 to Detroit, but soon left the villas^e on seeing oui' 
 vessels and troops moving up the River St. Clair. 
 
 The country along both sides of this river is one 
 of the most interesting and beautiful that I have 
 ever met with in any part of the United States. 
 Immediately on its banks the land is fertile, and in 
 
MA-T.-OKX. ITAUUTSOX'S CAMrATOX OF 1S12 13. 411 
 
 a liii^li stnto of ciiltivation. Tlio iiilialtitantH on 
 tliti Eiiujlish hIioiv Jirc piMiicipully CaiiadianM or 
 French. 
 
 Detroit is ji perfect ))jira(lise, l)ut many of its 
 beauties have been (h^faced and tarnislicd hy tlie 
 ruthless hand of the savai^e. 
 
 ()<!tol)er 2d. — To-day the army conunences its 
 march in pursuit of (xeneral Proctor. 
 
 October 1«), 1813.— On the iM inst., tiie army 
 left Sandvvicli in puisuit of Proctor, and at niijlit 
 encani[)ed within six miles of the Uiv(!r Thames. 
 Early the next morning we commenced our iinirch, 
 and at about 10 oVlock a. m. we took a Lieutenant 
 of dragoons and sixteen ])rivates, who wei'e em- 
 ployed in cutting down a bridge; this indication of 
 our approach to Proctor stinudated the army ex- 
 tremely, and we marched tliat (biy nearly thirty 
 miles, and encami)ed at John Pike's, on the Thames. 
 The enemy were so hard j^ressed the next day that 
 they were compelled to set fire to two gun-boats 
 which were heavilv laden with ordnance and other 
 stores, and consumed the whole. At l^<iwler they 
 also burnt vast supplies of munitions of war, and 
 property of almost every description to a very con- 
 siderable amount. Our army arrived there suffi- 
 ciently early to save from the flames a considerable 
 (piantity of fixed ammunition and a few barrels of 
 pork. Every few miles we heard of the enemy, 
 and our spies were very freipiently in contact with 
 his rear guard. On the 5th, in the morning early, 
 we came up and took one kSergeant and fourteen 
 ]>rivates in a boat ; shortly after the spies took a 
 
412 MAJ.-GEN. Harrison's campaign oi^ I812 13. 
 
 m 
 
 Captain Crowther, liis family, and about forty or 
 fifty privates. 
 
 In crossing the riglit brancli of tlie Thames, at 
 the forks yesterday, we had <piite a briisli with the 
 Indians. The enemy liad gone over, taken up the 
 plank of the bridge, and left the Indians to oppose 
 our crossing, while the English army continued its 
 f<Ioio and easy retreat. 
 
 So soon as we came to the bridge the Indians 
 commenced firing on our men. I was immediately 
 directed to bring up the artillery and cannonade the 
 enemy, as well across the branch as over the main 
 stream, where was posted in a small house a party 
 of Indians and English for the purpose of annoying 
 our troops while crossing the river. I set two 
 6-pounders to work upon them and they soon 
 cleared out, and went oft' in great haste. We re- 
 paired the bridge as quickly as possible, and the 
 whole army was soon over and in pursuit of John 
 Bull. 
 
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