Of 
 
 II 
 
 VI 
 
 i 
 
GIFT OF 
 Prof. Frederic Blolett: 
 
The Battle of Long Island. 
 
ALTEAXUS YOUNG PEOPLE S LIBRARY 
 
 THE BATTLES 
 
 or THE 
 
 WAP EOP INDEPENDENCE 
 
 Being the Story of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. 
 to which is added the Battles of the War with /Mexico 
 
 BY PRESCOTT HOLMES 
 
 WITH SEVENTY ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Copyright 1897 by Henry Altemus 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 HENRY ALTE/nUS COMPANY 
 
GIFT OF 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 OF the various subjects forming portions of the 
 history of a nation, none has been so generally accept 
 able to young people as the record of its WARS. The 
 school histories of the country must necessarily be 
 brief in their descriptions of the various movements of 
 the armies, and the various conflicts in which they 
 have been engaged. It would exceed the limits of a 
 work of this nature to attempt any relation of all the 
 skirmishes in our country s history, but we have en 
 deavored to bring together the story of the decisive 
 events, and the resulting effects. 
 
 The little Eastern States, thickening with popula 
 tion, had to find an outlet in the direction of the West. 
 Those fertile sections were greedily coveted by the new 
 settlers, and quietly appropriated; and the Red man 
 was pushed along in the direction of sunset. He per 
 sisted in cherishing his natural hatred of the interlopers 
 upon his hunting-grounds, and his villages became the 
 encampments of resentment, discontent, and meditated 
 vengeance. 
 
 We have made no attempt to recount the numberless 
 battles with the Indians. After their own fashion they 
 fought for their homes, their property, their families, 
 and their rights. They were sometimes armed but 
 never had fe/d-pieces and the result of the fighting 
 was never doubtful. (j) 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. IN AND AROUND BOSTON . . .9 
 
 The "Tea Party s" Demonstration Continental Congress 
 Franklin and the Colonial Agents General Gage Sir 
 William Howe John Adams Battles at Lexington and Con 
 cord The Minute Men Bunker s Hill Putnam and Prescott 
 Death of Joseph Warren Siege of Boston George Wash 
 ington Assumes Command Henry Knox The Evacuation 
 of Boston by the British New York. 
 
 CHAPTER II. TICONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT. . 51 
 
 Samuel Adams John Hancock Ethan Allen The Green 
 Mountain Boys Benedict Arnold Capture of Ticonderoga 
 Crown Point Taken Skenesborough Attack on St. Johns. 
 
 CHAPTER III. IN AND AROUND NEW YORK . .57 
 
 Declaration of Independence Adopted and Read to the Army 
 New York . City Howe s Fleet Arrives Washington 
 Clinton Cornwallis Hessians Battles on Long Island 
 Greene and Sullivan Harlem Heights Fort Washington 
 Retreat through New Jersey. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA . 63 
 General Schuyler Richard Montgomery St. Johns Ethan 
 Allen Attempts to Surprise Montreal Is Defeated, Captured, 
 and sent Ironed to England Carleton and the Indian Allies 
 Fort Chambly Captured Montreal surrenders Arnold s 
 
 (v) 
 
vi CONTENTS. 
 
 Journey Through Maine Quebec Assaulted The Patriots 
 Repulsed Aaron Burr Death of Montgomery Arnold 
 Wounded General Wooster The Patriots Abandon Canada. 
 
 CHAPTER V. IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA . . 8 1 
 
 Crossing the Delaware Battle at Trenton Defeat of the 
 Hessians Battle at Princeton Cornwallis Abandons Jersey 
 Battle at Brandywine British Occupy Philadelphia Battle 
 at Germantovvn Valley Forge. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH . . 98 
 
 Burgoyne Indian Allies Ticonderoga Evacuated Fort 
 Edward Battle at Bennington Generate Stark and Gates 
 Bemis s Heights Battles of Saratoga Kosciusko Arnold 
 Wounded Morgan Lincoln Burgoyne s Surrender Ti 
 conderoga and Crown Point Evacuated by the British. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. THE STORMING OF STONY POINT , 115 
 
 Baron Steuben Clinton Washington and Anthony Wayne 
 Stony Point Captured. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH < 124 
 Clinton Carries the War South Savannah Attacked and Re 
 duced Lincoln Takes Command of the Patriot Forces in 
 the South D Estaing and His French Fleet The Siege of 
 Savannah Abandoned Siege of Charleston by Clinton 
 Cornwallis Arrives Charleston Surrenders Clinton Returns 
 to New York Leaving Cornwallis in Command Battle at 
 Camden Death of DeKalb General Gates Removed 
 Battle at Cowpens Morgan and Carleton Battle at Guil- 
 ford The Siege of Yorktown French Fleet and Count 
 De Grasse Count Rochambeau Washington Moves South 
 Naval Battle Between the French and British Fleets Corn 
 wallis Hemmed In Cornwallis Surrenders The Independ 
 ence of the United States Acknowledged. 
 
CONTENTS. vii 
 
 CHAPTER IX. THE REVOLUTIONARY BATTLES ON SEA. 154 
 The First Naval Action at Machias Loss of the Raleigh 
 Capture of the Hawk and the Pigot John Paul Jones The 
 SerapJiis and the Scarborough captured. 
 
 CHAPTER X. THE WAR OF 1812-1815 . . . 769 
 
 Jefferson and the Embargo Act The Leopard and the Chesa 
 peake War Declared Dearborn Commands the Land 
 Forces Lower Canada Attacked General Hull Surrenders 
 Detroit to General Brock Fort Dearborn at Chicago Evac 
 uated The Troops Massacred by the Indians Another Ex 
 pedition to Upper Canada Repulsed The Ersex Junto 
 General W. H. Harrison Madison Becomes President The 
 Army Increased and a Navy Ordered Built Defeat and 
 Massacre at Frenchtown Tecumseh Repulse of the British 
 Before Fort Meigs Toronto Captured and Sacked The 
 British Destroy Plattsburg on Lake Champlain Perry s Vic 
 tory on Lake Erie General Harrison s Victories Jackson 
 Battles with and Defeats the Indians The British Sqiiadrou 
 Defeated on Lake Champlain Washington Burned Balti 
 more Attacked Fort McHenry Attacked The British Re 
 pulsed and Move South The New England Coasts Bom 
 barded and Villages Destroyed The British in the Gulf of 
 Mexico Louisiana Invaded Jackson at New Orleans Th3 
 British Defeated and Packenham Killed Peace Declared. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. THE SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815 205 
 
 The Constitution and Guerriere The Wasp and the Frolic^ 
 The United States and the Macedonian The Constitution 
 and the Java The Hornet and the Peacock The Chesa 
 peake and the Shannon The Argus and the Pelican The 
 Enterprise and the Boxer Perry and the Battle of Lake Erie 
 - The Loss of the Essex The Loss of the President The 
 
viii CON IE NTS. 
 
 Capture of the Cyane and the Levant The Capture of the 
 Penguin Our Privateers General Results. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. THE MEXICAN WAR .... 254 
 Texas and the Mexican Empire General Houston and 
 President Jackson President Tyler Texas Received as a 
 State Mexico Declares War Zachary Taylor Takes Com 
 mand of Our Forces in Mexico The Battles in Mexico 
 Santa Anna General Fremont and California General 
 Scotl Places the Flag Over the Palace of the Montezumas 
 President Polk Peace Proclaimed Agreements with 
 Mexico. 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 IN AND AROUND BOSTON (1775-1776). 
 
 THE troubles that had for so long existed between 
 the colonies and the mother country culminated with the 
 Boston " Tea Party s " demonstration of independence. 
 When the news reached England that 342 chests of 
 tea had been cast overboard, a howl of rage went up 
 from the King, his Ministers, and the merchants. The 
 port of Boston was declared closed against all com 
 merce till the tea should be paid for. The colonists 
 realized that if the port of Boston could be closed, all 
 the ports from New Hampshire to Georgia could also 
 be closed, and the trade of the entire country ruined. 
 The Northern and Southern States were drawn together 
 by this new danger. " Don t pay for an ounce of their 
 damned tea," was the message sent by Georgia s 
 governor to the patriots of Boston. This voiced the 
 general feeling of the entire community. Samuel and 
 John Adams, Patrick Henry, and James Otis by their 
 stirring and patriotic speeches aroused the people over 
 the whole land. 
 
 Monday, September 5, 1774, was a great and impor 
 tant day in the annals of English America. It was the 
 day on which the Congress of the United Provinces met 
 in solemn session at Philadelphia. The Continental 
 Congress had been a great success. Its counsels and 
 
f O , \7tE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 resolves were ratified by all but one of the Provincial 
 Congresses and Legislative Assemblies, and it was very 
 generally felt that a protest of the most authentic and 
 weighty kind possible had been made against the 
 encroachments of the mother country. New York 
 refused, in its representative chamber, to recognize 
 what had been done and affirmed at Philadelphia. 
 Here a large and influential class was imbued with 
 royalist principles. Many of the rich colonists were 
 
 INDEPENDENCE HALL IN 1776. 
 
 connected with families of distinction in England, and 
 New York City had been the headquarters of the 
 British army in America. 
 
 The soul of the movement now rapidly leading to 
 rebellion was undoubtedly Massachusetts; but Virginia 
 had also a large share in the work of revolution. The 
 petition of the Continental Congress was presented to 
 King George III by Benjamin Franklin and the agents 
 of Massachusetts only, the other colonial representa- 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 
 
 II 
 
 tives refusing to join. The King promised that it 
 should be presented to Parliament, and in the mean 
 while the professional politicians talked the matter 
 over, with little agreement as to what should be done. 
 The King remained firm in his policy of simple and 
 unrelieved coercion. 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 
 
 In February, 1 775, it was resolved to raise the British 
 army in Boston to io,OOO men, and to supersede 
 General Gage by a general of greater capacity. The 
 post was offered to Amherst, but he refused the com 
 mand, unless he was placed at the head of 20,000 
 troops. It was next offered to General Oglethorpe, 
 
12 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 who would undertake the task only on condition of 
 being furnished with powers of concession and con- 
 
 GEORGE III, KING OF ENGLAND. 
 
 ciliation, which were denied him. The post was finally 
 accepted by Sir William Howe. 
 
 Under his command, Howe had two Major-Generals 
 whose names became conspicuous in our history Henry 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. ^ 
 
 Clinton and John Burgoyne. Clinton was a scion of 
 the ducal houses of New Castle and Bedford, and son 
 of a former colonial Governor of New York. While 
 Burgoyne s military abilities were not of the highest 
 order, they were respectable, and his courage was 
 
 JOHN ADAMS. 
 (Afterwards President of the United States.) 
 
 beyond reproach. Howe had no reason to be discon 
 tented with either of his subordinates. 
 
 Every week added to the enthusiasm of the people, 
 and Massachusetts still kept the lead. At a second 
 interview with the American Commissioners John 
 Adams was the spokesman, and said ; " If Great 
 
!4 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Britain were united, she could not subdue a country 
 a thousand leagues off. How many years, how many 
 millions, did it take to conquer the poor province of 
 Canada ? " * * * He denied that the Parliament of 
 England had authority over America. It had none by 
 Old or New Testament law ; none by the law of nature 
 or of nations ; none by the common law of England, 
 nor by statute law. 
 
 The winter wore away in preparations for strife on 
 both sides ; but these preparations were far more 
 vigorous on the part of the colonists than on that of 
 the British officials. Assistance flowed into Massa 
 chusetts from the other colonies, and a determination 
 to die in defense of the common liberty was very 
 generally expressed. In the North, Gage looked on 
 with indolent good nature which he occasionally varied 
 by unsuccessful attempts at severity. The colonists 
 lost no opportunity of irritating the authorities by every 
 demonstration of their sentiment which it was possible 
 to make. The military were insulted with the utmost 
 elaboration of studied affront. Any one considered as 
 favoring the Government was liable to intimidation and 
 to actual outrage. The royalist sympathizers were 
 mobbed and terrified, and it was no uncommon spectacle 
 to see a particularly obnoxious individual, after being 
 treated to a coat of tar and feathers, ridden on a rail out 
 of the town. 
 
 LEXINGTON. General Gage, learning that the " Com 
 mittee of Supplies " appointed by the Provincial Con 
 gress of Massachusetts were, gathering military stores 
 at Concord, sent about 800 m a n, under Colonel Smith 
 and Major Pitcairn, to destroy.them. Attempts of this 
 character had been expected, and a strict watch was 
 kept ; and as signals were concerted to announce the first 
 movement of troops for the country, a timely message 
 
!6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 from Warren led the Committee to remove a part of the 
 stores and to secrete the cannon. 
 
 On April 18, 1775, ten sergeants in disguise spread 
 themselves through Cambridge, and farther west, to in 
 tercept all communication. In the following night the 
 grenadiers and light infantry crossed in boats to East 
 Cambridge and took the road through West Cambridge 
 to Concord. 
 
 " They will miss their aim," said one of a party 
 who observed their departure. " What aim !" asked 
 Lord Percy, who overheard the remark. " The cannon 
 at Concord," was the answer. Percy hastened to Gage 
 with the news, who directed that no one should be 
 allowed to leave the town. But Warren had already 
 despatched William Dawes through Roxbury, and Paul 
 Revere by way of Charlestown to Lexington. 
 
 Revere was stopped by two British officers, but being 
 mounted on a fine horse he escaped. As he rode 
 through Medford he aroused the Captain of the Minute 
 men, and stopping at almost every house on his way to 
 Lexington, the inhabitants were prepared to discharge 
 the important duty which was rapidly devolving upon 
 them. Dawes reached Lexington in safety. 
 
 The two friends were joined by Samuel Prescott 
 an active Son of Liberty and the three rode forward, 
 calling up the people as they passed along, till in Lin 
 coln they fell in with a party of British officers. Re 
 vere and Dawes were seized and taken back to Lex 
 ington, where they were released, but Prescott escaped 
 and galloped on towards Concord, spreading the alarm 
 along the road, and in the villages through which he 
 passed. 
 
 He reached Concord about two o clock in the morn 
 ing, and the alarm bell, on the belfry of the meet 
 ing-house, brought together the inhabitants, young and 
 old, with their firelocks, ready to make good the 
 
iS THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 resolute words of their town debates. Messengers 
 hurried out to distant villages, or hurried away the stores 
 and provisions, and secreted them in the woods and 
 thickets, a load in a place. 
 
 At Lexington, by two o clock, the village green was 
 thronged with excited men. The aged stood shoulder 
 to shoulder with their sons ; and by their example and 
 experience gave encouragement and strength to the un 
 disciplined masses who were present. 130 men an 
 swered to their names. The Captain, John Parker, 
 ordered every one to load with powder and ball, but to 
 take care not to be the first to fire. No signs of 
 the approach of the enemy being visible, they were 
 dismissed, with orders to reassemble at the roll of the 
 drum. 
 
 About eleven o clock, the foremost party, led by 
 Pitcairn, a major of marines, was advancing quickly and 
 in silence. Alarm guns were fired, and the drums beat. 
 The British seeing that their advance was known, 
 detached six companies of light infantry, with orders to 
 press on, by a forced march, to Concord, and secure 
 the two bridges over the river. Messengers were de 
 spatched to Boston for reinforcements. 
 
 Pitcairn advanced rapidly towards Lexington, captur 
 ing several persons on the way. One of these escaping, 
 hastened to Lexington, and informed Captain Parker of 
 the approach of the enemy. The drums beat, and 
 about 70, who were in the neighborhood, assembled 
 on the green, half of whom were without arms. Parker 
 ordered those without arms to go into the meeting 
 house and equip themselves and join the company, 
 while those who were armed, 38 in number, he di 
 rected to follow him to the north end of the green, 
 where he formed them in line, in single file. Before 
 those who were in the meeting-house could obtain 
 arms and ammunition, Pitcairn and his detachment 
 
2O 
 
 THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 BRITISH GRENADIER. 
 
 came up, and wheeled so 
 as to cut the former off, 
 and prevented them from 
 joining their comrades un 
 der Parker. 
 
 Marching up by column 
 of platoons, the enemy 
 advanced within 50 feet 
 of the position occupied by 
 Parker, and there halted. 
 Pitcairn then advanced a 
 few feet in front of his 
 men, brandished his sword, 
 and shouted, " Lay down 
 your arms, you damned 
 rebels, or you are all dead 
 men ; " and immediately 
 afterwards, " the rebels " 
 failing to comply with his 
 first order, he directed his 
 men to "Fire" The order 
 was followed first by a few 
 guns, which did no execu 
 tion, and then by a close 
 and deadly discharge of 
 musketry. In the dis 
 parity of numbers Parker 
 ordered every man to take 
 care of himself,and they ac 
 cordingly dispersed. While 
 they were retreating, the 
 second platoon of the ene 
 my fired, killing several and 
 wounding others. Then, 
 and not till then, did a few 
 of the Patriots, on their 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 
 
 21 
 
 own impulse, return the 
 British fire. These ran 
 dom shots of fugitives or 
 dying men did no harm. 
 Seven of the Patriots were 
 killed and nine wounded. 
 One who was taken pris 
 oner, was shot in his en 
 deavor to escape. 
 
 Thus was the first blood 
 of the American Patriots 
 shed by George III, and 
 from that hour the domi 
 nation of England over 
 America passed forever 
 away. Thus was fought 
 the first skirmish for lib 
 erty, at Lexington, on 
 April 19, 1775. 
 
 CONCORD. The British 
 pushed on to Concord, 
 and destroyed the stores. 
 The liberty-pole and sev 
 eral gun-carriages were 
 burned; the Court-house 
 took fire, but the fire was 
 put out. The Patriots on 
 the rising ground above 
 Concord bridge had in 
 creased to more than 400. 
 One of them inquired ear 
 nestly, " Will you let them 
 burn down the town?" 
 An impromptu council 
 was held on the spot, and 
 
 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN. 
 
22 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 with noble firmness it was resolved " to march into 
 the middle of the town for its defense, or die in the 
 attempt." 
 
 Colonel Barrett, on horseback in the rear, gave orders 
 to advance, but not to fire unless attacked. " I have not 
 a man that is afraid to go," said Isaac Davis, of Acton ; 
 and drawing his sword, he cried, " March ! " His com 
 pany being on the right, led the way towards the bridge, 
 he, himself, at their head, and by his side Major John 
 Buttrick, of Concord, followed by the Minute-men and 
 militia, in double file, trailing arms. The British began 
 to take up the planks ; to prevent it, the Patriots 
 quickened their steps. At this the British fired one or 
 two shots up the river ; then another, by which two 
 were wounded. A volley followed, and Isaac Davis, 
 and Abner Hosmer, the deacon s son, fell dead. 
 
 On seeing this, Major Buttrick gave the orders, 
 "Fire, fellow-soldiers; for God s sake, fire;" and a 
 general discharge from the whole line of the Patriots 
 was given, several of the enemy, including three lieu 
 tenants, falling on the spot. In two minutes, all was 
 hushed. The British retreated in disorder towards their 
 main body; the countrymen were left in possession 
 of the bridge. This is the world-renowned Battle of 
 Concord ; more eventful than Agincourt, or Blenheim. 
 
 The Patriots had acted from impulse. They made 
 no pursuit. The enemy observed their movements with 
 anxiety and alarm. Everything indicated a spirit of 
 resolute opposition, and the British Colonel, Smith, pre 
 pared for a hasty retreat. He left the town about noon, 
 to retreat the way he came, along the hilly road that 
 wound through forests and thickets. The Patriots ran 
 over the hills opposite the battlefield, and placed them 
 selves in ambush near the junction of the Bedford road. 
 There they were reinforced by men from all around, 
 and at that point the chase of the British began. 
 
24 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Every piece of wood, every rock by the wayside, 
 served as a lurking place. Scarce ten of the Patriots 
 were at any time seen together; yet the hills on each 
 side seemed to the British to swarm with " rebels/ as 
 if they had dropped from the clouds, and " the road was 
 lined " by an unintermitted fire from behind stone walls 
 and trees. 
 
 At first the invaders moved in order; but as they 
 drew near Lexington, their flanking parties became 
 ineffective from weariness; the wounded were scarce 
 able to get forward. In the west of Lexington a sharp 
 contest ensued. The British troops, "greatly exhausted 
 and fatigued, and having expended almost all their 
 ammunition," began to run rather than retreat in 
 order. The officers vainly tried to stop their flight. 
 " They were driven before the Americans like sheep." 
 At last, about two in the afternoon, about a mile below 
 the field of the morning s bloodshed, the officers made 
 their way to the front, and by menaces of death began 
 to form them, under a very heavy fire. 
 
 At that moment Lord Percy came in sight with a 
 brigade of nearly 1200 men, with two field-pieces. 
 While the cannon kept the Patriots at bay, Percy formed 
 his detachment into a square, inclosing the fugitives, 
 who lay down for rest on the ground, " their tongues 
 hanging out of their mouths like those of dogs after a 
 chase." 
 
 From this time, the Patriots had to contend against 
 nearly the whole of the British army in Boston. Its 
 best troops, fully two-thirds of its whole number, and 
 more than that proportion of its strength, were now 
 with Percy. And yet delay was sure to prove ruinous. 
 The British must fly speedily and fleetly, or be over 
 whelmed. 
 
 From far and wide Minute-men were gathering. The 
 men of Dedham went forth in such numbers that scarce 
 
2 6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 one male between 1 6 and 70 was left at home. That 
 morning- William Prescott mustered his regiment; and 
 though Pepperell was so remote that he could not be in 
 season for the pursuit, he hastened down with five com 
 panies of guards. Before noon, a messenger rode at 
 full speed into Worcester, crying, " To Arms ! " A 
 fresh horse was brought, and the tidings went on; while 
 the men of that town kept on the march till they reached 
 Cambridge. 
 
 Aware of his perilous position, Percy rested for half 
 an hour, and renewed the retreat. He was exposed to 
 a fire on each side, in front, and from behind. The 
 Patriots, who were good marksmen, would lie down con 
 cealed to load their guns in one place, and discharge 
 them at another, running from front to flank, and from 
 flank to rear. 
 
 Beyond Lexington, the troops were attacked by men 
 chiefly from Essex, and the lower towns. At West 
 Cambridge, Joseph Warren and William Heath gave for 
 a time some little appearance of organization, and the 
 fight grew sharper and more determined. A musket- 
 ball grazed the head of \Varren, who was ever in the 
 place of greatest danger. The British became more 
 and more " exasperated," and indulged in savage cruelty. 
 Of the Patriots there were never more than 400 together 
 at any one time; but, as some grew tired or used up 
 their ammunition, others took their places, and, though 
 there was not much concert or discipline, and no attack 
 with masses, the pursuit never flagged. 
 
 Below West Cambridge, the militia from Dorchester, 
 Roxbury, and Brookline came up. The British field- 
 pieces now lost their terror, and the patriots pressed 
 upon the rear of the fugitives, whose retreat could not 
 become more precipitate. Had it been delayed a half 
 hour longer, or had Pickering, with his fine regiment 
 from Salem, Danvers, and Marblehead, been alert to 
 
2 g THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 have intercepted them in front, it was thought that, 
 worn down as they were by fatigue and exhausted of 
 ammunition, they must have surrendered. But a little 
 after sunset, the survivors escaped across Charlestown 
 Neck. 
 
 The fighting had continued at its hottest for seven 
 hours, and the result contributed to raise the spirits and 
 confidence of the Patriots, and to depress the British. 
 The news of what had been accomplished was carried 
 by mounted messengers from town to town in every 
 direction, so that in a remarkably short time the fact 
 was known all over the land. The enthusiastic response 
 it awakened was proof conclusive that the whole of the 
 Colonies from Maine to Georgia, and from the Atlantic 
 to the western prairies, were ripe for revolt. 
 
 Percy s troops had marched 30 miles in ten hours ; 
 and the party under Smith had retreated 20 miles in 
 six hours ; the guns of the ships-of-war and a menace 
 to burn the town of Charlestown saved them from 
 annoyance during their rest on Bunker Hill and while 
 they were ferried across Charles River. 
 
 The loss of the Patriots, exclusive of those already 
 accounted as being killed at Lexington, in the morning, 
 was 85 killed, wounded, and missing. The loss of the 
 British in killed, wounded, and missing was 273; greater 
 than in the battle before Quebec, where Wolfe fell. 
 Among the wounded were many officers. 
 
 All the following night, the men of Massachusetts 
 streamed in from scores of miles around, old men as 
 well as young. They had scarce a semblance of artillery 
 or warlike stores, no powder, no organization, nor 
 provisions ; but they were there, thousands with brave 
 hearts, determined to rescue the liberties of their country. 
 " The night preceding the outrages at Lexington, there 
 were not fifty people in the whole colony that ever 
 expected any blood would be shed in the contest;" the 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 2 y 
 
 night after, the King s government and the King s army 
 found themselves closely beleaguered in Boston; and the 
 power of the royal governors was broken from Massa 
 chusetts to Georgia. 
 
 BUNKER S HILL (June 17, 1775). The Minute men 
 and the militiamen who had hurried to Boston, on 
 receipt of the news from Lexington, had gradually 
 
 RATTLESNAKE FLAG, USED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 returned to their homes, and their places were filled 
 with troops enlisted for terms of service, varying 
 from three to twelve months in extent. It was " a 
 mixed multitude," as yet, under very little discipline, 
 order, or government. There were the materials 
 for a good army in the private men, of whom 
 great numbers were able-bodied, active, and unques 
 tionably brave, and there were also officers worthy of 
 
p THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 leading such men. There was a great want of money 
 and of clothing, of engineers ; but above all, of ammuni 
 tion. The scanty store of powder was reserved for the 
 small arms, and used with great frugality. Greene and 
 Putnam worked like beavers ; inciting the men and 
 encouraging them. General Ward was placed in com 
 mand. His age and infirmities combined to increase 
 the caution which the state of the camp made imperative. 
 He was unwilling to hazard defeat, and inclined to wait 
 the solution of events from the negotiations of the Con 
 tinental Congress. It was suggested that Cambridge 
 could not be held, and that it would be wiser to go back 
 and fortify on the heights of Brookline. " We must 
 hold Cambridge," was Putnam s constant reply, and he 
 repeatedly but vainly asked leave to advance the lines 
 to Prospect Hill. 
 
 The dishonorable position which the King s army 
 was compelled to occupy was galling. "Bloody work" 
 was expected, and it was rumored that they were deter 
 mined to lay the country waste with fire and sword. 
 George III was counting the days necessary for the 
 voyage of his transports that were to " disperse the 
 rebels, destroy their works, open up a communication 
 with the country, and imprison the leading patriots of 
 the colony." 
 
 The Committee of Safety decided " that Bunker s 
 Hill be maintained by sufficient force being posted 
 there;" and accordingly on June 16, measures were 
 taken to occupy and hold the hill. The regiments 
 under Prescott, Frye, and Bridge, all of Massachusetts, 
 and 200 Connecticut troops under Captain Knowlton, 
 were ordered to parade on Cambridge Common, at six 
 o clock in the evening. With these were Captain Grid- 
 ley s company of artillery of 49 men and two field-pieces. 
 The men took their packs and blankets, with provisions 
 for 24 hours, and the entrenching tools belonging to the 
 
GENERAL ISRAEL PUTNAM. 
 
32 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 camp. The character of the service they were to per 
 form was not divulged even to the officers. At the 
 appointed time nearly 1000 men appeared on the Com 
 mon; and the command was assumed by Colonel 
 William Prescott, to whom written orders had been 
 given by General Ward. 
 
 Langdon, the president of Harvard College, who was 
 one of the chaplains to the army, prayed with them fer 
 vently ; then, as the late darkness closed in, they marched 
 for Charlestown in the face of the proclamation, issued 
 only four days before, by which all persons taken in 
 arms against their sovereign, were threatened under 
 martial law with " death by the cord as rebels and 
 traitors." Prescott and his men were the first to give 
 the menace defiance. For himself, he was resolved 
 " never to be taken alive." 
 
 The Committee had recommended Bunker s Hill, but 
 Prescott had " received orders to march to Breed s Hill, 
 as being the more commanding site." Heedless of 
 personal danger, he obeyed the orders, which better 
 suited the daring spirits of his companions. 
 
 The lines of a redoubt, about eight rods square, were 
 accordingly drawn on Breed s Hill, and work was begun. 
 The bells of Boston struck twelve before the first sod 
 was thrown up. Then every man of the thousand seized 
 in his turn the pickaxe and the spade, and they plied 
 their tools with such expedition, that rapidly and surely 
 the breastwork " assumed form, and height, and capacity 
 for defense." 
 
 The day was the hottest of the season. After their 
 fatigues through the night, the Patriots might all have 
 pleaded their unfitness for action ; some, indeed, left 
 the post. Yet Prescott was dismayed neither by fatigue 
 nor desertion. " Let us never consent to being relieved," 
 he said to his own regiment and to those who remained; 
 "these are the works of our own hands; to us be the 
 
THE DEFENCE OF BREED ^ HILL: PRESCOTT IN THE REDOUBT. 
 
34 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 honor of defending them." He despatched repeated 
 messengers for reinforcements and provisions; but at 
 the hour of noon no assistance had appeared. 
 
 About three o clock the British troops advanced to 
 the assault. They marched under cover of a heavy 
 fire of cannon and howitzers. Howe was in command 
 of the right wing, and it was arranged that he should 
 attack the " rebels " in flank, while Pigot, who had the 
 left wing, should assail the southern front of the redoubt. 
 They moved slowly, in order that the artillery should 
 produce full effect on the works ; and in a little while 
 Pigot found that his left flank was being severely galled 
 by the Patriot riflemen posted in houses in Charlestown, 
 which lay below the position of the insurgents. Howe 
 therefore sent over orders to Clinton and Burgoyne, who 
 remained on the Boston peninsula, to set fire to the 
 village, which was done by the discharge of shells from 
 Copp s Hill. The buildings in Charlestown, some 500 in 
 number, were all constructed of wood, and the blaze of 
 their ignition flared far and wide over the neighborhood 
 and the surrounding country, attracting crowds of 
 spectators, who assembled on the hills, on the roofs of 
 the houses in Boston, on the tops of the church-towers, 
 and on the masts of the shipping, to watch the grand 
 but terrible spectacle. 
 
 Howe s military dispositions were commended by 
 Burgoyne as "soldier-like and perfect;" and he was 
 well seconded by his men. The troops under Pigot 
 ascended the rising ground towards the redoubt steadily 
 and in good order. The fire of their small arms did 
 little damage, as they aimed too high and began too 
 soon ; and Prescott ordered his men to reserve their 
 return volley until " the whites of the men s eyes could 
 be seen." When he thought the British near enough, 
 he exclaimed " Fire ! " and volley after volley was 
 poured into their ranks, causing them to fly in disorder 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. ^ 
 
 to their boats. They soon rallied ; but the Patriots firtd 
 again and again, loading under cover, and springing up 
 on the wall of the redoubt to deliver their shots. These 
 rapid volleys were replied to by the regulars with spirit, 
 and a fierce combat went on for ten minutes. The 
 Patriots determined to sustain the reputation for courage 
 which they had won at Concord, and delivered their fire 
 with the same deadly effect. After awhile, the British 
 line wavered and gave way; the whole mass staggering 
 in disorderly heaps down the side of the hill, and 
 crowding tumultuously on the shore, close to the land 
 ing-place. 
 
 Meanwhile, the column under Howe was attacking 
 the spur of the redoubt that ran north towards the 
 Mystic and presented its face to the east. Having 
 arrived within eighty yards of the rail fence, the troops 
 deployed into line with coolness and precision. The 
 Patriots under the command of Stark and Knowlton 
 reserved their fire with the same quiet self- restraint that 
 their comrades at the chief redoubt had shown. Rest 
 ing their guns on the rail in front of them, they dis 
 charged, at the proper moment, a heavy volley, from 
 which the British, as at the other position, recoiled in 
 disorder until they reached such shelter as they could 
 find. In about a quarter of an hour, the detachment 
 under Pigot was again ready to advance against the 
 south face of the redoubt. The men had been rallied 
 by their officers, who were seen pushing them forward 
 at the sword s point. They advanced the second time 
 with some reluctance, but, getting within musket-shot, 
 pressed on with spirit. The Patriot voile)/, delivered 
 this time at still closer quarters than before, was after 
 wards described by Prescott as like a " continuous 
 stream of fire ; " and it produced a terrible effect on the 
 British. Again they wavered and broke. The bottom 
 of the hill was once more sought in headlong flight; 
 
 Independence 3 
 
36 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 yet the wall of the redoubt had been very nearly gained; 
 some of the dead and dying lay within a few yards of it. 
 A second advance was made against the flank by 
 Howe s division. The Grenadiers and Light Infantry 
 marched close up to the fence, but were unable to carry 
 it. Some of the companies lost as many as nine-tenths 
 of their numbers as soon as they presented themselves. 
 In several instances, not more than three or four men 
 were left in a company, so terrible was the fire. The 
 dead, as Colonel Stark testified, " lay as thick as sheep 
 within a fold." So many of the officers were killed, 
 that for a while Howe was left nearly alone ; yet the 
 struggle was maintained. The guns of the ships in the 
 harbor, and the artillery of the batteries planted on the 
 opposite shore, continued to ply with vigor ; but towards 
 the end of the action the field-pieces were reduced 
 to silence for want of ammunition, and the infantry 
 were left to do their work without the aid which 
 field artillery would have afforded them. The Patriot 
 ammunition also was very nearly exhausted after the 
 defeat of the second attack. The Committee of Safety 
 insisted that every shot ought to kill a man, and that a 
 lavish supply of powder would only tempt the men to 
 neglect accuracy of aim, and thus throw away their fire. 
 They had therefore omitted to furnish fresh supplies, 
 and, although there had been no waste, the stock was 
 now almost at an end. They had but few bayonets 
 among them, and the chances of a third assault looked 
 unpromising for the Patriots. The powder in some 
 artillery cartridges was distributed, and injunctions given 
 not to waste a grain of it. Prescott hoped that, if the 
 British could be repulsed a third time, their rout would 
 be final and complete. Howe was resolved not to be 
 beaten, and he made a fresh disposition of his forces, so 
 as to deliver a simultaneous attack on three sides of 
 the position. He was enabled to do this by an unex- 
 
DF.ATH OK VTA TOR PITPAIBM. 
 
38 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 pected arrival of reinforcements. Clinton, having ob 
 served from Copp s Hill the very critical posture of 
 affairs, had, on his own authority, started for the scene 
 of action at the head of two battalions, including a body 
 of marines. The whole force was now divided between 
 the south, the east, and the north sides of the entrench 
 ment; and the three divisions moved forward to the 
 supreme effort. 
 
 The Patriots had retired to the inner part of the fort, 
 the outer lines being raked by the batteries. Once 
 again they waited with calm self-possession the near ap 
 proach of the enemy ; then, as before, a terrific fire 
 leaped forth with that concentration and regularity 
 which made them the best marksmen in the world. 
 But this time, after a momentary pause, the British, in 
 stead of giving way, sprang forward, without any return 
 volley, to the outer wall. The Patriot fire grew less and 
 less, and presently almost ceased. On the southern 
 side of the redoubt, the front rank of the assailing force 
 scaled the parapet with a rush. Many were shot down ; 
 among them, Major Pitcairn, the officer associated with 
 Lexington, who fell mortally wounded. But the regu 
 lars, now that they had surmounted the breastwork, 
 rushed on with impetuosity. Driven to desperation, 
 and devoid of ammunition, the colonists clubbed their 
 muskets, and struck wildly at the foe, who pressed on, 
 and carried the redoubt at the point of the bayonet. 
 The superiority of the British in numbers was so great, 
 that at four o clock, Prescott was compelled to order a 
 retreat, and the Patriots fled from the position they had 
 so long and gallantly defended, and made in the direc 
 tion of Bunker s Hill. " Nothing," wrote a British 
 officer, " could be more shocking than the carnage that 
 followed the storming of this work. We tumbled over 
 the dead to get at the living, who were crowding out of 
 the gorge of the redoubt in order to form under the 
 
BATTLE OF BUNKER S HILL. 
 
40 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 defenses which they had prepared to cover their retreat." 
 Prescott was the last to leave the fort. Though his coat 
 and waistcoat were rent with bayonet-thrusts, which he 
 parried with his sword, he got off unhurt. The British 
 had burst in, and for a few minutes the redoubt was a 
 mob of raging combatants, wildly intermingled. But 
 the Patriots fought their way out, and escaped under a 
 cloud of dust which their trampling feet beat up from 
 the parched and pulverized soil. Their retreat was 
 aided by the obstinacy with which the Connecticut and 
 New Hampshire companies, under Knowlton and Stark, 
 held the outlying defense in the direction of the Mystic. 
 As soon as the main body had left Breed s Hill, these 
 auxiliaries also retired. Utterly worn out by the events 
 of the day by their two unsuccessful attempts to carry 
 the enemy s entrenchments, and their final success the 
 British could do no more than make a show of pursuit; 
 but the fugitives suffered severely, in passing Charlestovvn 
 Neck, from the cross-fire of two floating batteries and 
 a man-of-war. Of six pieces of artillery, the Patriots 
 were able to carry off but one. The loss was but slight, 
 considering the length and vehemence of the contest. 
 It is set down at 145 killed and missing, and 304 
 wounded. Among the killed was Joseph Warren, one 
 of the most active and distinguished of the Patriots. 
 He was among the last in the trenches, and fell, shot 
 through the head, as the retreat began. The Congress 
 of Massachusetts expressed the sense of the whole 
 country, when it declared its " veneration for Joseph 
 Warren, whose memory is endeared to his countrymen, 
 and to the worthy in every part and age of the world, 
 so long as virtue and valor shall be esteemed among 
 men." 
 
 The cost of the battle on the side of the British was 
 very serious. More than a third of the forces engaged 
 were slain or disabled. The killed were above 220 in 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 4 ! 
 
 number ; the wounded, more than 820. Gage, in his re 
 port of the event, made some observations that must have 
 opened the eyes of English statesmen to the serious 
 nature of the task they had undertaken. He wrote : 
 " The success, which was very necessary in our present 
 
 GENERAL GAGE. 
 
 condition, cost us dear. The number of killed and 
 wounded is greater than our forces can afford to lose. 
 We have lost some extremely good officers. The trials 
 we have had show the rebels are not the despicable rab 
 ble too many have supposed them to be, and I find it 
 owing to a military spirit encouraged among them for a 
 
42 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 few years past, joined with uncommon zeal and enthu 
 siasm. They entrench, and raise batteries; they have 
 engineers. They have fortified all the heights and 
 passes around this town, which it is not impossible for 
 them to annoy. The conquest of this country is not 
 easy ; you have to cope with vast numbers. In all their 
 wars against the French, they never showed so much con 
 duct, attention, and perseverance, as they do now. I think 
 it my duty to let you know the true situation of affairs." 
 The retreat was no worse than such movements com 
 monly are; it was better than some in which disciplined 
 troops have been concerned. The fugitives were met 
 by Putnam on the northern side of Bunker s Hill. He 
 had been trying to collect reinforcements, and now as 
 sumed the command of the discomfited regiments. 
 
 o 
 
 Uniting them with a detachment of fresh troops, he 
 encamped for the night on Prospect Hill. 
 
 The British forces entrenched themselves, on the 
 niiit of Tune 17, at the summit of Breed s Hill, Iving 
 
 o / / * " ^ o 
 
 down on the ground they had conquered. Their vic 
 tory was one of a very barren nature. They were 
 unable to continue the pursuit beyond the isthmus. 
 They had brought their best forces into the field ; more 
 
 J o 
 
 than a third of those engaged lay dead or bleeding, and 
 the survivors were fatigued and overawed by the 
 courage of their adversaries. The battle put an end to 
 all offensive operations on the part of Gage. 
 
 Though termed a defeat in military language, it had 
 all the effect of a great moral victory. From it the 
 Patriots acquired self-confidence and self-reliance. 
 They convinced their adversaries that they could fight ; 
 and to the nations of Europe they presented the 
 spectacle of a united people, resolved to establish their 
 independence at whatever cost of bloodshed. Frank 
 lin, on hearing of the event, wrote to his friends in 
 England that Great Britain has lost her colonies forever. 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 4* 
 
 SIEGE OF BOSTON (April 19, 1775, to March 17, 1776). 
 At the very same time that the forces of New Eng 
 land were withstanding British troops in the vicinity 
 of Boston, the Continental Congress was engaged in 
 nominating four Major-Generals to act under Washing 
 ton in command of the regiments that were to be 
 raised by the whole of the provinces. The first of 
 these was Artemas Ward, who, notwithstanding his 
 age and infirmities, answered, " I always have been and 
 am still ready to devote my life in attempting to 
 deliver my native country." The second was Charles 
 Lee, an officer in the Royal army who quitted England 
 because preferment had been denied to him. He had 
 seen service in Portugal, Poland, and Turkey ; never 
 theless he was an unfortunate selection. He was a 
 man of ambitious desires and jealous disposition, 
 gloomy and irritable, and too prone to aristocratic and 
 despotic ideas in politics to work harmoniously with the 
 democratic institutions then taking shape here. The 
 third was Philip Schuyler of New York; a man of 
 great consideration in his own province, of high charac 
 ter, and unquestioned patriotism ; yet in some respects 
 unsuited to military command. Israel Putnam, of 
 Connecticut, was the fourth selection. He was famous 
 for deeds of personal prowess ; and his acknowledged 
 courage, adventurous life, and ardent support of the 
 rights of the colonies had made him very popular with 
 the people. 
 
 Horatio Gates was made an Adjutant-General with 
 the rank of Brigadier. He had served in the British 
 army. Besides these, eight brigadier-generals were 
 appointed : Seth Pomroy, of Massachusetts ; Richard 
 Montgomery, of New York ; David Wooster, of Con 
 necticut ; William Heath, of Massachusetts; Joseph 
 Spencer, of Connecticut; John Thomas, of Massachu 
 setts ; John Sullivan, of New Hampshire ; and 
 
44 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Nathaniel Greene, of Rhode Island : all, with one ex 
 ception, men of New England birth. Montgomery was 
 an Irishman. 
 
 Washington quitted Philadelphia June 23, 1775, and 
 on July 2 reached the camp before Boston, where his 
 great organizing genius was exercised in getting into 
 form and consistency the chaotic mass of raw material 
 of which the Patriot army consisted. 
 
 The opposing armies were encamped very near one 
 another. The British occupied not only Boston, but 
 the whole of Charlestown peninsula, their sentries ex 
 tending a short distance beyond the Neck. Redoubts 
 and batteries were scattered about, and 7000 highly 
 disciplined and seasoned troops stood prepared for any 
 further action. The Patriots were posted in a semi-circle 
 from the west end of Dorchester to Maiden, a distance 
 of nine miles. The centre of the line was at Cam 
 bridge, where Ward commanded ; and all about the 
 little towns, and country ways, and steep passes between 
 hill and hill, were defensive works, contrived with great 
 tact. Some of the men were lodged in tents ; others 
 in huts, made of boards, sailcloth, turf, brushwood, 
 reeds, or anything that came to hand; others, again, 
 in regular dwelling-houses. 
 
 The men were kept at labor even on Sundays, 
 strengthening the lines, and fortifying weak places. 
 These engineering works were planned and executed by 
 Henry Knox, of Boston, who had been appointed to 
 the command of a battalion of artillery, and who in 
 time introduced so much improvement into the 
 American ordnance, that some of the best judges in 
 Europe expressed their admiration of his genius. The 
 whole number of effectives under Washington were 
 about 14,000. Of these many were very inferior 
 soldiers; but altogether, the force \vhen organized 
 promised well for the future of the colonies. There was 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 
 
 45 
 
 a deal of excellent material ; and it only needed educat 
 ing and the stern rigors of command. 
 
 As winter wore on, the difficulties of Washington in 
 creased ; for his army was still raw and undisciplined, 
 his resources grew less with the growing de 
 mands on them, and the distracted counsels of his sub- 
 
 GENERAL WILLIAM HOWE. 
 
 ordinates were more than ever bewildering and vexa 
 tious. He had obtained some guns and a stock of 
 powder, and would have advanced over the ice to 
 Boston, or approached it in boats, if he could have 
 gained the co-operation of his officers; but, finding his 
 project was not supported, he was obliged to content 
 
4 6 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 himself with watching the enemy and maturing plans 
 for the future. The British commanders were expecting 
 reinforcements, and contemplating a removal to New 
 York when they should receive them. Washington re 
 solved to furnish his opponents with employment of a 
 serious character; and he now conceived the design of 
 occupying Dorchester Heights, a line of hills stretching 
 along a peninsula to the south of Boston, the possession 
 of which would give him the command of the city, and 
 to some extent of the harbor. He hoped in this way 
 to bring on a -general action, by compelling Howe to 
 attempt his expulsion from a position of so important a 
 nature; and it was part of his design to take advantage 
 of the struggle to cross with a portion of his forces 
 from the Cambridge side of the river Charles, and 
 attack Boston itself. The Patriot army now amounted 
 to 14,000 men, reckoning those who were regarded as 
 regular troops ; and, in addition to these, Washington 
 had called into active service about 6000 of the Massa 
 chusetts militia. The available forces under Howe were 
 about 8000 men. Boston was literally a trap to the 
 British forces confined there, and Howe was anxious 
 for the moment when he could quit the locality and gain 
 the more loyal province of New York, whence opera 
 tions could be conducted with greater prospect of suc 
 cess. 
 
 Washington opened proceedings on March 5th, the an 
 niversary of "the Boston Massacre." On the nights of 
 March 2d, 3d, and 4th, he bombarded the British lines, 
 as a means of diverting attention from his real object. 
 During the night of the 4th, under cover of darkness, 
 and of the cannonade which was vigorously kept up 
 from several points, and as warmly replied to by the 
 British, though without much effect on either side, 
 Washington moved towards the high ground which he 
 proposed to occupy. His dispositions had been made 
 
IN AND AROUND BOSTON. 47 
 
 with great skill, and every man beforehand was 
 thoroughly instructed in his work. The troops were 
 accompanied by carts with trenching tools, and bundles 
 of screwed hay were sent over the frozen marshes, to be 
 used in the construction of works of defense in default 
 of earth, which could not be obtained owing to the 
 frozen state of the ground. The unceasing roar of the 
 great guns, and the whizzing of shells as they cut their 
 way through the dark and frozen air, drowned the noise 
 of Washington s troops moving from the vicinity of 
 Cambridge to that of Dorchester. This great advantage 
 was obtained at a cost of but two men, and of the 
 bursting of five mortars. Having gained the Heights, 
 the Patriots worked with unflinching assiduity, and the 
 teams of bullock-wagons went to and fro, bringing up 
 fresh supplies for the works. At three o clock on the 
 morning of the 5th, the first working party was relieved ; 
 and by dawn, when at length the bombardment ceased, 
 a formidable line of fortifications was apparent to the as 
 tonished eyes of Howe and his army. On each of the 
 two hills where Washington had taken his station, 
 strong redoubts had been run up ; the foot of the ridge 
 was protected by an abatis of felled trees ; and at the 
 top were several barrels filled with earth and stones, 
 which could be tolled down on the advancing lines. 
 
 Howe exclaimed that the besiegers had done more 
 in a night than his men would have accomplished in a 
 month. He resolved, by the advice of a council of war, 
 to attack the enemy at once. Admiral Shuldham, who 
 commanded the fleet, declared that unless the New 
 Englanders were dislodged he could not keep a ship in 
 the harbor. Howe was encouraged in his determination 
 to assault the lines (hazardous as he confessed the enter 
 prise to be) by the ardor of his troops, who, as he re 
 ported, were eager to try conclusions with n foe they 
 had already vanquished, though with difficulty, a* 
 
48 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Breed s Hill. Under the direction of Earl Percy 2400 
 men were placed. The Patriots seeing what was designed, 
 were animated with the hope of inflicting a severe 
 defeat on their adversaries. Washington exclaimed to 
 those about him, "Remember the 5th of March! 
 Avenge the death of your brethren ! " Percy delayed 
 scaling the heights until nightfall, and in the afternoon a 
 violent storm of wind arose, which continued during the 
 night, and, on the morning of the 6th rain fell in 
 torrents and prevented any attempts being made. A 
 council of war was held by Howe, and it was agreed 
 that it was now impossible to expel the Patriots from 
 their position, and that the speedy evacuation of Boston 
 had become a necessity. He found himself out-gen- 
 eralled by an officer whom he regarded as a mere 
 amateur in the art of war. 
 
 Early in the morning of March 1 7th, it was seen 
 that a breastwork had been constructed during the 
 night on Nook s Hill, a part of the Dorchester range 
 which commands Boston Neck and the southern quar 
 ter of the town, and as any further delay would have 
 been highly dangerous, it was resolved to move as soon 
 as possible. The adherents of the Royal cause were 
 offered a passage to Nova Scotia ; but the prospect of 
 exile to such dreary lands seemed more wretched and 
 alarming than the expected ill-usage of the victorious 
 Patriots. There was no time to come to terms with the 
 enemy as to their future condition, and several were left 
 to their fate. 
 
 At four o clock on the morning of March i8th, the 
 British army, accompanied by about 2OOO of their loyal 
 sympathizers, began to embark, and before ten they 
 were all on board the 120 transports, and under way, so 
 great was the despatch. Ere leaving, they dismantled, 
 and in part demolished, the fort called Castle William; 
 but the barracks were left as they stood, with a large 
 
JO THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 quantity of cannon and ammunition, which proved of 
 the greatest service to Washington. Howe neglected 
 to give information to ships from England that the town 
 was now in the hands of the rebels, and several English 
 store-ships, containing munitions of war, sailed into the 
 harbor and were seized by the Patriots ; and one vessel 
 conveying 700 troops shared the same fate. The re 
 maining royalists of Boston were brought to trial, found 
 guilty, and their effects were confiscated and turned to 
 the benefit of the cause. 
 
 As the rear-guard of the British army quitted Boston, 
 the Patriot vanguard under Putnam marched in. They 
 found marks of hasty flight everywhere; for the enemy 
 had left behind him, not merely guns and gunpowder, 
 but large quantities of wheat, barley, and oats, a hundred 
 and fifty cavalry horses, and bedding and clothing for 
 soldiers. Washington entered Boston on the iQth.and 
 the main body of the army followed on the 2Oth. Six 
 of his best regiments were at once despatched to New 
 York, and preparations were made to repel any possible 
 attack on Boston itself. 
 
 Thus ended the "siege of Boston;" and Washing 
 ton sought in the neighborhood of New York addi 
 tional strength for the cause of his country. 
 
 Bancroft says : " Never was so great a result obtained 
 at so small a cost of human life. The putting of the 
 British army to flight was the first decisive victory of 
 the industrious middling class over the most powerful 
 representatives of mediaeval aristocracy ; and the whole 
 number of New England men killed in the siege after 
 Washington took the command was less than twenty ; 
 the liberation of New England cost altogether less than 
 2OO lives in battle ; and the triumphant general, as he 
 looked around, enjoyed the serenest delight, for he saw 
 no mourners among those who greeted his entry aftei 
 his bloodless victory." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 TlCONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT (May IO, 1775). 
 
 WHILE passing through Hartford, on April 29, 17/5, 
 the " arch rebels," Samuel Adams and John Hancock, 
 secretly met the Governor and Council, to settle the 
 details of an expedition to surprise Ticonderoga. The 
 plan had originated with the Green Mountain Boys a 
 body of active Patriots recently formed in Vermont, from 
 the name of which colony they took their name. Ethan 
 Allen a man who had formerly been outlawed by the 
 government of New York for encouraging the people 
 of Vermont to assert their independence of that prov 
 ince was to be one of the leaders of the attack, and 
 Connecticut was to furnish the necessary funds. 
 
 A few men were got together in Massachusetts, and 
 word was quickly spread through the hills of Vermont 
 that the attempt was forthwith to be made. 100 of the 
 Green Mountain Boys joined the volunteers from Mas 
 sachusetts on May 7th, and elected Ethan Allen as their 
 chief, in spite of a commission from the Massachusetts 
 Committee of Safety, which conferred the command on 
 Benedict Arnold. On the following day, the party 
 began their march. Near Orwell, which was reached 
 late on the 9th, a few boats were discovered, and 83 
 men crossed the narrow waters between Lakes George 
 and Champlain, and, guided by a farmer s son, who was 
 well acquainted with the fort and its vicinity, landed not 
 far from the position. As several of the men were thus 
 
 Independence 4 (5l) 
 
52 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 left behind, the boats were sent back to bring up the 
 rest; but it was found impossible to wait for them, lest 
 the expedition should be discovered, and the advantages 
 
 JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. 
 
 of a surprise be missed. In the early morning of the 
 loth, Allen drew up his men in three ranks on the 
 slopes of the high ground, and thus addressed them: 
 " Friends and fellow-soldiers, we must this morning quit 
 
TICONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT. 
 
 53 
 
 our pretensions to valor, or possess ourselves of this 
 fortress ; and, inasmuch as it is a desperate attempt, I 
 do not urge it on, contrary to will. You that will under- 
 
 SAMUEL ADAMS, OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 take it voluntarily, poise your firelock." Not a man 
 hung back, every firelock was poised, and Allen then 
 led his little band up to the gate of the fortress. Through 
 
54 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the wicket, which was open, the Patriots rushed into the 
 enclosure with a cry as of Indians, and formed on the 
 parade in such a way as to face each of the barracks. 
 After a slight skirmish with cutlasses, one of the sen 
 tries, who had been slightly wounded, surrendered him 
 self, and volunteered to show the way to the apartment 
 of the commandant, Delaplace. "Come forth instantly, 
 or I will sacrifice the whole garrison ! " cried Ethan 
 Allen, as he reached the door. On being summoned to 
 come forth, that officer presented himself half-dressed, 
 and with his breeches in his hand, having had no time 
 to dress, he asked Allen by what authority he demanded 
 a surrender, and was answered, "In tJie name of the 
 Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress ! " The 
 " Continental Congress " did not meet for organization 
 until six hours afterwards, and its " authority " was yet 
 scarcely recognized, even by the Patriots in the field. 
 Delaplace remonstrated, but Allen interrupted him, and, 
 with his drawn sword over his head, again demanded 
 the surrender of the garrison, with which he complied, 
 and ordered his men to be paraded without arms, for 
 that purpose. 
 
 Thus Ticonderoga, which cost the British nation forty 
 millions of dollars, a succession of campaigns, and 
 many lives, was won in ten minutes by a few undisci 
 plined volunteers, without the loss of life or limb. 
 
 With the fortress were taken nearly 50 prisoners, who 
 were sent to Connecticut ; and they gained one thirteen- 
 inch mortar, more than 100 pieces of cannon, and a 
 number of swivels, stores, and small arms. 
 
 Flushed with their sudden success, and strangers to 
 discipline, the Green Mountain Boys at once proceeded 
 to plunder and destroy private property, and to commit 
 other outrages. Against all this Arnold earnestly remon 
 strated, when he was reminded that he was a commander 
 only by courtesy, and his authority was openly denied. 
 
TICONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT. 
 
 55 
 
 On the next day (May 12, 1775,) a party of men 
 under Seth Warner took possession of Crown Point, 
 which, with its garrison of 12 men, surrendered upon 
 the first summons, in pieces of artillery, of various 
 
 GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. 
 
 sizes and conditions, were added to the trophies of the 
 expedition. 
 
 Another party, acting under Arnold s orders, suc 
 ceeded in making a prisoner of Skene, a dangerous 
 British agent, and his Tory retainers, and in getting pos- 
 
56 THE BATTLES ~OF AMERICA. 
 
 session of Skenesborough, now known as Whitehall. 
 They also captured a small schooner, with which they 
 sailed down the lake. Arnold, with 50 of his men, 
 armed the schooner, and proceeded with her to St. 
 John s, on the Sorel River, where the King s sloop-of- 
 war, " The George III," mounting 16 guns, and a sup 
 ply of provisions, was known to be. 
 
 About the same time, desiring to share the honor 
 which he saw awaited Arnold s expedition, Allen, with 
 60 men, embarked in bateaux also for St. John s. 
 
 Arnold approached the fort at St. John s, which he 
 surprised, taking the garrison prisoners ; seized the 
 sloop, which was laden with prisoners, and awaited a 
 fair wind for Ticonderoga ; captured four bateaux, and 
 destroyed five others ; removed a portion of the stores 
 from the fort, and, with his prisoners, re-embarked for 
 Ticonderoga. 
 
 Arnold, laden with his spoils, met Allen about 15 
 miles above St. John s. The latter went on boar6 
 Arnold s sloop, and received information of the situa 
 tion of St. John s, and some provisions, and, contrary 
 to Arnold s advice, determined to proceed to St. John s 
 and take possession of the fort. The enemy had been 
 reinforced and he met an attack from 200 men, with six 
 field-pieces. He made no resistance but took to his 
 boats and returned to Ticonderoga, with the loss of 
 three men taken prisoners. 
 
 Thus, in a few days, a handful of undisciplined men, 
 with small-arms only, and without a single bayonet, in 
 a series of bold exploits, and without the loss or serious 
 injury of a man, had secured artillery and stores for 
 the infant cause of freedom, and secured the great 
 highway leading to His Majesty s Canadian dominions. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 IN AND AROUND NEW YORK. 
 
 THE British sailed away from Boston on March 18, 
 1776. On the fourth day of July, following, the Con 
 tinental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independ 
 ence. This act was a formal separation of the United 
 Colonies from England. It was signed by 56 represent 
 atives of the Old 13 States, from New Hampshire to 
 Georgia. It was read at the head of the army, pro 
 claimed in all the States, and received by the people 
 everywhere with great joy. 
 
 After the evacuation of Boston by the British, 
 Washington and his army moved towards New York 
 City, and prepared for its defense, believing that would 
 be the next point that Howe would seek to occupy. 
 The most numerous supporters of the British connec 
 tion were there ; the eastern counties containing a very 
 considerable party opposed to the designs of the revolu 
 tionists. The proximity of a powerful fleet gave confi 
 dence to these royalists. The passage to the city, both 
 by the East and North Rivers, had been defended by 
 strong entrenchments, by chains, and sunken vessels, 
 and other obstructions. 
 
 Howe arrived from Halifax on June 28 the remain 
 der of the fleet following within a week and established 
 his headquarters at Staten Island, opposite New York. 
 Washington had under his command about 1 1,000 men, 
 
 (57) 
 
5 g THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 of whom 2000 had no arms at all, while others were 
 but poorly furnished. This force was quite inadequate 
 to the work required of it ; but Washington repelled 
 all promptings of despondency. His military position 
 in July, 1776, was decidedly grave; but he confronted 
 the dangers of the time with that unruffled serenity 
 which was one of his finest characteristics. 
 
 Howe s reinforcements arrived about the middle of 
 August. He had been joined by detachments under 
 Clinton and Cornwallis ; by several regiments from 
 England, the West Indies, and the Floridas ; and by a 
 number of " Hessians." Of these mercenaries, the 
 Landgrave of Hesse furnished 12,000, while 5000 were 
 supplied by the Duke of Brunswick and other petty 
 sovereigns. A more cold-blooded contract was never 
 signed. To England it was discreditable; to the Ger 
 man Powers concerned it was disgraceful. 
 
 Howe had under his orders nearly 30,000 men, and 
 the assistance of a powerful fleet, which was peculiarly 
 serviceable in operations against a city like New York, 
 capable of being approached by water from several 
 directions. 
 
 LONG ISLAND. The Patriots were posted partly in 
 New York and partly on Long Island. The command 
 on the island was in the hands of General Greene an 
 officer of great ability, unimpeachable courage, and 
 much zeal ; but he was unfortunately stricken with a 
 raging fever at the very time when his judgment and 
 vigor was most needed. General Sullivan was appointed 
 to fill his place. 
 
 On August 22, 1776, under cover of a sharp fire from 
 the fleet, Howe crossed over from Staten Island, on the 
 west, to Long Island, on the east. On the 27th, the 
 battle of Long Island was fought near Brooklyn. The 
 Patriots were defeated, and Washington withdrew his 
 
r^sr^^^v 
 READING TILE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE ARMY. 
 
6o 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 troops from Brooklyn, leaving the whole of Long Island 
 in the hands of the British. Washington made a stand 
 at Harlem Heights, in the northern part of the city, but 
 as he was not strong enough to hold New York, it 
 was soon evacuated. Fort Washington, above New 
 York, with 2700 prisoners of war, was next captured by 
 the British on November 16, 1776. Washington who 
 was near enough to the attack to view- several parts of 
 
 it, cried like a child at 
 seeing so many of his 
 soldiers bayoneted. 
 
 The battle was, in re 
 ality, a series of skir 
 mishes. The entire 
 strength of the Patriots 
 did not exceed 5000 
 men, while that of the 
 enemy was not less 
 than 15,000. The loss 
 of the Patriots in killed, 
 wounded, and prisoners 
 was nearly 1200 men, 
 more than 1000 of 
 whom were held as 
 prisoners in the enemy s 
 camp. The British loss 
 in killed, wounded and 
 prisoners was 365 men. 
 
 Howe acted with more vigor and promptitude than 
 he generally displayed, and his success was quickly fol 
 lowed up. He attacked Fort Lee, on the New Jersey 
 side of the river, nearly opposite Fort Washington, and 
 compelled its evacuation. Greene, who commanded at 
 the fort, escaped with the main body of the garrison ; 
 but the heavy artillery and the baggage fell into the 
 hands of the British. 
 
 GKNERAL SULLIVAN. 
 
GENERAL NATHANIEL GREENE. 
 
 6l 
 
5 2 THE BATTLE* *f AMERICA. 
 
 Washington now dreaded an advance on Philadelphia, 
 where the Continental Congress was assembled. 
 Closely pursued by Cornwallis, he fell back from town 
 to town, and ultimately reached Trenton, where he 
 crossed the Delaware, taking up a favorable post on the 
 western or Pennsylvania shore. Of men fit for duty, 
 he had now no more than 3000, and his situation was 
 so desperate that, while on the march, he had written 
 earnest letters to the Governor of New Jersey and to 
 Congress, soliciting reinforcements. Cornwallis made 
 no attempt to cross the river, but, in order to secure the 
 possession of New Jersey, formed a chain of canton 
 ments at Pennington, Trenton, Bordentown, and Bur 
 lington. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA (1775-1776). 
 
 CANADA, in the early days of the Revolution, lay 
 open to the influences of both antagonists. It was 
 in military possession of the British ; but the Patriots 
 were not inclined to let it rest in that state, and 
 considered that it might be made subservient to the 
 general cause. On June 27, 1775, General Philip Schuy- 
 ler was instructed to proceed without delay to Ticonde- 
 roga, thence to advance on Canada, and to take posses 
 sion of St. John s and Montreal. 
 
 Following out the instructions which he had re 
 ceived from Congress, Schuyler caused a number of 
 boats to be built at Ticonderoga for the transport of 
 his troops into the dominion of Quebec. He sent an 
 emissary across the border, to collect information as to 
 the state of the country and the disposition of the 
 people ; and this agent, on his return about the middle 
 of August, 1775, reported that the inhabitants were 
 friendly, that the regular troops in the country were not 
 above 700, and that the militia, which were of British 
 origin, refused to serve under French officers. The 
 account thus given was too sanguine ; but in some 
 matters it was correct, and it encouraged Schuyler to 
 push on his preparations with great energy. He had 
 for his second in command the enthusiastic and daring 
 Irishman, Richard Montgomery, formerly an officer 
 
 (63) 
 
64 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 in the British army, who, settling in New York, had be 
 come thoroughly imbued with American ideas, and was 
 made a Major-General in the Patriot army. 
 
 On his arrival at Ticonderoga, he was left for a time 
 at the head of the forces there, Schuyler taking the op 
 portunity to depart for Saratoga, that he might enter 
 into negotiations with the Indians. This caused some 
 delay in the starting of the expedition ; but at length 
 Montgomery, fearing that the neighboring waters might 
 be occupied by British vessels if he stayed too long, 
 determined to advance on his own authority at the head 
 of 1000 men. By September 3 he had arrived at Isle 
 La Motte, on Lake Champlain, and on the follow 
 ing day he was joined by Schuyler, with whom he pro 
 ceeded farther into the country. On the 6th the two 
 commanders were at St. John s, and, in marching towards 
 the castle, had a trifling encounter with a party of 
 Indians. Schuyler proposed to a council of war to re 
 treat to Isle aux Noix, which he had occupied two 
 or three days before. The suggestion was adopted, and 
 the backward movement performed. Montgomery, see 
 ing the necessity of a more vigorous rule, induced 
 Schuyler to abandon the active command, and embark 
 for Ticonderoga, leaving the chief direction in his 
 hands. 
 
 St. John s was now invested with vigor. Mont 
 gomery received frequent additions to his forces, and 
 Schuyler, proving himself a good commissariat officer, 
 however poor a general, kept them well supplied with 
 food. A siege could not be actively prosecuted for 
 want of powder ; but the fortress was surrounded, and 
 effectually cut off from succor. Ethan Allen was one 
 of the officers under Montgomery. He was de 
 spatched to Chambly, to raise a corps of Canadians, and, 
 having recruited a certain number of men, he was 
 persuaded by them to attempt the surprise of Montreal, 
 
GENERAL RICHARD MONTGOMERY. 
 
66 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 which he thought might be as easy a feat as that which, 
 by a happy stroke, he had been able to accomplish 
 on the morning of the loth of May. Accordingly, at 
 the head of eighty Canadians and thirty Anglo-Ameri 
 cans, he started on the night of September 24, from 
 Longueil, and proceeded to Long Point. Some rein 
 forcements which he expected were not forthcoming; 
 retreat was by this time impossible ; and Allen had 
 no alternative but to withstand as well as he could the 
 attack which was speedily made upon him. Some 500 
 men, consisting of regulars, Canadians, Indians, and 
 English civilians, assaulted his position, which he de 
 fended with considerable gallantry for nearly two hours. 
 He was then compelled to surrender, with all his, men 
 who could not escape. Heavily ironed, he was sent to 
 England, where he was imprisoned for a short time, and 
 then carried back to America, while the others, shackled 
 together in pairs, were sent to labor in transports on the 
 St. Lawrence, that "they might learn for the future not 
 to attempt the impossible." 
 
 The easy defeat of Allen must have tended to cheer 
 the spirits of Carleton, the British Governor, who had 
 been taking a very gloomy view of the state of affairs. 
 The British troops under his orders were a mere hand 
 ful, and he wrote to the commander at Boston that 
 Canada was on the eve of being overrun and subdued. 
 
 Carleton endeavored to augment his forces by enlist 
 ing Canadians and Indians ; but the former deserted in 
 squads. The savages would probably have been excited 
 to vigorous action, had Carleton consented to let them 
 loose on the rebel provinces ; but this he refused, because 
 of the atrocities which he knew would be committed. 
 The Indians of the Six Nations wished to make an 
 immediate attack on Ticonderoga and Crown Point; 
 but the proposal was rejected. Carleton was therefore 
 compelled to remain on the defensive; and the Patriots, 
 
Independence 5 
 
68 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA, 
 
 Burning his inaction to their own advantage, laid siege 
 to the fort of Chambly, which, after an attack of about 36 
 hours duration, surrendered on October 18. Seven 
 teen cannon and six tons of powder fell to the lot of the 
 Patriots, and enabled them to proceed against St. John s 
 with more effect. Carleton endeavored to raise the 
 siege ; but his force was driven back in attempting to 
 cross the St. Lawrence, and his subordinate, Colonel 
 Allan Maclean, with whom he had been trying to form 
 a junction, retired to Quebec. The fort of St. John s sur 
 rendered on November 3, and the garrison of 600 men 
 marched out with the honors of war. The situation 
 appeared to Carleton so desperate that he determined to 
 abandon Montreal; and on November 1 1, he embarked, 
 with 100 regulars and Canadians, on board some small 
 vessels in the port, and set sail for Quebec. Finding 
 that his passage of the river was likely to be disputed, 
 he disguised himself, on the night of the l6th, in the 
 dress of a fisherman, entered a whale-boat, and was 
 paddled with muffled oars down the island-studded 
 current to Quebec, which he reached on the iQth. The 
 day after he had left Montreal, that city surrendered 
 without opposition to Montgomery, who straightway 
 issued a proclamation to the Canadians, urging them to 
 elect representatives to the Continental Congress, and 
 unite themselves with the Federation of the South. 
 
 The chief struggle was to take place before Quebec, 
 against which city Washington directed a large force 
 under the command of Benedict Arnold. He had been 
 a trader, but had joined the army, for which he had 
 great natural aptitude, being courageous, enterprising, 
 and intelligent. The army placed under his command 
 consisted of ten companies of New England infantry, 
 one of riflemen from Virginia, and two from Pennsyl 
 vania, amounting altogether to about IIOO men. This 
 force left the camp before Boston on the evening of Sep- 
 
fHE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA. 
 
 69 
 
 tember 13, and pushed on northwards with as much 
 rapidity as the nature of the ground permitted. Their 
 route, as soon as they had got into Maine, lay through 
 a woody and almost desert country, and, for a portion 
 of the way, up the Kennebec. This river they ascended 
 in small boats, working against the current, which flowed 
 with such extraordinary force as frequently to compel 
 the men to wade up to their waists in water, hauling 
 their boats after them, or carrying them on their backs 
 round cataracts, over crags, and across morasses. 
 Arnold wrote to Washington that you might have mis 
 taken his troops for amphibious animals. On quitting 
 the Kennebec, the road lay through dense and gloomy 
 forests, where the companies would probably have been 
 lost, had not an exploring party of seven men, who had 
 been sent in advance, indicated the proper route by 
 "blazing "the trees (that is, cutting white marks on 
 them by the removal of the bark) and lopping the 
 bushes. Then again they came to a region of swamps, 
 overgrown with brambles and white moss, into which 
 the soldiers often sank knee-deep. This dismal country 
 is that which extends between the Kennebec and the 
 Dead River. The latter stream was reached by Arnold 
 on October 13, a month after the starting of the expedi 
 tion, and by the main body of the army two days later. 
 Following its course, they traversed a distance of 83 
 miles, passing seventeen falls, and having to encounter 
 a series of ponds, choked with the trunks of trees. 
 Thus, after many more days of toil, they reached the 
 carrying-place to the Chaudiere. But the labors and 
 sufferings of the troops were not yet over; and the men 
 were now disheartened by hearing of the defection of 
 Roger Enos, the second in command, who had returned 
 to Cambridge, together with his three companies, form 
 ing the rear-guard of the army. 
 
 Notwithstanding this depressing intelligence, the main 
 
^o THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 body struggled on, though sickness had now set in, and 
 many deserted their colors. November was close at 
 hand ; winter had already begun ; the cold was intense, 
 and the men were ill-prepared to meet it. Their clothes 
 had become so torn by the briary woods through which 
 they had passed that they were almost naked ; some 
 went barefoot for many days. Tempests of icy rain 
 whistled about them, and at night they had no other 
 covering than branches of evergreens. Each division 
 had taken with it food for 45 days; but this had now 
 run out. During the latter part of the march, several 
 dogs were killed and eaten, and leather, soaked in water, 
 was not disdained as a last resource in the agonies of 
 famine. Many of the unfortunate soldiers died of cold 
 and hunger, and no prospect of relief was in sight. In 
 descending the Chaudiere, which courses rapidly through 
 a rocky channel, three of the boats were upset, and a 
 quantity of ammunition and stores was lost On No 
 vember 2, those weary and starving men were delighted 
 at seeing some French Canadians driving before them 
 five oxen ; and on the 4th they descried a house, which 
 was the first they had seen for 31 days. They had by 
 this time advanced into a cultivated and inhabited 
 country, and the extremity of their sufferings was at an 
 end. Their emergence from the wilderness astonished 
 the Canadians, who had long regarded that dreary tract 
 of country as impenetrable. With re-animated spirits 
 they marched on towards Quebec ; but their approach 
 was already known in the city. Some of Arnold s com 
 munications to the Canadians, which were to have been 
 distributed by friendly Indians, had been intercepted, 
 and the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec lost no time in 
 strengthening the walls and augmenting the defences. 
 The capital of Canada was therefore, by the seconci 
 week of November, in a good position to meet the 
 expected attack. 
 
72 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Point Levi, lying on the St. Lawrence, south of the 
 Isle of Orleans, and opposite to Quebec, was reached 
 by Arnold on November 10, but he was unable to cross 
 at once, as all the boats had been removed. He there 
 fore set to work collecting canoes and making ladders; 
 and on the I3th, at nine o clock in the evening, he began 
 his embarkation. Not more than 30 canoes were in his 
 possession, and it was found necessary to cross the river 
 three times to carry over the bulk of the army. The 
 darkness of night favored the operation, and Arnold 
 and his men arrived undiscovered at Wolfe s Cove. 
 150 soldiers had been left at Point Levi, and the number 
 who now stood beneath the Heights of Abraham was 
 about 700 men. Success, under the circumstances of 
 the case, was hopeless. The men were exhausted with 
 their long and toilsome march ; they had no cannon ; 
 their muskets were damaged, and their powder and 
 cartridges in bad condition. Nevertheless, they deter 
 mined to make the attempt. Ascending the steep and 
 jagged path by which Wolfe had gained the elevated 
 plateau in 1759, they found themselves by morning on 
 the plain which stretches towards Quebec. Arnold 
 sent a flag to demand the surrender of the place ; but 
 the flag was not received, and the city evinced no desire 
 to capitulate to a mob of ragged and half-starved men. 
 Arnold, after making an assault on one of the gates of 
 the city, in which he was repulsed with loss, and finding 
 that his troops had no more than five rounds of ammu 
 nition to each man, retired to Point aux Trembles, 20 
 miles above Quebec, and between that city and Montreal. 
 
 The defences of Quebec were excellent; but the 
 number of soldiers within the walls was few. A small 
 reinforcement, however, had arrived on November 12, 
 when Colonel Maclean, who had fallen back from Fort 
 Chambly, entered the city at the head of 170 men, 
 levied chiefly among the Highlanders settled in Canada. 
 
THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA. 73 
 
 Two ships of war were in the harbor, and the crews 
 of merchant-vessels were detained to aid in the defence. 
 The arrival of General Carleton on the I9th cheered 
 the spirits of the garrison. His first act was to order 
 all who would not join in the defence to quit the city 
 within four days. The governor had now under his 
 command nearly 1800 men, of whom about 300 
 were regular soldiers. With these were combined 
 485 seamen and marines, several militia men, and a 
 number of civilians pressed for the service. Mont 
 gomery was organizing his own legions for an attack on 
 this force, if he could tempt it out into the open 
 country, or on its stronghold, if he could not. It was 
 a desperate enterprise, for he had no siege-guns, and his 
 men were very far from being disciplined troops. 
 Several of his hasty levies had by this time deserted 
 him, yielding to that feeling of homesickness which was 
 so commonly found among small farmers and comfortable 
 husbandmen. Moreover, the engagements of the New 
 Englanders terminated on the last day of the year ; it 
 was feared that they would not voluntarily remain any 
 longer ; and it was therefore imperative to act at once, 
 if anything was to be even attempted. Resolving to 
 dare the utmost, Montgomery, on November 26, left 
 Montreal with three armed schooners, carrying artillery 
 and 300 troops. Before quitting the city, he made a 
 public declaration that, on his return, he would call 
 a convention of the Canadian people. 
 
 A junction with Arnold, at Point aux Trembles, was 
 effected on December 3, and on the 5th the united 
 force, consisting of loo Anglo-Americans, and about 
 200 Canadian volunteers, appeared before Quebec. To 
 Montgomery it seemed possible to carry the place by 
 storm, though he knew that the loss of life must neces 
 sarily be great. The Lower Town was not so strongly 
 defended as the Upper ; it was there, if it was anywhere, 
 
74 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 tiiatthe fortifications were vulnerable. Still, the attempt 
 was terribly hazardous. Montgomery sent a flag of truce 
 to the city, with a demand for its surrender ; but Carleton 
 fired on the flag, and refused to enter into any negotia 
 tions with the " rebels." A battery was then begun on 
 the Heights of Abraham, near the gate cf St. John. 
 Montgomery, in writing to General Wooster, said that 
 he expected no other advantage from his artillery than 
 to amuse the enemy and to blind him as to the real de 
 sign. In default of earth, which could not be obtained, 
 owing to the severe frost, the gabions and fascines were 
 filled with snow, on which large quantities of water 
 were poured, so that in a moment a solid mass of 
 ice was produced. The siege, however, was a mere 
 delusion. The shot thrown by the artillery was too 
 light to effect a breach, or do any material damage, 
 though the batteries were not more than 700 yards 
 from the walls; and the guns, which were all of small 
 calibre, were dismounted and injured by the return fire 
 of the besieged. Disease of the lungs and small-pox 
 thinned the ranks of Montgomery s army, and the sea 
 son fought against them with weapons more deadly 
 even than those which Carleton could command. If 
 that officer could only be drawn out into the open field, 
 he might be beaten ; but he was too well acquainted with 
 what had happened to Montcalm, when he rashly 
 quitted the city and encountered the forces of Wolfe, to 
 repeat that fatal error. It was evident, therefore, that 
 nothing remained butthe forlorn hope of an escalade. A 
 council of war, held on the evening of the i6th, decided, 
 by a large majority, that an assault should be made as 
 soon as the necessary preparations could be completed. 
 The weather became every day more terrible in its 
 severity. On the 3Oth, a heavy snow storm set in ; and 
 Montgomery, considering that the obscurity of the 
 atmosphere would favor the contemplated movement, 
 
THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA. 
 
 75 
 
 gave orders for the troops to be ready for the assault at 
 two o clock on the following morning, when the men 
 behaved with the utmost courage and resolution. In 
 order that they might recognize one another, each 
 soldier was to wear in his cap a piece of white paper ; 
 and some of them inscribed this placard with the words, 
 " Liberty or Death ! " The forces were divided into 
 two columns, the chief of which was led by Mont 
 gomery himself, while the second was under the com 
 mand of Arnold. But each of these bodies was sub 
 divided and sent towards various quarters, so that the gar 
 rison might be simultaneously alarmed along the whole 
 line of their defences. Two false demonstrations, on 
 the southwest and nearer the south, were to distract the 
 attention of the British and Canadian troops, while the 
 real attacks, which were to be on the Lower Town, 
 were delivered by Montgomery from the southeast, 
 and by Arnold from the northeast. 
 
 Forming his small party of 300 men into Indian file, 
 the chief commander led them to Wolfe s Cove, and 
 proceeded two miles along the shore, by a rocky path, 
 slippery with frozen snow. A northeastern blast drove 
 in their faces the sharp and lacerating hail of those in 
 clement regions ; and the men, half blinded by the 
 storm, had the greatest trouble to save themselves from 
 falling on the rugged and icy way. It had been agreed 
 that the signal for commencing the attack should be the 
 firing of a rocket from Cape Diamond by one of the 
 parties engaged in the false movements. This intima 
 tion was unfortunately given more than half an hour 
 too soon, and Montgomery was compelled to hurry his 
 advance. With a few companions, including the cele 
 brated Aaron Burr, one of his aides-de-camp, he arrived 
 at the first barrier, while the greater number of the 
 troops were still behind. He now found himself in a 
 narrow defile, sloping precipitously towards the river on 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 one side, and on the other shut in by a scarped rock and 
 overhanging cliff The passage was intercepted by 
 a log-house, loopholed for musketry, and by a battery 
 of two three-pounders ; and the position was held by a 
 party of English and Canadians, including some sailors, 
 and numbering altogether 47 men. It was by this time 
 
 daybreak on Decem 
 ber 31, 1775, and the 
 main body of the 
 attacking force was 
 seen marching up 
 from Wolfe s Cove. 
 A panic seized the 
 guard, who for a mo 
 ment drew back ; but 
 their firmness was 
 speedily restored, and 
 with lighted matches 
 they awaited, behind 
 their guns, the on 
 slaught of the enemy. 
 At the head of 60 
 men, Montgomery, 
 exclaiming that Que 
 bec was theirs, sprang 
 quickly forward. It 
 was the last act of 
 his life. The English 
 guns were served by 
 nine seamen, and were 
 Montgomery was within 50 yards 
 of their mouths. The commander at once fell dead, 
 together with one of his aides and 1 1 others. Mont 
 gomery was wounded in three places, and his fall expe 
 dited the inevitable defeat of the enterprise. 
 
 A feeling of dismay spread through the American 
 
 AARON BURR, 
 
 (Afterwards Vice-President of tJie U. S.) 
 
 discharged when 
 
THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA. 
 
 77 
 
 ranks at the death of their leader, thus occurring at the 
 very outset of the assault. The captain of one of the 
 companies was desirous of pushing forward ; but he was 
 ill supported and unable to make his will prevail. The 
 arms of some of the men were wet, and, in the opinion 
 of some of the officers, nothing more could be at 
 tempted with fatigued and disheartened troops. Fire 
 balls were now being thrown by the British, and their 
 baleful glare enabled 
 the musketeers in the 
 blockhouse to fire with 
 murderous precision. 
 A retreat was there 
 fore ordered, and this 
 was quietly and happily 
 effected ; though, had 
 the garrison had the 
 courage to pursue, it 
 is probable that hardly 
 a man would have 
 escaped. 
 
 The defenders of the 
 city, however, were re 
 quired in the city itself, 
 for a vigorous assault 
 was being carried on 
 in another direction. 
 
 Arnold s division advanced along the river St. Charles, 
 the path by the side of which was narrowed by masses 
 of ice, thrown up by the stream. The men of the attack 
 ing force could only move forward in single file, holding 
 down their heads to protect their faces from the piercing 
 wind and lashing drift of hail and snow, and covering 
 their muskets with their coats. They were met by a 
 heavy fire from the walls ; but pressing on, they carried 
 the first barricade after an hour of fighting. Arnold 
 
 GENERAL DANJEL MORGAN. 
 
78 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 was presently struck in the leg by a musket-ball, and 
 carried to the rear in great agony. The troops were now 
 headed by Daniel Morgan, of Virginia, whose self-devo 
 tion and military virtues were admirably displayed on 
 this occasion, as on others ; and it was under his direc 
 tions that the battery was taken, and its defenders seized. 
 The Patriots surmounted the barricade by ladders, and, 
 on reaching the other side, found themselves in a peril 
 ous position. The place was in darkness, and the cold 
 so extreme that the men were covered with icicles, and 
 their muskets rendered unavailable by the driving snow. 
 Morgan knew nothing of the town, and was in doubt 
 as to what he should do. In a little while he was 
 joined by Christopher Greene, of Rhode Island, 
 Timothy Bigelow, of Massachusetts, and Return J. 
 Meigs, of Connecticut (all of them commanders in Ar 
 nold s column), and by the men belonging to their com 
 panies. The re-united force struggled on to the next 
 barrier, and the scaling ladders were at once reared ; 
 but the menacing aspect of a large body of troops on 
 the other side, standing with levelled bayonets, made the 
 assailants pause. Many of the officers were shot down, 
 for the British fire came not merely from the soldiers on 
 the farther side of the barricade, but from houses on both 
 sides of the narrow street. Notwithstanding these dis 
 advantages, the Patriots maintained the fight for nearly 
 five hours ; but at length the courage of several gave way, 
 and they escaped over the shoal ice of the St. Charles. 
 Towards daylight, those who remained, and who con 
 stituted the larger number, got into some stone houses, 
 from which they poured a telling fire into their adver 
 sary s ranks, and were at the same time protected them 
 selves. But all was in vain. The defeat of Mont 
 gomery s division left the whole of Carleton s army free 
 to oppose that of Arnold, for it was evident by this 
 time that the other attacks were feints. An unexpected 
 
THE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST CANADA. 
 
 79 
 
 sally from the Palace Gate, in the rear of the assailants, 
 overpowered the small but resolute band, and com 
 pelled a large number to surrender. The remainder, 
 inspired by the reckless courage of Morgan, still fought 
 on, in the hope of cutting their way out ; but the feat was 
 impossible, and at ten o clock in the morning they laid 
 down their arms. Carleton buried Montgomery with the 
 honors of war, and treated his prisoners with humanity. 
 
 In 1818, in conformity with a resolution of the State 
 of New York, Mont 
 gomery s remains were 
 removed from the place 
 where they had rested 
 for 47 years, in the city 
 of Quebec ; and now re 
 pose beneath the monu 
 ment bearing a record 
 of his bravery and worth, 
 which had been erected 
 to his memory by the 
 Continental Congress, 
 under the eastern por 
 tico of St. Paul s Church, 
 in the city of New York. 
 
 Possessing military 
 abilities of a high order, 
 he never insisted on their 
 supremacy when the 
 
 good will of his men would, be jeopardized, but sought 
 to accomplish results by other and less objectionable 
 means. He was amiable, benevolent, and strictly 
 honest. His death deprived the country of an accom 
 plished officer, and the State of a useful citizen. 
 
 On the death of Montgomery, Colonel Arnold 
 assumed command of the fragments of the army, some 
 800 in number, but feeling his inability to make another 
 assault, or even to defend himself successfully, he with- 
 
 GENERAL DAVID WOOSTER. 
 
8 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 drew from the immediate neighborhood of the city, 
 entrenched himself as well as he could, and attempted 
 the blockade of the town by cutting off its supplies 
 from the country, where he continued till April, 1776, 
 when General Wooster, who had wintered in Montreal, 
 with his forces moved down to Quebec, and assumed 
 the chief command. 
 
 At the head of 2000 men, half of whom were unfit for 
 duty, Wooster renewed the siege, opening batteries on 
 the town from the Heights of Abraham and from 
 Point Levi, on the opposite side of the river; yet but 
 little damage was done. 
 
 About this time Arnold s horse fell, injuring his 
 wounded leg so severely that he was incapable of per 
 forming duty and forced to retire to Montreal, leaving 
 to Wooster the sole guidance of the operations. 
 
 Early in May Wooster was superseded by General 
 Thomas, but General Burgoyne having reached Que 
 bec, on May 6, at the head of a powerful reinforcement, 
 the Continentals were glad to escape, leaving Canada 
 in the hands of England. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, after suffering several reverses 
 and the loss of its general, by small-pox, the army, 
 emaciated, spiritless, starved, and many of them struck 
 with pestilence, returned to the colonies, and the expedi 
 tions to Canada were suspended, to be revived again, 
 years afterwards, with similar results. 
 
 Originally designed with great care, and executed 
 with exactness, these expeditions, in the face of obstacles 
 with but few would confront, until the fatal thirty-first 
 of December, each promised a brilliant success ; and, 
 although the commander of the one laid his life on the 
 altar of his country, and the other descended to a 
 traitor s grave, the deeds of daring, and the disinterested 
 patriotism which each displayed in Canada, entitle both 
 to the grateful remembrance of their countrymen to 
 the end of time. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 TRENTON (December 26, 1776). In the camp of our 
 enemies was exultation ; and gloom spread over the 
 almost disheartened colonies. The best troops in the 
 army had been captured at Fort Washington. The 
 enemy had gained possession of Rhode Island, Long 
 Island, New York City, nearly all the Jerseys, and 
 awaited only the accumulation of ice in the Delaware to 
 extend his conquest into Pennsylvania. The Patriot 
 troops were exhausted, dispirited, retreating; and the 
 greater part of them would be entitled to their discharge 
 at the end of the year. Washington never despaired ; 
 he now formed the resolution of crossing the Delaware, 
 and hazarding an engagement with the enemy. 
 
 Two of the most important positions Trenton and 
 Bordentown were occupied by bodies of Hessians. 
 Trenton was more particularly exposed; and on Trenton, 
 therefore, Washington determined to concentrate his 
 attack. It was a desperate enterprise, and Washington 
 well knew its risks. " Our numbers," he said, " are less 
 than I had any conception of; but necessity, dire neces 
 sity will nay, must justify my attack." 
 
 The British force at Trenton consisted of 1 500 
 Hessians, under Colonel Rahl, and a troop of Light 
 Horse. At Bordentown, farther down the river, was a 
 second detachment of Hessians ; and the other divisions 
 
 (81) 
 
82 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 of the invading army were quartered about the country 
 from the Hackensack to the Delaware. With the quick 
 reasoning of military genius, Washington discerned his 
 opportunity. " Now is the time," said he, " to clip their 
 wings, while they are so spread." The plan of attack 
 included a movement against the detachments stationed 
 at Bordentown, Burlington, Black Horse, and Mount 
 Holly, which were to be surprised by General Cadwalla- 
 der, advancing across the river from Bristol ; while 
 Washington, at the head of the main body, should cross 
 above Trenton, and faH upon the Hessians under 
 Colonel Rahl. 
 
 On Christmas night, with 2400 men, he marched to 
 the river. The current was sullen, and filled with 
 craunching ice-cakes. In the blackness of the night 
 they landed on the Jersey shore, and began their hard 
 march of nine miles to Trenton. Many of the Patriots 
 had no shoes, and left their blood-stained footprints on 
 the frozen ground. Said Washington, " We will use 
 only bayonets to-night we must take the town." The 
 Hessians were surprised early next morning; the victory 
 was won. The battle lasted but 35 minutes, and the 
 whole army surrendered, men, arms, and colors. Rahl 
 did the utmost to rally his men ; but early in the 
 engagement he received a mortal wound, and his 
 soldiers, dismayed by the American cannon, which did 
 terrible execution, became discouraged. A thousand 
 of them, after endeavoring to retreat towards Princeton, 
 and being intercepted by a detachment sent for that 
 purpose, grew bewildered, struck their colors, and sur 
 rendered themselves prisoners ; the rest, including the 
 Light Horse, had at an early period fled by the bridge 
 over the Assanpink, and escaped to Bordentown. Six. 
 brass field-pieces and a thousand stand of arms remained 
 in the hands of the conquerors. Nearly thirty of the 
 Hessian privates, and six officers (exclusive of Rahl), 
 
Independence 6 
 
34 THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA, 
 
 were killed, while the Patriots lost only four men, of 
 whom two were frozen to death by the intense cold. 
 The rest of the night was consumed in recrossing the 
 river, and before morning the last transport had landed 
 the last Patriot soldier, with the spoils of the thousand 
 prisoners-of-war, on the Pennsylvania side. The turn 
 ing-point of Independence had been passed. 
 
 PRINCETON (January 3, 1777). Howe was still at 
 New York when the news arrived of Washington s bril 
 liant performance on the Delaware. Cornwallis was on 
 the point of departing for Europe, but was recalled, 
 and on January 2, marched at the head of 7000 of 
 the best troops of the British army on Trenton, " to 
 wipe out the late mortifying disgrace, rescue the van 
 quished, and by a single overwhelming blow annihilate 
 the rebels." 
 
 Again, on December 30, 1776, was the Delaware 
 crossed by Washington and his crusaders of freedom. 
 Washington knew that the enemy was superior to him 
 in numbers and discipline. At a council meeting he 
 observed that, from the number of hostile troops then 
 in front of them, it was reasonable to suppose that 
 Cornwallis could not have left many in the rear. He 
 proposed to move, by a secret night march, to Prince 
 ton thence, if no insuperable difficulties presented 
 themselves, to push on to New Brunswick and in this 
 way to surprise the rear-guard, and capture their stores 
 before the British general could come up. The plan 
 was approved and steps taken for putting it into exe 
 cution. At midnight the march began. Every precau 
 tion was taken to mask the removal of the troops, and 
 to deceive the enemy as to what was intended. Men 
 were employed all the night digging an entrenchment 
 close to the British sentries; the bivouac-fires were kept 
 burning; and a certain number of guards were ordered 
 
86 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 to remain at the bridge and the fords until the approach 
 of daylight, when they were to follow their comrades. 
 
 A rapid roundabout march of eighteen miles brought 
 the Patriots to the eastern skirts of Princeton on the 
 morning of January 3, 1777. The contending forces 
 being equal in numbers and field-pieces, the ground was 
 fiercely contested. The Patriots were at first thrown 
 into some confusion by the unwavering obstinacy and 
 vigorous resistance they encountered ; but by great 
 personal exertions, in which his own life was recklessly 
 exposed, Washington rallied his men, and, leading his 
 raw levies to within 30 yards of the enemy, made 
 one headlong charge. The British regiments broke 
 and fled, unable to resist the terrible onslaught of such 
 men. 200 lay dead and bleeding on the field, and a 
 large number were brought in as prisoners. 
 
 The loss of the Patriots in this affair has never been 
 ascertained, the accounts varying from thirty to one 
 hundred. The chief loss, however, was General Mercer, 
 Colonel Haslett, of the Delaware line, Colonel Potter, 
 of Pennsylvania, Major Morris, Captain William Ship- 
 pen, Captain Neal, of the artillery, Captain Fleming, who 
 commanded the 7th Virginia Regiment, and three other 
 officers. 
 
 Washington desired to make a forced march on New 
 Brunswick, and he did in fact pursue the regiments 
 which he had broken up in the morning a considerable 
 distance along the road ; but the soldiers, who had been 
 without rest, and very scantily supplied with food, for 
 thirty-six hours, and of whom many were insufficiently 
 clad, and barefooted, were so utterly worn out that the de 
 sign could not be completed. After a brief pause for 
 rest and refreshment, Washington advanced to Morris- 
 town, where he went into winter-quarters. New Jersey 
 was redeemed at this Battle of Princeton ; and the 
 colonies were saved. 
 
IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA. 37 
 
 The first great result of Washington s march to 
 Princeton, in the rear of the enemy s position, was that 
 Cornwallis was obliged to relinquish his posts on the 
 Delaware. But that was not all. From his vantage 
 ground at Morristown, Washington sent out detach 
 ments to harass the troops. Giving them no rest, but 
 repeating the blows with the greatest rapidity in various 
 directions, he compelled Cornwallis to abandon one 
 post after another, and to withdraw towards New York. 
 East and West Jersey were equally overrun by 
 the Patriots, who, in a little while, made them 
 selves masters of the coast opposite Staten Island. As 
 the winter progressed, not a British or Hessian regi 
 ment remained in the province, except at New Bruns 
 wick and Amboy ; Philadelphia was removed from 
 danger; and the frequent surprise and cutting-off of 
 advanced guards created a wide alarm. For six months, 
 however, nothing further of importance occurred. 
 Howe remained at New York, tamely acquiescing in his 
 loss of the Jerseys. The Patriot troops at Morristown 
 were encamped for the winter in temporary huts, and 
 cantonments were established at various points. Thence 
 they could readily issue forth on their rapid excursions 
 against the foe ; but no general action was hazarded 
 while the new army was as yet imperfectly organized. 
 Still, the gain had been neither slight nor fugitive. 
 The tide was not yet at its highest, but it had begun to 
 turn. American independence was now assured. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the effect of these successes. 
 In New Jersey the alteration in public sentiment was 
 remarkable. Towards the close of 1776, the King had 
 so many adherents in that province that the Patriot 
 army, in its retreat from New York to the Delaware, was 
 received almost as a host of invaders. On numerous 
 houses along the road, bits of red rag were seen nailed 
 upon the doors, as tokens of attachment to the Crown; 
 
88 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 and the British troops who followed were greeted as if 
 they had been deliverers. By the spring of 1777, all this 
 had changed. The British and Hessian soldiers had 
 behaved with such cruelty and arrogance, that the peo 
 ple, in a few months time, came to hate them. As 
 Washington s forces regained possession of the State, 
 they found abundant evidence that the people were 
 no longer monarchical. Everywhere, the bits of red rag 
 were being torn down from the houses with haste and 
 enthusiasm. The rapid successes of the Patriot arms 
 had rallied multitudes to the revolutionary cause. This 
 was the case not merely in New Jersey, but in many 
 other parts of the confederated States. A feeling of 
 confidence was re-born. The hopeless despondency of 
 the previous months was dissipated. It was seen that 
 the King s army was not invincible, that the soldiers 
 of the Republic were capable of victory, and were 
 being handled with skill and resolution. With the 
 restoration of confidence, the feeling of nationality was 
 proportionately strengthened. The recruiting of the 
 army went on more rapidly than it had yet done ; and 
 several who had talked of leaving the ranks as soon as 
 they were legally free to do so, now willingly remained, 
 in the hope of future distinction. 
 
 From this date, the American army became worthy 
 of the name. 
 
 BRANDYWINE (September 1 1, 1777). Howe, having 
 spent the summer at New York, where he was closely 
 watched by Washington, finally took the field, and 
 manoeuvred to force the Patriot army to a general fight. 
 But Washington was too wary for him. Howe now left 
 New York with 1 8,000 men, embarking on his brother s 
 fleet, and brought his army around by sea, landing at 
 the head of Chesapeake Bay, with a view of capturing 
 Philadelphia. Howe s mysterious movements had 
 
IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA. gg 
 
 caused great embarrassment in the Patriot camp. 
 Washington was sorely troubled during these weary 
 days of waiting, hesitation and anxiety ; and it was only 
 when the enemy had entered the bay that any correct 
 idea could be formed of his intended attack. 
 
 The judicious disposition of his forces by Wash 
 ington in the meantime had so completely covered the 
 Capital, however, that the enemy was unable to take 
 any advantage ; and when he landed below the head of 
 the Elk, on August 25, the Patriot forces were ready 
 to oppose him. Washington had not 8000 effectives at 
 his command, while Howe, who had been reinforced 
 from home, could reckon on the services of 30,000 good 
 troops. 
 
 Washington, fully conscious of the great inferiority 
 of his army to that by which he was opposed, fell back 
 from his first position after a few skirmishes, in which 
 his troops were not altogether unsuccessful, and with 
 drew behind the Brandywine, a small creek, which falls 
 into the Delaware near Wilmington. Taking possession 
 of the high grounds near Chad s Ford, he awaited the 
 attack of the enemy. The fords above were guarded by 
 his right wing, under General Sullivan ; and the position 
 on the left was held by General Armstrong, at the head 
 of the Pennsylvania militia. 
 
 At daybreak on September n, the enemy was in 
 motion, and the success which had attended the move 
 ments on Long Island, the previous year, induced Howe 
 to attempt a similar manoeuvre in this case. For this 
 purpose the army had been divided into two commands, 
 and advanced in two columns against the Patriots. The 
 right column, with 5000 men, was commanded by 
 General Knyphausen, who took the direct road to 
 Chad s Ford. The left column, under Cornwallis, num 
 bering 13,000 men, turned the right flank of the Patriot 
 army ; a dense fog, which enveloped the country, greatly 
 
QO THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 facilitating the movements by concealing them from the 
 Patriot scouting parties. It was not wholly concealed, 
 however, Washington receiving information, through 
 Sullivan, of the movements, although the strength of 
 the enemy seems to have been strangely underrated, 
 probably in consequence of the fog concealing his 
 numbers. 
 
 Washington ordered Sullivan to cross the Brandywine 
 and attack Cornwallis, while he would take the centre 
 and attack Knyphausen. Before these movements could 
 be executed, intelligence reached Sullivan that nothing 
 had been seen to excite alarm ; and this last report being 
 confirmed, Washington and Sullivan reoccupied their 
 positions. This change of purpose decided the fortunes 
 of the day the victory had, in reality, been gained by 
 the strategy of Howe. 
 
 On receipt of correct information, Sullivan again 
 moved the three brigades forming the right wing of the 
 army to meet Cornwallis, and took a strong position, 
 with his left extending nearly to the Brandywine, both 
 flanks covered with very thick woods, and his artillery 
 advantageously disposed. In consequence of a dispute 
 respecting the right of the line the post of honor 
 between Sullivan and a French officer named Deborre, 
 the division was not fully prepared for action, when 
 Cornwallis and the troops under his command, about 
 four o clock in the afternoon, swept over Osborne s 
 Hill, in three columns, and attacked it with great fury. 
 The Hessians led the attack, and as they advanced in 
 an unbroken, well-dressed column, they were severely 
 harassed by a company of Patriot light troops. The 
 artillery of both armies opened with terrible effect, and 
 the conflict became general and severely contested. 
 With an obstinacy which older troops might have been 
 proud of, the Patriots maintained their ground, and re 
 pelled charge after charge from the powerful and well- 
 
LORD CORNWALLIS. 
 
Q 2 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 disciplined force which opposed them, until over 
 whelming numbers forced them to yield. The noble 
 800 of which this brigade was composed could do but 
 little in opposing the enemy, however, although they 
 maintained their ground for a considerable time. Two 
 of Sullivan s aides were killed, and Lafayette was 
 wounded in the leg by a musket-ball, when, further re 
 sistance being useless, the remnants of the brigade re 
 treated, leaving the enemy master of the position. 
 
 Washington now left Generals Wayne and Maxwell 
 to oppose Knyphausen, while he and Greene and the 
 brigades of Weedon and Muhlenberg, hastened to 
 strengthen Sullivan. He was not in time to prevent the 
 retreat, but by skilful movements he received the fugi 
 tives, covered their retreat, checked the progress of the 
 enemy, and kept him at bay during the rest of the day. 
 
 When the report of the artillery reached Knyphausen, 
 he attacked the position occupied by General Wayne 
 and the Pennsylvania troops. The latter, with the 
 light troops, under Maxwell, defended their position 
 with great gallantry until intelligence of the defeat of the 
 right wing was received, when a retreat was ordered, 
 and in great disorder, and with the loss of all their artil 
 lery and stores, they fell in on Greene s rear. 
 
 During the succeeding night Washington s defeated 
 forces retreated to Chester, and, on the following day, 
 to Germantown, where they encamped. 
 
 The Patriots were routed, Philadelphia was taken, and 
 the British army went into quarters there and at Ger 
 mantown. 
 
 The strength of the armies hasneverbeen accurately as 
 certained. Washington s effective troops did not exceed 
 1 1,000 men ; while the force of the enemy was estimated 
 to have been 18,000 strong, with abundance of every 
 thing necessary for the prosecution of such a campaign. 
 
 The loss of each is also a subject of doubt. Howe 
 
THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE. 
 
 93 
 
94 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 reported to his government the loss of 90 killed, 468 
 wounded, and 6 missing. Washington, from the dis 
 connected condition of the army, found it impossible to 
 make a return of his loss. Howe reported that, in 
 cluding 400 prisoners, the loss of the Americans was 
 about 1300 men. 
 
 GERMANTOWN (October 4, 1777). These disasters 
 forced on Congress the necessity of again leaving Phila 
 delphia. On September i8,the members determined to 
 remove to Lancaster, where they met on the 27th, and on 
 the same day adjourned to York, where they assembled 
 on the 3Oth. 
 
 The arrival of Howe at Philadelphia was followed, at 
 the beginning of October, by the sailing of the fleet 
 under his brother, Lord Howe, from the Chesapeake to 
 the Delaware, that it might be employed in forcing the 
 defences of the latter river. To aid this work, a de 
 tachment of troops was stationed on the left bank of 
 the Delaware, in New Jersey. A large part of the 
 army was at Germantown and the remainder at Phila 
 delphia. This divided state of the British forces sug 
 gested to Washington the idea of a sudden attack on 
 his opponent, such as might enable him to recover the 
 capital of the State. The British encampment extended 
 across the village of Germantown, at right angles with 
 the main road. Fourteen miles off, the Patriots were 
 posted near Skippack Creek, one of the affluents of the 
 river Schuylkill. They began their march on the 
 evening of October 3, divided into four columns, which 
 were to approach the British by four distinct routes, 
 and simultaneously burst on their right, left, centre, and 
 rear at Germantown. Howe s forces were evidently 
 unprepared for such an attack, which took them com 
 pletely by surprise. The action began a little after day 
 break with a bayonet-charge of great vehemence. The 
 
LORD HOWE, COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH FLEET. 
 
9 5 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 fighting was for a time very hot at the centre and on 
 the Patriots left ; but the attempt was unsuccessful, as 
 others which had preceded it. So thick a fog prevailed 
 at the time and it soon got thicker from the smoke of 
 the firing that, at a distance of thirty yards, it was im 
 possible to distinguish one army from the other; and 
 this led to bewilderment and confusion. The failure of 
 the enterprise is described by Washington in a letter to 
 his brother, where he writes : "After we had driven 
 the enemy a mile or two after they were in the utmost 
 confusion, and flying before us inmost places after we 
 were upon the point, as it appeared to everybody, 
 of grasping a complete victory our own troops took 
 flight, and fled with precipitation and disorder. How to 
 account for this, I know not; unless the fog represented 
 their own friends to them for a reinforcement of the 
 enemy, as we attacked in different quarters at the same 
 time, and were about closing the wings of our army 
 when this happened." Want of ammunition in the 
 right wing, which began the engagement, contributed to 
 the discomfiture of the design. Each man took with 
 him forty rounds ; and, in the course of the two hours 
 and a half during which the fighting continued, these 
 were completely exhausted. 
 
 Considerable courage and good conduct had been 
 shown at the commencement of the action, and the 
 British regiments were at first thrown into disorder ; 
 but, having recovered themselves with the steadiness of 
 veterans, they inflicted terrible blows on their antago 
 nists. " In a word," says Washington to his brother, " it 
 was a bloody day." Our loss, in killed, wounded, and 
 missing, was as many as a thousand ; and, of the miss 
 ing, it is probable that many took " advantage of the 
 times," and deserted. Howe reported his loss at 71 
 killed, 450 wounded, and 14 missing. His troops had 
 not prevailed without paying heavily for it, as at 
 
IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA. ^ 
 
 times the contest was furious. The Patriot army re 
 tired to its camp at Whitemarsh, fourteen miles distant; 
 and Howe sought safety by retiring to Philadelphia. 
 
 Defeated though they were, the Patriots were not 
 entirely losers by this transaction, which showed that 
 they were equal to bold and daring enterprises in the 
 open field. The effect from a political point of view 
 was very important. Washington s courageous course 
 and the unconquerable resolve with which he nerved 
 his handful of beaten and half-starved troops to face 
 Howe s army is the noblest of his triumphs. It made 
 a deep impression on the French, who, in 1778, made a 
 treaty of alliance with us. 
 
 After these battles Howe turned his attention to 
 the forts on the Delaware, which prevented his bringing 
 supplies up to Philadelphia. The gallant defenders were 
 forced by severe bombardments to evacuate ; and Wash 
 ington retired for winter-quarters to Valley Forge. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH. 
 
 BENNINGTON AND SARATOGA. Burgoyne had been in 
 England during the early months of 1777, and had 
 there concerted with the Ministry a plan of the cam 
 paign. The army placed at his disposal consisted of 
 more than 7000 regulars (English and German), to 
 gether with a great number of Canadians and Indians. 
 This army was to be aided by a division under Clinton, 
 who was stationed at New York, and was to advance in 
 a northerly direction. A naval armament was also to 
 accompany this Burgoyne expedition. 
 
 Burgoyne undertook to force his way down from 
 Canada, through Lake Champlain and Lake George, 
 to the Hudson River. He was expected to capture 
 Albany, and make a junction with the British forces at 
 New York. The effect of this would have been to cut 
 the United Colonies in two. 
 
 On June 16 Burgoyne sent a detachment to make 
 a diversion towards Lake Oswego and the Mohawk 
 River, while he sailed up Lake Champlain. A few days 
 later, he encamped at Crown Point, where he met his 
 Indian allies, gave them a war-feast, and, in a grandilo 
 quent speech, sought at once to excite their courage 
 and curb their disposition to ferocity. Burgoyne and 
 Carleton had both doubted the propriety of employing 
 these barbarians; but it was part of the Ministerial 
 
 (93) 
 
GENERAL BURGOYNE. 
 
 Independence 1 
 
I00 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 scheme that their assistance should be sought. Many 
 incidents of the campaign showed how deeply criminal 
 was the use of savage warriors in a contest between two 
 branches of a civilized race. Burgoyne issued a procla 
 mation to the inhabitants of the country, in which he 
 threatened vengeance against the people if they opposed 
 the Royal troops, and alluded to the fury of the Indians, 
 who were ready to butcher the friends of independence. 
 He was very confident as to the results of his campaign ; 
 and, in an address to the army, said : " The services 
 required of this particular expedition are critical and 
 conspicuous. During our progress occasions may occur 
 in which neither difficulty, nor labor, nor life are to be 
 regarded. This army must not retreat." It did more 
 than retreat ; it surrendered. 
 
 Burgoyne marched south from Canada with over 800 
 men. He compelled St. Clair to evacuate Ticonderoga, 
 and captured the artillery and all the stores that St. Clair 
 was trying to move. He then went to Skenesborough 
 (now Whitehall), at the south end of Lake Champlain. 
 At length he reached the Hudson, at Fort Edward, 
 having gained complete control of Lake Champlain and 
 Lake George. General Schuyler exhibited praise 
 worthy energy in preparing for the defence, but, having 
 but a small force, could only obstruct his path 
 through the wilderness by felling trees across the road, 
 and breaking down bridges. Burgoyne had in a few 
 days gained possession of the strong forts on the lakes, 
 destroyed a number of vessels, and taken 128 pieces of 
 artillery, besides a large quantity of provisions, stores, 
 and materials of war. His success spread the utmost 
 alarm throughout the northern part of the Republican 
 Union, and, in the same degree, raised sanguine hopes 
 in England that the rebellion was about to be crushed. 
 
 From Fort P^dward, Burgoyne sent a force of his hired 
 Hessians into what is now Vermont, to capture stores 
 
102 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 and horses. But the militia of Western New England, 
 who were accustomed to the use of firearms from child 
 hood, gathered under the lead of General Stark, and at 
 the BATTLE OF BENNINGTON (August 16, 1777), utterly 
 defeated the detachments sent out by Burgoyne. To 
 gether with a large number of arms, 700 prisoners were 
 taken by Stark, and 207 of the enemy s force were left 
 dead on the field. The Patriot loss was 30 killed and 
 about 40 wounded. 
 
 This event was the harbinger of good news from the 
 Northern department that scene of disaster and trouble. 
 The invader was paralyzed, the prospect of a supply of 
 provisions became more gloomy, the dissatisfaction of 
 the British forces that Hessians had been employed was 
 loudly expressed, and the Indian auxiliaries abandoned 
 the army. As soldiers these sanguinary savages were 
 worthless. They disgraced the cause for which they 
 pretended to fight. The spirits of the Patriots, and of 
 the people, revived; the ability of the militia to contend 
 with regular troops, posted behind entrenchments and 
 defended with cannon, was demonstrated; the move 
 ments of Burgoyne, and his abilities to do mischief, 
 were checked ; and new hopes and new resolutions 
 were produced. The country and the world, then and 
 since, has determined that the battle of Bennington, 
 unimportant as it may appear, was one of the most 
 important battles, in its results, of the American Revo 
 lution. 
 
 After the failure of his attempt to obtain supplies 
 from Bennington, Burgoyne was obliged to fetch his 
 provisions once more from Fort George, and at last, by 
 great exertions, succeeded in collecting a stock sufficient 
 for thirty days ; during which time he hoped to reach 
 Albany, effect a union with Howe s forces, separate the 
 Eastern from the Middle and Southern Colonies, and 
 lay the foundation for that complete subjugation of the 
 
THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NQR !^ 
 
 rebellious colonists which was the object of the govern 
 ment and the King. He was soon unpleasantly con 
 vinced that his recent repulse had had a very bad effect 
 on the population generally. The disloyal were encour 
 aged ; the loyal disheartened. The latter had begun to 
 enlist in the British service; but they now hesitated and 
 held back. The revolutionists were all the more inclined 
 to take up arms. Every day the patriotic levies grew 
 in number and waxed in spirit. The New England 
 men enlisted in large bodies; many not waiting for any 
 authoritative summons. In a few weeks Burgoyne had 
 in his front a force of 13,000 irregulars admirable 
 marksmen with the rifle, if they were nothing else. An 
 officer in Burgoyne s army records that in many poor 
 habitations the people of Massachusetts parted with one 
 of their blankets, where they had but two, for the use 
 of the soldiers. In New England, the feeling was almost, 
 if not quite unanimous. The masses were prepared to 
 suffer anything, rather than submit. 
 
 THE TWO BATTLES OF SARATOGA (September 19 and 
 October 7, 1/77). On September 13 and 14, Bur 
 goyne crossed to the west side of the Hudson, and en 
 camped on the heights and plains of Saratoga, twenty 
 miles below Fort Edward, and thirty-seven above 
 Albany. Gates was at Stilhvater, and not more than 
 twelve miles separated the two armies. The bridges 
 between them, however, were broken down, and the 
 roads were so bad that the British, encumbered by 
 their train of artillery and numerous wagons, could 
 only move with extreme slowness. Thick woods 
 burdened the country. Frequent skirmishing took 
 place, but the advance of the British was not checked. 
 On the evening of the I7th, Burgoyne encamped within 
 four miles of the Patriot army, which was drawn up in 
 front of Stilhvater, along a range of low hills called 
 
104 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Bemis s Heights. This encampment had been planned 
 by the Polish Patriot, Kosciusko, of whom Washing 
 ton had spoken as " a gentlemen of science and merit." 
 On September 19, Burgoyne placed himself at the 
 head of the right wing, and marched against his 
 foes, who, not waiting to be attacked, moved forward 
 also, as soon as they perceived the approach of the 
 British, which was for some time hidden by the in 
 tervening forest. 
 Gates, who was 
 well served by a 
 number of active 
 scouts, detached 
 Colonel Morgan, 
 the dashing ranger 
 distinguished for 
 his courage before 
 Quebec and at 
 other places, to ob 
 serve the motions 
 of the opposing 
 forces. Morgan met 
 the advancing col 
 umn, and drove it 
 back ; but the men 
 were soon rallied, 
 and, in their turn, 
 compelled the Pa 
 triots to give way. 
 
 The engagement shortly afterwards became gen 
 eral. The Patriots first attempted to turn the right 
 flank of the British line, but, being foiled in this, 
 attacked the left of Burgoyne s right wing. Reinforce 
 ments were hurried up on both sides, and, in the course 
 of the afternoon, General Arnold, with nine Continental 
 regiments and Morgan s riflemen, was closely engaged 
 
 GENERAL KOSCIUSKO. 
 
THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH. 
 
 105 
 
 with the Royal troops. Most of Burgoyne s artillery 
 men were killed at their guns, and the carnage generally 
 was terrible. During the action Burgoynehad exposed 
 himself with almost reckless courage, and it is surpris- 
 
 PATRIOT SHARPSHOOTER UP A TREE. 
 
 ing that he should have escaped unhurt. Several of 
 the Patriots climbed trees in the rear of their country 
 men, and, whenever the volleys ceased for a few minutes, 
 and the air cleared of smoke, took aim at the British 
 
IO6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 officers, of whom, in one regiment, more than two-thirds 
 were killed or wounded. 
 
 For four hours, until sunset, this stubborn conflict 
 continued, one party determined to conquer, the other 
 not to be conquered, and darkness finally accomplished 
 what man was unable to effect. The Patriots retired 
 from the field in good order and without pursuit, claim 
 ing the victory because they had checked the progress 
 of the enemy; the British retained a field barren alike 
 of advantage and glory, claiming also to be victors, from 
 their possession of the field of battle. 
 
 The force of the two armies actually engaged was 
 nearly equal, the Patriots numbering about 3000, the 
 enemy about 3500 men. 
 
 The loss on the part of the enemy was about 600 
 killed and wounded. The Patriot loss was 65 killed, 
 218 wounded, and 38 missing. 
 
 Burgoyne felt it was unwise to make a fresh attack, 
 though next morning he took up ground nearer to the 
 American lines. Disliking to abandon his wounded, he 
 refrained from any attempt to cut his way to Albany. 
 He was now almost within cannon-shot of the enemy, 
 and a pause ensued, during which both combatants forti 
 fied their camps. The Patriots were greatly inspirited 
 by hearing that General Lincoln had assembled a for 
 midable body of New England militia, and, by a skilful 
 disposition of them in the neighborhood of the lakes, 
 had cut off Burgoyne s retreat towards Canada. Before 
 the end of September, a portion of this force, amounting 
 to 2OOO men, arrived in Gates s camp, and added still 
 further to his strength ; and at the same time several of 
 the British outposts near Ticonderoga were taken by 
 the New Englanders, together with many gunboats and 
 other vessels, which were afterwards destroyed. An 
 attack on Ticonderoga itself, and another on Diamond 
 
THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NOKTH. 
 
 10; 
 
 Island, where Burgoyne had deposited all the stores he 
 had collected at the south end of Lake George, were 
 repulsed ; but altogether the Americans had greatly 
 improved their prospects by these operations. The 
 most sanguine anticipations were formed throughout 
 the United States ; and they were not disappointed. 
 
 Burgoyne had little to comfort him in the straits to 
 which he was now reduced. He endeavored to open 
 communications with 
 Howe and Clinton, but 
 without success. From 
 Clinton, however, on 
 the morning of Septem 
 ber 21, he received a 
 letter in cipher, inti 
 mating that the New 
 York highlands would 
 be attacked about that 
 time. 
 
 No news of the 
 expected co-operation 
 having arrived, and the 
 situation becoming ev 
 ery day more despe 
 rate, Burgoyne, on Oc 
 tober 7, determined to 
 make a movement to 
 the enemy s left with 
 
 a portion of his force, hoping to discover a favorable 
 point for forcing a passage through the opposing lines. 
 He also wished to divert the attention of the American 
 forces while another part of his army was sent on a 
 foraging expedition. This led to the second battle of 
 Bemis s Heights. The English troops were met on 
 their way by a large detachment from Gates s army, and 
 a furious combat burst forth. Gates, as on September 
 
 GENERAL BENJAMIN LINCOLN. 
 
IO8 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 19, remained behind in his encampment, that he might 
 superintend the general operations of the day. Arnold 
 was there also; restrained from any share in the fighting 
 by Gates s order between whom and himself a quarrel 
 had arisen some days before. In consequence of this 
 quarrel Arnold was deprived of his command ; but on 
 the pth, hearing the firing grow louder and louder, he 
 mounted his horse and rode off to the field of battle. 
 Mingling with the combatants, he rode from regiment 
 to regiment, searching out the hottest parts of the action, 
 and issuing orders which met with a ready obedience, 
 and contributed largely to the success of the day. 
 
 Arnold was resolved to push his advantage still 
 further. He gave directions that the British lines 
 should be stormed, and under cover of a raking fire of 
 grapeshot and musketry the Patriots flung themselves 
 against the entire length of the enemy s works. Charg 
 ing at the head of the assailants, Arnold again distin 
 guished himself by his fiery courage and resolution, 
 but was ultimately wounded in the same leg which had 
 been injured at Quebec. Lincoln also was seriously 
 hurt. The Patriots had forced their way into the left 
 of the English encampment, but were ultimately driven 
 out by its defenders acting under Burgoyne s immediate 
 orders ; but the right and rear of the enemy s position 
 were Opened to the Patriot army. 
 
 A second time the close of day put an end to the 
 battle, and the Patriots were this time acknowledged to 
 be the victors. Besides the loss of the field on which 
 action commenced, and the entrenchments of the 
 Hessian reserve, the enemy suffered severely in the 
 killed and wounded among his officers and men. Be 
 sides General Frazer, who was mortally wounded, Sir 
 Francis Clark, aide-de-camp of Burgoyne, and Colonel 
 Breyman, were killed, and Majors Ackland and Wil 
 liams were taken prisoners, the former wounded. The 
 
IIO THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 exact loss of the enemy is unknown, but it has been 
 supposed to amount to not less than 600 killed, 
 wounded and prisoners. The loss of the Americans 
 did not exceed 150 killed and wounded, among the 
 latter of whom was General Arnold, who, just as the 
 victory had been won, received a ball, which fractured 
 his leg and killed his horse. 
 
 Though only partial, the success of the Patriots had 
 been great. They had gained a position on the British 
 right and rear ; they had disabled many of their adver 
 saries ; they had made more than 200 prisoners, includ 
 ing several officers of distinction ; and they had taken 
 nine brass guns, all the baggage and camp equipage of 
 the Hessian brigade that had been defeated, and a 
 large supply of ammunition, which they greatly needed. 
 The state of affairs was so threatening for the Royal 
 troops that in the course of the night they quitted their 
 encampment, and took up a fresh position on some 
 neighboring hills, with their right extending up the 
 river. This change of front relieved Burgoyne from 
 immediate peril, but brought him no nearer victory. 
 It was the first occasion during the war on which, 
 without the advantage of protecting works, without any 
 ambuscade or surprise, in the open field, and by the 
 operations of a regular pitched battle, the Patriots had 
 proved themselves more than a match for veterans. 
 
 In their new position the British remained through 
 out the 8th, offering battle, which Gates declined to 
 accept, but made every arrangement for getting still 
 more in the rear of the enemy s divisions. Burgoyne, 
 on discovering this movement, saw that he had no 
 alternative but a retreat to Saratoga. Such was the 
 sorry result of an expedition which had been prefaced 
 by the lofty announcement that " this army must not 
 retreat." His troops were in motion by nine o clock 
 on the evening of the 8th. The sick and wounded he 
 
THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH. m 
 
 was compelled to leave behind in hospital, commend 
 ing them by letter to the kindly consideration of 
 General Gates, which in the event was not found want 
 ing. The distance to be traversed was barely ten miles ; 
 but the march was of a most laborious and painful 
 character. Burgoyne was determined not to relinquish 
 his artillery ; yet to convey it was a matter of extreme 
 difficulty. Very few of his draught-horses remained, 
 and the roads were heavy with rain, which now fell 
 persistently. The guns were slowly dragged across 
 the intervening country, and the progress of the army 
 was retarded by this solicitude and by the necessity of 
 protecting the boats upon the Hudson, which contained 
 their scanty stores of provisions. The forces did not 
 reach Saratoga until the following night. "Such was 
 their state of fatigue," wrote Burgoyne at a subsequent 
 date, " that the men, for the most part, had not strength 
 or inclination to cut wood and make fires, but rather 
 sought sleep in their wet clothes upon the wet ground, 
 under the continuing rain." It was the main body of 
 the army which arrived on the Qth. Some of the 
 troops, and the whole of the artillery, were so much 
 delayed that they did not pass the fords of the Fish- 
 kill until the early morning of the loth. 
 
 No real advantage had been gained by the removal. 
 A division of the Patriots, marching with greater rapidity 
 than the weary British, had got beyond Saratoga, and 
 occupied the fords and other strong positions leading to 
 Fort Edward. Another had crossed the Hudson, from 
 the opposite shore of which so brisk a cannonade was 
 maintained that it was found impossible to keep the 
 provision-boats upon the river. The stores of food were 
 therefore landed on the western side, and Burgoyne 
 looked about him to see what new dispositions he could 
 make. The prospect was depressing and terrible. On 
 the hills round Saratoga the Patriots were posted in 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 force, so as to command the roads in many directions. 
 For a time it occurred to Burgoyne that his regiments 
 might, by casting aside all their impediments, escape by 
 night to Fort Edward, with a few days food upon their 
 backs. To prepare the way for this movement, he sent 
 forward a company of artificers, escorted by troops, to 
 repair the roads and bridges, but was soon compelled to 
 recall them, owing to the appearance of a large body of 
 Patriots, ranged so as to indicate an intention of attack 
 ing the Royal army. Another scheme that suggested 
 itself to Burgoyne was to take advantage of the great 
 reduction of the enemy s forces towards Bemis s 
 Heights, to retrace his ground, and to make a push for 
 Albany. But, upon mature consideration, it appeared 
 only too obvious that such a manoeuvre could not be 
 accomplished. The army from which so much had 
 been hoped was caught in a trap, and the necessity of 
 surrender became clearer with every hour. 
 
 On October 13 Burgoyne called a council of war. 
 The Patriots were on the ford of Saratoga ; they had 
 taken positions on both banks of the Hudson ; they 
 were between the British army and Fort Edward; they 
 had thrown up entrenchments, provided with artillery, 
 on the high grounds between that fort and Fort George. 
 On three parts of a circle they were strongly posted ; 
 the fourth part, though open, offered but slight chances 
 of escape, since the enemy would at once have closed in 
 and pursued, had any movement taken place. The situ 
 ation of the British army was so absolutely commanded 
 by the American cannon that no spot could be found for 
 holding the council of war which was not exposed to 
 the fire of artillery and small arms. Burgoyne s force 
 was now reduced to less than 6000 men, of whom not 
 many more than half were British ; nearly all his In 
 dians had deserted him ; and of provisions no more 
 remained than would suffice for a week or eight days, 
 
THE CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH. j^ 
 
 Addressing his officers, the general declared that 
 nothing would induce him to propose terms to the 
 enemy unless he had the full concurrence of his com- 
 panions-in-arms, and that he was ready to take the lead 
 
 GENERAL HORATIO GATES. 
 
 in any measure that might be thought necessary for 
 vindicating the honor of the British arms. 
 
 The council was unanimous for treating, provided 
 that honorable terms could be obtained. 
 
 Negotiations were entered into with General Gage, 
 and the capitulation was signed on the l6th, and on 
 
H4 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 October 17, 1777, Colonel Wilkinson was directed to 
 visit General Burgoyne, and accompany him to the 
 Green in front of old Fort Hardy, on the north bank of 
 Fish Creek, near its intersection with the Hudson, 
 where his army was to lay down its arms. 
 
 The success at Saratoga was soon followed by the 
 evacuation of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and the 
 power of the enemy in the North was prostrated. Of 
 the effect of this victory it has been beautifully remarked 
 by Lossing, that " all over the land a shout of triumph 
 went up, and from the furrows, and workshops, and 
 marts of commerce ; from the pulpit, from provincial 
 halls of legislation, from partisan camps, and from the 
 shattered ranks of Washington at White Marsh, it was 
 echoed and re-echoed. Toryism, which had begun to 
 lift high its head, retreated behind the defence of inac 
 tion ; the bills of Congress rose twenty per cent, in 
 value; capital came forth from its hiding r places ; the 
 militia readily obeyed the summons to the camp; and 
 the great patriot heart of America beat strongly with 
 pulsations of hope." 
 
 Nor was the effect of this victory on the cause of 
 America less apparent in Europe than in America. In 
 the British Parliament the opposition led a terrible 
 onslaught against the Government ; while the friends 
 of America took fresh courage and manfully sustained 
 her cause. On the continent, the American character 
 and the American representatives were more respected, 
 her calls for aid were more cheerfully responded to, and 
 France, Spain, Holland, and even Russia and the Pope, 
 manifested more interest in the ultimate success of her 
 cause. 
 
 From that day the United States of America assumed 
 a position among the nations of the earth, and the effect 
 of the struggle of her people was felt throughout the 
 whole world. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE STORMING OF STONY POINT (July 16, 1779). 
 
 No portion of the country possessed a greater degree 
 of interest, during the war of the Revolution, and none 
 was more carefully guarded than the Highlands on the 
 Hudson. The " passes " in these hills were the objects 
 of the greatest attention ; and the student of the history 
 of those times will have noticed the constant reference 
 to that subject which pervades the correspondence of 
 the master minds which, at that time, under God, guided 
 the destinies of America. 
 
 At the foot of these Highlands, on the west side of 
 the Hudson, about 40 miles above the city of New 
 York, is Stony Point a little rough promontory which 
 juts out into the river, and prepares the mind of the 
 passer-by, on his way northward, for the proper atten 
 tion to those mighty barriers, which, just above, arrest 
 the waters of the noble river in their tranquil progress 
 towards the ocean. " The river washed three-fourths 
 of its base, and the remaining fourth was covered, in a 
 great measure, by a deep marsh, which commenced 
 near the river, on the upper side, and continued into it 
 below. Over this marsh there was but one crossing- 
 place ; but, at its junction with the river, was a sandy 
 beach, passable at low water." 
 
 The army under Washington, in accordance with the 
 defensive policy adopted by Congress, remained in its 
 
 Independence 8 ( I ! 5) 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 winter-quarters, perfecting its discipline under the 
 experienced eye of Baron Steuben, and preparing to 
 move wherever its presence might be found necessary; 
 that under Clinton, equally indisposed to move, remained 
 in its quarters in New York, and showed itself only in an 
 occasional predatory expedition to ravage the sea-coast, 
 to plunder the inhabitants, or to burn their villages. 
 In the latter part of May, Clinton moved up the Hud 
 son, with the evident 
 intention to seize the 
 passes in the High 
 lands ; and, on June 
 I, 1/79, ne to k pos 
 session of Stony 
 Point and Ver- 
 planck s Point the 
 termini of "the King s 
 Ferry " at both of 
 which points some 
 works had been 
 thrown up by the 
 Americans. His far 
 ther progress, how 
 ever, was arrested by 
 the rapid movements 
 of General Washing 
 ton (who had received 
 BARON STEUBEN. early intelligence of 
 
 the expedition), and, 
 
 after leaving strong garrisons at both these posts, he 
 returned to New York. 
 
 The enemy s movement against the coast of Connec 
 ticut was intended to draw Washington farther eastward, 
 and to afford Clinton an opportunity to complete his 
 design ; but he was so far from succeeding, that the 
 former took advantage of the division of the enemy s 
 
THE STORMING OF STONY POINT. 
 
 117 
 
 forces to retaliate, by attacking the posts which the 
 latter had just secured on the Hudson. A further 
 inducement to do this was offered in the great incon 
 venience which the Patriots would experience in being 
 cut off from the great line of communication at the 
 King s Ferry; in " the necessity of doing something to 
 satisfy the expectations of the people, and reconcile 
 them to the defensive plan he was obliged to pursue, 
 and to the apparent inactivity which his situation im 
 posed upon him ; " in the value of stores, artillery, and 
 men which it contained ; in the check which it would 
 exercise on the predatory movements of the enemy on 
 the Sound ; and in the effect it would produce on the 
 forces if the campaign could be opened with a brilliant 
 success. 
 
 With this object in view, Washington employed every 
 means in his power to obtain information respecting the 
 strength and disposition of the troops within the lines, 
 the character and extent of the works which they were 
 erecting, and the points at which they could be attacked 
 with the greatest certainty of success. General Wayne, 
 who commanded the light infantry, was also ordered to 
 headquarters; and, two weeks later, the same officer, in 
 a " private and confidential " letter, was further instructed 
 to make the preparations necessary for the assault on 
 the works. On July 10, the commander-in-chief com 
 municated his views of the enterprise to Wayne ; and 
 the letter, which also contained the details of the pro 
 posed surprise, is one of the most remarkable specimens 
 extant of the powerful mind of this great man. Every 
 portion of the preparations, every step of the movements 
 and the attendant contingencies, everything which 
 might, possibly, defeat the enterprise, had passed his 
 scrutiny. The reconnoitre, the watchword and badges 
 by which the men were to be distinguished from the 
 enemy, the time of night when the enemy s sentries and 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 officers of the night were least vigilant, the necessary 
 precautions to prevent skulking and desertion, and 
 others, the most trivial, were the objects of his care. 
 Yet, notwithstanding all this, the proposed assault was 
 a profound secret. The brigade of troops commanded 
 by General Muhlenberg was selected as a covering 
 party, yet it was moved with some other apparent object ; 
 and its course was so regulated that it was at the neces 
 sary point, at the proper moment, so far as the brigade 
 was concerned, by accident only, without knowing its 
 own importance in the great drama. The enemy s 
 artillery was to be turned on his own shipping, opposite 
 the fort, and a party of Patriot artillerists had been pro 
 vided for that purpose, yet they took with them, from 
 the park, two field-pieces, as a mask to the movement, 
 and to prevent suspicion among themselves. 
 
 At length, on July 14, Washington gave permission 
 to Wayne " to carry it (the proposed attempt) into exe 
 cution, to-morrow night, as he desired," at the same 
 time authorizing him to adopt either of the several 
 " plans " on which they had conversed. 
 
 But Wayne could find no " plan " better adapted to 
 secure the object of the expedition than that suggested 
 and explained by his chief. 
 
 On the morning of July 15, three small parties of 
 picked men, under prudent and vigilant officers, were 
 despatched to secure the passes leading to Stony Point. 
 
 The necessary preparations having been made, the 
 troops assembled at Sandy Beach, 14 miles above 
 Stony Point; and, at noon on July I5th, they moved, 
 over the hills and through the defiles of the Highlands, 
 towards that post. The roads are represented as hav 
 ing been " exceedingly bad and narrow," compelling 
 the troops to move, the greater part of the distance, in 
 single files ; and it was eight o clock in the evening 
 before the van of the column reached within a mile 
 
THE STORMING OF STONY POINT. 
 
 and a half distant from the fort. The greatest care had 
 been taken to prevent the desertion of any of the party, 
 through whose treachery the enemy could be informed 
 of the expedition ; and the most perfect silence was 
 enforced through the entire route. 
 
 While the troops were being formed into columns, 
 
 GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE. 
 
 General Wayne and his staff rode forward to reconnoi 
 tre ; and on his return the troops, for the first time, 
 were made acquainted with the service to which they 
 were ordered. Each man, at the same time, was 
 ordered " to fix a piece of white paper in the most con 
 spicuous part of his hat or cap, to distinguish him from 
 
12Q THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the enemy; " and a watchword "T/ie fort s our oivn " i 
 was communicated to each, with orders to give it " with 
 repeated and loud voice," " when the works were forced, 
 and not before" 
 
 The fort on Stony Point had been supplied with a 
 sufficient number of heavy pieces of ordnance ; and sev 
 eral breastworks and strong batteries were advanced in 
 front of the principal works, while, farther down the 
 hill, on the land side, were two rows of abatis. These 
 several defences "commanded the beach and the cross 
 ing-place of the marsh, and could rake and enfilade any 
 column which might be advancing from either of those 
 points towards the fort. In addition to these defences 
 several vessels of war were stationed in the river, so as, 
 in a considerable degree, to command the ground at the 
 foot of the hill." The garrison was composed of the 
 Seventeenth regiment of foot, the grenadiers of the Sev 
 enty-first regiment, and detachments from the Loyal 
 Americans and the Royal Artillery, in all about 600 
 men. 
 
 With the utmost silence the columns pursued their 
 way, until the small stream which separates the point 
 from the main land had been passed, when the left wing 
 diverged towards the eastern flank of the works ; and 
 the right, with which was General Wayne, towards the 
 western flank. Soon afterwards the North Carolina 
 light troops, under Major Murfey, moved from the rear 
 of the left wing and proceeded directly towards the fort, 
 between the two columns, for the purpose of masking 
 their approach. The tide being up, the beach was cov 
 ered with more than two feet of water ; and, soon after 
 the columns separated, the right wing encountered one 
 of the enemy s outposts, which fired on the assailants and 
 alarmed the garrison. 
 
 In the meantime Major Murfey pushed forward between 
 the two columns, and opened, and kept up, a heavy fire 
 
THE ASSAULT ON STONY POINT. 
 
 121 
 
122 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 on the enemy, diverting his attention from the real 
 points of attack, and receiving the greater part of the 
 heavy fire of musketry and artillery, loaded with grape- 
 shot, which was opened on the Patriots from the works. 
 
 With this exception not a gun was fired by the assail 
 ants, and the two columns pushed forward, through the 
 marsh, in perfect silence. The abatis was cleared with 
 more difficulty, and the obstructions thrown in their 
 way were more formidable than had been expected ; yet 
 " neither the deep morass, the formidable and double 
 rows of abatis, nor the high and strong works, in front 
 and flank, could damp the ardor of the troops, who, in 
 the face of a most tremendous and incessant fire of mus 
 ketry, and from artillery loaded with grape-shot, forced 
 their way, at the point of the bayonet, through every 
 obstacle, both columns meeting in the centre of the 
 enemy s works, nearly at the same instant." 
 
 Scaling the parapet, and creeping through the embra 
 sures on either side, the assailants raised the cry, " The 
 fort s our own," and drove the garrison before them, 
 notwithstanding the most desperate resistance was of 
 fered. While this terrible hand-to-hand contest was 
 raging within the fort, Wayne, who had been wounded 
 in the head with a musket-ball, was laying near the 
 abatis, where he fell, but when the enemy had surren 
 dered, as he soon did, the general was borne into the 
 fort, " bleeding, but in triumph." Three hearty cheers 
 from his victorious troops formed the salute under which 
 the daring Wayne was carried into the fort to re 
 ceive the submission of the garrison : and the neigh 
 boring " Highlands," under the inspiration of the mo 
 ment, caught up the joyful sound, and tossing it from 
 hill-top to hill-top, proclaimed, " The fort s our own." 
 
 No time was lost in turning the guns of the fort 
 against the shipping in the river, and against Fort 
 Fayette, on Verplanck s Point, conveying to them the 
 
THE STORMING OF STONY POINT. 125 
 
 information that Stony Point was no longer in the pos 
 session of the King s troops. The latter received the 
 information in sullen silence ; the former slipped their 
 cables and dropped down the river with the ebb of the 
 tide. 
 
 In this gallant affair the Americans lost 15 killed and 
 83 wounded; the enemy I officer and 19 men killed: 
 6 officers and 68 men wounded ; 2 officers and 56 men 
 missing ; and 25 officers and 447 men prisoners. 
 
 The ordnance and stores which were in the fort were 
 valued at nearly $160,000, and this amount, in conform 
 ity with the promise of General Wayne before the 
 assault, was divided among the troops in proportion to 
 the pay of the officers and men; besides which $1500 
 were divided among the first five men who entered the 
 fort. Congress presented its thanks to the troops, and, 
 in accordance with the suggestions of Washington, 
 ordered medals to be struck in honor of the event, and 
 presented to General Wayne, Colonel Fleury and Major 
 Stewart ; the country was filled with joy ; and even the 
 enemy was compelled to pay homage, not only to the 
 daring of the assailants, but to the generous mercy of 
 the victors. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH (1778-1781). 
 
 SAVANNAH (December 29, 1778). Clinton was now 
 bent on carrying the war into the Southern States, 
 which as yet had but slightly felt the effects of the 
 rupture. His views on the subject had been confirmed 
 by the Home Government, and he despatched 3500 
 men by sea to Georgia. The command was conferred 
 on General Prevost. Savannah was defended by Gen 
 eral Robert Howe, but without success. His command 
 did not exceed 550 men, but he was strengthened soon 
 after with the command of Colonel Charles C. 
 Pinckney, and others, and by Governor Houston of 
 Georgia, at the head of 350 militia. With this little 
 party he contested the possession of Savannah with the 
 relatively powerful force of invaders. 
 
 The inhabitants flocked to the King s officers, and 
 made their peace at the expense of their patriotism, 
 and Georgia soon became one of the most loyal of 
 the enemy s possessions. The city was speedily 
 mastered ; Augusta also was taken, and in less than ten 
 days the whole province was reduced. 
 
 General Lincoln was now appointed to the command 
 
 of the Southern Department, at the head of the troops 
 
 from the Carolinas, and was joined by the remains of 
 
 Robert Howe s little force, and contented himself by 
 
 (124) 
 
SIR HENRY CLINTON. 
 
 125 
 
126 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 attempting to protect South Carolina from th& ravages 
 of the enemy. 
 
 Prevost had under him some 3000 men, exclusive of 
 the irregulars who had joined him in Georgia. Lincoln 
 had 3639 men, of which number 12 1 1 were inefficient; 
 and only 1121 were regulars, the remainder being 
 inexperienced, undisciplined, and restless militia. 
 Prevost attacked Port Royal and Beaufort, but was 
 driven off by General Moultrie. Contented with his 
 
 reception, Prevost made 
 no further attempts to 
 pass the limits of Georgia, 
 There were several petty 
 incursions and skir 
 mishes, but the British 
 gained no honor from any 
 of these expeditions. 
 
 GENERAL WILLIAM MOULTRIE. 
 
 SIEGE OF SAVANNAH 
 (September 23 to Octo 
 ber 1 8, 17/9). Prevost, 
 though compelled to 
 abandon his attempt on 
 South Carolina, and to 
 relinquish the upper parts 
 of Georgia, was still in 
 a position to keep that 
 region in a state of alarm. 
 D Estaing, on his return from the West Indies, where he 
 had been successfully engaged, with Admiral Byron, was 
 requested by Governor Rutledge, of South Carolina, and 
 by General Lincoln, to visit Savannah, and help them to 
 expel the British. He assented, and, with 22 sail of the 
 line, a number of small vessels, and 6000 soldiers, ap 
 peared at the mouth of the river with great suddenness. 
 Some British vessels, being surprised, fell into his hands, 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT 7 HE SOUTH. 
 
 127 
 
 and on September 1 3 he landed half his force at Beaulieu. 
 Some of Prevost s regiments had been scattered among 
 distant outposts in Georgia, and in the island of Port 
 Royal ; but they were hastily called in on news arriv 
 
 GENERAL CHARLES C. PINCKNEY. 
 
 ing of the appearance of the French fleet. On reach 
 ing the town of Savannah, D Estaing summoned the 
 place to surrender, and Prevost, to gain time, requested 
 a suspension of hostilities for 24 hours, which was 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 granted. By extraordinary efforts, the detachment from 
 Port Royal arrived in the interval, and Prevost then 
 informed the French commander that he would defend 
 the town to the utmost. When the whole of his de 
 tachments had reached him, he had under his orders an 
 army of nearly 2OOO men. The forces under D Estaing 
 had by this time been joined by those of General Lin 
 coln, Colonel M Intosh, and Count Pulaski. Heavy 
 artillery and stores were brought up from the fleet, and 
 on September 23 the siege began. For several days a 
 scathing fire was poured upon the walls, not only from 
 the batteries erected by the besiegers, but from a float 
 ing battery in the river. Yet no sensible effect was 
 produced, and Savannah showed no sign of yielding. 
 
 D Estaing was disappointed, and, what was worse, 
 he was placed in a position of no little danger. The 
 tempestuous season was on the eve of setting in ; it 
 was not improbable that an English fleet might be sent 
 against him, or might imperil the conquests which he 
 had recently made in the West Indies ; and a further 
 stay in the Savannah became unadvisable, unless the 
 town could be taken. The besiegers accordingly 
 determined to make an attempt at storming the place. 
 On the morning of October 9, 3000 French, and half 
 that number of Americans, advanced in three columns 
 to the assault, under cover of a heavy bombardment. 
 They met with a resolute resistance ; but the attacking 
 force pressed on, broke through the abatis, crossed the 
 ditch, and mounted the parapet. Pulaski and 200 
 horsemen, inspired by a desperate valor, dashed 
 between the batteries towards the town ; but the heroic 
 Pole fell mortally wounded, and the squadron broke. 
 After a sanguinary struggle, lasting fifty minutes, the 
 besiegers were driven from the works. Both the 
 French and the Americans, but especially the former, 
 lost a large number of men, nearly 1000, and, as the 
 
A VT\ TM? A HTU r\TT T1TT1 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 siege was now quite hopeless, it was abandoned, and the 
 armies left their ground on the evening of October 18. 
 
 The Americans recrossed the Savannah into South 
 Carolina, and the French hurriedly embarked on board 
 their ships and left the coast; thus deserting us when 
 their help was most needed. 
 
 The general disappointment felt at the collapse of 
 this enterprise was in some slight degree mitigated by 
 a daring and clever feat executed by Colonel White, 
 of Georgia. On the night of September 30, accom 
 panied by only six volunteers, he made such an appear 
 ance of strength, by the lighting of numerous fires in 
 different places, and by other artifices, that he induced a 
 British captain, posted near the River Ogeechee under 
 protection of five vessels, to surrender, with 141 men, 
 who were all secured, and conducted to the American 
 post at Sunbury, 25 miles off. The exploit was much 
 to the credit of Colonel White ; but it did not reconcile 
 us with the failure at Savannah. With the raising of the 
 siege of Savannah the campaign of 1779 virtually closed. 
 
 SIEGE OF CHARLESTON (March 29 to May 12, 1780). 
 Clinton was resolved not to let the winter season be en 
 tirely one of rest. He could do nothing in the North, 
 where the extreme cold prevented active operations. 
 He determined to gain possession of Charleston, which 
 would give him a hold over all that part of the Union. 
 He sailed from New York on December 26, but did 
 not reach Savannah, which was to be his base of opera 
 tions, until the end of January, 1780, owing to the 
 stormy weather which prevailed, and the interruption of 
 the American cruisers, which managed to capture some 
 of the transports and store-ships. Clinton was con 
 voyed by Admiral Arbuthnot, " with a naval force com 
 petent to the purpose, and which was superior to any 
 thing in the American seas." 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. j^I 
 
 General Lincoln had but a small and ill-regulated 
 force at his disposal, and, to increase its weakness, the 
 several divisions were scattered in various places. 
 
 After repairing the injuries to his army and fleet 
 at Savannah, Clinton proceeded north, and landed on 
 St. John s Island, thirty miles south of Charleston, on 
 February n. Thence he moved to the island of St. 
 James, sending forward part of his fleet to blockade the 
 harbor of Charleston, and advancing cautiously until the 
 reinforcements which he had ordered should arrive. 
 This slowness of approach gave Rutledge and Lincoln 
 time to repair the fortifications of the town, and to take 
 other military measures. Elaborate works of defence 
 were thrown up in front of the city, and between the 
 Rivers Ashley and Cooper: and Lincoln hoped that, if 
 he could delay the besiegers for a little while, reinforce 
 ments would arrive from the main body of the Conti 
 nental army, and compel the enemy to abandon his at 
 tempt. The fortifications were constructed under the 
 direction of M. Laumoy, a French engineer in the Amer 
 ican service, and they compelled Clinton to make his 
 approaches in regular form. Clinton did not hasten his 
 advance, but erected forts and formed magazines at 
 proper stations as he proceeded, and secured his com 
 munications with those forts and with the sea. On 
 April I Clinton arrived before the walls of Charleston, 
 and on the 9th Admiral Arbuthnot anchored within 
 reach of its seaward guns. The American naval force, 
 under Commodore Whipple, retired before the British 
 fleet, and his vessels, being obviously incapable of re 
 sistance, were dismantled, and made to contribute, by 
 their artillery and seamen, to the land defences of 
 the beleaguered city. When Clinton had finished 
 his first parallel, which was on the day of Arbuthnot s 
 arrival with the fleet, and had mounted his guns, he 
 summoned General Lincoln to surrender the town. 
 
 In depe x dunce 9 
 
THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Lincoln refused to forsake his charge, and his adversary 
 at once opened fire. 
 
 Rutledge and half of his council now took advantage 
 of the country to the north being still open, and left the 
 city, that they might carry on the government of the 
 State elsewhere, and might at the same time rouse the 
 local militia. Posts of militia were established between 
 the Cooper and the Santee, to cover the retreat of the 
 Charleston garrison, if they should be obliged to retire ; 
 but Clinton blocked up that avenue, by directing Tarle- 
 ton and a corps of light dragoons to dislodge the Amer 
 ican posts beyond the Cooper. That officer was con 
 ducted during the night of April 14, by a negro slave, 
 through unfrequented paths to the scene of action, where, 
 suddenly bursting upon the astonished Carolinians, he 
 killed or captured several and dispersed the rest. The 
 arrival of Cornwallis, with 3000 men, from New York, 
 on April 18, and the entrance of the fleet into the 
 harbor, had enabled the enemy to strengthen the troops 
 which had been engaged in cutting off the communica 
 tion between the town and the country, and prevented 
 the completion of the works which Lincoln had com 
 menced. 
 
 Charleston was now completely invested, the second 
 parallel was completed, and the spirits of the garrison be 
 gan to decline. An evacuation was talked of; but the idea 
 was soon abandoned as impracticable. The investing 
 lines were soon after strengthened, and, on April 21, 
 terms of capitulation were offered, but rejected. A third 
 parallel was commenced, and the despairing garrison 
 made a sortie, but without any important results. 
 
 On May 7 the garrison of Fort Moultrie, where the 
 works had been suffered to fall into decay, surrendered 
 themselves prisoners of war, immediately on being sum 
 moned to do so by Admiral Arbuthnot. The cavalry 
 which had escaped, and which had by this time reas- 
 
TH E BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 sembled, were again surprised and defeated by Tarleton 
 on two occasions ; and the condition of the defenders of 
 Charleston was now so forlorn and hopeless the 
 troops being exhausted by incessant duty, many of 
 the guns dismounted, and the supplies of food almost 
 consumed that terms of capitulation were once more 
 proposed on May 8, but without success, as, in the 
 opinion of Clinton, too many concessions were required. 
 Knowing the town was in his power, he could afford to 
 wait. The batteries of the third parallel did terrible ex 
 ecution. Shells and carcasses, in one unresting storm, 
 were thrown into several parts of the town, and many 
 houses were set on fire. The besiegers works were 
 within 100 yards of the walls ; and, in addition to the 
 cannon and mortars, the rifles of the Hessian Chasseurs 
 produced such effect that few escaped who showed 
 themselves above the lines. The American engineers 
 had declared that the lines could not be defended ten 
 days longer; and when, on May 11, the British crossed 
 the wet ditch by sapping and draining, and commenced 
 preparations for a general assault by sea and land, a 
 panic seized on all within the town. 
 
 The garrison and the inhabitants with such slender 
 defences, so poorly supplied with stores and provisions, 
 and so feebly supported by the militia of South Caro 
 lina performed wonders ; and after the surrender their 
 gallantry elicited the admiration of the enemy who had 
 overpowered them. At length their provisions failed, 
 and rice, coffee, and sugar were the only food of the 
 garrison. The intelligence of this fact soon reached the 
 enemy s camp. A shell, filled with rice and sugar, and 
 thrown into the town, soon attracted the attention of 
 the garrison, because it did not explode, and told,, in 
 terms of ridicule, that its distress was known to the 
 enemy; when, in a spirit of proud defiance, the same 
 shell, filled with hog s lard and sulphur (itch ointment), 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. j^ 
 
 was thrown into the Scotch regiments, in the parallels, 
 inviting them, in contemptuous terms, to employ that 
 remedy to cure their traditional national infirmity. 
 
 Some of the militia threw down their arms ; others 
 begged of General Lincoln to accept Clinton s terms ; 
 the civilians were clamorous for a surrender, and the 
 Patriot commander, after enduring the siege for forty 
 days and suffering a terrible bombardment, signified his 
 readiness to accept the conditions of the stronger. A 
 capitulation was signed on the next day, and Charleston 
 passed into the possession of the British troops. 
 
 Clinton stipulated that the town and fortifications, the 
 shipping, artillery, and all public stores, were to be given 
 up as they then were ; but, as regarded the surrender of 
 the troops, the garrison were to inarch out of the town, 
 and lay down their arms in front of the works, and were 
 to remain prisoners of war until exchanged. 
 
 The Patriot loss was 92 killed and 146 wounded, and 
 about 20 of the inhabitants were killed in their houses. 
 The enemy s loss was 76 killed and 189 wounded. 
 
 CAMDEN (August 16, 1780). Georgia having been 
 subdued, the war was renewed in South Carolina. 
 Charleston, as we have seen, was attacked by land and 
 sea, and after sustaining a siege of 40 days, and a terri 
 ble bombardment, was forced to surrender. Clinton 
 returned to New York, leaving Cornwallis, the ablest of 
 the English officers, in command. Gates, " the con 
 queror of Burgoyne," assumed command of the troops, 
 and marched to meet Cornwallis near Camden. 
 
 The forces under Gates were composed chiefly of 
 militia those from Virginia numbered 800 men under 
 General Stevens, and those from North Carolina 2100 
 men, under General Caswell ; besides which he had 
 Colonel Armand s Legion of Regulars, about 120 men; 
 the Maryland line and the Delaware regiment the 
 
136 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 latter the well-known " Blue hen s chickens/ numbering 
 about 900 men ; about 70 volunteer cavalry ; and nearly 
 IOO artillerymen in all about 4100 men, exclusive of 
 Captain Sumter s command, of whom 3052 were " pres 
 ent, fit for duty." The British had 122 officers, and 
 2117 men, commanded by Cornwallis, who left Charles 
 ton for that purpose. 
 
 Each party, ignorant of the intended movement of 
 his adversary, had fixed upon ten o clock in the evening 
 to begin a night attack. The strictest silence was 
 enjoined upon the troops, and orders were given to put 
 to death, instantly, any " soldier who offered to fire 
 without the command of his officer." Singularly too, 
 the same silence that had been imposed on the Patriots 
 had been ordered on the British troops, and thus the 
 columns unexpectedly encountered each other in the 
 woods. After some sharp skirmishing the armies waited 
 for day. 
 
 At daybreak Gates attempted to make some change 
 in the disposition of the troops. The experienced eye 
 of Cornwallis at once perceived the advantage which 
 Gates was tendering to him, and promptly seized that 
 moment to begin the attack by ordering his veteran 
 troops to charge the moving mass of militia in their 
 front. The result of such a combination of untoward 
 circumstances ensued, and, after a single, harmless fire, 
 the militia, forming the centre and left wing of the 
 Patriot line, threw away their arms and sought safety 
 in a shameful and precipitate retreat, which no authority 
 could check, no entreaty overcome. One regiment of 
 the North Carolina troops which formed the right of the 
 centre, alone remained on the ground ; and these, for a 
 short time, with the right wing, under the veteran 
 De Kalb, gallantly resisted every effort of Lord Rawdon, 
 and maintained their ground. At length De Kalb, at 
 the head of one of the regiments, made a vigorous charge 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. \^j 
 
 on the enemy, but fell, after having received eleven 
 wounds ; and was subsequently taken prisoner. A few 
 minutes afterwards, by a united charge of the cavalry 
 and the foot, the little remnant of the Patriots, no longer 
 sustained by the presence and great example of their 
 general, gave way before superior numbers, and aban 
 doned the unequal contest. 
 
 So closely were the troops pursued, that no attempt 
 could be made to rally them. " Never was a victory 
 more complete, or a defeat more total. Every corps 
 was broken and dispersed through the woods." 
 
 Our loss on this disastrous field was never accurately 
 ascertained. The noble Delaware regiment was nearly 
 annihilated; its survivors, consolidated into the skeleton 
 of two companies, under Captain Kirkvvood, remaining a 
 living monument of the determined obstinacy with which 
 it maintained its position. Of the regulars, probably about 
 650, in the aggregate, were killed, wounded, and taken ; 
 of the North Carolina militia about 100 were killed and 
 wounded, and about 300 (63 of them being wounded) 
 were taken prisoners; only three of the Virginia militia 
 were wounded. The enemy lost 68 killed, 245 wounded 
 (including several officers), and II missing. 13 pieces 
 of artillery, 22 ammunition wagons, 2000 stand of arms, 
 200 wagons, the greater part of all the baggage, all the 
 stores, and 8o,OOO musket-cartridges were among the 
 spoils of the victory. 
 
 All organized resistance to British rule now ceased 
 in the South. The defeat at Camden closed the public 
 military services of General Gates, and proved the 
 unsoundness of his pretensions as a military commander. 
 
 COWPENS (January 17, 1781). General Greene, who 
 was appointed on December 3, 1780, to succeed Gates, 
 found the army to consist of only 2000 half-clothed, 
 half-starved men, without discipline or supplies, -and 
 
138 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 without means of obtaining even the necessaries of life. 
 Ragged and barefooted, many of these unfortunate 
 creatures were reduced to the extremity of wretched 
 ness. Some weeks before, Greene had written to Reed 
 that they were living upon charity subsisting upon 
 daily contributions. To Washington he said that his 
 militiamen were as ragged and naked as the Virginia 
 negroes. Yet their militiary conduct was admirable, 
 and the firm discipline of Greene was visible throughout 
 the ranks. Not a sentinel was lost by desertion ; not a 
 murmur was heard from any one. 
 
 He detached General Morgan, with about 600 men, 
 to take post in the country, and to check the enemy s 
 foraging parties, while he with the main body threat 
 ened Camden. 
 
 Cornwallis was at Winnsborough, waiting for rein 
 forcements from Charleston ; and Morgan s activity in 
 checking the organization of Tories induced him to seek 
 safety in an attempt to cut off the audacious intruder. 
 Tarleton was therefore ordered on January I to oppose 
 the movements of Morgan. With a force of over 1000 
 men on the morning of the 1 6th, he took possession of 
 an advantageous position in Morgan s neighborhood. 
 
 Tarleton s movements had been reported to Morgan, 
 and, having refreshed his men, preparations were made 
 for the action. His numbers were not quite equal to 
 those of Tarleton, but his troops were fresher. There, 
 on the morning of January 17, he was attacked by 
 the English colonel, who, advancing with his usual im 
 petuosity, seemed to be on the eve of another striking 
 triumph. The first and second lines of the Patriots 
 were speedily thrown into confusion ; but retreating to 
 the top of a hill, they rallied, and calmly awaited the 
 British. The latter, exhausted by their previous work, 
 ascended the hill in some disorder, when the Patriots, 
 headed by Colonels Washington and Howard, charged 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. 
 
 139 
 
 their scattered ranks with so much vehemence and fury 
 that they gave way at all points, and were pursued to 
 the bottom of the hill. The cannon were taken, and the 
 greater part of the infantry laid down their arms. The 
 rest escaped, after a final and desperate charge by Tarle- 
 ton at the head of 40 horsemen. Ten commissioned 
 officers, and 100 privates, had been killed on the side of 
 the British ; the wounded were still more numerous; 
 and the seizure of artillery, muskets, and stores, was 
 considerable. The Patriot loss was comparatively slight, 
 while the gain to the cause was even greater than it ap 
 peared at first. 
 
 Cornwallis was vexed and astonished at the result of 
 this action; but, although the partial destruction of 
 Tarleton s detachment had seriously reduced his forces, 
 he determined to make a vigorous effort to retrieve his 
 fortunes. 
 
 It was said that what Bennington was to Burgoyne, 
 in the North, the Cowpens were to Cornwallis, in the 
 South, the source of untold mischief, and the precursor 
 of disaster and defeat. 
 
 GUILFORD (March 15, I/Si). General Greene was 
 now joined by Morgan and conducted the retreat. Rein 
 forcements from Virginia and North Carolina reached 
 the camp, and on March 13 his force including 161 
 cavalry, and 1490 Continentals numbered 4404 men. 
 On the I4th, he moved to Guilford Court House, within 
 eight miles of Cornwallis s camp, and offered battle; 
 and despatched Colonel Lee, with the Legion, as an ad 
 vance-guard, on the road to the camp, some three miles 
 from the main body. 
 
 On the I5th, Cornwallis moved from his position, "to 
 meet Greene on the way, or attack him in his camp." 
 
 Taking the road, with Tarieton in tne van, and the 
 brigade of guards in his rear, he was met by Lee, who 
 
140 
 
 THE BATTLES* OF AMERICA. 
 
 after skirmishing with the advance guard for some dis 
 tance, suddenly turned on it and cut to pieces a section 
 of Tarleton s dragoons ; pursued and drove it into the 
 light infantry of the Guards, who followed it ; and, fol 
 lowing the advantage, inflicted a heavy blow on the 
 latter, and compelled his lordship to move the Welsh 
 Fusilleers to support the advance and repel the assailants. 
 The captain of the Guards and about 30 of the enemy, 
 fell in this attack; while Lee and his party, after 
 winning golden opinions, even from their opponents, 
 retired with but little loss; and the enemy approached 
 the position occupied by General Greene. 
 
 The militia fled at the first fire, but the Continental 
 regulars fought as in the time of De Kalb, with great 
 firmness and resolution. The Patriots at last retired, 
 but the British had bought their victory so dearly that 
 Cornvvallis also retreated. Greene again pursuing, Corn- 
 wallis shut himself up in Wilmington. Thereupon 
 Greene turned into South Carolina, and, with the aid of 
 Marion, Lee, Sumter, and Pickens, nearly delivered this 
 State and Georgia from the British. Cornwallis refused 
 to follow Greene into South Carolina, and moved north 
 into Virginia. This engagement closed the long and 
 fiercely-fought contest at the South. 
 
 The Patriot loss was 87 killed, 181 wounded, and 
 1035 missing. The loss of the enemy was 99 killed, 
 406 wounded (among whom were Generals O Hara and 
 Howard, and Colonel Tarleton), and 26 missing. 
 
 The only advantage Cornwallis secured was the field 
 of battle, the heavy loss he had experienced rendered 
 the relative strength of the two armies more advanta 
 geous to the Patriots. The great abilities of Greene, in 
 bringing on this engagement, were soon apparent -in the 
 speedy retreat of Cornwallis from his dearly-bought 
 position, leaving behind him about 70 of his wounded, 
 and in the pursuit which was immediately commenced 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. \^\ 
 
 by the Patriots, and continued until the enemy had 
 found safety on the right bank of the Deep River. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF YORK/TOWN (September 28 to October 
 19, 1781). The enemy, still anxjously seeking to estab 
 lish his power in the Southern States, had sent the 
 traitor, Arnold, to Virginia, with a strong detachment 
 of troops to co-operate with Cornwallis, who was busily 
 engaged in measuring his strength and skill with Gen 
 eral Greene. Lafayette was sent to check Arnold, but, 
 with his small force, could accomplish little. Reinforce 
 ments from France were now hopefully waited for. 
 Count de Grasse, with a strong fleet from the West 
 Indies, was expected in a few weeks. A conference be 
 tween Washington and Count Rochambeau was held, 
 and plans of the campaign were discussed and de 
 termined upon. 
 
 It was resolved to attack New York ; and, in accord 
 ance with these plans, the allied forces of America and 
 France moved against that city. Every necessary pre 
 paration had been made for the commencement of active 
 operations, when, on August 14, Washington received 
 a letter from De Grasse, saying that the entire French 
 West Indian fleet, with more than 3000 land forces, 
 would shortly sail from St. Domingo for the Chesapeake, 
 intimating, however, that he could not remain longer 
 than the middle of October, when it would be necessary 
 for him to be at his station again. As this limited time 
 would not permit the necessary operations against New 
 York, the whole plan was changed, and it was resolved 
 to proceed to Virginia, with the whole of the French 
 troops and as many of the Americans as could be 
 spared from the defence of the posts on the Hudson ; 
 and instead of besieging Clinton, in his headquarters in 
 New York, a movement against Cornwallis, and the pow 
 erful detachment under his command, was resolved on. 
 
1 42 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Washington, by a feint on New York, kept Clinton 
 in the dark regarding his plans until he was far on his 
 way south with the Continental army. 
 
 The troops with which Washington moved to the 
 South, embraced all the French auxiliaries, led by 
 Count Rochambeau ; the light infantry of the Conti 
 nental army, led by Colonel Alexander Scammel ; de 
 tachments of light troops from the Connecticut and 
 New York State troops ; the Rhode Island regiment ; 
 the regiment known as " Congress s Own," under Col 
 onel Hazen ; two New York regiments ; a detachment 
 of New Jersey troops ; and the artillery, under Colonel 
 John Lamb ; numbering, in the aggregate, about 2000 
 Americans and a strong body of French. It is said 
 that the American troops, who were mostly from New 
 England and the Middle States, marched with reluc 
 tance to the southward, showing "strong symptoms of 
 discontent when they passed through Philadelphia," 
 and becoming reconciled only when an advance of a 
 monttis pay, in specie which was borrowed from Ro 
 chambeau for that purpose was paid to them. 
 
 The allies, having thus successfully eluded the watch 
 fulness of the enemy in New York, pressed forward 
 towards Annapolis and the Head of Elk, whither trans 
 ports had been despatched from the French fleet to con 
 vey them to Virginia; and on September 25 the last 
 division reached Williamsburg, where, with Lafayette 
 and his command, and the auxiliary troops, the entire 
 army had encamped. 
 
 In the mean time, the enemy, as well as the French 
 auxiliaries, had not been inactive. Cornwallis, vainly 
 expecting reinforcements from New York, had concen 
 trated his army at Yorktown and Gloucester, on oppo 
 site sides of the York River, and had been busily em 
 ployed in throwing up strong works of defence, and 
 preparing to sustain a siege. 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. 
 
 143 
 
 Admiral de Grasse, with a naval force of 26 sail of 
 the line and some smaller vessels, sailed from St. 
 Domingo on August 5 ; on the 3Oth he entered the 
 Chesapeake and anchored at Lynn Haven ; on the fol 
 lowing day he had blockaded the mouths of the James 
 and York Rivers, and prevented the retreat of the enemy 
 by water ; and, notwithstanding the absence of about 
 1900 of his men, besides three ships of the line and two 
 fifties, with their crews, had gone out and fought with 
 the British Admiral, Graves, and his 19 sail of the line. 
 General St. Simon, at the head of 3300 French troops, 
 had been landed from the fleet on September 2; joined 
 General Lafayette on the third ; and, on the fifth, with 
 the latter officer and his command, had moved down 
 to Williamsburg, 15 miles from York, and cut off the 
 retreat of the enemy by land. Admiral Barras, with 
 his squadron and ten transports, having on board the 
 siege artillery and a large body of French troops, 
 sailed from Newport on August 25, and entered Lynn 
 Haven Bay in safety on September 10, while De Grasse 
 was absent in engagement with Admiral Graves. 
 
 The enemy s fleet, overawed by the combined 
 fleets of De Grasse and Barras, had returned to New 
 York, leaving Cornwallis and his army to the fortunes of 
 war ; and enabling the naval force of the allies to 
 co-operate with the military in all the operations of 
 the siege. General Heath remained in the vicinity of 
 New York to protect the passes in the Highlands, and to 
 check any movement which Clinton might make for 
 the relief of Cornwallis. 
 
 Cornwallis had 7000 troops with which to encounter 
 the army that was being drawn about him. His only 
 chance was in extending his defensive works, and thus 
 making an assault almost impossible. By the end of 
 September, he had erected at Yorktown seven redoubts 
 and six batteries, connected by entrenchments, on the 
 
144 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 land side; along the river was another line of batteries; 
 and on each flank of the town were the natural defences 
 of deep ravines and creeks, the heads of which, in front 
 of the town, and at the point of junction with York 
 River, were about half a mile apart, while along their 
 course he had planted redoubts, field-works, and felled 
 trees, with their branches pointing outwards. The 
 channel of York River was obstructed by sunken ves 
 sels ; ships of war were stationed under protection of the 
 guns of the forts; and Gloucester Point, on the opposite 
 side of the river, was also strongly fortified. Such was 
 the state of the defences when, on September 25, the 
 greater number of the French and American troops 
 encamped near Williamsburg. On the night of that 
 day, Washington and his staff bivouacked on the ground 
 in the open air. The Commander-in-Chief slept under 
 a mulberry -tree, the projecting root of which served for 
 his pillow. Next day, the allied armies took up posi 
 tions on the two sides of Beaver Dam Creek ; the 
 Americans, who formed the right wing, occupying the 
 east side the French, to the left, covering the western 
 bank. 
 
 A letter from Clinton reached Cornwallis on the 
 evening of the 26th. It informed him of the arrival of 
 Admiral Digby, who, with a fleet of 23 ships of the line, 
 and above 5000 troops, would sail to his assistance 
 about October 5. A heavy firing would be made by 
 them on arriving at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, 
 and Cornwallis, if all went well at Yorktown, was to 
 respond with three separate columns of smoke, or with 
 four should he still possess the post at Gloucester Point. 
 The feeling of despondency had not then set in, or at 
 least was not yet avowed, though the general did not 
 think his position a good one. That same night, Corn 
 wallis abandoned his outworks, and drew his troops 
 within the town. The outworks were next day seized 
 
146 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 upon by detachments of American light infantry and 
 French troops, and proved serviceable in covering the 
 men employed in throwing up breastworks. Counting 
 Americans and French, Washington had now at his 
 disposal an army of 12,000 men, exclusive of the Vir 
 ginian militia. On the night of September 28, these 
 combined forces encamped within two miles of York- 
 town, and General de Choisy was sent across York 
 River with a sufficient detachment to watch the enemy 
 on the side of Gloucester Point. Very shortly the line 
 of the besiegers (where the Americans still formed the 
 right, and the French the left, wing) described a semi 
 circle, each end of which rested on the river, thus com 
 pleting the investment by land, while Count de Grasse 
 kept guard towards the sea. On October 3, Choisy 
 succeeded in cutting off all communication by land 
 between Gloucester and the country. 
 
 The first parallel before Yorktown was commenced 
 by General Lincoln on October 6. It was within 600 
 yards of the British lines, extending nearly two miles, 
 and was begun during a very dark night with so much 
 secrecy that Cornwallis s troops knew nothing about it 
 until daylight. The fortifications then opened fire, but 
 the men were by that time under cover, and continued 
 working with great self-possession. In less than three 
 days the parallel was completed, and on the afternoon 
 of the Qth a few of the batteries were ready to fire upon 
 the town. Washington himself put the first match to 
 the first gun, and a furious discharge of cannon and 
 mortars burst forth, producing a serious effect on the 
 buildings against which it was directed. The batteries 
 thus brought into play were soon aided by three others 
 managed by the French ; and the cannonade was kept 
 up almost incessantly for three or four days. Many of 
 the British guns were dismounted or silenced ; several 
 men were killed; and the fortifications suffered to a 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. l ^ 
 
 serious extent. All day the air was laced by the black 
 lines of shells crossing each other s paths ; by night, the 
 blackness changed into a brilliant and fiery red, filling 
 the heavens with a glare as of innumerable meteors. 
 The French batteries, which were to the northwest of 
 the town, threw red-hot shot, and in this way set fire 
 one night to a large English ship and three transports. 
 The cavalry were greatly distressed for want of forage 
 for their horses, and many of the animals were slain, 
 and sent floating down the river. Moreover, an epi 
 demic had broken out in the town, and hundreds were 
 stretched helpless on their pallets. British and Hessians 
 bore their hardships with great patience and courage, 
 and everything was done that resolution and military 
 knowledge could su^eest. But the situation was des- 
 
 o o o 
 
 perate from the first, and it grew worse with time. 
 
 The second parallel was begun by Baron Steuben s 
 division on the night of October 1 1. It was not more 
 than 300 yards from the opposing works, and the British 
 now made new embrasures, and for two or three days 
 kept up a galling fire on the besiegers, who were still 
 more seriously troubled by the flanking fire of two 
 redoubts, which enfiladed the entrenchments, and were 
 thought to command the communication between York- 
 town and Gloucester. These it was resolved to storm 
 on the night of the I4th ; and, to avoid any jealousy 
 between the two allied nationalities, it was arranged 
 that the one farthest from the river should be attacked 
 by a French detachment, and the other by a detach 
 ment of Americans under the command of Lafayette. 
 The signal for the simultaneous assault was the send 
 ing up of rockets at eight o clock in the evening. The 
 Americans rushed up to the bastion they were to attack, 
 pushed aside the abatis with their hands, and scrambled 
 over the obstructions which stood in their way. With 
 impetuous daring, the men mounted the parapet, and 
 
 Independence 10 
 
I4 8 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 without firing a musket, carried the work at the point 
 of the bayonet. The French were equally successful 
 with the other redoubt, which they attacked and which 
 was defended with much obstinacy. In the end, the 
 position was carried, though not without considerable 
 slaughter. The struggle at both these redoubts was 
 viewed by Washington with great anxiety from the 
 grand battery, together with Generals Knox and Lin 
 coln and their staffs. Taking his stand at an embra 
 sure, he was open to the danger of chance shots, and 
 one of his aides-de-camp pointed out that the situation 
 was much exposed. " If you think so," replied Wash 
 ington, "you are at liberty to step back." A few 
 minutes afterward, a musket-ball came in at the open 
 ing, and fell close to the Commander-in-Chief. Gene 
 ral Knox begged him to move ; but he answered that 
 it was merely a spent ball, and still remained at his 
 post. When the redoubts were both taken, he drew a 
 long breath of relief, and observing, " The work is 
 done, and well done," called for his horse, and departed. 
 Howitzers were mounted next day on the two 
 redoubts, and the works of the besiegers were thus 
 strengthened, while those of the besieged were pro 
 portionately decreased. Cornwallis, who had been los 
 ing heart for some time, now wrote to Clinton that his 
 situation was very critical ; that he dared not show a 
 gun to the old batteries, and that he expected new ones 
 would be opened on the following morning. Experience 
 had proved that the earthworks newly thrown up did 
 not resist the powerful artillery of the allies ; " so that 
 we shall soon be exposed to an assault in ruined works, 
 in a bad position, and with weakened numbers." The 
 safety of the place was consequently so doubtful that 
 he could not desire the fleet and army to run the risk 
 of endeavoring to save them. The arrival of the 
 promised fleet might, however, even then have turned 
 
GENERAL HENRY KNOX. 
 
 149 
 
150 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the fortune of the day ; but no sail appeared on the far- 
 reaching waters that spread towards the Atlantic. In 
 this extremity Conuvallis determined on making a 
 sortie on the second parallel. On October 16, a little 
 before day-break 350 men attacked two of the enemy s 
 batteries, spiked eleven of the guns, and killed or 
 wounded 100 of the French. But the cannon had 
 been so hastily damaged that they were easily repaired, 
 and by the evening of the same day the batteries of 
 the second parallel were nearly ready. There was now 
 no part of the whole front on which the guns were not 
 dismounted ; and the shells of the besieged were 
 almost wholly expended. Cornwallis had therefore 
 only to choose between preparing to surrender next 
 day, and endeavoring to get off with the greater part of 
 his troops. He determined on the latter course. 
 
 He planned to cross the river during the night with 
 his effective troops ; to leave behind him his sick, bag- 
 age, and other encumbrances ; to attack the French 
 officer who commanded on the Gloucester side ; to 
 mount his infantry, partly with the horses of the hostile 
 cavalry, which he hoped to overcome, and partly with 
 such animals as he might find by the way ; to push on 
 towards the fords of the great rivers in the upper 
 country; and then, turning northward, to pass through 
 Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys, and so join 
 the army at New York. For the carrying out of this 
 hazardous enterprise, 16 large boats were secretly pre 
 pared, and ordered to be in readiness to receive troops 
 that night at ten o clock. A detachment was appointed 
 to remain behind, and conduct the capitulation for the 
 townspeople, the sick, and the wounded ; and a large 
 number of the troops were transported to the northern 
 bank of the river before midnight, without discovery. 
 So far, the scheme had gone well ; but, under the best 
 of circumstances, it seems very improbable that it 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. 151 
 
 should have succeeded. Between Yorktown and New 
 York lay a wide extent of country ; in the rear of the 
 retreating army was an army greatly superior in num 
 ber ; and it is certain that the latter would have started 
 in pursuit, and probable that it would have overtaken 
 and defeated the fugitives, unless, as Cornwallis antici 
 pated, the allies had directed their steps towards the 
 south. He felt his position to be so desperate, and the 
 thought of capitulating was so bitter, that he resolved 
 to dare the utmost dangers of an almost hopeless 
 attempt at extrication, rather than agree to a surrender 
 before every means of avoiding it had been exhausted. 
 Up to the time when the first detachment of the 
 British troops had landed at Gloucester Point, the 
 night was calm and fine; but a storm then arose, 
 scattering the boats in which the second division had 
 already embarked, driving them a long way down the 
 river, and putting a stop to the further transportation of 
 the army. The boats were afterwards brought together 
 again with some difficulty; but it was then too late to 
 proceed with the enterprise, and, on the morning 
 of the I /th, the first detachment was conveyed back 
 across the river under a heavy fire from the American 
 batteries. The guns of the second parallel were now 
 playing in combination with those of the first. Great 
 gaps were torn in the already crumbling defences of 
 Yorktown; it was obvious that an assault would not 
 be long delayed ; and it could hardly be supposed that 
 so small a garrison, exhausted by incessant labors, and 
 many of them weakened by disease, could resist the 
 onslaught of a numerous host. All hope, then, was at 
 an end. The mortification of a surrender could no longer 
 be avoided. The fate of Burgoyne was to be shared by 
 Cornwallis. Both of them men of ability, honor, and 
 courage, they had nevertheless placed themselves in posi 
 tions from which escape was impossible ; and to Corn- 
 
152 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 wallis was reserved the additional misery of reflecting 
 that so serious a blow, occurring a second time, would 
 probably ruin the British cause in America beyond the 
 possibility of redress. 
 
 A correspondence ensued to arrange the terms, of 
 surrender. Cornwallis required that the garrison, 
 though laying down their arms as prisoners of war, 
 should be sent home the British to England and 
 the Hessians to Germany under an engagement not to 
 serve against France, America, or their allies until ex 
 changed. Washington declared these terms inadmis 
 sible, and sent a copy of the rough articles which 
 had been prepared to Lord Cornwallis, with a note ex 
 pressing his -expectation that they would be signed by 
 eleven o clock on the I9th, and that the garrison 
 would be ready to march out of the town within three 
 hours afterwards. Finding all attempts to obtain more 
 advantageous terms unavailing, Cornwallis yielded to 
 the necessities of the case, and surrendered, with his 
 entire force, military and naval, to the arms of the 
 allies. 
 
 At two o clock in the afternoon of October 19, the 
 British troops marched out of Yorktown, with drums 
 beating, muskets shouldered, and colors cased, to lay 
 down their arms before the American and French army 
 drawn out in two lines (the Americans on the right side 
 of the road). 
 
 The ARMY, with all its artillery, stores, military -cl tests, 
 &c. t was surrendered to General Washington ; the NAVY, 
 witJi its appointments, to the Admiral de Grasse. 
 
 The terms were precisely similar to those which the 
 enemy had granted to the garrison of Charleston, in the 
 preceding year ; and General Lincoln, the commander of 
 that garrison, on whom the illiberality of the enemy then 
 fell, was designated as the officer to whom the sur 
 render should be made. 
 
THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SOUTH. 
 
 153 
 
 The reported losses were as follows : of the Ameri 
 cans there were 22 killed and 66 wounded; of the 
 French, 50 killed and 136 wounded. The British loss 
 was 156 killed, 326 wounded, and 73 missing. 
 
 Thus was Cornwallis driven to a surrender as humili 
 ating as that at Saratoga. And it is remarkable that 
 this surrender corresponds, almost to a day, with the 
 surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, four years earlier. 
 This surrender destroyed the last hope of England s ever 
 Deing able to subdue America. Exultation and grati 
 tude broke forth from every heart when the news 
 spread abroad. The cause of Independence was now 
 regarded as won. The battles of the American Revo 
 lution had now all been fought. The American Colonies 
 were irrevocably gone. A preliminary treaty of peace 
 was signed at Paris in 1782, and in November, 1783, 
 Britain reserved to herself on the American Continent 
 only Canada and Newfoundland, and acknowledged 
 without reserve the INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED 
 STATES. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 THE REVOLUTIONARY BATTL?:S ON THE SEA. 
 
 MACHIAS (June n, 1775). The first naval action of 
 the Revolutionary War, like the first land battle, 
 originated and was carried out by tlie people, without 
 any order from any Committee of Safety, Provincial 
 Congress, or other body or officer of their creation. 
 
 To the harbor of Machias, a King s cutter, Margaretta, 
 convoyed two sloops, to be freighted with lumber for 
 the army at Boston. On Sunday, June 1 1, 1775, the 
 Patriots of the town, aided by volunteers from Mispecka 
 and Pleasant River, seized the captain of the sloops " in 
 the meeting-house," and afterwards got possession of his 
 vessels. The Margaretta did not fire on the town, but 
 in the dusk of the evening fell down the harbor, and 
 next morning proceeded on her voyage. She was 
 pursued by Captain Jeremiah O Brien and 40 men in 
 one of the captured sloops, and by 20 others from 
 Machias in a schooner; and being a dull sailor, she 
 was soon overtaken. An obstinate sea-fight took place ; 
 the captain of the cutter was mortally wounded and 
 six of his men were hurt, when after an hour s resistance, 
 the British flag was struck, for the first time on the 
 ocean, to Americans. 
 
 The exact loss, on either side, has not been recorded, 
 but it is not likely to have exceeded 20 all told. 
 
 Fenimore Cooper appropriately said of this affair: 
 (iS4) 
 
RE VOL UTIONAR Y BA TTL ES ON THE SEA. i $ 5 
 
 " It was the Lexington of the sea ; for, like that 
 celebrated land conflict, it was a rising of the people 
 against a regular force, was characterized by a long 
 chase, a bloody struggle, and a triumph." It was also 
 the first blow struck on the water after the War of the 
 American Revolution had actually commenced. 
 
 Had the result been different, Jeremiah O Brien would 
 have been classed as a pirate and a traitor, and his 
 name handed down to everlasting ridicule and con 
 tempt. Treason, when successful, is never treason. 
 
 Loss OF THE RALEIGH (September 27, 1778). At 
 seveii in the morning of Friday, September 25, 1778, 
 the United States frigate Raleigh, of thirty-two guns, 
 commanded by Captain John Barry, sailed from Boston, 
 having a brig and a sloop under convoy. 
 
 About eleven o clock two strange ships were seen 
 about fifteen miles distant, which gave her chase. 
 The Raleigh immediately hauled her wind to the 
 northward, and night coming on, the chase was lost 
 sight of. Early next morning the ships were again in 
 sight, and continued the chase all day. On Sunday 
 morning, the 27th, the chase was discovered to wind 
 ward, coming down on the Raleigli with all sail set, 
 when the latter immediately hauled her wind, steer 
 ing about north by west, which was also done by the 
 enemy. 
 
 In the afternoon the enemy s leading ship over 
 hauled the Raleigh; and at five o clock the engage 
 ment commenced. At the second fire, the Raleigh lost 
 her foretop-mast and mizzentopgallant-mast, which gave 
 her opponent a great advantage in manoeuvering, yet 
 the battle raged furiously until night-fall, and the 
 Raleigh " had the advantage." At this time the enemy s 
 sternmost ship came up and engaged her; and for half 
 an hour longer the unequal conflict continued, when 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Captain Barry wore ship, and made for the shore, with 
 the intention of running aground. 
 
 Unfortunately, the enemy followed, and a running 
 fight continued until two o clock in the morning of the 
 28th, when the chase was shaken off, and the Raleigh 
 succeeded in reaching the land. 
 
 It is said she ran aground on Fox s Island in Penob- 
 scot Bay; that the ship and 22 men were taken by the 
 enemy ; and that the remainder of the crew was saved. 
 Her captors were the Experiment, Captain Wallace, of 
 fifty guns, and the Unicorn, of twenty-two guns, the 
 latter of which had ten men killed, and was greatly 
 damaged, both in her hull and rigging. Our loss was 
 25 men killed and wounded. 
 
 THE HAWK AND THE PIGOT (October 25, 1778). By 
 the operations on Rhode Island, the destruction of the 
 enemy s vessels, the command of the ferries, and other 
 lines of communication between the island and the main, 
 were secured to the inhabitants, much to the annoyance 
 of the royal authorities. To close one of these points 
 the east passage a fine stout schooner, of about two 
 hundred tons, was procured; her upper deck removed; 
 lower deck pierced for twelve eight-pounders, which had 
 been removed from the Flora ; strong boarding-netting 
 carried around her bulwarks; and 457 men, under 
 Lieutenant Dunlap, of the British Navy, placed on 
 board. She was named the Pigot, in honor of the royal 
 commander on Rhode Island, and, anchored near How- 
 land s Ferry, at the mouth of the Seaconet, " she com 
 pletely barred its entrance, and, for a long period, kept 
 a sullen and undisturbed watch, greatly to the detriment 
 of the island and the Patriot Army." 
 
 Against this vessel, on October 25, Major Talbot, with 
 45 men, and two three-pounders, left Providence on a 
 small coasting-sloop called the Hawk. Soon after he 
 
RE VOL UTIONAR Y BA TTLES ON THE SEA. 
 
 157 
 
 left the town, the wind died away, and he was compelled 
 to anchor and remain there during that and the follow 
 ing days. On the night of the 26th the wind again 
 favored the expedition, and it proceeded as far as the 
 Taunton River, receiving, on its way, the fire of the 
 enemy s battery at the Bristol Ferry. The wind being 
 unfavorable for the new course which the sloop had to 
 take, on the following morning Major Talbot went on 
 shore, and, on horseback, proceeded to reconnoitre the 
 enemy. He rode down until he came opposite the 
 Pigot, when her position, equipments, &c., were care 
 fully examined and noted, after which he returned to his 
 vessel, and prepared for action. Fearing that his force 
 was insufficient to accomplish his object, he applied to 
 General Cornell for a reinforcement ; and, about nine in 
 the evening, after receiving an addition to his small 
 party of 15 men and Lieutenant Helms, from the Rhode 
 Island line, he weighed anchor, and sailed down the 
 passage. When he approached the Fogland Fort he 
 lowered his sails and drifted down under bare poles, se 
 curing his passage through that part of the channel 
 without being discovered. 
 
 Having lashed a kedge-anchor on his jib-boom, and 
 hoisted his sail again, he speedily neared the Pigot, was 
 hailed, and made no answer. The sentries muskets 
 were then discharged at the Hawk, but, such was her 
 headway, at half-past one on the morning of the 28th, 
 before a cannon could be discharged by the schooner, 
 she was alongside the Pigot\ the anchor on her jib- 
 boom had torn the netting from the bulwarks of the 
 schooner, and had grappled her fore-shrouds; and 
 Helms and his party of 15 men had gained her deck, 
 sword in hand. A brisk fire was immediately opened 
 on the Pigot, and her crew, terrified at the audacity of 
 her assailants, begged for quarter and ran below, leav 
 ing the deck unoccupied. The crew of the Hawk im- 
 
I $ 8 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 mediately passed over the bowsprit of the sloop and 
 boarded the schooner; while Lieutenant Dunlap, her 
 commander, in his shirt and drawers, rushed from his 
 berth, and gallantly defended his vessel single-handed; 
 but his bravery availed nothing, and, in a few minutes, 
 his crew was safely secured in the hold of the vessel, 
 her anchor was weighed, and, with the Haivk, she was 
 on her way down the Narragansett Bay, neither party 
 having lost a man. 
 
 On the following day the vessels reached Stoning- 
 ton in safety ; whence the prisoners were marched, in 
 triumph to Providence. " Congratulations, acknowl 
 edgements, and honors were preferred the bold leader 
 in this enterprise from all quarters. The Assembly of 
 Rhode Island presented him with a sword ; " the " Con 
 gress of the United States presented its thanks, and 
 a lieutenant-colonel s commission;" but, perhaps of all 
 the compliments bestowed on the occasion, the one he 
 received with the greatest relish was the character 
 awarded him in the British report of the loss of the 
 Pigot "One of the greatest arch-rebels in nature." 
 
 JOHN PAUL JONES was born in Scotland on July 6, 
 1747, and was the son of a market-gardener named 
 Paul. Being accustomed to the sight of shipping from 
 his childhood, he acquired in this way a passion for the 
 sea. While yet a boy, he became a sailor in the mer 
 chant service, and went to America. An elder brother 
 was married and settled in Virginia, where he became a 
 planter. For a while he was in the slave trade ; but 
 his large humanity revolted at the business, and, devot 
 ing himself to trade with the West Indies, he became 
 rich. At the opening of the Revolutionary War, he 
 took his stand with the Patriots ; and, on its being de 
 termined by Congress to fit up a naval force, Jones, then 
 a vigorous young man of 28, was appointed first lieuten- 
 
COMMODORE JOHN PAUL JONES, 
 
 159 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 ant of the Alfred, on board which ship he hoisted with 
 his own hands, for the first time it had ever been dis 
 played in a national ship, the flag of independent America. 
 It bore the device of a pine tree with a rattlesnake coiled 
 at its root. 
 
 Soon displaying the high qualities of seamanship and 
 daring, he was put in command of the sloop Providence^ 
 Carrying 12 guns and 70 men. During his first cruise 
 of six weeks, he made 1 6 prizes. Appointed a captain 
 in 1776, he was given command of the Alfred, and the 
 year following of the Ranger, when he sailed to the 
 British waters to revenge on the shores of his native 
 land the injuries which British ships had inflicted on 
 the coasts of his adopted country. 
 
 After staying for a while in the Solway Firth, close to 
 the spot where he was born, he rowed with 31 volun 
 teers, in two boats, to the coast of Cumberland, and in 
 the harbor of Whitehaven, set fire to three vessels, and 
 spiked a large number of cannon in the guard room of 
 the fort. In the course of four weeks at the end of 
 which time he sailed for Brest this daring seaman had 
 destroyed 26 valuable ships, thrown the coasts of Scot 
 land and Ireland into a fever of alarm, occasioned the 
 Irish volunteers to be embodied, and compelled the 
 English Government to expend a considerable sum of 
 money in fortifying the harbors. 
 
 CAPTURE OF THE SERAPIS AND SCARBOROUGH (Sep 
 tember 23, 1779). During the summer of 1779, through 
 the exertions of Benjamin Franklin, a squadron was 
 fitted out in France, and the command given to Captain 
 John Paul Jones. It consisted of the Bon Homme 
 Richard an old East Indiaman (which had been con 
 demned and laid upas a hulk), mounting 6 old eighteen- 
 pounders in the gun-room, 28 old twelve-pounders on 
 her main-deck, and 8 six-pounders on her quarter 
 deck and forecastle; the Alliance a fine Continental 
 
RE VOL UTIONA RY BA TTL ES ON THE SEA. l 5 l 
 
 frigate mounting 36 guns ; the Pallas a merchant ship 
 carrying 32 guns ; ihtVengeance a merchant brig carry 
 ing 12 guns; and the Cerf a fine large cutter mount 
 ing 1 8 guns. The cost attending this squadron appears 
 to have been borne in part by the French King, in part 
 by the American Commissioners, and the remainder by 
 a banker in Paris. 
 
 After cruising on the coast of Great Britain, and 
 spreading terror among her people for several weeks, 
 on September 23, 17/9, while in company with the 
 Alliance and the Pallas, Commodore Jones was cruising 
 off Flamborough Head, on the coast of Yorkshire, 
 England, and discovered a fleet of more than forty sail. 
 From intelligence which the commodore possessed, he 
 was convinced that this was the Baltic fleet, which was 
 returning home under convoy of the Serapis, 44, and 
 the Countess of Scarborough, 22 guns ; and he prepared 
 for attack. Perceiving from his movements, that the 
 little squadron was an enemy, the commandant of the 
 Serapis signalled to his consort to follow him, and 
 hauled out to sea, until he had got to windward of his 
 convoy, when he tacked and stood inshore again, to 
 cover it, and enable it to find shelter near Scarborough. 
 
 Jones signalled his consorts to form a line, with the 
 Pallas in the van, and the Alliance astern of the Richard, 
 and to chase the enemy ; but the insubordination of the 
 captain of the Alliance frustrated all the plans, and he 
 not only deprived the commodore of the assistance of 
 that vessel, but endeavored to withdraw that of the 
 Pallas also. Jones, notwithstanding this diminution of 
 his force, stood steadily on, and, about seven o clock, 
 he came up with the Serapis, the Countess of Scar 
 borough being a short distance to leeward. 
 
 The Serapis was a new, double-decked " forty-four," 
 and was considered a fast sailer. She mounted twenty 
 eighteen-pounders on her lower gun-deck, twenty nine- 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 pounders on her upper gun-deck, and ten six-pounders 
 on her quarter-deck and forecastle ; and her crew was a 
 fine one of 320 men, commanded by Captain Richard 
 Pearson. 
 
 The weather was clear, the surface of the sea unruffled, 
 and, just as the Richard came within gun-shot of her 
 opponent, the moon rose with unusual splendor, to re 
 veal the terrible struggle which was about to open to 
 the anxious spectators who had crowded on the edges 
 of the cliffs, which, at that place, formed the coast of 
 England. " What ship is that? " was asked by the cap 
 tain of the Serapis as the Richard came up ; and, 
 " Come a little nearer and I will tell you," was the 
 equivocal reply. " What are you laden with ? " was 
 the next inquiry; and the answer, " Round, grape, and 
 double-head shot," hurled back a defiance on the self- 
 conceited interrogator. A broadside from the Senipis 
 immediately thundered in response, and the action 
 began. The sea being smooth, Jones relied greatly on 
 the six eighteen-pounders which had been mounted 
 in the gun-room, but, at the first discharge, two of them 
 burst, blowing up the deck above, and killing and 
 wounding nearly all the men who were stationed at 
 them. The four which remained were immediately 
 abandoned, and the men who were stationed at them 
 were posted elsewhere. The abandonment of these 
 guns rendered the contest still more uneven, especially 
 when, ten minutes later, the enemy ran out his eighteen- 
 pounders on the lower deck, and opened that terrible 
 fire which reduced the Ricliard to a perfect wreck before 
 the close of the action. The Richard, having backed 
 her topsails, exchanged several broadsides with her 
 opponent, when she filled again, and shot ahead of her; 
 upon which the latter luffed across the Richard s stern, 
 pouring in a raking broadside, as she passed, and came 
 up on the weather quarter of the latter, taking the wind 
 
REVOLUTIONARY BATTLES ON THE SEA. X 6^ 
 
 out of her sails, and in her turn passing ahead. While 
 the Serapis was thus ahead of the Richard, she failed in 
 an attempt to go down athwart the fore-foot of the 
 latter, to rake her, and was obliged to put her helm 
 hard down to keep clear of her. In this manner she 
 lost some of her way, while the Richard, keeping on her 
 course, and taking advantage of a fresh breeze which at 
 that moment filled her sails, soon ran aboard of her, 
 bows on, the jib-boom of the former passing between 
 the starboard mizzen-shrouds and the mizzen-vang of 
 the Serapis. The commodore immediately ordered the 
 grappling-irons to be thrown out, and the boarders to 
 stand by, but the chains attached to the irons were cut 
 away by the enemy, and the vessels separated. As 
 soon as she had obtained room to do so, the Serapis 
 put her helm hard down, laid all aback forward, shiv 
 ered her after-sails, and wore short round, with the in 
 tention, it is supposed, of luffing up athwart the Rich 
 ard s bow, in order to rake her again. Perceiving the 
 object of the enemy, and knowing his own weakness, 
 Jones ordered the sailing-master of the Richard to lay 
 the enemy onboard again, when the helm was put hard- 
 a-weather, and the Serapis laid athwart-hawse, the jib- 
 boom of the latter passing through the mizzen-shrouds 
 of the former. The Richard s grappling-irons were again 
 thrown out ; while the jib-stay of the Serapis which 
 had been cut away was employed to make the latter 
 fast to the mizzen-mast of the former. The pressure of 
 the breeze on the after-sails of the Serapis, and the strain 
 produced by the crew of the Ricliard by means of the 
 trail ings attached to their grappling-irons, soon caused 
 the jib-boom of the former to give way, when the two 
 ships dropped alongside of each other, head and stern, 
 and the fluke of the spare anchor of the Serapis hooking 
 on the quarter of the Richard, they were firmly secured, 
 so near to each other that the muzzles of their guns 
 
 Independence 1 1 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA, 
 
 touched each other s sides. During all this time the 
 cannonade continued with great fury, and both vessels 
 suffered severely. A strong force having been placed in 
 the Richard s tops, and a constant fire maintained there 
 from, the men in the tops of the Serapis, as well as those 
 on her quarter-deck and forecastle, suffered very severely. 
 
 Soon after the vessels had been lashed together, it 
 was seen that the current was carrying them in shore, 
 and the Serapis dropped her anchor, with the hope that 
 the Richard would drift clear of her. But this hope was 
 not realized, and as the vessels slowly turned to the tide, 
 the enemy attempted to board the Richard, but were 
 repulsed. Each party speedily followed in similar at 
 tempts to board, but neither succeeded although many 
 lives were lost in the several attempts. 
 
 At this time the vessels, firmly secured to each other, 
 laid at anchor in about ten fathoms of water. They had 
 been engaged about three-quarters of an hour, and, 
 with increased fury, the conflict continued. The tops 
 of the Serapis had been cleared, and the crews of her 
 quarter and main decks were falling rapidly before the 
 fire of the Richard s topsnien, and before the hand- 
 grenades which were thrown among them. The greater 
 part of her guns, from the position of the Richard, had 
 been rendered useless, four only, on her starboard bow 
 two eighteen-pounders on her lower gun-deck, and 
 two nine-pounders on her upper gun-deck being 
 effective. The Richard, also, had suffered severely, 
 both in her hull and in the ranks of her crew, and she, 
 too, had but two or three of her small guns in use on 
 her upper deck. Her crew had mostly abandoned the 
 lower decks to escape the fire of the Serapis; and 
 through the port-holes, with lances, pikes, pistols, and 
 grenades, they attacked the enemy s crew. The singu 
 lar spectacle was thus presented of our forces com 
 manding the upper deck and the tops of the Serapis, and 
 
REVOLUTIONARY BATTLES ON THE SEA. ^5 
 
 driving the men therefrom ; while, at the same moment, 
 the enemy was tearing the Richard s lower deck to 
 pieces, and forcing her crew to seek shelter in her fore 
 castle and on her upper decks. 
 
 In this singular condition the battle raged furiously, 
 until some of the light sails on the Serapis took fire, 
 which spread to the rigging, and thence to the Richards 
 tops, when the firing ceased, and the crews of both ships 
 joined in combating their new enemy. After some 
 time spent in this manner the fire was extinguished, and, 
 immediately afterwards, the battle was renewed. A 
 dozen times was this scene repeated alternately com 
 bating each other, and the flames, which threatened de 
 struction to both. 
 
 Thus hour after hour this unparalleled conflict con 
 tinued, one having resolved to conquer, the other not 
 to be conquered. At length, at half-past nine o clock, 
 one of those sudden dispensations of Providence, which 
 no one can foresee, scattered the crew of the Serapis from 
 her main-deck, and gave us the victory. Some time 
 previous, one of the Richard s topsmen had passed 
 over to the main-top of the Serapis with a match and a 
 bucket filled with grenades, where he employed himself 
 in dropping these combustibles among the crew beneath 
 him. At the same time the powder-boys, on the main- 
 deck of the Serapis, had brought the cartridges up from 
 the magazine faster than they had been used, and a row 
 of them had been laid on the deck, parallel with the 
 guns. One of the grenades struck the combings of the 
 upper hatch way , and, glancing off, fell among the car 
 tridges. By its explosion the cartridges were ignited, 
 and the flash, passing from one to another, from abreast 
 the mainmast to the extreme after part of the ship, the 
 whole were discharged among the crew with terrible 
 effect. More than 2<? men were instantly killed, and 
 38 wounded. 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA, 
 
 This disaster, while it served to discourage the enemy\ 
 increased the hopes and rendered more active the ex 
 ertions of the Richard s crew. At this moment the 
 Alliance, which had been hovering around the com 
 batants, came within gunshot, to the windward of the 
 ships, and opened an indiscriminate fire on friend and 
 foe alike. Keeping away a little, she soon reached the 
 larboard quarter of the Richard, and it is asserted by 
 some that her fire was continued until she got nearly 
 abeam of that vessel. For some time this singular con 
 duct was continued, and it was not until the signals of 
 recognition was hoisted that the firing discontinued. 
 Soon afterwards the crew of the Richard was alarmed 
 with the report that the ship was sinking, and several 
 hundred British prisoners, who had been confined be 
 low, were set at liberty by the master-at-arms. The 
 confusion which was thus produced was heightened by 
 a report that all the officers had been killed ; and the 
 gunner, supposing himself to be the senior officer, 
 hurried on deck and called for " quarter." Captain 
 Pearson, of the Serapis, hearing the joyful sound, hailed 
 the Richard, and inquired if she had surrendered, when 
 the commodore undeceived him, and throwing his 
 pistol at the gunner, severely wounded him. 
 
 The prisoners who had been liberated were set to 
 work at the pumps ; and the crew of the Richard ap 
 peared to feel, more than ever, determined to conquer. 
 A few more guns were brought to bear one of them, 
 loaded with double-headed shot, directed by the com 
 modore in person, was especially directed against the 
 mainmast of the Scrapis and increased exertions were 
 put forth on every side. At length, at about half-past 
 ten o clock, Captain Pearson of the Serapis struck her 
 colors with his own hand, none of his crew daring to 
 expose themselves for that purpose. 
 
 As soon as it was known that the Serapis had surren- 
 
REVOLUTIONARY BATTLES ON THE SEA. 
 
 I6 7 
 
 dered, Lieutenant Richard Dale passed on board and 
 took possession of the prize; while Captain Pearson and 
 his officers passed over to the Ricliard, and surrendered 
 their swords to the commodore. In doing so Captain 
 Pearson remarked, " It is with great reluctance I am 
 obliged to resign my sword to a man who may be said 
 to fight with a halter about his neck." Some have sup 
 posed this was intended as an insult to the commodore, 
 but, if it was so, it signally failed, the latter simply reply 
 ing, " Sir, you have fought like a hero, and I make no 
 doubt your Sovereign will reward you for it in the most 
 ample manner." 
 
 While this conflict was raging, the Pallas attacked 
 the Countess of Scarborough, and, after a severe action 
 of two hours, captured her. 
 
 As soon as Lieutenant Dale had received a prize-crew 
 on the Serapis, the lashings were cut, and the Richard 
 slowly drifted away, the prize following her as soon as 
 her cable could be cut. 
 
 Thus terminated one of the most desperate struggles 
 which the world ever witnessed; but a new danger now 
 presented itself. The Richard was both sinking and on 
 fire ; and it was owing to the assistance of men sent 
 from the other vessels of the squadron, that she was 
 preserved long enough to secure the removal of the 
 wounded and her crew. An examination showed that 
 abaft, on a line with the guns of the Serapis which had 
 been employed after the vessels had been lashed together, 
 her timbers and siding had been entirely demolished, a 
 few futtocks, which remained, being the only support 
 of her poop and upper deck. Her rudder had been cut 
 from her stern post; her transoms had been nearly driven 
 out of her; the flames, which had got within her ceiling, 
 had extended so far as to menace the magazine; and the 
 pumps, by constant use, could barely keep the water at 
 the same level. After securing those who were on 
 
j68 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 board, about nine o clock on the morning of September 
 25, the officer who had charge of her, with his crew, 
 took to their boats; and, at ten o clock, the Bon Homme 
 Richard settled slowly into the sea, bows foremost, and 
 disappeared. 
 
 The Serapis had suffered much less than the Richard, 
 probably in consequence of the guns of the latter having 
 been lighter and sooner silenced; yet she lost her main 
 and mizzen masts and her fore top-mast, immediately 
 after the ships had been separated, and was taken as a 
 prize into Holland under jury-masts. 
 
 The loss of life was also unusually severe, although 
 there appears to be great uncertainty respecting its 
 exact extent. It has been said by a well-informed 
 writer to have amounted, on the Richard, to 165 killed, 
 and 137 wounded and missing ; while that on the Serapis 
 is supposed to have been nearly, if not quite, equal to 
 that on her opponent the same well-informed author 
 stating that she lost 137 killed, and 76 wounded. 
 By this exploit Paul Jones was enabled to effect the 
 release of the American prisoners in England, who were 
 exchanged for the officers and seamen taken with the 
 two frigates. The naval battles of this able and 
 courageous sailor formed the commencement of a series 
 of desperate achievements in which the United States 
 gathered great renown. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 IMMEDIATELY upon President Jefferson s inauguration 
 he set to work reforming and retrenching. He reduced 
 the army and navy to the most slender dimensions ; 
 jealousy of a standing army being a powerful sentiment 
 with the early Democrats. 
 
 The struggle of Napoleon in Europe with the allied 
 powers brought us into trouble. England had forbidden 
 all trade with France, and France had in return forbidden 
 all trade with England and her colonies. By these de 
 crees all of our vessels sailing on the ocean were liable 
 to capture. These decrees violated our neutral rights, 
 and were calculated to destroy our commerce, which by 
 this time had become quite imposing. 
 
 In 1807 Congress passed an Embargo Act, believing 
 there was no other way to obtain redress from England 
 and France. The promised results of this measure 
 were not realized, and the law was repealed in 1809. It 
 created dissatisfaction, particularly in New England. 
 
 England impressed American seamen on the plea 
 that they were British subjects by birth, and could not 
 free themselves from their allegiance, even though they 
 made themselves citizens of another State. Measures 
 of retaliation were loudly demanded. Safety was be 
 lieved to be equally concerned in resistance to these 
 English claims. 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Jefferson had cut down the small fleet commenced by 
 Washington and Adams; and the country now felt the 
 evil effects of that mistaken economy. The few gun 
 boats that had been built proved wholly inefficient, and 
 our merchant ships had nothing to shield them from 
 the naval power of England on the one hand, and 
 France on the other. 
 
 Public opinion was exasperated to a pitch of fury 
 when the British ship Leopard attacked the Chesapeake, 
 killing some of the crew. The Chesapeake, being un 
 prepared for action, struck her flag, and was boarded by 
 the British captain, who took off four of her seamen, 
 whom he declared were British subjects. Rage seized 
 on the people when this action became known. Some 
 demanded an immediate declaration of war against 
 England. Since 1803 the British cruisers had captured 
 900 American vessels, and the injury to commerce was 
 so great that the nation was threatened with pecuniary 
 ruin. It was with difficulty that the Government could 
 even moderate the indignation of the people, and it had 
 become clear that war with England was inevitable. 
 
 On June 19, 1812, a formal declaration of war was 
 made by the United States against England. The peo 
 ple were so enthusiastically in favor of the war that the 
 proclamation declaring it was in several places received 
 with illuminations and rejoicings, and the cities of New 
 York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, passed resolutions 
 approving the action of the Government, and pledging 
 themselves to support it. Jefferson s economical policy 
 was now abandoned, and bills were passed to enlist 
 men, organize militia, and to equip and enlarge the 
 navy. When we plunged into the 1812 war, England 
 had more than 1000 vessels, manned by more than 
 144,000 sailors the best in the world, and long accus 
 tomed to victory. We had barely 20 vessels of war 
 of large size, carrying not more than 300 guns. A 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. \j\ 
 
 number of gun-boats had recently been built, but they 
 were required for defending the coast, and could not 
 be counted on for service at any great distance. 
 
 Our army was an undisciplined body, officered by 
 Revolutionary soldiers, too old to be efficient, and they 
 were to meet the British regulars, the finest soldiers 
 then in the world, animated with the spirit of Waterloo 
 and the Spanish campaigns. 
 
 Still, upon the sea, we whipped England all around. 
 Out of seventeen fights which occurred during the two 
 years the war lasted, we~w0n thirteen. " Don t give up 
 the ship " was the battle-cry of the American sailor. 
 On the land we did not fare so well. 
 
 Every one felt that England would strike her hardest; 
 the terrible sufferings of the States during the Revolu 
 tionary War were not yet worn out of the popular re 
 membrance ; and it was but too likely that these would 
 be repeated if the country were not prepared to encounter 
 the shock of a powerful foe, strong in arms and in the 
 financial means which give to arms their greatest force and 
 widest application. New York and New Orleans were seen 
 to be among the most vulnerable positions, especially the 
 latter city ; and preparations were made for fortifying both. 
 
 We shall here first recount the story of the land battles. 
 The selection of efficient officers was not a very easy 
 matter. The greater number of the Revolutionary com 
 manders had departed, and as there had been no war 
 since 1783, except a few comparatively trivial encoun 
 ters with the Indians, the country suffered from a want 
 of officers with a practical knowledge of their profes 
 sion. Nevertheless, sufficient old soldiers were found 
 for the chief posts. The Commander-in-Chief was 
 Henry Dearborn, a native of New Hampshire, who 
 accompanied Arnold to Quebec in 1775, and who had 
 served in the campaign which resulted in the surrender 
 of Burgoyne. Thomas Pinckney was appointed Major- 
 
if 2 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 General, and the principal brigadiers were James Wil 
 kinson, Wacle Hampton, William Hull and Joseph 
 Bloomfield all of whom, like Dearborn, had been em 
 ployed during the War of Independence. General Hull 
 was Governor of Michigan (which had been organized as 
 a Territory in 1805), and, when war was declared, was 
 marching with about 2000 troops from Ohio for the 
 subjugation of the hostile Indians. To him were confided 
 discretionary powers for invading Canada, and he deter 
 mined on attempting it. He crossed the border on July 
 12, but events soon showed that he was not equal to 
 the task. Canada was at that time divided into two 
 provinces Upper and Lower Canada ; and the popula 
 tion of the former, amounting to about 100,000, con 
 sisted principally of American loyalists who had left the 
 Union at the close of the late war. Each of these prov 
 inces had its own regular military force, amounting to 
 about 2OOO men, scattered over a wide space ; but the 
 country did not present a good object of attack, because 
 it was certain that the loyalists would do their utmost 
 to resist invasion and avenge old wrongs. The British 
 commanders at once called for volunteers, and made 
 overtures to the Indians to act in alliance with them. 
 A respectable force was presently in the field against 
 General Hull, whose chance of success lay in pushing 
 forward with the utmost expedition ; instead of which 
 he came to a full pause, and awaited the action of his 
 adversaries. 
 
 While he was lying still, the British forces were 
 increasing in number, and on July 17 they attacked 
 Fort Mackinaw, a strong post in the Northwest, situated 
 on an island near the Straits of Mackinaw, which was 
 surprised and captured by an allied force of British and In 
 dians; and on August 5 a detachment of the American 
 forces, sent by Hull to escort an approaching supply- 
 party to camp, was defeated near Brownstown, on the 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 173 
 
 Huron River. The garrison at Maiden had now been 
 reinforced by General Brock, the British Commander 
 in Canada, and Hull thought it prudent to abandon the 
 expedition. He re-crossed the river on August 7, and 
 
 GENERAL THOMAS PINCKNEY. 
 
 retired to Detroit, followed, two days later, by Brock, 
 who appeared before the town at the head of 700 English 
 soldiers and 600 Indians, and demanded the instant 
 surrender of the place. Hull s position was now one 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 of extreme difficulty. His forces were not strong 
 enough to defend so advanced a station, and, in the 
 event of defeat, he was threatened with all the horrors of 
 Indian vengeance. He is perhaps not to be too harshly 
 blamed for giving up the town; but he was censured 
 for commencing the expedition with insufficient means, 
 and then remaining inactive when his only chance of 
 safety lay in the most rapid and vigorous movements. 
 
 The fort of Detroit was held by the 4th Regiment, by 
 the Ohio Volunteers, and by a part of the Michigan 
 militia, placed behind the pickets in such a position that 
 the whole flank of the British force was exposed to their 
 fire. The remainder of the militia were stationed in the 
 town, and two four-pounders, loaded with grape, were 
 planted on an eminence, from which they could have 
 acted with great effect on the attacking parties. A 
 detachment of 400 soldiers, who were returning to 
 Detroit, had by this time got sufficiently close to be 
 able to attack the enemy in the rear; but Hull, dreading- 
 
 * o 
 
 the Indian ferocity, resolved to make terms with the 
 enemy. On the British columns arriving within 500 
 yards of our lines, he ordered the troops to withdraw 
 into the fort, and the artillery not to fire. A white flag 
 was displayed, negotiations were opened with the British, 
 and a capitulation agreed upon, by which, on August 
 16, 1812, the army, fort, stores, and garrison, together 
 with the Territory of Michigan, were surrendered to the 
 British, much to their surprise. 
 
 Public indignation at this surrender was unbounded, 
 and certainly not surprising. The army directed by 
 Hull amounted to 2500 men (of whom, however, only 
 800 were effectives), while Brock had under his orders 
 about 330 regulars, 403 militia, and 600 Indians. Hull 
 acted entirely on his own volition ; he called no council of 
 his officers ; and came to his determination solely out of 
 apprehension of the Indians. In 1814 he was brought 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815.- 
 
 175 
 
 to trial by court-martial on a charge of treason, coward 
 ice and neglect of duty. On the two latter accusations 
 he was found guilty and sentenced to be shot ; but in 
 consideration of his services during the Revolutionary 
 war his life was spared. 
 
 Another lamentable event occurring near the head of 
 Lake Michigan contributed another element of a dis 
 heartening nature to the circumstances of this period. 
 Hull had sent orders to Captain Heald to evacuate Fort 
 Dearborn, on the site of the present city of Chicago 
 a position which he occupied with fifty regulars. At the 
 command of his superior officer he quitted that post 
 and proceeded to Detroit, leaving the public property in 
 charge of some friendly Indians. While moving along 
 the shores of Lake Michigan, he was attacked by a 
 hostile tribe of savages, and 26 of the regulars, and all 
 the militia were killed, and a number of women and 
 children were murdered and scalped. Those opposing 
 the war prophesied all manner of evil, and for awhile 
 exercised some influence over those who were inclined 
 to hesitate. But the nation generally were inclined to 
 carry on the war with spirit. The British army con 
 sisted of well-disciplined regulars, while we were 
 obliged to create regiments on the spur of the moment, 
 with all the necessary imperfection of raw levies. 
 
 In 1808 the regular troops did not number more than 
 3000. They now were fewer than 6000; the bulk of 
 these had been raised since the beginning of the year. 
 
 The ill success of the first attempt only stimulated 
 the people to fresh endeavors. Immediately after the 
 capitulation of Detroit, 10,000 volunteers offered their 
 services, and were marched toward the territory of 
 Michigan under the direction of General Harrison, who 
 had command of the Army of the Northwest, including 
 the detachments that had been Hull s. Their strength 
 was not sufficient, considering the imperfection of their 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 discipline, to effect more than a few incursions into the 
 Indian lands ; and the early winter of those northern 
 regions surprised them before they had obtained any 
 success. 
 
 Another expedition into Canada was undertaken by 
 General Van Rensselaer, of the New York Militia, who 
 commanded the Army of the Centre. His force con 
 sisted of regulars and militia, when he drew up at 
 Lewistown, on the Niagara, opposite a fortified British 
 post on the heights of Queenstown. Colonel Van Rens 
 selaer, a relative of the General, a man of courage and 
 determination, crossed the stream on October 13, with a 
 small detachment, who effected their landing under a 
 heavy fire from the British. The colonel was wounded 
 at the outset of the operations ; but Captains Ogilvie 
 and Wool led on their troops to the assault. The for 
 tress was captured and the Americans now established 
 themselves in so strong a position that when General 
 Brock brought up a reinforcement of 600 men, they 
 were repulsed with heavy loss, and among the killed was 
 the commander himself. Here, however, the success of 
 the attempt came to an end. A fresh detachment 
 was conveyed over to the British side of the river ; but 
 the troops refused to obey their orders, and the British, 
 being again reinforced, wrested the position from their 
 adversaries, after a severe engagement, in which the 
 Americans were almost destroyed, and the remainder 
 driven across the stream. .General Van Rensselaer, dis 
 gusted with the inefficiency, and in some instances 
 the cowardice, of his men, left the service, and was suc 
 ceeded by General Alexander Smyth, of Virginia. 
 That officer, on November 28, embarked 4500 men, 
 with a view to crossing the Niagara. The appearance 
 of the enemy on the opposite shore, however, was so 
 menacing that the invasion was postponed until Decem 
 ber I, when it was finally determined, by a council of 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 war, not to proceed any further with the enterprise. 
 Almost equally unsuccessful was General Dearborn, of 
 the Army of the North, who felt it expedient to retire 
 after a few unimportant operations. Winter had now 
 arrived the long and terrible winter of Canada; and 
 the period for active service had passed. 
 
 During the battle of October 13, a detachment of 
 our troops, amounting to 1500, refused to cross the 
 river, in aid of their comrades who were being cut to 
 pieces before Queenstown Heights, on the plea that the 
 war was properly only a defensive one, and that there 
 fore it was not right to invade the enemy s dominions. 
 Many of the Federal party applauded them for this 
 determination, and in the Northeast the feeling against 
 the war gathered force with every day. Adams did not 
 share in this view, believing, on the contrary, that the 
 struggle had been rendered necessary by the action of 
 the British Government ; but several of the New 
 Englanders regarded the policy of Madison s Adminis 
 tration as unnecessary, unjust, and likely to prove 
 highly injurious to the best interests of the country. 
 The Governors of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and 
 Connecticut refused to allow the militia of those States 
 to march to the northern frontier on the requisition of 
 the President, alleging that such a requisition was 
 unconstitutional. A menacing condition of opinion 
 was noticeable over the whole of that quarter. The 
 agitators met in convention, passed resolutions condem 
 natory of the Government, denounced the war with 
 England, and proclaimed their preference for one with 
 France. The body upholding these views was called 
 the Essex Junto, from the locality where its members 
 assembled. The difference between the North and 
 South was due, not to any heresies as to the form of 
 government, but to a divergence of interests on ques 
 tions of foreign policy. 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 179 
 
 The British Government had by this time declared 
 the whole American coast in a state of blockade, with 
 the exception of the New England States an excep 
 tion dictated by the hope that those States might thus 
 be won over to the British cause. Such an expectation 
 
 GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 
 
 (Afterwards President of the United States. ) 
 
 Independence 12 
 
l8o THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 was doomed to disappointment, as the general feeling 
 of the country held in check whatever tendency to a 
 disloyal course may have existed in particular circles. 
 The reverses which have been experienced on land were 
 very much more than counterbalanced by successes at 
 sea ; as will presently be seen. 
 
 So eager were we to continue the war that the 
 approach of winter was not suffered to suspend the 
 operations of the armies. The recovery of Michigan 
 was resolved on ; companies were formed and equipped 
 in a single day, and ready to march the next. Of course 
 such hasty levies were not fitted for regular warfare ; 
 but in the first instance were employed in driving back 
 the hostile Indians on the frontiers. General Harrison, 
 in command of the Army of the Northwest, which was 
 concentrated at the head of Lake Erie, took steps to 
 relieve the frontier posts early in the autumn, and Isaac 
 Shelby, a native of Maryland, but then Governor of 
 Kentucky, led a strong force of youthful volunteers 
 from the latter State towards the Canadian boundary 
 lines. At this time, the Army of the Centre, which had 
 recently been placed under Dearborn, was stationed on 
 the banks of the Niagara, while that of the North, 
 where Dearborn had been succeeded in the command 
 by General Hampton, was planted on the borders of 
 Lake Champlain. The chief officer of the English 
 army, now that Brock was slain, was George Prevost 
 
 For assistants, he had Colonel Procter in the direc 
 tion of Detroit, and General Sheaffe in the vicinity of 
 Montreal and the lower portions of Lake Champlain. 
 
 President Madison s determination to prosecute the 
 war with vigor was seconded by Congress. The bounty 
 and the wages of the soldiers were increased. The 
 President was authorized to raise twenty additional 
 regiments of infantry, and to borrow money; and pro 
 vision was made for building four ships of the line, six 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. l8l 
 
 frigates, and as many vessels of war on the great lakes 
 as the public service might require. Thus fortified, 
 
 PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON. 
 
 Harrison resolved on a winter campaign for the rescue 
 of Michigan, and General Winchester was ordered to 
 
iSz THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 proceed in advance to Frenchtown, a village on the 
 river Raisin, 25 miles south of Detroit With 800 
 young volunteers, chiefly from Kentucky, he arrived, 
 on January 10, 1813, at Maumee Rapids; and three 
 days later he despatched against the British and Indians, 
 concentrated at Frenchtown, a small body of troops 
 under Colonels Allen and Lewis. The position was 
 attacked and taken on the i8th, and Winchester arrived 
 with reinforcements on the 2Oth. Our success, how 
 ever, was short-lived. Colonel Procter, who was at 
 Maiden, eighteen miles distant, at once started for 
 Frenchtown, at the head of 1 500 British and Indians. Win 
 chester s men had taken only slight precautions against 
 a surprise. Early on the morning of the 22d, they 
 were assailed by the enemy, and completely routed. 
 Winchester, who was made prisoner by the Indians, 
 offered to surrender his whole force, on condition that 
 they should be protected from the violence of the 
 savages. Procter replied that he would grant such pro 
 tection if the surrender took place immediately, but 
 that otherwise he would set fire to the village, and 
 could not be responsible for the conduct of the red 
 men. On our submitting, Colonel Procter, leaving the 
 wounded without a guard, withdrew to Maiden, fearing 
 the approach of Harrison, who was then on the Lower 
 Sandusky. The Indians accompanied their British 
 comrades some miles on the road, but next morning 
 turned back, set fire to the houses in Frenchtown, and, 
 falling on our injured forces, committed a shocking 
 massacre, attended by circumstances of great atrocity. 
 On reaching the Maumee Rapids, Harrison learned 
 of the defeat of his countrymen at Frenchtown. Being 
 under the impression that Procter would speedily attack 
 him, he retreated on January 23; but, on Febru 
 ary I, hearing that the English had gone towards 
 Maiden, he again advanced to the Rapids, with 1200 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 183 
 
 men, and established there a fortified camp, which he 
 called Fort Meigs, after the Governor of Ohio. This 
 fort was erected on the south side of the Maumee, 
 nearly opposite a post which had formerly been occu 
 pied by the British, and a short distance from the present 
 village of Perrysburg. The position was selected as a 
 convenient point for receiving reinforcements and sup 
 plies from Ohio and Kentucky, for protecting the bor 
 ders of Lake Erie, and for facilitating the proposed 
 operations for the re-capture of Detroit and the invasion 
 of Canada. For some weeks Harrison remained un 
 molested at this spot, but, on April 26, Procter, with 
 2OOO regulars, militia, and Indians, from Maiden, ap 
 peared on the bank of the river opposite the fort, erected 
 batteries on some high ground, and began a siege. The 
 Indians crossed the river on the 2/th, and took up a 
 position in Harrison s rear, which by May 3, was 
 severely galled by a battery erected on the left bank. 
 Harrison was summoned to surrender, but refused, and, 
 on May 5, General Clay, with 1200 Kentuckians_, 
 arrived to the relief of Fort Meigs, and ultimately suc 
 ceeded in driving the besiegers from their works. 
 Shortly afterwards, several of the American troops, with 
 the rashness of volunteers, dispersed themselves through 
 the woods in pursuit of the Indians, though ordered by 
 their commander not to expose themselves to so great 
 a peril. In a little while they were drawn into an 
 ambuscade ; the enemy rallied, and forced them to lay 
 down their arms ; and the latter would probably have 
 been massacred to a man, had not the Indian chief, 
 Tecumseh, restrained his followers from indulging their 
 vengeance. As it was, several were slain, and many 
 more captured ; the remainder fled to the nearest settle 
 ments, or escaped into the fort, which was still defended 
 with much obstinacy. This determination soon wearied 
 out the Indians, who, on May 8, deserted the camp, 
 
1 84 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 notwithstanding the entreaties of their chief. The Brit 
 ish raised the siege on the following day, when General 
 Harrison, leaving Clay in command, returned to Ohio 
 for reinforcements. All operations in this quarter were 
 now suspended, and did not recommence until a naval 
 force was ready for action on Lake Erie. 
 
 After raising the siege at Fort Meigs, nothing occurred 
 in that locality until July 21, when about 4000 British 
 and Indians under Procter and Tecumseh, again appeared 
 before that stronghold. A week later Procter left Te 
 cumseh to watch the Fort while he marched with 500 
 regulars and 800 Indians to attack Fort Stephenson, at 
 Lower Sandusky. The garrison consisted of only 150 
 soldiers, commanded by Major Croghan, then only 21 
 years old. Although the strength of the place was not 
 great, Croghan resisted the attacks of his adversary 
 with much spirit. A breach in the walls was made on 
 August 2, when 500 of the besiegers endeavored to 
 take the position by assault. Croghan had only one 
 gun, but this was so effectively worked that the assail 
 ants recoiled, and, leaving 150 killed and wounded on 
 the ground, abandoned the attempt. We had only one 
 man killed and seven wounded ; and Procter, with his 
 Indian ally, left for Detroit, despairing of success at Fort 
 Meigs. This put us in better spirits and discouraged 
 the Indians in their hostile designs. 
 
 It was now resolved to fit out a squadron on Lake 
 Ontario. By April 25, 1813, this was sufficiently ad 
 vanced to permit of a forward movement. At the head 
 of 1700 men General Dearborn crossed the lake, and 
 prepared to attack Toronto, the Capital of Upper Can 
 ada, and the principal depository of British military 
 stores for the supply of the western garrisons. Dear 
 born s troops landed before Toronto on the 2/th. They 
 were then two miles west from the defensive works, and 
 were galled by a constant fire from the British forces, 
 
THE WAR OF 1S1S-1S15. 
 
 I8 5 
 
 who were stationed some distance in advance of the 
 fortifications. 
 
 General Pike led our troops, who landed, and after a 
 severe action drove back the adversary to his works. 
 The rest of the forces were embarked, and the whole 
 army moved up to the assault. The garrison had but 
 600 men and there was little doubt of the issue. Two 
 
 TECUMSEH. 
 
 redoubts were captured, when the magazine of the fort 
 blew up, killing General Pike. The losses on both sides 
 were great, owing to the blowing up of the fort. 
 
 Dearborn remained on board the fleet during the 
 earlier part of the action, but landed soon after Pike s 
 death, though he did not assume the command until 
 after the surrender of the town, which was sacked. 
 
!86 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 General SheafTe escaped with the principal part of his 
 troops, but lost all his baggage, books, and papers. 
 
 The fleet now proceeded to Niagara, landed troops 
 there, and returned to Sackett s Harbor. The next ob 
 ject of attack on the part of the army was Fort George, 
 situated on the western shore of the river Niagara, near 
 its mouth. The garrison, on May 27, fled to Burling 
 ton Heights, at the western extremity of Lake Ontario, 
 pursued by our forces under Generals Chandler and 
 Winder. The detached British garrisons in that direc 
 tion being afterwards concentrated in a favorable posi 
 tion, 40 miles west of Fort George, a more vigorous re 
 sistance was opposed to our advance. Our two gener 
 als, with a corps of lOOO men, were so successfully at 
 tacked at Stony Creek that both officers were captured ; 
 and the arrival of the British fleet, under James Yeo, 
 compelled the return to the main body of the army, 
 with a serious loss of artillery and baggage. Soon 
 afterwards, another 800 men, who had been sent to make 
 an attack on Beaver Dam, were surrounded and cap 
 tured. The British, however, were unsuccessful in an 
 attack on Sackett s Harbor by a combined land and 
 naval force. 
 
 Several other small actions took place about the same 
 period, and Toronto was captured and plundered a sec 
 ond time; but, as autumn advanced, the British, who 
 had been preparing a flotilla on Lake Ontario, found 
 themselves in a superior position. On October 7, 
 Yeo appeared with his fleet before Fort George; Com 
 modore Chauncey went out to meet him with his squad 
 ron, and, in a gale which happened on the night of the 
 8th, lost two of his schooners, with the greater part of 
 their crews. An action was fought on the loth, when 
 we lost two more schooners ; but the fleets afterwards 
 separated, without any decided success on either side. 
 On Lake Champlain, the British destroyed Plattsburg, 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. jg; 
 
 and, on the whole, the balance of advantages now 
 inclined towards their side. We had for some time 
 been greatly dissatisfied with General Dearborn. He 
 had been a constant invalid, had never once led his 
 troops in person, had sustained many heavy losses, and 
 had let slip the most favorable opportunity for a descent 
 on Montreal. He was accordingly relieved in June, 
 and General Wilkinson was called from the South to 
 take his place. This officer, like his predecessor, had 
 seen service during the War of Independence, but was 
 still less than sixty years of age. He arrived at 
 Sackett s Harbor on August I, and the War Depart 
 ment, now under the direction of General Armstrong, 
 was for a time removed to the same place. It was 
 determined to attack Montreal with an army of 8000 
 men, as soon as the necessary preparations could be 
 completed ; but it took three months to get all things in 
 readiness for so important an expedition. The delay 
 gave the British authorities time to fortify every impor 
 tant point on the St. Lawrence ; so that when the 
 flotilla set sail, on November 5, it was found impos 
 sible to proceed far without encountering the most seri 
 ous resistance. A body of troops, under the command 
 of General Brown, was therefore set on shore, and 
 these men, marching in advance of the boats, endeav 
 ored to dislodge the enemy from his posts on the 
 river. At Chrystler s Fields, near Williamsburg, the 
 rear division, under General Boyd, encountered a large 
 British force on November 10. An obstinate engage 
 ment terminated in our favor. At a considerable loss of 
 men, we succeeded in re-opening the stream for the 
 passage of the flotilla. General Wilkinson arrived on 
 the following day at St. Regis, where General Hampton 
 was to have co-operated with him. That officer, how 
 ever, had neglected to obey his orders, alleging that the 
 sickly condition of his troops, and a lack of provisions, 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 had induced him to fall back on his main depot at 
 Plattsburg, in the hope of maintaining his communica 
 tions with the St. Lawrence, and thus contributing to 
 the success of the expedition. He had in truth been 
 foiled by a body of Canadian militia. The failure of 
 Hampton to effect his junction with the Commander- 
 in-Chief proved fatal to the entire enterprise. Wilkin 
 son at once retreated, and, establishing himself at 
 French Mills, put his army into winter-quarters. 
 Hampton was deprived of his command ; but by many 
 the blame was rather imputed to General Armstrong, 
 and by some to Wilkinson. The three officers found it 
 impossible to agree, and their bickerings as to precedence 
 had much to do with the collapse of the expedition. 
 
 The war acquired a more ruthless character with 
 time, as such wars generally do. A British squadron 
 stationed in Delaware Bay captured and burned every 
 merchant-vessel it encountered, and the village of 
 Lewiston, in the State of Delaware, was bombarded and 
 seriously injured, because the inhabitants refused to sell 
 provisions to the enemy. In Chesapeake Bay, Admiral 
 Cockburn plundered private houses near the shore, and 
 drove away cattle for the sustenance of his men. 
 Frenchtown, Havre-de-Grace, Fredericktown, George 
 town, and other places, were sacked and burned; 
 Hampton was captured, after a determined resistance, 
 which drew down on the unfortunate people may acts 
 of barbarous vengeance ; Norfolk was attacked with 
 great fury, but saved by the courage of a small force 
 stationed on Craney Island, in the harbor, and much 
 open country was laid waste. In retaliation Toronto 
 and Newcastle, on the Canadian side of the border, 
 were destroyed by fire, and many hundreds of non- 
 combatants were thrown houseless on the world in the 
 midst of a northern winter. Each side accused the 
 other of provoking these outrages. 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. ifo 
 
 Perry s signal victory on Lake Erie caused the 
 utmost satisfaction throughout the Union. It was the 
 first time that our vessels had obtained any advantage 
 over a squadron, and the action soon produced very 
 important effects on the military policy of the enemy. 
 It placed Colonel Procter and his Indian allies in a 
 dangerous position, and enabled us to make a move 
 ment towards the recovery of the ground which had 
 been lost by the mismanagement of General Hull. The 
 command of Lake Erie was secured, and a reinforce 
 ment of 4000 Kentucky volunteers under Governor 
 Shelby arrived on September 17 in the neighbor 
 hood of the lake. General Harrison thereupon pro 
 ceeded by water to Maiden, now abandoned by the 
 British under Procter, who, a few days before, had 
 ascended the river Thames as far as the Moravian 
 villages on that stream. At this spot they were over 
 taken by General Harrison on October 5, and com 
 pletely routed. Of the British, 600 were made 
 prisoners, and Colonel Procter, who narrowly escaped, 
 left his camp-equipage and all his papers behind him. 
 The slaughter of the Indians was very great, and their 
 chief Tecumseh was among the killed. He was at that 
 time about forty years of age a man of courage and 
 of some intellectual power, possessing all that melan 
 choly dignity which is characteristic of the Indian race. 
 Among the trophies of the victory near the Moravian 
 villages were six brass field-pieces recently given up by 
 General Hull, on two of which were inscribed the 
 words, "Surrendered by Burgoyne at Saratoga." 
 Detroit and all the other posts in that direction were 
 now once more in our hands ; the war in the Northwest 
 was brought to an end ; and the Indian confederacy 
 was completely broken up by the submission of four 
 important tribes, who sent deputies to General Harri 
 son, and entered into treaties of alliance. 
 
190 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 It was not merely, however, on the borders of 
 Canada that we had been threatened with Indian feroc 
 ity, and it was not only there that the danger was now 
 extinguished. At the commencement of the war, 
 Tecumseh had visited the Creeks and Seminoles on the 
 frontiers of Georgia, and excited their fanaticism against 
 the white inhabitants of that region. About the end of 
 August, they surprised a fort in an exposed situation, 
 and massacred all within, including women and chil 
 dren. General Jackson, of Tennessee, thereupon led a 
 large body of militia into the wilds, to punish the 
 offenders. The Indians were hunted down, brought to 
 bay in a series of bloody encounters, and decimated by 
 continual slaughter. Their last stand was made in a 
 fortified camp at the Great Horseshoe Bend of the 
 Tallapoosa River, i- n what is now the State of Alabama, 
 where 1000 warriors, with their women and children, 
 determined to brave the worst. They were surrounded, 
 and Jackson made his assault on March 27, 1814. 
 Driven backwards and forwards by the troops in their 
 front and the troops in their rear, and seeing no pos 
 sibility of escape, the savages fought with desperate 
 tenacity. The battle lasted until night ; but the issue 
 was never doubtful. Disdaining to surrender, almost 
 600 of the Indians fell dead upon the field ; 300 escaped ; 
 and Jackson with a heavy loss in killed and wounded, 
 remained master of the ground. This action so com 
 pletely crushed the spirit of the Creeks, and went so 
 near towards annihilating them as a nation, that the 
 remainder soon after signified their submission. 
 
 At the close of 1813, we were in a more favorable 
 position than that occupied a year beTore. We had 
 had several important triumphs at sea; had not always 
 been vanquished on land ; and the nation was fully 
 determined to spare no exertion in the further prosecu 
 tion of hostilities. 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. igi 
 
 As the year 1814 progressed it became evident that 
 the war would assume a much more serious character. 
 The abdication of Napoleon, in April, and his banish 
 ment to Elba, put an end to the long war with revolu 
 tionary France ; and England, being now at peace on 
 
 GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON. 
 (Afterwards President of the United States.} 
 
 the Continent of Europe, was free to direct her whole 
 strength against the United States. Before the occur 
 rence of these great events, the war had fallen into a 
 somewhat languid condition. Towards the close of 
 March, General Wilkinson entered Canada, and attacked 
 
BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 a number of English troops stationed in a large stone 
 mill on the river La Colle, but was soon repulsed with 
 heavy loss, and, having for some time sunk much in 
 popular esteem, was shortly afterwards removed from 
 the chief command, to which General Izard succeeded. 
 Some operations for obtaining predominance on Lake 
 Ontario took place in the spring of 1814. On May 5, 
 Yeo, who was in command of a small English squad 
 ron, appeared before Oswego, with 3000 troops and 
 marines. The fort on the east side of the river 
 was in a very dilapidated state, and defended by no 
 more than 300 men, under Colonel Mitchell, and a 
 flotilla under Captain Woolsey. A large quantity of 
 naval and military stores had been deposited at Oswego 
 Falls, some miles off, and one object of Yeo s expedi 
 tion was to capture these, or, failing that, to destroy 
 them. But although, after a resistance of nearly two 
 days, the fort yielded to a combined attack by land and 
 water, the British did not care to penetrate farther into 
 the country, and accordingly withdrew on the morn 
 ing of the /th, with a loss of 235 men in killed and 
 wounded. Our loss was but 69. Early in July, our 
 forces under General Brown crossed the Niagara River, 
 and invested Fort Erie, which surrendered without 
 opposition. The garrison retired to the entrenched 
 camp of General Riall, situated at Chippewa, about 
 two miles above the Falls of Niagara, on the Canada 
 side of the river ; and here Brown determined on 
 attacking his adversaries a second time. On July 4, 
 he advanced against the position, and next day a 
 sanguinary battle was fought in the open fields, ending 
 in the defeat of the British, who fell back to Fort 
 George, and subsequently to the Heights of Burlington. 
 The British army had by this time been reinforced by 
 veteran regiments, accustomed to frequent triumphs in 
 the Spanish Peninsula and on other European fields, 
 
194 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 where they had successfully encountered the best 
 troops of France. We therefore found ourselves 
 opposed by large and formidable hosts by men who 
 had fought and conquered under the lead of Welling 
 ton and the other heroes of that prolonged struggle. 
 
 Soon after arriving at Burlington Heights, General 
 Riall was joined by General Drummond, with a large 
 number of additional troops. Our expected reinforce 
 ments were blockaded by a British fleet off Sackett s 
 Harbor, and could not reach their comrades. They 
 were therefore compelled to do the best they could 
 with a force inferior to the enemy ; but the events of 
 July 25 showed that they had not altogether miscal 
 culated their strength. The attack was commenced by 
 the British under Drummond, and the battle raged for 
 some hours with unabated violence. Night fell before 
 the action reached its close, and a cloudy sky gave 
 intermitting glimpses of moonlight, by which the 
 antagonists sought out each other s positions, and 
 wrestled long and bloodily for the advantage. For a 
 considerable time, we were much annoyed by a British 
 battery planted on a commanding eminence. " Can 
 you capture those guns?" asked General Ripley of 
 Colonel Miller. " I will try, sir," replied that officer ; 
 and the modest words have since become the motto of 
 his regiment. The attempt was gallantly made. Again 
 and again Miller led his men to the assault, sometimes 
 momentarily seizing the position, and then losing it. 
 Cannon were brought up to support the attack, and gun 
 charged gun with obstinate determination. The con 
 fusion was so great that the guns were at one time 
 interchanged ; but no decided result attended the heroic 
 effort. The close of the day has been variously 
 described. Our historians allege that the victory was 
 with us ; but it seems more probable that the balance of 
 advantages laid against us. Immediately after the 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. j^tj 
 
 battle, we retreated to Fort Erie, where we were 
 besieged by the enemy. The losses on both sides were 
 serious. General Riall was severely wounded and 
 taken prisoner; and Generals Brown and Scott were 
 compelled by their injuries to quit the field. 
 
 On August 4, Drummond, who had also been 
 wounded, appeared before Fort Erie, and commenced 
 preparations for a siege. He was in command of 5000 
 troops ; his works were speedily advanced to within 
 four hundred yards of our lines; and, on the night of 
 August 15, the besiegers made an assault upon the 
 fort, which was gallantly repulsed. On September 2, 
 General Brown, who had by that time recovered from 
 his wounds, threw himself into the fort, and took com 
 mand of the garrison, which, being strengthened by 
 5000 men from Plattsburg, felt equal to offensive 
 operations. The i^th was signalized by a sortie from 
 the besieged, who endeavored to cut off the British 
 advanced posts from the main body. The enemy s 
 entrenchments were for a time seized and the works 
 destroyed ; but, on Drummond hurrying up reinforce 
 ments, Brown was obliged to retreat; and was so much 
 discouraged that, on the night of the 2ist, after having 
 remained on the ground forty-nine days, he retired to 
 entrenchments behind the Chippewa. General Izard 
 arrived on October 9 and took the command ; but, 
 considering it inexpedient to attempt any further opera 
 tions in that quarter, he demolished the works at Fort 
 Erie, and removed his troops to Buffalo. Thus the 
 attempt on Canada was once more abandoned. 
 
 Plattsburg being now left almost defenceless, the 
 British determined to attack it by land, and at the 
 same time to attempt the destruction of our flotilla on 
 Lake Champlain. At the head of 14,000 men, most of 
 whom were veterans of the European wars, Prevost on 
 September 6 arrived at Plattsburg. The garrison of 
 
 Independence -13 
 
196 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the town consisted mainly of the militia of New York 
 and Vermont ; hastily drawn together by General 
 Macomb on the first alarm of invasion. Retiring to 
 the south side of the Saranac, they prepared to dispute 
 the passage of the stream. With the planks of the 
 bridges, which they had torn up, they formed slight 
 breastworks, and, thus aided, were able to defeat all 
 endeavors to follow them. For some days the invaders 
 were employed in erecting batteries, and early on the 
 morning of the nth the British squadron, commanded 
 by Commodore Downie, appeared off the harbor of 
 Plattsburg, where that of the United States, under 
 Commodore Macdonough, lay at anchor. The former 
 carried ninety-five guns, with a complement of upwards 
 of 1000 men ; the latter had eighty-six guns, and 820 
 men. A naval battle between these forces commenced 
 at nine o clock ; and at the same time the British army 
 began a heavy cannonade upon our lines, and attempted 
 at different places to cross the Saranac. The opposi 
 tion to those attempts was so determined, and the loss 
 of life so serious, that the British forces were unable 
 to gain the other side, except at one point, where the 
 ford was weakly guarded by militia. Here the assailants 
 managed to get into the woods, but were severely 
 handled, and compelled, after a while, to recross the 
 river. At six o clock in the evening, all the British 
 batteries were silenced, and long before that time a 
 great naval success had been obtained upon the lake. 
 After an engagement of two hours and twenty minutes, 
 the English squadron was completely defeated ; nearly 
 all the ships composing it were sunk or taken ; Com 
 modore Downie was killed, and his ship was compelled 
 to strike her colors, amidst the triumphant cheers of 
 the Americans. So hard had been the fighting on both 
 sides, that at the close of the action not a mast was 
 standing uninjured in either squadron. Seeing the 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 complete defeat of their vessels, the British land-com 
 manders determined to withdraw, and during the ensu 
 ing night the whole army moved off with precipitation, 
 leaving behind them their sick and wounded, most of 
 their camp-equipage, and their entrenching tools and 
 provisions. Considering the excellent material of which 
 the army was composed, and that these seasoned 
 troops were beaten by a force consisting for the most 
 part of militia, it occasioned great rejoicing. The princi 
 pal seat of war was now transferred to the Southern 
 and Middle States. A squadron under Cochrane, having 
 on board an army under General Ross, sailed up the 
 Chesapeake in the month of August. An American 
 flotilla, commanded by Commodore Barney, had taken 
 shelter in the Patuxent, and thither Cochrane s fleet 
 sailed, apparently in search of the enemy. The British 
 ships were too large to proceed any great way up the 
 river, and moreover Ross had plans of a very different 
 nature, to which the temporary pursuit of Barney 
 served as a convenient blind. The army, consisting of 
 nearly 5000 men, was disembarked at St. Benedict s, 
 that they might march upon the Federal capital, and 
 compel its surrender. Washington was defended by a 
 force which, including militia, numbered about 7000 
 troops. No attempt was made to oppose the British 
 advance, for Armstrong, the Secretary for War, could 
 not persuade himself that the attack was seriously 
 intended, and was in doubt as to the real destination of 
 the British forces. The actual command was in the 
 hands of General Winder, who showed great indecision 
 of purpose, but at length resolved to make a stand 
 against the invaders. With this view he selected a 
 strong position at Bladensburg, covered by a branch of 
 the Potomac. In the meanwhile, the British were 
 pushing forward without the slightest opposition, and, 
 by the time they had reached Marlborough, Com- 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 modore Barney thought it prudent to destroy his 
 flotilla, to prevent its falling into the enemy s hands. 
 Ross cared little about the flotilla. His object was 
 Washington, and thither he pursued his march, arriving 
 in its neighborhood on August 24. 
 
 It was necessary in the first instance to carry the 
 position at Blade nsburg. Our forces numbered more 
 than the British ; but the former were raw militia the 
 latter, experienced and highly-disciplined troops. The 
 approach to the town, was over a bridge, which was 
 defended by artillery taken from Barney s flotilla and 
 served by Barney s sailors. The resistance at this 
 point was prolonged and courageous. For a time, the 
 British were checked, and even compelled to give way; 
 but they speedily rallied, out-flanked the defenders of 
 the bridge, and finally overpowered them. The com 
 mander of the gallant band, being wounded, was 
 captured, and paroled for his courage by General Ross. 
 The militia acted as militia generally do. They 
 abandoned their positions with the utmost haste, and 
 Bladensburg was presently in the hands of General 
 Ross. The retreating forces were ordered to assemble 
 on the heights near the capital, and at this spot were 
 joined by a body of Virginian militia. But Winder 
 had no reliance on his army. He considered it quite 
 incapable of opposing so well-trained an enemy, and 
 accordingly withdrew to Georgetown. Washington 
 was at the same time abandoned by the President, the 
 heads of departments, and most of the citizens, and 
 was shortly afterwards entered by the victors. It was 
 at eight o clock in the evening when General Ross, 
 with an advance-guard of 800 men, penetrated into 
 the Federal capital Having arrived at the seat of 
 government, he offered terms of capitulation, and 
 promised that, on receiving a sum of money equal to 
 the value of the public and private property which the 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 199 
 
 place contained, the city should be ransomed, and the 
 British troops drawn off. There was no civil or mili 
 tary authority on the spot competent to enter into any 
 such arrangement. Washington was doomed to the 
 flames, and, in the immense conflagration which was 
 kindled, the President s house, the offices of the several 
 departments, a considerable number of private dwellings, 
 the libraries and public archives, the works of art con 
 tained in the public buildings, the navy-yard and its 
 contents, a frigate on the stocks, and several smaller 
 vessels, were involved in one common doom. This 
 act of shame was done under strict orders from home. 
 It was intended to fill us with dread of what was to 
 be expected. The British remained close to the burn 
 ing city (the light of which was seen at Baltimore, 
 forty miles off) till the 25th, when they retreated, 
 On the 3Oth they re-embarked at St. Benedict s and 
 sailed for other quarters. The bombarding of forti 
 fied towns, however dreadful, is among the per 
 mitted, and even necessary, operations of warfare ; but 
 the destruction of undefended cities, with the firing 
 of private buildings and civic offices, is an act which 
 no exigency can palliate. General Ross s proceed 
 ings at Washington produced the very natural effect of 
 exciting the most vehement desire for revenge. The 
 war became all the more popular on account of this 
 disaster ; and some even of those who had hitherto 
 refrained from giving it their full support, now resolved 
 to strain every nerve for repelling the invaders of their 
 country. 
 
 Ross paid heavily for his success at Washington. 
 The losses of his regiments, including deserters, and 
 such as died from fatigue on the march, besides 
 those who were killed or wounded in action, were 
 nearly IOOO men a very large proportion of the small 
 army with which the expedition had been commenced. 
 
2QO THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 The general, however, was speedily reinforced, and at 
 once turned his attention towards other enterprises. 
 He prepared to attack Baltimore, and on Septem 
 ber 12, landed with nearly 8000 troops at North Point, 
 fourteen miles from the city, while a portion of the 
 fleet went up the Patapsco, to bombard Fort McHenry. 
 Ross boasted that he would make Baltimore his winter- 
 quarters, and that with the force at his command he 
 could march all over Maryland. Preparations had been 
 hurried forward for resisting the threatened attack, and 
 an action was fought some way in advance of the 
 capital. At the head of a small reconnoitering party, 
 Ross pushed on towards the city, but, shortly after 
 wards receiving a ball from a rifleman, died in a few 
 minutes in the arms of his aide-de-camp. Colonel 
 Brooke then took the command, and ultimately suc 
 ceeded in driving our forces back on the main body. The 
 British bivouacked for the night on ground beyond the 
 battle-field, and on the 1 3th recommenced their march. 
 In the meanwhile, Fort McHenry* and Fort Covington, 
 which defend the narrow passage from the Patapsco 
 into the harbor of Baltimore, were being- bombarded 
 
 c> 
 
 by a British squadron of sixteen ships, drawn up in 
 line-of-battle within two miles and a half of the forts. 
 On the night following the I3th, an attempt was made 
 to storm these works ; but it was successfully resisted. 
 The squadron thereupon sailed down the river, and 
 Colonel Brooke considered it prudent to withdraw his 
 men. Admiral Cochrane had found himself much 
 incommoded by the shaliowness of the harbor, and by 
 the vessels sunk at its mouth ; and his inability to carry 
 out with completeness one feature of the programme, 
 caused the failure of the entire design. The whole 
 
 * During the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Francis S. Key, who 
 was detained on board a British vessel, wrote the celebrated song, "The 
 Star- Spangled Banner." 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 2OI 
 
 fleet soon afterwards left Chesapeake Bay, and a por 
 tion turned southward, with a view to fresh operations. 
 
 A few weeks before viz., on August 29 the city 
 of Alexandria, on the Potomac, had surrendered to a 
 British squadron. The shipping, naval stores, and 
 merchandise, were delivered up to the attacking force ; 
 the vessels in the harbor were seized, and loaded with 
 a large amount of produce, of which Alexandria was 
 the depot; but the town was spared from destruction. 
 
 The coasts of New England, which had hitherto been 
 treated with great tenderness, now felt the stress of 
 war. Villages were bombarded and destroyed; vessels 
 moored in the rivers were burned; and in many ways 
 the inhabitants were made to feel that they were part of 
 the Confederation which was the enemy of England. 
 Commodore Hardy, in command of a squadron, and of 
 I2OO troops, took possession of Eastport, on Moose 
 Island, Maine, on July II, and, after erecting fortifi 
 cations there, required the people to take the oath of 
 allegiance to the English Sovereign, or to quit the 
 island. Having accomplished this object, he retired ; 
 but similar conquests, if such they can be called, were 
 effected in other parts of the same territory. All the 
 strongholds on the Penobscot were reduced. A frigate, 
 called the Jolin Adams, was captured, though not with 
 out a gallant fight. Some Islands in Passamaquoddy 
 Bay were seized. Half the province of Maine was 
 obliged to capitulate ; and the Governor of Nova 
 Scotia, took possession of it in the name of George III. 
 The British operations extended to the coast of Mas 
 sachusetts. The people of Cape Cod were prohibited 
 from fishing on the banks, and, in consequence of this 
 deprivation of their chief industry, were reduced to 
 great distress. The inhabitants of Nantucket were 
 forced to promise neutrality during the remainder of 
 the war ; and at various points in the same direction 
 
2Q2 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA, 
 
 the British naval commanders imposed their own terms 
 on a people who were left without adequate protection, 
 and were themselves not very well inclined towards the 
 prosecution of hostilities. 
 
 The war was in fact becoming every day more 
 unpopular in the New England States. The prevalent 
 feeling was a desire to isolate those States from the rest 
 of the Federation, and striking advances were made in 
 that direction. It was proposed in Massachusetts to 
 withhold the State revenue from the national treasury, 
 and to apply it to purposes of local defence. In suc 
 ceeding times this action was referred to with great 
 reprobation by the Southern and Western States, as 
 showing that, during the crisis of a foreign war, New 
 England was disposed to separate herself from the rest 
 of the Union. 
 
 The British in the Gulf of Mexico, strongly rein 
 forced by fresh troops from England, were about to 
 invade Louisiana. The authorities of New Orleans 
 begged Jackson to hurry to their assistance. He lost 
 no time in answering the appeal ; and by prompt and 
 vigorous action, he restored confidence to the city 
 authorities. He declared martial law, and weeded the 
 city of the traitorously disposed. The English com 
 manders had hoped to arrive at the point of attack before 
 any intelligence of their plans had reached it. Under 
 ordinary conditions, New Orleans was vulnerable to a 
 spirited assault; but Jackson had time to increase its 
 defences, which, in addition to the swampy nature of 
 the soil where the mouths of the Mississippi empty 
 themselves into the Gulf, enabled our forces to offer a 
 determined and successful resistance when the foe at 
 length appeared. Every man who could bear arms 
 was required to take part in the military operations. 
 Fort St. Philip, which guarded the passage of the Mis 
 sissippi was strengthened by new works. An exten- 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 2O3 
 
 sive line of fortifications was erected four miles below 
 the city on the left bank of the river, from the edge of 
 which it ran eastward towards an impenetrable cypress 
 swamp. A ditch already existing between the river 
 and the swamp was turned to military uses by throwing 
 up entrenchments, and accumulating cotton-bales until 
 they reached a height calculated to afford protection to 
 troops in the rear. Cannon were mounted at every 
 available point, and the west bank of the river was held 
 by General Morgan, with a body of militia, and by 
 Commodore Paterson, with the crews and guns of part 
 of his squadron. The approach of the enemy towards 
 the principal works was thus enfiladed. Above the 
 town, the pass of the Bayou St. John was guarded by a 
 detachment stationed there for that purpose; and a 
 small squadron of gun-boats was kept in readiness to 
 dispute the passage of the river between Lake Pont- 
 chartrain and Lake Borgne. 
 
 On December 14 the British fleet appeared at the 
 entrance to this channel, and was met by the flotilla 
 of gun-boats, which commenced a spirited action. In 
 the first instance, the attacking force sent forward 40 
 launches, which, after some severe fighting, captured 
 and destroyed our vessels. This success was obtained 
 at a considerable cost in killed and wounded; but it 
 enabled the British to choose their point of attack. On 
 December 22 they despatched a body of troops in flat- 
 bottomed boats, which were rowed up to the extremity 
 of the lake and there landed the several divisions in a 
 reedy swamp, some miles from the city. Here, on the 
 night of the 23d, they were attacked by General Jack 
 son. A considerable loss was inflicted on the British, 
 but they were not dislodged from their position, and 
 Jackson fell back towards the town. By the 28th the 
 British forces had arrived within half a mile of our 
 lines, from which point they opened a fire of shells and 
 
2Q4 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 rockets, but were repulsed by our artillery. Jackson s 
 army at that time numbered about 3000 men, consisting 
 for the most part of militia. These troops were sta 
 tioned within a line of entrenchments, a mile in length, 
 thrown up about four miles from New Orleans, guarded 
 by a canal in front, and flanked by the batteries on the 
 west or opposite bank of the river, in addition to eight 
 others in the main position. The assailants continued 
 to advance, and on the night of the 3ist were within 300 
 yards of the works. Having taken up a position, pro 
 tected by walls made out of hogsheads of sugar and 
 molasses, they erected three batteries, under cover of 
 which they three times endeavored to storm the en 
 trenchments, but were driven back with great loss, and 
 compelled to return to the starting-place, while their 
 batteries were silenced. The main assault was post 
 poned for a few days, and in the meantime Pakenham, 
 by an extraordinary expenditure of labor, dug a canal 
 for connecting a creek which emptied into Lake Borgne 
 with the main channel of the Mississippi, in order that 
 he might convey a part of his boats and artillery into 
 the river, and thus silence the enemy s batteries on the 
 western bank. The work was executed in an amazingly 
 short space of time, and evinced great energy on the 
 part of the British commander ; but it had no effect on 
 the result. 
 
 Early on the morning of January 8, 1815, the main 
 body of the British army, consisting of 8000 men, 
 moved up to the assault. Within a few days previously, 
 Jackson had been reinforced by 3000 militia, chiefly 
 from Kentucky ; so that he had now 6000 men, with 
 whom to defend his entrenchments and to work his bat 
 teries. The approach of the British was not resisted 
 until they were within a convenient distance of the op 
 posing lines ; then, with a sudden flash and simultane 
 ous report, showers of grape-shot struck the advancing 
 
THE WAR OF 1812-1815. 
 
 ranks. Jackson had formed his troops in two rows, of 
 which the rear-guard loaded for those in front, so that 
 the fire was continued with scarcely a break. The men 
 from Kentucky and the other Western States were un 
 erring marksmen, and the effect of their simultaneous 
 volleys was deadly in the extreme. Still the British 
 troops pushed on ; but the reedy plain was soon covered 
 with the dying and the dead. Now and again those 
 hardy veterans staggered and fell back, but, recovering 
 themselves after awhile, pressed forward on what was 
 now a hopeless enterprise. The order of battle was in 
 two columns, of which the left advanced along an 
 embankment skirting the river, while the right, moving 
 through the swamp, endeavored to turn the left of 
 Jackson s position. Pakenham s plans were in some 
 measure disordered by an untoward event. The canal, 
 which had been very roughly executed, had partly fallen 
 in ; the boats, on whose assistance he had calculated, 
 were unable to come up ; and the party that had been 
 sent forward was insufficient in numbers, and arrived 
 too late. The right of the British line became involved 
 in the swamp through which it was necessary that they 
 should pass: they were consequently unable to turn 
 Jackson s left, and were at length compelled to retire. 
 Pakenham seems to have been rendered desperate by 
 his situation, and to have thought that mere courage 
 could supply the defects of military science. He placed 
 himself at the head of the regiment which bore the 
 scaling ladders, and called upon his troops to follow. 
 Some of his officers, seeing the impossibility of success, 
 retired from the field ; but Pakenham had apparently 
 resolved on death. Supported by a number of his men 
 he rushed toward the entrenchments. Some officers 
 and soldiers even got within the lines, but were at once 
 shot down. Pakenham himself was mortally wounded ; 
 Gibbs, the second in command, shared the same 
 
2o6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 and Keane, the third in command, was so severely in* 
 jured as to be incapable of giving orders. It was evi 
 dent that there was no choice but to retreat as speedily 
 as possible. The shattered regiments reeled back at 
 eight o clock in the morning, and New Orleans was safe 
 once more. Our militia desired to pursue their adver 
 saries; but Jackson knew his men, and was well 
 aware that, although they could fight heroically be 
 hind defences, they were of less worth in the open 
 field. The operations against New Orleans were not at 
 once abandoned, for on the pth the British fleet com 
 menced a bombardment of Fort St. Philip, which was 
 continued till the i/th. This, however, was merely in 
 tended to cover the retreat of the army, which took 
 place on January 16, under the direction of General 
 Lambert. The loss of the British had been at least 
 2000 in killed, wounded, and captured. Jackson lost 
 only the incredibly small number of seven killed and 
 six wounded. 
 
 At about the same period Cockburn was sailing along 
 the coasts of Carolina and Georgia, and menacing 
 Charleston and Savannah with destruction. Fort Mo 
 bile was taken by the army which had retreated from 
 New Orleans, and on the i6th of January an American 
 frigate, the President, was captured by the English ship 
 Rndymion; but these small successes did little to 
 counterbalance the great reverse before the capital 
 of Louisiana. Several British ships were taken, and 
 in the early days of 1815 the position of the British in 
 America was not at all favorable from a military point of 
 view. 
 
 While we were rejoicing over the victory at New 
 Orleans, news arrived that terms of peace had been 
 settled even before that action took place. The treaty 
 had been signed on December 24, 1814, and ratified 
 by the Prince Regent on the 2/th. It was received in 
 
208 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the United States on February II, 1815, and ratified on 
 the I7th by the President and Senate. The treaty stipu 
 lated that all places and possessions taken during the 
 war, or which might be taken after the instrument was 
 signed, should be mutually restored ; that all captures 
 at sea should be relinquished, if made within specified 
 times ; and that each party should put a stop to Indian 
 hostilities, and endeavor to extinguish the traffic in 
 slaves. Provision was made for settling the boundaries 
 between the United States and Canada, which had been 
 left in a very uncertain condition by the treaty of 1/83. 
 But the main objects of the war were entirely passed 
 over. The British claim to search American ships, 
 and take from them seamen who were supposed to be 
 British subjects by far the most important ground of 
 quarrel was not given up. As the war between Eng 
 land and France was then concluded (though it broke out 
 again shortly afterwards for a few months), it appears 
 to have been thought that this delicate question might 
 be passed over in silence. 
 
 The rejoicing over the restoration of peace was uni 
 versal and enthusiastic. The country had gained im 
 mensely in naval and military reputation ; but its suffer 
 ings had been terrible. The loss of life and property, 
 the disturbance of material interests, had all been on a 
 very large scale. The loss of life had been estimated 
 at 30,000 persons ; but these calculations are conjectured 
 and thought to be greatly understated. Our progress 
 had been thrown back for years by this disastrous strug 
 gle; and the feeling of friendship between the two 
 great divisions of the English race, which was begin 
 ning to recover slightly from the War of Independence, 
 was again dashed to the earth by bitter and exasperating 
 memories. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 THE exploits of the American Navy began with the 
 escape of the Frigate Constitution from an English squad 
 ron. On July 12, 1812, the Constitution^ completely 
 equipped and well manned, left the Chesapeake, bound 
 to New York. On the i6th she saw a frigate and gave 
 chase, with winds too light to reach her. On the i/th, 
 she discovered the British squadron, consisting of the 
 Africa, 64 guns, and Guerriere, Shannon, Belvidera and 
 sEolus, frigates, a brig and a schooner ; the Belvidera 
 within gun-shot. The i/th was calm and spent in 
 towing, manceuvering and firing. On the morning of 
 the 1 8th a light breeze sprung up, when the Constitu 
 tion spread all her canvas, and by outsailing the enemy, 
 escaped a conflict, which she could not have maintained 
 with any hope of success, against a force so greatly 
 superior. The chase was continued for 60 hours, 
 during which the whole crew remained at their stations. 
 
 A gentleman, belonging to a captured vessel, who 
 was on board the Shannon, reported that all the officers 
 of the British squadron applauded the conduct of Capt. 
 Hull; and though mortified at losing so fine a ship, 
 gave him much credit for his skill and prudence in 
 managing the frigate. 
 
 Soon after the escape of the Constitution, the U. S. 
 brig Nautilus, 12 guns, commanded by Lieut. Crane, 
 was captured by the squadron. Crane "did everything 
 
 (209) 
 
2io THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 to prevent the capture that a skilful and experienced 
 officer could do." 
 
 CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE (August 19, 1812). 
 At one p. M., on August 19, a sail was discovered, but 
 at such a distance we could not tell what she was. All 
 sail was instantly made in chase, and soon found we 
 came up with her. At 3 P. M. could plainly see that 
 she was a ship on the starboard tack under easy sail, close 
 on a wind ; at half-past 3 made her out to be a frigate; con 
 tinued the chase until we were within about three miles, 
 when I ordered the light sails to be taken in, the courses 
 hauled up, and the ship cleared for action. At this time 
 the chase had backed his main-top sail, waiting for us to 
 come down. As soon as the Constitution was ready for 
 action I bore down with the intention to bring him to 
 close action immediately; but on our coming within 
 gun-shot she gave us a broadside and filled away, and 
 wore, giving us a broadside on the other tack, but with 
 out effect, her shot falling short. She continued wear 
 ing and manceuvering for about three-quarters of an 
 hour, to get a raking position, but finding she could not, 
 she bore up, and run under her top-sails and gib, with 
 the wind on her quarter. I immediately made sail to 
 bring the ship up with her, and five minutes before 6, 
 being alongside within half pistol-shot, we commenced 
 a heavy fire from all our guns, double shotted with 
 round and grape, and so well directed were they, and 
 so warmly kept up, that in fifteen minutes his mizzen 
 mast went by the board and his main yard in the slings 
 and the hull, rigging and sails very much torn to 
 pieces. The fire was kept up with equal warmth for 
 fifteen minutes longer, when his main-mast and foremast 
 went, taking with them every spar, excepting the bow 
 sprit. On seeing this we ceased firing, so that in 
 30 minutes after we got fairly alongside the enemy 
 
THE "CONSTITUTION" AND THE "GUERRIERE." 
 
 Independence 1 4 
 
 211 
 
2 1 2 THE BA TTL ES OF AMERICA. 
 
 she surrendered, and had not a spar standing, and her 
 hull below and above water so shattered that a few 
 more broadsides must have carried her down. 
 
 After informing you that so fine a ship as the Guerriere, 
 commanded by an able and experienced officer, had 
 been totally dismasted, and otherwise cut to pieces so 
 as to make her not worth towing into port, in the short 
 space of thirty minutes, you can have no doubt of 
 the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and 
 ship s company. They all fought with great bravery, 
 and it gives me great pleasure to say, that from the 
 smallest boy in the ship to the oldest seaman, not a 
 look of fear was seen. They all went into action, giving 
 three cheers, and requested to be laid close alongside 
 the enemy. ISAAC HULL. 
 
 The Constitution lost seven killed and seven wounded. 
 The Guerricre lost 15 men killed and 64 wounded. 
 Among the latter were Captain Dacres, and the master, 
 and master s mate. The Gucrricre carried 45 guns, 
 and was manned with 302 men. 
 
 After the action the Constitution returned to Boston, 
 carrying with her the intelligence of her triumph. 
 At this distant day it is not easy to convey a correct 
 idea of the deep impression, which the capture of this 
 frigate produced both in Europe and America. The con 
 stant success with which the naval flag of Great Britain 
 had been accompanied, filled the people of America 
 with anxiety, and those of Great Britain with overbear 
 ing insolence. Captain Dacres himself had, a short 
 time before, issued an insolent challenge to Commodore 
 Rodgers and the President, or any other ship of her 
 class, little supposing that he would so soon receive the 
 punishment which he merited. The U. S. Congress 
 voted its thanks and $50,000 dollars in lieu of prize 
 money ; and the heroes of the action were received with 
 open arms wherever they went. 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 THE WASP AND THE FROLIC (October 18, 1812). 
 The United States sloop-of-war, the Wasp, commanded 
 by Captain Jacob Jones, was cruising in the track of ves 
 sels passing from Bermuda to Halifax, when, on Octo 
 ber 17, about eleven o clock, in a clear moonlight 
 evening, she found herself near five strange sail, steering 
 eastward. As some of them seemed to be ships of war, 
 it was thought best to get farther from them. The 
 Wasp, therefore, haled her wind, and having reached a 
 few miles to windward, so as to escape or fight as the 
 occasion might require, followed the strange sail through 
 the night. At daybreak on Sunday morning, Captain 
 Jones found that they were six large merchant ships, 
 under convoy of a sloop-of-war, which proved to be the 
 Frolic, Captain Whinyates, from Honduras to England, 
 with a convoy, strongly armed and manned, having in all 
 about 50 men, and two of them mounting sixteen guns 
 each. He determined, however, to attack them, and as 
 there was a heavy swell of the sea, and the weather bois 
 terous, got down his top-gallant yards, close-reefed the 
 topsails, and prepared for action. About eleven o clock 
 the Frolic showed Spanish colors ; and the Wasp imme 
 diately displayed the American ensign and pendant. At 
 half-past eleven the Wasp came down to windward, on 
 her larboard side, within about sixty yards, and hailed. 
 The enemy hauled down the Spanish colors, hoisted the 
 British ensign, and opened a fire of cannon and mus 
 ketry. This the Wasp instantly returned ; and, coming 
 nearer to the enemy, the action became close, and with 
 out intermission. In four or five minutes the main top 
 mast of the Wasp was shot away, and, falling down with 
 the main topsail yard across the larboard, fore and fore- 
 topsail braces, rendered her head yards unmanageable 
 during the rest of the action. In two or three minutes 
 more her gaff and mizzen top-gallant were shot away. 
 Still she continued a close and constant fire. The sea 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 was so rough that the muzzles of the Wasp s guns were 
 frequently in the water. We fired as the ship s side was 
 going down, so that the shot went either on the ene 
 my s deck or below it, while the British fired as the 
 vessel rose, and thus her balls chiefly touched the rig 
 ging or were thrown away. The Wasp now shot ahead 
 of the Frolic, raked her, and then resumed her position 
 on her larboard bow. Her fire was now obviously at 
 tended with such success, and that of the Frolic so 
 slackened, that Captain Jones did not wish to board her, 
 lest the roughness of the sea might endanger both ves 
 sels ; but, in the course of a few minutes more, every 
 brace of the Wasp was shot away, and her rigging so 
 much torn to pieces, that he was afraid that his masts, 
 being unsupported, would go by the board, and the 
 Frolic be able to escape, He thought, therefore, the 
 best chance of securing her was to board, and decide 
 the contest at once. With this view, he wore ship, and, 
 running down upon the enemy, the vessels struck each 
 other, the Wasp s side rubbing along the Frolic s bow, 
 so that her jib-boom came in between the main and 
 mizzen-rigging of the Wasp, directly over the heads of 
 Captain Jones and Lieutenant Biddle, who were at that 
 moment standing together near the capstan. The Frolic 
 lay so fair for raking, that they decided not to board 
 until they had given a closing broadside. While they 
 were loading for this, so near were the two vessels that 
 the rammers of the Wasp were pushed against the 
 Frolic s sides, and two of her guns went through the bow- 
 ports of the Frolic, and swept the whole length of her 
 deck. At this moment, Jack Lang, a seaman of the 
 Wasp, a gallant fellow, who had been once impressed 
 by a British man-of-war, jumped on his gun with his 
 cutlass, and was springing on board the Frolic. Jones, 
 wishing to fire again before boarding, called him down ; 
 but his impetuosity could not be restrained, and he was 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 215 
 
 already on the bowsprit of the Frolic, when, seeing 
 the ardor and enthusiasm of the Wasp s crew, Lieut. 
 Biddle mounted on the hammock cloth to board. At 
 this signal the crew followed ; but Lieut. Biddle s feet 
 got entangled in the rigging of the enemy s bowsprit, 
 and Midshipman Baker, in his ardor to get on board, 
 laying hold of his coat, he fell back on the Wasp s 
 deck. He sprang up, and as the next swell of the 
 sea brought the Frolic nearer, he got on her bowsprit, 
 where Lang and another seaman were already. He 
 passed on to the forecastle, and was surprised at seeing 
 not a single man alive on the Frolic s deck, except the 
 seaman at the wheel and three officers. The deck was 
 slippery with blood and strewn with the bodies of the 
 dead. As he went forward the Captain of Frolic, 
 with two other officers, who were standing on the 
 quarter deck, threw down their swords, and made an 
 inclination of their bodies, denoting that they had 
 surrendered. At this moment the colors were still 
 flying, as probably none of the seamen of the Frolic 
 would dare go into the rigging for fear of the musketry 
 of the Wasp. Lieut. Biddle therefore jumped into the 
 rigging himself, and hauled down the British ensign, 
 and possession was taken of the Frolic in forty-three 
 minutes after the first fire. She was in a shocking con 
 dition ; the berth deck particularly was crowded with 
 dead, and wounded, and dying ; there being but a small 
 proportion of the Frolic s crew who had escaped. 
 Captain Jones instantly sent on board his surgeon s 
 mate, and all the blankets of the Frolic were brought 
 for the comfort of the wounded. To increase this 
 confusion, both the Frolic s masts soon fell, covering 1 
 
 O 
 
 the dead and everything on deck, and she lay a com 
 plete wreck. 
 
 The Frolic mounted sixteen 32-pound carronades, 
 four 12-pounders on the main deck, and two 12-pounj 
 
2 i6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 carronades. She was, therefore, superior to the Wasp 
 by exactly four 12-pounders. The number of men 
 on board, as stated by the officers of the Frolic 
 was no the number of seamen on board the Wasp 
 was 1 02 ; but it could not be ascertained whether in this 
 HO were included mariners and officers; for the Wasp 
 had, besides her 102 men, officers and marines; making 
 the whole crew about 135. What, however, is decisive 
 as to their comparative force is, that the officers of 
 the Frolic acknowledged that they had as many men as 
 they knew what to do with, and, in fact, the Wasp could 
 have spared fifteen men. There was, therefore, on the 
 most favorable view, at least an equality of men, and 
 an inequality of four guns. The disparity of loss was 
 much greater. The exact number of killed and 
 wounded on board the Frolic could not be precisely de 
 termined ; but from the observations of our officers, 
 and the declarations of those of the Frolic, the num 
 ber could not be less than about 30 killed, including 
 two officers ; and of the wounded, between 40 and 50, 
 the captain and second lieutenant being of the number. 
 The Wasp had five men killed and five wounded. 
 
 All hands were now employed in clearing the deck, 
 burying the dead, and taking care of the wounded, 
 when Captain Jones sent orders to Lieutenant Biddle 
 to proceed to Charleston, or any other southern port of 
 the United States ; and, as there was a suspicious sail 
 to windward, the Wasp would continue her cruise. 
 The ships then parted. The suspicious sail was now 
 coming down very fast. At first it was supposed that 
 she was one of the convoy, who had all fled during 
 the engagement, and who now came for the purpose of 
 attacking the prize. The guns of the Frolic were, 
 therefore, loaded and the ship cleared for action; but 
 the enemy, as she advanced, proved to be a seventy- 
 four, the Poictiers, Captain Beresford. She fired a shot 
 
THE 3ATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 over the Frolic ; passed her; overtook the Wasp, the 
 disabled state of whose rigging prevented her from es 
 caping ; and then returned to the Frolic, who could, of 
 course, make no resistance. The Wasp and Frolic were 
 carried as prizes into Bermuda. 
 
 THE UNITED STATES AND THE MACEDONIAN (October 
 25, 1812). Being in latitude 29 N. longitude, 29 30 W., 
 on October 25, we fell in with, and after an action of an 
 hour and a half, captured His Majesty s ship Macedonian, 
 commanded by Captain John Garden, and mounting 49 
 carriage guns (the odd gun shifting). She is a frigate 
 of the largest class, and reputed one of the best sailers 
 in the British service. The enemy, being to windward, 
 had the advantage of engaging us at his own distance, 
 which was so great, that for the first half hour, we did 
 not use our carronades, and at no moment was he within 
 the complete effect of our musketry and grape; to this 
 circumstance, and a heavy swell, which was on at the 
 time, I ascribe the unusual length of the action. 
 
 The enthusiasm of every officer, seaman and marine 
 on board this ship, on discovering the enemy their 
 steady conduct in battle, and precision of their fire, 
 could not be surpassed. 
 
 We had but five killed and seven wounded. 
 
 On board the Macedonian, there were 36 killed, and 
 68 wounded. 
 
 The Macedonian lost her mizzen mast, fore and main 
 top-masts and main yard, and was much cut up in her hull. 
 The damage sustained by this ship was not such as to ren 
 der her return into port necessary; and had I not deemed 
 it important that we should see our prize in, should have 
 continued our cruise. STEPHEN DECATUR. 
 
 THE CONSTITUTION AND THE JAVA (December 29, 
 1 8 1 2). On December 29, 1 8 1 2, at 2 P. M-., when about 10 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 2IQ 
 
 leagues distant from the coast of Brazil, I fell in with 
 and captured the British frigate Java, of 49 guns and 
 upwards of 400 men, commanded by Captain Lambert. 
 The action lasted one hour and 55 minutes, in which 
 time the enemy was completely dismasted, not having 
 a spar of any kind standing. The loss on board the 
 Constitution, was nine killed and 25 wounded. The 
 enemy had 60 killed and 101 wounded (among the 
 latter Captain Lambert, mortally). 
 
 The Java had, in addition to her own crew, upwards 
 of IOO officers and seamen to join the British ships of 
 war in the East Indies; also General Hislop, appointed 
 to the command of Bombay; and Captain Marshall, 
 master and commander in the British navy, going to the 
 East Indies to take command of a sloop-of-war there. 
 
 The great distance from our own coast and the perfect 
 wreck we made of the enemy s frigate, forbade every idea 
 of attempting to take her to the United States; I had 
 therefore no alternative but burning her, which I did 
 after receiving all the prisoners and their baggage, which 
 was very hard work, only having one boat left out of 
 eight, and not one left on board the Java. 
 
 On blowing up the frigate Java, I proceeded to this 
 place, where I have landed all the prisoners on their 
 parole to return to England, and there remain until 
 regularly exchanged, and not to serve in their pro 
 fessional capacities in anyplace, or in any manner what 
 soever against the United States of America, until their 
 exchange shall be effected. VV. BAINBRIDGE. 
 
 THE HORNET AND THE PEACOCK (February 24, 1813). 
 After Commodore Bainbridge left the coast of Brazil, 
 (Jan. 6), I continued off the harbor of St. Salvador, 
 blockading the Bonne Citoyeniic, until the 24th, when 
 the Montague, 74, hove in sight, and chased me into the 
 harbor; but night coming on, I wore and stood out to 
 
220 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the southward. Knowing that she had left Rio Janeiro 
 for the express purpose of relieving the Bonne Citoyenne 
 and the packet (which I had also blockaded for 14 
 days), I judged it prudent to shift my cruising-ground, 
 and hauled by the wind to the eastward, with the view 
 of cruising off Pernambuco, . .nd on February 4 cap 
 tured the English brig Resolution, of 10 guns, from Rio 
 Janeiro, with coffee, jerked beef, ^our, fustic, and butter, 
 and about 23,000 dollars in specu . As she sailed dull 
 and I could not spare hands to man her, I took out the 
 money and set her on fire. I ran down the coast, and 
 cruised there a short time: from thence ran off Surinam. 
 After cruising off that coast from the I5th to the 22d 
 of February without meeting a vessel, I stood for 
 Demerara, with an intention, should I be fortunate on 
 that station, to run through the West Indies, on my 
 way to the United States. But, on the 24th in the 
 morning, I discovered a brig to the leeward, to which I 
 gave chase; ran into quarter less four, and not having a 
 pilot, was obliged to haul off, the fort at the entrance of 
 Demerara River at this time bearing S. W., distant about 
 two and a half leagues. Previous to giving up the 
 chase, I discovered a vessel at anchor without the bar, 
 with English colors flying, apparently a brig-of-war. 
 In beating round, in order to get at her, at half-past 3, 
 discovered another sail on our weather quarter, edging 
 down for us. At 20 minutes past 4, she hoisted 
 English colors, at which time we discovered her to be 
 a large man-of-war brig beat to quarters, cleared ship 
 for action, and kept close by the wind, in order, if possi 
 ble, to get the weather gage. At 10 minutes past 5, 
 finding I could weather the enemy, I hoisted American 
 colors and tacked. At 25 minutes past 5, in passing 
 each other, exchanged broadsides within half pistol- 
 shot. Observing the enemy in the act of wearing, I 
 bore up, received his starboard broadside, ran him close 
 
WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE. 
 
 221 
 
222 TIf BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 on board the starboard quarter, and kept up such a 
 i eavy and well-directed fire, that in less than 15 minutes 
 he surrendered, being literally cut to pieces, and hoisted 
 his ensign, union down, from his fore-rigging, as a signal 
 of distress. Shortly after, his mainmast went by the 
 board. Despatched Lieutenant Shubrick on board, who 
 reported her to be His Majesty s brig Peacock, com 
 manded by Captain William Peake, who fell in the latter 
 part of the action; that a number of her crew were 
 killed and wounded, and that she was sinking fast, 
 having then six feet of water in her hold. Despatched 
 the boats immediately for the wounded, and brought 
 both vessels to anchor. Such shot-holes as could be 
 got at were then plugged up: her guns thrown over 
 board, and every possible exertion used to keep her 
 afloat until the prisoners could be removed, by pumping 
 and bailing, but without effect, as she unfortunately 
 sunk in 5^ fathoms of water, carrying down 13 of her 
 crew, and three of my brave fellows. Four men, of the 
 13 mentioned, were so fortunate as to gain the foretop, 
 and were afterwards taken off by the boats. Previous 
 to her going down, four of her men took the stern 
 boat, that had been much damaged during the action, 
 who, I sincerely hope, reached the shore in safety. I 
 have not been able to ascertain from her officers the 
 exact number killed. Captain Peake and four men were 
 found dead on board. The master, and one midship 
 man, carpenter and captain s clerk, and 29 seamen were 
 wounded; most of them severely, three of them died of 
 their wounds after being removed, and nine drowned. 
 Our loss was trifling in comparison. John Place, 
 killed; Samuel Coulson, and John Delyrumple, severely 
 wounded; George Coffin and Lewis Todd, severely burnt 
 by the explosion of a cartridge. Our rigging and sails 
 are much cut. One shot through the foremast; and 
 the bowsprit slightly injured. Our hull received little 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 or no damage. At the time I brought the Peacock to 
 action, the UEspiegle (the brig mentioned as being at 
 anchor) mounting sixteen 32-pound carronades and two 
 long nines, lay about six miles in shore of me, and 
 could plainly see the whole of the action. Apprehen 
 sive that she would beat out to the assistance of her 
 consort, such exertions were made by my officers and 
 crew repairing damages, &c., that by nine o clock my 
 boats were stowed away, new set of sails bent, and the 
 ship completely ready for action. At 2 A. M. got under 
 way and stood by the wind to the northward and west 
 ward, under easy sail. 
 
 On mustering next morning, found we had 277 souls 
 on board, including the crew of the American brig 
 Hunter, of Portland, taken a few days since by the 
 Peacock. As we had been on two-thirds allowance of 
 provisions for some time, and had but 3400 gallons of 
 water on board, I reduced the allowance to three pints 
 a man, and determined to make the best of my way to 
 the United States. 
 
 The Peacock was deservedly styled one of the finest 
 vessels of her class in the British Navy. I should 
 judge her to be about the tonnage of the Hornet. She 
 mounted sixteen 24-pound carronades, two long nines, 
 one 12-pourrd carronade on her top-gallant forecastle, as 
 a shifting gun, and one 4 or 6 pounder, and two swivels 
 mounted aft. I find that her crew consisted of 134 men, 
 four of whom were absent in a prize. 
 
 The cool and determined conduct of my officers and 
 crew during the action, and their almost unexampled 
 exertions afterwards, entitle them to my warmest ac 
 knowledgments. JAMES LAWRENCE. 
 
 THE CHESAPEAKE AND THE SHANNON (June I, 1813). 
 In consequence of Captain Lawrence s gallant victory 
 over the Peacock he was promoted to the command of 
 
224 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 the frigate Clicsapeake, then lying in the Boston harbor. 
 The British frigate Shannon, commanded by Captain 
 Brooke, had been cruising before that port for several 
 weeks, and Brooke sent a challenge to Lawrence to 
 meet him ship to ship, and thus determine the relative 
 value of the two vessels, Brooke was a gallant and 
 careful officer. He had long paid great attention to 
 the discipline and exercise of his crew, and felt he 
 could depend on them. In Captain Lawrence and the 
 Chesapeake he had a skilful and daring opponent. 
 The Chesapeake was a little superior in size to the 
 Shannon^ and had a larger complement of men ; but the 
 crew were not well trained. 
 
 On June I, the two vessels met, and instantly engaged. 
 About 15 minutes before 6 p. M. the action commenced 
 within pistol-shot. The first broadside did great execu 
 tion on both sides, damaged our rigging, killed among 
 others Mr. White, the sailing-master, and wounded 
 Captain Lawrence. In about 12 minutes after the com 
 mencement of the action we fell on board of the 
 enemy, and immediately after, one of our arm-chests on 
 the quarter deck was blown up by a hand-grenade, 
 thrown from the enemy s ship. In a few minutes one 
 of the captain s aids came on the gun deck to inform 
 me that the boarders were called. I immediately called 
 the boarders away, and proceeded to the spar deck, 
 where I found that the enemy had succeeded in 
 boarding us, and had gained possession of our quarter 
 deck. I immediately gave orders to haul on board the 
 foretack, for the purpose of shooting the ship clear of 
 the other, and made an attempt to regain the quarter 
 deck, but was wounded, and thrown down on the gun 
 deck. I again made an effort to collect the boarders, 
 but in the meantime the enemy had gained complete 
 possession of the ship. On my being carried down to the 
 cockpit, I there found Captain Lawrence and Lieutenant 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 18 12-1815. 2 2$ 
 
 Ludlovv both mortally wounded ; the former had been 
 carried below previously to the ship s being boarded ; 
 the latter was wounded in attempting to repel the 
 boarders. LIEUT. GEORGE BUDD. 
 
 In the brief space of time during which the battle had 
 raged the Chesapeake had 48 killed, and 98 wounded; 
 the Shannon, 23 killed and 56 wounded. Lawrence 
 was twice wounded early in the action, and when carried 
 below was asked if the colors should be struck. He 
 replied, " No ; they shall wave while I live." He after 
 wards became delirious with mental and bodily suffer 
 ing, and whenever able to speak during the remaining 
 four days of his life, would exclaim, "Don t give up the 
 ship!" But the ship was already in the hands of the 
 enemy. The bodies of Lawrence and Ludlow were car 
 ried to Halifax and there buried with the honors of war. 
 Some of the oldest captains of the British Navy carried 
 the pall of Lawrence, and it was universally felt that 
 he was worthy of every honor that could be paid to his 
 memory. The corpse was shrouded in a mahogany 
 coffin, and was received at the King s wharf by a regi 
 ment of troops and a fuH band of music. When vic 
 torious over the Peacock he had behaved with so much 
 kindness to the officers and crew, that the former, on ar 
 riving at New York, sent him a letter of thanks. Al 
 though his mortal remains were now deposited in 
 alien earth, the spirit which he embodied went forth as 
 an animating influence through the whole mass of his 
 countrymen, and his dying words, " Don t give up the 
 ship ! " have become classical, as they deserve to be, in 
 the American Navy. 
 
 The people were very disheartened at this unexpected 
 calamity. The honors and rewards bestowed on Cap 
 tain Brooke showed that it was considered a very great 
 matter to vanquish a frigate of the United States. 
 
22 6 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Shortly after the fate of the Chesapeake and her brave 
 defenders was known in the United States, B. W. Crow- 
 ninshield solicited the government for permission to sail 
 with a flag of truce to Halifax, for the purpose of ob 
 taining the entombed bodies of Captain Lawrence and 
 Lieutenant Ludlow ; the permission being granted, Mr. 
 Growninshield sailed in a vessel manned by himself and 
 ten other masters of vessels, and on application to the 
 British admiral, commanding on that station, obtained 
 the object of his request. On their arrival at Salem, 
 Massachusetts, the funeral obsequies of the brave de 
 ceased were again celebrated in the most solemn and 
 impressive manner. 
 
 The Report of the Naval Committee said : 
 
 The court are of opinion that the Chesapeake was 
 gallantly carried into action by her late brave com 
 mander; and no doubt rests with the court from com 
 parison of the injury respectively sustained by the 
 frigates, that the fire of the Chesapeake was much supe 
 rior to that of the Shannon. The SJiannon being much 
 cut in her spars and rigging, and receiving many shot 
 in and below the water line, was reduced almost to a 
 sinking condition, after only a few minutes cannon 
 ading from the Chesapeake; while the Chesapeake was 
 comparatively uninjured. And the court have no 
 doubt, if the Chesapeake had not accidentally fallen on 
 board the Shannon, and the Shannon s anchor got foul 
 in the after quarter port of the Chesapeake t the Shannon 
 must have very soon surrendered or sunk. 
 
 It appears to the court, that as the ships were getting 
 foul, Captain Lawrence ordered the boarders to be 
 called ; out the bugle man, stationed to call the board 
 ers by sounding a bugle, had deserted his quarters, and 
 when discovered and ordered to call, was unable, from 
 fright, to sound his horn; that midshipmen went below 
 immediately to pass the word for the boarders ; but not 
 
Independence 1 5 
 
22 8 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 being called in the way they had usually exercised, few 
 came upon the upper deck ; confusion prevailed ; a 
 greater part of the men deserted their quarters, and ran 
 below. It appears also to the court, that when the 
 SJiannon got foul of the Chesapeake , Captain Lawrence, 
 Lieutenant Ludlow, the sailing master, and lieutenant 
 of marines were all killed or mortally wounded, and 
 thereby the upper deck of the Chesapeake was left with 
 out any commanding officer, and with only one or two 
 young midshipmen. It also appears to the court, that 
 previously to the ships getting foul, many of the Chesa 
 peake s spar deck division had been killed and wounded, 
 and the number stationed on that deck thereby con 
 siderably reduced ; that these being left without a com 
 missioned officer, or even a warrant officer, except one 
 or two inexperienced midshipmen, and not being sup 
 ported by the boarders from the gun deck, almost 
 universally deserted their quarters. And the enemy, 
 availing himself of this defenceless state of the Chesa 
 peake s upper deck, boarded and obtained possession of 
 the ship with very little opposition. 
 
 THE ARGUS AND THE PELICAN (August 14, 1813). 
 Circumstances prevented my attention to the painful 
 duty which devolved on me by the death of my gallant 
 commander, Captain William H. Allen, late of the U. S. 
 brig Argus. After capturing 23 vessels of various sizes, 
 and some of great value, on August 14, 1813, we dis 
 covered at 4 o clock A. M. a large brig-of-wur standing 
 down under a press of sail upon our weather quarter, 
 the wind being at south, and the Argus close hauled 
 on the starboard tack : we prepared to receive her; 
 and at half-past four, being unable to get the weather 
 gage, we shortened sail, and gave her an opportunity of 
 closing. At 6, the brig having displayed English colors, 
 we hoisted our flag; wore round, and gave her the lar- 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 229 
 
 board broadside (being at this time within grape dis 
 tance), which was returned, and the action commenced 
 within the range of musketry. Shortly after six, Cap 
 tain Allen was wounded, and the enemy shot away our 
 main braces, main spring-stay, gaff, and trysail-mast 
 Allen, being much exhausted by the loss of blood, was 
 taken below. At 6.12 lost our spritsai 1-yard and the 
 principal part of the standing rigging on the larboard 
 side of the foremast. At this time I received a wound 
 on the head from a grape shot, and was carried below. 
 
 Lieutenant Allen, who succeeded to the command, 
 reports, at 6. 1 4 the enemy, being in our weather quarter, 
 edged off, for the purpose of getting under our stern, but 
 the Argus luffed close to, with the main topsail aback, 
 and giving him a raking broadside, frustrated his at 
 tempt. The enemy shot away our preventer, main- 
 braces and main-topsail-tye ; and the Argus, having lost 
 the use of her after sails, fell on before the wind, when 
 the enemy succeeded in passing our stern, and ranged 
 on the starboard side. At 6.25 the wheel ropes and 
 running rigging of every description being shot away, 
 the Argus became unmanageable; and the enemy, not 
 having sustained any apparent damage, had it com 
 pletely in his power to choose a position, and con 
 tinued to play upon our starboard quarter, occasion 
 ally shifting his situation, until 6.30 when I returned 
 to the deck, the enemy being under our stern, within 
 pistol shot, where she continued to rake us until 6.38, 
 when we prepared to board, but, in consequence of 
 our shattered condition, were unable to effect it; the 
 enemy then passed our broadside, and took a position 
 on our starboard bow. From this time until 6.47 we 
 were exposed to a cross or raking fire, without being 
 able to oppose but little more than musketry to the 
 broadside of the enemy, our guns being much disabled 
 and seldom brought to bear. 
 
30 
 
 THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 The Argus suffered much, in hull and rigging, as also 
 in killed and wounded; and being exposed to a galling 
 fire, which from the enemy s ability to manage his vessel 
 we could not avoid, I deemed it necessary to surrender, 
 and was taken possession of by the British sloop Pelican, 
 of 2 1 carnage guns, viz., sixteen 32-pound carronades, 
 four long 6 s, and one 1 2-pound carronade. I hope this 
 measure will meet your approbation, and that the result 
 of this action, when the superior size and metal of our 
 upponent, and the f^ltigue which the crew, &c., of the 
 Argus underwent from a very rapid succession of cap 
 tures, is considered, will not be thought unworthy of 
 the flag under which we serve. . 
 
 LIEUT. W. H. WATSON, 
 Late of the U. S. biig Argus. 
 
 The Argus lost 10 men, beside the captain, and had 
 II wounded. 
 
 THE ENTERPRISE AND THE BOXER (September 5, 
 1813). On the 5th, in the bay near Penguin Point, dis 
 covered a brig getting under way, which appeared to be 
 a vessel of war, and to which we immediately gave chase. 
 She fired several guns, and stood for us, having four 
 ensigns hoisted. After reconnoitering and discovering 
 her force, and the nation to which she belonged, we 
 hauled upon a wind, to stand out of the bay, and at 
 3 o clock shortened sail, tacked to run down, with an 
 intention to bring her to close action. A 3.20, when 
 within half pistol-shot, the firing commenced from both, 
 and after being warmly kept up, and with some manceu- 
 vering, the enemy hailed, and said they had surrendered, 
 about 4 P. M. ; their colors being nailed to the masts, could 
 not be hauled down. She proved to be the British brig 
 Boxer, of 14 guns, Samuel Blythe, commander, who fell 
 in the early part of the engagement from a cannon-shot 
 through the body, Lieutenant Burrows, who had gal- 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 231 
 
 lantly led us into action, fell also about the same time 
 by a musket-ball. 
 
 The Enterprise suffered much in spars and rigging, 
 and the Boxer received so much damage in her hull, 
 masts, and sails, that it was with difficulty she could be 
 kept afloat to get her in. 
 
 There were between 2O and 35 killed, and 14 wounded 
 on the Boxer. Our loss was 4 killed, and 1 3 wounded. 
 EDWARD R. A. CALL, Senior Officer. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE (September 10, 1813). 
 Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the U. S. Navy : 
 
 U. S. Brig Niagara, off the Western Sister, 
 
 Lake Erie, Sept. IO, 1813. 
 
 SIR: It has pleased the Almighty to give to the arms 
 of the United States a signal victory over their enemies 
 on this lake. The British squadron, consisting of two 
 ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop, have this 
 moment surrendered to the force under my command, 
 after a sharp conflict. 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 Hon. WILLIAM JONES, O. H. PERRY. 
 
 Secy of tJie Navy. 
 
 Commodore Perry to Major- General Harrison : 
 
 U. S. Brig Niagara, off tJic Western Sister, 
 
 Lake Erie, Sept. 10, 1813. 
 DEAR GENERAL, 
 
 We have met the enemy; and they are ours! two 
 ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop. 
 
 Yours with great respect and esteem, 
 Gen. HARRISON. O. H. PERRY. 
 
232 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 On the morning of the loth instant, at sunrise, the 
 enemy s fleet were discovered from Put-in-Bay, where I 
 lay at anchor with the squadron under my command. 
 We got under way, the wind light and stood for them. 
 At 10 A. M. the wind hauled to S. E. and brought us to 
 windward: formed the line and bore up. At quarter be 
 fore 12, the enemy commenced firing ; at five minutes be 
 fore 1 2, the action commenced on our part. Finding their 
 fire very destructive, owing to their long guns, and its 
 being mostly directed at the Lawrence, I made sail and 
 directed the other vessels to follow for the purpose of 
 closing with the enemy. Every brace and bow-line 
 being shot away, she became unmanageable, notwith 
 standing the great exertions of the sailing master. In 
 this situation she sustained the action upwards of two 
 hours within cannister distance, until every gun was 
 rendered useless, and the greater part of her crew 
 either killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer 
 
 f5 O 
 
 annoy the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieutenant 
 Yarnall, who I was convinced, from the bravery already 
 displayed by him, would do what would comport with 
 the honor of the flag. At half-past two, the wind 
 springing up, Captain Elliott was enabled to bring his 
 vessel, the Niagara, gallantly into close action : I im 
 mediately went on board of her, when he anticipated 
 my wish by volunteering to bring the schooners which 
 had been kept astern by the lightness of the wind, into 
 close action. It was with unspeakable pain, that I saw, 
 soon after I got on board the Niagara, the flag of the 
 Lawrence come down, although I was perfectly sensible 
 that she had been defended to the last, and that to have 
 continued to make a show of resistance would have 
 been a wanton sacrifice of the remains of her brave 
 crew. But the enemy was not able to take possession 
 of her, and circumstances soon permitted her flag again 
 to be hoisted. 
 
COMMODORE OLIVER HAZARD TERRY, 
 
 233 
 
234 
 
 THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 At 45 minutes past two, the signal was made for 
 " close action." The Niagara being very little injured, 
 I determined to pass through the enemy s line, bore up 
 and passed ahead of their two ships and a brig, giving 
 a raking fire to them from the starboard guns, and to 
 a large schooner and sloop from the larboard side at 
 half pistol-shot distance. The smaller vessels at this 
 time having got within grape and cannister distance, 
 under the direction of Captain Elliott, and keeping up 
 a well-directed fire, the two ships, a brig and a schooner, 
 surrendered, a schooner and sloop making a vain at 
 tempt to escape. 
 
 Our loss in killed was 27, and we had 96 wounded. 
 Their loss was not accurately ascertained, but it must 
 have been very great. The exact number of the enemy s 
 force has not been ascertained, but I have good reason 
 to believe that it exceeded ours by nearly 100 men. 
 
 O. H. PERRY. 
 
 The victory of Commodore Perry was the result of 
 skill, courage, and enterprise, against superior force. 
 Both the quality and amount of the force he had to 
 contend with, ought to have given a triumph to the 
 other side ; and at the time of the surrender, the odds 
 were increased against him, since his own ship, after 
 having suffered more than perhaps a vessel of the same 
 size and force ever did before, had been compelled to 
 strike. The immediate termination of the battle ap 
 pears to have been decided by the bold Nelsonian meas 
 ure of breaking through the British line and coming 
 to close action. 
 
 A naval officer at Lake Erie thus writes : 
 " In no action fought this war has the conduct of the 
 commanding officer been so conspicuous or so evident 
 ly decisive of the fate of the battle, as in this. When 
 he discovered that nothing further could be done in the 
 

 f 
 
 mt^ 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Lawrence, he wisely removed to the Niagara, and by 
 one of the boldest and most judicious manoeuvres ever 
 practised, decided the contest at once. Had the Niag 
 ara shared the fate of the Lawrence, it was his intention 
 to have removed to the next best vessel, and so on as 
 long as one of his squadron continued to float. The 
 enemy saw him put off, and acknowledge that they fired 
 a broadside at him. With his usual gallantry he went 
 off standing up in the stern of the boat ; but the crew 
 insisted on his sitting down. The enemy speak with 
 admiration of the manner in which the Lawrence bore 
 down upon them. She continued her course so long 
 and so obstinately, that they thought we were goinp" to 
 board them. They had a great advantage in having 
 long guns. Many of our men were killed on the berth 
 deck and in the steerage, after they were taken below 
 to be dressed. One shot went through the light loom, 
 and knocked the snuff of the candle into the magazine 
 the gunner happened to see it immediately, and ex 
 tinguished it with his hand: 2 shot passed through 
 the magazine ; 2 through the cabin ; 3 or 4 came into 
 the ward room but I believe only one went quite 
 through, and that passed a few inches over the surgeon s 
 head as he sat in the cockpit. Our short guns lodged 
 their shot in the bulwarks of the Detroit, where a 
 number now remain. Her bulwarks, however, were 
 vastly superior to ours, being of oak and very thick. 
 Many of their grape-shot came through ours. They 
 acknowledge that they threw combustible matter on 
 board of us, which set our sails and rigging on fire in 
 several places. I m clearly of opinion that they were 
 better manned than we were. They had a much greater 
 number they had veteran troops their men were all 
 well. We had as motley a crew as ever went into 
 action; and our vessels looked like hospital ships. 
 " During the whole of the action the most complete 
 
238 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 order prevailed on board the Lawrence. There was no 
 noise, no bustle, no confusion. As fast as the men were 
 wounded they were taken below and replaced by others. 
 The dead remained where they fell until the action was 
 over. Captain Perry exhibited that cool, collected, 
 dignified bravery, which those acquainted with him 
 would have expected. His countenance all the time 
 was just as composed as if he had been engaged in 
 ordinary duty. As soon as the action was over he gave 
 all his attention to the securing of the prisoners and to 
 the wounded on both sides. Captain Barclay declared 
 to one of our officers, several days after the action, that 
 Perry had done himself immortal honor by his human 
 ity and attention to the wounded prisoners. The action 
 was fought on Friday we got into harbor next day. 
 On Sunday all the officers on both sides, who fell, were 
 buried on South Bass Island, at Put-in-Bay, with the 
 honors of war." 
 
 As the intelligence of this victory was carried through 
 the country, the most extravagant expressions of de 
 light were everywhere displayed ; and Commander 
 Perry was hailed as the saviour of the Northwest. 
 Salutes and illuminations, and public meetings gave 
 evidence of the popular sentiment; and it is said " the 
 greneral joy was unequalled since the surrender of 
 Cornwallis at Yorktown." 
 
 But not alone from its effects on the affairs of the 
 nation was this action memorable. Says Irving: 
 " Were anything wanting to perpetuate the fame of this 
 victory, it would be sufficiently memorable from the 
 scene where it was fought. The war had been distin 
 guished by new and peculiar characteristics. Naval 
 warfare had been carried into the interior of a con 
 tinent; and navies, as if by magic, launched from 
 among the depths of the forest. The bosoms of peace 
 ful lakes which, but a short time before, were scarcely 
 
SA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 239 
 
 navigable by man, except to be skimmed by the light 
 canoe of the savage, had all at once been ploughed by 
 hostile ships. The vast silence, that had reigned for 
 ages on those mighty waters, was broken by the thunder 
 of artillery; and the affrighted savage stared with 
 amazement from his covert at the sudden apparition of 
 a sea-fight amid the solitudes of the wilderness." 
 
 THE Loss OF THE ESSEX (March 28, 1814). One of 
 the most remarkable cruises on record is that of the 
 frigate Essex, commanded by Captain David Porter. 
 Intended as a consort of the Constitution and Hornet, 
 under the general command of Commodore Bainbridge, 
 she sailed from the Delaware on October 28, 1812, and 
 ran to Fort Praya (St. yago\ the appointed place of 
 rendezvous. But in consequence of her heavy supply 
 of stores, and her consequent dull sailing, she did not 
 reach the rendezvous until after the commodore had left. 
 
 Thus thrown upon his own resources, Captain Porter 
 determined to turn Cape Horn and cruise in the Pacific 
 Ocean, where a heavy British commerce was almost 
 wholly unprotected ; and from which, it was hoped, 
 the most desirable success might be obtained. On 
 her progress thither the most provoking want of suc 
 cess was experienced, but between March 5, 1813, when 
 she anchored off the Island of Mocha, and the time of 
 her capture, fortune favored her crew; and one of the 
 most successful, if not the most romantic, cruises on 
 record fell to her lot. 
 
 The enemy s letters of marque, which had been sent 
 out to harass the American whalers, were checked and 
 overpowered; the enemy s commerce was completely 
 cut up and destroyed ; the single ship which entered the 
 Pacific, without a consort, and but poorly supplied with 
 many of the necessaries for a cruise, by manning her 
 prizes and by levying on the enemy s commerce, had 
 
240 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 become the flag-ship of a victorious squadron, whose 
 progress from port to port, and from harbor to harbor, 
 was only a series of triumphs; whose adventures assumed 
 a character kindred to those of the marvelous navi 
 gators of earlier and darker days; whose exploits spread 
 terror wherever it found the British flag, and even along 
 the wharves, in the counting-rooms, and around the 
 firesides of Britain herself. 
 
 Captain Porter thus reported: 
 
 " I had completely broken up the British navigation 
 in the Pacific (he had captured 12 vessels containing 
 107 guns and manned with 302 men) ; the vessels which 
 had not been captured by iv.e were laid up, and dared 
 not venture out. I had afforded the most ample pro 
 tection to our own vessels, which were, on my arrival, 
 very numerous and unprotected. The valuable whale 
 fishery there is entirely destroyed, and the actual in 
 jury we have done them may be estimated at two 
 and a half millions of dollars, independent of the ex 
 penses of the vessels in search of me. They have fur 
 nished me amply with sails, cordage, cables, anchors, 
 provisions, medicines, and stores of every description; 
 and the slop-shops on board them have furnished cloth 
 ing for the seamen. We have in fact lived on the enemy 
 since I have been in that sea, every prize having proved 
 a well-found store-ship for me. I had not yet been 
 under the necessity of drawing bills on the depart 
 ment for any object, and had been enabled to make 
 considerable advances to my officers and crew on ac 
 count of pay." 
 
 After having thoroughly overhauled and refitted the 
 Essex, at the Marquesas, on December 12, 1813, in 
 company with one of her prizes which had been armed 
 with twenty guns, and called the Essex, Junior, the 
 Essex sailed from Madison Island; and on February 
 3, 1814, she anchored in the bay of Valparaiso. Four 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815, 24! 
 
 days afterwards, two British vessels of war the frigate 
 Phcebe, Captain Hillyer, of thirty-six guns, and the 
 sloop-of-war Cherub, Captain Tucker, of twenty-eight 
 guns also entered the bay; and the former ranged up 
 alongside the Essex, between that vessel and the Essex, 
 Junior. 
 
 During the succeeding 43 days the four vessels were 
 in the bay, restrained by the neutrality of the port. 
 
 Having grown weary of the blockade, and under 
 standing that the enemy s force would be increased at 
 an early day, Porter determined to leave port, and 
 rely on the speed of his vessels and his skill in sail 
 ing them as the means of escape. Accordingly, on 
 March 28, with a fresh breeze from the southward, the 
 Essex stood out to sea; but before she cleared the 
 harbor a squall struck her, carrying away her main 
 top-mast, after which, failing in her attempt to regain 
 the common anchorage, she ran into a small bay on 
 the east side of the harbor, about three-quarters of a 
 mile from the battery, and cast anchor, within pistol- 
 shot from the shore, with the intention of repairing 
 her damage at that place. 
 
 In the meantime the PJicebe and Cherub had pursued 
 the Essex; and when the latter, disabled, anchored 
 within the limits of the harbor, and under the protec 
 tion of its neutrality, it was properly supposed the 
 enemy, also, would respect the rights which Porter had, 
 previously, recognized in him. The approach of the 
 two vessels, decked with their battle-flags, jacks, pen 
 nants, and ensigns, speedily dispelled that illusion, how 
 ever ; and the crippled Essex, separated from her "Junior" 
 which had been left in the harbor, was warned, there 
 from, of the hostility of his intentions, and prepared for 
 his reception. At fifty-four minutes past three in the 
 afternoon, the Plicebe having come within range of her 
 long guns while yet the carronades of the Essex were 
 
242 
 
 THE BA TTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 still useless opened a fire on the stern of the latter, 
 at long-shot distance; while, at the same time, the 
 Cherub, on her starboard bow, also opened an effective 
 fire. The bow-guns of the Essex, however, soon ren 
 dered the situation of the latter vessel an uncomfortable 
 one; and she bore up and ran under the stern of the 
 Essex, joining with the Plicebe in a hot, raking fire. 
 Having run three long twelves out from the stern-ports 
 of the Essex, her crew was enabled to return the com 
 pliments of the combined enemy; and, with so much 
 skill and effect was it done, that, within half an hour 
 from the opening of the engagement, both vessels were 
 compelled to haul off and repair damages. 
 
 During this brief engagement the Essex and her crew 
 suffered considerably, and her ensign at the gaff and 
 the battle-flag at her mizzen-masthead had been shot 
 away; but when, " a few minutes" afterwards, the enemy 
 returned to the contest, the motto flag, " FREE TRADE 
 AND SAILORS RIGHTS," at her main-masthead, sent forth 
 the defiance which the crew on her decks so gallantly 
 ratified a few minutes afterwards. 
 
 Having repaired his damages, the enemy returned to 
 the action ; and both his vessels, having taken their 
 position on the starboard-quarter of the Essex, out of 
 the reach of her carronades, and where her stern-guns 
 could not be brought to bear, they opened a destructive 
 fire on the devoted, and comparatively helpless, vessel. 
 Under these circumstances, Porter was compelled to 
 choose between a tame surrender, and running down 
 and becoming the assailant. His topsail-sheets and 
 halyards, as well as his jib and foretop-mast-staysail- 
 halyards, having been shot away, leaving only his flying- 
 jib-halyards, he hoisted the latter sail, cut his cable, and 
 ran down on both ships, with an intention of laying the 
 PJiccbe on board. During the time which this manoeuvre 
 occupied, the fire, on both sides, was very severe that 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 243 
 
 of the Essex with the hope of disabling her opponent 
 and preventing her escape ; that of the enemy to disable, 
 still more, his opponent, and prevent her progress in 
 the desperate mission on which she had ventured. 
 
 The CJierub, distrusting her abilities for a successful 
 defence at close action, hauled off, and performed her 
 part of the drama at a distance, with her long guns 
 only. The PJicebe, also, preferring to fight at a distance, 
 edged off as the Essex neared her; and, with character 
 istic prudence, selected that position which best suited 
 her long guns, continuing her fire with terrible effect, 
 while that of the Essex was, from her position and her 
 helplessness, of but little use. At that time, the running 
 rigging of the Essex was almost wholly shot away; 
 and, as her sails could not be handled, she was almost 
 entirely unmanageable. Many of her guns had been 
 rendered useless by the enemy s shot, and many of them 
 had their entire crews destroyed some of them had, 
 indeed, been remanned twice, and one of them three 
 times. 
 
 Perceiving that the enemy had it in his power to 
 choose his distance, and to keep off rather than to come 
 to close action, Porter determined to run the Essex on 
 shore, land his crew, and set fire to his ship. The wind 
 favored the design, and everything appeared to favor it, 
 until the ship had moved to within musket-shot of the 
 shore, when the wind suddenly shifted, and blowing 
 from the shore, the head of the Essex instantly payed 
 down on the Phoebe, and. exposed the decks of the de 
 voted ship to another severe, raking fire an advantage 
 which was not lost sight of by the enemy. 
 
 The fire on the Essex continued with unabated fury, 
 although the unmanageable ship was unable to bring a 
 single gun to bear on the enemy. In this dilemma 
 Porter ordered a hawser to be bent to the sheet-anchor, 
 and the anchor to be cut down from the bows; when 
 
 Independence 16 
 
244 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 her head was brought round, and the broadside again 
 bore on the enemy. Soon afterwards the hawser parted, 
 and the ship took fire; when, by Porter s directions, 
 some of the crew attempted to swim ashore, while those 
 who remained turned their attention to a suppression 
 of the flames, in which, after a severe struggle, they 
 were finally successful. 
 
 By this time the crew had become so weary, and so 
 many had fallen, that further resistance was considered 
 not only useless, but criminal; "the painful order was 
 given to strike the colors," and the action terminated. 
 
 At this time the situation of the ship and her crew 
 was truly lamentable. In the words of her commander, 
 " the cock-pit, the steerage, the ward-room, and the 
 berth-deck could contain no more wounded ; the latter 
 were killed while the surgeons were dressing them; and 
 it was evident that unless something was speedily done 
 to prevent it, the ship would soon sink from the number 
 of shot-holes in her bottom. The carpenter reported 
 that his crew had been killed or wounded ; and that he 
 had been once over the side to stop the leaks, when his 
 slings had been shot away, and it was with difficulty he 
 was saved from drowning." There were, therefore, no 
 hopes of saving the ship, or of preventing her from 
 falling into the enemy s hands, and a further sacrifice of 
 life would have been unjustifiable. 
 
 The strength of the Essex in this engagement was 
 forty 32-pound carronades and six long-twelves, with 
 a crew of 255 men; that of the enemy was 30 long- 
 eighteens and sixteen 32-pound carronades, with a 
 howitzer and six three-pounders in her tops, on the 
 Pli&be ; and eighteen 32-pound and eight 24-pound car 
 ronades and two long-nines on the Cherub the former 
 having a crew of 320, and the latter one of 180 men 
 and boys. The peculiarity of the movements, how 
 ever, were such that, with but a slight exception, the 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 245 
 
 ships fought at long gun-shot distance ; and the fight 
 ing strength therefore was thirty long eighteen-pounders 
 and two long-nines, on the part of the enemy, against 
 six long-twelves on the Essex a disparity which will 
 explain at a glance the disastrous termination of the 
 engagement. The loss of the enemy from the same 
 cause was much less than that of the Essex the PJiccbe 
 losing four killed and seven wounded ; the Cherub, one 
 killed and three wounded ; and the Essex, fifty-eight 
 killed, sixty-six wounded^ and thirty-one missing. 
 Porter thus wrote to the Secretary of the Navy : 
 "To possess the Essex it has cost the British Govern 
 ment nearly six millions of dollars ; and yet, sir, her cap 
 ture was owing entirely to accident ; and if we consider 
 the expedition with which naval contests are now de 
 cided, the action is a dishonor to them. Had they 
 brought their ships boldly to action with a force so very 
 superior, and having the choice of position, they should 
 either have captured or destroyed us in one-fourth the 
 time they were about it." 
 
 The Essex had landed all her specie, amounting to 
 two millions of dollars, at Valparaiso previous to her 
 being captured. 
 
 Loss OF THE PRESIDENT (January 16, 1815). On 
 January 14, 1815, the President, under command of Cap 
 tain Stephen Decatur, dropped down to Sandy Hook, 
 New York harbor; and during the night she attempted 
 to cross the bar and put to sea. From some unex 
 plained cause the pilots missed the channel, and ran the 
 ship on one of the shoals which obstruct the entrance 
 of the harbor; and she was detained five hours by that 
 unexpected misfortune. As a squadron of the enemy s 
 ships had been blockading the harbor several weeks, 
 and had been blown off by a gale which had prevailed 
 on the previous day, the opportunity to run the frigate 
 
246 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 out had been embraced by Decatur, and this mishap 
 was peculiarly unfortunate, resulting, as it probably did, 
 in the loss to the country of the fine ship which he com 
 manded. 
 
 At five the next morning, while steering southeast by 
 east, three strange sail were made, within gun-shot of 
 the President, and directly ahead ; when she was hauled 
 up, and passed to the northward of them, two miles dis 
 tant. At daylight, however, four ships were seen in 
 chase two of them astern, and one on each quarter 
 the leading ship being about three miles distant. As 
 the President was deeply laden with stores for a long 
 cruise, Decatur ordered all hands to lighten the ship ; 
 and for that purpose water-casks were started, anchors 
 were cut away, provisions, cables, spare spars, boats, and 
 every article that could be got at were thrown over 
 board, and the sails were kept wet, from the royals down. 
 The wind was light and baffling; and the President s 
 pursuers, lightly laden, and favored with stronger 
 breezes, gained rapidly on her the nearest, at three 
 o clock in the afternoon, opening her fire from her bow- 
 guns ; and, at five, obtaining a position on her starboard- 
 quarter, within half-point-blank-shot distance, on which 
 neither her stern or quarter guns could be brought to 
 bear. 
 
 After occupying this position half an hour the 
 enemy s fire, meanwhile, having become quite trouble- 
 some, as every shot carried away some of the President s 
 ri gg n g an d after endeavoring to prevail on the stranger 
 to range alongside, which was declined, Decatur deter 
 mined to exchange shots with her, if possible ; and his 
 crew cheerfully received the information, and joined in 
 the measures adopted for its execution. With this 
 object, at half-past five o clock, while it was yet light, 
 the President s helm was put up, and the course of 
 the ship laid to the southward, with the intention 
 
CAPTAIN STEPHEN DECATUR, 
 
248 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 of closing with her opponent. The stranger, how 
 ever, appeared to understand Decatur s purpose, and 
 she too, at the same time, kept off the ships soon after 
 wards coming abeam of each other, and each delivering 
 her broadside. During the succeeding two hours 
 and a half the two ships appear to have run off dead 
 before the wind, about a quarter of a mile apart ; and 
 every attempt to close, which was made by the Presi 
 dent, was frustrated by the simultaneous sheering off of 
 the stranger. The action, therefore, was altogether 
 with heavy guns ; and the efforts of both appear to have 
 been mainly directed against the spars and rigging of 
 her opponent, until eight o clock, when the stranger 
 having been dismantled " her sails being cut from her 
 yards " she dropped astern, and the President pursued 
 her former course, repairing her damages, and seeking 
 to shake off the three strangers, which, with a brig, which 
 had also joined in the pursuit, still continued the chase, 
 and were also rapidly gaining on her. 
 
 The chase continued in this order until eleven o clock, 
 when the four fresh vessels had come within gun-shot 
 of the President one of them (the Pomone) opening her 
 fire on her larboard bow, within musket-shot distance ; 
 another (the Tenedos], within two cables length of her 
 quarter; and the remainder (the Majestic and the De 
 spatch} within gun-shot astern. Thus surrounded by a 
 force greatly superior to his own, with his ship badly 
 crippled, and one-fifth of her crew killed or wounded, 
 and with no chance to escape from his fresh pursuers, 
 Decatur considered it his duty to surrender, and he 
 hoisted a light as an indication of that purpose. 
 
 The force of the President was thirty-two long 24- 
 pounders, one 24-pound howitzer, twenty 42-pound 
 carronades, and five small pieces in her tops ; the 
 Rndymion with which the conflict opened was rated 
 a forty-gun, ship, but mounted twenty-six long 24-pound, 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1S12-J815. 
 
 249 
 
 twenty-two 32-pound, and one 12-pound carronade, and 
 one long-eighteen ; while the Majestic, razee, rated 
 56 guns, the Tenedos rated 38 guns, the Porno tie rated 
 38 guns, and of the Despatch the real strength is not 
 known. The loss of the President was 24 killed and 
 56 wounded; that of the Endymion was 1 1 killed and 14 
 wounded. 
 
 CAPTURE OF THE CYANE AND LEVANT (February 20, 
 1815). On December 17, 1814, the frigate Constitution, 
 commanded by Captain Charles Stewart, sailed from 
 Boston on a cruise ; and, after looking into Bermuda, 
 she ran over to Madeira and the Bay of Biscay, making 
 two prizes on her way, one of which was destroyed, the 
 other sent in. 
 
 At one o clock in the afternoon of the 2Oth, a strange 
 sail was made on the larboard-bow, when the Constitu 
 tion hauled up two or three points, and made sail in 
 chase. Three-quarters of an hour afterwards a second 
 sail was made, ahead, and both were soon ascertained 
 to be ships, standing close hauled, with their starboard- 
 tacks on board. 
 
 The strangers were not long in ascertaining the char 
 acter of the Constitution, although her strength was not 
 at first discovered ; and at four o clock the weathermost 
 ship made signals to her consort, and bore up for her 
 the Constitution, meanwhile, bearing up after her, setting 
 all her canvas, and carrying away her main royal-mast 
 in the chase. At five she opened her fire with her lar 
 board bow-guns, but without effect ; and perceiving that 
 a junction of the two strangers could not be prevented, 
 at half-past five she cleared for action, being then four 
 miles astern of them. A series of manoeuvres by the 
 consorts, for the purpose of gaining the position, occu 
 pied their attention until near six o clock, and they then 
 shortened sail, and at half-cable-length distance from 
 
250 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 each other, and awaited the approach of the Consti 
 tution. 
 
 At five minutes past six the frigate ranged up on the 
 starboard side of the sternmost ship, about 300 yards 
 distant, and opened her fire by broadsides, both her 
 opponents answering her with spirit and effect. During 
 a quarter of an hour the cannonade continued, when the 
 fire of the consorts slackened ; and the frigate also held 
 her fire to allow the smoke to clear away, and that the 
 position of her opponents might be ascertained. Imme 
 diately afterwards the Constitution found that she was 
 abreast the headmost ship, while her consort was luffing 
 up for the frigate s larboard-quarter ; when the latter 
 gave the former a broadside, and braced aback her 
 main mizzen-topsails, backing astern, under cover of the 
 smoke, abreast of the latter, and continued the action. 
 During the succeeding quarter of an hour the cannonade 
 continued, when the enemy s fire again slackened, and 
 the headmost ship was seen, through the smoke, bearing 
 up, with the intention of crossing the frigate s fore-foot; 
 when the Constitution filled her topsails, shot ahead, and 
 gave her two raking broadsides over the stern. It was 
 then discovered that the sternmost ship was also wear 
 ing, when Captain Stewart immediately wore ship after 
 her, and gave her a raking broadside ; while she luffed, 
 too, on the frigate s starboard broadside, and threw in 
 her larboard broadside with great spirit and determi 
 nation. On receiving this fire the Constitution ranged 
 
 fc> o 
 
 up on the stranger s larboard-quarter, within hail, and 
 was about to give her starboard fire, when the latter fired 
 a gun to leeward, and, at a quarter before seven, she 
 surrendered. She was found to be the British frigate 
 Cyanc, Captain Falcon, mounting thirty-six guns, with 
 a crew of 180 men. 
 
 About an hour afterwards the Constitution filled away 
 after the ship which had been driven out of the action, 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 251 
 
 but was still visible through the dim moonlight which 
 relieved the darkness of the night. At half-past eight 
 the two ships met the stranger gallantly coming up to 
 meet the frigate, with her starboard-tacks close hauled, 
 her topgallant-sails set, and her colors flying. Ten 
 minutes later the Constitution ranged close alongside to 
 windward of her, on an opposite tack; and the two ships 
 exchanged broadsides. The frigate having thrown in 
 her fire, immediately wore under the stranger s stern, 
 and raked her ; when she made sail and endeavored to 
 escape. The frigate immediately made sail in chase ; 
 and at half-past nine she opened a fire on the fugitive 
 from her starboard bow-guns, which cut her spars and 
 rigging very severely. At ten o clock, finding she could 
 not escape, the stranger fired a gun to leeward, and 
 she, too, surrendered, proving to b<? the sloop-of-war 
 Levant, mounting twenty-one guns, with a crew of 156 
 men. 
 
 The armament of the Constitution at this time was 
 fifty-two guns, and her loss during the action was three 
 killed and twelve wounded ; the enemy s loss was, on the 
 Cyane, 12 killed and 26 wounded ; and on the Levant 
 23 killed and 16 wounded. 
 
 CAPTURE OF THE PENGUIN (March 23, 1815). The cap 
 ture of the President, already referred to, being unknown 
 to the commanders of the other vessels composing the 
 squadron, they followed her to sea on January 22, 1815 ; 
 and made the best of their way to the Island of 
 Tristan d Cunha, the place of rendezvous appointed 
 by Captain Decatur. The Peacock and Tom Bowline 
 reached that place about the middle of March; and on 
 the morning of the 23d the Hornet also arrived at the 
 same place. She had not cast anchor, however, when 
 the men aloft discovered a sail to windward, standing 
 westward; when Captain Biddle immediately sheeted 
 
252 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 home his topsails again, and making a stretch to wind* 
 ward, made chase. Soon afterwards the stranger was 
 seen running down before the wind ; and, as her char 
 acter was apparent, the Hornet hove to and waited for 
 her to come down. 
 
 At forty minutes past one in the afternoon, the 
 stranger having come within musket-shot, she set Eng 
 lish colors and fired a gun; when the Hornet luffed up, 
 displayed her colors, and answered with a broadside. 
 During the succeeding fifteen minutes the fire of both 
 vessels was warm and effective, the enemy meanwhile 
 gradually drifting nearer to the Hornet ; and soon after 
 wards she put her helm hard up, and ran down on the 
 starboard broadside of the Hornet, to lay her aboard ; 
 and she succeeded in passing her bowsprit through the 
 starboard-quarter of the latter. At that instant the 
 stranger s foremast and bowsprit went by the board, the 
 former falling directly on her larboard guns ; and her 
 crew, probably in consequence of this mishap, made no 
 attempt whatever to take advantage of her situation, but 
 allowed the vessels to separate. An attempt was made 
 to bring the brig around, in order to use her starboard 
 battery, but in this also the crew was unsuccessful, and 
 the Hornet succeeded in raking her. Perceiving that 
 any further resistance was useless, the enemy hailed the 
 Hornet and surrendered. 
 
 The prize proved to be the British brig Penguin, Cap 
 tain Dickinson, mounting nineteen guns, besides guns in 
 her tops ; and she was manned with a crew of 132 hands. 
 The loss of the Hornet was one man killed, and Captain 
 Biddle, Lieutenant Conner, and eight men wounded ; 
 that of the Penguin was Captain Dickinson, her boat 
 swain, and 12 men killed, the second lieutenant, two 
 midshipmen, purser, and 24 men wounded. The former 
 suffered little injury, except in her sails and rigging; the 
 latter was completely riddled, her foremast and bowsprit 
 
SEA BATTLES OF 1812-1815. 
 
 were carried away, and her mainmast was so muck in 
 jured that it could not be secured. 
 
 It has been said of this the last "battle-" of che war 
 with Britain that " it was one of the most creditable to 
 the character of the American marine that occurred in 
 the course of the war. The vessels were very fairly 
 matched, and when it is remembered that an English 
 flag-officer had sent the Penguin on the special service 
 against a ship believed to be materially heavier than the 
 vessel she actually encountered, it is fair to presume 
 she was thought to be, in every respect, an efficient 
 cruiser/ 
 
 The privateers which sailed from our ports were ex 
 ceedingly active and successful. They were mainly clip 
 pers, and very fast sailors ; and were engaged in many 
 desperate encounters. Their engagements were so 
 numerous that our limits will not allow us to enter 
 into any specific details. Within four months after the 
 declaration of war 26 fast sailing vessels, bearing 1 8 long- 
 guns, 194 pieces of artillery, and 2233 men, sailed from 
 New York ; while 17 from Baltimore, carrying 22 long- 
 toms, and 127 guns, nobly seconded the enterprise and 
 gallantry of their neighbors; and all, alike, vindicated 
 the freedom of the seas and the rights of man. 
 
 Lossing enumerates that "56 British vessels of war were 
 captured on the lakes and on the ocean, mounting 886 
 guns, and 2360 merchant vessels, mounting 8000 guns. 
 In addition to this 29 British ships-of-war, mounting 
 800 guns, were lost on the American coast by wreck, 
 or otherwise; and that the Americans lost only 25 
 vessels of war, and a much less number of merchant 
 ships than the British." 
 
 The Americans had abundant cause to be elated, and 
 the British to be mortified. The young Republic were 
 naturally proud of their achievements. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE MEXICAN WAR (1845-1848). 
 
 TEXAS was originally a portion of the Mexican Km- 
 pire. It lies to the north-east of the other parts of 
 Mexico, and is a solid block of territory, 700 miles 
 in length from north to south, and 800 miles broad, 
 where the land is at its widest. Its area has been 
 estimated as nearly equal to the united areas of Great 
 Britain and France. So fertile is its soil that it will pro 
 duce everything which will grow in the temperate zone, 
 with many things which require a semi-tropical country 
 for their due development. The agricultural capabilities 
 of the country are magnificent, while beneath the sur 
 face are mines of metal and of coal, quarries of stone, 
 and abundance of those minerals which add to the 
 wealth of States. Such a territory had many attrac 
 tions, and more than one European nation desired to 
 obtain possession of it. After the fall of Montezuma, 
 in 1521, it was nominally a part of the Spanish realm, 
 but being remote from the Mexican capital, was not 
 peopled by the conquerors. The French, who claimed 
 priority of discovery, formed a settlement at Matagorda, 
 but were expelled by the Spaniards in the latter part 
 of the 1 7th century. After the rising of the Mexicans 
 against the dominion of Spain, Texas became a province 
 of the Mexican Republic. Our citizens coveted that 
 northern part of Mexico, and began by degrees to spread 
 themselves over it. 
 (254) 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 255 
 
 Texas was in the first instance claimed by the Ameri 
 can Government as a part of Louisiana, but the claim 
 was in 1819 abandoned in favor of Mexico. Neverthe 
 less, in 1821 and the following year, a colony from the 
 United States made a settlement on both sides of the River 
 Colorado, in what was then Mexican territory, and 
 the local government, not foreseeing that such a move 
 ment was likely to prove their own ruin, encouraged 
 emigration. Numbers flowed into the province, and 
 10,000 Americans were domiciled there in 1833. They 
 disliked Mexican rule, with its alternations of imbecility 
 and military dictatorship ; and desired to establish a 
 separate government, and ultimately to transfer Texas 
 to the Union ; and secret preparations were made for a 
 revolt. The leader of these movements was General 
 Sam Houston, a man who had already served in Con 
 gress, and been Governor of the State of Tennessee, 
 and who as early as 1830 mentioned at Washington 
 that he had in his mind a grand project for wresting 
 Texas from Mexico and setting her up as an indepen 
 dent republic. This secret was revealed to President 
 Jackson, who was obliged to express an official dis 
 approval of the plan, but who applauded it in his heart. 
 Jackson always desired to see an extension of the 
 country in that direction, although he had assented to 
 the treaty of 1819, which relinquished Texas in con 
 sideration of gaining Florida. 
 
 When the time came for carrying the Houston plot 
 into execution, no real hindrance was put in the way 
 of the adventurers by the Jackson Administration. 
 Hostilities broke out in 1835. Every nerve was strained 
 by the Mexican Government to suppress the rising; 
 but it spread with alarming rapidity, and several battles 
 ensued, some of which were obstinate and sanguinary. 
 
 On March 2, 1836, a convention declared Texas inde 
 pendent; and Santa Anna, the President of the Mexi- 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 can Republic, underwent a crushing defeat at San 
 Jacinto on April 21, on which occasion the Americans 
 were commanded by General Houston. The province 
 remained for some years a perfectly independent re 
 public, ruled by a dominant class of Americans, but 
 not officially connected with the United States, any 
 more than with Mexico itself. General Houston be 
 came the first President of the Republic, and was re- 
 elected for a second term. 
 
 In time, however, it was felt desirable that this de 
 tached republic should connect itself with the great 
 Confederation to which a large part of its population 
 was now allied. The question began to be agitated, 
 and the propriety of admitting Texas into the Union 
 was much discussed in the years 1843 and 1844. The 
 Mexican Government anticipated all discussion on the 
 question, announcing its determination to meet any 
 resolution for the annexation of Texas by a declaration 
 of war. 
 
 President Tyler s allusion to the Texan question, in 
 his Message to Congress at the close of 1843, was tne 
 first official intimation of the coming war with Mexico. 
 The declared resolve of the Mexican Government to 
 make the contemplated annexation a casus belli stimu 
 lated in a yet higher degree the determination of the 
 Government to get possession of Texas at the earliest 
 opportunity. An attempt to secure this end was made 
 during 1844, but was defeated by the Senate. The de 
 mand for Texas grew louder and louder, and the Presi- 
 
 o 
 
 dent showed every inclination to gratify it, as far as the 
 limitations on his power enabled him. 
 
 On March I, 1845, Congress resolved in favor of 
 receiving Texas into the Union as a State, and President 
 Tyler gave his assent the same day. The resolution 
 was considered by a convention of delegates called 
 for the purpose of forming a State constitution for 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 257 
 
 Texas, and was approved by that body on July 4. Thus, 
 this province of the far south-west became one of 
 
 GENERAL SAMUEL HOUSTON. 
 
 the States of the Union ; the largest State in point of 
 size. Houston was immediately elected to the U. S, 
 
258 TfIR BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Senate, and continued a member of that body until 
 1859, when he was elected Governor of Texas. 
 
 The independence of Texas having been acknowl 
 edged, not only by the United States, but by England, 
 France, and some other countries, the right of its citi 
 zens to effect any change they pleased in their condition 
 was necessarily implied, in the estimation of the Govern 
 ments making that acknowledgment. But this could 
 not bind Mexico. She resolved on fighting, and on 
 June 4, 1845, the Mexican President issued a proclama 
 tion, declaring the rights of his country, and his deter 
 mination to defend them by a resort to arms, if that 
 should prove necessary. Our declaration of war \vas 
 dated May 13, and the Mexican declaration was issued 
 on May 23, 1845. 
 
 President Polk was beforehand with his adversary in 
 taking military measures. In July, 1845, he ordered 
 General Zachary Taylor, then in command of troops in 
 the south-west, to proceed to Texas, and occupy a 
 position as near the Rio Grande as might appear 
 prudent. The force was about 1500 strong, and its 
 commander had acquired great distinction by his gal 
 lant conduct against the refractory Seminole Indians. 
 By November, he had an army of rather more than 
 4000 men. A camp was formed, but the general re 
 mained inactive during the following autumn and the 
 early part of the winter. 
 
 On January 13, 1846, the Secretary of War ordered 
 Taylor to advance from Corpus Christi to a spot near 
 the outfall of the Rio Grande, opposite the Spanish city 
 of Matamoras, where a number of Mexican troops were 
 gathering, with the design of invading Texas. Here 
 he established a fortified camp opposite Matamoras, 
 and commenced the erection of a fort large enough for 
 2OOO men, to which the name of Fort Brown was given. 
 
 When Taylor advanced to the Rio Grande, the town 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 259 
 
 and fortress of Matamoras were strongly garrisoned by 
 Mexican troops, and his position soon proved rather 
 serious. Taylor s supplies were cut off; a reconnoiter- 
 
 PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER. 
 
 ing party was partly killed and partly captured, on 
 April 24, on the Texas side of the Rio Grande ; and 
 the whole army was surrounded by a superior force of 
 Mexicans. The little force stationed there was in 
 
 Independence \ 7 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 danger of being overpowered, and Taylor set out, on 
 May I, with iioo men for the relief of the position. 
 This he accomplished after a good deal of hard fighting, 
 and, on being reinforced by 23,000 men, left on his 
 return to the camp before Matamoras. On their way 
 our troops saw in front of them a Mexican force, 6000 
 strong, drawn up in battle-array, on a prairie flanked by 
 ponds of water and trees, at a spot called PALO ALTO, 
 not far from the Rio Grande. A contest of five hours 
 duration ensued on May 8, and in the end the Mexi 
 cans gave way and fled. Next day a still more decisive 
 engagement took place at RESACA DE LA PALMA, three 
 miles from Matamoras, when we were again tri-, 
 umphant, and General La Vega was captured, together 
 with 100 men, eight pieces of cannon, three standards 
 and a quantity of military stores. The Mexican Com- 
 mander-in-Chief, Arista, saved himself by flight across 
 the Rio Grande, and the invading army on the north-east 
 bank of that stream was completely shattered. Dur 
 ing Taylor s absence Fort Brown had been besieged 
 by the Mexicans. On the morning of May 3, a battery 
 at Matamoras, on the other side of the river, opened a 
 heavy fire on the fort, while a large body of troops 
 crossed to attack the position. The garrison, though 
 few in number, made a spirited defence, and succeeded 
 in silencing the Mexican battery; but soon after the 
 attacking forces established themselves in the rear, and 
 began to plant cannon. Taylor had left directions to 
 fire heavy signal guns, if the necessity arose; and on 
 May 6 the signal was given. He arrived in time to 
 relieve Fort Brown, and to save the detachment sta 
 tioned there. 
 
 After the resumption of hostilities on November 13, 
 Worth marched towards Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila, 
 of which he took possession on the 1 5th. Taylor, leav 
 ing a garrison at Monterey, proceeded towards Victoria, 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 26 1 
 
 the capital of Tamaulipas, but returned on learning that 
 Tampico, a town on the coast, which he had designed 
 to attack, had surrendered on the I4th to Commodore 
 
 GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR. 
 
 {Afterwards President of the United States) 
 
 Connor. That officer had intended to bombard the 
 city; but when the smaller vessels from his squadron 
 were seen approaching, a deputation from the citizens 
 offered to surrender the place, on condition that their 
 
362 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 laws, institutions and property were respected. We 
 had established a strict blockade of the Mexican coast. 
 Vera Cruz and St. Juan d Ulloa were closely watched 
 by cruisers, and the Mexicans had no naval power where 
 with to oppose us. One of Taylor s reasons for return 
 ing to Monterey was because of a report that Santa 
 Anna was collecting a large force at San Luis Potosi, 
 which might possibly endanger his base of operations. 
 When the divisions of Worth and Wool had effected a 
 junction near Saltillo on December 20, the danger was 
 at an end, and, nine days later, General Taylor occupied 
 Victoria. At an earlier date, General Kearney, who 
 had command of the Army of the West, marched nearly 
 IOOO miles across the wilderness known as the Great 
 Plains, and among the mountain ranges by which it is 
 bordered, and, taking possession of SANTA FE, the capital 
 of New Mexico, on August 18, reduced the whole prov 
 ince to subjection, without the necessity of any further 
 operations. The governor and 4000 troops fled at the 
 approach of Kearney, who thereupon constituted a new 
 Government, and made preparations for further exploits. 
 Kearney departed from Santa Fe on September 25, 
 1846, at the head of 400 dragoons, for the Californian 
 settlements of Mexico bordering on the Pacific Ocean; 
 but, learning on his route that California was already in 
 our possession, he sent back 300 of his men, and with 
 the remaining hundred continued his expedition towards 
 the west. Arriving at Los Angeles, in California, on 
 December 27, he found a singular state of affairs. Cali 
 fornia had for some years been little more than nomi 
 nally under the dominion of Mexico. Several Ameri 
 cans settled in the country shortly after the revolt 
 against Spain ; and an insurrection, mainly incited by 
 them, broke out in 1836, and resulted in so complete a 
 subversion of Mexican authority that the central govern 
 ment was compelled to allow the Californians to choose 
 
GENERAL JOHN C. FREMONT. 
 
 {Afterwards an unsuccessful candidate for the Presidency.} 
 
 263 
 
264 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 their own rulers. A state of anarchy ensued, and the 
 prevailing influence was that of the Americans. In the 
 spring of 1846, John C. Fremont, while engaged in ex 
 plorations at the head of sixty men, had been threatened 
 with attack by De Castro, the Mexican Governor on 
 the California!! coast, who shortly afterwards began to 
 prepare an expedition against the settlers near San 
 Francisco. Fremont, losing no time, roused the menaced 
 colony, captured a Mexican post and garrison (together 
 with nine cannon and 250 muskets) at Sbnora Pass on 
 June 15, and then, advancing to Sonora itself, defeated 
 Castro and his troops. The Mexican rule being thus 
 completely crushed, an American Government was 
 formed, with Fremont for its head, on the 4th of July. 
 On the /th, Commodore Sloat, then in command of the 
 squadron in the Pacific, bombarded and captured the 
 Californian town of Monterey, and, on the Qth, Commo 
 dore Montgomery took possession of San Francisco. 
 Fremont, being joined some time after by Commodore 
 Stockton, seized the city of Los Angeles on August 17. 
 It was here that he was found by General Kearney at 
 the close of the year, and that officer took part with the 
 other two in the final struggle the battle of San Gabriel, 
 which was fought on January 8, 1847, and which com 
 pleted the conquest of California, after some vain efforts 
 on the part of the Mexicans to restore their sovereignty. 
 In January, 1847, General Scott arrived before Vera 
 Cruz, for the purpose of invading Mexico from that 
 point. Being General-in-Chief of the whole American 
 army, he took command of all the forces in Mexico, and 
 directed General Taylor to send a large number of 
 his best officers and troops to join the contemplated 
 expedition. Taylor was thus left at Victoria with not 
 more than 5000 men in all, of whom only 500 were 
 regulars, to guard a line extending from Matamoras 
 to Agua Nueva; while in his front was an army of 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 2 g^ 
 
 20,000, stationed at San Luis Potosi under Santa 
 Anna. On February 4, Generals Taylor and Wool 
 united their forces at Agua Nueva, 20 miles south 
 of Saltillo, on the San Luis road. The adversary 
 was now advancing in force, and Taylor, disregard 
 ing the numerical weakness of his army, determined 
 to accept battle. He considered it advisable, how 
 ever, to select a favorable spot in which to meet 
 the enemy, and therefore, on February 21, fell back 
 to BUENA VISTA, at a distance of 1 1 miles from Saltillo, 
 where he drew up in battle-order on an elevated pla 
 teau among the mountains, skirted on the west by 
 impassable ravines, and on the east by a succession 
 of rugged heights. The Mexicans were seen approach 
 ing about noon on the 22d. Some fighting followed in 
 the afternoon, when our troops advanced to battle with 
 the cry, " The Memory of Washington ! " The prin 
 cipal conflict took place on February 23. The battle 
 lasted from morning until sunset. Towards the close of 
 the day, a desperate assault upon the centre, commanded 
 by Taylor himself, was made by Santa Anna. It was 
 withstood with extraordinary firmness and resolution, 
 and, the artillery being brought into effective operation, 
 the Mexicans were hurled back. The Mexicans with 
 drew during the night, leaving their dead and wounded 
 behind them, and it was afterwards ascertained that 
 they had lost 1500 men. In their flight many perished 
 of hunger, thirst and fatigue. Our loss, in killed, 
 wounded, and missing, was 746, of whom 28 officers 
 were killed on the field. The victory was not only 
 important in itself; it had the still more valuable con 
 sequence of breaking up the army of Santa Anna. The 
 frontier of the Rio Grande being now secured, Scott was 
 able to turn his whole attention to the capture of Vera 
 Cruz. In the following September, Taylor returned 
 home, leaving General Worth in command of his de- 
 
266 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 tachment. On the day that was distinguished by the 
 great battle of Buena Vista, General Minon, with 800 
 cavalry, was driven from Saltillo by Captain Webster. 
 On the 26th a number of Mexicans were defeated at 
 Agua Frio; and on March 7 Major Giddings was suc 
 cessful against the enemy at Ceralvo. 
 
 Some operations were directed against the Mexican 
 province of Chihuahua. Early in December, 1846, 
 a force consisting of 900 men, under Colonel Doniphan. 
 marched more than 1000 miles through the enemy s 
 couhtry, fighting two battles against superior forces, and 
 in both instances prevailing. The battle of Bracito, on 
 the east bank of the Rio Grande, was fought on Christ 
 mas Day, and resulted in the capture of El Paso, situated 
 in a valley 30 miles south of Bracito, on the opposite side 
 of the river. This action was followed, on February 28, 
 1847, by tne battle of Sacramento. The scene of the 
 latter conflict was a small stream about 20 miles north 
 of Chihuahua, a city containing at that time more than 
 40,000 inhabitants. The surrender of this place ensued 
 shortly afterwards, and Doniphan, planting the flag of 
 the United States upon its citadel on March 2, took 
 possession of the whole province in the name of the 
 Government. Having stayed there six weeks, he joined 
 General Wool at Saltillo ; and by these brilliant feats 
 all the northern parts of Mexico were placed in our 
 possession. 
 
 The great purpose of the campaign had now been ac 
 complished, and the capital of Central Mexico had 
 fallen. The heaviest blow which Mexico had experi 
 enced had now fallen on her ; and never before had so 
 marked an evidence of her weakness been exhibited to 
 the world. A mere handful of undisciplined Volunteers 
 had marched triumphantly through her northern prov 
 inces : some of her most accomplished generals, and the 
 most intelligent of her troops, had been met and over- 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 2 6j 
 
 come ; and the colors of her enemy floated in triumph 
 over the capitals of New Mexico, Alta California, and 
 Chihuahua. 
 
 VERA CRUZ. It was hoped to bring the Mexicans to 
 terms by operating on their remoter provinces ; but, as 
 they showed no signs of yielding, it was resolved to 
 subjugate the whole country, and strike at the very 
 capital itself. This was the plan which Scott undertook 
 to carry out, and the first step towards its realization 
 was to be the capture of Vera Cruz, the principal sea 
 port of Mexico, built on the spot where Cortez first 
 landed on Mexican territory. The city was regarded as 
 the key to the entire realm, and was certainly a position 
 of first-class importance. It was defended by the for 
 tress of San Juan d Ulloa, situated on an island or reef 
 not more than 400 fathoms from the shore. The for 
 tress was exceedingly strong, and by the Mexicans was 
 supposed to be impregnable. Scott collected his forces 
 at Lobos Island, 125 miles north of Vera Cruz, and 
 thence sailed in the squadron of Commodore Connor 
 for his place of destination, On March 9, 1847, he 
 landed near Vera Cruz, with an army of 13,000 men. 
 The city was invested on the 1 3th, and five days later 
 the town and fortress were summoned to surrender. 
 This being refused, the trenches were at once completed, 
 and on the 22d the first batteries opened fire, at a dis 
 tance of 800 yards from the city. The attack was aided 
 by the guns of the fleet, and answered by the artillery 
 of the city and castle. Until the morning of the 26th, 
 this horrible storm of destruction glared and clamored 
 to and fro between the besiegers and the besieged, caus 
 ing a large destruction of property in the city 
 and the loss of many lives. Arrangements were then 
 commenced for an assault, when the governor of Vera 
 Cruz made overtures of surrender. On the night of the 
 
268 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 27th articles of capitulation were signed, and on the 29th 
 the city, the castle of San Juan d Ulloa, 5000 prisoners 
 and 500 pieces of artillery were given up. 
 
 In spite of the numerous successes, the position of 
 our troops was difficult and perilous. They were 
 hated by the Mexicans, who, regarding them as oppressors 
 and heretics, strove wildly to throw off their yoke. A 
 revolt against the alien government broke out in New 
 Mexico in January, 1847. Governor Bent and others 
 were murdered at Fernando de Taos on the iQth, and 
 massacres occurred in other places as well. A large 
 body of insurgents assembled in arms, and it was found 
 necessary to despatch a force against them. They were 
 defeated and dispersed; but, although suppressed in 
 its outward manifestations, the feeling of bitter opposi 
 tion did not cease to exist. Our Government was im 
 pressed with the desirability of a speedy peace, if it 
 could be obtained on favorable terms. Towards the 
 end of 1846, overtures of this nature were made to the 
 Mexican authorities, but they still thought they could 
 vanquish their antagonists, and the war went on. Santa 
 Anna accepted the Presidency on December 6, 1846, 
 but, leaving the conduct of political affairs to the Vice- 
 President, he placed himself at the head of the army. 
 After his defeat by Taylor at Buena Vista on the 22d 
 and 23d of February, 1847, he took up a position at 
 CERRO GORDO, a narrow pass at the foot of the eastern 
 chain of the Cordilleras, to the north-west of Vera Cruz. 
 Here he strongly fortified himself at points which domi 
 nate the only road leading through the mountain fast 
 nesses into the country beyond. He had with him a 
 large force of men and several pieces of cannon ; and to 
 dislodge him from this post would evidently be a work 
 of difficulty. Scott did not shrink from attempting it. 
 On April 8 he sent forward the advanced guard of his 
 army, under General Twiggs. Leaving a garrison, at 
 
THE MEXICAN IVAR. 
 
 269 
 
 Vera Cruz, Scott himself followed with the main body, 
 about 8500 strong. The assault was made on the morn 
 ing of April 1 8, when, after much hard fighting, every 
 one of the Mexican positions was taken by storm, and 
 3000 prisoners, 43 pieces of bronze artillery, 5000 stand 
 of arms, and all the munitions and materials of the 
 opposing army were captured. Santa Anna, who, be 
 fore the battle, had boasted that he would die fighting 
 rather than yield, was glad to escape on a mule, leaving 
 his papers and his wooden leg behind him. 
 
 Continuing their march towards the metropolis, the 
 victorious army entered Jalapa on the iQth, and on the 
 22d the castle of Perote, situated about 90 miles in a 
 direct line north-west of Vera Cruz, surrendered without 
 any resistance, together with a large number of cannon, 
 and many warlike stores. Scott again pushed on, and 
 on May 15 the advance, under General Worth, entered 
 the city of Puebla, which, though walled and fortified, 
 made no opposition to the conquering hosts. The in 
 vading army was now to the south-east of the capital, 
 and the reduction of that city had yet to be effected. 
 It was necessary to allow the soldiers some rest, for 
 their labors had been extreme, and they had, in the 
 course of two months, gained a series of brilliant vic 
 tories, and carried dismay into the very heart of Mexico. 
 In that brief period they had captured several fortified 
 places, scattered the ranks of the enemy, made io,OOO 
 prisoners, and taken 700 pieces of artillery, io,OOO stand 
 of arms, and 30,000 shells and cannon-balls. These re 
 sults were due partly to the weakness of the enemy, 
 but in a greater degree to the valor, discipline, and per- 
 severence of our soldiers. The difficulties encountered 
 were enormous. The mountainous character of the 
 country made it perplexing for an invader, and propor 
 tionately easy of defence. Another adverse influence 
 was the climate ; and the number of strong fortresses to 
 
THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 be taken added to the troublesome nature of the task. 
 Yet all these obstacles were overcome by the skill oi 
 General Scott and his companions; and for the present 
 they recruited themselves at Puebla. 
 
 Santa Anna had concentrated the larger number 
 of his troops at El Penon and Mexicalcingo, where 
 he had raised a line of fortifications which it would 
 not have been easy to carry. On this account Scott, 
 after a reconnoissance on the I4th, resolved to di 
 verge from the main road; and by the i8th the entire 
 army had reached St. Augustine, ten miles from the 
 city of Mexico. In this change of position, the right 
 flank of our divisions were protected by the lakes round 
 which they marched, so that there was no danger of a 
 sudden attack. We had in front the fortress of St. An 
 tonio, while we were at the same time threatened by 
 the battlements crowning the heights of Churubusco, 
 by the fortified camp of Contreras, where General Val 
 encia lay with 6000 troops, and by the army under 
 Santa Anna, stationed in the position already described. 
 
 General Worth established himself in the Hacienda 
 of Bureo on August 18, and from this point could see 
 the enemy at work upon his batteries. The Mexicans 
 opened on the advancing columns, but little was done 
 until the iQth, when the fire was so hot that our troops 
 were compelled to shelter themselves behind the farm 
 buildings. Several attempts were made to dislodge the 
 Mexicans from their position, but without success. 
 Violent rain was now falling, and the troops, being ill- 
 equipped, were obliged to bivouac for the night without 
 any blankets. On the following morning, however, the 
 batteries in the vicinity of Contreras were carried by 
 assault, and, after only seventeen minutes fighting, were 
 in our hands. In this brief but fiery passage of arms, 
 the Mexicans lost 700 killed, numerous pieces of artil 
 lery, and 1500 prisoners. At the same time, Scott him- 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 self, in a prolonged and sanguinary action, carried the 
 heights of CHUKUBUSCO. The main body of the army 
 now pushed on towards the capital ; but Worth was 
 ordered to remain behind, and effect the capture of St. 
 
 PRESIDENT JAMES K. POLK. 
 
 Antonio. The place was held by 15,000 Mexicans, 
 while Worth had only 6000 troops at his disposal. 
 Nevertheless, the position was taken, after two hours 
 fighting. The garrison were much cut up in their 
 
THE JBATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 retreat, and the Mexican cause now looked so hopeless 
 that a truce, proposed by Scott, was gladly accepted, 
 with a view to negotiations for peace. 
 
 There were now but few positions remaining be 
 tween the advancing ranks of the invaders and the 
 metropolis of Mexico itself. On September 8, Scott, 
 not waiting for the termination of the armistice on 
 the later date, attacked the position called EL MOLI- 
 NOS DEL REY (the King s Mills), near Chepultepec. 
 The post was one of much strength, and is said to 
 have been held by 14,000 Mexicans, under the im 
 mediate command of Santa Anna, while the attack 
 ing force consisted of scarcely 4000. In the first 
 instance, we were driven back with great slaughter; 
 but, on rallying, we carried the position, after a desperate 
 conflict of an hour. The Mexican loss was nearly a 
 IOOO; our own loss was over Soo. On the same 
 morning, the Casa de Mata, another of the principal 
 outer defences of CHEPULTEPEC, was also stormed and 
 carried; and the castle itself, situated on a rocky height, 
 150 feet above the adjacent ground, was now the only 
 obstacle which remained to be overcome before the 
 victorious legions should plant their flag within the 
 capital itself. 
 
 The situation of the Mexican metropolis is peculiar. 
 It stands in the centre of a wide plain surrounded by 
 mountains, a portion of which plain is occupied by four 
 lakes. The surface of three of the lakes is above the 
 level of the city, while the other is only a few feet 
 below it. In the rainy season, the rush of water from 
 the neighboring mountains is so great that the lakes 
 overflow, and convert the land about the capital into a 
 marsh. The approaches to Mexico are by long narrow 
 causeways leading to the several gates ; and these 
 causeways were in 1847 defended by the fortified post 
 which our troops carried before them in such rapid 
 
THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 273 
 
 succession. Before the final operations, Santa Anna 
 issued an address to the inhabitants of Mexico, in 
 which he said : " The enemy proclaimed that he would 
 propose to us a peace honorable for both nations, * * * 
 but our enemies set up measureless pretensions, which 
 would have destroyed the Republic, and converted it 
 into a miserable colony of the United States." 
 
 Several batteries were raised by Scott against the 
 castle of Chepultepec on the night of September II, 
 and a heavy bombardment was opened on the 1 2th. 
 This was followed on the I3th by an assault, in which 
 the attacking forces drove the defenders from all their 
 positions, and obtained complete possession of the for 
 tress. The Mexicans fled towards the city, pursued by 
 General Quitman. Fighting was renewed during the 
 day on the lines of the great causeways ; but by night 
 fall one division of our army had reached the suburbs 
 of MEXICO, while another had penetrated within the 
 gates. Santa Anna, the remains of his army, and the 
 officers of the Government, sought refuge in flight ; and 
 early on the morning of September 14, a deputation 
 from the municipal authorities waited upon General 
 Scott, and begged him to spare the town, and once 
 more enter on negotiations for peace. Scott was not 
 then willing to discuss terms of submission. He had 
 expended a large amount of life in reaching the metrop 
 olis of the republic, and he resolved to humble the 
 pride of the enemy by entering in force into the ancient 
 capital of the Mexican dominions. He accordingly di 
 rected Generals Worth and Quitman to move forward 
 along two of the chief causeways, and plant the flag 
 of the United States upon the National Palace. Gen 
 eral Scott entered at the head of his staff, accompanied 
 by a squadron of cavalry, at ten o clock in the morning, 
 and in the Grand Plaza, or large public square, in the 
 principal part of the city, took formal possession of the 
 
274 
 
 THE BATTLES OF AMERICA. 
 
 conquered metropolis, where the stars and stripes were 
 waving in triumph over the palace of the Montezumas. 
 It was a moment of pride and exultation for all con 
 cerned, which, when the news came to be known, sent a 
 glow of satisfaction through the popular heart. 
 
 Peace negotiations terminated on February 2, 1848. 
 This treaty was proclaimed in the United States on the 
 4th of July by President Polk, and the long quarrel be 
 tween the two republics was brought to an end. Among 
 the chief stipulations of this agreement were the evacua 
 tion of Mexico by the American armies within three 
 months; the payment of three millions of dollars in hand, 
 and of twelve millions more in four annual instalments, 
 by the United States to Mexico, on account of the ceded 
 territory ; and the assumption by the former of certain 
 debts due to their citizens, to the amount of three and 
 one-half millions of dollars. Fresh boundaries between 
 the two countries were determined on ; New Mexico and 
 Upper California were handed over to us; and the free 
 navigation of the Gulf of California, and of the river 
 Colorado up to the mouth of the Gila, was guaranteed 
 to the United States. The old dominion of the Monte 
 zumas was thus curtailed. The realm which Cortes 
 added to the Spanish Monarchy was reduced to com 
 paratively small proportions. A singularly successful 
 war had terminated in a peace which brought sub 
 stantial advantages to the conquerors; and the con 
 quered, left to the influence of domestic factions, fell 
 back into that condition of anarchy which with them 
 seems chronic and incurable. 
 
 [The Battles for the Union during the Civil War, extending from 
 I-86l to 1865, forms a second volume in Altemus 1 Historical Series.~\ 
 
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 ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND. By Edith King Hull 
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 THE SLEEPY KING. By Aubrey Hopwood and Se 
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ALTEMUS YOUNC; PEOPLE S LIBRARY. 5 
 
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 ALFRED THE GREAT, of England. By Jacob Abbott. 
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 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, of England. By Jacob 
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 MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS. By Jacob Abbott. With 
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 QUEEN ELIZABETH, of England. By Jacob Abbott. 
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 KING CHARLES THE FIRST, of England. By Jacob 
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 KING CHARLES THE SECOND, of England. By 
 Jacob Abbott, With 38 illustrations. 
 
 MARIA ANTOINETTE, Queen of France. By John S. 
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 MADAME ROLAND, A Heroine of the French Revolu 
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 YOUNG PEOPLE S HISTORY OF THE UNITED 
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 YOUNG PEOPLE S HISTORY OE ENGLAND. 160 
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 YOUNG PEOPLE S HISTORY OF FRANCE. 115 illus 
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 YOUNG PEOPLE S HISTORY OF GERMANY. 112 
 
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HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 7 
 
 ALTEMUS ILLUSTRATED 
 
 Miscellaneous Works. 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON JONES, A Christmas Gift 
 That Went A-Begging. By Ruth McEnery Stuart. 
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HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 
 
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 that \ve are often much more sensible than some 
 human beings." Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 MISS TOOSEY S MISSION. By the Author of " Laddie." 
 A delightful and wholesome story that has had a wide 
 circulation and still holds its popularity. Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 JESSICA S FIRST PRAYER. By Hesba Stretton. A 
 beautiful and pathetic story which appeals to all chil 
 dren, and to older readers as well. Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 A BLUE GRASS BEAUTY. By Gabrielle E. Jackson. 
 With the story of the Blue Grass Beauty is woven 
 that of some very nice people, and all is set forth in 
 Mrs. Jackson s inimitable manner. It is far too good a 
 book to mislay. Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 THE STORY OF A SHORT LIFE. By Juliana H. 
 Ewing. Many people admire Leonard s story as much 
 as " Jackanapes." It is a simple, exquisitely tender 
 little story. Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 By Rudolph Erich Raspe. These stories are so out 
 rageous, and Munchausen asserts so strongly that they 
 are all strictly true, that his name has become proverbial 
 as a synonym for extravagant boasting. Cloth, 50 cents. 
 
14 HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 ALTEMUS ILLUSTRATED 
 
 HOLLY-TREE SERIES 
 
 A series of good, clean books for young people, by authors 
 whose fame for delightful stories is world-wide. They 
 are well printed on fine paper, handsomely illustrated, 
 have colored frontispieces, and are bound in cloth deco 
 rated in gold and colors, 50 cents. 
 
 THE HOLLY-TREE. By Charles Dickens. 
 
 THEN MARCHED THE BRAVE. By Harriet T. 
 Comstock. 
 
 A MODERN CINDERELLA. By Louisa M. Alcott. 
 THE LITTLE MISSIONARY. By Amanda M. Douglas. 
 THE RULE OF THREE. By Susan Coolidge 
 CHUGGINS. By H. Irving Hancock. 
 WHEN THE BRITISH CAME. By Harriet T. Comstock. 
 LITTLE FOXES. By Rose Terry Cooke. 
 
 AN UNRECORDED MIRACLE. By Florence Morse 
 Kingsley. 
 
 THE STORY WITHOUT AN END. By Sarah Austin. 
 CLOVER S PRINCESS. By Amanda M. Douglas. 
 THE SWEET STORY OF OLD. By L. Haskell. 
 
HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 15 
 
 ALTEMUS ILLUSTRATED 
 
 Mother Goose Series. 
 
 A series of entirely new editions of the most popular books 
 for young people. Handsomely printed from large, 
 clear type, on choice paper; each volume containing 
 about one hundred illustrations. Half vellum, with 
 illuminated sides (6|x8| inches), price, 50 cents each. 
 
 ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS. 
 
 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 BIRD STORIES FOR LITTLE PEOPLE. 
 
 CINDERELLA ; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER. 
 
 THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. 
 
 JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. 
 
 JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. 
 
 PUSS IN BOOTS. 
 
 THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. 
 
 WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? 
 
16 HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS.. 
 
 ALTEMUS ILLUSTRATED 
 
 Wee Books for Wee Folks 
 
 Charming stories, beautifully illustrated, and daintily, yet durably 
 bound. 50 cents each. 
 
 NURSERY TALES. 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE STORY OF PETER RABBIT. 
 
 THE FOOLISH FOX. 
 
 THREE LITTLE PIGS. 
 
 THE ROBBER KITTEN. 
 
 ALTEMUS ILLUSTRATED 
 
 Banbury Cross Series 
 
 This is a series of old favorites, printed on plate paper; each 
 volume containing about forty beautiful illustrations, in 
 cluding a frontispiece in colors. Half vellum, with illumi 
 nated sides. Square 16mo. Price, 50 cents each. 
 
 OLD MOTHER HUBBARD. 
 
 CHICKEN-LITTLE. 
 
 BLUE BEARD. 
 
 TOM THUMB. 
 
 THE THREE BEARS. 
 
 THE WHITE CAT. 
 
 THE FAIRY GIFTS. 
 
 SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED. 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 OWED 
 
 RETURN 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or 
 
 on the date to which renewed. 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
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 (B9311slO)476 
 
 General Library 
 
 University of California 
 
 Berkeley 
 
M126818 
 
 EW 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY