the French-mills on the Salmon river; but between the 12th and 16th of that month, the troops abandoned this station, after partially burning their block-houses and barracks which had been erected at vast expence, and destroying their river-craft batteaux. They carried away their ordnance, and the greater part of their military stores. Two regiments proceeded to Sackett's-harbour, and the remainder to Burlington and Plattsburg, where General Wilkinson took up his headquarters. The reason for this movement was stated to have been the enormous expence incurred in supplying troops at such a distance with provisions, and their daily decrease by sickness and desertion. As soon as their retreat was made known to Sir George Prevost, he detached a party to press upon their rear-guard, which took possession of a quantity of provisions and stores, and completed the destruction of their blockhouses, barracks, and boats.

The American general remained quiet in his new position till the 30th of March, when collecting a large force from Plattsburg and Burlington, he attacked, at an early hour, the outposts of the communication leading from Odell-town to Burtonville, aud La Cole-mill, the chief attack being directed on the latter post, which was under the command of Major Hancock. The enemy brought a battery to bear upon it, which occasioned two attempts to take the guns, but both were unsuccessful. The resistance by the British com mander, however, was so judicious and spirited, that after the enemy had persevered in the attack till night-fall, he withdrew his guns, and retreat ed without attaining his object, after sustaining severe loss. That of the defenders, British and Canadian, amounted, in killed, wounded, and missing, to sixty-one.

The Congress received a message from the president, dated the 31st of March, in which he recommended to that assembly the expediency of authorizing, after a certain day, exportations (specie excepted) from the United States in vessels of their own, and of powers in amity with them, and a repeal of the laws prohibiting the importation of articles not the property of enemies. This proposed relaxation of the acts restrictive of commercial intercourse evidently proeeeded from a sense of the discontents they had excited, and their effect upon the public revenue. The message was immediately followed by the introduction of a bill for the repeal of the embargo and non-importation acts, and for other purposes, which passed by a great majority, and excited in the more commercial states sanguine expectations of the revival of trade, and the renewal of pacific relations. Admiral Cochrane, however, issued a proclamation from Bermuda, on the 25th of April, which tended to overthrow these hopes. The blockade of the American ports, which before ex

1814.

tended from the southern limits of the states to BOOK XIII. Long-island Sound, and the opposite parts of New York, was now made to comprehend all the CHAP. VIII. remaining coast northwards to the boundary of the British province of New Brunswick. The reason alleged for this extension was, that numerous vessels-of-war had been fitted out from the ports left open, and others were now in preparation, for the prosecution of the war against Great Britain, and frustrating the object of the blockade.

The American frigate Essex, Captain Porter, which had been long cruizing on the coasts of South America, and had made many captures, especially among the English South-whalers, was at length taken off Valparaiso, in Chili, by the Phoebe frigate, Captain Hillyar, in company with the Cherub sloop, Captain Tucker. Captain Hillyar, in his letter, dated Valparaiso Bay, the 30th of March, informed the secretary of the admiralty, that on the afternoon of the 28th of that month, after nearly five months anxious search, and six weeks more anxious look-out for the Essex, and her companion (a corvette of twenty guns) to quit the port of Valparaiso, he saw her under weigh, and immediately, accompanied by the Cherub, made sail to close with her. On rounding the point of the bay, the Essex lost her main-topmast; and not being able to regain the limits of the neutral port, bore up, and anchored very near to the shore, a few miles to the leeward of it. After some distant firing, the Phoebe closed with the Essex, at thirty-five minutes past five in the afternoon, when a very serious, and, indeed, unequal contest ensued, the Cherub much contributing to the annoyance of the enemy. The defence of the Essex (said Captain Hillyar) did honor to her brave defenders, and fully evinced the courage of Captain Porter and those under his command. She was twice on fire, and did not strike her colours till her loss of men was so great, and her condition so bad, that further resistance was manifestly unavailing. The engagement ceased at twenty minutes past six. The loss on the part of the victors was not very considerable.. A very detailed account of this affair was transmitted to the American government by Captain Porter, written in an ostentatious and evidently partial manner, and differing in several respects from the plain narrative of Captain Hillyar, although it did justice to his humane and generous conduct after the victory. The American complained of the attack as a violation of neutral territory, and intimated that there was an understanding between the Governor of Valparaiso and the British commander. It appeared that Captain Porter connived at the escape of some of his men after the ship had surrendered.

In the month of April, Captain Pigot, of the Orpheus, after a chace of sixty miles, took, off

CHAP. VIII

J814.

BOOK XIII Cuba, the United States ship Frolic, carrying twenty thirty-two-pound carronades and two long eighteen-pounders, with a crew of 171 men. In the beginning of May, an expedition, under the command of General Drummond and Commodore Sir James Yeo, was sent against the American fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario. After a reconnoisance of the defences of the place on the 5th of that month, the attack was made on the 6th, by a select detachment of troops and the squadron of armed-vessels on the lake. The landing of the troops was effected under a heavy fire from the fort, and the enemy posted on the brow of a hill, and in the woods, but nothing could retard the advance of the assailants, who obtained possession of the fort in ten minutes. The garrison, which consisted of 400 men, made their escape, except about sixty men, half of whom were severely wounded. There were taken seven heavy guns, intended for a large ship of the Americans newly launched on the lake; and other guns, cordage, and naval stores, were sunk by themselves in the river. After the barracks in the town and fort had been burnt, and all the damage done to the works that was practicable, the troops were re-embarked, bringing away a quantity of stores. The principal advantage aimed at by this expedition appears to have been preventing the completion of the enemy's armament on the lake, and especially the equipment of their new ship, which was calculated to carry sixty-four guns.

Another attempt, on a small scale, which had the same purpose in view, proved unfortunate. Captain Popham, of the navy, commanding a squadron which was blockading Sackett's-harbour, having obtained information of the arrival of an enemy's flotilla at Sandy-creek, with naval stores from Oswego, to be thence conveyed over land to Sackett'sharbour, resolved, in concert with Captain Spilsbury upon an enterprize for its destruction. Proceeding to the creek, he reached its entrance with the boats of the squadron, soon after day-light on the 31st of May, having with him near 200 seamen and marines. The boats cautiously advanced up the creek to within a quarter of a mile from the enemy, and landed armed parties on each side, On coming to a turning, with the flotilla full to their view, a sixty-eight-pounder corronade, on which they greatly depended, was disabled; and as they were bringing a twenty-four-pounder to bear, they were attacked by a force, consisting of 150 rifle-men, nearly 200 Indians, and a numerous body of militia and cavalry. A gallant resistance was made for a time, but against such a superiority it was unavailing. The loss of the British amounted to eighteen killed and fifty dangerously wounded, besides prisoners; the winding of the creek gave the enemy a great advantage in intercepting the retreat. Captain Popham

made acknowledgments for the exertions of the officers of the American rifle-corps, in saving the lives of many officers and men, whom the Indians and their own men had devoted to death.

A very severe action, ending unfortunately to the British flag, took place on the 28th of June, between the Reindeer sloop-of-war, Captain Manners, and the American sloop-of-war Wasp, Captain Blakeley. On the morning of that day, in iat. 48 N. long. 11 W. Captain Manners perceived an enemy to the leeward, and instantly gave chase; about three o'clock, the ships were close together, when the action commenced, and was kept up with the most determined spirit for twenty-five ininutes. At the end of this time, the captain of the Reindeer, the purser, and twentyseven men were killed, and forty-eight wounded, amongst whom were all her officers then on-board; before this, she had made several unsuccessful attempts to board. In this state she was under the necessity of striking her colours to the American. The disproportion between the two ships in size, weight of metal, and complement of men, was very considerable. The Wasp was of the burden of nearly 800 tons, mounting twenty thirty-two-pounder carronades, besides two long twelve-pounders, and having on-board 175 men, while the Reindeer was little more than 380 tons, mounting only sixteen twenty-four-pounder carronades, besides two long twelve-pounders, with two long-sixes, and had only ninety-eight men and twenty boys. Captain Manners fought his vessel against this very su perior enemy in the most gallant manner; and lost his life in attempting to board, after receiving fourteen wounds. The Wasp was very much cut up in her hull and rigging; and her loss in killed and wounded was supposed to have been fully equal to that of the Reindeer. On the day after the action it became necessary to destroy the prize. This success by sea, on the part of the Americans, was certainly very galling to the British nation; for the Americans now boasted, that though they were opposed to the once-dreaded navy of Great Britain, the proportion of victories had been beyond all comparison in their favor, having captured three frigates, two twenty-gun ships, four eighteens, one twelve, and one ten-gun

vessel.

About this period, an official statement was published by the American government of the number and state of their navy. It was divided into two classes; one part for the ocean, and the other for the lakes: that for the ocean consisted as follows:-Three ships of seventy-four guns; six of forty-four; three of thirty-six; one of thirty-two; two of twenty-four; nine of eighteen; four of sixteen; three of fourteen; two of thirteen; and one of ten. Those on the lakes consisted of thirty-two vessels of various sizes, carrying 265 guus. The gun-boats, barges, &c. of

which a considerable number were on the lakes, amounted to 203.

From this statement, it appeared beyond all doubt that the Americans had been making the greatest exertions for increasing their naval force; and that they confidently looked forward to the day on which they might set the British navy at defiance. On the lakes, indeed, they already had the superiority, which was of great advantage to them, in their attempts to invade Canada. The lakes constitute the most important boundary between Canada and the United States; and the possession of these lakes by the British is absolutely necessary to the secure and permanent possession of Canada. It was therefore the duty and the interest of the British government, as soon as the war broke out, to have secured the superiority of these lakes in so decided a manner as to have effectually defended Canada: this, however, during the two years which the war had already lasted, they had neglected to do. In fact, though on some of the lakes the British were occasionally successful, yet this success was never of long continuance, and it was so chequered with defeat as to give confidence to the Americans, and to dispirit the Canadians. For the former, when they commenced the war, could hardly have looked forward to such victories as they had obtained over the British; and being naturally a vain and boastful people, the achievement of victory over such a nation as Britain could not fail to gratify and invigorate their feelings, and to reconcile to the war those who at its commencement were averse to it. In some respects, however, the Americans possessed advantages which the British did not enjoy for carrying on operations on the lakes; they were nearer to the supplies necessary for the equipment and repair of their squadrons. But, on the other hand, it seems to have been abundantly shewn in the house of commons, that their superiority arising from these advantages were greatly increased by the neglect of the British ministry. It was disputed in parliament, to what department of government the equipment of the flotilla on the lakes properly belonged. It was supposed that it belonged to the admiralty; but the admiralty denied this, because the lakes were inland seas of fresh-water; and they threw the duty of equipping the flotilla on the secretary of state for the colonial department. Great expectations were at one time formed, of a very large ship which had been constructed upon the lakes, mounting 100 guns; but the season of the year was so far advanced before she was completed, that no other advantage was derived but that of blockading the enemy's squadron in Sackett's-harbour, and gaining the mastery of the lake on which it stands, at a period when that mastery could be of no service."

Besides the successes which the American

1814.

navy had at sea and on the lakes, their privateers BOOK XIII. made many rich captures; and what was very galling to the British, these captures were made CHAP. VIII, not merely on their own coasts, or on the Atlantic ocean, but on the very coasts of England and Ireland; so that at length it was not safe for a vessel to sail without convoy from one part of the English or Irish channel to another. Strong representations were made to the admiralty on this subject; but as they were not attended to as they ought to have been, addresses to the prince-regent were presented from London, Liverpool, and other sea-ports. It was, indeed, a most mortifying reflection, that while our navy amounted to nearly 1,100 ships of different sizes, and at peace with all Europe, we could not protect our commerce on our coasts. The only defence the admiralty could make was, that we had captured a greater number of ships from the Americans than they had from us. But the proportion of captures we had made was very far indeed below the proportional superiority which our navy bore to theirs: aud, indeed, all things considered, not too much would have been expected from the admiralty, if, with the means in their power, the nation had anticipated the capture of every American armed vessel that put to sea.

The following official paper was issued from the British admiralty-office on the 30th of April:"The lords-commissioners of the admiralty cannot announce to the fleet the termination of hostilities with France, without expressing to the petty officers, the seamen, and royal marines of his majesty's ships, the high sense which their lordships entertain of their gallant and glorious services during the late war.

"The patience, perseverance, and discipline; the skill, courage, and devotion with which the seamen and marines have upheld their best interests, and achieved the noblest triumphs of the country, entitle them to the gratitude not only of their native land, which they have preserved inviolate, but of the other nations of Europe, of whose ultimate deliverance their successes maintained the hope, and accelerated the accomplish

ment.

"Their lordships regret that the unjust and unprovoked aggressions of the American government, in declaring war upon this country, after all the causes of its original complaint had been removed, does not permit them to reduce the fleet at once to a peace-establishment; but as the question now at issue in this war is the maintenance of those maritime rights which are the sure foundations of our naval glory, their lordships look with confidence to that part of the fleet which it may be still necessary to keep in commission, for a continuance of that spirit of diseipline and gallantry which has raised the British navy to its present pre-eminence.

BOOK XIII. "In reducing the fleet to the establishment necessary for the American war, the seamen and CHAP. VIII. marines will find their lordships attentive to the claims of their respective services. 1814.

"The reduction will be first made in the crews of those ships which it may be found expedient to pay off, and from them the petty efficers and seamen will be successively discharged, according to the length of their services; beginning in the first instance with all those who were in his majesty's service previous to the 7th of March, 1803, and have since continued in it.

"When the reduction shall have been thus made, as to the ships paid off, their lordships will direct their attention to those which it may be found necessary to keep in commission; and, as soon as the circumstances of the war will admit, will bring home and discharge all persons having the same standing and periods of service as those before discharged from the ships paid off; so that, in a few months, the situation of individuals will be equalized; all men of a certain period of service will be at liberty to return home to their families; and the number which it may be still necessary to retain will be composed of those who have been the shortest time in the service.

"An arrangement in itself so just cannot, in their lordships' opinion, fail to give universal satisfaction; and they are induced to make this communication to the fleet, because they think that the exemplary good conduct of all the petty officers, seamen, and marines, entitle them to every confidence, and to this full and candid explanation of their lordship's intentions.

"Their lordships cannot conclude without expressing their hope, that the valour of his majesty's fleets and armies will speedily bring the American contest to a conclusion honorable to the British name, safe for British interests, and conducive to the lasting repose of the civilized world. By command of their lordships,

66

"J. W. CROKER.”

In order to counteract the effects of the general blockade of the American coasts, the President of the United States, on the 29th of June, issued a proclamation, which was couched in the following terms :-" Whereas it is manifest that the blockade, which has been proclaimed by the enemy, of the whole Atlantic coast of the United States, nearly two thousand miles in extent, and abounding in ports, harbours, and navigable inlets, cannot be carried into effect by any adequate force actually stationed for the purpose; and it is rendered a matter of certainty and notoriety, by the multiplied and daily arrivals and departures of the private armed vessels of the United States, and other vessels, that no such adequate force has been so stationed; and whereas a blockade thus destitute of the character of a regular and

legal blockade, as defined and recognized by the stablished law of nations, whatever other purposes it may be made to answer, forms no lawful prohibition or obstacle to such neutral and friendly vessels as may choose to visit and trade with the United States; and whereas it accords with the interest and the amicable views of the United States, to favor and promote, as far as may be, the free and mutually beneficial commercial intercourse of all friendly nations disposed to engage therein, and, with that view, to afford to their vessels destined to the United States a more positive and satisfactory security against all interruptions, molestations, or vexations whatever, from the cruizers of the United States; Now be it known, that I, James Madison, President of the United States of America, do, by this my proclamation, strictly order and instruct all the public armed vessels of the United States, and all private armed vessels commissioned as privateers, or with letters of marque and reprisals, not to interrupt, detain, or otherwise molest or vex, any vessels whatever belonging to neutral powers, or the subjects or citizens thereof, which vessels shall be actually bound and proceeding to any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States; but, on the contrary, to render to all such vessels all the aid and kind offices which they may need or require."

When Europe was at length restored to peace by the deposition of Bonaparte, the British government resolved to prosecute the war against the United States with a great accession of means and vigour; and it was confidently expected that Mr. Madison would be compelled to accept of such terms as the British should be disposed to dictate. Before the treaty of Paris was signed, about 14,000 of those troops which had gained such fame under the Duke of Wellington, were embarked at Bourdeaux, and sent to America. Besides these troops, a strong naval force, with an adequate number of troops on-board, was collected for the purpose of invading different parts of the United States. The British now thought that they would not only be able to protect Canada; but that they would be able to conquer so much of the adjoining territory of the United States as might, in the event of a future war, effectually guard that country from all danger.

Indeed, when Mr. Madison became acquainted with the events that had taken place in Europe, he was convinced that, now that Britain was at full liberty to employ all her force against the United States, the war would assume a different character from what it previously had done; and consequently that it would be absolutely necessary, either to meet the more extended and vigorous warfare by measures of corresponding vigour and extension, or to bring about a peace with Great Britain. The latter was resolved upon; at the