the seizures, detention, confiscation, and burnings, under those very decrees, are not likely to be removed, by any ingenious comments on the terms of an ambiguous, deceptive, and fallacious instrument like the Duke of Cadore's letter.

"The conduct of France, in relation to the repeal of her edicts, exhibits to our view a scene of the most contemptible fraud and juggling that ever disgraced the court of any nation.

"The British orders in council, we are informed, are now revoked. We cannot but lament, that the declaration of war was forced and hurried, as if to put us beyond the benefit of favorable events. Every attempt at postponement was ineffectual; and the question was taken, at a moment, when, perhaps, a month's delay would have removed the principal ground of complaint, and averted the awful calamity.

"But although we lament the present war, on all accounts, yet do we deprecate it most of all, as we view in it, as we fear, the harbinger of French alliance.

"On the subject of any French connection, either close or more remote, we have made up our minds. We will, in no event, assist in uniting the republic of America with the military despotism of France. We will have no connection with her principles or her power. If her armed troops, under whatever name or character, should come here, we shall regard them as enemies. No pressure, domestic or foreign, shall ever compel us to connect our interests with those of the house of Corsica; or to yoke ourselves to the triumphal car of the conqueror and the tyrant of Europe."

The following list of American privateers, taken and destroyed by his majesty's ships and vessels, on the Halifax station, between July 1 and August 25, was transmitted by Vice-admiral Sawyer to G. W. Croker, esq. in a letter bearing the latter date.

Active schooner, of two guns and twenty men, captured by the Spartan, Captain Brenton, 16th of July, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Fair Trader schooner, of one gun and twenty men, captured by the Indian, Captain Jane, and Plumper, Lieutenant Bray, 16th of July, 1812, Bay of Fundy.

Argus schooner, of one gun and twenty-three men, captured by the Plumper, Lieutenant Bray, 17th July, 1812, Bay of Fundy.

Friendship schooner, of one gun and eight men, captured by the Plumper, Lieutenant Bray, 18th of July, 1812, Bay of Fundy.

Actress sloop, of four guns and fifty-three men, captured by the Spartan, Captain Brenton, 18th of July, 1812, off Cape St. Mary.

Intention schooner, of one gun, three swivels, twenty-nine men, captured by the Spartan, Captain Brenton, 19th of July, 1812, off Annapolis.

Gleaner sloop, of six guns, and forty men, cap- BOOK XI. tured by the Colibri, Captain Thompson, 23d of July, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Curlew brig, of sixteen guns, 172 men, and 270 tons, captured by the Acasta, Captain Kerr, 24th July, 1812, lat. 44. 15. N. long. 62. 30. W. pierced for twenty guns, off Cape Sable.

Catherine ship, of fourteen guns and eightyeight men, captured by the Colibri, Captain Thompson, 26th of July, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Gossamer brig, of fourteen guns and 100 men, captured by the Emulous, Captain Mulcaster, 30th of July, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Morning Star schooner, of one gun, four swivels, fifty men, and seventy tons, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 1st of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; burnt by the boats in a creek called Baily's Mis

take.

Polly schooner, of one gun, four swivels, forty men, and sixty tons, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 1st of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; burnt by the boats in a creek called Baily's Mistake.

Commodore Barry, a revenue-cutter, of six guns, pierced for ten guns, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 3d of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; attacked in Little River, and brought out by the boats; the chief part of the crew escaped.

Madison schooner, of two guns, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 3d of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; attacked in Little River, and brought out by the boats; the chief part of the crew escaped.

Olive schooner, of two guns, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 3d of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; attacked in Little River and brought out by the boats; the chief part of the crew escaped.

Spence schooner, of two guns, captured by the Maidstone, Captain Burdet, and Spartan, Captain Brenton, 3d of August, 1812, Bay of Fundy; attacked in Little River, and brought out by the boats; the chief part of the crew escaped.

Polly schooner, of four guns and thirty-five men, captured by the Colibri and Statira, 11th of August, 1812, entrance of Bay of Fundy.

Buckskin schooner, of one gun, three swivels, and thirty-two men, captured by the Colibri and Statira, 11th of August, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Dolphin schooner, of one gun, one swivel, and twenty-eight men, captured by the Earl Moira, tender to Guerriere, 12th of August, off Shelburne.

Regulator schooner, of one gun and forty men, captured by the Colibri, Captain Thomson, 12th of August, 1812, off Cape Sable.

Dolphin schooner, of two guns and forty-eight

CHAP. VI.

1812.

BOOK XI. men, captured by the Colibri, and Maidstone, 13th of August, 1812, off Cape Sable.

CHAP. VI.

1812.

Lewis schooner, of six guns and thirty men, captured by the Hope, tender to the Africa, 14th of August, 1812, off Halifax.

Pythagoras schooner, of three guns and thirtyfive men, captured by the Bream, Lieutenant Timpson, 9th of August, 1812, off Shelburne, after an action of twenty-minutes; enemy had two men wounded.

Bunker's Hill schooner, of seven guns and seventy-two men, captured by the Belvidera, 21st of August, 1812, Sambro light-house, N. W. 242 miles.

Mr. Madison depended much upon the services of Commodore Rodgers, who, in the affair with the Little Belt, bad proved himself a bitter enemy to Great Britain. He was appointed to cruise with several vessels under his command, but according to his own accounts, was unsuccessful in his attempts. We shall subjoin the commodore's letter to the secretary of the navy, and an extract from his journal.

"United States Frigate President, Boston, September 1, 1812. “Sir,—I had the honor yesterday of informing you of the arrival of the squadron, and have now to state the result and particulars of our cruise. "Previous to leaving New York on the 21st of June, I heard that a British convoy had sailed from Jamaica for England, on or about the 20th of the preceding month; and on being informed of the declaration of war against Great Britain, I determined, in the event of Commodore Decatur joining me with the United States, Congress, and Argus, as you had directed, to go in pursuit of them. The United States, Congress, and Argus, did join me on the 21st; with which vessels, this ship, and the Hornet, I accordingly sailed in less than an hour after I received your orders of the 18th of June, accompanied by your official communication of the declaration of war.

"On leaving New York I shaped our course south-easterly, in the expectation of falling in with vessels, by which I should hear of the beforementioned convoy, and the following night met with an American brig, which gave me the soughtfor information. The squadron now crowded sail in pursuit; but, the next morning, was taken out of its course by the pursuit of a British frigate, that I since find was the Belvidera, relative to which I beg leave to refer you to the enclosed extract from my journal. After repairing, as far as possible, the injury done by the Belvidera to our spars and rigging, we again crowded all sail, and resumed our course in pursuit of the convoy, but did not receive farther intelligence of it until the 29th of June, on the western edge of the Bank of Newfoundland, where we spoke an Ame

rican schooner, the master of which reported, that he had two days before passed them, in lat. 43. long. 55. steering to the eastward. I was surprised to find that the convoy was still so far to the eastward of us, but was urged, however, as well by what I considered my duty, as by inclination, to continue the pursuit. On the 1st of July, a little to the eastward of Newfoundland Bank, we fell in with quantities of cocoa-nut shells, orange-peels, &c. which indicated that the convoy were not far distant, and we pursued it with zeal, although frequently taken out of our course by vessels it was necessary to chase, without gaining any farther intelligence until the 9th of July, in lat. 45. 30. long. 23. we captured the British private armed brig Dolphin, of Jersey, and was informed by some of her crew that they had seen the convoy the preceding evening; the weather was not clear at the time, but that they had counted thirty-five sail; and that the force charged with its protection consisted of one two-decker, a frigate, a sloop of war, and a brig. This was the last intelligence I received of the before-mentioned convoy, although its pursuit was continued until the 13th of July, being then within eighteen and twenty hours sail of the British channel.

"From this we steered for the island of Madeira, passed close by it on the 21st of July; thence near the Azores, and saw Corvo and Flores; thence steered for the Banks of Newfoundland; and from the latter place (by the way of Cape Sable) to this port, it having become indispensably necessary, by the time we reached our own coast, to make the first convenient port in the United States, owing, I am sorry to say, to that wretched disease, the scurvy, having made its appearance on-board of the vessels, most generally to a degree seriously alarming.

"From the western part of the banks of Newfoundland, to our making the island of Madeira, the weather was such, at least six days out of seven, as to obscure from our discovery every object that we did not pass within four or five miles of; and indeed, for several days together, the fog was so thick as to prevent our seeing each other, even at cable's length asunder, more than twice or thrice in the twenty-four hours.

"From the time of our leaving the United States until our arrival here, we chased every vessel we saw; and you will not be a little astonished when I inform you, that, although we brought to every thing we did chase, with the exception of four vessels, we only made sevencaptures, and one recapture.

"It is truly an unpleasant task to be obliged to make a communication thus barren of benefit to our country; the only consolation I individually feel on the occasion being derived from knowing, that our being at sea obliged the enemy. to concentrate a considerable portion of his most

active force, and thereby prevented his capturing an incalculable amount of American property, that would otherwise have fallen a sacrifice. "I am aware of the anxiety you must have experienced at not hearing from me for such a length of time; but this, I am sure, you will not attribute in any degree to neglect, when I inform you, that not a single proper opportunity occurred, from the time of leaving the United States until

our return.

"The four vessels we chased, and did not come up with, were the Belvidera; a small pilot boat schooner, supposed to be an American privateer; the hermaphrodite brig privateer Yankee, which we lost sight of in a fog, but whose character we afterwards learnt; and a frigate, supposed to be British, which we chased on the 28th ult. near the shoal of George's Bank, and should certainly have come up with, had we have had the advantage of two hours more day-light.

"On-board of the several vessels of the squadron, there are between 80 and 100 prisoners, taken from the vessels we captured during our late cruise. The government not having any agent for prisoners here, I shall send them to Commodore Bainbridge, to be disposed of in such manner as best appears with the interest of the United States, and which, I hope, may meet your approbation.-With great respect,

"I have the honor to be, Sir, "Your obedient servant, "JOHN RODGERS. "The Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy, Washington."

"List of Vessels captured, re-captured, and destroyed.

« July 2.—Brig Traveller, 277 tons, J. Amory, master, of Newcastle, E. ten men, bound from the Bay of Fundy, owned by Geo. Watson, Mat. Dunn, Geo. Dunn, and John Stoker; cargo of timber-burnt.

"July 4.-Brig Duchess of Portland, six guns, eleven men, of Newcastle, E. bound to Newcastle N. in ballast-burnt..

"July 9.-Brig Dolphin, 241 tons, twelve guns, and twenty-three men, Philip Cobbet, of Jersey, England, bound from Jersey to Newfoundland, in ballast, and some cargo, owned by Winter and Nicoll-sent into the United States.

"July 24.-Ship John, of Lancaster, sixteen guns, and thirty men, bound from London to Martinique, in ballast-sent into the United States.

"Aug. 2.-Brig Argo, 165 tons, ten guns, and sixteen men, Wm. Middleton, master, of London, laden with cotton, fustic, and about 8,000 dollars in gold-ordered for the United States.

After describing the first ineffectual attempts of the President upon the Belvidera, the American commander thus proceeded in his journal:—

"I now endeavoured, by altering course half a point to port, and wetting our sails, to gain a more effectual position on his starboard quarter, but soon found myself losing ground. After this, a similar attempt was made at his larboard quarter, but without any better success, as the wind, at this time, was very light, and both ships sailing so nearly alike, that by making an angle of only half a point from the course she steered, enabled him to augment his distance. No hope was now left of bringing him to close action, except that derived from being to windward, and the expectation that the breeze might favor us first: I aecordingly gave orders to steer directly after him, and to keep our bow-chace guns playing on his spars and rigging, until our broadside would more effectually reach him. At five, finding from the advantage his stern-guns gave him, that he had done considerable injury to our sails and rigging, and being within point-blank shot, I gave orders to put our helm to starboard, and fire our maindeck guns. This broadside did some further damage to his rigging, and I could perceive that his fore-topsail yard was wounded; but the sea was so very smooth, and the wind so light, that the injury done was not such as materially to affeet his sailing. After this broadside, our course was instantly renewed in his wake (under a galling fire from his stern-chase guns, directed at our spars and rigging), and continued until half-past six; at which time, being within reach of his grape, and finding our sails, rigging, and several spars, particularly the main-yard (which had little left to support it, except the lifts and braces), very much disabled, I again gave orders to lull across his stern, and give him a couple of broadsides.

"The enemy, at this time, finding himself so hardly pressed, and seeing, while in the act of firing, our head-sails to left, and supposing that the ship had, in a measure, lost the effect of her helm, he gave a broad yawl, with the intention of bringing his broadside to bear. Finding the President answered the helm too quick for his purpose, he immediately re-assumed his course, and precipitately fired his four after main-deck guns, on the starboard side, although they did not bear

1812.

BOOK XI. degrees, and he now commenced lightening his ship, by throwing overboard all his boats, waste CHAP. VI. anchors, &c. and by this means was enabled, by a quarter before seven, to get so far a-head as to prevent our bow-chase guns doing execution; and I now perceived, with more mortification than words can express, that there was little or no chance left of getting within gun-shot of the enemy again. Under every disadvantage of disabled spars, sails, and rigging, I, however, continued the chase with all the sail we could set, till halfpast eleven, p. m.; when, perceiving he had gained upwards of three miles, and not the slightest prospect left of coming up with him, I gave up the pursuit, and made the signal to the other ships, as they came up, to do the same.

66

During the first of the chase, while the breeze was fresh, and sailing by the wind, I thought the whole of the squadron gained upon the enemy. It was soon discoverable, however, the advantage he acquired by sailing large, and this, I conceive, he must have derived, in so great a degree, by starting his water, as I could perceive, upwards of an hour before we came within gun-shot, water running out of his scuppers.

"While in chase, it was difficult to determine whether our own situation, or that of the other vessels of the squadron, was the most unpleasant. The superior sailing of the President was not such (off the wind), as to enable us to get upon the broadside of the enemy; the situation of the others was not less irksome, as not even the headmost, which was the Congress, was able, at any time, to get within less than two gun-shots distant, and even at that but for a very little time.

66

In endeavouring to get alongside of the enemy, the following persons were killed and wounded: sixteen of whom were killed and wounded by the bursting of our own gun."

[Here follow the names of the killed and wounded, being in all three killed, and nineteen wounded; among the latter was Commodore Rodgers himself.]

In consequence of the capture of his majesty's ship La Guerriere, great honors were paid to Captain Hull, who was hailed as a Lord Nelson: pieces of plate were voted to him, public dinners given in celebration of him, addresses of thanks presented to him, and songs of triumph composed upon him; the battle was represented at the American theatres; and his portrait, by Stuart, exhibited for money.

On the 2d of October, a court-martial was held on-board his majesty's ship Africa, at Halifax, for the trial of Captain Dacres, and the surviving officers and crew of his majesty's late ship La Guerriere, for the surrender of that ship to the United States frigate Constitution, on the 19th of August: Vice-admiral Sawyer, president; Cap

tain Sir_ J. P. Beresford, vice-president; B. Broke, J. Bastard, and C. Gill, members.After a mature consideration, the court came to the following opinion:

"That the surrender of the Guerriere was proper, in order to preserve the lives of her remaining crew, and that her being in that lamentable situation was from the accident of her masts going, which was occasioned more by their defective state, than from the fire of the enemy, though so greatly superior in guns and men. The court do, therefore, unanimously and honorably acquit the said Captain Dacres, the officers and crew of his majesty's late ship La Guerriere, and they are hereby honorably acquitted accordingly.

"The court, at the same time, feel themselves called upon to express the high sense they entertain of the conduct of the ship's company in general, when prisoners, but more particularly of those who withstood the attempts made to shake their loyalty, by offering them high bribes to enter into the land and sea-service of the enemy, and they will represent their merits to the commanderin-chief?"

Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth, commander-in-chief of his majesty's ships and vessels at Newfoundland, transmitted to J. W. Croker, esq. a list of thirty-three American vessels detained, and two English vessels (taken by American privateers) recaptured by the squadron under his command.

The American schooner Providence was captured, September 12, by his majesty's ship Dominica.

His majesty's forces, aided by the militia and Indians, stationed on the Niagara frontier, completely repelled an attempt of the Americans to invade Upper Canada, and took 900 of the enemy's army. Their commander, Brigadier-general Wadsworth, surrendered himself on the field of battle, to Major-general Sheaffe. The gallant Major-general Brock fell early, at the head of the flank companies of the 49th regiment, while nobly encouraging them to sustain their position, in opposition to an infinitely superior force, until the reinforcements he had ordered to advance to their support should arrive. The following was Major-general Sheaffe's account of this battle:

but the enemy was not allowed to retain it long. Reinforcements having been sent up from his post, composed of regular troops, militia and Indians, a movement was made to turn his left, while some artillery, under the able direction of Captain Wolcroft, supported by a body of infantry, engaged his attention in front. This operation was aided too by the judicious position which Norton, and the Indians with him, had taken on the woody brow of the high ground above Queenstown. A communication being thus opened with Chipawa, a junction was formed with succours that had been ordered from that post. The enemy was then attacked, and after a short but spirited conflict, was completely defeated. I had the satisfaction of receiving the sword of their commander, Brigadier-general Wadsworth, on the field-of-battle; and many officers, with upwards of 900 men, were made prisoners, and more may yet be expected. A stand of colours, and one six-pounder, were also taken. The action did not terminate till nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, and their loss in killed and wounded must have been considerable. Ours I believe to be comparatively small in numbers; no officer was killed besides Majorgeneral Brock, one of the most gallant and zealous officers in his majesty's service, whose loss cannot be too much deplored; and Lieutenantcolonel Mac Donell, provincial aid-de-camp, whose gallantry and merit rendered him worthy of his chief.

Captains Dennis and Williams, commanding the flauk companies of the 49th regiment, which were stationed at Queenstown, were wounded, bravely contending at the head of their men, against superior numbers; but I am glad to have it in my power to add, that Captain Dennis fortunately was able to keep the field, though with pain and difficulty; and Captain Williams's wound is not likely to deprive me long of his services.

"I am particularly indebted to Captain Holcroft, of the royal-artillery, for his judicious and skilful co-operation with the guns and howitzers under his immediate superintendance; the welldirected fire from which contributed materially to the fortunate results of the day.

"Captain Derinzy, of the 41st regiment, brought up the reinforcement of that corps from Fort George, and Captain Bullock led that of the same regiment from Chipawa; and under their command those detachments acquitted themselves in such a manner, as to sustain the reputation which the 41st regiment had already acquired in the vicinity of Detroit.

Major-general Brock, soon after bis arrival at Queenstown, had sent down orders for battering the American fort Niagara; Brigadier-ge

1812.

neral Major Evans, who was left in charge of BOOK XI. Fort George, directed the operations against it with so much effect as to silence its fire, and to CHAP. VI. force the troops to abandon it; and by its prudent precautions he prevented mischief of a most serious nature, which otherwise might have been effected, the enemy having used heated shot in firing at Fort George. In these services he was most effectually aided by Colonel Clans, (who remained in the fort at my desire,) and by Captain Vigoreux, of the royal engineers. Brigademajor Evans also mentions the conduct of Captains Powell and Cameron, of the militia artillery, in terms of commendation.

"Lieutenant Crowther, of the 41st regiment, had charge of two three-pounders that had accompanied the movement of our little corps, and they were employed with very good effect.

"Captain Clegg, of the 49th regiment, aid-decamp to our lamented friend and general, afforded me most essential assistance; and I found the services of Lieutenant Fowlers, of the 41st regiment, assistant deputy quarter-master-general, very useful. I derived much aid too from the activity and intelligence of Lieutenant Kerr, of the Glencary fencibles, whom I employed in communicating with the Indians and other flanking parties.

"I was unfortunately deprived of the aid, experience, and ability of Lieutenant-colonel Myers, deputy quarter-master-general, who had been sent up to Fort Erie a few days before, on duty which detained him there.

"Lieutenant-colonels Butler and Clarke, of the militia, and Captains Hatt, Durand, Rowe, Applegarth, James Crooks, Cooper, Robert Hamilton, Mac Ewen, and Duncan Cameron, and Lieutenants Richardson, and Thomas Butler, commanding flank companies of the Lincoln and York militia, led their men into action with great spirit. Major Merritt, commanding the Niagara dragoons, accompanied me and gave me much assistance with part of his corps. Captain A. Hamilton, belonging to it, was disabled from riding, and attached himself to the guns under Captain Holcroft, who speaks highly of his activity and usefulness. I beg leave to add, that volunteers Shaw, Thomson, and Jarvis, attached to the flank companies of the 49th regiment, conducted themselves with great spirit; the first wounded, and the last taken prisoner; I beg leave to recommend these young men to your excellency's notice. Norton is wounded, but not badly; he and the Indians particularly distinguished themselves, and I have very great satisfaction in assuring your excellency, that the spirit and good conduct of his majesty's troops, of the militia and of the other provincial corps, were eminently conspicuous on this occasion.