2 8 X 236 SERIES NINE LECTURES FORTY (Part 2) AND FORTY-ONE (Part 1) The Jeffersonian Era: Democracy and Nationality, 1801–1829 (Continued) 40. The War of 1812 (Part 2) 41. Internal and Foreign Affairs after the War of 1812 (Part 1) NAVAL ARMAMENTS ON LAKE ERIE. 391 CHAPTER XVIII. 1813-1814. MILITARY AND NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH. -- Earle's attack on Woolsey-Engagement between British and American fleets - Arrival of Perry at ErieHis defeat of the British at the battle of Lake Erie - Harrison's victory at the Thames - Forsyth's expedition -Capture of York Attack on Fort George- - Defeat of Winder and Chandler at Stony Creek Capture of Boerstler's expedition- Prevost's attack on Sackett's Harbor - Naval Actions - Wilkinson's quarrel with Hampton His jealousy of Armstrong - Battle of Chrystler's Farm - Hampton's movements - Battle of Chateauguay—Wilkinson's call for help -Burning of Newark-Retaliation of the British — Wilkinson's demand for court of inquiry - Battle of Lacolle Mill Wilkinson's subsequent career - Yeo's attack on Oswego and Sackett's Harbor Attack on Detroit - Capture of Fort Erie Battle of Chippawa - Battle of Lundy's Lane - Repulse of the British at Fort Erie - Brown's attempt to capture Drummond - Defeat of Smith's flotilla on Lake Champlain - Izard's march to Sackett's Harbor - - Advance of the British toward Plattsburg - Battle of Lake Champlain · Retreat of the British Preparations for the next campaign. On taking office Armstrong had marked out the United States into nine military districts, had ordered James Wilkinson to go from New Orleans to Sackett's Harbor, and had commanded Harrison to act on the defensive until the fleet then building on Lake Erie was ready to sail. When the war began the United States had no armed vessel on Lake Erie and only one on Lake Ontario. This was the Oneida, a ship carrying 16 24-pounders,* commanded by Lieutenant Melancthon T. Woolsey, who executed several daring enterprises before being attacked at Sackett's Harbor by Commodore Earle. The latter, with a fleet consisting of the Royal George, 22, the Prince Regent, 16, the Earl of Moira, 14, the Duke of Gloucester, 14, the Seneca, 4, and the Simcoe, 12, appeared off Sackett's Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., pp. 25, 147. Roosevelt (Naval War of 1812, p. 145) gives the Gloucester 10 guns, the Seneca 8, and the Harbor July 19, 1812, and demanded that Woolsey surrender the Oneida, then at anchor near the town. Woolsey tried to escape from the harbor; but, failing in this, he anchored near the bluff where his guns could rake the entrance to the harbor and, mounting on shore the guns from the off side of his ship which would be useless in a fight in that position, he defied Earle.* At the end of the peninsula he erected also a long 32pound gun, with three 9-pounders and with these weapons held off the whole British fleet, which withdrew after an hour's cannonading without having inflicted any damage.† Woolsey then began to purchase merchant vessels and to fit them for Simcoe 8, while Lossing (War of 1812, p. 367) gives a still different armament. 392 WOOLSEY REPULSES EARLE; PERRY'S ARRIVAL. offensive operations.* Isaac Chauncey, who had been appointed commander of the naval forces at Lakes Erie and Ontario, sent cannon and other munitions of war and in November the ships were on the lake ready for battle. On the 8th the Oneida, Hamilton, Governor Tompkins, Pert, Julia and Growler chased the Royal George under the guns of Kingston and on the 9th Chauncey endeavored to lay the Royal George aboard beginning the attack at 3 P. M. The Conquest, Julia, Pert, and Growler opened the attack with their heavy guns, and were followed by the Oneida. At the third discharge the Pert's gun burst wounding her commander and four of her crew. The other gunboats engaged the five batteries of the enemy, while the Oneida at 3.40 opened on the Royal George and in 20 minutes compelled her to run in and tie herself to a wharf, where she was under the protection of a large body of land troops. In the face of these troops, the Americans could not attempt to board, and as it was growing dark, Chauncey retired, returning to Sackett's Harbor. Four of the schooners continued to blockade Kingston until the middle of * Roosevelt (Naval War of 1812, pp. 151-153) says that the ships purchased were the Hamilton, Governor Tompkins, Growler, Conquest, and Pert, and a schooner which was captured was renamed the Julia, armed with a long 32 and two 6-pounders and sent to Ogdensburg. The Madison, built to mount 24 32-pound carronades, was launched November 26, and late in the autumn four more schooners were purchased and renamed the Ontario, Scourge, Fair American, and Asp. November. Soon after winter closed navigation and the ships remained idle until spring.* Much better progress had been made at Lake Erie. In 1812 Daniel Dobbins had been appointed a sailing master in the navy under Commodore Chauncey with orders to build two gunboats, and by March the work was well under way. At this juncture Oliver Hazard Perry appeared on the scene. On February 17 Commander Perry, then an officer on service at Newport, † had received orders from Secretary Jones to report to Commodore Chauncey on Lake Ontario. ‡ On March 3 he appeared at Sackett's Harbor, where he was detained by Chauncey until March 16, thence to be ordered to Presqu' Isle (afterward called Erie) to take charge of the vessels there under construction.|| He reached the village on March 27 and there found two gunboats nearly planked, a third ready for planking, and the keels of two 20-gun brigs and a clipper schooner,§ but not a gun had Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, pp. 154-155; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 371-372; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 28-30; Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., pp. 153–156; Brackenridge, History of the Late War, p. 77; Chauncey's report in Brannan, Official Letters, pp. 90-91. For the details of this service, see Mackenzie, Life of Perry, vol. i., pp. 103–125. George Bancroft, History of the Battle of Lake Erie, in Oliver Dyer, Life and Writings of George Bancroft, pp. 129-131. || Mackenzie, Life of Perry, vol. i., pp. 127129; Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., p. 186; Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. i., pp. 492-494. § Lossing (War of 1812, pp. 511-513) says that these were the Niagara, Lawrence, Ariel, Porcupine, Tigress, and Scorpion. PERRY'S FLEET. been provided for their armament, not a musket or a bullet was to be had at Erie, and no regular garrison protected the harbor.* With characteristic energy, Perry organized the citizens of Erie into a guard, sent to Buffalo for soldiers and arms, and went to Pittsburg for the other necessary supplies.† By hard work three gunboats were launched early in May and the others on May 24. ‡ Meanwhile Lieutenant Jesse Duncan Elliott had purchased several merchantmen, and they, together with the prize brig, Caledonia, lay in a creek at Black Rock on the Niagara River; but, as the British batteries commanded the entrance to the creek, they could not be taken out. Soon after, however, Fort George was captured; and as the British fell back from the Niagara River, Elliott's ships were released. In spite of all obstacles, Commodore Perry had the fleet ready by August 2 and on the 12th sailed with nine vessels up the lake in search of the British.§ The American fleet consisted of the Lawrence (Lieutenant John J. Yarnall), Perry's own brig, carrying 2 long 12's and 18 short 32's; the Niagara (Captain Elliott) with the same armament; the Caledonia (Lieutenant (Lieutenant Daniel * Mackenzie, Life of Perry, vol. i., p. 131. Bancroft, Battle of Lake Erie, pp. 133-135. Lossing, War of 1812, p. 512; Mackenzie, Life of Perry, vol. i., pp. 135–136. These were the Caledonia, Somers, Tigress, Ohio, and Trippe (Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. i., p. 496; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 512). The Ohio had been sent down the lake on special duty (Cooper, p. 189; Lossing, p. 576). 393 Turner) 2 long 24's and 1 short 32; the Ariel (Lieutenant John H. Packett), 4 long 12's; the Scorpion (Sailing-Master Stephen Champlin), 1 long 32 and 1 short 24; and the Somers (Sailing-Master Thomas C. Almy) 1 long 24 and 1 short 32; and the Porcupine (Midshipman George Serrat), the Tigress (Lieutenant A. H. M. Conckling), and the Trippe (Lieutenant Thomas Holdup) of 1 long 32pounder each, making a total of 54 guns throwing a net weight of 1,428 pounds.* The fleet had a nominal crew of 532 men, though the actual crew numbered 490.† The British fleet was under command of Captain Robert H. Barclay. When Perry's squadron was on the lake, Barclay's only hope lay in completing a vessel named the Detroit, then on the stocks at Amherstburg. Made of green timber, as were the Lawrence and the Niagara, she was launched rough and unfinished and was armed with guns of every calibre taken from the ram *Roosevelt (Naval War of 1812, p. 260) gives the Scorpion 1 short 32 instead of 1 short 24, and the Trippe a long 24 instead of a 32. Roosevelt makes the broadside only 936 pounds and says that the Lawrence and Niagara each fought a long 12 instead of one of the carronades on the engaged side, reducing the broadside to 896 pounds, of which 288 were from the long guns. For other statistics, see Emmons, Statistical History of the United States Navy, p. 20. Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. i., pp. 500501; Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, p. 257; Adams, United States, vol. vii., p. 120; Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., p. 188; Mackenzie, Life of Perry, p. 203. Lossing gives the names of the commanders somewhat differently. He and others give the name of the Porcupine's commander as Senat or Senate, but Roosevelt has been followed in the text. |