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sent to take possession of the Confiance, which, with every mast in splinters, with Downie and half the crew dead and wounded, and with 105 shot holes in her hull, lay a wreck on the water. Those of the galleys which had not been sunk began to move slowly away with the aid of the few sweeps left them; and, as it was impossible to follow, they escaped with every ensign down.t

The battle had lasted from 8.15 tò 10.45. MacDonough reported his loss as 52 killed and 58 wounded. The British reported 57 killed and 92 wounded, though the actual loss was probably much larger. The Saratoga alone lost 28 killed and 29 wounded out of a crew of 240.|| This fight was undoubtedly the greatest naval battle of the war, and the victory stamped MacDonough as the ablest sea captain in the country. §

*American State Papers, Naval Affairs, vol. i., p. 310.

Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, pp. 396-397; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 870. Writing to the Secretary of War September 13, MacDonough says: "I could only look at the enemy's galleys going off in a shattered condition, for there was not a mast in either squadron that could stand to make sail on; the lower rigging being nearly all shot away, hung down as though it had just been placed over the mast-heads." - American State Papers, Naval Affairs, vol. i., p. 310.

American State Papers, Naval Affairs, vol. i., p. 311.

Maclay (History of the Navy, vol. ii., pp. 3738) places the British loss at 84 killed, 110 wounded, and 367 prisoners. See also the note regarding losses in Roosevelt, p. 397.

§ Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 108-110; Mahan, War of 1812, vol. ii., p. 357 et seq.; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 66-68; Jaines, Naval Actions, rp. 47-51; J. H. Ward, Manual of Naval Tactics, p. 107; Putnam's Magazine (January, 1869);

There had been little fighting on the land in the meantime. Prevost's batteries poured forth shells and rockets all the while, and three serious attempts were made to cross the Saranac River and to crush the Americans by assault, but all resulted in failure.* On the 12th Prevost determined to raise the siege, since, having lost control of Lake Champlain, the possession of the American works on land could no longer serve the British.† Under cover of night, he sent off all the baggage and artillery for which he could obtain means of transportation and precipitately fled, leaving only his sick and wounded behind. Early next morning the Americans started in pursuit, but did not follow further than 12 or 14 miles from Plattsburg.|| The Americans captured a large quantity of provisions and what ammunition and implements of war Prevost had abandoned. Subsequently other valuable stores were discovered.

Meanwhile Izard, after covering 280 miles in 20 days, reached Fort Erie. §

Palmer, Lake Champlain, pp. 219-230; Barnes, Naval Actions of the War of 1812, pp. 209-216; Hill, Twenty-Six Historic Ships, pp. 256-261; Clark, Short History of the Navy, pp. 189-198; Brown, Naval Monument, pp. 145-157; Spears, History of Our Navy, vol. iii., pp. 132-185; Frost, Book of the Navy, chap. xvii.

Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 110-111. † James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., p. 461; Niles' Weekly Register, vol. vii., pp. 44-60; G. H. Richard, Memoir of Alexander Macomb; Bradley, The Making of Canada, pp. 370-371.

Brackenridge, History of the Late War, pp. 278-279.

Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 874-875.

§ Armstrong, Notices of the War of 1812, vol. ii., p. 104.

On arriving at Sackett's Harbor on September 17, he found a letter from Brown asking help at Fort Erie. Izard made the necessary preparations, but violent storms and contrary winds prevented the embarkation of the troops on Chauncey's fleet until September 21, when Drummond was in full retreat from Fort Erie. At the Genesee River the men were landed and, marching inland, reached Batavia on September 27, where Izard met Brown by appointment. There Izard learned for the first time of Drummond's retreat to Chippewa. He had before him the opportunity of a lifetime to show his ability in the field. Drummond's army, disheartened by defeat and reduced by sickness, numbered only about 2,500 men. Izard's command numbered 5,500 regular troops and 800 militia. He had plenty of time to destroy Drummond's force before winter set in and to reap the laurels of Brown's hard work and desperate fighting. Brown was eager for the attack and for a time Izard seemed disposed to make the attempt.* Meanwhile, supposing his work to be over for the year, Chauncey retired to Sackett's Harbor and began to throw up batteries to defend his ships. Now that Chauncey was no longer on the lake, Izard lost altogether the little confidence he had previously had in the success of the enterprise. He made a decision which ruined his military reputation forever and destroyed his usefulness to the

Armstrong, Notices, vol. i., p. 107.

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service. On the 21st, finding that Drummond still continued within his works, that the weather was becoming severe and that the officers and men were beginning to suffer from continued fatigue and exposure, Izard broke up his encampment and marched to a place just opposite Black Rock. There the army rapidly

fell to pieces. Brown was sent with some of the troops to Sackett's Harbor, where the next fighting was expected. Some of the troops retired to winter quarters at Buffalo, and on November 5, after the flag had been hauled down at Fort Erie, the works were blown up and the British were once again in control of the Canadian side of the Niagara frontier.* Thus relieved from fear of attack, Drummond hurried his troops aboard ship, reached Kingston on November 10 and began to aid Sir George Prevost in preparing for an attack on Sackett's Harbor. Shortly after Prevost was recalled to England and a new commander-in-chief, Sir George Murray, was sent to direct the next campaign. By this time 27,000 regulars (including officers) were in Canada. A 74-gun ship and a new frigate had been launched at Kingston, and it could not be doubted that with the return of the spring Sackett's Harbor would be besieged. Izard, however, remained at Buffalo, entirely inactive.t

442

Dismissal of Jack

Though military movements in the southern department had attracted little attention, they were still important. On October 12, 1812, Secretary Eustis directed Governor William Blount, of Tennessee, to mobilize 1,500 troops for the defence of the "lower country."* This force was not intended for defence, but for conquest, and was to support the seizure of Mobile, Pensacola, and St. Augustine by the regular troops.

The people of the Mississippi Valley were yearning for such a campaign and when Governor Blount authorized Jackson as major-general of the State militia to call for 2,000 volunteers for this purpose, almost every man in the State responded. The call was issued on November 14 and of those who volunteered 2,070 were accepted.‡ These were gathered at Lossing, War of 1812, p. 742. Jackson's address is in Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. i., pp. 366-367.

*

Buell (History of Andrew Jackson, vol. i., p. 259) gives the number reporting for duty as 2,486.

Nashville on December 10. On January 7, 1813, the infantry under Jackson embarked in boats to descend the river,* while the mounted men under John Coffee rode through the Indian country to Natchez. † As described by Jackson, these men were "the choicest of our citizens. They go at our country's call to do the will of government. No constitutional scruples trouble them. Nay, they will rejoice at the opportunity of placing the American eagle on the ramparts of Mobile, Pensacola, and Fort St. Augustine." For more than a month the infantry journeyed by boat down the Cumberland, the Ohio, and the Mississippi, and reached Natchez on February 15, where, at the

* Frost, Life of Andrew Jackson, p. 101. Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 742-743. According to Buell (History of Andrew Jackson, vol. i., p. 261), the total effective force present for duty was 2,588 men, Thomas Hart Benton commanded one of the regiments.

Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., p. 372. See also Bruce, The Romance of American Expansion, p. 61; Fuller, The Purchase of Florida, p. 201.