the British. The marines instantly landed to the left; which was a signal to the Americans to withdraw from their battery. Lieutenant G. A. Westphall, having, in the mean time, stationed his rocket-boat close to the battery, now landed with his boat's crew, turned the guns upon the American militia, and drove them to the extremity of the town. The inhabitants still keeping up a fire from behind the houses, walls, and trees, lieutenant Westphall, by the admiral's orders, held out a flag of truce, and called upon them to desist. Instead of so doing, these "unoffending citizens" fired at the British lieutenant, and actually shot him through the very hand that was bearing the flag of truce. After this, who could wonder if the British seamen and marines turned to the right and left, and demolished every thing in their way?The townspeople themselves had constructed the battery; and yet not a house in which an inhabitant remained was injured. Several of the inhabitants, principally women, who had fled at first, came again into the town, and got back such articles as had been taken. Some of the women actually proceeded to the -boats; and, upon identifying their property, had it restored to them. Many of the inhabitants who had remained peaceably in their houses, as a proof that they were well informed of the principle upon which Sir George Cockburn acted, frequently exclaimed to him: "Ah, sir, I told them what would be the consequence of their conduct. It is a great pity so many should suffer for a head-strong few. Those who were the most determined to fire upon you the other day, saying it was impossible you could take the place, were now the first to run away." Several of the houses that were not burnt did, in truth, belong to the chief agents in those violent measures that caused such severity on our part; and the very towns-people themselves pointed out the houses. Lieutenant Westphall, with his remaining hand, pursued and took prisoner an American captain of militia ; and others of the party brought in an ensign and several privates, including an old Irishman, named O'Neill. After embarking the six guns from the battery, and taking or destroying about 130 stands of small-arms, the British departed from Havre de Grace. One division of boats, headed by the rearadmiral, then proceeded to the northward, in search of a cannon-foundry, of which some of the inhabitants of Havre de Grace had given information. This was found, and instantly destroyed; together with five long 24-pounders, stationed in a battery for its protection; 28 long 32-pounders, ready for sending away; and eight long guns, and four carronades, in the boring-house and foundry. Another division of boats was sent up the Susquehanna; and returned, after destroying five vessels and a large store of flour. No event of the war has been more grossly exaggerated than the proceedings of the British at Havre de Grace. Happily, so much inconsistency and contradiction prevail in the American accounts, that we shall have no great difficulty in exposing the authors to the merited indignation of the disinterested reader. One editor says:" From Frenchtown they (the British) proceeded down the Elk, ascended the river Susquehanna, and attacked, plundered, and burnt the neat and flourishing, but unprotected village of Havre de Grace; for which outrage no provocation had been given, nor could excuse be assigned."* Another says:"In expectation of an attack from the enemy, the people of Havre de Grace had made preparations for the defence of the place; and a battery had been erected, of two 6-pounders, and one nine." Six long 12 and 6-pounders, the reader will recollect, were taken by us from that very battery. The same editor admits, that a fire was kept up from the battery till the British commenced their debarkation; "when all," says he, "except O'Neill, an old citizen of Havre de Grace, abandoned their posts; and, Hist. of the U. S. Vol. III. p. 283. + Sketches of the War, p. 209. following the militia, who had fled with shameful precipitation, left the women and children of the place to the mercy of the invaders."* A third editor says:-" A small party of militia were stationed at Havre de Grace; who, on the approach of the enemy, made a slight resistance, and then retreated. An Irishman," (this is more intelligible than Mr. Thompson's designation,) named O'Neill, with a courage amounting to rashness, and an enthusiasm not confined by cold loyalty, opposed his single arm to the British host, and was taken prisoner and carried on board the fleet, but afterwards released."† Another American account says:-"The inhabitants of Havre de Grace had, for three weeks previous to this period, been making preparations for defence; and several companies of militia were called in to their aid."-" The militia, amounting to about 250, were kept to their arms all night; patroles were stationed in every place where they could possibly be of any service; the volunteers at the battery were at their guns, and a general determination seemed to prevail of giving the enemy a warm reception."+ What, then, becomes of doctor Smith's assertion, that Havre de Grace was "unprotected;" or that "no excuse could be * Sketches of the War, p. 209. + Hist. of the War, p. 170. North American Review, Vol. V. p. 160. assigned" for attacking it? Perhaps this gentleman grounded his statement upon Mr. Munro's official communication to sir Alexander Cochrane; wherein, as a matter of state-convenience, and in the very teeth of the British official account, announcing the capture of six pieces of cannon, and 130 stands of arms, the American secretary chose to describe the inhabitants of Havre de Grace as. ❝ unarmed." In the same spirit of rancor, doctor Smith declares, that "the whole of this little town, house after house, was consigned to the flames."* Mr. Thomson is not explicit upon this point; but Mr. O'Connor expressly says:-"Twentyfour of the best houses in the town were burned;" and the Boston reviewer says:-" It has been said, in a respectable history of the times," (can this mean doctor Smith's work?) "that one house only escaped the flames; but this is a mistake. Havre de Grace consisted of about 60 houses, and of these not more than 40 were burnt."‡ As, according to the same account, several of the houses were, when the British landed, "already in flames," from the "tremendous discharge of balls, rockets, and shells," we may consider Mr. O'Connor's estimate as alluding exclusively to those destroyed by the British while on shore. It is not a little extra * Hist. of the United States, Vol. III. p. 283. + Hist. of the War, p. 170. N. Amer. Rev. Vol. V. p. 160. |