historian can, by his powers of distortion, convert every event he records to the national advantage. The check which the expedition experienced, when the Diadem's launch and two or three of the foremost boats struck the ground, is represented as "a momentary pause" caused by the "galling fire from the battery ;' and to prove, decidedly, the existence of no other obstacle to the landing of the British, than "this gallant resistance by the naval division on the island," Mr. Thomson follows up his "momentary pause" with,-" Every attempt to approach the shore having heretofore failed, the enemy determined on returning to his shipping with as little delay as possible."* Not one of the other historians mentions a word about the British boats having grounded: all was effected by the invincible American seamen and marines." We have seen already, and shall see again, as we proceed, that the American editors, in their histories, and the American commanders, in their official letters, can, when the occasion serves, magnify a difficulty, be it ever so slight, into one which no bravery can surmount.

The policy of attacking Craney Island, as a means of getting at Norfolk, has been much questioned; but there can be only one opinion, surely, about the wisdom of sending boats, in broad day-light, to feel their way to the shore, Sketches of the War, p. 215. + App. No. 12.

over shoals and mud-banks; and that in the very teeth of a formidable battery. Unlike most other nations, the Americans in particular, the British, when engaged in expeditions of this nature, always rest their hopes of success upon valor rather than numbers. But still, had the veil of darkness been allowed to screen the boats from view, and an hour of the night chosen, when the tide had covered the shoals with deep water, the same little party might have carried the batteries; and a defeat, as disgraceful to those that caused, as honorable to those that suffered in it, been converted into a victory. As it was, the affair of Craney Island, dressed up to advantage in the American official account, and properly commented upon by the government-editors, was hailed throughout the union as a glorious triumph, fit for Ameri cans to achieve.

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On the night of the 25th of June, the effective men of the 102d regiment, Canadian chasseurs, and battalion-marines; also, three companies of ship's marines, the whole amounting to about 2000 men, commanded by major-general Beckwith, embarked in a division of boats, placed under the orders of rear-admiral Cockburn, and covered by the Mohawk sloop, and the launches of the squadron. About half an hour before day-light on the 26th, the advance, consisting of about 650 men, along

with two 6-pounders, under lieutenant-colonel Napier, landed two miles to the westward of Hampton, a town. town about 18 miles from Norfolk, and separated from it by Hamptonroads. Shortly afterwards, the main body, consisting of the royal marine-battalions under lieutenant-colonel Williams, landed; and the whole moved forward.

A full detail of the little skirmishes that ensued with, certainly, a very inferior body of militia, will be found in Admiral Warren's and sir Sydney Beckwith's despatches.* As might be expected, the town, and its seven pieces of cannon, fell into our hands, after a trifling loss of five killed, 33 wounded, and 10 missing;* or, according to Mr. Thomson, of "90 killed and 120 wounded." The Americans admit a loss of seven killed, 12 wounded, 11 missing, and one prisoner; total 31.†

Our force, on this occasion, has been, by the American editors, more fairly stated than usual; but they have contrived to make it up, by proportionably diminishing their own. Mr. Thomson tells us that, early in June, from "the suspicious movements and menacing attitudes" of the British squadron lying in Hampton-roads, "the citizens of all the surrounding towns became apprehensive of an attack;" that * App. Nos. 14 and 15.1

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+ Sketches of the War, p. 240.

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"at Norfolk the militia force very soon consisted of 10000 men;" but that "at Hampton, a force of not more than 450 had yet been organized." After the British squadron had practised, during three weeks, suspicious movements and menacing attitudes," in the very front of Hampton, within 18 miles of which, "10000 men" had already been collected, Mr. Thomson gravely enumerates the force that resisted the British, when they attacked and carried the town of Hampton, at " 438 men ;"* a smaller number even, than, at the very commencement of these "suspicious movements and menacing attitudes," he admits, had then been organized. Upon the whole, therefore, we shall incur no risk of over-rating the American force at Hampton, by fixing it at 1000 men.

A subject next presents itself for investigation, upon which it is painful to proceed. As soon as the Americans were defeated, and driven from Hampton, the British troops, or rather, "the foreign renegadoes," (for they were the principals), forming part of the advanced force, commenced perpetrating upon the defenceless inhabitants acts of rapine and violence, which unpitying custom has, in some degree, rendered inseparable from places that have been carried by storm; but which are as revolting to human nature, as they are disgraceful to the flag

* Sketches of the War, p. 218.

that would sanction them. The instant these circumstances of atrocity reached the ears of the British commanding officer, orders were given to search for, and bring in, all the Canadian chasseurs distributed through the town; and, when so brought in, a guard was set over them. The officers could do no more: they could not be at every man's elbow, as he roamed through the conntry in search of plunder;—and plunder the soldier claims as a right, and will have, when the enemy has compelled him to force his way at the point of the bayonet.

No event of the war was so greeted by the government-editors, as the affair at Hampton. All the hireling pens in the United States were put in requisition, till tale followed tale, each out-doing the last in horror. The language of the brothel was exhausted, and that of Billingsgate surpassed, to invent sufferings for the American women, and terms of reproach for their British ravishers. Instances were not only magnified, but multiplied, tenfold; till the whole republic rang with peals of execration against the British character and nation. A few of the boldest of the anti-government party stood up to undeceive the public, but the voice of reason was drowned in the general clamour ; and it became as dangerous, as it was useless, to attempt to gain a hearing. The "George-town Federal Republican," of July 7, a newspaper