published just at the verge of Washington-city, and whose editor has the happy priviledge of remaining untainted amidst a corrupted atmosphere, contains the following account :-" The statement of the women of Hampton being violated by the British, turns out to be false. A correspondence upon that subject and the pillage said to have been committed there, has taken place between general Taylor and admiral Warren. Some plunder appears to have been committed, but it was confined to the French troops employed. Admiral Warren complains, on his part, of the Americans, having continued to fire upon the struggling crews of the barges, after they were sunk."*

It will be scarcely necessary to mention, that, so far from the above statement, or any thing at all resembling it, appearing in the American histories from which we occasionally extract,— the most violent paragraphs out of the most violent journals, have alone that high honor assigned to them. One author, the reverend doctor Smith, has, unfortunately,-heedless how he prostituted his superior talents,-dressed up these calumnies in far more elegant language than either of his contemporaries.

Almost immediately after the affair at Hampton, captain Smith, who commanded the two companies of Canadian chasseurs, waited upon * See p. 60.

the commander-in-chief, and informed him that, having remonstrated with his men for their behaviour at Hampton, they, one and all, declared, that they would show no quarter to any American whatever, in consequence of their comrades having been so basely fired at, when without arms, in the water, before the batteries at Craney Island. Upon captain Smith's expressing himself convinced that these foreigners would act up to their determination, sir John Warren ordered the two companies away from the American coast; and, although troops were subsequently much wanted in that quarter, the Canadian chasseurs, or Independent foreigners, were never again employed in the British service.

On the 11th of July, sir John Warren detached rear-admiral Cockburn, with the Sceptre 74, (into which ship he had now shifted his flag,) the Romulus, Fox, and Nemesis, all armée en flute, the Conflict gun-brig, and Highflyer and Cockchafer tenders; having on board the 103d regiment, of about 500 rank and file, and a small detachment of artillery, to Ocracoke harbor, situate on the North-Carolina coast; for the purpose of putting an end to the commerce carried on from that port, by means of inland navigation, and of destroying any vessels that might be found there. During the night of the

* Afterwards sent to the Canadas.

12th, the squadron arrived off Ocracoke bar; and, at two o'clock on the following morning, the troops were embarked in their boats; which, accompanied by the Conflict and tenders, pulled in three divisions, towards the shore. Owing to the great distance and heavy swell, the advanced division, commanded by lieutenant Westphall, first of the Sceptre, did not reach the shoal-point of the harbor, behind which two large armed vessels were seen at anchor, till considerably after day-light: consequently, the enemy was fully prepared for resistance, The instant the boats doubled the point, they were fired upon by the two vessels; but lieutenant Westphall, under cover of some rockets, pulled direcity for them; and, had just got to the brig's bows, when her crew cut the cables and abandoned her. The schooner's colours were hauled down by the enemy about the same time. The latter vessel proved to be the Atlas, letter of marque, of Philadelphia, mounting 10 guns, and measuring 240 tons: the former, the Anaconda, letter of marque, of New York, mounting 18 long 9-pounders, and measuring 387 tons.

In the course of the morning the troops were landed, and took possession of Ocracoke and the town of Portsmouth, without the slightest opposition. The inhabitants behaved with civility, and their property was, in consequence, not molested; although both Mr. Thompson

and Mr. O'Connor have stated differently. One says: "About 3000 men were landed at Portsmouth; where they destroyed the private property of the inhabitants, and treated the place with no more forbearance than they had shewn at Georgetown and Fredericktown."* Mr. O'Connor makes the attacking party amount to no more than "between 7 and 800;" declares that "the country was pillaged and laid waste by the enemy for several miles ;" and, having found out that some women died, and others were taken ill, in the neighbourhood, about the time of the attack, supposes that it all arose from "apprehensions of being treated like the unfortunate females at Hampton."tAfter remaining on shore for two days, rearadmiral Cockburn, with his troops and seamen, re-embarked; not, it would appear, because he had performed the service entrusted to him, but-on account of his "not feeling himself competent to the attack on Newburn, now that its citizens were preparing to receive him."* No sooner had the British departed, than the American militia flocked to the post; thus presenting us with a new system of military defence.

* Sketches of the War, p. 224. + History of the War, p. 178.

CHAPTER XIII.

Commencement of the campaign of 1814-Spirited capture, by militia, of a superior detachment of American regulars, on the Thames, U. C.—Unsuccessful assault upon an American log-redoubtContemplated re-capture of Fort-Niagara, and attack upon Kingston-Major-general Brown's mistake -His arrival at Buffaloe-General Wilkinson's plan of obstructing the RichelieuAmerican incursion into Lower Canada-Assemblage of general Wilkinson's army at Champlain

His advance to, and attack upon, La Colle mill- Intrepid behaviour of the garrisonRepulse of the Americans, and their departure from the province-American defensive preparations at Vergennes-British flotilla on Lake Champlain-Ineffectual attack upon an American battery at Otter Creek-Assault upon, and capture of Fort-Oswego-Public property found there American incursion into the village of Dover, at Long Point; and destruction of all the dwelling-houses and other buildings thereRemarks on that proceeding.

FROM the languid climate of the Chesapeake, we are again suddenly called to the bracing regions of the Canadas, against whose towns and