town. tion. From Captain Barrie to Rear Admiral H.M. sloop Sylph, off Bangor, in the accusations made against them as regarding on the south side of the Cove to reconnoitre their conduct at Havre de Grace and George- the ground, and obtain intelligence. Having gained the hills, we discovered the enemy's The despatch of Captain Barrie and the piquets advantageously posted near the higharticles of capitulation are all that are ne-way leading to Hampden, on the north side cessary to place the reader in full poasession of the cove. of every fact of importance connected with We immediately determined to land 150 Captain Parker's and Pilkinton's expedi- men, under Major Riddall, to drive in the piquets, and take up their ground. This object was obtained by 7 o'clock; and notwithstanding every difficulty, the whole of the troops were landed on the north side of the cove by ten o'clock; but it was found impossible to land the artillery at the same SIR,-Having received on board the ships place. The troops bivouacked on the ground named in the margin,* a detachment of 20 taken possession of by Major Riddall. It men of the royal artillery, with one 52-inch rained incessantly during the night. At howitzer, commanded by Lieutenant Gar- day-break this morning, the fog cleared away sten; a party of 80 marines, commanded by for about a quarter of an hour, which enabled Captain Carter, of the Dragon; the flank me to reconnoitre the enemy by water; and companies of the 29th, 62d, and 98th regi- I found a landing-place for the artillery about ments, under the command of Captains Gell two-thirds of a mile from Ball's-head. Off and Caker; Majors Riddell, Keith, and this place the troops halted till the artillery Croasdaile, and Captain Macpherson; also, were mounted; and by six the whole ada rifle company of the 7th battalion of the vanced towards Hampden. 60th regiment, commanded by Capt. Ward; and the whole under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel John, of the 60th regiment; I proceeded, agreeably to your order, with the agreeably to a previous arrangement with Colonel John, advanced in line with the utmost despatch, up the Penobscot. Light variable winds, a most intricate channel, of right flank of the army. The Peruvian, which we were perfectly ignorant, and thick Sylph, Dragon's tender, and Harmony foggy weather, prevented my arriving off transport, were kept a little in arrear in re Frankfort before 2 P.M. of the 2d inst. Here The boats under the immediate command of Lieutenant Pedler, the first of the Dragon, serve. Our information stated the enemy's force to send a message to the inhabitants; and at 1400 men, and he had chosen a most exhaving received their answer, we pushed on cellent position on a high hill. About a towards Hampden, where we received intel- quarter of a mile to the southward of the ligence that the enemy had strongly fortified Adams' frigate, he had mounted eight 18himself. On our way up, several troops were pounders. This fort was calculated to comobserved on the east side of the river, mak-mand both the highway, by which our troops ing for Brewer; these were driven into the had to advance, and the river. On a wharf woods, without any loss on our side, by a close to the Adams, he had mounted fifteen party under the orders of Major Croasdaile, 18-pounders, which completely commanded and the guns from the boats. The enemy had one killed and several wounded. At 5 P.M. of the 2d inst., we arrived off Ball's-head Cove, distant three miles from Hampden. Colonel John and myself landed the river, which at this place, is not above three cables' lengths wide, and the land on each side is high and well wooded. A rocket-boat, under my immediate direction, but manoeuvred by Mr. Ginton, gunner, and Mr. Small, midshipman, of the H.M.S. Peruvian and Sylph, Dragon ten-Dragon, was advanced about a quarter of a mile a-head of the line of boats. der, and the Harmony transport. So soon as the boats got within gun-shot, The officer and men bore the privations, inthe enemy opened his fire upon them from separable from our confined means of accomthe hill and wharf, which was warmly re-modation, with a cheerfulness that entitles turned. Our rockets were generally well- them to my warmest thanks. directed, and evidentally threw the enemy into confusion. Meantime, our troops stormed the hill with the utmost gallantry. Before the boats got within good grape-shot distance of the wharf-battery, the enemy set fire to the Adams, and he ran from his guns the moment our troops carried the hill. Though the enemy abandoned his batteries before the ships could be brought to act against them, yet I am not less obliged to captains Kippen and Dickens, of the Peruvian and Sylph; acting-lieutenant Pearson, who commanded the Dragon's tender; lieutenant Woodin, of the Dragon; and Mr. Barnett, I joined the army about ten minutes after master of the Harmony; their zeal and inthis event. Colonel John and myself im- defatigable exertions in bringing up their mediately determined to leave a sufficient vessels, through the most intricate naviga force in possession of the hill, and to pur- tion, were eminently conspicuous. Colonel sue the enemy, who was then in sight on the John speaks highly in praise of Captain Bangor road, flying at full speed. The boats Carter, and the detachment of royal marines and ships pushed up the river, preserving under his orders; and also of the seamen their original position with the army. The attached to the artillery, under the command enemy was too nimble for us, and most of of lieutenants Simmonds. Motley, L. State them escaped into the woods on our left. and Mr. Sparling, master of the Bulwark. I have, on other occassions of service, found it a pleasing part of my duty to commend the services of lieutenant Pedler, first On approching Bangor, the inhabitants, who had opposed us at Hampden, threw off their military character; and, as magistrates, select men, &c. made an unconditional of the Dragon; in this instance, he com surrender of the town. Here, the pursuit manded the boat part of the expedition most stopped. About two hours afterwards, brig-fully to my satisfaction; he was ably secondadier-general Blake came into the town to ed by by lieutenants Perceval, of the Tenedeliver himself as a prisoner; the general, dos, and Ormond, of the Endymion; and Mr. Ansel, master's mate of the Dragon; and other prisoners, amounting to 191, were admitted to their parole. this last gentleman has passed his examination nearly five years, and is an active officer Enclosed, I have the honor to forward you well worthy of your patronage; but, in parlists of the vessels we have captured or de- ticularising him, I do not mean to detract stroyed, and other necessary reports. I am from the other petty-officers and seamen happy to inform you, our loss consists only employed in the boats; for they all most of one seaman, belonging to the Dragon, zealously performed their duty, and are killed; captain Gell, of the 29th, and seven equally entitled to my warmest acknowledgeprivates wounded; one rank and file miss-ments. I am also most particularly indebted ing. to the active and zealous exertions of lieuten absolute loss. From different stragglers I I cannot close my report, without express-ant Carnegie, who was a volunteer on this ing my highest admiration of the very occasion. gallant conduct of Colonel John, and the I can form no estimate of the enemy's officers and soldiers under his command; for, exclusive of the battery before-mentioned, they had difficulties to contend with on their left, which did not fall under my observation, as the enemy's field-pieces in that direction were masked. The utmost cordiality existed between the two services; and I shall ever feel obliged to colonel John for his ready cooperation in every thing that was proposed. Capt. of H.M.S. Dragon. ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION. Article I. The officers and troops of the United States, at present on Moose island, Without adducing one iota of proof, Inare to surrender themselves prisoners of war, gersol makes this bold assertion, and, unand are to deliver up the forts, buildings, supported by evidence, he bases the whole of arms, ammunition, stores, and effects, with his reasoning on a fact so injurious to the exact iuventories thereof, belonging to the character of the British nation. Fortunately, American government; and they are thereby however, we have evidence, that the Ameritransferred to his Britannic majesty, in the cans had been warned of this descent being same manner and possession, as has been intended so far back as the 26th of June, held heretofore by the American government. and we know from Armstrong that even at that date preparations for the defence of the capital of the nation were commenced. That these preparations were not more complete and formidable, appears incomprehensible. Art. II. The garrison of the island shall be prisoners of war, until regularly exchanged; they will march out of the fort with the honors of war, and pile their arms at such place as will be appointed for that purpose; the officers will be permitted to proceed to the United States on their parole. Jomini in his "summary of the art of war" when dwelling on this subject says "The English performed an enterprise which may be ranged amongst the most extraordinary: that against the capital of the United States The next event of importance, in order of of America. To the great astonishment of date, was the descent the world, a handful of seven or eight thouWashington, an sand English were seen to descend in the affair, which, although midst of a state of ten millions of souls, penestrictly a retaliation for excessive and mani- trate a considerable distance, besiege the capifold atrocities, was made the pretext for the tal, and destroy the public establishments utterance of the vilest slander by the Feder- there; results which history may be searched alists, against not only the British army, but in vain for another example of." Capture of Washington, and destruction of Public on Buildings. the entire nation. We trust, however, to bring forward such evidence, as to the conduct of It will be well to remark that Jomini in the British in this affair, as will satisfy the his comments dwells not on the infraction of impartial reader, both as to the falsehoods the recognized principles of civilized warput forth by part of the American press, and fare, but upon the incomprehensible state in the absurdities uttered in the British House which the Americans must have been to of Commons, and which carried, until dis- permit a handful of men to commit such deproved, considerable weight with a large vastation in the presence of so vastly superior portion of the people. a force. Nor was this all; American writers have Before entering on the expedition, it will not scrupled to declare that peace was in- be as well to get rid of one charge that definitely postponed "in order that the was made by many American journals British Government might by its military against the commanding officers of the fleet then lying on the Chesapeake, but no proof and naval instruments, deliberately commit so atrocious a violation of civilized warfare." of which has ever been attempted. Says Ingersol, "The unknown caitiff who During the whole period that the English attempted to assassinate General Ross is fleet were on the waters of the Chesapeake, much less detestable and unpardonable than the officers, who were sent on shore to prothe member of the Government, Ministry, cure provisions and water, were constantly Monarch, Regent, or whoever the miscreant beset by crowds of fugitive slaves, who immay be, guilty of the infinitely greater out-plored to be rescued from a state of bondage. rage of postponing peace for several months, These appeals, were too piteous, always to be after the causes of war had ceased, in order disregarded, and the consequence was that to devastate the public edifices of an enemy's hundreds of them were taken on board the capital." British vessels, from whence they were mostly transported to Halifax, a few being other form. It was submitted to the landed at Jamaica. This circumstance it House of Representatives, by Mr. Fish of was that afforded an excuse for the assertion Vermont, and resolved, "That the committee of the American Government, that "the on public lands be instructed to enquire into British, after receiving the negroes, shipped the expediency of giving to each deserter the wretches to the West Indies, where they from the British army, during the present were sold as slaves, for the benefit of British war, one hundred acres of the public lands, officers." such deserter actually settling the same. One of their organs the "Norfolk Herald" After this specimen of national honor, and even announced that “To take cattle or other considering what slavery was then in the stock, would be consistent with the usages of United States, the position taken by the civilized warfare; but to take negroes, who American press, appears the more extraordiare human beings; to tear them for ever nary. The assertion that slaves were dragged from their kindred and connexions is what away by force with the greatest cruelty is we should never expect from a Christian simply absurd; it was with the greatest diffination, especially one that has done so much culty that the British commander could victo abolish the slave trade. There are negroes tual his fleet, lying as it did on an enemy's in Virginia, and, we believe, in all the shore, and it was not very probable that he Southern States, who have their interests and would suffer his difficulties in that respect to affections as strongly engrafted in their be increased by the addition of loads of nehearts, as the whites, and who feel the sacred groes, whom, to make profit on it, it would be ties of filial, parental, and conjugal affection, necessary to feed and keep in good condition. equally strong, and who are warmly attached The only marvel is that the British Comto their owners and the scenes of their mander should have allowed his feelings of nativity." humanity to overstep the strict line of duty, inasmuch as by rescuing those unhappy James very correctly notices this as one of victims from slavery he was seriously inconthe most inadvertent but happiest pieces of veniencing the crews of the vessels under satire extant; and so it must appear to all. his command, and so crowding his ships as Even at the present time, no later than two to render them almost unfit for going into days back, a New Orleans journal, the action. To return, however, to the expedition. "Creole" contained an advertisement offering The President of the United States, in formed officially since Preparations made by U. States Government. the 26th of June, of the to purchase slaves from any quarter, and it is impossible to take up a Southern paper without the eye being offended and the senses disgusted with the accounts of slave sales- approaching storm, lost no time in deterthe attractions of a young quadroon being mining to prepare; accordingly the heads of dwelt on and puffed with as much minute- departments and the Attorney General, were ness as the points of a horse. The revela- convened on the 1st July, and it was then tions of the horrors of American slavery are decided, first, "that ten or twelve thousand so patent, and have excited such universal draughts from the militia of Pennsylvania, horror, that it is almost unnecessary to dwell Maryland, and Virginia, should held in on the unparalleled impudence which could reserve in their respective States, ready to assert that the slaves were warmly attached march at a moment's warning. to their masters-slave owners selling their Secondly. That not less than two, nor children, and the mother of their children: more than three thousand of the afore-menbut the bare thought of these things is tioned draughts, should be assembled for imsickening, yet the very journals containing mediate service, at some central point between these advertisements were the foremost to the Potomac and Baltimore. accuse the British of having violated "the dictates of christianity and civilization.” Thirdly. That the militia of the District of Columbia, (we omit detail) making an ag The question, too, may be put in an-gregate of three thousand combatants, should constitute a corps at all times disposable, from Virginia, making an aggregate (the under the direction of the commanding regular infantry, cavalry, marines, floGeneral." tilla men, and district militia included) of sixteen thousand six hundred men." When we run over these great preparations That these resolutions were not mere words, we have General Armstrong's testimony, who says: "Nor will it appear from Jomini's surprise, that a handful of men the report made by the Congressional Com- should have been permitted to execute what mittee of Inquiry, that any time was lost in they did, is natural, and after the admissions made by Armstrong as to their force, it is giving effect to these measures, so far as their execution depended on the War De- perfectly absurd in American writers to partment. "On the 2nd July," says the pretend that, at Bladensburg, they were conquered by superior members, or that the Report, "the tenth military district was descents on Alexandria and Washington constituted, and the command given to were not made, literally as Jomini expresses General Winder. On the 4th, a requisition on the States for ninety-three thousand five it, by a handful of men, in the face of a body outnumbering them three-fold. Many of these reports have been drawn from Winder's despatches, but it was only to be expected that a General in Winder's position would attempt to represent matters in the most favorable light. hundred men was issued. On the 14th, the Governors of Pennsylvania and Virginia, acknowledged the receipt of the requisition, and promised promptitude. On the 10th, the Governor of Maryland was served with a copy of the requisition, and took measures to comply with it. On the 12th, General The two despatches which follow will give Winder was authorised, in case of either the reader a clear insight into all the plans menaced or actual invasion, to call into ser- and details of the expedition, and General vice the whole of the Maryland quota (six Winder's despatch, which will be found in a thousand men), and on the 18th, five thou- note* will furnish a very good instance of the sand from Pennsylvania and two thousand truth of an American bulletin. From Brigadier-General Winder to the Secretary at War. on the ground when the enemy were in sight, and were disposed to support, in the best SIR, Baltimore, Aug. 27, 1814. manner, the position which General Stansbury When the enemy arrived at the mouth of the had taken. They had barely reached the Potomac, of all the militia which I had been ground before the action commenced, which was authorized to assemble, there were but about about one o'clock P. M. of the 24th instant, 1700 in the field, 13 to 1400 under General and continued about an hour. The contest was Stransbury near this place, and 250 at Bla- not as obstinately maintained as could have densburg, under lieutenant-colonel Kramer; the been desired, but was, by parts of the troops, slow progress of draft, and the imperfect orga- sustained with great spirit and with prodigious nization, with the ineffectiveness of the laws to effect; and had the whole of our force been compel them to turn out, rendered it impos- equally firm, I am induced to believe that the sible to have procured more. enemy would have been rapulsed, notwithstandThe militia of this state and of the contiguous ing all the disadvantages under which we parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania were called fought. The artillery from Baltimore supported out en masse, but the former militia law of Penn- by major Pinkney's rifle battalion, and a part sylvania bad expired the 1st of June, or July, of captain Doughty's from the navy-yard, were and the one adopted in its place is not to take in advance to command the pass of the bridge effect in organizing the militia before October. at Bladensburg, and played upon the enemy, as No aid, therefore, had been received from that I have since learned, with very destructive effect. But the rifle troops were obliged, after state. After all the force that could be put at my some time, to retire, and of course the artillery. disposal in that short time, and making such Superior numbers, however, rushed upon them. dispositions as I deemed best calculated to pre- and made their retreat necassary, not, however, sent the most respectable force at whatever without great loss on the part of the enemy. point the enemy might strike, I was enabled (by the most active and harrassing movement of the troops) to interpose before the enemy at Bladensburg, about 5000 men, including 350 regulars and commodore Barney's command. Much the largest portion of this force arrived Major Pinkney received a severe wound in his right arm after he had retired to the left flank of Stansbury's brigade. The right and centre of Stansbury's brigade, consisting of lieutenantcolonel Ragan's and Shulers regiments, generally, gave way very soon afterwards, with the |