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OFFICIAL LETTERS

OF THT

MILITARY AND NAVAL OFFICERS

OF THE

UNITED STATES,

DURING THE

War with Great Britain

IN THE YEARS 1812, 13, 14, & 15.

WITH SOME ADDITIONAL LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
ELUCIDATING THE HISTORY OF THAT PERIOD.

COLLECTED AND ARRANGED

BY JOHN BRANNAN.

Washington City:

PRINTED BY WAY & GIDEON, FOR THE EDITON.

1823.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, to wit:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the sixth day of January, L. S. in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the fortyseventh, JOHN BRANNAN, of the said District, hath deposited in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the District of Columbia, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor in the words following, to wit:

"Official Letters of the Military and Naval Officers of the United States during the War with Great Britain in the years 1812, 1813, 1814, and 1815, with some additional Letters and Documents, elucidating the history of that period, collected and arranged by JOHN BRANNAN."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned," and also to the act, entitled "An Act supplementary to an act, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the public seal of my office, the day and year aforesaid.

EDMUND I. LEE,

Clerk of the District Court for the District of Columbia.

THODES

HOUSE

29 JUN 1948

LIBRARY

PREFACE.

Ar the termination of the late war between the United States and Great Britain, it frequently occurred to the editor that it would be performing a useful service to his country, to collect and publish all the important official letters of the American officers, to preserve them to the rising and to future generations; having himself frequently regretted the impossibility of obtaining access to the letters of the officers of our revolution, with very few exceptions. He delayed the task from time to time, in conse quence of the great labour attending it; he has, at length, completed the work which is now presented to the patronage of the public.

A part of these letters were copied from, and many of the others compared with, the originals on file in the War and Navy Departments; those taken from the official public documents and the National Intelligencer, were found to be uniformly correct.

It was deemed proper to commence the work with the President's message and the report of the committee of foreign relations, showing the causes of the war; to embody in the work some historical documents; and conclude with the treaty of peace, forming in a measure, a documentary history from its commencement to its termination.

The young men of America now advanced, and advancing, to manhood, must be highly gratified in perusing this volume; they will there see their fathers, their brothers, and their friends, in their true colours, in the most trying times. The names of those valuable men who have shed their blood in defence of their country, in whatsoever station, ought to be inscribed on the roll of fame, held up to general imitation, and handed down to posterity for their admiration. The highest honours are due to those whose bravery repelled the savage and the civilized foe, both by sea and land; whose undaunted valour and heroism was never excelled in the proudest days of the ancient republics.

To the officers of the army and navy, (to whom it is most respectfully dedicated) it is presumed this volume will prove truly acceptable.

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