1. American privateers. British frigate and sloop of superior force. The nume- 1813. rous privateers, which, during this year, as well as the former, visited all parts of the world, and seriously annoyed the British shipping, in general sustained the high character which the American flag had already gained for daring and intrepidity, and generous treatment of the vanquished. the seacoast. 6. Meanwhile, on the sea-coast, a disgraceful war of 2 The war on havoc and destruction was carried on by large detachments from the British navy. Most of the shipping in Delaware Bay was destroyed. Early in the season, a British squadron entered the Chesapeake, and plundered and burned several villages. At Hampton,* the inhabitants were subjected to the grossest outrages from the brutal soldiery. The blockade of the northern ports fell into the hands of Commodore Hardy, a brave and honorable officer, whose conduct is pleasingly contrasted with that of the commander of the squadron in the Chesapeake. SECTION IV. PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF 1814. Subject of Section IV. DIVISIONS.-I. Events on the Niagara Frontier.-11. Events in the Its Divisions. I. EVENTS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER.-1. A few events of Indian warfare, which occurred in the early part of this year, have already been narrated in the previous section. 'Early in the season, 2000 men, under General Brown, were detached from the army of General Wilkinson, and marched to Sackett's Harbor, but were soon after ordered to the Niagara frontier, in contemplation of another invasion of Canada. 2. 'Early on the morning of the third of July, Generals Scott and Ripley, at the head of about 3000 men, crossed the Niagara River, and surprised and took possession of Fort Eriet without opposition. On the following day, General Brown advanced with the main body of his forces to Chippeway; where the enemy, under General Riall, were intrenched in a strong position. On the a 1814. 3 Events of Indian warfare. See p. 457. of General 4. Movements 5. Brown July 3. Events that occurred on the 3d, 4th, and 5th of July. * Hampton, in Virginia, is situated north of James River, near its mouth, and on the W side of Hampton River, about a mile from its entrance into Hampton Roads. (Map, p. 136.) Fort Erie is on the Canada side of Niagara River, nearly opposite Black Rock. (See Map p. 451.) Chippeway Village is on the W. bank of Niagara River, at the mouth of Chippeway Creek, two miles S. from the falls, and sixteen miles N. from Fort Erie. The battle of July 5th was fought in the plain on the S. side of the creek. (See Map, next page; also Map, p. 451.) July 5. ANALYSIS. morning of the 5th, General Riall appeared before the American camp, and the two armies met in the open field; but after a severe battle, the enemy withdrew to their intrenchments, with a loss in killed, wounded, and missing, of about 500 men. The total American loss was 338. 1. Subsequent events that dy's Lane. 3. 'General Riall, after his defeat, fell back upon preceded the Queenstown, and thence to Burlington Heights,* where battle of he was strongly reenforced by General Drummond, who assumed the command. The Americans advanced and encamped near the Falls of Niagara.† About sunset on the evening of the 25th, the enemy again made their appearance, and the two armies engaged at Lundy's Lane,t within a short distance of the Falls, where was fought the most obstinate battle that occurred during the war. July 25. 2. The early part of the action. 3. Taking of the British battery. 4. "General Scott, leading the advance, first engaged the enemy, and contended for an hour against a force greatly his superior; when both parties were reenforced by the main bodies of the two armies, and the battle was renewed with increased fury. Major Jessup, in the mean time, had fallen upon the flank and rear of the enemy; and, in the darkness, General Riall and his suite were made prisoners. As the British artillery, placed on an eminence, sorely annoyed the Americans in every part of the field, it became evident that the victory depended upon carrying the battery. 5. Colonel Miller was asked if he could storm the battery. "I can try, sir," was the laconic answer. Placing himself at the head of his regiment, he advanced steadily up the ascent, while every discharge of the enemy's cannon and musketry rapidly thinned his ranks. But nothing conld restrain the impetuosity of his men, who, in a desperate charge, gained possession of the bat tery; and the American line was immediately formed 4. Farther ac upon the ground previously occupied by the enemy. count of the battle, and of 6. "The atttention of both armies was now directed to each side. this position; and three desperate and sanguinary efforts were made by the whole British force to regain it, but without success. In the third at the losses on Burlington Heights lie W. and S. of Burlington Bay. (See Note, p. 458.) †The Falls of Niagara, between Lakes Erie and Ontario, are probably the greatest natural curiosity in the world. The mighty volume of water which forms the outlet of Lakes Superior, Mich15.igan, Huron, and Erie, is here precipitated over a precipice of 160 feet high, with a roar like that of thunder, which may be heard, at times, to the distance of fifteen or twenty miles. The Falls are about twenty miles N. from Lake Erie, and fourteen S. from Lake Ontario. (See Map; also Map, p. 451.) Lundy's Lane, then an obscure road, is about half a mile N.W. from the Falls. (See Map.) 1. Change of events on the tempt General Drummond was wounded, when his forces, 1814. beaten back with a heavy loss, were withdrawn; and the Americans were left in quiet possession of the field. The British force engaged in this action was about 5000 men, nearly one-third greater than that of the American. The total loss of the former was 878 men, of the latter 858. 7. 'Generals Brown and Scott having been wounded, the command devolved upon General Ripley, who deemed it prudent to retire to Fort Erie; where, on the 4th of August, he was besieged by General Drummond, at the head of 5000 men. Soon after General Gaines arrived at the fort, and being the senior officer, took the command. Early on the morning of the 15th, the enemy made an assault upon the fort, but were repulsed with a loss of nearly a thousand men, officers: and Niagara frontier. 8. On the 17th of September, General Brown having previously resumed the command, a successful sortie was made from the fort, and the advance works of the besiegers were destroyed. The enemy soon after retired to Fort George, on learning that General Izard was approaching from Plattsburg, with reenforcements for the American army. In November, Fort Erie was abandoned and destroyed, and the American troops, recrossing the river, went into winter quarters at Buffalo, Black b. N. p. 458, Rock, and Batavia.* C b a. Nov 5. c. N. p. 451. 2. Movements Wilkinson d. of General early in the season. See p. 459. II. EVENTS IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 1. 'Late in February, General Wilkinson broke up his winter quarters at French Mills, and removed his army to Plattsburg. In March, he penetrated into Canada, and attacked a body of the enemy posted at La Colle,† on the e. March 30. Sorel; but being repulsed with considerable loss, he again returned to Plattsburg, where he was soon after superseded in command by General Izard. appointmen 1. In August, General Izard was despatched to the 3. Events that Niagara frontier with 5000 men, leaving General Macomb forced the in command at Plattsburg with only 1500.. The British fen. Izard. in Canada having been strongly reenforced by the veterans who had served under Wellington, in Europe, early in September Sir George Prevost advanced against Plattsburg, at the head of 14,000 men, and at the same time an attempt was made to destroy the American flotilla on Lake Attack on Champlain, commanded by Commodore MacDonough. 3. On the 6th of September, the enemy arrived at Plattsburg. the American army and fleet at Batavia, the capital of Genesee County, N. Y., is situated on Tonawanda Creek, about forty miles N.E. from Buffalo. + La Colle, on the W. bank of the Sorel, is the first town in Canada, N. of the Canada line. La Colle Mill, where the principal battle occurred, was three miles N. from the village of Odeltown. a. N. p. 459. Sept. 11. ANALYSIS. Plattsburg. The troops of General Macomb withdrew across the Saranac ; and, during four days, withstood all the attempts of the enemy to force a passage. About eight o'clock on the morning of the 11th, a general cannonading was commenced on the American works; and, soon after, the British fleet of Commodore Downie bore down and engaged that of Commodore MacDonough, lying in the harbor. After an action of two hours, the guns of the enemy's squadron were silenced, and most of their vessels captured. .1 Farther account of the result of the land. 4. The battle on the land continued until nightfall. progress and Three desperate but unsuccessful attempts were made by action on the the British to cross the stream, and storm the American works. After witnessing the capture of the fleet, the efforts of the enemy relaxed, and, at dusk, they commenced a hasty retreat; leaving behind their sick and wounded, together with a large quantity of military stores. total British loss, in killed, wounded, prisoners, and deserters, was estimated at 2500 men. 2. Events on the coast, on spring. Aug. 19. The III. EVENTS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.-1. "On the rethe return of turn of spring the British renewed their practice of petty plundering on the waters of the Chesapeake, and made frequent inroads on the unprotected settlements along its borders. On the 19th of August, the British general, 3. Landing Ross, landed at Benedict, on the Patuxent,* with 5000 Gen. Ross. men, and commenced his march towards Washington. The Amer The American flotilla, under Commodore Barney, lying ican flotilla. farther up the river, was abandoned and burned. and march of the enemy, burg b. Aug. 24. 5 Route of 2. Instead of proceeding directly to Washington, the and events enemy passed higher up the Patuxent, and approached the at Bladens city by the way of Bladensburg.† Here a stand was Washington made, but the militia fled after a short resistance, although a body of seamen and marines, under Commodore Barney, maintained their ground until they were overpowered by numbers, and the commodore taken prisoner. The enemy then proceeded to Washington, burned the capitol, president's house, and many other buildings, after which they made a hasty retreat to their shipping. 6. Events at Alexandria. 3. In the mean time, another portion of the fleet ascended the Potomac, and, on the 29th, reached Alexandria; the inhabitants of which were obliged to purchase the preservation of their city from pillage and burning, * The Patuxent River enters the Chesapeake from the N.W., twenty miles N. from the mouth of the Potomac. Benedict is on the W. bank of the Patuxent, twenty-five miles from its mouth, and thirty-five miles S.E. from Washington. Bladensburg is six miles N.E. from Washington. (See Map, p. 442.) ↑ Alexandria is in the District of Columbia, on the W. bank of the Potomac, seven miles elew Washington. (See Map, p. 442.) by the surrender of all the merchandise in the town, and the shipping at the wharves. 4. 'After the successful attack on Washington, General Ross sailed up the Chesapeake; and on the 12th of September, landed at North Point, fourteen miles from Baltimore; and immediately commenced his march towards the city. In a slight skirmish General Ross was killed, but the enemy, under the command of Colonel Brooke, continued the march, and a battle of one hour and twenty minutes was fought with a body of militia under General Striker. The militia then retreated in good order to the defences of the city, where the enemy made their appearance the next morning." 5. By this time, the fleet had advanced up the Patapsco,* and commenced a bombardment of Fort McHenry, which was continued during the day and most of the following night, but without making any unfavorable impression, either upon the strength of the work, or the spirit of the garrison. "The land forces of the enemy, after remaining all day in front of the American works, and making many demonstrations of attack, silently withdrew early the next morning, and during the following night embarked on board their shipping. The war on New Eng the coast of land. 6. 'In the mean time the coast of New England did not escape the ravages of war. Formidable squadrons were kept up before the ports of New York, New London, and Boston; and a vast quantity of shipping fell into the hands of the enemy. In August, Stoningtont was bombardedd d. Aug. 9, 10, by Commodore Hardy, and several attempts were made to land, which were successfully opposed by the militia. IV. EVENTS IN THE SOUTH, AND CLOSE OF THE WAR. -1. 'During the month of August, several British ships of 5. war arrived at the Spanish port of Pensacola, took possession of the forts, with the consent of the authorities, and fitted out an expedition against Fort Bowyer,§ commanding the entrance to the bay and harbor of Mobile. After the loss of a ship of war, and a considerable number of men 14, 12. First moveBritish at the ments of the ring this year. The Patapsco River enters Chesapeake Bay from the N.W., about eighty-five miles N. from the mouth of the Potomac. (See Map.) tort Mc Henry is on the W. side of the entrance to Baltimore Harbor, about two miles below the city. (See Map) The village of Stonington, attacked by the enemy, is on a narrow peninsula extending into the Sound, twelve miles E. from New London. Fort Bowyer, now called Fort Morgan, is on Mobile point, on the E. side of the entrance to Mobile Bay, thirty miles S. from Mobile. Mobile, in Alabama, is on the W. side of the river of the same name, near its entrance Into Mobile Bay (See Map, p. 456.) |