Lisbon, I was impressed by a gang and brought on board of the Conqueror, where I am still confined, neither have I been allowed to put my foot on shore since I was brought on board, which is now three years. O my brother! think of my hard fate, to be so long confined, and not half victuals enough to eat, and constant hard work.... When I first came on board I told the captain I was an American, . . . but he told me to go to work.... We sailed from Lisbon . . . to Cadiz. I then wrote to [the] ... American Consul, and told him my deplorable situation. The captain got news of my trying to gain my freedom, and put me in irons, and threatened to inflict a severe punishment by flogging me, if ever I did the like again.... I was kept in irons until the ship came out of Cadiz, and then... put to my duty again. ... I hope that government may see the necessity of taking means for the releasing American seamen out of the British service, where there are thousands of them. There is a great number in this fleet, and in this ship, who all join me in my request. For God's sake... continue to write to the consul in London. ... If my mother is living, you must not let her know my distress, for I am afraid she will take it too much to heart. I long to see her, and all of you once more, but am afraid I never shall. . . . Your loving brother until death, JAMES BROWN.2 226 From March 11, 1803, to September, 1810, the official records give 4579 as the number of American seamen impressed, to say nothing of the great numbers never reported. The most famous case of all was that of the Leopard and Chesapeake, which was called by the Americans of that time a horrid outrage. The British ship Leopard demanded from the American frigate Chesapeake three sailors, whom the captain of the Leopard claimed were British-born subjects; but the captain of the Chesapeake denying this, the Leopard fired upon the American ship, killing three and wounding eight of her crew, and took away by force the three sailors. The First Fight of the War.-Things like these brought on the War of 1812, a war of many famous fights; one of the first and greatest of which was the following, as recounted in an English paper of the time: On the 19th Aug. the United States frigate Constitution . . . Capt. Hull, fell in with his Majesty's frigate Guerriere... when an engagement commenced, and after an action of 15 minutes, the Guerriere was completely dismasted, and in another quarter of an hour she went down!... NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE! not even for a man to bite his own nose off! but... we must confess our doubts as to the probability of the event. . . ! The Constitution is a frigate of the largest class in the American navy, AND THE GuerRIERE AS FINE A FRIGATE AS WE CAN BOAST OF; that... such a result should take place, in an engagement of half an hour, is what, in modern times, borders somewhat on the marvellous! . . . That an action may have taken place is probable, but, that the above has been the result. . . we disbelieve.227 In spite of the Englishman's remarks, just that had happened which he described, though the fight lasted twenty-five minutes instead of fifteen. STUDY ON 9. 1. What reasons had the Americans for going to war with England in 1812? 2. What harm could England do to France by forbidding American vessels to go into any of her ports? 3. How should this trouble the Americans? 4. How could the Americans think the Embargo Act would do any good? 5. Why should the people of New England be so troubled by the Embargo Act? 6. Why was it easy to claim American sailors as British ones? 7. Name the ways in which James Brown was cruelly and unjustly treated by the British. 8. Whose business was it to see that he was protected and his captors punished? 9. Why should the British paper disbelieve the account of the fight between the Constitution and the Guerriere? Supplementary Reading. - The fight of the Constitution and Guerriere in anonymous ballad of the time. Library American Literature, V. 105. Roll, roll, ye waves ! eternal roll! Should ever come invading powers, Like him may we exulting cry, "We've met the foe, and they are ours!" - Song sung at Cleveland on occasion of Perry's victory.228 Massacre of the River Raisin. This, one of the saddest stories of the war, came at the beginning of 1813. It was reported as follows: A number of the brave fellows who were made prisoners at the battle of French-town . . . have passed through this place... these men are the flower of Kentucky. . . . The editor has had the pleasure of conversing with a number of these gentlemen. . . . From this source he lays the following facts before his readers. The advance of Gen. Winchester to . . . French-town, arose from the ardent solicitation of the inhabitants... [for] protection... from the violence and outrage of the hordes of savages with which they were surrounded. . . . The Wednesday succeeding the march of Gen. Winchester for French-town, had been fixed on by these merciless allies of Britain, for the burning of the town and the butchery of its inhabitants. [But the gallant little band of Americans was defeated; after their surrender] the American commanding officer [implored the British officer to protect]... the wounded prisoners from the fury of the savages. The officer pledged himself to attend to it. . . . But they were left without the promised protection; and on the morning of the 23rd the savage allies of a CHRISTIAN king, stripped and murdered all of them who were unable to march ! If the vengeance of our country can sleep after such an act as this, then indeed may we weep over the ruins of the republic! 229 an The Hornet beats the Peacock. The Hornet was American ship, and this is the account of her victory over the English Peacock: Feb. 14, 1813.-This affair. . . is, indeed, the "cap-sheaf" of all; . . . Lawrence has done nothing more than it was believed he would do; ... but it is with inexpressible joy that we find the welldeserved fame of our gallant seamen is so well-sustained by this contest; while the proud enemy, who spoke of our vessels as being manned by ... "black guards" has suffered more, much more, than we could have desired.... Already the British seamen know the effect of our fire; and bold as they are, they tremble when the stripes COMMODORE PERRY. ... appear. Capt.. Lawrence says Perry's Victory. But the best news of the whole war was that which appeared in a paper of September, 1813: From Lake Erie we have most glorious news. Thanks be to God for this splendid victory that has relieved a very exposed and extensive frontier from the allied bayonet and scalping-knife. But Commodore Perry holds an able pen! He writes to [General Harrison] . . . : ...: "Dear General. We have met the enemy; and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop. Yours with great respect and esteem, O. H. PERRY." 231 The Yankee Privateers. Meanwhile, many Yankee clippers, fitted out at private expense, were abroad upon the ocean to seize what British property they could. The following item will show that they were sometimes very lively: The Yankee in her last cruize of 49 days, captured the brig Ann, with rum, salt, and dry goods, for Newfoundland, valued at $40,000; brig Mary, salt, coals, and crockery, worth $20,000; brig Despatch, dry goods, cutlery, &c., &c., invoiced at 180,000 sterling! brig Telemachus, with rigging, coals, provisions, &c., $40,000; brig Favorite, of little value...; schr. Katy, laden with wine;... [and three others]. The effect of this sort of business in England may be seen in the following extract from resolutions passed at a meeting of merchants at Glasgow, in September, 1814: There is reason to believe, in the short space of less than twentyfour months, above eight hundred vessels have been captured by the power, whose maritime strength we have hitherto . . . held in contempt. . . . . When we have declared the whole American coast under blockade, it is equally distressing and mortifying, that our ships cannot with safety traverse our own channels, . . . and that a horde of American cruizers should be allowed... to take, burn, or sink our own vessels . . . almost in sight of our own harbors.232 The Battle of New Orleans. Meanwhile, in the southwest, the young Tennessee backwoodsman, Andrew Jackson, who, |