pable, during a considerable portion of the campaign, of directing the operations in person; and it was found, on the arrival of the army at Barnhart's, that the stock of provisions was not sufficient for its consumption for any considerable period. Under these circumstances, it was perhaps fortunate for the interests of the republic, that the expedition terminated at St. Regis.

In the mean time, the northern army, under general Hampton, had not been idle, although its operations were attended with little more success than those of general Wilkinson. It was, as we have seen, part of the plan of the campaign, that a demonstration should be made towards Montreal by that division, during the movements on the Ontario frontier. Accordingly, in the month of September, general Hampton moved from Plattsburg towards the lines of Canada, which he crossed on the 21st of October. The enemy, however, anticipating the movement, had taken every precaution against his advance, by felling timber across the roads, destroying the bridges, and devastating the country. The route of the army lay down the banks of the Chateaugay river: and on the 22d, it succeeded in passing through the woody, and reaching the open country. Beyond this, at the distance of seven miles, the enemy was intrenched, in force, behind a succession of wooden breastworks, having the Indians and light corps in front. From this post, it was deemed necessary to dislodge him. Colonel Purdy was therefore detached on the 25th, with the first brigade, to fall on his rear, while the remainder of the army attacked him in front. Owing to the ignorance of the guides, however, who accompanied the first brigade, it was not able to reach the point of attack, and being assailed by a party of the enemy, it effected its retreat, with considerable loss, to the main body. The second brigade, under general Izard, had, in the mean time, driven the enemy's advanced line behind its intrenchments; but, finding that colonel Purdy's command was not able to co-operate, it also retired. The endeavour to force the enemy's line of defence having thus failed, and no advices being received of the situation of the Ontario division, it was determined by a council,

to be advisable to return to Chateaugay, in order to secure the communication with the United States. The army accordingly fell back on the 27th, to the Four Corners, a post within the American lines. The conduct of this division, during the expedition, does not appear to have been of such a nature as to add to the reputation either of the commander or of the nation. Great insubordination and discontent existed on the part of the troops, who wanted, besides, a greater acquaintance with discipline and tactics, to enable them to meet the enemy with effect.* The commanding officer appears also to have been deficient in a proper knowledge of the country he was to traverse, as well as of the means of preserving a due degree of discipline and authority.f

In this position on the Chateaugay, to which he had fallen back, general Hampton received the letter of general Wilkinson, requesting a junction of his force on the St. Lawrence. He immediately returned an answer, as we have already stated, giving his opinion of the impracticability of the measure, in consequence of the want of provisions, and soon after fell back to Plattsburg, with a view of opening a direct communication from that post, to one on the St. Lawrence, in the vicinity of Montreal. Nothing further was, however, done during the season. The troops went shortly afterwards into winter quarters, and general Hampton resigned his commission in the army, leaving the command of the northern army to general Izard.

The contest for superiority on lake Ontario, during the fall of this year, was, as heretofore, calculated more to exhibit the skill and seamanship, than the valour of the officers. The prudent caution of the British commodore, induced him to avoid a general action, the result of which might have been so disadvantageous to the interests of his country, while the efforts of commodore Chauncey to bring on an engagement, were generally crippled by the inferior sailing of his small vessels. On the 5th of October, however, after a fruitless chase of the

• Letter of general Hampton to secretary Armstrong. Historical Register, Vol. III. Appendix, p. 111.

† See colonel Purdy's report to general Wilkinson. Ibid. p. 161—2—3.

British squadron, he succeeded in capturing five of the enemy's transport vessels, containing about three hundred officers and privates of the regular army.

After the departure of generals Wilkinson and Boyd, from fort George, the command of that post devolved upon brigadier-general M'Clure, of the New York militia. His force, at the time, consisted almost entirely of militia, whose term of service expired in the early part of December: and, on the 10th of that month, only one hundred men were left to defend the fort it was accordingly resolved, by the chief officers, that it was necessary to abandon the place, it being no longer tenable. If the American officer had confined himself to the destruction of the fort, and the public property of the enemy, his acts would have received the approbation of the community in general. He unfortunately, however, considered himself under the necessity of committing to the flames the peaceful and flourishing village of Newark, adjoining to the fort, and thus involving in ruin many innocent families. This outrage upon humanity, and the laws of civilized warfare, which nothing in the position of the enemy, or the conduct of the inhabitants, rendered necessary, received, as it deserved, the censure both of the government and citizens of the United States. The act was promptly disavowed by the former, in an official communication to the authorities in Canada; but, before the disavowal reached the British commander, an ample measure of retaliation had been inflicted upon the inhabitants of the American frontier.

On the 19th of December, at four in the morning, the enemy crossed the river in great force, and surprised the garrison of fort Niagara. The troops, to the number of about three hundred, consisting chiefly of invalids, were massacred almost without resistance. The few who escaped the sword of the enemy, retired to a blockhouse, where they were soon afterwards compelled to surrender. On the same day, the enemy, accompanied by a considerable force of Indians, attacked and defeated a body of militia, stationed on the heights of Lewistown; burnt the village of that name, together with that of Manchester, Young's town, and the Indian settlement of

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Tuscaroras; and, having put many of the unoffending inhabitants to the sword, returned to Canada.

This scene of ruin and devastation did not, it appears, satisfy the British commander. On the 30th of the same month, a party of regulars, militia, and Indians, to the number of about seven hundred, landed at Black Rock, and proceeded to the town of Buffalo, to defend which, a body of militia, amounting to upwards of twenty-five hundred, were drawn up. To the lasting disgrace of these men, however, they all except a very small number, fled on the approach of the enemy, without firing a musket.* The village was in consequence soon taken, and reduced to ashes. Thus this once-flourishing and happy frontier, was now visited with the most cruel severities of war, in the midst of an inclement season. The propriety of retaliating upon the innocent, for the wrongs committed by the government or citizens of the same country, is at least questionable. When it is deemed proper to exercise the right, however, humanity and justice dictate that it ought to be done with moderation: and posterity, while they justly condemn the conduct of the American officer, who afforded the provocation, will not fail to animadvert upon the cruel and vindictive spirit which appeared to govern the conduct of the British troops on this occasion.

*Letter of general Cass to the secretary of war. Historical Register, Vol. III. Appendix, p. 187-9.

CHAPTER LII.

Meeting of the thirteenth Congress-Election of Speaker-Internal taxes-Other proceedings-Second session-Embargo -Repeal of the restrictive system-Increase of the army and navy-State of the treasury-Loan of twenty-five mil lions-Inquiry into the failure of the campaign—Mission to Gottenburg-Adjournment of Congress.

THE members of the thirteenth congress assembled at Washington on the 24th of May, 1813, at a period in which party spirit raged with unusual violence throughout the Union. The policy of the republican party, in declaring war, as well as the conduct of the administration, in its prosecution, had been canvassed with great warmth, in the different sections of the United States, and were now to be subjected to the scrutiny of the representatives of the people. Having been chosen since the promulgation of that important act, they brought with them the matured expression of the public opinion, which, it was soon seen, was clearly and decidedly in approbation of that measure.

An opportunity of trying the strength of the two parties, in the house of representatives, was afforded by the choice of a speaker, on the first day of the session. The candidates were, Henry Clay, a distinguished citizen of Kentucky, and an able advocate of the war, and Timothy Pitkin, of Connecticut, a popular and respectable member of the party in opposition. The former having received eighty-nine votes out of one hundred and forty-eight, the number of members present, was declared duly elected, and proceeded to the performance of his duties.

On the succeeding day, the president transmitted to both houses, his customary communication of the state of the republic. The first and most important event, in reference to