1813.

BOOK XI. will be found in that spirit which has long unhappily actuated the councils of the United States: CHAP. VII. their marked partiality in palliating and assisting the aggressive tyranny of France; their systematic endeavours to enflame the people against the defensive measures of Great Britain; their ungenerous conduct towards Spain, the intimate ally of Great Britain; and their unworthy desertion of the cause of other neutral nations. It is through the prevalence of such councils that America has been associated in policy with France, and committed in war against Great Britain.

"And under what conduct, on the part of France, has the government of the United States thus lent itself to the enemy? The contemptuous violation of the commercial treaty of the year 1800 between France and the United States; the treacherous seizure of all American vessels and cargoes in every harbour subject to the contrcul of the French arms: the tyrannical principles of the Berlin and Milan decrees, and the confiscations under them; the subsequent condemnations under the Rambouillet decree, antedated or concealed to render it the more effectual; the French commercial regulations which render the traffic of the United States with France almost illusory; the burning of their merchant-ships at sea, long after the alleged repeal of the French decrees-all these acts of violence, on the part of France, produce from the government of the United States, only such complaints as end in acquiescence and submission, or are accompanied by suggestions for enabling France to give the semblance of a legal form to her usurpations, by converting them into municipal regulations.

"This disposition of the government of the United States-this complete subserviency to the ruler of France-this hostile temper towards Great Britain-are evident in almost every page of the official correspondence of the American with the French government.

"Against this course of conduct, the real cause of the present war, the prince-regent solemnly protests. Whilst contending against France, in defence not only of the liberties of Great Britain but of the world, his royal highness was entitled to look for a far different result. From their common origin, from their common interest, from their professed principles of freedom and independence, the United States were the last power in which Great Britain could have expected to find a willing instrument and abettor of French tyranny.

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Disappointed in this, his just expectation, the prince-regent will still pursue the policy which the British government has so long and invariably maintained, in repelling injustice, and in supporting the general rights of nations; and, under the favor of Providence, relying on the justice of his cause, and the tried loyalty and firmness of

the British nation, his royal highness confidently looks forward to a successful issue to the contest in which he has thus been compelled most reluc tantly to engage.

"Westminster, Jan. 9, 1813."

James Madison having been chosen president, and Eddridge Gerry, vice-president of the United States for the ensuing four years, from the 4th of March, 1813; the former having attended, at twelve o'clock on the above day, the capitol, for the purpose of taking the oath of office, delivered to the vast concourse of people assembled on the occasion, the following speech:

"About to add the solemnity of an oath to the obligations imposed by a second call to the station in which my country has here before placed me, I find, in the presence of this respectable assembly, an opportunity of publicly repeating my profound sense of so distinguished a confidence, and of the responsibility united with it. The impressions on me are strengthened by such an evidence, that my faithful endeavours to discharge my duties have been favorably estimated; and by a consideration on the momentous period. at which the trust has been renewed. From the weight and magnitude now belonging to it, I should be compelled to sink if I had less reliance on the support of an enlightened and generous people, and feel less deeply a conviction that the war with a powerful nation, which forms so prominent a feature in our situation, is stamped with that justice which invites the smiles of heaven on the means of conducting it to a successful termination..

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May we not cherish this sentiment without presumption, when we reflect on the characters by which this war is distinguished?

"It was not declared on the part of the United States until it had been long made on them in reality, though not in name; until arguments and expostulations had been exhausted; until a positive declaration had been received that the wrongs provoking it would not be discontinued, nor until this appeal could no longer be delayed without breaking down the spirit of the nation, destroying all confidence in itself and in its political institutions; and either perpetuating a state of dis graceful suffering, or regaining, by more costly sacrifices, and more severe struggles, our lost rank and respect among the independent powers.

"On the issue of the war are staked our national sovereignty on the high seas, and security of an important class of citizens, whose occupations. give the proper value to those of every other class. Not to contend for such a stake, is to surrender our equality with other powers on the element common to all; and to violate the sacred title which every member of the society has to its protection.

"I need not call into view, the unlawfulness of the practice by which our mariners are forced, at the will of every cruising officer, from their own vessels into foreign ones, nor paint the outrages inseparable from it. The proofs are in the records of each successive administration of our government-and the cruel sufferings of that portion of the American people have found their way to every bosom, not dead to the sympathies of human nature.

"As the war was just in its origin, and necessary and noble in its objects, we can reflect with a proud satisfaction, that in carrying it on no principle of justice or honor, no usage of civilized nations, no precept of courtesy, or humanity, have been infringed. The war has been waged on our part with scrupulous regard to all these obligations, and in a spirit of liberality which was never surpassed.

"How little has been the effect of this example on the conduct of the enemy? They have retained, as prisoners of war, citizens of the United States, not liable to be so considered under the usages of war.

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They have refused to consider as prisoners of war, and threatened to punish as traitors, and deserters, persons emigrating without restraint to the United States; incorporated by naturalization into our political family, and fighting under the authority of their adopted country, in open and honorable war, for the maintenance of its rights and safety. Such are the avowed principles of a government which is in the practice of naturalizing, by thousands, citizens of other countries, and not only of permitting, but compelling them to fight its battles against their native country.

"They have not, it is true, taken into their own hands the hatchet and the knife, devoted to indiscriminate massacre; but they have let loose the savages armed with these cruel instruments; have allured them into their service, and carried them into battle by their sides, eager to glut their savage thirst with the blood of the vanquished, and to finish the work of torture and death on maimed and defenceless captives. And, what was never seen before, British commanders have extorted victory over the unconquerable valour of our troops, by presenting to the sympathy of their chief awaiting massacre from their savage associates.

"And now we find them, in further contempt of the modes of honorable warfare, supplying the place of a conquering force, by attempts to disorganize our political society, to dismember our confederated republic. Happily, like others, those will recoil on the authors; but they mark the degenerate councils from which they emanate, and, if they did not belong to a series of unexampled inconsistencies, might excite the greater

wonder, as proceeding from a government which BOOK XI. founded the very war in which it has been so long engaged, on a charge against the disorganizing CHAP. VII. and insurrectional policy of its adversary.

"To render the justice of the war on our part more conspicuous, the reluctance to commence it was followed by the earliest and strongest manifestations of a disposition to arrest its progress. The sword was scarcely out of the scabbard before the enemy was apprised of the reasonable terms on which it would be re-sheathed. Still more precise advances were repeated, and have been received in a spirit forbidding every reliance not placed in the military resources of the nation.

"These resources are amply sufficient to bring the war to an honorable issue. Our nation is, in number, more than half that of the British Isles. It is composed of a brave, a free, a virtuous, and an intelligent people. Our country abounds in the necessaries, the arts, and comforts of life. A general prosperity is visible in the public countenance. The means employed by the British cabinet to undermine it, have recoiled on themselves; have given to our national faculties a more rapid developement; and, draining or diverting the precious metals from British circulation and British vaults, have poured them into those of the United States. It is a propitious consideration, that an unavoidable war should have found this seasonable facility for the contributions required to support it. When the public voice called for war, all knew, and still know, that without them, it could not be carried on through the period which it might last; and the patriotism, the good sense, and the manly spirit of our fellow-citizens are pledges for the cheerfulness with which they will bear each his share of the common burden. To render the war short, and its success sure, animated and systematic exertions alone are necessary; and the success of our arms now may long preserve our country from the necessity of another resort to them. Already have the gallant exploits of our naval heroes proved to the world our inherent capacity to maintain our rights on one element. If the reputation of our arms has been thrown under clouds on the other, presaging flashes of heroic enterprize assure us, that nothing is wanting to correspondent triumphs there also, but the discipline and habits which are in daily progress."

This speech was well calculated to excite the feelings of the vulgar; but all Mr. Madison's arguments had been already, and indeed incontrovertibly, answered by the memorial of about 1,500 of the inhabitants of the United States, extracts of which have been given in the commencement of the preceding chapter. The president, it seems, had studied the Bonapartean style: "they have let loose the savages armed

1813.

BOOK XI. with the hatchet and the knife;" but he was not aware that he was railing at the then French empeCHAP. VII. ror, who had invited Turks, &c. to join him in his ambitious views. Canada was at this time in the

1813

possession of the English: it was originally taken by them in 1628; restored to France, 1631; and again taken September 13, 1759.

THE loss and disgrace which the American arms sustained in Canada were in some degree balanced by their continued success on the element which had long been the theatre of triumph to their adversaries. The strength of the navy of the United States consisted in a few frigates, of the rate corresponding to the largest British; but in size, weight of metal, and number of men, almost equal to ships of the line-of-battle. This difference seems not to have been known, or not attended to, in the British navy, the officers of which, with their habitual readiness to meet an enemy, would certainly never decline an encounter when the nominal force was any thing near a parity. Indeed, the superiority of British skill and valour, in engaging with other enemies, had often compensated the difference of force; but the American navy were manned by sailors, many of whom were unfortunately British, and many more had been trained in British service. The Americans, in manning their navy, not only took care to select able seamen, but almost doubled the usual compliment; while the crews of the British were mostly ordinary seamen.

On the 18th of October his majesty's armed brig Frolic, convoying the homeward-bound trade from the bay of Honduras, while in the act of repairing damages to her masts and sails received in a violent gale on the preceding night, descried a vessel which gave chase to the convoy. She proved to be the United States sloop of war Wasp, which the Frolic gallantly brought to action, though in her crippled state, in order to save her convoy. She soon, however, became so unmanageable, that the Wasp was enabled to take a raking position, whilst the Frolic could not get a gun to bear. The result was, that every indivi

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dual officer being wounded, and not more than twenty of the crew remaining unhurt, the enemy boarded, and made prize of the brig. Before the day closed, however, his majesty's ship Poictiers coming up, not only recaptured the Frolic, but took the Wasp.

On the 25th of October, a very severe action took place between the Macedonian frigate, Captain Carden, and the United States frigate, Commodore Decatur, which terminated in the capture of the former. The following is Captain Carden's account of this action, dated on-board the United States, at sea, 28th of October, 1812.

"Sir,-It is with the deepest regret I have to acquaint you, for the information of my lords commissioners of the admiralty, that his majesty's late ship Macedonian was captured on the 25th instant by the United States' ship United States, Commodore Decatur commander: the detail is as follows:

"A short time after daylight, steering N. W. by W. with the wind from the southward, in lat. 29 deg. N. and long. 29 deg. 30 min. W. in the execution of their lordships' orders, a sail was seen on the lee-beam, which I immediately stood for, and made her out to be a large frigate under American colours: at nine o'clock I closed with her, and she commenced the action, which we returned; but from the enemy keeping two points off the wind, I was not enabled to get as close to her as I could have wished. After an hour's action, the enemy backed and came to the wind, and I was then enabled to bring her to close battle; in this situation I soon found the enemy's force too superior to expect success, unless some very fortunate chance occurred in our favour; and with this hope I continued the battle to two hours

and ten minutes, when, having the mizen-mast shot away by the board, topmasts shot away by the caps, main-yard shot in pieces, lower masts badly wounded, lower rigging all cut to pieces, a small proportion only of the foresail left to the fore-yard, all the guns on the quarter-deck and forecastle disabled but two, and filled with wreck, two also on the main-deck disabled, and several shot between wind and water, a very great proportion of the crew killed and wounded, and the enemy comparatively in good order, who had now shot a-head, and was about to place himself in a raking position, without our being enabled to return the fire, being a perfect wreck, and unmanageable log; I deemed it prudent, though a painful extremity, to surrender his majesty's ship; nor was this dreadful alternative resorted to till every hope of success was removed even beyond the reach of chance, nor till, I trust, their lordships will be aware every effort had been made against the enemy by myself, my brave officers and men; nor should she have been surrendered whilst a man lived on-board, had she been manageable. I am sorry to say, our loss is very severe: I find, by this day's muster, thirty-six killed, three of whom lingered a short time after the battle; thirty-six severely wounded, many of whom cannot recover; and thirty-two slightly wounded, who may all do well:-total, one hundred and

four.

"The truly noble and animating conduct of my officers, and the steady bravery of my crew, to the last moment of the battle, must ever render them dear to their country.

"My first lieutenant, David Hope, was severely wounded in the head towards the close of the battle, and taken below; but was soon again on deck, displaying that greatness of mind and exertion, which, though it may be equalled, can never be excelled; the third lieutenant, John Bulford, was also wounded, but not obliged to quit his quarters: second lieutenant Samuel Mottley, and he, deserve my highest acknowledgments. The cool and steady conduct of Mr. Walker, the master, was very great during the battle, as also that of Lieutenants Wilson and Magill, of the marines.

"On being taken on-board the enemy's ship, I ceased to wonder at the result of the battle. The United States is built with the scantling of a seventy-four gun-ship, mounting thirty long 24pounders (English ship-guns) on her main-deck, and twenty-two 42-pounders carronades, with two long 24-pounders on her quarter-deck and forecastle, howitzer-guns on her tops, and a travelling carronade on her upper-deck, with a complement of 478 picked men.

"The enemy has suffered much in her masts, rigging, and hull above and below water: her

loss in killed and wounded I am not aware of, BOOK XI. but I know a lieutenant and six men have been thrown overboard.

"Enclosed you will be pleased to receive the names of the killed and wounded on-board the Macedonian; and have the honour to be, &c. "JOHN S. CARDEN. V "To J. W. Croker, Esq. Admiralty."

In these several defeats sustained by the British navy, no honor was lost, since every thing was done in defence that could be effected by courage and conduct against superior force. The unusual circumstance, however, of English ships striking to foreign of a similar class, produced as much mortification on one side as triumph on the other.

The

The American government, notwithstanding its failures by land, persisted in its purpose of invading Canada. ing Canada. On the 10th of November, the Americans sent out seven sail of armed vessels from Sackett's harbour, on Lake Ontario, manned by the crew of one of the American frigates, and commanded by some of their naval officers, having on-board a considerable detachment of troops, for the purpose of carrying the port of Kingston by surprise, and of destroying his majesty's ship Royal George, then lying there. The vigilance and military skill of Colonel Vincent, however, who commanded at Kingston, frustrated their designs; and after many hours of ineffectual cannonade, the American flotilla hauled off, and on the following day returned into port. British general, Sir George Prevost, having received information of the advance of the enemy under General Dearborn with their whole force of regulars and militia encamped at Plattsburgh, from that place to the village at Champlain, about six miles from the province line, with the avowed purpose of penetrating to Montreal, directed the brigade of troops at Montreal, consisting of two companies of the royals, seven companies of the 8th or king's, four companies of the Montreal volunteer militia, and the fifth battalion of the embodied Canadian militia, with one troop of volunteer cavalry, and a brigade of light artillery, the whole under the command of Colonel Baynes, to cross the St. Lawrence and advance to the support of Major-general De Rottenburgh, whose front was threatened by this movement of the enemy: the troops crossed with uncommon expedition on the evening of the 19th, and reached La Prairie that night.

Immediately upon the alarm being given that the enemy were advancing, the sedentary militia flocked in from all quarters, with a zeal and alacrity which cannot be too much praised. Th enemy, after their advance to Champlain, made

CH. VIII.

1812.

1812.

BOOK XI. several reconnoissances beyond the lines into the province; one in particular, on the night of the CH. VIII. 19th, with a detachment of cavalry, and a body of about 1,000 of their regular infantry, the whole under the command of Lieut-col. Pike, who was esteemed, in the United States, an able officer; but falling in unexpectedly with a small part of voyageurs and Indians, one of the British advanced-pickets, by whom they were fired upon, they were thrown into the greatest confusion, and commenced a fire upon each other, which was attended with a loss of about fifty of their men in killed and wounded, when they dispersed. The picket made good their retreat unmolested, and without a man being hurt.

Nothing more occurred in this quarter during the remainder of the year. General Dearborn, seeing the vigorous preparations of Sir George Prevost to receive him, was afraid to advance any further; and, on the 22d of November, he commenced a retreat with his whole army, which he conducted upon Plattsburg, Burlington, and Albany, where he took up his winter-quarters.

On the 28th of November a partial action took place, in which the main body of the Americans, under Brigadier-general Smyth, was repulsed with loss, in an attempt to force the Niagara frontier, between Chippawa and fort Erie, by a small division of British, under Lieutenant-colonel Bishopp. On the 26th of December a public notice was issued by the prince-regent, that the ports and harbours of the Chesapeake and Delaware were placed in a state of blockade.

Before the year closed, the Americans obtained another triumph over the British_navy, in the capture of his majesty's frigate Java, Captain Lambert, on the 29th of December. The Java was bound to the East Indies, and off the coast of Brazil met with the American frigate Constitution, where a very severe action ensued, in the course of which Captain Lambert having received a mortal wound, and the ship being rendered quite unmanageable, from the damages she had sustained in her masts and rigging, Mr. Chads, the first lieutenant, who succeeded to the command, was under the disagreeable necessity of striking his colours. This unfortunate event was communicated to the admiralty, by Mr. Chads, in the following manner:—

tain Lambert being dangerously wounded in the height of the action, the melancholy task of writing the detail devolves on me.

"On the morning of the 29th instant, at eight, a. m. off St. Salvador, (coast of Brazil,) the wind at north-east, we perceived a strange sail; made all sail in chase, and soon made her out to be a large frigate; at noon prepared for action, the chase not answering our private signals, and tacking towards us under easy sail; when about four miles distant she made a signal, and immediately tacked and made all sail away upon the wind. We soon found we had the advantage of her in sailing, and came up with her fast, when she hoisted American colours; she then bore about three points on our lee-bow. At fifty minutes past one, p. m. the enemy shortened sail, upon which we bore down upon her; at ten minutes past two, when about half a mile distant, she opened her fire, giving us a larboard-broadside, which was not returned till we were close on her weatherbow. Both ships now manoeuvred to obtain advantageous positions, our opponent evidently avoiding close action, and firing high to disable our masts, in which he succeeded too well, having shot away the head of our bowsprit with the jibboom, and our ruuning rigging so much cut as to prevent our preserving the weather-gage.

"At five minutes past three, finding the enemy's raking-fire extremely heavy, Captain Lambert ordered the ship to be laid on-board, in which we should have succeeded, had not our fore-mast been shot away at this moment, the remains of our bowsprit passing over his taffrail; shortly after this the main-top-mast went, leaving the ship totally unmanageable, with most of our starboard guns rendered useless from the wreck lying over

them.

"At half-past three our gallant captain received a dangerous wound in the breast, and was carried below; from this time we could not fire more than two or three guns until a quarter past four, when our mizen-mast was shot away; the ship then fell off a little, and brought many of our starboard guns to bear; the enemy's rigging was so much cut that he could not now avoid shooting a-head, which brought us fairly broadside and broadside. Our main-yard now went into the slings, both ships continued engaged in this manner till thirtyfive minutes past four, we frequently on fire in gaged. Our opponent now made sail a-head out of gun-shot, where he remained an hour repairing his damages, leaving us an unmanageable wreck, with only the main-mast left, and that tottering. Every exertion was made by us during this interval to place the ship in a state to renew the action. We succeeded in clearing the wreck of our masts from our guns, a sail was set on the stumps of the fore-mast and bowsprit, the weather

vador, Dec. 31, 1812.

"Sir,-It is with deep regret that I write you, for the information of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, that his majesty's ship Java is no more, after sustaining an action, on the 29th instant, for several hours, with the American frigate Constitution, which resulted in the capture and ultimate destruction of his majesty's ship. Cap