Of all the colonies of Great Britain, none is of such vital importance as her North American provinces; partly because they employ the greatest quantity of shipping, and also as being capable of supplying the mother-country, and her other dependencies, with an abundance of the articles necessary for her wants and enjoyments. The possessions of the British in North America, are Labrador, Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Of these provinces, in a political point of view, the two Canadas are of the most importance, in consequence of their vicinity to the territories of the United States.

Upper and Lower Canada have rapidly improved, but not in proportion to their neighbours, for colonies have not the vigour and spirit of independent states. The population of the two provinces is estimated at 350,000. Their commerce has increased wonderfully of late years. Even in 1808, the number of shipping that cleared out from Quebec alone amounted to 334, laden principally with timber, potash, pitch, tar, and turpentine; wheat, flaxseeds, staves, &c. The tonnage was 70,275, and the number of seamen 3,330. The exports were valued at 1,156,0607.; and the imports at 610,000.; thus leaving a balance in favor of the colony of 546,0607. Čanada supplies Great Britain with hemp, and every other description of naval stores. Having originally been a French colony, the majority of the inhabitants of the lower province are descendants from the French. The wise and beneficent measures, however, which have been pursued towards them, have tended to conciliate them to the British government. French as well as English, catholics as well as protestants, are all unanimous in defence of their country.

Every man throughout the Canadas is a soldier; and during the last campaign, every one of them cheerfully attended the call of arms. This interesting fact cannot but convey to the mind the most pleasing sensations; since we find a nation of ancient foes, both in politics and religion, now united in the strictest friendship, and vying with each other who shall display the great est ardour in protecting that government under which they have enjoyed so much happiness.

Quebec is the capital of Lower Canada, the fortifications of which are extremely strong, being considered a second Gibraltar. While the British hold possession of this place, the Americans

can never make any impression upon the country. The Americans, however, were so confident of success, when they invaded Canada, in 1812, that General Dearborn had actually prepared a triumphal coat, richly decorated with oak leaves, as the victor's mead, which was destined to be worn on entering Quebec. The popular toast was, "May the army eat its Christmas dinner in Quebec." Indeed, one of the arguments used in congress on behalf of a declaration of war, was the ease and certainty with which these provinces would be conquered. It was even represented, that the provincials would not resist, but meet their invaders and recognise in them deliverers from tyranny and oppression; or that if, contrary to expectation, they did resist, they might, when conquered, be retained as a pledge, to secure more favorable terms of peace. Britain, it was said, “would make any sacrifice rather than leave valuable colonies in the enemy's hands," while, among the many curious speculations that were made of the importance of these provinces to the United States, it was estimated that the coal alone of Cape Bre ton and Nova Scotia would repay the expences of a seven years war.

The militia of Upper and Lower Canada amounts to 60,000 effective men. The province of Upper Canada, which has borne the chief brunt of this unnatural contest, was, before the former war, nearly one vast wilderness: a few forts and small settlements for the convenience of the fur-trade, were all that relieved that gloomy appearance of interminable forests and immense lakes. Since the conclusion of that war, the settlement and cultivation of this province have been an object of much attention on the part of the British government. The loyalists who were driven from the United States, found here a com fortable asylum, and, together with numerous families who emigrated from Scotland, soon formed a respectable colony. The settlements were also considerably increased by the disbanded officers and soldiers who had served in America. These people received large grants of land from government as a reward for their services, and either cultivated the spots themselves, or sold them to others who did. This zeal for peopling the upper province met with every encouragement from home, as it tended to form a strong barrier against any future invasion from the neighbouring states. Towns of considerable magnitude were in a few years constructed upon the sites of old forts and blockhouses: and the shouts of hunters and the Indian warhoop gave place to the busy hum of trade and commerce. The lakes became covered with ships instead of canoes; and every town resembled a sea-port. The principal lakes of this province are called Ontario, Erie, and Superior.

On the 29th of January, a report was laid before the house of representatives from the committee of foreign relations, which merits attention, as stating the grounds of the war with Great Britain, and the causes which produced the failure of the attempts that were made for its extinction. Having noticed the refusal of Mr. Madison to concur in the proposal for an armistice made by Admiral Warren, because nothing was said in it on the subject of impressment, the committee express their entire approbation of his conduct, observing, that," to appeal to arms in defence of a right, and to lay them down without receiving it, would be considered in no other light than a relinquishment of it." They then proceed to consider the precise nature of that cause which has hitherto prevented an accommodation. "Great Britain," "Great Britain," they say, "claims a right to impress her own seamen, and to exercise it in American vessels. It insists that every American seaman should carry with him the evidence of his citizenship, and that all those who are unprovided with such evidence should be impressed. Not to object that such a document may be lost or destroyed, on what principle does the British government require from the United States such a degradation? Ought the free citizens of an independent power to carry an evidence of their freedom on the main ocean, and in their own vessels, and are all to be considered as British subjects who do not bear with them that badge? Would Great Britain herself

submit to such an usurpation of authority?" After some more observations on this point, they go on to say, "Let it be distinctly understood, in case of an arrangement between the two nations, whereby each should exclude from its service the citizens and subjects of the other, that this house will be prepared, so far as depends on it, to give it effect: and for that purpose to enact laws, with such regulations and penalties as will be adequate." They consider it as the duty of the house to declare, in the most decisive terms, that should the British government decline such an arrangement, and persist in the practice of impressment from American vessels, the United States will resist it unceasingly with all their force. The report dwells with a good deal of prolixity on this topic, touching upon no other point of dif ference between the two nations; and it concludes by recommending the passing of a bill" for the regulation of seamen on-board public vessels, and in the merchants' service, of the United States."

A proclamation, issued by the governor of Bermuda, reciting a British order-of-council, providing for the supply of the West India islands by a trade under special licenses from the ports of the United States, but confining such licenses to those of the eastern states exclusively, gave great offence to Mr. Madison. On the 24th of Febru ary, he sent a message to congress, couched in terms of indignation and reproach, which denoted the acuteness of his feelings, with respect to any

1813.

BOOK XI. attempt for separating the interests of different parts of the union, and particularly when favoring CHAP. X. that part in which he was conscious of being unpopular. He suggested to Congress the expediency of a prohibition of any trade whatever by the citizens of the United States, under special licenses, and also a prohibition of all exportation from the United States in foreign bottoms.

The address breathed a keen spirit of resentment against the British nation; and, in fact, the war this year exasperated the feelings on both sides, and produced altercations, hereafter to be mentioned, scarcely compatible with civilized hostility. The Congress closed its session on the 5th of March, without passing the prohibitory bills recommended by the president.

On the 4th of March, an order was issued by the marshal of the district of New York, for compelling all British merchants, residing within forty miles of the American coast, to retire beyond that distance into the interior; thus forcing them to break up their establishments, to desert their property, and to seek new situations, without affording them the means of support: in short, rendering them prisoners of war, without the protection and assistance which all civilized governments feel themselves bound to extend to persons in that unfortunate situation: and yet Mr. Madison, in his speech at the capital, had the modesty to assert, that the war, on the part of the American government, was waged in a spirit of liberality which was never surpassed.

A party of the American army having taken post near the foot of the rapids of the Miami, a river flowing into Lake Erie, Colonel Proctor, on the 23d of April, embarked with a force of regulars and militia, consisting of between eight and nine hundred, to whom were joined about twelve hundred Indians, and sailed for the Miami. In consequence of heavy rains he was not able to open his batteries till the 1st of May, at which time the enemy had so well secured himself, by blockhouses and batteries, that no impression could be made on him. Whilst Colonel Proctor was still lying there, a reinforcement of American troops, to the amount of 1,300, under the command of Brigadier-general Clay, descending the river, made a sudden attack upon him, aided by a sally of the garrison. For a few minutes the enemy was in possession of his batteries, and took some prisoners; but after a severe though short contest, they were repulsed, and the greatest part, except the party from the garrison, were killed or taken. Their loss was estimated at between 1,000 and 1,200 men, of whom about 500 were prisoners. The killed, wounded, and missing of the British did not exceed 100. In this decisive affair, the officers and men of the 41st regiment charged and acted with distinguished gallantry. Colonel Proctor, however, in consequence of being

deserted by half of the militia, and nearly all the Indians, was not able to preserve his situation at the Miami.

In the mean time, the Americans having collected a powerful force by land and water, at the head of Lake Ontario, proceeded against Fort George, on the Niagara, which they cannonaded from their ships and batteries the whole of the 24th and 25th of May. On the 27th, at day-break, under cover of their fleet, which kept up a tremendous and most destructive fire, they succeeded in landing a body of troops, and advanced to the attack of the place. They were very gallantly opposed by the British troops, notwithstanding their superiority in numbers; and a judicious position was occupied by Lieutenant-colonel Myers, which checked their progress. That zealous and meritorious officer, however, was obliged to quit the field, having received three wounds; but being replaced by Lieutenant-colonel Harvey, the unequal contest continued some time longer, with unshaken gallantry and determination. At length Colonel Vincent, the commander, considering further perseverance against an overwhelming force a fruitless sacrifice of invaluable lives, having gained by their intrepid resistance the means of dismantling the fort, and destroying the stores, he directed the troops to fall back on Queenston, which was done with perfect order. The loss of the British, in this affair, amounted to about 300 in killed, wounded, and missing. Colonel Vincent, in his retreat, was joined by Lieutenant-colonel Bishopp, with all the detachments from Chippawa to Fort Erie, and by other parties, which augmented his force to about 1,600 men. With them he took up a position near the head of the lake. The American army, meanwhile, pushed on a considerable detachment towards Queenston. Its whole force was estimated at nearly 10,000 men, which rendered them complete masters of the Niagara frontier.

About the close of May, an attempt upon the American port at Sackett's harbour was planned by Sir George Prevost, and its execution was committed to Colonel Baynes, aided by a fleet of boats under Sir James Yeo. On the night of the 28th, the expedition, composed of draughts from different regiments, and a company of Glengarry light-infantry, proceeded from Kingston to the harbour, hoping to land before the enemy should be sufficiently apprized of the attack, to line the woods on the coast with troops; but a strong current and the darkness of the night frustrated this purpose, so that at the dawn of day the Americans were fully prepared for their reception. It was the intention of Colonel Baynes to have landed in the cave formed by Horse Island, but finding the enemy prepared, he directed the boats to pull round to the other side of the islands, where a landing was effected in good

order and with little loss, although executed in the face of a corps formed with a field-piece in the wood, and under the enfilade of a heavy gun of the enemy's principal battery. The advance was led by the grenadiers of the 100th regiment, with undaunted gallantry, which no obstacle could arrest: a narrow causeway, in many places under water, not more than four feet wide, and about 400 paces in length, which connected the island with the main land, was occupied by the enemy in great force with a 6-pounder. It was forced and carried in the most spirited manner, and the gun taken before a second discharge could be made from it: a tumbril, with a few rounds of ammunition, was found; but, unfortunately, the artillerymen were still behind, the schooner in which they were embarked not having been able to get up in time; and the troops were exposed to so heavy and galling a fire from a numerous, but almost invisible foe, as to render it impossible to halt for the artillery to come up. At this spot, two paths led in opposite directions round the hill. Colonel Baynes directed Colonel Young, of the king's regiment, with half of the detachment, to penetrate by the left, and Major Drummond, of the 104th, to force the path by the right, which proved to be more open and was less occupied by the enemy. On the left the wood was very thick, and was most obstinately maintained by the enemy.

The gun-boats, which had covered the landing, afforded material aid, by firing into the woods; but the American soldier, secure behind a tree, was only to be dislodged by the bayonet. The spirited advance of a section produced the flight of hundreds-from this observation all firing was directed to cease, and the detachment being formed in as regular order as the nature of the ground would admit, pushed forward through the wood upon the enemy, who, although greatly superior in numbers, and supported by fieldpieces, and a heavy fire from their fort, fled with precipitation to their block-house and fort, abandoning one of their guns. The division under Colonel Young was joined in the charge by that under Major Drummond, which was executed with such spirit and promptness, that many of the enemy fell in their enclosed barracks, which were set on fire by the British troops. The Americans had previously set fire to their store-houses in the vicinity of the fort. But as it was impossible for the expedition, with the means it possessed, to attain any further object; and the troops being exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy's cannon, they were re-embarked, with the loss of about 260 in killed, wounded, and missing.

Although the failure of this expedition tended to inspire the Americans with considerable confidence, yet the gallantry and good conduct of the British troops was never more conspicuous than

CHAP. X.

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on this occasion; and but one sentiment of regret BOOK XI. and mortification prevailed on being obliged to quit a beaten enemy, whom a small band of British soldiers had driven before them for three hours, through a country abounding in strong positions of defence, but not offering a single spot of cleared ground favorable for the operations of disciplined troops, without having fully accomplished the duty they were sent to perform.

On the 3d of June, the British gun-boats on Lake Ontario, supported by detachments from the garrison of Isle au Noix, captured two American armed vessels, of eleven guns and fifty men each.

An action took place on the 6th, greatly to the credit of the British troops, at Burlington Heights, near the head of Lake Ontario, where Colonel Vincent was posted with a division of troops. troops. Receiving information that the Americans had advanced from Forty Mile Creek with 3,500 infantry and 250 cavalry, with eight pieces of artillery, for the purpose of attacking him, he sent Lieutenant-colonel Harvey, with two light companies, to reconnoitre, and from his report was led to determine upon a nocturnal attack of the enemy's camp, about seven miles distant. Accordingly, about half-past eleven, he moved forwards with the fifth company of the 8th (or king's) and the 49th regiments, amounting altogether to only 704 firelocks; Lieutenant-colonel Harvey, who conducted it with great regularity and judgment, gallantly led on the attack. The enemy was completely surprised, and driven from his camp, after having repeatedly formed in different bodies, and been as often charged by the British troops, whose conduct throughout this brilliant enterprise was above all praise. The action terminated before day-light, when three guns, and one brass howitzer, with three tumbrils, two brigadier-generals, Chandler and Winder, first and second in command, and upwards of 100 officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, were made prisoners.

Not conceiving it prudent to expose our small force to the view of the enemy, who, though routed and dispersed, was still formidable as to numbers and position, Colonel Vincent ordered the troops back to their cantonments. After the British had retired, and it had become broad day, the enemy ventured to re-occupy his camp, only, however, for the purpose of destroying his incumbrances, such as blankets, carriages, provisions, spare arms, ammunition, &c. after which he commenced a precipitate retreat towards the Forty Mile Creek, where he effected a junction with a body of 2,000 men, who were on their march from Niagara to reinforce him.

The appearance of the squadron of Sir James Yeo, off Forty Mile Creek, determined the Americans to a further retreat, in which almost the

BOOK XI. whole of their camp-equipage, and a quantity of stores and provisions, fell into the hands of their CHAP. X. adversaries. General Dearborn afterwards concentrated his forces at Fort George; and Colonel 1813. Vincent, in consequence, made a forward movement from the head of the lake in order to support the light-infantry and Indians who were employed in cutting off the supplies of the Ameri

cans.

On the 14th of June, Sir George Prevost issued the following proclamation, in answer to one from the American colouel, Preston, in which that officer had addressed the inhabitants of Upper Canada as a conquered people.

"His excellency the commander of of the the forces having seen a public declaration made by Lieutenant-colonel P. Preston, of the 12th regiment of the United States infantry, dated at Fort Erie, the 30th of May last, in which he professes to hold out the protection of the United States to all those who shall come forward and voluntarily enrol their names with him, and threatening with rigorous and disastrous consequences those who shall have the spirit and loyalty to pursue a different course of conduct; his excellency deems it necessary to caution his majesty's subjects in this province against listening to this insidious offer of the enemy, or trusting to their assurances of protection, which subsequent events have clearly proved they are so little able to afford to themselves. With the bare possession of a narrow strip of our frontier territory, not obtained by them without a severe contest and corresponding loss, with an unconquered and unbroken army in their front, at an inconsiderable distance from them, and ready to dispute every inch of ground over which they should attempt to advance into the country, it was hardly to be expected that the enemy's presumption would have led them to consider themselves as in the possession of this province, or have induced them contrary to the established usages of civilized warfare, to treat its peaceable inhabitants as a conquered people.

"The brilliant result of the action of the 6th instant, the rout and complete dispersion of a large division of the enemy's forces on that day, attended with the capture of their artillery and of their ablest generals, their subsequent retreat and flight, with the loss of the whole of their baggage, provisions, and tent-equipage, before the victorious army of Brigadier-general Vincent, daily increasing in strength from the powerful reinforcements reaching it, and assisted by the squadron under Sir James Yeo, now in undisturbed possession of the lake; all these events, which followed in rapid succession within a very few days after Lieutenant-colonel Preston's declaration, shew more strongly than any language can possibly describe, the futility of the offers

held out by it, and produce the strongest incentive to his majesty's subjects to hold fast that allegiance from which the enemy would so insidiously withdraw them.

"His excellency, therefore, confidently calls upon all the loyal and well-disposed in this province, who are not under the immediate controul, or within the power of the enemy, to use every possible effort in repelling the foe, and driving him from our soil, assuring them that they will be powerfully aided by the reinforcements daily arriving at this post, and pressing on to their support. To those of his majesty's subjects who are unfortunately situated within that inconsiderable portion of the territory occupied by the enemy, his excellency recommends a quiet and peaceable conduct, such as shall neither afford a just cause to the enemy for treating them with the severity and rigour they have threatened, or incompatible with their allegiance to the best of sovereigns. His excellency, at the same time, declares, that he shall be compelled, however reluctantly, instantly to retaliate upon the American pri soners in his possession, every violation of the persons or property of any of his majesty's subjects so peaceably demeaning themselves, and hereby publicly protests against such treatment, as equally unsanctioned by the usages of war, or by the example afforded by his majesty's forces with regard to any of the American prisoners in their possession."

An occurrence took place, on the 24th of June, which General Dearborn termed unfortunate and unaccountable. That officer had detached, on the evening of the 23d, Lieutenant-colonel Boestler, with 570 men, to march by the way of Queenston to the Beaver Dams, eight or nine miles thence, in order to disperse a body of British collected there for the purpose of procuring provisions. This detachment was attacked by the Indians, from an ambuscade in the woods, and retired to clear grounds, whence the commander sent express for a reinforcement. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Fitzgibbon arriving with a British force, the American leader seemed to have lost his presence of mind, and without waiting for succours, agreed to a capitulation, by which two fieldofficers, twenty-one other officers, twenty-seven non-commissioned officers, and 482 privates were surrendered prisoners of war, with their colours and field-pieces.

About this time, Admiral Sir J. B. Warren, lying in the Chesapeake, on the intelligence that the enemy were fortifying Craney-island, the possession of which was necessary to enable the light vessels to proceed up the narrow channel towards Norfolk, directed a body of troops, under Sir Sidney Beckwith, to land on the nearest point to that place; but upon approaching the island, the shoalness of the water, and the strength of the enemy's