ral in order to excuse himself threw the blame on Hampton, and the Secretary at war, on both. But the truth is, the season had been too far advanced, and the force was not sufficient for the contemplated enterprise. The disappointment to the nation, however, tended to bring into discredit the leaders in this big war, which turned out so barren of glory. The army retired into winter quarters.

This military movement was calculated only on success; no allowance was made for the possibility of a failure. The bad effects of this were soon experienced. General Harrison had received orders to move down the St. Lawrence and join the army, the whole Niagara frontier was therefore left unprotected. General M'Clure who was left in command at fort George, finding that the enemy was approaching in considerable numbers, blew up the fort and evacuated the Canada side; at the same time burning the village of Newark, situate near the fort; an act at the time universally censured and lamented in the United States, and which the government took the earliest opportunity to disavow. It seems the General had received orders to burn the village, in case it should be found necessary for defence; misconceiving these orders he sat fire to the place on his departure. His conduct was submitted to a Court of Inquiry, which passed a severe censure on it. The British, not content with this, crossed the river in considerable force, took fort Niagara by surprise, put the garrison to death, and then laid waste with fire and sword the whole frontier for ten or fifteen miles. The flourishing village of Buffaloe was laid in ashes, together with several others. It was afterwards declared by Sir George Prevost that he was satisfied with this ample measure of retaliation.

CHAPTER XI.

WAR ON THE ATLANTIC SEA COAST-DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF THE BRITISH.

THE first year of the war, found England too busily engaged in the great events of Europe, to think of bending her mind to the contest with America. Excepting a general proclamation of blockade, our Atlantic coast was not molested. In the year 1813, she sat about carrying on hostilities in a more serious manner. She had threatened much of burning all the American sea-port towns, and laying waste the country. She thought to intimidate us by these barbarous threats.

In the month of March the Poictiers made her appearance in the Delaware, and sending out shallops commenced a pitiful species of marauding warfare. The property of private citizens was the object of their ambition. By the rules of war, the persons and property of noncombatants are exempted from the devastations of war. Without benefitting the cause for which they fought, the British ruined many of the inhabitants of the country. Admiral Beresford, the commander of the squadron, made a demand on the inhabitants of Lewistown for water and provisions, and on being refused, he made an in, effectual attempt to obtain them on compulsion by bpm

barding the place. The militia under Colonel Davis and Major Hunter, manfully resisted every attack.

From the Delaware, they proceeded to the Chesapeake, where their course was marked by the most lawless depredations and conflagrations. The genius of history blushes as she records them. There is not one solitary act of benevolence or magnanimity, to rescue the character of the British officers and seamen from the dark disgrace. Indiscriminate, havoc was every where committed. One of their first exploits was plundering and destroying the small village of French-town, a place of mercantile deposit, and transit on Elk river. From French-town they proceeded to Havre de Grace, where they perpetrated the grossest outrages on decency and humanity, without the slightest pretext. Every house of this little village was consigned to the flames, and a scene of the most disgraceful plunder was acted, in which officers and men mingled alike; the plunder.consisted of household furniture, bed cloths, pans, and spoons! They burnt and destroyed several valuable manufactories, after which they went to the neat village church, not to ask forgiveness of their sins, but in order to wreak their vengeance on this peaceful dwelling, by defacing it in the most shameful manner. After this they perpetrated the same acts to the two villages of Fredericktown and Georgetown. This unworthy warfare continued until the latter part of June, when their movements indicated an attack upon the town of Norfólk. On the lower part of the bay, the militia on several occasions bravely put the maurauders to flight. The Virginians and Marylanders, were frequently called out from their houses, and much harrassed through the whole season, from the continually shifting scene of the war.

The coast is so much intersected with creeks and rivers, that it was impossible for any force to move rapidly from one point to another, to repel this desultory warfare. The great object being the defence of Norfolk, the troops were kept in the neighbourhood of that place, and there was no considerable naval force to protect the waters.

This place was committed to the charge of General Taylor of the militia of Virginia. No one could be more capable of providing the numerous minute precautions for executing the plans requisite to be adopted. The town of Norfolk was happily saved by the valour of the marines and militia, and the state of Virginia relieved from a most dangerous enemy; for had possession been taken of this place, the enemy could have done them incalculable mischief. Wherever the enemy met a steady resistance from the regular troops or militia after this, they retreated precipitately to their boats or returned to their fleet. The chief leader in this warfare so dishonourable to the British nation, was Admirable Cockburn, whose conduct was on every occasion, that of a ferocious, unfeeling buccanier.

On the 21st of June, the movements indicated an attack on Craney Island, and on the next day they landed upwards of two thousand men, for the purpose of assailing the batteries on the West end of the Island. Shortly after the debarkation of these troops, forty-five or fifty boats filled with sailors and marines, left the shipping and approached the North side of the Island. The naval force of the United States, united in defence of the post; the enemy was completely beaten off. His loss was not less than 200, besides deserters. Four or five barges were sunk. The Centepede, fifty feet long, Admiral Warren's boat, with twenty-four oars, was cap

tured, with twenty-two prisoners, a brass three pounder and a number of muskets, pistols, and cutlasses. Forty British deserters were brought in, and many others were dispersed through the country. There was not one man lost on the American side during the day.

The

The enemy exasperated at this inglorious attempt, in order to give a loose to his thirst for revenge, resolved to attack the village of Hampton lower down the bay. On the 25th of June, he landed 2,500 men, and after a gallant resistance, on the part of the militia and the few regulars who were there, the town was taken. scene which ensued, far surpassed any thing ever before acted by the ferocious enemy with whom we had to contend: such conduct should be held up to universal execration, in order that the condemnation of public opinion may prevent the recurrence of the like among civilized people. The utmost licentiousness was permitted in the treatment of the unfortunate females who fell into the power of the enemy; without regard to their respectability in society, they were seized by ruffians, and several of them actually died in consequence of the shocking treatment they received. A poor old man, sick abed, was set upon by them and shot in the arms of his aged wife, who was also wounded, and their faithful dog was put to death. The sick in the hospitals were not spared, and every act of savage violence was committed, apparently without any attempt to restrain the perpretrators. A letter on the subject of this infamous conduct which so deeply implicated the character of the British nation, was addressed by General Taylor to Sir Sidney Beckwith, who at first stated that it was in retaliation for the shooting a man at Craney, Islsand, while