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York, consisting of several frigates and ships of war, under the command of Commodore Decatur, was destined by the War Department to make a cruize in the Indian Ocean. The harbour being closely blockaded, the squadron agreed upon a place of rendezvous, and then attempted to sail out singly, and endeavour to elude the enemy. Taking advantage of a dark night, the commodore's ship (the President) stood out, but unfortunately struck on passing the bar, and was detained for two hours, by which means the return of day brought her in sight of the British squadron; the Endymion was in a short time so near as to come to action. Decatur at first resolved to board this vessel, and if successful to abandon his own ship which had entirely lost her sailing trim by the unfortunate accident first mentioned. He was disappointed in this by the manœuvres of the enemy; he therefore opened his guns upon her, and it was not long before she lay a complete log in the water. By this time the other ships of the squadron had come up, and the President was compelled to surrender. The President lost 25 killed, and 60 wounded. Nothing in point of naval renown was lost by America in this affair.

The Hornet, Captain Biddle, near the island of Fristan d'Acunha, fell in with, and after an action of 22 minutes on the 23d of March, 1815, captured his Britanic Majesty's brig Penguin, Captain Dickenson. The captured vessel had 14 killed, and 28 wounded. Captain Biddle was wounded in the neck after the Penguin had surrendered; an act which so irritated the crew that it was with great difficulty it could be restrained from refusing quarters to the enemy. Lieutenant Conner, a brave officer, was severely wounded. This vessel still continues to grace the list of the navy. The seamanship of

the accomplished commander, was displayed on his return home to as much advantage as his valour in the combat. For three days he was chased by a ship of the line, bearing an admiral's flag, and was compelled to throw his guns overboard before he could finally effect his escape.

The frigate Constitution returned to the United States, after a long cruize, after the cessation of hostilities. On the 20th of February, 1815, Captain Stewart was attacked by two heavy sloops of war. Notwithstanding the advantage which they possessed of being able to take raking positions, unless baffled by the utmost exertion of skill. Both were captured, and proved to be the ship Cyane, Captain Gordon Falcon, of 34 32 lb. carronades, and the brig Levant, Captain Douglass, of 18 32 lb. carronades, and two long 12s. On board the enemy the loss was 100 in killed and wounded. The Constitution had 4 men killed and 11 wounded. Captain Stewart carried his prizes into port Praya in March; here the British ships Leander, and the Newcastle, appearing, and the captain apprehending that no regard would be paid to the neutrality of the place, endeavoured to make his escape with his prizes. After a long chase he succeeded in getting off the Cyane, but the Levant was compelled to return to port, where she was captured in violation of the laws of nations. This concludes the naval history of the late war; we now turn back on our steps in order to resume the regular plan of our narrative.

During the last year of the war the, leniency at first. practised towards the Eastern states was succeeded by acts of hostility, although not of so lawless a character, yet sufficiently rigorous to make them feel the war.

An opportunity was afforded the inhabitants of convincing the common enemy, that disaffection to the Union was the last thing thought of by the great mass of the people, whatever sentiments might be privately entertained by a few. Commodore Hardy was gallantly resisted at Stonington, a small village, at which a few militia had been hastily collected. A heavy bombardment was kept up for 48 hours, and the British barges which attempted to land, were several times compelled to retire. Great praise was bestowed in every part of the United States, on these brave citizens, in the defence of their town.

In the course of the summer, several important expeditions were undertaken by the enemy against the extreme North eastern frontier of the United States, where the American forces could make but a feeble resistance.

Eastport, Castine, Machias, and other villages between the Penobscot and the Bay of Passamaquoddy, were successively visited without any resistance of consequence. The British commander affected to take formal possession of all the country east of Penobscot, and fortifying Eastport, established a garrison of 1200 men. The exact boundary in this quarter had never been perfectly ascertained; it had been doubtful to whom several of the islands properly belonged; this at the conclusion of the war, gave rise to an article of the treaty.

In consequence of the taking of Castine, the frigate John Adams was unfortunately lost. Captain Morris had put into the Penobscot a few days before. Having no means of defending his ship against a powerful force, he was compelled to set her on fire and blew her up.

9

CHAPTER XIV.

WAR ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER-BATTLES OF CHIPPEWA, AND NIAGARA.

*

AFTER the failure of the last attempt to invade Canada, which had proved so unfortunate to the inhabitants along the Niagara frontier, and which enabled the British to take possession of the American fort, the forces on both sides retired into winter quarters. Nothing of importance took place, until the opening of the campaign towards the latter end of March. General Wilkinson finding that a large body of the enemy, had been collected at La Cole, marched a considerable portion of his army, for the purpose of attacking their position. They had fortified a large stone mill, and erected other defences. An 18 pounder was attempted to be brought up by the General, but not succeeding in this, a twelve pounder was substituted. After a fair experiment of the strength of this fortress, and repulsing a sortie by the enemy, in which Captains Larabie and M'Pherson, were wounded, a retreat took place. The General then took position at Odelltown, on the dividing line. This inauspicious opening of the campaign, together with the failure of the last, caused this officer, together with Hampton to be laid on the shelf, and General Izard ás

sumed the command in the place of the one, and General M'Comb of the other.

Early in the spring, General Brown who had been detached from the main body with about two thousand men, arrived on the Niagara. The gallant conduct of this officer, on several occasions, had won for him a high character, and it was confidently expected that he would soon regain the territory in the possession of the enemy. There does not seem to have been any prospects at the commencement of the campaign, of being able to tear any part of Canada from the British; the utmost that could be expected, was to cut off all communication between the Upper and Lower Provinces. The British had availed themselves of the repose of the winter, to construct at an enormous expense, several large vessels for Lakes Champlain and Ontario. Although the United States had not neglected the augmentation of the naval force, they found themselves at the commencement of the season unable to cope with the enemy. Commodore Chauncy, was therefore, compelled to lay by, until the beginning of summer, before he could be in a situation to co-operate with the land forces.

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Several smaller affairs, however, occurred to enliven the scene. On the 5th of May, Sir James L. Yeo, with four ships, and other vessels of considerable force, appeared before Oswego, with a view of intercepting the stores and necessary equipments for the Superior, then building at Sacket's Harbour. The place was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mitchel, with about three hundred men, assisted by Captain Boyle with a party of sailors and the Growler's crew under Lieutenant Pearce. They were so warmly received by the Yankies, that their boats were compelled to fall back with all possible pre

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