80

ACTS OF CONGRESS.

land and naval force of the United States, to carry the same into effect, and to issue to private armed vessels of the United States, commissions, or letters-of-marque and general reprisals, in such form as he should think proper, and under the seal of the United States, against the vessels, goods, and effects of the government and people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This act was followed by others, for the more perfect organization of the army of the United States; appropriating further sums for the defence of the frontier, and for the support of the navy; for the safekeeping and accommodation of prisoners of war; for restraining intercourse with the enemy; authorizing the President to cause to be issued treasury notes, for such sums as he should deem expedient for the public service, not exceeding, in the whole, five millions of dollars; and imposing additional duties upon all goods, wares, and merchandise, imported from foreign ports or places, to aid the revenue during the war.

MILITARY CAMPAIGN OF 1812.

W

ITH a powerful and efficient government, a population trebled in amount, and an overflowing treasury, the United States of 1812 were, in appearance at least, a century of ordinary time in advance of the republic of 1776. The signal success, therefore, which had attended their exertions in the war of inde

pendence, made it natural to suppose that the issue of the approaching hostilities with the same power would not be less creditable to their military energies. But a long period of profound peace-interrupted only by the merely nominal war against the French republic, which occupied a few weeks of the administration of President Adams-however pleasing it may be to the moral eye, is not calculated to prepare a nation for the arduous task of warfare. With the growth of the

IV.-11

(81)

82

ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.

commercial prosperity of the republic, the military art had declined; and, although the individuals of whom its future armies were to be composed, were as brave and zealous as those who had achieved independence, yet were there few who had sufficient skill or experience to lead them against an enemy. The greater part of that illustrious band who served in the war of the revolution, had followed their immortal leader to the grave; and many of those who survived were disabled, by age or infirmity, from taking part in another conflict. A considerable portion of the appointments, however, to the chief offices of the army, were made from those who were supposed either to have displayed talents or acquired experience in the war. Henry Dearborn, who had served with considerable reputation, under the immediate eye of Washington, received the commission of Major-General, and was appointed to the command of the northern army; while a similar rank, with the direction of the forces in the southern department, was bestowed upon Thomas Pinckney, who had also acquired distinction in the war of the revolution.

Until the year 1808, the whole military establishment of the United States scarcely amounted, including officers, to three thousand men; in that year it was augmented by an addition of about six thousand; and in January, 1812, the Congress directed another force, amounting to about twenty-five thousand, to be raised. Thus the entire regular army then authorized by law exceeded thirty-five thousand, including officers. In addition to this force, the president was authorized to accept the services of any number of volunteers, not exceeding fifty thousand, who were to be armed and equipped by the United States; and a similar authority was given to him to call upon the governors of the states for detachments of the militia, the whole of which was not to exceed one hundred thousand. However imposing the united amount of these forces may appear, they wanted many requisites of an efficient and formidable army. The act authorizing the addition of twenty-five thousand men to the regular troops, had been passed so short a time previous to the declaration

POPULARITY OF THE WAR.

83

of war, that scarcely one-fourth of that number could have been enlisted, the great mass of whom were necessarily raw and undisciplined. The volunteers and militia, more especially the latter, were a species of force, the utility of which was at least doubtful, unless for purposes of defence. Brave and patriotic, as individuals, both reason and experience should have taught their insufficiency to contend with the veteran and disciplined forces of the enemy. The navy consisted only of ten frigates, five of which were laid up in ordinary, ten sloops and smaller vessels, and, one hundred and sixty-five gun-boats, only sixty of which were in commission. Such were the nature and organization of the force with which a warfare, principally maritime, commenced with an enemy whose thousand ships made her the mistress of the ocean.

Notwithstanding the injuries which the United States had suffered at the hands of their enemy, and the preparations which had been publicly making for a state of hostility, during several months, the declaration of war on the 18th of June, though so long delayed, excited surprise in the minds of many. The minority of Congress, the Legislatures of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey, as well as several of the inferior commercial cities, protested against the war, in public addresses. But a great majority of the people of the United States was unquestionably in favour of war, on all grounds. The remembrance of the cruelties of the revolution, added to the recent, and, as they thought, not less flagrant injuries inflicted on their country, rankled in their minds, and disposed them to receive with approbation every measure which tended to hostility. This state of feeling was more especially observable in the Western States, the people of which were almost unanimously hostile to the British government. In some places the act declaring war was received with illuminations and rejoicings, as a second declaration of independence. The great commercial cities of New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, the inhabitants of which were liable, in a greater degree, perhaps, than any others, to the sufferings and privations incident to a state of warfare, passed resolutions

84

POLICY OF TECUMSEH.

approving and pledging themselves to support it; and, upon the whole, the war was commenced with the decided approbation of a great proportion of the people, and with the good wishes of many who considered it improvidently undertaken.

The Indians on the northern and western frontiers had successively been driven back from the Atlantic to the Lakes. The treaties by which the United States had gained their accession of country had been made with separate tribes, who, divided among themselves, were unable to oppose the united force of the nation. The confederacy, however, of 1794, which was destroyed by the victories of General Wayne, at first promised to oppose a formidable barrier to further encroachments: but the treaty of Greenville, by which they surrendered a very extensive tract of country, left them crippled in power, but still hostile in disposition to the United States. From that period to the battle of Tippecanoe, the greater part of the Indian tribes appear to have lived in an unsettled and dubious state, fluctuating between the desire of revenge, and the fear of total extermination; bartering their remaining lands for powder and whiskey; and gradually diminishing in numbers, from indolence and intemperance. The war party was led by Tecumseh, a brave, sagacious, and enterprising chief, who left no means untried to retard, at least, if he could not prevent, the approaching extermination of his tribe. He directed all his efforts to persuade them to abjure the practice of intemperance: and his favourite object was the formation of a confederacy, which should have for its basis the equality of right to the whole of their land, and was to be supported by an union with the British, with a view to the recovery of their lost territory.

In the month of April, 1812, the President made a requisition upon the local authority of Ohio for twelve hundred men, tobe put under the command of Brigadier-General Hull, then governor of the Michigan territory. With this force, and some detachments of other regiments, amounting in all to about twenty-five hundred men, Hull arrived at Detroit, and, on the 12th of July, crossed into Canada, and established his