THE WAR ON THE OCEAN. 347 or more steam batteries, to be employed in the defence of our ports. rather than in carrying on the war at sea. For this object, half a million of dollars was appropriated. 7. It should not be forgotten that the party, in the United States, who had always been opposed to the war, continued their opposition, They even charged the government party with being influenced by an undue attachment to the French; in proof of which they cited the fact that war was declared just at the time when the forces of Britain were most needed in Europe to repel the ambitious projects of Napoleon. CHAPTER CLXXII. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION, CONTINUED. - The War on the Ocean. 1. THE spring of 1814 opened with the loss of the United States frigate Essex, of thirty-two guns, Commodore Porter, in the bay of Val-pa-rai'-so, in Chil'-i. The Essex had been cruising in the Pacific Ocean a long time, and had taken many prizes, and, though she had run into a neutral port, the British were determined not to spare her. 2. She was attacked on the 28th of March by a force greatly superior to her own, consisting of the British frigate Phœbe, of thirty-six guns, and a sloop of war called the Cherub, of eighteen guns. The contest was long and severe, and the loss of the Essex was very great, amounting to above one hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. Both vessels were much injured: the Phoebe could hardly be kept from sinking immediately. 3. On the 29th of April, the United States sloop of war Peacock, commanded by Captain, afterward Commodore, Warrington, while off the coast of Florida, fell in with and captured the British brig Epervier, of eighteen guns. The battle lasted forty-five minutes. The British had eighteen killed and thirteen wounded; the Americans had only two wounded. 4. The United States sloop Wasp, also of eighteen guns, took the British sloop of war Reindeer, of eighteen guns. The loss was considerable on both sides. The action lasted twenty-eight minutes. It was fought near the coast of Great Britain, and the Reindeer was destroyed to prevent a recapture. 7 What of the party opposed to the war? CHAP. CLXXIII.-1. What ship was lost by the Americans in 1814? 2 Describe the capture of the Essex 3 What passed between the Peacock and the Epervier? 4 Wha naval action was there on the coast of Great Britain? 5. But the Wasp had not yet completed her work. Besides making a number of prizes on the coast of Great Britain and France, she fell in with the British sloop Avon, on the 1st of September, and, after a running fight of several hours, captured her. She was ordered to America, but was lost on her passage. 6. Important additions having been made, early this year, to the fleet on Lake Ontario, Commodore Chauncey was able to render very efficient aid to the army on the frontier, in its operations, and to watch the movements of the British forces, both on the land and on the lake. There was, however, no considerable action between the two fleets. 7. A British fleet had for some time past held the port of New London, in Connecticut, in a state of blockade, having, early in June, chased three of our ships of war, the United States, the Macedonian, and the Hornet, up the river. On the 11th of August, some of the British vessels, under Commodore Hardy, proceeded to bombard Stonington, but were gallantly repulsed with considerable loss. CHAPTER CLXXIV. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION, CONTINUED.-Defeat of General Wilkinson.-His Trial by Court-Martial. 1. EARLY in the spring of 1814, a detachment of two thousand British soldiers had been ordered to post themselves near the river Sorel, to prevent General Wilkinson, who was still at Plattsburg, from advancing on Canada. The spot which they fortified was within the British lines. 2. When General Wilkinson heard of this movement, he marched, at the head of four thousand men, and on the 31st of March, attacked their works. Finding their fortifications much stronger than he expected, he at length retreated; but not till he had lost, in killed and wounded, about one hundred and forty men. 3. General Wilkinson was tried, some time afterward, for his conduct on this and other occasions, by a court-martial, which convened at Troy, in the state of New York. He was at length acquitted, though not until facts had been developed, in regard to his character, which are not easily or readily forgotten. 4. One conspicuous fault in his character appears to have existed; 5. What prize was taken by the Wasp? 6. What was done by Commodore Chauncey ! 7. What had the British done? What of Commodore Hardy and the attack on Stonington? CHAP. CLXXIV.-1. Where was a British detachment posted early in 1814? 2. What did Generai Wilkinson do? 3. For what was he tried? BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA. 349 a fault of which many a brave man has, unhappily, been found guilty. In one action at the north, when he was unable to command, and pleaded illness as an excuse, it turned out that he was at a house in the neighborhood, in a state of intoxication! 5. During the months of April, May and June, there was little fighting either on the sea-coast or the Canadian frontier. One reason for this was doubtless that Great Britain was at this time deeply engaged in the European war, contending against the armies of Napoleon. But no sooner had the latter been overthrown by the Allied Powers, than the British were at liberty to pour their thousands upon America. No less than fourteen thousand of the troops which had fought under Wellington were speedily let loose upon our northern frontier, through Canada. CHAPTER CLXXV. · MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION, CONTINUED.-The War at the North-West.-Battles of Chippewa and Bridgewater.— Siege of Fort Erie. 1. ABOUT the 1st of July, General Brown crossed the Niagara River near Buffalo, and took possession of Fort Erie without opposition. Meanwhile, a large number of the British forces had advanced as far up the river as Chip'-pe-wa, a few miles lower down than Fort Erie, where they were strongly intrenched, under General Riall. 2. The troops of General Brown were among the best in the American army, and amounted to about three thousand five hundred. The British army was nearly equal in point of numbers, and was equally well selected. On the 4th of July, General Brown advanced to Chippewa, and on the 5th the two armies met in the open field. 3. This battle was exceedingly obstinate and bloody. The Americans were, it is true, the victors, but they paid dearly for the victory. They lost more than three hundred men. The loss of the British exceeded five hundred. They were, moreover, obliged to quit the field, and retreat down the river to Burlington Heights. 4. Here they were reinforced by General Drummond, who took the command, and led the army back toward the American camp. On 4. What great fault had he? 5. How was Great Britain occupied? What happened upon Napoleon's fall? CHAP. CLXXV.-1. Where did General Brown go about the 1st of July? Where had the British intrenched themselves? 2. What of the troops of General Brown? What of the British army? General Brown? 3. Describe the battle of Chippewa. the 25th July, they met at Bridgewater, nearly opposite the falls of the Niagara, and within the sound of the cataract and one of the most obstinate battles took place which was ever fought in America. 5. The contest lasted from four o'clock in the afternoon, until midnight, when the British retreated. As soon as they had departed, the Americans retired to their encampment, but not being able to remove the artillery they had taken from the enemy, the latter returned and seized it, and claimed the victory. 6. Neither side, however, had much reason to be proud of the results of the day. The Americans, with only three or four thousand men, had lost, in killed and wounded, eight hundred and sixty, and the British, with about five thousand men, eight hundred and seventysight. 7. This engagement is often called the Battle of Lundy's Lane, from the name of a narrow road in which it was fought. General Scott led the advance, and displayed in a remarkable manner, the military 4. What of the battle of Bridgewater? 5. Who won the battle? Which party claimed the victory? 6 What was the loss on each side? 7. What is the battle of Bridgewater What of General Scott; General Jessup? The principal generals on both often called? sides? General Riall? SIEGE OF FORT ERIE. 351 qualities of skill and courage for which he afterwards became so dis tinguished. Major Jessup, since General Jessup, also acquired distinction. The fierceness of the fight may be inferred, not only from the number of men killed and wounded, but from the fact that the principal generals on both sides were wounded. The British General Riall was taken prisoner. 8. The American forces were now greatly reduced, and, as there was no prospect of an immediate reinforcement, they retreated up the river to Fort Erie, where they made a stand. General Drummond followed them, and, on the 4th of August, commenced a siege. The fort was, at first, commanded by General Ripley, but subsequently by General Gaines. 9. The siege continued to be prosecuted with great vigor. On the 15th of August a large British force advanced against the fort, in three columns. They were, however, repulsed, with the loss of fifty-seven killed, three hundred and nineteen wounded, and five hundred and thirty-nine missing. All this while, the American forces did not exceed fifteen hundred efficient men. 10. At length, General Izard arrived from Plattsburg with a reinforcement of five thousand men. Just before his arrival, General Brown, who had recovered of his wounds and taken the command of the troops, ordered a body of his men to sally forth and attack the invaders. In this, the Americans were successful, destroying the advanced works of the enemy, and driving their forces back toward Chippewa. 11. The siege of the fort lasted forty-nine days, when the British retreated, and the Americans pursued them. A second battle was fought near Chippewa, on the 20th of October, in which the Americans were victorious, though the triumph was dearly bought. CHAPTER CLXXVI. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION, CONTINUED.-City of Washington captured and burned. 1. WHEN the war against Great Britain was declared, that power, as we have already intimated, was occupied in the tremendous struggle with Napoleon. Under these circumstances our statesmen had supposed it would be easy to conquer the contiguous British provinces 8. Where did the American forces now go? Who commenced the siege of Fort Erie ! Who commanded the fort? 9. Describe the attack. 10. What of General Izard? What was done by General Brown? 11. How long was the siege? What did the British do? What of the second battle near Chippewa? CHAP. CLXXVI.-1. Why was it supposed our arm es could easily conquer Canada? |