NO. 18 THE CLEMENTS LIBRARY ASSOCIATES FALL 2002
WAR OF 1812
y most standards. the Party. It put an end to any serious Perry's victory at the Battle of Lake War of 1812 was one of American aspirations of taking Canada. Erie, two encounters at Mackinac, and our nation'5 minor military The Indians of the Great Lakes lost any the Battle of the Thames-notable mili conflicts. The Civil War and two ability they previously had to play off tary actions in the course of the con world wars ofthe twentieth century American and British interests. flict-ail occurred nearby. The War of established levels of public involvement Nothing was left for them but to sell 1812 was a crucial event in Michigan and battlefield carnage that make the their eastern lands and move westward. history. It makes sense that this minor Indian wars, 1812, the Mexican and clearing the way for rapid settlement of war has a major place in the collections Spanish-American of the Clements Wars, Korea, and Library. The Vietnam see mingly shelves contain the pale in comparison. papers of both offi Measured only by cers and average casualties, this soldiers and sailors. is true. They document the But wars, actions, the aspira even smaller ones if tions, the successes, they last for awhile, and the failures of can have irreve rs both sides. As with ible politic al, eco all phases of our nomic, social. and history. the collec geopolitical effects tions include a par on a country unan ticularly rich visual ticipated by the record of the war. nation 's "old men" As excited who commit its as we, the staff, "young m en" to can get when the battlefield service. Library acquires Generally entered "new" source into to restore order The close-quarters fighting ofearly nineteenth-century naval combat is captu red in materi als, the true or preserve a status Boarding and Taking of the American Ship Chesapeake, published in London in 1816. measure of our quo that seems The loss a/Chesapeake and the dying words ofher commander, James Lawrence, effectiveness is threatened. lengthy inspired Oliver Hazard Perry 5 battle flag emblazoned wirh "Don 't Give Up the Ship. .. the degree to armed confli cts which they are serve instead to hasten change. the Midwest by easterners and used. University students and classes On paper, the War of 1812 was European immigrants. The regular and academic historian s are obvious a conflict without permanent results. American army and navy gained a visitors. Brian Dunnigan's piece high Militarily, it was essentially a draw. degree of professionalism, tradition, and lights a less obvious but exceptionally The peace treaty resulted in no territori respect they had lacked before the war. important constituency of users-s al gains or losses, no political conces We acquired a new crop of American research ers involved in the preservati on. sion by either side. For Britain, it was heroes: Thomas Macd onough, Oliver restoration. and interpretation of histori a minor and quickly forgotten sideshow Hazard Perry, Winfield Scott, William cal sites. It is a very important way in to the Napoleonic contlict. In sharp Henry Hanison, Andrew Jackson. which we reach the public at large and contrast. the War of 1812 profoundly Most of all, the country gained a help to remind the country as a whole changed the course of United States sense of pennanence and pride. of our rich historical heritage. history in many ways. William Hull's surrender of - John C. Dann The war destroyed the Federalist Detroit, the River Raisin Massacre. Director ------1~r------DOCUMENTING THE SITES OF 1812 he WaI of 1812 was States and Canada. Reproductions of Chippawa, Detroit, and Fort St. Joseph. fought primarily around visual material from the Clements col He was particularly familiarwith Fort the margins of the United lections may be seen in many interpre George, having been posted there for States-in the Western states tive centers and site publications. several years . The fort that Walsh and territories, along the sea- A relatively small number of his knew was completely destroyed during coasts, in the northern borderlands torical site museums were in operation the first year of the WaI of 1812, and, with Canada, and on the shores of the when the Clements Library opened its by the twentiethcentury, only its Gulf of Mexico. That is where, today, doors in 1923. The era of the Great earthworks remained visible within one finds the surviving historical places Depression and the post-Wor ld WaI 11 a Canadian Army training camp. and structures relating to the conflict of period. however. witnessed a manifold Economic hard ship s in the 1930s 1812-1814. Historical sites and mark increase in interest in the preservation provided the impetus to reconstruct ers are particularly thick in Ontario, of significant places. Historic forts and buildings and walls. and, although New York, Ohio, and Michigan, where structures were restored and opened to interrupted by World WaI II, the impres the northern campaigns were fought. the public. and. in some cases, long sive complex opened to the public in The Chesapeake Bay region, Louisiana, vanished buildings were reconstructed the early 1950s. and parts of New England also preserve for their value as memorials and teach Despite careful research and and commemorate the locations where ing aids. The historical documentation reconstruction. the buildings of Fort housed in the George were left with their crude log Cle me nts so on proved walls exposed and subject to deteriora as much a treasure tion. Repairs were necessary by the trove for historians of 1980s, and Parks Canada researchers places and material turned to Edwa rd Walsh and the culture as it had been Clements Library. Walsh clearly for more traditional showe d the log walls covered with academic study. painted siding. and this information Information preserved provided both a maintenance solution in manuscripts, printed and an opportunity to improve the materials, maps, and authenticity of the reconstruction. graphics provides Fort George now sports neatly painted critical details for structures and details such as picket restoration and inter fences andornamental..trees, reflecting pretation. The authen a desire by British officers for Georgian tic reconstruction of amenities, even on the isolated Great Michigan's own Fort Lakes frontier. Michi limackinac, for Two importantsites of the war examp le, which began in the West are to be found in northern "11Je Esplanade. Fort George. Uppe r Canada. " painted by Edward in the late 1950s, Lake Huron. Fort St. Joseph was the Walsh (1756-/832) in June /805. is one ofvery few contemporary would have been diffi images showing interior details ofa fort. Walsh offers a wealth of pre-war British post on the St. Mary's information, from the color of buildings to the bears and other wild cult, if not impossible, River. From there,a British and pets kept by the men of the garrison. were it not for the Native-American force descended on documents and maps the unwary American garrison of Fort Americ a was directly touched by the preserved in the Thomas Gage Papers. Mackinac in July 1812 . Operated today WaI of 1812. Michilimackinac is a historic by Parks Canada, Fort St. Joseph has WiliiaIfi L. Clements established site of the eighteenth cen tury, but the been preserved as a ruin and archaeo his library for the purpose of making Clements Library is a resource for those logical site. The interpretation of its primary source material s available to from the WaI of 1812 as well. Among stark stone foundations has been made advanced scholars of American history. the most graphic documents in the col far more effective by the use of Edward In the eighty years since that time, the lection are the wonderfully detailed and Walsh's view of the post-the only such Library's reader base has broadened colorful watercolors drawn by British image known to exist from the time dramatically to include scholars in other military surgeon Edward Walsh during before the little fort was burne d by disciplines, younger faculty, students, his service in Canada priorto the War U.S. troop s in 1814. amateu r historians, and family of 1812. In the course of his travels, FortMackinac has also benefited researchers. Staff of the many cultural primarily in 1804 and 1805, Walsh from the resources of the Clements agencies that preserve and interpret his recorded the appearance of military Library. The Graphics Division holds toric sites form another important seg posts along what would soon be the a rare colored, copperplate engraving ment of the Lib rary's patrons, and front line between the United States published in Montreal in 1813 to cele inquiries are regularly received from and Upper Canada . Walsh made views brate the capt ure of the post. Richard sites and museums around the United of Toronto, FortGeorge, FortNiagara, Dillon Jr.'s image is a realistic view of
PAGE 2 THE Q1JARTO the fort, town, and harbor as they appeared in 1812. The Map Division has a precise topographical map of Mackinac Island by Lieutenant William S. Eveleth, which provides many fur ther detail s of fortifi cations, roads, and buildi ngs as they were at the end of the war. Of particular importance is its rendering of the site of the battle Michilimackinac, on Lake Huron, drawn by Richard Dillon, Jr., and published in fought on August 4, 1814, when an Montreal in 1813 by Richard Dillon. The loss ofthis post on July 17,1812 was the American attempt to recapture the fi rst setback in a year ofdisasters suffered by American arms in the Old Northwest. island was repulsed. The battle site is little changed from 1814, and the and the dramatic American victory on studied by underwater archaeologists. Eveleth map provided the base data Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. Maps The hardest land fighting of the for an archaeological survey conducted in the collection show the naval and mil war took place in 1814 along the there hy Dr, Michael Pratt in the spring itary bases at Sacketts Harbor, New Niagara Fronti er. The sites of the of 2002, A letter in the Library's York, where Chauncey built his warships battles at Chippawa and Fort Erie are Michigan Collection recorded informa and which served as a military base as preserved today by the Province of tion on the burial of the American dead, well. The army's activity at the post is Ontario's Niagara Parks Commission , an important detail for the archaeolo reflected in manuscript collections such while a fragment of Lundy's Lane gists. Pratt 's investigation has con as the Bloomfield-Pike Letter Book. remains as a small local museum and firmed much of the information in American bases on Lake Erie are repre cemetery. The clashes at Chippawa, the historical maps and documents. sented as well, with delightfully naive Lundy's Lane , and Fort Erie are docu The War of 1812 is probabl y best maps of Black Rock , New York (now mented in the Jacob Brown Papers, the remembered as a naval conflict. The part of Buffalo) and Erie, Pennsylvania, Thomas Jesup Papers, and the War of U.S. Navy engaged in salt-water action drawn by a militiaman and accompanied 1812 Collection. Nearby, across the as far afield as the Pacific, but by 1813 by his descriptive letter. river from Fort George, is Fort Niagara, 1814 its greatest effort was to be found Nor is the naval war on Lake a New York State Historic Site. Its War on fresh water. Both combatants built Champlain forgotten. The Graphics of 1812 history is represented in the War and sailed powerful squadrons on Lakes Division has the dramatic Henry S. of 1812 Collection, the Christopher Van Ontario, Erie , and Huron. Many of the Tanner view of Tho mas Macdonough's Deventer Papers, and among the Edward sites of this activity have been pre Septemb er 11, 1813 victory over a Walsh watercolors. served and interpreted. The Library' s British squadron that turned back an The last six months of the war documentation is parti cularly strong invasion of northern New York. A saw fighting spread to Chesapeake Bay here, in its naval collections such as the museum commemorating the action and the Gulf of Mexico. Baltimore's Oliver Hazard Perry Papers and the let is currently under development in Fort McHenry is the best known site terbooks of Isaac Chauncey. These doc Plattsburgh. The victorious American relating to this coastal warfare. It has ument the naval war on Lake Ontario vessels and their prizes were laid up long been a property of the National that winter near Park Service. The Pulteney Malcolm Lieutenant William Sanfo rd Eveleth (d. 1818) mapped Mackina c Whitehall, New Papers and other British naval collec island in detail during 1817. His careful rendering ofMichael York, where a tions provide information for this and Dousman sfarm preserves contemporary topographical details British spy drew other sites of the amphibious campaign about a battlefield where the British repulsed an American land maps of them at that threatened the American coasts and ing on August 4, 1814. their mooring s in led to the burni ng of Washington , and, the hope that they eventually, Andrew Jackson's famous might be burn ed in victory at New Orleans. a wintertime raid. Man y of the Library's collections The attack never provide further detai ls about the materi took place, but al culture and operations of the armies the sketches and and navies of 1812-14, details that are reports survive in always of use to historic site researchers. the Brisbane Papers The Clements Library holds many at the Clements. resources to support what is often called The hulls of some "public history," and, through the medi of these vesse ls, um of historic site museums, publi ca notably the brig tions, and films, its collections reach Eagle, were eventu a much broader audience . ally abandoned and - Brian Lei gh Dunnigan sunk, leaving the Curator ofMaps and Head remains to be of Research & Publications
THE QlJARTO PAGE 3 ~ ,1' \, • _ ' • ~ • .61' - " . " ~'" ~ "".~ ~.,.".;- ~- ~' ~ Z'i.~' I, " ,, _ :: • ,f 't I • ,,:-. .'c! ,,-.f.> t.:;- .... > _ • , - _ <
RHYMES OF WAR AN D PEACE
ecause the poetry of the al, and national perceptions and reflect "The Star-Spangled Banner," in music War of 1812 is so perva changes in both literary styles and polit form, printed and sold by Thomas Carr sive, appearing in books, ical realities. The Clements Library of Baltimore in 1814. First published newspapers, magazines, broad- collections contain a wide sampling earlier in the year in newspapers as sides, prints, and manuscripts. it of such materials, which offer both a "The Defence of Fort M'H enry," presents a broad range of both positive scholarly and an entertaining approach Francis Scott Key's poem was to and negative attitudes towards the con to the muse. become the monumental tribute to flict. These verses also provide an Foremost among the Library's our "Second War for Independence" interesting perspective of local, region- holdings is a copy of the first issue of and, eventually, our national anthem, A personal interest in the strength of this poem led to a broader undertaking to account for and study the poetry of the period of the war. After perusing some of the War of 1812 verse in the Library's book, broadside, manuscript, and print collec tions. and with the encouragement of director John Dann, a systematic study of newspaper poetry commenced, The Clements has the only known copy of The Farmer's Watch-Tower, published in Urbana, Ohio, between 1812 and \ 1814, so it made an ideal starting point. JI0 8T B R l }L L 1 A N T , , ~ , . , . ; .- ..... -::------After reading the Library's extensive NAVAL VICTORl -ON LAKE' ERIE. newspaper holdings, the pursuit contin GLOR IO US rs ws t t t ued in other collections. Besides identi Ii_ gil to tt:.p 1M booditlg an
On ~i.ing 1he pleasing inttl l'genee or Commoo P lfRRY' BrilIia. . .. . !thjo.ty's SQ UADRoN t I 'eJ It SIll ore 5 1\1 Yid ary. 011 L ~b ERIH, In cea qllen llg ~ P ri Vl.I ~ r Globe. .:t! 0 OC' lit", were fu-ed from Fort Jodepmdm ",- lhe U. S. F ripte COMlilutlOR, anJ - -- nn --SQil j ~: , - ">, 1:; , 0;; " _ >_ l . ~ ~ ~
UR B .\~ .\ ( 04".) - 1'~ u" >l n .,. )lOSF. u C OR W I~ &: .\ LLF.~ :':. r OFF. Patriotic sentiment and the
encouragement of the tenacity of 1\-..... 1. ] ( S ~. 41 .) American land and naval forces facing 1. "0 y l" T HE , ...,. c n ·T n Wl: &. 1 A /"1: ;"-OTICE for """.Iin, irw.,i"nf,:"", Ih.. ~ ""...,. formidable oppon ents are reflected in T hc W¢ C ~ ' f o U" er will "" FOUND ~ "d in OI'lf. ni~ i n : a r.:r-ubr f.,...., fer many of the newspaper poems. The C~i;':~ I ~~"~~ o; ~'~'~~~; lI~~~', j :::: :1:;; :;(~1'.1: ~i. ,:;:' ~~~r, ,~ .~ :~ ~~:~I~ :/;i:-;",;:~~ , ~'r p~ :dl~~ ~ _ ~;:, l ;~ ~h"'t , ::;dl=~~~ ~ '~~~,f ,;,~,~~ : same themes appeared in works pub ""i'l~" t~b:"'~~~ l' lj~" u ~ e ~ d "" I"" .,,,("",,.'. "o,,,oro,,, cn,;. ....nt I", 11".... ~ I"(' I"'rt;(" I\ I~,h Oil Ihe . )e>1, ,,, ri lished in a wide range of printed nation ..i,·cd ror1e•• \h~n ,,~ monli" , ",h id, :'rc «,.k',,!: .,.h·c b'U' UN:' to '·"rel "'iIl t>e """ ,.\~~;'r auri 1,," ,'l1l~··HI·e al song books and collections of martial et,,", Jol,~ po,.l;[, , ,!.-"nrc . • "".~..~" . 1>": 01, ini. of Jjar d l 27. Il l. ~ "' lf \,~Vh,,~, t " ner\"ebl and naval poems, odes, songs, and other "".illb ., ,,, d ,,t'lh ; y, ,,r, TlI" . 1< dnl· TYl nt,,, i ( ,>.,'.J .) .\fm·c\ '2'2. 01' will be the l' r ic~ 0" 'I'up" I",' In' l li ,h,t..ch"" 'n! of Oona roIlmry I'l'O,lue" ",ill he ·1. t T, ~ . 1"'01", ( "",;.lin!: of a1'o"j .')(10 metrical effusions during and after the I T h e f·., n ~ w i " ll' be.."t;fu1andnft',et;n" "'''''. r ~ n ' mM \l l e d by L,ecl. e".L l<~ ~n I'~~t:~~:~" ~nkat;n,,.. "Mr~&.. ,·rr,,'. we..e wr"ll.·n II,. .. L ~ , j )" "f V".mi., ", orehe.1 '''rough liii, e;ty, war. Individual works often appeared .d 10',11; BdilGr' mH.,l ~r. j>O> j l,a,d ~,~~~" : i t~;n~~ ~tm':;~ I ~ t~'::llLld"m, ~"r n ~ •./d,'C"tiJe",r" l. ""I ~("""r , r i,~ ~ 11.0:;- »s: if •.-'rr. a in broadside fonn as well. ";K!h Ihtln-f.. l. rr ,,-, It,~ :,ri!l lot: i.r.... ~ . -.'W A S 'l·1-." D J.H31;E;DIAT:£I.Y ~~~.1; : Jt st.~ ~~ ~ ~;:;: :, ~~~ I =;'; ~~r i~~::lf ~ ~:;"~:~k It
ritish Admiral Sir Pacific, and the Mediterranean. As a as third in command (behind Admirals Pulteney Malcolm captain in the Napoleonic Wars, he Sir Alexander Cochrane and Sir George (1768-1838) is remembered served under Nelson at Toulon and saw Cockburn) of the fleet sent to North today, if at all, for his meetings considerable action, capturing a number America in 1813. He was placed in and friendship with the exiled of enemy ships. charge of troop transports. Malcolm Napoleon. Malcolm was briefly (1816 When the United States declared left Portsmouth on June 2, 1813. 1817) in command of the Cape of Good war on Great Britain in 1812, the Arriving in the Potomac on August 17, Hope squadron that guarded the defeat British military and naval establishment he was immediately given command of ed emperor on St. Helena Island. But showed little enthusiasm for the contest, the fleet that was sent up the Patuxent much of his earlier career had been but they were confident that they could River with the land forces, Marines, spent in American waters. win and understood that overwhelming and naval volunteers assigned to attack Malcolm was typical of many of naval superiority was their greatest sin Washington. The Capitol, Navy Yard, the individuals who rose to the top lev gle advantage. Not only could they and White House were burned in what els of command in the eighteenth and mount a very effective blockade of certain ly ranks as the most humiliating nineteenth centuries. From a family of the American coasts from Maine to the (and largely conveniently forgotten) numerous military and naval officers, Gulf of Mexico, but they were able to defeat in American military history. he entered the service as a midshipman deliver and re-embark raiding parties Malcolm later particip ated in the before the age of ten under the watchful for quick, destructi ve land attacks that abortive attack on Fort McHenry and eye of his uncle, Sir Thomas Paseley. were unpredictable and difficult for the Baltimore that inspired our national He would enjoy a career of more than Americans to defend against. anthem, and he was responsible for re half a century in the West Indies, the Malcolm was assigned, in 1813, embarking the remnants of the British
Pulteney Malcolm enlivened his logbook with maps, sketches, and watercolors. This scene shows the landing of British troops along a bayou near New Orleans on December 23,1814. Malcolm noted that the "place on which the Troops landed was a Plain covered with strong reeds or canes from 8 to 10 feet high." The army pushed on toward the city and defeat by Andrew Jackson s motley anny on January 8-9,1815.
PAGE 6 THE QlJARTO army defeated at New Orleans in 1815. The Clements Library acquired the personal letters of Admiral Malcolm, written to his wife throu ghout his War of 1812 service in America. at auction in London in 1962 . In 1964, at a New York sale, the Library added his personal logbook for the same period of service. By provid ing the funds needed to reunite primary sources of this sort, your contributions to the Clements Librar y Associates literally, then and often since, have saved esse ntial docu mentation of decisive moments in our nation 's history. Had none of these personal record s survived. historians would still have the basic documentation of the events in which Malcolm participated. At the Public Record Office at Kew and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, officia l logbooks and correspondence exist documenting the daily actions of eve ry ship in the fleet throughout the campaign. But private records of this sort, that rarely survive if they were eve n created in the first place. provide an invaluable element to B AL77/VW R £ understanding historical eve nts. They -"., 'ft~ , ~ ~.r9""'#'':' _ . -I,,,,· r.~.... .,.L;.·.. ,.-..u.<:/. ... n.'...... ,...... " " ...- ,,. ~ ,,.. personalize history. ~ r:""' N ,, "' a. ' ~n o.""~ '-';" :"J{ · '· · '''~r" .. ~ " .~I< ...... -l. "....,./' ~ .od "" ' r<'...d; .'T"'/"' Malcolm embarked upon his l' r THE QlJARTO PAGE 7 HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP JAVA IS NO MORE "It is with deep regret that I write became icons of American history. numbers led to the obvious American you for the information ofthe Lords These are also great examples of graph strategy of avoiding fleet actio ns on the Commissioners ofthe Admiralty that ic processes at a time of trans ition from oceans and harassing the Royal Navy His Majes ty's Ship Java is no morc... " etching and engraving to lithography. through one-on-one encounters between - Lieutenant Henry D. Chads, Royal Publishers in the early nineteenth equi valent forces that would, it was Navy, to Secretary of the Admiralty cen tury intended to create prints that hoped, prove the super iority of individ John W. Croke r, from USS Constitution, would be popular and profitable. Key ual ships and commanders. The frigates December3 l,1812. selling points were artistic quality and of the American navy were perfect for a legitimate claim to accurate reporting this strategy. he Roya l Navy friga te of eve nts. Although these images were The penultimate stage of sailing Java was gone, com second- or third-hand translations by rnan-o'-war design was achie ved with pletely destroyed by the the time they were committed to a print the ordering of six new frigate s for the American Constitution in one ing plate, a sincere attempt was made to fledgling U.S. Navy in 1794. Large, of a series of surprising naval achie ve a level ofjournalistic truth fast, and heavi ly gunned, these vessels encounters during the War of distilled with an artist's dramatic flair were conceived to outrun anything they 1812. As news of these even ts was and a measured dose of partisan opi n couldn't outgun. Of this group of six, carried home and across the new nation, ion. When circulated, these prints the three 44-g un frigates United States , there grew a hun gry audience for pic played an important role in swinging President, and Constitution were partic ture s to go with the stories, verses, and American popular opinion in favor of ularly tough combatants. These ships songs about these stunning American the war and of fund ing a growing navy. achieved stunning victories against naval victories. The story of the American frigates British frigates from 1812 to 1815, the The Graphics Division of the became legend as it was artic ulated significance of which is indicated by Cle ments Library is rich with images by newspaper accounts, poems, songs, British Admiralty instructions ordering illustrating events of the War of 1812, and in these popular prints. frigate s not to engage the 44-gun including over 30 contemporary prints, The Royal Navy, preoccupied Americans with less than two Britons oil paintings, watercolors, and draw ings with the desperate Napoleonic Wars, of similar force. of nava l battles. Many additional was spread thin and runni ng short of The majority of contemporary woo dcuts and engravings may be found reso urces in 1812, but it cou ld still images of the War of 1812 are of sea in illustrated books. In this collection organize an overwhelming force com battles. Although the land actions were are premium examples of the extremely pared to the miniscule United States also of significance. the encounters pop ular mariti me prints that quickly Na vy. The huge British advantage in between the new American and the PAGE 8 THE Q1JARTO Left: "Constitution and Java, December 29th, 1812." Oil on C€mvas by Nicholas Pocock. Above: The print version of Pocock 's composition, published in London in January 1814. veteran British men-o' -war were sensa and West Indies views, portraits of mourning, and recognizing loss is a part tional and dramatic stories that served ships, and, of course, sea battles. of the process of nation al bonding. The as perfect subject matter for the popular Mo ving to London in 1789 and notes on the Pocock print include some maritim e artists of the day. Two who co-founding the Society of Painters facts of significance to British pride: stand out in this genre are Nicho las in Watercolour in 1804, he strengthened namely that Java canied fewer guns Pocock and John Christian Schetky. his reput ation as an artist and gained and men. The British considered it Pocock was a talented amateur; Schetky numerous commissions from the unsporting to clas sify Constitution and was Professor of Drawing at the Royal Admiralty, a body that appreciated his her sister ships as frigates when they Naval College in Portsmouth. Both accurate recording of maritime details. clearly overpowered British ships of rose to the top in the realm of marine Pocock's art is represented at that class . These image s of loss would art and are considered among the best the Clements in four prints and two be poig nant memorials for conte mpo of their time . The Clements Library oil paintings, all of the well-kno wn rary families of sailors. The very same has outstanding examples of both series showing the action betwee n views, exported to America, would be men's work. Constitution and Java. The prints and centerpieces of celebration. Nicholas Pocock (1740-1821) the paintin gs are a close match in com John Christian Schetky (1778 was born in the busy English seaport position, color, and subject. It is not 1874) was born in Edin burgh and of Bristol and became a young appren clear which Pocock created first. but the longed for the sea. Forbidden by his tice on the merchant ships of Richard popular de mand for news leads one to paren ts to join the navy, his consolation Champion. By 1766 he was captain the belief that the prints were hurried was an exceptional talent for drawing of Champion' s Lloyd on route to into production first and the paint ings ships. Schetky studied under Alexander Charleston, South Carolina. Daily came later. For original art of an 1812 Nasmyth. father of the Scottish school entries from his surviving logbooks naval action, it doesn't get any better of land scape painting, and styled his contain remarkable India ink illustra than this. The two paintings were gifts work after the great Dutch marine artist , tions of his ship enduring the prevailing from Eli Lilly in 1966. Willem Van de Velde . After studying weather co nditions. The loss of l ava was an embar in Paris and Rome, he settled at Oxford Pocock retired from Champion's rassment for the Royal Navy. What and exhibited at the Royal Academy in service about 1776 and took up pain ting would moti vate an English publisher 1805. By 1811 Schetky was Professor as a serious vocation (a risky career and artist to produce a print series of Drawing at the Roya l Nava l College move in any era !). Under the tutelage showing off this disaster? As we at Portsmouth. He was then appointed of Sir Joshua Reynolds, he was accept have ourselves discovered in the post Marin e Painter in Ordinary to King ed to the Rnyal Academy in 1782. Septemb er 11th world, facing the George IV, and, subsequently, to Queen Pocock' s specialty was Bristol harbor images of tragedy is a component of Victoria. His boyhood interest had car- THE Q\)ARTO PAGE 9 ried him to the top rank of British maritime artists. Schetky developed a great feeling for atmosphere, a majestic sense of co mposi tion. and the ability to por tray great pictorial dept h. The illusion of tangibl e depth and space expands the vividne ss of the scene. In his depiction of the battle between Chesapeake and Sham/on, the accuracy in the drawing of the foreshortened hull and gun ports of the foreground vessel and the effect of looming forward, out from the mass of smoke. are artistic devices that cre ate depth and dramatic stag ing. The production of the Brilliant Naval Victory, drawn and engraved by Samuel Seymour and published by J. Pierie & F. Kearney. lithostone for this print series Philadelphia, 18/2. was in the hands of the very talented young Belgian lithographer, American print of the same genre, dif Compare Seymour's drawing of the Louis Haghe (1806-1885). A superb ferences in artistic quality become very foreshortened hull, the flat rendering watercolor painter himself, Haghe evident. of the sails, and the crude handling of began working in England about 1823 By contrast to the SchetkylHaghe the smoke to Schetky's . Quality issues and was soon producing lithograph s of artistry, Samuel Sey mour's print depict like these helped maintain the strong the very highe st quality. The smoke ing the action betwee n Constitution and American market for English and effect, handled with a soft blending of Guerriere appears flat. although there European prints and ensured that tones. demonstrates Haghe's experience is a primitive cbarm that is typical of London would remain a domin ant and skill. When compared to a typical American prints prior to lithography. publishing center. Comparisons to the soft effects in the Schetky's scene oiU.S.S. Chesapeake crippled by H.M.S. Shannon's broadsides is the second in a series SchetkylHaghe example offour undated prints a/the 1813 action. also demonstrate why the new process of lithography quickly became favored among nineteent h-century artists of atmospheric views. History textbooks from the time after the War of 1812 to the present have used these prints for illustrations of the significant naval actions of the War of 1812. They continue to be great historic ref erences and exciting graphic image s. and they have become very familiar to anyone who grew up with a fascination for maritime history and the sea. - Clayton Lewis Curator ofGraph ic Materials PAGE 10 THE Q!JARTO YOU MUST EXCUSE THIS LETTER The manuscript for two small armies-nearly collections of the 1,700 killed, wounded, and Clements Library are missing. In the aftermath of filled with letters that the battle the U.S. force dug in bear witness to the great at Fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, moments of American history. where they endured a bloody Many of these-the correspon late summer siege before final dence of important political, ly withdrawing from Canada military, or naval figures in November. view events from the broader The earlier of the two though often more distant per letters was written from the spective ofleadership or com American camp at Queenston mand. Among the great Heights on July 23 by Loring strengths of the Library's col Austin (d. 1827). The young lections are the letters written officer had recently been pro by those farther down the chain moted captain in the infantry of responsibility. These people but was serving on the head had a far more limited perspec quarters staff of General tive, often shrouded by the Brown as one of his two aides smoke, confusion, and carnage de-camp. Austin, a native of of battle, but they were also Boston, was obviously well closer to the actual event. educated and possessed some Reports by junior officers, artistic talent as well. He found in the Gage, Clinton, and found the vista from Queenston similar papers, and the wonder Heights "the most delightful ful soldiers' letters in the that you can possibly con Schoff Revolutionary War and ceive," and illustrated the head Schoff Civil War collections of his letter to Jonathan L. provide first-hand accounts of Austin, probably his father, events as they occurred. with a watercolor view to Among the numerous prove his point. Austin was personal letters found in the also a practical cartographer, War of 1812 Collection are a and one of the maps he pre pair written by two young officers-one Jacob Brown invaded Canada from pared for General Brown is in the British and one American-during the Buffalo with a small but well-trained Clements Library Map Division. summer of 1814. They are evocative army-known as the Left Division. Loring Austin was clearly in for many reasons, not the least of which Opposing him were British generals high spirits . His army had had it much is that they were written on virtually the Phineas Riall and, later, Gordon its own way since crossing to Canada same spot, four days apart. One was Drummond. Brown clashed with Riall on July 3. Austin detailed the move composed two days before the bloodiest at the Battle of Chippawa on July 5, ments of the troops and expressed a land battle of the war and the other two driving the British from the field and strong desire to bring the British force days after. Both give the flavor of an advancing to threaten Forts George and "to a general action," which he believed early nineteenth-century military cam Niagara at the mouth of the Niagara the enemy was avoiding. He described paign and express the importance and River. There the U.S. general hoped to British fire ftom the forts, including difficulty of communicating with be joined by Isaac Chauncey's Lake Congreve rockets-devices that we friends and relatives. The personal Ontario squadron with the heavy still sing about in our national anthem. nature of the correspondence also per artillery needed to besiege the British Unconcerned, he noted that "we did mitted a more graphic and frank held forts. But Chauncey failed to not deign to answer a single shot of description of nineteenth-century war appear, and Brown withdrew to our Artillery." But he seemed happiest fare than might appear in a more formal Queenston Heights with its splendid with the state of the Left Division, a far report to a military superior. prospect of the river and Lake Ontario. more professional force than that which The letters revolve around the From there he continued upriver and had endured such fiascoes in 1812 and Battle of Lundy's Lane, fought July 25, turned to fight Drummond's army on 1813. The troops were fit and ready 1814 on the Ontario side of the Niagara July 25. The confused, close-quarters to fight. "Our marches here to and River, within earshot of the falls. The battle fought at Lundy's Lane continued fro' keep the men & the officers also encounter was the central event of a well into the hours of darkness, with no in good health," he wrote. "'I was summer's campaign in which General clear victor. Casualties were enormous never better, constant riding & THE Q1JARTO PAG E 11 This representation ofLundy 's Lane, often called the "Battle of Niaga ra. " appeared ill The Portfolio of September, 1815. It is a rare contemporary image of a land battle of the War of1812 and presents a reaso nably accurate picture ofthe close-range fighting and the capture and recapture ofthe British calUzon. Exercise keeps me always well." letter with a man who was taking "I assure you, I never passed so awful a Austin's letter closes with a Captain Robert Loring's horses down night as that of the action," Le Couteur sense of haste within an army that to Kingston. "Poor Loring" had wan wrote after listening to "the Groans of had just sent off its heavy baggage dered into the enemy lines during the the dying and wounded." He had so as to become more mobile. He nighttime fighting at Lundy's Lane already endured "36 hours marching, had only moments to complete his note. and was a prisoner of the Americans. fighting and fasting," but he was unable "T he Express is now in my tent waiting Le Couteur then described the to sleep. "I was cold and wretched, for me to close this letter which only battle in detail-at least that part of what must not have been the misery leaves me time to send you my affec it he could see. His account gives a of those Unfortunates who remained tionate regards: " he wrote. The courier graphic sense of the poor visibility and on the field." His account of the battle was then off to Buffalo, and Austin's terrible confusion- British troops firing ends with the poignant observation, "A letter began its long route through on their own comrades in the darkness soldier's life is very horrid sometimes:" Boston to the Clements Library. and some, like Captain Loring, acciden Loring Austin had also seen the Four days later, another officer tally walking into the American lines. face of this battle. Late in the fighting. sat very near the site of Loring Even General Riall was taken prisoner as the wounded Brown's only surviving Austin's tent. It was "quite dark," and in this way. Le Couteur 's wonderfully aide. he was sent with orders for Lieutenant John Le Couteur apologized detailed diary of the war has been General Eleazar Ripley to collect his for his penmanship, but he was "writing recently published under the title Merry wounded and retire, but to tum and on a board, out of doors." Numerous Hearts Make Light Days. and many of fight if pressed by the British. Austin, illegible words in the document attest to its entries express his regret for having too, was a victim of the dark, chaotic the conditions under which it was com to fight against English-speaking battlefield. Unable to find Ripley, he posed. "You must excuse this letter: " American cousins. At Lundy's Lane passed Brown's message to one of the weary soldier apologized. much of the confusion resulted "from Ripley's staff officers for delivery. Two nights before, Le Couteur speaking the same language, once sepa Unfortunately, Austin's own account (1794-1875). a native of the Isle of rated, we could not distinguish friend of the fighting is not available to us. Jersey, had been in the thick of the from foe: " He credits the "Yankees" John Le Couteur and Loring fighting with his regiment, the l04th with "behaving nobly" and then states Austin, two intelligent and articulate Foot. From his new camp at Queenston that, late in the battle, his men "poured young men, both survived Lundy's he fmally had time to think of his in a tenible fire on them for an hour, Lane and the four months of hard cam Canadian friends and the fears they when they began to give way, and paigning that followed. Their letters, might have for his safety when news finally ran." before and after the battle, remain for of the battle reached them. Le Couteur There was little running, for the us to read as documents of the War of wrote William Robison of Kingston, the participants were exhausted. Jacob 1812 and as records of the impressions post where he had spent the past winter. Brown's army did indeed withdraw the fighting made upon both of them. He was most concerned that Robison's from the hotly contested field, and it - Brian Leigh Dunnigan mother would be "anxious to know how was the British troops who remained in Curator ofMaps and Head I am after our late action." He sent the the dark among the dead and wounded. ofResearch & Publications PAGE 12 THE QlJARTO A PHILADELPHIA TEA PARTY he war fought with war enthusiastically selling livestock cial port was vulnerable to a British Great Britain in 1812 and supplies to feed British troop s in blockad e. By December, British naval 1814 generated its share Canada. Privateers from the middle activity was having an increasing effec t of controversy, disunity, Atlantic ports found lucrative employ on the city, its merchants, and con and hardship within the United ment preying on British commerce, but, sumers. When Willi am Gro ves States. The young country as the war progressed the Royal Navy's addressed a letter to his country cousin, embarked on its first significant nation blockade of the coast created shortages William Garner, late in Dec ember, his al conflict riddl ed with deep political and hardship s for merchants and con news touched only briefly on famil y and sectional divisions based on differ sumers alike. affairs before shifting to the skyrocket ing interests, man y of them economic. The Clements Library's War of ing prices of tea, coffee, and sugar. One reput ed cause for the decl aration 1812 Collection contains a rich miscel Although Gro ves did not state the cost of war was British interference with lany of documentation relating to many of tea, coffee had climbed to 40 cents maritime trade, but sea-faring New aspect s of the conflict, from military per pound and bro wn sugar to 32-and England harbored much anti -war records, orders, and letters to docu these were the prices obtainable at auc sentiment. Bellicose Westerners held ments revealing attitudes on the home tion . Gro ves, who apparently supported strong anti-British attitudes because of front . One recently acquired letter pro the war, had his own theori es for this. Canadian support for Nati ve American vides a snapshot of wartime concerns in He maintained that the price must soon groups that blocked American expan Philadelphia and reveals some of the corne down because "there is Tea sion in the Old Northwest. There was economic and politi cal turmoil in one Coffe e & Sugar enough to sereve [sic] hearty support among some for adding populous Ame rican city. the U.S. for 7 years." He attribnted the Briti sh Canada to the Union, a Philadelphia was far-removed current high costs to "A company of mis sed opportunity of the American from the fighting that raged along the spec ulaters [who wished tol sett the Re volution. And yet farm ers in north Canadian bord er durin g the summer and People Agane the war" but further ern New York and Vermont spent the fall of 1813 , but the bustling comrner- maintained that their action had actually This watercolor, signed by William Paine and recently acquired by the Library, is one of very'few images that illustrate the British blockade of the Ame rican coast. It depict s an encounter in Long Island Sound between British warships and a squadron ofU.S. Navy gunboats. The event has yet to be identified. but it might be an action fought offNew London, Connec ticut, on May 23, 1814. THE Q1JARTO PAGE 13 encouraged pro-war partisans. Board witch was carried Unanirnes." plaints and threats of a new "Tea Party" Some in Philadelphia were A Philadelphia Tea Party? were also reported from Boston, with willing to protest. On the night of Unfortunately the newspapers are silent price gouging there also blamed on anti December 20, Groves reported, more about any further action. Poulson's war merchants. than 500 people gathered at a public American Daily Advertiser reports a The Philadelphia meeting thus meeting held in the North Liberties meeting at the Cock and Lion, located seems to have been only a protest that section of town. The precedents and at 2nd and Coates Streets in the North recalled a famous prelude to the traditions of the American Revolution Liberties. Daniel Groves (a relative of American Revolution. But the letter were on the minds of the aggrieved par William?) was called upon to chair the written by William Groves illustrates ticipants. First, they agreed to a boycott meeting, while Thomas Lippincott was one of the many domestic costs of the and to do without sugar, tea, and coffee elected secretary. The paper does not War of 1812. until sugar was available for 20 cents mention any threat to dump tea. and the - Brian Leigh Dunnigan and coffee for 25. Then, according to assembly resolved to meet again in a Curator ofMaps and Head Groves. "Befor we Adjurned one week to consider the enormous price of of Research & Publications moved that the Tea be thrown over the three commodities. Similar com- T il E STj\R SP.r-\ NCLED \ I"H J()T I C~() X G. Ai ,· , A ll ,tl . I'(>(H I i ll H ca cc u . The Star-Spangled Banner" is undoubtedly J r- r : r.tjE@ the best known verse of the War of1812. This is a copy of the first ,j .,. =r= r , • edition , in music fo rm. .., • identifiable by the absence ofa "t" in the word "patriotic. " ? : t ; :: ¢ J' 2': L) th e d awus ('ad~- light., \fllat 50 \ " 'I i ...... ( Pl.l. ~ ANNOUNCEMENTS BETTY VAN DEN BOSCH as a W.A.V.E. is recorded in a collection December of 1813. They include his In September the Library lost a of documents she present ed to the retained correspondence, full of detail good friend and a remarkable person. Clements Man uscript Division. about keeping U.S. forces fed and Elizabeth van den Bosch-Betty to - Arlene Shy equipped in northern New York. These her many friends- was a member Emeritus Head of Reader documents have now been reun ited with of the Clement s Library Associates Se rvices the rest of the Thomas Papers. The Board, chair of the 75th Anniversary Clements Library has been most fortu Ce lebration banquet, and a dedicated nate in attracting such high-quality gifts volunteer and docent. All who had the WAR OF 1812 that imp rove its documentation of good fortune to become her friend and LETTERBOOKS Ame rica 's past. colleague will remember those humane Even as this issue of the Quarto was qualities that touched their lives-her being edited, the War of 1812 collec capacity for kind ness and generosity, tions of the Clements Library were PRICE VISITING her liberal, inquiri ng mind , her tough unexpectedly enric hed by a gift to the RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS integrity, her wisdom without a trace Manuscripts Division. Over the past Applications are once again being of pretension, and her sense of humor. several years, Frank and Theresa accepted for Jacob M. Price Visiting Beny brought a wealth of experi Parkins of Mari etta. Georgia, have gen Research Fello wships. The deadlin e ence in the University community to her erously donated the papers of Jame s for applications is Janu ary 15, 2oo 3 for work at the Clements. Joining the UM Thomas (1780-1842). Thoma s served support that will be granted during that Alumni Association in 1967, she was as an army quartermaster during the calendar year. Further information on Director of Alumnae Activities until War of 1812, but most of his surviving the Price Fellowship application process her retirement in 1985. papers focus on later business and legal is available by contacting the Price Born in Col umbu s, Ohio, in 1921, affairs. Only a thick packet of receipts Fellowship Coordinator at the Lib rary Elizabeth Bonney graduated from Ohio attests to his military duties at Buffalo, (734-764-2347) or by e-mail at State University in 1943. She joined the New York, during the winter of 1813. briand @umich.edu . Navy and served with the W.A.V.E.S. The Thomas Papers had passed The amount of Price Fellow ship Betty specialized in code communica down throu gh the Parkins family, and a support has been substantially increased tions and retired as a lieutenant. few pieces had bee n overlooked. Mr. for 2oo3. The former award of S500 Stationed in Washington. D.C.• during Parkins recently discovered two letter per fellow has been doubled to $ 1,000 World War Il , she met Lieutenant books and a memorandum book kept by to address the increasing costs of travel Govert van den Bosch, Royal James Thomas in the course of his and lodging in Ann Arbor, Notification Netherlands Marines. whom she duties at Buffalo and on the Lake of 2oo3 awards will be made by married in 1946 . Betty's experience Champlain frontier from July through March 15. The War of 1812 was also a major Indian conflict. Most Native-American groups allied themselves with the British. Their most famous leader was Tecumseh, whose death on October 5. 1813 was the subject this engraving by Abel Bowen (/790-1850). THE Q1JARTO PAGE 15 CALENDAR OF EVENTS September 30 - February 21: Exhibit, Benjamin F. Brown and the Circus in America, Weekdays, 1:00 4:45 p.m. October 1:Clements Library Associates Board of Directors Meeting. October 1 - January 15, 2003 : Applications accepted for 2003 Price Visiting Research Fellowships. Awards will be announced by March 15, 2003 . November 8:"Richard Potter's 19th-Century Magic." Robert Olson brings to life early American Magician Richard Potter and his bag of contem porary tricks. Speci al performance for Clements Library Assoc iates at the Library, 7:30 p.m. November 9:"Richard Potter 's 19th Century Magic." A special public per formance at the Clements Library, 11:00 a.m. Free admission. December 6:"Mr. Charles Dickens Reads A Christmas Carol." Bert Hornback keeps an Ann Arbor holiday tradition alive. Clements Library, 8:00 p.m. A foursome from the UM School of Music will lead the audience in a sing-along of period carols. February 24 - June 6: Exhibit, George Washington. April 24 - 25 - 26: The Police Gazette. An original musical program directed by Joan Morris and performed each of the three nights. June 8 - September 26: Exhibit, Creatures Great and Small: Americans ' Love Affair with Animals. Congress authorized medals to commemo rate important victories and commanders. The Clements Library has a .fine collection ofbronze examples, probably nineteenth century re-strikes from the original dies. This medal was made for General Alexander Macomb (1782-1841), who com manded American land forces at the Battle afPlattsburgh on September 11, /8/4. PAGE 16 THE Q1JARTO