Contents

Introduction...... xxi James Madison: War Message to Congress “A solemn question”: Washington, D.C., June 1812...... 1 U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Relations: Report on the Causes and Reasons for War “An immediate appeal to Arms”: Washington, D.C., June 1812 ...... 10 Thomas Jeff erson to James Madison “A solecism worthy of Don Quixot”: Virginia, May 1812 . . . 23 Andrew Jackson to Willie Blount “The spirit of the whole people is on fi re”: Tennessee, June 1812 ...... 25 Tecumseh: Message from the Confederate Nations to Their British Allies and Huron Brothers “All this Island will rise as one man”: Northwestern Frontier, June 1812 ...... 27 James Monroe to John Taylor “Trade & fi ght, & fi ght & trade”: Washington, D.C., June 1812 ...... 30 James Madison: Proclamation of War “The last resort of injured Nations”: Washington, D.C., June 1812 ...... 36 Hezekiah Niles: “War against England” “Long live America”: Baltimore, June 1812 ...... 38 Thomas Jeff erson to James Madison Canada, Commerce, and War: Virginia, June 1812 ...... 44 Thirty-four Members of the U.S. House of Representatives: from “An Address of the Minority to Their Constituents” “What are the United States to gain by this war?”: Washington, D.C., June 1812 ...... 46 Maryland House of Delegates, Committee of Grievances and Courts of Justice: Report on the Baltimore Riots Silencing the Anti-War Press: Baltimore, Summer 1812 . . . . 54 ix

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Israel Pickens: Circular Letter to His Constituents in North Carolina “Your country calls”: Washington, D.C., July 1812...... 69 William Ellery Channing: A Sermon, Preached in Boston, July 23, 1812, the Day of the Publick Fast “It is a war fraught with ruin”: Boston, July 1812 ...... 72 William Hull: Proclamation “I come to fi nd enemies not to make them”: Upper Canada, July 1812 ...... 85 Isaac Brock: Proclamation “Repel the invader”: Upper Canada, July 1812 ...... 88 Thomas Verchères de Boucherville: Journal With Tecumseh and the British: Northwestern Frontier, July–August 1812 ...... 92 Nathan Heald to Thomas H. Cushing The Fort Dearborn Massacre: Northwestern Frontier, August 1812 ...... 102 Caleb Strong to William Eustis Massachusetts Defi ant: Boston, August 1812 ...... 105 James Madison to Thomas Jeff erson “The wheels of war”: Washington, D.C., August 1812 . . . . . 110 Robert Lucas: Journal Hull’s Capitulation: Michigan Territory, August 1812 . . . . 113 Cornelius Flummerfelt: “The Bold Canadian” A Ballad of Detroit: Upper Canada, August 1812 ...... 118 Moses Smith: from Naval Scenes in the Last War “Old Ironsides” Captures HMS Guerrière: North Atlantic, August 1812 ...... 121 New-York City Committee of Correspondence: from Address . . . in Support of the Nomination of The Hon. De Witt Clinton De Witt Clinton for President: New York City, August 1812 ...... 130 James Madison: Address to the Delegations of Several Indian Nations Advice to America’s Indian Friends: Washington, D.C., August 1812 ...... 139

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Stephen Van Rensselaer to Daniel D. Tompkins Alarm and Distrust in New York: Niagara Frontier, August 1812 ...... 143 Daniel Curtis to Jacob Kingsbury Siege of Fort Wayne: Northwestern Frontier, September 1812 ...... 145 A. W. Cochran: from a letter to Rebecca Cochran Circumstances and William Hull: Lower Canada, September 1812 ...... 152 John Strachan to John Richardson Fifteen Reasons for War on America: Upper Canada, September 1812 ...... 154 George McFeely: Diary Yankee Ingenuity: Pennsylvania, October 1812 ...... 158 Jared Willson to Alvan Stewart Battle of Queenston Heights: Upper Canada, October 1812 . . 160 John Strachan to William Wilberforce The British–Indian Alliance: Upper Canada, November 1812 ...... 164 Alexander Smyth: Proclamation “The hour of renown”: Niagara Frontier, November 1812 . . . 169 William Atherton: from Narrative of the Suff ering & Defeat of the North-Western Army A Chronicle of Wretchedness: Northwestern Frontier, September 1812–January 1813 ...... 171 William B. Northcutt: Diary Battle of the Mississinewa River: Northwestern Frontier, December 1812 ...... 181 Elias Darnell: Journal “Remember the Raisin!”: Northwestern Frontier, January 1813 ...... 193 James Madison: Second Inaugural Address War and the American Character: Washington, D.C., March 1813 ...... 207 Henry, Earl Bathurst to Sir Thomas Sidney Beckwith The Rules of Engagement: London, March 1813 ...... 211

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Patrick Finan: from “Recollections of Canada” Battle of York: Upper Canada, April 1813 ...... 214 John Richardson: from “A Canadian Campaign” Siege of Fort Meigs: Ohio, May 1813 ...... 220 Thomas Jeff erson to Madame de Staël Tyrants of Land and Sea: Virginia, May 1813 ...... 228 George McFeely: Diary “The fl ag from Fort George”: Upper Canada, May 1813. . . . 235 John Le Couteur: Journal Battle of Sackets Harbor: Upstate New York, May 1813 . . . . 240 Joseph Penley Jr.: from The Sanguinary and Cruel War of 1812–14 Life Aboard a British Prison Ship: Lower Canada, June–August 1813 ...... 245 Philip B. V. Broke to John Borlase Warren HMS Shannon Defeats USS Chesapeake: Massachusetts Bay, June 1813 ...... 256 John C. Calhoun to James Macbride “Party sperit”: Washington, D.C., June 1813 ...... 260 Laura Ingersoll Secord: Incident at Beaver Dams A Canadian Paul Revere: Upper Canada, June 1813 . . . . . 262 John Le Couteur: Journal Battle of Beaver Dams: Upper Canada, June 1813 ...... 264 James Monroe to Thomas Jeff erson The President in Peril: Washington, D.C., June 1813 . . . . . 267 “P.” (Richard E. Parker) to the Richmond Enquirer British Atrocities at Hampton: Virginia, June 1813 ...... 270 Blackbird: Message from the Ottawa Nation to William Claus The Death of Joseph C. Eldridge: Upper Canada, July 1813 . . 276 William B. Northcutt: Diary Skirmish on the Sandusky: Ohio, July 1813 ...... 278 George Croghan to William Henry Harrison Battle of Fort Stephenson: Ohio, August 1813 ...... 281

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Black Hawk: from Life of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak or Black Hawk The White Man’s Way of War: Northwestern Frontier, Summer 1813 ...... 284 James Fenimore Cooper: from Ned Myers; or, A Life Before the Mast Storm and Shipwreck: Lake Ontario, August 1813 ...... 285 James Inderwick: Journal The Wounded of USS Argus: Southwest Coast of Britain, August 1813 ...... 294 Thomas Hart Benton: Broadside A Brawl with Andrew Jackson: Nashville, September 1813 . . . 300 Philip Freneau: “The Battle of Lake Erie” “We have met the enemy and they are ours”: Lake Erie, September 1813 ...... 303 Washington Irving: “Biographical Memoir of Commodore Perry” “The nerve of a hero”: Lake Erie, September 1813 ...... 306 Tecumseh: Speech to Henry Procter “We are determined to defend our lands”: Upper Canada, September 1813 ...... 323 John Richardson: from War of 1812 Battle of the Thames: Upper Canada, September– October 1813 ...... 325 William Henry Harrison: Proclamation An Armistice with the Indians: Northwestern Frontier, October 1813 ...... 332 Red Jacket: Message to Erastus Granger Indian Grievances: Niagara Frontier, October 1813 ...... 333 John Le Couteur to Philip Bouton Terror, Delight, and Thoughts of Home: Upper Canada, October 1813 ...... 335 Robert Purdy to James Wilkinson Battle of Châteauguay: Lower Canada, October 1813 . . . . . 339 Charles Ball: from Slavery in the United States: A Narrative Runaway Slaves in the Chesapeake: Maryland, Summer– Fall 1813 ...... 345

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James Scott: from Recollections of a Naval Life American Characteristics: Maryland, Winter 1813–14 . . . . 353 Francis Jeff rey: A Conversation with James Madison A British Editor Interviews the President: Washington, D.C., November 1813 ...... 358 Henry Clay to Thomas Bodley “If Canada is conquered”: Washington, D.C., December 1813 ...... 363 Cyrenius Chapin to the Buff alo Gazette The Case Against George McClure: Niagara Frontier, December 1813 ...... 366 Eber D. Howe: from “Recollections of a Pioneer Printer” Revenge by Fire: Niagara Frontier, December 1813 ...... 370 Amos Hall to Daniel D. Tompkins The Burning of Black Rock and Buff alo: Niagara Frontier, December 1813 ...... 374 George Prevost: Proclamation “A full measure of retaliation”: Upper Canada, January 1814 ...... 381 Henry Kent: A Winter’s March Across the Northern Ice: Saint John, New Brunswick– Kingston, Upper Canada, Winter 1814 ...... 387 Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington, to Henry, Earl Bathurst Prosecuting War on America: Garris, France, February 1814 ...... 393 The Crew of USS Essex to the Crew of HMS Phoebe Fighting Words: Valparaiso Harbor, Chile, March 1814 . . . . 396 A Midshipman of HMS Phoebe to the Crew of USS Essex “Your vile infamy”: Valparaiso Harbor, Chile, March 1814 ...... 398 David G. Farragut: from The Life of David Glasgow Farragut The Capture of USS Essex: Off Valparaiso, Chile, March 1814 ...... 400 Andrew Jackson to John Wood Words Before an Execution: Mississippi Territory, March 1814 ...... 406

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Andrew Jackson to Rachel Jackson Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Mississippi Territory, March 1814 . . 409 Robert Young to Phineas Riall British Unrest at Fort Niagara: Niagara Frontier, March 1814 ...... 412 George McFeely: Diary Second Battle of Lacolle Mill: Lower Canada, March 1814 . . 413 Benjamin F. Browne: from “Papers of an old Dartmoor Prisoner” The Rough Allies of Dartmoor: Devon, England, Spring–Summer 1814...... 417 Alexander Cochrane: Proclamation A British Appeal to American Slaves: Bermuda, April 1814 ...... 424 Thomas Jeff erson: from a letter to John Adams “The Attila of the age dethroned”: Virginia, April 1814 . . . . 426 Henry, Earl Bathurst to George Prevost British Aims in North America: London, June 1814...... 429 Albert Gallatin to James Monroe “Pride and vindictive passions”: London, June 1814 ...... 432 Stephen Popham to James Yeo Battle of Sandy Creek: Upstate New York, May 1814 . . . . . 435 N. W. Hibbard to Alvin Hunt Carrying the Cable: Upstate New York, May–June 1814 . . . 438 Jarvis Hanks: Memoir A Tale of Five Deserters: Niagara Frontier, June 1814 . . . . 442 William E. Horner: from “Surgical Sketches” The U.S. Wounded at Fort Erie: Niagara Frontier, July 1814 ...... 444 Winfi eld Scott: from Memoirs of Lieutenant-General Scott Battle of Chippawa: Upper Canada, July 1814 ...... 448 Isaac Chauncey to Jacob Brown “A higher destiny”: Lake Ontario, August 1814 ...... 454 John Le Couteur: Journal Battle of Lundy’s Lane: Upper Canada, July 1814 ...... 457

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William Dunlop: from “Recollections” A British Surgeon’s Lot: Upper Canada, July 1814 ...... 461 Shadrach Byfi eld: from “Narrative of a Light Company Soldier’s Service” The Loss of an Arm: Upper Canada, August 1814 ...... 465 John Le Couteur: Journal Battle of Fort Erie: Upper Canada, August 1814 ...... 469 Jarvis Hanks: Memoir The Day After Fort Erie: Upper Canada, August 1814 . . . . 474 Andrew Jackson: Address to the Cherokee and Creek Nations The Treaty of Fort Jackson: Mississippi Territory, August 1814 ...... 476 Big Warrior to Benjamin Hawkins “Think for your red friends”: Mississippi Territory, August 1814 ...... 479 Alexander Cochrane to Commanding Offi cers of the North American Station “Destroy & lay waste”: Bermuda, July 1814 ...... 483 Robert Rowley to Owsley Rowley British Depredations in Chesapeake Bay: Maryland and Virginia, August 1814 ...... 485 James Scott: from Recollections of a Naval Life From Benedict to Bladensburg: Maryland, August 1814. . . . 490 Joshua Barney to William Jones Battle of Bladensburg: Maryland, August 1814 ...... 502 Dolley Madison to Lucy Payne Washington Todd “Dear sister, I must leave this house”: Washington, D.C., August 1814 ...... 506 Paul Jennings: from A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison A Slave’s View from the White House: Washington, D.C., August 1814 ...... 508 George R. Gleig: from The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans, 1814–15 Storming the Capital: Washington, D.C., August 1814 . . . . 511

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Mary Stockton Hunter to Susan Stockton Cuthbert “The most suicidal act ever committed”: Washington, D. C., August 1814 ...... 522 George R. Gleig: from The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans, 1814–15 The British Retreat from the Capital: Washington, D.C., August 1814 ...... 526 Thomas Boyle: Proclamation A U.S. Blockade of the British Isles: London, August 1814 . . . 533 Philip Reed to Benjamin Chambers Battle of Caulk’s Field: Maryland, August 1814 ...... 535 George Gordon, Lord Byron: “Elegiac Stanzas on the Death of Sir Peter Parker, Bart.” Death of a Kinsman: London, August 1814 ...... 539 Isaac Monroe to a Friend in Boston The Bombardment of Fort McHenry: Maryland, September 1814 ...... 541 Francis Scott Key: “Defence of Fort M‘Henry” “The Star-Spangled Banner”: Maryland, September 1814 . . . 544 Roger B. Taney to Charles Howard The Life and Legend of Francis Scott Key: Maryland, September 1814 ...... 547 William Dunlop: from “Recollections” Thinning the Ranks at Fort Erie: Upper Canada, Summer 1814 ...... 555 Jarvis Hanks: Memoir The New York Militia Redeemed: Niagara Frontier, September 1814 ...... 560 Thomas Macdonough to William Jones Battle of Lake Champlain: Upstate New York, September 1814 . . 562 Thomas Jeff erson to Samuel H. Smith The Library of Congress: Virginia, September 1814 ...... 565 Samuel C. Reid to the New-York Mercantile Advertiser A Naval Battle in a Neutral Harbor: Fayal, Azores, September 1814 ...... 568

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Benjamin F. Browne: from “Papers of an old Dartmoor Prisoner” Democracy and Royalty in Dartmoor: Devon, England, Fall 1814 ...... 574 Timothy Pickering to Caleb Strong The British Terms for Peace: Washington, D.C., October 1814 ...... 581 Thomas Jeff erson to James Madison Ways, Means, and Ends of an Ongoing War: Virginia, October 1814 ...... 587 Charles Willing Hare to Harrison Gray Otis A Federalist Calls for a Convention: Philadelphia, October 1814 ...... 591 John C. Sherbrooke to Henry, Earl Bathurst The “Federal States” of America: Halifax, November 1814 . . 594 The Duke of Wellington to the Earl of Liverpool Wellington Weighs In: Paris, November 1814 ...... 602 Daniel Webster: “Speech on the Conscription Bill” “Is this civil liberty?”: Washington, D.C., December 1814 . . . 606 Treaty of Peace and Amity between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America The Peace of Christmas Eve: Ghent, December 1814 ...... 621 Albert Gallatin to James Monroe “As favorable as could be expected”: Ghent, December 1814 . . 631 The Earl of Liverpool to George Canning The Prime Minister on the Peace: London, December 1814 . . 635 George R. Gleig: from The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans, 1814–15 Target New Orleans: Louisiana, December 1814 ...... 639 Thomas ap Catesby Jones to Daniel T. Patterson Battle of Lake Borgne: Louisiana, December 1814 ...... 644 Harrison Gray Otis and Fellow Delegates from New England: Report and Resolutions of the Hartford Convention “If the Union be destined to dissolution”: Connecticut, December 1814–January 1815 ...... 648

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Harry Smith: from Autobiography “A most murderous fi re”: Louisiana, January 1815...... 666 A Kentucky Soldier’s Account of the Battle of New Orleans “Like a sea of blood”: Louisiana, January 1815 ...... 670 Harry Smith: from Autobiography Reckoning the Loss: Louisiana, January 1815...... 676 Andrew Jackson to James Monroe Report on the Battle of New Orleans: Louisiana, January 1815 ...... 679 Thomas Jeff erson to Marquis de Lafayette The “Robespierres of Massachusetts”: Virginia, February 1815 ...... 682 James Madison: Special Message to Congress The War Ends: Washington, D.C., February 1815 ...... 689 National Aegis: “The Peace.” “We have gloriously triumphed!”: Massachusetts, February 1815 ...... 692 George Prevost: General Order A Commander’s Farewell: Lower Canada, March 1815 . . . . 696 Lewis Peter Clover: from “Reminiscences of a Dartmoor Prisoner” The Dartmoor Massacre: Devon, England, April 1815 . . . . . 699 John Quincy Adams to William Eustis An Uncertain Peace: Ealing, England, August 1815 . . . . . 706 James Madison: Seventh Annual Message to Congress Mr. Madison’s War: Washington, D.C., December 1815 . . . . 709 Chronology ...... 719 Biographical Notes ...... 734 Note on the Texts...... 802 Notes ...... 817 Index ...... 872

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