: ,0 '\ 4? . % <$°« : , c <£ rv £ 0* +o V"0Y n ^ t£» V '.V <s ^o* v> ,0* ^ THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND - I I i 1 ' By i a \ m,/^^ n!J -.^''"" 1 i 1 : THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND. O BY J. T. HEADLEY, AUtbOK OF "NAPOLEON AND HIS ^ MARSHALS," "WASHINGTON AND nig GENERALS," Ifl "THE OLD " GUARD," SCOTT AND JACKSON," ETC. ETC. TWO VOLUMES. YOL. II FOURTH THOUSAND. NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER, 145 NASSAU STREET. 1853. •r\-' o CONTENTS OF VOL. II CHAPTER I. THE CREEK WAR. ** Jackson's first service-Is appointed commander-in-chief of the Tennessee forces-Co-operation of other states-Jackson enters the Creek nation- Difficulties of his position-General Coffee's expedition-Relieves Fort Talla- dega-Battle of-Stormy condition of his army-Quells a mutiny-Abandoned by his troops-Quells a second mutiny-His boldness-A third mutiny sup. pressed-Left with but a hundred followers-Clairborne-S movements- Arnval of reinforcements-Makes a diversion in favor of General Floyd- Battle of Nutessee-Battle of Emnckfaw-Ambu.cade of the Indians-Gal- lantry of General Coffee-Battle of the "Horse Shoe'-Tho war ended- Jackson's character, CHAPTER II. Cruise of Commodore Porter in the Essex-Arrival at Valparaiso-Capture of Bntiah whalers and letters of marque-Essex Junior-Marquesas Islands- Description of the natives-Madison Island-War with the Happahs-Invades the Tvpee territory-Tedious march-Beautiful prospect-Fi.hts the natives and burns down their towns-Sails for Valparaiso-Blockaded by two En- hsh ships-Attempts to . scape-Is attacked by both vessels-His gallant defence-His surrender-Returns home on parole-Insolence of an English Officer-Porter escapes to m open boat ^ lands Qn LoQg ^.^^ astic reception la New York, — Vi CONTENTS. Page CHAPTER III. Plan of the third Campaign—Attack on Sackett's Harbor—Attack on Oswego —Woolsey transports guna to Sackett's Harbor—Capture of the detachment sent against him—Expedition against Mackinaw—Death of Captain Holmes —Complete failure of the expedition, 67 CHAPTER IV Brown takes command of the army at Niagara—Crosses the river into Canada —Battle of Chippewa— Brilliant charge of the Americans—Desperate battle of Niagara—Conduct of Ripley—The army ordered to Fort Erie—General Gaines takes command, • 74 CHAPTER V. Siege of Fort Erie— Assault and repulse of the British—Brown takes command —Besolves to destroy the enemy's works by a sortie—Opposed by his officers —The sortie—Anecdote of General Porter—Retreat of Drummond—Conduct of Izard, 101 CHAPTER VI. British plan of invading our s„a ports—Arrival of reinforcements—Barney's flotilla—Landing of the enemy under Ross—Doubt and alarm of the inhabit- ants—Advance of the British— Destruction of the Navy Yard—Battle of Bladensburg—Flight of the President and his Cabinet—Burning and sacking of Washington—Mrs. Madison's conduct during the day and night—Cock- burn's brutality—Sudden explosion—A hurricane—Flight of the British State of the army—Character of this outrage—Rejoicings in England—Mor- tification of our ambassadors at Ghent—Mistake of the English—Parker's expedition—Colonel Reed's defence—The English army advance on Balti- more—Death of Ross—Bombardment of Fort McHenry—"The star span- gled banner"—Retreat of the British, and joy of the citizens of Baltimore, .114 CONTENTS. Vll Paga CHAPTER VII. Macomb at Plattsburg —American and English fleets on Lake CLamplain—Ad- vance of Prevost—Indifference of Governor Chittenden—Rev. Mr. Wooster —Macdonough—The two battles—Funeral of the •fficers—British invasion of Maine—McArthur's expedition, 147 CHAPTER VIII. The Navy in 1814—Cruise of Captain Morris in the Adams—Narrow escapes —The Wasp and Reindeer—Cruise of the Wasp—Sinks the Avon—Mysteri- ous fate of tho Wasp—The Peacock captures the Epervier—Lieutenant Nicholson, 165 CHAPTER IX. Third Session of the XHIth Congress—State of the Treasury—The Presi- dent's Message—Dallas appointed Secretary of the Treasury—His scheme and that of Eppes for the relief of the country—Our Commissioners at Ghent —Progress of the negotiations—English protocol—Its effect on Congress and tho nation—Effect of its publication on the English Parliament. 174 CHAPTER X. HARTFORD CONVENTION. Attitude of New England—Governor Strong—Views and purposes of the Federalists—Anxiety of Madison— Prudence of Colonel Jesup—Result of the Convention—Fears of the People—Fate of the Federalists, . , 191 —— Vl'll CONTENTS. page CHAPTER XI. General Jackson appointed Major-General—Hostility of Spain—Gallant defence of Fort Bowyer—Seizure of Pensacola—Jackson at New Orleans—Approach and landing of the British—Jackson proclaims martial law—Night attack on the British—Jackson entrenches himself—First attack of the British Second attack—Final assault—The battle and the victory—Jackson fined by Judge Hall—Arrival of the Treaty of Peace—Great rejoicings—Delegates 199 of the Hartford Convention—Eemarks on the treaty, . CHAPTER XII. Cruise of the Constitution—Action with the Cyano and Levant—Chased by a British fleet—England's views of neutral rights and the law of nations—Her honor and integrity at a discount—Singular escape of the Constitution Becapture of the Levant under the guns of a neutral port—Lampoons on the English squadron for its contemptible conduct—Decatur—Capture of the President—The Hornet captures the Penguin—Chased by a ship of the lino —Narrow escape—Cruise of the Peacock—Kevicw of the American Navy —Its future destiny, 236 CHAPTER XIII. PRIVATEERS. Character and daring of our privateers—Skill of American seamen—Acts of Congress relative to privateering—Names of ships—Gallant action of the Nonsuch—Success of the Dolphin—Cruise of the Comet—Narrow escape of the Governor Tompkins—Desperate action of the Globe with two brigs —The Decatur takes a British sloop of war—Action of the Neufchatel with the crew of the Endymion—Desperate defence of Captain Eeed against the crews of British squadron—The Chasseur captures a British schooner of war—Character of the commanders of privateers—Anecdote, . 258 — CONTENTS. IX Pag© CHAPTER XIV. DARTMOOR PRISON. Impressed Americans made prisoners of war—Treatment of prisoners Prison Ships—Dartmoor prison—Neglect of American prisoners—Their sufferings—Fourth of July in Dartmoor—Brutal attack of the French prisoners—Fresh arrivals—Joy at the news of our naval victories—Sufferings of the prisoners in winter—American Government allows them three cents per diem—Moral effect of this notice of Government—Napoleon's downfall Increased allowance of Government— Industry of prisoners—Attempts to escape—Extraordinary adventure of a lieutenant of a privateer—Number of prisoners increased—A riot to obtain bread—Dartmoor massacre—Messrs. King and L'Arpent appointed commissions b to investigate it—Decision end, —The ... ... ... 279 Tax-tables, . 301 Index, .... .... 813 Vol. n.—1* — HISTORY OF THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND. CHAPTER I. THE CREEK WAR. Jackson's first service—Is appointed commander-in-chief of the Tennessee forces- Co-operation of other states—Jackson enters the Creek nation— Difficulties of his position—General Coffee's expedition—Relieves Fort Talladega—Battle of— Stormy condition of his army—Quells a mutiny—Abandoned by his troops Quells a second mutiny—His boldness—A third mutiny suppressed—Left with but a hundred followers— Clairborne's movements—Arrival of reinforcements Makes a diversion in favor of General Floyd—Battle of Nutessee—Battle of Emuckfaw—Ambuscade of the Indians—Gallantry of General Coffee—Battle of the " Horse Shoe"—The war ended—Jackson's character Allusion has been made to Jackson's campaign against the Creeks, but I purposely omitted an account of its progress, preferring to go back and make a continuous narrative. Although embracing a portion of two years, it composed a single expedi- tion, and forms a whole which loses much of its interest by being contemplated in parts. After the cowardly surrender of General Hull, at Detroit, in the commencement of the war, Jackson offered his 12 SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND. services to the government, and solicited the post which was assigned to Winchester. Disappointed in this, he repaired, at the order of the Secretary of War, to Natchez, to assist Wilkinson, then stationed there, to repel the attacks of the enemy should they advance up the Mississippi. But no danger from an attack in that quarter appearing, he was directed to disband his troops. Refusing to do this, on account of the number of sick in camp, many of them sons of his neighbors and friends, he became involved in a quarrel both with Wilkinson and his own officers. He, however, carried out his measures and led his men back in safety to their homes. Here he remained idle till the massacre at Fort Mimms, the news of which, together with the 1813. rising of the Indians all along our southern frontier, burst like a sudden thunder-clap on the neighboring States. Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, flew at once to arms. On the 17th of September a mass meeting assembled at Nash- ville, which with one voice nominated Jackson com- mander-in-chief of the troops of the State. Ten days after, the nomination was confirmed by the Legislature, and 200,000 dollars voted to carry on the war. Jackson immediately issued a stirring appeal state of to the people, in which, after describing the things, he urged them to assemble to his standard " large with all speed, saying, Already are bodies ARMY OF JACKSON. 13 of the hostile Creeks marching to your borders, with their scalping-knives unsheathed to butcher your women and children : time is not to be lost. We must hasten to the frontier, or we shall find it drenched in the blood of our citizens." At this time he was suffering from a disabled arm which had been mutilated in an encounter with Benton, and was unable to be present at Fayetteville, the rendezvous, on the 4th of October ; but he sent an address to be read to the troops, and rules regulat- ing the police of the camp.