ment being necessarily included as one of the most important causes, it is evident, that it must be provided for in the pacification. The omission of it in a treaty of peace would not leave it on its former grounds; it would in effect be an absolute relinquishment, an idea at which the feelings of every American must revolt." In conclusion, expressing the conviction that there is no room for apprehension as to the final result, the report declares: "Our resources are abundant; the people are brave and virtuous, and their spirit unbroken. The gallantry of our infant navy bespeaks our growing greatness on that element; and that of our troops, when led to action, inspires full confidence of what may be expected from them when their organization is complete. Our Union is always most strong when menaced by foreign dangers. The people of America are never so much one family, as when their liberties are invaded." In contrast with this report, we may refer the reader to the "British Manifesto," under date of January 9th, which was published in the London Gazette,

and reached the United States 1813. in the month of February. It is a long and well written paper, and presents the English view of the questions at issue in a clear and forcible manner. The substance of the British complaints was, that the United States had all along manifested a subserviency to France and an aggressive spirit against England: "This complete subserviency to the ruler of France; this hostile temper towards Great Britain; are evident in almost every page of the official correspondence of the American

with the French government. Against this course of conduct, the real cause of the present war, the prince-regent solemnly protests;" and, in conclusion, says: "relying on the justice of his cause, and the tried loyalty and firmness of the British nation, his royal highness confidently looks forward to a successful issue of the contest, in which he has thus been compelled most reluctantly to engage."

On the 24th of February, the presi dent sent a special message to Congress, denouncing, in very strong terms, the "demoralizing and disorganizing contrivances," by which the British government was attempting to sever the eastern states from the rest of the Union, in making offers to confine to those states licenses to trade with the West Indies. The message and documents were considered, and bills were introduced and passed in the 1813. House, to prohibit exportations and trade by foreign licenses. Senate, however, refusing to concur, the subject was indefinitely postponed.

The

Having appointed the fourth Monday in May as the opening of an extra session, the twelfth Congress terminated its labors on the 3d of March, 1813, and Mr. Madison's first term of service was brought to its close.

The next day, the president met the assembled concourse in the capital, to renew his vows of devotion to his country and his resolve to discharge his high duties to the utmost of his ability. His second Inaugural, like his first, was brief, but energetic in tone, and earnest in its defence of the war against England. Claiming to have been actuated by the

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principles of justice and honor in every thing that had occurred, the address reflects severely upon the enemy: "They have not, it is true, taken into their own hands the hatchet and the knife, devoted to indiscriminate massacre; but they have let loose the savages armed with those cruel instruments; have allured them into their service, and carried them to battle by their sides, eager o glut their savage thirst with the blood of the vanquished, and to finish the work of torture and death on maimed and defenceless captives. And, what was never before seen, British commanders have extorted victory over the unconquerable valor of our troops, by presenting to the sympathy of their chief, captives awaiting massacre from their savage associates. And now we find them, in further contempt of the honorable modes of warfare, supplying the place of a conquering force by attempts to disorganize our political society, to dismember our confederated republic.".

The concluding paragraph of the Inaugural is worth quoting. "Our nation," says the president, "is in number more than half that of the British Isles. It is composed of a brave, a free, a virtuous, and an intelligent people. Our country abounds in the necessaries, the arts, and the comforts of life. A general prosperity is visible in the public countenance. The means employed by the British cabinet to undermine it have recoiled on themselves; have given to our national faculties a rapid development; and draining or diverting the precious metals from British circulation and British vaults, have poured them into those of the

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United States. It is a propitious consideration, that an unavoidable war should have found this seasonable facility for the contributions required to support it. When the public voice called for war, all knew and still know, that without them it could not be carried on through the period it might last; and the patriotism, the good sense, and the manly spirit of our fellow-citizens, are pledges for the cheerfulness with which they will bear each his share of the common burden. To render the war short, and its success sure, animated and systematic exertions alone are necessary; and the success of our arms now, may long preserve our country from the necessity of another resort to them. Already have the gallant exploits of our naval heroes proved to the world our inherent ca pacity to maintain our rights on one element. If the reputation of our arms has been thrown under clouds on the other, presaging flashes of heroic enterprise assure us, that nothing is wanting to correspondent triumphs there also, but the discipline and habit which are in daily progress."

The inefficiency of some of the members of the cabinet having become painfully evident, and frequent complaints having been made on that account, they were induced to send in their resignations; which were accepted; and on the 12th of January, 1813, William Jones, of Pennsylvania, was appointed secretary of the navy, in the place of Paul Hamilton; and General Armstrong, late minister to France, succeeded Doctor Eustis, as the head of the war department. The new secre

taries had each been engaged in that branch of the service which they were now called to superintend.

The campaign of 1813 was looked to with deep anxiety and concern on the part of the nation at large; and it was hoped, at least, that the mortifying disasters of the previous year would be fully made up by deeds of daring and success in carrying the war into the enemy's country.

General Harrison, as we have related above, (see p. 166,) was in 1813. command of the forces in the north-west. Unable to effect any thing of consequence before the end of 1812, with the very beginning of the present year, he put his troops in motion. General Winchester was sent to take possession of the tract about the Rapids of the Miami, or Maumee, which had been vainly attacked by General Tupper two months before. And he effected this, although he had to march through a deep snow; dispersing the Indians who had taken posts there, and making all needful provisions, such as the collection of corn from the Indians' fields near, the erection of a storehouse, etc. Whilst thus engaged, information was brought him from Frenchtown, of the straits to which the inhabitants were reduced by the Canadians and Indians in the British service, who were ready to occupy the place; and they feared a massacre would ensue. A council of officers having been called, it was determined to send a detachment sufficiently strong to defeat the enemy at that place.

Six hundred and sixty men were therefore detached, under the command

of Colonels Lewis and Allen, who set out on the morning of the 17th of January. Their movements being quickened by the intelligence that Colonel Elliot was expected from Malden, on his way to attack the camp at the Rapids, they marched partly on the ice of Miami Bay, and the border of Lake Erie, and drove back the Indians, whom they met in the woods. About three o'clock on the next afternoon, they fell upon the enemy, consisting of about five hundred men, four hundred being Indians, and after a sharp engagement which lasted till it was dark, drove them out of Frenchtown, and pursued them for two miles beyond it; returning then in good order with a loss of twelve killed and fifty-five wounded, they encamped before the town.

Frenchtown was only eighteen miles distant from Malden, from which it could be reached on the ice; this rendered the position of Lewis and Allen one of great danger, and as soon as the tidings of their success reached the Rapids, "a complete ferment" was produced in the camp. "All were anxious to proceed to Frenchtown in support of the advanced corps," says M'Afee; "it was evident that corps was in a critical situation." Every man wished to rush forward and join Lewis, and Winchester, unable to restrain the impetuosity of the volunteers, set out himself, on the evening of the 19th, with two hundred and fifty men, to reinforce Colonel Lewis. That brave officer had posted his force in a place where they were defended by garden pickets, sufficiently close and strong to protect his men against an attack of small arms.

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1813.

But little precaution was taken to prevent a surprise. The general did hardly any thing to increase the security of the detachment. He named to Colonel Wells, but did not positively order, a breast work for the protection of his camp. He established his own quarters in a house on the south side of the river, about three hundred yards from the lines! On the 21st, a place was selected for the whole detachment to encamp in good order, with a determination to fortify it on the next day. About sunset, Colonel Wells solicited and obtained leave to return to the Rapids. Certain information had been received, that the British were preparing to make an attack; and that it would be made as speedily as possible, seemed to be a matter of course. Colonel Wells reached the Rapids that night; at which place, General Harrison, to whom Winchester, when he started for Frenchtown, had sent for reinforcements, and to inform him of his movements, had arrived on the 20th of January, and had exerted himself to hasten forward the reinforcements.

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vailed; Colonel Lewis and Major Madison alone seem to have been on the alert, and anxious to guard against sudden attack. "Guards were placed out," says M'Afee, "this night as usual; but, as it was extremely cold, no picket guard was placed on the road, on which the enemy was to be expected. The night passed away without any alarm, and the reveille began to beat at daybreak, on the morning of the 22d. A few minutes afterwards, three guns were fired in quick succession by the sentinels. The troops were instantly formed, and the British opened a heavy fire on the camp from several pieces of artillery, loaded with bombs, balls, and grape-shot, at the distance of three hundred yards. This was quickly followed by a charge made by the British regulars, and by a general fire of small arms; and the Indian yell on the right and left. The British had approached in the night with the most profound silence, and stationed their cannon behind a small ravine which ran across the open fields on the right.”

The detachment, whose position was left unfortified, as above stated, was driven back, and in spite of the efforts of their officers, of Colonels Lewis and Allen, and of General Winchester, when he reached the field, to rally them, in spite of the assistance of two companies sent from the cover of the pickets, was routed utterly; and after a retreat of three miles, through the deep snow, wholly destroyed or made prisoners. Winchester and Lewis were captured; Colonel Allen was shot by an Indian whilst he paused, ex

1813.