CHAPTER XI. 1814. OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH DURING 1814. Congress in session, December, 1813 — Substance of the president's message— Embargo laid-Proceedings of Congress-Webster and Calhoun Proposal to establish a Bank of the United States - Unsuccessful - Opening prospects of the campaign of 1814 - Change of policy on the part of England-Operations on the northern frontier under Wilkinson-The affair at La Colle Mill - Wilkinson suspended from command-Movements on Lake Champlain - Attack on Oswego-British caught in an ambuscade at Sandy Creek-Chauncey on Lake Ontario - British repulsed at the Thames by Captain Holmes - General Brown determines to attack the enemy under General Riall―The battle of Chippewa -Scott and his officers and men - Results of the battle-Brown advances to attack Riall and Drummond - Particulars of the famous battle of Bridgewater, or Lundy's Lane— Scott, Miller, Jessup, and other heroes - Bravery of our troops-The cannon abandoned by Ripley - Brown's vexation- General Gaines in command at Fort Erie-The British assault the fort - Repulsed-Siege and skir mishes — Brilliant sortie against the enemy's batteries-The British on the northern sea coast — Harbors blockaded, property destroyed, etc.—Eastport seized — Attack on Stonington-The British enter the PenobscotPlattsburg and Lake Champlain - The enemy's movements-Macomb's and M'Donough's victory - Conclusion of the campaign-Operations in the northwest - Croghan at Mackinaw — General Harrison resigns his commission - M'Arthur's victory at the Thames. THE second session of the thirteenth Congress commenced on the 6th day of December, 1813, and the next day | the president sent in his annual message. He began with stating his regret at the failure of the efforts to negotiate a peace by the mediation of Russia. He next spoke of the events of the war thus far; of Perry's victory, of Chauncey's activity and zeal, of Harrison's success at the Thames, of Jackson's conduct of the Creek war to a thorough conclusion, and of the necessity of the measures he had taken to retaliate the course pursued by the British in taking our naturalized citizens and arraigning them as traitors.* The report upon the state 1813. * This subject gave rise to animated debate in Congress. It appears, that twenty-three American sol of the treasury showed $7,000,000 in diers, taken at the battle of Queenstown, in 1812, were sent to England to undergo trial for treason. The president ordered a like number of British prisoners to be kept as hostages. Prevost was then ordered by his government to imprison forty-six American com missioned and non-commissioned officers, and sent word to General Wilkinson, in a very haughty tone, that England would take terrible vengeance if any harm befell the British prisoners. The same number of British officers was put in confinement; and soon after, on both sides, all the prisoners were closely confined. The result of the debates in Congress was, a determination to maintain the attitude assumed by the president, and to insist upon the rights which belonged to naturalized equally with American born citizens. Cư. XI.] EMBARGO LAID BY CONGRESS. in the same way during the ensuing year; and from the increased capital of the country, from the fidelity with which public engagements have been kept and the public credit maintained, it may be expected, on good grounds, that the necessary supplies will not be wanting." After presenting a summary of the many blessings which the war had not deprived the nation of, and showing that "the calamities of the contest into which they had been compelled to enter" were "mitigated by improvements and advantages of which the contest itself was the source;" that domestic manufactures had received a powerful stimulus; that many objects permanently valuable had been secured by provisions indispensable to present safety; that the maritime power of the United States had been greatly increased; and that the warlike ardor of the people had shown them to be worthy of the respect even of their antagonists; the president concluded as follows: "In fine, the war, with all its vicissitudes, is illustrating the capacity and the destiny of the United States to be a great, a flourishing, and a powerful nation, worthy of the friendship which it is disposed to cultivate in others, and authorized by its own example to require from all an observance of the laws of justice and reciprocity. Beyond these their claims have never extended, and in contending for these we behold a subject for our congratulation in the daily testimony of increasing harmony throughout the nation, and may humbly repose our trust in the smiles of Heaven on so righteous a cause." VOL. III.-29 * 225 1814. On the 19th of January, Henry Clay, nominated on the commission appointed the year before to treat with Great Britain, resigned his post, and a new speaker had in consequence to be chosen. Felix Grundy was supported by the friends of the administration, and the majority of the democratic members, as his successor; but Langdon Cheves, for whom all the federalists, and the democrats not in favor of a restrictive policy, voted, was elected in his room, by ninety-four votes against fifty-nine received by Grundy, and twelve scattering votes. Early in February, Richard Rush was appointed attorney-general. A month later, Gideon Granger was removed from the office of postmastergeneral, and Return J. Meigs was appointed as his successor. Early in the session, on the recommendation of the president, the embargo and non-importation system was revived and extended. An embargo was laid on all ships and vessels within the limits or jurisdiction of the United States, to continue till the 1st of January, 1815, unless hostilities should cease at an earlier date. The provi sions of the act were very severe, its principal object being to prevent small vessels and boats from supplying the British squadrons on the coast with provisions. We may mention here, however, that the embargo was repealed by Congress, on the 14th of April, 1814. * Mr. Russell was also added to the commission, and he and Mr. Clay sailed for Europe directly after their appointment. Laws were passed for the augmentation of the army and navy, and provision was made for the payment of bounties and pensions. Upon the first of these, Daniel Webster, who had made his maiden speech during the extra session, spoke with great ability and force, but in vain, as far as the vote was concerned; for he, with that love for the ocean, which is common in New England, desired the augmentation of the navy, and the extension of commerce, and competition with the great sea ruler upon her own element. John C. Cal. houn was amongst the opponents of the young orator. A loan of $25,000,000, in addition to the former loans, was authorized at this time for the prosecution of the war. There were also ordered to be re-issued $10,000,000 of treasury notes. For the expenditure was estimated at $45,000,000; and the new taxes could not yield more than $3,500,000, while the income derived from the customs and the sale of public lands did not much excced $6,500,000. When the bill for the loan was discussed in committee of the whole House, every question of politics," according to a shrewd and satirical journalist of the day, "that has agitated the United States for fifteen or twenty years past, and every one that may be expected for twenty years to come, appears to have been embodied in the speeches of the members; some of whom, 1814. it is said, spoke for three hours without mentioning the bill at all." The great speech in its favor was made by Calhoun, of which only one brief passage was devoted to the loan, and all the remainder to the question of the justice and expediency of the war. The opposition had resisted the loan, he said, on the ground" that such was the want of capital, or of public credit, that it could not be had, or if at all, only at an extravagant interest." To this, the distinguished advocate of the war replied: "It ceases plied: "It ceases to be a question whether the loan can be had at this or that interest. It is necessary; it must be had; and the rate per centum will depend principally on the state of the money market, and not on arguments used here." As one of the means of infusing additional vigor into the national finances, a scheme was set on foot to establish a Bank of the United States. The prop osition on this subject came now from New York, a petition having been presented from the state, on the 4th of January, 1814, to that effect; offering, moreover, to advance on loan half the proposed capital, $30,000,000, to the government, and stating that the means possessed by such a bank of assisting the government would be much greater than those of the state banks. This petition, which Calhoun moved only to have printed, was, on the motion of its presenter, referred to the committee of ways and means; of which Mr. Jefferson's son-in-law was chairman, and which consisted, "as Mr. Speaker Clay's committees mostly did," says Ingersoll, "of a decided majority of members of his own party." The commercial interest had no representative on that committee, except Mr. M'Kim of Baltimore; and therefore it is not strange that, on the 10th of Jan Ca. XI] A NATIONAL BANK PROPOSED. uary, the chairman should, in three curt unes, report its conclusive rejection, on the old allegation of the unconstitutionality of such institutions. But Calhoun was not to be put off in this way. On the 4th of February, at his motion, "the committee of the whole House was discharged from further consideration of the report of the committee of ways and means, on the petition for a national bank; and both report and petition were referred to the committee of ways and means, with instructions to inquire into the expediency of a national bank in the District of Columbia;" thus adroitly escaping the question of constitutionality. 1814. Mr. Taylor, on the 19th of February, reported a bill for the establishment of a national bank in the District of Columbia, with a capital of $30,000,000. The principle of this bill was approved by Mr. Cheves, Mr. Calhoun, and Mr. Grundy; but opposed by Mr. Eppes and Mr. Seybert. There were others too who did not favor it, for the reason that it contained no provision for the establishment of branches in the states. A motion to ingraft this feature upon the bill, made by Mr. Fiske of New York, received but thirty-six votes, after which there was no further action had upon it. But the public credit was daily depreciating; treasury notes were seventeen per cent., and government stocks thirty per cent. below par; and it is not surprising that many of the democratic members were disposed to waive their scruples, and agree to the establishment of a national bank, as expedient, if not constitutional. 227 A resolution was, accordingly, introduced by Mr. Grundy, on the 2d of April, authorizing the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of incorporating a Bank of the United States. The federalists, and a number of democratic members, among whom were Mr. Eppes and Mr. Ingersoll, opposed the resolution, and voted in favor of a motion to postpone it indefinitely. The democrats generally voted against the postponement, and a committee was appointed, of which Mr. Grundy was chairman. But within four days after their appointment they were discharged, on motion of Mr. Grundy, from all further consideration of the subject. The reason for this action consisted in the near approach of the end of the session, which was brought to its close on the 18th of April. The year 1814 opened with no very encouraging prospects. The resources of the country were almost exhausted; the finances were in a very depressed and deranged condition; internal dissensions and party feuds were producing their necessary results, so much so, that the breaking up of the Union was confidently predicted; yet the spirit of the advocates of the war failed not. Volunteers were ever ready for limited periods of service, in the western states especially; and though money was more scarce than ever, and even weapons were sometimes wanting, men to fight the battles of their country could always be found. Great Britain, on her side, was likewise greatly exhausted by the continental war; yet men and money were at her command, and now that Napoleon's career was nearly at its close, she was at liberty to direct her energies to the speedy settlement of the war with the United States. With singular ignorance of the real condition of things, and the unyielding patriotism of the people, England expected to be able to strike a few decisive blows, and reduce the United States to prompt, and even abject submission. 1814. แ Hence it was, that busily occupied with the affairs of Europe, and probably entertaining a kind of contemptuous feeling towards our country, Great Britain allowed the war to languish during the early part of the year; but, as an English writer says, no sooner was Europe restored to peace, by the dethronement of Bonaparte, than the British government resolved to prosecute the contest with increased vigor, and to obtain in the field a recognition of those maritime rights, which had hitherto been so strenuously resisted in the cabinet. Two distinct modes of prosecuting the war seemed to have been determined on by the British ministry: first, an invasion of the coast of the United States, and, second, after the protection of Canada had been secured, the conquest of so much of the adjoining territory as might, in the event of a future war, effectually guard that province from all danger. The peace of Paris was scarcely ratified, before fourteen thousand of those troops, which had gained so much renown under the Duke of Wellington, were embarked at Bordeaux for Canada; and about the same time a strong naval force, with an adequate number of troops, were collected, and dispatched for invading different parts of the coast of the United States." We shall see, on subsequent pages, what became of these troops in the final battle of the war. On the northern frontier, during the months of January and February, the army remained in winter quarters, with out having undertaken any expedition against the enemy. General Wilkinson proposed various plans, no one of which met the approbation of General Armstrong, the secretary of war, and he was ordered to withdraw from his position at French Mills. Two thou sand men were to march under General Brown to Sackett's Harbor; and the residue were to fall back on Plattsburg, The enemy took advantage of this movement of Wilkinson, and at the close of February, made an incursion as far as Malone, and pillaged private property and destroyed public stores to a considerable extent. On the ap proach of an American force, the enemy precipitately retreated. Towards the latter end of March, Wilkinson determined to erect a bat tery at Rouse's Point, where had been discovered a position from which the enemy's fleet, then laid up at St. John's, might be kept in check, and their contemplated movement on Lake Champlain impeded or prevented. The breaking up of the ice on the lake at an earlier period of the sea. son than usual, defeated his plan. A body of the enemy, some two thousand in number, on discovering his design, had been collected at La Colle Mill, three miles below Rouse's Point, for the purpose of opposing him. With a 1814. |