obtained any advantage. Whoever considers the disproportion of the forces, and the desperate situation of the garrison, left to itself, beyond the reach of succours; whoever asks himself the question, whether, under such circumstances, he should have acted differently, must acknowledge that the glory acquired in this instance, by the troops of his Britannic majesty, amounts to a very inconsiderable advantage.

The news of the success obtained over the enemy on the 8th of January, diffused the greatest joy throughout the union, particularly in Kentucky, the governor of which state transmitted a message to the legislature, recommending to them to vote a levy of ten thousand militia, to march to the assistance of Louisiana.

While colonel Livingston was on board the British fleet, the Brazen sloop of war, arrived with intelligence of the preliminaries of peace between the United States and Great Britain having been signed. On the 10th of February, that officer returned with the gladsome tidings, which was received with universal joy.

On this occasion, general Jackson published an address to the army and citizens, exhorting them not to let themselves be so far led away by the hopes of peace founded on vague rumours, as to relax in their duty; observing that, even were it certain that peace had been concluded, and the treaty signed in Europe, it could not be considered as putting an end to the war, until ratified by the president of the United States. (See the address in the Appendix, No. 41.)

After the affair of the 8th of January, some of our men found on the scene of action, an elegant sword, which was at first supposed merely to belong to some officer; but some prisoners chancing to see it, declared it to be the sword of general Packenham, the commander-in-chief. In this persuasion we were confirmed, by the silence of the British officers on that subject, when general Keane caused application to be made to general Jackson, requesting his sword found on the field, to be restored to him, as he set a fond value on it, being the present of a friend. General Jackson accordingly gave the sword in charge to colonel Livingston, who went with the flag of truce; and the colonel in person delivered it into the hands of general Keane, who in return wrote to general Jackson the letter of thanks inserted in the Appendix, No 42.

In his letter of the 17th of February, to the secretary of war, general Jackson takes notice of this incident, with several others, as may be seen in the Appendix, No. 43.

Notwithstanding the assertion of general Keane, there are still some individuals inclined to think that that sword belonged to the general-in-chief, from this circumstance, amongst others, that the British officers who happened to be present at the delivery of it to general Keane, betrayed some surprise, and appeared not to have known that he had lost his sword; and hence they infer that the mystery in this affair, arose from a persuasion that, had it been known to us that the sword belonged to the commander-in-chief, it would have been retained as a trophy.

Ff

About this period, the exchange of prisoners, and the claiming of the negroes carried off by the British, gave rise to a very animated correspondence between general Jackson, admiral Cochrane, and general Lambert. (See these letters in the Appendix, No. 44.)

On the 24th of February, general Jackson announced to the secretary of war, the surrender of fort Bowyer. (See Appendix, No. 45.) The opinion which the general expresses in his letter, as to the conduct of the garrison, was founded on misinformation; and he afterwards rendered justice to those brave men, as soon as he was correctly informed of the circumstances which had obliged them to capitulate. It has already been seen, in the account of the second attack on fort Bowyer, that a court martial honourably acquitted colonel Laurence and the garrison he commanded, declaring their conduct irreproachable.

Four hundred prisoners had set out from New Orleans for the Balize, agreeably to the arrangements entered into by admiral Cochrane with colonel Livingston: the remaining prisoners, daily expected from Natchez, were to be sent immediately on their arrival. Of this, the general informed general Lambert, by a letter of the 26th. (See Appendix, No. 46.)

On the 6th of March, general Jackson informed general Lambert, that he had reason to believe that the treaty of peace had been ratified by the president and senate of the United States; but that, owing to some mistake committed in the postmaster-general's office, the packet addressed to him on that subject, had not come to his hands.

The British commanders having promised to afford to the owners of the negroes who had followed them, every facility towards their prevailing on them to return, general Jackson made known to general Lambert, on the 7th of March, that he had given permission to a certain number of the owners of those negroes, to go to the British fleet with a flag of truce; and his letter concludes with a request to the British general, to restore the negroes. (See Appendix, No. 47.)

On the 8th of March, general orders were published, discharging the levy in mass, from all further service. (See Appendix, No. 48.)

At length general Jackson received the official confirmation of the ratification of the treaty of peace, and immediately communicated the intelligence to the commander of the British forces, by a letter of the 13th of March, which he transmitted by major Woodruff of the 3d regiment of infantry, who was appointed to receive the restitution of fort Bowyer, and such other posts and property of the United States, as might be in the possession of the British. (See that letter and major Woodruff's instructions in the Appendix, No. 49.)

In general orders of the same day, the commander-in-chief announced to the army, the ratification of the treaty of peace, revoking the general orders relative to martial law, ordering a final cessation of hostilities against Great Britain, and proclaiming a general pardon for all military offences, and the enlargementof all persons confined for the same. (See Appendix, No. 50.)

By general orders of the following day, all the militia sent by the different states to the assistance of Louisiana, as also the militia of this latter state, were discharged. (See Appendix, No. 51.)

The treaty of peace concluded at Ghent, on the 14th of December, between the plenipotentiaries of the United States and those of Great Britain, is inserted at large in the Appendix, No. 52. Its construction having been a subject of discussion between general Jackson and the British commander-in-chief, I have thought that its insertion here would not be considered out of place.

I have likewise deemed proper to insert an address presented to general Jackson, by the different volunteer companies composing Plauché's battalion, with the general's answer. The sentiments expressed in these documents do honour to those from whom they proceed. The address was presented to the general, immediately after a review which took place on the 16th of March on the lines. About to bid farewell to his brethren in arms, he wished once more to behold those brave men drawn up on the very ground that had so often been witness of their valour, and of the patience with which they endured extreme hardship. The time, the place, the crowd of spectators, all conspired to present an interesting spectacle, and to awaken affecting recollections. On that very ground where, two months before, those brave troops had given such signal proofs of courage and of love for their country, they were now assembled to bid farewell to one another, and seal with assurances of lasting attachment a friendship contracted in the midst of alarms. General