FINAL EFFORTS OF THE BRITISH; JACKSON'S DISPUTES. Meanwhile the British fleet on the coast was inactive. On the day of the battle a squadron entered the river with the intention of reducing the works at Fort St. Philip, ascending the river, and coöperating in the attack on the city. The Herald, Sophie and Tender, with two bomb-vessels, began the bombardment of the fort on January 11 and continued it with little interruption until January 18. At the end of this time, finding that no serious impression had been made, they dropped down the river and put to sea.* Still the British seemed loath to depart without striking another blow. Having been reinforced by 1,000 fresh soldiers, Lambert decided to attack Fort Bowyer. At daylight on the morning of February 8 a brigade and a heavy battering train were disembarked in the rear of the fort and began the bombardment. In the fort were 360 men under command of Lieutenant-Colonel William Lawrence. As his force was not sufficient to with vii.; R. H. Burgoyne, Historical Records of the 93d Sutherland Highlanders (London, 1883); J. H. Cook, Narrative of Events in the South of France and of the Attack on New Orleans in 1814-15 (London, 1834); Richard Trimen, Regiments of the British Army (London, 1878); Stephen Crane, The Brief Campaign Against New Orleans, in Lippincott's Magazine, vol. lxv., pp. 405-411 (1900); A Concise Narrative of Gen. Jackson's First Invasion of Florida and of His Immortal Defence of New Orleans (by Aristides, the pseudonym of William P. Van Ness). * Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 1050-1051; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 382-383; Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, pp. 187197 and app. xxxiv. 83 stand the British attack, Lawrence had no choice but to capitulate, which he did on February 11.* Though the British had departed, Jackson did not relax his vigilance and discipline, but vigorously maintained martial law. Rumors of peace soon arrived, but Jackson refused to be governed by rumors and not until early in March of 1815, when official word came from Washington, did he consent to change the routine of his camp. By that time he had become involved in a dispute with the civil authorities. On March 3 Louis Louaillier, a member of the Legislature, wrote an article in one of the local papers criticising some of Jackson's orders and urging that martial law be abolished. Considering the publication seditious, Jackson ordered Louaillier's arrest, but Judge Dominic A. Hall of the district court issued a writ of habeas corpus in favor of the offender. Thereupon Jackson convened a court-martial to try Louaillier and ordered the arrest of Hall and his expulsion beyond the limits of the city. He also sent an officer to obtain from the clerk of the court the original writ of habeas corpus. Louaillier was acquitted of the charges brought against him, but was kept in jail until the official notification of peace was received. On 84 RUSSIA'S OFFER TO MEDIATE. March 22 the district court required Jackson to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court in taking away the original writ, disobeying the writ, and imprisoning the judge. Jackson refused to answer save by a general vindication and was fined $1,000. In 1843, however, this fine, with interest (total $2,700) was refunded by Congress.* - CHAPTER XXV. 1812-1815. THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE. ssia's offer to mediate and England's final determination to negotiate Terms demanded by the British and the Canadians British Castlereagh's instructions Rejection of the British demands concessions Effect of American victories on British demands - Wellington's advice Disputes among American commissioners - Final conferences and acceptance of articles - Terms of the treaty. Appendix to Chapter xxv -- Principal articles of the Treaty of Ghent. Early in the war, as we have seen, Russia had tendered her good offices as mediator between Great Britain and the United States. In 1812 Napoleon had declared war on Russia; by August 18 he had taken Smolensk; on September 6 had fought the battle of Borodino; and on the 14th entered Moscow. But hard pressed as he was, Emperor Alexander I. found time to think of the United States; and at the very moment when the French were in the heart of his own dominions he instructed his chancellor, Count Nicholas Roumanzoff, to ascertain from John Quincy Adams, then minister to Russia, if mediation on his part would be acceptable to the United States. Adams replied favorably, but thought England should be consulted first. Roumanzoff had already consulted the British minister (who had written to London) and as he considered As Adams' reply favorable, he drew up a proposal and sent it off to Washington without waiting to hear from England. The dispatch was communicated to Monroe on March 8, 1813, by André Daschkoff, the Russian chargé, and the offer was formally accepted by the President. † Adams was thereupon appointed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to conclude a treaty of peace with England under the * Ingersoll, History of the Second War, 2d series, vol. ii., pp. 242-262; Benton, Thirty Years' View, vol. ii., pp. 499-502; Phelps, Louisiana, pp. 279-283; Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., chaps. xxii-xxiii.; Sumner, Andrew Jackson, pp. 45-47; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 1053-1054; Niles' Weekly Register, vol. viii., pp. 246, 272; vol. lxii., pp. 212, 326; vol. lxiii., p. 312; vol. lxiv., p. 61; Charles Dimitry, in Magazine of American History (May, 1886); Cyrus T. Brady, The True Andrew Jackson, pp. 44-48; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 55-58, 89-94. American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii., p. 624; Diary of J. Q. Adams, vol. ii., p. 401. ENGLAND'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT MEDIATION. * auspices of Russia; and two other envoys (James A. Bayard and Albert Gallatin) were sent. The essence of their long instructions was to conclude no treaty which did not contain provisions against impressment and the right of search.† While Bayard and Gallatin were still on the sea, the situation in Europe became complicated; for Castlereagh had informed the Russian minister that the proffered mediation could not be accepted. When Adams called upon Roumanzoff to inform him of the appointment of Bayard and Gallatin, England's action was made known to him. But Roumanzoff said he would ask the czar's permission to renew the offer of mediation. Adams reported this conversation to the American government on June 26; but before permission to renew the offer of mediation had been received, Bayard and Gallatin arrived at Gottenburg. The news of their arrival shortly reached London and seems to have caused Castlereagh considerable uneasiness. On July 5 he wrote to Lord Cathcart saying that the offer of mediation, however kindly and liberally intended, would have the unfortunate effect of protracting the war with the United Hunt, Life of Madison, p. 355. Stevens, Albert Gallatin, p. 312; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 256-257; Madison's Works (Congress ed.), vol. iii., p. 566. Their instructions will be found in American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii., pp. 695-700. Diary of John Quincy Adams, vol. ii., p. 479. American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii., p. 627. 85 States, since by enabling the President to hold out to the people of the United States a vague expectation of peace, he might reconcile them to whatever measures he proposed. After a week's reflection, however, Castlereagh sent Cathcart new instructions, dated July 13, directing him to inform the czar that England was ready to meet and treat with the American plenipotentiaries, provided the discussions be carried on where it would be impossible for a third power to interfere.* Castlereagh's refusal to accept the mediation was given to Count Lieven, the Russian ambassador, in May; it reached St. Petersburg about the middle of June, and was immediately sent by Roumanzoff to the czar (then with the army of the allies at Gitschin, Bohemia, 900 miles from St. Petersburg). No sooner did this reach him. (early in July) than came Roumanzoff's note stating that his mediation had been accepted by the American government and asking whether the offer of mediation should be renewed on the arrival of the American commissioners. † Alexander thereupon bade Roumanzoff write to London renewing the offer, who hastened to obey the czar's directions. Thus Gallatin and Bayard found themselves condemned to wait two or three months for the British answer, which they knew must be unfavorable; since McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 257-258; Adams, United States, vol. vii., pp. 340-342. † Adams, United States, vol. vii., pp. 345-348. |
