CHAPTER IV.

$ 1. Effects resulting from the burning of Washington in Europe and

in the United States. § 2. Attack upon Baltimore. § 3. Bombard. ment of Fort M•Henry. § 4. Retreat of the British. 5. Procla. mation of sir George Prevost. 56. Repulse of the British at Otter Creek. 87. Expedition against Plattsburg. 58. Capture of the Bri. tish squadron on Lake Champlain. $ 9. Attack on the American works near Plattsburg. § 10. Retreat of Prevost.

$1. An intelligent French writer, in noticing the capture of Berlin by the Russians in 1760, remarks, that two important military principles may be deduced from that event. 1st. That the possession of a capital does not decide the fate of a state, or even of a campaign. 2d. That in the modern art of war, men are of more importance than fortified places, and that a general should never acknowledge himself vanquished, though all his strong holds be subdued, if he retain his soldiers and his constancy. If these observations be correct in their application to European capitals, how much more forcibly do they apply to that of the federal government, a mere open village, of about 8000 inhabitants, and in a country thinly populated! Indeed the capture of Washington cannot be viewed in any other light than as a predatory incursion, under the pretence of retaliation, but really with the view of striking terror and inducing submission, and at the same time producing an effect in Europe, where the occupation of the capital of their enemy, it was doubtless conceived, would be viewed as a most brilliant exploit. General Ross had neither the intention nor the means of holding Washing

Without artillery or stores, he was unable to remain longer than 24 hours, when a retreat was commenced under favour of the night, and even then this retreat would have been extremely hazardous, but for the disorganized state of his opponents, and their blameable deficiency in the article of intelligence. It is true, that had they remained a few days longer, a communication with their shipping would have been opened by the Potomac, but this arose from a circumstance that could not have been foreseen, and Ross certainly acted wisely in not calculating on the destruction of Fort Washington by its commander.

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All aid,

But the capture of Washington produced in Europe a very different effect from what was expected. The Gothic barbarity displayed in the wanton destruction of the public buildings roused the indignation of the whole continent, and even produced such a sensation in the British parliament, as to cause its instigators to resort to falschood to shield them from the public odium. The agitation of the question also drew from the ministry a statement, that instructions had been sent to the coast of America to desist from further inflictions of vengeance.

The threats of devastation, and their practical operation in the District of Columbia, produced an electric effect throughout the union. A spirit of patriotism was kindled by the flames of the capitol, before which 'all party considerations and honest differences of opinion vanished. The war, at its commencement, was considered an inexpedient measure, by a large and respectable portion of the community. The mode of conducting it also, by the invasion of Canada, was condemned as inefficacious; as resembling more a war for foreign conquest, than a resolute assertion of our naval rights, which ought, it was said, to be conquered on the ocean. either in men or money, was consequently as much as possible withheld by those who embraced these sentiments. Party considerations had no doubt their effect in producing this result. It was not to be expected, that the opposition would fail to make use of the same popular topics which had been so successfully wielded against them when, in power, and which had finally driven them from their seats. The dangers which threatened our republican institutions from a standing army, loans, &c. were now, as formerly, the favourite sub jects of the outs, who wished to change places with the ins. In a government which depends so much on public sentiment as ours, its powers were thus necessarily paralysed, though perhaps not in the degree asserted by the ins, who of course wished a share of the odium arising from their tardy measures to fall on the outs.

But at this interesting crisis a new spirit pervaded the nation, which aroused it almost instantaneously to arms. Party rancour, for a moment, seemed utterly extinct ; “this is not the time for speaking, but for acting,” became the universal cry. All classes seemed inspired with military ardour; the young and the old, the rich and the poor, rushed into the ranks, came forward with their contributions, and assisted in the labour of raising works of defence. Nor were even the females idle at

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this trying moment. Their labours were united in accoutring the volunteers, and in providing for their necessities.

These movements were little if at all regulated by the governments either of the states or of the union. It appeared as if the people, perceiving that the powers with which they had entrusted their rulers were either incompetent to the crisis, or had not been sufficiently acted on, had determined spontaneously to arise in their might, and take the defence of their respective neighbourhoods upon themselves. Committees of vigilance or defence were every where appointed by the people in their town-meetings, who collected money, arms, and ammunition, regulated the military movements of the citizens, and superintended their voluntary labour at the fortifications. Nor was the public enthusiasm unavailing. From this moment, almost every encounter with the enemy shed new lustre on the American arms, till the war finally closed in a blaze of glory at New-Orleans.

The unanimity which prevailed at this period cannot perhaps be exemplified more strikingly than by the proclamations of governor Chittenden.-Shortly after his election to the chief magistracy of Vermont, in the fall of 1813, Chittenden issued a proclamation, ordering a brigade of Vermont militia, then at Plattsburg, in the service of the United States, to return to their homes, on the pretence that it was highly improper that the militia should be placed under the command of and at the disposal of an officer of the United States, and out of the jurisdiction or controul of the executive of Vermont, and marched to the defence of a sister state, fully competent to all the purposes of self-defence. The militia refused compliance with this requisition, and the officers publicly addressed the governor, stating at large their reasons for this refusal. “We are not of that class,” say they, “who believe that our duties as citizens or soldiers are circumscribed within the narrow limits of the town or state in which we reside ; but that we are under a paramount obligation to our common country, to the great confederacy of states." “ We conceive it our duty,” they continue, u to declare unequivocally to your excellency, that we shall not obey your excellency's order for returning ; but shall continue in the service of our country, until we are legally and honourably discharged. An invitation or order to desert the standard of our country will never be obeyed by us, although it proceeds from the governor and captain-general of Vermont. Adding,

" We cannot perceive what other object your excellency could have in view than to embarrass the operations of the army, to excite mutiny

and sedition among the soldiers, and to induce them to desert, that they might forfeit the wages to which they are entitled for their patriotic services."

At this important crisis a very different stand was taken by the same governor. In his proclamation, dated September 19, 1814, he declares, that the war has assumed an entirely different character, since its first commencement, and has become almost exclusively defensive, and is prosecuted by the enemy with a spirit, unexampled during pending negociations for peace, which leaves no prospect of safety but in a manly and united determination to meet invasion at every point, and expel the invader. That, as the conflict has become a common and not a party concern, the time has now arrived when all degrading party distinctions and animosities, however we may have differed respecting the policy of declaring, or the mode of prosecuting the war, ought to be laid aside ; that every

heart may be stimulated, and every arm nerved, for the protection of our common country, our liberty, our altars, and our firesides; in the defence of which we may, with an humble confidence, look to heaven for assistance and protection. He therefore earnestly exhorts all the good people of Vermont, by that love of country, which so signally distinguished their fathers, in their glorious and successful struggle for independence, to unite both heart and hand, in defence of their common interest, and every thing dear to freemen.

2. The British army having re-embarked on board the fleet in the Patuxent, admiral Cochrane moved down that river, and proceeded up the Chesapeake, and on the evening

, of the 10th of September appeared at the mouth of the Patapsco, about 14 miles from the city of Baltimore. Anticipating the debarkation of the troops, general Smith, who commanded at Baltimore, had ordered general Stricker to march, with a portion of his brigade of militia, towards North Point, near the mouth of the river, where it was expected the British would make a landing. His force consisted of 550 of the 5th regiment, under lieutenant-colonel Sterrett ; 620 of the 6th, under lieutenant-colonel Donald ; 500 of the 27th, under lieutenant-colonel Long ; 450 of the 39th, under lieutenant-colonel Fowler ; 700 of the 51st, under lieutent-colonel Amey ; 150 riflemen, under captain Dyer ; 140 cavalry, under lieutenant-colonel Biays; and the Union Artillery of 75 men, with six four-pounders, under captain Montgomery; making an aggregate of 3185 effective men. Major Randal, with a light corps of riflemen and musquetry, taken from general Stansbury's brigade and the Pennsylvania volunteers, was

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detached to the mouth of Bear Creek, with orders to co-operate with general Stricker, and to check any landing which the enemy might attempt in that quarter.

The troops moved towards North Point, by the main road, on the 11th, and at 3 o'clock, P. M. reached the meetinghouse, near the head of Bear Creek, seven miles from the city. Here the brigade halted, with the exception of the cavalry, who were pushed forward to Gorsuch's farm, three miles in advance, and the riflemen, who took post near the blacksmith's shop, two miles in advance of the encampment. At 7 o'clock, on the morning of the 12th, information was received from the advanced videttes, that the enemy were debarking troops from and under cover of their gun-vessels, which lay off the bluff of North Point, within the mouth of Patapsco river. The baggage was immediately ordered back under a strong guard, and general Stricker took a good position at the junction of the two roads leading from Baltimore to North Point, having his right flanked by Bear Creek, and his left by a marsh. He here waited the approach of the enemy, having sent on an advance corps, under the command of major Heath, of the 5th regiment. This advance was met by that of the enemy, and after some skirmishing it returned to the line, the main body of the enemy being at a short distance in the rear of their advance. During this skirmishing, majorgeneral Ross received a musket-ball through his arm into his breast, which proved fatal to him on his way to the water-side for re-embarkation. The command of the enemy's forces then devolved on colonel Brook. Between 2 and 3 o'clock, the enemy's whole force came up and commenced the battle by some discharges of rockets, which were succeeded by the cannon from both sides, and soon after the action became general along the line. General Stricker gallantly maintained his ground against a great superiority of numbers during the space of an hour and twenty minutes, when the regiment on his left (the 51st) giving way, he was under the necessity of retiring to the ground in his rear, where he had stationed one regiment as a reserve. He here formed his brigade; but the enemy not thinking it advisable to pursue, he, in compliance with previous arrangements, fell back and took post on the left, a half mile in advance of the entrenchments, which had bein thrown up on the hills surrounding Baltimore. About the time general Stricker had taken the ground just mentioned, he was joined by general Winder, who had been stationed on the west side of the city, but was now ordered to march with general Douglas's brigade of Virginia militia, and

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