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CH. IX.]

AMERICAN PRIVATEERS.

the spring of this year, cruised for some time in the British channel, 1813. and was very successful in capturing and destroying British shipping. On the 14th of August, the British sloop-of-war Pelican came in sight of the Argus, and determined to attack her. Finding it impossible to gain the wind of his enemy, Captain Allen of the Argus shortened sail, and a furious conflict began. The captain and first lieutenant fell, hors de combat, within a quarter of an hour; and after successfully avoiding one attempt to rake her, she became unmanageable, and the enemy chose his position at pleasure. For a quarter of an hour, the Pelican now maintained a raking fire upon the unfortunate Argus, whilst she could hardly train a gun to bear upon her adversary. She struck, accordingly, and the enemy, at the same moment falling on board, took possession over the bow. Six men were killed, and seventeen wounded, on board the Argus; whilst the victors lost only seven men in all. Captain Allen died in England, and was buried with the honors of war.

A few weeks later, the American brig Enterprise, Lieutenant Burrows, sailed from Portsmouth on a cruise. On the 4th of September, she fell in with the British brig Boxer, Captain Blythe. The action which ensued lasted forty minutes, when the enemy ceased firing, and cried for quarter; being unable to haul down her flag, as it had been nailed to the mast. The Enterprise had thirteen wounded and one killed, but that one was the lamented Burrows. He fell at the commencement of the action, but refused to quit

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the deck, and requested that the flag might never be struck. Twenty-five were killed and wounded on board the Boxer, Captain Blythe being among the killed. The two commanders were buried at Portland, with unusual honors and tokens of respect and admiration.

The gallantry of American seamen was displayed in other ways beside those of our ships of war. Contemporary journals are filled with long lists of vessels captured by privateers which were fitted out in large numbers from various ports of the United States. Though many of these were signally successful, yet, as Mr. Hale justly remarks,* the general belief that Provi dence blesses not wealth so acquired, was strengthened by the quickness with which it vanished, having fixed upon its possessors habits of extravagance, and leaving behind it the love of pleasure which could no longer be gratified. Sometimes, in their search for merchantmen, they met with hostile privateers, or public ships of war, and then they showed themselves worthy of the flag of their country. In August, the American privateer Decatur, mounting seven guns, and manned with one hundred and three men, fell in with the British schooner Dominica, of sixteen guns and eighty-three men. For two hours, the two ships continued manoeuvring and firing, the Decatur seeking to board her antagonist, and she to escape. At length the former was placed in such a position, that part

* Hale's "History of the United States," vol. ii., p. 187.

of her crew passed, upon the bowsprit, into the steru of the latter. The firing on both sides, from cannon and musketry, was now terrible. In a short time, the two ships came in contact, broadside to broadside, and then the remainder of the Decatur's crew rushed upon her enemy's deck. Fire-arms were thrown aside, and the men fought hand to hand, using cutlasses and throwing shot. Nearly all the officers of the Dominica being killed, her flag was hauled down by the conquerors. Of her crew of eighty-three, sixty were killed or wounded; of that of the Decatur, but nineteen.*

1813.

In bringing the present chapter to a close, we cannot pass over the cruise of the Essex, which, for daring and success, may be said to stand first among the naval enterprises of 1813. The Essex, under command of Captain Porter, mounted thirty-two guns, and left the United States in October, 1812, with directions to proceed to a station on the coast of South America, where he was to meet Commodore Bainbridge in the Constitution. On the 12th of December, he fell in with and captured the British packet Nocton, with $55,000 in specie on board. Having arrived at the designated station too late to meet Bainbridge, Captain Porter, being at liberty to act according to his own discretion, resolved to take the Essex round Cape Horn, and to try his

* In connection with this topic, we must refer the reader to a volume written con amore, entitled, "His tory of the American Privateers and Letters of Marque during our war with England, in the years 1812-1814," By George Coggeshall. It is a volume full of curious information, and will repay perusal.

1813.

fortune in defending the American whalers and capturing the British ships that might be found in the Pacific. At Valparaiso, on the 13th of March, he was welcomed as a friend by the new government of Chili; his first exploit was the rescue of two American vessels which had been taken by a Peruvian privateer, the viceroy having presumed that Spain had declared war against the United States, and granted letters of marque against their shipping. In April, he made three prizes of armed whalers, and one of them he manned and equipped with sixteen guns to sail as consort to his own ship. Nine other vessels also fell into his power; making twelve prizes in the course of this year. Three of these he took to Valparaiso for security, and three he sent home with the oil he had taken in the others; two were dismantled, and sent with his paroled prisoners as cartels; the rest he converted into cruisers, or tenders to the Essex, and thus increased his force into a respectable squadron. Four thousand tons of shipping were thus captured by him; and four hundred prisoners made, many of whom consented to serve under him ; and but for his presence in those seas, the American whalers would have experienced the same fate, and been taken by the enemy. In the autumn of the present year, hearing that some British vessels had been sent in search of him, he proceeded to the Marquesas, and refitted in the Bay of Nouaheevah, before attempting to make his way back to America.

The story of Porter's adventurous cruise subsequent to this date, we must

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Extra session of Congress-The president's message The mediation of Russia- -Commissioners appointed-Financial plans and measures —J. Q. Adams on this topic - Adjournment of Congress in August - The war in the south-west-Tecumseh's efforts among the Creeks-Fort Mimms assaulted-The massacre - Gloom and distress Arming of the people in Georgia and Tennessee - Floyd and Jackson - Coffee's victory-Jackson's activity - Various battles — The bloody victory at Horse Shoe Bend· Conclusion of the war with the Creeks - Proctor invests Fort Stephenson on the Sandusky-Major Croghan's gallant defence - Commodore Perry on Lake Erie His famous victory-His dispatch to Harrison - Results of this victory - Proctor's retreat Harrison in pursuit-Battle of the Thames - Johnson's charge with the mounted volunteers - Tecumseh's death — Chauncey on Lake Ontario — Wilkinson in command of the army of the centre - Hampton at Plattsburg— Delay and hindrances in undertaking the invasion of Canada — Plan of the secretary of war - Wilkinson's advance - The battle at Chrystler's Field, near Williamsburg - Hampton declines forming a junction with Wilkinson-The expedition abandoned Hampton's movements and plans — Popular censures and complaints in consequence of the failure of the Canada expedition - Assaults on the Niagara frontier—M'Clure burns Newark — Terrible retaliation by the British — Burning and destruction of towns and villages - Close of the year 1813, and its various fortunes.

ON the 24th of May, the day appointed for an extra session (p. 178), Congress assembled in the Cap1813. itol, ready to enter upon the responsible and difficult duties before them. Henry Clay was elected speaker of the House, and Daniel Webster was among the active members in the opposition.* In the Senate, the federalists had several very strong men, as Jeremiah Mason, Rufus King, etc., and although the administration was decidedly in the majority, yet in consequence

* For the measures which were advocated by this distinguished son of New Hampshire, we must refer the student to his Life and Works, and to the fifth volume of Mr. Benton's "Abridgement of the Debates Congress,"

of the dissatisfaction of De Witt Clinton's friends on account of his defeat, this majority was by no means as effective or reliable, as it would have been under other circumstances.

The president's message was sent in on the following day. It consisted chiefly of a resumé of the phases of the war; but it held out hopes of a restoration of peace, and gave an account of the finances of the country that was somewhat reassuring, although proba bly there was more to be said upon that part of the subject than the president found it expedient, at that time, to express. The receipts into the treasury during the preceding six months, from all sources, loans and treasury

notes included, were $15,412,000. The expenditure during the same period amounted to $15,920,000. Neverthe less, there were, for the next half year, $1,857,000 in the treasury.

The real difficulty, however, which pressed upon the government had to be stated. So, after a further exposition of the prospects of the year, the president added: "This view of our finances, whilst it shows that due provision has been made for the expenses of the current year, shows at the same time, by the limited amount of the actual revenue, and the dependence on loans, the necessity of providing more adequately for the future supplies of the treasury. This can be best done by a well-digested system of internal revenue, in aid of existing sources; which will have the effect, both of abridging the amount of necessary loans, and on that account, as well as by placing the public credit on a more satisfactory basis, of improving the terms on which loans may be obtained.....

"In recommending to the national legislature this resort to additional taxes, I feel great satisfaction in the assurance, that our constituents, who have already displayed so much zeal and firmness in the cause of their country, will cheerfully give every other proof of their patriotism, which it calls for. Happily, no people, with local and transitory exceptions never to be wholly avoided, are more able than the people of the United States to spare for the public wants a portion of their private means; whether regard be had to the ordinary profits of industry, or the ordinary price of subsistence in our

country, compared with those of any other. And in no case could stronger reasons be felt for yielding the requisite contributions. By rendering the public resources certain, and commensurate to the public exigencies, the constituted authorities will be able to prosecute the war the more rapidly to its proper issue; every hostile hope, founded on a calculated failure of our resources, will be cut off; and by adding to the evidences of bravery and skill, in combats on the ocean and the land, an alacrity in supplying the treasure necessary to give them their fullest ef fects, and demonstrating to the world the public energy which our political institutions combine, with the personal liberty distinguishing them, the best security will be provided against future enterprises on the rights or the peace of the nation."

1813.

Russia, as we have said on a previous page, (p. 175), offered her good offices as a mediator in the existing difficulties between Great Britain and the United

States. The president accepted the offer, as made through M. Daschkoff, the Russian minister, and on the 17th of April, appointed John Quincy Adams, then minister to Russia, Albert Gallatin, and James A. Bayard, envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary to conclude a treaty of peace with England, under the auspices of Russia. Messrs. Gallatin and Bayard proceeded to join Mr. Adams at St. Petersburgh, and the three envoys reached the Baltic in June, ready to enter upon their mission and its work. Great Britain refused, in September, to accede to the mediation; but, early in November, in

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