Chapter I: Front Matter

A HISTORY, OF THE WAR OF 1812-15 BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN

By Rossiter Johnson

Dodd, Mead and Company Publishers

1882

Dodd, Mead & Company.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Causes of the War 1. Franklin's Prediction, 1.--British Feeling toward the United States, 2.--The Unsurrendered Posts, 3.--Indian Troubles, 4.--Impressment of Seamen, 7.--The Decrees and Orders in Council, 13.--Declaration of War, 18.

CHAPTER II.

The Detroit Campaign, 21.--First Bloodshed, 21.--Attitude of Political Parties, 22.--Plans for Invading Canada, 26.--Capture of Michilimackinac, 30.--Engagements at the River Raisin and Maguaga, 31.--Battle of Chicago, 32.--Hull's Surrender, 36.

CHAPTER III.

Fights with the Indians, 38.--Tecumseh's Scheme, 38.--Harrison's March to Fort Wayne, 39.--Defence of Fort Harrison, 41.--Defence of Fort Madison, 43.--Ball's Fight, 44.

CHAPTER IV.

The Battle of Queenstown, 46.--Fight at Gananoqui, 46.--Expedition against Ogdensburg, 47.--Elliott captures two War-vessels, 48.--Gathering of Forces on the Niagara, 49.--Battle of Queenstown, 50.--Death of General Brock, 55.

CHAPTER V.

War on the Ocean, 61.--The _President_ and the _Little Belt_, 62.--The _President_ and the _Belvidera_, 64.--Hull's Race, 66.--The _Constitution_ and the _Guerriere_, 68.--Effect of the Victory, 71.--The _Wasp_ and the _Frolic_, 73.--The _United States_ and the _Macedonian_, 76.--The _Constitution_ and the _Java_, 79.--Nelson's Prediction, 83.

CHAPTER VI.

Minor Battles in the West, 84.--Winchester's Expedition, 84.--Fight at Frenchtown, 85.--Massacre at the Raisin, 87.--Siege of Fort Meigs, 90.

CHAPTER VII.

War on the Lakes, 98.--The Armaments, 98.--Preliminary Operations, 99.--Expedition against York, 100.--Death of General Pike, 103.--Capture of Fort George, 107.--Attack on Sackett's Harbor, 112.--Battle of Stony Creek, 118.

CHAPTER VIII.

Battle of the Thames, 140--Harrison's Advance, 140.--Proctor's Retreat 141.--Nature of the Ground, 141.--Disposition of the Indians, 143.--The Battle, 144.--Death of Tecumseh, 146.--Flight of Proctor, 146.--Results of the Campaign, 148.

CHAPTER IX.

Wilkinson's Expedition, 149.--Armstrong's Plans, 149.--Position of the Troops, 150.--Descent of the St. Lawrence, 152--Battle of Chrysler's Field, 154.--Hampton's Defeat, 159.--Cost of the Campaign, 160.--Effects on the Niagara Frontier, 161.--Capture of Fort Niagara, 163.--Destruction of Buffalo and other Villages, 166.

CHAPTER X.

War in the South, 168.--Engagement at Lewistown, 168.--Fight in Delaware Bay, 169.--Burning of Havre de Grace, Georgetown, and Fredericktown, 171.--Battle at Craney Island, 172.--Destruction of Hampton, 176.--Troubles with the Southern Indians, 178.--Fight at Burnt Corn Creek, 179.--Massacre at Fort Mims, 182.--Jackson's Campaign, 183.--Fights at Tallus-chatches, Talladega, the Hillabee Towns, Autosse, and Econochaca, 183.--Dale's Canoe Fight, 188.

CHAPTER XI.

Naval Battles of 1813, 195.--The _Hornet_ and the _Peacock_, 195.--The _Chesapeake_ and the _Shannon_, 197.--The _Argus_ and the _Pelican_, 201.--The _Enterprise_ and the _Boxer_, 202.--Decatur Blockaded at New London, 204.--A New Embargo, 206.

CHAPTER XII.

Privateers, 207.--Their Number and Importance, 207.--Jefferson's Opinion of them, 208.--A London Journal's Prediction, 211.--Some of their Captures, and some of their Battles, 212.--The _Yankee's_ Laughable Exploit, 222.

CHAPTER XIII.

Peace Negotiations, 223.--Campaign against the Creeks, 223.--Condition of Affairs at the Opening of the Third Year, 223.--Congressional Appropriations, 224--Russian Offers of Mediation, 225.--Jackson's Preparations, 227.--Battles of Emucfau, Enotachopco, and Horseshoe Bend, 227.

CHAPTER XIV.

Brown's Campaign on the Niagara, 231.--The March to Buffalo, 231.--Capture of Fort Erie, 232.--Battle of Chippewa, 234.--Brown's Plans, 238.--Battle of Lundy's Lane, 240.--Siege of Fort Erie by the British, 245.

CHAPTER XV.

The Second Invasion of New York, 251.--Fight at La Colie Mill, 251.--Ship-building, 253.--Yeo's Attack on Oswego, 254.--Affairs at Charlotte and Poultneyville, 255.--Fight at Sandy Creek, 257.--Izard's Failure on the Niagara, 258.--Expedition against Michilimackinac, 250.--Prevost's Advance into New York, 260.--Its Purpose, 261.--Battle of Plattsburg, 265.

CHAPTER XVI.

Operations Along the Coast, 268.--Capture of Eastport and Castine, 268.--Occupation of Territory in Maine, 269.--Destruction of the Frigate _Adams_, 270.--Bombardment of Stonington, 271.--Affairs at Wareham, Scituate, and Boothbay, 273.

CHAPTER XVII.

The Washington Campaign, 274.--Ross's Expedition against Washington, 276.--Battle of Bladensburg, 278.--Destruction of the Capital, 282.--Capitulation of Alexandria, 283.--Comments of the London Times, 284.--Expedition against Baltimore, 285.--Death of Sir Peter Parker, 286.--Battle of North Point, 286.--Death of General Ross, 287.--Bombardment of Fort McHenry, 288.--How a Famous Song was written, 289.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Naval Battles of 1814, 290,--Porter's Cruise in the Essex, 290.--His Campaign against the Typees, 296.--Destruction of the British Whaling Interest in the Pacific, 310.--Battle with the Phoebe and the Cherub, 312.--The Peacock and the Epervier, 320.--The Wasp and the Reindeer, 321.--The Wasp and the Avon, 322.--Destruction of the General Armstrong, 323.--Loss of the President, 325.--The Constitution Captures the Cyane and the Levant, 325.--The Hornet and the Penguin, 325.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Hartford Convention, 326.--Attitude of the Federalists, Real and Imputed, 326.--The Convention at Hartford, 328.--Its Popular Reputation, 330.--What General Scott did not say at Chippewa, 330.

CHAPTER XX.

The Campaign on the Gulf Coast, 332.--British Occupation of Pensacola, 332.--Negotiations with Lafitte, 333.--Expedition against Mobile, 333.--Capture of Pensacola, 334.--Defence of New Orleans, 336.--The Battles before the City, 337.--Defeat of the British, 344.--Losses, 345.

CHAPTER XXI.

Peace, 346.--The Treaty of Ghent, 346.--Treatment of Prisoners, 348.--Losses and Gains by the War, 349.--Conclusion, 350.

A HISTORY OF THE WAR OF 1812-15.

{001}