Chapter III: Preface: Chapter I

INTRODUCTORY

Causes of the war of 1812--Conflicting views of America and Britain as regards neutral rights--Those of the former power right--Impossibility of avoiding hostilities--Declaration of war June 18, 1812--Slight preparations made--General features of the contest--Race identity of combatants--The treaty of peace nominally leaves the situation unchanged--But practically settles the dispute in our favor in respect to maritime rights--The British navy and its reputation prior to 1812--Comparison with other European navies--British and American authorities consulted in the present work

Chapter II

Overwhelming naval supremacy of England when America declared war against her--Race identity of the combatants--American navy at the beginning of the war--Officers well trained--Causes tending to make our seamen especially efficient--Close similarity between British and American sailors--Our ships manned chiefly by native Americans, many of whom had formerly been impressed into the British navy--Quotas of seamen contributed by the different States--Navy yards--Lists of officers and men--List of vessels--Tonnage--Different ways of estimating it in Britain and America--Ratings--American ships properly rated--Armaments of the frigates and corvettes--Three styles of guns used--Difference between long guns and carronades--Short weight of American shot--Comparison of British frigates rating 38 and American frigates rating 44 guns--Compared with a 74

Chapter III

1812 ON THE OCEAN

Commodore Rodgers' cruise and unsuccessful chase of the _Belvidera_--Engagement between _Belvidera_ and _President_--_Hornet_ captures a privateer--Cruise of the _Essex_--Captain Hull's cruise and escape from the squadron of Commodore Broke--_Constitution_ captures _Guerrière_--Marked superiority shown by the Americans--_Wasp_ captures _Frolic_--Disproportionate loss on British side--Both afterward captured by _Poictiers_--Second unsuccessful cruise of Commodore Rodgers--_United States_ captures _Macedonian_--_Constitution_ captures _Java_--Cruise of _Essex_--Summary

Chapter IV

1812 ON THE LAKES

PRELIMINARY.--The combatants starting nearly on an equality--Difficulties of creating a naval force--Difficulty of comparing the force of the rival squadrons--Meagreness of the published accounts--Unreliability of authorities, especially James.--ONTARIO--Extraordinary nature of the American squadron--Canadian squadron a kind of water militia--Sackett's Harbor feebly attacked by Commodore Earle--Commodore Chauncy attacks the Royal George--And bombards York.--ERIE--Lieutenant Elliot captures the _Detroit_ and _Caledonia_--Lieutenant Angus' unsuccessful attack on Red House barracks

Chapter V

1813 ON THE OCEAN

Blockade of the American coast--Commodore Porter's campaign with the _Essex_ in the South Pacific--_Hornet_ blockades Bonne Citoyenne--_Hornet_ captures _Resolution_--_Hornet_ captures _Peacock_--Generous treatment shown to the conquered--_Viper_ captured by _Narcissus_--American privateers cut out by British boats--Third cruise of Commodore Rodgers--_United States_, _Macedonian_, and _Wasp_ blockaded in New London--Broke's challenge to Lawrence--The _Chesapeake_ captured by the _Shannon_--Comments and criticisms by various authorities--_Surveyor_ captured by boats of _Narcissus_--Futile gun-boat actions--British attack on Craney Island repulsed--Cutting out expeditions--The _Argus_ captured by the _Pelican_--The _Enterprise_ captures the _Boxer_--Ocean warfare of 1813 in favor of British--Summary

Chapter VI

1813 ON THE LAKES

ONTARIO--Comparison of the rival squadrons--Chauncy's superior in strength--Chauncy takes York and Fort George--Yeo is repulsed at Sackett's Harbor, but keeps command of the lake--_The Lady of the Lake_ captures _Lady Murray_--_Hamilton_ and _Scourge_ founder in a squall--Yeo's partial victory off Niagara--Indecisive action off the Genesee--Chauncy's partial victory off Burlington, which gives him the command of the lake--Yeo and Chauncy compared--Reasons for American success.--ERIE--Perry's success in creating a fleet--His victory--"Glory" of it overestimated--Cause of his success--CHAMPLAIN--The _Growler_ and _Eagle_ captured by gun-boats--Summary of year's campaign

Chapter VII

1814 ON THE OCEAN

Strictness of the blockade--Cruise of Rodgers--Cruise of the _Constitution_--Chased into Marblehead--Attempt to cut-out the _Alligator_--The _Essex_ captured after engagement with _Phoebe_ and _Cherub_--The _Frolic_ captured--The _Peacock_ captures the _Epervier_--Commodore Barney's flotilla afloat--The British in the Chesapeake--Capture of Washington, and burning of the public buildings--The _Wasp_ captures the _Reindeer_--The _Wasp_ sinks the _Avon_--Cruise and loss of the _Adams_--The privateer _General Armstrong_--The privateer _Prince de Neufchatel_--Loss of the gun-boats on Lake Borgne--Fighting near New Orleans--Summary

Chapter VIII

1814 ON THE LAKES

ONTARIO--The contest one of ship-building merely--Statistics of the two squadrons--Serious sickness among the Americans--Extreme caution of the commanders, verging on timidity--Yeo takes Oswego and blockades Sackett's Harbor--British gun-boats captured--Chauncy blockades Kingston.--ERIE--Captain Sinclair burns St. Joseph--Makes unsuccessful expedition against Mackinaw--Daring and successful cutting-out expeditions of the British--Capture of the _Ohio_ and _Somers_.--CHAMPLAIN--Macdonough's and Downie's squadrons--James' erroneous statements concerning them--Gallant engagement and splendid victory of Macdonough--Macdonough one of the greatest of American sea-captains

Chapter IX

1815 CONCLUDING OPERATIONS

The _President_ captured by Captain Hayes' squadron--Successful cutting-out expedition of the Americans--American privateer _Chasseur_ captures _St. Lawrence_--The _Constitution_ engages the _Cyane_ and the _Levant_ and captures both--Escapes from a British squadron--The _Hornet_ captures the _Penguin_ and escapes from pursuit of the _Cornwallis_--The _Peacock's_ wanton attack on the _Nautilus_--Wanton attack on American gun-boat after treaty of peace--Summary of events in 1815--Remarks on the war--Tables of comparative loss, etc.--Compared with results of Anglo-French struggle

Chapter X

1815 THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

The war on land generally disastrous--British send great expedition against New Orleans--Jackson prepares for the defence of the city--Night attack on the British advance guard--Artillery duels--Great Battle of Jan. 8th, 1815--Slaughtering repulse of the main attack--Rout of the Americans on the right bank of the river--Final retreat of the British--Observations on the character of the troops and commanders engaged