The enemy, having landed and passed to the main land, were marching to the town, when they received the fire of the volunteers and militia, which somewhat checked their progress. Unfortunately, however, the militia, totally unacquainted with military discipline, after giving the first fire, rose from their cover and fled to the woods. The handful of volunteers, thus losing their support, were likewise forced to retreat, but being joined by a few regulars from the town, succeeded in rallying a portion of the militia, and, by the aid of the fire from the fort, soon forced the enemy to withdraw to their ships. Unfortunately, the officer who was entrusted with the care of the navy barracks and store-houses, who had been instructed to fire them in case of the enemy proving victorious, mistaking the flight of the militia for a complete repulse, set them on fire, and they were totally consumed.

The American loss in this attack was twenty-one killed and eighty-four wounded, of the volunteers and regulars, and twenty-six missing. Of the militia there were twenty-five killed, wounded, and missing. Of the enemy, twenty-nine were found dead in the field, and twenty-two wounded, and thirty-five were made prisoners; in addition, many were killed in the boats while effecting their landing; a number were likewise carried off the field by the enemy, previous to the commencement of his retreat. In the British official account their loss is stated as follows, viz.: Killed forty-eight, wounded one hundred and ninetyfive, wounded and missing, sixteen.

Commodore Chauncey returned to Sackett's Harbour on the 1st of June, from Fort George, where he was compelled to remain for near two months, until the new vessel, the General Pike, was ready for sea, as the enemy's fleet was now considerably superior in force.

On the

13. Meanwhile the British lorded it over the lake. 16th of June their fleet appeared off the village of Sodus, where a quantity of provisions was deposited. The militia of the neighbourhood were instantly called to arms, and the following day arrived in considerable force. In the mean while, the enemy having disappeared, the provisions were removed from the warehouses on the water's edge to a small distance in the edge of the woods, and on the 19th the militia were discharged, excepting a small number as a guard. Before evening of the same day, however, the fleet again appeared. The alarm was instantly given, and expresses sent after the discharged militia, who immediately returned, but not in time to save the place. The enemy having landed, and finding that the greater part of the provisions had been removed, set fire to all the valuable

buildings in the place, which were consumed with their con

tents.

The next day the fleet appeared off Fort Oswego, and made several attempts to land troops, but each time returned on seeing the American troops ready to meet them on the shore.

14. Another attempt was made on Sackett's Harbour on the night of the 2d of July, by a considerable force in open boats, headed by sir James Yeo. This scheme being discovered by a deserter, commodore Chauncey as soon as possible got under way to intercept their retreat. The British, however, discovered the desertion, and decamped some time before the commodore could reach their place of landing.

§ 15. On the morning of the 11th of July, 250 British regulars crossed the Niagara river, and landed a little below Black Rock. On moving towards that place, they were discovered by about 200 militia, who instantly fled. The enemy then set fire to the barracks, block-houses, &c. spiked several pieces of cannon, and took a quantity of flour and salt, and four small field pieces. While engaged in getting off the property, they were attacked by a force of 100 regulars, 130 militia and volunteers, and 20 or 30 Indians, who had come down from Buffaloe, who poured in upon them a successful fire, by which a considerable number were killed, nine of whom were left dead on the shore, besides a captain mortally wounded. Fifteen prisoners also were taken. They succeeded, however, in carrying off the property. The loss of the Americans was one killed and three wounded, two of whom afterwards died.

16. Nor were the British inactive upon Lake Erie. After their retreat from Fort Meigs in the beginning of May, several threatening movements were made from the lake at Fort Meigs, Lower Sandusky, Cleveland, and Erie. No serious attempt was made, however, on any of these posts, until the first of August, when a combined force of the enemy, amounting to at least 500 regulars and seven or eight hundred Indians, under the immediate command of general Proctor, made its appearance before Lower Sandusky. As soon as the general had made such a disposition of his troops as would cut off the retreat of the garrison, he sent colonel Elliot, accompanied by major Chambers, with a flag, to demand the surrender of the fort, stating that he was anxious to spare the effusion of blood, which he should probably not have in his power to do, should he be reduced to the necessity of taking the place by storm.

The commander of the fort was major Croghan, a youth of 21 years of age. His answer was, that he was determined to defend the place to the last extremity, and that no

force, however large, should induce him to surrender it. So soon as the flag returned, a brisk fire was opened upon the fort, from the gun-boats in the river, and from a five and a half inch howitzer on shore, which was kept up with little intermission throughout the night.

At an early hour the next morning, three sixes, which had been placed during the night within 250 yards of the pickets, began to play, but with little effect. About 4 in the afternoon, discovering that the fire from all the guns was concentrated against the north-western angle of the fort, Croghan became confident that the object was to make a breach, and attempt to storm the works at that point. He therefore ordered out as many men as could be employed for the purpose of strengthening that part, which was so effectually secured by means of bags of flour, sand, &c. that the picketing suffered little or no injury; notwithstanding which, about 500 of the enemy, having formed in close column, advanced to assault the works at the expected point, at the same time making two feints on other parts of the fort. The column which advanced against the north-western angle, consisting of about 350 men, was so completely enveloped in smoke, as not to be discovered until it had approached within 18 or 20 paces of the lines; but the men, being all at their posts and ready to receive it, commenced so heavy and galling a fire as to throw the column a little into confusion; being quickly rallied, however, it advanced to the outer works, and began to leap into the ditch. At that moment a fire of grape was opened from a six-pounder, which had been previously arranged so as to rake in that direction, which, together with the musketry, threw them into such confusion, that they were compelled to retire precipitately to the woods.

During the assault, which lasted about half an hour, an incessant fire was kept up by the enemy's artillery, which consisted of five sixes and a howitzer, but without effect.

Before the attack was ended, the soldiers in the garrison supplied the wounded enemy in the ditch with water, by throwing over full canteens.

The whole number of men in the garrison was not more than 160. Their loss during the siege was 1 killed and seven wounded slightly. The loss of the enemy in killed, wounded, and prisoners, must have exceeded 150; one lieutenant-colonel, a lieutenant, and 50 rank and file were found in and about the ditch, dead or wounded. Those of the remainder who were not able to escape were taken off during the night by the Indians. About 3 in the morning the enemy sailed down the river, leaving behind them a boat containing clothing and considera

ble military stores. Seventy stand of arms, and several brace of pistols, were afterwards collected near the works.

A few days after the assault, Proctor despatched a surgeon with a flag of truce, to assist in the care of the wounded, and with a request that such of the prisoners as were in a condition to be removed might be permitted to return to Malden, on his parole of honour that they should not serve until exchanged.

Harrison, in his reply, stated, that on his arrival at Fort Sandusky on the morning of the 3d, he found that major Croghan, conformably to those principles which are held sacred in the American army, had caused all the care to be taken of the wounded prisoners that his situation would permit; that his hospital surgeon was particularly charged to attend to them, and he was warranted in the belief that every thing which surgical skill could give was afforded. They have been liberally furnished too, he added, with every article necessary in their situation which the hospital stores could supply. Having referred to his government for orders respecting the disposition of the prisoners, he could not with propriety comply with the request for an immediate exchange. But he assures him, that as far as it depends upon him, the course of treatment which has been commenced towards them while in his possession would be continued.

It is impossible here to avoid contrasting the conduct of Proctor and Harrison, in two exactly parallel cases, the care of the wounded, and treatment of the surgeon sent for their relief after the battles of Frenchtown and Sandusky. In the one case the surgeon is treated with politeness, and only sent back because his aid is unnecessary, and the wounded are supplied with water by the garrison, even whilst the attack is carried on. The opposite conduct need not be repeated here. It has made too deep an impression to be so soon effaced.

CHAPTER VI.

§1. Norfolk threatened by a British squadron. 2. Bombardment of Lewistown. 3. Capture of the Dolphin, &c. § 4. Action between the Fox and Adeline. § 5. Annapolis and Baltimore threatened. § 6. Burning of the villages of Havre-de-Grace, &c. 57. Attack on Craney Island. § 8. Outrages at Hampton. 9. Decatur's squadron driven into New London. § 10. Attempt to blow up the Ramilies. § 11. Explosion of a torpedo.

§ 1. On the 26th of December, 1812, an order in council was issued by the British government, declaring the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays in a state of blockade, and on the 20th of March all the ports south of Rhode Island were included. During the winter, intelligence had been repeatedly received by American prisoners from Bermuda, of the arrival of a British squadron at that place, well stored with bombs and Congreve rockets, and with a considerable body of troops on board, for the purpose of destroying some of our southern cities. The alarm, then, that was excited at Norfolk may be easily conceived, when intelligence was received of the approach of this squadron, which on the 4th of February was perceived in the Chesapeake, standing towards Hampton Roads, to the number of two 74's, three frigates, a brig, and a schooner. The frigate Constellation had come down the bay, and anchored in Hampton Roads the day before, and on the arrival of the first news of the near approach of the hostile squadron, it being then ebb-tide, was fast aground at Willoughby spit. Fortunately, however, the flood made, and the ship was afloat, before the enemy hove in sight. She was immediately brought up Elizabeth river to Norfolk, and anchored between the two forts.

Every exertion was now made for the defence of the place, by calling out the militia, &c.; the recruits at the barracks were brought down to the fort, and the gun-boats stationed in the most favourable position to resist the expected attack.

tempt, however, was made upon the town. The squadron confined its operations to the capturing and destroying the bay craft, and forming an effectual blockade of the waters of the Chesapeake.

§2. About the same time a British squadron entered the Delaware bay, which consisted of the Poictiers, 74, the frigate Belvidera, and several small vessels, and for some weeks were