protect all beneath it? A war cry went up from every part of the country. It was: "Free trade and sailors' rights." There being no longer any hope of redress, Madison advised Congress to appeal to arms, and, accordingly, war was declared against Great Britain (June 18, 1812). The declaration was warmly approved by the South and the West, but not by the Federalists of New England. The war would injure their commerce and fisheries.* The impressment question, we see, was the turning point in the cause of the war, but other questions of great importance were involved. 59. Unfortunately, no preparations had been made for the conflict. Its first events were consequently far from encour First Land Events. aging. British troops surprised and captured the fort at the outlet of Lake Michigan, and defeated a detachment of the army under General Hull, the Governor of the Michigan Territory (map 4). British troops, with six hundred Indians led by Tecumseh, appeared before Detroit, where Hull had taken up his quarters. The Americans were in good spirits, and ready to make a resolute defense, when, to their astonishment, a white flag was hoisted over their heads in token of submission. By this act the bewildered Hull sent an army into captivity, and surrendered Michigan to the enemy (August 16). 60. Was Hull a coward at Detroit? A court-martial tried him two years after, and said that he was. He was sentenced to be shot, but the President, reminded of his age and his many brave deeds during the Revolution, saved * Delegates held a secret convention in Hartford, December, 1814. It was generally believed that their object was to break up the Union, and form a separate government for New England. "The thought of dissolving the Union never entered into the head of any member. The gentlemen who composed it, for talents and patriotism, have never been surpassed by any assembly in the United States."-Noah Webster's Sketches of American Policy. 59. Relate the first events of the war including Hull's surrender. 60. State all else you can of Hull. Where is Queenstown (map p. 252)? Give an account of the battle of Queenstown. Detroit (map p 250)? his life. "It is hard to affix the stain of cowardice on the man who moved beside Washington in the perilous march against Trenton, who stood firmly amid the hottest fire of Princeton, who gallantly led his men to the charge at Saratoga, who faced without flinching the fiery sleet at Stony Point. Gray hairs do not make a coward of such a man. About two months after his surrender, a body of Americans crossed the Niagara River to Canada, and at first gained some success at Queenstown (map p. 252), but fresh troops arriving to the aid of the British, the invaders were overpowered with serious loss (October 13). Victories on the Ocean. 61. On the land, during the first year of the war, the Americans met with nothing but disaster. On the ocean the result was quite different. England owned more than a thousand war ships. The United States less than twenty. England was not only the greatest marine power in the world, she was more powerful on the ocean than all the other nations of the world united. Such was the reputation of her great ships that it was believed, in other lands as well as her own, that any of her frigates could never be else than conqueror. And yet the little fleet of less than twenty sails, big and little, boldly put out from shore to encounter the "Mistress of the Sea." 62. Captain Porter, commanding the frigate Essex, began the proud record which shows the names of a dozen good ships that gained honorable victories during the war. The Alert, of the king's navy, the first national vessel captured, was Porter's trophy (August 13). Captain Hull was next to perform a service that went far to wipe out the disgrace attached to his name by his uncle's surrender at Detroit. In command of the frigate Constitution, he met the Guerriere (gare-e-are'), one of the finest of the king's frigates, and, after 61. What is said of the naval forces of the two countries? 62. Give an account of Captain Porter's success. Of Captain Hull's success. a contest of two hours, the first serious contest of the war, compelled her to strike her flag (August 19). 63. An officer, sent on board the prize, returned with the report that she was so badly cut up as to be in a sinking condition. The prisoners were hastily removed to the Constitution, and the wreck was set on fire. "The flames leaped up the broken masts and wrapped the hull in a sheet of fire. As the guns became heated they went off, one after another, firing their last salute to the dying ship." At length the fire reached the magazine, when a tremendous explosion and a huge column of smoke ended the history of the Guerriere. The victor in this famous battle was the very frigate Constitution that an English writer had previously described as "a bunch of pine boards sailing under a bit of striped bunting." Gaining other laurels, the Constitution grew to be the pet ship of the navy, and came to be known by old and young, from one end of the land to the other, as Old Ironsides. 64. The further history of the old ship interests us. There came a time when, by reason of her age, it was thought that she was unfit for longer service. It was therefore decided to break her up and sell her timbers. Public opinion at once condemned the decision. Poets and newspaper writers gave earnest expression to this opinion. The heart of the chief of the navy department was touched, and his hand was stayed. The pet was saved and turned into a schoolship, where boys were taught the three R's, as well as practical seamanship. (Note 21, Appendix, p. 49.) In bringing about this happy result the magic wand of the poet, Dr. Holmes, was most effective. This is the closing strain of his song: "O! better that her shattered hulk should sink beneath the wave: 63. What is said of the Constitution's fame and name? 64. What is said of the further history of the frigate? Repeat the lines. Louisiana. 65. Two important events of the year 1812, neither, however, having any direct relation to the war, were the admission of Louisiana to the Union and the election of Madison for a second term. The State of Louisiana was thus the first piece taken from the immense territory sold to us by Napoleon in 1803 (§ 40). Its chief city, New Orleans, was started into existence by the French in 1718. Its first houses having been built on the convex side of a bend in the Mississippi, the city, now the largest in the South, came to be known by its familiar name, the Crescent City. 66. The second year of the war opened with operations for the recovery of Michigan. An American detachment was captured at Frenchtown (map p. 250), but, later, Land Battles. General Harrison, at Fort Meigs, on the Maumee River, bravely withstood a long siege. Later still, the youthful Major Crogan, in command of Fort Stephenson, on the Sandusky River, made such good use of the only cannon he had that his assailants, British and Indians, were forced to retreat in great haste (August 2, 1813). 67. Meanwhile an American force, embarking at Sackett's Harbor, New York, crossed Lake Ontario and captured York, now called Toronto (map 2). The soul of this expedition was General Pike, who, just as victory was deciding in his favor, was mortally wounded from the explosion of the enemy's magazine. The captured flag being brought to him, he made a sign to have it put under his head, and so the hero expired (April, 1813). Sackett's Harbor seeming to be defenseless, a thousand Canadians and Indians, under General Pre'vost, crossed the lake to attack it. They were resisted by General Brown, commanding a hastily formed force, and driven back to their ships (May 29). 65. What is said of Louisiana and its admission to the Union? Of New Orleans? 66. What took place at Fort Meigs? On the Sandusky? What was the name of the fort (map p. 250)? What town now occupies its site? Ans. Fremont. Where were both forts (map p. 250) ? 67. Where is Sackett's Harbor? State what took place there. Where is York? What took place there? What is York's present name (map 2)? American Privateers. 68. The success of the Americans on the ocean incited the British to send more of their war ships against their adversary. These, sailing along the eastern. coast of the United States and hovering off the great business ports, succeeded in capturing many small trading vessels. The greater number of prizes, however, were not on their side. From Boston, New York, Charleston, and other ports, went forth privateers that captured more than a thousand vessels. "These bold rovers, being swifter sailors than the English, asked only an open sea and a gale of wind to outstrip their pursuers or overtake them in flight. Every pathway of commerce was familiar to them, and they passed from sea to sea, appearing and disappearing with a suddenness and celerity that baffled pursuit. At one time they cruised so daringly in English waters that sixty dollars were paid in England to insure five hundred across the channel." Defeat on the Ocean. 69. The rejoicings of the Americans over their many naval successes were checked for a moment by a reverse that befell them in Massachusetts Bay. Captain Lawrence for gallant service had been promoted to the command of the frigate Chesapeake, then lying in Boston harbor. The Shannon, one of King George's best frigates, manned by a select crew, appeared off the harbor to fight the Chesapeake. Though his ship was not yet properly equipped, and he was almost a stranger to his officers and men, Lawrence felt impelled to accept the challenge. Toward evening the two vessels met. The contest was brief, only fifteen minutes, yet in that short time, "both ships were made charnel-houses." Every superior officer of the Chesapeake was killed or wounded. As the dying Lawrence was carried below, he exclaimed, "Don't give up the ship!" The ship was not given up. There was 68. Give an account of the exploits of American privateers. 69. Give an account of the contest between the Chesapeake and Shannon. |