University of Virginia Library

45. CHAPTER XLV.
THE ENEMY IN VIEW.

Every preparation was now completed, and
the squadron being in readiness to transport the
American troops across the lake to the enemy's
country, they began to embark, at Sacket's Harbor,
on Thursday the twenty-second day of April.
This expedition was conducted by Dearborn,
who had about seventeen hundred men under his
command. The execution of that part of the plan
which applied immediately to the attack upon
York, was confided to general Pike, a gentleman
who had recently been promoted, for his merits,
from the rank of colonel to that of brigadier-general.

Almost from his cradle, Pike had been trained
to a military life, having entered the army while
a boy, and served some time as a cadet in his
father's company, then stationed on the western
frontiers. At an early age he obtained the commission
of ensign, and shortly after that of lieutenant
of infantry. With no other education than
such as is afforded by the most ordinary village

school, he commenced his military career; but by
his own industry and perseverance, without the
aid of a teacher, he had acquired the Latin,
French, and Spanish languages, and a competent
knowledge of mathematics.

At the age of twenty-two, he married the amiable
Miss Clarissa Brown, of Cincinnati, and for
several years afterwards reposed in the bosom of
domestic felicity; panting, however, for an opportunity
of gratifying his ruling passion, the love
of a military life and a thirst for glory.

One little circumstance which will tend to throw
some light on the amiable character of this gallant
officer, shall here be noticed. A short time after
his marriage he presented his wife with a little
pocket volume of the “Œconomy of Human
Life,” in the blank pages of which he had been
in the habit of inserting such maxims of morality,
or sentiments of honor, as occurred in his reading,
or were suggested by his own reflections. Among
other articles of this description, was the following:

“Should my country call for the sacrifice of
that life which has been devoted to her service
from early youth, most willingly shall she receive
it. The sod which covers the brave, shall be
moistened by the tears of love and friendship; but
if I fall far from my friends and from you, my Clara,
remember, that `the choicest tears which are
ever shed, are those which bedew the unburied
head of a soldier'—and when these lines shall
meet the eyes of our young son, let the pages of
this little book be impressed on his mind, as a
gift of a father who had nothing to bequeath but
his honor: and let these two short maxims be ever
present to his mind, as he rises from youth to manhood:

“1. Preserve your honor free from blemish.

“2. Be always ready to die for your country.”

When Pike had been married about four years,
he was employed by government to explore the
Mississippi to its source, which perilous expedition
he commenced, with a few faithful and enterprising
soldiers, and executed in eight months
and twenty-two days; during which period the
party were continually exposed to hardships and
dangers—hunger and cold. He returned in April,
one thousand eight hundred and six, having
honorably accomplished every part of the trust
confided to him.

In the July following, he commenced a similar
tour up the Missouri and Osage rivers; which he
successfully accomplished, after much privation
and suffering, in little less than twelve months;
when he received the thanks of his government
for these important services, and a rapid promotion
in the army of his country.

Having served through every gradation of
rank, from a private to a general, and acquired
reputation in each, he now possessed the full and
entire confidence of his commander in chief, the
love of the soldiers, and the respect of all ranks
and classes of men. He was in the full vigor of
life and health, of tried and approved courage,
and intimately acquainted with all the minutæ of
discipline. No wonder, that in such a man the
discernment of Dearborn should discover every
requisite of an able leader, admirably calculated
to head the expedition he had undertaken.

On the evening before the squadron sailed,
Pike addressed an affectionate letter to his father,
which contained the following sentences:

“I embark to-morrow in a fleet from Sacket's
Harbor, at the head of a column of fifteen hundred
choice troops, on a secret expedition. If
success attends my steps, honor and glory await
my name—if defeat, still shall it be said we died
like brave men, and conferred honor, even in
death, on the American name.

“Should I be the happy mortal destined to
turn the scale of war, will not you rejoice, O my
father? May Heaven be propitious and smile on
the cause of my country! But if we are destined
to fall, may my fall be like Wolf's—to sleep in
the arms of victory.”

Pike's principal aid, on this expedition, was
ensign Fraser, a young gentleman whose name
will be transmitted to posterity with honor, in
every history of that war, the events of which
I have here undertaken to record.[1] From the
course of reading to which he had accustomed
himself, he imbibed an early propensity for a
military life, and had been lieutenant of a rifle
company in Philadelphia, and an ensign in a
corps of the same description in New-York, previous
to his entering the regular army. At the
age of twenty-one, he found his country involved
in a contest for her rights, and, therefore, obtained
an ensign's commission (in the regiment of
which Pike was then colonel) that he might assist

in chastising the haughty enemies of American
freedom and independence.

Here his zeal, and his attention to discipline,
could not fail to attract the notice of his commander,
who appointed him police-officer to the regiment,
and complimented him highly in regimental
orders. Pike afterwards selected him for his secretary,
and on being promoted to the rank of brigadier-general,
announced ensign Fraser as his
aid-de-camp, and as such, he was now about to
embark with his general on an important and
hazardous expedition.

Lieutenant Willoughby, having addressed a
short letter to his father, and a long one to his
Catharine, and having taken leave of his friends
at the Harbor, went on board the fleet, on Saturday
evening, the twenty-fourth of April, attended
by his faithful and affectionate Reuben, to whom
he had gradually become so strongly attached,that
he now loved him as a brother, and treated him
more like a companion than a servant. They
set sail the next morning, with a fair wind, and
soon lost sight of the American shore.

On Monday evening, the town of Little-York
appeared in view, when the squadron shortened
sail, and laid to for the night. The plan of attack
was formed by Pike himself, and clearly and
minutely detailed in his general orders, which
were directed to be read at the head of every
corps; every field officer was also directed to
carry a copy of them, in order that he might at
any moment refer to them,and give an explanation
to his subordinates. Every thing was arranged,
and every probable exigency provided for, with
admirable method and precision.

The following extract from these orders,
breathes so much of the spirit of an American, that
the reader will never regret its being inserted in
this history:

“No man will load until ordered, except the
light troops in front, until within a short distance
of the enemy, and then charge bayonets; thus
letting the enemy see, that we can meet them with
their own weapons. Any man firing or quitting
his post without orders, must be put to instant
death, as an example may be necessary. Platoon
officers will pay the greatest attention to the
coolness and aim of their men in the fire; their
regularity and dressing in the charge. The field
officers will watch over the conduct of the whole.
Courage and bravery in the field do not more distinguish
the soldier, than humanity after victory;
and whatever example the savage allies of our
enemies may have given us, the general confidently
hopes, that the blood of an unresisting or
yielding enemy, will never stain the weapons of the
soldiers of his column.

“The unoffending citizens of Canada are many
of them our own countrymen, and the poor
Canadians have been forced into the war. Their
property, therefore, must be held sacred; and any
soldier who shall so far neglect the honor of his
profession as to be guilty of plundering the inhabitants,
shall, if convicted, be punished with death.
But the commanding general assures the troops,
that should they capture a large quantity of public
stores, he will use his best endeavors to procure
them a reward from his government.”

Every arrangement being completed, the approach
of morning was awaited in the most anxious
suspense. How many in this little fleet

were to see the rising sun, who were never to behold
it set! How many were now gazing at the
spangled firmament of heaven, whose eyes were
to be soon forever closed on all material things!
Such reflections could never disgrace a hero, and
such reflections were indulged by the veteran
Dearborn, the valiant Pike, the intrepid Fraser,
the gallant Willoughby, and many other brave
spirits, who were gazing on the shore which was
so soon to be drenched with the mingled blood of
friends and foes.

Our hero, who felt no inclination to quit the
deck, was awakened from a profound reverie, by a
deep-drawn sigh, succeeded by half-stifled sobs;
and advancing to the spot from whence the sounds
proceeded, he found Reuben, leaning over the
vessel's side, and dimpling the waves with his
tears. He was evidently embarrassed at his master's
approach, and endeavored to conceal his
disorder.

“Not drooping, I hope?” inquired George,
with an affectionate tone, at the same time taking
his hand. “Cheer up, my lad, and think of the
glory that awaits us to-morrow!”

Reuben found it difficult to return any answer,
without betraying an agitation he would gladly
have concealed. At length, however, he assumed
sufficient composure to reply—

“Think not, my dear sir, that I feel any fear
on my own account; but, oh, sir, if the result of
to-morrow's engagement should deprive me of
your friendship and protection, what would become
of me?”

“It is not wise, Reuben, to anticipate evil,
but to meet it like a man when it comes; who
would capitulate to a distant enemy? It is certainly

soon enough when he demands a surrender.
If I should fall, to-morrow, we shall be a short
time separated; but while you are virtuous you
will never want for a friend or protector—God
will be your friend—what evil can then befall
you?”

“I cannot dispute your observations,” replied
Reuben, “but it affords me no consolation. I
know of no friend but you, and I would so repine
to lose you, that I should forfeit all claims to the
friendship and protection of Heaven.”

“Come, come, my little friend,” replied our hero,
“banish despondency, and trust to Providence
for the event of our present enterprise.
Recollect that you have chosen the profession of
arms, and the soldier “who doubts, is damned.”
There are only two classes of soldiers who can
ever be useful to their country—they who confide
solely in Providence, and they who place all confidence
in themselves. The former fight from a
sense of duty--the latter from a thirst of fame or the
meaner passions of revenge, hatred, or gain. The
former are always serene, cool, deliberate, and
collected; the same in victory or defeat, in success
or disaster, in life or death. The latter are
demons in battle, tyrants in victory, blasphemers
in defeat, and cowards in death. The former
know and acknowledge that the result of every
contest will be ordered by Heaven for the best—
the latter think that no result can be good but
what tends to the gratification of their own selfish
wishes. The former are ever ready, the latter
ever eager to be led to the fray. Both fight well,
but from very different motives. To one of these
classes, must my Reuben belong, if he ever acquires
military fame; for all others are negative

soldiers, lukewarm cowards, that only disgrace
an army and retard its operations. Let me entreat
you to study faithfully the two characters I
have mentioned, and choose the former for your
model. Begin the lesson now, by convincing
yourself, as you easily can, from reason and
Scripture, that the “Judge of all the earth does
right,” and that not even a sparrow can fall to the
ground without the permission of that Being who
permits nothing (not even evil) but for the promotion
of ultimate good. We ought, therefore, to
feel proud that the death of such insignificant beings
as we are, can be instrumental of furthering
the plans of Providence, the object and end of
which is the good of his creatures.”

While this conversation was passing between
our hero and his timid young friend, Fraser was
receiving from his general a private and delicate
commission. It was a sealed letter, with this injunction—“Neither
of us can foresee the fate of
to-morrow's contest; therefore, should I fall, and
you survive, hand this yourself to Mrs. Pike.”
Fraser received the sacred trust, and Pike resumed
the examination of a map which was spread on
the table before him.

The letter which he had thus entrusted to the
care of his aid, had just been written, and the exercise
had in some measure lightened a sullen
weight that hung upon his mind—a painful presentiment
of evil, which all the busy arrangements
of the evening had not tended to dissipate.
It was addressed to his wife, and the following is
a literal transcript of the original copy:

“Heaven avert so disastrous an event!” silently
ejaculated Fraser, as he consigned the letter
to his pocket-book; “and when I take it
hence, may it be to return it into the writer's victorious
hand. If I fall”—he thought of his parents—brother—friend.
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