University of Virginia Library

48. CHAPTER XLVIII.
THE JOURNAL.

During the foregoing operations, Dearborn
was very severely indisposed, being a great part
of the time confined to his bed, from whence he
issued his orders. His indisposition had now increased
to such an alarming degree, that he found
himself totally unfit for active duty, and therefore
resigned his command, and sought that peaceful
retirement which was more fitted to his advanced
years and war-worn constitution. General Lewis
had repaired to Sacket's Harbor, to act in concert
with Chauncey, and the command of the
American army in Canada therefore devolved on
the hero to whose military skill and personal gallantry
the possession of the British Peninsula was
principally owing. I mean the gallant Boyd,
whose exalted worth and pre-eminent services
have not (from some unaccountable fatality) received
the reward they so richly merit. Partiality
or prejudice have precipitately placed unfading
chaplets on less-deserving brows; but the steady
and unerring hand of Truth shall yet inscribe the
name of Boyd on the brightest column in the temple
of Fame. Blind to his superior merits, notwithstanding
their recent brilliant display, the secretary
of war affected to consider him merely as
a substitute for a more able commander; and at
once placed a veto on any future exhibition of

his talents, by forbidding him to engage the enemy,
if possible to avoid it.[1]

Many other disadvantages attended his command;
Dearborn and Lewis had never seen fit to
consult a subaltern, and Boyd was, consequently,
destitute of any information relative to the campaign.
Still, however, he was determined to discharge
his duty, as far as his superiors would condescend
to entrust him with a knowledge of it,
and leave the result to Providence. While he
could be useful to his country, he was resolved
that no personal motives should induce him to
abandon her cause.

The American force in Canada was now daily
diminishing by sickness, and surprises, while that
of the enemy was rapidly increasing by reinforcements
of regulars, militia, and Indians. Five hundred
American infantry and twenty light dragoons,
under the command of colonel Boerstler, together with forty-four mounted riflemen, under
major Chapin, had been surprised on their march
from Fort George to Beaver Dams, by a combined
force of British and Indians, who lay concealed in
the woods near the road they were passing. The
contest was maintained with great bravery for
some time, but terminated in the surrender of the

Americans. As a division of the prisoners were
conducted towards Kingston by water, the daring
Chapin resolved on effecting his escape, which he
did, (with twenty-eight men, and two boats) by
disarming the guard, consisting of sixteen men,
and making them prisoners. They arrived at
Fort Niagara in safety on the thirteenth of July.

Many of the officers at Fort George were so
severely indisposed as to be unfit for duty, and
disease was making serious havoc in the ranks.
Lieutenant Willoughby had been for several days
under the doctor's care, and nursed by the attentive
and faithful Reuben, but was now so far recovered
as to be able to write, and accordingly
devoted the eleventh of July to that employment
—bringing up his journal to that date. In recording
the events of that horrible night in which the
camp of Chandler had been surprised, he gave a
loose to his poetic fancy, and inserted the following
song, which I have thought proper to copy:

Having completed his task, and still having
time and inclination to continue the employment,
he sincerely regretted that the lengthened silence
of his correspondents had left many chasms to
fill up in his journal; but while he was expressing
this regret to Reuben, a sergeant entered and
handed him a packet of letters which had just
been received at the encampment (among many
others) by a vessel which had arrived with hospital
stores; these letters contained the very particulars
he desired. One of them was from his
father, another from Morse, two others from his
correspondents at Washington, a fifth from Norfolk,
and a sixth from New-York.

Although I have permission, I do not deem it
necessary to lay all or any of these letters before
my readers. The following is a brief synopsis
of their contents, as journalized by our hero himself.

March 4, 1813. James Madison, who has
been elected President of the United States for

a second term of four years, was this day installed
according to law, at the capitol, in the city of
Washington, in presence of both houses of Congress,
and a vast concourse of spectators. Congress
adjourned, to meet again on the twenty-fourth
day of May.

March 8. The emperor of Russia, through
his ministers, has offered to the United States and
Great Britain, his mediation, with a view to promote
peace between the two countries. A communication
to this effect has been received by the
American government, and the proposition cordially
acceded to. Ambassadors are to be immediately
appointed to proceed to Europe for
the purpose of commencing the negociation with
others appointed by Great Britain.

March 11. The privateer general Armstrong,
captain Champlin, had a long and sanguinary engagement
with a British frigate, and finally effected
her escape, after being much cut up in sails
and rigging, and having seven killed and sixteen
wounded. A great many Englishmen were killed,
and thrown overboard in sight of the Americans.

March 20. Commodore Beresford, of the British
blockading squadron in the river Delaware,
made an insolent demand on the chief magistrate
of Lewis, a small town on the river bank, for twenty
live bullocks, with a proportionate quantity of
vegetables and hay, for the use of his Britannic
majesty's squadron. This demand was promptly
and spiritedly refused, notwithstanding the commodore's
threat of destroying the town in case of
a refusal.

April 6. Beresford commenced an attack on
Lewis, and then renewed his demand, expressing

his grief for the fate of the women and children in
case he should be compelled to destroy the town.
The reply was very laconic—“Colonel Davis is
a gallant man, and has already taken care of the
ladies.” The attack was immediately renewed,
and continued for twenty hours, during which
time upwards of six hundred shot, shells, and Congreve
rockets, were discharged from the squadron.
The shells did not reach the town, the
rockets passed over it, and the shot did but little
damage; and so the affair ended.

April 26. Fort Meigs was on this day closely
invested by an immense force of British and Indians.
Harrison had been expecting this event,
and had used every exertion to put the fort in the
best possible state of defence. On the appearance
of the enemy he dispatched an express to
general Clay, of Kentucky, who arrived with his
brigade on the ninth day of May to relieve the
garrison; when a desperate battle took place, in
which colonel Dudley's detachment drove all before
them; until, led on by an impetuous ardor
in pursuing the retreating foe, they were drawn
into the woods, where an ambuscade surprised
and destroyed nearly the whole detachment. The
remainder of the brigade, seconded by a sortie
from the fort, carried the enemy's works, spiked
his cannon, and compelled him to raise the siege,
which had continued thirteen days. During this
period, eighteen hundred shells and cannon balls
had been thrown into the fort, and a continual
discharge of small arms had been kept up; yet
the American loss was only eighty-one killed, and
one hundred and eighty-nine wounded, a great
proportion of which occurred in the sortie of the
last day. Dudley's body was found shockingly

mangled by the savages. Among the Americans
who signalized themselves on this occasion, were
colonel Miller, majors Ball, Alexander, Todd,
Sodwick, Ritzer, and Johnson; captains Wood,
Croghan, Hamilton, Langhan, Bradford, and
Nearing; lieutenants Gwynne and Campbell.

May 3. Havre-de-Grace, a small town on the
Susquehannah river, near its junction with the
waters of the Chesapeake, was bombarded by
the British, the houses burnt, and the inhabitants
plundered. On this occasion, an old citizen,
named O'Neill, signalized himself by his courage
and perseverance. He was at length taken prisoner,
and detained several days, but finally given up
on demand of the magistrates of that place. This
burning and robbing excursion was conducted by
admiral Cockburn in person, who permitted his
followers to commit the most wanton excesses
without restraint. Horses were killed, carriages
demolished, furniture destroyed, church-windows
broken, and every dwelling house burnt except
one, to which all the terrified women and children
had fled for shelter. Thus these peaceful and
defenceless villagers were left without houses,
property, or clothes—the men abused—the females
insulted—every one plundered! How different
the Americans! Were there a wretch in
the army which now occupies the British Peninsula
in Canada, base enough to plunder the defenceless
inhabitants, he would expiate the offence
with his life.

May 16. The ship Neptune sailed from New-Castle,
having on board the embassy to Russia,
and their suite. They carry with them the news
of the capture of York, which, it is apprehended,
will be as efficient in the negociation as any
thing they can take out.

May 24. The frigate United States, commodore
Decatur; frigate Macedonian, captain
Jones; and sloop of war Hornet, captain Biddle,
proceeded from the harbor of New-York into the
Sound, with the intention of going to sea, but were
chased by a British squadron into New-London,
and blockaded there.

June 1. The Chesapeake frigate was captured
by the British frigate Shannon, after a sanguinary
conflict, in which every officer on the upper
deck of the Chesapeake was either killed or
wounded. Lawrence, who had already immortalized
himself in capturing the Peacock, had been
appointed (very much against his wishes) to command
the Chesapeake. While lying in the lower
harbor of Boston, nearly ready for sea, the
Shannon appeared off the harbor, and made signals
expressive of a challenge. The brave Lawrence
was not to be vainly defied, but immediately
determined to proceed to sea and give battle
to the haughty challenger, although he was conscious
of the great disparity between the two
ships.

On seeing him come out, the Shannon bore
away, and the Chesapeake followed. The action
commenced within pistol shot, and the firing
on both sides was tremendous—that of the
Shannon peculiarly fatal; not only making great
slaughter among the Chesapeake's men, but cutting
down some of the most valuable officers, and
wounding the commander. Three men were successively
shot from the helm, each taking the
wheel as the other fell, and this circumstance so
affected the steering of the ship, that she fell foul
of the Shannon, and became grappled by the fluke
of her anchor. In this situation, while the Americans

were swept from their stations by a terrible
raking fire, the enemy succeeded in boarding.
Lawrence had received a mortal wound,
and was borne bleeding from the deck, exclaiming
to his officers “dont give up the ship!” But
the enemy had gained possession of the quarter-deck,
and were soon masters of the frigate.

Lawrence expired on the fifth day after the
battle, and was buried in Halifax with the honors
of war, as was, also, his first lieutenant, Augustus
C. Ludlow, a young gentleman who had rendered
himself admired for his bravery and beloved
for his virtues. The American loss was forty
killed and more than one hundred wounded. The
British loss was perhaps not so great.

June 20. The Creek Indians have commenced
hostilities against the United States, by making
war upon those Indians who are friendly to the
American cause.

June 25. The town of Hampton, in Virginia,
about eighteen miles from Norfolk, was burnt and
plundered by Cockburn's banditti, and the conflagration
was followed by several instances of
rape and murder, committed by the profligate
soldiery!

July 8. Two of the out-posts of the American
encampment at Fort George, were this day attacked
by the combined force of British and Indians.
Adjutant lieutenant Eldridge, was ordered
to proceed to the scene of action with a small
detachment of thirty-nine men, and support his
countrymen until a more formidable body could
arrive, which was to follow him, under major
Malcolm. In the ardor of contest, the gallant
Eldridge was drawn into an ambuscade, and his
brave little band, after a desperate fight, compelled

to surrender, when they were all immediately
massacred and scalped; their sculls were cloven
in twain, their bosoms rent open, and their quivering
hearts torn out, by these merciless savages.
Eldridge shared the same fate, and only
five of the party escaped. A more gallant soldier
than lieutenant Eldridge, the army could not
boast.