WAR OF 1812. 



755 



Chandler and Winder led from Fort George some 

 1500 men to farther invade Canada. These were de- 

 feated and largely captured, the remnant fleeing back 

 to Fort George for reluge. Home 600 Americans 

 under Col. Boerstler were captured by the smaller 

 force and Buffered disgrace. The successful attack by a 

 British detachment on Black Rock had its reprisal in a 

 subsequent defeat at the hands of the American militia. 



An instance of wanton destruction by Gen. MeClure 

 (U. S. army), who burned Newark. Canada, and then 

 escaped to New York State in terror, marred the 

 American record. The capture of Fort Niagara with 

 its 400 by a night surprise from 600 British soon fol- 

 lowed McClure's folly. Another British attempt on 

 Black Rc>ck succeeded; 1500 American militia wore 

 put to flight and Buffalo taken. So this Northern 

 frontier work ended the year J813, a prey to many 

 fruitless conflicts. 



Campaigns of 1814. 



This irregular, ill-planned campaign was opened by 

 Capt. Holmes, with 100 men, defeating 300 British at 

 Longwood, Canada. A little alter this, crossing Lake 

 Ontario, the British seized Oswego, but lost heavily in 

 an encounter that soon followed. Meanwhile the U. S. 

 Gens. Brown and Scott busied themselves in the drills 

 and discipline of new troops. Karly in July they cap- 

 tured Fort Erie, and on the 4th Gen. Brown, with 

 whites and Indians 3000 strong, had a brisk engage- 

 ment, defeating Gen. Rial, commanding 2500 British, 

 at Chippcwa. Here Gen. n infield Scott won a victory 

 in a bayonet charge against English regulars. 



Again the battle of Lundy's ]*ane (July 25, 1814) 

 brought 3000 Americans against 3.000 Biiti.-h. .Sou 

 made a harder tight than before, and was badly 

 Mounded. His successor drew oft" his men in the en- 

 suing night. So the British Gen. Druuimond, though 

 dislodged and put to flight, soon returned and always 

 claimed the victory, linuuniond, unduly encouraged, 

 then undertook the recapture of Fort, Erie. Gen. 

 Gaines commanding, but failed. Another small affair 



occurred at Black Rock, where Col. Tucker attacked 

 Major Morgan's 300 Americans. Morgan repelled the 

 assailants with loss. On Sept. 17, after Gen. Brown's 

 return to Fort Erie, he made a sally against the be- 

 siegers, now 4(100 strong. Each army claimed the 

 victory in this conflict, but the British pave up the 

 field. Yet the American troops, on Nov. 5, were with- 

 drawn from Canada. 



An invasion of the United States farther east, from 

 Lake Cham plain to Plattsburg, N. Y., by Sir George 

 Prevost with over 12,000 men, proved abortive. As 

 soon as Com. McDonough had defeated the British fleet 

 on the lake, Sir George, with the land troops, fled in 

 much haste. Small portions of Maine were conquered 

 by the British and held till peace. So much for oper- 

 ations in the North-east. 



The Capture of Washington, D. C. In the South 

 during August the British, about 5000 in number. 

 under Gen. Boss, came boldly up the Chesapeake and 

 the Patuxent, and landing, marched via Bladensburg 

 on Washington itself. Near Bladensburg Gen. Win- 

 der had gathered a small opposing force, and after a 

 skirmish was soon dislodged by a British bayonet 

 charge, having lost 20 killed and 50 wounded. Wash- 

 ington was taken and the public buildings burned. 

 Gen. Ross at once drew back, but made a similar ex- 

 pedition in September, against Baltimore. There was 

 a sharp battle at North Point which seemed favorable 

 to the British ; but Ross was killed and his. losses were 

 288 killed and wounded. The American Gen. Stryker 

 had 113 killed, wounded, and missing. At Washing- 

 ton and Baltimore, on the part of the TJ. S. govern- 

 ment, there had been a shameful want of preparation. 

 But the British fortunately were content with the 

 damage inflicted, and did not follow up their boldness 

 with any permanent advantage. 



Naval Untiles of the Win Besides those already 

 described the naval actions were mainly duels between 

 American and British vessels. The table shows the 

 principal. (The star indicates the victorious vessel.) 



Xaval Battles of 1812-15. 



Jadcton's (lumpnirjn*. As a result of Tecumseh's 

 influence among the Indians of the South-west, a 

 large body went on the war-path and made a stand 

 for battle at Tallushatcheo settlement, situated on a 

 branch of the Alabama River. Against them Gen. 

 Andrew Jackson iratherpd a force of about 2~>()0 men. 

 He ordered his lieutenant, Gen. Coffee, to destroy the 

 settlement, The latter, with 900 men. crossed the 

 river, and having approached within 1} mile of the 

 village, organized his force into two columns and en- 

 deavored to encompass the enemy Not succeeding 

 in a surprise the expedient was tried of a small de- 

 tachment retreating before the savages until the eager 

 pursuers were brought under the. fire of the main 

 body : the Indians retreated to their families and are 

 Baid to have " {'might, so long as they could stand or 

 sit." One hundred and eighty-six Indians were killed 

 in this engagement and 81 women and children taken 



prisoners, while there were only 46 casualties in Coffee's 

 command. This battle was fought Nov. 3, 1813. On 

 Nov. 9. 1813, occurred the second battle, Talladega, 

 under Gen. Jackson's direction. The loss of the In- 

 dians in this action was 293 killed, while the Ameri- 

 cans' was bnt 15 killed and 80 wounded. On Nov. 

 18, while Gen. Jackson was negotiating with the Ilil- 

 libire Indians, by some misunderstanding, detachments 

 under Gens. Cooke and White attacked the Indians' 

 village near the Tallapoosa River. The Indians, hav- 

 ing plighted their faith to Jackson, were attacked and 

 slaughtered without making resistance ; 60 were killed 

 and 2">0 captured, the assailants not losing a man. On 

 Nov. 29 occurred the battle of Autossee. A small 

 force of irregular troops under the immediate leader- 

 ship of Gen. Floyd, of Georgia, massacred some 200 

 Indians. There was but faint resistance, Floyd's men 

 suffering but little loss, viz., 11 killed, 54 wounded. 



