the British on the eighth day [May 8]; and twenty-four hours afterward, Proctor abandoned the siege and returned to Malden [May 9], to prepare for a more formidable invasion. Thus terminated a siege of thirteen days, during which time the fortitude and courage of the Americans were wonderfully displayed in the presence of the enemy. The Americans lost in the fort, eightyone killed, and one hundred and eighty-nine wounded.

For several weeks after the siege of Fort Meigs, military operations were suspended by both parties. Here, then, let us take a brief retrospective glance. Congress assembled on the 2d of November, 1812, and its councils were divided by fierce party spirit, which came down from the people. The Democrats had a decided majority, and therefore the measures of the administration were sustained. The British government now began to show some desire for reconciliation. Already the orders in council had been repealed, and the Prince Regent' demanded that hostilities should cease. To this the President replied, that being now at war, the United States would not put an end to it, unless full provisions were made for a general settlement of differences, and a cessation of the practice of impressment, pending the negotiation. At about the same time a law was passed, prohibiting the employment of British seamen in American vessels. The British also proposed an armistice, but upon terms which the Americans could not accept. Indeed, all propositions from that quarter were inconsistent with honor and justice, and they were rejected. When these attempts at reconciliation had failed, the Emperor Alexander of Russia offered his mediation. The government of the United States instantly accepted it,' but the British government refused it; and so the war went on. Congress made provision for prosecuting it with vigor; and the hope lighted by Alexander's offer, soon faded.

The American troops in the West had remained at Fort Meigs and vicinity. Toward the close of July [July 21, 1813], about four thousand British and Indians, under Proctor and Tecumseh,' again appeared before that fortress, then commanded by General Clay. Meeting with a vigorous resistance, Proctor left Tecumseh to watch the fort, while he marched [July 28], with five hundred regulars and eight hundred Indians, to attack Fort Stephenson, at Lower Sandusky, which was garrisoned by about one hundred and fifty young men,' commanded by Major Croghan, a brave soldier,

1

4

OWELL

MACAZINE

STORIO

STORES

ט בנסח

PLOCK HOUSE

FORT SANDUSKY.

When, in consequence of mental infirmity, George the Third became incompetent to reign, in February, 1811, his son, George, Prince of Wales, and afterward George the Fourth, was made regent, or temporary ruler of the realm. He retained the office of king, pro tempore, until the death of his father, in 1820.

The President appointed, as commissioners, or envoys extraordinary, to negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain, under the Russian mediation, Albert Gallatin, John Quincy Adams, and James A. Bayard. Mr. Adams was then American minister at the Russian court, and was joined by Messrs. Gallatin and Bayard in June following. 3 Page 408.

On the west bank of the Sandusky River, about fifteen miles south from Sandusky Bay. The area within the pickets [note 1, page 127] was about an acre. The fort was made of regular embankments of earth and a ditch, with bastions and block-houses [note 3, page 192] and some rude log buildings within.

The greater portion of the garrison were very young men, and some of them were mere youths,

MAJOR CROGHAN.

2

then only twenty-one years of age.' Proctor's demand for surrender was accompanied by the usual menace of Indian massacre; but it did not intimidate Croghan. After a severe cannonade❜ had made a breach, about five hundred of the besiegers attempted to rush in and take the place by assault [Aug. 2, 1813]; but so terribly were they met by grape-shot' from the only cannon in the fort, that they recoiled, panicstricken, and the whole body fled in confusion, leaving one hundred and fifty of their number killed or wounded. The Americans lost only one man killed, and seven wounded. This gallant defense was universally applauded, and it had a powerful effect upon the Indians. Proctor and Tecumseh left for Detroit, after this noble defense of Fort Stephenson, and the British abandoned all hope of capturing these western American posts, until they should become masters of Lake Eric. But while the events just narrated were in progress, a new power appeared in the conflict in the West and North, and complicated the difficulties of the enemy. In the autumn of 1812, Commodore Chauncey had fitted out a small naval armament at Sackett's Harbor, to dispute the mastery, on Lake Ontario, with several British armed vessels then afloat. And during the summer of 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazzard Perry had prepared, on Lake Erie, an American squadron of nine vessels,' mounting fifty-four guns, to co-operate with the Army of the West. The British had also fitted out a small squadron of six vessels, carrying sixty-three guns, commanded by Commodore Barclay. Perry's fleet was ready by the 2d of August, but some time was occupied in getting several of his vessels over the bar in the harbor of Erie. The hostile fleets met near the western extremity of Lake Erie on the morning of the 10th of September, 1813, and a very severe battle ensued. The brave Perry managed with the skill of an old admiral, and the courage of the proudest soldier. His flag-ship, the Lawrence, had to bear the brunt of the battle, and very soon she became an unmanageable wreck, having all her crew, except four or five, killed or wounded. Perry then left her, in an open boat, and hoisted his flag on the Niagara at the moment when that of the Lawrence fell. With this vessel he

George Croghan was a nephew of George Rogers Clarke [page 300]. He afterward rose to the rank of colonel, and held the office of inspector-general. He died at New Orleans in 1849. 2 In reply to Proctor's demand and threat, he said, in substance, that when the fort should be taken there would be none left to massacre, as it would not be given up while there was a man left to fight.

The British employed six six-pounders and a howitzer, in the siege. A howitzer is a piece of ordnance similar to a mortar, for hurling bomb-shells. Note 4, page 242.

Major Croghan was immediately promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel; and the ladies of Chillicothe gave him an elegant sword.

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Chauncey's squadron consisted of six vessels, mounting thirty-two guns, in all. The British squadron consisted of the same number of vessels, but mounting more than a hundred guns. Notwithstanding this disparity, Chauncey attacked them near Kingston [note 5, page 180] early in November, damaged them a good deal, and captured and carried into Sackett's Harbor, a schooner belonging to the enemy. He then captured another schooner, which had $12,000 in specie on board, and the baggage of the deceased General Brock. See page 414.

Lawrence (flag-ship), 20 guns; Niagara, 20; Caledonian, 3; shooner Ariel, 4; Scorpion, 2: Somers, 2 gans and 2 swivels; sloop Trippe, and schooners Tigress and Porcupine, of 1 gun cacu.

passed through the enemy's line, pouring broadsides, right and left, at half pistol-shot distance. The remainder of the squadron followed, with a fair wind, and the victory was soon decided. At four o'clock in the afternoon, every British vessel had surrendered to him;' and before sunset, he had sent a messenger to General Harrison with the famous dispatch, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

This victory was hailed with unbounded demon

strations of joy. For a moment, party rancor was almost forgotten; and bonfires and illuminations lighted up the whole country.

Perry's victory was followed by immediate and energetic action on the part of Harrison. The command of Lake Erie now being secured, and a reinforcement of four thousand Kentucky volunteers, under Governor Shelby, the old hero of King's Mountain,' having arrived [Sept. 17, 1813], the general proceeded to attack Malden and attempt the recovery of Detroit. The fleet conveyed a portion of the troops across the lake [Sept 27], but on their arrival at Malden, it had been deserted by Proctor, who was fleeing, with Tecumseh and his Indians, toward the Moravian village, on the Thames, eighty miles from

1 The carnage was very great, in proportion to the numbers engaged. The Americans lost twenty-seven killed, and ninety-six wounded. The British lost about two hundred in killed and wounded, and six hundred prisoners. Perry's treatment of his prisoners received the highest applause. Commodore Barclay declared that his humane conduct was sufficient to immortalize him. That brave commander was born at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1785. He entered the service as midshipman, in 1798. He continued in active service after the close of the Second War for Independence, and died of yellow fever, in the West India seas, in 1819. It was his brother, Commodore M. C. Perry, who effected a treaty with Japan in 1854. See page 512. 2 ' Page 417.