believed to have endeavored to detach the Mississippi Valley from the Union,) was acquitted for want of evidence, though generally believed guilty.

Nov. 26-Oliver Ellsworth, U. S. Chief Justice, died.

Dec. 17-Bonaparte's "Milan Decree " subjects American commercial vessels to seizure.

66

22-This and like British "Orders in Council" caused Congress to lay an embargo, forbidding any vessels to sail from our ports.

1808.

Jan. 1-The act of Congress, passed in the previous session, to carry out the provision of the Constitution to abolish the slave trade at this time, goes into effect to-day.

Apr. 17-Bonaparte orders the seizure and confiscation of all American vessels in France, or that should afterwards arrive there.

Nov. 7-The tenth Congress assembles again. Much discussion is had over the embargo, but it is finally determined to make it still more stringent and place the country in a state of defense.

-A presidential election this month results in the choice of James
Madison for the next term. He was a republican, or democrat, in

politics.

1809.

Jan. 9—An act is passed "more effectually to enforce the embargo.”

Feb. 3-Illinois organized under a Territorial Government.

Mar. 3-The Tenth Congress closes, at the same time as the Administra tion of Jefferson. Madison was inaugurated the next day. He served two terms. A war with Great Britain was commenced in his first, and ended in his second term.

46

9-Thos. Haywood, of S. C., signer of the Declaration of Independ ence, died.

Apr. 19-An arrangement of the difficulties with England concluded with the British Minister, Erskine, and, in the expectation of permanent peace, the Embargo and Non-intercourse acts cease by proc lamation of the President.

May 22-An extra session of of the eleventh Congress meets.

July 20-News arrives of the rejection by the English government of the Erskine treaty.

Aug. 9-The President forbids, by proclamation, all intercourse with Great Britain and France.

Nov. 8—A new English minister having been sent, his arrogant tone causes the U. S. government to decline further intercourse with him. 1810.

Mar. 23-Bonaparte crders the sale and confiscation of 132 American ves sels (detained in France by previous decree) and their cargoes, and the same confiscation is ordered of all American vessels after.

ward entering French ports. The 132 vessels and their cargoes were worth $8,000,000.

Aug. 5-The French government announces the revocation of their confiscation act, to take effect Nov. 1. A deadly struggle had been, for many years, going on between Napolean Bonaparte and England. This hostility of France to American commerce was in retaliation of the British "Orders in Council" against neutral commerce trading with France. England had nearly destroyed the French navy and considered herself mistress of the seas. She wished to reduce American commerce to the condition of colonial times, which, with impressment of seamen, was the cause of the present struggle. Our commerce was constantly growing, our people spirited, and resolved to have their rights and Flag respected.

1811.

Feb. 26-An act passed establishing naval hospitals.

May 16-The American frigate President, and the British sloop of war Little Belt, fire into each other. The Little Belt is disabled. This was a retaliation of the firing of the British ship Leopard on the American Chesapeake, four years before, and also of the capture of an American merchantman bound to France, off New York, by a British vessel about this time. Several instances of impressment, by the British, from American vessels, had lately occurred, and there was a feeling of great exasperation toward England. The English government had not yet made any atonement for the attack on the Chesapeake.

June 1-Gen. Eaton, prominent in the war with Tripoli, died.

66 19-Samuel Chase, Associate Justice of the U. S., died.

Aug. 2-Wm. Williams, of Conn., died. The two last were signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The relief of American commerce from outrages by the French proved delusive, and many grievous wrongs are suffered this year. Nov. 7-Two twin brothers of the Shawanese tribe of Indians (Tecumseh and the Prophet) had been for some years engaged in forming a conspiracy among a large number of Indian tribes on the Northwestern frontier to exterminate the whites. Gen. Harrison's army is attacked by the Indians this day, at Tippecanoe. They are defeated by Gen. Harrison.

Dec. 2-The ratio of Representation is revised on the census of 1800, and fixed at 35,000.

1812.

Jan. Various acts are passed for putting the army and navy in a condi.

tion for war.

Apr. 4-An embargo is laid on American shipping, by act of Congress. 8-Louisiana admitted into the Union as a State.

66

46

20-Geo. Clinton, Vice-President of the United States, died.

June 4 The Territory of Missouri organized.

23-The British government repeal the obnoxious " Orders in Council," but refuse to give up the right of search and impressment on American vessels. The American government refuses to be satisfied with this; besides, it had already declared war, June 18tn.

CHAPTER XX.

THE WAR OF 1812.

We have stated in connection with the appropriate events, the causes of this war which had accumulated during the last five years at a rapid rate. The seizure and captures of American vessels by Great Britain amounted to 917; by France to 558. Upwards of 6,000 cases of impressments were recorded in the American Department of State; and in all these our Flag had been violated. It was estimated that about as many more had been made, of which no official information had been received. The Ameri cans were averse to war and had long borne these injuries in the hope that a settlement might be reached by negotiation; but they insisted on the inviolability of our Flag, and the right of naturalization. On the commencement of hostilities 2,500 of these impressed sailors, claiming to be American citizens, refused to fight against America, and were impris oned by the English government, where most of them were kept to the close of the war.

Aug. 24-The English government, however, Lad the magnanimity, when news arrived of the Declaration of War by the United States, to allow all American vessels then in their ports six weeks to dispose of their lading and to depart undisturbed.

The great success of the war on the American side was on the sea, where it was much more seriously detrimental and mortifying to the English than victories on the land would have been. The land forces were generally inefficiently conducted, though the close of the war was signalized by the victory of Gen. Jackson, at New Orleans, which was extremely gratifying to American pride. July 12-Gen. Hull, with 1,800 troops, invades Canada.

Aug. 8-After various mishaps, Hull retreats to Detroit.

9-Col. Miller defeats Tecumseh and a body of British troops at Maguaga.

15-Ft. Dearborn (now Chicago) was abandoned by its small garrison, by the orders of Hull. During their retreat they were attacked, and most of them massacred by the Indians.

66 16-Gen. Hull surrendered Detroit and all the military forces and stores in the territory to the British. He was afterward sentenced

to death by a court-martial, but pardoned by the president, though degraded from all military command.

"19 The U. S. frigate Constitution, Capt. Hull, does great honor to the American arms by the capture of the English frigate Guerriere. This vessel had challenged the American vessels in a contemptuous way. She had 79 killed and wounded, the Constitution only 13. There were 10 impressed American seamen on the Guerriere. Sept. 7-The U. S. frigate Essex captures the Alert in 8 minutes. Oct. 13-In another invasion of Canada by Gen. Van Rensselaer, though much gallantry was displayed, an unexpected British reinforcement obliged the surrender of 700 men after 160 had been killed and wounded.

18 The U. S. sloop of war Wasp captures the British sloop of war Frolic, which was the strongest vessel. The Frolic had 100 killed and wounded, the Wasp but 10. Both were captured by a British 74 pounder the same day.

"25-Capt. Decatur, of the frigate United States, captures the Macedonian, a British frigate. British loss 104, American only 7. Nov. 22—The U. S. brig Vixen is captured by the English frigate Southampton. Both were afterward shipwrecked.

A presidential election in this month secured the re-election of
Madison.

Dec. 29-The U. S. frigate Constitution, Commodore Bainbridge, captures the British frigate Java, off the coast of Brazil. American loss 44, British 151. These naval victories with so little loss produced much exultation in America, and much surprise and mortification in England. The Americans were able seamen, and had long burned to avenge the insults and contempt of the English navy. Americans are capable of extraordinary vigor when thoroughly aroused. The operations on land had been much interfered with by the strenuous and almost treasonable opposition of the anti-war party, and this continued to be an embarrassment during nearly its whole course. The general disfavor with which this violent opposition was regarded, however, and the sympathy felt for the President, so embarrassed, procured his re-election.

1813.

Military operations this year were, in part, more creditable and encouraging The regular force amounted to about 55,000 men; an act had been passed authorizing the construction of four 74 gun ships, and six fortyfours; and for an increase of the navy on the lakes.

Jan. 22-A disastrous enterprise at Frenchtown (now Monroe, Mich.)

results in the loss of nearly 900 American troops under Winchester. The wounded were left by Gen. Proctor, the British commander, to be massacred by the Indians.

66

23-Geo. Clymer, of Pa., signer of the Declaration of Independence, died.

26--An act of Congress authorizes the President to borrow $16,000,000. 27-He is authorized to issue Treasury notes to the amount of $5,000,000.

Feb. 24 The Hornet captures the British brig Peacock, on the coast of South America.

The Delaware and Chesapeake bays are blockaded by the British about this time.

Mar. 4-Madison is inaugurated for his second term.

8-The emperor of Russia having offered his services as mediator between the United States and England, the President appoints commissioners to treat for peace.

Apr. 10-The British attack Lewiston, Del., but are repulsed after having bombarded it several days.

27-Americans under Gen. Pike, capture York, Upper Canada, with a large quantity of stores. Gen. Pike is killed.

May 1-The British Gen. Proctor besieges Gen. Harrison in Fort Meigs. 5—Gen. Clay coming to his assistance Proctor retreats. Col. Dudley, making a sortie from Ft. Meigs, is drawn into an ambuscade and loses 650 men. He is himself mortally wounded.

The British Admiral Cockburn barbarously ravages the shores of
Chesapeake bay.

"27-Ft. George, at Niagara, surrenders to the Americans, and Sir Geo. Prevost is repulsed from Sacketts Harbor, N. Y., by Gen. Brown. June 1-The U. S. frigate Chesapeake captured by the British frigate Shannon. American loss 133; British loss about half as many Capt. Lawrence of the Chesapeake is mortally wounded. 6-Gens. Chandler and Winder surprised in the night by the enemy they were going to attack. The two generals are taken prisoners, but their troops repulse the enemy and retire.

<< 23-Col. Boerstler, in command of an American force of 600 men, is surrounded by a superior force at Beaver Dams and compelled to surrender.

"25-Admiral Cockburn, failing in his attack on the American forces at Craney Island, Va.. lands at Hampton and commits many outrages.

July 31-American Com. Chauncy lands at York, U. C., captures and destroys stores, and the British do the same at Plattsburg, on lake Champlain.

Aug. 2—Gen. Proctor with 1,000 British and Indians attacks Col. Croghan with 160 men, at Ft. Stephenson, Lower Sandusky, O., and is repulsed with a loss of 150.

About this time the American frigate Essex, Capt. Porter, cruising in the Pacific ocean, captured 12 armed British whalers.