Chapter V: Part III: , being the Mexican Tour: Pike's Itinerary, pp (3)

The wooden magazine of the battery, that had been
carelessly left open, blew up, killing some of the men, and
seriously damaging the defences. The dismayed enemy spiked
their cannon and fled to the next, or Half Moon battery.
Walworth pressed forward, when that, too, was abandoned,
and he found nothing within but spiked cannon. Sheaffe and
his little army, deserted by the Indians, fled to the
garrison near the governor's house, and there opened fire
upon the Americans. Pike ordered his troops to halt, and
lie flat upon the grass, while Major Eustis,[M-25] with his
artillery battery, moved to the front, and soon silenced
the great guns of the enemy.

Finan is more circumstantial in describing the casualty which did so much to decide the fate of the day:

While this part of our force was contending with the enemy
in the woods, an unfortunate accident occurred in the
battery opposed to the fleet which proved a death blow to
the little hope that might have been entertained of a
successful issue to the proceedings of the day. A gun was
aimed at one of the vessels, and the officers, desirous of
seeing if the ball would take effect, ascended the bastion:
In the meantime the artilleryman, waiting for the word of
command to fire, held the match behind him, as is usual
under such circumstances; and the traveling magazine, a
large wooden chest, containing cartridges for the great
guns, being open just at his back, he unfortunately put
the match into it and the consequence, as may be supposed,
was dreadful indeed! Every man in the battery was blown
into the air, and the dissection of the greater part of
their bodies was inconceivably shocking! The officers were
thrown from the bastion by the shock, but escaped with a
few bruises; the cannons were dismounted, and consequently
the battery was rendered completely useless.

I was standing at the gate of the garrison when the poor
soldiers who escaped the explosion with a little life
remaining, were brought in to the hospital, and a more
afflicting sight could scarcely be witnessed. Their faces
were completely black, resembling those of the blackest
Africans; their hair frizzled like theirs, and their
clothes scorched and emitting an effluvia so strong as to
be perceived long before they reached one. One man in
particular presented an awful spectacle: he was brought in
a wheelbarrow, and from his appearance I should be inclined
to suppose that almost every bone in his body was broken;
he was lying in a powerless heap, shaking about with every
motion of the barrow, from which his legs hung dangling
down, as if only connected with his body by the skin, while
his cries and groans were of the most heart-rending
description.

Although Spartan valour was evinced by our little party, it
proved unavailing against the numbers that pressed them
upon all sides; and in consequence of the loss of the
battery, and the reduction that had been made in the number
of our troops, their ground was no longer tenable; but
after nobly and desperately withstanding their enemies for
several hours, a retreat towards the garrison became
inevitable, although every inch of the ground was
obstinately disputed.

It is remarkable that Whiting's relation of the attack has nothing about this marked affair; it is in fact impossible to follow the course of events in his narrative, between the conclusion of the opening engagement and the final explosion of the main magazine. Lossing, having brought our troops to a halt, when they were lying upon the grass, continues with the result of Major Eustis' operations:

The firing from the garrison ceased and the Americans
expected every moment to see a white flag displayed from
the blockhouse in token of surrender. Lieut. Riddle[M-26] was
sent forward to reconnoitre. General Pike, who had just
assisted, with his own hands, in removing a wounded soldier
to a comfortable place, was sitting upon a stump conversing
with a huge British sergeant[M-27] who had been taken
prisoner, his staff standing around him. At that moment was
felt a sudden tremor of the ground, followed by a
tremendous explosion near the British garrison. The enemy,
despairing of holding the place, had blown up their powder
magazine, situated upon the edge of the water at the mouth
of a ravine, near where the buildings of the Great Western
Railway stand. The effect was terrible. Fragments of
timber, and huge stones of which the magazine walls were
built, were scattered in every direction over a space of
several hundred yards. When the smoke floated away, the
scene was appalling. Fifty-two Americans lay dead, and 180
were wounded. So badly had the affair been managed that 40
of the British also lost their lives by the explosion.[M-28]

General Armstrong states, in his History of the War of 1812, that General Sheaffe said this explosion was accidental, his own soldiers having been involved in its effects. General Whiting repeats this. But both Armstrong and Whiting are clearly in error. If General Sheaffe ever said this, he said what he knew was untrue. His words--such as they may have been--may have referred to the earlier explosion at the Western battery and been mistaken to apply to the main explosion. We have his own reiterated writings, that the magazine was exploded by his order. One of these statements is made in a hurried letter, whose almost illegible handwriting betrays the state of mind to which this gentleman had been reduced. It was written while he was on his retreat to Kingston, and is addressed to his superior officer, Sir George Prevost. The published text before me reads in part as follows (italics editorial):

HALDIMAND, 30th April.

MY DEAR SIR GEORGE,--I have the mortification of reporting
to you that York is in the possession of the enemy, it
having on the 27th inst. been attacked by a force too
powerful to resist with success. Sixteen vessels of various
descriptions full of men, including their new ship the
Madison, formed their flotilla. The Grenadiers of the
King's suffered first in the action with the enemy (in
which Captain W. Neale was killed), and afterwards
severely, in connection with other corps, by the accidental
explosion of a battery magazine, which at the same time
disabled the battery. _I caused our grand magazine to be
blown up...._

I am, my dear Sir George, your very faithfully devoted servant,
R. H. SHEAFFE.

Another letter from General Sheaffe, dated Kingston, May 5th, when he had become more composed in mind than he seems to have been during his inglorious if not disgraceful flight, gives a more coherent account and many further details. I cite it in full, from the original MS. now in the Department of Archives at Ottawa, as kindly copied and certified for me by Mr. L. P. Sylvain of the Library of Parliament:

KINGSTON, 5^th May, 1813.

SIR,

I did myself the honour of writing to Your Excellency on my
route from York to communicate the mortifying intelligence
that the Enemy had obtained possession of that place on the
27^th of April, and I shall now enter into a fuller
detail, than I was enabled to do at the date of that
letter.

In the evening of the 26^th of April I received
information that many Vessels had been seen from the
Highlands to the Eastward of York, soon after daylight the
next morning the Enemy's Vessels were discovered lying to
not far from the shore of the peninsula in front of the
town; they soon afterwards, sixteen in number of various
descriptions, made sail with a fresh breeze from the [_p.
2_] eastward, led by the Ship lately built at Sackett's
harbour, and anchored off the point where the french fort
[Rouillé] formerly stood; many boats full of troops were
soon discovered assembling near the Commander's Ship,
apparently with an intention of effecting a landing on the
ground off which he was anchored: our troops were ordered
into the Ravine in the rear of the Government Garden and
fields; Major Givens and the Indians with him were sent
forward through the wood to oppose the landing of the
Enemy--the Company of Glengary Light Infantry was directed
to support them, and the Militia not having arrived at the
Ravine, The Grenadiers of the King's Regiment and the small
portion of the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles belonging to
the Garrison of York were moved on, led by L^t Colonel
Heathcote of that corps, commanding the Garrison; this
movement was directed to be made within the wood, [_p. 3_]
parallel to the Lake-side, and only so far from it, as not
to be discovered by the Enemy's Vessels, several of which
were not at a great distance from the shore: Captain
Eustace's company of the King's Regiment, and some Militia
that were quartered at the east end of the town, and had
been left there during the night, lest the Enemy might make
some attempt on that flank, were ordered, with the
exception of a small party of the Militia, to join these
troops--which was soon effected: while these operations
were going on Major General Shaw, Adjudant General of
Militia led a portion of the Militia on a road at the back
of the wood to watch our rear, and to act according to
circumstances; by some mistake he led the Glengary company
away from the direction assigned to it, to accompany this
detachment, so that it came late into action, instead of
being near the Indians at its commencement; the movement of
the other troops was retarded [_p. 4_] by the difficulty of
the wood, while the Enemy being aided by the wind, rapidly
gained the shore under cover of a fire from the commodore's
ship and other vessels, and landed in spite of a spirited
opposition from major Givens and his small band of Indians;
the Enemy was shortly afterwards encountered by our handful
of troops, Captain McNeal of the King's Regiment was early
killed while gallantly leading his Company which suffered
severely: the troops fell back. I succeeded in rallying
them several times, and a detachment of the King's with
some Militia, whom I had placed near the edge of the wood
to protect our left Flank repulsed a column of the Enemy
which was advancing along the bank at the Lake side: but
our troops could not maintain the contest against the
greatly superior and increasing numbers of the Enemy--they
retired under cover of our batteries, which were engaged
with some of their Vessels, that had begun to beat up
towards [_p. 5_] the harbour, when their troops landed,
occasionally firing, and had anchored at a short distance
to the westward of the line from the Barracks to Gibraltar
Point; from that situation they kept up a heavy fire on our
batteries, on the Block House and Barracks, and on the
communications between them, some of their Guns being
thirty two pounders; to return their fire, we had two
complete twelve pounders, and old condemned guns without
trunnions (---- eighteen ---- pounders) which, after being
proved had been stocked and mounted under the direction of
Lieut. Ingouville of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, whom
I had appointed Assistant Engineer; a twelve pounder of the
same description was added during the Engagement; with
these defective means the Enemy was kept at bay for some
time, _when, by some unfortunate accident, the traveling
Magazine at the Western battery blew up and killed and
wounded a considerable number of men_ [italics editorial];
many of them belonging to the [_p. 6_] Grenadier Company of
the King's Regiment, the battery was crippled, the platform
being torn up, and one of the eighteen pounders overturned:
the Magazine was replaced and the battery restored to some
order, but it was evident that our numbers and means of
defence were inadequate to the task of maintaining
possession of York against the vast superiority of force
brought against it, though providentially little mischief
had hitherto been done by the long continued cannonade of
the Enemy, except to some of the buildings: _the troops
were withdrawn towards the town, and the grand Magazine was
at the same time blown up_ [italics editorial], the Enemy
was so near to it, that he sustained great loss, and was,
for a time, driven back by the explosion; some of our own
troops were not beyond the reach of fragments of the
stone, though they escaped with very little injury; Captain
Loring, my aide-de-camp, received a severe contusion, and
[_p. 7_] the horse he rode was killed.

The troops were halted at a ravine not far to the westward
of the ship yard, I there consulted with the Superior
Officers, and it being too apparent that a further
opposition would but render the result more disastrous,
some of the Enemy's vessels indicating an intention to move
up the harbour, in order to co-operate with their land
forces, I ordered the troops of the line to retreat on the
road to Kingston, which was effected without any annoyance
from the Enemy; when we had proceeded some miles we met the
Light Company of the King's Regiment on its march for Fort
George, I had sent an express the preceding evening to
hasten its movement, but it was at too great a distance to
be able to join us at York.

The ship on the stocks and the naval stores were destroyed
to prevent the Enemy from getting possession of them. [_p.
8_] An attempt to set fire to the Gloucester that was
fitting out for purposes of transport, proved abortive; she
was aground a mere hulk, her repairs not being half
finished: I have been informed that the enemy succeeded in
getting her off, and putting her into a state to be towed
away; a number of shipwrights having arrived from Sackett's
harbour with the expectation of employing them in a similar
task on our new ship.

The accounts of the number of the Enemy landed vary from
eighteen hundred and ninety to three thousand [!], our
force consisted of a Bombardier and twelve Gunners of the
Royal Artillery to assist whom men were drawn from other
corps, two companies of the 8th or King's Regiment, one of
them, the Grenadiers, being on its route for Fort George,
about a company in number, of the Royal [_p. 9_]
Newfoundland regiment, and one of the Glengary Light
Infantry, and about three hundred Militia and Dock Yard
men; the quality of some of these troops was of so superior
a description, and their general disposition so good, that
under less unfavourable circumstances we might have
repulsed the Enemy in spite of his numbers, or have made
him pay dearly for success; as it was, according to the
reports that have reached me, his loss was much greater
than ours, a return of which I have the honour of
transmitting, except of that of the Militia, of which a
return has not yet been received; but I believe it to have
been inconsiderable: Donald McLean Esqr Clerk of the House
of Assembly gallantly volunteered his services with a
musket, and was killed.

[_p. 10_] Captain Jarvis of the Incorporated Militia, a
meritorious Officer, who had a share in the successes at
Detroit and Queenston, had been sent with a party of
Militia in three batteaux for the Militia Clothing, which
had been left on the road from Kingston, he came to me
during the action to report his arrival, and soon
afterwards he was severely wounded: a few of the Indians
(Missasagus & Chipeways) were killed and wounded, among the
latter were two chiefs.

Thinking it highly probable that the Enemy would pay an
early visit to York, I had remained there long beyond the
period I had originally assigned for my departure to fort
George, in order to expedite the preparations which the
means in my power enabled me to make for the defence of the
place; Your [_p. 11_] Excellency knows that I had intended
to place Colonel Myers, Acting Quarter Master General, in
the command there, at least for a time; I afterwards learnt
that Colonel Young was in movement towards me with the 8th
or King's Regt. I then decided to give him the Command to
avoid the inconvenience of seperating (_sic_) the head of a
department from me, and being informed that he was to move
up by himself as speedily as possible, I was for some time
in daily expectation of seeing him; at length, having
reason to believe that he was to accompany one of the
divisions of his Regiment, I wrote to him both by the land
and by the water route to come to me without delay; about
the 25th of April I received certain intelligence, of what
had been [_p. 12_] before rumoured, that he was detained at
Kingston by a severe illness, and on the 26th I learnt that
Colonel Myers was to leave Fort George that day for York, I
therefore determined to wait for his arrival, and to leave
him in the command until Colonel Young might be in a state
to relieve him; it was in the evening of the same day that
I heard of the approach of the Enemy: I have thought it
proper to enter into this explanation, as Your Excellency
may have expected that I had returned to Fort George before
the period at which the attack was made on York. I propose
remaining here until I shall have received Your
Excellency's Commands.

I have the honour to be,
With great respect,
Your Excellency's
Most obedient
humble servant
[Signed] R. H. SHEAFFE.
M. Gen. Command.

His Excellency
SIR. GEORGE PREVOST. Bt
et. et. et.

Certified a true copy of the original letter in the
Department of Archives, Ottawa.

[Signed] L. P. SYLVAIN, Assist. Libr., Nov. 2d, 1894.

Here is the clear and intelligible testimony of the British commanding general to the facts that there were two explosions, one of which was accidental and destructive to his own men, the other designed and executed by his own command. It is believed to have been a little premature, in the confusion of an evacuation that was nothing short of a rout, before the defenders were quite out of reach of its effects; but that they suffered little from what wrought such havoc with the Americans, is incontestable. The ethics of the catastrophe I leave to be discussed by professional military critics; but it seems to me that General Sheaffe was justified in inflicting the utmost possible injury upon the enemy, and that he would have been chargeable with culpable neglect of duty if he had allowed valuable munitions of war to fall into their hands.

Before resuming the main thread of this painful narration I will introduce two accounts, both by eye-witnesses.

One of these is contained in an extract of a letter from a field officer in the force which landed at York, name not given, to the War Department, as published in Niles' Register, IV. p. 193. It is explicit regarding both explosions, though loose in statement of numbers killed by each, and in some other respects:

The column of attack consisted of the 6th, 15th, 16th, and
21st regiments of infantry, and a detachment of the light
and heavy artillery. Major Forsyth's corps of riflemen, and
Lieut. Col. M'Clure's corps of volunteers acted on the
flanks. There was a long piece of woods to go through,
which offered many obstructions to our heavy ordnance. As
was expected, we were there annoyed on our flanks by a part
of the British and Indians, with a six-pounder and two
howitzers. One of the enemies batteries [the Western]
accidentally blew up, by which they lost 50 men of the 8th
regiment. A part of our force was detached from our column,
as it came into the open ground, who carried the second
battery by storm. The troops were halted a few minutes to
bring up the heavy artillery to play on the blockhouse.
General Sheaffe, despairing of holding the town, ordered
fire to be put to the magazine, in which there were 500
barrels of powder, many cart loads of stone, and an immense
quantity of iron, shells and shot. The explosion was
tremendous. The column was raked from front to rear.
General Pike and his three aids, and 250 officers and men
were killed or wounded in the column. Notwithstanding this
calamity and the discomfiture that might be expected to
follow it, the troops gave three cheers, instantly formed
the column, and marched on toward the town. General
Sheaffe fled and left his papers and baggage behind
him.[M-29]

Finan gives a vivid picture of what he saw of the catastrophe. It must be taken with some allowance, perhaps, for the force of the impression which the terrible scene made upon him at the moment, and the subsequent insistence with which his memory dwelt upon such a spectacle; but it can hardly be much overdrawn:

The governor's house, with some smaller buildings, formed a
square, at the center battery, and under it the grand
magazine, containing a large quantity of powder, was
situated. As there were only two or three guns at this
battery, and it but a short distance from the garrison, the
troops did not remain in it, but retreated to the latter.
When the Americans commanded by one of their best generals,
Pike, reached this small battery, instead of pressing
forward, they halted, and the general sat down on one of
the guns; a fatal proceeding--for, in a few minutes, his
advance guard, consisting of about 300 men and himself,
were blown into the air by the explosion of the grand
magazine.

Some time before this horrible circumstance took place, the
vessels had commenced firing upon the garrison, which
obliged the females, and children, &c. to leave it; we
therefore retired into the country, to the house of an
officer of the militia, where we remained a short time; but
feeling anxious to know the fate of the day, I left the
house without the knowledge of my mother, and was
proceeding toward the garrison when the explosion took
place. I heard the report, and felt a tremendous motion in
the earth, resembling the shock of an earthquake; and,
looking towards the spot, I saw an immense cloud ascend
into the air. I was not aware at the moment what it had
been occasioned by, but it had an awfully grand effect; at
first it was a great confused mass of smoke, timber, men,
earth, &c. but as it rose, in a most majestic manner, it
assumed the shape of a vast balloon. When the whole mass
had ascended to a considerable height, and the force by
which the timber, &c. were impelled upwards became spent,
the latter fell from the cloud and spread over the
surrounding plain. I stopped to observe the cloud, which
preserved its round shape while it remained within my view.
I then advanced towards the garrison, but had not proceeded
much farther until I discovered our little party collected
in a close body between the town and that place, which
latter they had been obliged to evacuate.

It is said, "Death loves a shining mark." One of the missiles that hurtled down on that devoted band sought out their heroic leader with fatal effect. A piece of rock fell on General Pike's back, and "broke in upon the very springs of life," to use Whiting's words. A sadly realistic memento of the speedily fatal injury reaches us from one of his aids, who was by his side and was himself gravely wounded. Lieutenant Fraser says, in a private letter he wrote by Pike's special injunction, which appeared in the Aurora, and afterward in Niles' Register, IV. p. 225: "Without the honor of a personal acquaintance, I address you at the particular order of the late General Pike. After he had been mortally wounded, his words were exactly these: '... I am mortally wounded--my ribs and back are stove in--write my friend D... and tell him what you know of the battle--and to comfort my ....' Some things else he said, on which I shall again write you; and many things he said for your ear have escaped me through the severity of my own bruises."

The dying general was carried to a boat at the lake side and conveyed to the Pert, whence he was taken aboard the flagship Madison. Some recorded words of his last moments need not be scanned with critical eye. When those who bore their fallen leader reached the boat the huzza of the troops fell upon his ears. "What does it mean?" he feebly asked. "Victory!" was the reply; "the Union Jack is coming down, General--the Stars and Stripes are going up!" The dying hero's face lighted up with a smile of ecstasy. His spirit lingered a few hours. Before the end came, the British flag was brought to him. He made a sign to place it under his head; and thus he expired.[M-30]

Military history hardly furnishes a closer parallel than that between the death of Pike before York and of Wolfe before Quebec. Each led to the assault; each conquered; each fell in the arms of victory; each is said to have pillowed his head on the stricken colors of the defenders. On the other hand, no contrast could be more obtrusive than that between the fall of Brock before Queenstown Heights and the conduct of his successor, Sheaffe, at York. The latter fled on the heels of disaster across the Don and on toward Kingston; even his personal baggage and papers fell into the hands of his enemy; the very terms of the surrender of York were agreed upon by others, in the absence of its late defender. But it is needless to pursue this subject. General Sheaffe has by none been more severely criticised than by British writers.

When General Pike fell, the command devolved by seniority upon Colonel Pearce,[M-31] of the 16th Infantry, until General Dearborn arrived upon the scene. Lieutenant Riddle's detachment was so near the place of explosion that it escaped the deadly shower; but the Americans scattered in dismay at the catastrophe. They were rallied by Brigade-Major Hunt and Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell of the 3d Artillery. The column was formed again and led into the captured town without further resistance. Colonel Pearce sent a flag, demanding immediate and unconditional surrender--and surrender it was, with the single stipulation that private property should be respected. As soon as practicable General Dearborn left the fleet for York, where he was in command before night fell. His first dispatch to the Secretary of War appears as follows in the text of Fay's Collection, p. 81, and is substantially the same in Niles' Register, IV. p. 178:

HEADQUARTERS, YORK, CAPITAL OF U. C.
April 27, 1813--8 o'clock, P. M.

SIR--We are in full possession of this place, after a sharp
conflict, in which we lost some brave officers and
soldiers. General Sheaffe commanded the British troops,
militia, and Indians, in person.--We shall be prepared to
sail for the next object of the expedition, the first
favourable wind. I have to lament the loss of the brave and
active Brig. Gen. Pike.

I am, &c.
H. DEARBORN.

Hon. J. ARMSTRONG.

The official reports of General Dearborn and of Commodore Chauncey to their respective Secretaries of War and of the Navy appear in full in Niles' Register, IV. pp. 178-180; in Brannan's Official Letters, pp. 146-149, and in Fay's Collection of Official Documents, pp. 81-85. The text of Dearborn's in Niles is in greater part as follows:

HEADQUARTERS, YORK, CAPITAL OF UPPER CANADA,
April 28, 1813.

SIR:

After a detention of some days by adverse winds, we arrived
at this place yesterday morning, and at eight o'clock
commenced landing the troops, about three miles westward
from the town, and one mile and a half from the enemy's
works. The wind was high and in unfavorable direction for
the boats, which prevented the landing of the troops at a
clear field, the scite of the ancient French fort Toronto
[Rouillé]. It prevented, also, many of the armed vessels
from taking positions which would have most effectually
covered our landing, but everything that could be done was
effected.

The riflemen under Major Forsyth first landed, under a
heavy fire from the Indians and other troops. General
Sheaffe commanded in person. He had collected his whole
force in the woods near the point where the wind compelled
our troops to land. His force consisted of 700 regulars and
militia, and 100 Indians. Major Forsyth was supported as
promptly as possible; but the contest was sharp and severe
for nearly half an hour, and the enemy were repulsed by a
number far inferior to theirs. As soon as General Pike
landed with 700 or 800 men and the remainder of the troops
were pushing for the shore, the enemy retreated to their
works. Our troops were now formed on the ground originally
intended for their landing, advanced through a thick wood,
and after carrying one [the Western] battery by assault,
were moving in columns toward the main work; when within 60
rods of this, a tremendous explosion took place from a
magazine previously prepared, which threw out such immense
quantities of stone as most seriously to injure our troops.
I have not yet been able to collect the returns of the
killed and wounded; but our loss will I fear exceed 100
[see p. xci]; and among those I have to lament the loss of
that brave and excellent officer, Brigadier-General Pike,
who received a concussion from a large stone, which
terminated his valuable life within a few hours. His loss
will be severely felt.

Previously to this explosion the enemy had retired into the
town, excepting a party of regulars, to the number of 40,
who did not escape the effects of the shock....

General Sheaffe moved off with the regular troops and left
the commanding officer of the militia to make the best
terms he could. In the mean time all further resistance on
the part of the enemy ceased, and the outlines of a
capitulation were agreed on....

I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.,
[Signed] HENRY DEARBORN.

HON. GEN. JOHN ARMSTRONG,
Secretary of War, Washington.

The "Terms of capitulation entered into on the 27th of April, 1813, for the surrender of the town of York, in Upper Canada, to the Army and Navy of the United States, under the command of Major-General Dearborn and Commodore Chauncey," appear as follows, in Niles' Register, IV. p. 180--omitting the clauses which relate to the disposition of individuals as prisoners of war:

That the troops, regular and militia, at this post, and the
naval officers and seamen, shall be surrendered prisoners
of war. The troops, regular and militia, to ground their
arms immediately, on parade, and the naval officers and
seaman to be immediately surrendered.

That all public stores, naval and military, shall be
immediately given up to the commanding officers of the army
and navy of the United States. That all private property
shall be guaranteed to the citizens of the town of York.

That all papers belonging to the civil officers shall be
retained by them. That such surgeons as may be procured to
attend the wounded of the British regulars and Canadian
militia shall not be considered prisoners of war.

These articles bear the signatures of: Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. Mitchell,[M-32] 3d U. S. Artillery; Major S. S. Conner,[M-33] aid-de-camp to General Dearborn; Major William King, 15th U. S. Infantry; Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliott, U. S. Navy; Lieutenant-Colonel W. Chewitt, commanding 3d regiment of York Militia; Major W. Allen (or Allan), of the same; and F. Gaurreau, "lieut. M. Dpt."--the last name perhaps misprinted.

General Pike's body was prepared at York and conveyed to Sackett's Harbor for interment. It was first buried at Fort Tompkins, at a little distance from the shiphouse, together with that of his aid-de-camp, Captain Nicholson,[M-34] who had been mortally wounded by his side. Among the defenses of Sackett's Harbor was one named Fort Pike, which stood on Black River bay. A view of this work, as it was in 1855, is given by Lossing. Madison Barracks was built close by Fort Pike, soon after the war, and in the burying-ground there were deposited the remains of several officers, to whose memories a simple wooden monument was erected in 1819. Lossing figures this, p. 617, as it was when he examined it in July, 1855, "more leaning than the Pisa tower." In 1860 it was rapidly crumbling into dust; the urn which had surmounted it was gone, and the inscription was illegible. A part of the legend on the west panel, copied by Lossing at his previous visit, had been: "In memory of Brigadier General Z. M. Pike, killed at York, U. C. 27th April, 1813."

A tablet to the memory of General Pike has for many years been set in St. Michael's church, at Trenton, N. J. For a description of this object and a copy of the inscription I am indebted to the courteous attentions of the rector, Rev. O. S. Bunting. It consists of a marble slab, about 36 inches high by 20 inches wide, inserted in the outer wall of the church on the east side, the base being about two feet from the ground. On this slab is carved in relief an urn, which occupies the whole surface, as nearly as the shape of an urn can fill a rectangle; and on the urn is engraven the following inscription:

Sacred
to the memory of
GEN. Z. M. PIKE,
of the U. S. Army,
who fell in defence
of his country
on the 27th April
A. D. 1813,
at York
Upper Canada.

On the base is inscribed: "This small tribute of respect is erected by his friend, Z. R." The stone is in a good state of preservation, and its position affords considerable security. Mr. Bunting has no particulars of the erection of the tablet, and does not identify "Z. R."

Upon the fall of York, the press of the whole country teemed with jubilant notices of the auspicious event--the first signal success of our arms after a period of defeat, doubt, and almost despair. The death of Pike was on every tongue, in terms of affection for the man and honor to his name, coupled with expressions of horror and detestation of the manner in which he and so many of his companions had met their fate. The feeling in the latter regard was spontaneous and natural under the circumstances--it appears differently in the cold gray light of history. Among uncounted tributes to Pike's memory, a few may be selected for reproduction in the present biography.

The editor of Niles' Register was in the habit of dedicating a completed volume. The fourth volume, from Mar. to Sept., 1813, is inscribed: "In Testimony of Respect to the Memory of ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE, Brigadier-General: who fell gloriously before York, in Upper Canada. And JAMES LAWRENCE, Captain in the Navy: Killed on board the Chesapeake frigate, fighting the Shannon. This volume of the Weekly Register, is dedicated. The former happily expired on the conquered flag of the foe, the latter died exclaiming, 'Don't give up the ship.'"

The same volume prints the following tribute in No. 14, for the week ending June 5th, 1813, pp. 228, 229:

It has been the lot of few men, unassisted by many
adventitious circumstances to acquire and possess that high
confidence and respect of all classes of his
fellow-citizens, the late General Pike so happily enjoyed.
Without the splendor of achievement that surrounds the
fortunate hero, and commands the applause of the populace,
the lamented man forced his way into the public affection
by the power of his virtues and strength of his talents
alone. Careless of popularity, a great and good name was
"buckled on him" by a discriminating people. He was an
_ægis_ of the army; and the soldiery looked upon him with
admiration and reverence; love, mixed with the fear of
offending his nice ideas of right, governing them all. He
was a severe disciplinarian; but had the felicity to make
his soldiers assured that his strictness had for its object
their glory--their ease--their preservation and safety.
With a mind conscious of its own rectitude, he was not
easily diverted from his purpose; and difficulty only
invigorated exertion. To all the sweetness of a familiar
friend, he added a strength of remark and pungency of
observation, that delighted all around him. Though the camp
was his delight, he was fitted for any company; and could
make himself agreeable on every proper occasion. His
courage was invincible, for it was the result of his
reason; and his death is a proof of it. The pride of his
countrymen in arms, the pattern for a military life, he
fell, at the moment of victory, on the first opportunity
that had been afforded to reduce to practice the perfection
of his theory--"but he fell like a man." His transcendent
qualities were opening to the view; but they were nipped in
the bud by the base stratagem of a beaten foe.[M-35] His name
is unperishable; and will descend to posterity with the
Warrens, Montgomerys and Woosters, of the other war. Though
dead, he shall yet speak to the army of the United States.
His scheme of tactics and practice of discipline shall be
the criterion of the soldier's worth. He has left behind
him many accomplished scholars, who, "while memory holds
her seat," shall teach his rules to others, and sacredly
preserve them as landmarks whereby to govern themselves.
The labors of the illustrious dead are not lost. His body
has descended to the tomb, and the gallant spirit taken its
flight to Him that gave it--but his virtues shall live, and
be with us, many generations.

Mr. Niles' eulogy concludes with a dramatic incident which commends itself for insertion here, in further illustration of the strong hold General Pike acquired upon public sentiment:

It may not be amiss, perhaps, to notice a humble mark of
respect offered by the managers of the Baltimore theatre, a
few evenings ago, to the memory of the general. The house
was crowded in consequence of several spectacles designed
in honor of the day (the review of the Baltimore brigade).
Between the second and third acts of the play the curtain
slowly, but unexpectedly, rose to solemn music, and
exhibited a lofty obelisk on which was inscribed "Z. M.
Pike, Brigadier General--Fell gloriously before York--March
[April] 27, 1813." On the left hand of the monument was
that elegant actress, Mrs. Green, in character as Columbia,
armed, kneeling on one knee, and pensively pointing with
her spear to the name of the hero. Her dress was uncommonly
splendid and very appropriate to the idea [she] designed to
sustain. On the other side was a lady, an elegant figure,
dressed in the deepest mourning, gracefully leaning against
the pedestal, immovably fixed, "in all the solemn majesty
of woe." The curtain being fairly raised, a death-like
silence for a considerable time reigned in the house, the
music excepted; which did not interrupt the pleasing
melancholy by any ill-timed boisterousness: but soon the
feelings of the people burst forth in one unanimous
expression of applause, such has been rarely witnessed,
certainly never surpassed in any country, on a similar
occasion.

In the House of Representatives of the national Congress, on Tuesday, July 27th, 1813, the following resolution was submitted by Mr. Nelson:

_Resolved_, That a committee be appointed to examine and
report on the propriety of conferring public honors on the
memory of James Lawrence, late of the U. States frigate
Chesapeake, and of Zebulon M. Pike, late a
brigadier-general in the armies of the U. States, whose
distinguished deaths in the service of their country add
lustre to the character of the American nation; the
propriety of adopting, as the peculiar children of the
Republic, the sons of those distinguished heroes; and the
propriety of making provision for the support and comfort
of the families of these deceased officers.

Among the many measures which were adopted to honor General Pike's name and fame, there is perhaps none more marked than the action of the officers of the regiment of which he was the colonel. We have a glimpse of the hearts that still beat for him in the proceedings recorded in the Register of May 14th, 1814, VI. p. 176:

BURLINGTON, _April 29, 1814_.

At a meeting of the Board of Honor of the 15th, or Pike's
regiment held on the 24th inst., it was resolved, that the
following articles of the constitution governing said Board
be carried into effect.--"Article 2d. Each succeeding 27th
April, the day on which the immortal Pike fell; the
standard will be dressed in mourning; each officer to wear
crape, and all unnecessary duties dispensed with during the
day, as a token of respect for our departed friend and
commander," and that captain Vandalsem, captain Barton, and
lieutenant Goodwin be a committee of arrangement for the
day.[M-36]

Agreeably to the above resolution, the regiment formed at
eleven o'clock a. m. on the grand parade, and proceeded in
funeral order through town, to the court house square, and
from thence through Pearl street, to the cantonment, where
by the request of the commanding officer, lieutenant
Goodwin delivered the following pertinent address:

Fellow soldiers--Thus far have we solemnized this day in
commemoration of the immortal father of our regiment, our
beloved Pike. When our political horizon was darkened by
the confusion that pervaded the whole world, he was among
the first that advanced to meet our barbarous and unjust
enemy. Stimulated by a love of country, and a thirst for
glory, he solicited with ardor, the honor of facing the
enemy's batteries on all occasions, he panted to invade in
the just cause of his country, and lived with the lively
hope of perpetuating our freedom and handing it down
unpolluted to future generations.

As an officer, the remotest corners of our country are
filled with his fame. Let the learned record his deeds, and
let us improve the principles he has left imprinted in our
minds, and like him live but "for honor and happiness in
this life, and fame after death." Nor let us confound him
with the list of ordinary heroes. He will compare with
[Joseph] Warren and [Richard] Montgomery, for like them he
fell at the head of his column, bravely fighting in his
country's cause.

With body shattered by an inhuman and unequalled explosion,
he smiled in death, while our flag waved triumphant in his
sight, and expired without regret, on a pillow purchased
with his life.

May the omnipotent hand which directs all things, cause his
spirit to hover around our councils in the field, and at
all times be with his beloved regiment.

After which the regiment fired three vollies and retired to
their quarters.

WHITE YOUNGS,[M-37] capt 15th inf.
President of the Board, _pro tem._

DANL. E. BURCH,[M-38] lt. 15th inf.
Secretary of the Board, _pro tem._

Within some months, probably, of General Pike's death, a man-of-war was named in his honor. The Register for Aug. 7th, 1813, p. 374, describes it: "The _General Pike_ is a strong, stout, and well built vessel. Length on deck 140 feet, beam 37 feet, burthen about 900 tons--has 14 ports on a side, and carries on the main deck long 24's--has also long 24's on the forecastle and poop, (one each), moving on a circle, and four guns on her top gallant forecastle; in all 34 guns." General A. W. Greely, who interested himself to procure the information, tells me that this frigate, a twin ship with the _Madison_, was built in 63 days and launched on Lake Ontario, at Sackett's Harbor, where she barely escaped destruction by fire, owing to the mistaken zeal of an officer who applied the torch, supposing the American victory to be a defeat; and that it does not appear that the vessel was ever brought into action.

I have already alluded to the Fort Pike on Lake Ontario. There was another Fort Pike, the name of which still finds place in current gazetteers. This was a military post on Petites Coquilles island, in Orleans parish, Louisiana, 35 miles E. N. E. of New Orleans. While it is not probable that all the counties, towns, etc., called "Pike" were named for our hero, certainly most of them bear his own name, alone or in combination or composition. There is a Pike county in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. There are about 20 Pike townships in different counties of Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Pike is the name of several small places in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio. Pike City is a village in Sierra Co., Cal. Pike Creek is a township of Shannon Co., Mo., and another township, of Morrison Co., Minn., besides designating the stream itself which flows through the latter: see beyond, pp. 104, 123, 316. Pike Five Corners is a hamlet of Wyoming Co., N. Y. Pikeland is a station on the Pickering Valley R. R., in Chester Co., Pa. Pike Mills is a hamlet in Pike township, Potter Co., Pa. Pike rapids are those in the Mississippi, otherwise Knife rapids: see pp. 100, 104, 122. Pike's bay is the gulf at the southern part of Cass lake: see pp. 157, 158, 324. Pike's fork of the Arkansaw river, is present Grape creek: see pp. 463, 482. Pike's island, in the Mississippi at the mouth of the Minnesota river, is historic: see pp. 76, 197, 239. Pike's mountain is the range of bluffs opposite Prairie du Chien: see p. 37. Pike's Peak is not only the famous mountain so called, but a hamlet in Brown Co., Ind., a hamlet in Wayne Co., Mich., and a mining-camp in Deer Lodge Co., Mont. Pike Station is a village in Wayne Co., O. Piketon is a hamlet in Stoddard Co., Mo., and a village in Pike Co., O. Piketon or Pikeville is the capital of Pike Co., Ky. Pikesville or Pikeville is a village in Baltimore Co., Md.; a hamlet in Pike township, Berks Co., Pa.; the capital of Marion Co., Ala.; a post-office of Pike Co., Ind.; a hamlet in Pikeville township, Wayne Co., N. C.; a village in Darke Co., O.; and the capital of Bledsoe Co., Tenn. Some of these places are no doubt named for other persons of the same surname; some are called for the pike, a fish, as is the case with several Pike rivers, creeks, or ponds not included in the above list; and some may refer to a turnpike road, or have yet another implication.

To those of the foregoing geographical and political names which commemorate our hero is to be added the designation of "Pikes" as an epithet of the "Forty-niners" and later emigrants who navigated the great plains with their "prairie schooners." Thus Mr. Prentis, in the address already cited, says, pp. 193, 194:

To these people thus described, and to all who bore to them
a family resemblance, and who in 1849 and in subsequent
years crossed the Plains to California, came to be applied,
by whom I know not, the general name of "Pikes." Various
explanations have been given of the origin of the name. The
most reasonable one is, that, there are in Missouri and
Illinois two large counties named Pike, and separated from
each other by the Mississippi river. In 1849 an immense
emigration set in from these counties to California. In
consequence, the traveler bound for the States, meeting
teams, and asking the usual question, "Where are you from?"
was answered frequently with, "Pike county" meaning in some
cases one Pike county, in some cases the other. This led to
the general impression that everybody on the road was from
Pike county, or that the inhabitants of Pike had all taken
the road. Hence the general name of "Pikes," as applied to
emigrants, especially to those traveling from Missouri,
and, generally, those migrating from southern Illinois and
southern Indiana. Thus the popular song--the only poetry I
ever heard of applied to this class of "movers," commences:

"My name it is Joe Bowers,
I've got a brother Ike;
I'm bound for Californy,
And I'm all the way from Pike."

Pike County, Ill., and Pike County, Mo., are certainly both named for the general, and I have no doubt that Mr. Prentis' explanation of "Pikes" is correct. With the above doggerel compare the slang phrase noted beyond, p. 454, and duly legended as the head-line of p. 457.

Another curious word, to which Pike has given rise indirectly, is "Peaker," as a designation of persons who came to the vicinity of Pike's Peak. Thus, we read in Colonel Meline's book, p. 89: "Most of the people who have settled on these farms [between Colorado Springs and Denver] were disappointed 'Peakers'--either those who had thrown down the shovel to take up the plough, or those who, with exhausted means, found a long mountain journey still before them after they had reached the Peak."

There is a sameness about the many published portraits of Pike which shows that they were probably all taken from one original painting. Lossing's cut looks a little different from the rest, as it faces the other way, but it is the same picture reversed in copying, no doubt with the camera lucida. There is no mistaking the extremely long, large nose, above the full compressed lips, denoting the forceful character which Pike displayed conspicuously throughout his career, whether in leading a handful of men through an unbroken wilderness, or in heading the columns which assaulted an intrenched foe. The same uniform coat, with its epaulets, its high standing, embroidered collar, unbuttoned across the breast and the flap turned down on one side, appears in all these likenesses. Such are inserted in some of the editions of Pike's work; one of the reproductions forms the frontispiece of an early popular history of the war, and is called "a striking likeness" on the title page. They are all doubtless traceable to the painting which has long hung and still hangs in the historical gallery of Independence Hall at Philadelphia, alongside the portraits of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and many other noble men who loved and lived for their country. The painting which hangs in one of the rooms of the Minnesota Historical Society at St. Paul is believed to be a copy of this, though it differs in the introduction of a spirit hand, extended from an invisible arm, holding a wreath over the head--an attempt at symbolism in which the unknown artist has not been very successful. This portrait is dim and much cracked. I am informed by Mr. William M. Maguire of Denver, that a prominent citizen of Colorado has recently executed a bronze bust of Pike, to be placed in Manitou. Facsimiles of Pike's signature are seldom seen in print; Lossing gives one with the portrait on p. 586 of his Field Book. I am not aware that any facsimile of a letter in Pike's handwriting has hitherto been published. That one which is given in the present volume was selected from among many I have examined in the archives of the War Department, both for its intrinsic historical interest, and for the unusually well-formed signature it bears--that of one who died, as he had lived, for his country--of one whose fame that country will never permit to perish.

FOOTNOTES:

[M-1] Henry Whiting of Massachusetts entered the army as a cornet of Light Dragoons Oct. 29th, 1808; he became a second lieutenant Sept. 15th, 1809, and a first lieutenant Aug. 20th, 1811; was transferred to the 5th Infantry May 17th, 1815; promoted to be captain Mar. 3d, 1817; and transferred to the 1st Artillery June 1st, 1821. He became major and quartermaster Feb. 23d, 1835; lieutenant-colonel and deputy quartermaster-general, July 7th, 1838; colonel and assistant quartermaster-general, Apr. 21st, 1846. He was repeatedly brevetted for faithful and meritorious service, and on Feb. 23d, 1847, received the brevet of brigadier-general for gallantry in the battle of Buena Vista. General Whiting died Sept. 16th, 1851.

[M-2] Access to these records was given in the following terms:

WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
January 29, 1894.

SIR:

As requested in your letter of the 22nd instant, I take
pleasure in advising you that you will be afforded an
opportunity at such time as you may call at the Department
to examine for historical purposes such records as are on
file covering the expedition of Z. M. Pike, a publication
of whose travels you state first appeared in 1810.

Very respectfully,
[Signed] DANIEL S. LAMONT,
Secretary of War.

DR. ELLIOTT COUES,
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D. C.

[M-3] See beyond, p. lix, for a document bearing on the Pike family, in connection with a letter of Zebulon M. Pike, both introduced in their proper chronological order in this memoir. But I find no better place than this for a letter from his father, which has never been published before and will be read with interest:

Indiana Territory
Dear born County
July 15^th 1807

Sir

I have taken the liberty of making out my accounts of Pay
Forrage and Subsistance from the 1^t of January to the 31^t
ins^t and forwarded them to the Pay Master for payment
which I pray may meet your approbation