Chapter I: Front Matter

THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND.

THE SECOND WAR

WITH

ENGLAND.

BY J. T. HEADLEY,

AUTHOR OF "NAPOLEON AND HIS MARSHALS," "WASHINGTON AND HIS GENERALS,"
"THE OLD GUARD," "SCOTT AND JACKSON," ETC. ETC.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

NEW YORK:
CHARLES SCRIBNER, 145 NASSAU STREET.
1853.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by

CHARLES SCRIBNER,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for
the Southern District of New York.

C. W. BENEDICT,
STEREOTYPER AND PRINTER,
12 Spruce Street, N. Y.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAPTER I.

THE CREEK WAR.

Jackson's first service -- Is appointed commander-in-chief
of the Tennessee forces -- Co-operation of other states --
Jackson enters the Creek nation -- Difficulties of his
position -- General Coffee's expedition -- Relieves Fort
Talladega -- Battle of -- Stormy condition of his army --
Quells a mutiny -- Abandoned by his troops -- Quells a
second mutiny -- His boldness -- A third mutiny suppressed
-- Left with but a hundred followers -- Clairborne's
movements -- Arrival of reinforcements -- Makes a diversion
in favor of General Floyd -- Battle of Nutessee -- Battle of
Emuckfaw -- Ambuscade of the Indians -- Gallantry of General
Coffee -- Battle of the "Horse Shoe" -- The war ended --
Jackson's character, 11

CHAPTER II.

Cruise of Commodore Porter in the Essex -- Arrival at
Valparaiso -- Capture of British whalers and letters of
marque -- Essex Junior -- Marquesas Islands -- Description
of the natives -- Madison Island -- War with the Happahs --
Invades the Typee territory -- Tedious march -- Beautiful
prospect -- Fights the natives and burns down their towns --
Sails for Valparaiso -- Blockaded by two English ships --
Attempts to escape -- Is attacked by both vessels -- His
gallant defence -- His surrender -- Returns home on parole
-- Insolence of an English Officer -- Porter escapes in an
open boat and lands on Long Island -- Enthusiastic reception
in New York, 45

CHAPTER III.

Plan of the third Campaign -- Attack on Sackett's Harbor --
Attack on Oswego -- Woolsey transports guns to Sackett's
Harbor -- Capture of the detachment sent against him --
Expedition against Mackinaw -- Death of Captain Holmes --
Complete failure of the expedition, 67

CHAPTER IV.

Brown takes command of the army at Niagara -- Crosses the
river into Canada -- Battle of Chippewa -- Brilliant charge
of the Americans -- Desperate battle of Niagara -- Conduct
of Ripley -- The army ordered to Fort Erie -- General Gaines
takes command, 74

CHAPTER V.

Siege of Fort Erie -- Assault and repulse of the British --
Brown takes command -- Resolves to destroy the enemy's works
by a sortie -- Opposed by his officers -- The sortie --
Anecdote of General Porter -- Retreat of Drummond -- Conduct
of Izard, 101

CHAPTER VI.

British plan of invading our sea ports -- Arrival of
reinforcements -- Barney's flotilla -- Landing of the enemy
under Ross -- Doubt and alarm of the inhabitants -- Advance
of the British -- Destruction of the Navy Yard -- Battle of
Bladensburg -- Flight of the President and his Cabinet --
Burning and sacking of Washington -- Mrs. Madison's conduct
during the day and night -- Cockburn's brutality -- Sudden
explosion -- A hurricane -- Flight of the British -- State
of the army -- Character of this outrage -- Rejoicings in
England -- Mortification of our ambassadors at Ghent --
Mistake of the English -- Parker's expedition -- Colonel
Reed's defence -- The English army advance on Baltimore --
Death of Ross -- Bombardment of Fort McHenry -- "The star
spangled banner" -- Retreat of the British, and joy of the
citizens of Baltimore, 114

CHAPTER VII.

Macomb at Plattsburg -- American and English fleets on Lake
Champlain -- Advance of Prevost -- Indifference of Governor
Chittenden -- Rev. Mr. Wooster -- Macdonough -- The two
battles -- Funeral of the officers -- British invasion of
Maine -- McArthur's expedition, 147

CHAPTER VIII.

The Navy in 1814 -- Cruise of Captain Morris in the Adams --
Narrow escapes -- The Wasp and Reindeer -- Cruise of the
Wasp -- Sinks the Avon -- Mysterious fate of the Wasp -- The
Peacock captures the Epervier -- Lieutenant Nicholson, 165

CHAPTER IX.

Third Session of the XIIIth Congress -- State of the
Treasury -- The President's Message -- Dallas appointed
Secretary of the Treasury -- His scheme and that of Eppes
for the relief of the country -- Our Commissioners at Ghent
-- Progress of the negotiations -- English protocol -- Its
effect on Congress and the nation -- Effect of its
publication on the English Parliament, 174

CHAPTER X.

HARTFORD CONVENTION.

Attitude of New England -- Governor Strong -- Views and
purposes of the Federalists -- Anxiety of Madison --
Prudence of Colonel Jesup -- Result of the Convention --
Fears of the People -- Fate of the Federalists, 191

CHAPTER XI.

General Jackson appointed Major-General -- Hostility of
Spain -- Gallant defence of Fort Bowyer -- Seizure of
Pensacola -- Jackson at New Orleans -- Approach and landing
of the British -- Jackson proclaims martial law -- Night
attack on the British -- Jackson entrenches himself -- First
attack of the British -- Second attack -- Final assault --
The battle and the victory -- Jackson fined by Judge Hall --
Arrival of the Treaty of Peace -- Great rejoicings --
Delegates of the Hartford Convention -- Remarks on the
treaty, 199

CHAPTER XII.

Cruise of the Constitution -- Action with the Cyane and
Levant -- Chased by a British fleet -- England's views of
neutral rights and the law of nations -- Her honor and
integrity at a discount -- Singular escape of the
Constitution -- Recapture of the Levant under the guns of a
neutral port -- Lampoons on the English squadron for its
contemptible conduct -- Decatur -- Capture of the President
-- The Hornet captures the Penguin -- Chased by a ship of
the line -- Narrow escape -- Cruise of the Peacock -- Review
of the American Navy -- Its future destiny, 236

CHAPTER XIII.

PRIVATEERS.

Character and daring of our privateers -- Skill of American
seamen -- Acts of Congress relative to privateering -- Names
of ships -- Gallant action of the Nonsuch -- Success of the
Dolphin -- Cruise of the Comet -- Narrow escape of the
Governor Tompkins -- Desperate action of the Globe with two
brigs -- The Decatur takes a British sloop of war -- Action
of the Neufchatel with the crew of the Endymion -- Desperate
defence of Captain Reed against the crews of British
squadron -- The Chasseur captures a British schooner of war
-- Character of the commanders of privateers -- Anecdote, 258