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The retreat was effected in good order, and covered by a guard of 120 men, under Captain M'Glossin, of the 15th infantry; the detachment alternately retreating and keeping up a brisk and effectual fire upon the British columns. Having reached the works with a trifling loss, General Macomb ordered Lieutenant Harrison, of the 13th, under the direction of Major Wool, and protected by Captain Leonard's artillery, to destroy the bridge over the Saranac.

This order was not executed without some difficulty. The British having occupied the houses near the bridge, with their light troops, kept up a constant fire from the windows, and wounded Lieuts. Harrison and Turner, of the 13th, and Taylor of the 34th. These troops were, however, soon after dislodged by a discharge of hot shot from the American works, and in conjunction with the right column, were engaged the remainder of the day in various attempts to drive the guards from the several bridges. But the planks had all been taken up, and being placed in the form of breastworks, served to cover the American light parties stationed for the defence of the passages. The obstructions which had been thrown in the way of the column advancing by the Lake road, and by the destruction of the bridge over Dead creek, greatly impeded its approaches, and, in attempting to ford the creek, it received a severe and destructive fire from the gun-boats, and galleys anchored in front of the town. But not all the galleys, aided by the armament of the whole flotilla, which then lay opposite Plattsburgh, under Commodore Macdonough, could have prevented the capture of Macomb's army, af ter its passage of the Saranac, had Sir George Provost pushed his whole force upon the margin of that stream. Like General Drummond, at Erie, he made a pause, in full view of the unfinished works of the Americans, and consumed five days in erecting batteries, and throwing up breastworks, for the protection of approaches. Of this interval the American general did not fail to avail himself, and kept his troops constantly employed in finishing his line of redoubts. Whilst both parties were thus enga ged in providing for the protection of their forces, the main

body of the British army came up with the advance; and General Macomb was also re-enforced by the militia of New York, and the volunteers from the mountains of Vermont. Skirmishes between light detachments, sallies from the different works, and frequent attempts to restore the bridges, served to amuse the besiegers and the besieged, while the former were getting up a train of battering cannon, and the latter strengthening their lines, and preparing to repel the attack.

On the morning of the 11th, the motives of the British general, in delaying his assault upon the American works, became apparent. Being assured of his ability, at any time, to destroy them by a single effort, he was regardless of the manner in which they might be gradually strengthened, and awaited the arrival of the British squadron from Lake Champlain, in co-operation with which he contemplated a general attack, and the easy capture of the American fleet and army. On that day his fleet, consisting of a large frigate, the Confiance, of 39 guns; the brig Linnet, of 16; the sloops Chub and Finch, (formerly the United States' sloops Growler and Eagle,) of 11 guns each; and 13 gun-boats and row-galleys, mounting in all 95 guns, and having a complement of 1,050 men, made its appearance, under Captain Downie, round Cumberland Head, and immediately engaged the American squadron, under Commodore Macdonough, then moored in Plattsburgh bay, and consisting of the ship Saratoga, the brig Eagle, the schooner Ticonderoga, the sloop Preble and 10 gun boats mounting altogether 86 guns, (the largest vessels carrying 26,) and being manned with 820 men. The first gun from the Confiance was the signal for a general action, and Sir George Provost instantly opened his batteries upon the works on the opposite bank of the Saranac. A tremendous cannonade ensued; bomb shells and Congreve rockets were thrown into the American lines during the whole day; and frequent but ineffectual attempts made to ford the river.

At a bridge about a mile up the river, an attempt to throw over a division of the enemy's army, was handsomely repulsed by a detachment of regulars; and an ef

fort to force the passage of the bridge in the town, was effectually checked by a party of riflemen, under Captain Grosvenor.

But the principal slaughter took place at a ford three miles from the works. There the enemy succeeded in crossing over three companies of the 76th regiment, before his advance was impeded. A body of volunteers and militia stationed in a contiguous wood, opened a heavy fire upon them, and after a spirited contest, in which one of these companies was entirely destroyed, its captain killed, and three lieutenants and 27 men made prisoners, those who had attained the shore fell back in disorder upon an approaching column, then in the middle of the river. The receding and advancing columns mingled with each other, and being closely pressed by the volunteers. the whole body was thrown into a state of confusion, from which the officers could not recover them; numbers were killed in the stream, and the dead and wounded being swept along by the force of the current, sunk into one common grave.

But the result of the engagement between the two naval armaments, which continued upwards of two hours, in presence of the contending armies, soon determined the action upon land. Its effects were sensibly felt by the British general, whose plans were completely frustrated by its issue. After getting round Cumberland Head, Captain Downie anchored his fleet within 300 yards of the line formed by Commodore Macdonough, placing the Confiance frigate in opposition to the Saratoga, the Linnet to the Eagle, Captain Henley; one of his sloops and all his galleys, to the schooner Ticonderoga, Lieutenant-commandant Cassin, and the sloop Preble. His other sloop, alternately assailing the Saratoga and Eagle. The latter vessel was so situated, shortly after the commencement of the action, that her guns could not be brought to bear, and Captain Henley cut her cable, and placed her between the commodore's ship and the Ticonderoga, from which situation, though she exposed the Saratoga to a galling fire, she annoyed the enemy's squadron with much effect.

Some minutes after ten o'clock, nearly all the

guns on the starboard side of the Saratoga being either dismounted or entirely unmanageable, Commodore Macdonough was obliged to put out a stern anchor, and to cut the bower cable, by which means the Saratoga winded on the enemy's frigate with a fresh broadside, which being promptly delivered, the Confiance immediately after surrendered, with 105 round shot in her hull, and her captain and 49 men killed, and 60 wounded.

The Saratoga had 55 round shot in her hull, and had been twice set on fire by hot shot from the Confiance, but she sustained a loss of only 28 in killed and 29 wounded, notwithstanding she mounted 13 guns less than her antagonist. The Confiance had no sooner surrendered, than the Saratoga's broadside was sprung to bear on the brig, whose flag struck fifteen minutes after. Captain Henley, in the Eagle, had already captured one of the enemy's sloops; and the Ticonderoga, after having sustained a galling fire, caused the surrender of the remaining vessel. The principal vessels of the British fleet being now all captured, and three of their row galleys sunk, the remaining ten escaped from the bay in a shattered condition. The total loss of Commodore Macdonough's squadron, amounted to 52 men killed, and 58 wounded. The enemy's loss was, 84 men killed, 110 wounded, and 856 prisoners, who alone amounted to a greater number than those by whom they were taken. The capture of his fleet being announced to Sir George Provost, he immediately, withdrew his forces from the assault of the Ame rican works. From his batteries, however, he kept up a constant fire until the dusk of the evening, when, being silenced by the guns of fort Monroe, under Colonel M. Smith, and of forts Brown and Scott, he retired within the town, and at 9 at night sent off his artillery, and all the baggage for which he could obtain transport. About midnight he made a disgraceful and precipitated retreat, leaving behind him all his sick and wounded, with a request that they might be generously treated by General Macomb.*

Thompson's His. Sketches of the Late War.

117. Hartford Convention.

During the second war with Great Britain, the people of the United States were divided into two political parties; one condemning the war as unwise and unnecessary, the other contending that it was just, and necessary for the maintenance of national honour. The opposition to the war was the greatest in the New England states, and during its continuance this opposition was confirmed. Enlistments of troops were in some instances discouraged, and dissensions arose between the general and state governments, respecting the command of the militia, called out by order of the former, to defend the sea-board. In October, 1814, the legislature of Massachusetts appointed delegates to meet and confer with the delegates from the other states of New England, or any of them, upon the subjects of their public grievances and concerns. The delegates met at Hartford, Conn., Dec. 15, 1815, and sat nearly three weeks with closed doors. This convention consisted of delegates from the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island; two members from New Hampshire, and one from Vermont; these last were appointed at county meetings. After their adjournment, the convention published an address, charging the national government with pursuing measures hostile to the interests of New England, and recommending amendments to the federal constitution.

"These alterations consisted of seven articles; first, that representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned to the number of free persons; secondly, that no new state shall be admitted into the Union without the concurrence of two thirds of both houses; thirdly, that congress shall not have power to lay an embargo for more than sixty days; fourthly, that congress shall not interdict commercial intercourse, without the concurrence of two thirds of both houses; fifthly, that war shall not be declared without the concurrence of a similar majority; sixthly, that no person who shall be hereafter naturalized, shall be eligible as a member of the senate or house

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