The Naval War of 1812. Theodore Roosevelt
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of 13,000 veteran troops, marched south along the shores of Lake Champlain to Plattsburg, which was held by General Macomb with 2,000 regulars, and perhaps double that number of nearly worthless militia;—a force that the British could have scattered to the winds, though, as they were strongly posted, not without severe loss. But the British fleet was captured by Commodore MacDonough in the fight on the lake; and then Sir George, after some heavy skirmishing between the outposts of the armies, in which the Americans had the advantage, fled precipitately back to Canada.
All through the war the sea-coasts of the United States had been harried by small predatory excursions; a part of what is now the State of Maine was conquered with little resistance, and kept until the close of hostilities; and some of the towns on the shores of Chesapeake Bay had been plundered or burnt. In August, 1814, a more serious invasion was planned, and some 5,000 troops—regulars, sailors, and marines—were landed, under the command of General Ross. So utterly helpless was the Democratic Administration at Washington, that during the two years of warfare hardly any steps had been taken to protect the Capitol, or the country round about; what little was done, was done entirely too late, and bungled badly in addition. History has not yet done justice to the ludicrous and painful folly and stupidity of which the government founded by Jefferson, and carried on by Madison, was guilty, both in its preparations for, and in its way of carrying on, this war; nor is it yet realized that the men just mentioned, and their associates, are primarily responsible for the loss we suffered in it, and the bitter humiliation some of its incidents caused us. The small British army marched at will through Virginia and Maryland, burned Washington, and finally retreated from before Baltimore and reembarked to take part in the expedition against New Orleans. Twice, at Bladensburg and North Point, it came in contact with superior numbers of militia in fairly good position. In each case the result was the same. After some preliminary skirmishing, manoeuvring, and volley firing, the British charged with the bayonet. The rawest regiments among the American militia then broke at once; the others kept pretty steady, pouring in quite a destructive fire, until the regulars had come up close to them, when they also fled. The British regulars were too heavily loaded to pursue, and, owing to their mode of attack, and the rapidity with which their opponents ran away, the loss of the latter was in each case very slight. At North Point, however, the militia, being more experienced, behaved better than at Bladensburg. In neither case were the British put to any trouble to win their victory.
The above is a brief sketch of the campaigns of the war. It is not cheerful reading for an American, nor yet of interest to a military student; and its lessons have been taught so often by similar occurrences in other lands under like circumstances, and, moreover, teach such self-evident truths, that they scarcely need to be brought to the notice of an historian. But the crowning event of the war was the Battle of New Orleans; remarkable in its military aspect, and a source of pride to every American. It is well worth a more careful study, and to it I have devoted the last chapter of this work.
PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO
(See also in alphabetical place in index.)
American State Papers.
Brenton, E. P. Naval History of Great Britain, 1783 to 1836. 2 vols., octavo. London, 1837.
Broke, Adm., Memoir of, by Rev. J. G. Brighton. Octavo, London, 1866.
"Captains' Letters" in Archives at Washington.
Codrington, Adm. Sir E. Memoirs, edited by his daughter. 2 vols., octavo. London, 1873.
Coggeshall, George. History of American Privateers. New York, 1876.
Cooper, J. F. Naval History of the United States. New York, 1856.
Dundonald, Earl. Autobiography of a Seaman. London, 1860.
Douglass, Lord Howard. Naval Gunnery. Octavo. London, 1860.
Emmons, Lieut. G. E. Statistical History of United States Navy, 1853.
Farragut, Adm. D. G., Life of, by his son, Loyall Farragut. Octavo.
New York, 1878.
Gravière, Adm., J. de la. Guerres Maritimes. 2 vols., octavo. Paris, 1881.
James, William. Naval History of Great Britain. 6 vols., octavo.
London, 1837.
James, William. Naval Occurrences with the Americans. Octavo,
London, 1817.
Lossing, Benson J. Field-book of the War of 1812. Octavo. New York, 1869.
Low, C. R. History of the Indian Navy, 1613 to 1863. 2 vols., octavo.
London, 1877.
London Naval Chronicle.
Marshall. Royal Naval Biography. 12 vols., octavo. London, 1825.
"Masters-Commandant Letters" in the Archives at Washington.
Morris, Com. Charles. Autobiography. Annapolis, 1880.
Naval Archives at Washington.
Niles. Weekly Register.
Pielat. B. La Vie et les Actions Mémorables du St. Michel de Ruyter.
Amsterdam, 1677.
Rivière, Lieut. H. La Marine Française sous le Régime de Louis XV.
Paris, 1859.
Tatnall, Commod., Life, by C. C. Jones, Jr. Savannah, 1878.
Toussard, L. de. American Artillerists' Companion. Phila., 1811.
Troude, O. Batailles Navales de la France. Paris, 1868.
Ward, Com. J. H. Manual of Naval Tactics. 1859.
Yonge, Charles Duke. History of the British Navy. 3 vols., octavo.
London, 1866.
AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO IN CHAPTER X
Alison, Sir A. History of Europe. Ninth edition. 20 vols. London, 1852.
Butler, Adjutant-General Robert. Official Report for the Morning of Jan. 8, 1815.
Codrington, Admiral Sir Edward. Memoir of, by Lady Bourchier.
London, 1873.
Cole, John William. Memoirs of British Generals Distinguished during the Peninsular War. London, 1856.
Court of Inquiry on Conduct of General Morgan. Official Report.
Gleig, Ensign H. R. Narrative of the Campaigns of the British
Army at Washington, Baltimore, and New Orleans. Philadelphia, 1821.
Jackson, Andrew. As a Public Man. A sketch by W G. Sumner. Boston, 1882.
Jackson, General Andrew. Official Letters.
James, William. Military Occurrences of the Late War. 2 vols.
London, 1818.
Keane, Major-General John. Letter, December 26, 1814.
Lambert, General. Letters, January 10 and 28, 1815.
Latour, Major A. Lacarriex. Historical Memoir of the War in West
Florida and Louisiana. Translated from the French by H. P. Nugent.
Philadelphia, 1816.
Lossing, Benson J. Field-Book of the War of 1812. New York, 1859.
Patterson, Com. Daniel G. Letters, Dec. 20, 1814, and Jan. 13, 1815.
Monroe, James. Sketch of his Life, by Daniel C. Gilman. 16mo. Boston, 1883.
Napier, Maj.-Gen. Sir W. F. P. History of the War in the Peninsula. 5 vols. New York, 1882.
Scott, Lieut.-Gen. W. Memoirs, by himself, 2 vols. New York, 1864.
Thornton, Col. W. Letter, Jan. 8, 1815.
Chapter I.
Introductory