was calm, he sent boats ahead with anchors, for the purpose of warping. In this way he gained upon his adversaries. The pursuing squadron resorted to a similar expedient, and the chase in this manner was continued for two days and upward, when the Constitution, by aid of a light breeze, her superiority in sailing, and the efforts of her crew, was entirely out of reach, and the chase was abandoned.

The escape of the Constitution from so great a disparity of force, under all its circumstances, furnished evidence of great nautical skill, as well as of great superiority in the construction and management of ships, and reflected much credit on her commander and his crew.

On the 2nd of September, 1812, the Constitution again put to sea. On the 19th a vessel hove in sight, and a chase commenced. It was the Guerriere, one of the best frigates in the British navy. She was about equal to the Constitution in efficient force, well armed, manned and equipped, and not averse to the encounter. She had for some time been in search of an American frigate-she had looked, also, into some of our ports, to find an enemy, and was exceedingly anxious to earn the first laurels in the war. Her name was inscribed in large characters upon one of her flags, and on another, "Not the Little Belt:" (alluding to an incident which had occurred previous to the war, between the President, an American frigate, and an English armed vessel of that name.)

The Guerriere, seeing the Constitution approach, and having no desire to avoid her, backed her topsail, and waited for her to come down. The Constitution, having made ready for action, advanced, her crew giving three cheers. It was a period of anxiety, not only to the commander, but to all on board. The armies of the United States had been disgracedone had surrendered-Mackinaw had fallen-the garrison at Chicago had been massacred. The army on the Niagara had done nothing worthy of its renown, and Harrison was wending slowly his way through forests toward the enemy. The war had been declared to establish the doctrine of "free trade and sailors' rights." Some British seamen also were on board the Constitution, and all were anxious for battle.

The Guerriere had to sustain not only the honor of her king and country, but to vindicate her own. Believing herself to be impregnable, she had no idea "the Yankee would fight," and still she prepared for it, as though such a contingency might happen. As they neared and viewed each other from a distance, the proud flags of England and America waving aloft, each evinced for his opponent―

The stern joy which warriors feel
In foemen worthy of their steel."

Captain Hull intended to have brought his adversary to close action immediately; but on coming within gunshot, the Guerriere fired a broadside, and filled away, then wore and gave a broadside on the other tack; all, however, to but little purpose. They now continued wearing and

manoeuvering on both sides, for three-quarters of an hour--the Guerriere attempting to get a raking position. Being thwarted, however, in this, she bore up and ran with her topsail and jib on the quarter. The Constitution perceiving this, made sail to come up with her-receiving the enemy's fire with admirable coolness, without returning it. This being mistaken by the British for cowardice, or something even worse, they poured into the Constitution, broadside after broadside, with a view to cripple her. Some veteran seamen, however, on board the Guerriere, saw evidence of skill in the gallant style which the Constitution assumed, as she bore up to engage, and expressed their fears. The latter had not yet a fired a gun, and still there was something in her demeanor which seemed to say she was yet unconquered. In this stage of the action, an officer came on deck, and told Captain Hull that several of his men had been killed at their guns. "Are you ready?" inquired Captain Hull. "We are," said the officer. "Then," replied Captain Hull, "keep so." Shortly, another officer came on deck with a similar message, to which the same answer was given. The gallant crew, though burning with impatience, awaited at their guns in profound silence the orders of their commander. The moment which Captain Hull had looked for, at last Sailing-master Alwyn, with admirable skill, brought the vessel exactly to the station intended, and at five minutes before five o'clock, P. M. orders were given to fire.* Broadside after broadside followed in quick succession. The crew instantly discovered the whole plan, and entered into it with all the spirit the occasion required. Never, perhaps, was a firing more dreadful. The enemy's mizenmast went by the board, and the Guerriere stood exposed to a raking fire, which swept her deck. In fifteen minutes, the latter was unmanageable. Her hull, rigging, and sails, were torn and mangled, and the Constitution attempted to lay her on board. Lieutenant Bush, however, of the marines, being killed by a musket-ball in the attempt, a moment's delay intervened, and the Guerriere shot ahead. A raking fire now continued for fifteen minutes longer, when her mainmast and foremast went overboard, taking with them every spar but the bowsprit; and in thirty minutes from the time the action commenced, she was a wreck on the waves. She surrendered immedi ately; her crew were taken on board the Constitution, and the Guerriere being too severely injured to think of carrying her into port, was set on fire and blown up.

came.

Such was the result of the first naval engagement in the late war with England. The loss on board the Guerriere was fifteen killed, and sixtythree wounded; on board the Constitution, seven were killed and seven wounded.

The event spread universal joy over the whole United States. It reached England when Parliament was in session; and had intelligence

* During the action, Captain Hull walked the quarter-deck, dressed in nankeen smallclothes; when he gave the order to fire, it was done, as we are told, with such tremendous energy, that his breeches were torn, as the sailors used to express it, from "stem to stern."

of the entire destruction of one of her armies been received, the shock could not have been greater. It was at first scarcely credited—next imputed to accident-and never until the experiment had frequently been tried, could England be brought to believe, that an American vessel of equal force was at any time, or under any circumstances, an equal match for her own.

On the 25th of October, 1812, the Macedonian, Captain Carden, surrendered to the United States, Captain Decatur; and during the same month, the Frolic, Captain Wynyates, surrendered to the Wasp, Captain Jones. These were also imputed by the British to accident. Accidents, however, always occur in favor of the brave, and when they happen frequently, and are produced apparently by known causes, they savor of design. An impulse was at once given to the American navy, and its progress thereafter was onward.

We have already stated, that General Harrison arrived at Fort Wayne on the 23rd of September, 1812, and assumed the command of the army "of the west." A controversy, unfortunate in its character and consequences, had previously arisen between General Winchester and General Harrison, in relation to rank. The former having been a revolutionary officer, being also the elder man, and the elder brigadier-general, claimed, and was unquestionably entitled, to precedence. The latter, however, having resided for a long time at the west, and being Governor of Indiana -being also acquainted with the people of whom armies were to be constituted-having for a long time been intimate with the mode and manner of Indian warfare, and having acquired justly, we think, considerable applause at the battle of Tippecanoe, the preceding autumn, was selected by President Madison, at the request of several distinguished individuals in the army, the militia, and in Congress, for this arduous and important

command.

Previous to the arrival of General Harrison in camp, on the 23rd, General Winchester had left Fort Wayne, with a detachment of troops for Fort Defiance, intending from thence to proceed to the Rapids, and concentrate his forces, preparatory to an attack on Detroit and Malden. A party of British and Indians, which had occupied Fort Defiance on General Winchester's approach, abandoned the post, and retreated down the river. Its possession was thereupon taken by General Winchester; and on the 4th of October, General Harrison left Fort Defiance for the settlements, in order to organize, and bring up the centre and right wing of the army. General Tupper, in the meantime, who commanded the left wing, was ordered by the commander-in-chief, to advance with one thousand men to the Rapids, and drive the enemy from thence. The intended expedition, however, proved abortive. One man was killed; the troops became mutinous. General Tupper, by order of General Harrison, was superseded, and Colonel Allen, of Kentucky, appointed its commander. The Ohio troops refused to march, and unanimously set off for Urbana. The expedition was thus broken up.

Implicit confidence in military officers, habitual obedience to orders, and the utility of discipline, are not learned in a day; and however necessary to success, their importance is not uniformly appreciated by

militia.

It became necessary now to wait awhile, until the other division of the army should arrive, before anything could be attempted with safety against the Rapids, much less against Detroit.

General Tupper, having returned to Urbana with his mounted men, now organized another expedition, consisting of six hundred Ohio militia, to the Rapids. Though partially successful, the expedition finally was compelled to return for want of provisions; and notwithstanding the efforts hitherto made, the expenses incurred, the individual suffering endured, and the risks to which the army had been exposed, the British and Indians, at the close of the year 1812, were in possession of the Rapids as before.

General Winchester, in the meantime, remained at Fort Defiance with about eight hundred men, the residue having returned to their respective homes. They were principally volunteers from Kentucky, and among them were gentlemen of superior talents and elevated standing. Colonels Allen and Hardin, eminent lawyers; Major Madison, State auditor; Colonels Scott and Lewis, and others, among whom such were but equals.

Early in January, 1813, General Winchester received intelligence from the inhabitants of Frenchtown, on the river Raisin, that a large body of British and Indians were about to concentrate at that point, to prevent the further progress of the Americans. Alarmed for their safety, they besought General Winchester to protect them. The sensibility of the Kentucky volunteers was at once excited, and they sought permission to march to their relief. General Winchester reluctantly consented, against his own, as well as against the judgment of the commander-inchief.

Colonels Allen and Lewis, at the head of a detachment, accordingly sallied forth, together with Major Graves and Major Madison, and others, known to fame. The British and Indians having, before their arrival, taken possession of Frenchtown, it was determined immediately to attack them. A severe conflict ensued; the enemy were defeated and fled. Having now effected their object, the victors encamped on the battle-field, where they remained till the 20th, at which time they were joined by General Winchester, with a small reinforcement, making their whole number about seven hundred and fifty effective men. Of these, six hundred were placed within a line of pickets, and the residue without, on the open field. On the morning of the 22nd of January, 1813, a combined force of fifteen hundred men, under General Proctor, and the Indian chiefs, Round Head and Split Log, attacked their little encampment. Though carelessly guarded, it was gallantly defended. General Winchester and Colonel Lewis, however, in their attempts to rally the troops

and bring them within the pickets, were unfortunately taken priscners. Notwithstanding, however, these misfortunes, and the overwhelming force by which they were assailed, they continued with desperate resolution to resist, making great slaughter in the British and Indian ranks, till eleven o'clock; when finding further resistance in vain, and receiving a "posi tive engagement from Colonel Proctor of protection," by the advice of General Winchester, then a prisoner, from whom a flag had been received, they consented to surrender. Of this little army, about three hundred were killed, wounded, and missing, and about the same number of the British and Indians. The remaining four hundred and fifty became prisoners of war, under the promise of protection from the British colonel.

Scarcely had this little band surrendered, ere they discovered, when it was too late, that they were reserved to be butchered in cold blood. On the right wing a few only had escaped. The work of scalping and stripping the dead, and murdering those unable to resist, at once commenced and proceeded without restraint. Those who had bravely defended themselves, came next in order-Proctor and other British officers, themselves being spectators of the bloody scene. Contrary to an express stipulation, the swords of the American officers were taken from their sides; many of them were stripped naked and robbed. The gallant dead were scalped, and their bodies mutilated and left unburied. The wounded, unable to rise, were tomahawked; and those who remained, were delivered to the Indians, to be marched in rear of the army to Malden. This, in other words, was to permit the savages to indulge their thirst for blood. In this they were not disappointed. Some of these ill-fated men, relying on British faith and British protection, were murdered out of wantonness; some from mere sport; and some, who became weak from want of nourishment, or from fatigue, wounds, or the inclement weather, were at once dispatched. A remnant only—a small portion of the whole, ever reached the British garrison. Some were carried off by the Indians to be burned at the stake; and some were reserved as captives, to gratify savage cupidity, as mere objects of traffic.

About sixty of the wounded, some of them officers of distinction, were permitted to take shelter among the inhabitants. To these a promise was made, that a guard should be furnished for their protection; and that they should be carried to Malden the next morning upon sleds. No guard, however, was sent, and the Indians fell upon and plundered them of their clothing, and of every article of value; then tomahawked a considerable number, and to conclude the barbarous scene, set fire to the houses in which they were lodged, thus consuming the dying and the dead. Even the rights of sepulture, held everywhere sacred, were not only withheld, but the inhabitants in the vicinity "dared not perform them under pain of death;" and never, till their friends and relatives triumphed in turn, were their bleaching bones gathered up, and laid in a grave.