Sea Power in its Relations to the War of 1812. Volume 2

405

Prevost to Bathurst, July 12, 1814. Report on Canadian Archives, 1896. Lower Canada, p. 31.

406

Prevost to Bathurst, Aug. 5, 1814. Ibid., p. 35.

407

Prevost to Bathurst, Aug. 27.

408

Official Correspondence of General Izard with the Department of War, pp. 56, 57. Philadelphia, 1816.

409

Ridout, Ten Years in Upper Canada, p. 282.

410

Niles' Register, vol. vi. p. 357.

411

June 8, 1814. Navy Department MSS.

412

Macomb's Report, Brannan's Military and Naval Letters, p. 415. Izard (Correspondence, p. 98) says, "There were at or about the works at Plattsburg not less than three thousand regulars, of whom fifteen hundred were fit for duty in the field. In the number were three companies of artillery."

413

General Benjamin Mooers, who was in command of the New York State militia during these operations, in a letter to Governor Tompkins, dated Sept. 16, 1814 (Gov. Tompkins MSS. vol. ix. pp. 212-217, State Library, Albany, N.Y.), claims that Macomb was here less than just to the militia, "many of whom stood their ground as long as it was tenable" during the first day. In a general order issued by him Sept. 8 (Niles' Register, vol. vii. p. 70), he spoke of some "who fled at the first approach of the enemy, and afterwards basely disbanded themselves, and returned home." Macomb himself wrote that after the first day, when the army had retired to the works, "the militia behaved with great spirit."

414

For copies of these letters, and of Macdonough's reply and endorsement, I am indebted to Mr. Rodney Macdonough, the Commodore's grandson. Cochran's is dated March 22, and Colden's June 26, 1815; Macdonough's reply July 3. It is well to note that all these preceded the British naval court martial, held in Portsmouth, Aug. 18-21, 1815, where the testimony that the squadron was within range was unanimous and accepted by the Court.

415

The first lieutenant of the "Confiance" in his evidence said that it was not more than ten minutes after the ship rounded Cumberland Head that the enemy began firing at her, and that the shot at first fell short. As far as it goes, this would show that the American squadron was over a mile from the Head; and, if so, scarcely more than a mile from the batteries.

416

For information as to ranges, the author applied to Professor Philip R. Alger, U.S. Navy, whose intimate acquaintance with questions of ordnance and gunnery is known throughout his service.

417

Vol. viii. p. 70, April 1, 1815.

418

These two letters of Macomb are given in the "Account of the Public Life of Sir George Prevost," p. 165.

419

Izard's Correspondence, p. 98.

420

Yeo to the Admiralty, Sept. 24, 1814. From a copy in the Court Martial Record.

421

In his Narrative, submitted to the Court Martial, Captain Pring stated that Prevost wished a joint attack, because, in the advance along the head of Cumberland Bay, the left flank of the army, when crossing Dead Creek, had been much annoyed by the American gunboats. He feared the same in crossing the Saranac to the assault of the works, and wanted the navy to draw off the gunboats.

422

Robertson's Narrative before the Court Martial.

423

The correspondence between Prevost and Downie, Sept. 7-10, is in the Canadian Archives, M. 389.6. pp. 176-183.

424

This letter of Major Coore, published in a Canadian paper, Feb. 26, 1815, is to be found in the Canadian Archives MSS., M. 389.6. p. 287.

425

Court Martial Evidence.

426

Evidence of Pring, and of Brydone, master of the "Confiance," before the Court Martial. Robertson in his narrative is equally positive and explicit on this point.

427

Robertson's Narrative.

428

Robertson's Narrative.

429

Macdonough's Report.

430

Pronounced "wynd."

431

Robertson's Narrative.

432

A spring is a rope taken from the stern of a ship to the anchor, by hauling on which the ship is turned in the direction desired.

433

Brydone's Evidence.

434

Evidence of Sailing Master Brydone.

435

Macdonough's Report.

436

For the battle of Lake Champlain much the most complete and satisfactory evidence is the Record of the British Court Martial. There having been no dispute on the American side, as between Perry and Elliott at Lake Erie, there has not been the same output of conflicting statements, tending to elucidate as well as to confuse. Commander Henley of the "Eagle" was apparently dissatisfied with Macdonough's report, as the Commodore (apparently) was with his action. This drew from him a special report. Navy Department MSS. Niles' Register, vol. vii. Supplement, p. 135, contains this letter with many verbal changes, which do not materially affect its purport.

437

Cochrane arrived at Bermuda March 6; but, despite his urgency and evident annoyance, Warren, who was senior, and had had ample notice of his supersession, took his own leisurely time about giving over the command, which he did not do till April 1, sailing for England April 8.

438

Bathurst to Ross, Sept. 6, 1814. War Office, Entry Book.

439

Pigot's Report to Cochrane, June 8, 1814. Admiralty In-Letters MSS.

440

Cochrane to the Admiralty, June 20, 1814. Admiralty In-Letters MSS.

441

Admiralty to Cochrane, Aug. 10, 1814. The reference in the text depends upon a long paper near the end of vol. 39, British War Office Records, which appears to the writer to have been drawn up for the use of the ministry in parliamentary debate. It gives step by step the procedure of the Government in entering on the New Orleans undertaking.

442

Bathurst to Ross, Sept. 6, 1814. British War Office Records.

443

Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 429.

444

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 397.

445

Ibid., p. 572.

446

Niles' Register, vol. iii. p. 182.

447

Ibid., vol. vii. pp. 133-135.

448

Cochrane to the Admiralty, Oct. 3, 1814. Admiralty In-Letters.

449

Ibid.

450

Neither Cochrane nor Lockyer gives the number of the British boats; but as there were three divisions, drawn from five ships of the line and three or four frigates, besides smaller vessels, Jones' count was probably accurate. He had ample time to observe.

451

The gunboats of Jefferson's building had no names, and were distinguished by number only.

452

Jones' Report of this affair is found in Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 126; those of Cochrane and Lockyer in the Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. pp. 337-341.

453

So styled in Cochrane's Report, which also speaks of it as Bayou Catalan. The name does not appear on the map of Major Latour, chief of engineers to Jackson, who in his report calls the whole bayou Bienvenu.

454

Gleig, Narrative of the Campaign of Washington, Baltimore, and New Orleans, pp. 282-288.

455

Gleig, pp. 308-309.

456

Gleig's Narrative, p. 321. Cochrane's Report, Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 341. Report of Major C.R. Forrest, British Assistant Quarter-master-General, War Office Records.

457

Thornton's Report. James' Military Occurrences of the War of 1812, vol. ii., p. 547.

458

James' Military Occurrences, vol. ii. p. 547.

459

Niles' Register, vols. vii. and viii., gives a large number of the official reports, as well British as American, concerning the New Orleans Expedition. So also does James in his "Military Occurrences" and "Naval Occurrences" of the War of 1812. Regarded in outline, as is attempted in the text, the operations are of a simple character, presenting no difficulties.

460

Captains' Letters. Navy Department MSS.

461

Ibid., Sept. 26, 1814.

462

Decatur to Navy Department, April 9, 1814. Captains' Letters.

463

A razee is a ship cut down, and reduced from her original rate. The "Majestic" had been a seventy-four, and probably was the same vessel which under that name and rate took part in the battle of the Nile. The expedient of razeeing had been adopted by the British Government, in order rapidly to prepare vessels superior to the American forty-fours, yet less costly in crews than ships of the line. These razees were rated as carrying fifty-six guns.

464

Deposition of Commodore Decatur at Bermuda. Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 371.

465

Decatur's Report. Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 8. In his deposition Decatur says "the 'Tenedos' did not fire at the time of such surrender."

466

The loss of the "President" was twenty-four killed, fifty-five wounded. (Decatur's Report.) That of the "Endymion," eleven killed and fourteen wounded. (Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 262.)

467

Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 370.

468

Captain Hayes' Report. Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 175. Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxiii. p. 261.

469

Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 147.

470

The armament of the "Cyane" is that reported by Lieut. Hoffman, U.S. Navy, who brought her to the United States. Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 134.

471

The "Cyane" reached a United States port, but the "Levant" was recaptured by a British squadron. Both names remained in the United States Navy till the Civil War. A "Levant," built in succession to the one captured, was lost at sea in 1860—never heard from.

472

The account given in the text depends upon Stewart's "minutes of the action" (Niles' Register, vol. viii. p. 219), compared with the "Constitution's" log (Navy Department MSS.), of which the minutes are a development.

473

Monroe to Russell, Aug. 21, 1812. American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 587.

474

Ante, vol. i. p. 390.

475

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 590.

476

Correspondence between Russell and Castlereagh, Sept. 12-18, 1812; and Russell to Monroe, Sept. 17. American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. pp. 591-595.

477

Russell's italics.

478

The correspondence relating to the Russian proffer of mediation is to be found in American State Papers, vol. iii. pp. 623-627.

479

American State Papers, vol. iii. pp. 621-622.

480

Ibid., pp. 695-700.

481

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 701.

482

Ibid., p. 703.

483

Ante, p. 266, and note.

484

Writings of Albert Gallatin, edited by Henry Adams, vol. i. pp. 586, 592.

485

Ante, p. 332.

486

Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. i. p. 603.

487

Ibid., vol. i. p. 629.

488

A similar consciousness appears to the writer discernible in a letter of Wellington to Castlereagh, of May 25, 1814. To procure "the cession of Olivenza by Spain to Portugal, we could promise to bind North America, by a secret article in our treaty of peace, to give no encouragement, or countenance, or assistance, to the Spanish colonies" (then in revolt). Memoirs and Correspondence of Lord Castlereagh, series iii. vol. ii. p. 44. The italics are mine.

489

Castlereagh to the British commissioners, July 28, 1814. Castlereagh's Memoirs and Correspondence, series iii. vol. ii. p. 69.

490

Ibid., Aug. 14, 1814, pp. 88, 89.

491

Castlereagh to Liverpool, Paris, Aug. 28, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, p. 101.

492

Note of the British commissioners, Aug. 19, 1814. American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 710. My italics.

493

Castlereagh to Liverpool, Aug. 28, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 100.

494

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Sept. 2, 1814. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

495

Castlereagh Memoirs, etc., series iii. vol. ii. p. 101.

496

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. pp. 711-713.

497

Castlereagh to Liverpool, August 28. Memoirs, etc., series iii. vol. ii. p. 102.

498

Liverpool to Castlereagh, September 2, Castlereagh Papers MSS.

499

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 713.

500

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 717.

501

Bathurst to Castlereagh, Sept. 16, 1814. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

502

Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 138.

503

Liverpool to Castlereagh, September 27. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

504

September 23. Ibid.

505

Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 148.

506

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Sept. 27, 1814. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

507

Ante, p. 385; and 384, note.

508

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Oct. 28. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

509

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Oct. 21, 1814. Ibid.

510

Bathurst to Castlereagh, Oct. 21, 1814. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

511

Castlereagh Papers MSS.

512

Castlereagh to Sir H. Wellesley, Sept. 9, 1814. Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 112.

513

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Nov. 2, 1814. Castlereagh Papers MSS.

514

Wellington to Liverpool, Nov. 9, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 187.

515

Castlereagh to Wellington, Nov. 21, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 205.

516

Wellington to Liverpool, Nov. 7 and 9, 1814. Ibid., pp. 186, 190.

517

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Nov. 4, 1814. Castlereagh MSS.

518

Wellington to Liverpool, Nov. 18, 1814. Castlereagh Letters, series iii. vol. ii. p. 203.

519

Wellington to Liverpool, Nov. 9, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 189.

520

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Nov. 18, 1814. Castlereagh MSS.

521

Bathurst to the commissioners, Dec. 6, 1814. Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 214.

522

American State Papers, Foreign Relations, vol. iii. p. 735.

523

Castlereagh Memoirs, series iii. vol. ii. p. 188.

524

Liverpool to Castlereagh, Nov. 18, 1814. Castlereagh MSS.

525

Ibid., Dec. 23, 1814. Castlereagh MSS.

526

The contemporary name of the political party to which Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin belonged.

527

Writings of Gallatin, May 7, 1816, vol. i. p. 700.