<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_24"></SPAN>CHAPTER 24</h2>
<h3>CAUSES OF THE WAR OF 1812</h3>
<p class="side">The African pirates. <i>Higginson</i>, 237-239;
<i>Eggleston</i>, 228-229.<br/>
Tribute paying.<br/>
Jefferson ends this system.<br/>
<i>Hero Tales</i>, 103-113.</p>
<p><b>247. The North Africa Pirates.</b>--Stretching along the
northern shores of Africa from Egypt westward to the Atlantic were
four states. These states were named Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers, and
Morocco. Their people were Mohammedans, and were ruled over by
persons called Deys or Beys, or Pachas. These rulers found it
profitable and pleasant to attack and capture Christian ships. The
cargoes of the captured vessels they sold at good prices, and the
seamen and passengers they sold at good prices too--as slaves. The
leading powers of Europe, instead of destroying these pirates,
found it easier to pay them to let their ships alone. Washington
and Adams also paid them to allow American ships to sail unharmed.
But the pirates were never satisfied with what was paid them.
Jefferson decided to put an end to this tribute paying. He sent a
few ships to seize the pirates and shut up their harbors. More and
more vessels were sent, until at last the Deys and Beys and Pachas
thought it would be cheaper to behave themselves properly. So they
agreed to release their American prisoners and not to capture any
more American ships (1805). In these little wars American naval
officers gained much useful experience and did many glorious deeds.
Especially Decatur and Somers won renown.</p>
<p class="side">European fighters attack American commerce.
<i>McMaster</i>, 224-226.</p>
<p><b>248. America, Britain, and France.</b>--Napoleon Bonaparte
was now Emperor of the French. In 1804 he made war on the British
and their allies. Soon he became supreme on the land, and the
British became supreme on the water. They could no longer fight one
another very easily, so they determined to injure each other's
trade and commerce as much as possible. The British declared
continental ports closed to commerce, and Napoleon declared all
British commerce to be unlawful. Of course under these
circumstances British and Continental ships could not carry on
trade, and American vessels rapidly took their places. The British
shipowners called upon their government to put an end to this
American commerce. Old laws were looked up and enforced. American
vessels that disobeyed them were seized by the British. But if any
American vessel obeyed these laws, Napoleon seized it as soon as it
entered a French harbor.</p>
<p class="side">Impressment. <i>Eggleston</i>, 240.</p>
<p><b>249. The Impressment Controversy.</b>--With the British the
United States had still another cause of complaint. British
warships stopped American vessels and took away all their seamen
who looked like Englishmen. These they compelled to serve on
British men-of-war. As Americans and Englishmen looked very much
alike, they generally seized all the best-looking seamen. Thousands
of Americans were captured in this way and forced into slavery on
British men-of-war. This method of kidnaping was called
impressment.</p>
<p class="side">The embargo, 1807. <i>Eggleston</i>, 241;
<i>McMaster</i>, 226-227, 228.<br/>
Failure of the embargo. <i>Source-Book</i>, 209-211.</p>
<p><b>250. The Embargo, 1807-1809.</b>--Jefferson hardly knew what
to do. He might declare war on both Great Britain and on France.
But to do that would surely put a speedy end to all American
commerce. In the old days, before the Revolutionary War, the
colonists had more than once brought the British to terms by
refusing to buy their goods (pp. 84, 85). Jefferson now thought
that if the people of the United States should refuse to trade with
the British and the French, the governments both of Great Britain
and of France would be forced to treat American commerce properly.
Congress therefore passed an Embargo Act. This forbade vessels to
leave American ports after a certain day. If the people had been
united, the embargo might have done what Jefferson expected it
would do. But the people were not united. Especially in New
England, the shipowners tried in every way to break the law. This
led to the passing of stricter laws. Finally the New Englanders
even talked of seceding from the Union.</p>
<p>[Illustration: AN EARLY STEAM FERRYBOAT, ABOUT 1810.]</p>
<p class="side">Outrage on the <i>Chesapeake</i>, 1807.
<i>McMaster</i>, 227.</p>
<p><b>251. The Outrage on the <i>Chesapeake</i>, 1807.</b>--The
British now added to the anger of the Americans by impressing
seamen from the decks of an American warship. The frigate
<i>Chesapeake</i> left the Norfolk navy yard for a cruise. At once
the British vessel <i>Leopard</i> sailed toward her and ordered her
to stop. As the <i>Chesapeake</i> did not stop, the <i>Leopard</i>
fired on her. The American frigate was just setting out, and
everything was in confusion on her decks. But a coal was brought
from the cook's stove, and one gun was fired. Her flag was then
hauled down. The British came on board and seized four seamen, who
they said were deserters from the British navy. This outrage
aroused tremendous excitement. Jefferson ordered all British
warships out of American waters and forbade the people to supply
them with provisions, water, or wood. The British offered to
restore the imprisoned seamen and ordered out of American waters
the admiral under whose direction the outrage had been done. But
they would not give up impressment.</p>
<p class="side">Madison elected President, 1808.]</p>
<p><b>252. Madison elected President, 1808.</b>--There is nothing
in the Constitution to limit the number of times a man may be
chosen President. Many persons would gladly have voted a third time
for Jefferson. But he thought that unless some limit were set, the
people might keep on reëlecting a popular and successful
President term after term. This would be very dangerous to the
republican form of government. So Jefferson followed Washington's
example and declined a third term, Washington and Jefferson thus
established a custom that has ever since been followed. The
Republicans voted for James Madison, and he was elected President
(1808).</p>
<p>[Illustration: MODERN DOUBLE-DECKED FERRYBOAT.]</p>
<p class="side">Non-Intercourse Act, 1809.</p>
<p><b>253. The Non-Intercourse Act, 1809.</b>--By this time the
embargo had become so very unpopular that it could be maintained
only at the cost of civil war. Madison suggested that the Embargo
Act should be repealed, and a Non-Intercourse Act passed in its
place. Congress at once did as he suggested. The Non-Intercourse
Act prohibited commerce with Great Britain and with France and the
countries controlled by France. It permitted commerce with the rest
of the world. There were not many European countries with which
America could trade under this law. Still there were a few
countries, as Norway and Spain, which still maintained their
independence. And goods could be sold through them to the other
European countries. At all events, no sooner was the embargo
removed than commerce revived. Rates of freight were very high and
the profits were very large, although the French and the British
captured many American vessels.</p>
<p class="side">The Erskine treaty.<br/>
The British minister Jackson. <i>Source-Book</i>, 212-213</p>
<p><b>254. Two British Ministers.</b>--Soon after Madison's
inauguration a new British minister came to Washington. His name
was Erskine, and he was very friendly. A treaty was speedily made
on conditions which Madison thought could be granted. He suspended
non-intercourse with Great Britain, and hundreds of vessels set
sail for that country. But the British rulers soon put an end to
this friendly feeling. They said that Erskine had no authority to
make such a treaty. They refused to carry it out and recalled
Erskine. The next British minister was a person named Jackson. He
accused Madison of cheating Erskine and repeated the accusation.
Thereupon Madison sent him back to London. As the British would not
carry out the terms of Erskine's treaty, Madison was compelled to
prohibit all intercourse with Great Britain.</p>
<p class="side">Still another policy. <i>McMaster</i>, 229-230.<br/>
French trickery.<br/>
British trickery.</p>
<p><b>255. British and French Trickery.</b>--The scheme of
non-intercourse did not seem to bring the British and the French to
terms much better than the embargo had done. In 1810, therefore,
Congress set to work and produced a third plan. This was to allow
intercourse with both Great Britain and France. But this was
coupled with the promise that if one of the two nations stopped
seizing American ships and the other did not, then intercourse with
the unfriendly country should be prohibited. Napoleon at once said
that he would stop seizing American vessels on November 1 of that
year if the British, on their part, would stop their seizures
before that time. The British said that they would stop seizing
when Napoleon did. Neither of them really did anything except to
keep on capturing American vessels whenever they could get a
chance.</p>
<p class="side">Indians of the Northwest. <i>Eggleston</i>,
242.<br/>
Tecumthe.</p>
<p><b>256. Indian Troubles, 1810.</b>--To this everlasting trouble
with Great Britain and France were now added the horrors of an
Indian war. It came about in this way. Settlers were pressing into
Indiana Territory west of the new state of Ohio. Soon the lands
which the United States had bought of the Indians would be
occupied. New lands must be bought. At this time there were two
able Indian leaders in the Northwest. These were Tecumthe, or
Tecumseh, and his brother, who was known as "the Prophet." These
chiefs set on foot a great Indian confederation. They said that no
one Indian tribe should sell land to the United States without the
consent of all the tribes of the Confederation.</p>
<p class="side">Battle of Tippecanoe, 1811.</p>
<p><b>257. Battle of Tippecanoe.</b>--This determined attitude of
the Indians seemed to the American leaders to be very dangerous.
Governor William Henry Harrison of Indiana Territory gathered a
small army of regular soldiers and volunteers from Ohio, Kentucky,
and Indiana. He marched to the Indian settlements. The Indians
attacked him at Tippecanoe. He beat them off and, attacking in his
turn, routed them. Tecumthe was not at the battle. But he
immediately fled to the British in Canada. The Americans had
suspected that the British were stirring up the Indians to resist
the United States. The reception given to Tecumthe made them feel
that their suspicions were correct.</p>
<p>[Illustration: MEDAL PRESENTED TO HENRY CLAY.]</p>
<p class="side">Henry Clay.<br/>
John C. Calhoun.</p>
<p><b>258. The War Party in Congress.</b>--There were abundant
reasons to justify war with Great Britain, or with France, or with
both of them. But there would probably have been no war with either
of them had it not been for a few energetic young men in Congress.
The leaders of this war party were Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun.
Clay was born in Virginia, but as a boy he had gone to Kentucky. He
represented the spirit of the young and growing West. He was a true
patriot and felt angry at the way the British spoke of America and
Americans, and at the way they acted toward the United States. He
was a very popular man and won men to him by his attractive
qualities and by his energy. Calhoun was a South Carolinian who had
been educated in Connecticut. He was a man of the highest personal
character. He had a strong, active mind, and he was fearless in
debate. As with Clay so with Calhoun, they both felt the rising
spirit of nationality. They thought that the United States had been
patient long enough. They and their friends gained a majority in
Congress and forced Madison to send a warlike message to
Congress.</p>
<p class="side">Madison's war message, 1812. <i>McMaster></i>,
231; <i>Source-Book</i>, 214-216.</p>
<p><b>259. Madison's Reasons for War, 1812.</b>--In his message
Madison stated the grounds for complaint against the British as
follows: (1) they impressed American seamen; (2) they disturbed
American commerce by stationing warships off the principal ports;
they refused to permit trade between America and Europe; (4) they
stirred up the western Indians to attack the settlers; (5) they
were really making war on the United States while the United States
was at peace with them. For these reasons Madison advised a
declaration of war against Great Britain, and war was declared.</p>
<br/>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 35%;">
<br/>
<br/>
<h2>QUESTIONS AND TOPICS</h2>
<br/>
<p>CHAPTER 22</p>
<p>§§ 228, 229.--<i>a</i>. Draw a map showing the states
and territories in 1800.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. How and why had the center of population changed since
1791? Where is it now?</p>
<p><i>c</i>. Why did so many people live near tide water? Do the
same reasons exist to-day?</p>
<p>§§ 230-232.--<i>a</i>. What were the "best roads" in
1800?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Describe the dangers and discomforts of traveling in
1800.</p>
<p><i>c</i>. What were the early steamboats like?</p>
<p>§§ 233, 234.--<i>a</i>. What fact hindered the growth
of cotton on a large scale in colonial times?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. How did Whitney's cotton gin change these
conditions?</p>
<p>§§ 235, 236.--<i>a</i>. Why had manufacturing received
so little attention before the Revolution?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. How did the new government encourage
manufacturing?</p>
<br/>
<p>CHAPTER 23</p>
<p>§ 237.--<i>a</i>. How did Jefferson's inauguration
illustrate his political ideas?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Compare his method of opening Congress with that
employed by Washington and Adams. Which method is followed
to-day?</p>
<p>§§ 238.--<i>a</i>. What is the Civil Service? How had
Washington and Adams filled offices? Was their action wise?</p>
<p>§§ 239.--<i>a</i>. Explain the Judiciary Act of
1801.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. What power has Congress over the Judiciary?
(Constitution, Art. III).</p>
<p>§§ 240.--<i>a</i>. What was Jefferson's policy toward
expenses? How did he carry it out? What was the result of these
economies?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Was the reduction of the navy wise? What conditions
make a large navy necessary?</p>
<p>§§ 241-244.--<i>a</i>. When and how had Louisiana
changed hands since its settlement? Why were the Spaniards poor
neighbors?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. How did the United States acquire Louisiana?</p>
<p><i>c</i>. Trace on a map the boundaries of the Louisiana
Purchase. Compare its value to-day with the price paid.</p>
<p><i>d</i>. What important discoveries did Lewis and Clark
make?</p>
<p>§§ 245, 246.--<i>a</i>. Give instances which
illustrate the disadvantages of the old way of electing the
President and Vice-President.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Explain carefully the changes made by the Twelfth
Amendment, and show how a President may be elected by a minority of
the voters.</p>
<br/>
<p>CHAPTER 24</p>
<p>§§ 247.--<i>a</i>. Describe the doings of the African
pirates. Why had Washington and Adams paid them?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Describe Jefferson's action and state the results.</p>
<p>§§ 248, 249.--<i>a</i>. Compare the power of France
and Great Britain at this time.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. How did they try to injure one another? How did they
treat American ships?</p>
<p><i>c</i>. Explain the impressment of sailors by the British.</p>
<p>§§ 250, 251.--<i>a</i>. Describe the difficulties of
Jefferson's position.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Give instances of refusal to buy British goods and the
results.</p>
<p><i>c</i>. Explain the Embargo Act. Why was it a failure?</p>
<p><i>d</i>. Describe the outrage on the <i>Chesapeake</i>. Was the
offer of the British government enough? What more should have been
promised?</p>
<p>§§ 252, 253.--<i>a</i>. What were Jefferson's
objections to a third term? What custom was established by these
early Presidents?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Where have we found Madison prominent before?</p>
<p><i>c</i>. Explain the difference between the Embargo Act and the
Non-Intercourse Act.</p>
<p>§§ 254, 255.--<i>a</i>. Describe the attempt to renew
friendly intercourse with Great Britain.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. What do you think of Napoleon's treatment of the
United States?</p>
<p>§§ 256.--<i>a</i>. What caused the trouble with the
Indians?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Describe Harrison's action. How were the British
connected with this Indian trouble?</p>
<p>§§ 257-259.--<i>a</i>. How did all these affairs
affect the relations between the United States and Great
Britain?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Explain the attitude of Clay and Calhoun.</p>
<p><i>c</i>. What is meant by the "rising spirit of
nationality"?</p>
<p><i>d</i>. Illustrate, by facts already studied, the reasons
given in Madison's message.</p>
<br/>
<p>GENERAL QUESTIONS</p>
<p><i>a</i>. How has machinery influenced the history of the United
States?</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Draw a map showing the extent of the United States in
1802 and 1804.</p>
<p><i>c</i>. What were the four most important things in
Jefferson's administrations? Why do you select these?</p>
<br/>
<p>TOPICS FOR SPECIAL WORK</p>
<p><i>a</i>. Robert Fulton or Eli Whitney.</p>
<p><i>b</i>. Exploration of the Northwest.</p>
<p><i>c</i>. War with the African pirates.</p>
<p><i>d</i>. Life and manners in 1800.</p>
<br/>
<p>SUGGESTIONS</p>
<p>The purchase of Louisiana and the early development of the West
are leading points in this period. With the latter must be coupled
the important inventions which made such development possible.
Commercial questions should receive adequate attention and should
be illustrated by present conditions.</p>
<p>Jefferson's attitude toward both the Louisiana Purchase and the
enforcement of the Embargo Act is an illustration of the effect
which power and responsibility have on those placed at the head of
the government. This can also be illustrated by events in our own
time.</p>
<br/>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 35%;">
<br/>
<br/>
<h2><SPAN name="IX"></SPAN>IX</h2>
<h3>WAR AND PEACE, 1812-1829</h3>
<h4>Books for Study and Reading</h4>
<p><b>References</b>.--Higginson's <i>Larger History,</i> 365-442;
Scribner's <i>Popular History,</i> IV; Lossing's <i>Field-Book of
the War of 1812;</i> Coffin's <i>Building the Nation,</i>
149-231.</p>
<p><b>Home Readings</b>.--Barnes's <i>Yankee Ships;</i> Roosevelt's
<i>Naval War of 1812;</i> Seawell's <i>Midshipman Paulding;</i>
Holmes's <i>Old Ironsides;</i> Goodwin's <i>Dolly Madison.</i></p>
<br/>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 35%;">
<br/>
<br/>
<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_25"></SPAN>CHAPTER 25</h2>
<h3>THE SECOND WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, 1812 1815</h3>
<p class="side">American plan of campaign, 1812.<br/>
Objections to it.</p>
<p><b>260. Plan of Campaign, 1812.</b>--The American plan of
campaign was that General Hull should invade Canada from Detroit.
He could then march eastward, north of Lake Erie, and meet another
army which was to cross the Niagara River. These two armies were to
take up the eastward march and join a third army from New York. The
three armies then would capture Montreal and Quebec and generally
all Canada. It was a splendid plan. But there were three things in
the way of carrying it out: (i) there was no trained American army;
(2) there were no supplies for an army when gathered and trained;
and (3) there was a small, well-trained and well-supplied army in
Canada.</p>
<p>[Illustration: DETROIT, ABOUT 1815.]</p>
<p class="side">Hull's march to Detroit.<br/>
His misfortunes.<br/>
He surrenders Detroit, 1812.</p>
<p>261. <b>Hull's Surrender of Detroit, 1812.</b>--In those days
Detroit was separated from the settled parts of Ohio by two hundred
miles of wilderness. To get his men and supplies to Detroit, Hull
had first of all to cut a road through the forest. The British
learned of the actual declaration of war before Hull knew of it.
They dashed down on his scattered detachments and seized his
provisions. Hull sent out expedition after expedition to gather
supplies and bring in the scattered settlers. Tecumthe and the
other Indian allies of the British captured one expedition after
another. The British advanced on Detroit, and Hull surrendered. By
this disaster the British got control of the upper lakes. They even
invaded Ohio.</p>
<p>[Illustration: PERRY'S BATTLE FLAG.]</p>
<p class="side">Battle of Lake Erie 1813. McMaster, 234-235.<br/>
Battle of the Thames, 1813.</p>
<p><b>262. Perry's Victory on Lake Erie, 1813.</b>--But the British
triumph did not last long. In the winter of 1812-13 Captain Oliver
Hazard Perry built a fleet of warships on Lake Erie. They were
built of green timber cut for the purpose. They were poor vessels,
but were as good as the British vessels. In September, 1813, Perry
sailed in search of the British ships. Coming up with them, he
hoisted at his masthead a large blue flag with Lawrence's immortal
words, "Don't give up the ship" (p. 212), worked upon it. The
battle was fiercely fought. Soon Perry's flagship, the
<i>Lawrence</i>, was disabled and only nine of her crew were
uninjured. Rowing to another ship, Perry continued the fight. In
fifteen minutes more all the British ships surrendered. The control
of Lake Erie was now in American hands. The British retreated from
the southern side of the lake. General Harrison occupied Detroit.
He then crossed into Canada and defeated a British army on the
banks of the river Thames (October, 1813).</p>
<p>[Illustration: THE "CONSTITUTION." From an early painting of the
escape of the <i>Constitution</i> from the British fleet. The men
in the boat are preparing to carry out a small anchor.]</p>
<p class="side">The <i>Constitution</i>.<br/>
Chased by a British fleet, 1812.<br/>
She escapes.</p>
<p><b>263. The Frigate <i>Constitution</i>.</b>--One of the first
vessels to get to sea was the <i>Constitution</i>, commanded by
Isaac Hull. She sailed from Chesapeake Bay for New York, where she
was to serve as a guard-ship. On the way she fell in with a British
squadron. The <i>Constitution</i> sailed on with the whole British
fleet in pursuit. Soon the wind began to die away. The
<i>Constitution's</i> sails were soaked with water to make them
hold the wind better. Then the wind gave out altogether, Captain
Hull lowered his boats and the men began to tow the ship. But the
British lowered their boats also. They set a great many boats to
towing their fastest ship, and she began to gain on the
<i>Constitution</i>. Then Captain Hull found that he was sailing
over shoal water, although out of sight of land, so he sent a small
anchor ahead in a boat. The anchor was dropped and men on the ship
pulled in the anchor line. This was done again and again. The
<i>Constitution</i> now began to gain on the British fleet. Then a
sudden squall burst on the ships. Captain Hull saw it coming and
made every preparation to take advantage of it. When the rain
cleared away, the <i>Constitution</i> was beyond fear of pursuit.
But she could not go to New York, so Captain Hull took her to
Boston. The government at once ordered him to stay where he was;
but, before the orders reached Boston, the <i>Constitution</i> was
far away.</p>
<p class="side"><i>Constitution</i> and <i>Guerrière</i>,
1812.<br/>
Reasons for the victory.</p>
<p><b>264. <i>Constitution</i> and <i>Guerrière</i>,
1812.</b>--For some time Hull cruised about in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. One day he sighted a British frigate--the
<i>Guerrière</i>--one of the ships that had chased the
<i>Constitution</i>. But now that Hull found her alone, he steered
straight for her. In thirty minutes from the firing of the first
gun the <i>Guerrière</i> was a ruinous wreck. All of her
masts and spars were shot away and most of her crew were killed or
wounded. The <i>Constitution</i> was only slightly injured, and was
soon ready to fight another British frigate, had there been one to
fight. Indeed, the surgeons of the <i>Constitution</i> went on
board of the <i>Guerrière</i> to help dress the wounds of
the British seamen. The <i>Guerrière</i> was a little
smaller than the <i>Constitution</i> and had smaller guns. But the
real reason for this great victory was that the American ship and
the American guns were very much better handled than were the
British ship and the British guns.</p>
<p class="side"><i>Wasp</i> and the <i>Frolic</i>.<br/>
Effect of these victories.</p>
<p><b>265. The <i>Wasp</i> and the <i>Frolic</i>, 1812.</b>--At
almost the same time the American ship <i>Wasp</i> captured the
British brig <i>Frolic</i>. The <i>Wasp</i> had three masts, and
the <i>Frolic</i> had only two masts. But the two vessels were
really of about the same size, as the American ship was only five
feet longer than her enemy, and had the lighter guns. In a few
minutes after the beginning of the fight the <i>Frolic</i> was a
shattered hulk, with only one sound man on her deck. Soon after the
conflict a British battleship came up and captured both the
<i>Wasp</i> and her prize. The effect of these victories of the
<i>Constitution</i> and the <i>Wasp</i> was tremendous. Before the
war British naval officers had called the <i>Constitution</i> "a
bundle of sticks." Now it was thought to be no longer safe for
British frigates to sail the seas alone. They must go in pairs to
protect each other from "Old Ironsides." Before long the
<i>Constitution</i>, now commanded by Captain Bainbridge, had
captured the British frigate <i>Java</i>, and the frigate <i>United
States</i>, Captain Decatur, had taken the British ship
<i>Macedonian</i>. On the other hand, the <i>Chesapeake</i> was
captured by the <i>Shannon</i>. This victory gave great
satisfaction to the British. But Captain Lawrence's last words,
"Don't give up the ship," have always been a glorious inspiration
to American sailors.</p>
<p>[Illustration]</p>
<p class="side">Plan of campaign, 1814.<br/>
Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814.</p>
<p><b>266. Brown's Invasion of Canada, 1814.</b>--In the first two
years of the war the American armies in New York had done nothing.
But abler men were now in command. Of these, General Jacob Brown,
General Macomb, Colonel Winfield Scott, and Colonel Ripley deserve
to be remembered. The American plan of campaign was that Brown,
with Scott and Ripley, should cross the Niagara River and invade
Canada. General Macomb, with a naval force under McDonough, was to
hold the line of Lake Champlain. The British plan was to invade New
York by way of Lake Champlain. Brown crossed the Niagara River and
fought two brilliant battles at Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. The
latter battle was especially glorious because the Americans
captured British guns and held them against repeated attacks by
British veterans. In the end, however, Brown was obliged to
retire.</p>
<p class="side">Invasion of New York.<br/>
Battle of Plattsburg, 1814.</p>
<p><b>267. McDonough's Victory at Plattsburg, 1814.</b>--General
Prevost, with a fine army of veterans, marched southward from
Canada, while a fleet sailed up Lake Champlain. At Plattsburg, on
the western side of the lake, was General Macomb with a force of
American soldiers. Anchored before the town was McDonough's fleet.
Prevost attacked Macomb's army and was driven back. The British
fleet attacked McDonough's vessels and was destroyed. That put an
end to Prevost's invasion. He retreated back to Canada as fast as
he could go.</p>
<p>[Illustration: FORT McHENRY.]</p>
<p class="side">Burning of Washington, 1814.<br/>
"The Star-Spangled Banner."</p>
<p><b>268. The British in the Chesapeake, 1814.</b>--Besides their
operations on the Canadian frontier, the British tried to capture
New Orleans and the cities on Chesapeake Bay. The British landed
below Washington. They marched to the capital. They entered
Washington. They burned the Capitol, the White House, and several
other public buildings. They then hurried away, leaving their
wounded behind them. Later on the British attacked Baltimore and
were beaten off with great loss. It was at this time that Francis
Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner." He was detained on
board one of the British warships during the fight. Eagerly he
watched through the smoke for a glimpse of the flag over Fort
McHenry at the harbor's mouth. In the morning the flag was still
there. This defeat closed the British operations on the
Chesapeake.</p>
<p>[Illustration: FLAG OF FORT McHENRY. Fifteen stars and fifteen
stripes--one of each for each state.]</p>
<p class="side">Jackson's Creek campaign, 1814.</p>
<p><b>269. The Creek War.</b>--The Creek Indians lived in Alabama.
They saw with dismay the spreading settlements of the whites. The
Americans were now at war. It would be a good chance to destroy
them. So the Creeks fell upon the whites and murdered about four
hundred. General Andrew Jackson of Tennessee commanded the American
army in the Southwest. As soon as he knew that the Creeks were
attacking the settlers, he gathered soldiers and followed the
Indians to their stronghold. He stormed their fort and killed most
of the garrison.</p>
<p>[Illustration: BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. From a sketch by one of
Jackson's staff.]</p>
<p class="side">Battle of New Orleans, 1815.<br/>
<i>Hero Tales</i>, 139-147.</p>
<p><b>270. Jackson's Defense of New Orleans, 1814-15.</b>--Jackson
had scarcely finished this work when he learned of the coming of a
great British expedition to the mouth of the Mississippi River. He
at once hastened to the defense of New Orleans. Below the city the
country greatly favored the defender. For there was very little
solid ground except along the river's bank. Picking out an
especially narrow place, Jackson built a breastwork of cotton bales
and rubbish. In front of the breastwork he dug a deep ditch. The
British rushed to the attack. Most of their generals were killed or
wounded, and the slaughter was terrible. Later, they made another
attack and were again beaten off.</p>
<p class="side">Naval combats, 1814.</p>
<p><b>271. The War on the Sea, 1814.</b>--It was only in the first
year or so of the war that there was much fighting between American
and British warships. After that the American ships could not get
to sea, for the British stationed whole fleets off the entrances to
the principal harbors. But a few American vessels ran the blockade
and did good service. For instance, Captain Charles Stewart in the
<i>Constitution</i> captured two British ships at one time. But
most of the warships that got to sea were captured sooner or
later.</p>
<p class="side">The privateers. <i>Hero Tales</i>, 129-136.</p>
<p><b>272. The Privateers.</b>--No British fleets could keep the
privateers from leaving port. They swarmed upon the ocean and
captured hundreds of British merchantmen, some of them within sight
of the shores of Great Britain. In all, they captured more than
twenty-five hundred British ships. They even fought the smaller
warships of the enemy.</p>
<p class="side">Treaty of peace, 1814.</p>
<p><b>273. Treaty of Ghent, 1814.</b>--The war had hardly begun
before commissioners to treat for peace were appointed by both the
United States and Great Britain. But they did nothing until the
failure of the 1814 campaign showed the British government that
there was no hope of conquering any portion of the United States.
Then the British were ready enough to make peace, and a treaty was
signed at Ghent in December, 1814. This was two weeks before the
British disaster at New Orleans occurred, and months before the
news of it reached Europe. None of the things about which the war
was fought were even mentioned in the treaty. But this did not
really make much difference. For the British had repealed their
orders as to American ships before the news of the declaration of
war reached London. As for impressment, the guns of the
<i>Constitution</i> had put an end to that.</p>
<p>[Illustration: THE OLD STATE HOUSE. Where the Hartford
Convention met.]</p>
<p class="side">New England Federalists.<br/>
Hartford Convention, 1814.</p>
<p><b>274. The Hartford Convention, 1814.</b>--While the New
commissioners were talking over the treaty of peace, other debaters
were discussing the war, at Hartford, Connecticut. These were
leading New England Federalists. They thought that the government
at Washington had done many things that the Constitution of the
United States did not permit it to do. They drew up a set of
resolutions. Some of these read like those other resolutions drawn
up by Jefferson and Madison in 1798 (p. 175). The Hartford debaters
also thought that the national government had not done enough to
protect the coasts of New England from British attacks. They
proposed, therefore, that the taxes collected by the national
government in New England should be handed over to the New England
states to use for their defense. Commissioners were actually at
Washington to propose this division of the national revenue when
news came of Jackson's victory at New Orleans and of the signing of
the Treaty of Ghent. The commissioners hastened home and the
Republican party regained its popularity with the voters.</p>
<p>[Illustration: A REPUBLICAN SQUIB ON THE HARTFORD
CONVENTION.]</p>
<p class="side">Gains of the war.<br/>
The American nation.</p>
<p><b>275. Gains of the War.</b>--The United States gained no
territory after all this fighting on sea and land. It did not even
gain the abolition of impressment in so many words. But what was of
far greater importance, the American people began to think of
itself as a nation. Americans no longer looked to France or to
England as models to be followed. They became Americans. The
getting of this feeling of independence and of nationality was a
very great step forward. It is right, therefore, to speak of this
war as the Second War of Independence.</p>
<p>[Illustration: JAMES MONROE.]</p>
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