of the Eurotas was 20 killed, and 39 wounded. On March 26th, the Hannibal, of 74 guns, Captain Sir M. Seymour, and the Hebrus frigate, Captain Palmer, gave chase to two French frigates near the coast of France, one of which, the Sultan, of 44 guns, was soon captured by the Hannibal off the isle of Bas, and was brought into Portsmouth on the 28th. The other was pursued during the whole day by the Hebrus, and at midnight had reached the race of Alderney. She then rounded Point Joubourg to get into the bay of La Hogue, where, about one or two on the following morning, the Hebrus, running in between her and the shore, brought her to close action. After an obstinate combat of two hours and a quarter, the ships almost touching, she struck her colours. It was necessary immediately to put the heads of both ships off shore, as well through apprehension of grounding, as in order to get clear of a battery on shore, which had been firing at both, not being able to distinguish one from the other. The prize was L'Etoile, of 44 guns and 320 men, commanded by M. Phillibert, who was returning with La Sultane from a four months' cruise to the westward. She had 40 killed, and upwards of 70 wounded, in the action, and the loss in the Hebrus was considerable, amounting to 13 killed and 25 wounded. The American frigate Essex, Captain Porter, which had been long cruizing on the coasts of South America, and had made many captures, especially among the English south-whalers, was at length taken off Valparaiso in Chili, by the Phoebe frigate, Captain Hillyar, in company with the Cherub sloop, Captain Tucker. Captain Hillyar, in his letter dated Valparaiso Bay, March 30th, informs the Secretary of the Admiralty, that on the afternoon of the 28th inst. after nearly five months anxious search, and six weeks more anxious look-out for the Essex and her companion, (a corvette of 20 guns), to quit the port of Valparaiso, he saw her under weigh, and immediately, accompanied by the Cherub, made sail to close with her. On rounding the point of the bay, the Essex lost her main-top-mast; and not being able to regain the limits of the neutral port, bore up, and anchored very near to the shore a few miles to the leeward of it. After some distant firing, the Phoebe closed with the Essex at 35 minutes past five in the afternoon, when a very serious, and, indeed, unequal conflict ensued, the Cherub much contributing to the annoyance of the enemy. The defence of the Essex (says Captain Hillyar) did honour to her brave defenders, and fully evinced the courage of Captain Porter and those under his command. She was twice on fire, and did not strike her colours till her loss of men was so great, and her condition so bad, that farther resistance was manifestly unavailing. The engagement ceased at 20 minutes past six. The loss on the part of the victors was not very considerable. A very detailed account of this affair was transmitted to the American government by Captain Porter, written in an ostentatious and evidently partial manner, and differing in several respects from the plain narrative of Captain Hil lyar lyar, although it does justice to his humane and generous conduct after the victory. The American complains of the attack as a violation of neutral territory, and intimates an understanding between the governor of Valparaiso and the British commander. An account was communicated by Captain Pigot, of the Orpheus, dated New Providence, April 25th, of his having, after a chase of 60 miles, taken off Cuba the United States ship Frolic, carrying 20 32-pound carronades, and 2 long 18-pounders, with a crew of 171 men, out two months from Boston. A very severe action, ending unfortunately to the British flag, took place on June 28th, lat. 48 N. long. 11 W. between the English brig of war Reindeer, Captain Manners, and the American sloop of war Wasp, Capt. Blakeley. Capt. Manners perceiving an enemy to the leeward on the morning of that day, gave chase, and about 3 p. m. the two vessels were yardarm and yard-arm. The engagement was maintained with the most determined spirit for 25 minutes, when the Reindeer, having lost her brave captain, her purser, and 27 men killed and 40 wounded, among whom were almost all her officers, and having been repulsed in two attempts to board, was under the necessity of striking her colours. Such was the injury she received, that it was found necessary on the following day to destroy her. The superiority of men, and weight of metal, on the American side, is stated as very considerable. It was thought that the Wasp had suffered much, but later accounts from her represent her loss and damage as trifling. It is apparent that the American fire must have been much more formidable than the British. The daring enterprize of British seamen, restricted for want of occasions for exertion, has in this, as in former years, broke out in some of those desperate attempts for carrying ships at anchor by means of armed boats, which might perhaps be censured for rashness, were not the preservation of the spirit of the navy a matter of the first importance. One of these, in which final success was obtained, though with a formidable loss, appears worthy of record. An English squadron, consisting of the Plantagenet, Rota, and Carnation, arriving near the close of September in the road of Fayal, a Portuguese harbour in the Azores, descried the General Armstrong, a large American schooner privateer, at anchor in the roads. A boat was dispatched to reconnoitre her force as she was getting under weigh, which being driven by the tide near the schooner, was hailed, and desired to keep off. This being impracticable, the boat was fired into, and seven men were killed. The English commodore considering this act as an infraction of the neutrality of the port, ordered the Carnation in to destroy the privateer; and as the rocky ground prevented the ship from getting near enough, nine boats, with three lieutenants, and about two hundred men, were dispatched for the purpose. approaching the schooner, they were received wish a most destructive fire from a 32-pounder; and, in the end, the privateer's men escaped on shore, whence they fired on the men who were destroying the ship. This was accomplished, but at the expense of a loss of 135 killed and wounded, among whom were the three lieutenants. Of the maritime actions on the Lakes, closing with the disastrous engagement on Lake Champlain, an account will be found in our narrative of the American campaign. CHAPTER CHAPTER XVI. American war.-Capture of Fort Niagara.-American Gen. Hull defeated by Gen. Riall.-Buffalo burnt.-President's communication to Congress respecting negotiations.-Gov. Strong's speech in Massachussets.-Gen. Wilkinson's retreat from Lower Canada.-Actions in consequence-Repeal of the embargo and non-importation acts.-Extension of the blockade by the British.-Fort Oswego stormed.-Failure at Sandy creek-President's Proclamation respecting neutral vessels.-Fort Erie taken by the Americans, and action at Chippawa. -Islands in Passamaquoddy bay reduced. Hostages for retaliation mutually exchanged.-Americans repulsed at Chippawa.-Operations in the Chesapeak.-Capture of Washington-Expedition against Alexandria.--Failure and death of Sir P. Parker at Bellair.- Expedition against Baltimore.-Death of Gen. Ross.-Defeat of Americans.Actions in Canada and the North.-Failure at Fort Erie.-Expedi tion up the Penobscot.-Sir G. Prevost proceeds against Plattsburg. -Defeat of the British flotilla on Lake Champlain -British retreat to Canada.-American sortie from Fort Erie.-Negociations at Ghent-Propositions communicated to Congress.-Proceedings of the legislature of Massachussets.-American budget.-Fort Erie evacuated.-British expedition to Florida.-Defensive measures of the American government.-Treaty of Peace signed at Ghent. THE HE unhappy war with the United States of America, an epithet it peculiarly deserves, as having no great object on either side, the attainment of which can in the least compensate its evils, was left at the latter end of the last year in a kind of suspension, arising from the failure of the Americans in their invasion of both the Canadian provinces, and their retreat to winterquarters within their own territory. Another military occurrence, not hitherto recorded, had taken place before the year closed, which was the surprize and capture of fort Niagara by the British. From the relation of Col. Murray, the commander, to Gen. Drummond, it appears that the British troops, about 500 in number, were embarked at night on Dec. 18th, and early the following morning were landed three miles from the fort, provided with means for a scalade. The fortress was carried in the most gallant manner after a short but spirited resistance; the loss of the assailants having been very small. That of the Americans is stated, in killed, wounded, and prisoners at about 430 officers and men, the whole belonging to the artillery and line. The ordnance taken was 27 pieces of cannon, and about 3000 stand of of arms, and store-houses full of clothing, and camp equipage were the farther prize of the victors. t After this affair, the American general Hull arrived at the town of Buffalo, and collecting all the troops in the vicinity, amounting to more than 2000 men, took post at Black-Rock to check the further advance of the British. He was not, however, long suffered to remain there unmolested. Majorgen. Riall assembling a force of about 950 regulars and 50 militia, with 400 Indians, crossed the Niagara river on the night of Dec. 29th, and at day-break on the 30th, moved on to attack the enemy, who was strongly posted. After a vigorous resistance, the impetuosity of the assailants forced the Americans to give way, and they were driven through their batteries to the town of Buffalo, about two miles distant. There a further resistance was made; but in a short time the American troops fled in all directions, and took to the woods, leaving behind them three pieces of cannon. Their loss was not known, but 130 prisoners were made, the rapidity of their flight preventing a larger capture. The British loss in this spirited action amounted to 112, in killed, wounded and missing. Among the wounded was lieut.col. Ogilvy, as he was gallantly leading the attack. After the engagement, an officer was sent with a detachment to destroy two schooners and a sloop, part of the enemy's lake squadron, that were on shore below the town of Buffalo, which service was effectually performed. The town itself, the inhabitants having quitted it, was then committed to the flames, VOL. LVI. with the whole of the public stores, and the village of Black-rock was likewise burnt. A force was then directed to move down the river to fort Niagara to destroy all the remaining cover of the enemy upon this frontier, which being effected, the whole frontier was left clear and naked. The destruction of the American villages on this occasion was represented in a proclamation issued by Sir George Prevost, as a measure of retaliation for the acts of plunder and conflagration committed by the Americans in their invasion of Upper Canada, and particularly the burning of the village of Newark, consisting of 150 houses, the inhabitants of which were driven out to encounter,without covering or shelter, the inclemency of a Canadian winter. His Excellency gives several instances of the moderation and regard to private property shewn by the British, and intimates that retaliation shall be carried no farther, unless fresh provocation be given. On Jan. 7th, the President of the United States communicated to both houses of Congress, copies of a letter from the British secretary of state, lord Castlereagh, to the American secretary Mr. Monroe, with the answer of the latter, the subject of which was the proposed negotiations for peace. Lord Castlereagh's letter encloses a note from lord Cathcart, British embassador to the emperor of Russia, addressed to the count de Nesselrode, in which he mentions that the Prince Regent had been informed of the arrival of the American commissioners in Russia, and though he [N] finds |