hundred rounds of fixed twenty-four pound shot, one hundred thousand ball cartridges, two thousand five hundred stand of arms, twenty-five pieces of iron cannon, and eight of brass, the greater number of which had been captured by the Americans during the revolutionary war.

The whole territory, and all the forts and garrisons of the United States, within the district of the general, were also formally surrendered; and the detachments under Colonels Cass and M'Arthur, as well as the party under Capt. Brush, were included in the capitulation. Orders had been dispatched the evening before, for the detachment under Cass and M'Arthur to return, and they had approached almost sufficiently near to discover the movements of the enemy, whilst their accidental situation might enable them to ren der the most material service during the attack. They were surprised at the silence which prevailed, when every moment was expected to announce the conflict; and that surprise was changed into rage, when they learned the capitulation. A British officer was dispatched to the river Raisin, to convey the intelligence to Capt. Brush, who at first gave no credit to so improbable a tale, and actually put the officer in confinement. The melancholy story was, however, soon confirmed by some Americans, who had escaped. Captain Brush indignantly refused to submit to the capitulation, declaring that Hull had no right to include him, and determined to return to the state of Ohio. He first deliberated whether he should destroy the public stores, which he had in his possession, and which he could not carry away; but, reflecting that this might be used as a pretext for harsh treatment to his countrymen, he resolved to abandon them. The greater part of the volunteers and militia were permitted to return home; but the regulars, together with the general, were taken to Canada.

In his official dispatch, Gen. Hull labored to free his conduct from censure, by bringing into view the inferiority of his force, compared with that of the enemy-his not exceeding eight hundred effective men; that of the enemy amounting to thirteen hundred, of whom seven hundred were Indians; and also the dangers which. threatened him from numerous western tribes of Indians, who were swarming in

The detachment under Colonels Cass and M'Arthur, here alluded to, consisted of three hundred and fifty men. They had been dispatched for the purpose of assisting Captain Brush to make his way in safety to Detroit, with supplies for the army, which had been forwarded by Gov. Meigs, of Ohio, under the direction of that officer.

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the neighboring woods, and who were ready, in case of his defeat, to rush to the indiscriminate slaughter of the Ameri

cans.

Whether the views which induced this surrender of Hull were in reality justly founded or not, the public mind was altogether unprepared for an occurrence so disastrous and mortifying.

Not long after, Gen. Hull was exchanged for thirty British prisoners. Neither the government nor the people were satisfied with his excuses. The affair was solemnly investigated by a court martial. He was charged with treason, cowardice, and unofficer-like conduct. On the first charge, the court declined giving an opinion; on the two last, he was sentenced to death; but was recommended to mercy, in consequence of his revolutionary services, and his advanced age. The sentence was remitted by the presi dent; but his name was ordered to be struck from the rolls of the army.*

Sec. 15. On the 19th of August, three days af ter the unfortunate surrender of Detroit, that series of splendid naval achievements, for which this war was distinguished, was commenced by Capt. Isaac Hull, of the United States' frigate Constitution, who captured the British frigate Guerriere, commanded by Capt. Dacres.

The American frigate was superior in force only by a few guns, but the difference bore no comparison to the disparity of the conflict. The loss of the Constitution was seven killed, and seven wounded, while that on board the Guerriere was fifteen killed, and sixty-three wounded; among the latter was Capt. Dacres. The Constitution sustained so little injury, that she was ready for action the succeeding day; but the British frigate was so much damaged, that she was set on fire and burnt.

Sec. 16. On the 13th of August, another naval victory was achieved-the United States' frigate Essex, Capt. Porter, falling in with and capturing the British sloop of war Alert, after an action of only eight minutes.

This engagement took place off the grand bank of New* Brackenridge's History of the War.

foundland. A single broadside from the American frigate so completely riddled the sloop, that, on striking her colours, although she had but three men wounded, she had seven feet of water in her hold. The frigate suffered not the slightest injury.

Sec. 17. Upon the declaration of war, the attention of the American commander in chief, Gen. Dearborn, was turned towards the invasion of Canada, for which eight or ten thousand men, and considerable military stores, were collected, at different points along the Canada line. Skilful officers of the navy were also dispatched, for the purpose of arming vessels on Lake Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, if possible to gain the ascendancy there, and to aid the operations of the American forces.

The American troops were distributed into three divisions-one under General Harrison, called the North Western army; a second under Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, at Lewistown, called the army of the Centre; and a third under the commander in chief, Gen. Dearborn, in the neighborhood of Plattsburg and Greenbush, called the army of the North.

Sec. 18. Early on the morning of the 13th of October, 1812, a detachment of about one thousand men, from the army of the centre, crossed the river Niagara,, and attacked the British on Queenstown heights. This detachment, under the command of Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, succeeded in dislodging the enemy; but, not being reinforced by the militia from the American side, as was expected, they were ultimately repulsed, and were obliged to surrender. The British general, Brock, was killed during the engagement.

The forces designated to storm the heights, were divided

mto two columns; one of three hundred militia, under Col. Van Rensselaer; the other of three hundred regulars, under Col. Christie. These were to be followed by Col. Fenwick's artillery, and afterwards the residue of the troops.

Much embarrassment was experienced by the boats from the eddies, as well as by the shot of the enemy, in crossing the river. Col. Van Rensselaer leading the van, landed first, with one hundred men. Scarcely had he leaped from the boat, when he received four severe wounds, and, as it was then supposed, mortal.

The command now devolved upon Capt. Wool, the senior officer of the regular troops, who himself also was wounded by a ball, which, striking him sideways, passed through both his thighs. Not entirely disabled, he repaired to Van Rensselaer, and volunteered for any service which might relieve the troops of the latter, whose situation was now extremely critical. Col. Van Rensselaer directed the storming of the British battery, upon the heights. Wool immediately conducted his force silently and circuitously, leaving the battery to his right, until he had passed it, and attained an eminence which commanded it. The British finding that resistance would be in vain, left it to the Americans, and retreated down the heights of Queenstown.

Elated with their success, the Americans had fallen into disorder, when they again beheld their foe advancing. The intrepid Brock was at their head, with a reinforcement of about three hundred men from Fort George. An officer raised a white flag, in token of surrender; Wool indignantly pulled it down. To keep the enemy at bay, until he could form his men, he dispatched a body of sixty men, who advanced, but retreated without firing a gun. The British followed, and drove the Americans to the brink of the precipice. One soldier was about to descend; Wool ordered him to be shot; but as the musket was levelled, he returned. Thus prohibiting either surrender or retreat, and being ably seconded by his officers, Wool rallied, and led on his troops to the attack. The British, in their turn, gave way, and retreated down the hill. Brock attempted to rally them amidst a galling fire from the Americans; but in the attempt, this brave and gallant foe was mortally wounded. His party no longer attempted resistance, but fled in disorder.

Gen. Van Rensselaer now crossed over, for the purpose of fortifying the heights, preparatory to another attack, should the repulsed enemy be reinforced. This duty he assigned to Lieut. Totten, an able engineer.

But the fortune of the day was not yet decided. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy, being reinforced by several hundred Chippewa Indians, rallied, and again advanced, but were a third time repulsed. At this moment, Gen. Van Rensselaer, perceiving the inilitia on the opposite side embarking but slowly, hastily recrossed the river, to accelerate their movements. But what was his chagrin, on reaching the American side, to hear more than twelve hundred of the militia positively refuse to embark. The sight of the engagement had cooled that ardor which, previously to the attack, the commander in chief could scarcely restrain. While their countrymen were nobly struggling to victory, they could remain idle spectators of the scene. All that a brave, resolute, and benevolent commander could do, Gen. Van Rensselaer did he urged, entreated, commanded, bu it was all in vain. Eight hundred British soldiers, from Fort George, now hove in sight, and pressed on to renew the attack. The Americans, for a time, continued to struggle against this force, but were finally obliged to surrender themselves prisoners of war.

The number of American troops killed amounted to about sixty, and about one hundred were wounded. Those that surrendered themselves prisoners of war, including the wounded, were about seven hundred. The loss of the British is unknown, but it must have been severe.

Although the issue of this battle was unfortunate, seldom has American valor shone more conspicuously, or a victory been relinquished with more reluctance. Had but a small part of the idle men" passed over at the critical moment, when urged by their brave commander, revolutionary history can tell of few nobler achievements than this would have beer..

Sec. 19. On the 17th of October, another naval victory was achieved over an enemy decidedly superior in force, and under circumstances the most favorable to him. This was the capture of the brig Frolic, of twenty-two guns, by the sloop of war Wasp.

Captain Jones had returned from France two weeks after the declaration of war, and on the 13th of October, again put to sea. On the 17th, he fell in with six merchant ships, under convoy of a brig, and two ships, armed with sixteen guns each The brig, which proved to be the Frolic,