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cable, and ran down on both ships, with the intention of lay. ing the Phoebe on board. For a short time, he was enabled to close with the enemy, and the firing was tremendous; the decks of the Essex were strewed with dead, and her cockpit filled with the wounded; she had been several times on fire, and was, in fact, a perfect wreck. At this moment, a feeble hope arose, that she might still be saved, in conse quence of the Cherub being compelled to haul off on account of her crippled state; she, however, kept up her fire at a distance, with her long guns. The Essex was unable, however, to take advantage of the circumstance, as the Phœbe edged off, and also kept up, at a distance, a destructive fire; the former being totally bereft of her sails, could not bring her to close quarters.

"Commodore Porter finding the greater part of his crew disabled, at last gave up all hope, and attempted to run his vessel on shore, the wind at that moment favouring his design; but it suddenly changed, drove her close upon the Phoebe, exposing her to a raking fire. The ship was totally unmanageable, but as she drifted with her head to the enemy, Commodore Porter again seized a faint hope of being able to board. At this moment, Lieutenant Downes came on board, to receive orders, expecting that his commander would soon be a prisoner. His services could be of no avail in the present deplorable state of the Essex, and finding from the enemy's putting up his helm, that the last attempt at boarding would not succeed, Downes was directed to repair to his ship, to be prepared for defending and destroying her, in case of attack.

"The slaughter on board the Essex now became horrible, the enemy continuing to rake her while she was unable to bring a single gun to bear. Still her commander refused to yield while a ray of hope appeared. Every expedient that a fertile and inventive genius could suggest, was resorted to, in the forlorn hope, that he might be able, by some lucky chance, to escape from the grasp of the foe. A hawser was bent to the sheet anchor, and the anchor cut from the bows, to bring the ship's head around. This succeeded; the broadside of the Essex was again brought to bear; and as the enemy was much crippled, and unable to hold his own, the commodore thought she might drift out of gnnshot, before he discovered that the Essex had anchored; but, alas! this last expedient failed; the hawser parted, and with it went the last lingering hope of the Essex.

"At this moment her situation was awful beyond descrip

tion. She was on fire both before and aft, the flames were bursting up her hatchway, a quantity of powder exploded below, and word was given that the fire was near her magazine. Thus surrounded by horrors, without any chance of saving his ship, he turned his attention to the saving as many of his gallant companions as he could; the distance to the shore not exceeding three quarters of a mile, he hoped that many of them would save themselves before the ship blew up. His boats being cut up, they could only hope to escape by swimming; by some, this was effected; but the greater part of his generous crew resolved to stay by the ship, and share the fate of their commander.

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They now labored to extinguish the flames, and succeeded; after this, they again repaired to their guns, but their strength had been so much exhausted, that this effort was in vain. Commodore Porter summoned a consultation of the officers of the divisions, when, to his astonishment, only one acting lieutenant, Stephen Decatur M Night, appeared. The accounts from every part of the ship were deplorable indeed; she was in imminent danger of sinking, and so crowded with the wounded, that even her birthdeck could hold no more, and several were killed under the surgeon's hands. In the mean time, the enemy, at a secure distance, continued his fire; the water having become smooth, he struck the hull of the Essex at every shot. At last, despairing of saving his ship, the commodore was compelled, at twenty minutes past six, to give the painful orders to strike the colors. The enemy, probably not seeing that this had taken place, continued to fire for ten minutes after, and Porter was about to give orders that the colors should again be hoisted, under a belief that the enemy intended to give no quarters, when the firing ceased. The loss on board the Essex was fifty-eight killed, thirty-nine wounded severely, twenty-seven slightly, and thirty-one missing. The loss on board the British vessels was five killed, and ten wounded; but they were both much cut up in their hulls and rigging; the Phoebe could scarcely be kept afloat, until she anchored in the port of Valparaiso next morning.

"Commodore Porter was paroled, and permitted to return to the United States in the Essex Junior, which was converted into a cartel for the purpose. On arriving off the port of New-York, the vessel was detained by the Saturn razee, and, to the disgrace of the British navy, already dishonored by the base attack upon this gallant officer, he was compelled to give up his parole, and declare himself a prisoner of war;

and, as such, he informed the British officer, that he would attempt his escape. In consequence of this threat, the Essex Junior was ordered to remain under the lee of the Saturn; but the next morning, Commodore Porter put off in his boat, though thirty miles from shore, and notwithstanding the pursuit by those of the Saturn, arrived safely in New-York."*

Sec. 42. Two naval engagements took place about this time, both of which resulted in favor of the American flag. The first of these was between the United States' sloop of war Peacock, and the British brig Epervier, April 29th; and the second, June 28th, between the sloop Wasp, which, after capturing seven merchantmen, fell in with and captured the English brig Reindeer.

The action between the first two mentioned vessels lasted but forty-five minutes. During its continuance, the Epervier had eight men killed, and fifteen wounded. The Peacock escaped with but a single man killed, and with only. two wounded. This engagement took place in lat. 27° 47′ north, and long. 30° 9'.

The action between the Wasp and Reindeer was but eighteen minutes; yet the destruction of life was much greater. The latter vessel lost her commander, Captain Manners, and twenty-seven men killed, and forty-two wounded. Twice the British attempted to board the Wasp, but were as often repulsed. At length, the American tars boarded the Reindeer, and tore down her colors. The loss of the latter, in killed and wounded, was twenty-six. Their prize was so much injured, that, on the following day, she was burned.

Sec. 43. Gen. Wilkinson continued encamped with his army at French Mills, whither he had retired in November, 1813, until February, 1814, when, by order of the secretary of war, he detached 2000 troops, under Gen. Brown, to protect the Niagara frontier; soon after which, destroying his barracks, he retired with the residue of his forces to Plattsburg.

* Brackenridge.

The British, apprised of this movement, detached a large force, under Col. Scott, which destroyed the public stores, with the arsenal of the Americans, at Malone, which had belonged to the cantonment of French Mills; but, on hearing of the approach of a large American force, they hastily retreated.

Sec. 44. The movements of Gen. Wilkinson indicating a disposition to attempt the invasion of Canada, a detachment of 2000 British, under Major Hancock, was ordered to take post, and fortify themselves at La Colle Mill, near the river Sorel, to defeat the above object. With a view of dislodging this party, Wilkinson, at the head of 4000 men, crossed the Canada lines, on the 30th of March. On the following day, he commenced a cannonade upon the works of the enemy; but finding it impracticable to make an impression on this strong building, he retired with his forces, having lost in the affray upwards of one hundred and forty in killed and wounded.

The unfortunate issue of this movement, and the equally unfortunate termination of the last campaign, brought Gen. Wilkinson into such discredit with the American public, that, yielding to the general opinion, the administration suspended him from the command, in which he was succeeded by Gen. Izard. At a subsequent day, Wilkinson was tried before a court martial at Troy, by which he was acquitted, but not without hesitation.

Sec. 45. For three months following the above movement, the armies of both nations continued. inactive. On the part of the British, the war seemed to languish, the nation at home being occupied with events which were transpiring in Europe of a most extraordinary character. But when, at length, the emperor of France had ab- 1 dicated his empire, and Louis XVIII. was seated upon his legitimate throne, England was at liber

ty to direct against America the immense force which she had employed in her continental wars. Accordingly, at this time, the British forces were augmented by 14,000 veteran troops, which had fought under Wellington; and, at the same time, a strong naval force was dispatched to blockade the American coast, and ravage our maritime towns.

Sec. 46. It has been already noticed, that Gen. Brown was detached by Wilkinson, with 2000 troops, from French Mills, (Sec. 43,) to proceed to the Niagara frontier. For a time, he stopped at Sacket's Harbor; but, at length, proceeded with his army to Buffalo. By the addition of Towson's artillery, and a corps of volunteers, his force was augmented to 3500 effective men.

On the 2d and 3d of July, he crossed the river Niagara, and took possession of the British Fort Erie, which surrendered without resistance. At a few miles distant, in a strong position, at Chippewa, was intrenched an equal number of British troops, under command of General Riall. On the 4th, Gen. Brown approached these works. On the following day, the two armies met, in the open field. The contest was obstinate and bloody; but, at length, the Americans proved victorious, while the British retired with the loss of 514 men.

328.

The loss of the Americans was

Sec. 47. Immediately after this defeat, General Riall retired to Burlington Heights. Here, Lieut. General Drummond, with a large force, joined him, and, assuming the command, led back the army towards the American camp. On the 25th, the two armies met at Bridgewater, near the cataract of Niagara, and a most desperate en

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