as did also Judge Peck, who happened to be here, exhorting the companies to proceed-but all in vain..

Finding to my infinite mortification, that no reinforcement would pass over; seeing that another severe conflict must soon commence; and knowing that the brave men at the heights, were quite exhausted, and nearly out of ammunition; all I could do, was to send them a fresh supply of cartridges. At this critical moment, I despatched a note to General Wadsworth acquainting him with our situation: leaving the course to be pursued much to his own judgment, with assurance that if he thought best to retreat, I would endeavour to send as many boats as I could command, and cover his retreat by every fire I could safely make. But the boats were dispersed; many of the boatmen had fled, panic struck; and but few got off. My note, however, could but little more than have reached General Wadsworth about 4 o'clock, when a most severe and obstinate conflict commenced, and continued about half an hour, with a tremendous fire of cannon, flying artillery and musketry. The enemy succeeded in re-possessing their battery, and gaining advantage on every side; the brave men who had gained the victory, exhausted of strength and ammunition, and grieved at the unpardonable neglect of their fellow soldiers, gave up the conflict.

I can only add that the victory was really won; but lost, for the want of a small reinforcement; one-third part of the idle men might have saved all.

James Wilkinson, Memoirs, (Philadelphia, 1816), I. Appendix a-h passim.

7. The Capture of the Guerriere
(1812)

ANONYMOUS

The capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution was one of the most famous naval victories in American history.

LONG, the tyrant of our coast,

Reigned the famous Guerriere:

Our little navy she defied,

Public ship and privateer;

On her sails, in letters red,
To our captains were displayed
Words of warning, words of dread,
"All who meet me, have a care!
I am England's Guerriere."

On the wide Atlantic deep

(Not her equal for the fight)
The Constitution, on her way,
Chanced to meet these men of might:

On her sails was nothing said:
But her waist the teeth displayed

That a deal of blood could shed, Which, if she would venture near, Would stain the decks of the Guerriere.

Now our gallant ship they met,

And, to struggle with John Bull,
Who had come they little thought,
Strangers, yet, to Isaac Hull.
Better, soon, to be acquainted,
Isaac hailed the Lord's anointed,
While the crew the cannon pointed,
And the balls were so directed
With a blaze so unexpected,-

Isaac did so maul and rake here,
That the decks of Captain Dacres
Were in such a woful pickle,

As if death, with scythe and sickle,
With his sling or with his shaft
Had cut his harvest fore and aft.
Thus, in thirty minutes, ended

Mischiefs that could not be mended:
Masts, and yards, and ship descended,
All to David Jones's locker-
Such a ship in such a pucker!

Drink about to the Constitution!
She performed some execution,
Did some share of retribution

For the insults of the year,
When she took the Guerriere.

May success again await her,
Let who will again command her,
Bainbridge, Rodgers, or Decatur:
Nothing like her can withstand her
With a crew like that on board her
Who so boldly called "to order"
One bold crew of English sailors,
Long, too long, our seamen's jailers-
Dacres and the Guerriere!

Stedman and Hutchinson, Library of American Literature (N. Y., Webster, 1888), V. 105-106.

8. English Respect for American
Seamanship (1812)

By LONDON STATESMAN (ANONYMOUS)

This piece makes clear the wholesome effect of the naval victories of the War of 1812.

IT has been stated, that in a war with this country, America has nothing to gain. In opposition to this assertion it may be said, with equal truth, that in a war with America, England has nothing to gain, but much to lose. Let us examine the relative situation of the two countries. America cannot certainly pretend to wage a maritime war with us. She has no navy to do it with. But America has nearly 100,000 as good seamen as any in the world, all of whom would

be actively employed against our trade on every part of the ocean in their fast-sailing ships-ofwar, many of which will be able to cope with our small cruisers; and they will be found to be sweeping the West India seas, and even carrying desolation into the chops of the channel. Every one must recollect what they did in the latter part of the American war. The books at Lloyd's will recount it; and the rate of assurances at that time will clearly prove what their diminutive strength was able to effect in the face of our navy, and that, when nearly one hundred pendants were flying on their coast. Were we then able to prevent their going in and out, or stop them from taking our trade and our storeships, even in sight of our garrisons? Besides, were they not in the English and Irish channels, picking up our homeward bound trade, sending their prizes into French and Spanish ports, to the great terror and annoyance of our merchants and ship owners?

These are facts which can be traced to a period when America was in her infancy, without ships, without seamen, without money, and at a time when our navy was not much less in strength than at present. The Americans will be found to be a different sort of enemy by sea than the French. They possess nautical knowledge, with equal enterprise to ourselves. They will be found attempting deeds which a Frenchman