PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

105

In the meantime, after a recess of only four months, Congress had again assembled at Washington, on the 2d of November. The President, in his message, frankly stated the defeats experienced on the Canada frontier, complaining bitterly of the refusal of the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut to call out their contingent of militia. This resulted from an unfortunate misconstruction of the constitution, by which the governors of those states denied the authority of the President to determine when it was necessary to call out the militia, as well as his power to appoint officers over them. The relations of the republic with the continental powers of Europe, were stated to bear, in general, a favourable aspect. He noticed with just pride the victories of American vessels, and Congress was requested to increase the navy. He recommended in a pointed manner, the propriety of increasing the inducements to enlist in the regular army and concluded with an expression of confidence in the final success and prosperity of the republic, arising from what was considered the flattering state of the pecuniary resources, and from the spirit and strength of the nation.

The government of Great Britain had offered an armistice, grounded on the repeal of the orders in council: but the President had demanded, by way of preliminary towards the conclusion of the war, some effectual provisions against the impressment of American seamen. Congress now passed resolutions approving his conduct in this affair. The impressment of American seamen being considered a principal cause of the war, hostilities, it was held, ought to be prosecuted until that cause was removed. The United States could never acquiesce in a continuance of the practice; and the omission. to notice it in a treaty of peace, would be, in effect, a virtual relinquishment of their opposition to it. Great inducements were now offered to enlist, and the President was authorized to raise twenty additional regiments of infantry, and ten companies of rangers, the latter expressly for the protection of the frontiers. A bill was also passed, authorizing the construction of four seventy-four-gun ships, six frigates of forty-four guns,

106

MR. MADISON RE-ELECTED.

and six sloops-of-war. An appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars was made, for the purpose of establishing a dockyard for the repair of vessels of war. In order to defray the expenses of the war for the coming year, two bills were passed; the first authorizing a loan of sixteen millions of dollars, and the other giving the president power to issue treasury notes to an amount not exceeding five millions of dollars. The presidential election which took place in the autumn of this year, resulted in the re-election of James Madison as President, to his second term of office, and of Elbridge Gerry, as Vice President, succeeding Mr. Clinton, for the term of four years, from the fourth day of March, 1813.

HE services required by the administration to be performed on the north-western frontier, were of the most arduous and extensive kind. With the scattered and irregular force of which the army of

General Harrison was chiefly composed, to carry on offensive operations, through a swampy and intricate wilderness, was a task which, even at the most favourable season, would require all his varied talents to execute. When the duty of attempting the recapture of Detroit was devolved upon him, the autumn had already commenced, and the difficulties and impediments in his way were almost innumerable. The Michigan Territory, it appears, afforded no suitable supplies. The article of forage must have been brought from the State of Ohio; and General Harrison, in one of his letters to the administration at Washington, declares that "to get supplies forward, through a swampy wilderness of near two hundred miles, in wagons or on packhorses, which are also to carry their own provisions, is absolutely impossible." In addition to these impediments to an active prosecution of the war, the sufferings experienced by

108

HARRISON'S MOVEMENTS.

the troops, during the inclement season, were of the most painful nature. Many of the militia were without a covering to their feet; and a fine body of regulars, of the 17th and 19th regiments, were nearly destroyed for want of clothing.

The plan laid down by General Harrison for the ensuing campaign was similar to the one heretofore adopted. To occupy the Rapids of the Miami; to collect provisions there; to move from thence with a select detachment, and, making a feint upon Detroit, to pass the strait upon the ice and invest Malden. The force he proposed to assemble at the Rapids was between four and five thousand men. This body was to proceed in three divisions from Fort Defiance, Fort M'Arthur, and Upper Sandusky. To the latter place General Harrison proceeded soon after the 8th of January, where he found the Virginia and Pennsylvania brigades, making his effective force at that place about fifteen hundred men; and a large quantity of artillery, with the necessary munitions of war, arriving soon after, he despatched orders to General Winchester, at Fort Defiance, to advance to the Rapids, as soon as he had accumulated provisions for twenty days. He was directed to commence there the building of hụts, with a view of inducing the enemy to believe he was going into winter-quarters; and to construct sleds for the expedition against Malden.

Having received a supply of provisions and clothing, and provided for the sick, General Winchester commenced his march, in conformity with his directions, on the 30th of December, and arrived at the Rapids, on the 10th of January, where he immediately formed a fortified camp, on an eminence surrounded by prairies. On the 17th, Colonels Lewis and Allen were detached, with six hundred and fifty men, to the river Raisin; and on the march, hearing that there was a strong body of British and Indians at Frenchtown, on that river, Colonel Lewis determined to gain possession of the place. When he had approached within a few miles of the town, he learned that the enemy were ready to receive him. A general charge was immediately made, which resulted in the repulse and retreat of the enemy. Colonel Lewis resolved on

BATTLE OF FRENCHTOWN.

109

holding the place; and immediately sent off despatches to Generals Harrison and Winchester.

On the night of the 20th, General Winchester arrived at Frenchtown, with about two hundred and fifty men, and encamped in an open lot, on the right of Colonel Lewis's detachment, which was protected in its encampment by some close garden pickets. Here they remained all the next day and night, in seeming security; but soon after daylight, on the 22d, they were surprised by a party of British and Indians, who opened a heavy fire from their artillery, at the distance of three hundred yards. The American troops were immediately formed, and received a charge from the British regulars, and a general fire of musketry. The detachment under Colonel Lewis, being defended by pickets, soon repulsed the enemy; but the reinforcement which had arrived with General Winchester was overpowered; and not being able to rally behind a fence, as directed by the General, were thrown into complete confusion, and retreated in disorder across the river. All attempts to rally this unfortunate body, although made in several places by General Winchester, and Colonels Lewis and Allen, proved vain. They endeavoured, as the Indians had gained their left flank and rear, to make their escape through a long lane, on both sides of which the savages were stationed, by whom they were shot down in every direction. Their officers also, carried in this general tide of flight, attempted to escape, only, in most instances, to be massacred. Colonel Allen, and Captains Simpson and Mead, were killed on the field, or in the flight; and General Winchester, with Colonel Lewis, was captured a short distance from the village. The troops of the left wing, however, stationed behind the picketing, maintained their post with undaunted valour, when General Winchester capitulated for them; Colonel Proctor, the British commander, promising that they should be protected from the fury of the savages, and that he would remove the wounded, the next day, to Amherstburg. About twelve o'clock, he marched with his prisoners for Malden, leaving Major Reynolds, with a few soldiers, in charge of the wounded