Class E/7r9 M87! Book Gopyri^ht N". COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT M^' / '■?7^^r<^-£. u 4' HoMR School im niSLorv CVIBKACIXG THE GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENTS 01' OUR COUNTRY FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS OP DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT TO THE URESENT EVENTFUL YEAR SHOWING now fUOM THIHTEEX COLONIES WITH A SCATTERED rOFCLATION AlOXC THE ATLANTIC COAST A GREAT HEfLDLIC HAS 15KEN FORMED. EMBRACING FORTY-FIVE STATES WITH 75.000.000 INHABITANTS AND VAST COLONIAL POSSESSIONS IN TWO HEMISFHERES Bv CHAKLES iMORRIS, LL. D. Author of "Decisive Events in American History," "Half Hours with the Best American Authors.' ' An Historical Review of Civilization." Etc.. Etc. Embellished With Over IMJO New Eiujniviiuis ILLUSTRATING ALL THAT IS INTERESTING AND INSPIRING IN OIR HISTORY C. F. BEEZLEY & CO. CHICAGO, ILL. 4105;^ Library or Conurava ■"wo Confs RfciivEO AUG 31 1900 CofyrifM Mry S£C('ND COfV. OROCd (XVISION, SEP 6 1900 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1899, ^^ W. E. SCULL,. in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. t^M"=f='11^lA- T 74273 ■*> "^i oggpopggg o ooo PUBLISHERS' INTRODUCTION. The late war with Spain murks a iiKiinciifoiis cihicIi in the progress of our country, whose history, stretcliing through tlie centuries of discovery, explora- tion, settlement, the struggle tor independence, foreign and domestic war, lofty achievement in all departments of knowledge and progress, is the most interest- ing in human annals. It is a record full of instruction and incitement to endeavor, which must fill every Amei'ican with pi'ide in his l)irllirighf, and with gratitmli' to Him wlio holds the earth and llie sea in the liollow of J lis hand. The following j)ages contain a com|)lete, accurate, and griipliic history of onr conntry from the first visit of the Northmen, a thousand ycnrs ago, to the ojien- ing of its new destiny, through the late strnggh', resulting in the ficeing of Cuh.i, the wresting of the Philippines, Porto Kico, and the I/idrones from the tyranny of the most cruel of modern nations, and the addition of Hawaii to our domain. The Greater United States, at one hound, assumes its jdace in the van of nations, and hecomes the foremost agent in civilizing and christianizing the world. The task, long committed to England, Germany, France, Russia, and later to Japan, must henceforth he shared with us, whose glowing future gives promise of the crowning achievement of the ages. With a fervent trust in a guiding Providence, and an ahiiling confidence in our ahility, we enter upon the new (•5) 6 FUJJLISHERS" INTRODUCTION. and grander career, as in obedience to the divine beliest tluit the Latin race must decrease and the Anglo-Saxon increase, and that the latter, in a luiinan sense, nnist be the regenerator of all who are groping in the night ol" ignorance and barbarism. It is a wonderful story tliat is traced in the pnges that follow. A compre- hension of the present and of the promise of the_ future necessitates an under- standing of the ]»ist. The history of the Greater United States, therefore, is complete, from the first glimpse, in the early morning of October V2, 141(2, of San Salvador by Cohuubus, through the settlement of the colonies, their sti-uggles for existence, the colonial wars, the supreme contest between England and France for miistei'y in the New World, the long gloom of the Eevolution that brought inde]iendence, the founding of tlie Rejmblic, in 1787, the growth and expansion of the nation, the mighty War for the Union tliat united the divided house and j)lanted it upon a rock, and the later "war for humanity," when the perishing islands, stretching their hands to us in helpless anguish, were gathered under the flag of freedom, there to remain througli all time to come. There have been many leaders in this great work. Not the story of the deeds alone, but of those who performed them is told. History, biography, and all that is interesting and jirofitable to know are here truthfully set forth, for their lesson is one whose value is bej'ond measurement. In addition to the history of that which was simply the United States, a complete account is given of our new colonial possessions, Hawaii, Porto Kico, the Philippines, tlie Ladrones, and of C'uba, the child of our adoption. Their geogi'a])hy, their soil, climate, productions, inhabitants, and capabilities are set forth with fullness and accuracy. In conclusion, the publishers confidently claim that "The Greater Ixepub- lic " is i the fullest, most interesting, reliable, and instructive work of the kind ever offered the public. '*l AM READY FOR ANY SERVICE THAT I CAN GIVE MY COUNTRY" 1p i7ij8 our Government was about to declare war against France. Congress appointed Washington commaiuler-in-chie( u( the American Army. The Secretary of War carried the commission in person to Mt. Vernon, 1 he old hero, silting on his horse in the harvest field, at tepted in the above patriotic words TABLE OF CONTENTS CIIAETER I. DISCOVKRY AND K>CRT^ORAXION. The Visits .,f lli(> Northmen to the New World— Tlie Tn»/t:/(. AV/e Embargo and the N„n-lutercou,-.c Acts-I^ival of the Latter Against En,^ land-The LMe Belt -.md the /W./--.<-l'opalatK,n oi the Un .ted btates ,n IM)- Battle ot Tippecanoe-Declaration of War A«ai„st En.land-ComparaUve Strength ot the iwo NaUons on the Ocean-Unpopularity of the War in New England-Preparat.ons Made by the Uovern- ment-Cowardly Surrender of l>etroit-l>re«idential EleeUon of lS12-Adm^s>on of Lou,«,ana and Indiana-New National Ba.,k Chartered-Seeond Attempt to Inva^le Canada-Batt e ot Oueenstown Hei,hts-Ineffieienoy of the Ameriean Forees in 181 2-Bnlhant Work of the t^yXe Co,M;on and the tf^n-n'^.e-The W..p and the Frohc^^he Un,teJ St.tes.,^ the Macedonian-n,e Constitution and the ./«.a-Reorganizat.on and Strengthening of the Army-Operations in the West-Gallant Defe,.se of Fort Stephenson-AmerK=an Inva^on o Ohio and Victory of the Thames-Indian Massacre at Fort Mimms-tVture ot \ork (foronto) -Defeat of the Enemy at Sackett's Harbor-Failure of the American Invasion of <- ana. a- ho EornH and P.^cm-A-Capture of the Chesapealcc-- \)ont Give Up the Ship -Captain Deeatur Blockaded at New London-Capture of the Arg.s by the Enemy-Crnise of the &ex -The Glorious Victory of Commodore I'erry on Lake Erie-Suecess of the Anierican Arms in Canada-Battle of the Chippewa-Of Lundy's Lane-Dec.sive Defeat of the Enemy s Attack on Plattsburg-l'unishment of the Creek Indians for the Massacre at I'ort M.mms- Vigorous Action by the National Government-Burning of Washington by the British- ^^^ The Hartford Convention CHAPTER X. ADMINISTRATIONS OF JAMES MONROE AND JOHN QUINCY ADAM:S, 1817-1829. James Monroe-The "Era of Good Feeling "-The Seminole War-Vigorous Measures of General Jackson-Admission of Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, and Missouri-rhe Missouri Compromise-The Monroe Doctrine-Visit of Lafayette-Introduction of the Use of Gas-Completion of the Erie Canal-The First " Hard Times'-Extinct.on of the West Indian Pirates-Presidential Election of 1824-John Quincy Adams-Prosperity of the Country-In- troduction of the Railway Locomotive-Trouble witli the Cherokee^ in Georgui-Deatn ot Adams and Jefferson-Congressional Action on the Tariff-Presidential Election of lf>28 . . J)5 CHAPTER XL ADMINISTRATIONS OP- JACKSON, VAN BUREN, W. H. HARRISON, AND TYLER, 1829-1845. Andrew Jackson-" To the Victors Belong the Spoils "-The President's Fight with the Unit..! States Bank-Presidential Election of lS28-Distribution of the Surplus m the United btates Treasury Among the Various Statcs-The Black Hawk War-The Nullification Exc.tement- The Seminole War- Introduction of the Steam Locomotive-Anthracite Coal, McCormick s Reaper, and Friction Matches-Great Fire in New York-Population of the United States in 1830-Admission of Arkansas and Michigan-Abolitionism-France and Portugal Compelled to Pay their Debts to the United States-Thc Specie Circular, John Caldwell Camoun Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster-Presidential Election of 1836-Martin Van Buren-The 1 an.c ot 1 837-llebellion in Canada-Population of the United States in 1840-Presidential Election of 1 840 -William Henry Harrison-His Death-John Tyler-His Unpopular Course-1 he ^A ebstor- Ashburton Treaty-Civil War in Rhode ^sland-The Anti-rent War in New \ ork-A Shock- 10 CONTENTS. ing Accident — Admission of Florida — Revolt of Texas Against Mexican Rule ■ San Jacinto — Tiie Question of the Amicxation of Texas — The State Admitted — Tiie Coi)iK'r Mines of Mieiiigan — Presidential Klectioii of 1S44 — Tiie Electro-magnetic Telegraph — Professor Morse — His 1/abors in Bringing the Invention to Perfection :jl5 CHAPTER XII. FAMOUS PKKSIOKN'i lAL CANII^AIGNS F'RKVIOUS IX) 1840. The Origin of the " Caucus"' — The Election of 17',t2 — The First Stormy Eleition — The Constitution Amended — Improvement of the Method of Nominating Presidential Candidates — The F"irst Presidential Conveniion — Convention in Haltimore in 1S32 — Exciting Scenes — The Presidential Campaign of 1S2U — "Old Hickory" — Andrew Jackson's Popularity — Jackson Nominated — "Old Hickory" Defeated — 'file " Log Cabin " and " Hard-Cider" Campaign of 1S40 — " Tippe- canoe and Tyler Too " — Peculiar Feature of the Harrison Campaign ...... 239 CHAPTER XIII. AOMINISTKATION OF FOT^Iv. 1S45-1849. James K. Polk — Thc.War with Mexico — The First Conflict — Battle ofResaca de la Palina — Vigorous Action of the United States Government — General Scott's Plan of Campaign — Capture of Monterey — An Armistice — Capture of Saltillo — Of Victoria — Of Tampico — (Jeneral Kearny's Capture of Santa Fo — Conquest of California — Wonderful March of Colonel Donijihan — Battle of Buena Vista — Gener.al Scott's March Toward the City of Mexico — Capture of Vera Cruz — American Victory at Ccrro Gordo — Five American Victories in One Day — Santa Anna — Con- quest of Mexico Completed— Terms of the Treaty of Peace— The New Territory Gained — The Slavery Dispute — 'fhe Wilinot Proviso — "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight" — Adjustment of the Oregon Boundary — Admission of Iowa and Wisconsin — The Smithsonian Institute — Discovery of Gold in California — The Mormons — The I'residential Election of 1848 ..... 251 CHAPTER XIV. ADPvlINISTRATIONS OK TAYLOR, KILIvMORE, PIHRCK, ANO BUCHANAN, 1849-1857. Zachary Taylor — The "Irrepressible Conflict" in Congress — ^Thc Omnibus Bill — Death of President Taylor— Millard Fillmore— Death of the Old Leaders and Debut of the New— The Census of 1850 — Surveys for a Railway to the Pacific — Presidential Election of 1S52 — Franklin I'ierce— Death of Vice-President King — A Comnierical Treaty Made with Japan — Filibustering Ex- peditions — The Ostend Manifesto — The "Know Nothing" T'arty — The Kansas-Nebraska Bill and Repeal of the Missouri Compromise ... ....... 2ri9 CHAPTER XV. ADNIINISXRATION OK LINCOLN, 1861-1865 THE WAR KOR THE UNION, 1861. Abraham Lincoln — Major Anderson's Trying Position — Jefferson Davis — Inauguration of Presi- dent Lincoln — Bombardment of Fort Sumter — War Preparations North and South — Attack on Union Troops in Baltimore — Situation of the Border States — Unfriendliness of England and France — Friend.ship of Russia — The States that Composed the Southern Confederacy — Union Disaster at Big Bethel — Success of the Union Campaign in Western Virginia — General (Jeorge CONTENTS. 11 PAGE B. McC'lcllaii— First Buttle of Bull Run— General McCleilan Called to the Cominaiid of the Armj' of the IVtomae — Union J»isaster at IJall's Bluff — Military Oi)eratioiis in Missouri — Battle of Wilson's Creek — Defeat of Colonel Mulligan at Lexington, Wo. — Supersedure of Fremont — Operations on the Coast — The Trent Affair — Summary of the Year's Operations . . . 285 CHAPTER XVI. ADMINISTRATION OK LINCOLN (CONTINUKD), liSGl-1865. WAR KOR THE UNION (CONTINUED), 1862. Capture of Forts Henry and Donclson — Change in the Confederate Bine of Defense — Capture of Island No. 1(1 — Battle of Pittsburg Landing or Shiloh — Capture of Corinth — Narrow Escape of Louisville — Battle of I'erryville — Battle of Murfreesboro' or Stone River — Battle of Pea Ridge — Naval Battle Between the Monitor and Mtirlmac — Fate of the Two Vessels — Capture of New Orleans — The Advance Against Ricliniund — McClellan's Peninsula Campaign — The First Con- federate Iimnsion of the North — Jloltle of Antieliim or ShorpsliKru — I)ishone — Railway Strikes — Elevated Railroads — War with the Nez Perce Indians — Remonetization of Silver — Resumiition of Specie Payments — A Strange Fishery Award — The Yellow Fever Scourge — Presidential F;lection of 1S7S — James A. Garfield — Civil Service Reform — Assassination of President Garfield — Chester A. Arthur — The Star Route Frauds — The Brooklyn Bridge — ^The Ciiinese Question — The Mormons — Alaska Exploration — The York- town Centennial — Attempts to Reach the North Polo by Americans — History of the Oreely Ex- pedition 427 CHAPTER XXI. ADMINISTRATION OK CLEVELAND (KIRST) AND OK HARRISON, 1885-1803. Grover Cleveland — Completion of the Washington Monument — The Bartholdi Statue — Death of General Grant—Death of Vice-President Hendricks — The First Vice-President to Die in Office — George Clinton — Elbridge Gerry — William R. King — Henry Wilson — Death of General McClellan — Of General Hancock — His Career — The Dispute Between Capital and Labor — Arbitration^The Anarchistic Outbreak in Chicago — The Charleston Earthquake^Conqucst of the Apaches — Presidential Election of 1RS8 — Benjamin Harrison — The Johnstown Disaster — Threatened War with Chili — The Indian Uprising of 1S9U-91 — Admission of New States — Presidential Election of 1892 459 CONTENTS. 13 CHAPTER XXII. ADIVIINISTRATION OP" CLKVKLAND (SECOND), 1S03-1.S07. TACE Repeal of the Purchase Clause of the Sherman Bill — The World's (Johiiiibian Kxpositiun at Ciiica.^o - — Tlie Hawaiian Imbroglio — The Great Railroad Strike of 1S'J4 — Coxey's Commonweal Army — Admission of Utah — Harnessing of Niagara — Dispute with England Over Venezuela's Bound- ary—Presidential Eleetion of IS'.IC) 487 CHAPTER XXIII. ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND (SECOND, CONCLUDED), l.^yy-l«!)7. Settling tlie Northwest — The Face of the Country Transformed— Clearing Away the Forests and its Effects — Tree-planting on the Prairies — Pioneer Life in tiie Seventies — -The Granary of the World — The Northwestern Fanner — Transportation atid Other Industries — Business Cities and Centres — United Public Action and its Influence — Tiie Indian Question — Other Elements of Population — Society and General Culture 511 CHAPTER XXIV. ADMINISTRATION OE N4oKINLEY, 1S97-1001. William McKiidey — Organization of "Greater New York" — Removal of (ieneral Grant's Remains to Morningside Park — The Klondike Golil Excitement — Spain's Misrule in Cuba — Pieliminary. Events of the Spanish-American War 527 CHAPTER XXV. ADMINISTRATION OE MoKINLEY (CONTINUED), 18t)7-lU01. THE SEANISH-AMEKICAN WAR. Opening Incidents— Bombardment of Matanz.as- Dewey's Wonderful Victory at Manila- Disaster to the It //(.s7isli, F^aiiy l>ays in New Fngland, .... Places of Worship in New York in 1742, Attack on Rioters, Springfield, Ma.ss., in 17^0 Young Washington Riding a Colt, Rraddock's Defeat, Martello Tower on the Heights of Abraham, A Dutch Ilousehcild as Seen in the F]arly Days in New York, Memorial Hall, Harvard College, . . . . Bible Brought Over in the M 127 129 134 137 143 147 149 l.'')2 153 154 155 157 159 16 LIST OF ILLUSTRATTONS. PAGE Franklin's Grave, 160 Chief Justice John Jay, 168 Washington's ]?edrooui in which lie Died, . 165 Mother of Washington Kecoiving Lafayette, 166 John Adams, 168 The Cotton Gin, Invented in 1793, . . . 169 Thomas Jefferson, . 171 Development of Steam Navigation, . . . 177 Robert Fulton, 178 James Madison, 182 The Arts of Peace and the Art of War, . 187 Mrs. James Madison, 191 Burning of Washington, 197 Weathersford and General Jackson, . . . 201 First Train of Cars in America, .... 205 James Monroe 205 An Indian's Declaration of War, .... 207 John Quincy Adams, 21 1 "Johnny Bull," or No, 1, 213 Andrew Jackson 216 Samuel Houston, 218 Oseola's Indignation, 221 Western Railroad in Earlier Days, . . . 222 John C. Calhoun, 223 Henry Clay, 224 Daniel Webster, 225 Martin Van Buren, 227 William Henry Harrison, 239 John Tyler, 231 Where the First Morse Instrument was Ccm- structed, 235 Speedwell Iron Works, Morristown, N. J., . 236 Old Gates at St. Augustine, IHorida, . . . 239 A Typical Virginia Court-IIouse, .... 241 The White House at Washington, D. C, . 243 Old Spanish House, New (Jrleans, . . . 247 The Marigny House, New Orleans, . . . 248 James K. Polk, 251 Robert Vj. liCe in the Mexican War, . . , 253 General Winfield Scott, 257 Battle of Cerro (uirdo, 259 The Smithsonian Institute, 263 Gold Washing— The Sluice 264 Gold Wa.sbing— The Cradle, 265 Great Salt Lake City, Utah 267 Zacliary Taylor, 269 Millard Fillmore 271 PAGE Franklin Pierce, 273 Lucretia Mott, 275 Henry Ward Beecher, 276 James Buchanan, 278 Lucretia Mott Protecting DangerflelJ, . . 279 Harper's Ferry, 281 Abraham Lincoln, 285 From Log-Cabin to the White House, . . 286 Jefferson Davis 287 Fort Moultrie, Charleston, S. C, . . . . 289 A Skirmisher 291 General George B. McClellan, 293 Statue of McClellan, Philadelphia, Pa., . . 295 Fortifying Richmond, 297 Breech-loading Mortar, or Howil/.er, . . . 302 A Railroad Battery, 305 Sec. Stanton's Opinion about the i\fcrn'miir, 309 John Ericsson, 312 Libby Prison in 1865, 315 Libby Prison in 1884, 316 Moist Weather at the Front, 319 Antietam Bridge 325 Model of Galling Gun 329 U. S. Military Telegraph Wagon, .... 331 Admiral Porter, 334 David G. Farragut, 335 Grant After the Battle of Belmont, . . .337 (teneral (leorge H. Thomas, 341 General Thomas J. ("Stonewall") Jaiksin, 345 House in which Stonewall Jackson Died, . 346 General Robert E. Lee, 349 General George G. Meade, 351 Cushing's Last Shot 354 Entrance to Gettysburg Cemetry, .... 357 The Swamp Angel Battery, 363 Bailey's Dams on the Red River 371 Monument of Farragut at Washington, . . 373 Bird's-eye View of Andersonville i'rison, . 383 Death of (jleneral Polk 385 General William T. Sherman, 389 General Lee Leading the Te.xans' Charge, . 393 General IMiilip II. Sheridan, 395 Lincoln Entering Kiclimond, 398 The Desperate Extremity of the Confederates, 403 Horace Greeley, 405 Lincoln's Grave, Si)ringfield, 111. 406 Andrew Johnson, 407 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 17 PAGE Log-cabin Church at Juneau, Alaska, . . .411 Southern Legislature Under Carpet bag Rule, 413 Ulysses Simpson Grant, 415 Mrs. Julia Dent Grant, 415 The Burning of Chicago, 1871, . . . .417 Section of Chicago Stockyards, .... 418 Monument to General Ia'C, Uichniund, Va., 422 General George Crouk, 423 Memorial Hall of 187G, 425 Samuel J. Tilden, 426 Rutherford B. Hayes, 427 Grant at Windsor Castle, 431 Grant in Japan, 433 The Boy James Garfield and his .Mother, . 434 James .\. Garfield, 435 The Aged Mother of I'resident (Jarfield, . 436 Assassination of Pie.sidcnt GarlielJ. . . . 437 Memorial Tablet to I'resident Garfield, . . 438 Chester Alan Arthur, 439 The Brooklyn Bridge 440 Scene in Chinatown, San Francis 'O, . . . 441 A Funeral in the Arctic Region.s, . . . 449 Grover Cleveland, 459 Tomb of (ieneral U. S. Grant, New York, . 4G4 City Hall, Philadelphia 467 Old Haymarket Plaza, Chi ago 471 General Crook's Apache (iuide, .... 475 An Inilian Warrior, 477 Benjamin Harrison, 479 Indian Mother and Infant, ...... 481 Indian Agency, 484 Henry Moore Teller, .... ... 487 Model of U. S. Man-of-War 488 Machinery Hall, World's Fair, Chicago, 1893, 490 Horticultural Building, World's Fair, 1893, . 491 Agricultural Building, World's Fair, 1893, . 491 Woman's Building, Woild's Fair, 1893, . . 492 Thomas A. Edi.son, 493 The Viking Ship, World's Fair, Chicago, 1893, 495 Art Palace, World's Fair, Chicago, 1893, . 496 Goveriunent Building, World's Fair, 1893, . 496 James G. Blaine, 499 A Scene of the Chicago Strike of 1894, . 501 A Gold Prospecting Party, British Guiana, . 505 Tiie Venezuelan Commission, 507 William Jennings Bryan, 508 Albert Shaw, 511 PAGK A Dispute Over a Brand 513 Sluicegate, 517 Between the Mills, 518 Barrel-hoist and Tunnel, Washburn Mill, . 518 Mossbrre, 520 Section of Chicago Stock-yards, . . . .521 The Falls of St. Anthony, 1885, . . . . 523 Lakeshiue Drive, Chicago, 525 Wm. McKiidey, 527 The Obelisk, Central Park, New York, . . 529 John Sherman, 531 Thomas B. Keed, 533 Tomb of U. S. Grant, New York, .... 534 Review of the Navy and Merchant iSlarine on the Hudson, Ajuil 27, 1897, . . . 535 Map of Alaska, 536 Ready for the Trail, 537 General Cali.xto Garcia, 539 General Ma,\imo Gomez, 541 Jose Marti, 543 General Antonio Maceo, 544 The U. S. Battleship Mi>!nr and her Officers, 545 Adiuiral George Dewey, 551 Camp Scene at Chickamauga 555 Jlichmond P. Hobson, 557 Major-General Fitzhugh Leo, 559 Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson, . . . 560 Gov. Theodore Roosevelt, 561 Rear-Admiral Winfield S, Schley, .... 565 Rear-Admiral J(]hn C. Watson, .... 567 Major-General William R. Shafter, . . . 570 Major-Genera! Nelson A. Miles, . . . .571 Major-General Joseph Wheeler, .... 573 Major-General Wesley Merritt, .... 577 M.ijor-General Klwell S. Otis 584 Admiral Dewey's Flagship the Olijinpia, . 585 Native Grass House, Hawaii, ..... 587 Royal Palace, Hawaii 589 Raising of the American Flag, Honolulu, . 589 Hula Dancing Girls, Hawaii 590 Church in Honolulu, Hawaiian Island.s, . . 592 Sugar Cane Plantation, Hawaiian Islands, . 594 Tombof Christopher(!olunibus, Havana, Cuba, 595 Indian Statue in the Pra 384 '.97 400 427 453 (V.)) 20 LIST OF FULL-PAGE HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS. The Washington Monument Arbitration .... The Hero of the Strike, Coal Creek, Tenii. The Viking Ship at the World's Colurabi;in Exposition Congressional Library, Washington, I). C. Cathedral Spires in the Garden of the Gods Greater New York President McKinley and the War Cabinet City of Havana, Cuba The U. S. Battleship " Maine " Map of Cuba . The Battle of Manila, May 1, 1898 Americans Storming San Juan Hill U. S. Battleship " Oregon " The Surrender of Santiago, July 17, 1898 In the War-room at Washington The United States Peace Commissioners of the Popular Commanders in the Filipino War Prominent Spaniards in 1898 . San Juan, Porto Rico . The Escolta, City of Manila . The Beautiful Luneta, Manila's Fashionable P The Shipyard and Arsenal at Cavite, Philippine Islands Raising the Flag on Fort San Antonio de Abad, Malate Scenes from the Philippine Islands The Mouth of the Pasis River at Chicago, 181 Spanish War omenade and Drive PAGE opp. 4lJ0 " 469 " 486 " 495 " 51(1 " 515 " 528 " 547 " 519 " 550 " 553 " 554 " 560 " 565 " 570 " 576 " 580 •' 58g " 595 " 610 " 619 " 620 " 629 " 630 " 639 " 640 Authors Introduction. The annals of the worltl contain no more impressive exam[)ie of the hirth and growth of a nation than may be seen in tlie ease of that wliich has been aptly termed the Greater Republic, whose story from its feeble childhood to its grand maturity it is the purpose of this work to set forth. Three hundred years is a brief interval in the long epoch of human history, yet within that short period the United States has ileveloped from a luuidful of hardy men and women, thinly scattered along our Athmtic coast, into a vast and mighty country^ peopled by not less than seventy-five millions of human beings, the freest, richest, most industi'ious, and most enterprising of any people upon the face of the earth. It began as a dwarf; it has grown into a giant. It was despised by the proud nations of Europe ; it has become feared and respected by the proudest of tliese nations. For a long time they have chiimed the riglit to settle among themselves the affairs of the world; they have now to deal with the United States in this self-imposed duty. And it is significant of the high moral atti- tude occupied by this country, that one of the first enterprises in which it is asked to join these ancient nations has for its end to do away with the horrors of war, and substitute for the drawn sword in the settlement of national dis])utes a great Supreme Court of arbitration. This is but one of the lessons to be drawn from the history of the great republic of the West. It has long been claimed that this history lacks interest, that it is devoid of the romance which we find in that of the Eastern world, has nothing in it of the striking and dramatic, and is too young and new to be worth men's attention when compared with that of the ancient nations, which has come down from the mists of prehistoric time. Yet we think that those who read the following pages will not be ready to admit this claim. Tiiey will find in the history of the United States an abundance of the elements of romance. It has, besides, the merit of being a complete and fully rounded history. We can trace it from its birth, and put upon record the entire story of the evolution of a nation, a fact which it would be difficult to affirm of any of the older nations of the world. If we go back to the origin of our country, it is to find it made up of a singular mixture of the best people of Europe. The word best is used here in (21) 22 AVTHOTVS INTRODUCTION. a special sense. The settlers in this country were not the rich ami titled. The^i came not from that proud nobility which claims to possess bluer blood than the common herd, but from the [)lain people of Europe, from the workers, not the idlers, and this rare distinction they have kept up until the present day. But of this class of the world's workers, they were the bes' and noblest. They ■were men who thou;^'ht for themselves, and refused to be bound in the trammeks of a (State reli^inn ; men who wcic ready lo daie the 2)erils of the sea and the hardships of a, liancn sliore for the bK'ssini;s of liberty and free-tliou_<;lit ; men of sturdy thrift, unllinciiing eneri;y, darim;- enterprise, the true stidf out of which alone a nation like ours could be built. Such was the character of the Pilgrims and the Puritans, the hardy empire- builders of New England, of the Quakers of New Jei-sey and Pennsylvania, the Catholics of Maryland, the Huguenots of the South, the Moravians and other German Protestants, the sturdy Scotch-Irish, and the othei'S who sought this country as a haven of refuge for iree-thoiight. We cannot say the same for the llollandei's of New Anistei'dam, the Swedes of Delawaic, and the English of Virginia, so far as their purpose is concerned, yet they too proved hardy and industrious settlers, and (he Cavaliers whom the ti'oubles in England drove to Virginia, showed theii' good blood by the j)rominent part which their descendants played in the winning of our indejK'udence and the making of our government. Wliile the various peoples named took part in the settlement of the colonies, the bulk of the settlers were of iMiglish birth, and Anglo-Sa.xon thrift and energy became the foundation stones upon which our nation has been built. Of the others, nearly the whole of them weie of Teutonic origin, while the Huguenots, whom oppression drove from Fiance, were of the very bone and sinew of that despot-ridden land. It may fairly be saiil, then, that the founders of our nation came from the cream of the populations of Europe, born of sturdy Teutonic stock, and comprising thrift, energy, endurance, love of liberty, and freedom of thought to a degree never ecjualed in the makers of any other nation upon the earth. They wei'e of solid oak in mind and iVame, and the edifice they built had for its foundation the natui'al rights of man, and for its super- structure that spirit of liberty which has ever since throbbed warmly in the American heart. It was well for the colonies that this umlerlying unity' of aim existed, for aside from this they were strikingly distinct in character and aspirations- Sjiarsely settled, strung at intervals along the far-extended Atlantic coast, silhouetted against a stern background of wilderness and mountain range, their sole bond of brotherhood was their common aspii-ation for liberty, while in all other respects they were unlike in aims and purposes. The spirit of political liberty was strongest in the New England colonies, and these held their own AUTUOIVS INTllOinJCTlON. 23 again.sl eveiy t'fioit to rob tlioin of their riglits with uii unflinching l)ohhiess which is worthy of the highest ]u-uise, and wliich set a noble example for the remaining colonists. Next to them in bold opposition to tyranny were the peoi)le of the Carolinas, who sturdily resisted an effort to make them the enslaved subjects of a land-lioiding nobility. In Pennsylvania and Maryland political riglils were granted I>y higii-minded pidprietors, and in these colonies no struggle for sflf-govciiuiu'nt was necessary. Only in Virginia and New York was ;uitocratic rule established, and in both of these it gradually yielded to llif steady demand for self-government. On the other hand, New England, while politically the freest, was religi- ously the most autocratic. The Puritans, who had crossed the ocean in search of freedom of thought, refused to grant a similar freedom to those who came later, and sought to founil a system as intolerant as that from which they had fled. A natural revulsion from their oj)pressive measures gave rise in Khode Island to the lirst govi'rnni(ii( on the face of the earth in whicli absolute religious lil)crty was establisiietl. Among the more southern colonies, a similar freet nearly all the power to themselves, and each acted almost as if it were an independent nation, while the Congress of the Confederation was left without money and almost without autliority. This state of aff'airs soon grew intolerable. "We are," said Washington, "one nation to-day, and thirteen to-morrow." Such a union it was impossible to maintain. It was evident that the compact must give way; that there must be one strong government or thirteen weak ones. This last alternative fright- ened the States. None of them was strong enough to hold its own against foreign governments. They must form a strong union or leave themselves at the mercy of ambitious foes. It was this state of affairs that led to the Consti- tutional Convention of 1787, by whose wisdom the National Union which has provetl so solid a bond was oi-ganized. The Constitution made by this body gave rise to the Republic of the United States. A subsequent act, which in 1898 added a number of distant island possessions to our Union, and vastly widened its interests and its importance in the world's councils, made of it a "Greater Republic," a mighty dominion whose possessions extended half round the globe. While the changes here briefly outlined were taking place, the countrv Was growing with plKnutnieiial lapidity. From all parts of northern and western AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. 25 Europe, and above all from Great Britain, new .settlers were crowding to our shores, while the descendants of the original settlers were increasing in numbers. How many people there were here is in doubt, but it is thoiiglit that in 1700 there were more than 200,000, in 1750 about 1,100,(X)0, and in 1776 about 2,500,000. The first census, taken in 17U0, just after the Federal Union was formed, gave a population of nearly 4,000,000. A people growing at this rate could uot be long confined to the nai'row ocean border of the early settlements. A rich and fertile country lay back, extending how far no one knew, and soon there was a movement to the West, which carried the people over the mountains and into the broad plains beyond. A war was fought with France for the possession of the Ohio counti'v. Boone and other bold pioneers led hardy settlers into Kentucky anil Tennessee, and George Rogers Clark descended the Ohio and drove the British troo]is from the northwest territory, gaining that vast I'egion for the new Union. After the War for Inde[)endence the movement westward went on with rapidity. The first settlement in Ohio was made at Marietta in 178iS; Cincin- nati was founded in 17U0; in 1803 St. Louis was a little village of log-cal)ins; and in 1831 the site of Chicago was occupied by a dozen settlers gathered round Fort Dearboi'n. But while the cities were thus slow in starting, the country between them was rapidly filling up, the Indians giving way step by step as the vanguard of the great march pressed upon them; here down the Ohio in bullet- proof boats, there across the mountains on foot or in wagons. A great national road stretched westward from Cumberland, Maryland, which in time reached the Mississippi, and over whose broad and solid surface a steady stream of emigrant wagons poured into the great West. At the same time steamboats were beginning to run on the Eastern waters, and soon these were carrying the increasing mnltitude down the Ohio and the Mississippi into the vast Western realm. Later came the railroad to complete this phase of our history, and provide a means of transportation by whose aid millions could travel with ease where a bare handful had made their way with jieril and hardshiji of old. Up to 1803 our national domain was bounded on the west by the Missis- si j)pi, but in that year the vast territory of Louisiana was purchased from France and the United States was extended to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, its territory being more than doubled in area. Here was a mighty domain for future settlement, across which two daring travelers, Lewis and Clai'k, joui iieyed through tribes of Indians never before heard of, not ending their long route until they had passed down the broad Columbia to the waters of the Pacific. From time to time new domains were added to the great republic. In 1819 Florida was purchased from Sjiain. In 1845 Texas was added to the Union. In 1846 the Oregon country was made part of the United States, In 1848, as 2(i AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. ;i ivsull of the ISIcxicau Wui', un immense tract extending from Texas to the racilic was acquired, and the land of gold became part of the repuldic. In 1850 another tract was jmrcliased from Mexico, and tlie domain (jf tlie United States, as it existed at tlie beginning of tlie Civil War, was com])leted. It constituted a great section of the North American continent, extending across it from the Atlantic to the I'acilic, and north and south from tlie Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, a icrtile, well-watered, and jnoliiic land, capable of becoming the nurst'ry of one of the greatt'st nations on the earth. Beginning, at the close of the Kevolution, with an area of SL'7,oston eighteen thousand. Charleston and IJallimoi'c were still smaller, and Savannah was (|uite small. There were only five cities with over ten thousand poj)ulation. Of inland towns, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with something over six thousand population, was the largest. In ISIK), one hundred j'cars afterwards. New Yoilc and Phihulelphia had ovei- one million each, and Chicago,, a city not sixty years old, shared with them this honor. As for t-ities surpassing those of a centuiy liefore, they were hundreds in number. A similar great growth lias taken place in the States. From the original thirteen, hugging closely the Atlantic coast, we now possess forty-tive, crossing the continent from ocean to ocean, and liave besiiles a va.st territorial ai-ea. The thirteen original States, sparsely ])eopled, poor and struggling for existence, have expanded into a great galaxy of States, rich, poweiful, and prospei'ous, with grand cities, flourishing rural communities, measureless resources, and an enterprise which no diiliculty can battle and no hardship can AUTlIOirS INriiODUCTlON. 27 check. Our territory could support luuidrcds ot" inillious of populatiou, and still be uuich less crowded tluui some of the countries of Europe. Its products include those of every zone • hundreds of thousands of S(j[uare miles of its soil are of virgin richness ; its mineral wealth is so great that its precious nu'tals have affected the monetary standards of tlu; world, and its vast mineral and agricultural wealth is as yet only partly develojicd. Vast as has lieen the production of gold in Calil'ornia, its annual output is of less value lliaii that of wheat. In wheat, coin, and cotton, indeed, the product of this country is simply stupendous; while, in addition to its gold and silver, it is a mighty storehouse of coal, iron, copper, lead, petroleum, and many other products of nature that are of high value to nuinkind. In its progress towards its presi'iitcondition, our country has lieen mai'kedly successful in two grt'at fields of human I'fforl, in war and in peace. A brief [U'cliininary statement of its success in tli(! first of these, and of the causes of its several wars, may be ilesirable here, as iiiti(Hliictory to their more extended consideration in the body of the work. The early colonists had three enemies to contend with: the original inhahitants of the land, the Spanish settlers in the South, and thi^ Fi-endi in the North and West. Its dealings with the aborigines has been one continuous series of conflicts, the vvd man being driven back ste|) by sti'|i until to-day \\v. holds imt a small I'ractioii of his once greats territory. Yet the Indians are probal)ly as uiinierniis to-day as they were originally, and are certainly bi'tter olf in their present peaceCnl and jiartly civilized condition than they were in their former savage and waiTiktt state. 'i'he Spaniards were never numerous in this country, and were forcei"omises held them to their work, and on Friday, October 12, 1492, land was sighted. He was rowed ashore and took possession of the new country in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella. While it is not known with certainty where he landed, it was prob- ably Watling Island, one of the Bahamas. He named it San Salvador, and, be- lieving it to be a part of India, called the natives Indians, by which name they will always be known. He afterward visited Cuba and Haiti, and returned to PaidS on the loth of March, 1493. Columbus was receivetl with the highest honors, and, as the news of his great discovery spread, it caused a profound sensation throughout Europe. He made three other voyages, but did not add greatly to his discoveries. He died, neglected and in poverty, May 20, 1506, without suspecting the grandeur of his work, which marked an era in tiie historv of the world. OTHER DISCOVERERS. Another famous Italian navigator and friend of Co- luml)us was Amerigo Vespucci, who, fired hj the success of the great navigator, made several voyages westward. He claimed to have seen South America in May, 1497, which, if true, made him the first man to look ution tlie American , T , . .... .1.1 ^1 i T7 • SEBASTIAN CABOT. contnient. Late nivestigations tend to show that Vespucci was correct in his claim. At any rate, his was the honor of having the country named for him. Jolm Cabot, also an Italian, but sailing under the flag of England, discov- ered the continent of North America, in the spring of 1497. A year later, Sebastian, son of John, explored the coast from Nova Scotia as far south as Cape Hatteras. It was the work of the elder Cabot that gave England a valid claim to the northern continent. From what has been stated, it will be seen that Spain, now decrepit and de- cayed, was one of the most powerful of all nations four hundred years ago. Other leading powers were England, France, and Holland, and all of them soon began a scramble for new lands on the other side of the Atlantic. Spain, hav- ing been the first, had a great advantage, and she was wise enough to use all the means at her command. We will first trace the explorations made by that nation. In 1513, Vasco Nuiiez de Balboa, a lawless rogue, hitl himself in a cask on 36 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION. board of a vessel in order to escape his creditors, and was not discovered by the angry captain until so far from land that he could not be taken back again. As it turned out, this was a fortunate thing for the captain and crew, for Balboa was a good sailor, and when the ship was wrecked on the coast of Darien he led the men through many dangers to an Indian village, where they were saved from starvation. Balboa had been in the country before and acquired a knowledge of it, which now proved helpful. The story of fcjpain in America is one long, frightful record of massacre, cruelty, greed, and rapine. Ferocious by nature, lier explorers had not sufficient sense to see that it was to their interest to treat the Indians justly. These people, although armed only with bows and arrows, atwhichthe Spaniards laughed, still outnumbered tliem a thousandfold and could crush them by the simple force of numbei's. Besides, they were always provided with food, which they were eager to give to their pale-faced brothers, who were often unable to obtain it, but whose vicious nature would not j^ermit them to be ' iiKiuly and just. Moreover, the S2:)aniards were crazy after gold, which they believed existed in many places in pro- digious quantities. The sight of the yellow orna- ments worn by the natives fired their cupidity, and they inquired eagerly in the sign language where the precious metal could be found. One of the Indians replied that six days' travel westward would bring them to the shores of a great sea, where gold was as plentiful as the pebbles on the beach. CAHAVELS OF CHRISTO- PHER COLUMBUS. (After an engraving imlilislicd in 15S4.) DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC. This information, as may be believed, set the Spaniards wild, and, engaging a number of the natives as guides, they jjlunged into the hot, steaming forests, and pressed on until one day they came to the base of a mountain, from the top of which the guides said the great sea could be seen. Balboa made his men stay where they were while he climbed to the crest of the mountain alone. This was on the 26th of September, 1513, and, as Balboa looked off to the westward, his eyes rested upon the Pacific Ocean, the mightiest body of water on the globe. He had made a grand discovery, and one which led to the conquest of Mexico and Peru and the colonization of the western coast of our country. Spain sent her armed expeditions thither, and in time they overran the sections named, their footprints marked everywhere by fire and blood. Many remains FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLOBE. 37 exist to-day in the Southwest of the early visits of those rapacious adventurers, during the first half of the sixteenth century. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a building made of adobe or sun-dried clay which was built in 1582. THE FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLUBE. In 1519 Ferdinand Magellan coasted South America to the strait named in his honor, and, passing through it, entered upon the vast body of water dis- covcretl six years Ijclbre by Balboa. Magellan gave it the name of Pacillr COLUMBUS AND THE EGG. At a dinner the Spanish courtiers, jealous of Colinnb\is, said anyone could discover the Indies, When, at rnlinnbiis' request they failed to make an egg stand on its end. he showed them how to do it by flattening the end of it. "Anyone could do that," remarked a courtier. " So anyone can discover the Indies, after I have shown the way." Ocean, and, sailing westward, discovered the Philippine Islands, which hnve lately acquired such importance in our history. There Magellan died. Several of his ships were lost, but one of them succeeded in reaching Spain after an absence of two years. This was the first circumnavigation of the globe and demonstrated the grandeur of the discovery made by Columbus. One of the companions of Columbus on his second voyage was Ponce de Leon. He was well on in years, and became deej^ly interested in a story told 38 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION. by the Indiaus of a wonderful laud to the uorth of Cuba, where there was a marvelous spring, which would bring back youth to any who drank from its waters. De Leon set out to hunt for the land and discovered it in Florida on Easter Sunday, in 1513. He drank to repletion again and again from the springs he found, but without restoring his youth, and he was killed by Indians in 1521, while trying to form a settlement on the coast. De Narvaez visited Florida, in 1528, in charge of a large expedition, with the intention of marching into the interior, but the Sjjaniards were so brutal to the Indians that they fought them step by step, until only four Avretched beings were left alive. They lived a long time with the natives, but gradually worked their way across the continent to California, where they found some of their countrymen, who took care of them. DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI. One of the best-equipped expeditions ever sent out was that of Hernando de Soto, which landed at Tampa Bay in May, 1539. Although the intention was to penetrate far into the interior, the Spaniards had no sooner set foot on land than they began their outrages against the Indians, who, as in the case of De Narvaez, turned uj^on them and slew large numbers. The explorers, however, pushed on and passed over a large section of country, though the precise course taken is not known. In the summer of 1541 they crossed the present State of Mississippi and thus discovered the Father of Waters. Three years were spent in wandering through the South, during which one-third of the number were killed or died and all the ]u-operty destroyed. Losing heart at last, De Soto turned about, in May, 1542, and started for the sea with the intention of re- turning home. He was worn and weakened from fever, and he expired on the 21st of the month. Fearful that the news of his death would incite the Indians to attack them, liis survivors wrapped the body in blankets, weighted it with stones, and at midnight rowed stealthily out into the river and let it sink from sight. There was something fitting in the fact that the Mississijjpi should prove the last resting-place of its discoverer. Pedro Menendez was one of the most execrable miscreants that ever lived. He arrived oflP the coast of Florida with a large expedition and at the mouth of the St. John's saw a number of ships flying the flag of France. He furiously attacked them and drove them to sea. Then he returned to a fine harbor which he had discovered and began the town of St. Augustine. This was in 1565, and St. Augustine is, therefore, the oldest settlement within the present limits of the United States, excluding those founded in some of our colonial pos- sessions. Let us now turn attention to the French explorations. France in those SEARCH FOR THE FOUNTil"! CF YOUTH BY PONCE DE LEON. 39 40 DISCOVEEY AND EXPLORATION. days was a spirited rival of Spain, and, in 1524, slie sent out a fleet of four vessels under the command of Verrazzani, who, strange as it may seem, was al.so an Italian. Two months later, with only a single ship remaining, he sighted the mainland of Amei'ica, it is believed near North Carolina, from which point he coasted northward along New England. He gave the name of New France to all the countries he visited, but his account of his explorations is so vague that it is uncertain what lands he saw. Verrazzani, however, seems to have been the first navigator who formed a correct idea of the size of the globe. In 1534 Jacques Cartier, with two ships, entered tlie mouth of the St. Lawrence. He was so impressed by the desolation, of the shores of Newfound- land that he declared his belief that it was the land to wiiich God had banished Cain. Nevertheless, he took possession of the country in the name of France and then returned home. Cartier visited the country the following year with a larger expedition and sailed up the St. Lawrence to the sites of Quebec and Montreal. He was not successful in his attempts to found colonies, but his discovery gave France a title to the immense region which she held with a firm grasp for more than a hun- dred years. Failing to establish colonies in the North, France now directed her efforts to the south. The Huguenots suffered so much persecution in tlie Old World that they sought a home in the Ne\<. Captain John Ribault, sailing from Havre with two ships, sighted Florida on the last day of April, 1562. The Indians were friendly and the explorers wei'e charmed with the countiy. Ribault took possession of it in the name of France and gave French names to various places. Finally he dro]>ped anchor in the harbor of Port Royal and began founding a settlement. All were in good spirits and wished to remain, but Ribault sailed for France, leaving thirty men behind. After a time they quarreled and rigged up a worthless boat with which they set sail for home. All would have perished, had they not been picked up by an English vessel, which humanely landed the feeblest on the coast of France, while the strong men were taken to England as prisoners of Avar. It was the intention of Ribault to return to America, but civil war was raging in France, and for a time he was prevented. In April, 1564, three more ships set sail to repeat the attempt at colonization. They were under the com- mand of Captain Laudonniere, who had been a member of the former expe- ilition. He began a settlement at what is now known as St. John's Bluff. The friendly Indians helped and all promised well, but unfortunately the colonists became dissatisfied and rebelled against the strict rule of Laudonniere. Some of the men stole two small vessels and set sail for the West Indies on a piratical THE FRENCH EXPLORERS. 41 expedition. Laudouniere hurriedly prepared two larger vessels to pursue them. When they were ready, the malcontents stole them and followed their comrades. Three of the buccaneers were captured by the Sj^anish, while the pilot of the fourth, who had been pressed into service, steered the vessel back to the colony before the rogues suspected what he was ^ss^?^^-*^ j doing. Laudouniere made tliem ims- - • - -^'•" oners and hanged the ringleaders. At the time when utter ruin im- pended, Eibault ai rived with seven shiiis AN INDIAN COUNCIL OF WAK. and plenty of supplie«!. It was at this juncture, vvhen everj'thing promised well, that Menendez, the Sjianish miscreant, as already stated, appeared with his powerful fleet and attacked the French ships. Three were up the river, and the four, being no match for the Spaniards, escaped by putting to sea. Menendez landed men and supplies further 42 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION. south, learning which Ribault prepared to attack them. Before he could do so, a violent teuijiest scattered his ships. By a laborious march through swamps and thickets, amid a ilriving storm, Menendez descended like acyclone upon the unpro- tected French and massacred them all, including the women and children. Another force of French, under solemn promise of protection, surrendered, but they, too, were put to death. They were afterwards avenged by an expedition from France. Samuel de Champlain proved himself one of the greatest of French explorers. He left the banks of the St. Lawrence at the beginning of the seventeenth century, and discovered the lake which bears his name. His numerous excellent maj^s added much to the knowledge of the country. Join- ing De Monts, another exjilorer, he founded the colony of Po^t Royal in Nova Scotia in 1605. This settlement, afterward named Annapolis, was the first l^ermanent French colony j^lanted in America. Quebec was founded by Cham- plain in 1608. The greatest French explorer, however, was Sieur de la Salle, who was hardly twenty-three years old when he first visited Canada in 1666. Leading an expedition westward, he fell ill while in the country of the Seneca Indians and was forced to part with his companions near the head of Lake Ontario. When he regained his strength he pressed on to the Ohio River, down which he descended to the falls opposite the present city of Louisville. Returning to France, he was made a nobleman and ajspointed governor of the country around Fort Frontenac, which he had planted on the shore of Lake Ontario. He demolished the fort and erected a much stronger one, built four small vessels, and established a thriving trade with the Indians. In August, 1679, La Salle launched a vessel at the jjort of Niagara, with which he sailed the length of Lake Erie, across Lakes St. Clair, Huron, and Michigan to Green Bay. He then sent back his vessel for supplies and crossed the lake in canoes to the mouth of the St, Joseph, where he built a fort. He visited the Indian tribes in the neighborhood and made treaties with the chiefs. On the present site of Peoria, he erected a fort in 1680. Then, sending Father Hennepin to explore the country to the northward. La Salle made the entire journey of several hundred miles, alone and on foot, to Fort Frontenac, where he learned that the vessel he had sent back for sujiplies was lost. With a new party he made his way to the fort planted on the Illinois River, but found it had been broken up and all the white men were gone. Thence La Salle went down the Mississijipi to its mouth, where he set up a column with the French arms and proclaimed the country the possession of the king of France. He was welcomed back to his native land, and when he pro- posed to his ruler to conquer the fine mining country in the Southwest, the ofler ENGLISH EXPLORERS. 43 was promptly accepted and he was made commaudant. He set out with four ships ami about 800 j)erson.s. But the good fortune that had marked the career of La Salle uji to this point now set the other way, and disaster and ruin overtook him. His men were mostly adventurers and vagabonds, and the oftieer in command of the ships was an enemy of the explorer. The two quarreled and the vessels had gone some distance beyond the mouth of the Mississippi before La Salle discovered the blunder. He appealed to the captain to return, but he refused and anchored off Matagorda Bay. Then the captain decided that it was necessary to go home for supplies, and sailing away he left La Salle with only one small vessel which had been presented to him by the king. The undaunted explorer erected a fort and began cultivating the soil. The Indians, who had not forgotten the cruelty of the Spaniards, were hostile and continually annoyed the settlei's, several of ^ whom were killed. Disease carried away others until only forty were left. Selecting a few. La Salle started for the Illinois country, but had not gone far when he was treacherously shot by one of his men. The Spaniards who had entered the country to drive out the French made prisoners of those that remained. WW. ■ h%if f'^f^'x^^jr^^ffi^. By permi&siuu ol the British Museum ) THE ENGLISH EXPLORERS. Next in order is an account of the English explorations. Going back to May, (From i 1553, we find that Sir Hugh Willoughby sailed from London in that month with three ships. At that time, and for many years afterward, the belief was general that by sailing to the northwest a shorter route to India could be found, and such was the errand that led the English navigator upon his eventful voyage. For two years not the slightest news was heard of Sir Hugh Willoughl)y. Then some Russian fishermen, who were in one of the harbors of Lapland, observed two ships drifting helplessly in the ice. They rowed out to the wrecks, and climbing aboard of one entered the cabin where they came upon an impres- sive sight. Seated at a table was Sir Hugh Willoughby, with his journal open and his pen in hand, as if he had just ceased writing. He had been frozen to death months before. Here and there about him were stretched the bodies of his crews, all of whom had succumbed to the awful temperature of the far North. The third ship was nowhere in sight, and it was believed that she had been 44 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION. crushed in the ice and sunk, but news eventually arrived that she had succeeded in reaching Archangel, whence the crew made their way overland to Moscow. A result of this involuntary journey was that it opened a new channel for profitable trade. Still the ignis fatuus of a shorter route to India tantalized the early navi- gators. The belief was general that the coveted route lay north of our conti- nent. In 1576 Martin Frobisher started on the vain hunt with three small vessels. He bumped helplessly about in the ice, but repeated the effort twice, and on one of his voyages entered the strait that bears his name. The region visited by him is valueless to the world, and his exjjlorations, there- fore, were of no practical benefit to anyone. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, in June, 1583, sailed for America with an important expedition which gave every promise of suc- cess. In his case, however, dis- aster overtook him earlier than others. He was hardly out of sight of land when his most impor- tant vessel deserted and went back to port. The men were a sorry lot, and at Newfoundland he sent another ship home with the sick and the mutineers. Of the three vessels remaining, the largest was wrecked and all but fifteen drowned. Sir Humphrey was on the smallest boat on his way home, when one dai-k night it foundered, carrying down all on board. The famous Sir Walter Raleigh, a half-brother of Gilbert, and a great favorite at the court of Queen Elizabeth, was deeply interested in the plans of his relative, and in April, 1584, sent out two well-equipped vessels for the purpose of colonization. They brought back a glowing report and Raleigh was knighted by the pleased queen, who gave him the privilege of naming the new country. He called it Virginia, in honor of the virgin Queen Eliza- beth. ^ A large expedition sailed for the new country in the spring of 1585 and a fort was built on Roanoke Island. But the Englishmen were as greedy for gold as the Spaniards, and, instead of cultivating the land, they spent their time grop- INDIAI\ \ (From the uiit I \LLObED WITH PALISADES lig lu ilif liriiisli Museum, made by John White in loS5.) THE LOST COLONY. 45 ing for the precious metal. This was suicidal, because the Indians were violently hostile, and would not bring forward any food for the invaders. All must have perished miserably but for the arrival of Sir Francis Drake, who carried the sui'vivors back to England. It is worth recording that this stay in America resulted in the Englishmen learning the use of tobacco, which they introduced into their own country. Sir Walter Raleigh became a great smoker, and the incident is familiar of his ser- vant, who, seeing his master smoking a pipe, was terrified at the belief that he was on fire and dashed a nnig of ale over him to put out the flames. Much more usei'ul knowledge was that gained of maize or Indian corn, the jjotato, and sassafras. They attractetl favorable attention in England, and were gradually introduced to other countries in Europe, where the amount raised is very large. THE LOST COLONY. A Strange and romantic interest attaches to the colony which Sir "Walter Raleigh sent out in 1587. It numbered 300 men and women and was in charge of John AVhite. While resting at Roanoke, the daughter of Governor White, the wife of Ananias Dare, had a daughter born to her. She was given the name of " Virginia," and was the first child of English parentage born within the present limits of the United States. These settlers were as quarrelsome as many of their predecessors and got on ill together. Governoi- White sailed for En2;land for more immigrants and supjdies, but 1 1 ^ ^ n A^ i 1 x- 1 ,.1 • i 1 i 11 SIK WALTER RALEIGH. when lie reached that country he found the internal troubles so serious that he was kept aw^y from America for three years. When finally he returned to Virginia, he was unable to find a member of the colony. On one of the trees was the word " CROATAN " cut in the bark, which seemed to indicate that the settlers had removed to a settlement of that name ; but, though long and continuous search was made and many of the articles belonging to the settlers were recognized, not a person could be discovered. Sir Walter Raleigh sent several expeditions with orders to use every effort to clear up the mystery, but it was never solved. The story of the " Lost Colony" has led to a great deal of investigation and surmise. Two theories have supporters. The most jirobable is that all the settlers were massacred by Indians. Another is that they were adopted by the red men and intermarried among them. In support of this supposition is the fact that a long time afterward many members of the adjoining tribes show^ed unmistakable signs of mixed blood. There were so- called Indians with blonde hair, blue eyes, and light complexion — characteristics never seen amono; those beloniiinir to the genuine American race. 46 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION. Holland's explorations in America were less important than those of any of her rivals. The thrifty Dutchmen were more anxious to secure trade than to find new countries, and seemed' content to allow others to spend wealth and pre- cious lives in penetrating to the interior of the New World and in planting set- tlements, which almost invariably succumbed to disaster. Early in the seventeenth century a company of English merchants sent out a skillful navigator named Henry Hudson to hunt for the elusive northwest pas- sage. He took with him only eleven men, one of whom was his son. He made a brave effort to succeed, ploughing his way through the frozen regions until he passed the 80th degree of latitude, which was the furthest point then attained by man. But, within less than ten degrees of the pole, he was forced by the ice to turn back. THE DISCOVERY OF THE HUDSON EIVER. Hudson's reputation as a skillful navigator led the wealthy corporation known as the Dutch East India Company to seek his services. He was placed in command of a small vessel called the Half 3Ioon and ordered to sail to the northeast instead of the northwest. He tlid as directed, but his experience was similar to his previous one, and, being compelled to withdraw, he headed west- ward. Sighting Cape Cod, he named it New Holland, unaware that it had al- ready been named by Champlain. He continued southward to Chesapeake Bay, where he learned that the English had planted a settlement. Turning north- ward, he entered Delaware Bay, but was displeased with the shallow water and sailed again northward. On September 3, IGOO, he dropped anchor opposite Sandy Hook. Hudson now began ascending the magnificent river which bears his name. At the end of ten days he had reached a ]>oint opposite the present site of Al- bany. The Indians were friendly and curious. Many of them put out in their canoes and were made welcome on board the little Dutch vessel, which was a source of constant wonderment to them, for they had never seen anything of the kind before. Descending the stream, Hudson made his way to Dartmouth, England, from which point he sent an account of his discovery to Hollaml. That country lost no time in claiming sovereignty over the new territory, the claim being so valid that no other nation could legitimately dispute it. Hudson's achievement added to his fame, and he was once more sent in search of the northwest passage. He entered the bay and strait which bear his name, and 2>assed a winter in that terrible region. In the folloAving spring his crew mutinied, and, placing the navigator, his son, and several members in an open boat, set them adrift, and none of them was ever heard of again. CHAPTEE II. SETTLEMENT OE THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. 1-Vt//„/„. — Fouiidiiis of Jamestown— C.iptain John Smith— Introduction of African Slavery— Indiair \Vai-,-Bacon's Rebellion— Forms of Government— Prosperity— Education— iVcw Ei,!/l,ii„!—\'\y- muuth— -Massachusetts Bay Culoiiy— Union of the Colonies— Religious Persecution— King Philip's War— The Witchcraft Delusion— A'fiO Hampshire —The Connecticut Colony— The New Haven Cohmii—iinwn of the Colonies— Indian Wars— The Charter Oak— i^/We /s/tfH(Z,—Different Forms- of Government— A'cioI'Vic/r, —The Dutch and English Settlers— .Vao Jersetz—Dehiwarc—Rnnsi/l- i-aain.— Mail/land,— Mason and Dixon's Line— 77(6 Caroliaas— Georgia. At tlie opening of the seventeenth century there was not a single English settlement on this side of the Atlantic. It has been shown that the French succeeded in planting colonies in Canada, that of De Monts, in 1605, in Acndia (the French name of Xova Scotia), proving successful, while Chamiilain founded Quebec three years later. St. Augustine, Florida, was founded by the Spanish in 1565, but it has 'played an insignificant part in our history. England wa* the mother of the colonies, from which the original thirteen States sprang, and we are vastly more indebted to her than to all other nations combineil. THE FIRST ENGLISH SETTLEMENT. In the year 1606, when James I. was king of England, he gave a charter or patent to a number of gentlemen, which made them the ownei's of all that part of America lying between the thirty-fourth and thirty-eighth degrees of north latitude. The men who received this gift associated themselves together under the name of the London Company, and in the same year sent out thrse- vessels, carrying 105 men, but no women or children. A storm drove them out of their course, and, in the month of Mav, tliey entered the mouth of a (47) 48 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES broad river, which they named the James in lionor of tlieir king. They sailed up stream for fifty miles, and, on the loth of May, 1(d07, began the settlement of Jamestown, which was the first English colony successfully planted in America. Everything looked promising, but the trouble Avas that the men did not wish to work, and, instead of cultivating the soil, spent their time in hunting for gold which did not exist any where near them. They were careless in their manner of living and a great many fell ill and died. They must have perished before long had they not been wise enough to elect Cajitain John Smith presi- dent or ruler of the colony. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH AND HIS ADVENTURES. This man is one of tlie most interesting characters in the early history of our ■country. He was a great boaster, and most of his associates did not like him. He had been a wanderer in many paits of the world, and had any numbei- of stories to tell of his wonderful adventures. Probably some of those stories were true and many fiction. Be that as it may, he was an energetic and brave man, and the very one to save the perishing settlers. He made every man Avork, and none wrought harder than himself. As a consequence matters begiin to mend at once. Obeying his orders in London, Captain Smith, when it seemed prudent to do so, spent much of his time in exploring the streams that fiowed into the James. It must not be forgotten that it was still believed in Europe that America formed a part of Asia, and that no one needed to penetrate far into the interior to reach that country. On one of these voyages Captain Smith was taken prisoner by the Indians, who led him before their chief Powhatan. The chief decided that he must be put to death, and, with his hands tied togethei", he was placed on the ground, witli his head resting on two big stones. Then one of the warriors stepped for- ward to dash out his brains with a club. At that moment Pocahontas, the young daughter of the chief, ran forward, and, throwing her arms around the head of Smith, begged her father to spare his life. The chief consented, and the prisoner was set free and returned to Jamestown. Such is the story which Captain Smith told after the death of Pocahontas in England, which she had visited with her husband, an Englishman named Rolfe, and it can never be known whether the incident was true or not. Some years later Smith was so badly injured by the -explosion of gunpowder that he had to return to England for treatment. There he died in 1631. His invaluable services in this country have led historians to regard him as the saviour of the Virginia colony. The most woeful blow that was struck the American colonies was in August, 1619, when a Dutch ship sailed up the James and sold twenty negroes, kidnapped THE MARRIAGE Of POCHAHONTAS BACON'S REBELLION. 51 in Africa, to the colonists as slaves. It was thus that African slavery was intro- duced into this country, bringing in its train more sorrow, suffering, desolation, and death than pen can describe or imagination conceive. The institution be- came legal in all the colonies, and the ships of New England, as well as those of old England, were actively engaged for many years in the slave trade. WARS WITH THE INDIANS. The marriage of Pocahontas to one of the settlers made her father a firm friend of the whites as long as he lived. At his death, his brother Opechan- kano succeeded him. He hated intensely the invaders of the hunting grounds, and began plotting to exterminate them. On the 22d of March, 1622, he made such a sudden and furious assault upon the plantations, as the farms were called, along the James that 400 people were killed in one day. The settlers rallied, slew many of the Indians and drove the remainder far back in the woods, but by the time this was accomplished half of the 4,000 settlers were dead and the eighty ^alantations were reduced to eight. Opechankano was not crushed, and for more than twenty years he busied himself in perfecting his plans for a greater and more frightful massacre. It was- in April, 1644, that he struck his second blow, killing between three and four hundred of the settlers. Once more the Virginians renewed the war of extermi- nation, and pressed it mercilessly until the Indians sued for peace, gave a larse tract of land to their conquerors, and retired still further into the wilderness. It is worth noting that at the time of this last massacre Opechankano was nearly a hundred years old. bacon's rebellion. Sir William Berkeley was the most bigoted ruler Virginia ever had. In one of his messages, he thanked God that there were no free schools or printing in his province. He was very tyrannous, and, having friends in the assembly, they prevented the election of any new members from 1666 to 1676. The taxes became intolerable, and trade fell into the hands of a few individuals. Not only that, but the governor disbanded the troops which had gathered for protection against the Indians, who renewed their attacks on the exposed plantations. This was more than the people could stand, and they rose in rebellion under the leadership of Nathaniel Bacon, a popular young planter, who had lost several members of his family through the attacks of the Indians. Berkeley was cowed for a time, but the arrival of some ships from England enabled him to take the field against Bacon. During the civil war, Jamestown was burned to the ground and never rebuilt. Bacon pressed his resistance so vigorously that his success seemed certain, when unfortunately he fell ill and died. Left without a leader, the rebellion crumbled to pieces. The exultant Berkeley pun- 52 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. ished the leading rebels without mercy. He hanged twenty-two, and was so ferocious that the king lost patience and ordered him to return to England. " The old fool ! " he exclaimed ; " he has taken away more lives in that naked country than I did for the murder of my father." PROSPERITY OF THE COLONY. Colonial Virginia underwent several changes in its form of government. A "Great Charter" was / '' ^'' , i granted to it in 1613 by the London Comjjany. This permitted the settlers to make their own laws. The House of Burgesses, which was called together at James- town by Governor Yeardley, July 30, 1619, was the first legislative body that ever met in this country. King James was dissatisfied with tlie tendency of things, and in 1624 he took away the charter and granted a new one, which allowed the col- ony to elect the members of the House of Burgesses, while the king appointed the council and their gov- ernor. This made Virginia a royal province, which she remained until the Revolu- tion. Virginia became very prosperous. Immense quan- tities of tobacco were raised and sent to England and Holland, where it became widely popular. Its cultivation was so profitable in the colony that for a time little else was cultivated. It was planted even along the streets of Jamestown and became the money of the province. Everything was paid for in so many pounds of tobacco. The population steadily increased, and in 1715 was 95,000, which was the same as that of Massachusetts. A half- AKMOR WOBN BY THE PIL.GKIM3 IN 1620. THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH. 53 century later, Virginia was tlie richest and most imjiortant of the thirteen colo- nies. The people lived mostly on large plantations, for land was plentiful and the Intlians gave no further trouble. j\Iost of the inhabitants were members of the Church of England, and their assemblies passed severe laws against the entrance of people of other religious beliefs into the colony. It required the furnace blasts of the Revolution to purify Virginia and some other provinces of this spirit of intolerance. Education was neglected or confined to the rich who could send their chil- dren to England to be educated. Some of the early schools were destroyetl by Indians, but William and Mary College, founded in 1692, was the second col- lege in the United States. It was never a very strong institution. THE " OLD DOMINION." It is worth ]-ecording how Virginia received the name of the " OKI Do- minion." She remained loyal to Charles I. throughout the civil war in Enghuul which ended in the beheading of the king. She was true also to Charles II. when he was a fugitive and declared an outlaw. While in exile, he sent Governor Berkeley his commission as Governor of Virginia, and that ruler was immensely pleased. The king, to show his appreciation of the loyalty of his colony, made public declaration that Virginia added a fifth country to his king- dom, making it consist of England, Scotland, France, Ireland, and Virginia, and he devised as an addition to the motto of the English coat of arms, '^En dat Virginia quintam'" ("Lo! Virginia gives the fifth"). While Cromwell was turning things topsy-turvy in Eugland, a great many of the best families among the Royalists emigrated to Virginia, where they were received with open arms by Governor Berkeley and the owners of the plantations. From this arose the name " Old Dominion," which is often applied to Virginia. THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH. During the early days of Virginia there was bitter persecution in England of those whose religious views differed from the Church of England. This cruelty drove many people to other countries, and because of their wanderings they were called " Pilgrims." Those who remained members of the English church and used their efforts to purify it of what they believed to be loose and jiernicious doctrines were nicknamed " Puritans." Tho.se who withdrew from the membership of the church were termed "Separatists" or "Independents." This distinction is often confounded by writers and readers. One hundred and two Pilgrims, all Separatists, who had fled to Holland, did not like the country, and decided to make their homes in the New World, where they could worship God as their consciences dictated. Tliev sailed in 54 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. the Mayflower, and, after a long and stormy passage, landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, December 21, 1620, in the midst of a blinding snowstorm. The Pilgrims were hardy, industrious, and God-fearing, and were jirepared to fece every kind of danger and sufiering without murmur. They were severely austere in their morals and conduct, and, when writhing in the pangs of starvation, maintained their faith unshaken in the wisdom and goodness of their Heavenly Father. All these admirable qualities were needed during the awful winter, which was one of the severest ever known in New England. They built log-houses, using oiled paper instead of glass for the windows, and in the spring were able to buy corn of the Indians, who pitied their sufferings, for LANDING OF MYLES STANDISH. in the space of a few weeks one-half of the Pilgrims had died. At one time there were but seven well persons in the colony. Among those who passed away was John Carver, the first governor. The survivors held their ground with grim heroism, and by-and-bv other immigrants arrived, and the growth and prosperity, though slow, was certain. It had no charter, but was governed by an agreement which had been drawn uji and signed in the cabin of the Mayflower, about the time the bleak coast of New England was sighted. For sixty years after the settlement of Plymouth, its history was uneventful. It was never very large, but the real work which MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY. 55 it accomplished was in bi'inging thousands of other colonists to follow it to New England, who were opponents of the Established Church, and who gave to that section of our country a distinctive character of its own. MYLES STANDISH. It is an interesting coincidence that while Yii-ginia had her Captain John Smith, Plymouth possessed a character quite similar in the person of Captain Myles Standish. He was the military leader of the colony, with a courage that was absolutely fearless. He has been described as a very small man, with a "long, yellow beard," and a temper as inflammable as gunpowder. Nothing would rouse his anger sooner than to hear any slur upon his stature. A big, hulking Indian, belonging to a party much larger than Standish's, once looked down upon the diminutive Euglishman, and, with a curl of his lip, referred to him as too small to fight. The next day, in a fight that arose with the chiefs, Standish killed the insulting Indian with his own knife. All readers are famil- iar with the beautiful poem of Longfellow, which tells how Standish employed John Alden to woo Priscilla, the " loveliest maid of Plymouth," for him, and he did it with such success that Alden won her for himself. MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY. The Massachusetts Bay Colony included the part of the present State of Massachusetts from the neighborhood of Boston northward. It was foundeu by Puritans, who, it will be remembered, had not separated wholly from the Church of England, but opposed many of its ceremonies. In the civil war with England they sided with the Parliament and were subjected to the same persecution as the Separatists. In 1628 a number of wealthy Puritans bought the territory from the Council of Plymouth, and, receiving a charter the follow- ing year from Charles I., sent small colonies across the Atlantic. Then the company itself followed, taking with it the charter and officers, thus gaining a colony in America that was wholly independent of England. Salem and some other small settlements had previously been made. The colony was one of the most important that ever settled in this country. Its leaders wei-e not only of the best character, but were wealthy, wise, and far- seeing. A large number arrived in 1630, and founded Boston, Cambridge, Lynn, and other towns. Although they suffered many privations, they were not so harsh as those of Plymouth, and the colony prospered. During the ten years succeeding 1630, 20,000 people settled in Massachusetts, and m 1692 the two colonies united under the name of Massachusetts. It would seem that since these people had fled to America to escape religious persecution, they would have been tolerant of the views of those among them, KING PHILIP'S WAR DEATH OF THE KING. RELICrlO US PERSECUTION. 57 but such unhappily was not the case. The most important part of their work was the buikling of churches and the establislimeut of religious instruction. The ministei' was the most important man in the colony, and no one was allowed to vote unless a member of the church. A rejiroof in church was considered the most disgraceful penalty that could be visited upon a wrong-doer. The sermons were two, three, and sometimes four hours long, and the business of one of the oilicers was to watch those overcome by drowsiness and wake them ujt, sometimes (piite sharply. RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. Roger AA'illiams, a Baptist preacher, told the Puritans, as the people came generally to be called, that they did wrong to take the ^~\ ^^'^ ^-^<^S^ land from the Indians with- out paying for it, and that a person was answerable to God alone for his belief These t'hargi's were answered by the banishment of Williams from the colony. All the Baptists were expelled in 1G3.3. Shortly afterward, Anne Hutchinson boldly preached the doctrine of J^ Antinomianism, which de- chires that a man is not saved by the help of good works, but by divine grace alone. In other words, no matter how wickedly he lives, his salvation is wholly inde- ]iendent of it. She went to Rhode Island and afterward to New Netherland, where she was killed in one of the attacks of the Indians njion the Dutch settlements. The Quakers greatly annoyed the New England colonists. They persisted in rising in the Puritan meetings and disputing with ministers. INIany were fined, whipped, imprisoned, and banished, but in the face of warnings they returned. As a consequence, four were put to death. Then a reaction set in and the persecution ceased. The most formidable war in which the earlv colonies of New England EOGEH WILLIAMS IN BANISHMENT. 58 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. were involved was Avith King Philip, who was the son of Massasoit, a firm friend of the settlers until his death. Philij) was one of the great Indians of history. Like many of his peoj^le he saw with anger the growth of the white men, who in time would drive him and his warriors from their hunting grounds. Realizing the magnitude of the work of exterminating all the settlers, he visited the different tribes and used every effort to unite them in a war against the invaders. He was partly successful, and, with the allies secured, King Philip began the war by attacking a jmrty of settlers at Swansea, on Sunday, June 24, 1675, while they were on their way to church. Several whites were killed, when the Indians hurried off to the Connecticut Valley to continue their dread- ful work. All understood their peril, and flew to arms. Every man carried his musket to church, and they were stacked outside the door, while a sentinel paced up and down. More than once the long sermon was interrupted by the crack of the red men's guns and their wild whoops, as they swarmed out of the woods. Springing down from the pulpit, the minister was among the foremost in beat- ing the heathen back, and, when quiet was restored, probably he resumed and finished his sermon. The war was prosecuted furiously on both sides. In the depth of winter, when the snow lay several feet on the ground, John Winslow led 1,500 men against the Narragansett stronghold, which was in the heart of a great swamp, and was one of the most powerful fortifications ever erected by the red men on this continent. In the terrible fight, 200 white men and nearly 1,000 Indians were killed. Finally, Philip was run down in a swamp near his old home on Mount Hope, not far from the present city of Bristol, Rhode Island. While stealing out of his hiding-place, he was confronted by a white soldier and a friendly Indian. The gun of the former missed fire, whereupon the Indian leveled his musket and shot the Wampanoag leader dead. The war ended a few months later. During its continuance, six hundred Avhite men were killed and many more wounded ; thirteen towns were destroyed and five hundred build- ings burned, but the Indian power in southern New England was shattered forever. THE WITCHCRAFT DELUSIO.V. One of the most fearful delusions recorded in history is that of the general belief in witchcraft which prevailed in Europe down to the seventeenth cen- tury. Its baleful shadow all too soon fell upon New England. Massachusetts and Connecticut made laws against witchci'aft and hanged a number of persons on the charge of being witches. In 1692 the town of Salem went crazy over the belief that the diabolical spirits were at work among them. Two little girls, who were simpletons that ought to have been spanked and put to bed, declared GALLUP'S RECAPTURE OF OLDHAM'S BOAT Which had been li.ken by Ibe Iiidi:iiis from the Piiritan exiles in 1636. "Steer straight f»r the vess, : opened fire on the Indians. Every time his gun flashed some one v was the beginning of the Pequot War, elf at the boM THE CONNECTICUT COLONY. 59 witli bulging eyes that different persons had taken the form of a black cat and jiinched, scratched, and bitten them. The people, including the great preacher Cotton Mather, believed this stufl", and the supjwsed wizards and witches were punished with fearful severity. Susjucion in many cases meant death ; evil men disposed of their creditors and enemies by charging them with witchcraft; fami- lies were divided and the gentlest and most irreproachable of women suffered disgraceful death. Everybody, including ministers and judges, lost their wits. The magistrates crowded the jails, until twenty had been ])ut to death and fifty- tive tortured before the craze subsided. Then it becanie clear that no one, no matter what his station, was safe, and the delusion, which forms one of the black- est pages in New England, passed away. SETTLEMENT OF MAIXE AND NEW' HAMPSHIRE. New Hampshire was the name of John Mason's share of a territory granted to him and Sir Fernando Gorges by the C'ouncil of Plymouth in 1622. This grant included all the land between the Merrimac and Kennebec Rivers. The first settlement was made in 1623, at New and at Little Harbor, neai' Ports- mouth. In 1629 the proi>rietors divided their grants, the country west of the Piscataqua being taken by Mason, who named it New Hampshire, while Gorges, who owned the eastern section, called it Maine. The settlements were weak and their growth tardy. In 1641 New Hamp- shire j^laced itself under the jirotection of Massachusetts, but the king separated them in 1679, and made New Hampshire a royal colony. In 1688 it again joined Massachusetts, and three years later was set off once more by the king, after which it remained a royal colony until the Revolution. THE CONNECTICUT COLONY. The Connecticut colony included all of the jiresent State of Connecticut, excepting a few townshij^s on the shore of Long Island Sound. It came into the possession of the Earl of Warwick in 1630, and the following year he transferred it to Lords Say, Brooke, and others. The Dutch claimed the territory and erected a fort on the Connecticut River to keep out the English. The latter, however, paid no attention to them, and a number of Massachusetts traders settled at Windsor in 1633. Saybrook, at the mouth of the Connecticut, was settled in 1635. A great many emigrants came from j\Iassacliusetts in 1636, the princii)al leader being Thomas Hooker. They founded Weathersfield, Windsor, and Hartford, and in 1639 adopted the name of the Connecticut colony and drew up a written consti- tution, the first ever framed by a body of men for their own government. Other settlements were made and Saybrook united with them. The most eventful incideut in the historv of Connecticut was the war with 60 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. the Pequot Indians, who were a powerful tribe in the eastern part of the State. They tried to persuade the Narragansetts to join tlieiu, but Roger Williams, who lived among them, persuaded Canonicus, their chief, to refuse. Then the Pequots committed the fatal mistake of going to war alone. The settlers, fully roused to their danger, assailed the Pequot stronghold with fury, one summer morning in 1637, and killed all their enemies, sj^aring neither women nor children. Thus a leadijig tribe of Indians were blotted out in one day. THE NEW HAVEN COLONY. The New Haven colony comprised the townships already referred to as lying PRIMITIVE MODE OF GRINDING CORN. on Long Island Sound. It was settled in 1638 by a company of English immi- grants, who were sufficiently wise and just to buy the lands of the Indians. Other towns were settled, and in 1639 the group took the name of the New Haven colony. Neither of the colonies had a charter, and there was much rivalry in the efforts to absorb the towns as they were settled. The majority preferred to join the Connecticut colony, for the other, like Massachusetts, would permit no one not a member of church to vote or hold office. THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT. What is known in the history of England as the Commonwealth, established THE CHARTER OAK. 6 J by Cromwell, came to an end in 1660. Charles II. ascended the throne, and Wiuthrop, governor of the Connecticut colony, which had now grown to be the stronger of the two, went to England to secure a charter. It was granted to him in 1662, and covered the territory occupied by both colonies, who were ])ermitted to elect their assembly, their govei-nor, and to rule themselves. New Haven, after deliberating over the question, reluctantly accepted the charter, and in 1665 the two were united under the name of the Colony of Connecticut. Everything was going along smoothly, when, in 1687, Governor Andres came down with a comj)any of soldiers from Boston and ordered the people to surrender their charter. He was acting under the orders of the king, who did not fancy the independence with which the colony was conducting matters. Andros confronted the assembly, which were called together in Hartford. They begged that he would not enfoi'ce his demands. He consented to listen to their arguments, though there was not the slightest jirobability of it producing any effect upon him. THE CHARTER OAK. The talk continued until dark, when the candles were lighted. Suddenly, at a signal, all were blown out. When they were re-lighted, the charter, which had been lying on the table in plain sight, was nowhere to be found. Caj)tain Wadsworth had slipped out during the interval of darkness and hidden the ]iaper in the hollow of an oak. Then he i-eturned and took his place among the members, looking the most innocent of all. Andros fumed and raved and informed the assembly that their trick would avail them nothing, since their charter government was at an end. He went back to Boston, to be turned out of office two years later, when the precious charter was brought from its hiding- place. No effiirt was spared to preserve the historical " Charter Oak," that had thus been made famous. It was supported and propped in every part that showed signs of weakness, and held up its liead until 1856, when a terrific storm brought it to the ground, shattered to fragments, all of which were care- fully gathered and preserved by those fortunate enough to obtain tliem. The early division of the colonies was long marked by the fact that Hart- ford and New Haven served as the two capitals of the State until 1873, when Hartford became the sole capital. SETTLEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND. It has been stated that when Roger Williams was banished from Massa- chusetts he took refuge among the Narragansett Indians, who occupied the country at the head of Narragansett Bay. Canonicus, the chief, held the good man in high esteem, and presented him with a large tract of land, which the 62 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. devout Williams nametl " Providence " in remembrance of the manner in which he believed God had directed him thither. Settlers from Massachusetts fol- lowed him, and all were hospitably received and kindly treated. The fullest religious liberty was allowed, and even when Anne Hutchinson visited Wil- liams, he treated her like a sister. Williams obtained a charter iu 1644 from the Parliament and it was confirmed in 1654. The new one granted by Charles II. in 1063 united all the colonies into one, under the name Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. This is still the legal name of the State, which retains its two capitals. Providence and Newport, the Legislature meeting alternately in each. The charter of Charles II. suited the people so well that it remained in force until 1842, when Thomas Dorr headed a rebellion, as related hereafter, which resulted in the establishment of a new charter. The existence of Ehode Island was threatened by the claim of Connecticut to all the land on the west to the shore of Narragansett Bay, while Plymouth insisted that the land on the east to the shore of the same bay belonged to her. Rhode Island stoutly resisted, and succeeded in 1741 and 1752 in fixing her boundaries as they are to-day, which make her the smallest State in the Union. SETTLEMENT OF NEW YORK. It has been shown that Holland was more anxious to secure trade than territory. Soon after the discovery of the Hudson, by Captain Henry Hudson, the Dutch traders sent vessels to Manhattan Island, now constituting the city of New York, and began bartering with the Indians. In 1621 Holland granted the territory from Delaware Bay to the Connecticut River to the Dutch West India Company. The name given to the territory was New Netherland, while the settlement, which grew in time into the metropolis of America, was called New Amsterdam. The whole island was bought from the Indians for sixty guilders, equal to about twenty-four dollars, a price which is considerably less than would be demanded to-day for the site of Greater New York. New Netherland was governed successively by Peter Minuet, Walter Van Twiller, William Kieft, and Peter Stuyvesant, who were sent out by the Dutch West India Company, and whose rule extended from 1626 to 1664. Of these, Stuyvesant was by far the ablest, and he made a strong impression on the social and political life of New Netherland. He was severe and stubborn, however, and many of the Dutchmen found his rule so onerous that they were rather pleased than otherwise, when the English, in 1664, claimed the territory by right of discovery and sent out a fleet which compelled Stuyvesant to surrender the town. The doughty old governor stamped about New Amsterdam with his wooden leg, calling upon his countrymen to rally and drive back the rascals, but little or no heed was paid to his appeals. WILLIA3I KIDD, THE PIRATE. 63 Charles II. had grauted the territory to his brother the Duke of York, who soon after ascended the throne, thus making the colony, which included that of New Jersey, a royal one. The Connecticut people had settled a large part of Rhode Island, which they claimed, but the duke was too powerful to be resisted, and Long Island became a part of New Yurk, as the city and province were named. In 1673, while at war with England, Holland sent a fleet which recaptured New York, but it was given back to England, upon the signing of a treaty in 1674. The manner in which New Netherland was settled by the Dutch was quite different from that of New England. Wealthy men, termed "jiatroons," were gi-anted immense tracts of land and brought over settlers, whose situation ivas nuich like that of the serfs of Russia. Traces of the patroon system remained long after the Revolution, and, in 1846, caused the "Anti-Rent War," which resulted in the death of a number of people. The province of New York suffered greatly from misrule. The people were not permitted to elect their own assembly until 1683, and two years later, when the Duke of York became king, he took away the privilege. William and Mary, however, restored it in 1691, aiul it remained to the Revolution. As a proof of the bad governorship of New York, it may be said that there is good reason to believe that one of its rulers was interested with the pirates who infested the coast, while another, who refused to sign the death-warrant of two persons who had committed no serious crime, was made drunk and then persuaded to sign the fatal paper. When he became sober, he was horrified to find that both had been executed. WILLIAM KIDD, THE PIRATE. riie piracy alluded to became such a scandalous blight that strenuous meas- ures were taken to crush it. In 1697 Captain William Kidd, a New York ship- master and a brave and skillful navigator, was sent to assist in the work. After he had cruised for a while in distant waters, he turned pirate himself. He had the eflTrontery to return home three years later, believing his friends would pro- tect him ; but, though they would have been willing enough to do so, they dared not. He was arrested, tried in England, convicted, and hanged. Piracy was finally driven from the American waters in 1720. In 1740 New York was thrown into a panic by the report that the negroes had formed a plot to burn the town. It is scarcely possible that any such plot existed, but before the scare had passed away four whites and eighteen negroes were hanged, and, dreadful as it may sound, fourteen negroes were burned at the stake. In addition, nearly a hundred were driven out of the colony. The fine harbor and noble river emj^tying into it gave New York such ad- 64 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. vantages that, by 1750, it had become one of the most important cities on the coast, though its population was less than that of Philadelphia. At the time named, its inhabitants numbered about 12,000, which was less than that of Phil- adelphia. The province itself contained 90,000 inhabitants. The chief towns were New York, Albany, and Kingston. Brooklyn, which attained vast pro- portions within the following century, was merely a ferry station. SETTLEMENT OF NEW JERSEY. New Jersey, as has been stated, was originally a part of New Netherland. As early as 1618, the Dutch erected a trading post at Bergen. All now included in the State was granted, in 1664, by the Duke of York to Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Carteret was once governor of the island of Jersey in the English Chanuel, and gave the name to the new province. In the year mentioned, the first English settlement was made at Elizabethtown, now known as Elizabeth. In 1674, the province was divided into East and West ] Jersey, a distinction which is })reserved to some extent to the present day. Berkeley, who owned West Jersey, sold it to a number of Quakers, some of whom settled near Burlington. Carteret sold his part to William '•% Penn and eleven other Quakers. The various changes of owner- ship caused much trouble with the land titles. In 1702, all the proprietors surrendered their rights to the crown and New Jersey became a royal colony. The same governor ruled New York and New Jersey, though those in the latter elected their own assembly. A com- plete separation from New York took place in 1738, and New Jersey remained a royal province until the Eevolution. Its location averted all troubles with the Indians. Newark, the principal city, was settled in 1666, by emigrants from Connecticut. Burlington, founded in 1677, was one of the capitals and Perth Amboy the other. EARLY SETTLEMENTS ON THE DELAWARE. In 1638, a number of Swedes formed the settlement of Christina on the Delaware, near Wilmington. They bought the land from the Indians and named it New Sweden. A second settlement, that of Chester, was made just be- low the site of Philadelphia in 1643, and was the first in the present State of THE I'lRfel J I 1 1 ^ BUKIjIAUIOA ^ \ir I 1 1 \ WILLIAM PENN.THE GOOD AND WISt RULER. NOTABLE AUDIENCE IN MARYLAND TO HEAR GEORGE FOX, THE FOUNDER OF THE 66 "SOCIETY OF FRIENDS' OR QUAKERS. PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE. 67 Pennsylvania. The fiery Governor Stuyvesant of New Netherland looked ujaon these attempts as impudent invasions of his territory, and, filled with anger, hur- ried down to Delaware and captured both. It was a matter of no moment to the thrifty Swedes, who kept on the even tenor of their way and throve under the new government as well as under the old. A further account of the settlement of Delaware will be given in our history of that of Pennsylvania. SETTLEMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE. The peace-loving Quakers were among those who suffered persecution in England for conscience sake. William Penn was the son of Admiral Penn, who disliked the Quakers and had been a valiant officer for the English government. When he died, the crown owed him a large sum of money, which William offered to liquidate in return for a grant of the land now known as the State of Penn- sylvania. The king willingly agreed to this, and the Duke of York, who had a strong liking for Penn, added the present State of Delaware to the grant, in which, as has been stated, the Swedes had made a number of settlements. William Penn was one of the best and wisest rulers that had to do with the settlement of our country. The king, more as a piece of pleasantry than other- wise, insisted upon naming the province " Pennsylvania," in honor of the pro- prietor, much to the good man's dismay. He offered the royal secretary a liberal fee to omit the first part of the name from the charter, but it was not done. No rule could have been more kindly. Absolute freedom of conscience was permitted ; in all trials by jury of an Indian, one-half of the jury were to be composed of Indians, and, although Penn was induced to permit the punishment of death for treason and murder, to be provided for in the code, no man was ever executed while Penn had anything to do with the province. His first act, after his arrival in 1682, was characteristic. He called the Indian chiefs together, under a great spreading elm at Shackamaxon, and paid them for the land that was already his by royal grant. In addition, he made the red men many presents and signed a treaty, which neither party broke for sixty years. It has been truly said that this was the only treaty not sworn to which was kept inviolate by both parties. Penn himself laid out the city of Philadelphia in 1683. A year later, it had a population of 7,000, and in three years more its pojiulation increased faster than tliat of New York in half a century. Delaware, then called the "Three Lower Counties," was given a separate government at the request of the people in 1703. They wei'e allowed their own deputy governor, but Pennsyl- vania and Delaware continued substantially under one government until the Revolution. The good ruler met with many misfortunes. In 1692, the province was 68 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. taken from him, because of his friendship to James II., but restored soon after- ward. In 1699, wlien he made his second visit, he found the j^eojile had in a great measure grown away from him, and were unwilling that he should exercise his former supervision. While absent, a dishonest stewartl robbed him of nearly all his property in England; and, failing in health and mind, he died in 171iS. His sons became 2:)roprietors, but the people grew more and more discontented with the payment of rents. To end the disputes and quarrels, the State abolished the rents during the Revolution, paying the proprietors the sum of $650,000 I'or the extinouishment of their riohts. PHILADELPHIA. Philadelphia was prosper- ous from the first. New York City did not catch up to it unti after the year 1810. It was early noted, as it has been since, for its cleanliness, fine buildings, and the attention it gave to education. It had a printing MORAVIAN EASTER SERVICE, BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA. press in 1686, and three years later a public high school. In the year 1749, the pi-esent University of Pennsylvania was founded as a school, becoming a college in 1755, and a university in 1779. Many of the names of streets, such as Wal- nut, Chestnut, Pine, Mulberry, and others, were given to it when the city was laid out. The settlement of the province was confined for a long time to the eastern section. No population was more varied. The Scotch and Irish were mainly in the central portion, the Dutch and Germans in the east and northeast, and the English in the southeastern part of the colony. There are hundreds of peoj^jle to-day in Pennsylvania, whose ancestors for several generations have been born there, who are unable to speak or understand a word of English. Maryland is the next colony in order of settlement. The Roman Catholics SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND. 69 were among those who suffered persecution in England, and Maryland was founded as a place of refuge for them. Among the most j^rorainent of the English Catholics was Sir George Calvert, known as Lord Baltimore. His first attempt to found a colony was in Newfoundland, but the rigorous climate com- pelled him to give it up. He decided that the most favorable place was that portion of Virginia lying east of the Potomac. Virginia had its eye already upon the section, and was preparing to settle it, when Charles I., without con- sulting her, granted the territory to Lord Baltimore. Before he could use the patent, he died, and the charter was made to his son, Cecil Calvert, in 1632. He named it Maryland in compliment to the queen, Henrietta Maria. Leonard Calvert, a brother of Lord Baltimore, began the settlement of JMaryland at St. Mary's, near the mouth of the Potomac. He took with him 200 immigrants and made friends with the Indians, whom he treated with justice and kindness. Annapolis was founded in 1683 and Baltimore in 1729. Despite the wisdom and liberality of Calvert's rule, the colony met with much trouble, because of Virginia's claim to the territory occupied by the new- comers. William Clayborne of Virginia had established a trading post in Maryland and refused to leave, but he was driven out, whereupon he appealed to the king, insisting that the Catholics were intruders upon domain to which they had no right. The king decided in favor of Lord Baltimore. Clayborne however, would not assent, and, returning to Maryland in 1645, he incited a rebellion which was pressed so vigorously that Calvert was forced to flee. He gathered enough followers to drive Clayborne out in turn. The Catholics then established a liberal government and passed the famous " Toleration Act," which allowed everybody to worship God as he saw fit. Many jiersons in the other colonies, who were suffering persecution, made their homes in Maryland. After a time, the Protestants gained a majority in the assembly and made laws which were very oppressive to the Catholics. The strife degenerated into civil war, which lasted for a number of years. The jiroprietor in 1691 was a supporter of James II., because of which the new king, William, took away his colony and appointed the governors himself. The proprietor's rights were restored in 1716 to the fourth Lord Baltimore. The Calverts became extinct in 1771, and the people of Maryland assumed proprietorship five years later. Comparative tranquillity reigned until the breaking out of the Revolution. An interesting occurrence during this tranquil period was the arrival from England of George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends or Quakers. In the assemblage which gathered on the shores of the Chesapeake to listen to his preaching were members of the Legislature, the leading men of the province, Indian sachems and their families, with their great chief at their head. The disputed boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania was fixed in 70 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. 1767, by two surveyors named Mason and Dixon. This boundary became famous in after years as the dividing line between the free and slave tStates. Charles II., in 1663 and 1665, granted the land between Florida and Virginia to eight proprietoi's. The country had been named Carolina in honor of their king, Charles IX. (Latin, Carolus), and since Charles II. was King of England the name was retained, though he was not the ruler meant thus to be honored. The country was comparatively uninhabited after the failure of the French colony, except by a few Virginians, who made a settlement on the northern shore of Albemarle Sound. THE CAROLINAS. " For twenty years the proprietors tried to establish upon American soil one of the most absurd forms of government ever conceived. The land was to be granteil to nobles, known as barons, landgraves, and caziques, while the rest of the people were not to be allowed to hold any land, but were to be bought and sold with the soil, like so many cattle. The settlers ridiculed and defied the fantastical scheme, which had to be abandoned. It was the work of John Locke, the famous philosopher, who at one time was secretary of Lord Cooper, one of the proprietors. The first settlement of the Carteret colony was made in 1670, on the banks of the Ashley, but in 1680 it was removed to the present site of Charleston. The colonies remained united for about seventy years, when it became apparent that the territory was too large to be well governed by one assembly and a single governor. In 1729, the present division was made, and the rights of government and seven-eighths of the land were returned to the crown. The soil and climate were so favorable that thousands of immigrants were attracted thither. Among them were numerous Huguenots or French Protest- ants, whose intelligence, thrift, and morality jDlaced them among the very best settlers found anywhere in our country. Newbern was settled by a colony of Swiss in 1711, and there was a large influx of Scotch after their rebellion of 1740, England giving them permission to leave Scotland. Scotch immigrants settled Fayetteville in 1746. There were occasional troubles with the Indians, the most important of which was the war with the Tuscaroras, in 1711. This tribe was utterly defeated and driven northward into New York, where they joined the Iroquois or Five Nations. The union of the Tuscaroras caused the Iroquois to be known after- ward as the Six Nations. The Carolinas were afflicted with some of the worst governors conceivable, interspersed now and then with excellent ones. Often there was sturdy resist- ance, and in 1677 one of the governors, who attempted to enforce the Naviga- GEORGIA. 71 tioii Act, was deposed and imprisoned. In 1688, another was driven out of the colony. The population was widely scattered, but the people themselves were as a whole the best kind of citizens. They would not jjermit religious perse- cution, and defeated the effort to make the Church of England the colony church. As a consequence, the Carolinas became, like Maryland and Pennsylva- nia, a refuge for thousands of those who were persecuted in the name of religion. GEORGIA. Georgia was the last of the thirteen original colonies to be settled, and, though it long remained the weakest of them all, its history is very interesting. It, too, was a country of refuge for those suffering persecution, but their affliction was different in its nature from those of whom we have made record. One of the remarkable facts connected with the government of nations claiming the highest civilization, hardly more than a century ago, was the brutality of their laws. Many crimes, comparatively trifling in their nature, were punishable with death. One of the most cruel of these oppressive laws was that which permitted a man to throw into prison a neighbor who was unable to pay the money he owed. If a poor tenant fell ill, and could not pay his landlord, the latter could have him flung into jail and kept there until the colonial plow with wooden debt was paid. Since the debtor was un- mould-board. ivoe ^ ... (State Agricultural Museum, Albany, N. Y.) able to earn a penny while in prison, and probably his wife and children were equally helpless, the landlord thus de- jirived himself of all 2:)0ssibility of getting his money, while the wretched debtor literally "rotted" in prison. Thousands died in dreadful misery, merely because they were \)00y. This system of allowing imprisonment for debt prevailed in our own country until within the memory of men still living. It makes one's cheeks tingle with shame and indignation to i-ecall that Robert Morris, who devoted all his wealth and energies to raising money for the patriots during the Revolution, who furnished Washington with thousands of dollars, and Init for whose help the war must have failed, became poor after independence was gained and was imprisoned for debt. The system caused such horrible suffering in England that the ])ity of all good men was stirred. Among these was James Edward Oglethorpe, one of the most admirable characters in modern history. He was a brave and skillful 72 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. soldier, eminently just, of the higliest social position and a member of Parlia- ment. He determined to do something practical for the perishing debtors in English jails. He, therefore, asked George II. to give him a grant of land in America to which the imprisoned debtors could be sent, and the king, -whose heart also seemed to be touched, promj^tly did so. It was said of Oglethorpe that the universal respect felt for him made certain that any favor he asked of his own associates or friends would be willingly granted. The king not only presented him with valuable equipments, but Parliament granted him a liberal sum, to which wealthy citizens added. He had the best wishes of his entire country when he sailed for America with one hundred and fourteen jiersons. He named the new colony Georgia in honor of the king, and began the set- tlement of Savannah in 1733, Darieu and Augusta being founded three years later. It need hardly be said of •^uch a man, that, like Penn and Baltimore, he bought the lands anew of the Indians and retained their friend ship from the start. On one of his visits to England he took a party of I'cd men with him, entertained them at his country place and presented them at court. The Spaniards claimed Georgia as their own teri-i- tory, and raised a large force with which to expel Oglethorpe, whose colony had been increased by the arrival of other immigrant-:, but the English officer handled his men with such extraordinary skill that the Spaniards were utterly routed. It would be supposed that Georgia would have been one of the most successful of the original colonies, since seemingly it possessed every advantage, but such was far from the fact. One cause for this was the " coddling " the pioneers received. They were harmed by too much kindness. Had they been compelled to hew their own way, like their neighbors, they would have done They were like children spoiletl by being granted too many favors. ANCIENT HOHSE- SHOES PLOWTED UP IN SCHENECTADY CO., N. y. (In Ihe New York state Aaricultu- lal Museum.) A COLONIAIi FLAX-WHEEL. better. HIAWATHA, FOUNDER OF THE IROQUOIS LEAGUE ■ was cnnipomd <,r llie Mohawk. Oneida. Onondaga. Cayuga, Seneca and Tus i wilderness a barbaric republic, with bonds of union that might ; GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN COLONIES. 73 blljK-WINDING. (Fac-simile ul a picture in Edward Williams' " Virginia Truly Valued." ICSfi) Another cause was the poor laws by which tlie peopk' were ruled. Slavery at first was forbitldeu within its borders, though it was tol- erated all about them. Then, in 1747, the trustees yielded to the general demand and ad- mitted slavery. Other rules caused discontent, and many settlers moved away. Popula- tion apjieared to be at a stand- still, and finally the trustees in 1752 surrendered their rights to the crown. More liberal laws followed and the prosper- ity increased. Of General Oglethorpe, it may be added that he lived to reach his ninety-eighth year. It was said of him that he was the handsomest old man in London, and people often stopped on the streets to look at and admire him. He always had a warm regard for the American colonies. Indeed, it was this marked fi'ieiidship for them which pre- vented his appointment as commander-in-chief of the British forces during the Revolution. GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN COLONIES. It will thus be seen that, beginning with Virginia, in 1607, the American colonies had grown in a little more than a century and a quarter to thirteen. These were strung along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, and in 1750 their population was about 1,260,000. This was vigorous growth. All the colonists, although born on this side of the Atlantic, considered themselves Eng- lishmen, and were proud of their king, three thousand miles away across the ocean. With such loyal subjects, the English crown had the best opportunity in the world to become the most powerful of all the nations. But Great Britain was not free from mis- giving over the rapid growth of her American colonies. Nothing looked more jirobable than that before many years they would unite in one A coMFOHTiER, OR CHAFING- oovemmeut of their own and declare their inde- DISH. '^ (New Yorit State Cabinet of Natural HiBtory, peudeuce of the British crowu. Thcu was the '^"'""'■' time for the display of wise statesmanship, but unhappily for England and happily for the colonies, such wise statesmanship 74 SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. proved to be lacking on the other side of the water. Tlie colonies displayed great industry. They grew tobacco, rice, indigo, and many other products which were eagerly welcomed by the British merchants, who exported their own manufactures in exchange for them. The inevitable result was that England and the American colonies increased their wealth by this means. Not only that, but the colonies voted ships, men, and money to help the mother country in the wars in which she was often involved. As early as 1651, Parliament passed the first of the oppressive Navigation Acts, which forbade the colonies to trade with any other countrj- than England, or to receive foreign ships into their ports. This act was so harsh and unjust that it was never generally enforced, until the attempt, more than a century later, when it became one of the leading causes of the American Revolution. EARLY DAYS IN NKW ENGJjAND. PLACES OF WORSHIP IN NEW YORK IN 1742. 1. Lutheran. 2. French. 3. Trinity. 4. New Dutch. 5. Old Dutch 6. Presbyterian. 7. Baptist. 8. Quaker. 9. Synagogue. CHAPTEK III. THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS AND THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. King William's War— Queen Anne's War — King George's War — Tlie French and Indian U'ar — Eng- land and France Rivals in ihe Old World and the New — 'J'he Early French Settlements — The Disputed Territory — France's Fatal Weakness — Washington's Journey Through the Wilderness— The First Fight of the War— The War Wholly American for Two Years— The Braddock Mas- sacre—The Great Change Wrought by William Pitt— Fall of Quebec— Momentous Consequences of the Great English Victorj' — The Growth and Progress of the Colonies and Their Home Life. KING WILLIAM S WAR. If anything were needed to jirove the utter uselessness and horrible bar- barity of wai-, it is found in a history of the strife in which the American colonies were involved through the quarrels of their rulers, thousands of miles away on the other side of the Atlantic. Men lived for years in America as neighbors, meeting and exchanging visits on the most friendly terms, and with no thought of enmity, until the arrival of some ship with news that their respec- tive governments in Eui'ope had gone to war. Straightway, the neighbors be- came enemies, and, catching up their guns, did their best to kill one another. Untold misery and hundi-eds of lives were lost, merely because two ambitious men had gotten into a wrangle. The result of such a dispute possessed no earthly intei'est to the people in the depths of the American wilderness, but loyalty to their sovereigns demanded that they should plunge into strife. As time passed, Spain and Holland declined in power, and England and France became formidable rivals in the New World as well as in the OM. In 1689, when William III. was on the throne of England, war broke out between that country and France and lasted until 1097. The French, having settled in Canada, were wise enough to cultivate the friendship of the Indians, who helped them in their savage manner in desolating the English settlements. Dover, New (75) 76 INTERCOLONIAL WARS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Hampshire, was attacked by the French and Indians, who killed more than a score of persons and carried away a number of captives. In other j^laces, settlers were surprised in the helds and shot down. Early in 1690, another party came down from Canada, and, when the snow lay deep on the ground and the people were sleeping in their beds, made a furious attack upon Schenectady. The town was burned and sixty persons tomahawked, while the survivors, half-clad, struggled through the snow to Albany, sixteen miles distant. The Americans in retaliation attempted to invade Canada, but the result was a disastrous failure. The war continued in a desultory way, with great cruelties on both sides, until 1697, when a treaty signed at Ryswick, Holland, settled the quarrel between King William and James II., by deciding that the former was the rightful king of England. The suffering and deaths that had been inflicted on this side of the Atlantic produced not the slightest effect upon the quarrel between the two claimants to the throne. QUEEN ANNE's WAR. In 1702, England got into a wrangle with France and Spain. This time the Iroquois Indians took no part, because of their treaty with France, although in the previous war they fought on the side of the English. In the depth of winter in 1703-4, Deerfield, Massachusetts, was attacked and destroyed. Forty- seven of the people were tomahawked and more than a hundred carried into captivity. Their sufferings were so dreadful on the long tramp through the snow to Canada that nearly all sank down and died. Maine and New Hamp- shire were devastated by the hordes, who showed no mercy to women and chil- dren. Another English invasion of Canada was attempted, but failed like its predecessor. The aimless, cruel war continued until 1713, when a treaty of peace was signed at Utrecht in Holland, by which England secured control of the fisheries of Newfoundland, while Labrador, Hudson Bay, and Acadia or Nova Scotia were ceded to Great Britain. The result in both instances would have been the same had the English and French settlers and the Indians con- tinued on amicable terms. KING George's war. In 1740, the War for the Austrian Succession broke out ni Europe and soon involved most of the European nations. Because George II. was on the throne of England, the struggle is known in this country as King George's War. A notable event in America was the cajsture of the fortress of Louisburg, one of the strongest fortifications in the world, mainly by New England troops. It was a grand achievement which thrilled this country and England, and caused consternation in France. A treaty of peace was signed in 1744 at Aix- la-Chapelle, a town in western Germany. New England was enraged to find THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 77 that by the terms of this treaty Louisburg was t;i\('n her valor, sacritice, and suffer- ^^,.«. rf^ iuff went for uauiilit. •k to France, ami all THE FkENCU and INDIAN WAR. It has already been shown that England and France, who had long been rivals in the Old World, had become -^ equally bitter rivals on this side of the Atlantic. On the west, the thirteen English colonies were walled in by the Al- leghany Mountains, beyond which none of the settlers had advanced. All the country lying be- tween these mountains and the Mississippi was claimed by France, who was pushing southward through it, and had given it the name of New France or Louisiana. The first French settlement within the northwestern part of our country was the mission of St. INIary. near Sault Ste. Marie, now in the State of THE ATTACK ON HlOli HS AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS IN 1786. 78 INTERCOLONIAL WARS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Michigau, it having been established iu 16G8. Several others of minor import- ance were planted at different points. England did not oppose the acquirement of Canada by the French early in the seventeenth century, but no serious attempt was made by that people to colonize the territory within the United States until 1699, when D'Iberville crossed the Gulf of Mexico iu quest of the mouth of the Mississippi. When he found it, he planted a settlement at Biloxi, now in Mississippi, but removed it in 1702 to Mobile. The Mississippi Company, a French organization, obtained in 1716 a grant of Louisiana, and in 1718 sent out a colony that began the settlement of New Orleans. It will thus be seen that by 1750 the French had acquired large posses- sions in North America. They were determined to hold them, and, to do so, established a chain of sixty forts reaching from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico. These forts were the foundations of many important cities of to-day, such as New Orleans, Natchez, Detroit, Vincennes, Toledo, Fort Wayne, Ogdensburg, and Montreal. To the rear of the main chain of forts were others like Mack- inaw, Peoria, and Kaskaskia. Extensive as was the territory thus taken possession of by the French, they were fatally weak because of their scant population, amounting to less than 150,000 souls, while the English colonies had grown to 1,500,000. The French traders were just about strong enough to hold the Indians in check, but no more. Thus with the French on the west and the English on the east of the Alleghanies, the two rival forces were slowly creeping toward each other, and were bound soon to meet, when the supreme struggle for possession of the North American continent would open. By-and-by, the French hunters and traders, as they climbed the western slope of the mountains, met the English trappers moving in their direction. Being the advance skirmishers of their respective armies, they often exchanged shots, and then fell back to report what they had seen and done to their countrymen. The fertile lands of the Great West had long attracted attention, and many efforts had been made to buy them at a cheap price to sell again to settlers. In 1749, the Ohio Company was formed by a number of London merchants and several prominent Virginians. The lands they bought lay in western Pennsylvania, which Virginia claimed as part of her territory. This company proved its earnestness by sending out surveyors, opening roads, and offering tempting inducements to settlers. Tlie French were equally prompt and took possession of the country between the Alleghanies and their main chain of forts. They built a fort at Presq' Isle, on, the site of the present city of Erie, and began erecting a new WASHINGTON'S JOURNEY. 79 chain of forts southward toward the Ohio. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia saw the danger of permitting this encroachment, and he wrote a letter of remon- strance to the French commander, which was placed in the hands of George Washington, to be carried live hundred miles through wilderness, across moun- tains and dangerous rivers, to the point in western Pennsylvania where the French officer was building his forts upon disputed ground. YOUNG WASHINGTON HIDING A COLT. One summer morning, young George, with three or four boys, was in the field looliiiig at a vuli, given him ity liis niullier, and when the boys said that it could never be tamed, George said : " You help me get on its back, and I'll tame it." The journey was a long and perilous one, but Washington, who was a magnificent specimen of vigorous young manhood, jierfoi'med it in safety and brought back the reply of the French commander, which notified Governor Dinwiddie that he not only refused to vacate the territory, but would drive out every Englishman he found within it. This meant war, and Virginia made her preparations. She raised about 400 men and placed them under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Washing- 80 INTERCOLONIAL WARS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. ton, who was more familiar with the country than anyone else. The Ohio Company at that time were putting up a fort on the present site of Pittaburg, and Washington hurried forward to j)rotect it. The Frenchmen understood the value of a post at the junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela Rivers, and also started on a race for it. They arrived first, captured the fort, strength- ened it, and gave it the name of Fort Duquesne. That done, they set out to meet Washington, who was descending the Monongahela. OPENING OF THE WAR. The meeting between these forces brought on the first fight of the French and Indian War. It was the advance party of each which met, and it is said that the first musket was fired by Washington himself. The French had en- listed a number of Indians, but Washington killed or captured nearly all of them as well as the whites. The main body oi" the French, however, was so much more powerful than his own, that Washington moved back a few miles and built a fortification which he named Fort Necessity. There, after a brisk fight, he was compelled to surrender, July 4, 1754, on the promise that he and his men should be allowed to return to Virginia. That province was so well pleased with his. work that he acted as its leading officer throughout the re- mainder of the war. A peculiai'ity of tlic French and Indian War must be noted. For two years it was entirely an American war, not extending to Europe until 175G. For the first time the English colonies acted together. They saw the value of the territory' in dispute and were ready to make common cause for its jiossession. England was inclined to let them do the best they could without help from her. She advised that they form some plan for united action. In accordance with this suggestion, a meeting was held at Albany in 1754, com^iosed of dele- gates from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and the New England colonies. Benjamin Franklin, the great philosopher, projiosod the " Albany jilan of Union," which was agreed upon. When this was submitted to the king, he saw too nn.ich of American inde- ]iendence in it, and promptly rejected it, while the colonies did the same on the ground that it gave the king too much power. There was much significance in this action. EXPULSION OF THE CANADIANS. It was now so evident that war must soon come that England ana France began sending troops to America. At the same time, the respective govern- ments continued to profess — diplomatically — their strong friendship for each other. In June, 1755, a force consisting of British regulars and colonial troops sailed from Boston and captured tlie few remaining French forts in Nova BRADDOCK'S MASSACRE. 81 Scotia. The inhabitants were gatliered togetlier in their churches, jjlaced on ships, and then distributed southward among the English colonies. This act has been often denounced as one unworthy of the British people. BRADDOCK S MASSACRE. Anions; the Eno-lish officers who arrived in 1755 was General Edward / ,\r\- Braddock. , He was brave and skillful, but [ conceited and stub- ( born. When Washing- ton, who was one of his _/ aides, explained to liiui J the character of the treacherous foes whom he would have to fight and advised him to adopt similar tactics, the English officer insultingly answered that when he felt the need of advice from a young Virginian, he would ask for it. He marched toward Fort Duquesne and was within a few miles of the post, when he ran into an am- bush and was assailed so vehemently by a force of French and Indians that half his men were killed, the rest put to flight, and himself mortally wounded. Washington and his Virginians, by adopting the Indian style of fighting, checked the pursuit and saved the remainder of the men. In the spring of 1750, England and Fi-ance declared war against each BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT. 82 INTERCOLONIAL WARS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. other and the struggle now involved those two countries. For two year.s the English, despite their preponderance of forces in America, lost rather than gained ground. Their officers sent across the ocean were a sorry lot, while the French were commanded by Montcalm, a brilliant leader. He concentrated his forces and delivered many effective blows, capturing the forts on the northern border of New York and winning all the Indians to his support. The English fought in detached bodies and were continually defeated. ENGLISH SUCCESSES. But a change came in 1758, when William Pitt, one of the greatest Eng- lishmen in history, was called to the head of the government. He weeded out inefficient officers, replaced them with skillful ones, who, concentrating their ^ troops, assailed the French at three import- ant points. Louisburg, on Cape Breton Island, which had been captured more than a hundred yeai's before, dui'ing King George's War, was again taken by a naval expedition in the summer of 1758. In the autumn, Fort Duquesne was captured with- out resistance and named Fort Pitt, in honor of the illustrioixs prime minister. The single ~ defeat administered to the English was at Ticonderoga, where Montcalm commanded in person. This was a severe repulse, in which the English lost in the neighborhood HEIGHTS of 1,000 men. It was offset by the expul- sion of the French from northwestern New York and the capture of Fort Frontenac, on the present site of Kingston in Canada. One wnse step of Pitt was in winning the cordial support of the provincials, as the colonists v/ere called, to the British regulars. Our ancestors thus gained a most valuable military training which served them well in the great struggle for independence a few years later. MARTELLO TOWER ON THE OF ABRAHAM, WHERE W^OLFE WAS KILLED. WOLFE S GREAT VICTORY. The year 1759 brought decisive success to the English. Knowing that they intended to attack Quebec, Montcalm drew in his troops to defend that city. It therefore was an easy matter for the English to capture Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and Fort Niagara. General Wolfe, one of the very ablest of English leaders, left Louisburg with a Heet and sailed up the St. Lawrence. WOLFE'S GREAT VICTORY. 83 He found the fortifications of Quebec at so great an elevation that he could make no impression upon them. Three months passed in idle waiting and the besiegers were almost disheartened. Wolfe himself was so distressed by anxiety 1 that he fell ill. The saga- cious Montcalm could not be induced to come out and give A DUTCH HOUSEHOLD. 5 seen m the early days in New York. liattle, and there seemed no way of reaching him. But the lion-hearted Wolfe would not be denied. He found a path leading uj) to the Heights of Abraham, as the plain above was called, and, selecting a mild night in September, Ills troops floated down the river in their boats and landed at the foot of the cliff". All night long the English soldiers were clambering up the steep path, dragging a few guns with them, and, when the morning sun rose, it shone on the flashing bayonets of the whole army drawn up in battle array before the walls of Quebec. 84 INTERCOLONIAL WARS—FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. The astonished Montcalm, instead of remaining within the city, marched his army out and gave battle. In the fight both Wolfe and Montcalm were fatally wounded. Wolfe lived long enough to learn that the French were flee- ing before his victorious troops. " Now, I can die hajjjiy," he said, and shortly after expired. When Montcalm was told he must die, he mournfully replied : " So much the better ; I shall not live to see the surrender of Quebec." MOMENTOUS RESULTS OF THE WAR. This battle was one of the decisive ones of the world, for, as will be seen, its results were of momentous importance to mankind. The conquest of Canada followed in 17G0, and the other French forts fairly tumbled into the possession of the English. Pontiac, Chief of the Ottawas, was so angered at the turn of events that he refused to be bound by the terms of the surrender. He brought a number of tribes into an alliance, captured several British posts in the West, and laid siege to Detroit for more than a year, but in the end he was defeated, his confederacy scattered, and Pontiac himself, like Philip, was killed by one of his own race. The war was over, so far as America was concerned, but England and France kept it \\\> for nearly three years, fighting on the ocean and elsewhere. In 1762, Spain joined France, but received a telling blow in the same year, when an English expedition captured the city of Havana. In this important event, the provincials gave valuable aid to the British regulars. The colonies also sent out a number of privateers which captured many rich j^rizes from the Spaniards. By 1763, Great Britain had completely conquered France and Spain, and a treaty of peace was signed at Paris. France and Spain agreed to give nj) all of North America east of the Mississipi")!, and England ceded Cuba to Spain in cx- diange for Florida, exchanging Florida in. 1783 /or the Bahama Islands. The former was a victory for Spanish diplomacy, since Florida was i:)ractical]y worth- less to Spain, while Havana, the capital of Cuba, was an enormously wealthy city, and the island possessed marvelous fertility and almost boundless resources. France, after her wholesale yielding to England, paid Spain her ally by ceding to her all her possessions west of the Mississippi, including the city of New Orleans. This enormous territory, then known as Louisiana, compre- hended everything between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, from British America to the Gulf of Mexico. In extent it was an empire from which many of the most important States of the Union have been carved. When it is remembered that these changes were the result of a war in which the capture of Quebec was the decisive conflict, it will be admitted that there was ample warrant for pronouncing it one of the great battles of the world. MOMENTOUS RESULTS OF THE WAR. 85 The thirteen original colonies were now "full grown." Their population had increased to 2,000,000 and was fast growing. Their men hatl proven their bravery and generalship in the Fi-ench and Indian War. Many of them liad develojjed into fine ofHcers, and all compared favorably with the British regu- lars. Their loyalty to England was proven by the 30,000 lives that had been given that she might conquer her ti'aditional rival and enemy. The adventurous spirit of the colonists was shown by the fact that many began crossing the Alleghanies into the fertile district beyond, where they were in continual danger from the fierce Indians. James Robertson led a party of MEMORIAL HALL, HARVARD COLLEGE. emigrants who made the first settlement in Tennessee in 1768, and the famous Daniel Boone and a company of immigrants were the pioneers in Kentucky in 1769. No effort was made to settle tlie country north of the Ohio until after the Revolution. The intellectual )n-ogress of the colonies was remarkable. The first print- ing press was set up at Cambridge in 1639, and newspapers and books were in general circulation. Harvard College was founded in Massachusetts in 1638; William and Mary, in Virginia, in 1692; Yale, in Connecticut, in 1700; the College of New Jersey (now Princeton Univei-sity), in 1746 ; the University of Pennsylvania, in 1749; and King's College (now Columbia), in New York, in 86 INTERCOLONIAL WARS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 1754. Much attention was given to education, commerce was greatly extended, the oppressive Navigation Act being generally disregarded, and thousands of citizens were in prosperous circumstances. More significant than all else was the growth of the sentiment of unity among the diflerent colonies. Although properly known as jJrovincials, to dis- tinguish them from the British, they now, instead of speaking of themselves as New Englanders or Virginians or Englishmen, often substituted the name " Americans." The different colonies were looked upon as members of the same great family, ready to make connnon cause against a danger threatening any one of them. Some of the bolder ones began to express the thought that it would be a fine thing if they were all independent of the mother country, though for years the sentiment assumed no impoi'tance. Now was the time for England to display wisdom, justice, and statesman- ii'i.iiii^ ;;„,,,inii;in.„ii,,.:,, ,111,1 , i ^jjjp fQwurd licr subjects in America. ji; Had she treated them as she now treats Hi , ' Canada and Australia and her other col- onies, there never would have been a Revolution. No doubt in time we should have separated fi'om her, l)ut the sepa- ration would have been peaceable. But while Great Britain has always l)een immeasurably above Spain in her treatment of her American subjects, she was almost as foolish, because she chilled the loyalty that had been proven in too many instances to be doubted. The mother country was laboring under the weight of burdensome taxes, and, since the colonies had always been prompt in voting money and supjilies as well as men to assist England, Parliament thought she saw a way of shouldering a large part of this burden upon the Americans. Her attempts to do so and the results therefrom properly belong to the succeeding chapter. BIBLE BROUGHT OVEK IN THE "MAY- FLOWER," IN PILGRIM HALL, NEW PLYMOUTH. HOME LIFE OF THE COLONISTS. A few facts will assist in understanding the events that follow. Slavery, as has been stated, was legal and existed in all the colonies, but climatic con- ditions caused it to flourish in the South and decline in the North. All the colonies were Protestant, though religious liberty was permitted everywhere. The laws were amazingly strict and would never be submitted to in these times. To illustrate : a watchman in Hartford rana; a bell everv mornnio: as HOME LIFE OF THE COLONISTS. 87 notice to all adults to rise from their beds. Massachusetts had fourteen and Virginia seventeen offenses that were punishable with death. Some of the minor punishments were unique. If a woman became a common scold, she was jjlaced near her own door, with a gag fastened in her mouth, that all might see and beware of her example. For other offenses, a man was ducked in water or put in the stocks. A stock was a strong framework, through which the feet or both feet and hands were thrust and held fast, while the pillory was a frame- work through which the head and hands of a criminal were imprisoned. Be- sides the disgrace attending such punishment, it was very trying. The whipping- post was quite common long after the Revolution, and it is still occasionally used in Delaware. AMERICAN STAGE-COACH OP 1795, FROM ""WELD'S TRAVELS." (Probably similar in form to those of the later colonial period ) jNIen and lioys dressed much alike, and the fashions for women and girls were similar. TJie breeches of the men suggested the present style of knicker- bockei-s, the rich making quite a display of silver buckles and buttons. The breeches of the poorer people were made of coarse cloth, deerskin, or leather, the object being to obtain all the wear possible. The wealthy used velvet, and the men and women were as fond of display as their descendants. In the earliest days, all the houses were made of logs, and oiled j^aper took the place of glass for windows. Carpets were an unknown luxury. Often the floor was the smooth, hard ground. The cooking was done in the big fireplace, 88 INTERCOLONIAL WAR— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. where an irou arm called a crane was swung over the fire and sustained the pots and kettles. Coal and matches were unknown, a fire being started by means of a piece of steel and flint or with the help of a sun glass. Coffee and tea were great luxuries, but nearly every family made its own beer. Rum and hard cider were drunk by church people as well as others, the only fault being when one drank too much. The important cities and towns wei-e connected by stages, but most of the traveling was done on foot or horse- back. Since most of the settlements were near the sea or on large rivers, long journeys were made by means of coasting sloops. When a line of stages in 1766 made the trip between New York and Philadelphia in two days, it was considered so wonderful that the vehicles were called "flying machines." Regarding the state of religion in the colonies, Prof George F. Holmes says : " The state of religion among the jieople differed greatly in the different provinces. The Church of England was the established religion in New York, Virginia, and the Carolinas. In Maryland, the population I'emained largely Roman Catholic. In New England the original Puritanism was dominant, but its rigor had become much softened. A solemn and somewhat gloomy piety, however, still prevailed. The Presbyterians were numerous, influential, and earnest in New Jersey. There, but especially in Pennsylviinia, were the quiet and gentle Quakers. In Carolina and Georgia, ^Moravians and other German Protestants were settled, and Huguenot families were frequent in AHi-ginia and South Carolina. " Every wliere, however, was found an intermixture of creeds, and conse- quentlv the need of toleration had been experienced. Laxity of moi-als and of conduct was alleged against the communities of the Anglican Church. In the middle of the eighteenth century a low tone of religious sentiment was general. The revival of fervor, which was incited then by the Wesleys, was widely spread by Whitefield in America, and Methodism was making itself felt throughout the countrv. The Baptists were spreading in different colonies and were ncquiring influence by theii- earnest simplicity. They favored liberty in all forms and be- came warm partisans of the revolutionary movement." CHAPTEE IV, THE REVOLUTION— THE WAR IN NEW ENOLAND. Causes of the Revolution — The Stamp Act — The Boston Tea Party — Engkind's Unbearable Measures — The First Continental Congress — The Boston 3Iassacre— Lexington and Concord — The Second Con- tinental Congress — Battle of Bunker Hill — Assumption of Command by Washington — British Evacuation of Boston — Disastrous Invasion of Canada. CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. England was never guilty of greater folly than in the treatment of her American colonies after the close of the French and Indian War. As has been said, she was oppressed by burdensome taxation and began seeking excuse for shifting a large portion of it upou the shoulders of her prosperous subjects across the sea, who had always been ready to vote money and give their sons to help in the wars which were almost solely for the benefit of the mother country. It has been shown that the intercolonial conflicts were of no advantage to the colonies which were dragged into them and suffered greatly therefrom. Since the surrounding territory would soon be necessary for the expansion of the Americans, they had much to gain by the defeat of the French and their expul- sion from America; but they had done their full share, and it was unjust to de- mand further sacrifices from them. PASSAGE OF THE STAMP ACT. Hardly had peace been declared, when, in 1764, the British government asserted that it had the i-ight to tax her colonies. The latter ])aid little atten- tion to the declaration, but were rudely awakened in 1765 by the passage of the Stam]i Act, which was to go into effect' in November of that year. It de- creed that thenceforward no newspapers or pamphlets could be printed, no mar- riage-certificate given, and no documents used in lawsuits, unless stamps were attached, and these could be bought only from British agents. It was ordered further that the oppressive Navigation Acts, which had been evaded for a hundred years, should be rigidly enforced, while soldiers were to be sent to America to see that the orders were carried out. Since these troops were to be paid from the money received for the stamps, it will be seen (89) 90 THE REYOLrTION—THE WAR IX NEW ENGLAND. that the Americans woukl be obliged to bear the expense of tlie soldiers quar- tered upon them. Now we use revenue stam])s to-day and no one olyccts, but the difference in the two eases is that we tax ourselves for our oAvn expenses, and our repre- sentatives grade the taxes so as to suit the peojile. If we do not think the taxes equitable, we can elect other representatives, pledged to change them. But it must be remembered that we never had a representative in the British Parlia- ment, whose English members did just as they pleased. That was " taxation without representation." The news of the action of the Bi'itish government threw the colonies into an angry mood and they vehemently declared their intention to resist the Stamp Act. They did not content themselves with words, but mobbed the stamp agents, compelled others to resign, and, when the date arrived for the act to go into effect, they refused to buy a single obnoxious stamp. REPEAL OF THE STAMP ACT. The Stamp Act Congress, as it was called, met in New York City, October 7, 1765. There were representatives from all the colonies except four, but they supported the others. Lacking the authority to make any laws, it issued a bold declaration of rights and sent petitions to the king and Parliament, setting forth the American grievances. The sturdy resistance of the colonies alarmed Eng- land. They had many friends in Parliament, including the illustrious Pitt, and, at the beginning of 1766, the act was repealed. The Americans were so delighted that they almost forgot that England in repealing the act still asserted her right to tax them. Several years now followed in which the colonies quietly resisted the efforts of England to tax them. This was done by a general agreement not to buy any of the articles upon which taxes were laid. The men who did this and opposed the mother country were known as Whigs, while those who stood by England were called Tories. DEFIANT ACTS BY THE AMERICANS. But violence was sure to follow where the indignation was so intense and widespread. There were continual broils between the British soldiers and citi- zens, the most serious of which occurred in Boston on March 5, 1770, when the soldiers fired upon the citizens who had attacked them, killed three and wounded several. This incident, known in history as the " Boston Massaci'e," added to the mutual anger. In North Carolina, William Tryon, the Tory Governor, had a battle with the patriots at Alamance in 1771, killed a large number, and treated others so brutally that many fled across the mountains and helped to ENGLAND'S UNBEARABLE MEASURES 91 settle Tennessee. In 1772, a British vessel, the Gaspe, which was active in col- lecting duties from Providence, was captured and burned by a number of Rhode Island people. England offereil a reward for the capture of the " rebels," but, though they were well known, no one would have dared, if so disposed, to arrest them. THE BOSTON TEA PARTY. The British Parliament was impatient with the colonies, and threatened all sorts of retaliatory measures. In 1770, Parliament took the tax off of all articles except tea, ujjon which it was made so light that the luxury was cheaper in America with the tax than in Eng- land without it. The Americans, however, were contending for a prin- ciple, and contemptuously rejected the offer. When the tea ships reached Charleston, the cargoes were stored in damp cellars, where they soon mold- ed and spoiled. At New York, Phil- adelphia, and other points they would not allow the ships to land their car- goes, and they sailed back to Eng- land. A similar reception having been given the vessels in Boston, the British officers refused to leave the harbor. Late at night, December 16, 1773, a party of citizens, painted and disguised as Indians, boarded the ships and emptied 342 chests — all on boaid ^ THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH, BOSTON, into ine naiOOl. ah immense assemblage gathered here on the evening of Dec. The " Boston Tea Partv " thrilled ^*' ^^"^' ^""^ stirring addresses were made by Josiah Quincy and ^ Samuel Adams. The " Boston Tea Party " followed. the colonies and exhausted the pa- tience of England, who felt that the time for stern measures had come. Her dallying course had only encouraged the rebels, and as in the story, having tried in vain the throwing of grass, she now determined to see what virtue there was in using stones. England's unbearable measures. The measures which she passed and which were unbearable were : 1. The Boston Port Bill, which forbade all vessels to leave or enter Boston harbor. This was a death-blow to Boston commerce and was meant as a punishment of those who were leaders in the revolt against the mother country. 2. The Mas- 92 THE REVOLUTION— THE WAR IN NEW ENGLAND. saclmsetts Bill, which was anothei" destructive blow at the colony, since it changed its charter hy taking away the right of self-government and placing it in the hands of the agents of the king. 3. The Transportation Bill, which ordered that all soldiers charged with the crime of murder should be taken to England for trial. 4. The Quebec Act, which made the country east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio a part of Canada. These acts were to be enforced by the sending of troops to America. THE FIKST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. The result of the j^assage of these harsh measures was to unite all the colo- nies in a determination to -resist them to the last. The necessity for consulta- tion among the leaders was so apparent that, in response to a general call, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, September 5, 1774, all the colo- nies being represented except Georgia, which favored the action. This Congress adopted a deciai-ation of rights, asserting that they alone were empowei-ed to tax themselves, and it named a number of acts of Parliament that were a direct invasion of such rights. An address was sent to the king and to the people of Great Britain, but none to Parliament, which had deeply nftended the Americans. The agreement known as the Articles of Association pledged our ancestors not to buy goods or sell them to Great Britain until the obnoxious acts were repealed by Parliament. It declared further that, if force was used against Massachusetts by England, all the other colonies would help her in resistiug it. Before adjournment, a new Congress was called to meet in tlie following May. The language of the First Continental Congress sounds bold, but the people themselves were bolder. Companies of armed men began drilling everywhere, and the Americans were eager for a conflict with the detested " red coats." The excitement was more intense in Massachusetts than anywhere else, and it was jdain that the opening gun of the impending Revolution would be fired upon her soil. The affairs of the colony were directed by a provincial congress, which collected a quantity of guns and ammunition, and ordered the enrollment of 20,000 " minute men," who were to hold themselves ready to answer any call at a minute's notice. General Gage was the British commander in Boston, and he was so alarmed by the aggressive acts of the Americans that he began to tlirow up fortifications on the neck of land connecting the town with the mainland. His alert spies notified him that the Americans had collected a quantity of military supplies wliich were stored at Concord, some twenty miles from Boston. Gage ordered 800 troops to march secretly to Concord and destroy them. Guarded as were the movements of tlie British, the Americans were equally BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 93 watchful and discovered them. Paul Revere dashed out of the town on a swift horse and spread the news throughout the country. In the gray light of the early morning, A()ril 19, 1775, as tlie soldiers marched into Lexington, on the way to Concord beyond, they saw some fifty minute men gathered on the village green. Major Pitcairn ordered them to tlisperse, and tliey refusing to do so, a volley was fired. Eight Americans were killed and a large number wounded, the others fleeing before the overwhelming force. Thus was the shot fired that "was heard round the world." The British advanced to Concord, destroyed the stores there, and then began their return to Boston. All the church bells were ringing and the minute men were swarming around the troops from every direction. They kept up a con- tinuous fire upon the soldiers from behind barns, houses, hedges, fences, bushes, and from the open fields. The soldiers broke into a run, but every one would have been shot ilown had not Gage sent reinforcements, which protected the exhausted fu- gitives until they reached a point where they were under the guns of the men-of-war. In this first real conflict of the war, the Americans lost 88 and the British 273 in killed, wounded, and missing. General Gage was now besieged in Boston by the ardent minute men, who in the flush of their patri- otism were eager for the regulars to come out and give them a chance for a battle. Men mounted on swift horses rode at headlong speed through the colonies, spreading the stirring news, and hundi-eds of patriots hurried to Boston that they might take jiart in the war for their rights. Elsewhere, the fullest preparations were made for the struggle for inde- pendence which all felt had opened. As agreed upon, the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadel- phia, May 10, 1775. It included some of the ablest men in America, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and Peyton Randolph, of Virginia ; Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris, of Pennsylvania; John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, of Massachu- setts ; John Jay, of New York ; and Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut. The former Congress had talked ; the present acted. By general consent it was accepted as the governing body of the colonies. The forces around Boston were declared to be a Continental army, money was voted to support it, and Washington was appointed its commander. Meanwhile, British reinforcements under Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne PATBICK HEKKY, America's greatest orator: member of the Second Continental Congress. 94 THE REVOLUTION— THE WAR IN NEW ENGLAND. arrivfel in Boston, swelling Gage's army to 10,UUO men. Tliey occupied the town, on the peninsula which covers the middle of the harbor, while around them on the hills of the mainland was a larger force of Americans, without uni- forms, i^oorly clothed, badly armed and undisciplined, but overflowing with patriotism. A little to the north of Boston the harbor. It has several eleva the patriots determined to seize a thousand men set out one dark lieving Breed's Hill more de he set his men to work upon that, euphonious than "Breed's," and [ by the former name. Upon it has l' ment.) Although close to the ricans toiled thi'ough the When the sun rose June Boston were astonished to ments extending across the Americans still tinned without interruption ff ish were seen coming across were the regulars, finely _ ed nearly 3,000, who, land ^ formed in fine order and ^ against the 1,500 patriots, behind their intrench It was about the middle working ^' a second peninsula extended into tions, one of which, Bunker Hill, and fortify. Colonel Prescott with night to perform the task, but, be- sirable, since it was nearer Boston, (The name "Bunker" is more the latter is now generally known been built the Bunker Hill Monu- THE MONUMENT ON BUNKER HILL. .^ British sentinels, the Ame- =,£3^ night without discovery. ^^^ 17, 1775, the enemy in see a line of intrench- hill above them, with the like beavers. They con- until noon, when the Brit- the harbor in boats. They disciplined, and number- ing near Charlestown, advanced with precision . agerly waiting for them ments. of the afternoon that the to the attack, covered by lowitzers, Howe himself wing. The steejjles and with people, breathlessly sight. Charlestown had dred of its houses laid in British columns marched ^^pj^ a heavy fire of cannon and ^^S~ii. commanding the right roofs of Boston swarmed watching the thrilling been fired and four hun ashes. The Americans behind their breastworks were impatient to open fire, but Prescott restrained them until they could " see the whites of the eyes " of their enemies. Then in a loud, clear voice he shouted "Fircf There was an outflame of musketry along the front of the intrenchments, and scores of troops in the first rank fell. Tlie others hesitated a moment, and then turned and fled BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 95 down the slope. There their officers formed them into line, and once more they advanced up the slope. The delay gave the Americans time to reload, and they received the troops with the same withering fire as before, sending them scurry- ing to the bottom of the hill, where with great difficulty the daring officers formed them into line for a third advance. The British cannon had been brought to bear, and the ships and batteries maintained a furious cannonade. The patriots were compelled to withdraw from the breastwork outside the fort, and the redoubt was attacked at the same moment from three sides. The spec- tators were confident of seeing the invaders hurled back again, but saw to their dismay a slackening of the fire of the Americans, while the troops, rushing over the iutrenchments, fought with clubbed nuiskets. At the very moment victory was within the grasp of the patriots, their recklessly fired ammunition gave out, ami they began sullenly retreating, fighting with clubbed weapons. As it was, their retreat would have been cut off", had not a company of provincials checked the British until the main body of Ameri- cans had fallen back. The battle of Bunker Hill was over and ended with the defeat of the patriots, who had lost 150 killed, 270 wounded, and 30 taken pris- oners. General Gage gave his loss as 22-4 killed and 830 wounded. Among the killed was Major Pitcairn, the leader of the English troops who fired upon the minute men at Lexington. The American Colonel Prescott had his clothing torn to shreds by bayonet thrusts, but was not hurt. A British officer, recog- nizing the brilliant Warren, snatched a nuisket from the hands of a soldier and shot him dead. Prescott and Putnam conducted the retreat by way of Charlestowu Neck to Prospect Hill, where new iutrenchments commanding Boston were thrown up. The British fortified the crest of Breed's Hill. General Gage, in report- ing the affiiir to his government, used the following impressive language : "The success, which was very necessary in our present condition, cost us dear. The number of killed and wounded is greater than our forces can afford to lose. We have lost some extremely good officers. The trials we have had show the rebels are not the despicable rabble too many have supposed them to be, and I find it owing to a military spirit encouraged among them for a few years past, joined with uncommon zeal and enthusiasm. Thev intrench and raise batteries ; they have engineers. They have fortified all the heights and passes around the town, which it is not impossible for them to occupy. The conquest of this country is not easy ; you have to cope with vast numbers. In all their wars against the French, they never showed so nnich conduct, atten- tion, and perseverance as they do now. I think it my duty to let you know the situation of aflTairs." General Washington, accompanied by his aide, Miftlin, Joseph Reed, his 96 THE REVOLUTIOS—THE WAR IS XEW EXGLAXD. military secretary, and General Lee, arrivevi at Cambridge, Julv 2, 177.5. He was joyfully welcomed, and he and his companions i-eiuained for a few davs the guests of President Langdon of Harvard College, On the oih of July, Wash- ington's commission was i\i\d to a parr of the army and to the provincial c^mi- gress of Massachusetts, and he assumtrv. command ui 1 the Contiueu- lal forces. A prodig- ious task CC'U- frouted him. The • undisci- plined ana wretchedly dad swarm came and went as they chose, none having enlisted for more than a brief term. About 2,000 were sick or J absent on fur- lough, out of a I total of 1(1.771 soldiers. Sev- eral thousand more were needed to re- sist the attack that it was l>e- lieved the ene- my would so»">n make. But the British had receiveil sn severe treatment that it required weeks for them to recover, and the summer became oppressively hot. England recallerl Giige. who sailed for home in October, and was succeeded by Howe. TTashing- ton cK>sely besiege*! the enemy in Boston. Throwing up intreuchments, lit ^^^a* ^ "-. .^^ ITOMINATION OF WASHIXGTOX AS GOMMAlfDEK-IX-CHI£F Oi" THE COifTIXEKTAIj ARMV. BRITISH EVACUATIOX OF BOSTOX. 97 steadily approached the citv, and day by day and week by week the situation of Howe became more cxirieiil. ^\^len winter arrived, Wasliington formed the plan of crossing Charles River on the ice, but at a council of war the majority of officers declared the sclieme too hazardous. Washington now decided to fonify and occupy Dorchester Heights, which would command the dty and in a large degree the harbor. General Elnox brought a number of cannon from Tieonderoga, that were dragged over the Green Mountains on sleds. Their arrival did much to cheer the spirits of the patriots, who numbej?ed about 14,C>Ch.\ The commander ealleti upon Massaehu- SMts to furnish him with 6,000 militia, which was partly done. With a view of con- cealing his real purpose. Washington kept up a bopjbar'ini.rnt of the British FAAJsJOi-L HA '•q-g CSAXIIiE OP LTBEB-i. lines throughout the nights of March 2, 3, and 4, 1776. On the night last named. General Thomas moved with 1,200 men from Eoxbury and took poss^- don und^ieraed of the higher hill which commanded Nook's Hill, nearer the citv. Gkaieral Howe was amij^ed the next morning when he saw what had been done, for his position had become untenable. Preparations were made to em- bark men in boats and aixack the Americans, but a violent storm prevented, Then it was agreed that but one thing could be done, and that was to evacuate Boston. The evacuation toot pla.ee March 17ih. The British desiroye>i a great deal 98 THE REVOLUTION— THE M^AR IN NEW ENGLAND. of property, but left many supplies behind which fell into the hands of the Americans. Washington entered the city on the 19th, the main body of troojjs following the next day. The street through which he rode still beai-s his name. The Massachusetts Legislature voted their thanks to the great man, and Congress ordered a commemorative medal in gold and bronze to be struck. This medal is now in the j^ossession of the Massachusetts Historical Society. When Howe sailed away, he took with him more tlian a thousand Tories, who dared not remain behind and meet their indignant countrymen. Instead of going to New York, as he originally intended, the British commander went to Halifax, where he waited for reinforcements and gave his thoughts to forming campaigns for the conquest of the colonies. DISASTROUS INVASION OF CANADA. While the siege of Boston was in progress, the Americans fixed upon a plan foi' the invasion of Canada. The mistake, which has been rej^eated more than once, was in believing that the Canadians, if given the ojiportunity, would make common cause against Great Britain. General Philip Schuyler was placed in command of the expedition, but fell ill, and Richard Montgomery, the second in command, took charge. He was a valiant Irishman, who had done brilliant service in the British army, and was full of ardor for the American cause. In several unimportant skirmishes, his men were so insubordinate and cowardly that lie was disgusted, and expressed his regret that he had ever taken command of such a lot of troops. Nevertheless, he pressed on from Ticon- deroga, while Schuyler at Albany used every effort to forward him supplies. St. John was invested, and the impetuous Ethan Allen, one of his officers, hastened to Chambly to raise a force of Canadians. He recruited nearly a hundred, and, being joined by a few Americans, set out to capture Montreal. The promised reinforcements did not reach him, and, being attacked by a pow- erful force, he made the best defense he could, but was finally compelled to surrender, with all of his men who had not escaped. Allen was sent to England, where he was held a prisoner for a long time. The British fort at Chambly was besieged, and surrendered October 18th. With its capture, the Americans secured six tons of j^owder and seventeen cannon. The fort of St. John was captured November 3d. By that time. Carle- ton, the British commander, was so alarmed that he abandoned Montreal, which surrendered on the 20th. Taking possession, Montgomery issued a j^i'oclama- tion, urging the Canadians to unite with the colonies in the war for independ- ence, and to elect representatives to the Continental Congress. Benedict Arnold, at the head of eleven hundred men, had withdrawn from the camp before Boston, September 13th, and was pressing forward to join Mont- DISASTROUS INVASION OF CANADA. 99 gomery. His course was up tlie Kennebec, through the gloomy wiklerness to the Chaudiere, down which he passed to Point Levi. Tlie journey was of the most trying nature. Tlie weather became bitterly cold, and the stream was too swift at times for them to make headway against it, except by wading the chilly current and slowly dragging the boats against it. At other places, even this v.-as imjiossible, and the heavy boats had to be laboriously carried around the falls and rapids. Finally the time came to leave the river and jilunge into the snowy forests, where all would have been lost, had not a small party, sent in advance, "blazed" the ti-ees. There was plenty of ice in the swamps, but none was strong enough to bear their weight, and they sank through to their knees in the half-frozen ooze. Toiling doggedly forward, a month 2")assed before they reached Duck River, by which time they were in a starving condition. Their provisions gave out, and they ate dogs and candles. Some, in their extremity, chewed boiled moccasins for the infinitesimal nourishment to be extracted from them. Roots and the bark of saplings were devoured, and the wonderful courage of Arnold was all that jirevented the men from throwing themselves on the ground and giving up. So many fell ill and died that Colonel Enos, in command of the rear division, turned about with his men and returned to Cambridge. Nothing, however, could shake the dauntless courage of Arnold. He pushed on, and, obtaining a few cattle, was able to give his men temi^orary relief. Winter was closing in, the weather was growing colder every day, many men were barefoot, and without any protection against the icy rain except the branches, of the leafless trees. The wonder is that the whole band did not perish. Finally on the 4th of November, the famishing band caught sight of the first house they had seen in weeks. Traveling now became better, and about a week later they reached Point Levi, ojiposite Quebec. There they had to wait several days to procure canoes, with which the seven hundred men, resembling so many shivering tramps, crossed the St. Lawrence and huddled together under the Heights of Abraham. What earthly hope could such a body of men, without cannon, with injured muskets and powder, and cartridges partly spoiled, have in attacking the walled town of Quebec ? None, unless the Canadians made common cause with them. Following the steep path up which AVolfe and his brave men had climbed seven- teen years before, the gaunt Americans struggled after their intrepid leader. The next act in the grim comedy was to send forward a flag of truce with a demand for the surrender of Quebec. General Carleton must have smiled at the grotesqueness of the proceeding, when lie .«ent back a refusal. A few shots followed, when Arnold, finding he had not half a dozen rounds of ammunition apiece for his men, and was in danger of being attacked himself, retreated to a 100 THE REVOLUTION— THE WAR IN NEW ENGLAND. point twenty miles below Quebec, where Montgomery joined him on the 1st of December and assumed command. The Americans now numbered 3,000, and had six fieldpieces and five light mortars. They set out for Quebec, in front of which they encamped four days later. Of all the series of disastrous invasions of Canada, none was more dismal and pathetic than that of Montgomery and Arnold. The winter was unusually severe for a region which is noted for its intensely cold weather. The ground froze to the hardness of a rock, and, unable to make any impression in it with shovel and pick, the besiegers threw up walls of ice, which the cannon of the defenders sent flying into thousands of fragments. The men grew mutinous, and, realizing the desperate situation, Montgomery ordered an assault to be made on the last day of the year. The plan was for the first division under Montgomery to move down the river and attack the lower town near the citadel, while the second division under Arnold was to pass around the city to the north, assault by way of the St. Charles, and unite with Montgomery in his attack upon the Prescott gate. The other two divisions were to remain in the rear of the upper town and divert the garrison by feint attacks. A blinding snowstorm was raging and the men could hardly distinguish one another. Success depended upon surprise, but the defenders had learned of the intended attack, and Montgomery had hardly started when the battery delivered a fire which instantly killed him and both his aides. Their deaths threw his men into a panic, and they fled in such haste that they escaped the fate of their leaders. Meanwhile, Arnold had moved, as agreed upon, with his division along the St. Charles, the men bending their heads to the icy blast and protecting their muskets under their coats. As soon as the garrison caught sight of the dim figures they opened fire, but the Americans pressed on and carried the first barricade. Arnold, however, received a severe wound in the leg, and, sufiering great pain, was carried to the rear. Daniel Morgan, one of the bravest ofiicers of the Eevolution, succeeded to the command, and, with his riflemen at his heels, was the first to climb the ladders placed against the barricade. Two musket- balls grazed the leader's face, whicli was scorched by the flash, and he was knocked down ; but he instantly sprang to his feet and called upon his men to follow him. They did so with such dash that the enemy took refuge in the houses on both sides of the street. But for the disaster that had overtaken Montgomery, Quebec probably would have been captured, but Morgan's command was in darkness, the driving snow interfered with firing, and they knew nothing of the town. Only a few DISASTROUS INVA.SION OF CANADA. 101 of the troops found the next barricade, and, when they climbed the ladders, were confronted by leveled nuiskets whose tire was vei'y destructive. Not only ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, NEW YORK, WHERE MONTGOMERY WAS BURIED. that, but the British, who had taken refuge in the houses in the streets, kept up their firing. The Anaericaus fought for a long time with the greatest heroism, but after 102 THE REVOLUTION— THE WAR IX XEW ENGLAND. tlie loss of sixty, the reiiiuiuder, with the exception of" a few that had fled, were obliged to surrender. The fragments of the helpless army fell again under the command of the wounded Arnold, who, despite the hopelessness of the attempt, still pressed the siege of Quebec. He had sent an urgent message to Schuyler for reinforcements. They straggled through the wintry forests to his aid, some 3,000 arriving in the course of the winter. Carleton, who was too wise to ven- ture out on the plain as Montcalm had done, felt secure behind the walls, and gave little heed to the ragged swarm huddled together in front of the town. General Wooster brought fresh troops in March and assumed command. He lacked military skill, and two months later was succeeded by General Thomas. The latter saw that he had no more than a thousand effective troops under his control, and decided to withdraw the ill-starred expedition. Carle- ton, who had received large reinforcements, attacked him on his retreat and captured a hundred prisoners and nearly all the stores. The sufferings of the Americans were now aggravated by smallpox, which broke out among them and caused many deaths. General Thomas being one of the victims. General Sullivan succeeded him in command. He lost a number of prisoners and re- treated to Ticonderoga and Crown Point, thus bringing the disastrous expedition to a close in the month of June, 1776. It is proper that tribute should be given to the humanity of Carleton, the British commander. He caused search to be made in the snow for the body of Montgomery, and, when it was found, it was brought into the city and buried with the honors of war. Other parties scoured the woods for the suffering Americans, who were placed in the hospital and received tender care. Those wlio voluntarily came in were allowed to go as soon as they were strong enough to travel, and to the needy ones Carleton furnished money. A half-century later the remains of Montgomery were brought to New York and deposited beneath the monument in St. Paul's churchyard. CHAI'TER V. THE REVOLUTION (CONTINUEOi.— THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE STATES AND ON THE SEA. Declanition of Independence — The American Flag — Battle uf Long Island — Washington's Retreat Through the Jerseys — Trenton and Princeton — In Winter Quarters — Lafayette — Brandywine and Gernuintown — At Valley Forge — Burgoyne's Campaign — Fort Schuyler and Bennington — Bemis Heights and Stillwater — The Conway Cabal — Aid from France — Battle of Monmouth — Molly Pitcher — Failure of French Aid — Massacre at Wyoming — Continental Money — Stony Point — Treason of Arnold — Paul Jones' Great Victory. DIFFERENT THEATKES OF WAR. The Revolution, beginning in New England, gradually moved southward. After the first few conflicts it passed into the Mitldle States, which for nearly three years bectune the theatre of the war. Tiien it shifted to the South, which witnessed its triumphant close. It lias been shown that, despite this change of scene, the colonies were ardently united from the beginning in the struggle for independence. It should be remembered, however, that, for a considerable time after the beginning of actual fighting, the Americans were not struggling so much to gain their liberty as to com2:)el England to do them justice. But for the stubboi'uness of George III., who at times was insane, the reasonable prayers of the patriots would have been granted, and our ancestors would have been retained as subjects of the crown. But the most far-seeing of Americans comprehended the inevitable end, which must be subjection to tyranny or independence. The trend of events so (103) 104 WAE IN THE MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. clearly indicated this that steps were taken looking toward the utter and final separation ot" the colonies from the mother country. Congress was still in session in Philadelphia, and early in June the ques- tion of declaring American independence was brought forward by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, who seconded by John Adams, of - the colonies free and indepen was of so momentous impor long and earnestly by the there was no doubt that definite place, a committee was appointed tion of Independence. The mem ferson, John Adams, Benjamin man, and R. R. Livingston. The the work of Thomas Jefierson, members being so slight that it introduced a resolution, Massachusetts, declaring dent States. The matter tance that it was debated able members, but since action ^\(>ulll soon take to draw up tlie Declara- beis -weie Tlioma'^ Jef- Fianklin, Roger Sher- immoital document was the assistance of the other is not woi th mention. ilvDKttiNDKINiCB HALL, PHILADELPHIA. (Wasliinglou's statue in front.) The debate over the Declaration, after it was read to Congress, was earnest, and considerable difierence of opinion developed, but on the 4th of July it was adopted and signed by every member present, excepting one, while the absent delegates afterward attached their signatures. Thornton, the member from New THE AMERICAN FLAG. 105 Hampshire, signed it precisely four months after its adoption. John Hancock, being President of the Congress, placed his name first in his large, bold hand, and it appropriately stands by itself. As soon as the Declaration was adopted, it was ordered that copies of it should be sent to the various assemblies, conventions, and committees or councils of safety, to the commanding officers of the Continental troops, and that it should be proclaimed in each of the United States and at the head of the army. It was received everywhere with delight. Bells were rung, bonfires kin- dled, and eloquent addresses made. The old Liberty Bell, still carefully preserved in Independence Hall, sent out its note over the city and across the Delaware. How appropriate is the inscription on the bell, cast many years before anyone dreamed of the American Revolution: "Proclaim liberty through- out all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof" THE AMERICAN FLAG. No\v that the nation was born, it required a flag under which to fight for its inde- pendence. Various patterns had been used. The one first raised over the Ameri- can troops at Boston con- tained thirteen stripes, as at present, but, in place of white stars in a blue field, it displayed a union of the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George. Numerous designs were submitted to Congress, but the first recognized Continental standard was that raised by AVashington, January 2, 1776. By resolution of Congress, June 14, 1777, this was replaced by the jiattern as it is to-day, excejjting in the number of stars. The rule is that whenever a new State is admitted to the Union its representative star shall appear in the blue field of the banner on the 4th of July following its admission. THE LIBERTY BELL, AS EXHIBITED AT THE NEW OKLEANS EXPOSITION. 106 WAR IN THE .MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. Despite the entliusiasin with which the Declaration of Inde2:)endence was received everywhere, the affairs of tlie titates (as they must now be called) were by no means encouraging. Montgomery and Arnold were engaged upon their disastrous invasion of Canada, and the city of New York was in grave peril from the enemy. Moreover, England was not to be frightened by the Declara- tion of Independence. The angered king and Paidiament put forth more strenuous efforts than before to conquer their rebellious subjects. GENERAL LEE IX NEW YORK. Wlien Washington entered Boston after the British evacuation, he immedi- ately sent six of his best regiments to New York, which he was convinced would soon be attacked. General Charles Lee had been placed in command there and Washington intended to follow. The people in New York were alive to their danger and Lee did his utmost to strengthen the defenses. An intrenched camp was laid out on Columbia Heights, on the Brooklyn side, to guard the town against an attack from the sea, and another intrenched camjj was erected on the New York side, between Fulton and Wall Streets. This was named Fort Stirling and was an important position, since it permitted the batteries to sweep the channel, or, in case of the occu{)ation of the city by an enemy, they could be bombarded. A foi't was built opjwsite Hell Gate to defend an approach by way of the Sound, while works were placed below Canal Street to cover the river. There were no fortifications, however, on the Jersey shore. Lee ruled with a high hand in New York, showing no consideration to the Tories and making himself highly popular with the revolutionary party. Hav- ing lieen placed in command of the southern department, he left New Yoik, and Lord Stirling (an American who inherited his title) succeeded him. He put forth every effort to make the city impregnable, following the advice and orders of Washington, who knew the necessity of such rigorous measures. BRAVE DEFENSE OF CHARLESTON. The British plan of campaign was to capture the city of New York, over- run the State, push the war in the South, and invade the Northern States from Canada. The South Carolinans, as soon as they heard the news of Lexington, began fortifying the harbor of Charleston. These included the barricading of the streets, in case of the capture of the harbor defenses. General Lee, as soon as he arrived, inspected the defenses and gave it as his opinion that they were not strong enough to resist the British fleet and the forts would be knocked mto ruins. "Then," said Colonel Moultrie, "we'll fight h(']iinfires and sentinels in plain sight. The situation of the American army could not have been more critical. Behind it was the Delaware filled with floating ice and in front the superior army of Cornwallis, confident of capturing Washington and his forces on the morrow. But when the raw wintry morning dawned, Cornwallis was astounded to hear the booming of cannon in the direction of Princeton, ten miles behind him. Washington had withdrawn his entire force, and, reaching the college town by a roundabout course, was driving tiie British troops before him. The chagrined BATTLE OF PRINCETOy. 115 and angered Cornwallis hurried tu Princeton in order to avert the threatened disaster. BATTLE OF PKIXCETOX. But Washington had already won a victory, scattering the British forces rio-ht and left. Although he lost a number of brave officers and men, he killed ||^^.^i^^^ -^^ m \ I VI " -ixty of the enemy ^^^ and crl/te \klu£/ thereof Cw GoldorSilver /o^cgivenin. exchange at 'Yvea.&Mry oiVlRGIT^IA, Pursuant to A. C T oj ASSEMBXiY C>e ^^^. '^^^ THE CONTINENTAL OUERENCY. One of the "sinews of war " is money. It is impossible for any nation to carry on a war long without funds. The Americans were poor, but they issued paper promises to pay, which were known as Continental money. As the war pro- gressed, and more money was needed, it was issued. In 1778, it took eight paper dollars to equal one of gold or silver. More was necessary and more was issued. Besides this, the paper and printing were of such poor quality that the British in New York made a great many counterfeits that were exchanged with the farmers in the vicinity. The value of the currency decreased until the time came when it was absolutely worthless. When Clinton occupied New York and Washington was encamped on the Hudson above, there were many forays against each other. The design of the British commander was to force his way to the Highlands, seize the passes and gain full command of the Hudson. He had already secured Stony Point, and Washington formed a ;^lan for retaking it, which was intrusted to the brilliant Anthony AVayne. In the middle of July, Wayne took command of four regiments of infantry, T24 WAR IN THE MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. whicli marched twelve miles through the insufferably hot night, when they reached a point about a mile from the fort. Wayne went forward while his men were resting and made a careful reconnoissance. Rejoining his troops, he divided them into two columns, and, to prevent any mistake as to their identity, a piece of white paper was pinned to each hat. All the superfluous clothing was flung aside. He impressed ujwn his men that the bayonet alone was to be used, and, to prevent the dischai-ge of a gun by some nervous soldier, he ordered his ofiicers to cut down the first man who took his musket from his shoulder without the order to do so. The two divisions approaching from opposite sides were to attack the fort at the same moment. Before it was i-eached, the pickets discovered them and opened fire. The garrison was aroused, and, hurrj'ing to their jwsts, cried out tauntingly : " Come on, you rebels ! we're waiting for you ! " " We'll be there," was the reply ; and the patriots kept their word, carrying matters with such a rush that the flag was speedily lowered. While leading his men, Wayne was struck in the forehead by a musket-ball and fell to the ground. Believing himself mortally wounded, he asked to be carried forward that he might die within the fort. While his men were assisting him, it was found that he had only been stunned. He recovered a moment later and was among the first to enter the defenses. The American loss was slight, and they secured nearly six hundred prisoners, with a lot of valuable stores. The fort was destroyed before they left, the ruins being occupied some days later by a British force. THE INFANT AMERICAN NAVY. Thus far we have had nothing to tell about the infant American navy. At the beginning of the war, in 1775, AVashington sent several privateers to cruise along the New England coast, and Congress established a naval depart- ment. Thirteen ships were fitted out and two battalions of seamen enlisted. The opportunity of capturing j)rizes from the enemy was very alluring to the skillful American seamen, and so many dashing privateers started forth in quest of them that in the course of three years fully five hundred ships, sailing under the English flag, were captured. Some of the daring cruisers did not hesitate to enter British waters in search of the enemy. GREAT NAVAL VICTORY OF PAUL JONES. No braver man than John Paul Jones ever trod the quarter-deck. On the first chance he displayed so much courage and skill that he was made a captain. He was cruising off'Solway Firth near his birthplace one night, when he rowed GREAT NAVAL VICTORY OF PAUL JONES. 125 ashore ou the coast of Cumberland, with only thirty-one volunteers, and burned three vessels in the harbor of Whitehaven and s^^iked a number of cannon in the guard-room of the fort. England was alarmed, declared him a pirate, and put forth every effort to cajiture him. In 1779, Paul Jones, as he is more generally known, put to sea in com- mand of the Bon Homme Richard, and accompanied by two consorts, the Alliance and the Pallas. The Richard was an old East Indiaman, given him by the king of France and named in compliment to Franklin, who had published " Poor Richard's Almanac " for so many years that he was often identified with the publi- cation. When Jones was off Bear- borough, he sighted the Baltic fleet of merchantmen home- ward bound, and escorted by the frigates Countess of Scar- borough and the Serapis. The latter carried fifty guns and the former twenty-two, while Jones had forty-four guns and three hundred and seventy-five men, two-thirds of whom were pris- oners of war, since he luul greatly weakened his crew in order to send home the many prizes captured. The moment Jones iden- tified the enemy, he signaled paul jones. to his consorts to join him in 2">ursuit. Night had closed in and the moon was shining, when the captain of the Serapis hailed Jones, who answered by opening fire. The enemy was equally prompt, and thus one of the most famous fights in naval history began. It is almost past comprehension how Jones fought so terrifically when the disadvantages under which he labored are known. Firing had scarcely begun when one of the guns on the lower deck exploded, killing several men. The survivors ran above, and the piece was not used again during the fight. Jones tried to close with the Serapis, but, finding he could not bring his 126 'AR JN THE .MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. guns to bear, he allowed hi.s 8hij) to tall off. The prisoners, who outnumbered his crew, were kejjt busy extinguishing the fires that continually broke out, by being told that it was the only way to save themselves from death by burning. In the midst of the terrific fighting, when the Iiichard seemed doomed, Captain Pearson of the ISerapis shouted : " Have you struck ? " "Struck ! " replied Jones; "I am just beginning to fight." While the ships were lurching, one of the enemy's anchors caught the quarter of the Iiich- ard antl the two held fast, thence- forward fighting side by side. They were so close indeed that the Serajiis could not open her starboard ports, and the cannon were fired through the port-lids, which were blown ofl'; but the main deck of the Richard was so high that the broad- sides of the enemy injured no one, though they did great damage to the vessel. Thistremen- FIGHT BETWEEN BON HOMME KICHAKD AND SEKAPIS. iloUS battle laStcd for two liours, the muzzles of the guns scra]iing one another, and the cannon being discharged as fast as they could be loaded. The Richard was soon shattered to that extent that she began sinking. Fire broke out repeatedly on both vessels, and finally Jones was able to work only three of his guns. At this crisis, he found that his consort, the Alliance, Captain Landais, was firing into him as well as the Scrapi.'<: l)ut not heeding liini, he continued his battle with the Serapis, whose snilors fought as bravely as his own. GREAT NAVAL VICTORY OF PAUL JONES. 127 The fearful struggle was decided by a sailor in the rigghig of the Richard, who was engaged in throwing hand-grenades on the deck of the Serapis. One of these dropped into the hatchway and exploded a mass of eighteen-pound cartridges, which killed twenty and wounded twice as many more. Captain Pearson placed himself at the head of his boarders and made a rush for the deck of the Richard. Jones, leading his own men, drove them back. The explosion of the grenades silenced the main battery of the Serapis, and Caj)tain Pearson himself hauled down his colors, both crews in the awful confusion believing for some minutes that it was the Richard , that had surren- ^ dered. When day dawned, the rid- dled Richard was settling fast, and Jones had barely time to remove his crew to the Serapis when his own ves- sel went down. Four-fifths of his >_„ iv men had been killed or wounded. BRITISH CAPTAIN SUEKEWDERIKG HIS SVl^OKD TO PAUL JONES. investigation of the conduct of Cajitain Landais in firing into the Richard led to the conclusion that he was insane, and he was deprived of his command. Jones did no more si)ecial service for the Americans. For his unsurpassable achievement he received the thanks of Congress, and the king of France presented him with a gold sword. After the war he became a rear-admiial in the Russian navy, and died in Paris in 1792. 128 WAR IN THE MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. One of the saddest and most shocking events of the Revolution was the treason of Benedict Arnold, who had won a brilliant reputation for his bravery and generalship. He was quick-temj^ered, treacherous, and extravagant, and dis- liked by most of his men, despite his extraordinary daring. His first resent- ment against Congress was the failure of that body to make him one of the first five major-generals, in the face, too, of Washington's urgent recommendation for such promotion, which was made after Arnold's splendid services at Saratoga. He was placed in command at Philadelphia, while recovering from the wounds received at Saratoga. He married a Tory lady, and his misconduct caused his trial by court-martial, which sentenced him to be reprimanded by the commander-in-chief. Washington performed the unpleasant duty with delicacy, but its memory rankled and was increased by his anger against Congress for its refusal to allow his claims for expenses in the Canadian expedition. Influenced also, no doubt, by the Tory 'sentiments of his wife, he determined to take the step which has covered his name with everlasting infamy. On the plea that his wounds were not yet healed, he induced Washington to place him in command at West Point, the most important post in the country and the principal dep)ot of supplies. He opened a correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton at New York, and agreed for a stated sum of money and an appointment in the British army to surrender the post to a force which Clinton was to send against it. When a point in the negotiations was reached where it was necessary to send a trusted agent to meet Arnold, Clinton dispatched Major John Andre, who went up the Hudson in a sloop, and, September 22, 1780, met Arnold at the foot of Long Clove Mountain. Everything being agreed upon, Andre started to return to the sloop, but found that, owing to its having been fired upon by a party of Americans, it had dropped down stream. Obliged to make his way to New York by land, he assumed the dress of a civilian, and, furnished with a pass by Arnold, he set out on horseback. When near Tarrytown, he was stopped by three Americans, Isaac Van Wart, John Paulding, and David Williams, who demanded his identity and business. One of the three happened to be wearing a British coat, which he had exchanged for one of his own while a prisoner of war, and the fact led Andre to think they were friends. Before he discovered his mistake, he had made known that he was a British officer, and he was ordered to dismount and submit to a search. The fatal papers were found on him, and, seeing his busi- ness was known, he offered everything he had, besides the promise of a large sum of money from Sir Henry Clinton, to be allowed to go. His captors re- fused and conducted him to North Castle, where he was given up to Lieutenant- Colonel Jameson. That officer had the proof before him in the papers that THE CAPTURE OF MAJOR ANDRE Much svmpalTiy was felt in America for Andre, but the justice of his being hung as a spy was never que^.tioned. Hi: three captors, Paulding. Van Wart and Williams, were honnred wilh medals and 5200.00 a year each for life, and monuments were erected to their memories by our GovernmenL THE TREASON OF BENEDICT ARNOLD. 12!) Arnold was the unsjieakable traitor, but witli a stupidity difficult to understand, lie sent a letter to Arnold acquainting him with the ca|)ture of Andre. Arnold was eating breakfast at his house near the Hudson, when the note was brought to him by the ■:^«^|'' messenger. Knowing what it meant, he called his wife to him, told her of his danger, kissed his "if V 1 EfaCAPF or BESjFDICT ARNOLD sleeping bo\ in the ciadlc, i.in out of the liou-e, mounted hi^ horse and tjallopod at headlong speed for the river. Tliere he s|,i.ing into a boat and ord(i(d the men to low 130 WAR IN THE MIDDLE STATES AND ON SEA. with all haste to the sloop, still at anchor a short distance down stream and waiting for Andre. Since these men had no suspicion of the truth they obeyed orders, and Arnold, by waving a white handkerchief over his head, prevented the Americans on the sliore from firing at him. He reached the sloop in safety and was carried to New York. The fact that Andre was wearing a civilian suit at the time of his captul-e made him a spy, according to the laws of war, and the court-martial before which he was called sentenced him to be hanged. Clinton was greatly distressed by the impending fate of his favorite officer and did his utmost to secure his release by Washington. It was intimated to Clinton that Washington might be induced to exchange Andre for Arnold, but such an act by the Britis^h com- mander would have covered his name with infamy, and he was too honorable even to consider it. Andre accepted his fate bravely, only asking that he might be shot instead of hanged, but even that boon was denied him. General Greene, who presided at the court-martial, insisted that such leniency would have been an admission of a doubt of the justice of his sentence. Andre was hanged October 2, 1780. King George III. caused a mural tablet to be erected to his memory, and his re- mains were removed to England in 1821 and placed in Westminster Abbey. A pension was conferred upon his mother and his brother was created a baronet. Sad as was the fate of Andre, and general as was the sympathy felt for him in this country, there can be no question of the justice of his sentence. He was a spy, and, had he succeeded in his mission, might have caused the failure of the war for independence. Arnold received more than $30,000 as a reward for his treason. He was disliked by the British officers, and Cornwallis did not hesitate to show his con- tempt for him. He engaged in several raids against his countrymen, but since he always fought "with a rope around his neck," he was never trusted with any important command. He removed to England with his family after the war, and his sons received commissions in the British army. It is worth noting that all did creditable ser- vice, and their descendants became worthy members of the community, a fact which no one can regret, since they could be held in no way responsible for the horrifying crime of their ancestor, who, despised by all around him, died in London in 1801. CHAPTER VI. THE REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTH (CONCLUDED). Capture of Savannah — Biidsh Conquest of Georgia — Fall of Charleston — Bitter Warfare in South Caro- lina — Battle of Camden — Of King's Mountain — Of the Cowpens — Battle of Guilford Court-House — Movements of Cornwallis — The Final Campaign — Peace and Independence. CONQUEST OF GEORGIA. The wave of war continued to roll southward. The British had met with such meagre success in the Northern and Middle States that they turned their efforts toward the conquest of the South. In the latter part of December, 1778, an expedition from New York compelled the small garrison at Savannah to sur- render. British troops from Florida then reinforced the exjiedition, Augusta and other towns were captured, and the whole State was brought under British control. General Benjamin Lincoln, the American commander, had too few troops to offer successful resistance, and the Tories gave much trouble. In September, 1779, Lincoln crossed into Georgia and, with the aid of the French fleet under D'Estaing, made an attempt to recapture Savannah. The attack was made with the greatest bravery by the allies, but they suffered a dis- astrous repulse, and D'Estaing again sailed for the West Indies. Georgia was brought so completely under British control that a royal governor and officers were installed. The Wiiigs were treated with great cruelty, and for two years the struggle in the Carolinas assumed a ferocious character. It was civil war in its most frightful form. Neighbor was arrayed against neighbor. Every man was compelled to be a Whig or Tory, and when one party captured another, it generally executed the prisoners as traitors. There were many instances in which those of the same family fought one another with the utmost fury, and the horrors of war were displayed in all their dreadful colors. For a long time the British kept a strong force at Newport, but they were withdrawn, and a strong expedition was sent South to capture Charleston. BRITISH CAPTURE OF CHARLESTON. General Lincoln had a garrison of 3,000, his forts, and a number of vessels, with wliich he was confident of making a successful defense of the city. The ships, however, were so inferior to those of the enemy that Commodore Whipple (131) 132 THE REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTH. sank all except one at the mouth of Cooper River to block the channel, and added his men and guns to the defenses of Charleston. Clinton's force was about double that of Lincoln, and he made his approaches with care and skill. By April 10th he was within a half-mile of the city, and, Lincoln having refused the demand for surrender, the enemy opened fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, the best cavalry leader the British had in the country, scattered the patriot cavalry at the rear of the city, which was fully in- vested. Reinforcements arrived from New York, and the siege was pushed vigorously. The garrison made a sortie which accomplished nothing. Tarleton continually defeated the American cavalry at the rear, many guns were dis- mounted, food and supplies were exhausted until all hope was gone, and on the 12th of May, 1780, Lincoln surrendered his army and the city. This was one of the severest blows of the war. Clinton secured the city and more than 400 pieces of artillery. He treated his prisoners kindly, but lost no time in following up his success. Tarleton destroyed the command of Col- onel Abraham Buford, numbering 400 men, and thus effectually quenched all organized resistance for a time in South Carolina. Clinton would have completed the conquest of the South by advancing into North Carolina, had he not learned that a French fleet Tas expected on the coast. This led him to return to New York with the main army, while Corn- wallis was left behind with 4,000 men to complete the unfinished work as best he cotild. Li the spring of 1780, Washington sent reinforcements to the South, with a regiment of artillery under Baron DeKalb, a German veteran who had come to America with Lafayette. Although one of the finest of officers, he could scarcely speak a word of English, and General Gates, on June 13, 1780, was ordered by Congress to assume command of the southern department. He proved unequal to the difficult task, for not only were the troops few and miser- ably disciplined and armed, but they were in a starving condition. The summer was one of the hottest ever known, and, although reinforcements were expected. Gates decided not to wait before putting his forces in motion. Reinforcements reaching him after a time, he marched against Cornwallis, who was eager to meet him. AMERICAN DEFEAT AT CAMDEN. The battle was fought at Camden, and was conducted with such skill by Cornwallis that the raw and untried patriots were utterly routed. The centre and left wings were swept from the field, but the right under De Kalb fought with splendid heroism, and it required the whole army of Cornwallis to drive it from the field. In the fight De Kalb received eleven wounds, and died the next AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE. 133 The battle of Camden marked the complete destruction of Gates' army. The militia scattered to their homes, convinced that it was useless to figlit longer, while Gates with a few adherents continued his flight for nearly two hundred miles. Two days later, Colonel Sumter with eight hundred men was attacked on the Wateree by Tarleton, who killed half his force and recaptured his prisoners and booty. PATRIOT PARTISANS. Confident that the comj^lete conquest of the South was close at hand, Corn- wallis gave every energy to the work. This was rendered difficult by the ac- tivity of Francis Marion, Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens, and other partisan leaders, who were acquainted with every mile of the country, and on their horses made swift marches, struck effective blows, and were off again before pur- suit could be made. The wonderful work of Marion in this respect caused him to be known as the " Swamp Fox of the Carolinas." Many of Tarleton's troo23ers fell before the fire of these daring rangers, who occasionally were strong enough to capture important posts. It is worthy of mention in this place that to Sumter was the distinction of attaining the greatest age of any officer of the Revolution. At his death, in 1832, he was in his ninety-ninth year. AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE. As illustrative of the spirit of the Southern colonists, we may be pardoned for the digression of the following anecdote. The fighting of Marion and his men was much like that of the wild Apaches of the southwest. When hotly pursued by the enemy his command would break up into small parties, and these as they were hard pressed would subdivide, until nearly every patriot was fleeing alone. There could be no successful pursuit, therefore, since the subdivision of the pursuing party weakened it too much. " We will give fifty pounds to get within reach of the scamp that galloped by here, just ahead of us," exclaimed a lieutenant of Tarleton's cavalry, as he and three other troopers drew up before a farmer, who was hoeing in the field by the roadside. The farmer looked up, leaned on his hoe, took off his old hat, and, mopping his forehead with his handkerchief, looked at the angry soldier and said : " Fifty pounds is a big lot of money." " So it is in these times, but we'll give it to you in gold, if you'll show us where we can get a chance at the rebel ; did you see him ? " " He was all alone, was he ? And he was mounted on a black horse with a white star in his forehead, and he was going like a streak of lightning, wasn't he?" " That's the fellow ! " exclaimed the questioners, hoping they were about to get the knowledge they wanted. 134 THE REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTH. " It looked to me like Jack Davis, though he went by so fast that I couldn't get a square look at his face, but he was one of Marion's men, and if I ain't greatly mistaken it was Jack Davis him- - ...es self:" Then looking up at the four British TAKLETON'S LIEUTENANT AND THE FAHMEB (JACK DAVIS). horsemen, the farmer added, with a quizzical expression : "I reckon that ere Jack Davis has lilt you chaps pretty hard, ain't he?" PATRIOT VICTORY AT KING'S MOUNTAIN. 135 " Never mind about that," replied the lieutenant; " what we want to know is where we can get a chance at him for just about five minutes." The farmer put his cotton handkerchief into his hat, which he now slowly replaced, and shook his head: " I don't think he's hiding round here," he said; " when he shot by Jack was going so fast that it didn't look as if he could stop under four or five miles. Strangers, I'd like powerful well to earn that fifty jDOunds, but I don't think you'll get a chance to squander it on me." After some further questioning, the lieutenant and his men wheeled their horses and trotted back toward the main body of Tarleton's cavalry. The farmer plied his hoe for several minutes, gradually working his way toward the stretch of woods some fifty yards from the roadside, where he stepped in among the trees and disappeared. You understand, of course, that the farmer that leaned on liis hoe by the roadside and talked to Tarleton's lieutenant about Jack Davis and his exploits was Jack Davis himself One day a British officer visited Marion under a flag of truce. When the business was finished Marion urged him to stay to dinner, and the officer ac- cepted the invitation. The meal consisted of only baked sweet potatoes. Noting the surprise of his guest, Marion explained that the fare was the regular food of himself and soldiers, but, in honor of the guest, the allowance had been increased that day. This anecdote, which seems to be authentic, was supplemented by the officer's return to Charleston, where he resigned his commission, declaring that it was useless to try to conquer such men. Marion led a spotless life, held in higli esteem by friend and enemy, and his name will always be revered throughout this country, especially in the South. PATRIOT VICTORY AT KING'S 'MOUNTAIN. The next battle took place at King's Mountain, October 8, 1780. Corn- wallis had sent Colonel Ferguson with about 1,100 men to rouse the Tories in North Carolina. He met with slight success, and fortified himself on King's Mountain, between the Broad and Catawba Rivers, and on the border between North and South Carolina. Aware of his danger, he sent messengers to Corn- wallis urging him to forward reinforcements without delay. The Americans captured every one of the messengers, and of course no reinforcements arrived. The patriots consisted mainly of North Carolina and Kentucky riflemen, numbering 1,500, all excellent marksmen. They attacked in three separate columns, each of which was repulsed by Ferguson's men, who fought with cool- ness and bravery. Then the Americans united and attacked again. Ferguson was mortally wounded, and his successor was so hard pressed that he surrendered. Four hundred of his men fled, three hundred were killed, and eight hundred laid down their arms, while the loss of the Americans was no more than twenty. 136 THE REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTH. King's Mountaia was a brilliant victory for the Americans and caused Cornwallis to retreat into North Carolina. His men suffered greatly, and the commander himself falling ill, the command was turned over to Lord Rawdon, then a young man and famous afterward in India as the Marquis of Hastings. GENERAL GREENE's SUCCESS IN THE SOUTH. The failure of Gates led Congress to send the Quaker General Greene to the South. Next to Washington, he was the most skillful leader of the Revolution, and, despite his discouragements and difficulties, he speedily demonstrated the wisdom of the stejs that 2:ilaced him where he was so much needed. DEFEAT OF TARLETON. Greene sent Daniel Morgan, the famous commander of the Virginia rifle- men, into South Carolina with a thousand men to gather recruits. Cornwallis dispatched Tarleton with the same number after him. The forces met at the Cowpens, near Spartanburg, in January, 1781. This time the terrible Tarleton found that he had met his master. Morgan utterly routed him, as was proven by the fact that Tarleton lost a hundred men killed, besides ten commissioned officers. A large number were wounded, and six hundred prisoners, his two guns, his colors, eight hundred nmskets, a hundred horses, and most of his bag- gage train were captured. Of the Americans only twelve were killed and about fifty wounded. Tarleton himself had a narrow escape, but got away with a handful of men. Greene's skillful retreat. Determined to punish the audacious Morgan, Cornwallis started after him with his entire army. Greene and Morgan, having united, fell back, for their troops were too few to risk a battle. Their retreat across North Carolina into Virginia has never been surpassed in this country. Three times the British army were at the heels of the A^nericans, who avoided them through the for- tunate rise of the rivers, immediately after they had crossed. Cornwallis main- tained the pursuit until the Dan was reached, when he gave up and returned to Hillboro. BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURT-HOUSE. Having obtained a number of recruits, Greene turned back into North Carolina, and the two armies encountered at Guilford Court-House (now Greens- boro), in March, 1781. Some o the American militia gave way, but the rest bravely held their ground, and, when compelled at last to retreat, did so in good order. Cornwallis had been handled so roughly that he did not venture to pursue the Americans. Cornwallis now withdrew to WilininL:; n. while Greene moved across North DARING DtSERTION OF JOHN CAMPE . Ihe English ranks, for the purpose of associalini; himself with the 1, him and jjellin;; him alive into the hands of the Americans 2WVEMEMS OF CORNWALLIS. 137 Carolina after the British forces under Lord Rawdon. Several engagements took place, the principal one being at Hobkirk's Hill, near Camden. Greene inflicted severe losses upon the enemy, but was com- I^elled to retreat, and spent the summer among the hills of the Santee, in the neigh- borhood of Camden. Ad- vancing toward the coast, he fought the last battle in the State, at Eutaw Sj^rings, near Charleston, September 8, 1781. The advantage was with the British, but the victory was one of those that are as disastrous as de- feat. Their loss was so heavy that they retreated during the night and took shelter in Charleston. Greene had completed his work with admirable effect- iveness. Without winning victories he luul, by his cau- tion, skill, celerity of move- ment, and generalship, al- most cleared the South of the enemy, for the only points held by them were Charleston and Savannah, where they were closely hemmed in for the rest of the war. MOVEMENTS OF CORNWALLIS. Meanwhile Cornwallis was at Wilmington, where he learned of Greene's move- ments too late to intercept him. He was confident, however, that Rawdon was strong enough to overthrow Greene, and he moved northward into Virgini.^ 138 THE REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTH. to join the forces already there, and complete the conquest of the State. No seri- ous opposition was encountered by him, and Tarleton plundered the country as he passed through it. Entering Virginia, Coruwallis found himself opposed by Lafayette, with 4,000 troops, which was hardly one-half the force under his own command. Orders came from Clinton in New York for Cornwallis to seize upon some suitable place near the coast, easily reached by the British vessels. Cornwallis selected Yorktown, on the peninsula between the James and York Rivers, where he fixed the headquarters of the army, and began throwing up fortifications. OUR FRENCH ALLIES. The time had come when the friendship of France for America was to accomplish something. In the summer of 1780 Rochambeau landed at Newport with 6,000 troops, and later they were marched to Washington's camp, near Peekskill and Morristown. Confident that he now had an army that could achieve important results, Washington made preparations to attack Clinton in New York. Rochambeau gave him every help, the allies working together with the utmost cordiality and enthusiasm. THE YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN. Clinton was in a constant state of apprehension, for he had good cause to fear the result of the attack that impended. Washington's plan, however, was changed, in the summer of 1781, by the news that a French fleet and a strong force would soon arrive in Chesapeake Bay and shut off Cornwallis from all assistance from Clinton. Washington decided to march southward and capture Yorktown and Cornwallis, meanwhile keeping Clinton under the belief that he meant to attack him. So well was the secret kept that Clinton's suspicions were not aroused until several days after the departure of the allied armies. De Grasse, the commander of the French fleet, arrived in Chesapeake Bay August 30th. Thus Cornwallis was blocked off" from the sea, and enough soldiers were landed to prevent the British commander's escape by land. On the same day Washington and Rochambeau, after making a feint toward Staten Island, began a rapid march through New Jersey to Philadelphia, and thence to Elkton, Maryland. Officers and men were in high spirits, for they knew they were on the eve of great events. The citizens of Philadelphia shared the feeling, and cheered the men as they marched through the streets. On the way southward Washington made a hurried visit to Mount Vernon, which he had not seen since the opening of the war. Aware of the grave danger threatening Cornwallis, a British fleet made an effort to relieve him, but the more powerful French fleet easily beat it off". The fi ^ j/^. y/. 2^ ,' A* \ \ THE SURRENDER AT YORKTOWN THE SURRENDER. 139 allied armies boarded the waiting ships at Elkton, and, sailing down the Chesa- peake to James River, joined Lafayette's force in front of Yorktown. The historical siege of Yorktown opened September 30, 1781. The French and American armies were ranged in a half-circle in front of Yorktown. Corn- wallis was indignant at the apparent desertion by Clinton, and wrote to him in the middle of September : " This place is in no state of defense. If you cannot relieve me very soon, you must expect to hear the worst." Word came from Clinton that a fleet of twenty -three ships and more than 5,000 troops would sail to his relief about the 5th of October. The French soldiers in their gay uniforms and the Continentals in their rags maintained an ardent but friendly rivalry in pressing the siege. Wash- ington aimed and applied the match to the first gun that was fired into Yorktown. Governor Nelson, being asked to direct the bombardment, selected the house which he believed to be the headquarters of Cornwallis, and calmly saw it bat- tered to ruins. It was his own home. The condition of the defenders hourly grew worse. The lack of forage compelled them to kill most of their horses, whose bodies drifted down the river. As is generally the case at such times, sickness broke out among the British troops, and 2,000 of the 7,000 were in the hospital. The allies steadily worked their way forward by means of parallels, and finally the guns along the entire front of Cornwallis were dismounted and his shells expended. His situation had become so desperate that no one could have condemned him for surrendering, but, before doing so, he resolved to make a determined effort to extricate himself from the trap in which he was caught. His plan was to abandon his sick, baggage, and all incumbrances, cross the river in the dark- ness to Gloucester, attack and scatter the French force stationed there, and then hasten northward through Pennsylvania and New Jersey to New York. This attempt would have been made, but, after a part of the army had crossed, a violent storm scattered the boats and compelled their return. The result quenched the last spark of hope in the breast of Cornwallis. He opened negotiations with Washington, and the terms of surrender were signed October 18th. THE SURRENDER. At two o'clock the next afternoon, the British troops marched slowly out of Yorktown, drums beating, muskets shouldered, and colors cased. The American line was drawn up on the right of the road and the French on the left, its extent being fully a mile. Washington allowed no idle spectators present, and repressed every sign of exultation on the part of the captors. General O'Hara, riding at the head of the troops, saluted when he came opposite Washington, and apologized for the absence of Cornwallis, who was 140 THE REVOLl'TIOX IX TllK SOrVH. surtering from illness. AVhen O'ilara's sword was otlored to Washington, he replied that General Lincoln had been designated to receive it. There was poetical justice in this, since it was Lincoln who had been obliged to surnMulor Charleston to Clinton the previous year. The prisouei"s numbered 7,247 English and Hessian soldiers and 840 sailors. Seventy-five brass and thirty-one iron guns were also secured, including the accoutrements of the army. Clinton with the promised relief arrived oft" the Chesapeake on the l24th. and learned to his consternation that every British sol- dier in Virginia was a prisoner of war. AVith indescribable sadness he sailed back to Xew York, feeling, as did everyone else, that English rule in America was ended and American independence won. "Washington dispatched a courier with the glorious news to Philadelphia. Riding at headlong speed and changing his hoi-se frequently, he reached the national capital on the evening of the 2od. In those days the city was provided with watchmen, who made the tour of the streets crying the hour. That night the cry rang out — " PAST TWO o'clock AND COEXWAl.LIS IS TAKEN." AVindows tlew up, lights twinkled from every house, men rushed out half- clothed, cheering. Hinging their hats in air and embracing one another in their joy. All the bells were set ringing, and the whole city gave itself over to rejoicing. It was stirred to its profoundest depths by the thrilling tidings, for even the dullest knew it meant the independence for which the patriots had struggled throughout more than six suffering years. Congress assembled at an early hour and marched to the Dutch Lutheran Church, where all luiited in giving thanks to God for His great mercy and blessing. The aged doorkeeper of Congress was so overcome with joy that he dropjied dead. Washington directed that divine service be held at the heads of the regiments, in gratitude for the " particular interposition of Providence in their behalf." Tin: NKWS IX KNIU.AND. It would be difficult to describe the dismay caused in England when the news crossed the ocean. Lord North strode up and down his room, flinging his arms above his head and moaning, " My God! it is all over! " While othei-s were equally stricken by the tidings, America had many friends in that country who had opposed from the beginning the attempt to subjugate the colonies. Even those who voted for the war measures were now loud in insisting that no more blood and treasure should be wasted in continuing hostilities. They de- manded the removal of tlie ministers who advised the contrary, and the House of Commons declared by vote that anyone who favored the continuance of the war was a public enemy. TREATY OF PEACE AND ITS TERMS. 141 Wliile the surrender at Yorktown virtually ended the struggle, Washington was too wise to disband the army. No more battles took place, but the country remained in an unsettled condition for a long time, and the embers of" hate often broke into flame. It is claimed that the last blood shed in the Kevolution was that of Captain Wilmot, shot in a skirmish in September, 1782, at Stone Ferry. TREATY OF PEACE AXD ITS TEEMS. It had been agreed by both parties that liostilities should stop, and com- missioners were appointed to arrange the terms of peace. The preliminary articles were signed at Versailles, November 30, 1782, Vjut the final treaty wa.s not executed until September 3d of the following year. On April 19, 1783, the eighth anniversary of Lexington, Washington at the headquarters of the army officially declared the war at an end. By the final treaty, England acknowledged the United States to be free and independent, with Canada as a boundary on the north, the Mississippi River on the we.st, and Florida, extending westward to the jMississipju, on the .south. Spain, which still owned Louisiana west of the Mississippi, now received Florida from Great Britain. The American army was disbanded, and officers and men went to their homes dissatisfied because they had not been paid for years. Washington pre- sented himself before Congress at Annapolis and resigned his commission. The British evacuated Savannah in July, 1782, Charleston in December, and New York City, their last post, November 25, 1783. The forts north of the Ohio, however, were held by English garrisons for ;ibout twelve years longer. CHAPTER VII. ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. The Method of Government During the Revolution — Impending Anarchy — The State Boundaries — State Cessions of Land — Shays' Rebellioti — .\doption of the Constitution — Its Leading Feature.s — The Ordinance of 1787 — Formation of Parties — Election of the First President and Vice-President. War is not only a blight to mankind, V)nt it inflicts wounds that can never heal and brings a train of woe and suffering which lasts for years. The social system is disorganized, industry checked, i'e.sources exhausted, and a debt entailed whose burden is felt for generations. The United .States had won the priceless boon of in- dependence, l)ut the States were exhausted and in the lowest depths of poverty. They were like those who, having lost every- thing, are compelled to begin life anew. WEAKNESS OF THE GOVERNMENT. While the war was under way, the States were held together by the one com- mon danger, and the Continental Con- gress managed the affairs of the Union, l)ut the body was wnthout any authority to govern, and whatever it did in that di- iftction was only what the people permit- ted. The State governments were tangible, j for State constitutions^ had been formed and the Legislatures received direct au- A PLANTATION GATEWAY. i • /• i (Entrance U, the Estate of WUliam liyrd, at Westover, Va ) thority f rOm the pCOpIe. W llCn they chose to disobey Congress they did so, and no ])enalty could be visited u|ion them. As the end of the war approached, the authority of the respective States increased and that of Congress dwindled until it was but a mere name and shadow. '143) 144 ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. The Articles of Confederation were agreed upon by Congress in 1777. They defined the respective powers of Congress and were not to go into effect until a majority of the States should agree to them. Within the following two years all yielded their assent except Maryland, which did so March 1, 1781. DISPUTE OVER STATE BOUXDAEIES. The cause of this prolonged delay was the dispute over western territory. Few persons suspect the extent of the wrangling over the respective boundaries of the States. When the charters were granted by England, the western bound- aries of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland were defined, and consequently they could not ask for an exten- sion of them. New York insisted that she had no western boundary. The remaining six States had their western boundaries named as the Pacific Ocean, which was at a distance that no one dreamed of at the time. They asserted that the transfer of Louisiana to Spain fixed the Mississippi River as the limit in that direction. Among these claims none was so remarkable as that of Virginia. The most that her sister States asked was that their northern and southern bound- aries should run parallel to the westward, but Virginia insisted that her northern boundary extended northwest, which, if allowed, would have given her all of the present States of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, ]\Iichigan, and Wisconsin. Her claim was crossed by those of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The States whose western boundaries had been settled were indignant over the injustice of the claims of the others, for, since the whole thirteen assisted in wresting the territory from Great Britain, they asserted that all should share it. Some of the States sold lands in the west, whose ownership was disputed by other States, and INIaryland, as intimated, refused her assent to the Articles of Confederation until assured that these western claims would be abandoned. HOW THE DISPUTE WAS SETTLED. It was evident that the only way out of the confusion was by the surrender of these claims, and New York set the example in 1780. In response to the earnest request of Congress, Virginia did the same in 1784, Massachusetts in 1785, Connecticut in 1786, South Carolina in 1787, North Carolina in 1790, and Georgia in 1802. The result was that the western boundaries of the States named were fixed as they are to-day, and the United States came into the pos- session of a large territory. Connecticut held fast to a large strip of land in northeastern Ohio, which is still known as the Western Reserve. The same State, which had settled Wyoming in Pennsylvania, claimed it for a time, but finally gave it uj). SHAYS' INSURRECTION. 145 It took but a short time to demonstrate the utter worthlessness of the Ar- ticles of Confederation. Congress, the central governing power, had uo author- ity to hiy tuxes, j^unish crimes, or reguhite foreign or domestic commerce. Its whole function was to give advice to the respective States, which, as might be supposed, i)aid little or no heed to it. Furthermore, the stronger States made laws inimical to the smaller ones, and Congress was powerless to remedy it. Naturally Great Britain oppressed American commerce, and there was no way of checking it. The prosperity which most of the .j^eople expected to follow peace did not appear. The Continental currency was not worth the paper it was printed on. Even at this late day, when a man uses the ex])ression that an article is "not worth a Continental," it is understood to mean that it has no value at all. Washington's patriotism. The condition of no one was more ^^itiful than that of the heroes who had fought through the Revolution and won our independence. They went to their poverty-smitten homes in rags. While Washington was at his headquarters at Newburgh, in 1783, an anonymous paper was distributed among the troops calling ujjon them to overthrow the civil governments and obtain their rights by force. They even dared to ask Washington to become their king, but that great man sjjurned the offer in a manner that prevented it ever being repeated. But his sympathy was aroused, and he finally secured five years' full pay for the officers, and thus averted the danger. At that time the Northern and Middle States contained about a million and a half of people and the Southern a million. Virginia had 400,000 inhaltit- ants, and was the most populous, with Pennsylvania and Massachusetts next, each having 350,000. The present Empire State of New York was one of the weak States, the city containing about 14,000, Boston 20,000, and Philadelphia 40,000. It was estimated that the debt of the respective States was $20,000,000 and of the country $42,000,000. shays' INStJRRECTION. Rioting and disorder are always sure to follow so deplorable a condition of afifairs. Daniel Shays, formerly a captain in the Continental army, headed a mob of 2,000 men in Massachusetts, wdio demanded the stoppage of the collection of taxes and the issuance of a large amount of paper money for general use. When they had dispersed the Supreme Court, sitting at Springfield, General Lincoln was sent with 4,000 troops to put down the rebellion. Lincoln placed the judges in their seats, and then, when the rioters were about to attack him, he 10 1-16 ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. gave them a volley. The rioters scattered and the rebellion ended. Fourteen of the ringleaders were afterward sentenced to death, but were rejsrieved and finally pardoned. THE MEETING AT ANNAPOLIS. Shays' rebellion was one of the best things that could have haj^pened, for it showed the country more clearly than before that it was on the verge of anarchy, and that the remedy must not be delayed. Long before this, Washington com- ])rehended the serious j)eril of the country, and he was in continual consultation with men whose worth and counsel he valued. The result was that a meeting of commissioners from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York met at Annapolis in September, 1786. They held an earnest discussion, but as only a minority of the States were represented, nothing positive could be done, and an adjournment was liad with a recommendation that each State should send delegates to meet in Philadelphia in May, 1787. The prestige of Wash- ington's name gave so much weight to the recommendation that at the appointed date all the States were represented except Rhode Island. The wisdom of Washington was again manifest in a letter which he wrote some mouths before tlie meeting of the Constitutional Convention, and which contained the following: " We have errors to correct. We have j^robably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation. Experience has taught us that without the intervention of a coercive power, men will not adopt and carry into execution measures best calculated for their own good. I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having lodged somewhere a jiower that will per- vade the v/hole Union in as energetic a manner as the authority of the State governments extend over the several States. ... I am told that even respect- able characters speak of a monarchical form of government without horror. From thinking proceeds speaking ; thence acting is but a single step. But how irrevocable and tremendous ! What a triumph for our enemies to verify their predictions ! What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal and fallacious! " When the news reached Washington of the disorders in New England, he was greatly troubled. " What stronger evidence can be given," he asked, ' of the want of energy in our government than these disorders'? If there is not a power in it to check them, what security has a man for his life, liberty, or prop- erty ? The consequences of a bad or inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereigns j)ulling against one another, and all tugging at the federal liead, will soon bring ruin on the whole; whereas, a liberal and energetic constitution, well checked and well watched to prevent encroach- THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787 147 ments, might restore us to that degree of respectability aud consequence to which we had the fairest prospect of attaining." THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787. Washington was placed at the head of the delegation from Virginia. Al- though he hojied that he would be permitted to spend the rest of his days in the domestic quiet of Mount Vernon, his patriotism would not permit him to decline, even though he saw the certainty that the action would bring him forward once SENATE CHAMBER. more into public affairs. Only a part of the delegates met in Philadelphia, May 14, 1787, and an adjournment was had from day to day until the 25th, when, a majority being present, the convention organized and unanimously chose Washington as chairman. For four months it sat with closed doors, meeting; in the same room in Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and where the chair is still preserved in which Washington sat. What an assemblage of great and noble men, all of wh(5se names have be- come historical ! With the peerless Washington at the head, there were James 148 ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. Madison, afterward President of the United States ; Benjamin Franklin, Alex- ander Hamilton, Benjamin West, Edmund Bandolpli, Kobert Morris, Gouv- erneur Morris, Sherman, Clymer, Read, and Dickinson. It may well be imagined that among those men the discussions, which were continued several hours daily, were of the most interesting nature. Inevitably there was a diversity of views, and the arguments at times grew warm, but with such an aggregation of statesmanship and wisdom, the best results were certain. Steadily the wonderful Constitution was moulded into shape, and on the 17th of September was signed by all the delegates except Randolph and Mason, of Virginia, and Gerry, of Massachusetts. It was then submitted to Congress, which forwarded it to the respective States for acceptance or rejection — the assent of nine being necessary to make it operative. So important a document was sure to elicit earnest discussion and many able men opposed its adoption. At that early day appeared the germs of the pres- ent political parties. The problem was as to the right division of power between the national or central government and the respective States. Those who favored the widest latitude to the States were called Republicans, while their opponents were given the name of Federalists. The views of the latter pre- dominated in the main, though the Constitution was really a compromise between its supporters and opponents. The beneficent features of the instrument were so manifest that its adop- tion soon followed. On June 21, 1788, New Hamj^shire ratified it, and, being the ninth State, its provisions became operative throughout the Union. North Carolina and Rhode Island did not assent, and the Constitution went into effect without their vote. These two States had issued a good deal of paper money, and disliked the Constitution because it forbade such action. The oppo- sition of the other States was caused by the fear that too much power was con- ferred upon the central government. To remove this not wholly unreasonable objection, the first ten amendments were adopted and ratified in 1791. FEATURES OF THE CONSTITUTION. The Constitution supplied the great requirement without which the gov- ernment itself would have been a nullity : the power to act supplanted the power simply to advise. The government consists of three departments : a leg- islative or Congress, which makes the laws ; an executive department, consisting of the President and his officers, to execute the laws made by Congress ; and a judiciary department (the Federal courts), which decides disputed questions under the laws. The Constitution is our supreme law and must be obeyed by the general government, the State governments, and the people ; if not, the gen- eral government punishes the offender. FEATURES OF THE CONSTITUTIOX. 149 Congress, or the legislative department, consists of two branches, the Sen- ate and House of Rej^resentatives. Each State, no matter what its population, is entitled to two Senators, who serve for six years and are elected by the respec- tive State Legislatures ; the Representatives are apportioned according to the population, are voted for directly by the people, and serve for two years. In this admirable manner, each State is protected by its Senators against any encroachment upon its rights, while the populous States receive the recognition to which they are entitled through the House of Representatives. Congress, the two branches acting together, lay taxes, borrow money, regu- HOUSE OP EEPEESENTATIVES. late commerce, coin money, establish postoffices, declare war, raise and support armies and navies, and employ militia to suppress insurrections. All States are forbidden to do any of these things, except to impose their own taxes, borrow for themselves, and employ their own militia. A majority of each house is enough to pass any bill, unless the President within ten days thereafter vetoes the act (that is, objects to it), when a two-thirds vote of each brancli is necessary to make it a law. Treaties made by the President do not go into effect until approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The executive department is vested in the President, chosen every four years by electors, who are voted for by the people. The President is com- mander-in-chief of the army and navy and appoints the majority of officers, it 150 ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. being necessary that most of tlie appointments shall be confirmed by the Senate. In c;ise of misconduct, the President is to be impeached (charged with miscon- duct) by the House of Representatives and tried by the Senate. If convicted and removed, or if he should die or resign or be unable to perform the duties of his office, the Vice-President takes his place and becomes President. With this exception, the Vice-President presides over the Senate, with no power to vote except in case of a tie. No provision was made for a successor in the event of the death of the Vice-President, but in 1886 the Presidential Succes- sion Law was j^iassed, which provides that, in case of the death or disability of the President and Vice-President, the order of succession shall be the secretaries of State, of the treasury, of war, the attorney-general, the postmaster-general, and the secretaries of the navy and of the interior. The judiciary department, or power to decide upon the constitutionality of laws, was given to one supreme court and such inferior courts as Congress should establish. The judges are appointed by the President and Senate and hold office during life or good behavior. The State courts have the power of appeal to the supreme court of the United States, whose decision is final, the questions being necessarily based upon offi?nses against any law of Congress, or upon the doubtful meaning of a law, or the doubt of the constitutional power of Congress to j3tiss a law. At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, three-fifths of the slaves were to be counted in calculating the population for the Representatives. Fugitive slaves were to be arrested in the States to which they had fled. New Territories were to be governed by Congress, which body admits the new States as they are formed. Each State is guaranteed a republican form of government, and the vote* of three-fourths of the States can change the Constitution through the means of amendments. The provisions i-egarding slavery, as a matter of course, lost their effi^ct upon the abolishment of the institution at the close of the Civil War. THE ORDINANCE OF 1787. Congress remained in session in New York, while the Philadelphia conven- tion was at work upon the Constitution, and during that period organized a ter- ritorial government for the immense region northwest of the Ohio, which belonged to tlie United States. The enterprising nature of the American people asserted itself, and hundreds of emigrants began making their way into that fertile sec- tion, where the best of land could be had for the asking. But the Indians were fierce and warred continually against the settlers. Most of these had been soldiers in the Revolution, niid they generally united for mutual protection. The Ohio Company was formed in 1787, aiul, in order to assist it, Congress passed the Ordinance of 1787, of which mention has been made. THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 151 iSlavery was forever t'orbiddeu iu the Territory northwest of the Ohio, and the iuliabitants were guaranteed full religious freedom, trial by jury, and et^ual political and civil privileges. Tlie governors of the Territory were to be appointed by Congress until the population was sufficient to j^ermit the organi- zation of five separate States, which States should be the equal in every respect of the original thirteen. From the Territory named the powerful and prosper- ous States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin were afterward formed. SETTLEMEXT OF THE WEST. The Indian titles to 17,000,000 acres of land in the Territory had been ex- tinguished by treaties with the leading tribes, despite which the red men con- tested the advancing settlers with untiring ferocity. Flatboats were attacked on their way down the Ohio, and the families massacred ; block-honses were assailed, and the smoke of the settlers' burning cabins lit the skies at night. The pioneer path to the fertile region was crimsoned by the blood of those who hewed their way through the western wilderness. Until formed into States, the region was known as The Northwestern Ter- ritory. In 17H8, Rufus Putnam, of Massachusetts, at the head of forty pioneers, founded the settlement of Marietta, and within the same year 20,000 people erected their homes in the region that had been visited by Daniel Boone and others nearly twenty years before. No sooner liad the ninth State ratified the Constitution than the Congress of the Confederation named March 4, 1789, as the day on which, in the city of New York, the new government should go into effect. The time had come for the selection of the first President of the United States, and it need not be said that the name of only one man — Washington — was in people's thoughts. So overmastering was the personality of that great man that he was the only one mentioned, and what is most significant of all, not a politician or leader in the country had the effrontery to hint that he had placed himself "in the hands of his friends" in the race for the presidency. Had he done so, he would have been buffeted into eternal obscurity. Whatever may be said of the ingratitude of republics, it can never be charged that the United States was ungrateful to Washington. The people ap- I)re(:iated his worth from the first, and there was no honoi' they would not have gladly paid him. THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. The date of the 4th of March was fixed without special reason for launcliing the new government, and it has been the rule ever since, though it often falls upon tlie most stormy and unpleas;int day of the whole yenr. Some of the States were so slow in sending their representatives to New York, that more than 152 ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES. a month passed before a quorum of both houses appeared. When the electoral vote for the President was counted, it was found that every one of the sixty -nine had been cast for Washington. The law was that the person receiving the next highest number became Vice-President. This vote was: John Adams, of Mas- sacliusetts, o4; John Jay, of New York, 9; R. H. Harrison, of Maryland, 6; John Rutledge, of South Carolina, 6; John Hancock, of Massachusetts, 4; George Clinton, of New York, 3 ; Samuel Huntington, of Connecticut, 2 ; John Milton, of Georgia, 2; James Armstrong, of Georgia, Benjamin Lincoln, of Massachusetts, and Edward Telfair, of Georgia, 1 vote each. Vacancies (votes not cast). John Adams, of Massachusetts, therefore, became the first Vice-President. b^ AN OLD INDIAN FAHM-HOUSE, CHAPTER VIII. ADIVIINISTRATIONS OK W ASHINOTOiSr, JOHN ADAMS, AND JEKKERSOX— 1789-1809. Washington — His Inauguration as First President of the United States — Alexander Hamilton — His Suc- cess at the Head of the Treasury Department — The Obduracy of Khode Island — Establishment of the United States Bank — Passage of a Tariff Bill — E^itablishment of a Mint — The Plan of a Federal Judiciar}- — Admission of Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee — Benjamin Franklin — Troubles with the Western Indians — Their Defeat by General Wayne — Removal of the National Capital Pro- vided for — The Whiskey Insurrection — The Course of "Citizen Genet" — Jays Treaty — Ke-election of Washington — Resignation of Jefferson and Hamilton — Washington's Farewell Address — Estab- lishment of the United States Military Academy at West Point — The Presidential Election of 1796 — John Adams — Prosperity of the Country — Population of the Country in 1790 — Invention of the Cotton Gin — Troubles with France — War on the Ocean — Washington Appointed Commander-in- Chief — Peace Secured — The Alien and Sedition Laws — The Census of ISOO — The Presidential Elec- tion of 18U0 — The Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution — Tliomas Jefferson — Admission of Ohio — The Indiana Territory — The Purchase of Louisiana — Its Immense Area — Abolishment of the Slave Trade — War with Tripoli — The Lewis and Clark Expedition — Alexander Hamilton Killed in a Duel by Aaron Burr — The First Steamboat on the Hudson — The First Steamer to Cross the Atlantic — England's Oppressive Course Toward the United States — Outrage by the British Ship Lennder — The Affair of the Leopard and CAftsapeate— Passage of the Embargo Act — The Presidential Elec- tion of 1 808. WASHINGTON. The name of Washington will always stand peerless and unapproachable on the pages of human history. In great crises, Heaven raises up men for its appointed work. As soldier, statesman, -and patriot, he combined in his own personnlity the full requirements of the prodigious task than which no greater was ever laid upon the shoulders of man. Through trials, suifer- intjs, discouragements, disappointments, MARY BALL, AFTERWARD THE ,' . , '^ . . ^ , . MOTHER OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, abu.se, ill treatment, opposition, and misun- (153) 154 WASHINGTON, ADAMS, AND JEFFERSON. derstandings, he never lost heart ; his lofty patriotism wiis never quenched ; his sublime faith in God and the destiny of his country never wavered, and, seeing with the eye of uudimmed faith the end from the beginning, he advanced with serene majesty and unconquerable resolve to the conclusion and perfection of his mighty work. It has been said of Washington that he embodied within himself the genius of sanity and the sanity of genius. We can conceive of Lincoln, Grant, or any other great man losing his mind, but like the snowy crest of a mountain, rising far above the plain, he stood by himself, and it is impossible to think of him as losing even in the slightest degree the magnificent attributes of his personality. As has been stated, his was the single example in our his- tory in which the fate of our coun- try rested with one man. Had he fallen in battle at any time between Lexington and Yorktown, the Revo- lution would have stopped and inde- ]tendence been postponed indefinite- ly. But when Heaven selects its tigent, it shields him in impenetrable armor, and, though Washington was exposed to innumerable personal perils in the wilderness and in battle, wlien his comrades were smitten with death around him, he never received tlu' slightest wound, and lived to see his work finished, when, in the quiet of his own home at Mount Vernon, he lay down, folded his arms, and passed to his reward. George Washington was born in Westmorelanil County, Yiiginia, Febru- ary 22, 1732. There is a general misunderstanding as to his family. He had three half-brothers, one half-sister, and three brothers and two sisters. His half- brothers and sister, children of Augustine AVashington and Jane Butler, were : Butler (died in infancy), Lawrence, Augustine, and Jane. His brothers and sisters, children of Augustine Washington and Mary Ball, were : Betty, Samuel, John Augustine, Charles, and Mildred (died in infancy). Washington's father died when the son was eleven years old, and his train- ing devolved upon his mother, a woman of rare force of character. He re- GEORGE WASHINGTON. (173'J-17il9.) Two terms, 17NI-1797. WASHINGTON. 155 ceived a common, school education, but never became learned in books. He early showed a liking lor military matters, was fond of the sport-s of boyhood, and was manly, truthful, and so eminently fair in everything, that his playmates generally selected him as umpire and cheerfully accepted his decisions. He became an expert surveyor, and, at the age of sixteen, was employed by Lord Fairfax to survey his immense estate. The work, which continued for three years and was of the most difficult nature, attended by much hardship and dwllLli"' "■'- ]".-r,,rni,.,l t,, til,, t'lill satisfllCtidll llf his fUlpluycl-. INAUGUHATION OF VFABHINGTON. Washington grew to be a magnificent specimen of physicnl manhood. He was six feet two inches tall, witli a large frame and a strength surpassing tliatof two ordinary men. No one in tlie neighborhood was his equal in horseman- ship, running, ]oa])ing, throwing, swimming, and all manner of athletic sports. He was of the highest social rank, wealthy, and a vestryman and member of tlie Episcopal Church. He was rather fond of [lomp and ceremony, somewhat reserved in manner, and ai times seemed cold and distant, but with a character that was without flaw or stain. It has already been said that he served through- 156 WASHINGTON, ADA3IS, AND JEFFERSON. out the Kevolution without accepting a penny for his services. He kept an account of all he received from the government, but sometimes forgot to note what he paid out. In such cases he balanced his books by paying the deficit from his own pocket, so that it may be truthfully said he not only won inde- pendence for his country, but paid for the 2)rivilege of doing so. Washington from his first services in the French and Indian War was so identified with the history of his country that the account of one includes that of the other. Having told of his election to the presidency, it, therefore, remains to give the principal incidents of his administration. Washington's inaugukation. A special messenger reached Mount Vernon with news of Washington's election on the 14th of April, and two days later he set out for New York. The journey was one continual ovation, sj^ecial honors being shown him at Bal- timore, Philadelphia, Trenton, and New York, where they attained their cul- mination. He arrived on the 23d of Api-il, and the inauguration took place a week later. Amid impressive ceremonies, the oath was administered by Robert R. Livingston, the chancellor of the State of New York, in Federal Hall, on the present site of the suh-treasury building. Washington stood in a balcony of the senate chamber, in full view of the gi-eat multitude on the outside. He showed considerable embarrassment, but was cheered to the echo and was greatly touched by the manifestations of the love of his fellow-countrymen. At the opening of his administration, Washington became ill and no im- portant business was done until September. On the 10th of that month, Con- gress created a department of foreign affairs, a treasury department, and a department of war. Thomas Jefferson was nominated to the first, Alexander Hamilton to the second, and General Henry Knox to the third. All were admi- rable appointments. ALEXANDER HAMILTON. Hamilton, the secretary of the treasury, was one of the most remai-kable men identified with the history of our country. He was born in the West Indies in 1757, and, while a child, displayed extraordinary ability. When fifteen years old, he was sent to New York City and entered King's (now Colum- bia) College. A patriotic speech made when he was only seventeen years old held his hearers spellbound by its eloquence. At twenty, he organized a com- pany of cavalry and performed excellent service on Long Island and at White Plains. Washington was so impressed by his brilliancy that he placed him on his staff and made him his military secretary. Many of the best papers of the commander-in-chief received their finishing touches from the master hand of Hamilton. He was in Congress in 1782-1783, and helped to frame the Consti- HAMILTON'S WISE MANAGEMENT OF THE FINANCES. 157 tution. Wlien the New York Conveiitioii assembled to ratify the new Consti- tution, three-foui-ths of its members were strongly opposed to it, but Hamilton by the sheer force of his eloquent logic won them over and secured the assent of the State to the adoption of the Constitution. He was one of our most brilliant statesmen and the foremost Federalist of his time. HAMILTON S WISE MANAGEMENT OF THE FINANCES. The greatest problem which confronted the country was that of finance, and Hamilton grasped it with the skill of a master. Hardly had he received his commission, when Congress called upon him for a plan to provide for the public debt and to revive the dead« national credit. Hamilton's tirst answer was that the country would begin by being honest, and that every dollar of the confedera- tion, then amounting almost to $80,- 000,000, should be paid, the United States assuming all debts due to American citizens, as well as the ' war debt of each State. This bold and creditable ground greatly im- proved public credit, before any pro- vision was made for the payment of the vast debt. Hamilton's plan was to fund the entire debt and issue new certiti- cates. It was vehemently opposed, especially the ])rovision that the State debts should be assumed by the ' ' 1 ^1x111 ALBXANDEH HAMILTON. general goverinneat; but solely by (hst-isw). his wonderful ability he carried the measure through Congress. The debate sharpened the lines between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists or Republi- cans. It will be remembered that at that time neither North Carolina nor Ehode Island had adopted the Constitution. The former called a convention, ami, on the 13th of November, 1789, ratified it, but Rhode Island continued to sulk until Providence and Newport withdrew from the State, and Massachu.setts and Con- necticut made ready to parcel the State between them. This frightened her, and, on May 29, 1790, she joined her sisters. 158 WASHINGTON, ADAMS, AND JEFFERSON. The following year Hamilton gave another proof of his power by carrying through Congress, in the face of the strongest 0])position, a measure for the relief of the financial straits of the government. The only banks in the country were one each in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, all of which were State institutions. He advocated the establishment of a bank in which the government should be one-fifth owner of the caj)ital stock of $10,000,000 and a preferred borrower to the same amount. It was to be under private manage- ment. In the face of the strong o])position, the act creating it was j)assed, and it was chartered for twenty years. The subscriptions required that one-fourth should be paid in specie and the rest in six per cent, certificates of the bank. Within two hours after the subscription books were opened the entire amount of stock was subscribed. The United States Bank was destined to play an im- portant part in national afli'airs in after years. . PASSAGE OF A TARIFF BILL. Having provided the means for funding the debt and for borrowing money, it yet remained to find some way of earning the money. The method was so apparent that Congress lost no time in passing u tariff' bill. A law placed a duty on imported and domestic sjiirits, and, in Februai-y, 1792, a protective tariff' bill was enacted. This provided that the materi;ds from which goods are manufac- tured should not be taxed, while articles competing witli those made in this country were prohibited. A mint was also established in Philadelphia for coin- ing money. THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY ORGANIZED. The plan for the Federal judiciary was perfected on the lines jiroposed by Ellsworth, of Connecticut. The national judiciary consisted of a suj)renie court, having a chief justice and five associate justices, who were to hold two sessions annually at the seat of the Federal government. Specified jurisdiction was given to the circuit and district courts, and each State was made a district ; the Terri- tories of Maine and Kentucky were jirovided for in the same manner, and the remaining Territories were groujied into three circuits. When the matter in dis- pute amounted to $2,000, an appeal could be taken from the lower courts to the supreme court. The President was to appoint a marshal in each district, possessing the general powers of a sheriff", and the interests of the government were placed in the hands of a district attorney. The first cliief justice of the United States was John Jay, of New York, while Edmund Randolph, of Virginia, was made attorney-general. The asso- ciate judges w(n-e John Rutledge, of South Carolina; James Wilson, of Penn- sylvania; William Cushing, of Massachusetts; Robert H. Harrison, of Mary- land; and John Blair, of Virginia. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. lo9 Vermont was admitted to tlie Union on March 4, 1791 ; Kentucls that they gave no moi-e trouble for a long time. A year later, 1,100 chiefs ajid warriors met the United States commissioners at Fort Greenville and signed a treaty of peace, by which they ceded to the government an immense tract of 162 WASHiyOTON, ADAMS, AND JEFFERSON. land lying in the present States of Michigan and Indiana. An impetus was given to western emigration, which suflered no interruption lur nuiny years. THE WHISKEY INSUURECTION IX PENNSYLVANIA. One of the acts of Congress was to declare that Philadelphia was to be the national capital for ten years, from 1790, when it was to be removed to a point on the Potomac River, where the city of Washington now stands. One meas- ure which Hamilton induced Congress to pass caused trouble. It doubled the duty on imj^orted spirits and taxed those distilled in this country. So much dissatisfaction appeared in North Carolina and Pennsylvania that the law was modified, but it did not end the discontent. The officers sent to Pennsylvania to collect the taxes were resisted and the militia sympathized with the rioters,, whose numbers swelled to 7,000 under arms. When they began to talk of ap- pealing to England, Washington lost patience and sent a large body of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey militia to the section. They were under the command of General Henry Lee, governor of Virginia, and arrived on the scene in October, 1794. Order was soon restored, and the ringleaders, expressing sorrow for their acts, were not punished. This seems to be the rule in our country, except that repentance on the part of criminals is not required. "citizen genet." The action of "Citizen Genet" caused a flurry during Washington's presi- dency. The "Reign of Terror" had begun in France, where the most apjialling revolution in history had taken place. The tyranny of the rulers had driven the people to frenzied desperation, and, overthrowing the government, their massacres were not checked until literally hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Since their rebellion was begun against tyranny, and France had helped us in our war for independence, thei'c w^as general sympathy for the people in our own country, though everyone was shocked by the deeds that soon horrified the civilized world. Having established a government, the revolutionists sent Edward Charles Genet to this country as its representative. He was warmly welcomed at Charles- ton, where he landed in April, 1793. He was too discourteous to go to Phila- delphia to jiresent his credentials, and began enlisting recruits for France and intriguing for an alliance with us. Since France was fighting England, Aus- tria, Prussia, Sardinia, and Holland, it can be understood how desirable such an alliance would have been to her. Washington was too wise to be misled, and he issued a proclamation of neutrality, forbidding citizens of the United States to equip vessels to carry on hostilities against the belligerent powers. Genet paid no attention to this, but JAY'S TREATY. 16.3 kept on enlisting men and fitting out cruisers in American waters. His course became so intolerable that Washington tlemandeil his recall. This demand was comjjlied with, and he was ordered to return home. No one know better than he that if he showed himself in France he would lose his head. ;So he stayed in this country until his death in 1834. JAY S TRKATY. The course of England became so unjust toward the commerce, because of her war with France, that Chief Justice John Jay, in May, 1794, was sent as envoy extraordinary to that country to demand redress. A treaty was agreed upon and ratified by the Sen- ate in June, 1795, which provided that the British garrisons should be withdrawn from the western jjosts by June 1, 179G; free inland navi- gation upon lakes and rivers was guaranteed to both nations, except that the United States was excluded from the territory of the Hudson Bay Company ; British vessels were admitted to the rivers and harbors on our sea-coast, but our shipping was shut out from the rivers and harbors of the British provinces, with the exception of small vessels trading between Montreal and Quebec; our northeastern boundary Avas to be fixed by a commission ; the payments of debts incurred before the war were guaranteed to British creditors, if such debts were collectible by an American creditor ; Great Britain was to jiay for losses resulting from irregular captures by her cruisers; citizens of either country were allowed to hold landed possessions in the territory of the other; private property was not to be confiscated in time of war; trade between the United States and the West Indies was free to the vessels of both nations, but American vessels were forbidden to carry West Indian products from the islands or from the States to any other part of the world. The last clause was to be in force only two years, when further negotiation was to take place. In addition, the two years' limit was applicable to the right of American vessels to trade between the CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN JAY, 164 WASHINGTON, ADA3IS, AND JEFFERSON. East Indies and the United States, but in time of war tliej were not to take tliither any rice or military stores ; tree commerce was established between the Britisli dominions in Europe and the United States; tlie regulation of duties was provided for, as well as the appointment of consuls and the rules of blockade ; privateering was regulated; what was contraband of war was defined, and it was agreed that piracy should be punished ; ships of war could enter the ports of either counti-y ; criminals escaping from one country to the other were to be sur- rendered ; and, in the event of war between the two countries, citizens in hostile territory were not to be molested. Although this treaty jjossessed many good points, and was the best obtain- able by our envoy, it gave so many advantages to Great Britain that it roused bitter enmity in this country. Public meetings were held in the leading cities, where it was denounced as cowardly and made for the express purpose of avoid- ing a war with England. The feeling rose so high that Jay was burned in effigy, Hamilton was assaulted at a public meeting, the British minister in- sulted, and even Washington himself treated with disrespect. Better judgment prevailed, when the passions cooled, and it is now admitted that Jay's treaty, when all the circumstances are considered, was a commendable one. SECOND ELECTION OV WASHINGTON. It w^as Washington's wish to retire to private life on conclusion of his first term, but he could not disregard the demand from all quarters. No competitor appeared in the field against him, and for a second time he was unanimously elected. His vote was 132; that cast for the candidates for the minor office being, John Adams, Federalist, 77; George Clinton, of New York, Eepublican, 50; Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, Republican, 4; Aaron Burr, of New York, Republican, 1 ; vacancies, 3. This vote made John Adams again Vice-Presi- dent. Since Jefferson was the leader of the Republicans (or as now called the Democrats), and Hamilton of the Federalists (afterward the Wliigs), and the two, as members of Washington's cabinet, were able and aggressive, they were continually disputing. Sometimes they sorely tried Washington's patience, who, appreciating the ability of both, often had liard work to prevent an open rup- ture. On the last day in 1793, Jefferson resigned his office as secretary of foreign affairs and retired to private life at Monticello, Virginia. A year later Hamilton resigned as minister of finance. Through his efforts public credit had been restored, and industry and trade had revived. He well deserved the eloquent tribute of Daniel Webster : " He smote the rock of the national resources, and abundant streams of revenues burst forth. He touched the dead cori3se of public credit, and it sprung upon its feet." RETIREMENT OF WASHINGTON. 165 .--7J*f As WcVsliiugton's secund term thew to a close, u universal deiuaiid was made that lie should serve again. l)es})ite tiie I'act that the two great political j)arties were fairly organized, anil each contained many able men, uo one would have had the temerity to ofi'er himself as a competitor ; but he was growing old, his strength had been worn out in the service of his country, and the rest he yearned for could no longer be denied him. He, therefore, issued his immortal Farewell Address to his countrymen and withdi-ew to Mount Vernon, where he 23eacefully passed away December 14, IT'J'J, mourned by the whole country and revered by the civilized woi'ld. The Farewell Address contains counsel that can never lose its value to America. After thanking his fellow-countrymen for the conildence they had always shown in him, and the sup- port he had re- ceived from them, he said that the love of liberty was so interwoven with every ligament of their hearts that no recommendation of his was necessary to fortify that at- tachment. The unity of govern- ment, by which they were made one peojile, had also become very dear to them. "It is justly so," he said, "for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence — the support of your tranquillity at home, your peace abroad ; of your safety, of your prosperity ; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But, as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quar- ters, much pains will be taken, many artifices be employed to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth — as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most con- stantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed — it is of infinite moment that you should jn-operly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming your- selves to think and speak of it as the palladium of your jDolitical safety and AVASHINGTON'S BEDROOM, MT. VERNON, IN WHICH HE DIED. 166 WASHINGTON, ADA3IS, AND JEFFERSON. prosperity; watching for its i)reservatioii with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even u suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned, and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our countiy from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts. For this you have every inducement of sy m pa thy and mteiest Citizen^, by birth 1 choice, of a common counti},thS07 he was tried at Richmond, Viri;inia, on the charge of treason, but acijuitted. He spent some vcars in wandering over Euro[)e, and then returned to resume the practice of hiw in New Yorlv. He died in obscurity and {lov- erty on Staten Island in 1836. A notable event of Jefferson's ad- ministrations was the first voyage of a sloamboat up the Hudson. This was the Cler- iitont, tlie invention of Robert Fidton, who was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1765. This boat was slightly oyer one hun- dred feet in length and about twenty feet broad, with side paddle-wheels and a sheet-iron boiler brouglit from England. There was general ridicule of the idea of moving boats by steam against . -^ a current, and the craft was called "Fulton's Folly." The crowd which gatliered on the wharf in New York, August 1, 1807, indulged in jests wdnch were not DEVELOPMENT OP STEAM liuslied uutil tlio Craft movcd slowlv but smoothly up NAVIGATION FOLLOWING ^ TI T ■ ^ tl i 1 1 " il ^ FULTONs DISCOVERY. Stream. Headnig against tlie current, slie made the 12 fultoN the 178 WASHINGTON, ADAMS, AND JEFFERSON. voyage to Albany in thirty-two hours. She met with some mishaps, but after a time made regular trijas between that city and New York, at the rate of five mik'.s an huur. OCEAN STEAMERS. This incident marked an ejjoch in the history of the West, where the first steamboat was built in 1811. Within a few years, they were plying on all the important rivers, greatly assisting emigration and the development of the country. The first steamer to cross the Atlantic was the Savannali in 1819. The screw projaeller was introduced by the great Swedish inventor, John Erics- sun, in 183G. Really successful ocean navigation began in 1838, when the Sirius and Oreat Western made the voyage from England to the United States. OPPRESSIVE COURSE OF ENGLAND. The devastating war raging be- tween England and France was de- structive to American commerce and interests. The star of the wonder- Cul Napoleon Bonaparte was rapidly ill the ascendant, and his marvelous military genius seemed to threaten the " equilibrium of the world." England had no love for the United States and played havoc with our shipping. Her privateers infested our coasts, like swarms of locusts. Because of her immense naval superiority, she pes- tered us almost beyond bearing. She stopped our vessels oif-shore, followed them into rivers and harbors, overhauled the crews, and in many cases took sailors away under the plea that they were English deserters. Her claim Avas that "once a British subject, always a British subject;" no sworn allegiance to any other government could release the claim of England upon him. bur vessels were prohibited from carrying imports from the West Indies to France, but evaded the law by bringing imports to this country and then reshipping them to France. England jieremptorily ordered the practice to stop and declared that all vessels thus engaged should be lawful prizes to her ships. This action caused general indignation in this country and thousands of citizens clamored for war. ROBERT I'UIjTON. THE AFFAIR OF THE LEOPARD AXD OHE>*glaxd's overwhelming naval strength. England had been fighting so continuously with her neighbors that her strength on the ocean was overwhelming when compared with ouis. She had 1,036 vessels, of which 254 were ships-of-the-line, not one of which carried less than seventy-four guns. This immense navy was manned by 144,000 men. The American navy numbered 12 vessels, besides a few gunboats of little value. Indeed, the relative strength of the warring nations was so disproportionate that the intention of the United States at first was not to attemjit a conflict on the ocean. Captains Bainbridge and Stewart, however, persuaded the govern- ment to allow our little navy to try its hand. Despite the seeming hopelessness of such a struggle, it had some advantages for the Americans. In the first place, it was easier for them to find the enemy than for the latter to find them, because of the disproportion between the num- ber of their vessels. More important, however, than all was the fact that our navy contained no politicians. The men were brave sailors, and marvelously skillful in handling guns. With these conditions they were sure to win glory on the ocean. Still another fiict must be mentionetl, for it will explain niiiiiy of the inci- dents recorded in the following pages. England had been triumphant so long on the ocean that she had become unduly confident and careless. She held the surrounding nations in light esteem, and had good warrant for doing so. Naturally this led her greatly to underestimate the insignificant American navy. When such a mistake is made the consequences are sure to be disastrous to the one committing the blunder. Truth compels the statement that in every war in which our country has been engaged since the Revolution, the disasters have been niainlv dn:> to the politicians. They have the "pull," as it is called, with the government, and J 84 ADMIXISTRATIOXS OF MADISON. secure the appointment of men as leaders who are totally laekiiii;- in military skill. When defeat has followed defeat, with exasperating regularity, tho government gradually awakes to the fact that the most criminal thing it can do is to place a jwlitician in charge of a body of brave men, or to aj)poiiit a callow youth to the same position, merely because his father was a good .soldier and has become a politician. THE WAR UM'Ol'ULAR IN SOMK SKCTIOXS. Moreover, it must be remembered that our country was by no means a unit in favoring the second war with England. It was pojailar in most of the Middle States and the South, but bitterly opposed in New England. AVhcn the news reached Boston of the declaration of war, the shipping hung their flags at half- mast. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey, through their Legislatures, protested against it, but, as in the Revoluiion, the genciai ciiiluisiasm swept away all opposition. An increase of the regular army was ordered to 25,000 men, in addition to the call for 50,000 volunteers, while the States were asked to summon 100,000 militia, to be used in defense of the coast and harbors. The government authorized a loan of $11,000,000, and Henry Dearborn, of Massachusetts, was made the first major-general and connnander-in-chief of the army, while the principal brigadiers were James Wilkinson, William Hull, Joseph Bloomfield^ and Wade Hampton, the last being father of the general of the same name who became famous as a Confederate leader in the AVar for the Union. A SIlAMf.FUL SURRENDER. The opening battle of the war Avas one of the most sliamefid affairs that ever befell the American arms. General William Hull, who had made a creditable record in the Revolution, was governor of Michigan Territory. He was ordered to cross the river from Detroit, which was his home, and invade Canada. He showed great timidity, and learning that a British force, under General Brock, was advancing against him, he recrossed the river and returned to Detroit, before which General Brock ajipeared, on the 12th of August, at the head of 700 British soldiers and 600 Indians. In demanding the surrender of the post, he frightened Hull, whose daughter and her children were with him, by telling him he would be unaV..3 to restrain the ferocity of his Indians, if the Americans made a defense. The soldiers were brave and eager to fight, but, to their inexpressible dis- gust, the siege had been pressed but a short time when Hull ran up a white flag and surrendered, August ICth. With the submission of Detroit went the whole territory northwest of Ohio. The country was angered and humiliated by the act. Twenty-five men were- BATTLE OF (^(JEKXSTOWN TfEfd IfTS. 18r> given in excliaiige for Hull, and he was placed ou trial, charged with treason, cowardice, and conduct unbecoming an oilicer. He was convicted on the last two cliai'ges and sentenced to lie sliol. In recognition of his services in the llevohition, however, tiie President [)ardoned liini, and he died, without ever having gained the respect of his countrymen, in 1825. PKKSIDIOKTIAL KLKCTIOX OF ISlli. Bcfoi'e proceeding witii the history of the war, a few incidents not con- nected with it should be recorded. In the presidential election of 1812, the electoi-al vote was : for President, James Madison, lie[)ublican, 128; i)e Witt Clinton, of New York, Federalist, 81J. For Vice-President, Elbi'idge Gerry, of ]\Iassachusetts, Republican, 131 ; Jared Ingersoll, of Peimsylvania, Federalist, 8(5. Vacancy, 1. Thus ]\[ad;son and Gen-y were elected. Louisiana was admitted as a State in 1812, l)eing a part of the immcuise territory of that name pun-hascd from France in 180;). Indiniia was admitted in 18HI, and was th(! second of the live States carvetl out of iIh- old Northwest Tcrritoiy. It will be iccallc(l that the United States \'>Auk was chartered in 1791 for twenty years. Its charter, therefore, expireil in 1811. In 181G, Congress chartered a new ban'c, on the same ])lan and for the same length of tinu;. The public money was to be deposited in it or its branches, except when the, secretary of the treasury choose to order its deposit elsewhere. BATTIJ': f)P QUEENSTOWX HEIGHTS. Ileliirniiig to the history of the war, it has (o be said that the second attempt to invade Cknada was more disastrous if possiljle than the lirst, and mor(3 disgraceful to American arms. The ti'oops on th(( Niagara, frontier were mainly New Yoik militia, with a few I'cgulars and recruits frniii other States, all under ihe eommand of Stephen Van Rensselaer. Resolved to capture the Heights of (^iieenstown, he sent two columns across tlie liver on the morning (tf ()ct(jber \o, 1812. They were led by Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, cousin of the genei'al and a brave officer. The engagement was a l)risk one, the colonel being wounded early in t\\('. fight, but liis troops gallantly charged the Heights and captured tlie fortress. General Brock was rc'inforced and attacked the Americans, but was repulsed. Brock being killed. The fierceness of the l)attl(! is shown by that fact that the three connnandeis who succeeded l>rock w(M'e either killed or severely wounded. Under the attack of superior forces, the Americans had managed to hold their ground and they now began to intrench. Meanwhile, the; 1,200 New York militia on the other side of the river had become frightened by the sounds of battle, and when called u])on to cr(;ss refused to do so, on the cowardly 186 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MADISON. plea that they had enlisted to defend only their State. Lieutenant-Colonel Winfield Scott had taken command of the brigade and was engaged in intrenching, when the enemy, again reinforced, drove his troops, after two attacks, to the river, where they were hemmed in and compelled to surrender. The American loss in killed and wounded was fully a thousand. General Van Rensselaer was so disgusted with the conduct of his militia that he resigned his command, and was succeeded by General Alexander Smyth, of Virginia, whose conduct led to the general conviction that he was mentally about as near to being an idiot as it is jDossible for a man to be and still retain a little ground for being thought otherwise. The first thing General Smyth did was to issue a jiroclamation of so bom- bastic a character that his friends were humiliated. He made several starts toward Canada, but in each instance recalled his troojDS, and acted so inexplic- ably that the militia were on the point of revolting, when he was deprived of his command. This closed the military operations for the year 1812, and the story is enough to crimson the cheek of every American with shame. BRILLIANT WORK OF THE AMERICAN NAVY. On the ocean, however, the record was brilliant and as astonishing to friends as to enemies. Hardly had the news of the declaration of war reached New York, when Commodore John Rodgers put to sea in the President, the same vessel that had taught the Little Belt her severe lesson. Some time later Rodgers sighted the frigate Belvidera and gave chase. He killed a number of the crew, but the vessel managed to escape. Continuing his cruise, he cap- tured a number of merchantmen and retook an American prize. The Inckiest s[iip in the American navy was said to be the Constitution, afterward popu- larly known as "Old Ironsides." Under command of Captain Isaac Hull, nepliew of the disgi-aced general of Detroit, she engaged the sloop-of-war Guer- riere off the coast of Massachusetts. The battle was a desperate one, but extraordinary markmanship prevailed, and the enemy were compelled to strike their flag after a loss of 79 killed and wounded, while that of the Americans was 7 killed and 7 wounded. The victory caused deep chagi-in in England and corresponding rejoicing in the United States. Congress gave Captain Hull a gold medal and distributed $50,000 among his crew. In October, the sloop-of-war M'asp, Captain Jacob Jones, met the British brig Frolic off Cape Hatteras. Since the vessels were of precisely the same strength, the contest could not have been a more perfect test of the bravery and efficiency of the ships of England and our own country. As respects bravery, it w^as equal, for the men on both sides fought with a courage that could not btwe BRILLIAXT WORK OF THE AMERICAN NAVY. 187 been surp;i?se>l. When the cu u ot the Wasp boarded the Frolic, the} tound no one on deck except the man at the^^h(Ll and two wounded officers. The ^(->^eK^\LU so damaged that on the same day tht British ship Poicters captured both During the same month (Octo- ber 2oth), Commodore Stephen De- catur, in command of the fri^j, ite United States, encountered the British frigate Macedo- nian off the Island of Madeira, tured her after a battle of two which he lost twelve men, of the enemy was a hundred. The Kin w \^ <^o shattered \\\\\\ the j;ic itc^t A\ i-^ slit t)iou^hr THE AETS OF PEACE AND THE ART OF WAR. ( 1P- U1-, in \\ lidc tliat moie than Mn cedon- tliat only difficuhy into ^(-'^^ J^ondon 1 li( f oin- m ind ot the Con- -ylitutwn ^\as now t u r n e d over to Bainbridge, w h o sighted the frigate Java oif the coast of Brazil, December 29th. In the terrific battle that followed he lost 34 men, but killed 120 of the enemy, tore out every mast, and burst her hull with round shot. The Java was blown u]^, and the prisoners and wounded were taken to Boston, where Bainbridge received a right royal wel- come. This ends the history of the first half-vear of the 188 ADMINmTRATJONS OF 3IADIS0N. ■war of 1812. AVliile everything -went wrong on land, the ocean showed only a succession of brilliant victories. England, chagrined and humiliated, declared that her flag had been disgraced "by a piece af striped bunting flying at the mast-heads of a few flr-built frigates, manned by a handful of outlaws." KEOEGANIZATION OF THE AKMT. Congress took measures for strengthening and reorganizing the army. The pay and bounty of the soldiers were increased; the President was em- }iowered to raise twenty additional regiments of infantry, to borrow money, and to issue treasury i.otes, and provisions were made for adding four ships-of- the-line, six frigates, and as many vessels of war on the Great Lakes as might be needed. The aimy was organized into three divisions: the Army of the North, under General Wade Hampton, to act in the country about Lake Ch;un plain; the Army of the Centre, under the commander-in-chief, General Henry Dear- born, to act on the Niagara frontier and Lake Ontario; and the Army of the East, nnder General Winchester, who soon after was superseded by General William Henry Harrison. IN THE WEST. The last-named officer did his utmost to drive the British out of Detroit. His trooi^s were volunteers, brave but undisciplined, and displayed their most eflective work in scattered fighting and against the Indians; liut their success was not decisive. When the swamps and lakes of the Northwest were suffi- ciently frozen to bear their weight, Harrison repeated his attempts to expel the British from Detroit. His advance, under General Winchester, was attacked on the Kiver Raisin by the British, letl by General Proctor. Winchester was as prompt as General Hull in surrendering. Pi'octor allowed his Indians to massacre the wounded prisoners, niDst of wliom were Kentuckians. Thereafter, when the Kentucky troops rushed into battle they raised the war-cry, "Ee- member the Baisin ! " The disaster to AVinch ester caused Harrison to fall back to Fort Meigs, which stood near the site of the present town of Defiance. There, in the spring of 1813, he was besieged by Proctor. A force of Kentuckians relieved him, after severe loss, and Proctor retreated. Pome months later he again advanced against Fort Meigs, but was repulsed, and marched to Fort Stephenson, where Fremont now stands. The besiegers consisted of 3,000 British and Indians, while the garrison numbered only IGO, under the command of Major George Croghan, only twenty years of age. When Proctor ordered the youth to surrender he threatened that, in case of resistance, every prisoner would be tomahawked. INIajor Croghan replied that when the surrender took place there would not be a single CAPTURE OF TORONTO (YORK). 189 man left to tomahawk. Although Croghuii had but a single cannon, he made so gallant a defense that his assailants were repulsed, and Proctor, fearing the approach of Harrison, withdrew from the neighborhood. BATTLE OF THE THAMES. Perry's great victory on Lake Erie in September, 1813, as related further on, gave the Americans command of that body of water. Harrison's troops were ])laced on board of Perry's vessels and carried across from Ohio to Canada. They landed near Maiden and Proctor fell back to Sandwich, with the Ameri- cans following. He continuetl his retreat to the Thames, where, with the help of Tecumseh, he selected a good battle-ground and awaited the Americans, who attacked him on the oth of October. Proctor fled early in the battle, but his regulars fought bravely. The 1,500 Indians, under the lead of Tecumseh, displayed unusual heroism, but, when the great Tecumseh fell, they fled in a panic. The American victory was overwhelming and complete. Tecumseh's irresistible eloquence had roused the Creeks to take the war- path in the South. The danger became so imminent that 500 of the inhabitants took refuge in a stockade known as Fort Mimms, Alabama, thirty-five miles above Mobile. The sentinels, believing there was no danger, were careless, and on August 21, 1813, nearly a thousand Creeks attacked the place, which was surprised and captured after feeble resistance. More than 200 were tomahawked, the negroes being spared to become slaves of the Indians. CAPTURE OF TORONTO (tOKK). In April of this year, General Dearborn crossed Lake Ontario from Sackett's Harbor to Toronto (then known as York), which was the capital of Upper Canada and the chief depot for the supply of the western garrisons. Under a sharp fire, General Zebulon Pike drove the enemy from the works. The explosion of a magazine in tlie fort caused the death of General Pike in the moment of victory. The operations left Sackett's Harbor almost unprotected, and led to an attack by the British admiral. Sir James Yeo, and General Prevost. The com- mander of the garrison appealed to General Jacob Brown, a militia oflicer of the neighborhood, who hurriedly gathered a small force and added it to the defenders. In the attack which followed Brown showed gi'eat skill, and Genei-al Prevost, believing his retreat was about to be cut off, iled in a panic, leaving 300 dead and wounded. In the engagements in that section during the remainder of the year. General Brown was about the only oflicer who displayed any military ability, his skill eventually placing him at the head of the United States armv. 190 ADMIMSTHATIOXS OF .UADISOX. 'J'lie lighting iluu Iblloweil was mainly m tavor ot" tlie British, who rooap- tnreil York. Eight luindred Americans were niaile i)risoners at Beaver Dams, and, as the autumn approaelieil, the enemy louiul themselves in ecimmantl of a jiowert'iil squadron. IKCOMl'KTENT COMMANDERS. There was mueli dissatisfaction witli General Dearborn, the head of the army. He was in ill-health, never led his troops in person, and missed a good opportunity of eapturing Montreal. He was relieved in June and sueceedeil by General \\ ilkinson, who arrived at ii^aekett's Harbor in Augu;?t. He began preparations for invading Canada, but was so laggard in his movemenis that tlie enemy had abundance of time in whieh to make readv. The St. Lawrence seemed to be fortified at evi'ry jioint, bm Cieneral Ihown, by biave lighting, opened the way for the flotilla. General Wilkinson reached St. Kcgi^, November lllh, at wliit'b point General Wade Hampton was to co-t)pcrate with him. lUn that olliccr. owing lo a lack of provisions, had tlillcn back to Plattslmrg, hoping to ki-cp open his comnumications with the St. Lawrence. This obliged Gciirral M'ilkinson to retreat, and AVilkinson, Hampton, and other oHicers (piarri'lcd like so many children. Disaster ami disgi-ace seemed to follow the American laml forces during the first two years of the war, but the fault lay wholly with the oHicers, who were incomjietent, and many times hu-king in patriotism. The soldiers were brave^ but were comparatively ]H)wer]ess with such poor commanders. Once again the American navy performeil brilliant work, though, unfor- tunately, the record was marred by a sad disaster. On February -4th, Oaptain James Lawrence, who had made several minor captures from the enemy, riddled the English brig-of-war Fcacock, while in command of the Hornet, and, in a fierce engagement of fifteen minutes, compelltMl her to surrender and hoist a signal of distress. She went down so quickly that several of the Homei's crew, who were giving aid, sank with her, besides thirteen of the enemy. Ca]>tain Lawrence treated his prisoners .so kindly that, upon reaching Kew York, they gave him a letter of thanks. C.\PTURI-: Ol^ TIIK CHES.^rEAKi:: i;V THE StIANNON. Captain Lawrence's line work caused him to be ]>romoted to the command of the Chesapeake, then reliiting at Boston. Captain Broke (al'terward Sir Philip, B. v.), commander of the S/ta)nwii, erui.sing oil' Boston, challengeil Lawrence to come out and light him. The American jmnnplly accepted the chal- lenge. It Avas a ]iiece of unwarrantable i-ecklessness, for the Clicsapeakc was not yet ready for the sea, and his crew was undisciplined ami in a surly mood. ( '. I I'TA IN l)K( 'A Tl I! ( 'Jliy 'KIJ). 191 bcc-aii.se HOiue |)r(jiiii^c(l )»iiy.(; iiioiicy iiail iidI liccii )iajbnilders were so busy that from about a dozen vessels on either side they increased the number to more than a hundred each by the close of the war. perry's great victory. One of the grandest of all ti-iumphs was gained by the American navy in the early autumn of 1813. Captain Oliver Hazard Perry was sent to Lake Erie to build a navy. Perry at that time was not thirty years old and had never seen a naval battle. By August, he had a squadron of two large and seven small vessels, carrying 54 guns and 41G men, with which he set out to find Commodore Barclay, who had two large and four small vessels, with 63 guns and 440 men. The two squadrons met at the western end of Lake Erie on the 10th of September. Barclay centred such a furious fire upon the Lawrence, Perry's flagship, that in two hours she was in a sinking condition. Perry entered a small boat, and, exposed to a sharp fire, was rowed to the Niagara, on which he hoisted his flag. The battle was renewed, and, while the enemy was trying to form a new line of battle. Perry ran the Niagara directly through the fleet, delivering broadsides right and left. The other vessels were prompt in following her, and poured such a raking fire into the enemy that fifteen minutes later Barclay surrendered. The British commander had but one arm when the battle opened, and, before it ended, his remaining arm was shot off". He lost 200 killed and wounded and 600 prisoners, while the Americans had 27 killed and UG wounded. It has already been shown that this victory was of the utmost importance, for Proctor was waiting to invade Ohio, if it went his way, wliile General Harrison was also waiting to invade Canada, in the event of an American triumph. In sending news of his victory to General Harrison, Perry, in his hastily written dispatch, used the words which have lieen quoted thousands of times: "We have met the enemy and they are ours." It will be recalled that Harrison immediately embarked his troops on Perry's ships, and, crossing the lake, pursued Proctor to the Thames, where he decisively defeated him and ended all danger of an invasion of Ohio by the enemy. The American government now began to heed the benefit of the severe lessons of defeat. The woithless generals were weeded out, and the army in western New York reorganized so effectually that tlie country was cheered by a number of victories — proof that the rank and file were of the best ipiality and that their previous defeats were due to their leaders. 194 ADMIXlSTJiATIOXS OF MADlsOX. On July 3, 1814, Gens. 8ontt, Ripley, aiul Ihxiwii rmssed the Niagara from Black Rock to Erie with 3,000 men. Ilrown's ability had become so manifest that by this time he Avas a major-general. AMieu he appeared iu front of Fort Erie, it surrendered without resistance. Brown pursued a British corps of observa- tion down the river until it crossed Chippewa Creek and joined the main body. Brown withdrew and united also with the principal forces of the Americans, wha attacked the British on the 5th of July, in their strong intrenchments behind the Chijipewa. They were completely defeated, routed out of their defenses, and driven up the shore of Lake Ontario. Their Indian allies were so disgusted with the defeat of the British antl the furious fighting of the Americans that all deserted the British commandei-. BATTLE OF LUNDAY's LANE. The British army received reinforcements and turned back to meet the Americans who were pursuing them. The armies met, July 2oth, at Lundy's Lane, within sight of Niagara Falls, where the fiercely contesteil battle, begin- ning at sunset, lasted until midnight. The British commander was wounded and captured and the enemy driven back. The loss of the Americans was serious. Scott was so badly wounded that he could take no fui'ther part in the war, Brown was less severely injured, and Ripley withdrew with the army to Foit Erie. An exploit of Colonel James Miller deserves notice. At a critical point in the battle, General Brown saw that victory depended upon the silencing of a battery of seven guns stationed on a hill, that was pouring a destructive fire into the Americans. " Colonel," said he, " can you capture that battery ? " " I can try," was the modest reply, and a few minutes later Colonel Miller was in motion with his regiment. The darkness enabled the men to conceal them- selves under the shadow of a fence, along which they silently crept until they could peep between the rails and see the gunners standing with lighted matches awaiting the order to fii'e. Thrusting the muzzles of their guns through the openings, they shot down every gunner, and, leaping over the fence, captured the battery in the face of a hot infantry fire. The enemy made three attempts to recapture the battery, but were repulsed each time. When General Ripley retreated, he left the guns behind, so that they again fell into the hands of the British from whom they had been so brilliantly won. The enemy soon received reinforcements and besieged the Americans in Fort Erie. Brown, although still suftering from his wound, resumed command and drove his besiegers once more beyond the Chippewa. The Americans evacuated Fort Erie on the 5th of November, and recrossing the Niagara went PUNISH3IENT OF THE CREEK IXDIAXS. 195 into winter quarters at Black Eock and Ontario. Tliere were no more military o^jerations durnig tlie war between Lakes Erie and Ontario. THE AKMY OF THE NORTH. General Wilkinson was so inefficient with the Army of the North that he was superseded by General Izard, who advanced with his force to the aid of General Brown at Fort Erie. This left Plattsbui-g uncovered, and the British decided to attack it by land, and to destroy at the same time the American flotilla on Lake Champlain. Sir George Prevost, at the head of an army of 14,000 men, entered Ameri- can territory on the 3d of September, and three days later reached Plattsburg. The garrison withdrew to the south side of the Saranac, and prepared to dispute the passage of the stream. Commodore Downie appeared off the harbor of Plattsburg, with the British squadron, Sejitendjer 11th. The American scpiad- ron, under Commodore Macdonough, was in the harbor, and consisted of two less barges than the enemy, 86 guns, and 820 men, while the r]nglish com- mander had 95 guns and more than a thoasand men. During the battle which followed the British land forces made , repeated attempts to cross the Saranac, but were defeated in every instance. The l)attle on the water lasted less than three hours, during which (Vjmmodore Downie was killed, his vessel sunk, and the remainder sunk or captured. The destruction of the British squadron was complete, and the land forces withdrew during the night. England was so dissatisfied with the action of Sir George Prevost that he was dismissed from command. No more serious fighting took place in that section during the war. PUNISHMENT OF THE CREEK INDIANS. Mention has been made of the massacre at Fort Mimms in Alabama by the Creeks, August 30, 1813. Tennessee acted with jirompt vigor. General Jackson at the head of 5,000 men marched into the Creek country and pun- ished the Indians with merciless rigor. After repeated defeats, the Creeks made a stand at the Great Horseshoe Bend of the Tallapoosa River. There a thousand warriors gathered, with their wives and children, prepared to fight to the last. The desperate battle was fought March 27, 1814, and at its close 600 Indians were killed and the remainder scattered. The spirit of the Creeks was crushed, and General Jackson's exploit made him the most popular military leader in the Southwest. ^Matters looked gloomy for the Americans at the beginning of 1814. Enn-- land sent a formidable force of veterans to Canada, and another to capture Washington, while the main body expected to take New Orleans, with the 196 ADillNISTEATIONS 01 MADISON iiitentiou of retaining tlie city and jwoviuce of Louisiana upon the conclusion of peace. PREPARING FOR THE FINAL STRUGGLE. The American government gathered uj) her loins for the great strusmle. The President was authorized to borrow i^25,000,0UU, and to issue ti-easury notes to the amount of $5,000,000. Such sums are but bagatelles in these davs, but in 1814 the ci-edit of the government was so poor that the notes depreciated •one-fifth of their face value. One hundred and twenty -four dollars were offered as a bounty for every I'ecruit, while the pay, rations, and clothing were placed upon a generous scale. An order was issued increasing the regular anuv to •66,000 men, and an embargo laid with the aim of stoj^ping trade under British licenses was repealed in April. The British cruisers kept the Atlantic coast in continual alarm. Entering Delaware Bay they burned every merchant vessel in sight. When the jieojile of Lewiston refused to sell food to them, they bombarded their homes. In Chesapeake Bay Admiral Cockburn plundered private dwellings. Among the places sacked and burned were Lewes, Havre de Grace, Fredericktown, and Georgetown. More leniency was shown the New England coast because of her opposition to the war. Another inexcusable proceeding on the jiart of the invaders was that of jiersuading many slaves to leave their masters and join the enemy. This business compelled England, after the close of the war, to pay the United States one million and a quarter dollars, on the award of the Em- peror of Russia, to whom the question was submitted. CAPTURE AND BURNING OF WASHINGTON. But this year saw the crowning disgrace to the American arms. The mis- management of affairs left our national capital defenseless. In August, 1814, Sir Alexander Cochrane carried a British army up the Chesapeake on board his squadron. Commodore Barney with his few ships had taken shelter in the Patuxent. Paying no attention to him, Eoss landed his 5,000 veterans within 40 miles of Washington and advanced against the city. The government had awakened to the threatened peril a short time before, and placed 500 regulars and 2,000 undisciplined militia under the command of General William H. Winder. Winder took a strong position at Bladensburg and awaited Ross and Coch- rane. The British army met with no opposition, and, upon reaching Marl- borough, found that Commodore Barney, acting under the orders of the secretary of war, had burned his fleet and hurried to Washington. The English com- mander arrived in sight of Washington on the 24th of August. His approach to Bladensburg was over a bridge defended by artillery from Barney's flotilla, CAPTURE AND BURNING OF WASHINGTON. 197 which were handled l)y Barney and liis sailors. They fought with the utmost heroism, rej)elling the British again and again ; but the militia fled, and, when Barney was wounded and his commanil helpless, he surrendered. General Ross complimented him for his bravery and im- mediately paroled him. This was the only check encountered ilM^J^.,^^^^4 BUHUING OF WASHINGTON. by the British in their ad- vance upon Washington, rjeneral Winder had learned" enouiih of his militia to know that no dependence '•ould be placed upon them, and he fled to Georgetown. The President, heads of departments, and most of the citizens joined in the stampede, and the advance guard of General Ross entered the city that evening. The British commander ofiered to spare the city for a large sum of money, ^ 198 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MADISON. but no one was within reach with authority to comply with liis demand. Ross claimed that his flag of truce had been fired on, and he ordered the city to be burned. In the conflagration that followed, the President's house, the depart- ment offices, numerous private dwellings, the libraries and public archives, many works of art in the public buildings, the navy yard and its contents, a frigate on the stocks, and several small vessels were destroyed. The patent ofiice and jail were the only public j)roperty spared. The burning of Washington was an outrage which was generally condemned in England. After a rest and the reception of reinforcements, Ross marched against Baltimore, which he declared should be his winter quarters. While on the road he was mortally wounded by an American sharpshooter in a tree. Such a brave defense was made by Forts McHenry and Covington, guarding the narrow passage from the Patapsco into the harbor of Baltimore, that the British fleet and the land forces were repelled. The success of this defense inspired Francis S. Key to write our famous national song, The Star-Spangled Banner. THE HARTFORD CONVENTION. The war became intensely unpopular in New England. Its shipping suf- fered severely, and the demands for peace grew more claiiaorous. On the loth of December, 1814, a convention of delegates, appointed by the Legislatures of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont, met in Hartford and held secret sessions for three weeks. An address was agreed upon charging the national government with carrying on a policy injurious to New England. Amendments were proposed to the Constitution, and a committee was selected to confer with the government at Washington and to propose that the revenues of New England should be applied to her own defense. An agree- ment was made that if their proposed action failed, and peace was not soon made, the convention should meet again in the following June. There was open talk of a withdrawal from the Union, and doubtless gi-ave results would have followed had the war gone on. The Hartford Convention and the "Blue Lights" of Connecticut gave the final death-blow to the Federal party. A TREATY OF PEACE SIGNED. Despite the progress of the war, peace negotiations had been going on for a long time. Russia, whose system of government has always been the exact opposite of ours, has shown us marked friendship in many instances. As early as 1813 she offered to mediate between Great Britain and the United States. The President appointed five commissioners, John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatin, who were sent to Ghent, Belgium, where they were met by Lord Gambler, Henry GREAT VICTORY AT NEW ORLEANS. 199 -Goiilbiirn, aud William Adams, the commissioners for Great Britain. Atter long negotiations, the commissioners reached an agreement on the 24th of December, 1814. The treaty did not contain a word abont the search of American vessels for alleged deserters, which was the real cause of the war, nor was any reference made to the wrongs done our commerce, and the rights of neutral nations were not defined. The Orders of Council, however, died* of themselves, Great Britain never again attempting to enforce them. It was agreed that all places captured by either side during the progress of the war or afterward should be surrendered, and provisions were made for lixing the boun- dai'y between the United States and Canada. In those days, when the ocean telegraph was not thought of and there were no swift-going steamers, news traveled slowly, and it did not reach Wash- ington until February 4, 181.3. Meanwhile, the most important battle of the war liad taken place and several captures Avere made on the ocean. The Creek Indians had been so crushed by General Jackson that they ceded a large part of their lands to the Americans. They were sullen, and when a British squadron entered the Gulf of Mexico they eagerly did all they could to help the enemy. The squadron, by permission of the Spanish author- ities took possession of the forts of Pensacola, and fitted out an expedition iigainst Fort Bower a'^ the entrance to Mobile Bay. They attacked the foi-t, September loth, by sea and land, but were repulsed. Among the land assailants were several hundred Creek warriors, who thus received another lesson of the bravery of American soldiers. General Jackson, in command of the southern military district, was enraged by the course of the Spanish authorities. He marched from ^lobile at the head of 2,000 Tennessee militia and a number of Choctaws, stormed PensMcola, November 7th, drove the British from the harbor, and compelled the Spanish governor to surrender the town. GENERAL JACKSOX's GKEAT VICTORY AT NEW ORLEANS. Having completed his work in this summary fashion, he returned to Mobile, where he found an urgent call for him to go to tlie defense of New Orleans, which was threatened by a powerful force of the enemy. The invasion, to which we have referred in another phice, was a formidable one and had been .arranged a long time before. General Jackson reached New Orleans, Decem- ber 2d, and began vigorous preparations. He enlisted almost everybody capable ■of bearing arms, including negroes and convicts. One of the most famous freebooters that ever ravaged the Gulf of IMexico was Lafitte, to whom the British made an extravagant offer for his help, but he refused, and gave his ser- vices to Jackson. 200 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MADISON. Jackson's vigor filled the city with confidence, but he was so strict that dissatisfaction was expressed, whereupon he declared martial law ; in other words, he took the city government into his own hands and ruled as he thought best. He neglected no precaution. Fort St. Philip, guarding the passage of the Mississippi at Detour la Plaquemine, was made stronger by new works, and a line of fortifications was built four miles below the city, on the left of the river, and extended eastward to an impassable cypress swamp. It was a disputed question for a time whether Jackson used cotton bales in the defenses of New Orleans, but it is established that he j^laced them on the tojDs of the intrench- ments. Cannon were also mounted at different points. The militia under General Morgan, and the crews and guns of a part of the squadron of Commo- dore Patterson, held the west bank of the rivei'. These precrutions enabled the defenders to enfilade the approaching enemy. A detachment guarded the pass of Bayou St. John, above the city, and a number of gunboats awaited to dis- jiute the passage of the river between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. The British fleet appeared at the entrance to this channel, December 14th, and was immediately assailed by the American flotilla, which was destroyed before it could inflict serious damage. Left free to select the point of attack, the British sent a force in flat-bottomed boats to the extremity of the lake, where they landed in a swamp. They repelled an attack by Jackson, who fell back toward the city. On the 28th of December the British were within half a mile of the American lines. They began a fire of shells, but were repulsed by Jackson's artillery. The defenders numbered some 3,000 militia, who were stationed in a line of intrenchments a mile long and four miles from the town. This line was protected by a ditch in front, flanked by batteries on the other side of the river, and, in addition, eight other batteries were in position. The British worked slowly forward until on the first day of the year they were within less than a quarter of a mile of New Orleans. As the best material at hand from which to erect breastworks they used hogsheads of sugar and molasses, which were sent flying in fragments by the American cannon. Several attacks upon the defenders were repulsed and the final assault delayed for a number of days. Sir Edward Pakenham, a veteran of the Peninsular wars, and a brother- in-law of Wellington, the conqueror of Napoleon, was in command of the reinforcements. While the advance went on slowly, 3,000 militia joined Jackson. They were composed mainly of Kentucky and Tennessee riflemen, the finest marksmen in the world. They were men, too, who did not lose their heads in battle, but, kneeling behind their intrenchments, coolly took aim and rarely threw away a shot. GREAT VICTORY AT NEW ORLEANS. 201 On the morning of Jan. 8, 1815, the English army advanced against the American intrenchnients. They nnmbered nearly 8,000 veterans, antl England never placed a finer body of men in the field. The American rifiemen, with shotted cannon and calmly await nicind to open mo; host. leveled rifles, ed the c o m - on the advanc- They were WEATHEESFORD AND GENERAL JACKSON. formed in two lines, those at the rear loading for those in front, who were thus enabled to keep up an almost continuous fire. Before the outburst of flame the British dissolved like snow in the sun, but the survivors with unsurpassable heroism persisted until it was apparent that 202 AD^IINItSTUATIONH OF ilADIlSON. not a luaii would be left alive if they maintained their ground. Then thev fell back to decide upon some other method of attack. Angered by his repulse, Pakenham ran to the head of a regiment bearing scaling ladders and called upon his men to follow him. Only a few succeeded in piercing the American lines. Pakenham fell, mojtally wounded ; his suc- cessor was killed, and the third in command was so badly injured that he could give no orders. "All that were left of them " retreated. From the opening to the close of the battle was less than half an hour, during which the British lost 2,500 in killed, wounded, and prisoners, one-third being killed. On the Amer- ican side eight were killed and thirteen wounded. A few days later the British withdrew to their ships antl sailed for the West Indies, where they learned of the signing of the treaty of peace. WORK OF THE AMERICAN NAVY. It will be noticed that as the war 2:>rogressed the principal fighting changed from the ocean to the land. Several encounters took place on the sea, but they ■were mostly unimportant, and did not always result favorably for us. In Sep- tember, 1814, Captain Samuel C. Reid, in command of the privateer Armstrong, while lying in the harbor of Fayal, one of the Azores, was attacked by a fleet of boats from three British frigates. He fought all through the night, and, although outnumbered twenty to one, made one of the most remarkable defenses in naval annals. On the 16th of January following, the President was captured by the British ship Eiidijmion. On the 20th of Februai-y, while Captain Charles Stewart was cruising off Cape St. Vincent, in the Constitution, with no thought that ]ieace ihad been declared, he fell in with two British brigs, the Cyane and the Levant. It was a bright moonlight night, and, after a brief engagement, in which Stewart ■displayed consummate seamanship, he captured both vessels. But peace had come and was joyfully welcomed everywhere. The war had -cost us heavilv in men, "^hips, and property ; the New England factories were idle, commerce at a standstill, and the whole country in a deplorable state. But ■everything now seemed to spring into life under the glad tidings. The shipping in New England was decked with bunting, and, within twenty-four hours after the news arrived, the dockyards rang witli the sound of saw and hammer. WAR WITH ALGIERS. The Barbary States did not forget their rough treatment at the hands of the United States a few years before. During the war they allowed the British to capture American vessels in their harbors, and sometimes captured them on their own account. In 1812 the Dey of Algiers compelled the American consul PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1816. 203 to pay laim a large sum of money to save himself, family, and a few friends from being carried off into slavery. We were too busily occupied elsewhere to give this barbarian attention, but in March, 1815, war was declared against Algiers, and Commodores Decatur and Bainbridge were sent to the Mediterranean with two squadrons to conduct operations. They did it to perfection. After capturing several frigates, they apjiroached the city of Algiers and demanded the immediate surrender of every American prisoner, full indemnity for all proi)erty destroyed, and the disavowal of all future claims to tribute. The terrified Dey eagerly signed the treaty placed before him on the quarter-deck of Decatur's ship. The Pasha of Tunis was com- pelled to pay a round sum on account of the American vessels he had allowed the British to capture in his harbor during the war. When he had done this, the Pasha of Tripoli was called upon and forced to make a similar contribution to the United States treasury. FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL COLONIZATION SOCIETY. The negro had long been a disturbing factor in politics, and, in 1816, the National Colonization Society was formed in Princeton, N. J., and imme- diately reorganized in Washington. Its object was to encourage the emancipa- tion of slaves by obtaining a place for them outside the United States, whither they might emigrate. It was hoped also that by this means the South would be relieved of its free black population. The scheme was so po^^ular that branches •of the society were established in almost every State. At first free negroes were sent to Sierra Leone, on the western coast of Africa, under the equator. Later, for a short time, they were taken to Sherbrooke Island, but in 1821 a jiermanent location was purchased at Cape Mesurado, where, in 1847, the colony declared itself an independent republic under the name of Liberia. Its capital, Monrovia, was named in honor of the President of the United States. The republic still exists, but its functions were destroyed by the war for the Union, which abolished slavery on this continent, and Liberia has never been looked upon with great favor by the colored people of this country. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1810. It has already been shown that the course of the Federal party in the War of 1812 ruined it. The Federal nominee for the presidency was Rufus King, of New York. He was a native of Maine, a graduate of Harvard College, and had served as a delegate to the Continental Congress. It was he who in 1785 moved the provision against slavery in the Northwest Tei'ritory, and he was an active member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, afterward returning to Massachusetts and givino; all his eners-ies to brinoino- about the ratification of 204 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MADISON the Constitution. He was United States senator from New York in 1789- 1796; was minister to London, 1796-1803; and again a United States senator, 1813-1825. Jolin Eager Howard, the candidate for the vice-presidency, had hardly a less claim upon the recognition of his countrymen, for he joined the patriot army at the outbreak of the Revolution, and fought with marked gallantry at White Plains, Germantown, Monmouth, and Camden, and won sj^ecial honor at the Cowpens in 1781. He was afterward governor of Maryland, declined the portfolio of war in Washington's cabinet, and was United States senator from 1796 to 1803. These facts are given to show the character and standing of the candidates of the Federalists in the presidential election of 1816, The following was the re- sult: For President, James Monroe, of Virginia, Republican, 133; Rufus King, of New York, Federalist, 34. For Vice-President, Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, Republican, 183 ; John Eager Howard, of ^Maryland, Federalist, 22 ; James Ross, of Pennsylvania, 5; John Marshall, of Virginia, 4; Robert G. Harper, of INIaryland, 3. Vacancies, 4. Thus Monroe became President and Tompkins A^ice-President. i'lKST TBAIW OF CAiCS IN AMiiiKICA. CHAPTER X. AD.VIINISTRATIONS OK JJVNIES MONROE AND JOHN OUINCY AIDAIVIS, 1817-1S29. James Monroe — The "Era of Good Feeling" — The Seminole War — Vigorous Measures of General Jackson — Admission of Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, and Missouri — The Missouri Com- promise — The Monroe Doctrine — Visit of Lafayette — Introduction of the Use of Gas — Completion of the Erie Canal — The First " Hard Times " — Extinction of the West Indian Pirates — Presidential Election of 1S24 — John Quincy Adams — Prosperity of the Country- -Introduction of the Railway Locomotive — Trouble with the Cherokees in Georgia — Death of Adams and Jefferson — Congressional Action on the Tariff — Presidential Election of 1 828. JAMES James Monroe, the fifth Presi- dent of the United States, was born at Monroe's Creek, Westraorehiud County, Virginia, April 28, 1758, and died July 4, 1831. It will be noticed that four out of the first five Presidents were natives of Virginia, and in course of time three others followed. It will be admitted, there- fore, that the State has well earned the title of the " Mother of Presi- dents." Monroe received his education at William and Mary College, and was a soldier under Washington. He was not nineteen years old when, as lieutenant at the battle of Tren- ton, he led a squad of men who cap- tured a Hessian battery as it was about to open fire. He studied law under Jefferson, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and, when twenty-five years old, was a delegate to the Continental Congress. (205) JAMES MONROE. ■58-1831.) Two terms, 1817-1825. He 206 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MONROE AND ADAMS. was minister plenipotentiary to France in 17'J4, but his course displeased the administration and he was recalled. From 1799 to 1802 he was governor of Virginia, and, in the latter year, was sent to France by President Jefferson to negotiate the purchase of Louisiana. In 1811 he was again governor of Virginia, and shortly afterward appointed secretary of State by Madison. He also served as secretary of war at the same time, and, as the treasury was empty, pledged his private means for the defense of New Orleans. Monroe was of plain, simple manners, of excellent judgment and of the highest integrity. While his career did not stamjj him as a man of genius, yet it proved him to be that which in his situation is better — an absolutely "safe" man to trust with the highest office in the gift of the American people. Under Monroe the United States made greater advancement than during any jirevious decade. Everything united to make his administration successful. The Federal party having disappeared, its members either stopped voting or joined the Re- publicans. Since, therefore, everybody seemed to be agreed in his political views, the period is often referred to as " the era of good feeling," a condition altogether too ideal to continue long. TARIFF LEGISLATION. Shortly after Monroe's inauguration he made a tour through the country, visiting the principal cities, and contributing by his pleasing manner greatly to his popularity. The manufactures of the country were in a low state because of the cheapness of labor in Great Britain, which enabled the manufacturers there to send and sell goods for less prices than the cost of their manufacture in this country. Congress met the difficulty by imposing a tax upon manufactured goods brought hither, and thereby gave our people a chance to make and sell the same at a profit. The controversy between the advocates of free trade and protection has been one of the leading questions almost from the first, and there has never been and probably never will be full accord upon it. THE SEMINOLE WAR. Perhaps the most important event in the early part of Monroe's adminis- tration was the Seminole war. Those Indians occupied Florida, and could hide themselves in the swampy everglades and defy pursuit. Many runaway slaves found safe refuge there, intermarried with the Seminoles, and made their homes among them. They were not always fairly treated by the whites, and committed many outrages on the settlers in Georgia and Alabama. When the Creeks, who insisted they had been cheated out of their lands, joined them, General Gaines was sent to subdue the savages. He failed, and was caught in such a dangerous situation that General Jackson hastily raised a force and marched to his assistance THE SEMINOLE }VAR. 207 Since Florida belonged to Spain, Jackson was instructed by our government not to enter the country except in pursuit of the enemy. "Old Hickory" was not the man to allow himself to be hampered by such onlers, and, enteiing Florida in March, 1818, he took possession the following month of the Spanisli post of St. Mark's, at the head of Appalachee Bay. Several Seminoles were captured, and, proof being obtained that they were the leaders in a massacre of some settlers a short time before, Jackson hanged every one of tiiem. Advancing into the in terior, he captured two British subjects, Robert C. Ambristei, an Englishman, and Alexan- der Arbuthnot, a Scotchman. There seemed to be no doubt that the latter had been guilty of inciting the Indians to com- mit their outrages, and both were tried by court-martial, which sentenced Arbuthnot to be hanged and Ambrister to receive fifty lashes and un- dergo a year's imprisonment Jackson set aside the verdict, and shot the Englishman and hanged the Scotchman. He then marched against Pen^a- cola, the capital of the prov- ince, drove out the Spanish authorities, captured B a i - rancas, whose troops and offi- cials were sent to Havana. Jackson carried things with such a high hand that Spain protested, and Congress had to order an investigation. Tlie report censured Jackson ; l)ut Congress passed a resolution acquitting liini of idl blame, and he became more popular than ever. Spain was not strong enough to expel the Americans, and she agreed to a, treaty, in October, 1820, by which East and West Florida were ceded to the United States, the latter paying Spain |o,000,000. The Sabine River, instead of the Rio Grande, was made the dividing line between the territories of the respective governments west of the Mississippi. Jackson was the first governor AN t^DIANfa DECLARATION Oi WAT.. 208 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MONEOE AND ADAMS. of Florida, aiul, as uiay be supposed, he had a stormy time, but he straio-ht- eued out matters with tlie sauie iron resokitiou that marked everything he did. STATES ADMITTED — THE MISSOURI COMPKOMISE. A uumber of States were admitted to the Union wliile Monroe was Presi- dent. The first was Mississippi, in 1817. The territory was claimed by Georgia, which gave it to the United States in 1802. Illinois was admitted in 1818, being the third of the five States formed from the old Northwest Terri- tory. Alabama became a State in 1819, and had been a part of the territory claimed by Georgia. Maine was admitted in 1820, and, as has been shown, was for a long time a part of Massachusetts, and Missouri became a State in 1821. The strife over the admission of the last-named State was so angry that moi'e than one person saw the shadow of the tremendous civil war that was to darken the country and deluge it in blood forty years later. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 had made cotton the leading industry of the South and given an enormous importance to slavei-y. The soil and the climate and econo- mic conditions caused it to flourish in the South, and the lack of such conditions made it languish and die out in the Korth. Missouri applied for admission in March, 1818, but it was so late in the session that Congress took no action. At the following session a bill was intro- duced containing a provision that forbade slavery in the proposed new State. The debate was bitter and prolonged, accompanied by threats of disunion, but a compromise was reached on the 28tli of February, 1821, when the agreement was made that slavery was to be permitted in Missouri, but forever prohibited in all other parts of the Union, north and west of the northern limits of Ar- kansas, 36° 30', which is the southern boundary of Missouri. The State was admitted August 21st, increasing the number to twenty-four. The census showed that in 1820 the popuktion of the United States was 9,633,822. The State of New York contained the most people (1,372,111) ; Virginia next (1,065,116) ; and Pennsylvania almost as many (1,047,507). PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIOX OF 1820. It was in the autumn of 1820, during the excitement over the admission of Missouri, that the presidential election occurred. The result is not likely ever to be repeated in the history of our country. Thei-e was no candidate against Monroe, who would have received every electoral vote, liut for the action of one member, who declared that no man had the right to share that honor with Washington. He therefore cast his single vote for Adams of Massachu- setts. For Vice-President, Daniel D. Tompkins, Republican, received 218 ; Richard Stockton, of New Jersey, 8 ; Daniel Rodney, of Delaw'are, 4; Robert COMPLETION OF THE ERIE CANAL. '209 G. Harjjer, of Maryland, and Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania, 1 vote each. Monroe and Tomi^kins were therefore re-elected. THE MONROE DOCTKINE. South America has long been the land of revolutions. In 1821, there was a general revolt against Spain in favor of independence. Great sympathy was felt for them in this country, and, in March, 1822, Congress passed a bill recog- nizing the embryo republics as sovereign nations. In the following year Presi- dent Mon]-oe sent a message to Congress in which he declared that for the future the American continent was not to be considered as territory for colonization by any foreign power. This consecration of the whole Western Hemisphere to free institutions constitutes the Monroe Doctrine, one of the most precious and jealously guarded rights of the American nation. The memorable docu- ment which bears the President's name was written by John Quincy Adams, his secretary of State. America could never forget Lafayette, who had given his services without pay in our struggle for independence, who shed his blood for us, and who was tlie intimate and trusted friend of Washington. He was now an old m;in, and, anxious to visit the country he loved so well, he crossed the ocean and landed in New York, in August, 1824. He had no thought that his coming would cause any stir, and was overwhelmed by the honors shown him everywhei'e. Fort Lafayette saluted him as he sailed up New York Bay, and processions, parades, addresses, feastings, and every possible attention were given to him throughout his year's visit, during which he was emphatically the " nation's guest." Nor did the counti-y confine itself to mere honors. He had been treated badly in France and was })oor. Congress made him a j^resent of $200,000 in money, and sent him home in the frigate Brandyivine, named in his honor, for it was at the battle of the Brandywine that Lafayette was severely wounded. An important invention introduced into this country from England in 1822 was lighting by gas, which soon became universal, to be succeeded in later years by electricity. Steamboat navigation was common and travel by that means easy. On land we were still confined to horseback and stages, but there was great improvement in the roads, through the aid of Congress and the differ- ent States. completion of the ERIE CANAL. The Erie Canal, connecting Buffalo and Albany, was begun on the 4th of July, 1817, its most persistent advocate being Governor De Witt Clinton. It was costly, and the majority believed it would never pay expenses. They .dubbed it " De Witt Clinton's Ditch," and ridiculed the possibility that it would prove of public benefit. In October, 1825, it was ojiened for public traffic. It 210 ADJIINISTBATIOXS OF MONROE AND ADAJTS. is 363 miles long, having tlie greatest extent of any canal in the world. It passes throngh a wonderfully fertile region, which at that time was little more than a wilderness. Immediately towns and villages sprang into existence along its banks. Merchandise could now be carried cheaply from the teeming West, through the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal, and the Hudson River, to New York City and the Atlantic. Its original cost was $7,600,000, and its earnings were so enormous that in many single years they amounted to half that sum. It is now operated by the State without charge to those using it. No combination of statesmen are wise enough to prevent the occasional recurrence of " hard times." Nearly everyone has a cure for the blight, and the intervals between them are irregular, but they still descend upon us, when most unexpected and when it seems we are least prepared to bear them. No one needs a long memory to recall one or two afflictions of that nature. THE FIRST " HARD TIMES." The first financial stringency visited the country in 1819. The establish- ment in 1817 of the Bank of the United States had so imjiroved credit and in- creased the facilities for trade that a great deal of wild speculation followed. The officers of the branch bank in Baltimore were dishonest and loaned more than $2,000,000 beyond its securities. The President stopped the extravagant loans, exposed the rogues, and greatly aided in bringing back the country to a sound financial basis, although the Bank of the United States narrowly escaped bank- ruptcy — a calamity that would have caused distress beyond estimate. Amid the stirring political times our commerce suffered from the pirates who infested the West Indies. Their depredations became so annoying that in 1819 Commodore Perry, of Lake Erie fame, was sent out with a small squadron to rid the seas of the pests Before he could accomplish anything, he was stricken with yellow fever and died. Other squadrons were disjjatched to southern waters, and in 1822 more than twenty piratical vessels were destroyed in the neighborhood of Cuba. Commodore Porter followed up the work so effectively that the intolerable nuisance was permanently abated. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1824. There were plenty of presidential candidates in 1824. Everybody now was a Republican, and the choice, therefore, lay between the men of that political faith. The vote was as follows : Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, 99 ; John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts, 84 ; Henry Clay, of Kentucky, 37 ; William H. Craw- ford, of Georgia, 41. For Vice-President : John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, 182 ; Nathan Sandford, of New York, 30 ; Nathaniel Macon, of North Carolina, 24 ; Andrew Jackson, 13 ; Martin Van Buren, of New York, 9; Henry Clay, 2. JOHN QUINCY ALAMS. 211 This vote showed that iio candidate was elected, and tlie election, there- fore, was thrown into the House of Re^jresentatives. Although Jackson was far in the lead on the popular and electoi'al vote, the friends of Clay united with the sujiporters of Adams, who became President, with Calhoun Vice- President. The peculiar character of this election led to its being called the "scrub race for the presidency." JOHN QUINCY ADAJIS. John Quincy Adams, the sixth President, was born at Braintree, Massa- chusetts, July 11, 17(')7, and was the son of the second President. He was given every educational ad- vantage in his youth, and when eleven years old accompanied his father to France and was placed in a school in Paris. Two years later he entered the University of Ley- den, afterward made a tour through the principal countries of Euro]")e, and, returning home, entered the junior class at Harvard, from which he graduated in 1788. Washington appreciated his ability, and made him minister to The Hague and afterward to Portugal. When his father became President he trans- ferred him to Berlin. The Federal- ists elected him to the United States Senate in 1803, and in 1809 he was ajjpointed minister to Russia. He negotiated important commer- cial treaties with Prussia, Sweden, and Great Britain, and, it will be remem- bered, he was leading commissioner in the treaty of Ghent, which brought the War of 1812 to a close. He was a man of remarkable attainments, but he pos- sessed little magnetism or attractiveness of manner, and l)y his indifference failed to draw warm friends and supjiorters around him. Adams was re- elected to Congress repeatedly after serving out his term as President. He was seized with apoplexy while on the point of rising from his desk in the Plouse of Representatives, and died February 23, 1S4S. The country was highly prosperous (hiring the presidency of the younger JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. (1767-1S48.) One term, lS2u-18L1i. 212 ADMINISTRATIOXS OF MONROE AND ADAMS. Adams. The public debt, to which the War of 1812 added $80,000,000, began to show a marked decrease, money was more plentiful, and most important of all was the introduction of the steam locomotive from England. Experiments had been made in that country for a score of years, but it was not until 1829 that George Stephenson, the famous engineer, exhibited his "Rocket," which ran at the rate of nearly twenty miles an hour. INTRODUCTION OF THE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE. The first clumsy attempts on this side were made in 1827, when two short lines of rails were laid at Quincy, near Boston, but the cars were drawn by horses, and, when shortly after, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was chartered, the intention was to use the same motor. In 1829, a steam locomotive was used on the Delaware and Hudson Canal Railroad, followed by a similar introduction on the Baltimore and Ohio Road. The first railroad chartered exjiressly for steam was granted in South Carolina for a line to run from Charleston to Hamburg. The first locomotive made by Stephenson was brought across the ocean in 1831. The Americans set to work to make their own engines, and were successful in 1833. It will be noted that these events occurred after the administration of Adams. THE CHEROKEES IN GEORGIA. Most of the country east of the Mississippi was being rapidly settled. Immense areas of land were sold by the Indian tribes to the government and they removed west of the river. The Cherokees, however, refused to sell their lands in Georgia and Alabama. They were fully civilized, had schools, churches, and newspapers, and insisted on staying ujwn the lands that were clearly their own. Georgia was equally determined to force them out of the State, and her govern- ment was so high-handed that President Adams interfered for their protection. The governor declared that the Indians must leave, and he defied the national government to prevent him from driving them out. The situation of the Chero- kees finally became so uncomfortable that, in 1835, they sold their lands and joined the other tribes in the Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi. AN IMPRESSIVE OCCURRENCE. One of the most impressive incidents in our history occurred on the 4th of July, when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died. It was just half a century after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, of which Jeffer- son was the author and whose adoption Adams secured. Adams attained the greatest age of any of our Presidents, being nearly ninety-one years old when he died. He retained the brightness of his mind, his death being due to the feebleness of old age. When he was asked if he knew AN IMPRESSIVE OCCURRENCE. 21; tlie meaning of the joyous bells that were ringing outside, his wan face lighted up, and he replied : " It is the 4th of July; God bless it ! " His last words, uttered a few minutes later : " Jefferson still survives." It was a ^^ natural error on the imrt of Adams, ^^^^"''^ "'^'-^^ but Jeherson had JOHNNY BTTLI,," OH NO. 1. (The first locomotive used.) quietly, surrounded by friends, with his mind full of the inspiring associations connected with the day. His last words were : " I resign my soul to God, and my daughter to my country." 214 ADMINISTRATIONS OF MONROE AND ADAMS. An important issue of the younger Adams' administration was the tariff. Naturally the iSouth were opposed to a jjrotective tarift', because they had no manufactures, and were, therefoi'e, comi^elled to pay higher prices for goods than if admitted free of duty. A national convention was held at Harrishurg, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1827, to discuss the question of the protection of native industry. Only four of the slave-holding States were rejjresented, but the members memorialized Congress for an increase of duties on a number of articles made in this country. In the session of 1827-28, Congress, in defer- ence to the general sentiment, jsassed a law which increased the duties on fabrics made of wool, cotton, linen, and on articles made from lead, iron, etc. The Legislatures of the Southern States protested against this action as unjust and unconstitutional, and in the presidential election of that year the entire electoral vote of the South was cast against Adams. The " Era of good feeling " was gone and politics became rampant. The policy of a protective tariff became known as the American System, and Henry Clay was its foremost champion. Their followers began to call themselves National Republicans, while their opponents soon assumed the name of Demo- crats, which has clung to them ever since, though the National Republicans changed their title a few years later to Whigs. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1828. The presidential election of 1828 resulted as follows: Andrew Jackson, Democrat, 178; John Quincy Adams, National Republican, 83. For A^ice- President, John C. Calhoun, Democrat, 171 ; Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania, National Republican, 49 ; William Smith, of South Carolina, Democrat, 7. Jackson and Calhoun therefore Avere elected. CHAPTER XI. ADIVlINISTRATIONS OK JACKSON, VAN BUREN, W. H. HARRISON, AND TYLER. 1829-1S45. Andrew Jackson— "To the Victors Belong the Spoils" — The President's Fight with the United States Bank— Presidential Election of J82S— Distribution of the Surplus in the United States Treasury Among the Various States — The Black Hawk War — The Nullification Excitement — The Seminole War — Introduction of the Steam Locomotive — Anthracite Coal, McCormick's Reaper, and Friction Matches — Great Fire in New York — Population of the United States in 1830 — Admission of Ar- kansas and Michigan — Abolitionism — France and Portugal Compelled to Paj' their Debts to the United States — The Specie Circular, John Caldwell Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster — Presidential Election of 1836^Martin Van Buren — Tlie Panic of 1837 — Rebellion in Canada — Po|)U- lation of the United States in 1840— Presidential Election of 1840— William Henry Harrison— His Deatli— John Tyler — His Unpopular (.Vurse — The Webster-Ashburton Treaty— Civil War in Rhode Island — The Anti-rent War in New York — A Shocking Accident — Admission of Florida^ Revolt of Texas Against Mexican Rule — The Alamo — San Jacinto — The Question of the Annexa- tion of Texas— The State Admitted — The Copper Klines of Michigan — Presidential Election of 1844 ^Tlie Electro-magnetic Telegraph — Professor Morse — His Labors in Bringing the Invention to Perfection. ANDREW JACKSON. Andrew Jackson, seventh President, ranks among the greatest of those who have been honored witli the highest gift their countrymen can confer upon them. He was born of Scotch-Irish parents, at Waxhaw Settlement, on the line between North and South Carolina, March 15, 1767. His parents were wretchedly poor and he received only a meagre education. His fatlier died just before the birth of his son, who enlisted in the patriot army when but thirteen years old, and was captured at the battle of Hanging Rock. When a British officer ordered the boy to clean his boots, he refused. He was brutally beaten for his stubbornness ; he told the officer that he might kill him, but he could never make a servant of him. Shortly afterward he was seized with smallpox and was abandoned to die, but his mother secured his release and nursed him back to health. She died soon afterward, and, while still a boy, Andrew was left without a single near relative. At the close of the Revolution, he took up the study of law, pursuing it in a desultory way, until his removal to Nashville, at the age of twenty-one years. He threw his law books aside when the Indians began their outrages, and we have told of his striking services as a soldier and military leader, culmina- ting with his great victory tit New Orleans, the anniverssiry of which is still Avideiv celebrated. Jackson became the idol of his countrymen, and he pos- (215) 216 JACKSON, VAN BVREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. sessed many admirable qualities. Never, under any circumstances, did lie betray j)ersonal fear. He was ready to attack one man, ten men, a hundred, or a thou- sand, if he deemed it his duty to do so. He was honest to the core, intensely patriotic, and he either loved or hated a man. He would stand by a friend to the death, unless he became convinced of his unworthiness, when he instantly became his unrelenting enemy. He fought numerous duels, and stood up without a tremor in front of one of the most famous of duelists. When his opponent's bullet tore a dreadful wound in his breast, he resolutely repressed all evidence of pain until he had killed his antag- onist, in order that the latter should not have the pleasure of knowing he had hurt Jackson. While carrying one arm in a sling from this wound, he led a strong force into the Creek country. When the men were close upon star- vation, they mutinied. Jackson rode in front of them, pistol in hand, and declared he would shoot the first one who refused to obey his or- ders. Not a man rebelled. At the same time he divided all the food he had among them, which consisted solely of acorns. Nevertheless, he pressed on and utterly destroyed the Indian confederation. Added to these fine qualities was his chivalrous devotion to his wife, the unvarying respect he showed to the other sex, and the purity of his own character. Such a man cannot fail to exercise a powerful influence upon those with whom he comes in contact. In Jackson's estimation, the only living person whose views were right uj^on every question was himself. He was intolerant of opposi- tion, and merciless in his enmity of a personal opponent. He made mistakes, as was inevitable, and some of them wrought great injury ; but even his oppo- nents respected while they feared him, and the qualities which we have indi- cated gave him a warm place not only in the affection of his own generation but in the generations that came after him. When his tempestuous career came to a close, Jackson retired to his home. ANDKEW JACK.SON. (1767-1845.) Two terms, 18291837, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1832. 217 known as the Hermitage, in Tennessee, where he jjassed his declining years in quiet and peace. He became a devout Christian, and died of consumption, June 8, 1845. " TO THE VICTORS BELONG THE SPOILS." It need hardly be said that when Jackson became President he shared his authority with no one. He made w^ his cabinet of his personal friends, and, on the principle of " To the victors belong the spoils," that an administration to be successful must be composed of those of the same political faith with its head, he began a system of removals from office. The total number of such removals made by his predecessors was seventy-four, some of which were for cause. A year after his inauguration, Jackson had turned 2,000 office-holders out, and, since their successors were obliged in many instances to remove subordinates, in jnirsuance of the same policy, it will be seen that the President adopted no half- way measures. He regarded the members of his cabinet as simply clerks, and, when he wished to consult with trusted friends, called together a certain number of boon associates, who became known as his " Kitchen Cabinet." Jackson's fight with the united states bank. One of the President's unbearable aversions was the United States Bank. He believed that its strength had been exerted against him, and in his first message to Congress, in December, 1829, he charged that it had failed to establish a uniform and sound currency and that its existence was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. Its charter would expire in 1836, and Congress passed an act renewing it for fifteen years. Jackson vetoed the measure, and the two-thirds majoi'ity necessary to pass it again could not be obtained. By law the deposits of the bank were subject to the secretary of the treasury, who could not remove them without giving Congress his reasons for the step. Jackson ordered his secretary to remove the deposits, and when he very properly refused, the President removed him. He made Roger B. Taney, afterward chief justice of the United States, his new secretary of the treasury, and that pliable official promptly transferred the deposits to certain banks that had been selected. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1832. Although the fight caused much excitement, and the action of Jackson was bitterly denounced, it added to his popularity, as was proven in the presidential election of 1832, when the following electoral vote was cast : Andi-ew Jackson, 219 ; Henry Clay, of Kentucky, National Republican, 49 ; John Floyd, of Georgia, Independent, 11 ; William Wirt, of Maryland, Anti-Masonic, 7. For Vice-President, Martin Van Buren, Democrat, of New York, received 189 218 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. votes; Joliu Sergeant, of Pennsylvania, National Kepublican, 49; Henry Lee, of Massachusetts, Independent, 11 ; Amos Elhnaker, of Pennsylvania, Anti- Masonic, 7; William Wilkins, of Pennsylvania, Democrat, 30. On the popular vote, Jackson had more tlian a hundred thousand in excess of all the others in a total of one million and a quarter. It was a great triumph for "Old Hickory." It rarely happens in the history of any country that the government finds itself in the possession of more money than it wants. It became clear, however, that not only would the public debt soon be jiaid, but a surplus would accrue. In view of this certainty, Henry Clay secured the jiassage of a bill in 1832, which reduced the taritt', except where such reduction came in conflict with home labor. Several years later, the surplus, amounting to $28,000,- 000, was divided among the States. BLACK HAWK WAR. In the year named occurred the Black Hawk War. The tribes known as the Sacs, Foxes, and Win- nebagoes lived in the Territory of AVisconsin. The Sacs and Foxes made a treaty with the United States in 1830, by which they ceded OneofOldUickorys" volni.lecrs, afterward famous in the Texan all their lauds iu lUiuois tO the gOV- War for Independence. ttti i i , • • ^ (1793-1863). ernment. When the time arrived for them to leave, they refused, and the governor called out a military force to -comjiel them to remove beyond the Mississippi. Black Hawk, a famous chieftain of the Sacs, left, but returned at the head of a thousand warriors, gathered from the ti-ibes named, and began a savage attack upon the settlements. The peril was so grave that the government sent troops under Generals Scott and Atkinson 10 Rock Island. On the way thither, cholera, which had never before appeared in this country, broke out among the troops and raged so violently that opera- tions for a time were brought to a standstill. When Atkinson was able to do so, he pushed on, defeated the Indians, and ■captured Black Hawk. He was taken to Washington, where he had a long +Jilk with President Jackson, who gave him good advice, and induced him to SAMUEL HOUSTON. SECOND SEMINOLE WAR. 219 sign a new treaty j^i'Oviding for the removal of his peojile to the Indian Terri- tory. Then Black Hawk was carried on a tour through the country, and was so impressed by its greatness that, when he returned to his people, he gave no more trouble. It is worth remembering that both Jeftersou Davis and Abi'ahaiu Lincoln served in the Black Hawk War. NULLIFICATION MEASURES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina had long been soured over the tariff measures, which, while they helped the prosperity of other sections of the Union, were oppressive to her, because there were no manufactures carried on within her borders. When Congress, in the spring of 1832, imposed additional duties, she was so angered that she called a convention in November, at which her governor presided. The new tariff was declared unconstitutional, and therefore null and void, and notice was given that any attempt to collect the duties would be resisted by South Carolina, which, unless her demands were granted, would withdraw from the Union and establish herself as an independent government. Other States endorsed her action and the situation became serious. Preoident Jackson hated the tariff as much as South Carolina, but his love for the Union was unquenchable, and, having sworn to enforce the laws, he was determined to do it in the face of any and all opposition. Because Vice-Presi- dent Calhoun sided with his native State, Jackson threatened to arrest him. Calhoun resigned, went home, and was elected United States senator. President Jackson issued a warning j^i'oclamation on the 10th of December, but South Carolina continued her wai- preparations, and the President sent General Scott, with the sloop-of-war Natchez, to Charleston, with orders to strengthen the garrison in the harbor. Scott displayed great discretion, and won the good-will of the citizens by his forbearance and courtesy. The other Southern States condemned the rash course of South Carolina, within which gradually appeared quite a number of supporters of the Union. Then Clay introduced a bill in Congress, which became law, pi'oviding for a gradual reduction of duties until the 30th of June, 1842, when they were to reach a general level of twenty per cent. Calhoun, now a member of the Senate, sup- ported the compromise, and the threatened civil war passed away for the time. SECOND SEMINOLE WAR. Trouble once more broke out with the Seminoles of Florida. The aggra- vation, already referred to, continued. Runaway slaves found safe refuge in the swamps of the State and intei-married with the Indians. A treaty, known as that of Payne's Landing, was signed in May, 1832, by which a number of chiefs visited the country assigned to the Creeks, it being agreed that, if they 220 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. found it satisfactory, the Seniinoles should remove thither. They rejiorted in its favor, but the other leaders, incensed at their action, killed several of them> and declared, probably with truth, tluit they did not rejjresent the sentiment of their people, and doubtless had been intluenced by the whites to make their report. The famous Osceola expressed his opinion of the treaty by driving his hunting-knife through it and the top of the table on which it lav. It being clear that the Seniinoles had no intention of going west. President Jackson sent General Wiley Thompson to Florida with a military force to drive them out. The Indians secured a delay until the spring of 1835, under the promise to leave at that time ; but when the date arrived, they refused to a man. Osceola was so defiant in an interview with General Thompson that the latter put him in irons and held him prisoner for a couple of days. Then the chief promised to comply with the terms of the treaty and was released. He had not the slightest intention, however, of keeping his promise, but was resolved to be revenged upon Thompson for the indignity he had put upon him. In the month of December, 1835, while Thomjison and a party of friends were dining near Fort King, with the windows raised, because of the mildness of the day, Osceola and a party of his warriors stole up and fired a volley through the windows, which killed Thompson and four of his comjianions. Before the garrison of the fort could do anything, the Seniinoles had fied. dade's massacre. On the same day of this tragical occurrence. Major Francis L. Dade set out with 140 mounted men to the relief of General Clinch, stationed at Fort Drane, in the interior of Florida, where he was threatened with massacre. Dade advanced from Fort Brooke at the head of Tampa Bay, and was not far on the road when he was fired upon by the Indians from ambush. Half the men were killed, including Major Dade. The remainder hastily fortified themselves, but were attacked in such overwhelming numbers that every man was shot down. Two wounded soldiers crawled into the woods, but afterward died. "Dade's Massacre" caused as "profound a sensation throughout the country as did that of Custer and his command forty years later. The Seminole War dragged on for years. General Scott commanded for a time in 1836, and vigorously pressed a campaign in the autumn of that year; but when he turned over the command, in the spring of 1837, to General Zachary Taylor, the conquest of the Seniinoles seemingly was as far off as ever. Taylor attempted to use a number of Cuban bloodhounds for tracking the mon- grels into the swamjis, but the dogs refused to take the trail of the red men, and the experiment (widely denounced in the North) was a failure. In October, while Osceola and a number of warriors were holding a con- GREAT IMPR0VE3IENTS IN THE COMFORTS OF LIFE. 221 ference with General Jessup under the protection of a flag of tiuce, all were made j^i'isoners, and Osceola was sent to Charleston, and died in Fort Moultrie in 1838. The war dragged on until 1842, when General Worth, after it had cost $40,000,000 and many lives, brought it to an end by destroying the crops of the Seminoles and leaving to them the choice between starvation and sub- mission. GEEAT IMPROVEMEXTS IX THE COMFORTS OF LIFE. The steam locomotive, of which we have given a brief history, came into OSCEOLA'S INDIGNATION. general use during the presidency of General Jackson. When he left office 1,500 miles of railway had been built, and many more were being laid in dif- ferent parts of the country. It wrought a social revolution by bringing all parts of the country into close communication, making settlement easy and the cost of moving crops slight. Anthracite coal was tested in 1837, and, because of its great advantages, was soon widely used. McCormick's reaper was j^atented in 1834, and gave an enormous impetus to the cultivation of western lands. In the early days fire was obtained by the use of flint and steel or the sun-glass. 222 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. Friction matclies appeared in 1836, and quickly supplanted the clumsy method that had been employed for centuries. On the night of December 16, 1835, New York City was visited by the most destructive fire in its history. The weather was so cold that the volunteer fire department could do little to check the confiagration, which destroyed 648> builings, covering seventeen blocks and thirteen acres of ground. The value of the property lost was $20,000,000. THE COUNTRY IN 1830. The population of the United States in 1830 was 12,866,020, and the post- ofiices, which in 1790 numbered only 75, had grown to 8,450. The sales of the ' ^' -^ western lands had increased from $100,000 to $25,000,000 a year, a fact which ex- ]ilains the raj^id extinguishment of the public debt. Two States were admitted to the Union, Arkansas in 1836 and Michi- i;an in 1837. The former was a part of the Louisiana purchase, and was originally settled b}' the French at Arkansas Post, in 1635. INIichigan was the fourth State formed from the ^ *^- Northwest Territory, and was first '^in''eaSlier'day^° se^f^^fl ^y tl^e French at Detroit in 1701. olitioiU'-in assumed definite form in 1831, when Wil- liam Llo}d CauLrOn, in his Boston paper, The Liberator, demanded the immediate abolition of slavery. Anti-slavery societies were organized in different parts of the country and the members became known as abolitionists. The South was incensed by the agi- tation, which reached its culmination in the great Civil War of 1861-65. FRANCE AND PORTUGAL FORCED TO TERMS. President Jackson impressed his personality upon everything with wliicli he came in contact. We had been pressing a suit against France for the in- juries she inflicted upon our commerce during the flurrj'- of 1798, but that country was so laggard in paying that the President recommended to Congress that enough French vessels should be captured to pay the bill. France flared up and tlireatened war unless Jackson apologized. A dozen wars would not have moved him to recall his words. England, however, mediated, and France JOHN a CALHOUN. 223 paid the debt. Portugal took the liiiit and lost no time in settling a similar account with us. President Jackson, imitating Washington, issued a farewell address to his countrymen. It Avas Avell written and jjatriotic; but his last official act, which w!is characteristic of him, displeased many of his friends. The speculation ia western lands had assumed such proportions that the treasury department, in July, 183G, sent out a circular ordering the collectors of the public revenues to receive only gold and silver in payment. Tills circular caused so nuich con- fusion and trouble that, at the beginning of 1837, Congress modified it so that it would have given great relief. Jack- p son held the bill in his jwssession ' until the adjournment of Congress, and thus prevented its becoming a Jaw. Tlie stormy years of Jackson's presidency brought into prominence three of the greatest of Americans. All, at different times, were mem- bers of the United States Senate, where their genius overshadowed those who under other circumstances would have attracted national at- tention. These men were John Cald- well Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel "Webster. JOHN C. CALHOTJX. The first named was born near Abbeville, South Carolina, March 18, 1782, and, graduating at Yale, studied law and early developed fine qualities JOHW C. CALHOaW. (nB'i-isou). of statesmanship. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1811, and became at once the leader of the younger element of the Democratic pnrty. He was a vehement advocate of the war with Great Britain, ;ind, In 1817, was ap- pointed secretary of war under Monroe, serving to the close of his presidency. It has been shown that he was elected Vice-President with Adams. Elected again with Jackson, the two became uncompromising opponents, and he re- signed in 1832, immediately entering the Senate, where he was accepted as the leader of the " State rights" men. His services as senator were interrupted fir a short time when, in 1844-45, 22-4 JACK>'SOX, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. he acted as secretary of State iu Tylers adiniuistration. He was determined to secure the admission of Texas and by his vigor did so, iu the face of a strong opposition in tlie North. He re-eutered the iSeuate and resumed his leadership of the extreme southern wing of the Democratic i^arty. He died in Washing- ton, March ol, I80O, while Clay's compromise measures were pending. Calhoun ranks among the foremost of American statesmen, and as the champion of the South his place is far above any who api^eared before or who have come after him. As a speaker, he was logical, clear, and always deeply in earnest. Daniel Webster said of him : " He had the indisputable basis of all high character — unspotted integrity : and honor unimpeached. Nothing i groveling, low, or meanly selfish came near his head or his heart." HENRY CLAY. Henry Clay was born April 12, 1777, in the "Slashes," Virginia. He studied law, and at the age of twenty removed to Kentucky, which is proud to claim the honor of hav- ing been his home and in reality his State. His great ability and win- ning manners made him popular everywhere. He served in the Ken- tucky Legislature, and, before he was thirty years old, was elected to the United States Senate, of which he was a member from 1806 to 1807. He soon became recognized as the foremost chamj^ion of the cause of internal improvements and of the tariff measures, known as the "American System." His speakership of the Kentucky Assembly, his term as United States senator again, 1809-11, and as a member of the House of Eepresentatives in 1811, followed rapidly. Against precedent, being a newcomer, he was chosen Speaker, and served until his resignation in 1814. He was as strenuous an advocate of the war with Great Britain as Calhoun, and it has been stated that he was one of the com- missioners who negotiated the treaty of Ghent in 1814. The following year he was again elected to the House of Eepresentatives, and acted without a break as Speaker until 1821. He was the most powerful advocate of the recog- HENRY CLAY. (1777-1S5-J). DANIEL WEBSTER. 225 nition of the Spanish- American States in revolt, and but for Clay the Missouri Compromise would not have been prepared and adopted. Absent but a brief time from Congress, he again acted as Speaker in 1823-25. President Adams appointed him his secretary of State, and he retired from office in 1829, but two years later entered the Senate from Ken- tucky. For the following twenty years he was the leader of the Whig party, opposed Jackson in the bank controversy, and secured the tariff" compromise of 1833 and the settlement with France in 1835. He retired from the Senate in 1843, his nomination for the presidency following a year later. Once more he entered the Senate, in 1849, and brought about the great compromise i of 1850. He died June 29, 1852. i Clay's vain struggle for the presidency is told in the succeeding ! chapter. It seems strange that while he was indisputably the most popular man in the United States, he was not able to secure the great prize. The American Congress never knew a more brilliant debater, ; nor did the public ever listen to a more magnetic orator. His various compromise measures in the interest of the Union were beyond the at- tainment of any other man. His fame rests above that which any office can confer. His friends idol- ized and his opponents respected him. A strong political enemy once ! refused an introduction to him on the ground that he could not with- stand the magnetism of a pei-sonal acquaintance which had won "other good haters" to his side. John C. Breckinridge, his political adversary, in his funeral oration, said: "If I were to write his epitaph, I would inscribe as the highest eulogy on the stone which shall mark his resting-place, 'Here lies a man who was in tlie public service for fifty j^ears and never attemjjted to deceive his countrymen.'" DANIEL WEBSTER. Daniel Webster was born January 18, 1782, at Salisbury, New Hampshire, and died October 24, 1852. He was educated at Exeter Academy and graduated DANIEL WEBSTER. UTSii-lso;;). 22(5 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. fi'om Dartmouth College in 1801. After teacliing school a short time in Maine, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1805, and began jjractice at Boscawen, in his native 8tate. Two years afterward, he removed to Portsmouth, where he speedily became a leader at the bar and served in Congress from 1813 to 1817. At that time he was a moderate Federalist. He settled in Boston in 1818, and assumed a front rank among lawyers by his argument before the United iStates Supreme Court in the celebrated " Dartmouth College Case," which involved the obligation of contracts and the powers of the national government. He was congressman from Massachusetts from 1823 to 1827, was chairman of the judiciary committee, and attracted great attention by his speeches on Greece, then struggling for indeijendence, and his pleas in favor of free trade. Webster's fame as an eloquent orator was already established. As such, he was the greatest that America ever produced, and many claim that he surj^assed any who spoke the English tongue. Among his masterpieces were his speeches at Plymouth, 1820, on the bi-centennial ; at the laying of the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill monument, 1825 ; and his eulogy on Adams and Jefferson, 1826. When he entered the United States Senate in 1827, he immediately took rank beside the giants, Calhoun and Clay. He was an advocate of the protec- tive tariff of 1823, and in 1830 reached the highest j^oint of thrilling and eloquent logic in his reply to Eobert Young Hayne, of South Carolina, who asserted that any State had the right to disobey such laws of Congress as she deemed unconstitutional. Webster's speech is a classic, never surpassed in its way, and the debate won for him the 2:>roud title of " Expounder of the Constitution." Naturally Webster opposed nullification, and he and Calhoun had many earnest contests worthy of two such masters of logic. W. H. Harrison appointed him his secretary of State, and he remained with Tyler until 1843. In 1845, he was again sent to the United States Senate, but in 1850 he alienated many of his former supporters by his speech in favor of Clay's compromise measures. He was secretary of State in 1850-52, and his death called out more addresses and testimonials than any other since that of Washington. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1836. The following was the electoral vote cast in 1836 : Martin Van Buren, of New York, Democrat, 170 ; William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, Whig, 73 ; Hugh L. White, of Tennessee, AVhi;r, 26 ; Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, AVhig, 14; Willie P. Mangum, of North Carolina, Whig, 11. For Vice-President, Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky, Democi-at, 147 ; Francis Granger, of New York, Whig, 77 ; John Tyler, of Virginia, Whig, 47 ; William Smith, of Ala- MARTIN VAN BUREN. 227 bama, Democrat, 23. The vote tor Johnson as Vice-President was not .sufficient to elect him, but he was chosen by the House of Representatives. MARTIN VAN BUREN. Martin Van Buren, eightli President, was born December 5, 1782, at Kinderhook, N. Y., and died July 24, 18G2. He became eminent as a lawyer, and his skill as a Democratic politician caused him to be known as the "Little Magician." He held a number of public offices, being State senator. United States senator, 1821-28 ; governor of New York, 1828-29 ; and secretary of State under Jackson, 1829-31, when Jackson appointed him minister to England, but his political opponents secured his defeat in the Senate. Becoming Vice-President under Jackson, he presided in the Senate from 1833 to 1837. Jackson was so pleased with Van Buren that he chose him as his successor. He was the Free Soil candidate for the presidency in 1848, and thereliy brought about the defeat of Cass b\- Taylor. The administration of Van Bu- ren was one of the most unpopulai' we have ever had, and through no fault of his. A great deal of the prosperity of Jackson's term was superficial. He had been despotic, as shown in his removal of the United States Bank deposits and the issue of the specie circular of 1836. Confusion ensued in business, and an era of wild speculation followed a distribu- tion of the surplus in the treasury among the States. The credit system took the place of the cash system, banks sprang up like mushrooms, and an immense amount of irredeemable money was put in circulation. These institutions were known as " wild-cat banks," and their method of defrauding tlie public was as follows : They bought several hundred thousands of cheap bills which, having cost them practically nothing, they used in offering higher prices for public lands than others could pay in gold and silver. They trusted to chance that their bills would not soon come back for redemption, but MARTIN VAN BUBEN. (1782-1S02.) One term, 1837-18-11. 228 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. if they did so, the banks " failed " and the hoklers of the notes lost every dollar. The fraud was a deliberate one, but the establishment of the national bank- ing law since then renders a repetition of the swindle impossible. THE PANIC OF 1837. Van Buren w'as hardly inaugurated when the jmnic of 1837 burst upon the country. The banks were forced to suspend specie jDayment, many failed, and mercantile houses that had weathered other financial storms toppled over like ten- pins. In two months the failures in New York and New Orleans amounted to $150,000,000. Early in May, a deputation of New York merchants and bankers called upon the President and asked him to put off the collection of duties on imported goods, to rescind the sjiecie circular, and convene Congress in the hope of devising measures for relief. All that the President consented to do was to defer the collection of duties. Immediately the banks in New York suspended specie j^ayments, and their example was followed by others throughout the country. The New York Legislature then authorized the susjiension of specie payments for a year. This left the national government without the means of paying its own obligations (since no banks would return its deposits in specie) except by using the third installment of the surplus revenue that had been promised to the States. The country was threatened with financial ruin, and Congress convened in September. The President in his message ])roposed the establishment of an independent treasury for the custody of the public funds, and their total separa- tion from banking institutions. Such a bill fixiled, but it became a law in 1840. Congress, however, obtained temporary relief by authorizing the issue of $10,000,000 in treasury notes. The fact remained, however, that the country was rich, and though much distress prevailed, the financial stress began to lessen as more healthy methods of business were adopted. In 1838 most of the banks resumed specie payments, but the effect of the panic was felt for years. Since the distress occurred while Van Buren was President, the blame was placed liy many upon the adminis- tration. At that time the present Dominion of Canada was divided into two prov- inces, known as Upper and Lower Canada. Dissatisfaction with some of the feat- ures of Great Britain's rule caused a rebellion in Lower Canada in 1837. JMuch sympathy was felt for them in this country, and especially in New York, from which a force of 700 men seized and fortified Navy Island, in Niagara River. There were plenty of loyalists in Canada, who made an attempt to capture the place, but failed. On the night of December 29, 1837, they impetuously WILLIAM HEMIY HARBISON. 229 attacked the supply steamer Caroline, killed twelve of the defenders, set the boat on fire, and sent it over Niagara Falls. President Van Buren issued a proclamation forbidding all interference in the affairs of Canada, and General Wool was sent to the frontier with a military force strong enough to compel obedience. He obliged the insurgents on Navy Island to surrender and pledge themselves to refrain from all unlawful acts. These vigorous measures soon brought quiet to the border, and England's wise policy toward the disaffected provinces has niiule Canada one of her most loval provinces. ' The population of the United States in 1840 was 17,649,453, further evidence of the real pros- perity of the country. Railroad building went on vigorously, there being fully 4,000 miles in operation at the close of Van Buren's term. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1840. The following was the presiden- tial vote of 1840: William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, Whig, 234; Martin Van Buren, 70. For Vice- President, John Tyler, 234 ; R. M. Johnson, 48 ; L. W. Tazewell, of Virginia, Democrat, 11 ; James K. Polk, of Tennessee, Democrat, 1. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. William Henry Harrison, ninth President, was born February 9, 1773, in Virginia, and was the son of Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and afterward governor of Virginia. The son graduated from Hampden-Sidney College, and took up the study of medicine, but was fond of military matters, and, entering the army of St. Clair, he displayed great bravery and skill. He helped General Wayne win his victory over the Indians in 1794, and was rapidly promoted. He became secretary of the Northwest Teri'i- tory in 1798, and the following year was made delegate to Congress. In 1800, he was appointed governor of Indiana Territory, and was acting as such when he won his decisive victory at Tippecanoe, in the autumn of 1811. An account has been given of his brilliant services in the W;ir of 1S12. WILLIAM HENHY HAKHiauJM. (i77:i-IS41) One month, ISIl. 230 JACK^OX, VAX BUREN, HARRISOX, AXD TYLER. He attained the rank of major-general in the regular array, but resigned in 1814. He was congressman from 1816 to 1819, United States senator from 1825 to 1828, and United States minister to the United States of Columbia, 1828-29. President Harrison wore no hat or overcoat while delivering his inaugural. Although accustomed to the hardshijxs of the frontier, and naturally one of the most rugged of men, he was now old and weak in body. His imprudence, added to the annoyance from the clamorous office-seekers, drove him frantic. He succumbed to pneumonia and died on the 4th of April, just one month after his inauguration. He was the first President to die in office, and an im- mense concourse attended his funeral, his remains being interred near North Bend, Ohio. JOHN TYLER. As provided by the Constitution, the Vice-President, John Tyler, was immediately sworn into office as his successor. Like many of his prede- cessors, John Tyler was a native of Virginia, where he was born March 29, 1790. He jiossessed great natural ability and was a practicing lawyer at the age of nineteen, and a member of the State Legislature at twenty-one. When thirty-five, he was chosen governor of Virginia, and was a United States sena- tor from 1827 to 183G. Since he was the first President not elected to the office, there was con- siderable discussion among the politicians as to his precise status. It was con- tended by some that he was chief executive " in trust," and was therefore bound to carry out the policy of his immediate ^predecessor. Tyler insisted that he was as much the President, in every respect, as if he had been elected by the people to that office, and in this insistence he was unquestionably right. Tyler quickly involved himself in trouble with the Whigs. They passed an act to re-establish the United States Bank, whose charter expired in 1836, though it had continued in operation under the authority of the State of Penn- sylvania. President Tyler vetoed the bill. He suggested some modifications, and it was passed again, but to the indignant amazement of his party he vetoed it a .second time. He was declared a traitor and widely denounced. All his cabinet resigned, with the exception of Daniel Webster, who, as stated else- where, remained until 1843, in order to comi^lete an important treaty with England then under negotiation. THE WEBSTER-ASHBTJRTOISr TREATY. This was known as the AYebster-Ashburton Treaty. Our northeastern boundary was loosely defined by the treaty of 1783, and it was finally agreed by Great Britain and the United States to refer the questions in dispute to three THE ANTI-RENT WAR IN NEW YORK. 231 commissions to be jointly constituted by the two countries. The first of these awarded the islands in Passamaquoddy Bay to the United States ; the third established the boundary line from the intersection of the forty-fifth parallel with the St. Lawrence to the western point of Lake Huron. It remained for the second commission to determine the boundary from the Atlantic to the St. Lawrence. The question was a bone of contention for many years, and at last was referred to Daniel AVebster and Lord Ashburtou. The.-~e two gentle- men met in a spirit of fairness, calmly discussed the matter, and without the slightest friction reached an agreement, which was signed August U, 1<542, and confirmed by the Senate. CIVIL WAR IN RHODE ISLAXD. Rhode Island had been gov- erned down to 1842 by the charter received from Charles II., in 1663. This charter jaermitted only the owners of a certain amount of j^rop- erty to vote. Dissatisfaction gradu- ally grew until 1842, when two l^olitical parties were formed in the little State, one favoring a new con- stitution and the other clinging to the old. The former carried the Legislature, after adopting a State constitution, and elected Thomas AV. Dorr governor. Their opponents elected Samuel AV. King, and both placed armed forces in the field. AA'hen civil war was imminent, the national government interfered and Dorr's forces were disj^ersed without JOHN TYLER. (irgo-lSfii) One partial term. 1841-1S45. bloodshed. Dorr was arrested, and on his trial found guilty of treason. He was sentenced to imprisonment for life, but offered liberty on condition of tak- ing the oath of allegiance. He refused, and, in June, 1845, was unconditionally released. Meanwhile, the general dissatistactiou with the colonial charter led to the calling of a convention, which adopted a new constitution, that went into effect in Mav, 1843. THE AXTI-REXT WAR IX XEW YORK. It has been shown that when the Diuch were the owners ot* Xew York 232 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. State many of them took possession of immense tracts of lands, over wliicli tliey ruled like the feudal lords in ancient England. These grants and privileges were inherited by their descendants and were not affected by the Revolution. Among the wealthiest patroons wei-e the Van Rensselaers, whose estates included most of Albany and Rensselaer Counties. Stej^hen Van Rensselaer was easy- going and so wealthy that he did not take the trouble to collect the rents due from his numerous tenants, who, at his death, in 1840, owed him nearly a quarter of a million of dollars. His heii's determined to collect this amount and set vigorous measures on foot to do so. The tenants resisted, furious fights took place, and the military were called out, but the tenants remained resolute in re- fusing to pay rent. The disturbances continued and were known as "The Anti- Rent War." The eastern towns of Rensselaer County and the Livingston manor of Columbia County were soon in a state of insurrection, and many outrages were committed. In Delaware County, while a deputy-sheriff was trying to perform his duty he Avas killed. The civil authorities were jiowerless to sup- press the revolt, and, in 184(5, the governor declared the County of Delaware in a state of insurrection, and called out the military. They arrested the ring- leaders, and the murderers of the deputy-sheriff were sentenced to imprisonment for life. Conciliatory measures followed, most of the patroon lands were sold to the tenants, and the great estates gradually passed out of existence. A SHOCKING ACCIDENT. A shocking accident occurred on the 28th of February, 1844. Mr. Upshur, secretary of State, Mr. Gilmer, secretary of the navy, and a number of distinguished ladies and gentlemen were taken on an excursion down the Potomac, by Commodore Stockton, on the steamer Princeton. For the enter- tainment of his guests, the commodore ordered the firing of an immense new gun that had been jjlaced on board a short time before. It had been discharged several times, and, upon what was intended and indeed proved to be the last dis- charge, it exploded, killing Mr. Upshur, Mr. Gilmer, Commodore Kennon, Virgil Maxey, lately minister to The Hague, and several of the visitors, besides wounding seventeen sailors, some of whom died. Although Commodore Stockton lived many years afterward, he never fully recovered from the shock. The accident cast a gloom throughout the whole country. ADMISSION OF FLORIDA. One State, Florida, was admitted to the Union during Tyler's adminis- tration. Its early history has been given, it having been bought from Spain in 1819. It was made a State in 1845. Texas now became a subject of national interest. Although the United ABJIISSION OF TEXAS. 233 States made claim to it as a part of the Louisiana j^urchase, the claim was abaiidoued iu 1819, when Florida came iuto our possession. In 1821, a colony of Americans formed a settlement in Mexican territory, encouraged to do so by the home government. Others emigrated thither, among whom were many restless adventurers and desperate men. By-and-by they began talking of wresting Texas from Mexico and transferring it to the United States. There is little doubt that in this design they received encouragement from many men holding high places in the United States. THE TEXAS KEVOLUTION. The ferment in Texas increased, and, on the 2d of March, 1836, a con- vention declared Texas independent. Santa Anna, president of the Mexican Republic, crossed the Rio Grande with a large force and advanced to San Antonio, where less than 200 Texans had taken refuge in a mission-house known as the Alamo, with their flag, consisting of a single star, floating defiantly above it. In this body of fearless men were the eccentric Davy Crockett, formerly congressman from Tennessee ; the Bowie brothers, one of whom was the inventor of the Bowie knife ; Colonel Travis, and others as dauntless as they. They had several rifles apiece, and maintained a spirited defense, night and day, for ten days, under the incessant attacks of the Mexicans. Finally, when the brave band was reduced to less than a dozen, they surrenderd under the promise that their lives would be spared. Santa Anna caused the massacre of every one. "Remember the Alamo! " became the war-cry of the Texans, and, in the following month, under the command of Sam Houston, they virtually destroyed the Mexican array and took Santa Anna prisoner. Houston was more merciful to him than he had been to the Alamo prisoners, and protected him from the vengeance of the soldiers. He was very glad to sign a treaty acknowledging the independence of Texas. The Mexican government, however, repudiated the action of its president, and a guerrilla warfare was waged by both sides for several years without any progress being made in the conquest of the province. Texas organized itself into an indej^endent rejiublic, elected Sam Houston president, and secured recog- nition from the United States, England, and several European governments. While making no organized effort to conquer Texas, Mexico insisted that the province was her ov,'n. ADMISSION OF TEXAS. One of the first steps of Texas, after declaring her independence , was to apply for admission into the Union. There was great opposition in the North because its admission would add an enormous slave area to our country. For the 234 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. same reason the South clamored that it shoukl be made a State. Calhoun, who succeeded Upshur as secretary of State, in March, 1844, \)\\.t forth every effort to bring Texas into the Union. Clay's opposition lost him the support of the South in his presidential aspirations. President Tyler, who favored its admis- sion, made an annexation treaty with Texas, but the Senate refused to ratify it. Then a joint resolution was introduced, and, after a hot discussion, was passed with the jjroviso that the incoming President might act, if he preferred, by treaty. The resolution was adopted March 1, 1845, by the Senate, three days before the close of President Tyler's term. Calhoun instantly dispatched a messenger to Texas with orders to travel with the utmost haste that the new State might be brought in under the resolution. President Tyler immediately signed the bill, and the "Lone-Star" State became a member of the Union. On the last day but one of the close of his term he signed the bills for the admission of Florida and Iowa, but the latter was not formally admitted until the following year. THE COPPER MINES OF MICHIGAN. There were many events of a non-political nature, but of the highest importance, that occurred during Tyler's administration. Copper took its place as one of the great mineral productions of the United States in 1844. The Indians at last abandoned their claims to the country near Lake Superior, in northern Michigan, and the explorations that followed proved that the copper mines there are the richest in the world. Numerous companies were formed and copper-mining became the leading industry of that section. An interesting discovery was that many of the mines had been worked hundreds of years before by the Indians. The wonderful richness of the gold deposits in California, the vast mineral resources of Missouri and Tennessee, and the untold wealth of the petroleum bed under the surface of Pennsylvania were unsuspected. THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST OF 1844. The presidential election of 1844 hinged on the question of the proposed annexation of Texas. It has been stated that the Whigs nominated Henry Clay, who opposed annexation. Van Buren lost the Democratic renomination through his opposition to annexation, and the Southern Democrats secured the candidacy of James K. Polk. The Abolitionists did not think Clay's opposition to annex- ation quite as earnest as it sliould be, and they placed William Birney in nomi- nation. As a result Clay lost the State of New York, and through that his election to the presidency. The electoral vote was as follows : James K. Polk, of Tennessee, Democrat, 170 ; Henry Clay, of Kentucky, Whig, 105. For Vice-President, George M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, Democrat, THE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. 235 170 ; Theodore Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey, Whig, 105. This secured the election of Polk and Dallas. James G. Birney and Thomas Morris, candidates of the Liberty party for President and Vice-President, received no electoral vote,- but, as stated, caused the loss of the State of New York to Clay, thereby throwing enough electoral votes to Polk and Dallas to give them success. THE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. The convention which placed Polk in nomination was held in the city of Baltimore. A niilway train was waiting to carry the news to Washington, and, as soon as the passengers could hurry on board, ^ ^" ir ^-tcamf d at the highest '^pccd to the national t.ipitjl AVlu n the people lett the cars an oui latt 1 the} found, to their i n - expressible 'i%Mrig^^ amazement, newspaper "^ extras for sale -Jl containing the news of Polk's nomi- 11 ition. I n 1 n s w e r to tlieir ques- tions they ^\ (ire told that it had been leeeivedfrom Baltimoi-e by TELEGRAPH. This Avas on the 29th of May, 1844, and was the first pul)lic message sent by magnetic telegraph. It marked an era in the history of civilization. Investigation seems to establish that Professor Joseph Henry, of the Smith- sonian Institute, was the real inventor of the electro-magnetic telegraph, though that honor has been given and will continue to be given by most people to Pro- fessor Samuel F. B. Morse, whose relation to the telegraph Avas nuich the same as that of Fulton to the steamboat. He added to the ideas of those before him and first brought them into practical use. Professor JNIorse deserves all the credit he has received as one of the greatest ^ . SHOP IN VFHICH THE FIRST MORSE INSTRUMENT WAS CONSTRUCTED FOB EXHIBITION BEFORE CONGRESS 236 JACKSON, VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER. of inventors. He studied painting when young and became an artist of consid- erable skill. As early us 1832 he conceived the idea of an electro-magnetic telegrajjh and began his experiments. The project absorbed all his energies until he became what is called in these days a " crank," which is often the name of one who gives all his thoughts and efforts to the development of a single project. He th-ifted away from his relatives, who looked ujkju him as a visionary dreamer, and wlien his ragged clothes and craving stomach demanded attention, he gave instruction in drawing to a few students who clung to him. Light gradually dawned upon Morse, and he continued his labors under discouragements that would have overcome almost any other man. He secured help from Alfred Vail, of Morristown, N. J., who invented the alphabetical characters and many es- sential features of the sys- tem, besides furnishing Morse with funds, with- out which his labors would have come to a standstill. There was not enough capital at com- mand to construct a line of telegraph, and INIorse and his few friends haunted Congress with their j)lea for an appro- priation. Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell Uni- versity, gave assistance, and, finally, in the very closing days of the session of Congress in 1844, an ap- propriation of $30,000 was made to defray the expenses of a line between Bal- timore and Washington. The invention, like most others of an important nature, was subjected to merciless ridicule. A wag hung a pair of muddy boots out of a window in Washington, with a placard announcing that they belonged to a man who had just arrived by telegraph ; another placed a package on the wires, and called to his friends to see it whisked away by lightning ; while many opposed the apparent experimenting with the electric fluid, which they believed would work all sorts of mischief Nevertheless, the patient toilers kept at work, often stopped by accident, and in the face of all manner of opposition. The first line was laid underground, and, as has been shown, carried the news of Polk's nomination for the presidency to Washington. THE SPEEDWELL IRON WOEKS, MOEHISTOWW, N. J. Here was forged the shaft for the Savannah, the first steamship which crossed the Atlantic. Here was mauiifactured the tires, axles and cranks of the first American locomotive. Shop in which Vail and Baxter constrncted tlie first telegraph appa- ratus, invented by Morse, for exhibition before Congress. THE FIRST TELEGRAM. 237 Professor Morse was in Washington, and the first message was dictated by Annie Ellsworth, Marcli 28, 1844, and received by Alfred Vail, forty miles away in Baltimore. It consisted of the words, " What hath God wrought?" and the telegram is now in the jiossession of the Connecticut Historical Society. It may be said that since then the earth has been girdled by telegraph lines, numbers of wliich pass under the ocean, uniting all nations and the uttermost extremities of the world. In the preceding pages we liave done little more than give the results of the various presidential campaigns. The two leading jiolitical parties were the Whigs and the Democrats, and many of the elections were of absorbing interest, not only to the jxirticipants, but to the country at large. Several were distin- guished by features worthy of permanent recoi'd, since they throw valuable light upon the times, now forgotten, and were attended in many instances by far- reaching results. It seems proper, therefore, that a chapter should be devoted to the most important presidential campaigns preceding and including one of the most mem- orable — that of 1840 — often referred to as the "hard cider campaign." OLD GATES AT BT. AUGUaTIJNiE, lEOXllUA. CHAPTER XII. FAVIOUS PRESIDKNTIAL CAIS/IPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO 18-40. Tlie Origin of the " Caucus "—The Election of 1702— The First Stormy Election— The Constitution Amended — Improvement of the Method of Nominating Presidential Candidates — The First Presiden- tial Convention — Convention in Baltimore in 1832 — Esciting Scenes — The Presidential Campaign of 1S20 — " Old Hickory " — Andrew Jackson's Popularity — Jackson Nominated — " Old Hickory " De- feated—The "Log-Cabin " and " Hard-Cider " Campaign of 1840— " Tippecanoe and Tyler Too " — Peculiar Feature of the Harrison Campaign. The presidential nominating convention is a modern institution. In the early days of the Republic a very different method was pursued in order to place the candidates for the highest office in the land before the people. THE ORIGIN OF THE " CAUCUS." In the first place, as to the origin of the " caucus." In the early part of the eighteenth century a number of caulkers connected with the shipping busi- ness in the North End of Boston held a meeting for consultation. That meet- ing was the germ of the political caucuses whicli have formed so prominent a feature of our government ever since its organization. The Constitution of our country was framed and signed in the month of September, 1787, by the convention sitting in Philadelphia, and then sent to the various Legislatures for their action. It could not become binding until ratified by nine States. On the 2d of July, 1788, Congress was notified that the necessary nine States had approved, and on the 13th of the following Sep- (•239) 240 FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO 18Jfi. tember a day was ap2)ointeil for the choice of electors for President. Tlie day selected was the first Wednesday of January, 1789. The date for the begin- ning of proceedings under the new Constitution was postponed to the first Wed- nesday in March, which happened to fall on the 4th. In that way the 4th of March became fixed as the date of the inauguration of each President, except when the date is on Sunday, when it becomes the 5th. Congress met at that time in the city of New York. It was not until the 1st of April that a quorum for business a2:ipeared in the House of Representa- tives, and the Senate was organized on the 6th of that month. The electors who were to choose the President were selected by the various State Legislatures, each elector being entitled to cast two votes. The rule was that the candidate receiving the highest number became President, while the next highest vote elected the Vice-President. The objection to this method was that the two might belong to different political parties, which very condition of things came about at the election of the second President, when John Adams was chosen to the highest office and Thomas Jefferson to the second. The former was a Fed- eralist, while Jefferson was a Republican, or, as he would have been called later, a Democrat. Had Adams died while in office, the policy of his administration would have been changed. There could be no doubt as to the first choice. While Washington lived and was willing thus to serve his country, what other name could be considered ? So, when the electoral vote was counted on the 6tli of April, 1789, every vote of the ten States which took part in the election was cast for him. He received 69 (all) ; John Adams, 34 ; John Jay, 9 ; R. H. Harrison, 6 ; John Rutledge, 6 ; John Hancock, 4 ; George Clinton, 3 ; Samuel Huntingdon, 2 ; John Mil- ton, 2; James Armstrong, Benjamin Lincoln, and Edward Telfair, 1 each. THE ELECTION OF 1792. At the next election, in 1792, the result was : Washington, 132 (all) votes ; John Adams, 77 ; George Clinton, 50 ; Thomas Jefferson, 4 ; Aaron Burr, 1 ; vacancies, 3. It would have been the same at the third election had the illus- trious Father of his Country consented to be a candidate ; but he was growing feeble, and had already sacrificed so much for his country, that his yearning for the quiet, restful life at Mount Vernon could not be denied him. So he retired, and, less than three years later, j^assed from earth. THE FIRST STOKMY ELECTION. What may be looked upon as the first stormy election of a President toot place in 1800. When the electoral votes came to be counted, they were found to be distributed as follows : Thomas Jefferson, 73 ; Aaron Burr, 73 ; John THE FIRST STORMY ELECTION. 241 Adams, Qb ; Charles C. Piiickuey, 64 ; John Jay, 1. Jeffersou and Burr being tied, tiie election was thrown into the House of Kejsresentatives, where the con- test became a memorable one. The House met on the 11th of February, 1801, to decide the question. On the first ballot, Jefterson had eight States and Uurr six, while ^Maryland and Vermont were equally divided. Here was another tie. Meanwhile, one of the most terrific snowstorms ever known swept over ^r^-^ "Washington. Mr. Nicholson, of Maryland, w^as seriously ill in bed, and yet, if he did not vote, his State would be given to Burr, who would be elected Presi- dent. Nicholson showed that he had the " courage of his convictions " by allow- ing himself to be bundled up and carried through the blizzard to one of the committee rooms, where his wife stayed by his side day and night. On each ballot the box was brought to his bedside, and he did not miss one. The House remained in continuous session until thirty-five ballots had been cast without any change. It was clear by that time that Burr could not be elected, for the columns of Jefferson were as immovable as a stone wall. The break, when it came, must 16 242 FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO ISW- be ill the ranks of Burr. On the thirty-sixth ballot, the Federalists of Mary- land, Delaware, and South Carolina voted blank, and the Federalist of Vermont stayed away. This gave the friends of Jefferson their opportunity, and, for- tunately for the country, Thomas Jefferson was elected instead of the miscreant Burr. THE CONSTITUTION AMENDED. As a result of this noted contest, the Constitution was so amended that each elector voted for a President and a Vice-President, instead of for two candidates for President. It was a needed improvement, since it insured that both should belong to the same political party. During the first term of Washington, the country was divided into two powerful political parties. j\Ien who, like Washington, Hamilton, and others, believed in a strong central government, with only such political power as was absolutely necessary distributed among the various States, were Federalists. Those who insisted upon the greatest possible power for the States, yielding nothing to Congress beyond what was distinctly specified in the Constitution, were Republicans, of whom Thomas Jefferson was the foremost leader. Other points of difference developed as the years passed, but the main distinction w^as as given. After the election of John Adams, the Federalist party gradually dwindled, and in the war of 1812 its unpatriotic course fatally weakened the organization. THE COUNTRY DIVIDED IN PARTIES. The Republican party took the name of Democratic-Republican, which is its official title to-day. During IMonroe's administration, when almost the last vestige of Federalist vanished, their opponents gradually acquired the name of Democrats, by which they are now known. After a time, the Federalists were succeeded by the Whigs, who held well together until the quarrel over the admission of Kansas and the question of slavery split the party into frag- ments. From these, including Know Nothings, Abolitionists, Free Soilers, and Northern Democrats, was builded, in 1856, the present Republican jjarty, whose foundation stone was opposition to the extension of slavery. Many minor parties have sprung into ephemeral life from time to time, but the Democrats and Republicans will undoubtedly be the two great political organizations for many years to come, as they have been for so many years past. IMPROVEMENT OF THE METHOD OF NOMINATING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. It will be noted that the old-fashioned method of nominating presidential candidates was clumsy and frequently unfair. Candidates sometimes announced themselves for offices within the gift of the people; but if that practice had con- tinued to modern times, the number of candidates thus appealing for the suffrages THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION. 243 of their fellow-citizens might have threatened to equal the number of voters themselves. The more common plan was for the party leaders to hold private or informal caucuses. The next method was for the legislative caucus to name the man. The unfairness of this system was that it shut out from representation thdse whose districts had none of the Ojiposite [)olitical party in the Legislature. To adjust the matter, the caucus rule was so modified as to admit delegates spe- cially sent up from the districts that were not represented in the Legislature. This, it will be seen, was an important step in the direction of the jjresent system, which makes a nominating convention consist of delegates from every part of a State, chosen for the sole purpose of Tnaking nominations. THE WHITE HOUSE AT WASHINGTON, D. C. The perfected method appeared in New Jersey as early as 1812, in Penn- sylvania in 1817, and in New York in 1825. There was no clearly defined plan followed in making the presidential nominations for 1824, and four years later the legislative caucus system was almost universally followed. After that, the system which had been applied in various States was applied to national matters. THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL COXVEXTIOX. In the year 1826, William Morgan, a worthless character, living in Bata- via. New York, attempted to exjiose the secrets of the order of Free Masons, of which he had become a member. While he was engaged in j^rinting his book, 244 FAiMOUS FllEtilDENTIAL CAMFAIGNii PREVIOUS TO 18^0. lie disappeared and was never afterward seen. The Masons were accused of making way with him, and a wave of 02:)position swept over the country which closed many lodges and seemed for a time to threaten the extinction of the order. An anti-Masonic party was formed and became strong enough to carry the election in several States. Not only that, but in September, 1831, the anti- Masons held a National nominating convention in Baltimore and put forward William Wirt, former attorney-general of the United States, as their nominee for the Presidency, with Amos EUmaker, candidate for the Vice-Presidency. The ticket received seven electoral votes. The noteworthy fact about this almost forgotten matter is that the convention was the first 2iresidential one held in this country. COXVENTION IN BALTIMORE IN 1832. The system was now fairly launched, for in December of the same year the National Republicans met in convention in Baltimore and nominated Henry Clay, and in May, 1832, Martin Van Buren was nominated by a Democratic convention. He was renominated at the same place and in the same manner in 1835, but the Whigs did not imitate theii- opjjonents. In 1840, however, the system was adopted by both jiarties, and has been followed ever since. Our whole country seethes with excitement from the hour when the first candidate is hinted at until his nomination is made, followed by his election or defeat a few months later. Some pei'sons see a grave peril in this periodic con- vulsion, which shakes the United States like an earthquake, but it seems after all to be a sort of j^olitical thunderstorm which purifies the air and clarifies the ideas that otherwise would become sodden or morbid. It is essentially Ameri- can, and our people's universal love of fair play leads them to accept the ver- dict at the polls with philosophy and good nature. And yet there have been many exciting scenes at the nominating conven- tions of the past, as there doubtless will be in many that are yet to come. Com- ing down to later times, how often has it proved that the most astute politicians were all at sea in their calculations. The proverbial " dark horse " has become a potent factor whom it is not safe to forget in making uj) political probabilities. THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1820. Probably the most tranquil presidential campaign of the nineteenth cen- tury was that of 1820, when James Monroe was elected for the second time. He was virtually the only candidate before the country for the exalted office. When the electoral college met, the astounding fact was revealed that he had every vote — the first time such a thing had occurred since Washington's elec- tion. But there was one elector who had the couracje to do that which was never ANDREW JACKSON'S POPULARITY. 245 done before and has never been done since: lie voted contrary to bis instruc- tions and in opposition to the ticket on which he was elected. Blumer, of Nev/ Hampshire, explained that, as he viewed it, no President had the right to share the honor of a unanimous election with Washington, and, though an ardent friend of Monroe, he deliberately cast his one vote for Adams, in order to pre- serve Wasliington's honor distinct. His motive was appreciated, and Blumer was applauded for the act, Monroe himself being pleased with it. " OLD HICKORY." It is hardly necessary to repeat that this incident has not been duplicated since that day. Andrew Jackson, " Old Hickory," was probably the most pop- ular man in the country when the time came for naming the successor of Mon- roe. It may sound strange, but it is a fact, that when the project of running him for the presidency was first mentioned to Jackson, he was displeased. It had never entered his head to covet that exalted office. "Don't think of it," he said; "I haven't the first qualification; I am a rough, plain man, fitted perhaps to lead soldiers and fight the enemies of our country, but as for the presidency, the idea is too absurd to be held." But what American cannot be convinced that he is pre-eminently fitted for the office ? It did not take long for the ambition to be kindled in the breast of the doughty hero. His friends flattered him into the conviction that he was the man of all others to assume the duties, and the " bee buzzed " as loudly in Jackson's bonnet as it ever has in that of any of his successors. ANDREW Jackson's popularity. It cannot be denied that " Old Hickory " was a great man, and though he was deficient in education, lacking in statesmanship, and obstinate to the last degree, he was the possessor of those rugged virtues which invariably command respect. He was honest, clean in his private life, a stanch friend, an uni-e- lenting enemy, and an intense patriot — one who was ready to risk nis life at any hour for his country. In addition, he never knew the meaning of jier- sonal fear. No braver person ever lived. When the sheriff in a court-i'oom was afraid to attempt to arrest a notorious desperado, Jackson leaped over the chairs, seized the ruffian by the throat, hurled him to the floor, and cowed him into submission. When a piece of treachery was discovered on a Kentucky racecourse, Jackson fticed a mob of a thousand infuriated men, ruled off the dishonest official, and carried his point. He challenged the most noted duelist of the southwest, because he dared to cast a slur upon Jackson's wife. It mat- tered not that the scoundrel had never failed to kill his man, and that all of Jackson's friends warned him that it was certain death to meet the def^d-shot. 246 FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO mo. At the exchange of shots, Jackson was frightfully wounded, but he stood as rigid as iron, and sent a bullet through the body of his enemy, whom he did not let know he was himself wounded until the other breathed his last. Above all, had not "Old Hickory" won the battle of New Orleans, the most brilliant victory of the War of 1812? Did not he and his unerring riflemen from the backwoods of Tennessee and Kentucky spread consternation, death, and defeat among the red-coated veterans of Waterloo? No wonder that the anniversary of that glorious battle is still celebrated in every part of the country, and no wonder, too, that the American people demanded that the hero of all these achievements should be rewarded with the highest oflice in the gift of his countrymen. JACKSON NOMINATED. Jackson, having "placed himself in the hands of his friends," threw himself into the struggle with all the unquenchable ardor of his nature. On July 22, 1822, the Legislature of Tennessee was first in the field by placing him in nomination. On tlie 22d of February, 1824, a Federalist convention at Har- risburg, Pa., nominated him, and on the 4th of ]\Iarch following a Eepubliean convention did the same. It would seem that he was now fairly before the country, but the regular Democratic nominee, that is, the one named by the congressional caucus, was William H. Crawford, of Georgia. The remaining candidates were John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, and all of them belonged to the Republican party, which had retained the presidency since 1800. Adams and Clay were what was termed loose constructionists, while Jackson and Craw- ford were strict constructionists. "old hickory" defeated. The canvass was a somewhat jumbled one, in which each candidate had his ardent partisans and supporters. The contest was carried out with vigor and the usual abuse, personalitieg, and vituperation until the polls were closed. Then when the returns came to be made up it was found that Jackson had received 99 electoral votes, Adams 84, Crawford 41, and Clay 37. "Old Hickory" was well ahead, but his strength was not sufficient to make him Presi- dent, even though on the popular vote he led Adams by more than 50,000. Consequently the election went to the House of Representatives, where the supporters of Clay combined with those of Adams and made him President. Thus came the singular result that- the man who had the largest popular and electoral vote was defeated. It was a keen disappointment to Jackson and his friends. The great Sena- tor Benton, of INIissouri, one of the warmest supporters of "Old Hickory," angrily declared that the House was deliberately defying the will of the people THE "LOG-CABIN AND HARD-CIDER" CAMPAIGN. 247 by placing a miuority candidate in the cliair. The senator's position, however, was untenable, and so it was that John Quincy Adams became the sixth Presi- dent of our country. Jackson's triumph. But the triumph of " Old Hickory " was only postponed. His defeat was looked upon by the majority of men as a deliberate piece of trickery, and they " lay low " for the next opportunity to square matters. No fear of a second chance being presented to their opponents. Jackson was launched into the can- vass of 1828 like a cyclone, and when the returns were made up he had 178 electoral votes to 83 for Adams — a vote which lifted him safely over the edge of a plurality and seated him firmly in the White House. It is not our province to treat of the administration of Andrew Jackson, for OLD SPANISH HOUSE ON BOUHBON STREET, NEW ORLEANS. that belongs to history, but the hold which that remarkalile man maintained upon the affections of the people was emphasized when, in 1832, he was re- elected by an electoral vote of 219 to 49 for Clay, 11 for Floyd, and 7 for AVirt. Despite the popular prejudice against a third term, there is little doubt that Jackson would have been successful had he chosen again to be a candidate. He proved his strength l:)y selecting his successor, Martin Van Buren. THE " LOG-CABIX AND HARD-CIDER '' CAMPAIGN OF 1840. The next notable presidential battle was the " log-cabin and hard-cider'' cam[)aign of 1840, the like of which was never before seen in this country. General William Henry Harrison had been defeated by Van Buren in 1836, but on the 4th of December, 18;)9, tlie National Whig Convention, which met 248 FA3I0US PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO mO. at Harrisburg to decide the claims of rival candidates, placed Harrison in nomination, while the Democrats again nominated Van Bureu. General Harrison lived at North Bend, Ohio, in a house which consisted of a log-cabin, built many years before by a j^ioneer, and was afterward covered with clapboards. The visitors to the house {)raised the republican simplicity of the old soldier, the hero of Tippecanoe, and the principal campaign biography said that his table, instead of being supplied with costly wines, was furnished with an abundance of the best cider. The canvass had hardly opened, when the Baltimore Republican slurred General Harris(jn by remarking that, if some one would pension him with a THE MARIGKTY HOUSE, NEW ORLEANS. (WlKTf Louis Philippe stopped in 17'Js.) few hundred dollars and give him a barrel of hard cider, he would sit down in his log-cabin and be content for the rest of his life. That sneer furnished the keynote of the campaign. Hard cider became almost the sole beverage of the Whigs throughout the country. In every city, town and village, and at the cross-roads, were erected log-cabins, while the amount of hard cider drank would have floated the American navy. The nights were rent with the shouts of " Tippecanoe and Tyler too," and scores of campaign songs were sung by tens of thousands of exultant, even if not always musical, voices. We recall that one of the most popular songs began : " Oh, where, tell me where, was the log-cabin made? 'Twas made by the boys that wield the plough and the spade." There was no end to the songs, which were set to the most popular airs and PECULIAR FEATURE OF THE HARRISON CAMPAIGN. 249 sung over and over again. You would hear them in the middle of the night on some distant mountain-top, where the twinkling camjo-fire showed that a party of Whigs were drinking hard cider and whooping it up for Harrison; some singer with a strong, pleasing voice would start one of the songs from the platform, at the close of the orator's appeal, and hardly had his lips parted, when the thousands of Whigs, old and young, and including wives and daughters, would join in the words, while the enthusiasm quickly grew to a white heat. The horsemen riding home late at night awoke the echoes among the woods and hills with their musical praises of "Old Tippecanoe." The story is told that in one of the backwoods districts of Ohio, after the preacher had announced the hymn, the leader of the singing, a staid old deacon, struck in with a Har- rison campaign song, in which tlie whole congregation, after the first moment's shock, heartily joined, while the aghast preacher had all he could do to restrain himself from "coming in on the chorus." There was some truth in the declara- tion of a disgusted Democrat that, from the opening of the canvass, the whole Whig population of the United States went upon a colossal spree on hard cider, wiiich continued without intermission until Harrison was installed in the White House. And what did November tell ? The electoral vote cast for Martin Van Buren, 60; for General Harrison, 234. No wonder that the supply of hard cider was almost exhausted within the next three days. PECULIAR FEATURE OF THE HARRISON CAMPAIGN. As we have noted, the method of nominating presidential candidates by means of j^ojiular conventions was fully established in 1840, and has continued uninterruptedly ever since. One peculiar feature marked the Harrison cam- paign of 1840. The convention which nominated Martin Van Buren met in Baltimore in May of that year. On the same day, the young Whigs of the country held a mass-meeting in Baltimore, at which fully twenty thousand persons were present. They came from every part of the Union, Massachusetts sending fully a thousand. When the adjournment took place, it was to meet again in Washington at the inauguration of Harrison. The railway was then coming into general use, and this greatly favored the assembling of mass-con- ventions. ^^, '"^^C* CHAPTER XIII. ADIVIINIS FRATION OK POLK, 18-45—1849. James K. Po\k—T/ie War with Meu'cn— The First Conflict— Battle of Kesaca de la Palma— "Vigorous Action of the United States Government — Ueneral Scott's Plan of Campaign — Capture of Monterey — An Armistice — Captuie of Saltillo — Of Victoria — Of Tampico — (ieneral Kearny's Capture of Santa Fe— Conquest of California — Wonderful March of Colonel Doniphan — Battle of Buena Vista — General Scott's Jlarch Toward the City of Jlexico— Capture of Vera Cruz— American Victory at Cerro Gordo— Five American Victories in One Day — Santa Anna — Conquest of Mexico Completed —Terms of the Treaty of Peace— The New Territory Gained— The Slavery Dispute— The Wilmot Proviso— " Fifty-Four Forty or Fight "—Adjustment of the Oregon Boundary— Admission of Iowa and Wisconsin— The Smithsonian Institute— Discovery of Gold in California— The Mormons— The Presidential Election of 184S. JAMES K. POLK. James K. Polk, eleventli Presi- dent, was bora in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, November 2, 1795, and died June 15, 1849. His father removed to Tennessee when the son was quite young, and he therefore became identified with that State. He studied law, was a leading politician, and was elected to Congress in 1825, serving in that body for fourteen years. He was elected governor of Tennessee in 1839, his next advancement being to the presidency of the United States. The President made George Bancroft, the distinguished historian, his secretary of the navy. It was he who laid the foundation of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, which was opened October 10, 1845. It is under the immediate care and supervision of the navy department JAMES K. POLK. (nuS-lsW) One tL-riii, INJ -isi'j and corresponds to the Military Academy at West Point. (251) 252 ADMIXISTRATIOX OF POLK. Everybody knew that the admission of Texas meant war with Mexico, for that country would never yiekl, until compelled to do so, the province that had rebelled against her rule and whose independence she had persistently refused to recognize. Texas was unable to withstand the Mexican army, and her au- thorities urged tlie United States to semi a force for her protection. General Zachary Taylor, who was in camp in western Louisiana, was ordered to advance into and occujiy Texan territory. Mexico had always insisted that the Nueces River was her western l)uun- dary, wliile Texas maintained that the Rio Grande was the dividing line. The dispute, therefore, was really over the tract of land between the two rivers. Our countrv proposed to settle the question by arbitration, but Mexico would not consent, claiming that tlie section (known as Coahnila) had never been in revolt against her authority, wliile Texas declared that it was a part of itself, and its Legislature so decided December 19, 1836. General Taylor established a camp at Corpus Christi in the latter jiart of 1845, at the mouth of the Nueces. With nearly 5,000 troops, he marched, in January, to the Rio Grande to meet the jNIexicans who were preparing to invade the disputed territory. Taylor established a depot of provisions at Point Isabel on the Gulf, and, upon reaching the Rio Grande, hastily built Fort Brown, opposite the Mexican town of ^Matamoras. Some time later the Mexican forces reached Matamoras, and General Arista on the 26th of April notified Taylor that hostilities had begun. To emphasize his declaration, Captain Thornton with a company of dragoons was attacked the same day, and, after the loss of sixteen men in killed and wounded, was compelled to surrender to a much sujierior force. This was the first engage- ment of the war and was fought on ground claimed by both countries. BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. The Mexicans acted vigorously and soon placed Taylor's lines of communi- cation in such danger that he hurried to Point Isabel to prevent its tailing into the hands of the enemy. He left Major Brown with 300 men in charge of Fort Brown. The Mexicans were exultant, believing Taylor had been frightened out of the country. But that valiant officer paused at Point Isabel only long enough to make its position secure, when he marched rapidly toward Fort Brown. Reaching Palo Alto, on the road, he found the way disputed by fully 6,000 Mexicans, who were three times as numerous as his own army. Attacking the enemy with great spirit, he routed them with the loss of a hun- dred men, his own loss being four killed and forty wounded. Resuming his march toward Fort Brown, Taylor had reached a point within three miles of it, when he was brought face to face with a much larger WAIi DECLARED BY CONGRESS. 253 force at Resaca de la Pal ma. The Vjattle was a severe one, and for a long time •was in doubt ; but the tide was turned by a dashing charge of Captain May •with his dragoons. Despite a destructive fire of grapeshot, the horsemen gal- loped over the Mexican batteries, cut down the gunners, and captured tlie com- manding officer. Tavlor then pushed on to Fort Brown and found it safe, 1 ^ -,\* -■-■^■- ■ • ---lA KOBEBT E. L.BE IN ONE OP THE BATTLES OF THE MEXICAN 'WAB. "Ahvayt to be fonnd where the fig)itinx wa?. the fier«-st " though it had been under an almost continuous bombardment, in which Major Brown, the commandant, was killed. WAR DECLARED BY COXGRKSS. News of thase battles was carried north by carrier pigeons and telegraph. 254 ADMINISTRATION OF POLK. and the war spirit of the country was i-oused. Congress on the lltlj of May decUired that war existed by the act of the Mexican government, and $10,000,000 was jiLiced at the disposal of the President, who was authorized to accept 50,000 vohmteers. Tlie call for them was answered by 800,000, who were eager to serve in the war. GENERAL SCOTT's PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. General Scott, as head of the army, formed a careful plan of campaign for the conquest of Mexico. Of the three divisions. General Kearny, with the army of the west, was to cross the Rocky Mountains and conquer the northern Mexican provinces; General Scott himself, with the army of the centre, was to advance from the coast into the interior of the country, making the city of Mexico, the capital of the republic, his objective point; while General Taylor, with the army of occupation, was to seize and hold the Rio Grande country. The work of mustering in the troo2:)S was intrusted to General Wool, who, some time later, established himself at San Antonio, and sent many soldiers to the different commands. CAPTURE OF MONTEREY. "Within less than two weeks after his victory at Resaca de la Palma, Taylor crossed over from Fort Brown and captured Matamoras. Then he turned up the right bank of the Rio Grande and marched into the interior. The Mexi- cans retreated to the fortified town of Monterey, where they were so powerful that Taylor waited for reinforcements before attacking them. His forces amounted to 6,600 by the latter part of August, and he then advanced against Monterey, which was defended by a garrison of 10,000 men. The city was invested on the 19th of September. Two days sufficed for General AVorth to capture the fortified works in the rear of the town, and on the next day the remaining defenses on that side were carried by storm. At daylight, on the 23d, the city in front was captured by assault. The Mexicans maintained a vicious defense from their adobe houses, but the Americans, charging through the streets, battered in the doors, chased the defenders from room to room and over the housetops until they flung down their arms and shouted for mercy. The commander was allowed to evacuate the city, and fell back toward the national capital. OTHER VICTORIES. Taylor w^as about to resume his advance when the enemy asked for an armistice, saying the authorities wished to negotiate for peace. Taylor agreed to an armistice of eight weeks, but the proposal was a trick of the enemy, who spent every hour of the respite in making preparations to resist the Americans' CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA. 255 advance. Santa Anna, who was undergoing one of his periodical banishments, was called back and given the presidency. When the armistice granted by- Taylor exj^ired, the Mexicans had an army of 20,000 in the field, and, under orders from Washington, the American commander moved forward. The first town captured was Saltillo, seventy miles southwest of Monterey. It was taken by General Worth, with the advance, on the loth of November, 1846. In the following month Victoria, in the province of Tamaulipas, was captured by General Butler, who, advancing from Monterey, united with Patterson at this place. Their intention was to move upon Tampico, on the coast, but they learned that it had surrendered to Captain Conner, commander of an American squadron. Meanwhile, General Wool, marching from San Antonio, arrived within supporting distance of Monterey. Such was the situation when General Scott reached the army and took command. GENERAL KEARNY's OPERATIONS. General Kearny, in command of the army of the west, left Fort Leaven- worth, in June, 1840, on the way to conquer New Mexico and California. He had a long and laborious march before him, but he reached Santa Fe on the 18th of August, and it was easily cajjtured and garrisoned. New Mexico was powerless, and the whole province surrendered. Then Kearny, at the head of 400 dragoons, set out for the Pacific coast, but he had not gotten far on the road when he met a messenger who informed him that California had been conquered by Colonel John C. Fremont, acting in conjunction with Commodores Sloat and Stockton. Kearny sent most of his men back to Santa Fe and pushed for the Pacific coast, with a hundred dragoons. He arrived in November, and joined Fremont and Stockton. CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA. Fremont acquired the name of the " Pathfinder " because of his exploring expeditions in the far West. He explored a portion of the Kocky Mountains in 1842, and, in the following two years, conducted an expedition with much skill and success through the regions of Utah, the basin of the Columbia, and the passes of the Sierra Nevada. He was in charge of a third expetlition in 1846, and was in California when the Mexican war broke out. He received the dis- patches as if they were news to him, but there is good reason to believe that the government had sent him thither, in order that he might be on the ground and do the very work he did. He urged the pioneers to declare their independence. They ardently did so, raised the " Black Bear Flag," and gathered around Fre- mont, who continually defeated the superior forces of Mexicans. The town of Monterey, eighty miles south of San Francisco, was captured by Commodore Sloat with an American squadron, and San Diego was taken 256 ' ADMINISTRATION OF POLK. soon afterward by Commodore Stockton, in command of the Pacific squadron ; learning which, Fremont raised the American flag in the j^lace of that of Cali- fornia, and, joining the naval commanders, advanced upon Los Angeles, which submitted without resistance. In a short time the immense province of Cali- fornia was conquered by what may be called a handful of Americans. THE WONDERFUL MARCH OF COLONEL DONIPHAN. Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan had been left at Santa Fe with his small force of dragoons. At the head of 700 men, he j^erformed one of the most re- markable exploits of the war. Riding directly through the enemy's country for nearly a thousand miles, he reached the Rio Grande on Christmas day and won a battle ; he then crossed the river and captured El Paso, and, head- ing for Chihuahua, was met by a Mexican force on the banks of Sacramento Creek. They outnumbered Doniphan's force four to one, and displayed the black flag, as notice that no quarter would be given. The Americans lay flat on the ground, and the first volleys ^lassed harmlessly over their heads. The Mexicans made the mistake of believing they had been decimated by the dis- charge, and charged upon what they supposed were the few survivors. They were received with a withering volley, and assailed with such fierceness by the Americans that they were utterly routed. Chihuahua thus fell into the pos- session of Colonel Doniphan, but, since the term of the enlistment of his men had expired, he could advance no further. He then conducted them to New Orleans, where they were mustered out of service. They had marched a dis- tance of 5,000 miles, won several victories, suffered not a single defeat, and were back again in their homes all within a year. General Scott had landed on the coast for the purpose of marching into the interior to the national capital. In order to make his advance resistless, he withdrew the larger part of Taylor's army and united it with his own. Taylor felt he was used unjustly, for both he and Wool were threatened by Santa Anna at the head of 20,000, men, but bluff " Old Rough and Ready " made no protest and grimly prepared for the danger. The greatest number of troops he could concentrate at Saltillo was about 6,000, and, after placing garrisons there and at Monterey, he had only 4,800 remaining, but, undismayed, he marched out to meet Santa Anna. Four miles away, he reached the favorable battle ground of Buena Vista, posted his men, and awaited attack. The Mexican commander was so confident of overwhelming the Americans that, in his message to Taylor, he assured him he would see that he was person- ally well treated after his surrender. General Taylor sent word that he declined to obey the summons, and the messenger who carried the message to Santa Anna added the significant words : " General Taylor never surrenders." BATTLE OF RESACA DE LA PALMA llie parapets, followed Ijy those of his men whose horses could do a like feat 11. sabering them right and left. General La Veaa and a hundred of his men prisoners and borne back to the American lines BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 257 The American army was placed at the upper end of a long and narrow pass in the mountains. It was flanked on one side by high cliffs and on the other by impassable ravines, which position compelled the enemy to attack him in front. BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. The battle opened early on the morning of February 23d, with the Mexi- cans swarming through the gorges and over the hills from San Luis Potosi. The first assault was against the American right, but it was beaten back by the Illinois troops; the next was against the centic, but it was repelled liy C\i[)tain Washington's artillery; and then the left flank was vehemently assailed. A mistaken order caused an Indiana regiment to give way, and for a time the whole army was in danger ; bul the Mississippians and Kentuckians gallantly flung themselves into the breach, the Indiana and Illinois troops rallied, and the Mexicans were driven tunudtuously back. In this brilliaiii exjiloit Colonel Jeiferson Davis, with his Mississippi regiment, played ;i prominent part. "a little moee grape, captain BRAGG." The next charge was upon Cap- tain Bragg's battery, but that officer, in obedience to General Taylor's fa- mous request, "A little more grape, Captain Bragg," scattered the Mex- ican lancers in every direction. The success was followed up by a cavalry charge, which completed the discomfiture of the enemy, who fled with the loss of 2,000 men. Buena Vista was a superb victory for the Americans, l)ut it cost lliem dear. The killed, wounded, and missing numbered nearly 800. Among the killed was Colonel Henry Clay, son of the Kentucky orator and statesman. The battle completed the Avork of General Taylor, who soon afterward returned to the United States. The glory he had won made him President less than two two years Inter. Returning once more to General Scott, he entered u]ion the last campaign, GENBKAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 258 ADMINlSTilATlON OF FOLK. March 9, 1847. Old array officers of to-day contrast the admirable manner in which he did his preliminary work with the mismanagement in the Spanish- American War of 1898. Inipatience was exjjressed at his tardiness in getting his troops ready on the transports at New York. To all such complaints, the grim old soldier replied that he would embark when everything was ready and not a single hour before. As a consequence, his men landed at Vera Cruz iu tlie best condition, there was not the slightest accident, and every soldier when he stepped ashore had three days' rations in his knapsack. Twelve thousand men were landed, and in three days the investment of Vera Cruz was comj^lete/ Then a Mexican train was captured and the troops had provisions in abundance, CAPTURE OF VERA CRUZ. The city having refused to surrender, the bombardment opened on the morning of March li2d. The water-side of Vera Cruz was defended by the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, built a century and a half before by Sjjain at enor- mous cost. Commodore Conner assisted throughout the four days that the can- nonade lasted. The success of the bombardment made the Americans confident of capturing the castle by assault, and they were preparing to do so when the authorities i^rojiosed satisfactory terms of surrender, which took place March 29th. The direct march upon the capital now began, with General Twiggs in com- mand of the advance. The road steadily rises from the coast and abounds in passes and mountains, which offer the best kind of natural fortifications. When Twiggs reached one of these passes, named Cerro Gordo, he found that Santa Anna had taken jwssession of it with 15,000 troops. The whole American army numbered only 9,000, and it looked as if they were halted in front of an impregnable position, Init it must be captured or the whole campaign would have to be abandoned. BATTLE OF CERKO GORDO. There was no hesitation on the part of our troops, who, under the lead of the bravest and most skillful of officers, attacked with their usual energy and daring. The Mexicans made the best defense possible, but within a few hours they abandoned every position and were driven in headlong confusion from the field. They lost 3,000 prisoners, among whom were five generals, while the escape of Santa Anna was so narrow that he left his cork leg behind. The American army pressed on to Jalapa, which made no resistance, and furnished a large amount of supplies, and Puebla, a city of 80,000 inhabitants, was occupied on the 15th of May. There the ground was high and the air cool and salubrious. The men were exhausted from their arduous campaign, and Scott decided to give them a good rest, so as to be fully jirejjared for the final THE MARCH UPON THE CAPITAL. 259 struggle. Besides it was necessary to receive reinforcements before venturing further. Santa Anna, realizing that the critical j^eriod of the struggle was at hand, put forth every energy to collect an army to beat back the invaders. BATTLE OF CEREO GOHDO. "Captain Lee led the way, and showed the men just what to do. They lowered the cannons by ropes down the steep cliffs and liauled them up on the opposite hill-side." Early in August the American army had been increased to 11,000 men, and, leaving a small garrison at Puebla, Scott set out for the beautiful city of Mexico. No serious resistance offered until they reached Ayotla, fifteen liiilea 260 ADMIMSTRATION OF FOLK. f'roni tlie capital. There it was found that the reguhir road Ijristled witli forts, and, although there was no doubt that all could be carried, the American com- mander wisely decided to move his army around to the south, where he could advance over a comparatively undefeniled route. Without any difiiculty he reached San Augustine, which Avas within ten miles of the cajjital. Had the positions been changed, a force ten times as great as the Americans could not have captured the city of Mexico, and yet it fell before a force only one-third as numerous as the defenders. A DAY OF VICTORIES. The fighting began before sunrise, August 20, 1847, and when night came five distinct victories had been won. The foi'tified camp of Contreras was cap- tured in about fifteen minutes. Shortly after the fortified village of San Anto- nio was taken by another division of the army. Almost at the same time, a division stormed one of the fortified heights of Churubusco, while still another captured the second height. Seeing the danger of his garrisons, Santa Anna moved out of the city and attacked the Americans. The reserves immediately assailed, drove him back, and chased him to the walls of the ca])ital, into which the whole Mexican force crowded themselves at night. It was in accordance with the nature of Santa Anna that he should set 2,000 convicts loose that night on the jiromise that they would fight against the Americans. Then he stole out of the city, whose authorities sent a delegation to Scott to treat for peace. This trick had been resorted to so many times by the Mexicans, who never kept fiiith, that the American commander refused to listen to them. An advance was made, and in a short time the city was com- pletely in our jiossession. SANTA ANNA. At Puebla there were 2,000 Americans in the hospital under charge of a small guard. Santa Anna attacked them, thinking that at last he had found a foe whom he could beat ; l)ut he was mistaken, for reinforcements arrived in time to drive him away. This terminated for a time the career of the treacher- ous Santa Anna, with whom the Mexican people were thoroughly disgusted. It is proper to state at this point that Santa Anna while in command of the Mexican army made a direct offer to Genei'al Taylor to betray his cause for a large sum of money, and he actually received an installment, but circumstances prevented the completeness of the bargain. This miscreant was president and dictator of Mexico in 1853-55, was banished and returned several times, and was still plotting to recover his jjower when he died, in his eighty-second year. The capture of the capital of Mexico completed the victorious campaign. The entrance into the city was made September 14, 1847, the American flag THE SLAVERY QUESTION. 261 raised over tlie palace, and General Scott, with a sweep of his sword over his head, while his massive frame made a striking picture in front of the palace, proclaimed the conquest of the country. All that remained was to arrange the terms of peace. TERMS OF PEACE. In the following winter, American ambassadors met the Mexican congress in session at Guadalupe Hidalgo, so named from the small town where it was situated. There was a good deal of discussion over the terms, our ambassadors insisting that Mexico should surrender the northern provinces, which included the present States of California, Nevada, Utah, and the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico and portions of Colorado and Wyoming, as indemnity for the war. Mexico would not consent, and matters drifted along until the 2d of February, 1848, when the new Mexican government agreed to these terms. The treaty was modified to a slight extent by the United States Senate, adopted on the 10th of March, ratified by the Mexican congress sitting at Queretaro, May oOtli, and jM'oclaimed by President Polk on the 4th of July. Thus ended our war with ^lexico. By the terms of the treaty, the United States was to pay Mexico $15,000,- 000, and assume dfebts to the extent of $3,000,000 due to American citizens from JMexioj. These sums were in payment for the immense territory ceded to us. This cession, the annexation of Texas, and a purchase south of the Gila River in 1853, added almost a million square miles to our possessions, nearly equaling the Louisiana purchase and exceeding the whole area of the United States in 1783. It may sound strange, but it is a fact, that the governing of the new territory caused so much trouble that more than once it was seriously proposed in Congi-ess that Mexico should be asked to take it back again. General Sherman Wiie credited with the declaration that if the identity of the man who caused the annexa- tion of Texas could be established, he ought to be court-martialed and shot. However, all this changed when the vast capabilities and immeasurable worth of the new countries were understood. The section speedly developed a wealth, enterprise, and industry of which no one had before dreamed. THE SXAVERY QUESTION. The real peril involved in the acquisition of so much territory lay in the- certainty that it would revive the slavery quarrel that had been put to sleep by the Missouri Compromise, nearly thirty years before. The North demanded that slavery should be excluded from the new territory, because it was so excluded by Mexican law, and to legalize it would keep out emigrants from the free States. The South demanded the authorization of slavery, since Southern emi- grants would not gt) thither without their slaves. Still others proposed to divide 262 ADMINISTRATION OF POLK. the new territory by tlie Missouri Compromise line. This -would have cut California in two near the middle, and made one part of the province slave and the other free. Altogether, it will be seen that trouble was at hand. Before the outbreak of the Mexican Wai-, Congressman David "Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, introduced the Proviso known by his name. It was a projwsal to purchase the territory from Mexico, provided slavery was excluded. The introduction of the bill produced much discussion, and it was defeated by the opposition of the South. THE OREGON BOUNDARY DISPUTE. Great Britain and the United States had jointly occupied Oregon for twenty years, under the agreement that the occupancy could be ended by either country under a year's notice to the other. Many angry debates took place in Congress over the question whether such notice should be giveu. The United States claimed a strip of territory reaching to Alaska, latitude 54° 40', while Great Britain claimed the territory south of the line to the Columbia River. Congress as usual had plenty of wordy patriots who raised the cry of " Fifty- four forty or fight," and it was repeated throughout the country. Cooler and wiser counsels prevailed, each party yielded a part of its claims, and made a middle line the boundary. A minor dispute over the course of the boundary line after it reached the Pacific islets was amicably adjusted by another treaty in 1871. STATES ADMITTED. It has been stated that the bill for the admission of Iowa did not become operative until 1846. It was the fourth State formed from the Louisiana pur- clkase, and was first settled by the French at Dubuque ; but the post died, and no further settlements were made until the close of the Black Hawk War of 1832, after which the population increased with great rapidity. Wisconsin was the last State formed from the old Northwest Territory. A few weak settlements were made by the French as early as 16G8, but, as in the case of Iowa, its real settlement began after the Black Hawk AVar. THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, James Smithson of England, when he died in 1829, bequeathed his large estate for the purpose of founding the Smithsonian Institution at Washington " for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." In 1838, his estate, amounting to more than half a million dollars, was secured by a government agent and deposited in the mint. John Quincy Adams prepared a plan of organization, which was adopted. The Smithsonian Institution, so named in honor of its fonnder, was placed THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA. 263 under the immediate control of a board of regents, composed of the President, Vice-President, judges of the su])reme court, and other principal officers of the government. It was [)rovided tliat the entire sum, amounting with accrued interest to $625,000, should be loaned forever to the United States guvernment at six per cent.; that from the proceetls, together with congressional appnjpri- adons and private gifts, i^roper buiUlings should be erected for containing a museum of natural history, a cabinet of minerals, a chemical laboratory, a galleiv of art, and a library. Tlie plan of organization was carried out. and THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. Professor Joseph Henry of Princeton College, the real inventor of the electro- magnetic telegraph, was chosen secretary. THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA. For many years hardy hunters and trappers had penetrated the vast wil- derness of the West and Northwest in their hunt for game and peltries. Some of these were in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company, whose grounds extended as hv toward the Arctic Circle as the rugged men and toughened Indians could penetrate on their snowshoes. At points hundreds of miles apart in the gloomy solitudes were erected trading posts to which the red men bi-ought furs to exchange for trinkets, blank- ets, firearms, and firewater, and whither the white trappers made their way, after an absence of months in the dismal solitudes. Further south, among the rug2;ed 264 ADMINISTRATION OF POLK. mountains and beside the almost unknown streams, other men set their traps for the beaver, fox, and various fur-bearing animals. Passing the Rocky Moun- tains and Cascade Range they pursued their perilous avocation along the head- waters of the rivers flowing through California. They toiled amid the snows and storms of the Sierras, facing perils from tlie Indians, savage beasts, and the weather, for pay that often did not amount to the wages received by an ordinary day laborer. Little did those men suspect they were walking, sleeping, and toiling over a treasure bed ; that instead of tramping thi'ough snow and over ice and facing the arctic blasts and vengeful red men, if they had dug into the ground, they would have found wealth beyond estimate. The priests lived in the adobe haciendas that the Spanish had erected centuries before, and, as they counted their beads and dozed in calm ha|)pi- ness, they became rich in flocks and the ti'ibutes re- ceived from the simple-minded red men. Sometimes they wondered in a mild way at the golden trinkets and ornaments brought in by the Indians and were puzzled to know where they came from, but it seemed never to have occurred to the good men that they could obtain the same precious metal by using the pick and shovel. The years came and passed, and red men and white men con- tinued to walk over California without dreaming of the immeasurable riches that had been nestling for ages under their feet. One day in February, 1848, James W. Marshall, who had come to Cali- fornia from New Jersey some years before, and had been doing only moderately well with such odd jol)s as he could pick up, was working with a companion at building a saw-mill for Colonel John A. Sutter, who had immigrated to this GOLD "WASHINU-THii) SLUICE. DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA. 26.> country from Bntlen in 1834. Going westwiircl, he founded a settlement on the present site of Saeramento in 1841. He built Fort Sutter on the Sacramento, where he was visited by Fremont on his exploring expedition in 1840. Marshall and his companion were engaged in deepening the mill-race, the former being just in front of the other. Happening to look around, he asked : " What is that shining near your boot '! " His friend reached his hand down into the clear water and picked up a l)riglit, yellow fragment and held it between his fingers. "It is brass," he said; "Ihm how liright it is ! '' "It can't be brass," replied Marshall, " for there isn't a piece of l)rass within fifty miles of us." The other turned it over again and again in his linnd, put it in his mouth and hit it, ;ind then held it up once more to llic light. Suddenly he exclaimed : " I believe it's gold ! " " I wonder if that's possible,' said ^larshall, beginning to thin I. his companion was right; "how can we lind out ? " "My wife can tell; she h;is made some lye from wood-aslu^ and will test it." 'i'lie man took the fragment to liis wife, who was busy washing , and, at his re(piest, she boiled it lor several hours witii the lye. Had it been In-ass — the oidy oilier metal it pos- silily could have been — it would have turned a greenish-black. When examined again, however, its beautiful bright lustre was undiminished. There was scarcely a doid)t that it was pure gold. 'i'hc two men returned to the mill-race with pans, and washed out ])ro1)ably fifty dollars' worth of gold. Despite the certainty oi' his friend, ^Marshall was Iroubied by a fear that the fragment was neither brass nor gold, but some worthless metal of which he knew nothing. He carefully tied up all that haasin of Utah, they founded Great Salt Lake City, which is one of the handsomest, l)est governed, and cleanest (in a ])liysical sen.se) cities in the world. W^hile referring to these peculiar people, we may as well complete their history by anticipating events that followed. In 1857, our government attempted to extend its judicial system over Utah Territory. Brigham Young, the succe.s.sor of Joseph Smith, until ilun bad not been disturbed, and lir did not mean to be interfered with bv anv goveniinent. 268 ADMIXISTBATION OF POLK He insulted the Federal judges sent thither and drove them out of the Terri- tory, his pretext being that the objectionable character of the judges justified the step. Our government, which is always patient in such matters, could not accept this explanation, and Alfred Gumming, superintendent of Indian aifairs on the Upper jMissouri, was made governor of Utah and Judge Delano Eckels, of Indiana, was appointed chief justice of the Territoiy. Knowing that he would be resisted, Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston was sent thither to compel obedience to the laws. The United t^tates troops, numbering 2,500, entered the Territory in Oc- tobei- and were attacked by the Mormons, who destroyed their supply train and compelled the men to seek winter quarters near Fort Bridges. Aifairs were in this critical state when a messenger from the President, in the spring of 1858, carried a conciliatory letter to Bi-igham Young, which did much to soothe his ruffled feelings. Then, by-and-by, Governor Powell of Kentucky and Major McGulloch of Texas appeared with a proclamation of pardon to all who would submit to Federal authority. The Mormons were satisfied, accepted the terms, and in May, 1860, the United States troops were withdrawn from the Territory. Since that time our government has had many difficulties in dealing with the Mormons. Although polygamy is forbidden by the laws of the States and Territories, the sect continued to practice it. In March, 1882, Gongress passed what is known as the Edmunds Act, which excluded Mormons from local offices which tliey had hitherto wholly controlled. Many persons were indicted and punished for the jiractice of polygamy, while others abandoned it. Brigham Young, who had become governor of Deseret in 1849, and two years later was appointed governor of Utah, died in 1877, at which time he was president of the Mormon church. The practice of polygamy was never fully eradicated, and Utah, at this writing, is represented in the United States Senate by men who make no attempt at concealing the feet that they are polygamists. FRESIDExMIAL' ELECTION OF 1848. Tlie former Democrats and Whigs who were friendly to the Wilmot Proviso formed the Free Soil party in 1848, to which also the Abolitionists naturally attached themselves. The regular Whigs and Democrats refused to support the AVilmot Proviso, through fear of alienating the South. The Free Soilers named as their nominees Martin Van Buren, for President, and Gharles Francis Adams, of Massachusetts, for Vice-President ; the Democrats selected Louis Gass, of Michigan, for President, and William O. Butler, of Kentucky, for Vice-President ; the AVhig candidates were General Zachary Taylor, of Louis- iana, for President, and Millard Fillmore, of New York, for Vice-President. At the electoral vote Zachary Taylor was elected President and Millard Fill- more Vice-President. CHAPTER XIV. AOMINISXRATIONS OK TAVLOR, FILI.MORE, HIliRCt:, AXO BUCHAlXAN, 184&— 1SG7. ZiadLitry Taylor — The "Irrepressible Conflict " in Conjrress — The Omnibus Bill — Dentil of President Taylor — Millard Fillmore — Death oftlie Old Leaders and Debut of the New — The Census of 1H5U — Surveys for a Railway to the Pacific — Presidential Election of 1852 — Franklin Pierce — Death of Vice-President King — A Coujuiercial Treaty Made with Japan — Filibustering Expeditions — The Ostend Manifesto — The '' Know Nothing ' Part\ — The Kansas Nebraska Hill and Repeal of the Missouri Uomproiuise. ZACHAKY TAYLOR. Genkral Zachary Taylor, twelfth Pre.sidc^it of the United Stales, was Ijorn at Orange Court-House, Virginia, 8ej)teinber 24, 1784, but, while an infant, his parents removed to Ken- lucky. His school education was slight, but he posses.sed fine mili- tary instincts and developed into one of the best of soldiers. His services in the war of 1812 and in that Avitli Mexico have been told in I heir proper place. His defense of Fort Harrison, on the Wal)ash, diii-- ing the la.st war with England, wmi him the title of major by brcvol, that being the first time the honor was conferred in the American army. Xo man could have lieen less a politician than "Old Rough and Ready," for he had not cast a vote in forty years. Daniel Wel)ster char- ^_ acterized him as an " ignorant fron- tier colonel," and did not conceal his disgu.st over his nomination by the great jiarty of which the New England orator was the leader. It was Taylor's brilliant services in Mexico that made him popular above all others wilh the mtis.ses, who are the ones tliat ZACHABY TAYLOH. (17*1-1* U ) line imllial lerm. lKl'J-1. ■-.■>«. 270 TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN. make and unmake presidents. Besides, a great many felt that Taylor had not been generously treated by the government, and this sentiment had much to do with his nomination and election. THE IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT. The " irrepressible conflict " between slavery and freedom could not be post- poned, and when, on the 13th of February, 1850, the President sent to Con- gress the petition of California for admission as a State, the quarrel broke out afresh. The peculiar character of the problem has already been stated. A part of California lay north and a part south of 36° 30', the dividing line be- tween slavery and freedom as defined by the ]\Iissouri Compromise, thirty years before. Congress, therefore, had not the power to exclude slavery, and the question had to be decided by the peo2ile themselves. They had already done so by inserting a clause in the Constitution which 2")rohibited slavery. There were violent scenes on the floor of Congress. General Foote, of Mississippi, was on the point of discharging a jjistol at Colonel Benton, of Mis- souri, when bystanders seized his arm and prevented. Weapons were frequently drawn, and nearly every member went about armed and ready for a deadly affi-ay. The South threatened to secede from the Union, and we stood on the brink of civil war. THE COMPROMISE OF 1850. It was at this fearful juncture that Henry Clay, now an old man, submitted to the Senate his famous " Omnibus Bill," so called because of its many feat- ures, which proposed a series of compromises as follows : the admission of Cali- fornia as a State, with the Constitution adopted by her people (which prohibited slavery) ; the establishment of territorial governments over all the other newly acquired Territories, with no reference to slavery ; the abolishment of all traflfic in slaves in the District of Columbia, but declaring it inexpedient to abolish slavery there without the consent of the inhabitants and also of Maryland ; the assumption of the debts of Texas ; while all fugitive slaves in the free States should be liable to arrest and return to slavery. John C. Calhoun, the Southern leader, was earnestly opposed to the com- promise, but he was ill and within a few weeks of death, and his argument was read in the Senate by Senator Mason. Daniel Webster supported the measure with all his logic and eloquence, and it was his aid extended to Clay that brought about the passage of the bill, all the sections becoming laws in Septem- ber, 1850, and California, conquered from Mexico in 1846, took her place among the sisterhood of States. Webster's support of the fugitive slave law lost him many friends in the North, and, has been stated, rendered his election to the presidency impossible. MILLARD FILLMORE. 271 On the 4th of July, 1850, the remains from Kosciusko's tomb were depos- ited in the monument in Waishington, and President T.iylor was present at the ceremonies. Tlie heat was terrific and caiised him great distress. On his return home he drank hirge quantities of ice-water and milk, though he was warned against the danger of doing so. A fatal illness foUowetl, and he died on the 9th of Julv. Vice-President Fillmore was sworn into office un the following day. MILLARD FILL.M()I;E. Millard Fillmore, the thirteenth President, was hum at Suninicr Ilillf New York, February 7, 1800. He ^ ^ learned the fuller's trade, afterward taught school, and, studying law, was admitted to the bar in Buffalo, where he attained marked success. He was State compti'oller for one term and served in Congress for four terms. He died in Buffalo, March 7, 1874. Fillmore was a man of good ability, but the inferior of many of those who preceded him in the exalted office. He was a believer in the compromise measures of Clay, and performed his duties conscien- tiously and acceptably. Fillmore's administration is no- table for the fact that it saw the j)assing away of the foremost lead- ers. Clay, AVebster, and Calhoun, with others of less prominence. They were succeeded in Congress liv the anti-slavery champions, Wil- i- -, ■ Ham H. Seward, of New York; Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts; and Salmon P. Chase, of Ohio. From the South, too, came able men, in Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi; John Y. Mason, of Louisiana; and others. The giants had departed and their mantles fell upon shoulders that were not always able to wear them as fittingly as their predecessors. The slavery agitation produced its natural effect in driving many of the Sonthern Whigs into the Democratic party, while a few Northern Democrat-s united with the Whigs, who, however, were so disrupted that the organization 272 TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN. crumbled to pieces after tlie presidential election of 1852, and, for a time, no effective opposition to the Democratic i)arty seemed possible. THE NEED OF A TRANS-CONTINENTAL RAILROAD. The population of the United States in 1840 was 23,191,876. General prosperity prevailed, but all felt the urgent need of a railroad connecting Mis- souri and California. The Paciiic coast had become a leading part of tlie Union and its importance was growing every year. But the building of such a rail- way, through thousands of miles of wilderness, across lofty mountains and large rivers, was an undertaking so gigantic and expensive as to be beyond the reach of private parties, without congressional assistance. Still all felt that the road must be built, and, in 1853, Congress ordered surveys to be made in order to lind the best route. The building of the railway, however, did not begin until the War for the Union was well under way. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1852. AVhen the time arrived for jjresidential nominations, the Democratic con- vention met in Baltimore, June 12, 1852. The most i)rominent candidates were James Buchanan, Stephen A. Douglas, Lewis Cass, and William L. ]\Iarcy. There was little variance in their strength for thirty-five ballots, and everybody seemed to be at sea, when the Virginia delegation, on the next ballot, presented the name of Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire. " Who is Franklin Pierce ? " was the question that went round the hall, but, on the forty-ninth ballot, he received 282 votes to 11 for all the others, and the question was repeated throughout tlie United States. Pierce's opponent was General Winfield Scott, the connnander-in-chief in the Mexican War, who had done fine service in the War of 1812, and ranks among the foremost military leaders of our country. But; personally, he was unpopular, overbear- ing in his manners, a martinet, and without any personal magnetism. No doubt he regarded it as an act of impertinence for Pierce, who had been his sub- ordinate in Mexico, to presume to pit himself against him in the jjolitical field. But the story told by the November election was an astounding one and i-ead as follows : Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, Democrat, 254 ; Winfield Scott, of New Jersey, W^hig, 42; John P. Hale, of New Hampshire, Free Democrat, 0; Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, Whig, 0. For Vice-President : William R. King, of Alabama, Democrat, 254; William A. Graham, of North Carolina, AVhig, 42; George W. Julian, of Indiana, Free Democrat, 0. The Whig convention which put Scott in nomination met also in Baltimore, a few days after the Democratic convention. AVebster was confident of receiv- FEAXKLIN PIERCE. 273 ing tlie nomination, and it was the disappointment of liis life tliut he failed. Tlie " Free Democrats," who placeil candidates in nomination, represented those who were dissatisfied with the various compromise measures that had been adopted by Congress. The only States carried by Scott were Vermont, Massa- chusetts, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRANKLIN TIERCE. Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth President, was born at Hillsborough, New Hampshire, November 2o, 1804. Upon his graduation from Bowdoin College, he became a successful lawyer. He id ways showed a fondness for mili- tai-y matters, though not to the ex- tent of neglecting 2'olitics and his profession. He was elected to his State Legislature and was a mem- ber of Congress from 1833 to 1837, and, entering the Senate in 1839, he remained until 1842, afterward de- clining a cabinet appointment from Pi-esident Polk. He volunteered in the Mexican War, connnanded a brigade, and showed great gallantry in several Ijattles. He died October 8, 18G9. Mr. King, the Vice-President, was in such feeble health that he took the oath of office in Cid)a, and, I'etnrning to his native State, died A])ril 18, 1853, being the first vice- president to die in office. One re- markable fact should be stated re- gariling the administration of Pierce: there was not a change in his cabinet througiiout his whole term, tiie only instance of the kind thus far in our history. FHANKLIN PIERCE. (1801-1808,) One IcTiii, IS-'iJ-lSW. A TREATY WITH JAPAN. It seems strange that initil a few years, Japan was a closed nation to the world. Its people refused to have anything to do with any other country, ainif wished nothing from them except to l)e let alone. In 18")4, Commodore M. C Perry visited Japan with an American fleet and induced the government \<), make a commercial treaty with our own. This wits tlie beginning of the mar- is 274 TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN. velous j^rogress of that country in civilization and education, which forms one of the most astonishing records in the history of mankind. Jajian's over- whehning defeat of China, whose population is ten times as great as our own ; her acceptance of the most advanced ideas of civilization, and the wisdom of her rulers have carried her in a few years to a rank among the leading powers and justified the appellation of the "Yankees of the East," which is sometimes applied to her people. FILIBUSTERING. Pierce's administration was marked by a number of filibustering expeditions against Spanish possessions in the West Indies. None of them succeeded, and a number of the leaders were shot by the S^^anish authorities. The American government offered to purchase Cuba of Sj^ain, but that country indignantly replied that the mints of the world had not coined enough gold to buy it. Could she have foreseen the events of 1898, no doubt she would have sold out for a moderate price. In August, 1854, President Pierce directed Mr. Buchanan, minister to Eng- land, Mr. Mason, minister to France, and Mr. Soule, envoy to Spain, to meet at some convenient place and discuss the question of obtaining possession of Cuba. These distinguished gentlemen met at Ostend on the 9th of October, and adjourned to Aix-la-Chapelle, from which jilace they issued, on the 18th of October, what is known as the " Ostend Manifesto or Circular," in which thej^ recommended the purchase of Cuba, declaring that, if Spain refused to sell, the United States would be justified "by every law, human and divine," in wresting it from her. This declaration, for which there was no justification whatever, caused angry protest in Europe and in the free States of our country, but was ardently applauded in the South. Nothing came of it, and the country soon became so absorbed in the slavery agitation that it was forgotten. THE "know nothings." Patriotic men, who feared what was coming, did all in their power to avert it. One of these attempts was the formation of the "Know Nothing" party, which grew up like a mushroom and speedily acquired a power that enabled it to carry many local elections in the various States. It was a secret organization, the members of which were bound by oath to oppose tlie election of foreign- born citizens to office. The salutation, when one member met another, was, "Have you seen Sam?" If one of them was questioned about the order, his reply was that he knew nothing, from which tJie name was given to what was really the Native American party. It soon ran its course, but has been suc- ceeded in its cardinal principles by the American Protective Association of the present day. THE MISSOURI COMPROMlsK -Meanwhile, the shivery question was busy at its woi'k of disintegraliou. Tiie Democratic party was heUl together for a time by the Compromise of 18-30, to the effect that the inhabitants of the new Territories of New Mexico and Utah should be left to decide for themselves the question of slavery. In a few years the settlements in Nebraska and Kansas made it necessary to erect ten-i- torial government-^ there, ami the question of slavery was thus brought befoie Congress again. The Missouri Compromise forbade shivery forever in those sec- tions, for both of them lie to the north parallel of 3G° 30'. Stephen A. Douglas, however, and a number of other Detnoeraiic leaders in Congress claimed that the Compromise of 1850 nullified tlii~ agreement, and that the same freedom oi' choice should be given to the citizen> of Kansas and Nebraska as was given to those in Utah and New Mexico. This policy was called "Squatter Sov- ereignty." THE .MISSOURI COMPROMISE. The bill was bitterly fought in Con- gress, but it passed the Senate by a vote of thirty-seven to fourteen, and after another fierce struggle was adopted in the liouse by a vote of 113 to 100. It received several amendments, and the President signed it ]May 31, 1854. Thus the Missouri Compromise was repealed and the first note of civil wai- sounded. The question of slavery wa> opened anew, and could never be closeil without the slieddiu"- of blood to an extent tli.il no one dreanuN LUCBETIA MOTT. Tlie advance Agent of emancipation. (1703-1880.) I'OKMATION OF THE REPUHLIC.VN I'AKTV. The enforcement of the fugitive slave law was resisted in the North and niunerous conflicts took place. During the attempted ai-rest of Anthony Burns in Boston a deputy-sheriff was shot dead, and Federal troops from Ilhode Island had to be summoned before Burns could be returned to shivery. Former political opponents began uniting in both sections. In the North the opponents of slavery, comprising Democrats, Free-Soilers, Know Nothings, Whigs, and Al)o- litionists, joined in the formation of the "Anti-Nebraska Men," and under that name they elected, in 1854, a majority of the House of Representatives for the 270 TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN. next Congress. Soon after the election, the new organization took the name of Rejjnblicans, by which they are known to-day. Its members, with a few ex- ceptions among the Germans in Missouri and the Ohio settlers in western Virginia, belonged wholly to the North. CIVIL WAR IN KANSAS. Kansas became for the time the battle-ground between slavery and freedom. Societies in the North sent emigrants into Kansas, first furnishing them with Bibles and rifles, while the jiro-slavei-y men swarmed thither from Missouri, and the two parties fought each other like A2)aclie Indians. In the midst of the civil war, a territorial legislature was formed, and in many instances the majority of the candidates elected was double that of the voting population in the district. Governor A. H. Reeder, of Pennsylvania, had been appointed governor of the Territory, and, finding himself powerless to check the anarchy, went to Washington in Apiil, 1855, to consult with the government. While there he was nominated for Congress, and defeated by the fraudulent votes of the pro-slavery men. Meanwhile, two State governments had been formed. The pro-slavery men met at Lecomjv ton, in March, and adopted a Constitution per- mitting slavery. Their opponents assembled in Lawrence, August 15th, and elected delegates, who came together in October and ratified the Topeka Constitution, which forbade slavery. In January, 1856, the people held an election under this Constitution. In the same month President Pierce sent a message to Congress, in which he declared the for- mation of a free State government in Kansas an act of rebellion, while that adopted at Lecompton was the valid government. Governor Reeder was superseded by William Shannon. A committee sent by Congress into the Territory to investigate and rej)ort could not agree, and nothing came of it. The civil war grew worse. A free State government, with General Joseph Lane as its head and sujiported by a well-armed force, was formed at Lawrence. The town was sacked and almost destroyed, May 20, 1856. On the 4th of July following, the free State Legislature was dispersed by Federal troops, upon order of the national government. John W. Geary now tried his hand as governor. His first step was to call HENHy ■WARD BEECHEB. The Great Pulpit Orntnr and Anti-Slavery Agitator. JA3IES BUCIIAXAX. 277 upon both parties to disarm, and neither jiaid any attention to him. Finding he couhl not liave the support of tlie I'resident in tlie vigorous pMiiry lie widhed lo adopt, Governor Geary resigned ancl was succeeded by lioberl J. W'allcer of" Mis- sissippi. He showed a disposition to be fair to all concerned, but, before he could accomplish anything, he was turned out to make room for J. W. Denver. He was soon disgusted and gave way to tSanuiel Medary. Before long, it be- came evident that the influx of northern settlers must overcome the pro-slavery men, and the struggle was given n[) by the latter. A constitntion prohibiting slavery was ratified in 1859 and Charles Kobinson elected governor. VIOLKXT SCEXKS IN C()N(;i;K.SS. Nebraska lies so far north that it was not disturbed. Acts of disgraceful violence took place in Congress, challenges to duels being exchanged, personal collisions occurring on the floor, while most of the members went armed, not knowing what minute they would be assaulted. In ^lay, 1850, Senator Charles Sumner, of Massachnsetts, for utterances made in debate, was savagely assaulteil by Preston S. Brooks, of South Carolina, and received injuries from which he (lid not recover for several years. Brooks was lionized in the South for his brutal act and re-elected to Congress by an overwhelming majority. The Republican jjarty was growing rapidly in strength, and in ISotJ it placed its candidates in the field and astonished the rest of the country by the vote it rolled up, as shown in the following statistics : James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, Democrat, 1 74 ; John C. Fremont, of California, Republican, 114; Millard Fillmore, of Xew York, Native Ameri- can, 8. For Vice-President, John C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, Democrat, 174; William L. Dayton, of Xew Jersey, Republican, 114 ; A. J. Donelson, of Tenuessee. Native American, S J \MKS BUCHAN.AN'. James Buchanan, fifteentli President, was born in Mercersburg, Pennsvl- vania, April 2:5, 1701, and graduated from Dickinson College in 1809. He be- came a lawyer, was elected to the State Legislature and to Congress in 1821. Thenceforward, he was almost continuously in office. President Jackson appointed him minister to Russia in 1832, but, soon returning home, he wa.s elected to the United States Senate in 1834. He left that body, in 1845, to become Polk's secretary of State. In 185:}, he was appointe(i ministei' to England, where he remained until his election to the presidency in 185(j. He died at his home in Lancaster, June 1, 18(58. The many honors conferred upon Buchanan prove his ability, though he has been often accused of showin<; timid- 278 TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN. ity during his term of office, which was of the most trying nature. He was the only bachelor among our Presidents. STATES ADMITTED. Minnesota was admitted to the Union in 1858. It was a part of the Lou- isana i^urchase. Troubles over the Indian titles delayed its settlement until 1851, after which its growth was wonderfully rapid. Oregon was admitted in 1859. The streams of emigration to California overflowed into Oregon, where some of the precious metal was found. It was learned, how'ever, in time that Oregon's most valuable treasure mine was in her wheat, which is ex- ported to all parts of the world. Kansas, of which we have given an account in the preceding pages, was quietly admitted, directly after the seceding Senators abandoned their ; seats, their votes having kept it out up to that time. The population of the United States in 1860 was 31,- 443,321. Prosperity prevailed every- where, and, but for the darkening sliadows of civil war, the condition of no people could have been more happy and promising. THE DEED SCOTT DECISION. Dred Scott was the negro slave of Dr. Emerson, of Missouri, a sur- geon in the United States army. In ihe discharge of his duty, his owner took him to military posts in Illi- JAMES BUCHANAN. (17>J1-1SU5.) One term, 1S37-1S61. nois and Minnesota. Scott mariied a negro woman in Minnesota, and both were sold by Dr. Emerson upon his return to Missouri. The negro brought suit for his freedom on the ground that he had been taken into territory where slavery was forbidden. The case passed through the various State courts, and, reaching the United States Su2ireme Court, that body made its decision in March, 1857. This decision was to the effect that negro slaves were not citizens, and no means existed by which they could become such; they were simply property^ like household goods and chattels, and their owner could take them into any THE I) RED SCOTT DECISION. 279 State HI the Union without forfeiting his ownership in tlicm. It fbllowed also from this important decision that the IMissonri Compromise of 1820 and tlie Compromise of 1850 were null and void, since it was heyond the power of the contracting parties to make such agreements. Six of the justices con- ciinv'i ill ilii- i!t'.i-i..ii ;ind two dissentec LUCRE! I A ECTING THE NEGRO DANGERFIELD i'ROM THE MOB IN PHILADELPHIA. When Daniel Dnngcrfield, a ftigilive sliive, was tried in I'liiladilpliiii, l.neretia Mott sat during all his trial by the side of the prisoner. When the trial was cmlid Dangerfield was set at liberty, anil MrIo. — Supersedure of Fremont— Operations on the Coast — 'I'lie Trent Affair — Summary of the Year's Operations. Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth Presi(]ont, ranks anidnjr tlie greatest tliat lias ever presided over the desti- nies of our country. He was born ii- Hardin (now Larue) County, Kentucky, February 12, 1809, but when seven years old his parents i-cinoved to Lidiana, making their home near the present town of Gen- try vi lie. His early life wa.s one of extreme jioverty, and his whole schooling did not amount to more than a year; but, jio-ssessing a studious mind, he improved every spare hour in the study of instructive books. At the age of sixteen the tall, awkward, but jiowerful boy was earning a living by managing a ferry across the Ohio. He re- mained for some time after reaching manhood with his parents, who re- moved to Illinois in 1830, and built a log-cabin on the north fork of the 8angamon. He was able to give valuable hclji in dealing the ground and ABRAHAM LlWCOLiN. (ISu'J-lKO.i.) Twu tonus ^.lie FORT SUMTKU. 287 never questioned, won for him the name of " Honest Abe." He was one of the most kind-hearted of men, and liis rule of life was " malice toward none and charity for all. He grew with the demands of the tremendous responsibilities placed upon him, and the re|nitation he won as patriot, statesman, and leader has been surpassed by no previous I'resident and becomes great(>r with the passing years. MAJOR ANDEKSON AND FOKT SUMTER. All eyes were turned toward Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. It was the strongest of the defenses. jNIajor Koliert Andenson, learning that the Con- federates intended to take possession! of it, secretly removed his garrison from Fort Moultrie on the night of I December 2G, 18G0. Anderson was in a trying position, for the secretai-y of war, Floyd, and the adjutant- general of the ai'my. Cooper, lo I whom he was obliged to report, wei secessionists, and not only refused to I give him help, but threw every ob- stacle in his way. President Bu- chanan was surrounded by secession- ists, and most of the time was be- wildered as to his course of duty, He resented, however, the demand] of Secretary Floyd for the removal | of Anderson because of the change he had made from Moultrie to Sum- ter. Floyd resigned and was sm--! ceeded by Joseph Holt, of Kentucky, an uncompromising Unionist, who did all he coidd to hold up the Presi- dent in his tottering position of a friend of the Union. The latter grew stronger as he noted the awakening sentiment of loyalty throughout the North. An admirable act was the apjiointment of Edwin il. Stanton as attorney-general, for he was a man of great abilitv and a relentless enemy of secession. JEFFiiRbON DAVIS. .TEFFERSOX DAVIS. Jefferson Davis, who had l)een chosen President of tlie Southern Confederacy that was formed at Montgomery, Alabama, early in February, was born in Ken- tucky, June ;>, 1808. Thus he and President Lincoln were natives of the same •288 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. State, with less than a year's difference in their ages. Davis was graduated at West Point in 1828, and served on the northwest frontier, in the Black Hawk War. He was also a lieutenant of cavalry in the operations against the Co- manches and Apaches. He resigned from the army and became a cotton-planter in Mississippi, which State he represented in Congress in 1845-46, but resigned to assume the colonelcy of the First Mississippi regiment. Colonel Davis displayed great gallantry at the storming of Monterey and at the battle at Buena Vista, and on his return home was immediately elected to the United States Senate, in which he served 1847-51 and 1857-61. From 1853 to 1857 he was secretary of war under Pierce. He was one of the Southern leaders, and had already been mentioned as a candidate for the presidency. He resigned his seat in the United States Senate in January, 1861, upon the secession of his State, and, being elected Provisional President of the Southern Confederacy February 9th, was inaugurated February 18th. In the following year he and Stephens were regularly elected President and Vice-President respectively, and were inaugurated on the 18th of the month. INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. President-elect Lincoln left his home in Springfield, Illinois, on the 11th of February for Washington. He stopped at various points on the route, and addressed multitudes that had gathei-ed to see and hear him. A plot was formed to assassinate him in Baltimore, l)ut it was defeated by the vigilance of the officers attending Lincoln, who took him through the city on an earlier train than was expected. General Scott had the capital so well protected by troops that no disturbance took place during the inauguration. BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER. The Confederate government sent General Beauregard to assume charge of the defenses in Charleston harbor. Finding the fort was being furnished with supplies, he telegraphed to his govei'nment for instructions. He was ordered to enforce the evacuation. Beauregard demanded the surrender of the fort, and, being refused by Major Anderson, he opened fire, early on the morning of April 12tli, from nineteen batteries. Major Anderson had a garrison of 79 soldiers and 30 laborers who helped serve the guns. He allowed the men to eat bi-eak- fast before replying. In a few hours the supply of cartridges gave out, and blankets and other matei-ial were used as substitutes. The garrison were kept within the bomb-proof galleries, and did not serve the guns on the open para- pets, two of which had been dismounted by the fire from the Confederate batteries, which after a time set fire to the oflfioers' barracks. The flames were extinguished, but broke out several times. The smoke became so smothering UNION TEOOPS ATTACKED IN BALTIMORE. 289 that the men could breathe ouly by lying flat on their faces. Finally the posi- tion became so untenable that Anderson ran up the white flag in token of surrender. No one was killed on either side. The news of the surrender created wild excitement North and South and united both sections. While the free States rallied to the Union, almost as one man, the Unionists in the South became ardent supporters of the cause of dis- union. It was now a solid North against a solid South. Three days after the surrender of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln called FORT MOULTKIE, CHAELESTON, WITH FORT SUMTER IN THE DISTANCE. for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months, and Congress was summoned to meet on the 4th of July. Few people comprehended the stupendous work that would be required to crush the rel)ellion. While the South was hurrying its .sons into the ranks, 300,000 answered the call of President Lincoln, who on the 19th of April issued another proclamation declaring a blockade of the Southern ports. UNION TROOPS ATTACKED IN BALTIMORE. JMany of the Confederates demanded that an advance should bi'inade upon 19 290 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. Washington, and, had it been done promptly, it could have been captured without difficulty. Realizing its danger, the national governnient called upon the States for troops and several regiments were hui-ried thither. While the Seventh Pennsylvania and Sixth Massachusetts were passing through Baltimore, they were savagely assailed by a mob. A portion of the Sixth Massachusetts were hemmed in, and stoned and pelted with pistol-shots. They remained cool until three of their number had been killed and eight wounded, when they let fly with a volley which stretched nearly a dozen rioters on the ground, besides wounding many others. This drove the mob back, although they kept up a fusillade until the train drew out of the city wnth the troops aboard. ACTIVITY OF THE CONFEDERATES. The Confederates in Virginia continued active. They caj^tured Harper's Ferry and the Norfolk Navy Yard, both of which proved very valuable to them. Their government issued " letters of marque " which permitted private persons to cajiture merchant vessels belonging to the United States, against which the Confederate Congress declared war. The border States wwe in perhajis the most trying situation of all, for, while they wished to keep out of the war, they were forced to act the part of buffer between the hostile States. The secessionists in Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri made determined efforts to bring about the secession of those States, but the Union men were too strong. The armies on both sides received many recruits from the States named, which in some cases suffered from guer- rilla fighting between former friends and neighbors. Kentucky, whose governor was a secessionist, thought she could hold a neutral position, but the majority of the citizens were Union in their sentiments. Besides, the situation of the State was such that it was soon invaded by armed forces from both sides, and some of the severest battles of the war were fought on its soil. THE WAR AS VIEWED IN EUROPE. The ]>rospect of the splitting apart of the United States was pleasing to all the European powers, with the single exception of Russia. France was especially urgent in favoring an armed intervention in favor of the Confederacy, but England would not agree, nor would she recognize the Confederate States as an independent nation, for, had she done so, the United States would immedi- ately have declared war against her. In May, however, England declared the Confederacy a belligerent power, thereby entitling it to make war and man war vessels, which could take refuge in foreign ports. While this recognition was of unquestionable help, it would not have amounted to a great deal had not England permitted the building of swift and powerful cruisers, which were THE MILITARY tliin'^ iviinding, while ( iciicr;d i!uell, witli tiie other ])ortion of the ITnion army, started for the same point hy land. Aware of this ■division of the Federal forces, (Jenend Albert Sidney Jolinst(Mi hastily concen- trated liis own divisions with the iuit iilinii df crushing the two Union armies before ihev could unite. When .lnhusidii iirrivcd in tlie vicinity of Pittsburg Liinding on the '.'A ol" Api'il lie hiid lO.dOO iiicii, divided into three eorjis and a reserve. HATTLK OF I'lTTSliUiai LANDING. IMttsburg Landing, or Shiloh, as it is called in the South, consists of a high binlf. a half-mile in extent, where (Jeneral W. T. Sliernian had been ordered to tiike position aiui prepar;' for tlie.srrival of 1(K),0(K) men. (jrant was not prepared for the unexpected attack. r>iiell was some distance away with 40,0(X) troops, :iii(l the Union connnander had a somewhat less force on his side of the Tennessee lliver. Only a few defenses had been thrown up, and the men were scattered over the ground, when at daylight on Sunday morning, A])ril (ith, the ( "d n fed i Males I'midusly assailed the outlying divisions of the Union army and drove tlieni liaek updii the main l)ddy. They steadily gained ground, and it looked as if nolhing could save the Union army from overwheliiung disaster. When the attack was made (ii-ant was du the o|)posite side of the river in ■con.sultatioii with Buell. Hurrying to the scene of the furious conllict, it looked as if his army was on tlie edge of inevitai)le deslruclion, but he handled his demoralized forces with such m:isicrly skill that tiie jianic was checked, and on the river bank, over which they had been well-nigh driven, an (^tftM'tive stand was made and the ( "onfederates were checked, the gunboats giving invaluable assistance in saving the ai'my from defeat, 'i'hc night closed with all the advantage on the side of the Confederates. The darkness, however, was of inuneasurable value to tlie Fed on the np|)er jiart of the Tennessee, prepareil to strike blows in any direction. EV.\CUATION OF COIilNTH. The witlidrawal of Beauregard to Corinth made that ])oint valuable to the Unionists, because of the large nuudx-r of railroads which centre there. It was 20 306 ADMiyiSTRATION OF LINCOLN. strongly fortified, and no one expected its capture without a severe battle. General Halleck, who was high in favor with the government, assumed com- mand of the Union armies and began an advance upon Corinth. He moved slowly and with great caution, and did not reach the front of the place until the close of May. While making preparations to attack, Beauregard withdrew and retired still further southward. No further Union advance was made for some time. The important result accomplished was in opening up the Missis- sippi from Cairo to Memphis and extending the Union line so that it passed along the southern boundary of Tennessee. Beauregard resembled McClellan in many respects. He was excessively cautious and disposed to dig trenches and throw up fortifications rather than fight. Jefferson Davis always had a warm regard for General Braxton Bragg, whom he now put in the place of Beauregard. By the opening of September, Bragg had an army of 60,000 men. Kirby Smith's corps was at Knoxville and Hardee and Polk were with Bragg at Chattanooga. They were ordered to march through Kentucky to Louisville, threatening Cincinnati on the way. Kirby Smith's approach threw that city into a panic, but he turned off and joined Bragg at Frankfort. A KACE FOR LOUISVILLE. By this time the danger of Louisville was apparent, and Buell, who was near Nashville, hastened to the defense of the more important city. Bragg ran a race with him, but the burning of a bridge, spanning the river at Bardstown, stopped him just long enough to allow Buell to reach Louisville first. This Avas accomplished on the 2oth of Se])tember, and Buell's army was increased to 100,000 men. BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE. Disappointed in securing the main pi'ize, Bragg marched to Frankfort, where he installed a provisional governor of Kentucky and issued a high-sound- ing proclamation, to which few paid attention. Bragg had entered one of the richest sections of the State, and he secured an enormous amount of supplies in the shape of cattle, mules, bacon, and cloth. His })resence in the State was intolerable to the Union forces, and Buell, finding a strong army under his command, set out to attack him. Bragg started to retreat through the Cumber- land Mountains on the 1st of Octobei-, with Buell in jDursuit. A severe but indecisive battle was fought at Perryville, and the Confederates succeeded in carrying away their immense booty to Chattanooga, while the LTnion army took position at Nashville. The government was dissatisfied with the sluggishne.'* of Buell and re- placed him with General William S. Rosecrans. He jjosted a paii of his army BATTLE OF PEA EIDGE. 307 at Nashville and the remainder along the line of the Cumberland Kiver. Advancing against Bragg, he faced him in front of Murfreesboro', some forty- miles from Nashville. On the oOth of December brisk firing took place between the armies, and when they encamped for the night their lires were in plain sight of each otlier. BATTLE OF MUKFREESBORO' OR STONE RIVER. The opposing forces were on both sides of Stone Kiver (this battle is gen- erally referred to in the South by that name), a short distance to the northwest of Miirfreesbor(y. By a curious coincidence, each of the respective commanders formed the same plan of attack, it being to mass his forces on the left and crush his enemy's right wing. A terrific engagement lasted all day, and night closed without any decisive advantage to either side, though the Confederates had succeeded in driving back the Union right upon the left and occupying a considerable portion of the field formerly held by the Federals. The exhaustion of the armies prevented anything more than skirmishing on New Year's day, 1863, but on the afternoon of January 2d the furious liattle was renewed. Rosecrans ordered an advance of the whole line, and the Confederate right wing was broken and the flank so endangered that Bragg was compelled to withdraw his entire ai-my. The only way for him to retain Ten- nessee was to abandon Murfreesboro'. Accordingly, he retreated to a point beyond Duck River, about fifty miles south of Murfreesboro', which was occu- pied liy the Federals, January 5, 1863. Otlier important events took place in the AVest. General Sterling Price wintered in Springfield, Missouri, in the southern part of the State, and gained a good many recruits and a large amount of needed supplies. He was attacked l)y Sigel and Curtis on the 12th of February, and continued his retreat to the Boston Alountains, where he was reinforced by McCulloeh, Van Dorn, and Albert Pike, and felt himself strong enough to turn about and attack Curtis, who was in the neighborhood of Pea Ridge. BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE. The Union right was commanded by General Sigel, the left by General Carr, and tlie centre by General Jefferson C. Davis. Sigel was surprised and came very near being cut off, but he was master of the art of i-etreating rather than of advancing, and he extricated his Germans with astonishing skill and joined the main army. General Curtis changed his front, and in the attack his right wing was driven back, obliging him that night to take a new position a mile to the rear. The fighting next day was at first in favor of the Confederates, and for a time the Union army was in a. critical position ; l)Ut with great bravery 308 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. and skill the enemy's left was turned, the centre broken, and their forces driven in disorder from the field. In this battle Albert Pike used 2,000 Indian allies. They belonged to the *' civilized " tribes, and good service was expected from them ; but they were un- accustomed to fighting in the open, could not be disciplined, and in the excite- ment of the struggle it is alleged they so lost their heads that they scalped about as many of the Confederates as Unionists. At any rate, the experiment was a failure, and thereafter they cut no figure in the war. INDECISIVE FIGHTING. The enemy were so badly shaken that they retreated toward the North to reorganize and reci-uit. Reinforcements from Kansas and Missouri also joined Curtis, who advanced in the direction of Springfield, Missouri, upon learning that Price was making for the same point. Nothing followed, and Curtis returned to Arkansas. He had been at Batesville in that State a few months when he found himself in serious peril. His supplies were nearly ex- hausted, and it was impossible to renew them in the hostile country by which he was surrounded. An expedition for his relief left Memphis in June, but failed. Supplies from Missouri, however, reached him early in July. Curtis marched to Jacksonport, and afterward established himself at Helena on the Mississippi. In September he was appointed commander of the depart- ment of Missouri, which included that State, Arkansas, and the Indian Terri- tory. There were many minor engagements, and the Unionists succeeded in keeping the Confederates from regaining their former foothold in Missouri and north of Arkansas. It may be said that all the fighting in that section pro- duced not the slightest effect on the war as a whole. The best military leaders of the Confederacy advised President Davis to withdraw all his forces beyond the Mississippi and concentrate them in the East, but he rejected their counsel, and his stubbornness greatly weakened the Confederacy. Having given an account of military operations in the West, it now remains to tell of the much more important ones that occurred on the coast and in the East, for they were decisive in their nature, and produced a distinct effect upon the progress of the war for the Union. CONSTRUCTION OF THE MERRIMAC. It has been stated that early in the war the Norfolk navy yard was burned to prevent its fiilling into the possession of the Confederates. Among the vessels sunk was the frigate 3l€7'rimac, which went down before much injury was done to her. She was a formidable craft of 3,500 tons, 300 feet in length, and had mounted 40 guns. The Confederates succeeded in raising her, and CONSTRUCTION OF THE MERRIMAC. 309 proceeded to work marvelous changes in her structure, by which she was turned into the first real armor-clad ever constructed. She was protected by layers of railroad iron, which sloped like the roof of a house, and was furnished with a prow of cast iron which projected four feet in front. Pivot guns were so fixed as to be used for bow and stern chasers, and the pilot-house was placed forward of the smoke-stack and armored with four inches of iron. She carried ten guns, one at the stern, one at the bow, and eight at the sides, and fired shells. SECKETAEY STANTON'S OPINION ABOUT THE MERKIMAC. '■ The whole character of the war will be changed." Her iron armor sloped down at the sides, so that she looked like an enormous; mansard-roof moving through the water. Her commanding officer was Com- modore Franklin Buchanan, formerly of the United States navy, while under him were Lieutenant Catesby R.. Jones, the executive officer, six other lieuten- ants, six midshipmen, surgeons, engineers, and subordinate officers, in addition to a crew of 300 men. She was rechristened the Virginia, but will always be remembered as the llerrimac. Of necessity this craft, being the pioneer of its kind, had many defects. She 310 AmilNISTEATION OF LINCOLN. could move only very slowly, and her great length of oOO feet and j^oor steering ajjparatus required a half-hour for her to make a complete turn, while her tUatt of 22 feet conhned her to the narrow channel of the Koads. iStill she could go hister than an ordinary sailing vessel, and her resistless momentum and iron prow enabled her to crush any vessel afloat as if it were an egg-shell. Great jiains were taken by the Cou federates to keep secret the jiarticulars of her building ; but it was known in Washington that a strange craft was in course of construction at Norfolk, with which it was expected to capture Wash- ington and devastate the leading cities along the Atlantic seaboard. Ericsson, the famous Swedish inventor, was engaged near New York in building a smaller vessel upon the same principle, and he was pressed to make all jaossible haste in finishing it ; for, though the government did not suspect the terrible efiective- ness of the Jlerritnac, they meant to take all reasonable precautions against it. AWFUL WORK OF THE MEEFaMAC. There were lying at Hampton Roads at that time fi\-e Union vessels, which, being so close to the dangerous craft, were on the alert day and night for her appearance. About noon on March 8th a column of dark smoke in the direc- tion of the Norfolk navy yai-d, followed by the forging into sight of the huge hulk, left no doubt that the long-expected Merrimae was coming forth upon her errand of death and destruction. In her company were three gunboats ready to aid her in any wav possible. The steam frigate Min-nesota and Roanoke and the sailing tVigates Congress, Cumberland, and St. Laurence immediately cleared their decks for action. The Minnesota and Roanoke moved out to meet the Ilerrimac, but both got aground. In the case of the Minnesota this was due to the treachery of the pilot, who was in the employ of the Confederates. The Cumberland swerved so as to bring her lirnadsides to bear, and opened with her pivot guns, at the distance of a mile. The aim was accurate, but the iron balls which struck the massive hide of the 3Ierrimac bounded off like pebbles skipping over the water. Then the Congress added her broadsides to those of the Cumberland, but the leviathan shed them all as if they were tiny hailstones, and, slowly advancing in grim silence, finally opened with her guns, quickly killing four marines and five sailors on the Cumberland. Then followed her resistless broadsides, which played awful havoc with officers and men. Swinging slowly around, the J?<;'?-;-/- mac next steamed a mile up the James, and, turning again, came back under full speed. Striking the Cumberland under the starboard bow, she smashed a hole into her through which a horse might have entered. The ship keeled over until her yardarms were close to the water. The terrific force broke off the prow of the llerrimac, but her frightful shots riddled the Cumberland and set THE MONITOR, 311 her on fire. The flames were extinguished, and the Cumberland delivered broadside alter broadside, only to see the enormous missiles fly ofl' and spin iiarmlessly hundreds of feet away. Lieutenant George U. Morris, of the Cuinberlnnd, ran up the red flag meaning " no surrender," and with a heroism never surpassetl maintained the une(jnal fight, if fight it can be called where there was absolutely no ho])e for him. Finally the Cumberland went down to her cross-trees, in fifty-four feet of water. Lieutenant Morris succeeded in saving himself by swimming, but of the crew of 37*5, ll31 lost their lives. The Cunibcrlnnd being destroyed, the 3Icrriniac headed for the Congress, which had run aground. She replied with her harmless broadsides, but the Ilerriniac held her completely at her mei-cy, raking her fore and aft, and killing 100 of the crew, including the commander. It being evident that not a man could escape, the white flag was run up in token of surrender. The hot firing fi-om the shore preventing Commodore Buchanan from taking possession of the Congress, whereupon he fired her with hot shot. During the fighting, Commodore Buchanan fearlessly exposed himself on the upper deck of the Merrimac, and was badly wounded in the thigh by a Union sharpshooter, whereupon the command was assumed hy Lieutenant Jones. By that time it was growing dark and the 3ferrimac steamed back to Sewall's Point, intending to return the next morning and complete her appalling work of destruction. CONSTERNATION IN THE NORTH. The news of what she had done caused consternation throughout the North. President Lincoln called a special cabinet meeting, at which Secretary Stanton declared, in great excitement, that nothing could prevent the monster from steaming up the Potomac, destroying Washington, and laving the prin- cipal northern cities under contribution. The alarm of the bluff* secretary was natural, but there was no real ground fir it. THE MONITOR. The Swedish inventor, John Ericsson, had completed his Ifonilor, which at that hour was steaming southward from New York. Although an ii'on-clad like the Jlrrrimae, she was as different as can be conceived in construction. She resembled a raft, the up\wr portion of which was 172 feet long and the lower 124 feet. The sides of the former were made of oak, twenty-five inches thick, and covered with five-inch iron armor. The turret was protected by eight-inch plates of wrought iron, increasing ill thickness to the port-holes, near which it was eleven inches thrnugh. It was niiu^ feet high, with a diameter of twenty-one feet. Slie drew oidy ten feet 312 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. of water, and was armored with two eleven-inch Dahlgreu guns, smooth bore, firing solid shot weighing 180 pounds. The pilot-house was made of nine-inch plates of forged iron, rose four feet above the deck, and Avould hold three men by crowding. The Monitor was one-fifth the size of the Merrimac, and her aj)pearance has been likened to that of a cheese-box on a raft. She was in command of Lieutenant John L. Worden, with Lieutenant S. Dana Green as executive ofiicer. Her crew consisted of sixteen ofiicers and forty-two men, and she left New York on the morning of March 6th, in tow of a tug-boat, The greatest difficulty was en- countered in managing her, the men narrowly escaping being smothered by gas, and, had not the weather been unusually favor- able, she would have foundered ; but 23rovidentially she steamed into Hampton Roads, undiscov- ered by the enemy, and took her position behind the Ilinnesotay ready for the events of the mor- row. The Ilerrimac was promj^tly on time the next morning, and was accomj)anied by two gun- boats; but while steaming toward the remaining Union vessels the Monitor darted out from behind the Min7iesota and boldly advanced to meet her terrible antagonist.. They silently approached each other until within a hundred yards, when the Blonitor filled a shot, to Avhich the Merrimac replied. The firing was rapid for a time and then became slower, with the intervening^ space varying from fifty yards to four times that distance. A number of the '3Ierrhnacs shots struck the Monitor'' s pilot-house and turret, the cra.sh doing "no- harm excejDt almost to deafen the men within. Most of the shells, however, missed or skipped over the low deck of the smaller boat. The latter was able to dodge the rushes of the larger craft and play all around her, but the terrible pounding worked damage to both, the 3Ionitor suf- fering the most. The iron plate of the pilot-house was lifted by a shell, which JOHN ERICSSON". The famous constructor of the Monitor. CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS. 315 blinded Lieutenant Worden, and so disabled him that he was forced to turn over the command to Lieutenant Green. Worden, who lived to become an admiral, never fully recovered from his injuries. The firing, dodging, ramming, and fighting continued for four hours, but the 3Ierrimac was unable to disable her nimble antagonist, and slowly steamed back to Norfolk, while the 3Ionitor returned to her former position, and was carefully kept in reserve by the govern- ment against future perils of a similar character. FATE OF THE MERRIMAC AND MONITOR. Neither of the vessels was permitted to do further service. Some months later, upon the evacuation of Norfolk, the Merrimac was blown \x\) to jarevent her falling into the hands of the Unionists, and the Ilonitor foundered off" Hat- teras in December, 1862. The battle wrought a complete revolution in naval warfare. The days of wooden shij^s ended, and all the navies of the world are now made up mainly of ironclads. More important work was done by the Union fleets during this year. The government put forth every energy to build ships, with the result that hundreds were added to the naval force, many of which were partial and others wholly ironclad. OTHER COAST OPERATIONS. A month before the fight between the Ifonitor and Merrimac, a formidable naval expedition under Commodore Goldsborough and General Ambrose E. Burnside passed down the Atlantic coast and captured Roanoke Island. St. Augustine and a number of other places in Florida were captured by troops from Port Royal. Siege was laid to Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savannah River, and it surrendered April 11th. The advantage of these and similar cap- tures was that it gave the blockading fleets control of the principal harbors, and made it easier to enforce a rigid blockade. There were two ports, however, which the Union vessels were never able to capture until the close of the war. They were Charleston and Wilmington, North Carolina. The latter became the chief port from which the Confederate blockade-runners dashed out or en- tered and were enabled to bring the most-needed medical and other supplies to the Confederacy, while at the same time the owners and officers of the ships reaped fortunes for themselves. CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS. One of the primal purposes of the war was to oj^en the Mississipj^i, which was locked by the enemy at Vicksburg and New Orleans. As a necessary step in the opening of the great river, an expedition was fitted out for the capture of New Orleans. Well aware of what was coming, the Confederates had done 314 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. all they could to strengthen the defenses of the city. Thirty miles from the mouth of the Mississippi were the powerful Forts Jackson and tSt. Philip, on op- jiosite sides of the river. They mounted 100 heavy guns, and six powerful chains were stretched across, supported by an immense raft of cyjaress logs. Thus the river was closed and no fleet could approach New Orleans until these obstructions were removed or overcome. When this should be done, it was still seventy-five miles to New Orleans. Above the bu(jm of hulks and logs was^ fleet of fifteen Confederate ves- sels, including the ironclad ram 3Ianassas, and a partly completed floating bat- tery armored with railroad iron, and known as the Louisiana. It has been stated that the ironclads of those days were only partly protected by armor. The naval and military exjwdition which sailed for New Orleans in the spring of 18G2 consisted of six sloops of war, sixteen gunboats, five other ves- sels, and twenty-one mortar-schooners, the last being under charge of Captain David D. Porter, while Commodore David G. Farragut had command of the fleet. The troops, mostly from New England, were commanded by General B. F. Butler. Farragut crossed the bar, Ajjril 8th, and spent several days in making his j^reparations for bombarding Forts Jackson and St. Philip. The bombardment began April 27th, 1,400 shells being thrown in one day. Farragut then called his captains together and told them he had resolved to run by the forts. The only question, therefore, was as to the best means of doing it. It was decided to make the attempt at night. The darkness, however, was of little benefit, since the enemy's huge bonfires on both shores lit up the river as if it were noonday. Previous to this. Lieutenant C. H. B. Caldwell, in the gunboat Itasca, had ascended the river undiscovered in the darkness and opened a way through the boom foi- the fleet. Farragut arranged the fleet in two columns, his own firing upon Fort Jack- son, wliile the other jaonred its broadsides into Fort St. Philip. The flagship Hartford led the way under cover of Porter's mortar-boats and the others fol- lowed. There was a furious fight between the fleets, but every Confederate was •either captured or destroyed. Farragut steamed on to the city, silencing the batteries along the banks, and, at noon, a messenger was sent ashore with a demand for the suri-ender of the city. General Lovell was in command of 3,000 troops, intended for the defense of New Orleans, but he fled. The mayor refusing to haul down the secession flag, the Union troops took possession, raised the Union banner over the mint, and placed the city in charge of General Butler. The citizens were in ■such a savage mood that Commodore Fai'ragut had to bring tliem to their senses Jby a threat to bombard the city. THE ADVANCE AGAINST RICHMOND. 315 General Butler ruled with great strictness, and virtually held New Orleans under martial law. A Confederate won the applause of his friends by climbing to the top of the mint, hauling down the flag, dragging it through the mud, and then tearing it to shreds. Butler brought him to trial before a mUitary commission, and, being found guilty of the unpartlonable insult to the flag, he was hanged. The fall of New Orleans, one of the leading cities, was a severe blow to the Confederacy. The only points where the Mississippi was strongly held by the enemy were at Vicksbiirg and Port Hudson, and attention was already turned to them. Farragut having completed his work, lor the time took connnand in the Gulf of Mexico. The most momentous events of. the year occurred in the east and marked LIBBY PRISON IN 1365 the struggle between the Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Nortlierii Virginia, as it came to be called. THE ADVAXCE AGAINST RICHMOND. McClelhui continued to drill and ti-ain his army through the fall of 1861, and well into the following year. It numbered nearly 200,000 men and was one of the finest organizations in the world. In re])ly to the expressions of impatience, tlie commander invarial)ly i-eplied that a forward movement wouhl soon be begun, liut the weeks and monrhs passed and the drilling went on, and nothing was done. Finally, the government gave the commander to understand that he must advance. McClellan's jslan was to move against Richmond, from the lower part of Chesapeake Bay, by way of Urbana on the Rappahannock. AVhile this had 316 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. many advantages, its fatal objection in the eyes of the President was that it would leave Washington unprotected. He issued an order on the 27th of Jan- uary directing that on the 22d of February there should be a general land and naval movement against the enemy's position on the Potomac, and that, after providing for the defense of Washington, a force should seize and occupy a jjoiut upon the railway to the southwest of Manassas Junction. McClellan was offended by the act of the President and protested, but Mr. Lincoln clung in the main to his plan, and, since the delay continued, he issued orders directing the formation of the army into corps and naming the generals to command them. Another order made arrangements for the intended advance, and it was left to McClellan to carry them out. LIBBY PUISOA' 11 iiiMOVAL TO CHICAGO. Reliable information reached Washington that General Joseph E. John- ston, commander of the Confederate forces at Manassas, was engaged in with- drawing his lines with a view of taking a stronger position nearer Richmond. General McClellan began a forward movement with the Army of the Potomac on the 10th of March. The truth was that Confederate spies in Washington had apprised Johnston of the intended advance of McClellan from the lower Chesapeake, and his action was with a view of checkmating the Union com- mander. Instead of carrying out this plan, McClellan marched to Centreville and occupied the vacated intrenchments of the enemy. The general hope was that Johnston would be forced to give battle, but the roads in Virginia, at that THE ADVANCE AGAINST RICHMOND. 317 season, were one sea of mud, which made progress so slow that the Confederates had time in which to withdraw at their leisure. Crossing the Potomac into Virginia, with the main army, McClellan made his first headquarters at Fairfax Court-House. About that time he received news that he was relieved of the command of the other departments, his authority being confined to the direction- of the Army of the Potomac. He was directed by the President to garrison Manassas securely, see that Washington was pro- tected, and, with the rest of his force, assume a new base at Fort Monroe, or " anywhere between here and there," and, above all things, to pursue the enemy " by some route." McClellan's four corps commanders were Sumner, McDowell, Heintzel- man, and Keyes, and they and he agreed upon a plan of campaign. The difficulties of transporting nearly 100,000 men to Fort Monroe were so great that two weeks were occupied in completing the transfer. In order to jarevent the Confederates from getting in his rear, McClellan directed Banks to rebuild the railroad from Washington to Manassas and Strasburg, thus keeping open communication with the Shenandoah Valley, where the enemy were in force, a fact which caused the government much uneasiness for the national capital. Indeed, it was a part of the effective plan of Johnston to embarrass the cam- paign against Richmond. Banks occupied Winchester about the middle of March and sent a force under Shields to Strasburg. He found Stonewall Jackson there with such a strong force that he fell back to Winchester, where, after the withdrawal of the main body by Banks, he was attacked by Jackson, who was repulsed. In pursuance of the new plan of campaign, McClellan made Fort Monroe bis first base of operations, using the route through Yorktown and West Point for the advance to Richmond. He expected to fight a great battle on the way thither, for the enemy could not fail to read the meaning of his movements. McClellan reasoned that this battle would take place between West Point and Richmond, and his intention was to advance without delay to the former posi- tion and use it as his chief depot for supplies. His plan was to make a com- bined naval and military attack on Yorktown, send a strong force up the York River, aided by the gunboats, and thus establish his new base of operations within twenty-five miles of the Confederate capital. It was not long before he began calling for reinforcements, and the govern- ment, instead of aiding him, took away piecemeal many of the troops upon which the commander had counted to aid him in his campaign. He wanted 150,000 men and a large increase of cannon. The 10,000 men, composing Blenker's division, were detached, as the President informed him, to supjiort Fremont, but Mr. Lincoln promised to withdraw no more from the main army. 318 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. McClellaii remained at liis headquarteis near Alexandria until most of his forces were well on the road to the Yorktown peninsula. He left on the 1st of April and the troops were landed thiee days later. Then a force of 56,000 men with 100 guns started for Yorktown. But for the inherent timidity and distrust of McClellan, he might have captured Richmond, by marching straight ahead to the city, for the Confederate force opposed to him was but a fragment of his own, and could have been trampled underfoot. The Confederate intrenchments were a dozen miles in length, and were defended by Mugruder with a force that allowed less than a thousand men for each mile. Instead of pushing on, McClellan began a regular siege of Yorktown. Immense siege guns were dragged through the muddy swamps, and the musket was laid aside for the sj^ade and shovel, which the men applied week after week, until worn out and with thousands prostrated by sickness. The delay, as a matter of course, was improved by the Confederates in strengthening the defenses of their capital. At the end of a month, the Union army advanced, whereupon Magruder fell back to other fortifications nearer Richmond. The whole month had been worse than thrown away by McClellan, for it had given the enemy all the time they needed to complete their defenses. The Confederate army was increased, and reinforcements were sent to McClellan, whose forces were fully 20,000 in excess of those under Johnston, but the Union leader magnified the strength of the enemy and continued to call for more troops. It was this unvarying demand that brought the impatient remark from Secretary of War Stanton : "If I gave McClellan a million men, he would swear the rebels had two millions, and sit down in the mud and refuse to move until he had three millions." The Confederates fell back to Williamsburg, at the narrowest part of the peninsula, between the James and York Rivers, and began fortifying their posi- tion. The Union gunboats ascended to Yorktown, where the Federal depots were established. Longstreet, in command of the Confederate rear, halted and gave battle with a view of protecting his trains. The engagement took place on May oth. The Unionists were repulsed at first, but regained and held their ground, the night closing without any decided advantage to either army. Longstreet, however, had held the Federals in check as long as was necessary, and when he resumed his retreat McClellan did not attempt to pursue him. The Confederates continued falling back, with IMcClellan cautiously follow- ing. The delay secured by the enemy enabled them to send their baggage and supply trains into Richmond, while the army stripped for the fray. They aban- THE ADVANCE AGAINST RICHMOND. 319 (loued the Yorktowu peninsula altogether and evacuated Norfolk, which was occupied by General Wool. It Avas this movement which caused the blowing up of the Merrimac, referred to elsewhere. From this it will be seen that both shores of the James were in j)Ossession \^A^ of the Union forces. The Confederate army withdrew within the defenses of Richmond on the 10th of May, and the Tt d- eral gunboats, atm steaming up the iivei to within twehe nnle^^ of the city, weie c )m- pelled to withdi i\\ before the plungmj, shots of the battel les., r-^a a "^v^ y whuh stood on the top-- of the lii<;h blufts. l\)llo\\ inatriotism could not be doubted were disposed to show toward the " peculiar institution." President Lincoln was one of the wisest men who ever sat in the executive chair, and none read so unerringly the signs of the times as he. The Aliolitiouists were impatient with his slowness, while many of the ^^^^O ^j />^t UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGHAPH 'WAGON. doubting thought he went too fast. He waited until the right hour, and tlien issued his Emancipation Proclamation. This ai^i^eared soon after the battle of Antietam, and it is said was the ful- fillment of the pledge President Lincoln had made to heaven that, if Lee's invasion was turned back, he would issue the great jiaper, which, in effect, would see free 4,000,000 bondsmen. In it he warned the seceding States that in every one which failed to return to its allegiance by the first of January, 1863, he would declare the slaves free. The warning was received with scorn, as was 332 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. expected. From the date named, therefore, all the armed forces of the Union treated the slaves as free wherever encountered. Before long colored men were enlisted as soldiers and sailors, and they bore no inconsiderable part in the prosecution of the war. "greenbacks." It will be understood that the revenue of the government was altogether unequal to the vast demands upon it. Taxation was increased, and, in 1862, the government began the issue of its own paper money. The backs of the bills being printed in green ink, these bills were known as "greenbacks." They Avere made a legal tender, desjiite considerable opposition to the measure. The law gave any person owing a debt, no matter if contracted in gold and silver, the right to pay the same with greenbacks. Since it is impossible to regulate the value of money except by the law of supply and demand, the bills, as comjjared with gold, depreciated a good deal in value. The act of February 25, 1862, authorized the issue of $150,000,000, and further issues were made on June 11, 1862, and March 3, 1863. The depre- ciation of greenbacks was such that the price of gold averaged 2.20 through- out 1864, and at one time reached 2.85. In other words, a greenback dollar was worth only thirty-five cents. Another method of raising money was through the sale of bonds, of which many millions were issued. To encourage their sale, the National Banking System was established in 1863. This required all banks that issued currency to deposit a slightly larger amount of bonds in Washington. Thus the banks were compelled to help the government by loanius; it monev. CHAPTER XVII. ADMINISTRATION OK LINCOLN (CONTINUED), I86I-IS60. WAR KOR THE UNION (CONTINUED), 1863. The Military Situation in the West — Siege and Capture of Vicksburg — The Mississippi Opened — Battle of Chickamauga — "The Rock of Chickamauga " — The Battle Above the Clouds — Siege of Knoxville — General Hooker Appointed to the Command of the Army of the Potomac — His Plan of Campaign Against Richmond — Stonewall Jackson's Stampede of the Eleventh Corps — (Jritical Situation of the Union Army — Death of Jackson — Battle of Chancellorsville — Defeat of Hooker — The Second Con- federate Invasion — Battle of Gettysburg — The Decisive Struggle of the War — Lee's Retreat — Sub- sequent Movements of Lee and Meade — Confederate Privateering — Destruction of the Naxlu-ll/f — Failure of the Attacks on Charleston — The Military Raids — Stuart's Narrow Escape — Stoneman's Raid — Morgan's Raid in Indiana and Ohio. There were now such immense armies in the field and military operations were conducted on so vast a scale that the reader must carefully study the situation in order to gain an intelligent idea of the progress of the momentous events. We will give our attention first to operations in the West. THE SITUATION IN THE WEST. There were four Union armies in that section. The first was the one under Rosecrans, which, on the opening days of the year, won the victory at Murfreesboro' or Stone River, an account of which is given in the preceding chapter. The second was near Holly Springs, under General Grant ; a third was in New OrleaiLs, under General Banks, who had succeeded General Butler; and the fourth was in Arkansas. The main ol)ject of all these armies was to open the Mississippi. When that should be accomplished, the Confederacy would be split in two. Hundreds of thousands of beeves were drawn from Texas and the country beyond the Mississippi, and to shut off this supply would be one of the most effective blows that could be struck against the rebellion. GRANT BEFORE VICKSBURG. General Sherman had failed to capture Vicksburg, and General Grant assumed command of the forces besieging it. He saw that the defenses facing the Mississippi and the lower part of the Yazoo were too powerful to be taken (333) 334 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN by storm. He decided as a consequence to turn the rear of the lines, and, securing an entrance into the upper part of the Yazoo, reach* the rear of the batteries at Haines' Bluff. In this important work he received valuable help from the ironclads of Admiral Porter. With one of them he opened communication with the squadron in the lower part of the Mississippi and disabled a Confederate steamer under the guns of Vicksburg. Two of the boats groped their way through the swamps and wooded creeks, where nothing more than canoes and dugouts had ventured before, obtained a great deal of cotton and burned much more, disregarded the torpedoes and fought the rebels along the banks, explored new routes, and in the end both were captured by the enemy. Several ingenious plans were tried to capture these formidable fortifications. One was an attempt t(i force a passage into the Upper Yazoo. Another was to open a new channel for the Mississij)pi. Both were failures, but the levees ro visions for barely two months, from which they had to supply the inhabitants of the town. J(5 Johnston saw the peril and set to work with such vigor to raise a force to send to the relief of Pemberton, that Grant was hui-ried into making an assault on the reliel works. This took place before daylight on the morning of May 19th. Though successful at first, the Federals GRANT AFTER THE BATTLE OF BELMONT. 338 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. were repulsed. A grand assault was undertaken three days later and pressei! with the utmost bravery, but it resulted in another repulse, in which the loss of the assailants was three times greater than that of the defenders. Porter tried to help with his fleet, but his vessels were so baldy injured by the batteries that they were compelled to withdraw from action. This failure showed that it was useless to try to capture Vicksburg except through a regular siege, which was pressed henceforth without intermission. Shells were thrown into the doomed city night and day ; the people lived in caves, on short rations, and underwent miseries and sufferings which it is hard to comprehend in these days. All the time Grant was edging closer and closer. Parallels and approaches were constructed ; mines sunk and countermining done. Several attempts were made to relieve Vicksburg, but the bulldog-like grip of Grant could not be loosened, and the condition of the garrison became much like that of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781 FALL OF VICKSBUKG. The defenders displayed the greatest bravery and endurance, and held out until the time came when it was apparent that it was a choice between surrender and starving to death. That man who prefers to starve rather than submit to a magnanimous foe is a fool. Pemberton had 21,000 troops under his command, but 6,000 were in the hospitals, while Grant had fully 60,000 soldiers waiting and eager to make the assault. On the 3d of July, a flag of truce was displayed in front of Vicksbui'g, and a message was sent to the Union commander, ask- ing for an armistice with a view of arranging for the capitulation of Vicks- burg. Grant's reply was his usual one, that the only terms he could accept were unconditional sui-render, and he, therefore, declined to appoint commis- sioners. The commanders then met between the lines, and Grant agreed that the garrison should be paroled and allowed to go to their homes, and that the city, stores, arms, and supplies should belong to the conquerors. Although the Union commander's terms "unconditional surrender" soiinded harsh, they always proved of a generous nature. There was a good deal of criticism in the South of Pemberton for selecting the 4th of July for making his submission, since the Union people would be sure to make a greater ado over it. Pemberton's explanation was that he believed Grant would be more disposed to give him liberal terms on that date than on any other, and it would not be strange if he was partly right. IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPTURE. The capture of Vicksburg was one of the most important Union successes of the war. In his ofiicial report, Grant thus summarized the results of his ROSECEANS' CAMPAIGN. 339 campaign : " The defeat of the enemy in five battles outside of Vicksburg ; the occupation of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi ; and the capture of Vicksburg, its garrison and munitions of war; a loss to the enemy of 37,000 prisoners, at least 10,000 killed and wounded, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, who can never be collected or reorganized. Arms and munitions of war for an army of 60,000 men have fallen into our Jiands, beside a large amount of other public jjropei'ty and much that was destroyed to prevent our capturing it." Thus one of the great objects of tlie war was accomplished. The Mississippi was opened throughout its entire length and the Confederacy cut in twain. That President Davis felt the gravity of the blow (to which one still more decisive was added about the same time) was proven by his proclamation calling into service all persons in the Confederacy not legally exempt, who were between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. He also appointed the 21st of August as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. Grant's magnificent success greatly increased his popularity in the North. His praises were in every one's mouth; he was declared to be the ablest military leader that had yet appeared, and more than one saw in him the coming saviour of the Union. Perhaps it is slightly premature to say that the Mississippi was opened from the hour of the surrender of Vicksburg. Port Hudson held out, but its fall was a corollary of that of the more important city. It had stoutly resisted several attacks, but, realizing the liopelessness of his situation, the Confederate commander surrendered on the 9th of July, and the opening of the Mississippi was fully completed. ROSECRANS' CAMPAIGN. The reader will recall that the battle of ]\Iurfreeshoro' took place at the very beginning of the year. Rosecrans, the Union commander, never repeated the brilliant skill he had shown in fighting Bragg on Stone River. He seemed to think that that repulse of the enemy was sufficient to last a good while, for he remained idle throughout the several months that followed. There were a number of brisk skirmishes and fights, but none was of importance. When June arrived without anything of account having been accomplished, the government suggested to Rosecrans that it was time he took steps to drive Bragg into Georgia and thus secure Eastern Tennessee, where the sentiment was strongly Union. Rosecrans hesitated, but u^^on receiving a stronger intimation that he ought to be up and doing, he began a series of movements, in the latter part of June, which caused Bragg to withdraw to Chattanooga, where he intrenched himself. Burnside then advanced from Ohio into Eastern Tennessee, but was so delayed that Bragg was heavily reinforced from Virginia. To protect his comTiumi- 340 ADMINISTEATIOX OF LINCOLN. cations, he fell back, however, upon the approach of the Federal army, which occupied Ciiattanooga. Unaware of the increased strength of the enemy, Rosecrans divided his army into three columns, separated by wide spaces of mountains, and marched in loose order against his foe, observing which Bragg determined to overwhelm each of the columns in detail. The tirst demonstration was against General George H. Thomas, who commanded the Federal left, and was encamped at the foot of Lookout Mountain. That splendid officer eluded the enemy launched against him, and effected a junction with the other two corps. At the same time the centre of the three columns was attacked, but the assault was repulsed, and the reunited Union army on the 18th of September stood on the western bank of the Chickamauga, which stream was well named, for the Indian word means "the river of death." The position was twelve miles from Chattanooga, and it was a perilous one, for, as has been stated, Bragg had been heavily reinforced, and Longstreet with a powerful column of veterans from Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was approaching. He, therefore, decided to make an attempt to recover Chattanooga. BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA. The Confederates crossed the Chickamauga, and, on the morning of the 19th, Rosecrans opened the battle by attacking the enemy's right wing. The entire armies were soon involved, and the fighting lasted until nightfall, with the result in favor of the Confederates. Although forced from several positions, they gained and held the road leading to Chattanooga, and the Union troops were driven almost to the base of Missionary Ridge. Late that night, Longstreet arrived with his fire-seasoned veterans. He was one of Lee's best lieutenants, and it was arranged that the battle should be renewed the next morning at daybreak, with Longstreet commanding the left wing. From some cause, the Confederate attack was delayed until ten o'clock, the delay giving the Federals time to throw up a number of breastworks. Against these Bragg repeatedly charged with his right wing, but was repulsed each time. Thomas, in command of the Union left, also repelled a sharp attack, but Longstreet routed Rosecrans, and, discerning a gap caused by the transfer ot the Union centre to strengthen the left, Longstreet led his men impetuously into the opening, thus splitting the Union army in two. Striking in both directions, he threw the two divisions into such disorder and confusion that the frightened Rosecrans galloped in hot haste to Chattanooga to secure his supply train ;ind the ponton-bridges over the Tennessee. At the same time, he SUPERSEDURE OF ROSECRAX'S BY THOMAS. 341 telegraphed the teri-ifviiig tidings to Washington that the whole Union army had been beaten. "the rock of chickamauga. " At a crisis in the tremendous battle, General Hood, one of the Confederate leaders, was wounded, and a halt was made until another officer could be brought up to take his place. Short as was the delay, it gave the Unionists time to rally and strengthen their endangered points. Despite this advantage, the telegram of Rosecrans would have been verified and the magnificent army destroyed except for one man. Hi' was (lemgc II. Tlmiiias, the lieioic commander of the Union left. Long- sti-eet launched his veterans against him again and again, but he beat them back in every instance. Never did men fight more bravely than those Americans, arrayed against each other, and never was finer gen- ei-alship displayed than by General Thomas, whose wonderful defense that day won for him the name by wliich he will always be remeraben — "The Rock of Chickamauga." Holding his heroes well in hand, Thomas was ready to renew the battle the next day, but Bragg did not molest him. The Confederates, how- ever, had won a victory, for they drove the Federals from the field and retained possession of it. Thomas fell slowly back toward Chattanooga, jtresenting a firm front to the enemy. Chickamauga ranks as one of the great battles of the war. The Union losses were: killed, 1,656; wounded 9,749; missing, 4,774; total, 16,179. The Confederate losses were: killed 2,268; wounded, 13,613; captured and missing, 1,090; total, 16,971. GEOK3E H. THOMAS. ■■The Rock of Cliickiiiiiaiiga." SUPERSEDURE OF ROSECR.AXS BY TlIi)M.\.S. Rosecran.s' conduct of this battle caused his supersedui-e by Thomas, while several division commanders were suspended, pending an in(pui'y into their course. President Davis removed General Leonidas Polk, wlio was thought to have shown hesitancy of action at critical points. Biagg, however, was the 342 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. most blamable, for, with the advantage overwhehuingly in his favor, he refused to permit Longstreet to follow up his success. One of the peculiarities of the Confederate President was his strong likes and dislikes. He was a personal enemy of Jo Johnston, and more than once humiliated him, but he was also a friend of Bragg, and, in the face of indignant protests, retained him in chief command in the southwest. As soon as the Union array reached Chattanooga intrenchments were thrown up. Bragg appeared before the town on the 23d, and, finding the posi- tion too strong to be carried by assault, he laid siege to it. The situation of the army became so dangerous that great uneasiness was felt in Washington, where the wise step was taken of sending General Grant thither, with his ajjpoint- ment to the command of the entire West. Abundant reinforcements were hurried to the imj^eriled point, the entire Eleventh and Twelfth Corps from the Army of the Potomac forming the principal commands. The Federals became much the stronger, but Bragg did not abandon his siege of Chattanooga. Recalling the advance of Burnside from the Ohio to the relief of Rose- crans, it should be stated that he did not arrive in time to take part in the battle of Chickamauga, but occupied Knoxville on the 9th of September. Bragg sent Longstreet with a strong force to attack Burnside, the Confederate commander thereby weakening his army, which could ill stand it. Grant arrived at Chat- tanooga on the night of October 20th, and telegraphed Burnside to hold Knox- ville at all hazards, while he gave his attention to Bragg. Sherman came up with his troops November 15th, and a week later Grant had an army of 80,000 men on the ground, while the removal of Longstreet left Bragg with only 50,000. His line, twelve miles long, embraced two eleva- tions commanding a view of Chattanooga Valley. Lookout Mountain was on the south, while Missionary Ridge on the east was not quite so high. The Con- federate left wing rested on the former, and the right on Missionary Ridge, with the Chattanooga flowing between. Bragg was justified in considering his posi- tion impregnable. THE BATTLE ABOVE THE CLOUDS. Grant, however, held a different opinion. On the night of the 23d the enemy's picket lines were forced back and an improved position secured. The following morning. Hooker, having already crossed the river, was ordered to attack the position on Lookout Mountain. His movements were hidden for a time by a dense fog, and it was his intention to stop as soon as the enemy's rifle- pits at the base were captured; but, when this was accomplished, the men were carried away by their enthusiasm, noting which Hooker ordered them to charge the Confederate position. Up the mountain the cheering, eager fellows swept with irresistible valor. The Stars and Stripes was planted on the crest and BUENSIDE SUPERSEDED BY HOOKER. 343 2,000 of the fleeing Confederates were made prisoners. The fog still lay heavy in the valley below, a fact which has led to the battle being called the "Battle above the Clouds." DEFEAT OF THE CONFEDERATES. The following morning was also foggy, but, when it lifted, Sherman's corps was seen advancing against the Confederate right, close to Chickamauga station. In the face of a heavy artillery fire the Federals pressed on, but at the end of an hour they were compelled to retreat. By order of Grant the attack was renewed, but another severe repulse followed. Next a general movement against the left centre was ordered, and this was successful. The enemy was driven in confusion toward Ringgold, to the southeast, while a large number of prisoners and a vast amount of supplies were captured. General Hooker pursued and drove the Confederates out of Ringgold, but they assumed so strong a position at Taylor's Ridge that Grant ordered him not to attack, but to remain and hold Ringgold, Sherman, in the meantime, march- ing against Longstreet. Bragg had blundered so much in conducting this disastrous campaign that President Davis was forced to replace him with Hardee. RAISING OF THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE. Meanwhile, Longstreet was besieging Burnside at Knoxville, where the 15,000 Union trooj^s were threatened with starvation. The town was invested November 17th, and the next day some of the outworks were carried. Well aware that Grant, after his defeat of Bragg, would hurry to the relief of Knox- ville, Longstreet attacked on the 29th, but suffered a bloody repulse. He stub- bornly held his ground until he learned that Sherman was close upon him, when he withdrew and started on his march to Virginia. The campaign soon ended in Tennessee, which was virtually recovered to the Union. The reader will note that we have described the leading events in the West and Southwest from the opening of the year to its close. Once more it is neces- sary to return to January, 1863, in order to give a history of the most important campaign of all — that against Richmond, which was defended by the formidalile Army of Northei'n Virginia, under the command of General Robert E. Lee. BURNSIDE SUPERSEDED BY HOOKER. Burnside's management of the attack on Fredericksburg in December, 1862, was so incomj^etent and disastrous that it was impossible for him to retain the chief command. Knowing that several of his generals had severely criti- cised him, Burnside sent a list of names to Washington, giving the government the choice of removing them or accepting his resignation. Prominent on 344 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. Burnside's "black list" was the name of Hooker. On the 26th of January Burnside's resignation was accepted, and Hooker was made his successor. The morale of the grand organization had been injured by its wretched leadership, but the material itself could not have been finer. Hooker set resolutely to work, and, by the 1st of May, the army was well trained and disciplined, and numbered 130,000 men, of whom fully 12,000 were cavalry. Lee had about half as many trooj^s. Knowing it would not do to remain idle when the beautiful spring weather came, Hooker had been carefully planning for another camjiaign against Richmond. He had won a fine reputation for himself as a fighter and skillful corps commander, and the hopes were high that he would lead his superb army directly into the rebel capital. Everything seemed to be in his favor, and the campaign opened j^romisingly. THE NEW CAMPAIGN AGAIXST KICHMOND. Hooker's plan was to assail Lee at two points. The Rappahannock and Rapidan were to be crossed a short distance west of Fredericksburg, and the left wing attacked. While this was going on, Hooker's own left wing was to occupy the heights and secure possession of the Richmond Railroad. The powerful Union cavalry Avere to ride ai'ound Lee's position and cut off his retreat to Richmond. This involved the destruction of the railroads and bridges over the North and South Anna Rivers. This important movement was begun April 27th. The main portion of the corps of Meade, Howard, and Slocum, numbering 36,000 men, marclied thirty miles up the Rappahannock and crossed the stream without resistance. A force then moved ten miles down the other side of the river, driving away several Confederate detachments, and opened the way for Couch with 12,000 men to cross and join the other three corps. Taking different routes, the 48,000 advanced toward Chancellorsville, which had been named as the rendezvous. They were soon followed by Sickles with 18,000 men. It was not until the Union movement had jjrogressed thusfiir that Lee read its purpose. He hastily called in his divisions, and, on the forenoon of May 1st, the Army of Northern Virginia Avas drawn up in battle-line in front of that dense-wooded district known as the Wilderness. Exultingly confident. Hooker ordered an advance that day from near Chancellorsville toward Fredericksburg. Hardly had he started when he learned that Lee was moving against him; he, therefore, j^aused and threw up defenses. His aim was to flank Lee, and, to prevent it, the Confederate commander took desperate chances. Keeping up a rattling demonstration in front, he sent Stonewall Jackson with 30,000 men around the right of the Union DEATH OF STONEWALL JACKSON. 345 array. Had Hooker known of this daring movement, he could easily have crushed each division in detail. STONEWALL JACKSOX's FL.\XK MOVE.AIEXT. Jackson carried out his programme with fearful completeness. Without his purpose being susjjected, he traveled lifteen miles, reaching the road leading from Orange to Fredericksburg, on the southern side of the Rapidan. He was thus within two miles of General Howard's Eleventh Corps. The men were preparing supper with no thought of dangi-r. when the uii \\a- ~u the Warrenton road. " That means that Uncle Bob has sent us help!" was the gratified exclama- tion of Stuart to his delighted friends ; " we must take a hand in this business." The cavalry opened fire on the Union lines, which were thrown into some confusion, during which Stuart limbered up his guns and quieklv rejoined Ewell. stoxeman's raid. As has been stated. General Hooker at the opening of the battle of Cliau- cellorsville was confident that he was going to defeat Lee. In order to cut off his retreat, he sent General Stoneman, with 2,300 cavalry, on April 28th, to the rear of the Confederate army. Stoneman crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, where his force was divided. One-half, led by General Averill, headed for the Orange Railroad, a little way above Culpeper, then occupied by Fitzhugh Lee, with a force of 500 men. He was attacked with such vigor that he hurriedly retreated across the Rapidan, burning the bridges behind him. Averill, instead of pursuing, turned about and made his way back to Hooker, in time to accompany him in his retreat to the northern bank of the Rappa- hannock. Meanwhile, Stoneman crossed tlie Rapidan on the 1st of May, and galloped to Louisa Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, a dozen miles to the east of Gordonsville. There he paused and sent out several detachments, which wrought a great deal of mischief One of them advanced to Ashland, only fifteen miles from Richmond, while another went still closer to the Confederate capital. MORGAN'S RAID. 365 These bodies of troopers caused much alarm, and a general converging of the enemy's cavalry caused Stoiieman to start on his return, May Gth. For a time he was in great danger, but his men were excellently mounted, and, by hard riding, they effected a safe escaj)e along the north bank of the Panumkey and \ ork Rivers, and rejoined their friends at Gloucester. grierson's raid. During the siege of Vicksburg a daring raid was made in the rear of the city by Colonel B. H. Grierson. In this instance his work was of great hel}) to General Gi'ant, for he destroyed the Confederate lines of communication, antl checked the gathering of reinforcements for Pemberton. Grierson, who con- ceived the plan of the i-aid, left La Grange on the 17th of Ajiril with three regiments of cavali'y. After crossing the Tallahatchie, he rode south to the Macon and Corinth Railroad, where the rails were torn up, telegraph lines cut, and bridges and other property destroyed. To do the work thoroughly detach- ments were sent in diftei'eiit dii'PCtions, and they spared nothing. Grierson now changed his course to the southwest, seized the bridge over Pearl River, burned a large number of locomotives, and forced his way through a wild country to Baton Rouge, which he found in the possession of Unionists. He had been engaged for a fortnight on his raid, during which he destroyed an immense amount of jiroperty, captured several towns, fouglit several sharp skii-mishes, and carried off many prisoners. John S. Mosby was the most daring Confederate raider in the East. Some of his exploits and escapes were remarkable, and an account of them would fill a volume with thrilling incidents. General Lee did not look with favor on such irregular work, but accepted it as one of the accompaniments of war, and it cannot be denied that ]\Iosby gave him valuable help in more than one instance. morgan's raid. John H. Morgan was famous in the southwest as a raider and guerrilla. At the beginning of July, 1863, he seized Columbia, near Jamestown, Kentucky, and advanced against Colonel Moore at Greenbrier Bridge. His reception was so hot that he was obliged to retreat, whereupon he attacked Lebanon, where there was considerable vicious fighting in the streets. One of Morgan's regi- ments was commanded by his brother, who was killed. The incensed leader set fire to the houses, and, although the defenders surrendered, the place was sacked. Then the invaders retreated before the Union cavalry who were advancing against them. Their course was through Northern Kentucky, where they plundered right and left, and spread dismay on every hand. Reckless and encouraged by their successes, they now swam their horses 866 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. over the Ohio River, and, entering Indiana, gave that State its first experience in war. The local militia were called out, but the experienced cavalry easily brushed them aside. They knew, however, it would be different when they met the regular Union cavalry who were riding hard after them. To escape them, Morgan started for western Virginia. When he entered Ohio, the State was terrified, and even Cincinnati trembled, but the raiders had no thought of stopping until they reached western Virginia, where they would be safe. The telegraph had carried the news of Morgan's movements everywhere, and the determination was general that he should not be allowed to escape from the entanglements in which he and his men had involved themselves. The militia guarded all the fords of the Ohio ; gunboats steamed back and forth ; the roads were blocked by felled trees, and everything possible was done to obstruct the band, who were so laden with jilunder that their exhausted animals had to proceed slowly. It is stated by credible witnesses, who saw the formidable company riding along the highway when hard pressed, that nearly every man in the saddle was sound asleep. They dared not make any extended halt through fear of their pursuers, and when they did pause it was because of their drooping animals. Reaching the Ohio at last, Morgan planted his field guns near Bufiington Island, with the view of protecting his men while they swam the river. Before he could bring them into use, a gunboat knocked the pieces right and left like so many tenpins. Abandoning the place, Morgan made the attempt to cross at Belleville, but was again frustrated. It was now evident that the time had come when each must lookout for himself Accordingly, the band broke up and scattered. Their j^ursuers picked them uj) one by cjne, and Morgan himself and a few of his men were surrounded near New Lisbon, Ohio, and comjselled to surrender. He and his principal officers were sentenced to the Ohio penitentiary, where they were kept in close confinement until November 27th, when through the assistance of friends (some of whom were probably within the prison), he and six officers effected their escape, and succeeded in reaching the Confederate lines, where they were soon at their characteristic work again. Morgan was a raider by natui-e, but, as is often the case, the "pitcher went to the fountain once too often." While engaged upon one of his raids the follow- ing year he was cornered by the Federal cavalry, and in the fight that followed was shot dead. Far below these men in moral character were such guerrillas as Quantrell, who were simply plunderers, assassins, and murderers, who carried on their execrable work through innate depravity, rather than from any wish to help the side with which they identified themselves. Most of them soon ran their brief course, and died, as they had lived, by violence. CHAPTER XVIII. ADMINISTRATION OK LINCOLN (CONCLUDED). 1861-1865. WAR KOR THE UNION (CONCLUDED), 1864-1865. The Work Remaining to be Done — General Grant Placed in Command of all the Union Armies — The Grand Campaign — Banks' Disastrous Red River Expedition — How the Union Fleet was Saved — Capture of Mobile by Admiral Parragut— The Confederate Cruisers — Destruction of the Alabama by the Kearsargr. — Fate of the Other Confederate Cruisers— Destruction of the Albemarle by Lieu- tenant William B. Cushing — Re-election of President Lincoln — Distress in the South and Prosperity in the North — The Union Prisoners i.i the South — Admission of Nevada — The Confederate Raids from Canada — Sherman's Adva;cj to Atlanta — Fall of Atlanta — Hood's Vain Attempt to Relieve Georgia — Superb Success of General Thomas — "Marching Through Georgia" — Sherman's Christ- mas Gifl to President Lincoln — Opening of Grant's Final Campaign — Battles in the Wilderness — Wounding of General Longstreet and Deaths of General Stuart and Sedgwick — Grant's Flanking Movements Against Lee — A Disastrous Repulse at Cold Harbor — Defeat of Sigel and Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley — " Bottling-up " of Butler — Explosions of the Petersburg Mine — Earlj's Raids— His Final Defeat by Sheridan — Grant's Campaign — Surrender of Lee — Assassination of President Lincoln — Death of Booth and Punishment of the Conspirators — Surrender of .Jo Johnston and Collapse of the Southern Confederacy — Capture of Jeiferson Davis — His Release and Death — Statis- tics of the Civil War — A Characteristic Anecdote. THE WORK TO BE DONE. Two grand camimigns remained to be prosecuted to a successful conclusion before the great Civil War could be ended and the Union restored. The first and most important was that of General Grant against Richmond, or, more properly, against Lee, who was still at the head of the unconquered Army of Northern Virginia, and who must be overcome before the Confederate capital could fall. The second was the campaign of General Sherman, through the heart of the Southern Confederacy. Other interesting and decisive operations were to be pressed, but all were contributory to the two great ones mentioned. Several momentous truths had forced themselves upon the national govern- ment. It had learned to comprehend the magnitude of the struggle before it. Had the North and South possessed equal resources and the same number of troops, the latter could not have been conquered any more than the North could have been defeated had the situation been reversed. But the North possessed men, wealth, and resources immensely beyond those of the South. The war had made the South an armed camp, with privation and suffering everywhere, (367) 368 AD3IINISTRATI0N OF LINCOLN. while in tlie Xortli a person might have traveled for days and weeks without suspecting that a domestic war was in jirogress. It was necessary to overwhelm the South, and the North had not only the ability to do so, but was resolved that it should be done. Its estimates were made on the basis of an army of a million men. Lai-ge bounties were ofiered for soldiers, and, when these did not provide all that was needed, drafting was resorted to. There had been rioting and disorder in New York City and other places during the summer of 1863, when there was a vicious revolt agaiust drafting, but the government persisted and obtained the men it needed. THE RIGHT LEADER. Another proven fact was that the war could not be successfully prosecuted by a bureau in Washington. This attempt at the beginning had brought disaster ; but the excuse for this interference was that the right leaders had not yet apjjeared. General after general was tried at the head of the armies, and had either failed or come short of the expected success. The events of 1863, however, indicated unerringly the right men to whom the destinies of the nation could be safely intrusted. Foremost among these was General Ulysses S. Grant. With that genius of common sense, which always actuated President Lincoln, he nominated him to the rank of lieutenant-general, the grade of which was revived by Congress in February, 1864, and the Senate confirmed the appointment on the 2d of March. In obedience to a summons from Washing- ton, Grant left Nashville on the 4tli of the month, arrived on the 9th, and President Lincoln handed him his commission on the following day. "I don't know what your plans are, general," said the President, "nor do I ask to know them. You have demonstrated your ability to end this war, and the country expects you to do it. Go ahead, and you may count upon my unfaltering support." Grant modestly accepted the tremendous responsibility, which placed him in command of all the armies of the United States, and he established his head- quarters with the Army of the Potomac at Culpeper, Ya., March 26, 1864. THE GRAND CAMPAIGN. The plan of campaign determined upon by Grant was to concentrate all the national forces into a few distinct armies, which should advance on the same day against the opposing Confederate armies, and, by fighting incessantly, prevent any one of them from reinforcing the other. The armies of the enemy were themselves to be the objective points, and they were to be given no time for rest. Sherman was to advance from Atlanta against Johnston, who had an army larger in numbers than that of Lee; Banks' army, as soon as it could be with- drawn from the disastrous Red River expedition, was to act against Mobile; BANKS' RED RIVFR EXPEDITION. 369 Sigel was to pass down the valley of Virginia and prevent the enemy from making annoying raids from that quarter; Butler was to ascend the James and threaten Kiehmond ; and, finally, the Army uf the Potomac, under the immediate command of Meade, was to protect Washington, and essay the inost herculean task of all — the conquest of Lee and his army. Orders were issued by Grant for a general movement of all the national forces ou the 4th of May. Since they were so lunnerous, and began nearly at the same time, it is necessary to give the particulars of each in turn, reserving that of the most important — Grant's own — for the last. banks' red river expedition. One of the most discreditable affairs of the war was what is known as Banks' Red River Expedition. That officer was in command at New Orleans, when it was decided to send a strong force np the Red River, iii quest of the immense quantities of cotton stored in that region, though the ostensible object was the capture of Shreveport, Louisiana, 8o0 miles above New Orleans, and the cajjital of the State. The plan was for the army to advance in three columns, supported by Admiral Porter with a fleet, which was to force a passage up the Red River. General A. J. Smith was to march from Vicksburg, with the first division of the army, which numbered 10,000 men ; Banks was to lead the second from New Orleans, and Steele the third from Little Rock. General Ednuuid Kirby Smith was the Confederate commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department. Although he had fewer men than the invaders, he prepared for a vigorous resistance. He sent Generals Price and Marmaduke to harass Steele, directed General Dick Taylor to obstruct the Red River as much as he could, while he made ready to make the best fight possible. Fifty miles above the mouth of the Red River stood Fort de Russy, which, although considerably strengthened, was carried by assault, March loth. On the 15th, Porter's twelve gunboats and thirty transports joined Franklin at Alexandria. The Federal cavalry occupied Natchitoches, on the last day of the month, and in the van of the army; they arrived at Mansfield on the 8th of April, several days after Admiral Porter had reached Grand Ecliore on the Red River. Meanwhile, the Confederate General Dick Taylor kept fighting and falling back before the Union advance, but he was continually reinforced, until he felt strong enough to offer the Federals battle. This took place on the 8th, a short distance from Mansfield. The assault was made with vehemence, and the Union trooi)s, who were straggling along for miles, were taken by surprise and driven into headlong panic, leaving their artillery behind, and not sto^jping 370 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. their flight until under the protection of the guns of the Nineteentli Corps. Tlien a stand was made, and Banks fell back to his old camping ground at Pleasant Hill. His intention was to remain there, but his command was so disorganized that he continued his flight. The Confederates had already- chased them so long that they were worn out, while Banks continued retreating until he reached Grand Echore, where he breathed freely for the first time, since he had the protection of the gunboats. Disgraceful as was the overthrow of the land forces, a still greater disaster threatened the fleet. Porter had gone further up the river, but returned to Grand Echore upon learning of the defeat of Banks. He had to sweep the shores continually with grapeshot, to clear it of the Confederate sharpshooters, who succeeded in capturing two of the transports and blowing up another with a torpedo. The Red River was low, with the water falling hourly. The retreat- ing army reached Alexandria on the 27th of April, but the fleet was stopped by the shallowness of the water above the falls, and the officers despaired of saving it. Tlie only possible recourse seemed to destroy all the vessels to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. HOW THE UNION FLEET WAS SAVED. In this crisis. Colonel Joseph Bailey, of Wisconsin, submitted a plan for a series of wing dams above the falls, believing they would raise the water high enough to float all the vessels. The other engineers scoffed at the project, but Porter placed 3,000 men and all that Bailey needed at his command. The task was a prodigious one, for the falls, as they were termed, were a mile in length and it was necessary to swell the current sufficiently to carry the vessels past the rocks for the whole distance. The large force of men worked incessantly for nearly two weeks, by which time the task was accomplished and the fleet plunged through unharmed to the deeper water below the falls. The genius of a single man had saved the Union fleet. Banks, having retreated to Alexandria, paused only long enough to burn the town, when he kept on to New Orleans, where some time later he was re- lieved of his connnand. The Red River expedition was the crowning disgrace of the year. THE CAPTURE OF MOBILE. After the fall of New Orleans, in April, 1862, Mobile was the leading port of the Southern Confederacy. It was blockaded closely, but the Confederate cruisers succeeded now and then in slipping in and out, while a number of iron- clads were in process of building, and threatened to break the blockade. Admiral Farragut, the greatest naval hero of modern times, after a careful i-econ- noissance of the defenses, told the government that if it would provide him with THE CAPTURE OF MOBILE. 371 a single ironclad, he would capture Mobile. He was promised a strong land force under General Granger and several monitors, which were sent to him. Farragut, fully ajjpreciating the task before him, made his preparations with care and thoroughness. His fleet consisted of eighteen vessels, four of which — the Tecumseli, Winnebago, Manhattan, and Chickasaw — were ironclads, while the others were of wood. Admiral Buchanan (commander of the Mer- rimac in her first day's fight with the Ilonitor) had less vessels, three gunboats, and the formidable ram Tennessee. But he was assisted by three powerful forts. BAILEY'S DAMS ON THE RED RIVER. with large garrisons — Gaines, Morgan, and Powell — which commanded the en- trance, while the Tennessee was regarded by the Confederates as able to sink the whole Union fleet. The wooden vessels were lashed in couples, so as to give mutual help, and with the Brookhjii and Hartford (Farragut's flagship) in the lead, the proces- sion entered Mobile Bay on the morning of August 5, 1864. As they came opposite the forts they opened fire upon them, and in a few minutes the latter began their thunderous reply. The battle was tremendous, and the smoke was so dense that Farragut, who was closely watching and directing the action of the 372 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. fleet, gradually climbed the rigging, so as to place himself above the obsti-ucting vapor. His height was such that the captain of the vessel became anxious for his safety, since if he was struck, as looked jirobable, he was sure to fall to the deck or overboard. He, therefore, sent a man after him, with a rojie in hand. Amid the gentle remonstrances of the admiral, this man lashed him fast to the rigging. When the increasing smoke made it necessary to climb higher, Farra- gut untied the fastenings, and, after lie had taken several upward steps, tied him- self again. The harbor bristled with torpedoes, to which, however, Farragut and his officers paid little heed. The Tecumseh, Commander T. A. M. Craven, was hur- rying to attack the ram Tennessee, when a gigantic torpedo exploded beneath her, smashing in the bottom and causing her to sink so suddenly that nearly a hundred men went down with hei'. The pilot and Craven were in the pilot house, and, feeling the boat drojiping beneath them, both sjirang to the narrow ladder leading out. They leaehed the foot together, when the commander bowed and, pausing, said to the pilot : " You first, sir." He had barely time to scramble out, when Caj^tain Craven and the rest went down. The Union vessels ^^ressed forward with such vigor that, with the exception of the loss of the Tecumseh, the forts were pa.ssed without the ships receiving serious injury. When, however, the battle seemed won, the lennessee came out from under the guns of Fort Powell and headed for the Union v&ssels. She believed herself invulnerable in her massive iron hide, and selected the flagship as her special target. The Hartford partly dodged her blow and rammed her in return. The i-am was accompanied by three gunboats, which were soon driven out of action, but the Tennessee plunged here and there like some enraged monster driven at bay, but which the guns and attacks of her assailants could not conquer. Tons of metal wei-e hurled with inconceivable force against her mailed sides, only to drop harmlessly into the water. She was butted and rammed, and in each case it was like the rat gnawing a file : the injury fell upon the as.sailant. She was so surrounded by her enemies that they got in one another's way and caused mutual hurt. But as continual dropping wears away stones, this incessant hammering finally showed effect. Admiral Buchanan received a painful wound, and a num- ber of his men were killed ; the steei-ing-chains were broken, the smokestack was carried away, the port shuttei-s jammed, and finally the wallowing " sea-hog " became unmanageable. Then the white flag was disjjlayed and the battle was over. Farragut had won his most memorable battle, and the last important seaport of the Confederacy was gone. Two days later Fort Gaines was captured, and Fort Morgan surrendei-d THE CONFEDERATE CRUISERS. 373 on the 23d of the same month. The land force rendered valuable assistance, and the blockade became more rigid. The coast line, however, was so extensive that it was impossible to seal every port, and the Confederacy obtained a good deal of sorely neetled medical supplies tiirough the daring blockade-runners, which often managed to elude the watchful fleets. The Confederate cruisers were still roaming the ocean and creating immense havoc among the Union shipping. Despite our protests to England, she helped MONUMENT TO ADMIKAL FAERAGUT AT WASHINGTON. to man these vessels, and laid up a fine bill for damages which «he was compelled to pay after the close of the war. THE COXFEDEEATE CKUISERS. During the year 1864, several new cruisei's appeared on the ocean, one of which, the Tallahassee, boldly steamed up and down off our northern coast, and, in the space of ten days, destroyed thirty-three vessels. The most famous of all these cruisers was the Alabama, which was built at Birkenhead, England, and launched May 1 '>, 1862. She was a bark-rigged propeller of 1,01(5 tons register, with a length over all of 220 feet. Her two horizontal engines were 374 ADMINISTRATION OF IINCOLN of 300 horse-power each. When completed, she was sent on a pretended trial trip. At the Azores she received her war material from a waiting transport, while her commander, Captain Raphael Semmes, and his officers, who had gone thither on a British steamer, went aboard. The Alabama carried 8 guns and a crew of 149 men, most of whom were Englishmen. Thus fairly launched, she started on her career of destruction, which continued uninterruptedly for twenty-two months. DESTRUCTION OF THE ALABAMA. One of the many United States vessels that was engaged in a hunt for the Alabama was the Kearsarge, Captain John Ancrum Winslow. She was of l.OoO tons, carried 7 guns, and had a crew of 163 men, nearly all of whom were Americans. On Sunday, July 12, 1864, while lying off the town of Flushing, Holland, Captain Winslow received a dispatch from Minister W. L. Dayton, at Paris, notifying him that the Alabama had arrived at Cherbourg, France. Winslow lost no time in steaming thither, and reached Cherbourg on Tuesday, where he saw the cruiser across the breakwater with the Confederate flag defiantly flying. Winslow did not dare enter the harbor, for, had he done so, he would have been obliged, according to international law, to remain twenty-four hours after the departure of the Alabama, which would thereby gain all the opportunity she needed for escape. He, therefore, took station off the poit, intending to wait until the cruiser came out. This precaution, however, was unnecessary, for Semmes, grown bold by his long career of destroying unarmed merchantmen, had resolved to offer the Kearsarge battle. He sent a challenge to Captain Winslow, couched in insulting language, and the Union officer promptly accepted it. The news of tlie impending battle was telegraphed far and wide, and excursion trains were run from Paris and other points to Cherbourg. On Sunday, June 19th, fnlly 15,000 people lined the shores and wharves, and among them all it may be doubted whether there were more than a hundred whose sympathies were not keenly on the side of the Alabama. France was intensely in favor of the Southern Confedeiacy, and nothing would have pleased Louis Napoleon, the emperor, better than to see our country torn apart. He did his utmost to persuade England to join him in intervening against us. With a fiiint haze resting on the town and sea, the Alabama steamed slowly out of the harbor on Sunday morning, June 19th, and headed toward the waiting Kearsarge. The latter began moving seaward, as if afraid to meet her antagonist. The object of Captain Winslow, however, was to draw the Alabama so far that no question aboIl^ neutral waters could arise, and in case the Alabama DESTRUCTION OF THE ALABAMA. 375 should be disabled, he did not intend to give her the chance to take refuge in Cherbourg. Three miles was the neutral limit, but Captain Winslow continued to steam out to sea until he had gone nearly seven miles from shore. Then he swung around and made for the Alabama. As he did so, Captain Semmes delivered three broadsides, with little effect. Then fearing a raking fire. Captain Winslow sheered and fired a broadside at a distance of little more than half a mile, and strove to pass under the Alabama's stern, but iSemmes also veered and prevented it. Since each vessel kept its starboard broadside toward the other, they began moving in a circular direction, the current gradually carrying both westward, while the circle narrowed until its diameter was about a fourth of a mile. From the beginning the fire of the Kearsarge was much more accurate and destructive than her antagonist's. Hardly had tlie battle opened when the gaff and colors of the Alabama were shot away, but another ensign was quickly hoisted at the mizzen. Captain Winslow instructed his gunners to make every shot count. Tliis was wise, for its effects became sjjeedily apparent. The Kearsarge fired 173 shots, nearly all of which landed, while of the 370 of the Alabama, only 28 hit the Kearsarge. One of these, a 08-]iounder shell, exploded on the quarter-deck, wounding three men, one mortally. Another shell, bursting in the hammock nettings, stai'ted a fire, which was speedily extinguished. A third buried itself in the sternpost, but fortunately did not explode. The damage done by the remaining shots was trifling. One of the Kearsarge's 11-inch shells entered the port of the Alabama's 8-inch gun, tore off a part of the piece, and killed several of the crew. A second shell entered the same port, killed one man and wounded several, and soon a third similar shot penetrated the same opening. Before the action closed, it was necessary to re-form the crew of the after pivot gun four times. These terrific missiles were aimed slightly below the water-line of the Alabama, with a view of sinking her. About an hour had passed and seven comj^lete revolutions luid l)een described by the ships, and the eighth had just begun, when it became apparent that the Alabama was sinking. She headed for neutral waters, now only two miles distant, l)ut a few well-planted shots stopped her, and she displayed the white flag. Her race was run, and Captain Winslow immediately ceased firing and lowered his only two serviceable boats, which were hurried to the aid of the drowning men. A few minutes later the bow of the Alabama rose high in air, and then the noted cruiser plunged downward, stern foremost, and disap- peared forever in the bottom of the ocean. Cruising in the neigldjorhood of the fight was the English yacht Deer' 376 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. hound, wliicli now joined in rescuing the crew of the Alabama at the request of Captain Winslow. She was in duly bound to deliver the men she saved to Winslow as prisoners of war, but, instead of doing so, she watched her chance, and, under full steam, made for Southampton", carrying forty-two, among whom were Cajjlain Semmes ant! fourteen officers. Semmes had flung his sword into the sea and leaped overboard as the Alabama was going down. His vessel had nine killeti, ten drowned, and twenty-one wounded, while on the Kearsarge of the three wounded only one died. A demand was made upon the English government for the surrender of the men carried away by the Deerhoumh but it was refused. FATE OF THE OTHER CRUISERS. The Confederate cruiser Georgia took on the guise of a merchant vessel, but was seized off the coast of Poi'tugal by the Niagara, and sent to this country as a lawful prize. The Florida, while lying in the neutral port of Baliia, Brazil, was attacked, October 7th, by the Wachusel, captured, and taken to Hampton Roads. This action was illegal, being similar to the attack made upon the Fssex in the harbor of Valparaiso in the War of 1812. While awaiting decision as to the legality of her capture, she was run into by a steam transport and sunk. It may be doubted whether this method of settling the dispute was wholly accidental. The Shenandoah did most of her destructive work in the far Pacific. As a consequence she did not hear of the conclusion of the war until several n[iontlis afterward, and she was, therefore, virtually a pirate fighting under a flag that had no legal existence. Her captain, when the news reached him, steamed for England, and turned over his vessel to the British government. DESTRUCTION OF THE " ALBEMARLE" BY LIEUTENANT GUSHING. Probably no more formidable ironclad was ever built by the Southern Con- federacy than the Albemarle. She had been constructed under great difficulties, work being begun early in 1863, when, it was said, her keel was laid in a cornfield. When finished she was 122 feet over all, and was propelled by twin screws with engines of 200 horse-power each. Her armament consisted of an Armstrong gun of 100 pounds at the bow and a similar one at the stern. The Albemarle demonstrated on the fii-st o])portunity the appalling power she possessed. The Federals had captured Plymouth, North Carolina, which was attacked by the Confederates, April 17th and 18th. They were repulsed mainly thi'ough the assistance of two wooden gunboats, the 3Iiami and South- field, but the Albemarle came down the river on the 19th and engaged them. The shots of the gunboats did no more harm than those of the Cumberland and Congress when fired against the Merrimac. The Southfield was crushed as. DESTEUCTIOX OF THE ALBEMARLE. 377 so much pasteboard, and sent to the bottom of the river, while the mangled Iliami limped off, accompanied by two tugboats. The next day Plymouth surrendered to the Confederates. In a fight some weeks later with the Union vessels, the Albemarle inflicted great injury, and withstood all the ramming and broadsides that could be brought against her. She was a most dangerous vessel indeed, and caused the government a great deal of uneasiness. Several attempts were made to destroy her, but the Confederates were watchful and vigilant. She was moored to the wharf, about eight miles u]) tlie river, upon the shores of which a thousand men were encamped. They patroled the banks and kept bright tires Inirniug all night. The crew of the ram were alert, and a boom of cypress logs encircled the cratt some thirty feet from the hull, to ward off the approach of torpedoes. It would seem that no jiossible precaution was neglected. Among the most daring men ever connected with the American navy was William Barker Cushing. He was born in 1842, and educated at the Naval Academy. He was of so wild a disposition that many of his friends saw little hope of his success in life. But, entering the service at the beginning of the war, he quickly gave proof of a jaersonal courage that no danger could affect. He seemed to love peril for the sake of itself, and where death threatened he eagerly went. He expressed confidence that he could destroy the Alhcinarle and asked permission to make the attempt. His supei-ior oflfieei-s knew that if its destruction was within the range of human possibility, he would accomplish it, and the ram was so great a menace to the Union fleet that he was told to ti'v his hand at the seeming impossible task. Although Cushing was a young man of unsurpassable bravery, ready at all times to take desperate chances, thei'e was what might be termed method in his madness. He needed no one to tell him that in his attempt to destroy the Albemarle, the slightest neglect in his preparations were likely to prove fatal. He, therefore, took every precaution that ingenuity could devise. Two picket l)oats were constructed with spar torpedoes attached, and with engines so formed that by spreading tarpaulin over them all light and sound was obscured. When traveling at a low rate of speed, they could pass within a few yards of a person in the darkness without his being able to hear or see anything. A howitzer was mounted at the bow, and the spar, with the torpedo attached, was fitted at the starboard bow. The boats, having been completed in New York, were sent to Norfolk by way of the canals. One of them was lost in Chesapeake Bay, but the other reached its destination. Several days were spent in preparation, and the night of October 27th was selected for the venture. It could not have been more favorable, for it was of impenetrable darkness and a fine, misty rain was falling. 378 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. Cushing's companions in the picket boat were : Acting Ensign W. L. Howarth, Acting Master's Mates T. S. Gay and John Woodman, Acting Assistant Pay- master F. H. Swan, Acting Third Assistant Engineers C. L. Steever and W. Stotesbury, and eiglit men whose names were as follows : S. Higgens, first-class fireman ; R. Hamilton, coal heaver ; W. Smith, B. Harley, E. J. Houghton, ordinary seamen ; L. Deming, H. Wilkes, and R. H. King, landsmen. He took in tow a small cutter, with which to capture the guard that was in a schooner anchored near the Southfield that had been raised, and whose duty it was to send up an alarm rocket on the approach of any expedition against the Albe- marle. It was intended to run ashore a little below the ram, board and capture her by surprise, and take her down the river. It was about midnight that the start was made. Several of the men were familiar with the river, and the boat kept close to shore, where the gloom was still more profound. No one spoke except when necessary and then in the lowest tones, while all listened and peered into the drizzly night. The straining ears could hear only the soft rippling of the water from the prow and the faint muffled clanking of the engine. The speed was slackened as they approached the schooner, whose outlines soon assumed form. No one whispered, but all held themselves ready for the rush the moment the guard discovered them. Sentinels, however, are not always alert, and on this dismal night the guard detected nothing of the phantom craft which glided past like a shadow with the cutter in tow. This was the first stroke of good fortune, and each man felt a thrill of encouragement, for only a mile remained to be passed to reach the Albemarle. A little way further and the boats swept around a bend in the river, where, had it been daylight, they could have seen the ram. Here was where the fires had been kept blazing the night through, but the guards were as drowsy as those below, for they had allowed them to sputter and die down to a few embers, while the sentinels were doubtless trying to keep comfortable in the wet, dismal night. Still stealing noiselessly forward, the men in tlie boat soon saw the gloom slowly take shape in front. The outlines revealed the massive ironclad lying still and motionless against the wharf, with not a light or sign of life visible. The nerves of each of the brave crew were strung to the highest tension, when the stillness was broken by the barking of a dog. The canine, more vigilant than his masters, gave the alarm, and instantly it seemed as if a hundred dogs were making night hideous with their signals. Springing to their feet, the sentinels on shore discerned the strange boat and challenged it. No reply was o-iven ; a second challenge was made, and then a gun was fired. The guards seemed to spring to life everywhere, more dogs barked, alarm rattles were sprung, DESTRUCTION OF THE ALBE3IARLE. 379 wood was thrown on the fires which flamed up, soldiers seized their weapons and rushed to their places under the sharp commands of their officers. Gushing now called to the engineer to go ahead under full speed. At the same moment, he cut the towline and ordei'ed the men on the cutter to return and capture the guard near the Southfield: The launch was tearing through the water straight for the ram, when, for the first time, Gushing became aware of the boom of logs which inclosed it. His hope now was that these logs had become so slimy from lying long in the water that it was possible for the launch to slij) over them. With wonderful coolness, he veered off for a hundred yards, so as to gain sufficient headway, and then circled around and headed for the ram. Standing erect at the bow, Gushing held himself ready to use the torpedo the moment he could do so. A volley was fired, which riddled his coat and tore off the heel of one of his shoes, but he did not falter. Then followed the cris]) snapping of the juimers of the cannon, which showed the immense guns had mis.sed fire. Had they been discharged, the boat and every man on it would have been blown to fragments. " Jump from the ram ! " shouted Gushing, as he rushed forward, with the speed of a racehorse ; " we're going to blow you up ! " The howitzer at the front of the launch was fired at that moment, and then the boat slid over the logs, like a sleigh over the snow, carrying the men directly in front of the gaping mouth of the 100-pounder Armstrong. The critical moment liad come, and, crouching forward. Gushing shoved the torpedo spar under the overhang, and waited till he felt it rise and bump against the ship's bottom, wlien he jerked the trigger line. A nuiffled, cav- ernous explosion was heard, tlie ram tilted partly over, and an immense geyser spouted upward, filling the launch and swam2:)ing it. The enormous cannon was discharged, but, aimed directly at the boat, the aim was deflected by the careening of the ram, and the frightful charge passed harmlessly over the heads of the men. Gushing called to each one to lookout for himself, and leaped as fai' as he could into the water. There he kicked off his shoes, and dropped his sword and revolver. The incensed Gonfederates shouted to the Unionists to surrender, and a number did so ; but others, including Gushing, continued swimming until in the darkness they passed out of range. It sui'2:)asses comprehension how Gushing escaped. Nearl}' half his crew had been struck before the launch was submerged, and Paymaster Swan and another man were shot at his side. Gushing, Woodman, and Houghton leaped into the water at the same time and swam in different directions, no one know- ing where he would come out. Houghton was a powerful swimmer, and, keep- 380 ADMiyiSTEATION OF LINCOLN. ing cool and husbanding his strengtli, lie made shore a short distance below, 2:)assed through the enemy's line to the moutli of the river, and escaped un- harmed. Gushing continued swimming for nearly a mile, when hearing a splashing near him he approached and found Woodman in the last stage of exhaustion. Gushing gave him all the help he could, but he himself was worn out, and, despite his eliurts, AVoodman slipped from his grasp and was drowned. When about to give up Gushing's feet touched bottom and he struggled to shore, where he sank in a collapse, unable to stir uvitil morning. By that time his strength had sufficiently returned to enable him to stagger to a swamp where he threw himself down near a ]iath. A few minutes later, two officers walked by talking earnestly about the sinking of the Albemarle, but the listener could not overhear enough of their conversation to learn whether or not the ram had been destroyed. Growing stronger, he pushed into the swamp, until he reached a negro's hut. There he made himself known, and was received kindly. Gushing asked the negro to go to Plymouth and find out whether the Albemarle had been harmed. The African departed, and, when he returned at the end of several hours, his arras were filled with food and his eyes j^rotruding. " Suah as yo's born, marse ! " he gasped, " de Albemarle am at de bottom ob de riber ! " Such was the fact, for the exploding torpedo had gouged more than twenty square feet out of the ram abreast of the port quarter, through which the torrent rushed and carried it down in a few minutes. Gushing remained with his dusk)' friend until night, when he tramped a long way through swamp and wood to where an old skiff rested against the bank of a small stream. Paddling down this to the river, he kept on until he reached the Union vessels, where he was taken on board and welcomed as deserved the hero who had accomplished that which was beyond the ability of the whole fleet. Before proceeding with our account of the closing militai-y operations of the war, it is proper to record several niinor, but imi^ortant, events. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1864. The year 1864 was a presidential one. Although Hannibal Hamlin had served acceptably as Vice-President throughout Lincoln's first term, jjolitical wisdom suggested replacing him with a man more closely identified with the struggle for the Union. Hamlin belonged to the State of Maine, where the voice of disloyalty was never heard. Andrew Johnson, as we shall learn in the next chapter, was what was termed a war Democrat, who had risked his life in the defense of his principles. He was nominated for Vice-Pi'esident, while PROSPERITY OF THE NORTH. 381 Lincoln, as was inevitable, was renominated for the presidency. The nominees of tlie Democrats were General George B. McClellan, the unsuccessful Union commander, and George H. Pendleton, of Ohio. McClellan acted very credit- ably when, iinding that many believed him opposed to the war, he stated in unequivocal language that he favored its jirosecution until the Union was fully restored. His platform may be described as a criticism of the methods of the administration. His position drove away many who would have supjJOrted a candidate in favor of peace at any price, but he preserved his self-res2)ect, although it helped to bring his decisive defeat. In the November election the result was: Lincoln and Johnson each 212 electoral votes ; McClellan and Pendleton each 21. On the po])ular vote, the Eepublican ticket received 2,216,067 and the Democratic 407,342 votes. Of course, no vote was cast in the eleven seceding States. The result was emphatic proof that the North was unalterably opposed to peace upon any terms except the full restoration of the Union. The great successes, such as Gettys- burg, Vicksburg, Mobile, and the destruction of the Confederate cruisers, as well as the rapid exhaustion of the South, contributed very much to the success of the Republican party. DISTRESS IN THE SOUTH. The distress in the South was intense and grew daily more so. The Con- federate money had so depreciated in value that a paper dollar was not worth more than a penny, and by-and-by it had absolutely no value at all. The farce of such a currency caused many gi'im jests among the Confederates themselves. Thus an officer gave his colored servant live thousand dollars to curry his horse, antl another officer exchanged six months of his own pay for a paper dollar. Li truth, the Southerners were fighting without pay, while their clothing and food were of the poorest character. All the men being in some branch of the service, the women had to look after the homes that were running to waste. The conscription act was made so rigid that the drag-net gathered in the large boys and men past middle life. PROSPERITY OF THE NORTH. It was far different in the North. The enormous demands of the govern- ment for war supplies gave the couuti-y an unnatural prosperity. Although prices were high, there was an abundance of money, which, while depreciating to some extent, never did so to a degree to cause distress. The resources were almost limitless, and the conviction was so general that the war was near its conclusion, that the greenback currency and the national bonds began to rise in value. The real dissatisfaction was in the continual dennind fcr more soldiers. In the course of the year fully 1.200,000 men had been suraraoneJ to the ranks. 382 ADMISISTRATION OF LINCOLN. Several drafts took place, and bounties were paid, which in many instances were at the rate of a thousand dollars to a man. A good many jaeople began to declare this demand exorbitant, and that, if the real necessity existed, the Union was not worth such an appalling cost of human life. wak's desolation. Behind all this seeming prosperity were thousands of mourning households and desolate hearthstones in the North as well as the South. Fathers, brothers, and sons had fallen, and would nevermore return to their loved ones. The shadow was everywhere. Sorrow, broken-hearts, and lamentation were in the land, for war, the greatest curse of mankind, spares neither parent, child, nor babe. The exchange of prisoners, carried on almost from the very opening of the war, ceased, because the Confederate authorities refused to exchange negro soldiers. As a consequence, multitudes of Union prisoners suffered indescribable misery in many of the Southern prisons. This was especially the case in Andersonville, Georgia, where a brute named Wirz, a Swiss, showed a fiendish delight in adding to the tortures of those connnitted to his care. Tiiis miscreant was afterward tried for his atrocities, found guilty, and hanged. He was the only man executed for the part he took in the war. There was less suffering in other places. The straits to which the Confederates themselves were driven made it impossible in some instances to give the care they would have given to their prisoners. In the early part of 1864, more than a hundred Unionists confined in Libby Prison, Richmond, escaped by tunneling, but most of them were recaptured and retui'ned to confinement. Nevada was admitted to the Union in 1864. It formed part of the Mexican cession of 1848, prior to which time no settlement had been made in the State. In that year the Mormons settled in Carson and Washoe Valleys. In 1839, silver was found to exist in vast quantities, and, in 1866, the area of the State was increased by additions from Arizona and Utah. CONFEDERATE RAIDERS FROM CANADA. One of the most irritating annoyances resulted from the presence of Con- federates in Canada, who continually plotted mischief against the North. In October, 1864, a band of them rode into St. Albans, Vermont, which is only fifteen miles from the border, robbed the bank of a large amount of money, burned a hotel, fired into a crowd of citizens, committed other outrages, and galloped back to Canada, where thirteen were arrested and thrown into prison. The legal proceedings which followed resulted in the discharge of the prisoners on technical grounds. General Dir. in command of the Eastern Department, issued orders that in the future all such narauders were to be pursued and shot GENERAL SHERMAN'S ADVANCE TO ATLANTA. 383 down or arrested, no matter where they took refuge. Had tliese measures been carried out, there would have been war with England, which would never permit such invasion of her territoiy. General Dix's action was disavowed by our government, while the Canadian authorities took care to prevent any more similar outrages. It has been stated that General Grant planned a forward movement of the m BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OP THE NORTH END OF ANDERSONVILLE PRISON. {Froiti a photograph.) In the middle-ground midway of the swamp is the " Island " which was covered with shelters after the higher ground had all been occupied. Union forces early in May of this year, with the purpo.se of keeping the Confederate armies so incessantly engaged that they would have no opportunity of reinforcing one another. GENERAL SHERMAN's ADVANCE TO ATLANTA. General Sherman, the faithful lieutenant of Grant, was in command of the three armies, respectively, of the Cumberhuid, of Tennessee, and of Ohio, led 384 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. by Generals Thomas, McPliersoii, and Hcholiekl. General Jo Johnston was Sherman's opponent, his commanders being Hardee, Hood, and Polk. The ti'oops were less numerous than the Fedei'als, but they were the finest of soldiers and were led by skillful officers. Sherman nuule his preparations with care and thoroughness. Chattanooga was his starting-point on his march through the South, and by the 1st of May he had 254 guns, 100,000 men, and an immense amount of supplies at that town. He begsui his famous march on the 7th of May. Johnston, who saw his purpose, confronted him at Dalton, where an attack by Unionists was lejjulsed; but Sherman resorted to Hanking tactics, and Johnston fell back, crossing the river. May 15th, and taking a new position at Etowah, forty miles to the south of Resaca. The great risk assumed by Sherman will be understood. It was necessary to preserve his communications, for he had but a single railroad line behind him. To do this, he had to leave strong detachments at different points, thei-eby weakening his army as he ads'aneed into Confederate territory. Johnston, being among friends, was not obliged to do anything of that nature. He could ])re- serve his forces intact and add slightly to them. By-and-by, the armies would be nearly equal in nundjers, when Johnston proposed to give battle to the invaders. The Union army marched in three columns, their flanks guaided by cavalry, and the columns always within supporting distance of one another. The steady advance and retreat went on with occasional brisk fighting. On the 14th of June, during an exchange of shots, the head of General Leonidas Polk was carried away by a cannon ball. Now and then Johnston attacked Sherman, but invariably without gaining any imjjortant advantage. At last Sherman grew tired of continually flanking his enemy, and made the mistake of assaulting him. This was at Kenesaw Mountain on tlie 27th of June. The attack was made with great gallantry, but the Unionists were rejiulsed with the loss of 3,000 men. Sherman returned to his flanking tactics, which were conducted with so much skill that finally Johnston was forced into the defenses of Atlanta. It was there he meant to make a stand and deliver battle on something aisproaching equal terms. His geneials were dissatisfied witli his continual falling back and protested. That Johnston was sagacious in what he did cannot be questioned; but his old enemy. President Davis, took advantage of the opportunity to remove him and place General Hood in chief command. Hood had not half the ability of Johnston, but he believed in fighting. He assumed Johnston's place on the 17tli of July. The news was pleasant to Shei'man, for he rated Hood at his true value as compared with Johnston. ' Setting out at night they paddled cont. SHERMAN'S THREE SCOUTS ids and remained GENERAL SHERMAN'S ADVANCE TO ATLANTA. 385 It liad been a long and difficult march from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and yet it may be said that Sherman had only reached his true .starting-point. He gave hi.s .soldiers a needed rest, and waited for reinforcements. Tho.se expected f r o m Corinth, %^^^S Mississippi, were routed by ,^"~ Gcneial --^. ^■ Forrest, but the needed men were obtained from other quarters, and the three columns converged upon Atlanta, July 20th. The defenses extended for three miles about the city, but were not quite completed. McPherson .secured possession of a hill that gave him a view of the city, observing which Hood made a furious assault upon him on the night of the 22d. He came perilously near success, but, by hastening reinforcements to the threatened point, Sherman was able to repel the attack. DEATH OP GENERAL POLK. 386 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. In the fighting General McPhersou, one of" the best of the Union generals, was killed. The plan of Sherman was to shut off Atlanta from the rest of the world. By thus excluding its supplies, it would be starved into submission, as was the case at Vicksburg. Accordingly, he began a series of works, intended to be extended gradually around the city. This was difficult and dangerous, as was proven when two columns of Union cavalry, failing to effect a junction, through some misunderstanding, were separately attacked and routed. Among the many prisoners taken was General Stoneman, and the cavalry arm of the service was greatly weakened. The impetuous Hood made a furious onslnught upon the Union army July 28th, renewing it several times, but was defeated with heavy loss in each instance. Sherman, through the failure of one of his generals to reach his assigned position in time, narrowly missed bagging Hood and his whole army. FALL OF ATLANTA. But Sherman displayed masterly generalship by so manoeuvring as to draw Hood away from the defenses and by thrusting his army between the corps of Hardee and Atlanta. The only escape now for the Confederates was to abandon the city, which was done on the 1st of September, many of the citizens going with the retiring army. At nine o'clock the next morning General Slocum, at the head of a strong reconnoitering column, rode into Atlanta, and the mayor made a formal surrender of the place. The news of the fall of Atlanta caused great rejoicing in the North, and corresponding depression in the South. President Davis hurried to the neigh- borhood to investigate for himself. He found matters so bad that they could not be much worse. Hood, however, was as combative as ever, and proposed to attack Sherman's lines of communication. It was a dangerous proceeding, but Davis consented. On his way back to Richmond he stopped at Macon and made a speech, in which he announced the plans of Hood. This speech was 23ublished in the Southern papers, reached the North, where it was republished, and in due time these papers went to Sherman. It can well be understood that Davis' speech proved "mighty interesting" reading to the Union commander. FAILURE OF HOOD'S PLAN FOR THE RELIEF OF GEORGIA. Hood's plan was simple. He proposed to march into Tennessee, and, by threatening Sherman's communications, compel him to withdraw from Georgia. But Sherman was not to be caught thus easily. He followed Hood to the north of the Chattahoochee, and, then letting him go whither he chose, turned back to Atlanta. Hood kept right on through northern Alabama, and advanced SHERilAN'S 3IARCH FROM ATLANTA TO THE ISEA. 387 against Nashville. General Thomas had been sent by Sherman from Atlanta, with the Army of the Cumberland, to look after Hood. General Schofield, in command in the southern part of the State, fell back to Franklin, eighteen miles south of Nashville, where he was attacked November 30th by Hood. It was a savage battle, but the Confederates were held in check until night, when Schofield retreated across the river, and took refuge in Nashville. There General Thomas gathered all his troops, and threw uj) a line of intrenchments to the south of the city. Hood appeared in front of them December 2d, and began building works and counter batteries. He was certain of capturing the place and its defenders by regular siege operations. Never did the genius of Thomas shine more brilliantly than at the siege of Nashville. He industriously gathered reinforcements, perfected his defenses, and refused to move until fully prepared. The whole country became impatient; even General Grant sent him urgent messages, and at one time issued an order for his removal. But Thomas could not be shaken from his purpose. Not until December loth did he feel himself ready to strike, and then he did it with the might of a descending avalanche. He sallied forth, captured several redoubts, and drove back the Confederates for a number of miles. He renewed the battle on the KJth, and utterly routed Hood's army. The panic-stricken troops fled in confusion, drawing Forrest and his cavalry into the disorganized flight, while Thomas vigorously pursued until the fugitives scrambled over Duck River toward the Tennessee, which was crossed on the 27th of December. Hood's army was virtually desti'oyed. He lost more than 13,000 prisoners, including several general officers, and many guns, while more than 2,000 deserters joined Thomas. The disgusted Hood asked to be relieved of his command, and Dick Taylor, who had defeated Banks some months before in Texas, assumed his place, but he really was left with no army to command. The proud host which had promised so much existed no longer. The Rock of Chickamauga had fallen upon it and grountl it to powder. Sherman's march from Atlanta to the sea. Sherman proved his confidence in Thomas by not waiting for him to com- plete his wonderful task, before beginning his march from Atlanta to the sea, 800 miles distant. Since it wa.s impossible to maintain the long and increasing slender line of communications behind him, Sherman made no effort to do so. He "cut loose" entirely, proposing to live off the granary of the South, through which his 60,000 veterans began their famous tramp. Weeks passed, during which the national government heard not a word from Sherman, except such as filtered through the Confederate lines, and which was always tinctured by the hopes of the enemy. There were continual rumors of the Union army 388 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. meeting "a lion in its path," and of its being overwhelmed by disaster, but nothing of a positive nature was learned, and naturally there was considerable uneasiness, though Grant knew Sherman too well to feel any distrust of his success. At the beginning of his march, Sherman aimed to deceive the enemy as to his real destimrtion. The secret was shared only with his corps commanders and General Kilpatrick, leader of the cavalry. Tlie advance was in two columns, the right under General Howard and the left under General Slocum. Atlanta was burned on the night of November loth, and Sherman himself rode out from the city the next day with the left wing. It was imjwssible for the Confederates to present any serious ojiposition to the invaders. Frantic ajipeals were issued to the South to rise and crush the enemy, but they accomplished nothing. The bands of militia were brushed aside like so many children, and the march "From Atlanta to the Sea" was simply a huge picnic for Sherman and his army. The opening of the Mississippi had sliced off the left limb of the Southei'n Confederacy, and Sherman was now boring his way through the heart. Milledgeville, the capital of the State, was reached on the 21st, but before the Federals arrived the Legislature adjourned precipitately and took to its heels. Governor Brown and most of the members ran to Augusta, which was surrendered two days later, plundered, and partly burned. Kiljmtrick made a demonstration against Macon, and could easily have captured it, but his move- ment was intended only as a feint. Rightly surmising by this time that the seacoast was Sherman's destination. General Hardee did all he could to obstruct the roads leading thither, but he was powerless to check the invaders. Thousands of negroes followed the army, singing the "Day of Jubilee has Come," but many of the poor people perished amid the dismal wastes and barrens of Eastern Georgia. Finally Sherman passed down the peninsula formed by the Ogeechee and Savannah Rivers and approached Savannah. The enemy were easily driven from their field-works, and by December 10th all the Confederates were forced into their lines and the whole Union army was in front of Savannah. The 300 miles had been passed in twenty-five days and the listening ears could now hear the faint boom of the distant Atlantic breakers. But Hardee was in Savannah with 15,000 men, capable of oifering a strong defense. To meet his heavy cannon, Sherman had only field artillery, and, instead of making a direct attack, which would have involved considerable loss of life, he decided to starve the garrison to terms. Admiral Dahlgren was lying oflf the coast, but the mouth of the river was commanded by Fort McAllister, and it was dangerous work to attempt to communicate with the Union fleet. PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT. 389 Sherman sent off three sconts, who paddled cautiously down the river at night, hiding in the rice-fields by day, until they finally succeeded in attracting the notice of a gunboat which ran in antl picked them up. The glorious news was carried to Admiral Dahlgren, who immediately dispatched it North, where, as may be supposed, it caused unbounded rejoicing. Fort McAllister, fifteen miles below the city, was such an obstacle to the co-operation of the fleet that Sherman determined to capture it. It was taken with a rush on the 13th of December, and the way opened for a supply of am- munition and heavy guns from Hil- r — ton Head. General Forster, the Union commander of that depart- ment, was ordered to occupy the rail- road connecting Savannah and Charleston. When that should be done, Savannah would be completely invested. PRESIDENT Lincoln's unique CHRISTMAS GIFT. On the 17th, Sherman demand- ed the surrender of the city. Hardee refused and Sherman prepared to bombard it. But the Confederates, who still had control of Savannah River, retreated across that stream on the night of the 20th, and tramped into South Carolina. Sher- i man entered the city the next day ' — and wrote at once to President Lin- william tecumseh shekman. (1820-1S91.) coin : 1 beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of am- munition ; also about 25,000 bales of cotton." It was a unique Christmas gift indeed, and President Lincoln sent back the thanks of the government and nation to the Union commander, his ofiicers and soldiers. One pleasing feature of Sherman's entrance into Savannah wa.s the wide- spread Union sentiment which manifested it.self among the citizens. They were tired of the war and glad to see this evidence that its close was near. They did not destroy their cotton or propei-ty, but were quite willing to turn it over to tiieir conquerors. General Geary was appointed commandant and ruled with tact and kindness. Here we will leave Siu^nnnn for a time, and give our atteu- 390 ADMINI81 RATION OF LINCOLN. tion to the single remaining, but most important, campaign of all — that of General Grant against Lee. grant's advance against lee. AVhen the Army of the Potomac was ready to move against Lee and Rich- mond, it consisted of three instead of five corps. Hancock commanded tlie Second, Warren the Fifth, and Sedgwick the Sixth. Beside this, the Ninth Corps, which included many colored troops, was under command of Burnside, and was left for a time to guard the communications with Washington. This force numbered 140,000 men, and, as has been stated, was the largest number ever assembled by the Unionists. In addition to this stupendous host, 42,000 troops were in and about Wash- ington, 31,000 in AVest Virginia, and 59,000 in the department of Virginia and North Carolina. In South Carolina, Georgia, and at other points were 38,000. General Lee luul less tlian 58,000 under his immediate command, and the whole number of Confederates in the region threatened by Grant's 310,000 was about 125,000. General Meade retained command of the Army of the Potomac, and the cavalry corps was under General Philip H. Sheridan. Best of all, the veterans were now inspired by a feeling of confidence to which they had long been strangers. They felt that they had a commander at last who was competent to lead them to victory. Lee was acting on the defensive and held a powerful jjosition. Longstreet was at Gordonsville, Ewell on the Rapidan, and A. P. Hill at Orange Court- House. The Rapidan itself was held by small bodies of troops, whose lUity it was to keep watch of the movements of the Union army. Grant's plan was to advance directly to Richmond. He intended to cross the Rapidan, attack Lee's right, cut his communications, and compel him to fight. At the same time Butler was to ascend the James from Fort Monroe, seize City Point, and, advancing along the south bank of the river, cut the Con- federate communications south of the James, and, if possible, capture Peters- burg. If Grant succeeded in defeating Lee, he intended to follow him to Rich- mond. If he failed, he meant to transfer his whole army to the southern side of the James, using Butler's column to cover the movement, and attack from that quarter. At the same time. General Sigel was to organize his army into two expeditions, one under Genei-al Crook in the Kanawha Valley, and the other commanded by himself in the Shenandoah Valley. The object of this campaign was to cut the Central Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Road. WOUNDING OF GENERAL LONGSTREET. 391 Since tlie bulk of Lee's supplies were received over these lines, the success of the plan would inflict a mortal blow upon the Confederate array. The Army of the Potomac began moving, May 3d, at midnight. The advance was in two columns. The right, including Warren's and Sedgwick's Corps, crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford, and the left, Hancock's Cordis, made the 2:)assage at Ely's Ford, six miles below. On the following night, the bivouac was between the Rapidan and Chancellors ville. THE BATTLES IN THE WILDERNESS. Reading Grant's purpose, Lee determined to attack him in the dense, wooded country known as the Wilderness, where it would be impossible for the Union commander to use his artillery. Acting promptly, a furious assault was made and the Confederates attained considerable success. The ground was unfavorable for the Unionists, but Grant did not shrink. His line was five miles long and mostly within the woods, where he could use neither cavalry nor artillery with effect; but he made his attack with such vehemence that after several hours of terrific fighting he drove the flying Confederates back almost to the headquarters of Lee, where Longstreet saved the army from overthrow and re-established the line. WOUNDING OF GENERAL LONGSTREET. Before noon the next day, Longstreet forcefd Hancock's left to the Brock Road and determined to seize the latter. Had he done so, another disastrous defeat would have been added to those suffered by the Army of the Potomac at the hands of Lee. Longsti-eet was in high spirits and determined to lead the movement in person. While riding forward, he met General Jenkins, who was also exultant over what seemed certain success. The two stopped to shake hands, and when doing so, they and their escorts were mistaken by a body of Confederate troops for Union cavalry and fired upon. Longstreet w^aved his hand and shouted to the men to stop firing. Tliey did so, but Jenkins had already been killed and Longstreet himself was shot in the throat. He fell from his saddle and lay beside the body of Jenkins. He was believed to be dead, but, showing signs of life, was placed on a litter and carried to the rear, the soldiers cheer- ing as he was borne past. The reader will recall the strange wounding of Stonewall Jackson, under almost similar circumstances, by his own men. Longstreet recovered in time to take a leading part in the closing incidents of the war. This occurrence caused a feeling akin to tlismay in the Confederate ranks, and defeated the movement that was about to be undertaken. General Lee was so disturbed that he placed himself at the head of a Texas brigade, with the 392 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. resolve to lead it in a charge that should be decisive, but his men would not permit, and compelled him to resume his place at the rear. Grant's position was too strong to be carried and Lee was equally secure. Meanwiiile Grant carefully hunted for a weak spot in his enemy's line, and decided that Spottsylvania Court-House was the place, and thither he marched his army on the night of May 7th. While this movement was in progress, Sheridan and his cavalry made a dash toward Richmond in the effort to cut Lee's communications. The vigilant Stuart intercepted them at Yellow Tavern, within seven miles of the city, and compelled Sheridan to return, but in the fighting Stuart received a wound from which he died the next day. When Grant's advance reached Spottsylvania Court-House, the Confederates were in possession, and repulsed the attempt to drive them out. While the preparations for renewing the battle were going on. General Sedgwick was struck in the head by a Confederate sharpshooter and instantly killed. grant's repulse at cold harbor. A series of flank movements followed, with fierce fighting, in which the Union loss was great. Reinforcements were sent to Grant, and nothing could deter his resolution to drive Lee to the wall. At Cold Harbor, on June 3d^ however, the Union commander received one of the most bloody repulses of the war, suffering a loss of ten thousand in the space of less than half an hour, and his losses from the Rapidan to the Chickahominy — whither he moved his army — equaled the whole number of men in Lee's army. The latter was within the- defenses of Richmond, of which the centre was Cold Harbor. Having much shorter lines, the Confederates were able to anticipate the movements of the Army of the Potomac and present a defiant front at all times. Meanwhile matters had gone wrong in the Shenandoah Valley. On the loth of May, Sigel was utterly routed by Breckinridge. The Union officer failed so badly that he was superseded by Hunter, who made just as wretched a failure. The 15,000 troops under Breckinridge were sent to reinforce Lee, when, had Sigel and Hunter done their duty, this force would have been compelled to stay in the Shenandoah Valley. Another movement that was meant to help Grant materially was that of Butler, who was to threaten Richmond by water, while Grant and Meade were assailing the city in front. But Butler was outgeneraled by Beaui-egard, who succeeded in " bottling him up," as Grant expressed it, at Bermuda Hundred, a. peninsula formed by the James, twenty miles below Richmond. There Butler was held helpless, while Beauregard sent a small part of his meagre force tO' reinforce Lee. on ANTS REPULSE AT COLD HARBOR. 393 The terrible repulse which Grant received at Cold Harbor convinced him that it was only throwing away lite to 2)ersist in the campaign against Kichmond by the " overland " route. With characteristic decision, he decided to move his army to the front of Petersburg and thus shut off Lee's communication with the South. Holding his position in front of the Confederate leader until June 12th, GENERAL LEE DASHES TO THE FRONT TO LEAD THE TEXANS" CHARGE. Grant crossed the Chiekahominy and advanced to City Point. Passing the James on ponton-bridges, he marched toward Petersburg, where the army arrived on tlie loth. The next day the Army of the Potomac was south of the James. Petersburg was immediately attacked, but the defenders repelled every assault. The next day, Lee's whole army entered the breastworks of the town. After repeated attacks by the Unionists, Grant saw the impossibility of captur- 394 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. ing Petersburg by direct attack and he began its siege. Several times the Con- federates made sallies against threatening movements and drove the Federals from the positions that had been gained at no little loss of life. Early in July, Grant consented to allow Lieutenant-Colonel Pleasant, of a Pennsylvania regiment belonging to Burnside's corps, to run a mine under one of the approaches to the enemy's intrenchments before Petersburg. It was believed, apjjarently with reason, that the explosion would open a gap in the line through which the Federals might make a dash and capture the town before the defenders could rally from their confusion. The mine was laid and four tons of powder were fired at daylight on the morning of July 30th. A cavity was opened by the stupendous explosion, 200 feet long, GO feet wide, and 30 feet deep. Instantly, the Union batteries opened on those of the enemy, silenced them, and the assaulting column charged. The dreadful mistake was made by the men of halting in the cavity for shelter. The troops sent to their help also stopped and huddled together, seeing Avhich the terrified gunners ran back to their abandoned pieces and opened upon the dis- organized mass in the pit. The slaughter continued until the Confederate offi- cers sickened at the sight and ordered it stoj^ped. The horrible business resulted in the loss of nearly 1,000 prisoners and 3,000 killed and wounded. GENERAL EAELY's RAIDS. Since the entire Army of the Potomac was in front of Petersburg, the Con- federates took advantage of the opportunity to give Washington another scare, in the hope, also, of compelling Grant to withdraw a considerable body of troops from before Richmond. General Early was sent thither with 8,000 men by General Lee, with orders to attack the Federals in the valley. Sigel, whose great forte was that of retreating, fell back befoi'e the advance of Early, crossed the Potomac, and took position on Maryland Heights. Early moved up the Monocacy into Maryland, causing great alarm in Washington. The President called upon Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts for militia with which to repel the invasion. They were placed under the command of General Lew Wallace, who was defeated at Monocacy Junction, July 9th. Early attacked Rockville, fourteen miles west of Washington, and Colonel Harry Gilmor, him- self a citizen of Baltimore, cut the communications between that city and Phila- delphia. He captured a railway train, and among his prisoners was General Franklin, who was wounded and on his way north. The loose watch kept over the captives allowed them to escaj^e. Early was in high feather over his success, and his cavalry apj^eared in front of Washington, July 11th, and exchanged shots with Fort Stevens; but a spirited attack drove them off, and they crossed the Potomac at Edward's SHERIDAN IX THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY 395 Ferry, and passed to the western side of the Slienandoah. Early made his head- quarters at Winchester and I'epelled several assaults ujjun him. The Confederate leader had been so successful that he soon made a second raid. He crossed the Potomac, July 29th, and, entering Pennsylvania, reached Chambersburg, from which a ransom of $200,000 in gold was demanded. It not being forthcoming, the city was fired, and the invaders, after some hard fighting, succeeded in getting back to the southern shore of the Potomac. SHERIDAN' IN THE SHEXAXDOAH VALLEY. These raids were so exasperat- ing that Grant, who could not give them his personal attention, deter- mined to put an effectual stop to them. The government united thei departments of western Virginiii, Washington, and the Susquehanna, and placed them under the charge (if General Sheridan, who had 40,000' men at his disposal. Sheridan, whose force was three times as nu- merous as Early's, was anxious to move against him, and Grant finally gave his consent on the condition' that he would desolate the Shenan- doah Valley to that extent that noth- ing would be left to invite invasion. In the first encounter between Sheridan and Early, near the Ope- quan, a small tributary of the Poto- mac, west of the Shenandoah, Early was routed and sent flying toward Winchester, with the loss of many prisoners and supplies. He was drive> through the town, and his troops inti'enched themselves on Fisher's Hill, nea' Strasburg. They were again attacked, on the 21st of September, and compelled to retreat further up the valley. Early received a reinforcement, and secured himself at Brown's Gap, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Avhere for the first time he was really safe. This left Sheridan free to carry out the orders of Grant to devastate the valley, and he made thorough work of it. Nothing was spared, and the burning and destruction were so complete that his homely remark seemed justified when GENERAL PHILIP H. SHEHIDAlS. 396 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. he said that no crow would dare attempt to fly across the region without taking his rations with him. Feeling that the situation was secure, Sheridan now went to Washington to consult with the government. On the lUth of October the Union camp at Cedar Creek was surprised and routed by Early, who captured eighteen guns, which were turned on the fugitives as they fled in the direction of Middletown. Their commander, General Wright, finally succeeded in rallying them, njainly because the Confederates were so overcome at sight of the food in the abandoned camps that they gave up the pursuit to feast and gorge themselves. " Sheridan's kide." Sheridan had reached Winchester, " twenty miles away," on his return from Washington, when the faint sounds of firing told him of the battle in progress. Leaping into his saddle, he spurred at headlong speed down the highway, rallied the panic-stricken troops, placed himself at their head, and, charging headlong into the rebel mob at Cedar Creek, scattered them like so much chaff, retook the camps, and routed Early so utterly that no more raids were attemjited by him or any other Confederates during the remainder of the war. Indeed, it may be said that this disgraceful overthrow ended the military career of Jubal Early. When some months later General Lee was jilaced at the head of all the military affairs of the Confederacy, he lost no time in doing tvro things: the first was to restore General Jo Johnston to his old cunnnantl, and the second to remove Early from his. The stirring incident described furnished the theme for the well-known poem of T. Buchanan Read, entitled "Sheridan's Ride." Grant held fast to that which he won by terrific fighting. Petersburg lies about twenty miles to the south of Richmond, and the strongly fortified Union lines were nearly thirty miles in length, extending from a point close to the Weldon Railroad, on Grant's left, across the James to the neighborhood of Newmarket, on the right. Holding the inner part of this circle, Lee was able for a long time to repel every assault. The Confederate commander fought furiously to j^revent his enemy from obtaining possession of the Weldon Road, but late in August a lodgment was effected from which the Federals could not be driven. Other advantages were gained, but the close of the year saw Lee still unconquered and defiant. gr.a.nt's slow but resistless progress. Early in February, 1865, Grant attempted to turn the Confederate right, but was rejnilsed, though he gained several miles of additional territory. Sheri- EVACUATION OF RICHMOND. 397 dan soon after destroyed the Richmond and Lynchburg Railroad and the locks of the James River Canal, after which he joined the Army of the James. But Lee was beginning to feel the tremendous and continued pressure. His army numbered barely 35,000 men. A. P. Hill commanded the right wing, stretching from Petersburg to Hatcher's Run; General J. B. Gordon, the centre, at Petersburg; and Longstreet, who had recovered from his wound, the left wing, north and south of the James ; while the cavalry did what it could to cover the iianks. This attenuated line was forty miles long. Realizing the desperate straits, the Confederate authoiities early in 1865 placed the entire military operations of the Confederacy in the hands of Lee. The latter planned U) fall back toward Danville and unite with Johnston. If successful this would have given him a formidable army; but Grant did not intend to permit such a junction. Fighting went on almost continually, the gain being with the Union army, because of its greatly superior numbers and the skill with which they were handled by the master, Grant. April 1st a cannonade opened along the whole Union line. Lee's right Aving had been destroyed, but the others were unbroken. At daylight the next moi'ning an advance was made against the Confederate works. Lee was forced back, and he strengthened his lines by making them much shorter. The Confederates steadily lost ground, many were killed and taken prisoners, and in a charge upon the Union left General A. P. Hill lost his life. At last the enemy's outer lines were hopelessly bi'oken, and Lee telegi-aphed the startling fact to President Davis, who received it while sitting in church, Sunday, April 2d. The Confederate President was told that Lee could hold Petersburg but a few hours longer, and Davis was warned to have the authori- ties ready to leave Richmond uidess a message was sent to the contrary. No such longed-for message arrived. EVACUATION OF RICHMOND. The counsel of Lee was followed. Jefferson Davis, the members of his cabinet, and a number of leading citizens left the capital that night for Char- lotte, North Carolina. The whole city was thrown into the wildest confusion; rioting and drunkenness filled the streets, buildings were fired, and jxindemo- nium reigned. General Witzel, who occupied the Union works to the north of Richmond, learned the astounding news, and the next morning rode into the city without opposition. The tidings were telegraphed to Washington. The following day President Lincoln arrived, and was quartered in the house formerly occupied by Jefferson Davis. Martial law was proclaimed, and order restored in the stricken citv. 398 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. But General Lee had not yet surrendered. No men ever fought more heroically than he and his soldiers. On the Sunday that he sent his message to President Davis, the commander found the only line of retreat left to him was that which led to the westward, and even that was threatened. Antici- pating Lee's retreat. Grant used all possible energy to cut him off. On the night of April 6th Lee crossed the Appomattox near Farmville. That night his general officers held a consultation, and agreed that but one course was left to them and that was to surrender. Their views were communicated to Lee, but he would not yet consent to that decisive stejD. Grant was in r irraville on the "ill, and he sent a letter to Lee, re- minding him of the uselessness of further resistance and asking for his surrender. Lee still declined, and continued his retreat. Then Sheridan threw his powerful di- \ ision of cavalry in front of the Confederates, and Lee decided to cut his way through the ring of bayo- nets and sabres by which he was environed. This desperate task was assigned to the indomitable Gordon. He made a resistless beginning, when he saw the im- possibility of success. The news was sent to Lee, who realized at last that all hope was gone. He forwarded a note to Grant, asking for a suspension of hos- tilities with H view to surrender. The two generals met at the house of Major McLean, in the hamlet of Appomattox Court-House, on the 9th of April, where LINCOLN ENTERING RICHMOND. ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. 399' Lee surrendered all that remained of the Confederate army, which for nearly four years had beaten back every attempt to capture Richmond. Grant's terms as usual were generous. He did not ask for Lee's sword, and demanded only that he and his men should agree not to bear arms again against the government of the United States. They were to surrender all public pro- perty, but Grant told them to keep their horses, " as you will need them for your s})ring ploughing." The soldiers who had fought each other so long and so fiercely fraternized like brothers, exchanged grim jests over the terrible past, and pledged future friendship. The reunion between the officers was equally striking. Most of them were old acquaintances, and all rejoiced that tlie war was at last ended. General Lee rode with his cavalry escort to his home in Richmond and rejoined his family. He was treated with respect by the Union troops, who could not restrain a feeling of sympathy for their fallen but magnanimous enemy. ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. The bonfires in the North had hardly died out and the echoes of the glad bells were still lingering in the air, when the whole country was startled by one of the most horrifying events in all history. President Lincoln, on the night of April 14th, was sitting in a box at Ford's Theatre in Washington, accom- panied by his wife and another lady and gentleman, when, at a little past ten o'clock, John Wilkes Booth, an actor, stealthily entered the box from the rear, and, without any one suspecting his awful purpose, fired a pistol-bullet into the President's brain. The latter's head sank, and he never recovered con- sciousness. Booth, after firing the shot, leaj^ed upon the stage from the box, brandished a dagger, shouted "Sic semper tyrannis ! " and, before the dumfounded specta- tors could comprehend what had been done, dashed out of a rear door, sprang upon a waiting horse, and galloped off in the darkness. No pen can describe the horror and rage which seized the spectators when they understood what had taken place. The stricken President was carried across the street to a house whei-e he died at twenty-two minutes past seven the next morning. About the time of his assassination, an attempt was made upon the life of Secretary Seward, who was confined to his bed, suffering from a fall. A male attendant prevented the miscreant from killing the secretary, though he was badly cut. The best detective force of the country was set to work, and an energetic pursuit of Booth was made. He had injured his ankle when leajiing from the box upon the stage of the theatre, but he rode into Maryland, accom- panied by another conspirator, named David E. Harrold. At the end of eleven days they were run down by the pursuing cavalry, who brought them to bay on ■aHOBaaHiBai THE CIVIL WAR PEACE CONFERENCE. Three cofnmissioncrs (rom the ConfeJeracy susgcsting terms of peace to I'lesident Lincoln and Secretary Seward in Fori Monroe. January 1S65. PUNISHMENT OF THE CONSPIRATORS. 401 the 26tli of April. They had crossed from Maryland into Virginia and taken refuge in a barn near Pet Royal, on the Kappahannock. DEATH OF BOOTH. The barn was surrounded and the two men were summoned to surrender. Harrold went out and gave himself up. Booth refused and defied the troopers, otfering to fight them single-handed. To drive him from his hiding-place, the barn was set on fire. Booth, carbine in hand and leaning on his crutch, ap- proached the door with the intention of shooting, when Sergeant Boston Corbett fired through a crevice and hit Booth in the neck. The wound was a mortal one, and Booth was brought out of the barn and laid on the ground, where he died after several hours of intense suffering. The body was taken to Washing- ton and secretly buried. There is good reason to believe that it was sunk at night in the Potomac. PUNISHMENT OF THE CONSPIRATOKS. The country was in no mood to show leniency to any one concerned in the taking off of the beloved President. Of the five conspirators tried, four were hanged. They were : Payne, Harrold, G. A. Atzeroot, and Mrs. Mai-y A. Sur- ratt, at whose house the conspiratoi-s held their meetings. Dr. S. A. Mudd, who dressed Booth's wounded ankle, and was believed to be in sympathy with the plottei's, was sentenced to the Dry Tortugas for a number of years. He showed so much devotion dui'iug an outbreak of yellow fever there that he was 23ardoned some time later. John Surratt, the assailant of Secretary Seward, fled to Italy, where he was discovered by Archbishop Hughes, and the Italian government, as an act of courtesy, delivered him to our government. On his first trial the jury disagreed, and on the second he escaped through the plea of limitations. The whole countiy mourned the death of President Lincoln. His great- ness, his goodness, and his broad, tender charity were appreciated by every one. The South knew that tliey had lost in him their best friend. Had he lived, much of the strife of the succeeding few years would have been saved, and the bitter cup that was pressed to the lips of the conquered South would have been less bitter than it was made by others. The remains of the martyred President were laid in their final resting-place at Springfield, Illinois, and the fame of Lincoln grows and increases with the passing years. Sherman's northward advances. The army of General Jo Johnston did not surrender until after the death of President Lincoln. Sherman, as will be remembered, made the city of Sa- vannah a Christmas present to the President. Leaving a strong detachment in 402 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. the city, Sherman moved northward with an army of 70,000 men, including artillery, the start being made on the 1st of February. Charleston, where the first ordinance of secession was passed and which had successfully defied every movement against it, now found itself assailed in the rear. The garrison, after destroying the government stores, the railway stations, blowing up the ironclads in the harbor, bursting the guns on the ramparts of the forts, and setting the city on fire, withdrew. This took place February 17th. The next day General Gillmore entered Charleston and his troops extinguished the few buildings that were still burning. It has not been forgotten that Wilmington, North Carolina, had become the great blockade-running port of the Southern Confederacy. The mouth of Cape Fear River was defended by Fort Fisher, a very powerful fortification. General Butler made an attempt to capture it in December, but failed. Another effort followed January 15th, under General Alfred Terry, and was successful. The defeated garrison joined Johnston to help him in disputing the northward advance of Sherman. There was severe fighting, especially at Goldsborough, but the Union army was so much the superior that its progress could not be stayed. There Schofield reinforced Sherman, who, feeling all danger was past, turned over the command to his subordinate and went north to consult with Grant, reaching his headquarters on the 27th of March. Soon after the surrender of Lee, the whole Confederacy was in such a state of collapse that the Union cavalry galloped back and forth through every portion at will. Returning to his command, Sherman moved against Johnston, April 10th. Four days later, Johnston admitted in a communication to the Union commander that the surrender of Lee meant the end of the war, and he asked for a temporary suspension of hostilities, with the view of making arrangements for the laying down of the Confederate arms. Sherman consented, and these two commanders met and discussed the situation. SURRENDER OF JO JOHNSTON AND COLLAPSE OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY. In the exchange of views which followed, the great soldier, Sherman, was outwitted by Johnston and the Confederate president and cabinet, who were behind him. They secured his agreement to a restoration, so far as he could bring it about, of the respective State governments in the South as they were before the war, with immunity for the secession leaders from punishment, and other privileges, which, if granted, would have been throwing away most of the fruits of the stupendous struggle. Sherman thus took upon himself the disposi- tion of civil matters with which he had nothing to do. The more sagacious Grant saw the mistake of his old friend, and, visiting his camp, April 24th, told SURRENDER OF JO JOHNSTON. 403 him his memorandum was disajip roved, and notice was to be sent Johnston of the resumption of hostilities. Two days later, Sherman and Johnston again met, and the Confederate commander promptly agreed to surrender his army on the same conditions that were given to Lee. General J. H. Wilson and his cavalry captured Macon, Georgia, April 21st, and, on the 4th of May, General Dick Taylor surrendered the remainder of the Confederate forces east of the Mississip^^i, at which time also Admiral THE DESPERATE EXTREMITY OF THE CONFEDERATES AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. Farrand surrendered to Admiral Thatcher all the naval forces of the Confederacy that were blockaded in the Tombigbee River. At that time, Kirby Smith was on the other side of the Mississippi, loudl}^ declaring that he would keej:) u]"* the fight until independence or better terms were secured, but his followers did not share his views, and deserted so fast that he, INIagruder, and others made their way to Mexico, where, after remaining awhile, they returned to the United States and became peaceful and law-abiding citizens. The troops left by them passed 404 ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. under the command of General Brent, who, on the 26th of May, surrendered to General Canby, when it may be said the War for the Union was ended. After the surrender of Johnston, Jefferson Davis and the members of his cabinet became fugitives, under the escort of a few paroled soldiers. It was feared they might join Kirby Smith and encourage him to continue his resistance, while others believed he was striving to get beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. The party hurried through the dismal wastes of Georgia, in continual fear that the Union cavalry would bui'st from cover upon them and make all prisoners. In the early morning liglit of May 10th, Mr. Davis, while asleep in his tent, near Irwinsville, Wilkinson County, Georgia, was aroused by the alarming news that the camp was suri'ounded by Union cavalry. He leaped to his feet and ran for his horse, but the animal was already in the possession of a Federal trooper. His wife threw a shawl over his shoulders, and he attempted to escape from the camp without being recognized, but he was identified and made prisoner. He had been captured by a squad of General J. H. Wilson's cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Pritchard of the Fourth Michigan. His fellow-prisoners were his wife and children, his private secretary. Burton Harrison, his aide-de-camp, and Postmaster-General Reagan, all of whom were taken to Macon, and thence to Fort Monroe, Virginia. It was a serious problem, now that the president of the defunct Confederacy was captured, what should be done with him. He was kept in Fort Monroe until his health was impaired, when he was released on bail; Horace Greeley, th-e well-known editor of the Neiv York Tribune, being one of his bondsmen. He had been indicted for treason in 1866, being released the following year, but his trial was dropped on the 6th of February, 1869. He jmssed the remainder of his life in Memphis, and later at Beauvoir, ]\Iississippi, dying in New Orleans, December 6, 1889, in the eighty-second year of his age. STATISTICS OF THE WAR. The most carefully prepared statistics of the Civil War give the following facts: Number of men in the Union army furnished by each State and Terri- tory, from April 15, 1861, to close of war, 2,778,304, which, reduced to a three years' standing, was 2,326,168. The number of casualties in the volunteer and regular armies of the United States, according to a statement prepared by the adjutant-general's office, was: Killed in battle, 67,058; died of wounds, 43,012; died of disease, 199,720; other causes, such as accidents, murder. Confederate prisons, etc., 40,154; total died, 349,944; total deserted, 199,105. Number of soldiers in the Confederate service, who died of wounds or disease (partial state- ment), 133,821. Deserted (partial statement), 104,428. Number of United STATISTICS OF THE WAB. 405 States troops captured during the war, 212,508; Confederate troops captured, 476,169. Number of United States troops paroled on the fiekl, 16,431; Con- federate troops paroled on the field, 248,599. Number of United States troops who died while prisoners, 30,156; Confedei'ate troops who died while prisoners, 30,152. It is safe to say that the number of men killed and disabled on both sides during the War for the Union was fully one million. The public debt of the United States, July 1, 1866, was $2,773,236,173.69, which on the 1st of November, 1897, liad been reduced to $1,808,777,643.40. Mention has been made of the frightful brutalities of Captain Wirz, the keeper of Andersonville prison. He richly merited the hanging wliic-h he suffered on the 10th of November, 1865. As has been stated, he was the only person executed for his part in the Civil War. England, upon leceiviug news of the arrest of Jefferson Davis, declared all ports, harbors, and waters belonging to Great Britain closed against every vessel bearing the Confederate flag. The French government took the same action a few days later. More than a generation has jiassed since the close of the great Civil War, which resulted in ihr cementing of the Union so firmly that the bond- can never again be bi'oken. Whatever resentment may have been felt lasted but a brief while, and the late war with Spain removed the last vestige. A little incident may serve as one of the thousand similar occurrences which prove how perfectly the North and South fraternized long ago. Tiie officer who did the most effective work for the Union in the South dur- ing the closing months of the war was General James H. Wilson, a detachment of whose cavalry captured- the fugitive Jefferson Davis. It was General Wilson, who, on the 21st of April, 1865, rode into Macon, Georgia, and took possession of the city. In the month of December, 1898, while on a visit to Macon, he made an address to the citizens, from which the following; extract is 2;iven : HORACE GREELEY. (1811-1872.) THIRTY-THREE TEARS LATER. Fellow-Citizens : It is with infinite pleasure that I address myself in words of peace to a Macon audience. [Cheers.] Thirty-odd years ago I came into this town with 15,000 cavalry thundering at my heels. [Laughter and shouts.] I was met with the roaring of cannon and the firing of musketry. [Cheers.] I was greeted by the burning of warehouses and the destruction of 406 AD^IINISTRATION OF LINCOLN. jiroperty, which I now profoundly regret. [Cheers.] The welcome that was extended to me then was of tlie silent quality. [Laughter.] An illustrious citizen, then your chief magistrate, the Hon. Joseph E. Brown, after a four- hours' interview, speaking of me then, said to another gathering of illustrious citizens, at the head of which was Howell Cobb : " He is a clever young man, but, gentlemen, he takes the military view of the situation." [Laughter.] Tliat was a fact then, but now I come among you and I receive a different welcome. I was then a victor; to-day I am a captive. [Cheers.] I must say I am a willing captive of your city. The fair women and the brave and excellent gentlemen of your town have, by their open and generous hospitality, imprisoned me deep down in their hearts, and I would be recreant to every feeling of my own if I desired release from such pleasing bondage. LINCOLN'S GRAVE, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS. CHAPTER XIX. A.DN1INISTRATIONS OK JOHNSON AND ORANT 1865—1877. Andrew Johnson — Reconstruction — Quiirrel Between the President and Congress — The Fenians — Exe. eution of Maximilian — Admission of Nebrasija — Laying of the Atlantic Cable — Purchase of Alaska — Impeachment and Acquittal of the President — Carpet-bag Rule in the South — Presidential Election of 1868 — U. S. Grant — Settlement of the Alnhama Claims — Completion of the Overland Railway — The Chicago Fire — Settlement of the Northwestern Boundary — Presidential Election of 1872 — The Modoc Troubles — Civil War in Louisiana — Admission of Colorado — Panic of 1873— Notable Deaths — Custer's Massacre — The Centennial — The Presidential Election of 1876 the Most Perilous in the History of the Country. THE SEVENTEENTH PRESIDENT. As jirovidtHl by the Constitution, Andrew Johnson, Vice-President, took ^ ""'~ " ' the oath of office as President on the day that Abraham Lincohi died. He was born in Raleigh, North Caro- lina, December 29, 1808, and his parents were so poor that they did not send him to school at all. When only ten years old, he was apprenticed to a tailor, and anyone who at that time had prophesied that he would some day become President of the United States would have been set down as an idiot or a lunatic. Among the visitors to the tailor shop was a kind-hearted old gentle- man who was in the habit of reading to the boys and men. Andrew be- came interested in what he heard, and, seeing how much better it would be for him to be able to read for himself, set to work and learned. He removed to Greenville, Tennes- see, in 1826, and there married a (407) ANDREW JOHNSON. (1808-1875.) Oue partial term, 1866-1809. 408 ADMINmTRATIONS OF JOHNSON AND GRANT. noble woman, who encouraged his ambition and helped him in his studies. Nature had given him marked ability, and he became interested in local politics. The citizens had confidence in him, for he was twice elected alderman, twice mayor, was sent three times to tlie State Legislature, and in 1843 was elected to Congress. He remained there for ten years, when he was chosen governor of Tennessee, and, in 1857, became United States senator. Johnson had always been a Democrat, and, when the political upheaval came in 1860, he supported Breckinridge. While he favored slavery, he was a Unionist in every fibre of his being, and declared that every man who raised his hand against the fiag should be hanged as a traitor. Tennessee was torn by the savage quarrel, and for a time the secessionists were rampant. When John- son returned to his home in May, 1861, his train was stopped by a mob who were determined to lynch him, but he met the angered men at the door with a loaded revolver and cowed them. It was such men as Johnson that President Lincoln ajjpreciated and deter- mined to keep bound to him. He aiipointed him military governor of Tennes- see in 1862, and it neeil hardly be said that Johnson made things lively for the secessionists, and did not forget to give attention to those who had persecuted him. His personal courage and honesty won the admiration of the North, and, as we have shown, led to his being placed on the ticket with President Lincoln, when he was renominated in 1864. The reader will not forget that the surrender of Johnson and the capture, imprisonment, and release of Jefferson Davis occurred while Johnson was President. THE PROBLEM OF RECONSTRUCTION. Reconstruction Avas the grave problem that confronted the country at the close of the war. The question was as to the status of the States lately in rebellion. It would not do to restore them to their full rights, with the same old govern- ments, for they might make better preparations and secede again. Nothing was clearer than that slavery was the real cause of the war, and the safety of the nation demanded that it should be extirpated forever. The Emancipation Proclamation was a war measure and simply freed the slaves, but did not pre- vent the re-establish ment of slavery. In December, 1865, therefore, the Thirteenth Amendment, having been adopted by three-fourths of the States, was declared a part of the Constitution. By it slavery was forever abolished, and one of the gravest of all perils was removed. President Johnson was a man of strong passions and prejudices. He had been a "poor white" in the South, whose condition in some respect was worse than that of slaves. He held a bitter ]iei-sonal hatred of the aristocratic Southerners, who had brought on the war. His disposition at first was to hang QUARREL BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT. 40& the leaders, but after awhile he swung almost as far in the opposite direction. At the same time, he was not particularly concerned for the welfare of the freed slaves, who were called " freedmen." THE president's POLICY. President Johnson termed his plan " my policy," and briefly it was : To appoint provisional or temporary governors for each of the States lately in rebellion. These governors called conventions of delegates, who were elected by the former white voters of the respective States. When the conventions met they declared all the ordinances of secession void, pledged themselves never to pay any debt of the Southern Confederacy, and ratified the Thirteenth Amend- ment, as proposed by Congress early in 1865, and which abolished slavery. Bef ire the close of tlie yeai' named, each of the exckuled States had been reor- ganized in aecordauee with this plan. Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas took the step while Lincoln was President. The vexatious (piestion was as to the treatment of the freedmen. The South hr.d no faith that they would work, except when compelled to do so by slave- over-eers. The new governments passed laws, therefore, to compel them to work, under the penalty of being declared vagrants and sent to jail, where they would be forced to hard labor. This method was denounced in the North as a re-establishment of slavery under a new name. The Republican majoi'ity in December, 1865, refused for a time to admit any members from the States that had been in rebellion. QUARREL BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT. Thus a quarrel arose between the President and Congress. The latter pro- posed to keep the States on probation for a time, before giving them their full rights, while the President strenuously insisted that they should be admitted at once on the same status as those that had not been engaged in secession. To keep out the eighty-five members who had been refused admission. Congress imposed a test oath, which excluded all who had been connected in any way with the Confederate government. The Republicans had a two-thirds vote in Congress which enabled tiiera to pass any bill they chose over the President's veto. While they had not formulated any clear policy, they were resolved to protect the freedmen in all their rights. The reorganization of Tennessee being satisfactory, her members were received by Congress in 1866. The congressional elections of this year inti-enched the Republicans in Con- gress, and they were sure of the power for the next two years to carry thi'ough any policy upon which they might agree. By that time, too, they had fixed upon their plan of reconstruction and prepared to enforce it. 410 ADJIINISTRATIOm OF JOHNSON AND GRANT. This policy was to allow the freedmen to vote and to deprive the Confed- erate leaders of the right to do so. To accomplish this, the plan was to place all the seceding States under military governors, who should call new conventions to form State governments. The negroes and not the leading Confederates had the power to vote for these delegates. Provided the new governments allowed the freedmen the right of suffrage, and ratified the Fourteenth Amendment (which excluded the leading Confederates from office), then the Southern senators and representatives would be admitted to Congress. THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL. The "civil rights" bill, which jilaced the blacks and whites on the same footing, was vetoed by the Pi-esident, March 27th. He pointed out the danger of giving suffrage to 4,000,000 ignorant people, lately slaves, and said unscrup- ulous men in the North would hasten South and take advantage of their igno- rance. This was precisely what took place. Tlie South was overi'un by a set of scoundrels known as " carj^et-baggers " (because they were supposed to carry all their woiddly possessions when they reached the South in a carpet bag; in many instances a score of trunks would not have sufficed to hold what they took back), whose rule was worse than a pestilence, and forms one of the most shame- ful episodes in our history. According to the old system, the negroes were counted in making up the congi-essional representation of the South, and tiie Hepublicans insisted that they were, therefore, entitled to vote. The bill was passed April 9th, over the President's veto. The story of the bitter quarrel between the President and Congress is an unpleasant one. Words were uttered by him and by leading membei's of Congress which it would be well to forget. The President became angrier as the wrangle progressed, for, in the face of the hostile majority, he was powerless. The fight continued through the years 1867 and 186S. In June of the latter year, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Caro- lina were re-athiiitted to Congress. The States that had seceded were divided into five military districts, and President Johnson, much against his will, was obliged to appoint the governors. As a result of all this, the negroes were largely in the majority in the South, and the Republican vote in Congress was greatly increased. But in the North, the fall elections went mostly Democratic, though not enough so to overcome tlie opposing majority in Congress. During these exciting times there were several occurrences of a different nature which require notice. The Fenians are men of Irish birth who favor the independence of their country from Great Britain. One of their favorite methods is by the invasion of Canada. In 1866, about 1,500 of them entered Canada from Buffalo, and some skirmishing occurred, but the movement was so clearly ADMISSION OF NEBRASKA. 411 a violation of law that the President sent a military force to the fi-ontier and jjroinptly stopped it. EXECUTION' OF MAXIMILIAN. France had taken advantage of oar Civil War to make an attempt to estab- lish a monarchy in Mexico. French troops were landed, an empire proclaimed, and Maximilian, an Austrian archduke, declared emperor. He went to Mexico in 1864, where he was compelled to fight the Mexicans who had risen against his rule. With the help of the strong military force which Louis Napoleon placed at his disposal, he was able to maintain himself for a time. With the conclusion of the war, our governmpnt intimnted to Emperor Napoleon that it would be J) 1 i t i c f r him to with- d r a w f r o 1 1 1 Mexico, al- though we were quite willing to al- low Maximil- ian to remain emperor if it was the wish of the Mexi- cans. Napol- eon acted oil the warninii, but the mis- guided victim chose to stay, and was cap- tured by the Mexicans in 18(37 and shot. That was the end of the attempt to establish an empire in Mexico, which has long been a prosperous and well- governed republic. ADMISSION OF NEBRASKA. Nebraska was admitted to the Union in 1867. It was a part of the Louis- iana purchase and was made a Territory in 1854, by the Kansas-Nebraska act. Being located much further north than Kansas, it escajied the strife and civil war which desolated that Territory. It has proven to be a rich agricultural region, though it suffers at times from grasshoppers, drought, and storms. The attempts to lay an Atlantic telegrajjh cable resulted in tailures until 1866, when a cable was laid from Ireland to Newfoundland. Since then other LOG-CABIN CIIUKCU AT JUAEAU, ALASKA. 412 AD3IINISTRATI0NS OF JOHNSON AND GRANT. cables have been successfully stretched beneath the ocean until it may be said the world is girdled by them. PURCHASE OF ALASKA. In 1867 our country purchased from Russia the large tract in the northwest known as Russian America. The sum paid was ^7,200,000, a price which many deemed so exorbitant that it was considered a mere pretext of Secretary Seward, who strongly urged the measui'e, in order to give Russia a bonus for her valuable friendship during the Civil War. Inclusive of the islands, the area of Alaska is 577,390 square miles. The country was looked upon as a cold, dis- mal land of fogs and storms, without any appreciable value, but its seal fisheries and timber have been so productive of late years that it has repaid its original cost tenfold and more. WIDENING OF THE BREACH BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT. One of the acts passed by Congress in ]March, 1867, forbade the President to dismiss any members of his cabinet without the consent of the Senate. The President insisted that the Constitution gave him the right to do this. Secretary of War Stanton, who had resigned by his request, was succeeded by General Grant, who gave wav to Stanton, when the latter was replaced by the Senate, in January, 1868. On the ilst of Februai'y the President dismissed him and appointed Adjutant-General Thomas secii-tary ad interim. Stanton refused to yield, and remained at his office night and day, with a company of friends and a military guard. Several demands fur the office were made by General Thomas, but all wei-e refused. It was believed the President would send troops to enforce his order, but he did not proceed to that extremity. IMPEACHMENT AND ACQUITTAL OF THE PRESIDENT. On the 24tli of February the House of Representatives passed a resolution to impeach the President. This was simply to accuse or chai'ge him with the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors. In such cases the trial must be conducted by the Senate. A committee was appointed to ]irepare the articles of impeachment, v.'hich, in the main, accused tlie executive of violating the civil tenure act in his removal of Secretary Stanton, though other charges were added. When the President is impeached, the Constitution provides that his trial shall take place before the Senate, sitting as a court. The trial occupied thirty- two days, lasting until May 26th, with Chief Justice Chase presiding, on which day a vote was taken on the eleventh article of impeachment. Thirty-five senators voted for acquittal and nineteen for conviction. One more vote — SAD CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. 413 making the necessary two-tliirds — would have convictet dreadful scourges that our country has suffered. It first appeared on this continent in 1780, when Boston was ravaged in the summer of that year. It afterward appeared in Kew York and Philadelphia, especially in 1798 and 1797, after which its visitations have been mainly confined to the South, where the sanitation measures have been less rigid than in the North. It has been proven that strict quarantine and abso- lute cleanliness are safeguards against its entrance, though, after the frightful ])lague has once appeared in a place, it is impossible to stamp it out. It sub- sides before the approach of frost and cold weather, and the cure for those smitten is to carry them to cool elevations. Tims fai' science lias not been able to discover the real nature of yellow fever, nor to provide a I'emedy. It has been established, however, that it is due to bacilli or disease germs, as is the case with cholera, consumption, and many other diseases, and there is reason to believe a specific remedy will soon be brought to light. One of the most destructive visitations of yellow fever was in the summer and autumn of 1873. Memphis and New Orleans suffered the most, and at one time those cities were abandoned by all who could leave them. Other poi- tions of the country contributed every possible assistance in the way of medical help, nurses, and money, but before the scourge was extirpated by cool weather fully 15,000 persons had succumbed. PRE.-^IDFNTIAL KI.ECTIOX OF 1878. The Republican National Convention was held in Chicago at the opening of June. As General Grant had returned from his memorable tour round the world, having been received everywhere with the highest honors, a determined effort was now made to renominate him for a third term. Roscoe Conkling, United States senatoi- from New York, was the leader in the movement, and the whole number of Grant's supporters was 306, who without a break cast their vote for him thirty-six times in succession. They failed because of the wide- spread opposition to any man holding the exalted office for a longer period than Washington, the Father of his Country. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1S78. iXi The pi'incipal rivals of General Grant were James G. Blaine, of Maine, and John Sliernian, of Ohio. There being a deadlock, the snpporters of these two candidates united and thereby nominated James A. Garfield, of Ohio, witii Chester A. Arthur, of New York, as the nominee for Vice-President. GRANT IN JAPAN. The Democratic Convention, which met in Cincinnati in the latter part of June, placed in nomination General Winfield S. Hancock, of New York, and William H. English, of Indiana. The prospect of Hancock's election was 28 434 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. excellent, but he destroyed it by one of tliose unfortunate expressions which more than once have defeated candidates for high office. When questioned con- cerning the tariff he expressed the 02)inion that it was a "local issue," a remark which many accepted as displaying ignorance of the important subject, and thev, therefore, voted against him. The result was as follows : James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur, 214 electoral votes; W. S. Hancock and W. H. English, 155; James B. Weaver and B. J Chambers, the Greenback candidates, received 307,306 popular votes; Neal !«?w«t-^5%S^^^ ~:5ees5«cp£':' l)ov> and H. A. Thompson, the Piohibition, 10,305; and John W. Phelps and S. C. Pomeroy, Ameri- can, 707; but none of the three secured an electoral vote. James A. Garfield was born at Orange, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, November 19, 1831. While he was cin inlant his father died and he was left to the care of his noble mother, to whom he was devotedly- attached. Garfield spent his boy- hood in the backwoods, and at one time was the driver of a canal-boat. He became strong, rugged, and a fine athlete, and at the same time obtained the rudiments of an English education. At the age of seventeen he attended the high school at Chester, and by hard study acquired an excellent knowledge of Latin, Greek, and algebra. He was a student at Hiram College, and became an instructor in 1854. The same year he entered Williams College, from which he was graduated with honor in 1856. He returned to Ohio, and was appointed a professor in Hiram College. He indulged his taste for politics and law, and served for a time in the State Senate, but was president of the college when the war broke out. He at once volunteered, and was appointed lieutenant-colonel and afterward colonel of the Forty-second Kegiment of Ohio Volunteers. THE BOY JAMES GARFIELD BRINGING HIS FIRST DAY'S EARNINGS TO HIS MOTHER. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 435 Garfield displayed remarkable ability in the military service, and had he remained would have won high distinction. As a brigadier-general he did tine work in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was chief-of-staff to General Rosecraus, and showed great gallantry in the tremendous battle of Chickamauga. He was in the field when elected to Congress in 1862. His desire was to remain, but, at the personal request of President Lincoln, he entered Congress, where it was felt his helji was needed in the important legislation Ijefore the country. The estimate in which he was held by his fellow-citizens is shown by the fact that he served as a member of Congress for seventeen years. In 1S79 he was ch(jsen United States senator, but did not take his ^~' seat because of his nomination for the presidency. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. The question of "civil service reform," as it is termed, assumed j>rominence during the term of Hayes. This, as all understand, means that the public offices should be filled not in accordance with jjolitics, but be determined by fitness. The cliarge has been made with reason that, wdien public servants have be- come skilled in the discharge of their duties, they are turned out to make room for the friends of the new administration, where politics are different. In that way public service is injured. The opponents of civil service re- form maintain, on the other hand, that tliere are thousands out of office who are just as capable as those in office, and that the party ought to reward those that have helped it to success. "To the victor belong the spoils" was the policy of Andrew Jackson, and it has been followed in a greater or less degree ever since. The cry of civil service reform was long a well-sounding motto with which to catch votes, but no serious effort was made to enforce it. Hayes tried his hand, but the clamor for political rewards was sa insistent that he gave it up, and matters dropped back into their old ruts. The vexatious question was inherited by Garfield, and the hope was general that he JAMES A. GARFIELD. (ISil-liSl.) One partiiil term, is^l. 436 HAYES, GAEFIELD, AND ARTHUR. would not only make a determined effort, l)ut would succeed in carrying out the principles of real civil service reform. The task soon proved beyond the capacity of himself or any human being. It seemed as if nearly every man in the country had been the deciding fiictor in the election of the President, while the "original Garfield man" would have formed a full regiment. The executive threw up his hands, and decided to pass over the plague to the next administration. The quarrel produced a split in the Kepublican party itself, and two wings were formed, known as " Half-breeds " and " Stalwarts." At the head of the latter was the brilliant New York senator, Roscoe Conkling, who had been so persistent in his efforts to I'enominate General Grant for a t'.iird term. The leader of the Half-breeds was James G. Blaine, as brilliant as Conkling, while both were strong personal opjsonents. The Stalwarts claimed the right of dividing the offices, as had been the custom for a century, the senators anil representatives apportioning the plums among the horde of claim- ants. The President was supported by the Half-breeds in his claim that it was his province to bestow these gifts as he saw fit. The collectorship of the port of New York is one of the best offices at the disposal of the administration. The President nominated Judge AVilliam Robertson. He was per- sonally distasteful to Conkling, and, when he found himself unable to pre- vent his confirmation by the Senate, he and Thomas C. Piatt, the junior sena- tor from New York, resigned their seats. Both afterward sought and failed to secure a re-election from the Legislature. Congress adjourned in June. THE AGED MOTHER OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD. ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT GAKFIELD. Relieved from the pressure of his duties, the President now made his arrangements for placing his two sons in Williams College and joining his invalid wife at the seashore. On the 2d of July, 1881, accompanied by Secre- AS8ASSINATI0X OF PRKHIDENT GARFIELD. 437 tary Blaine and several frieiuls, he rode to llie Baltimore Railroad station to board the cars. He had jnst entered the building and was chatting with his secretary, when a miscreant named Charles Julias Guiteau stepped up behind him and shot him with a 2)istol in the back. The wounded President sank to the floor and was carried to the executive mansion, while the assassin was huri'ied to prison before he could be lynched, as he assuredly would have been but tor such ju'ompt action by the authorities. The shock to the country was scnrely less than wlien AbiToham Lincoln was shot in Ford's Theatre. Although the wound of the President was severe, it was not be- 1 ieved to 1 )e nece s s arily fatal. He re- c e i V e d the best medica attention, and pi'ayers tor his recovery were sent u]) from every quarter of the land and across the sea. Daily bulletins of his condition Av e r e issued and message- o f sympatlix v/ere receive from many crowned heads on the other side of the Atlantic. The sufferer was removed on the 6th of Sep- tember to Elberon, New Jersey, where it was hoped the invigorating sea-air would bring back strength to his wasted frame. These hopes were vain, and, on the 19th of September, he quietly breatlied his last. It may be noted that this date was the anniversary of the battle of Cliickamauga, where Genei-al Garfield per- formed his most brilliant service in the war. Amid universal expressions of sympathy the remains were boi'ne to Cleveland, where a line monument has been erected to his memory. Guiteau was a miserable "crank," who had long dogged the President for an a])pointment, failing to obtain which he shot him. That his brain was partly ASSASSINATION OF PKESIDENT GAKFIELD 438 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. awry, with jjerhajjs a taint of insanity, cannot be questioned, but, none the less, it was shown that he clearly knew the difference between right and wrong and was morally responsible for his unsjieakable crime. He was given a fair trial, and, having been found guilty, was hanged on the oOth of June, 1882. THE TWENTY-FIRST PRESIDENT. Chester Alan Arthur, who was immediately sworn in as President, was born in Vermont, October 5, 1830. He received his education at Union ■College, from which he was graduated in 1849. He taught school for a time in his native State, and then removed to the City of New York, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. His ability speedily brought him to the front and gave him a lucrative practice. He was quartermaster-general of the State of New York during the war and displayed fine executive ability. When the war ended, he resumed the practice of law and was made collector of customs for the port of New York in 1871. Seven years later he was re- moved by President Hayes, and shortly after he en- tered the presidential canvass of 1880. He died November 18, 1886. Arthur took the oath of office in New York, t _ ^ __:, J on the day succeeding the death of Garfield, and left at once for Washington. Chief Justice Waite administered the oath again to him in the vice- TABLET IN THE WAITING- • i ,, a x1 x /"i ROOM OF THE RAILWAY president s room. Among those present were Ijren- wtsfso^'^^''^ GARFIELD gj.^! Qj-ant, General Sherman, Senator Sherman, and ex-President Hayes. While President Arthur showed slight disposition to change the policy of the administration, he inherited many vexatious matters from his predecessor. One of the worst of these was the " Star Route Frauds." The rapid settlement of the West naturally created a demand for improved mail facilities. In a number of places, fast mail routes had been organized by the postofiice department, and these were designated on the official documents by the figures of stars. The authorized expenditures of the postoffice depart- ment were clearly defined, but a clause in the law permitted it to " expedite " such routes as proved to be inefficient. This opened the door for fraud, and, as is always the case, it lost no time in entering. The contracts were let at the legal rates, and then, availing themselves of the legal authority, the same routes were "expedited " at immense profits. The money thus stolen — and it amounted to immense sums — was divided among the 1 ' ii : ; (j ■-- ^ i w )oC THE CHINESE. 439 parties letting the contracts and the contractors. Stephen W. Dorsey, John W. Dorsey, and Thomas J. Brady — formerly second-assistant postmaster-general — were indicted for a conspiracy to defrautl the government and enrich themselves. All were prominent politicians, and their trial attracted national attention. Al- though the testimony seemed to establish the guilt of the parties accused, all three escaped, the miscarriage of justice causing a qualm of disgust and indig- nation among right-minded citizens. One of the famous structui-es in the country is the Brooklyn Bridge, which was completed and opened for ti-affic May 24, 1883. Operations on it were begun January 3, 1870, and the towers were finished six years later. The first wire reaching from tower to tower was strung August 14, 1876. Each of the four cables con- tains 5,296 wires, untwisted, lying straight, and held in place by othei- wires coiled tightly around them. The length of the main span is 1,505 J feet; the two land spans are ■930 feet each ; the masoniy aji- proach on the New York side is 1,562 feet long, and that on the Brooklyn side 971 feet. The total distance, therefore, is about 6,000 feet, or more than a mile. The middle of the main span is about 135 feet above the water in summei-, and in winter, owing to the con- traction caused l\y cold, it is three feet more. The height is such that nearly any ship can pass under the bridge without lowering its top-mast. Twenty persons were killed during the construction of the bridge. Although the day was inclenioi^t and unfavorable, the opening of the structure to ti'avel was attended with many ceremonies, in- ■cluding civic and military processions, oratory, salutes by naval vessels, and illuminations and fireworks in the evenins;. CHESTER ALAN ARTHUR (1S30-1856.) One partial terra, 1SS1-188S. THE CHINESE. The State of California, on account of its situation, received thousands of Chinese immigrants every year f]-om across the Pacific, Tliese people live so 440 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. meanly that they coukl afford to work for wages upon which a white man would starve. Consequently they crowded out other laborers and caused so much dis- content that something in the nature of a revolt took 25lace against them. The grievance of the Californians was so well-founded that Congress, while Hayes was President, passed a bill which forbade the immigration of Chinese laborers to this country, and requiring those already here to take out certilicates, if they left the United States, so as to identify themselves before being allowed to return. President Hayes vetoed the bill, but it was passed in 1882. The amazing. THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. ingenuity of the Chinese has enabled them to evade the law in many instances, but their immigration was substantially cheeked. Probably there is no more degraded community on the face of the earth than the ]iart in San Francisco known as "Chinatown." Most of tlie yellow celestials live underground, where their unspeakable villainies are a flaming reproach to the authoiities 'that j^ermit them. THE MORMONS. The Mormons proved a thorn in the side of the body politic. Their i^olyg- amous practices led to the passage in 1882 of Senator Edmunds' bill which EXPLORATION OF ALASKA. 441 excluded polj^garaists from holding office. A good many persons were convicted and sentenced for violation of the law, which was upheld by the Supreme Coui-t, While this legislation did much to abate the crime, it cannot be said that it eifectually ended it, for, at this writing, one of the representatives from the new State of Utah is the husband of several wives, and it is apparent that still more severe legislation will be required to stamp out the evil. EXPLORATION OF ALASKA. Attention was so generally (lireftc(| ti>\vard Alaska, our recent purchase SCENE IN CHINATOWN, SAN FKANCISCO. from Russia, that an ex2")loring expedition visited that country in 1883, under the command of Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka. It should be stated that the jiarty, which was a small one, went thither without authority from the govern- ment, its departure from Portland, Oregon, May 22d, being secret. It was gone for several months, and brought back interesting and valuable information. One bit of knowledge was new. The explorei's learned that the length of the great river Yukon is 2,044 miles, which makes it the third in length in the United States, the fourth in North America, the seventh in the western hemis- 442 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. phere, and the seventeenth in the workl. The area drained by this immense stream is 200,000 sqnare miles. THE YORKTOWX CENTENNIAL. We have learned of the centennial celebration of the birth of our republic in Philadelphia. Mauy other celebratious of iuiportant events were held in dif- ferent parts of the country, the most important of which was the commemoration of the great victory at Yorktown, which brought the Revolution to a close and secured the independence of our country. As was befitting, preparations were made on a grand scale for this celebra- tion. Thousands journeyed thithei' days before the exercises opened. President Arthur arrived at ten o'clock on the morning of October 18, 1881, in a govern- ment steamer, his approach being announced by salute after salute, each of twenty-one guns, from the difterent shi^is of the fleet. The exercises were opened with prayer by E-ev. Robert Nelson, grandson of Governor Nelson, who commanded the Virginia militia at Yorktown and directed the fire so as to destroy his own home, in which Cornwallis had his lieadquarters, after which Goveinor Holliday, of Virginia, made the address. At its conclusion, the sword was held up to view which was presented to the liorseman who rode at high speed to Philadelphia with the news of the sur- render of Cornwallis. Another interesting fact was that W. W. Henry, the grandson of Patrick Henry, was sitting at that moment on the platform. The corner-stone of the monument was laid with Masonic ceremonies. The chair in which the Grand Master for the occasion sat was one that had been used by Washington when he was Grantl Master of the Virginia Masons. The sash and apron were presented to him at Mount Vernon in 1784, and had been worked by Mrs. Lafayette. The gavel was made from a portion of the quarter- deck of the United States frigate Lawrence, flagshi]) of Commodore Perry, when lie won his great victory on Lake Erie in Septembei-, 1813. Spiace cannot be given to enumerate the notables who were present nor the eloquent addresses that were made. Among the guests were descendants of Rochambeau, Steuben, and many German and French friends. The centennial ode was written by Paul H. Hayne, the Southern poet (who died in 188G), and the oration of the day was by Robert C. Winthrop. It was a graceful tribute to the friendly course of England, when Secretary Blaine, at the reception which followed the ceremonies, read the following order : " In recognition of the friendly relations so long and so happily existing between Great Britain and the United States, in the trust and confidence of ATTEMPTS TO REACH THE NORTH POLE. 443 peace and good-will between the two countries for all centuries to come, and e^peciiill y as a mark of the profound respect entertained by the American people for the illustrious sovereign and gracious lady who sits upon the British throne, it is liereby ordered that at the close of these services, commemorative of the v;iloi' and success of our forefathers in their patriotic struggle for independence, the British flag shall be saluted by the forces of the army and navy of the United States now at Yorktown. The secretary of war and the secretary of the navy will give orders accordingly. " Chester A. Arthur. " By the Presidext. " James G. Blaixe, Secretary of State." The final ceremonies of Yorktown occurred on the 20th of October, at which time 9,000 sailors, regulars, and militia made an impressive spectacle. They were under the command of General Hancock, and represented all of the thirteen original States, including a number of others. They jiassed in review before the President, both branches of Congress, governors of the States and their staffs, and the French and German guests of the government. ATTEMPTS to REACH THE NORTH POLE. One of these days the North Pole will be reached, but no one can say when. For hundreds of years the attempt has been made again and again, and daring navigators have penetrated far into those icy regions, where the tempera- ture for months at a time registers forty, fifty, and sixty degrees below zero, only to perish or be turned back disappointed. The first American expedition into the Ai'ctic regions was conducted by Dr. Elisha Kent Kane. He sailed from New York in the steamer Advance, May 30, 1853. He reached Smith Strait, as far as Cape George Russell, and then returned to Van Rensselaer Harbor for the winter. A number of excur- sions were made from that point, and 125 miles of coast were traced to the north and east. Two of the men penetrated to AVashington Land in latitude 82° 27', and discovered an open channel, which they named Kennedy. Kane came home in 1855, having been further north than any other explorer. He was obliged to abandon his ship and proceed overland to the Danish settle- ments in the south, where he was met by a relief party. One of the members of this expedition was Dr. Isaac I. Hayes, who, in 1860, attained 81° 35' north latitude, when he was forced to return without having accomplished anything of importance. Sir John Franklin, an English navigator, had been lost in the Arctic regions a number of years before, and several expeditions had been sent in search of him, but all failed to secure 444 HAYES, GARFIELD, AXD ARTHUR. any definite information. In 1860, Dr. Charles F. Hall, of Connecticut, led an expedition in quest of the lost explorer. He was unfortunate enough to lose his boat and was obliged to return. The most interesting discoveries made by Dr. Hall were a number of relics of Frobisher's expedition to those dismal regions fully 300 years before. A second party, under Hall, found the same year several relics of Franklin, and dissipated all possible hojie that he or any of his men were still living. Dr. Hall was an enthusiastic explorer of those inhospitable regions and spent five years among the Eskemos. Coming home., he organized a third party, for, cheerless and dismal as are those frozen solitudes, they seemed to hold a resistless fascination to all who have visited them. This ex2:)edition reached 80° north latitude, where Hall died. THE GEEELY EXPEDITION. In 1880, the proposal was made by an international polar commission that the leading countries should unite in establishing meteorological stations in the polar region. This was with no intention of helping explorations toward the North Pole, but to jiermit the study of weather phenomena and the actions of the magnetic needle, respecting which much remains to be learned. Congress appropriated funds with which to establish a scientific colony for Americans, one at Point Barrow in Alaska and the other at Lady Franklin Bay in Grinnell Land. These stations were to be occupied for periods varying from one to three years. The party designed for Lady Franklin Bay consisted of First Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely, U. S. A., Commander ; Lieutenants F. S. Kislingbury and James B. Lockwood, U. S. A., as assistants ; and Dr. O. Pavy as surgeon and naturalist. In addition, there were twenty-two sergeants, corporals, and privates, all belonging to the army, and two Eskemos. All the other attempts to establish circumpolar stations, numbering about a dozen, were successful. The steamer Proteus conveyed the expedition to Lady Franklin Bay, the start being made fro"m the harbor of St. John's, Newfoundland. It would seem that every needed jjrecaution had been taken to avert disaster. Since the expedi- tion had an attainable point fixed upon as its destination, it would seem that it had only to establish a base, where the government would deposit abundant supplies, to which Greely could return when he chose or when he found himself com- pelled to retreat. Then he could carry forAvard supplies on his sleds and leave them at different points along his route, so that he would be sure of finding them on his return. This scheme is so simple that it would seem that there was no possible, or at least probable, way of going wrong. Yet misfortune has been the fate of most of the Arctic expeditions. THE GREELY EXPEDITION. 445 It was arranged that two ships were to go to Lady Franklin Bay in the summer of 1883 to bring back the explorers. These ships were to be the steam whaler Proteus aud the United States gunboat Yantic, commanded by Lieutenant E. A. Garlington ; but the Proteus, when near Cape Sabine and before she had landed her supplies, was crushed by the ice and sunk. With great difficulty, Garlington and his men escajied from the wreck in small boats and made their way to Upernavik, where they had left the Yantic. The party then returned to the United States, without having left an ounce of supplies at Lady Franklin Bay, where Greely expected to find all he needed on his return. Now let us follow the exploring party under Greely which left St. John's, Newfoundland, July 7, 1881, in the P-oteus, that was afterward lost. Icebergs were soon encountered, but seven hundred miles were passed without any land appearing. The days had lengthened, light appearing shortly after midnight and lasting until ten o'clock the succeeding night, but the fog was dense and all- pervading. On July 16th, the Proteus was steaming cautiously through the mist, when the icy coast of Disco Island, several hundred feet in height, loomed up directly ahead. The most interesting sight was a vast iceberg in two parts, joined by an immense overhanging arch, under which it would have been easy for the ship to sail. The captain was too wise to make any such attempt. He steamed to one side of it, and, when some distance beyond, fired a signal gun for a pilot. The report was followed by a thunderous rumbling, and, looking back, the crew saw the vast arch, weighing thousands of tons, descend to the water with a crash that caused the steamer to rock to and fro for several minutes. Had she been caught beneath the mass, she would have been crnshed like a tiny insect. A landing was made at the settlement of Disco. In this squalid town all the dwellings were mere huts, with the exception of those of the inspector and governor. It was a strange sight to find in one of these dwellings in the North a piano, billiard table, carpets, and many of the luxuries of civilized life. The visitors were treated with the utmost hospitality and took part in a dance in progress. Returning to the Proteus the party steamed through the fog to Upernavik, which was reached on the 23d of July. They were never out of sight of ice- bergs, but they caused no trouble, and were easily avoided. By means of the steam launch, several men made a passage through inner waters to Proven, a sparse settlement, where they procured some clothing suitable for the high latitudes. These settlements, far beyond the Arctic Circle, belong to Denmark, which exercises a nominal control over them. One of the industries of Proven is the furnishing of supplies to Arctic explorers. A liberal quantity of fresh food was 446 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. secured, beside two native guides and thirty-two Eskemo dogs. It was near here that McClintock, the explorer, was frozen in for an entire year; but the weather continued unusually mild. A mountainous iceberg while drifting slowly with the current sloughed off so much from one side that its centre of gravity was displaced and the mountain of ice turned a complete somersault before it settled to rest. There is hardly any limit to the time in which provisions can be preserved in the j^olar regions. A cache was found among the Gary Islands which had been leit by Sir George Nares years before, and nearly all was in as good condi- tion as when jilaced there. One of the strange phenomena of the Arctic regions is the red snow, mentioned by Sir John Ross, which was seen by the Greely party. This color is found to be due to myriads of tiny plants deposited on the crust. That most eminent botanist, Robert Brown, subjected it to careful examination and pronounced it to be a unicellular plant of the order Algm, and Di". Greville, of Edinburgh, gave it its name [Protococcus nivalis), by which it is now knovtn to the scientific world. The steamer halted at Littleton Island on the 2d of August. A number of articles were found at " Life-Boat Gove," that had been left by the Polaris expedition in 1873. A quantity of coal was unloaded here to be taken aboard on the return. Steaming up Kennedy Ghannel, a deposit of provisions was made near Franklin Island and Garl Ritter Bay. A short distance north, an immense ice pack stopped the ship which repeatedly tried in vain to butt its way through. It was compelled to drift with the pack until the 11th of August, when an opening appeared and the Proteus forced a passage to Bellot Island, at the entrance to Discovery Hai'bor. AT LADY FRANKLIN BAY. The steamer had now reached Lady Franklin Bay, which was its destina- tion, and near which Fort Gonger, a signal station, was to be established. The ship was unloaded and a house built, the men living in tents the meanwhile, and on the 19th of August the Proteus bade the explorers good-by and started on her return to Newfoundland. A numl)er of musk oxen were shot in the vicinity, and now and then a ptarmigan was bagged. The men moved into the house in the latter pait of August, and Lockwood directed the laying out of the observatory and the dig- ging of the foundation pier for the transit. The earth was frozen so hard that it was like chipping solid ice. The house gave the men comfortable quarters. On the first Sunday all work was stopped and religious services held. The ntention was to send an exploring exjjedition along the northern coast oi INTOLERABLE LOXELINESS. 447 Greenland, and it was placed in charge of Lockwood. It -would have been given to Kislingbui-y, the senior officer, but for the fact that he and Greely were not on good terms. Men were sent to examine St. Patrick's Bay to the northeast, for a site to establish a dejiot on the channel of exploration. Such a place was found and the exploring parties were continually active, some of them going a good many miles from camp. Game was plentiful, but the wolves were fierce. Numbers were poisoned by means of arsenic mixed with meat thrown in their way. li being the beginning of their Arctic experience, the men enjoyed themselves to an extent that would hardly be supposed. This was mainly because they were kept busy and the novelty of their life had not yet worn off". One pleasant custom was that of celebrating the birthdays of different members of the party, which was done with a vigor that sometimes reached good-natured boisterous- ness. AVhen the sun sank far from sight on the 16th of October, every one knew that it would not show itself again for four months. It will be admitted, too, that the weather had become keen, for it registei'ed forty degrees below zero most of the time and the moisture within the house was frozen to the depth of an inch on the window-panes. With the coming of the long, dismal night the wolves became fiercer, and prowled so closely around the building that no one dared venture far from the door without firearms in his hands, and the men generally went in company, ready for an attack that was liable to be made at any minute. INTOLERABLE LONELINE5.S. Time always hangs heavy when one is forced to remain idle and the dismal night stretches through a third or half of the year. On the 1st of November, Lieutenant Lockwood, accompanied by seven men, left the dwelling to try the passage of the straits, hoping to push his way to the place where Captain Hall made his winter quarters. They dragged a heavily loaded sled after them, upon which rested a boat, wliicli they expected to use in case they reached o])en water. The men set out bravely and toiled liard, but were com- pelled io turn back, finding it impossible to make any progress. No one can describe the horrible loneliness of such a life as the party were now compelled to lead. They played cards and games, told stories, and held discussions until all such things palled on their taste. Then they grew weary of one another's company, and hours would pass without a man speaking a word. Dr. Hayes has related that, when thus placed, he has dashed out of the dwelling in desperation and wandered for miles through the frozen solitudes, foi' no other reason than that the company of his friends had becouie unbearable. 448 HA YES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. He stated further that a rooster on his ship deliberately flew overboard and committed suicide out of sheer loneliness. One means resorted to by the explorers for relieving the frightful monotony was the publication of a paper called the Arctic Moon. The contents were written and copies made by the hektograph process. Then Greely formed a class in arithmetic, and Lockwood taught a class iu geography and grammar. Matters were quite lively on Thanksgiving Day (the party being careful to note the passage of the regular days), when foot-races were run and shooting matches indulged in, Greely distributing the prizes. One of the many curious facts regarding life in the Arctic regions is that its rigors are often withstood better by the inexj^erienced than by the experi- enced. The two Eskemo guides were the most depressed of the whole party, and one of them wandered off in a dazed condition. When found miles away, he was running as if in fear of his life, and it was with great difficulty he was per- suaded to return. The second native would have run off had he not been closely watched. In the middle of February, the thermometer fell to sixty-five degrees below zero, an intensity of cold which few living men have experienced. At such a terrible temperature pure brandy and glycerine freeze hard, and a man, though heavily clothed, will jierish in a few minutes. The Eskemo dogs by choice slept in the snow outside rather than within the building. THE GRAVE OF DR. HALL. On the last day of February, Lieutenant Lockwood, accompanied by Brainard, Jewell, Long;, the two Eskemos, and a couple of dog teams, started on a journey to Thank God Harbor, seventy-five miles away. The journey was made without accident and the observatory was found still standing, while near at hand was the grave of the Arctic explorer, Captain C. F. Hall. The grave was marked by a metallic headboard, put up by the English and the other by Hall's comrades. On the British board are these words : " To Captain Hall, ■who sacrificed his life in the advancement of science, November 8, 187L This tablet has been erected by the British Polar Expedition of 1875, which followed in his footsteps and profited by his experience." The American inscription is as follows : IN MEMORY OF CHARLES FRANCIS HALL, LATE COMMANDER U. S. STEAMER POLARIS, NORTH POLE EXPEDITION. DIED NOVEMBER 8, 187L " I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE ; HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE." LOCKWOOD'S EXPEDITION. 449^ Tlie great ambition* of Lieutenant Lockwood was to lead an expedition along the northern coast of Greenland, to which Arctic explorers hitherto had paid comparatively slight attention. His intelligence, daring, and skill caused Greely to give him his full confidence and to leave the entire arrangement of the venture in his hands. Lockwood's intention was to start about the 1st of April. Sergeant Brainard was to go with the supporting parties in advance to Cape Sumner and leave supplies. Then when Lockwood's party reached the same point, with all the provisions they could carry with comfort, the explorers would be well sup{)lied. LOCKWOOD S EXPEDITION TO THE FAR NORTH. Amid the iiriug of pistols, waving of flags, and cheers, the stait was made by Lockwood on the 2d of April. Three days later, the party drag- ging a sled laden with p e m mica n r e a c h e d a s n w - h o u s e , where they found Brain- ard and his friends return- ing. There were thirteen in all, and they were crowded in their close quarters, but the fact gave them additional warmth. ,It will be remembered that the long Arctic night was about ended. In the misty light, a dark object was discerned on the top of a neighboring iceberg, which being scrutinized was recognized as an eagle. It was accepted as a o;ood omen by the men, who cheered the noble bird that vividly reminded them of their distant home. The direction was now to the northeast. They crossed the straits at Cape Beechy, pushing to within a few miles of the eastern shore, whence they were to i)roceed directly to Fort Sumner. In order to follow the course of the party intelligently the i-eader needs to keep a reliable map of the Aix-tic regions before him. •29 A FUNERAL IN THE ARTIC REGIONS. 450 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. Fort Conger stood close to the intersection of sixt,y-fifth meridian and the eighty-second parallel, being a little south of the latter and east of the former. From this starting-point, the route of Lockwood was slightly south of northeast to its termination. Almost from the beginning, the traveling was so difficult that the bravest explorers could not have been blamed for turning back. The ice was tumbled together in irregular masses many feet in thickness, through which they often had to cut the way with axes for their sledges. The wind rose to a hurricane, and was of piercing coldness, and so filled with fine par- ticles that they cut the face like bird-shot. Most of the time they could not see one another when separated by a few feet. Muffled to their eyes, the brave explorers fought their way onward, often compelled to stop and turn their backs to the gale, which almost swept them off their feet. Frequently they crouched behind the piles of ice to regain their breath while the furious wind roared above their heads. Toughened, as were all the men, some of them succumbed under the fearful work. These returned to camj), and the party was reduced to nine. This occurred on the 10th of April, very near where the 82d parallel crosses the 60th meridian. There Lieutenant Lockwood came to a halt, and turned back with the dogs to Fort Conger. The round journey was a hundred miles, but it was necessary to get supplies that could be obtained in no other way, and to secure new runners for their sledges, which were battered by their rough usage. Accompanied by the two Eskemos, Lockwood made a new start on the 14th of April, and averaged two miles an hour until he reached his new camjv From that point the nine men hud three sledges, which they dragged, and a fourth that was drawn by the dogs. With indomitable pluck they struggled onward, and all were thrilled on the 25th of the month by the knowledge that they had reached a point further north than had ever been attained by an American, and they hoped to surpass all others. The heroic explorers had by no means finished their task. At regular points they cached their provisions against the return. If the reader will locate on his map the intersection of the 55th meridian with the parallel of 82° 20', he will have a point close to Cape Bryant, where the supports of the party withdrew and started on their return to camp. All who were now left were Lieutenant Lockwood, Sergeant Brainard, and the Eskemo Frederick. Lockwood apportioned rations for twenty-five days among the three. Consequently the northward journey and the return must be made within that time, since they believed it impossible to obtain food in that fearful region. Shaking hands with their companions, who wished them good-speed, the little party broke into two divisions, one tramping southward, while the other resumed its laborious journey toward the northeast. LOCKWOOD'8 EXPEDITION. 451 Before Lockwood left Cape Sabine, Lieutenant Greely gave it as his belief that his brave assistant might succeed in reaching Cape Britannia, which lies about 40° east and 82° 45' nortli. Tlie explorer Beaumont saw this cape, but was unable to reach it. When Lockwood and Brainard arrived there, however, they had no thought of stopping. A cairn was built, a written account of their travels deposited, and live days' rations left. Then the heroes bent to their herculean task again. The Eskemo was left with the dogs, while the two white men, wrapped in their furs, laboriously climbed an adjoining mountain, half a mile in height. From the crest they scanned the snowy landscape, the very picture of desola- tion. Twenty miles to the northeast, the direction they were traveling, they made out a dark jiroraontory, terminating in a rocky headland and penetrating the Polar Ocean, while between it and them a number of islands reared their heads and were separated by fiords. Half of the remaining horizon was filled with the dismal ice of the Frozen Sea. They had no expectation of meeting with animal life in this world of deso- lation, but they fired several times (and missed) at ptarmigan, and, having wounded a rabbit, succeeded in running it down. It was a mystery to them how this little animal found the means of sustaining life so near the Pole. It may be wondered how far these three men would have gone had it been possible to travel. They became accustomed lo the exhaustive work, but the end of the journey was reached on the loth of May, when they paused on the edge of an immense fissure in the ice, extending indefinitely to the right and left, and too broad to be crossed. They searched for a long time, only to learn that it was utterly out of their power to go a foot further. Nothing remained but to learn their exact location. While Lockwood was preparing to take an observation, the sun was ob- scured by fog. All the next day so furious a storm raged that they could do nothing but huddle in their tent and wait for it to jiass. Finally, the condi- tions became favorable and Lockwood made his observations with the utmost care. When they were completed the astounding truth was revealed that theii' latitude was 84° 24*' north and 40° 40*' west from Greenwich. This surpassed the achievement of the Nares expedition sent out by England, in 1875-76, for the sole purpose of reaching the furthest northern point possible. Lockwood and Brainard, therefore, had attained the highest point, which u]i to that time had never been reached by man. On the 7th of April, IS'Jo, however, Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian explorer, penetrated to 86° 15', which surpassed that of Lockwood and Brainard by 200 miles and was within 225 miles of the Pole itself. The return journey was as exhausting and trying as the outward one, but 452 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. the little party never lost courage. Fort Conger was reached early in June, and, as may be supposed, the explorers received a royal welconae from their comrades. The three men were suffering from snow blindness, rheumatism, and various ills brought on by their exposure and terrific labors, but all were in high spirits, as they might well be, when they recalled the wonderful acliieveineut they liad made. WEAKY WAITING. The brief summer was at hand. The snow melted during the middle of the day and the first rain they had seen fell. On the 4th of July they had shooting matches and engaged in a game of baseball. It can hardly be said, however, that the American game has gained much of a foothold north of tlie Arctic Circle. All suffered from intense depression of spirits which could not be shaken off. Again hours would pass without a man sjieaking a word. They seemed mutually repellent and miserable. This sad conditiou resulted from purely physical causes and no one could be blamed for it. The company were now waiting for the Proteus which was due. Sevei-al reports that she was in sight threw all into pleasurable excitement, but it need not be said they were doomed to disappointment, since the relief ship was at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean. The little steam launch had been repaired and enabled the party to explore the neighboring coasts for a distance of several hundred miles. A number of musk oxen were shot, but, excejit at certain sea- sons, their flesh is so strongly impregnated with musk that it is unpalatable for food. As the weary days jiassed without bringing the wished-for steamer, hope sank. Many were sure some accident had befallen the ship and she would never be seen again. If so (and of course such was the fact), more months must pass before the news could be carried to the United States and a new relief expedition be sent. It was hard thus to be forgotten by their friends at home. As a last resort the party could retreat in their boats, but all dreaded the almost hopeless recourse. Gradnally the summer drew to a close and once more they saw the low-sweejiing sun dip below the horizon not to appear again for months. The long, horrible Arctic night again enveloped them in misery and gloom. When the month of January came eveiy member of the party, including Greely himself, were convinced that their country had abandoned them and they must look out for themselves. He announced that if no relief appeared they would start for home not later than the 8th of August. Lieutenant Lockwood seems to have been about the only member of the party who for a time kept up his high spirits. He was not satisfied with what he had already done, and insisted upon another chance to push northward. THE FARTHEST NORTH EJ^ACUJiU i:Y LIEUT. LOCKWOOD OK" THE UKKELV EX- PEDITION". 4o3 454 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. He had fixed upon the eighty-fourth parallel as the point to reach, and he urged the matter so strongly that Greely, who greatly admii-ed his courage, gave his consent, though confident that he would find it impossible to do as well as in the former instance. A FAILURE. Lockwood made his start on the morning of March 27, 1883, his com- panions being the same as before. Two weeks later, as Greely was lying in his tent, wondering how his friend was making out, Lockwood walked in with a smile : "Too much water," he said; "if it had only been ice, we could have man- aged it, but we had no means of getting across the water. Better luck next time." The next time, however, never came. Greely, Lockwood, and Brainard always remained on good terms, but it was not the case with some of the others. Companionship, under such conditions, is a bore, and many a time the three gentlemen named went off on explorations that occupied several days, with no other object than to get away from those whose company was distasteful beyond bearing. THE START HOMEWARD. Greely had given up all hope of receiving help from the United States and ■determined to start for home as soon as his surroundings would permit. His plan was to proceed to Littleton Island, where it was possible they might find a vessel that would take them to Newfoundland. The explorers, twenty-five in all, made their start southward, August 9, 1883. Their boats were the steam launch referred to, a whale boat, an English boat, and a smaller one, which it was thought would prove useful in the event of an accident. For a time the progress was encouraging. The water was quite open, but ice soon appeared. They saved their boats from being nipped by drawing them up on a floe. When open water again showed, they took to the boats and reached Sun Bay without mishap. Then they made their way to Cape Lieber, twenty miles south from Fort Conger, where they were almost overwhelmed in a blinding snowstorm. There they landed and waited for the ice to move and open the way for them along the western shore of the strait. A fog kept them there several days, and when they started again it was in the midst of another blinding snowstorm. One of the incidents of the struggle against ice and tempest was the falling overboard of Lieutenant Greely and an accident to the launch. Scoresby Bay was reached on the 22d of August, and found to be full of floating ice. It was necessary again to save the boats by drawing them up on the floe. By that time, too, the supjily of coal had become so low that Greely held a consultation with his officers over their situation, which was not only THE LAST EXTREMITY. 455 dangerous but rapidly becoming more yo. He proposed to abandon the launch and use the other boats with which to push along the w'estern shore, but the majority believed they had a chance of making Littleton Island. Ere long it was found necessary to leave behind the smallest boat, and when that was done most of the party believed all were doomed. The elements and even the tides were against them. The launch soon became useless and was abandoned. Resort was then had to sledge travel, two carrying a boat between them, and all pulled by the men. They had not gone far in this toilsome manner when another of the boats had to be left behind, giving them only one. Even the courageous Lockwood now expressed his belief that none of the party would escape alive. Still it was better to die struggling than to sit down and fold their hands. Misfortunes crowded upon them. The curicnt continued the wrong way and the floe upon which they were drifting carried them toward Baffin Bay. Sludge ice, the most troublesome of all, abounded, and their poor rations grew scant. In the latter part of September enough of the floes came in contact to permit the men to pass over them to solid land, some twelve miles from Cape Sabine. A reconnoitering party in attempting to reach that point was turned back by the open water. Another company, however, got through and brought back important news. The Proteus had been wrecked and a couple of caches, left by English ships, together with the stores brought from the wreck of the Proteus, were discovered. As may be supposed, they formed a welcome addi- tion to the meagre stock of food. THE LAST EXTRKMITY. It being inevitable that another winter must be passed in the land of deso- lation, preparations were made for doing so. The sjwt selected was between Cape Sabine and Cocked Hat Island. A hut was erected and the supplies moved thither. Greely informed the men that he had decided to reduce the rations so that they would last until the coming March. A cairn was built at Cape Sabine in which was placed a record of what had been done by the explorers. All admitted the necessity of reducing the rations, but it was done to that extent that the men suffered continually from hunger. They were glad to eat mouldy potatoes, and, when, occasionally, a fox was shot, nothing was left but the shining bones. If the preceding period was horrible it Avas now more so, for all felt they had every reason for depression, gloom, and despair. The meagre food made them more susceptible to cold, and, although Greely strove to awaken an interest in different educational subjects, the conditions were so woful that he accomplished little. It may seem strange, but it was natural that the men's thoughts should dwell almost continually upon delicacies in the way 456 HAYES, GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. of eating. They talked about the choicest viands and smacked tlieir lijis over tempting feasts which, alas ! existed only in imagination. Every man uttered a prayer of thanks when the 21st of December arrived, for it meant that the appalling polar night was half over, but how endless the other half seemed to them ! In the following month the feet of Corporal Ellison were so badly frozen that they sloughed off, as did several of his fingers. Soon afterward one of the men died. The brave Lockwood felt himself growing so weak that he privately requested Greely to leave him behind, if he should be alive, when the home- ward start was made. Greely replied that under no conceivable circumstances would he abandon any one if alive, provided he himself survived tlie period of waiting. An attempt was made in February to reach Littleton Island in the hope of finding the relief ship or stores, but the open water compelled the men to turn back. The same cause prevented their getting to the Greenland shore, which could be seen when the weather was clear. When the middle of March came all were placed on starvation rations. None of the canned vegetables, coffee, or chocolate was left. The straits re- mained open and shut them off from reaching Greenland, where they might have found game. The bravest of the party lost heart and sank into the apathy of despair. They felt themselves simply waiting for death. Lockwood wrote in his diary : " I am glad that each day comes to an end. It brings us nearer the end of this life, whatever that end may be." Tiie fuel, which had been carefully husbanded, gave out in the latter part of March. The famishing sufferers gathered their furs more tightly around them and huddled together to secure the mutual warmth of their emaciated bodies. The furs and shoes could be gnawed and eaten when the last extremity arrived. Unexpectedly to f^ll. Sergeant Lynn and one of the Eskemos died at the beginning of April. When there was a chance to shoot game the men were too weak to hunt for it. Lieutenant Lockwood, the hero of the wondeiful achievement narrated, whose high spirits and exalted courage carried him through all manner of perils, died early on the morning of Aj)ril 9th, his death being due to starvation. When the brave fellow had passed away there had not been a mouthful of food within reach for several days. ■ Before this, it became evident that some one was stealing from the scanty store. Investigation disclosed the wretched thief to be a man named Henry. Greely warned him, for he was imperiling the lives of all. He stole again, whereupon, by orders of Greely, he was shot. W^hen the final extremity came there is reason to believe that cannibalism was indulged in, though not to much THE RESCUE. 457 extent. There is no certainty, however, on the matter, and the survivors denied having seen it. THE i;escue. Though it may seem that tlie Gi-eely jiarty was forgotten at home, yet such was not the fact. The loss of the Proteus caused the gravest fears for their safety, and, in the spring of 1884, the navy department fitted out a new relief expedition, consisting of the Thetis, the Bear, and the Alert, under Commander Winliekl 8. Schley, who made such a brilliant record in our late war with tS[)ain. Commander Schley sailed from Brooklyn in Mav, and lost not an hour. He left St. John's on the llith, meeting a great deal of ice in Baffin Bay and Smith Sound, but he fought his way through, and sent a strong party ashore June 22d to hunt for signs of the missing explorers. The steam launcli of the Bear took the party to Brevoort Island, where Lieutenant Lockwood's letter was fouuil, giving their location and stating that they were nearly out of provisions. Since the letter was dated eight months before, the dismayed commander and his officers believed it haiilly possible that any of the men would be found alive. The Bear was pushed on, and the launch started out again early the next morning. Before sunset Greely's camp was discovered. Making all haste forward, the relief pai'ty lifted the flap and breathlessly peered in. They saw Greely on his knees, muttering the prayers for the dying over one of his comrades. He lookeil uji, tlazed, bewildered, and unable to read the fidl meaning of what met his eyes. Around him, in dift'erent postures, were stretched his comrades, some dead and the others close to death. Those still living were Greely, Brainard, Biederbeck, Fredericks, Long, Connell, and Ellison. A few days' later arrival on the ])art of the Bear, and not one would have been breathing. As it was their lives were still in great dangei-, and it was necessary to nurse them with the utmost care. The remains of all wlio liad died, with the exception of the Eskemo, were brought back to the United States. During the halt in the harbor of Disco, to leave the body of the Eskemo, Corporal Ellison, who had l)e(:'n so badly frozen, died. The relief expedition reached St. John's on July 17th and New York on the 8th of August. In 18SG the i)rize of the Iloyal (lOographical Society of Great Britain and the back premium were awai'ded to Captain Adolphus W. Greely and Sergeant David L. Brainard, for having attained the greatest results for the year in adding to geographical knowledge by examinations or exploi'ations. Ko one can deny that this recognition and honor Avere well won. The Greely expedition {possesses so much interest that we have given con- siderable space to the narration. Among the many exjilorations of the far 458 HAYB% GARFIELD, AND ARTHUR. Kortli, few or none equal this, not onlj^ in heroic daring but in results accom- plished. It may be said that the fote of the Sir John Franlclin party was made clear in 1880, by Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, of the United States army, who discovered tlie skeletons of several of the unfortunate exjslorers, together with various relics of the expedition. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1884. In the presidential election of 1884 the Democratic candidates were Grover Cleveland, of New York, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana. The Repub- lican were James G. Blaine, of Maine, anil General John A. Logan, of Illinois. Tlie chief issue with the Republicans w^is the tariff, while the Democrats put forward that of civil service reform. Tiiere was much bitter discussiou, some of the leading Republican papers refusing to support Blaine because of charges affecting his personal integrity. On the other hand, Cleveland was attacked with scarcely less bitterness. The quarrel between the leading parties caused some of the weaker ones to put forward candidates, with a result as follows: Grover Cleveland and T. A. Hendricks, 219; James G. Blaine and John A. Logan, 182; John P. St. John and William Daniel, Prohibition, received 151,809 popular votes; and Benjamin F. Butler and A. M. West, People's jnirty, 133,825. CHAPTER XXI. ADIVIINISTRATION OK CLKVELA.N U (KIRST) ^ND OR HARRISON. lSiS5-180a. Grover ClevehinJ — Completion of the Wasliiiii;toii Monument — Tlie Bartholdi Statue — l>e;itli of (Jeneral Grant — Death of Viee-l-'resiJent Hendricks — Tlie L'irst A'iee-President to Die in Office — George Clinton — Elbridge Gerrj- — WilHam K. King — Henry Wilson — Death of General McClellan — Of General Hancock — His Career — The Dispute Between Capital and Labor — Arbitration — The Anarch- istic Outbreak in Chicago — The Charleston Earthquake — Conquest of the Apaches — Presidential Election of 1S8S — Benjamin Harrison — The Johnstown Disaster — Threatened War with (Jhili — The Indian Uprising of 1890-91 — Admission of New States — Presidential Election of 1S9J. THK TWEN'TY-SECOXD PRKSIDENT. The city of Buffalo, N. Y., lias tlio distinction of he\us the only one in United States which has furnished _ — — ■. . -— ,_ two presidents of the country. Mil- lard Fillmore hailed from BufflUo and Grover Cleveland went from that city to occupy the highest office in the gift of the American people. His native place, however, was Cald- well, New Jersey, where he was born, March 18, 1837. He was the son of a clergyman and received ;i fair education in the public schools, and became an instructor for a time in an institution for the blind at Clinton, N. Y. He removed to Buffalo in 1855, and, having en- gaged in the study of law, soon be- came prominent at the bar. He was appointed assistant district attorney in 18G3, and in 1870 was elected sheriff" of the county. His course gained the confidence of the com- numity and led to his election as mayor of Buffalo, in 1881, though the city wa in politics. the GROVER CLEVELAND. (1S3T- .) Two terms, ISS-VISSO— 1S<13-1897 naturally strongly Republican (459) 460 AD3IINISTRATI0N OF CLEVELAND. Mr. Cleveland added to his popularity by liis able admiuistratioti and was nominated for govei'nor of the State in the autumn of the following year. His success by the unprecedented majority of 192,854 attracted national attention and led the Democrats to believe he was their most available candidate for the presidency. His course as governor commended itself to his friends, who were so numerous that, when his name was presented at Chicago, he received 683 votes against 137 for all others. It will be noted that Mr. Cleveland was the first Democratic President since the ojjening of the war. He assumed his office with the best wishes of the jieojjle, though it is worth noting in this place that the majority by which he was elected was much less than a glance at the returns would suggest. At a public recejition of Mr. Blaine, during the canvass, a clergyman referred to the Democratic party as that of "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion." This unfor- tunate expression drove away a number of votes from Mr. Blaine, who was defeated in New York by a few hundreds only ; but they were sufficient to turn the thirty-six electoral votes to Mr. Cleveland and secure his election by the majority already named. COMPLETION OF TUE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. For 3'ears preceding the Civil War, and for a long time afterward, the Washington monument was a source of rejiroach and jest among the j^eople, because so long a period was allowed to pass before its completion. The corner- stone was laid July 4, 1848, at which time Robert C. W^inthrop, Speaker of the House of Representatives, delivered the address. The occasion was made notable by the presence of Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and President Polk. The memorial to the greatest American orator that ever lived was allowed to stand uncompleted for thirty-seven years, its formal dedication taking place February 21st (the 22d fell on Sunday), 1885. The address of the venerable W. W. Corcoran, first vice-president of the Washington Monu- ment Society, formed in 1833, was read by Dr. J. C. AYelling, president of Columbia University, and the ceremonies were of an interesting charactei-. The Masonic services were conducted by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, which used the gavel that Washington had employed in laying the corner-stone of the national capitol, September 18, 1793, while the Bible was the one upon whicli he took his vows when made a Mason. A second Bible was the one upon which he was sworn into office, April 30, 1789, when inaugurated President of the United States. This i-elic is now the property of St. John Lodge, No. 1, of New York City. President Arthur's address was as follows: THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C. 462 ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND. "Fellow-Countrymen : Before the dawn of the century whose eventful years will soon have faded into the past — when death had but lately robbed the republic of its most beloved and iUustrious citizen — the Congress of the United States pledged the faith of the nation that in this city, bearing his honored name, and then, as now, the seat of the general government, a monument should be erected 'to coramemoriite the great events of his military and political life.' "The stately column that sti'etches heavenward from the plain whereon we stand bears witness to all who behold it that the covenant which our fathers made their children have fulfilled. In the comi^letion of this great work of patriotic endeavor there is abundant cause for national rejoicing; for while this structure shall endure it shall be to all mankind a steadfast token of the affec- tionate and reverent regard in which this people continue to hold the memory of Washington. Well may he ever keep the foremost place in the hearts of his countrymen; the faith that never faltered; the wisdom that was broader and deeper than any learning taught in schools; the courage that shrank from no peril and was dismayed by no defeat; the loyalty that kept all selfish purposes subordinate to the demands of patriotism and honor; the sagacity that displayed itself in camp and cabinet alike; and, above all, that harmonious union of moral and intellectual qualities which has never found its parallel among men; these are the attributes of character which the intelligent thought of this century ascribes to the grandest figure of the last. "But other and more eloquent lips than mine will to-day rehearse to you the story of his noble life and its glorious achievements. To myself has been assigned a simpler and more formal duty, in fulfillment of which I do now, as President of the United States and in behalf of the peo])le, receive this monu- ment from the hands of the builder, and declare it dedicated from this time forth to the immortal name and memory of George Washington!" The ceremonies at the monument being completed, those within the capitol followed. General Sheridan was in charge of the military, and the oration of Robert C. AVinthrop, who was kept away by illness, was read by Governor Long. John AV. Daniel, a leading soldier on the side • of the Confederacy during the Civil War and afterward a member of Congress from Virginia, delivered a graphic sketch of AVashington, and closed with the eloquent peroration : "Long live the republic of AA'^ashington ! Respected by mankind, beloved by all its sons, long may it be the asylum of the poor and oppressed of all lands and religions — long may it be the citadel of that liberty which writes beneath the eagle's folded wings : 'AA'^e will sell to no man, we will deny to no man right and justice.' THE BAUTHOLDI STATUE. 46S " Long live the United States of America ! Filled with the free, magnani- mous spirit, crowned by the wisdom, blessed by the moderation, hovered over by the guardian angel of Washington's exam{)le, may they ever be worthy in all things to be defended by the blood of the brave who knew the rights of man — may they each be a column, and all together, under the Constitution, a j^er^ietual temple of peace, unshadowed by a Caesar's palace, at whose altar may freely commune all who seek the union of liberty and brotherhood. "Long live our country! Oh, long through the undying ages may it stand, far removed in fact, as in space, from the Old World's feuds and follies — solitary and alone in its grandeur and glory — itself the immortal monument of him whom Providence commissioned to teach man the power of truth, and to prove to the nations that their Redeemer liveth." It is worth noting that the Washington Monument with its 555 feet is the highest in the world ; the Cathedral at Cologne, 511 feet, is next; while the height of the Great Pyramid is 486 feet. The cap-stone was put in position December 6, 1884, and the whole cost of the monument was $1,187,710, of which Congress furnished $900,000. An iron stairway of 900 stejDS and an elevator provide means for ascending the interior. THE BAKTHOLDI STATUE. When a person enters New York harbor on his visit or return to the New World, the most striking object upon which his eyes rest is the Statue of Liberty. This represents the idea of Liberty enlightening the world, as conceived by Frederick Auguste Bartholdi, the eminent French sculptor. He began circula- ting his subscriptions for the work through France in 1874. The pojiularity of the scheme is attested by the fact that contributions were received from 180 cities, forty general councils, a large number of chambers of commerce and of socities, and more than 10,000 subscribers. On the 22d of February, 1877, Congress voted to accept the gift, and set ajiart Bedlow's Island for the site. The statue was finished in 1883, and displayed to public view for some time in Paris. Its official presentation to the minister of the LTnited States took jjlace July 4, 1884. The French transport Isere, with the Liberty statue on board, ai-i'ived at New York, June 24, 1885, and was saluted and welcomed by a hundred different vessels. The dedication ceremonies, October 28, 1886, were among the most impressive ever witnessed in the metropolis of our country. Among those on the reviewing stand, near the Worth Monument, were President Cleveland, General Sheridan, the members of the Pi-esident's cabinet, M. Bartholdi, M. de Lesseps, representative of the diplomatic coi-jjs at Washington, and many distinguished American citizens. 464 ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND. The following facts will give an idea of the size of this great statue : the forefinger is more than eight feet long ; the second joint is about five feet in circumference; the finger-nail is a foot long, and the nose nearly four feet; the head is fourteen and a half feet high, and can accommodate forty j^ersons, while the hollow torch will hold twelve persons. The copper sheets which form the outside of the statue weigh eighty-eight tons. From the base to the top of the torch is slightly more than 150 feet, which is 305 feet above low-water mark. DEATH OF GENERAL GRANT. In no event of Cleveland's llivi ;i(lministration was the public more deeply THE FUNERAL TRAIN OF GENERAL GRAK'i' I'ASSING \\ EST POINT. concerned than in the death of General Grant, the foremost defender of the Union. After his return from his triumphant journey around the world, he engaged in business in the city of New York. The soul of honor himself, it was hard for him to believe the dishonesty of others; but he became the victim of unscrupulous persons, and lost not only all his own savings but those of mauy of his friends. He did everything in his power to make good his losses, but succeeded only to a slight extent. He was ruined financially, though a grateful nation would never permit him to suffer want. It was at this sad period that a cancer developed at the root of his tongue, and, though he received the best medical attention in the country, the malignant -excrescence soon made it evident that he was beyond human help. He devoted OTHER VICE-PRESIDENTS WHO DIED IN OFFICE. 465 himself heroically to writing his memoirs, and, with the grim determination which was so marked a feature of his character, he fought off" the last great enemy until the valuable work was finished. General Grant's last days were spent with his family at Mount INIcGregor in New York State, where he quietly breathed his last on the evening of July 22, x885. The body was embalmed and removed to the City Hall in New York, where it was viewed by mourning thousands before its i-emoval to the last resting-place in Riverside Park. The final impressive scenes, when the re- mains were deposited in the mausoleum on the banks of the Hudson, took i^lace in 181)7. DEATH OF VICE-PRESIDENT HENDKICKS. Thomas A. Hendiicks, Vice-President of the United States, died November 25, 1885, at his home in Indianapolis, from paralysis of the heart. He was born in Ohio in 1810, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He was elected to the Indiana Legislature in 1848, and three years later became Demo- cratic member of Congress from the central district of Indiana. He was chosen a United States senator in 18G8, and strongly opposed the imiieaciiment of President Johnson. He was jtrominently named several times for the pi-esidency of the United States. In Indianapolis, where he had long made his home, he was universally resjiectetl by members of all parties. OTHER VICE-PRESIDENTS WHO DIED IX OFFICE. Since ]Mr. Hendricks was not the first Vice-President to die in office, it will be interesting to com2:)lete the list. George Clinton served one term under Jef- ferson, and had nearly ended another under Madison, when he died in 1812. His career had been extraordinary. He was a soldier in the French and Indian War, was a sailor on a j^rivateer, and became a bi-igadier-general in the Revolu- tion, but was nnsnccessful in his defense of the Highland forts in 1777. At one time he was a member of the Provincial Congi'ess and was the first governoi- of New York, serving for eighteen years, from 1777 to 17'J5, and again 1801-04, when he became Vice-President. His death occurred in Washington, and the eight pall-bearers wei-e Revolutionary soldiers. It was a cni'ions coincidence that the next A^ice-Presiilent to die in office was the immediate successor of Clinton, Elbridge Gerry, who died November 2o, 1814. He was a native of Massachusetts, a member of its colonial House of Representatives and a delegate to the Continental Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence and aided in framing the Constitution, though he refused to sign it, on the ground that it conferred too much power on the national government. He held a number of iiujiortant public offices and was governor of Massachusetts in 1810 and 1811. In the latter year, the Republicans (modern 466 ADMIXJsTRATIOy OF CLL\±.i.aM). Democrats) carried out a redistricting selieme by which tlie Essex district took a form which many fancied bore a i-esemblance to a salamander. It was from this incident that the word " gerrymander," so often heard in politics in these days, took its name. It will be recalled that when Franklin Pierce became President, the Vice- President, William R. King, was an invalid in Cuba, where he took the oath of office before the American consul. He was in the last stages of consumption and died shortly after his return to his home in Alabama. Henry Wilson, Vice-President with General Grant, died November 25, 1875, his death being hastened, it is believed, by the news of the death of his intimate friend, Senator Ferry, of Connecticut. The death of General McClellan has already been mentioned as taking place on the 29th of October, 1885. A few- months later, February 9, 1886, General Hancock died at his home on Governor's Island. DEATH OF GENERAL HAXCOCK HIS CAREER. General Winfield Scott Hancock was an ideal American soldier and officer, brave, chivalrous, courteous to foe as well as friend, patriotic, a gentleman at all times and under all circumstances, genial, remarkably handsome and prepos- sessing in manner, who made friends everywhere. His conduct of political affivirs in a section of the South during the troublous reconstruction days won the commendation of his govei'nment and the respect of the South, Avho pro- nounced him a "just man," for whom they formed a strong personal affection. But for Hancock's unfortunate slip, he assuredly would have been elected Pi-esi- dent of the United States in 1880. The two peculiarities of Hancock's birth was that he was a twin and was born on St. Valentine's day, February 14, 1824, in Montgomery County, Penn- sylvania. Appointed to West Point, he found among his fellow-cadets U. S. Grant, G. B. McClellan, Rosecrans, Longstreet, and Stonewall Jackson. Hancock entered the Mexican W^ar as second lieutenant, taking part in three engagements, receiving a wound and winning the brevet of first lieutenant. He was appointed quartermaster in 1855, with the rank of captain. Three years later he was a member of the expedition to Utah to bring the Mormons to terms. When the Civil War broke out, lie was at Los Angeles, Southern California, where considerable sympathy was shown for the Southern Con- federacy. The tact of the United States forces in that section held the State true, a patriotic speech of General Hancock contributing greatly to the same end. His patriotism would not allow him to remain idle, and, when he learned of the grave condition of affiiirs in the East, he applied to be called thither. DEATH OF GENERAL HANCOCK. 467 The request was granted, and he was so anxious to serve his country that he did nut pause to call on his parents while on the way to Washington. Hancock's first apjjointnient was as quarterniaster-general in (Jcneral Robert Anderson's command in Kentucky; but McClellan, who knew his worth, uukIc a personal request of President Lincoln to appoint him brigadier- general. His commission was dated September 23, 1861. McClellan said of him: "He was a man of the most chivalrous courage and of superb ])resence, (•s|H'ciallv ill action : he had a W(indci-fnlly f|nick and correct eye ibr ground "^ SirAir m "^ f — CITY HALIi, PHIIjADELPHIA. and for handling troops ; his judgment was good, and it would be difficult to find a better corps commander." General Hancock gave invaluable help in moulding the Army of the Potomac into the magnificent form it attained, and his brigade was conceded to be the finest and most effective in the wdiole army at the time the landing was made on the peninsula between Chesapeake Bay and the James River. In the bloody battle of Williamsburg, his skill and personal courage were of the highest order. Making a feint of retreating, he drew the enemy after 468 ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND. liim into the position he intended, when he turned and assailed them with a furious musketry lire. It was his men who captured the first colors taken by the Army of the Potomac, and it was on that occasion that Hancock used the expression which has been often quoted. In the midst of the tunudt and swirl of battle he shouted : " Now, gentlemen, we will give them the bayonet ! " Han- cock received the personal thanks of McClellan for his fine work. He was always loyal to his su})eriors, McClellan, Burnside, McClellan again, Hooker, and Meade, rapidly rising in prominence until at the great battle of Gettysburg he contributed perhaps more than any single man to the success of the Union arms. Among the titles applied to him by his admiring country- men were "The Superb " and " The Hero of Gettysburg." The Confederates who came in contact with him expressed their admiration of his dauntless courage and coolness. He was j^ainfully wounded, but, while lying on a stretcher, he sent a message to General Meade that the Confederate army was in retreat. Meade replied with his grateful thanks and sympathy, and Congress also thanked him. His ardent })atriotism placed him in the saddle before his wound had liealed, and at one time during the battle of the Wilderness he was obliged to give up his command. At Cliancellorsville he captured the whole division of General Edward Johnson. When that officer was brought into Hancock's tent the latter extended his hand to his old acquaintance, exclaiming heartily, " How are you, Ned ? " "I refuse to take your hand," replied the humiliated prisoner. " All right," said Hancock, " I shouldn't have offered it to you under any other circumstances." Hancock was in command of the Second Army Corps for the last time at the battle of Boydton. His remarkable skill in training soldiers caused Secretary Stanton to assign to him the task of organizing the First Veteran Corps, com- posed of soldiers, all of whom had been in service two years. He afterward commanded the Army of the Shenandoah, and was in charge at AVashington at the time of the assassination of Lincohi. In 18G!), he was transferred from the command of the division of the Atlantic and assigned to that of Dakota, where he remained until 1872, when he I'esumed command of the division of the Atlantic. His last public ap])ear- ance was when he commanded the military forces which assisted in the funeral ceremonies of General Grant. As a proof that General Hancock's skill with the pen was hardly less than that with the sword, the following extract is given from an article by him on the battle of Gettysburg : " Cemetery Hill has since become consecrated ground. Tlie place where CAPITAL AXD LABOR. 469 General Howard was superseded in command on the first day of the fight is now covered witli tlie graves of thousands of gallant soldiers whose bones lie buried at the base of the beautiful monumental column which commemorates their fame. Two of the marble statues ornamenting the pedestal personify War and History. War, symbolized by a soldier resting from the conflict, narrates to History the story of the struggle and the deeds of the mai-tyr-heroes who fell in that famous battle. In remembrance of these noble comrades who laid down their lives for the general weal, it were simply sacrilege for any survivor to j^our into the ears of History an incorrect account of the contest, still more to assume to himself honors belonging 2ierhaps less to the living than to the dead. " The historian of the future who essays to tell the tale of Gettysburg undertakes an onerous task, a high responsibility, a sacred trust. Above all things, justice and truth should dwell in his mind and heart. Then, dipping his pen as it were in the crimson tide, the sunshine of heaven lighting his page, giving 'honor to whom honor is due,' doing even justice to the sj^dendid valor alike of friend and foe, he may tell the world how the I'ain descended in streams of fire, and the floods came in the billows of rebellion, and the winds blew in blasts of fraternal execration, and beat upon the fabric of the Federal Union, and that it fell not, for, resting on the rights and liberties of the people, it was founded upon a rock." General Hancock died February V, 188(5. CAPITAL AND LABOR. Perhaps the gravest problem which confronts our country is the eternal strife between capital and labor. It is a problem which when solved will. prove one of the most beneficent boons that ever blessed mankind. Disputes continu- ally arise between employers and employes ; sti'ikes have occurred without number, many of them attended by violence, the destruction of property and lamentable loss of life. Arbitration is the best and most sensible cure for the grave peril which at times lias seemed to threaten the safety of our institutions^ and when the employer and those dependent upon him for the support of them- ' selves and families meet in a friendly spirit and discuss their differences, they are certain to reach an amicable agreement. That men have the right to strike and combine against a lowering of their- wages or for the purpose of increasing them is beyond all dispute. That they have the right to destroy projierty or prevent other men from taking their ]ilaces is contended by no intelligent person, but, so long as human nature remains as it is, they will do so, with the result that in almost every instance it is the laborers themselves who are the greatest losers and sufferers. One fact for which all ought to be grateful is that the muixlerous anarchists who once plotted and struck with the venom of rattlesnakes have either disap- peared or censed their evil work. They are scarcely heard of in these days, and 470 ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND. that it may ever remain tlius is the fervent wish of every patriotic and right- minded citizen. It is inevitable tliat so hing as the United States remains an asyhim for the persecuted and oppressed of all nations, it must receive many of the miscreants that have been compelled to flee from their own countries to escape tlie penalty of their crimes. Despite the ravings of the anarchists, we have good-naturedly let them alone, not believing they would ever dare to carry out any of the threats which they were so fond of making. Thus they became emboldened and finally ventui'ed to put their execrable j^rinciples into 2:)ractice. Tliere were a good many strikes in different parts of the country in the early months of 1886. A number were settled by arbitration, such as the strike on the elevated railroads in New York City, but others were fought out to the bitter end. A strike occurred on the Missouri Pacific Railroad in the spring of 1886. The strikers became violent, destroyed property, and a number of lives were lost. The end came in May, and, as is generally the case, it was against the em- ployes, many of whom were unable to regain the places that had been taken by others. ANARCHISTIC OUTBREAK IN CHICAGO. The cry for eight hours, at the same rate of wages previously paid for ten, was raised in New York and Chicago in May, 1886. Here and there a com- jiromise of nine hours was agreed upon with a half of each Saturday for the em- ployes, but in other cases the employers would not yield anything. This issue led to the strike of 40,000 workmen in Chicago, who were chiefly lumbermen, brickmakers, freight-handlers, iron-workers, and men employed in factories. So many people were idle that business of all kinds suffered. Naturally there were many parades and much speech-making. That "an idk^ mind is the devil's workshop" was proven by the appearance of the communistic red flag in some of the parades and by the savage utterances of their speech-makers. The pork jiackers and brewers amicably adjusted the strikes of their men, but the majority of the employers refused to concede anything. Sunday, the 2d of May, passed without incident, but the police knew the anarchists were plotting and trouble was at hand. Probably 12,000 strikers gathered the next day at the McCormick Reaper Works on Western Avenue, where they shattered the windows with stones. At the moment an attack was about to be made upon the buildings, a patrol wagon dashed up with twelve policemen, who sprang to the ground. Drawing their revolvers they faced the mob and ordered them to disperse. They were answered with a volley of stones. The policemen fired twice over the heads of the rioters, thereby encouraging instead of intimidating them. Seeing the folly of throwing away their shots, the policemen now fired ANARCHISTIC OUTBREAK IN CHICAGO 471 directly at the rioters, who answered with pistol-shots, but they did not liit any of the officers. Other patrol wagons hurried up, and the officers did not wait until tliey could leaj) out before opening fii'e. Their brave attaclc foix-ed back the mob, and in the course of an hour the streets were cleai'ed. Tiie tei-rilied workuien were escorted by the policemen to their homes. But for such protection they would have been killed by tlie infuriated rioters. Tuesday was marked by many affrays between the offi- cers and law-breakers, but no serious conflict occurred. Pla- cards were distributed during the day, calling upon the •" workingmen " to meet that evening at the old Haymarket Place, and the organ of tlie anarchists urged the men to arm against the police. At the meeting the most incendiai-y speeches were made, and the sj:)eakers had roused the several thousand listeners to the high- est pitch of excitement, when Inspector Bonfield at the head of a column of officers forced his way to the stand, ordered the speaker to stop, and eoni- Tnanded the crowd to disperse. He was answered with jeers and a storm of missiles. While the policemen were calmly awaiting the orders of the in- spector, some one in the crowd threw a sputtering dynamite bondj at the feet of the officers. A moment later it exploded, killing seven and crippling eleven for life. The enraged survivors dashed into the mob, shooting and using their clubs with fearful effect. Within five minutes the crowd was scattered, but many lay dead and wounded on the ground. In the investigation that followed, it was shown that the anarchists had planned to slay hundreds of innocent people and plunder OLD HAYMABKET PLAZA, CHICAGO. This niomniKMit shows the spot where on May 3, issti, a d.VTiamite bomb was thrown by anarchists Into a group of policemen, killing seven, crip- pling eleven for life, and injuring twelve others so they were unable to do duty for a year. 472 ADMINISTRATION OF CLEVELAND. the city. Their leaders were brought to trial, ably defended, and the most prominent sentenced to death. One committed suicide, a number were hanged, and others sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. All of the latter were pardoned by Governor Altgeld when he assumed ofHce. Since that time, as has been stated, the anarchists have given little trouble. THE CHARLESTON EARTHQUAKE. The year 1886 was marked by one of the most terrifying visitations that can come to any country. Earthquake shocks have been felt in different places in the United States, and the earth-tremors are so frequent in California that they cause little alarm, for very few have inflicted any dam;ige to property or life. On the night of August 31st, the city of Richmond, Virginia, was throwa into consternation by a series of earthquake shocks. The convicts in the peni- tentiary became so panic-stricken that the militia had to be called out to control them. The shock was felt still more violently in Columbia, South Carolina., Tlie buildings swayed as if rocked in a gale, and hundreds of citizens rushed into the street in their night robes. The scenes were less startling in Mem^^his,. Nashville, Raleigh, Chattanooga, Selma, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Mobile, St. Louis, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Chicago, Pittsburg, while the tremor was felt as far north as Albany, N. Y. The most fearful visitation, however, was at Charleston, South Carolina. Telegraphic communication was cut off with the rest of the world, and for hours the horrifying belief prevailed that the city had been entirely destroyed. Such, happily, was not the fact, though never in all the stormy history of Charleston did she pass through so terrible an experience. Late on the evening named, the inhabitants found themselves tossed about,, with their houses tumbling into ruins. They ran in terror into the streets, many not stopping until they reached the open country, while others flung themselves on their knees and begged heaven to save them. The shocks that night were ten in number, each less violent than its pre- decessor. Fires started in several quarters, and twenty houses were burned be- fore the firemen gained control. The next morning vibrations again shook the city, all coming from the southeast and passing off in a northwesterly direction. The first warning was a deep, subterraneous rumbling, then the earth quivered and heaved, and in a few seconds the terrific wave had gone by. When night came again, 50,000 people — men, women, and children — were in the streets, none daring to enter their houses. They fled to the open squares to escape being- crushed by the falling buildings. Many believed the day of judgment had come and the negroes were frenzied with terror. CONQUEST OF THE APACHES. 47S Singular effects of the earthquake showed themselves. In some places, the covers were hurled from the wells and were followed by geysers of mud and water. Some wells were entirely emptied, but they soon refilled. The shocks continued at varying intervals for several weeks, though none was as violent as at first. In Charleston fully a hundred people were killed and two-thirds of the city recjuired rebuiUling. While damnge was done at other 2:)oints, none equaled that at Charleston. The country was quick to respond to the needs of the smitten city. Con- tributions were forwarded from eveiy point as freely as when Chicago was devas- tated by fii'e. Tents, provisions, and many thousands of dollars were sent thither. Even Queen Victoria telegraphed her sympathy to Pi-esident Cleveland. One of the mitigations of such scourges is that they seem to draw humanity closer into one general brotherhood. CONQUEST OF THE APACHES. An important work accomplished during the first administration of Cleve- land was the conquest and subjection of the Apaches of the Southwest. These Indians are the most terrible red men that ever lived anywhei-e. They are in- credibly tough of frame, as merciless as tigers, and capable of undergoing hard- ships and privations before which any other jieople would succumb. They will travel for days without a mouthful of food, will go for hour after hour through a climate that is like that of Sahara without a drop of moisture, will climb pi-e- cipitous mountains as readily as a slight declivity, will lope across the burning- deserts all day without fatigue, or, if riding one of their wiry ponies, will kill and eat a portion of them when hunger must be attended to, and tl;en continue their journey on foot. If a party of Apache raiders are hard pressed by cavalry, they will break up and continue their flight singly, meeting at some rendezvous many miles away, after the discouraged troopers have abandoned pursuit. They seem as impervious to the fiery heat of Arizona and New INIexico as salamanders. To- night they may burn a ranchman's home, massacre him and all his family, and to-morrow morning will repeat the crime fifty miles distant. No men could have displayed more bravery and endurance in i-unning down the Apaches than the United States cavalry. The metal-work of their weapons grew so hot that it would blister the bare hands, and for days the thermometer marked one hundred and twenty degi'ces. Captain Bourke, who understands these frightful red men thoroughly, gives the following description of the Apache : " Physically, he is ]>erfect; he might be a trifle taller for artistic effect, but his apparent 'squattiness' is due more to great girth of chest than to diminutive 474 ADMINISTRATION OF' CLEVELAND. stature. His muscles are hard as bone, and I have seen one light a match on the sole of his foot. When Crook first took the Apache in hand, he had few wants and cared for no luxuries. War was his business, his life, and victory his dream. To attack a Mexican caiuj) or isolated village, and run off a herd of cattle, nudes, or sheep, he would gladly travel hundreds of miles, incurring every risk and displaying a coimige which wcndd have been extolled in a historical novel as having happened in a raitl by Highlanders upon Scotchmen ; but wheji it was your stock, or your friend's stock, it became quite a different matter. He wore no clothing whatever save a narrow piece of calico or buck- skin about his loins, a helmet also of buckskin, plentifully crested with the plumage of the wild turkey and eagle, and long-legged moccasins, held to the waist by a string, and turned up at the toes in a shield which protected him from stones and the 'cholla' cactus. If he felt thirsty, he drank from the nearest brook ; if there was no brook near by he went without, and, putting a stone or a twig in his mouth to induce a flow of saliva, journeyed on. When he desired to communicate with friends at home, or to put himself in correspondence with persons whose co-operation had been j)romised, he rubbed two sticks together, and dense signal smoke rolled to the zenith, and was answered fi-om jieaks twenty and thirty miles away. By nightfall, his bivouac was pitched at a distance from water, generally on the flank of a rocky mountain, along which no trail would be left, and up which no force of cavalry could hope to ascend without making noise enough to wake the dead." This graphic jiieture of the dusky scourge of the Southwest will explain the dread in which he was held by all who were compelled to live away from the towns. When practicable, the ranchmen combined against the Apaches, but, from the necessities of the case, they were powerless to extirpate the pests. Unsuccessful attempts were made by the military forces, but nothing definite was accomplished until General George Crook took the work in hand. Crook was an old Indian campaigner who thoroughly understood the nature of the difficult task before him. His preparations being completed, he ordered his different columns to converge, December 9, 1872, on Tonto Basin, which was one of the principal strongholds of the Apaches in Arizona. The section is inclosed by the Mogollen, the Mazatzal, and the Sierra Ancha Mountains, and the timbei'ed region is so elevated that during the winter months it is covered with snow. Crook himself took station at Camp Grant, one of the most unat- tractive posts in the country. This officer having started on his campaign pushed it with untiring energy. He had selected the best Indian fighters to be found anywhere, and they pursued and rounded up the bucks with amazing skill and persistency. As soon as they corralled a party of hostiles, they impressed the best trailers and used them in CONQUEST OF THE APACHES. 475 running down tlie others. The Indians were allowed no time to rest. When they had fled many miles, and supposed their })ursuers were left far out of sight, as had hitherto been the case, they discovered them at their heels. Plunging into their fastnesses in the mountains did not avail, for the white and the red trailers could follow and did follow them wherever they took refuge. The pursuing detachments frequently crossed one another's trails, often ]net and kept within supporting distance. The danger which threatened the Apaches was as present in the