■iif "^^^^1*" 0^ -V vO o \^ \ ^>/. ^- . <. ^ ■.-^'' ^ ^ W^i ..^'^- ■■ - * &i2% .^"^., -^ - i tCHl^Ct.tt i REVISBID E3DITI03M, 1863. HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OE AMERICA. DESIGNED FOR SCHOOLS. EXTENDING FROM THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY COLUM- BUS TO THE PRESENT TIME; WITH NUMEROUS MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS, TOGETHER WITH A NOTICE OF AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES, AND THE INDIAN TRIBES. ' Our history takes as its gmding star the simple and pregnant truth that GOD Ic$ IN HISTORY." BY EGBERT GUERNSEY, A.M. PHILADELPHIA: MOSS & CO., 430 MARKET STREET, CINCINNATI: APPLEGATE & CO. 1863. Entered acccirding to the act of CoiLiress, in the year 1847, BY EGBERT GUERNSEY, A.M., In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for :ae Southern District of New York. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by MOSS AND COMPANY, In the CIerk*s OflBce of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. :2 ^. IJi r PREFACE To commune wiih the great and mighty dead — to turn our thougnts backward along the path of time, and call from their silent graves the buried heroes of the past, and people with their living forms those old battle fields where freemen, under ihe protection of the God of Hea- ven, fought, not for a crown, but for liberty — is an employment both pleasing and instructive. All history is instructive, but that of our own country is peculiarly interesting. The actors in its earliest periods, and in its revolution- ary struggle, were meo of palriotisji, virtue, and religion. Rising above the selfish feelings of human nature, they planned and acted, not for themselves alone, but for their country, and the unborn millions who were yet to tread its soil. Believing in the overruling provi- lence of God, they were not ashamed to look to Him for direction, nor to lean on his arm for support. Convinced that no people could flou- rish without a proper training of the mind, they early turned their at- tention to schools and colleges, believing them to be the nurseries ot freedom. The study of American history not only unites us more closely, and with stronger love to our free institutions, but it ennobles the mind by tne lessons of virtue and patriotism which are given in the teachings and examples of our fathers. The whole course of the American Revo- lution shows but one traitor. The infamy which is forever attached to the name, of Arnold, is a suflicient warning to youth not to follow in his footsteps. There are a few points, u hich I think have been neglected, or too lightly passed over, in all the histories of our country with which 1 am acquainted. One of these is, a particular notice of the direct interpo- sition of Providence, so often displayed in our history. This fault I have endeavored to shun. While it has been my object VI PREFACE. to present a correct historical chain of events, in a style pleasing to iftf young, I have also endeavored to impress on them the important fact, that their fathers were working out the great designs of God, and were aided by him in their glorious consummation. As undoubted remains of a civilized people, inhabiting America be- fore the Indians, are scattered over the country, I have thought proper to devote an introductory chapter describing their appearance, locality, and the various opinions respecting them. In another chapter is given an epitome of the different Indian fami- lies, with a notice of their languages, manners, and customs. As this history has been compiled for educational purposes, I have endeavored to make the plan striking and simple, and to adapt my style to the minds and feelings of intelligent youth. In selecting my plan, three great epochs presented themselves as pro- per to be noticed particularly. The Jirst presenting a picture of our country from its discovery by Columbus, during its colonial history. A clear outline is here given ; but much matter of a dry and prolix character, usually introduced in school histories with little effect, has been omitted. A dislike to an entire book has sometimes been produced, by crowding into this epoch a collection of isolated facts, which the young mind has struggled in vain to connect. If we succeed in enlist- ing their feelings in the commencement, the grand events which follow will surely enchain them, and our point is gained. The second epoch presents the story of the Revolutionary War, fi m the Declaration of Independence, until the adoption of the Federal Con- stitution. I have endeavored faithfully to describe the most important of those thrilling events which cluster around this period. It is strange, that while in many school histories the colonial period is tediously minute, the long struggle of a whole people for liberty, with a mighty nation, is briefly recorded. In the third and last epoch, each administration is separately noticed, from the commencement of the Federal Government until the year 1861. A concise biographical sketch of each President is given, that our American youths may know, who were their rulers, and associate kind and noble thoughts of them, with the story of their public acts while in oflice. This has never been introduced in any of our school books, and, as a body, our children are strangel:y ignorant of the character of those great men. This is evidently a defect which should be remedied ; for American children, above others, should early be taught, in connection with the principles of a republican government, the fact, that most of these ven- erable and beloved men, were once children in humble life^ and that thev PREFACE. Vli under Providence, by their own exertions and their virtues, arose lo thi» Lighest station in the gift of their country. The eyes of the civilized world are on America. They are nar- rowly watching all her operations, and scanning her motives of action. From this land of freemen an influence pervades the globe. Much is expected from the American youth, and a deep responsibility rests on their guardians and instructors. Next to the Bible, no book is better adapted to teach lessons of impor- tance, both to the heart and intellect, than a faithful history of God's dealings with our countrymen. A strange indifference to the study of American history is manifested throughout our land; and it is time that a better state of things existed. It is surprising how many * schools of high standing entirely exclude it from their classes. Histo- ries of classic Greece and Rome are mastered, those of England and France are not forgotten, but American history is regarded as a simple elementary subject, unworthy the study of an advanced scholar. This is a fact beyond dispute. In relating the history of the Americans, our ancestors, I do not wish to throw into the shade the merits of any other nation. I would have all history faithfully studied and remembered. It is worthy the time and talent of every immortal mind. History is a harp whose strings are swept by the hand of Time. It tells us of the birth of creation — the uprising of empires — the passing away of mighty nations — it sounds in our ears the events which lie scattered along the path of life. Its notes tremble mournfully over the graves of greatness and virtue entombed. Its tones are ever varying, and will be heard until Time severs the strings, as they are sounding the requiem of the world, and historv is 00 more ! NOTETOTEACHEKS. The questions on the margin are only intended as leading ones, to answer which, however, a knowledge of the whole subject is necessary. These questions can be altered and others suggested, at the pleasure of the leacher. Great pains have been taken to make the Chronology as correct as possible. To avoid confusion, all the dates have been given in ISew Style. This History is not only intended for a recitation book, but to be used in reading classes. The events forming a connected chain, a habit of attention will be elicited, and much historical knowledge gained. A plan similar to this, I have pursued in a long course of teaching, with decided advantage. CONTENTS. Pace A.merican Antiquities 13 — 46 Indian History 45 — 68 division of the Work 70 PART I. CHAPTER I. EARLY DISCOVERIES. Dolumbus — Sebastian Cabot — Alonzo de Ojeda — Contereal — Cartier — Ponce de Leon — Ferdinand de Soto — Coligni — Gilbert — Sir Walter Raleigh — Bartholomew Gosnold— Capt. John Smith — London Company 70 — 84 CHAPTER 11. COLONIAL HISTORY Virginia — Under the first charter — Under the second charter — Under the third charter — From the dissolution of the Lon- don Company until the French and Indian War 84 — ^99 CHAPTER III. Massachusetts. — Massachusetts Bay Colony — King Philip's War — King George's and Clueen Anne's Wars 99 — 123 CHAPTER IV. New Hampshire 123—123 CHAPTER V. Connecticut 125—133 CHAPTER VI. Rhode Island 133 — 135 viii CONTENTS. ix Page CHAPTER VII. New York. — Dutch West India Company — Swedish Colony Grant to the Duke of York— Leisler and Milborne 135—149 CHAPTER VIII. New Jerset , 149 — 152 CHAPTER IX. Delaware , 152 CHAPTER X. Pennsylvania 154 — 158 CHAPTER XI. Maryland 158—162 CHAPTER XII. North Carolina *. 162—166 CHAPTER XIII. South Carolina 166—170 CHAPTER XIV. Georgia 170—174 CHAPTER XV. French and Indian War 174 — 191 CHAPTER XVI. Causes of the Revolution 191 — 20d CHAPTER XVII. Revolutionary War — Campaign of 1775 208 — 224 CHAPTER XVIII. Campaign of 1776 224—235 PART 11. CHAPTER I. Conclusion of Campaign of 1776 235—266 CHAPTER 11. Campaign of 1777 266—302 CHAPTER IIL Campaign of 1778 302—313 CHAPTER IV. Campaign of 1779 313—324 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Page Campajgn of 1780 324^336 CHAPTER VI. Campaign of 1781 336—350 PART III CHAPTER I. Washington's Administration 350—358 CHAPTER II. Adams' Administration 358 — 363 CHAPTER III. Jefferson's Administration 362 — 36^ CHAPTERS IV., v., VI., VII. Madison's Administration — War with England — Campaigns of 1812, '13, '14 368—396 CHAPTER VIII. Monroe's Administration 396 — 400 CHAPTER IX. J. a. Adams' Administration 400—403 CHAPTER X. Jackson's Administration 403 — 409 CHAPTER XI. Van Buren's Administration 409 — 413 CHAPTER XII. Harrison's Administration 413—416 CHAPTER XIII. Tyler's Administration , 416 — 419 CHAPTER XIV. Polk's Administration — War with Mexico. . . .* 41P — 447 CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XV. PAGE Taylor's Administration , 451 — 456 CHAPTER XVL Fillmore's Administration — Death of Webster 456 — 459 X:!HAPTER XVIL Pierce's Administration 460 — 467 CHAPTER XVIIL Buchanan's Administration 468 Reflections 495 Constitution of the United States 497 Chart of American History 503 y^ fistorg of t\)t Jlnilca States. AMEEICAN ANTIQUITIES AND DISCOVERIES m THE WEST. HE leading incidents in the history of the old world have been recorded by the pen of faithful historians, either sa- cred or profane. The Bible, the only book that has moved along upon the great stream of time and not been ingulphed in its eddying whirlpools, has thrown upon the earlier nations the bright light of inspiration. It commenced a clear and historical chain of events, stretching from the birth-day of Creation to the deluge, and from the deluge to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. 2. In looking at the old world, we have spread out before us a grand panorama of six thousand years. We can trace its events, witnessing the different nations, which have stepped upon the theatre of life and then passed away, while the What IS said of the lead ing inci- dents in the his- tory of the old world ? Of the Bible ? What ia said of the M world } 14 ' AMERICAN ANTIGIU TIES. fing^er of time has written ruiu and desolation on the proud temples and monuments of art, which they vainly deemed to be eternal, and scattered dust in the halls and palaces of their kings. The events which cluster so thickly around each point in the career of these ancient nations, make theii history full of peculiar interest. 3. As the antiquarian wanders among the broken columns and scattered fragments of their ruined cities, the very small portions of their history with which he is acquainted give double interest to the scene. He stands by the broken gates of Thebes, upon her shattered walls, and gazes upon the stu- pendous ruins of that now silent and pulseless city. The veil is lifted from the past, his mind glances back through the long, dim vista of buried centuries, and he hears the throbbings of her mighty heart, the thundering tramp of her men- at-arms, as they sweep with waving crests, and burnished arms, in battle array through her broad gates. He listens, as the rays of the sun stream over the hills, and hght up those shafts and domes. He hears strains of sweetest music, filling the air with its rich melody, pouring out from Memnon's temple, as if its tones were instinct with Ufe. 4. There, by its base, stands the sightless, bald- headed Homer, striking the harp of poesy with so bold a hand, as to fill all Greece with music, and send its immortal strains onward through all time. He stands upon the site of ancient Troy, and there pass before his vision the armed hosts of Greece, Ajax, Agamemnon, and the god-Hke Achilles, bat- ANTiaUITIES FULL OP INTEREST. 16 tling with Trojan Hector and Priam for the beau- tiful Helen. He enters the ruined cities of the Pharaohs, wanders through the three thousand chambers of her mighty pyramids, descends into the sepulchres of her dead, and drags out from their long rest of thousands of years, the bodies of the kings and great men of Egypt, who sat upon the tlirone, and moved in splendor in those days when Israel groaned beneath their heavy weight of bond- age, slaves to their oppressors. As he stands on the cast-up mounds of what was once Babylon, and looks around him upon the wide scene of desola- tion — tlie waters of the Euphrates rolling over a what of portion of the city — he sees the fulfilment of a quarian, tr ^ as he prophecy of God, pronounced thousands of years {^^^^J ^j^g before, when that nation was glorying in its strength SSbyion^i and power. " I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water ; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of Hosts." 5. Wander where he will through those ancient cities, and over the graves of those buried na- tions, scenes constantly start up before his eyes, made sacred by the pen of inspiration, the fulfil- ment of prophecy, the tongue of the orator, or the harp of poesy and song ; and every crumbling city, every hill and mountain, every stream of water has its own peculiar tale to tell. Hence, we have grown more familiar with those ancient nations than with thaf we the antiquities and earlier history of our own coun- goj^" try. Indeed, travelers seem never to have known, wuh'^^ or to have forgotten, in their enthusiastic researches anclfm f \ • ^1 11 111 nations and admiration of the ruins of the old world, that ^^^^,°^' 16 AMERICAN ANTICIUITIES. What do there exists a vast continent, far beyond those lands seem To of poesy and sons: — beyond the broad bosom of have for- , ^, / . ..,.,, ^ fhei?Vd" ^^^^ Atlantic — containing hills and mountains, rivers SJ-^'the" ^nd lakes, far more stupendous and magnificent the"%fd than any thiner of which either Asia or Europe can world? , , , 1 . . boast : that here, on this western continent, we are living — are moving over the tombs of nations, as ancient, and as far advanced in civilization as the Roman, the Persian, Chaldean, or Egyptian — that we are surrounded by the ruins of cities and fortresses, which bear evident marks of having been constructed hundreds of years before the landing of Columbus upon our shores, and by a race of men CO temporary with the Egyptians and Romans. 6. No country in the world presents so broad a SFoS*^ field for study as does our own : none so rich in an- 2iu"ntry? cicut ruius, in mineral wealth, in internal resources, bold, majestic mountains, in vast inland seas, and in rivers, forming channels of communication witli the ocean, thousands of miles in every direction into the interior of the country. Y. North America stretches from north to south, tent?" t^^^^^^g^ ^ P^^^ ^f three zones, and covers an ex- tent of about 7,800,000 square miles. The middle portion comprises the United States, to the his- tory of which our attention will be more par- ticularly directed. It contains about 3,221,000 square miles. The eastern shore is washed through- out the whole extent by the waves of the Atlantic, and its western resounds with the roar of the Pa* cific. 8. It has Niagara thundering on its northern boundaries, connected with the great Lakes, whose RIVERS OF THE WEST. 17 waters it pours into the river St. Lawrence, through ^^^, ^^ which great artery they are conveyed 1,900 miles to thiVea the ocean. From the western face of the Allegha- rivm?" nies, a range of mountains presenting some of the most subUme scenery in the world, the Ohio takes its rise, and flows for 1,250 miles, until it empties itself into the Mississippi, tlie great father of waters, whose source is found at the extreme northern frontier of the United States, and winds on its ser- pentine course through every variety of climate and soil, 2,600 miles, until it discharges its swollen and turbid waters into the Mediterranean of the West, the Gulf of Mexico. 9. Far back, toward the setting sun, on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, formed by the trickling streams which flow down its channeled sides, the Missouri, another mighty river, takes its rise, and sweeps on through a country teeming with the most luxuriant vegetation, 2,500 miles, until it pours its dark volume into the Mississippi. These are some of the great streams which, like arteries, pervade every part of the country, causing it to bud and blossom like the rose, and teem with life and vegetation. On our northern shores lie vast inter- nal seas, many hundred miles in extent. 10. What nation, or what country in the world, can boast of mountains, lakes, and rivers like our own ? But we are not to suppose that this country has remained quiet and undisturbed during the ter- rible commotions of nature which have shaken the eastern vrorld. The same great causes which plowed a channel for the Black Sea to the Medi- terranean, opened a passage through the Straits of 18 ' AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. Gibraltar for its waters to the ocean, overwhelmed with a flood of fire Pompeii and Herculaneum, hurled up from the bottom of the sea vast islands, and rolled its waves over others, have been at work here. 11. The whole land, from north to south and What is Till 1 . 1 Ihe °^ froi^ east to west, plainly shows the change which whkff has been produced by these great agents. Many pfoducid of the vales of our rivers were once the bottoms of in the country? immense lakes ; and now, where the tops of the tallest forests wave, or where the towering spires of many a Christian temple make glad with their sight the heart of civilized man ; and where are the smoking chimneys of his wide-spread habitations ; once sported (long, perhaps, before the advent of our Saviour) the monstrous lake-serpent and finny tribe, or birds of bright plumage passed along the horizon. 12. We look to the soil, where grazes the peace- ful flock — to the fields, where wave a thousand har- vests — to the air above, where play the wings of the low-flighted swallow — and to the roads, where the passing wheels denote the course of men — and say, can this be so ? Yes ; where the waves once rolled is now fixed the foundation of many a state- ly mansion, the dwelling of man. Such the muta- tion of matter and the change of habitation. 13. The principal ridges of the Alleghany, Blue Whit Ridge, (fcc, run in a transverse direction to most is'^^vi- of the great rivers, so that their mounds must have quehf n-' been broken through, to make a way to the sea from tomac^"' the bosom of the valleys. This is evident in the an?Dei- Potomac, Susquchaunah, Delaware, James rivers, rivers? and others, where they issue from the confines of the mountains to enter the lower country ANCIENT LAKES. 19 14. The Potomac, three miles below the mouth ^^^t » of the Shenandoah, gives a striking example of this SSf %f fact. It here dashes and foams along upon its tomao? rocky bed, through what is evidently a breach in tlie Blue Ridge, about twelve hundred yards wide, and three hundred and fifty yards high. This chasm plainly displays traces of an ancient wall, composed of grey quartz, which once dammed up the river, forming immense lakes, that stretched far back over a great extent of territory. 15. The valley of the Shenandoah and Conigo- ^^^t cheague must have been the basin of a single great Sabil lake, extending from Staunton to Chambersburg. a ^reat The upper branches of the James river would have gj,™^^ swelled it with their waters, and finding no obsta- doahind cle below, must have extended not only to the Sus- cheaguej quehannah and Schuylkill, but even to the Delaware. The outlets to these vast lakes must have been over the rocky walls of the mountain barriers, which have since broken : thus they would have formed falls of the most magnificent description, which had thundered in their descent from the time of Noah's flood till the rupture of the ridge took place, and the immense lake, drained of its waters, laid open a tract of rich soil to the genial warmth of the sun. 16. There is every reason to suppose that the ^j^^^ Hudson was checked in its passage to the sea, by a have^^" chain of rocks stretchino^ across the present chan- nfaJe in ° ^ the Hud- nel, at the Highlands, causing the waters to extend s^"' over a considerable surface of the country, in the form of a large lake. A strong argument favoring ^j^^^ this theory exists in the presence of alluvia, petri- t^oTs%i§ fied shells, (fee, found along the banks, in diflferent 20 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. parts of the valley of the Hudson, and in fact, in the valleys of most of our large rivers. What 17'. These ancient lakes, now drained by the "JppS breaking away of their mounds, explain very beau- {j^ve tifully the appearance observed in the valleys of lakes? g^i(^h rivers as are supposed to have been once lakes, as the Tennessee, the Kentucky, the Missis- sippi, the Kanhaway, and the Ohio. This appear- w'hatap- ance is the several stages or flats, observed on the in these bauks of tlicsc I'lvcrs, and most of the rivers of rivers by^'this"^ America, showing that subsequently the waters of theoryj ^j^^ livers wcrc higher, but as the mounds which dammed up their course became gradually broken away by the weight of the mass above them, the waters being thus drained off, new marks of em- what of bankment would be formed, far below the original of the ones, circumscribing, by a large distance, the chan- nel of the river. This is very perceptible on the Ohio, at Cincinnati, where the original bank is nearly 50 feet above the present level of the river. 18. When we examine the arrangement of these J^rthL^^ fl^ts, we are furnished with indubitable evidence ff riv- that the place where the city of Cincinnati now stands was once, not only the seat of waters, but the primitive bed of the river, which appears to have had three different periods of decline, till it has sunk to its present bed or channel. The level of the second flat of the Ohio, which is the general surface of the country, is no more than 70 feet below Lake Erie ; consequently, a mound of two hundred feet at Silver Creek, six hundred miles down the Ohio from Pittsburg (where there is every reason to sup- pose that a cha^'u of hills stretched across the pre- ANCIENT LAKES. 21 Bent bed of the river), would have been sufficient to keep back its waters, not only as far as Lake Erie, but even to spread them from the last slopes of the AUeghanies to the north of Lake Superior. 18. The existence of ancient lakes explains why, what is * *^ ' farther in every part of the basin of the Ohio, the land is ^^omx^^i always leveled in horizontal beds of dijBTerent heights, of u?ese** and why we find in various places, remains of trees, lakes i of osier, and other plants. The vast amount of drift wood carried down by the various streams which discharged their water into the lakes, would be de- posited on the bottom near the shores, as the surface of these internal seas became lowered by the new outlets. 19. The lower part of the Mississippi river gives what is us many evidences that the waters were once dam- JJ^ceT/' med up, forming above them a lake which filled up fafe^fn a large portion of its valley. The West India ley oftha islands are supposed by naturalists to have been^'p^^- the Atlantic coast of the continent; the breaking away of the mound confining the immense body of water, which once covered an almost boundless portion of the West, must, beyond doubt, have raised the Atlantic so as to submerge in its increase many a sunny spot along its coasts, leaving only the more elevated tracts above the surface of the water, in which we now see the numerous islands on our eastern shore and on the Gulf of Mexico. What 20. Though the northern parts of North America SSvS^®' have been known to us but about two centuries, yet, dS?ed"bi ' '' ' earth- during that time, no less than forty-five earth- jj^^kes quakes have occurred, many of them so severe as to ^**'^^' prostrate houses, dry up wells and streams of water. 22 ^ AMERICAN ANTiaUlTIES. J^kfen- The shocks of these earthquakes extended north- voicSnic east, and south-west, particularly affecting the direc- Lake On- ^^^^ ^^ Lake Ontario, and were attended by a fetid *^"°' smell of sulphur. Volney supposes, from the singu- lar structure of this lake, that it was once the crater of a vast volcano. Another reason for this supposi- tion is the great depth of the lake, being generally upward of three hundred feet, and in many places the bottom cannot be found with a line of forty rods. Volcanic productions are found in vast quantities on its shores. Whether this idea of Volney is correct, or not, the northern part of this country, especially in the vicinity of Lake Ontario, bears strong marks of having been exposed to the action of those two powerful agents, fire and water, which are constantly producing such mighty changes in the universe of matter. 21. We have now glanced briefly at the general face of the country, the changes which have been produced by the draining of the vast internal lakes, by the breaking away of their barriers, (fcc, and shall now touch upon those ancient ruins of cities, mounds, and fortifications, in which this country is so peculiarly rich. 22. Foreign travelers complain that America pre- sents nothing like ruins within her boundaries ; no ivy-mantled towers, nor moss-covered turrets, as in other quarters of the earth. Old Fort Putnam, on the Hudson, rearing its lofty decayed sides high above West Point ; or the venerable remains of two wars at Ticonderoga, upon Lake CLamplain, they say, afford something of the kind. But what are mouldering castles, falling turrets or crumbling MOUNDS AND FORTIFICATIONS, 23 abbeySj in comparison with those ancient and arti- ficial aboriginal hills which. have outlived genera- tions, and even all tradition — the workmanship of unknown hands ! Here are skeletons of strange forms, unknown to the Indians ; preserved bodies, fortifications, immense mounds and tumuli, which, from their number, obscurity of origin and magni- tude, are to be ranked among the wonders of ancient things. It remains for America to tell the story of her antiquities — to arouse her virtuosi and anti- quarians to the search; for here, beyond a doubt, are traits of nations coeval with ancient, and pro- bably with the oldest works of man, this side the flood. 23. These mounds and fortifications are generally where &re thesA found on fertile bottoms, and near rivers. Several mounds, ^ ' &c.. gen- hundreds have been discovered along the valley of foSlid? the Mississippi ; the largest of which stands not far from Wheelinsr, on the Ohio. This mound is ^' . What of . fifty rods in circumference, and ninety feet in per- {J®^„j pendicular height. It is filled with thousands of wheei- human skeletons, and was probably situated near *"^' some great city, and was a general deposit of the dead for ages — where they were placed in grada- tion, one layer above another, till they reached the top. 24. Judging from the large trees growing on the mound, amid old and decayed timber covered with mould and leaves, showing them to be of the second or third growth, it must have been at least twelve hundred years since it was deserted. 25. In the lower part of Wisconsin are found mounds exceedingly curious in their form and struc- 24 . AMERICAN ANTICIUITIES. ture. They consist of elevations of earth of diversi- fied outline and various size, for the most part con- sisting of effigies of beasts, birds, reptiles, and of the human form, but often circular, quadrangular, or oblong in shape. None of these works exceed fifteen feet in height. In Dade county, Wisconsin, the figures generally resemble the bear or bufialo, and vary in size from ninety to one hundred and twenty feet. In the midst of one group is a representation of a human figure, placed with its head toward the west, and having its arms and legs extended. Its length is one hundred and twenty-five feet, and it is one hundred and forty feet from the extremity of one arm to the other. The body is thirty feet in breadth, the head twenty-five feet in diameter, and its elevation, greater than that of the others, being about six feet. The human figure is not uncommon among the effigies, and is always characterized by the unnatural length of the arms. Half a mile west of this group stands a solitary mound, ninety feet long, representing an animal with its head toward the south-west. This class of mounds are scattered to a considerable extent throughout this portion of the country, and are generally found in groups in a fertile country, and near streams of water. They form a class unlike those in the southern part of the valley of the Mississippi, and in the vicinity of the Ohio and the Lakes, ^niatof 26. At Marietta extensive fortifications are ficltiSri" found, consistinfij of walls and mounds of earth, etta? running m straight lines, from six to ten feet nigh, and nearly forty broad at their base. There is FORTIFICATIONS IN OHIO. 25 alrio at this place a fort of this ancient description, which incloses nearly fifty acres of land. There are openings in this fortification, supposed to have been, when thronged with its own busy multitudes, used as gateways, with a passage from one of them, formed by two parallel walls of earth, lead- ing toward the river. This fort gives us some- thing of an idea, not only of the power of the builders, but the strength of their enemy. These ^^at fortifications correspond, in almost every respect, K we with the Roman forts and camps ; and it is highly posethat probable, as we shall hereafter show, that they were Sart constructed by that nation. ma^^. 27. Any one, on looking at the account given by ^'"' Josephus of the forms of the Roman camps, in his Book 5, chap. 5, page 219, will be surprised at the striking similarity between the two ; a similarity which could not have been the result of chance. Dr. Morse says the forts of the Romans in Eng- land were universally square ; and those of the ancient Danes, Belgaj and Saxons, were distinguish- ed by being round. Here, too, are the parallel walls, the ditch, the elevated squares at its corners, the parapets and gateways, like those of the Romans. At the time that the Romans held Britain as a province, their character was a martial and a mai^- itime one^ They possessed a sufficient knowledge of navigation to traverse the ocean, by means of the stars and the sun. Their ships, as early as the year 55 before Christ, were large and heavy ; and it was equally in their power to have found Ame- rica by chance, as well as other nations — the Welsh or the Scandinavians, who made a settlement 2 26 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. at the mouth of the St. Lawrence in tlie year 1000. whatre- 28. In the month of December. 1827, a planter lies of an- ' ' * ^^fj^^ discovered in a field, a short distance from Monte Ki?" Video, a sort of tomb-stone, upon which strange, and to him unknown characters were engraved. He caused this stone, which covered a small exca- vation formed with masonry, to be raised, in which he found two exceedingly ancient swords, a helmet, and shield, which had suffered much from rust ; also an earthen vessel of large capacity Greek words were easily made out upon them, which, when translated, read as follows : " During the dominion of Alexander the son of Philip, King of Macedon, in the sixty-third Olym- piad, Ptolemais " it was impossible to decypher the rest, on account of the ravages of time on the engraving of the stone. 29. On the handle of one of the swords is the portrait of a man, supposed to be Alexander the Great. On the helmet there is sculptured work, that must have been executed with the most ex- quisite skill, representing Achilles dragging the Towhat corpse of Hector round the walls of Troy, a scene SkJJTare taken from Homer's Iliad. From the discovery of fhe?e these relics it is quite clear that the sou of Brazil teUcai j^g^g \yQQYi dug by some of the old Greeks, who lived near the time of Alexander. It is highly probable that some of the Grecian navigators, in their voy- ages of discovery, of which they made many, were driven upon the southern coast, and left behind them this monument to preserve the memory of their vovage to so distant a country. GREEK DISCOVERIEb. 27 30. EratostheneSj a Greek philosopher, mathe- ^^ inatician and historian, who flourished two hundred Eralos*?^ years before Christ, mentions the name of Pytheas, ^^"""^^"^ who lived in the time of Alexander the Great, as being a Greek philosopher, geographer and astron- omer, as well as a voyager, if not an admiral, as he made several voyages into the Atlantic Ocean. There was a great liability of these adven- turers being driven off in a western direction, not only by the current which sets always toward America, but also by the trade-winds, which blow in the same direction for several months in the year. 31. In 1821, on the bank of the river Desperes, what in Missouri, was found by an Indian a Roman havl ' '' been di» coin, which was presented to Gov. Clark. A Per^ covered? sian coin was also discovered near a spring in the Ohio some feet under ground. The remains of former dwellings, hearths and what of fire-places, and bones of animals in immense quan- mlimot .. ^ ,1 ,, , rii-M* ancient titles, are found along the banks of the Ohio, many dweii- feet under ground ; while above these former habi- tations of men are found growing trees, as large as any in the surrounding forest. Surely, this car- ries us back into the dark past, and tells us a mournful tale of the overthrow of mighty nations, and the final extinction of their name from the earth. 32. Lexington, in Kentucky, stands nearly on ^^^^ the site of an ancient town, of great extent and EiSJ magnificence, which is amply evinced by the wide fo?fnd range ot its works covering a great quantity of »n«^«' ground. 28 ^ AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. There is connected with the antiquities of this place a catacomb, formed in the bowels of the hmestone rock, about fifteen feet below the surface of the earth. This was discovered in 1775 . bj some of the first settlers, whose curiosity was ex cited by the sinsrular appearance of the stones What of , . , * , , ^ ^^ , _,, J;^^jaia- which covered the entrance to the cavern. They ed^hlre? removed the stones, when was laid open to their view the mouth of a cave, deep, gloomy, and terri- fic, as they supposed. Providing themselves with lights and companions, they descended and entered without obstruction a spacious apartment. The sides and extreme ends were formed into niches and compartments, and occupied by figures, repre- senting men. When their alarm had sufficiently subsided to permit them to pursue their investiga- tions, they found these figures to be mnmmieSy preserved, by the art of embalming, in as great a state of perfection as any that have been dug out of the tombs in Egypt, where they have remained more than three thousand years. Unfortunately for antiquity and science, this inestimable discov- ery was made by an ignorant class of people, at a period when a bloody and inveterate war was car- ried on between the Indians and whites. 33. The whites, indignant at the many outrages came of committed by the Indians, wreaked their hatred !:he -^ ^ ^ ^]^^; and revenge upon every thing connected with them. Supposing this to be a burying-place for their dead, they dragged them out to the open air, tore open their bandages, kicked the bodies into dust, and made a general bonfire of the most an- cient remains antiquity could boast. The descent CATACOMB NEAil LEXINGTON. 39 to this cavern is gradual — the width four feet, tlie ^j^^^^ ^^ height seven, and the whole length of the catacomb lent of' was .found to be eighteen rods and a half, and the emt*"*' width six and a half; and calculating frora the niches and shelvings on the sides, it was capable of containing at least two thousand subjects. 34. Here they had lain, perhaps, for thousands of years, embalmed and placed there by the same race of men with those who built the Pyramids of Egypt, and who excavated their tombs in the earth, or in the rocky mountain sides. What changes had passed over the world since they were deposit- ed there in their quiet resting-place by the hands of affection ! Over the ruins of their cities a new race flourished. Earth had grown old and hoary, and time had crumbled their monuments into dust. 35. The conviction forces itself irresistibly upon ^j^^ ^^ our mind, that the people who made this cav- Jo^h^v© ern and filled it with the thousands of their em- fbrm*™* balmed dead were indeed from Egypt. If they cata-^^^ were not, whither shall we turn for a solution of this mystery ? The North American Indians were never known to form catacombs for their dead, or to be acquainted with the art of preservation by embalming. Catacombs are numerous all over Egypt — vast excavations, with niches in their sides for their em- balmed dead, exactly such as the one we have de- scribed. This custom is purely Egyptian, and was practised in the earliest age of their national ex- istence. 36. A trait of national practice, so strong aid so AMERICAN ANTICtUiTlES. Why are P^Ip'^ble as is tliis peculiar art, should lead the mind we^tobe- ^^ ^ belief that wherever the thing is practised, we of^Eg^p^ have found in its authors either a colony from Effvpt, ^an ori- . . . ^ . ^ «»«' or the descendants of some nation m Africa ac- quainted with the art. 37. But if this be so, the question here arises, how came they to America, since the shortest dis- ^r^at tance between America and Africa is about 1700 IVylgea milcs ? This question is easily answered. The did tho . ^ . . . , , Egyp- ancient liigyptians were a maritime people ; and wo make? g,^^ ^]r^^^ ^g f^^. back as B. c. 1485 years, one Dana- us, with his fifty daughters, sailed into Greece and anchored at Rhodes. 881 years after the landing of this vessel at Rhodes, we find the Egyptians, un- der the direction of Necho, their king, fitting out some Phenicians with a fleet, with directions to sail from the Red Sea quite around the continent of Af- rica, and to return by the Mediterranean, which they effected ; thus performing a voyage of more than 16,000 miles — two-thirds of the distance around the earth. It is true they were without the use of the compass and magnet ; yet they wxre much better skilled in the knowledge of the heav- enly bodies than navigators at present. 38. From the western coast of Africa there is a constant current of the sea setting toward Amer- ica : so that if a vessel were lost it would naturally reach at last the American coast. Egypt and the West India islands are both between 20 and 30 de- could giees north. Sailing from Egypt out of the Medi- ^l^'y terranean, through the Straits of Gibraltar, would iiS*^riMt throw a vessel, in case of an easterly storm, aided by the current, as high north as opposite the Baha- iiNCIENT RUINS. 31 ma islands. The trade-winds sweep westward across the Atlantic, through a space of 50 or 60 de- grees of longitude, carrying every thing within their current directly to the American coast. Kentucky is but five degrees north of Egypt ; so that a band of adventurers could easily have been driven near the eastern coast on the Gulf of Mexico, and there found in our majestic Mississippi something like the Nile. 39. On the banks of the Muskingum, and at ^,^^^ Circleville, are the ruins of immense walls, forts, foind^'*' mounds and wells, built, many of them, of beauti- "fevnie? fully hewn stone, and according to the most scien- tific principles of architecture. At Paint Creek, in Ohio, are works of art more wonderful than any cJeckr yet described. They are six in number, and are in the immediate neighborhood of each other. In one of those grand inclosures are contained three forts : one embraces 17, another 27, a third 77, amount- ing in all to 121 acres of land. 40. There are fourteen gateways leading out of the works, from one to six rods in width — at the ufem"''* outside of each of these gateways is an ancient well, from four to six rods in width at the top. Within the large inclosure is an eUiptical elevation 25 feet in height, 100 feet in circumference, and fill- ed with human bones. The elevation is perfectly smooth and level on the top, and it may have been a place where the priests of their religion sacrificed human beings before the vast throng which con- gregated around tlie mound to witness the bloody rites. 41. New discoveries are constantly being made What eviden- ces are adduced 32 , AMERICAN ANTIdUlTIES. of these ancient ruins. These works are alike in their construction, and contain articles similar to those found in mounds in Europe, Asia and Af- rica. Some have supposed that all of the great works of the West which we have noticed belong to our present race of Indians ; but, from continual Ta?e^has wars with each other, they have driven themselves Buppofed from agricultural pursuits, and thinned their num- 'reat '^^^^J until they have been reduced to sav ageism, bdong? Have our present race of Indians ever buried theii dead in mounds by thousands? Were they ac- quainted with the use of silver or copper ? These metals, most curiously wrought, have been found. Did our ancient Indians burn the bodies of distin- guished chiefs on funeral piles, and then raise a to^'tSr lofty tumulus over the urn containing their ashes ? Did the Indians erect any thing like the walled towns on Paint Creek ? Did they ever dig such wells as are found at Marietta, Portsmouth, and above all, such as those at Paint Creek ? Did they ever manufacture vessels from calcarious brec- cia, equal to any now made in Italy ? 42. To this we respond, they never have : no, not even their traditions afford a glimpse of the ex- istence of such things as forts, tumuh, roads, wells, mounds, walls inclosing between one and two hun- dred — and even five hundred acres of land ; some of them of stone, others of earth, twenty feet in thickness and very high, are works requiring too much labor for Indians ever to have performed. The skeletons found in the mounds never belonged Describe to a people like our Indians. The latter are tall etoM. j^j^j lather slender, straight-limbed people ; bul WELSH COLONY. 33 those found m the barrows and tumulij were rarely over five feet high ; their foreheads were low, their faces were very short and wide, their eyes large, and their chins very broad. 43. Weapons of brass have been found in many parts of America ; as in the Canadas, Florida, &c., with curiously wrought stones ; all of which go to prove that this country was once peopled with civ- ilized and industrious nations. 44. The celebrated Lord Monboddo, philosopher and metaphysician, spent some time on the study of the origin of languages, and was a firm believer ^^^^ in the account of America having been visited by opinion' a colony from Wales, long previous to the discovery Mon^mt of Columbus ; and says the fact is well recorded by specting ' •' •'a Welch several Welsh historians, and cannot be contested. Am"-^*" There are many circumstances which render this "^^ probable. Of late years, accounts have been re- ceived of a nation inhabiting a region a great dis- tance up the Missouri, in manners and appearance resembling the other Indians, but speaking Welsh, and retaining some ceremonies of Christian wor- ship. Imlay, in his history of America, says this is universally believed to be a fact. 45. On the head-waters of the Red river is a tribe calling themselves the McCedas tribe, whose manners, customs, and speech resemble feit^^a the Welsh. Pow^el, in his history of Wales, in Powei? the 12th century, speaks of a lost colony; and also of the voyage of Madoc, son of Owen Groyn- wedk, prince of Wales, who becoming dissatisfied at home, started on a voyage west, in quest of some new country, in which to settle. He found 34 AMERICAN ANTICIUITIES. there a pleasant home ; and after a while returned to Wales and persuaded many of his countrymen to join him ; he put to sea again with ten ships, and there the Welsh historian stopj, for their story was never known at home. What of 46. Lord Monboddr says that America was vis- lianTot ited by Norwegians long before this lost colony left Amcri- Wales. They came from Greenland, which they discovered in the year 964. He endeavors to prove in his most curious and interesting book, that Ame- rica was peopled as soon after the flood as any other country as far from Ararat, and perhaps soon- er. He supposes the people of the old world to have had a knowledge of this country as early as the siege of Troy, about 1100 years b. c. A very plausible account of the discoveries of count of these northern islanders is ffiven by Snoro Sturle- the dis- ° ^ wvery of gon, in his chronicle of King Olaus. He says, one mentis Biom of Iceland, voyaging to Greenland in search Inoro ^ of his father, from whom he had been separated by •«»' a storm, was driven by tempestuous weather far to the south-west, until he came in sight of a low country covered with woods, with an island in its vicinity. His account of the country he had seen excited the enterprise of Leif, son of Eric Rauder, the first settler of Greenland. 47. A vessel was fitted out, and Leif and Biorn departed together in quest of this unknown land. They found a rocky island, to which they gave the name of Helleland ; also a low, sandy country, to which they gave the name of Markland ; and two days afterward they observed a continuance of the coast, with an island to the north of it. This last DISCOVifiRIES OF THE NORTHMEN. 35 they described as fertile, well wooded, producing agreeable fruits — and particularly the grape a fruit with which they were not acquainted ; but on being informed by one of their companions, a German, of its qualities and name, they called the country Vineland. 48. They ascended a river well stored with fish, particularly salmon, and came to a lake from which the river took its origin, where they passed the winter. It is very probable that this river was the St. Lawrence, and the lake, Ontario. It is said by the same writer that the relatives of Leif made sev- eral voyages to Vineland ; that they traded with the natives for peltry and furs; and that in 1121, a bishop, named Eric, went from Greenland to Vine- land to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. 49. There is every appearance that the tribe (^f^^j^^^y which still exists in the interior of Newfoundland, {Hb^of and who are so different from the other savages of fo?md- land sup* North America, both in appearance and mode of gf ^^^1** living, are descendants of the ancient Normans, *'^^"'^®'*^ Scandinavians or Danes. 50. In the year 1354 a fishing squadron was driven about the sea by a mighty tempest, for many da^/s, until a boat, containing seven persons, was cast upon an island, called Estotiland, about one thousand miles from Friesland. They were taken to a populous city, the inhabitants of which were mtelligent and acquainted with the mechanical arts of Europe. They cultivated grain, made beer, and lived in stone houses. In the king's library were Latin manuscript books. They had many towns and castles, and carried on a trade with Greenland for piCch, sulphur, and peltry. 36 , AMERICAN ANTiaUITIES. 51. Finding the Frieslanders acquainted with the compass (which they had never seen), they held them in great esteem, and the king sent them with twelve barks to visit a country farther south, where they found in their travels a civilized region where the people had a knowledge of gold and sil ver, lived in cities, and sacrificed human victims in their splendid temples. A distinguished writer of Copenhagen possesses ancient genuine documents, showing that America was discovered soon after Greenland, and that it was again visited in the 11th, 12th, and 13th cen- turies. 52. The remains of stone houses, walls and for- ma/ we tifications, iron tools, and various mechanical in- these re- strumeuts, w^hlch are found in different parts of the fi-ams to . . tfurop^e- country, compare with those in Europe about the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th centuries ; from which we conclude them to be wholly of European origin. 53. In Onondaga county, N. Y., is the site of an an oii- icin? eviden-^ aucieut buryiug-grouud, on w^hich timber of the eettle- nient are there in second growth was growing — judging from the old ononda- timbci* rcduccd to mould lying round — which was a hundred years old, as ascertained by counting the concentric grains. In one of the graves was found a glass bottle, and an iron hatchet edged with steel. The eye, or place for the helve, was round, and projected like the ancient German axe. In the same town were found the remains of a black- smith's forge, and crucibles, such as mineralogists use in refining metals. 54. In Scipio, a Mr. Halsted has from time to time ploughed up on his farm, seven or eight hun- ANCIENT RELICS. 37 What dred pounds of brass, Avhich appeared to have been formed into various implements of husbandry and eviden- war. On this field forest timber was growing sdpio"of abundantly, which had attained a great age and size, menu Mr. Halsted found also sufficient wrought iron to shoe his horses for many years. We cannot resist the conclusion that on this farm was situated a European village of Danes or Welsh, who w^ere ex- terminated by war hundreds of years before Colum- bus was born. 55. On the Black river, a man in digging a well At what ' toto o other found a quantity of China and delf ware, at the Ka^'ve^i. depth of several feet. In Tompkins county, Mr. Ibund?^" Lee discovered on his farm the entire works of a what are they? wagon reduced to rust. On the flats of the Genesee river, on the land of Mr. Liberty Judd, was found a bit of silver, about the length of a man's finger, hammered to a point at one end, while the other was smooth and square, on which was er^raved in Arabic figures, the year of our Lord 600. 56. The traits of a Scandinavian, Welsh and what ia ' the re- Danish population are clear- and we agree with the {f^^*^ ^, remark of Professor Beck, that they certainly form Eeck a class of antiquities, entirely distinct from theingtheae * ' "^ antiQiu- walled towns, barrows or mounds. ^i^? 57. Did our limits allow, we could go still more minutely into the history and description of these ancient ruins, at which we have but just glanced. Yet we think we have described enough to show that this so called " New World'^ is as rich in ruins as Asia or Africa : that here, long before the discov- ery of Columbus, have lived and flourished nations possessing a knowledge of the true God, and as far 38 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. advanced in civilization as those on the eastern con tinent. After having glanced at the first settle- ment of this country since the flood, and its separa- tion from the old world, we shall biing this highl) interesting section to a close. 58. It may be reasonably supposed, that, foi What i5ome leiiffth of time after the ffreat delude and the may we ^ i reiS portioning out of the world by Noah to his three Sfec? sons, there might have been a direct communica- SiSdoli tion by land between every part of the earth ; but earth^*^^ by earthquakes and convulsions of nature, the uniting defuge^® links between the two great continents have been broken away and overflown by water, while in other parts of the earth the same convulsions have thrown up land above the surface of the water. this^nof This supposition is not at all improbable, for we are improba- *^ . . i t ^le) constantly witnessing the disappearance of large tracts of country, the extension of the dry land far into the sea, and the appearance of large islands. Recite ^^- T^he 25th verse of the 10th chapter of Gene- le?sf ?f sis would rather favor the idea of the union of con- of.Gen- tinents, for it says, " In the days of Peleg thf. earth ivas dividedJ^ This passage is supposed by do ^me i^9.ny eminent commentators to refer to a separa- Bippose tion of the two great continents by the breaking up refer? ^ and overthrow of the land intervening. The birth of Peleg was about 100 years after the what^^ flood, the very time when Babel was being built. SfBuffon 60. BuflTon and other naturalists believed that Stu'^rS-^' America and China were united on the west, and ists re* Bpecting Europe and America on the east. It was contend- JJstern® ^^ ^y -the learned Clavigero that the equatorial nenu paits of Africa and America were cmce united ISLAND OF ATLANTIS. 39 Whether this be true or not, the two countries ap^ proach each other in a remarkable manner, along the coast of Guinea on the side of Africa, and the coast of Pernambuco on the side of South America. 61. Among the early Egyptian priests was pre- served an account of the existence and final destruc tion of a large island, situated in the Western Ocean, called Atlantis, This island is mentioned by Pla- to, who wrote about 500 b. c, in his dialogue, enti- tled " TimeausJ^ 62. Solon, the Athenian lawgiver, is supposed to have traveled into Egypt, about 600 years b. c. He arrived at an ancient temple on the Delta, a fertile island formed by the Nile, where he held a conver- sation with certain learned priests respecting the antiquities of remote ages. 63. " This island, Atlantis." said the Egyptian ^hat priest, " was situated in the Western Ocean, opposite remlrST the straits of Hercules," which would place it exact- t'an ' ^ priests ly between a part of Europe and America. " There [ng^^he was," said the priest, "an easy passage from this A&nu/ to other islands which lay adjacent to a large con- tinent^ exceeding in size all Europe and Asia. The Atlantians made irruptions into Europe and Africa, subduing all Lybia, as far as Egypt, Eu- rope and Asia Minor. They were resisted, howev- er, by the Athenians, and driven back to their At- lantic territories." The Athenians settled at Athens, in Greece, 1556 b. c. One hundred years after their establishment at Athens, they had be- come a powerful nation : so that the time the At- lantians were repulsed must have been about the year 1443 b. c. 40 AMERICAN ANTiaUITIES 64. " Shortly after thisj" says Plato. Uhere wats ^Jount ^ tremendous earthquake, and an overflowing of by Plato? the sea, which continued a day and a night; in the course of which the vast island of Atlantis, and all its splendid cities and warlike nations, were swallowed up, and sunk to the bottom of the sea which spreading its waters over the chasm, added a vast region to the Atlantic Ocean. For a long time, however, the sea was not navigable, on ac- . count of rocks and shoals of mud and slime, and at- ' What lusion is mad this made to ^^c fuins of that drowned country." island by 65. Au allusiou to this same island, Atlantis, is made by Euclid, who flourished about 300 years B. c, in a conversation which he had with Ana- charsis, a Scythian philosopher, who had, in search of knowledge, traveled from the far distant north to Athens, where he became acquainted with Euclid. They conversed on the various convul- sions of the globe; and among other changes Euclid spoke of an island, as large as Africa, which existed beyond the shores of Europe, which, with all its wretched inhabitants, was swallowed up by an earthquake. Here, then, is another witness, be- sides Solon, who lived 300 years before the time of Euclid, who testifies to the past existence of the island Atlantis. These allusions to the vast island, and the nohle continent beyond it, are ex- ceedingly curious, and not Avithout some foundation of probability. ?omJ"of 66. There are many undoubted evidences of an iienccloT antediluvian population in America, in a class of ;^a»pop- antiquities, distinguished entirely from those which rica?"^ we have described in the mounds, fortifications, (fcc. ANTEDILUVIAN REMAINS. 41 These most rare and truly venerable relics of a world before the flood, present themselves in dig- ging far below the surface of the ground. They occur in the forms of fire-brands, sj?lit'Wood, ashes, coal, tools, and utensils of various kinds, brass rings, &c. Immense vessels of pottery of curious work- manship and remarkable size, have been discovered eighty and ninety feet below the surface. 67. On the Susquehannali river, a piece of pot- tery was found, twelve feet across the top, making a circumference of thirty-six feet, and of propor- tionable depth and form. No ray of light dawns upon this strange remnant of by-gone days, to tell us its use. In digging a well near Cincinnati, in 1826, the what stump of a tree was found in a sound state, eighty ^^:^\\'' feet below the surface. The blows of the axe were J,^^^^^' still visible, and the remains of the tree were firmly "*^' rooted in its original position, several feet below the bed of the Ohio. Another stump was discovered near this place, ninety-four feet below the surface, and on its top it appeared as if some iron tool had been consumed by rust. 68. In the section about Fredonia, on the south , ,^ side of liake Erie, utensils of various kinds have J^^^^ been found, split-wood and ashes, from thirty to SoSia^* fifty feet below the surface, which is much below the bed of Lake Erie. Near Williamsburg, in Virginia, about sixt^ ^vhat miles from the sea, the whole vertebrae of a whale Sims- ^ . burg? and several fragments of the ribs, &c., were found imbedded some feet below the surface. In the same region, at depths of from sixty to ninety feet, 42 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. have been discovered the teeth of sharks. From these and various other curious discoveries, from fifty to one hundred feet below the surface, we are led to conclude that the original surface of America was not much disturbed, but was rather suddenly overwhelmed from the west. The vast strata of loam, sand, clay, gravel and stone, which lie over each other, evince, from the unnatural manner of their positions, that they were thrown furiously by water over the continent, from the countries of the west. But if any doubt exists, discoveries like these, at this vast depth, and scattered over so wide a region of country, cannot belong to any age, or to any of the works of man this side the deluge, as time enough has not elapsed since that catastrophe to allow the decomposition of vegetables, nor of convulsions to have buried these articles so deep below the surface. But, if any doubt that these remains are antedilu- vian, none can be entertained respecting the skele- tons of mammoths, and birds whose quills were large enough to admit a man's arm into the cali- bre, and the claws measuring three feet in length. 70. The remains of a monster were discovered in Describe etof ' Louisiana, seventeen feet under ground, the largest maf"^' bone of which weighed twelve xiundred pounds, was inxou- twenty feet long, and was thought to be the shoul- der-blade or jaw-bone. This immense animal is supposed to have been 125 feet in length. Such an animal would indeed be, as it is said in Job, of the Behemoth, " The chief of the ways of God " in the creation. 71. How dreary — how horrible are our emotions. isiana. THOUGHTS ON THE PAST. - 43 when we reflect on the immensity of the destriic tion of Hving beings in the Deluge. An inexpres- sible feeling of awe comes over the gayest spirit in meditating on these subhme scenes ; but the emo- tion is heightened when we think that we are liv- ing — we are moving over the crushed and mingled remains of antediluvians. " All that tread The globe are but a handful to the tribes That slumber in its bosom." 72. We, now, are upon the busy stage of life* Around us are many proud works of art, re*ed by men of the present day. In our full career of pro- gress and of happiness, we can and do rejoice in the beauty which this woild puts on. The mind wanders without an effort in the contemplation of present things; but when thoughts of by-gone days come over us, sadness comes too ; and the mind seems to shrink from a contact with the gay and busy world about us. 73. The memory of other days has ever been mournful to the soul ; and this sympathy pervades all ages. Speak to childhood of the buried world and its mysteries, and the heart-bubbling laugh is stilled, and childish hopes forgotten. The hopes and aspirations of manhood are for a time relin- quished in the overwhelming contemplation. The maiden's cheek is blanched as her woman's heart prompts thoughts of life, and its never-ceasing changes. The aged man, with the accumulated wisdom of years, bows his head as he thinks of those by-gone days ; and feels by every Aveakened nerve, that he, too, in turn, must go down to hin 44 • AMERICAN ANTiaUITIES. resting-place in earth's bosom, and sleep with ^^ pa triarchs of the infant world." Here, too, young reader, thou shalt rest. The silver cord will be one day loosed, and the goJdin bo wl broken. " So live, that, when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan, that moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death ; Thou go not like the quarry slave, at night Scourged to his dungeon ; but, sustain^ and sooth'd By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave Uke one that draws the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreanw.** d!) ^. lEric^-\ ,^^ 't'c'/cai cl 35 MOJB ifvcilEfA ^ 30 ifriskhofje-fi ^ Ui Jiit^ '^^ 30 '^'^cCEASTOFTHE^:) ^' MISSISSIPPI 15' To /V 7^' ^istorg of tl)c Winxkh 0tatC0. A GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE INDIAN TEIBES EAST OP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR LANGUAGES, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. HE history of the earliest clv- ihzed inhabitants of America is shrouded in the mystery of past ages. Little record is left to us of them, save what is written in the mouldering dust of their wondrous works of art. The toiling, warring laborers of the mounds and forts have passed so far away that even their memory is forgotten, and the thick gloom of by- gone centuries rests on their origin. It may be for years, and it may be forever, before the dark- ness can at all be dissipated. 2. Not so mysterious is the story of the red man. When our shores were again discovered by Euro- peans, the fleet-footed Indian roamed over this almost boundless land, a free man. He stood on What ifl said of the his- tory of the earli- est civil- ized in- habit- anta of Ameri- ca? What ol the red man at the dia covery ofAmeri ca by Eu ropeans 46 INDIAN HISTORY. the ground which was all his own, monarch of un discovered realms. Here for hundreds of winters his ancestors had dwelt, regardless of the whole world except the red man. And when Europeans landed on their coasts, they looked with wonder and amazement on beings fashioned in human form, and still so different in appearance. Describe ^* ^^^ whitcs lookcd witli cqual wonder at the pewancc painted and tattooed chiefs, adorned with many- indians. colorcd skius and plumes, with the wing of the red bird and the beak and plumage of the raven, with a collar of the claws of the grisly bear ; their pipes glittering with ornaments and adorned with an enemy's scalp. There, too, was the bold Indian girl, wuth graceful bearing and lustrous eyes, in glittering dress of painted moose and deer skins, ornamented with shining shells and the brightest feathers of the turkey. 4. The Indians earliest known to Europeans nlid^ot' were those of Virginia. When the first effectual dians"" settlement of that colony was made, in 1607, the near the , r r^ r\r\r\ toS"*? surroundmg territory for 8,000 square miles Avas occupied by upward of 30 different tribes, forming one confederacy, of ^thich Powhattan was the sachem or werowance. 5. The first aspect of the original inhabitants of ^.^^^ '> the United States was uniform. The Indians of said of Xhysi" Florida and Canada had a common physiognomy, ognorny? ^^^ ^ difference was scarcely perceptible in their manners and institutions, as well as their organi- zation. Before their languages began to be known, there was no safe method of grouping the nations into ^milies ; but when the great variety of dialects INDIAN DIALECTS, 47 came to be compared, there were found to be not how more than eight radically distinct languages east diliSnct of the Mississippi. Five of tliese still constitute the l}\lf^ speech of powerful communities ; but the other ^pp^^ three are nearly lost with the disappearance of the what ia tribes from the earth. ofthlm now? 1. 6. The primitive language which was most widely diffused, and the most numerous in dialects, received from the French the name of Algonqin, Zid\f' It was the native language of those who greeted lonqtln the colonists of Raleio^h at Roanoke : and its stranofe and fem- tones welcomed the Pilgrims to Plymouth. It was spoken — though not exclusively — in a territory that extended through 60° of longitude, and more than 20® of latitude ; so numerous and widely extended were the tribes of the Algonquin family. They were scattered over a moiety, or perhaps more than a moiety, of the territory east of the Mississippi, and south of the St. Lawrence, and constituted about half the original population of that territory. Here were the Micmacs, holding possession of Nova Sco- whatoi tia and the adjacent isles, and who were only Saw/^'" known to our fathers as the active allies of the French. They often invaded, but never inhabited New England. 7. The Sokokis appear to have dwelt on the Sa- 00, and had formed an alliance with the Mohawks , g|.so- but finally placed themselves under the protection of the French in Canada. The Indian often emigrated, so that the clans ^y^^i .^ that disappeared from their ancient hunting-grounds of"^t1ie did not always become extinct. They shunned the f^^\^! vicinity of civilization, and often migrated far away. *"""' 48 INDIAN HISTORY Among the tribes of Texas there are warriors whc trace their hneage to the Algonquins, on the At- lantic ; and many a proud descendant of the Ne\v England tribes now roams over the western prairies. 8. The tribe of the Massachusetts, even before the colonization of the country, had almost disap- peared from the shores of the Massachusetts bay. Where The Pokauokcts dwelt around Mount Hope, and p^kano- were sovereigns over Nantucket, Martha's Vine- TheNar- Y^^'^7 ^^^ ^ portiou of Cape Cod. The Narragan- BBtST setts held dominion over Rhode Island and its vicinity, and a part of Long Island, and were the most civilized of the northern nations. The Pe- 9« The Pequods occupied the eastern part of Connecticut, and ruled a part of Long Island. Their blood was the first shed in the deadly strug- gles between the whites and Indians. They fought long and bravely, but were not victorious. Where now is seen New York, the proud metrop- tons?^^' olis of the West, the bold Manhattans roamed, hap- py and secure in their old forests. 10. The Mohawks first greeted Hudson, as he The Mo- 11. I'll 1 • r hawks? explored the noble river which bears his name, lor their dwelling-place was on its western bank. The rude Mohawk worshiped the Great Spirit at sun- set, surrounded by every thing that was beautiful in nature. Into 11- Farther south were the Lenni Lenape, di- tlii^s vided into the Minsi and the Delaw^ares. occupvinsf were the ' j. ^ o Lenni Ncw Jerscv aud the valleys of tlie Delaware and Lenape ►^ ♦' andwhit Schuylkill. The Delawares had been dispossessed ihem?° by the Five Nations, stripped of their rights as war- riors, and confined to raising corn, fishing and THE SHAWNEES. 49 hunting, for subsistence. In this way, the Indians reduced their enemies to the state of women, ac- 1^^\q cording to their language. Beyond the Delaware KlidlS were the Nanticokes, who melted imperceptibly Aigon^ into other tribes. Cape Fear was the southern ^^^^^y^ hmit of the Algonquin speech. 12. The Shawnees connect the south-eastern Algonquins with the west. The basin of the sai/ J? Cumberland river is marked by Kircheval as the ^^g^^^" home of this restless nation of wanderers. For many years, they wandered undisturbed from the Cumberland river to the Alabama, from the Santee to the Susquehannah. 13. The Miamis were more quiet in their wishes, how did and we can ffo to their own orators for their tradi- mis dlt' ... fer flora tions. " My forefather," said the Miami orator, ^^^^^^ Little Turtle, at Greenville, " kindled the first fire """^^^ at Detroit ; from thence he extended his lines to the head-waters of the Sciota ; from thence to its mouth ; from tlience down the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash ; and from thence to Chicago, on Lake Michigan. These are the boundaries within which the prints of my ancestors' houses are every- where to be seen." The early French narratives confirm his words. 14. The Illinois were kindred to the Miamis. and where ' was the their country lay between the Wabash, the Ohio, or"he and the Mississippi. 15. In the early part of the 18th century, thewha^c** 1 TIT- •/• 1- thePota- Potawatomies had crowded the Miamis from then* ^ato- mies f dwelhngs at Chicago; the intruders came from the islands near Green Bay, and were a branch of the Chippewas. That nation, or, as some write, the 50 INDIAN HISTORY. Ojibwas, — the Algonquin tribes, of whose dialect, S^fe/the mythology, traditions, and customs we have the wa^oT fullest accounts, — held the country around Green Bay and Lake Superior. What of 1^- South-Avest of the Menomonies, the roaming I nil FoS Sacs and Foxes, tlie enemies of the French, wan- dered in pursuit of conquest over the whole country Mention bctweeu the Wisconsin and the Illinois. These the the^A?-^ were some of the different tribes speaking the Al- Siy" gonquin language. we^have II. 17. The ucxt coufederacv or family speak- noticed? , . j j i. ing a different language were the Sioux or Dahco- d^eft^ ^a^j encamped on the wide prairies east of the Sioux? Mississippi, wandering between the head-waters of Lake Superior and the Falls of St. Anthony. What is . . . said of Their wigwams were discovered by French traders Sioux? in 1659, and they were visited by Jesuit priests in 1687, and again in 1689. Between the Dahcotas ^^ jjjg and the Chippewas there long existed an hereditary WM^?"^*^" warfare. Like other southern and western tribes, their population appears of late to have very much increased. III. 18. Another of the eiffht distinct laiiffuaofes What is . . __ _ . ^ . . 11 , the'^Hu^- IS the Huron- Iroquois^ or, as it is sometimes called, Suo/sT ^he Wyandot. At the time of the discovery of America, they were powerful in numbers and scat- tered over a wide territory. The peninsula inclos- ed between Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario had been the dwelling-place of the five confederated tribes of the Hurons. 19. They were defeated by the Five Nations, and a part of tlieir tribe descended the St. Law- rence, and som'* of their progeny may still be seen THE HURON-IROaUOIS. 51 at (flluebec ; a part were adopted into the tribes of their victors. The Wyandots fled beyond Lake S w?.' Superior, having first halted on the shores of the ^""^"^^ noble Huron lake, and afterward near where De- troit is now situated. 20. Thus the Wyandots within our borders are emigrants from Canada. By lormmg treaties with whom the Algonquin tribes, they spread along Lake Erie, ^^^p^^^ and gradually acquired a claim to the vast territory ^''®^'^®*' from the Miami to the western boundary of New York. 21. The Iroquois or Mingoes, or, as they were ^ sometimes called, the Five Nations, were tribes JrSiums* bound together by a league or confederacy. The llef'^' French called them L'oquois — the English, the times ^ ^ 7 called? Five Nations — and the Connecticut Indians, Mo- which hawks, from the most warlike tribe. Three of ^nfede- the original confederacy consisted of the elder tribes, ^|[|j called the Senecas, Onondagas, and Mohawks, and fflbe^s?^'^ two were called the younger tribes, viz., the Cayu- which gas and Oneidas. younger 22. The number of their warriors, in 1660, is ^^ere said by the French to have been 2,200. They in- dwein'^ habited the region lying between the borders of Vermont and western New York, from the lakes to the head-waters of the Ohio, the Susquehannah, and the Delaware. Their geographical position made them umpires in the contest of the French for dominion in the West. They acquired a name what is amonff the boldest tribes by their conquests, and ^Vut^^l: , . 11. T . , . ,T the Iro- thus increased their political importance. J\iotf and west of the Cherokees, to the Atlantic and biilan **" familv' the Gulf of Mexico, to the Mississippi and the con- fluence of the Tennessee and the Ohio, was in the possession of one great family of nations, of which the language was named by the French the Mobi- lian, and is described by Gallatin as the Musk- HOGEE-CHOCTA. It included three lar^e confeder- "w-hat ^ large acies (Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Creeks), still radef ®' existing, and perhaps, even with an increase of fhfsfam numbers. ^^^ 32. The country bounded by the Ohio on the north, by the Mississippi on the west, on the east by a line from the bend in the Cumberland river to the Muscle Shoals of the Tennessee, and extending south into the territory of the State of Mississippi, was the land of the cheerful, brave Chickasaws, lonof Describe ° the to be remembered as the invincible allies of the country of the Enghsh. Around their wigwams the grass was ver- ^'^^^^^ dant in midwinter ; the blue bird and robin are heard in February ; the springs of pure water gur- gle up through the white sands, to flow through natural bowers of evergreen and holly ; and if the earth be but carelessly opened to receive the ker- nel of maize, the thi:k corn springs abu^dantly from the fertile soil. The region is as happy as any beneath the sun; and the love which saws ? 56 INDIAN HISTORY. il inspired made its occupants, though not numer- ous, yet the most intrepid warriors of the south. Of the ^^- ^^^ country of the Choctaws was below the Sfl?si ChickasawSj between the Tombigbee and Mississippi rivers, DweUing in plains or among gentle hills, they excelled every North American tribe in their said of agriculture, subsisting chiefly on corn, and placing SJ?s? ^^^^^^ dependence on the chase. Their warriors were over 4,000 in number, and their love for their sunny hills was so intense, that in defending their homes they utterly contemned all danger. What of 34. In Georgia, extending into Alabama, were Creeks? the Crccks or Muskhogees. They were divided into Upper and Lower Creeks, a part of which are called Seminoles, inhabiting Florida. The term Seminole means "wild man," and was applied to all the vagrants of the nation, who abandoned agriculture for the chase. This country abounded in beautiful creeks and bold rivers, descending with a clear current through a fertile region. They were careful in agriculture, and before going to war, assisted their women to plant What is 35. The Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Cherokees the . are all considerably advanced in civilization. In JfjJ^^g'. this respect, they evidently form an exception to the S Che- Indian race, who, generally speaking, flee from fokees in .... - . \ , . • i ^ i • point of Civilized society, and relinquish their possessions civiliza- ... tion? rather than their wild independence. The earliest European accounts of these people, which are con- tained in the history of the expedition of Ferdi- nand de Soto, show them to have been more civil- ized than any other tribes of the United States. The Cherokees have an impression, that they be- INDIAN LANGUAGES. 57 ong to a superior stock ; and some of our ablest antiquarians suppose that they migrated from Ma- lacca, Southern Asia. 36. Such is a synopsis of the American nations east of the Mississippi. Very great uncertainty must attend any estimate of the original number of Indians east of the Mississippi and south of the what » St. Lawrence and the lakes. The diminution of ol^oie 1 • 1 • • /• 1 number their population is far less than is usually suppos- "[^ng"' ed; they have been exiled, but not exterminated, isung^^ The Cherokee and MobiUan family are more nu- merous now than ever. 37. Terrible epidemics have raged among them, and thousands have fallen in war ; but amid their keenest sufferings, they disdain to manifest their agony by a cry or groan, and even in the death- struggle triumphantly sing their death-song. 38. The study of the structure of the various ^^ ^ dialects of the red men sheds light on the inquiry Sy of into their condition. Languages do not /ie, say s oug T*" Home Tooke. They reveal what time has buried lects? in oblivion. A late German writer, Prof. Vater, has publish- ^^^^^ ^^ ed, at Leipzig, a book on the population of Ameri- Te^s ^** ca. He lays great stress upon the tongues spoken by the aborigines, and dwells considerably on the unity pervading the whole of them, from Chili to the remotest district of North America. The work has been continued by Adelung and Vater in their Mithridates^ w^hich surpasses all similar performances that have evei been achieved by man. They give an extensive comparison of all the Asiatic, African, and American languages. 3* 58 INDIAN HISTORr. What 13 ^^* ^^ American language bears marks of being ed^o?" an arbitrary aggregation of separate parts ; but Ameri each is possessed of an entire organization, having guage? unity of character, and controlled by exact rules. Each appears as a perfect whole, not as a slow for- mation, springing directly from the powers of man by painful processes of invention ; each dialect is not only free from confusion, but is almost abso- lutely free from irregularities, and is pervaded and governed by undeviating laws. Each American language was competent of itself, without improve- ment from scholars, to exemplify every rule of the logician, and give utterance to every passion. A tribe has no more been found without an organized language than without eyesight or memory. The savage had, indeed, never attempted the analysis of the primitive sounds ; but the analogies are so close, that they may all be expressed by the alpha bet of European use. 40. The tribes vary in their capacity or their What IS , -^ . saui of custom of expressing sounds. Of the several dia- orthl lects of the Iroquois, that of the Oneidas is the kn"^**^ softest, beinof the only one that admits the letter I (L) ; that of the Senecas is the most rude and energetic. The Algonquin dialects, especially those of the Abenakis, heap up consonants with prodigal harshness ; the Iroquois abound in a concurrence of vowels. The Algonquins have no/; the whole Iroquois family never use the semi-vowel m^ and want the labials entirely. jjQ^ 41. Their style was adorned with noble meta- "^xyxe^^^^ phors, and glowed with allegory. They spoke of prosperity as a bright sun or a serene and cloudlesb INDIAN LANGUAGES. 59 sky ; to establish peace is to bury the tomahawk or plant the forest tree ; to offer presents as conso- lation to mournerSj is to cover the grave of the departed. 42. The ffreat peculiarity of the American speech is the absence of all logical analysis oi a great r o J peculia- ideasj and the synthetic character pervading- them 'iSSln^^ all. The American does not separate the compo- g^iTago nent parts of the proposition which he utters. His thoughts rush forth in a troop, for the picture is presented at once and altogether. This synthetic character is apparent in the attempt to express, in the simplest manner, the name of any thing. The Algonquin and the Iroquois could not sdij father ; they must use a more definite expression. The noun, adjective, and pronoun are blended into one word. The Indian never kneels ; so, when Eliot trans- lated KNEELING, the woi'd which he was com- pelled to form filled a line, and numbered eleven syllables. 43. In investigating these and other languages, , . ^ „ ^, ^ ^ ' What of two momentous conclusions follow. The gram- the c5 gram- matical forms, which constitute the organization of Jbrmf^ a language, are not the work of civilization, but of consV- ^ ^ ' ' tute the nature. It is not writers, nor arbitrary conven- organiza- ' •^ tion of a tions, that give laws to language ; the forms of ^g^^sef grammar, the powers of combinations, the possi- bility of inversions, spring from within us, and are a consequence of our own organization. 44. The study of these rudest dialects tends to prove.i •^ by the show, if it does not conclusively prove, that it was ^'^^'J^^ "^ not man who made language : but He who made Iq^xbi^^^' 50 INDIAN HISTORY. man gave him utterance. From the ice-bound S^y^ regions of the Esquimaux in the north, to the !^rt;nf^' Straits of Magellan on the south, the primitive guages? American languages, entirely differing in their roots, have, with slight exceptions, a similar physi- ognomy, resembling each other in their internal mechanism. What CO- ^^' ^^ ^'^^ Esquimaux, there is an immense iTencere- Humbcr of forms derived from the regimen of pro- d?ffS nouns. The same is true of the Basque language, guages? ill Spain, and of the Congo, in Africa. Here is a most wonderful coincidence ; and as it pervades languages of different races, dwelling on different continents, it must be the result of law. What ^^' Ai^<^ther and more certain conclusion is this, conciu- that the ancestors of our tribes were rude like drawn tlieiTiselves — not yet disenthralled from nature. from the Indian**^ The cliaiacter of each Indian language being one dialects? ujiiversal, all-pervading synthesis, proves them to have been still in the earliest stage of intellectual culture. 47. War and hunting are the principal employ- dianmen ^icuts of the mcu. The young Indian travels the th^m°^ war-path frequently, that he may encounter an enemy ; and at the great war-dance and feast of his tribe, he will boast of his exploits, and exhibit the shining marks of vermillion on his skin as records of his wounds. Hovythe 48. The Indian woman leads, a toilsome life. w"omeni Patiently she plants the maize, the beans, and run- ning vines, with the rude wooden mattock and shell ; her hands draw out the weeds, and in due season gather the harvest. She brings home thft INDIAN EMPLOYMENTS. 61 game which her husband has killed — she bears tiie wood and draws the whaler ; and if the men pre- pare the poles for the wigwam, it is the woman who builds it, and in their toilsome journeyings she bears it on her shoulders. 49. In the language of our Indians is no word how do for year, and they reckon time by the return of ansreck *f ^ J J on time \ bnow or the springing of flowers, and the flight of the birds announces the progress of seasons. The motion of the sun marks the hour of the day, and these distinctions of time are not noted in numbers, but in words that breathe the grace and poetry of nature. 50. They kept no herds, but depended for food on the chase, fisheries, and agriculture; and, nn- ^^^^^ p^*»- like the people of the Old World, they were at food'? once hunters and tillers of the groimd. Water was the only drink of the noble red man, until after his acquaintance with Europeans. 51. The government of the Indians is a patri- y^^^^ ,g archal confederacy. Every town or family has a tUlf go^'v- chief, called di sachem. Several towns compose a of ^ the ^ ^ ^ * Indians? tribe, of which one of their number is the head. The several tribes composing a nation have also a chief, who directs the whole. These rulers are chosen on the opinion which their fellow-warriors have of their wisdom and integrity. 52. Prohibitory laws w^ere hardly sanctioned by savage opinion, for the wild man hates restraint, , , , I . . I . , . How dirt and loves to do what is risrnt m nis own eyes, the in ^ *' dian feel Arrests and prisons, law^yers and sheriffs were ^ftedl"" unknown. Each man was his own protector, and in case of death by violence, the kindred of the 62 INDIAN HISTORY. deceased would go a thousand miles for the pur- pose of revengej over hills and mountains, through large cane swamps full of vines and briars, ovei broad lakes, rapid rivers, and deep creeks, all the way endangered by poisonous snakes — exposed to the extremities of heat and cold, to hunger and thirst. Peace was restored by atoning presents, if they were enough to cover the grave of the de- parted. They hold the bonds of brotherhood so dear, that a brother commonly pays the debt of the deceased, and assumes his revenge and perils. How did 53. The record of their treaties was kept by coS ^^' strins^s of wampum ; and when the envoy of na- their . . , m-/- ti -r i ^eaties, tious met m solemn council, gut rephed to gift, and belttobeh. What of That the words of friendship might be trans- pelce- mitted safely through the wilderness, the red men revered the peace-pipe. With this mysterious pipe, the person of the traveler was safe and welcome to all v/igwams. whatdid 54. War alone was the avenue to glory ; all an^ think Other employments seemed unworthy of human of war? ,. . \ -^ - , . -^ dignity. Any one who, on chanting a war-song, could obtain volunteer followers, became a war- chief. Solemn fasts and religious rites precede the departure of the warriors. A belt painted red, or a bundle of bloody sticks sent to the enemy, is a declaration of defiance. 55. As the war-party leaves the village, a fare- well hymn is chanted to the women : " Do not weep for me, loved woman, should I die ; weep for yourself alone, I go to revenge our fallen rela- INDIAN RELIGION. 63 tions ; our foes shall lie like them ; I go to lay them low." 56. Captives were sometimes saved and incor- jj^^ porated in the families of the tribes. In such cases Svea they forever left their former hunting-grounds and times all that they held dear. Sometimes they were adopted in the place of a slain warrior, and espous- ed all the interests and retaliated all the wrongs. More commonly it was the captive's lot to suffer torments and death. His fingers were crushed and torn off, the joints of his arms scorched and gashed, while he himself tranquilly sang the songs of his nation, or said to the crowd of guests at the festival, "My brothers, I am going to die. Make merry around me with good heart. I am a man. I neither fear death nor your torments." He then dances around the cabin, chanting his death-song. The most horrid torments last until after sunrise, Avhen the wretched victim, bruised, gashed, half roasted, and scalped, is hacked in pieces ! 57. The rehffion of the Indian was of the rudest what is ^ ^ ^ said of kind. They worship both a good and an evil ^^^^^^^f spirit — one to secure favor, the other to deprecate d^ans^"* his vengeance. Their heaven is in the sweet south-Avest, where a balmy wind ever blows, and the sky is without a darkening cloud — where the forests are stocked with game and the rivers with fish. There the aged warrior will never experience fatigue, or hun- ger, or thirst, and care will never come. 58. The Indian saw a divinity in every thing — in the mountain chff, in the cheering fire, in the blades of grass — the woods, wilds, and running 64 INDIAN HISTORY. Streams, the stars and the sun — in the blue ocean, in birdj and bee, and blossom ; wherever there was motion, being, or action, there, to him, was a spirit ; his own beating heart and throbbing pulse spoke to him of a divinity. The Indian w^as ever firm to his faith ; infidelity never clouded his mind — the gloomy shadoAvs of scepticism were unknown to him. What is ^^' Pi'^yers are daily oflfe red to avert the wrath their su- ^^^ to secure the favor of their divinity. That tiws?' man should deny himself — that sin should be aton- ed for. are ideas that dwell in human nature. They were so diffused among the savages, that Le Clerc believed some of the apostles must have reached the American continent. 60. The savage puts faith in divination. He casts lots, and believes Nature will be obedient to the decision ; he puts his trust in the sagacity of the sorcerer, and believes the medicine man can cure all his diseases. 61. While yet alive, the dying chief sometimes arrayed himself in the garments in which he was to be buried, and, giving a farewell festival^ calmly chanted his last song, or made a last harangue, glorying in the remembrance of his brave deeds, and commending his surviving loved ones to his inwiat friends; and when he had given up the ghost, he were^^ was buricd in a sitting posture, as if to show that, buried? though Hfc was spent, the principle of being wag not gone. Everywhere in America this posture was adopted at burials. From Canada to Pata- gonia, it would seem as though some common sym- pathy pervaded the continent, and struck a chord which vibrated through the heart of a race. IND1A.N CIVILIZATION. 65 62. Much has been done by the benevolent to amehorate the condition ot the Indian. Jesuits, Jj^lj^ ^^ Franciscans, Puritans, Moravians, &c., all have Soajd times en- (leavor«;(j sincerely endeavored to convert them, and win «^ate condi tion? their them to the regular habits of civihzed life. The f^^f' Jesuit, Stephen de Carheil, revered for his talents and zealy^was for more than sixty years a mission- ary among" the Huron-Iroquois tribes. He spoke their dialects as though they had been his mother- tongue ; yet he saw little to encourage him. 63. Elliot, the beloved and self-denying apostle, ^^^^ ^^ whose benevolence amounted nearly to the inspi- tSi"^ la*!^ ration of genius, often almost despaired. He sue- EU?ot?° ceeded, after years of toil, in forming an Indian grammar, and translating the whole Bible into the Massachusetts dialect. He taught the women to spin, the men to dig the ground, and established for them simple forms of government. His zeal never tired, and the simplicity of his life, and inva- riably amiable temper, won for him many an honest heart. 64. There, too, was the heavenly-minded Ma- hew, devoting his splendid talents to win the untu- Zlfot torcd savage. With many expressions of gratitude and love he left them, and took passage for Eng- land, hoping to awaken some interest there. They never looked upon his much-loved form again, and tidings never reached them of the ship in which he sailed. But such was the force of the god-like example of the son, that his father, bowed down with the w^eight of seventy years, resolved on assuming the toils and duties of the son, and at the age of fourscore and twelve was still zealously 66 INDIAN HISTORY. engaged. The happiest results followed these labors; but no one could essentially change the manners and habits of the tribes. 65. Within the century and a half durinsr whicli What '^ . ^ S'Jnt?^' ^^ Cherokees have been acquainted with Euro- chero-^^* peans, they have learned the use of the plough and made? the axe, of herds and flocks, of the printing press and water mills ; they have gained a mastery ovei the fields, and taught the streams to run for their benefit. 66. Whence came the red man ? was the frequent and anxious inquiry that followed the discovery of America. What Sev^eral tribes of the present southern Indians [Sons* have traditions that they came from the east or Indians throuofh the Atlantic ocean. Raffinesque says it is respect- '-' \ j ongili?^''^ important to distinguish the American nations of eastern origin from those of the northern, who, he says, were invaders from Tartary, and were as dif- ferent in their manners as w^ere the Romans and Vandals. What 67. Dr. Mitchell, after much research, concluded said Dr. . ' . ^ . . Mitcheu? that Asia and America were peopled by similar races of men — that America as well as Asia had Its Tartars on the north, and its Malays on the south. [n what The American and Monp^olian races of men on do the . . ° Jes^imbie ^^^ ^^'^ sidcs of the Pacific have a near resem- goii^°^'" blance. The skulls are so nearly ahke, that a careful observer could not distinguish one from the other. 68. The dwellers on the Aleutian isles resemble the inhabitants of each continent ; and as the FATE OF THE INDIANS. 67 adventurous Ledyard stood in Siberia, will men whatdid of the Mongolian race before him, and compared remS them with the Indians who had been his com- subjecti nanions and school-mates at Dartmouth, he writes deliberately that, " universally and circumstan- tially, they resemble the aborigines of America." On the Connecticut and the Obi, he saw but one race. 69. He that describes the Tungusians of Asia, seems also to describe the North American. That the Tschukchi of North-eastern Asia and the Esqui- maux of America are of the same origin, is proved by the affinity of their languages, thus establishing a connection between the continents, previous to the discovery of America by Europeans. The indigenous population of America offers no what is new obstacle to faith in the unity of the human reganni •^ the bear- race, agreeable to the plain statement of the Bible jji? a^n- on that subject, which is a book entitled to the unuro/ term antiquity paramount to all records now in min existence. 70. A melancholy interest surrounds the fate of ^^^^ j^ the red man. Once, sole lords of a rich and almost [non^-"^ boundless country, they have been crowded farther of"^the -t r ^ r ^ ' i* i ^^^^ man? and farther from their sunny nuntmg-grounds — farther from the noble rivers they so much loved, and the blue Atlantic, upon whose waves they thought many a good spirit dwelt. Some of them, overwhelmed with misfortunes, calmly submitted to their fate, and after the last struggle over the graves of their nation and kin- dred (a spot venerated by the red man), they de- parted never to return. Others fought long and 68 INDIAN HISTORY. bravely, and chose rather to die within sight of the soil they once owned and upon the graves of their warriors. "By and by/' says one who mourns their hapless fate, " they will have passed the Rocky Mountains, and in a few centuries scarcely a remnant will be seen, unless along the beach of the Pacific, the utmost boundary to wliich they can flee ; where, as they gaze upon the illimitable expanse, and turn back to the country of their ancestors, they will mingle with the resounding surge the death-song of departed nations/'' HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMEEICA DIVISION OF THE HISTOKY, BY EPOCHS, IN THREE PARTS. PART I. COMPRISRS THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED FROM THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY COLUMBUS, TO THE DEC'LARA TION OF INDEPENDENCE, IN 1776, EXTENDING 284 YEARS. PART 11. COMPRISES THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED FROM THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IN 1789, EXTENDING 13 YEARS. PART III. COMPRISES THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THIS BEGINNING OF THE SOUTHERN REBELLION IN 1861. EXTENDING 73 YEARS. DEATH OF KING PHILIP. PART I., EXTENDING 284 YEARS FROM THE DISCOVERY OP AMERICA IN 1492, TO THE DECLARA- TION OF INDEPENDENCE IN 1776. CHAPTER I. HE voyages and discoveries of Christopher Columbus opened a new and brilliant, era in the history of the world, and ex- cited the admiration of all the nations of Europe. The mon- arch s, who had derided his undertaking, when he presented himself before What spirit did the dis- covery ol Colum- bus ex- cite in Europe '! 72 EARLY DISCOVERIES. Part I. 1492 them, in povertyj to beg their assistance, now saw, in the newly-discovered wilds of the Western whatdid World, which the genius of Columbus had laid ferent opcu to their vlew, a golden prize, a share of which these'" ^'^^y eagerly attempted to secure. discover- 2. Columbus was born at Genoa, in the year 1447, and early manifested a strong partiality for ^hen the different sciences, but more particularly for that where of mathematics. Blessed with a vivid imaffina- ^as Co- . .11 , . /^ . Don^r ^*^^' ^^^ ardent courage and great piety, of untn- ing energy and perseverance, he seemed raised up by Providence for the great work in which he Ztd^of engaged, and in which his success excelled even histojyY his wildest dreams, or the most gorgeous pictures of his glovvdng and vivid imagination. 3. The mariner's compass had already been dis- what covered, and with this sure guide and trusty com- coium^^ panion, the voyager boldly launched out into embm-^ uukuowu scas. Columbus early embraced the eed ? , idea, entertained by few, of the rotundity of the earth ; hence he believed that the Indies and a vast amount of undiscovered land might be reach- ed by sailing west. Strongly impressed with the truth of this idea, and knowing that such discov- eries would be of incalculable benefit to the whom nation which made them, he explained his views did he ' *■ explain succcssivcly to Johu II. of Portugal, Henry VII. of views? England, and to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Spain, beseeching them to aid him in the With prosecution of his great enterprise ; but they, guccess? ignorant and short-sighted, and believing him to be a wild adventurer, refused their assistance. 4. He had already wasted seven years of his Ciiap. I. DEAl H OF COLUMBUS. W life in a fruitless- struggle to obtain his wish. His 1492 suit had been twice rejected by the court of Spain, when he was summoned by Isabella to appear before her. This amiable queen interested herself so strongly in his behalf, that, finding it impossible iast°be* to take the money from a treasury which had been f"^"*' ' impoverished by a long war, she offered to pledge her private jewels, to obtain the means to fit out^^^^^ the expedition and defray the expenses of the bdii'ot- fer to do ) voyage. 5. The necessary funds were accordingly ad- vanced, and on the 3d of Au2:ust, 1492, Colum- when bus, with three small vessels, set sail from Palos, '"mbus * * * make his on his voyage of discovery. After having encoun- age?'"^' tered innumerable hardships, controlled his muti- nous crew, and sailed thousands of miles over an oct. 21, unknown ocean, on the 12th of October, 1492, the Iy7e. joyful shout of "landj land^'^ rung from ship toZid\'f ship, and soon after his feet trod the soil of the alscov-* New World. Throwing himself upon his knees, ^'^ and kissing the ground, he unfurled the banner of Spain, and taking possession of the soil in the name of his royal mistress, called it '^Saii Sal- vador." 6. He subsequently made three other voyages, what of during the years of 1493, 1498, and 1502, in v^^hich voyages-, he discovered many of the West India and Carib- bean isles, and a considerable portion of the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. On returning from his ^^^^^^ ^^ last voyage, finding Isabella, his patroness, dead, hlg^'hii md his claims disregarded, he gradually sunk beneath his sufferings, and died on the 20th of May, 1506, in the 59th year of his age. His last 4 74 EARLY DISCOVERIES. Parti 149T wonis were " Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." His body Avas deposited in the convent of St. FranciscOj but afterward was conveyed, v/ith the remains of his son Diego, to Hispaniola, and here ag?in disinterred and removed to Havana, in the island of Cuba, where it now reposes. 7. Near the close of his life he was misrepre sented and persecuted. The honors due to him when living, have been freely awarded to him oy succeeding generations. In his career, we perceive what perseverance and untiring energy, aided by a firmness of purpose, can accomplish. During his whole life he was surrounded with difficulties and dangers ; yet, instead of shrinking before their magnitude, he pressed eagerly on, surmounted them all, and placed his name, surrounded with glory, upon the brightest page of history. What 8. The magnificent achievement of Columbus was now '^ of'^'the* I'evealing the wonderful truth, of which the germs p?fs"of may have existed in the imagination of every b^? thoughtful mariner, won the admiration which was due to an enterprise that seemed more divine than human, and kindled, in the breast of the emu- lous, a vehement desire to gain as signal renown in the same career of daring. Give an 9. Johu Cabot, a Venetian merchant, residing at dfscover- ^^'i^^^^j England, with liis son, Sebastian Cabot, clhoxt^ both men of great learning, obtained a patent from Henry VII., "the most ancient American state paper of England," authorizing them to plant the flag of England upon any soil hitherto unseen by Christian people. They sailed from England in May, 1497. and in June discovered the American Cliap* t< ALONZO DE OJEDA. 7S continent in the latitude of fifty-six degrees, among 1497. the rude savages and the dismal cliffs of Labrador. ' This discovery was made fourteen months before ColumbuSj on his third voyage, came in sight of the main-land, and nearly two years before Ameri- go Vespucci sailed west of the Canaries. Shortly after their return, another voyage was planned by Sebastian Cabot. With three hundred men, he sailed for Labrador, by the way of Iceland, which he reached in latitude 58° ; but owing to the severity of the weather, he turned his course south, and proceeded along the shores of the United States to the southern boundary of Maryland. 10. In 1499, Alonzo de Ojeda, a companion of ^^ ^^^ Columbus in his first expedition, saihng under the coverfes patronage of several Portugese merchants, dis- deojedS covered the continent at Paria. Americus Vespu cius, a Florentine gentleman, accompanied him, and on his return pubhshed such an account of his voyage, as to lead to the belief that he was the first discoverer. The honor of giving a name to the continent, which should have been given to Columbus, was accordingly bestowed on him. 11. In the year 1501, a vessel, under the com- mand of Caspar Contereal, was fitted out by the account king of Portugal, and sent on a voyage of discov- o%afpw ery to the New World. He proceeded to North ST^' America, and sailed along the coast for six or seven hundred miles, admiring the freshness of the ver- dure and the density of the stately forests. After naving freighted his ship with more than fifty Indi- ans, he returned to Portugal and sold them as slaves. 76 EARLY DTSCOVERTKS. Vnrt ! igg4 12. The French king, Francis I., In 1523, sent out John Verazzani, a Florentine, who reached the Of John continent in the latitude of Wilmin2:ton, North Verazza- ^-^ , , . ""'^ Carolina. Plis crew w^ere filled with admiration at the tawny color of the Indians, their ornaments, and garlands of feathers. As they proceeded far- ther north, the groves, redolent with fragrance, spread their perfumes far from the shore, and gave promise of the spices of the east. They anchored in the harbor of Newport for fifteen days, and from thence sailed along the coast of New England to Nova Scotia, when they returned to France. What 1,3. In 1534, James Cartier, under a commission discover- ^ . jarae. ^^^^'^ thc kiug of Fraucc, sailed to America, visited makeT the island of Newfoundland, discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the great river of Canada, On his second voyage, in the follow^ing year, he sailed up the river as far as the Isle of Orleans. Here, leaving his ship, he proceeded in an open boat until he reached an Indian village, near the site of which now stands the city of Montreal. At the Isle of Orleans he spent the winter, which was rendered frightful by the intense cold and the rava- ges of the scurvy. In 1540, Cartier again returned to Canada, for the purpose of planting a settle- ^^ ment, but was unsuccessful. The king of France wa^This afterward granted to De Monts the territory from Rhei^^ New Jersey to Nova Scotia. In virtue of this granted ? grant, iu 1604 he commenced the settlement of Port Royal, on the south-eastern side of the Bay of Fundy; and in 1608, his agent, Samuel Cham^- plain, laid the foundation of Quebec. 14. In 1512, Juan Ponce de Leon, a fellovi voy Cliap. Ii PONCE DE LEON. 77 ager of Columbus in his first expedition, sailed 151a. from Porto Rico with three ships, wliich he had fitted out at his own expense, and in about a month ^^.^ discovered Florida, and landed upon the coast a Sy did short distance above St. Augustine. In Spain he ^.^^^f^ had heard a tale, which was there credited by those distinguished for virtue and intelligence, of a foun- tain which possessed virtues to renovate the hfe of those who should bathe in its streams, or give a perpetuity of youth to the happy man who should drink of its ever-flowing waters. 15. This elixir of hfe was to flow from a per- petual fountain in the New World, in the midst of T • -1 1 1 1 rm T For what a country glittermg with gems and gold. To dis- g|jp°5® cover this fountain, De Leon, w^hose cheeks had come t& been furrowed by hard service, made this voyage ; woridT but, although he sought for it long and earnestly, he was compelled to return without having drunk of Its youth -renewing waters. 16. In 1520, a company of seven, at the head of w^hom was Lucas Vasquez de AUyon, fitted out object two slave ships from St. Domingo, in quest of ^^^^^^fl^ laborers for their plantations. From the Bahama ''^^^^^*- islands they passed to the coast of South Carolina, invited the natives to visit the ships, and when a number had crowded upon the decks, at a given signal they weighed anchor, and set sail for St. Domingo. Husbands were torn from their wives, what and children from their parents ; but the crime was STe'r finally avenged, for one of the ships foundered at Bea, and the guilty and guiltless perished together. Vasquez again sailed to the coast, with the royal permission to conquer the country; but his men 78 EARLY DISCOVERIES. Part X. 1536 ^veie slaughtered by the enraged natives, and he returned to his home to die of wounded pride. 17. PamphiUo de Narvaez attempted, at a later D?Na?^ day, to conquer Florida ; but of three hundred men who landed with him on the coast, only five return- what of ed. Ferdinand de Soto, the favorite companion of Pizarro in his conquest of Peru, believing Florida to be a land full of gold and diamonds, and unin- timidated at the fate of Narvaez, determined to make the conquest at his own expense. No sooner were his intentions known, than hundreds of the nobles of Castile flocked to his standard. Six hun- dred men, in the prime of life, in the glittering array of polished armor, with brilliant hopes, sailed with him for the land of promise. 18. In 1539, he landed in the Bay of Spiritu Santo, in Florida. Fearing that his men might wish to return, he sent his ships back to Cuba, and What of marched boldly forward into the wilderness. Gold the ad- , •^ . aSd^7u-^ was the object of his search, and for that he pene- tofy Sf'" trated tlfe country hundreds of miles, in every ' direction, entered Georgia and Carolina, crossed the AUeghanies, fought a bloody battle with the Indians at Mobile, and another with the Chicka- saws, in which all their clothes were destroyed, and they compelled to clothe themselves in the skins of beasts. 19. When, at length, they reached the Missis- sippi, the spirit of their leader was broken down by their long journey. Attacked by a mahgnanl fever, and feeling himself to be near his end, he called his followers around him, bade them fare- well, and died. His body was wrapped in his man- Cliap. I. I^K SOTO AND COLIGNI. 79 tie, andj in the stillness of midnight, sunk in the 154*2 middle of the stream. The discoverer of the Mis- sissippi slept beneath its waters. His men, under the successor which he had appointed, wandered jn the wilderness for a few months, and then em- barking upon the river in boats, sailed down the stream until they reached the Gulf of Mexico, when they pursued their way along the coast until they arrived at a Spanish settlement in Mexico, nearly four years from the time they first com- menced their wanderings in the wilderness. 20. Jasper Coligni, the leader of the Huguenot ^^^^ ^^ party in France, determined to establish a settle- coilgnl^ ment in America, to which the Protestants could flee from the persecutions which harassed them in their native land. He accordingly, in 1562, after having secured a commission from the king, sent out two ships under the command of John Ribault. Land was first discovered on the coast of Florida, in the latitude of St. Augustine. Sailing north, he entered a river, which he named Port Royal, and erected upon an island a fort, which he called Fort Charles. Leaving there a colony under Cap- tain Albert, he returned to France. 2L The people soon after mutinied, killed Cap- tain Albert, and in a small ship set sail for France, ^j^^^tof In 1564, Laudonnier sailed for Florida with three ^^""^^d ships. He landed at the river May, and built a fort, which, in honor of the French king, he named Carolina. In the following year, Ribault arrived a second time, and was made governor of the colony at Carolina. Spain had never rehnquished her claim to this country, which, she maintained, be- dez? 80 EARLY DISCOVERIES. Parti. 1564 longed to her by right of discovery. Philip II, ' determined to destroy the nest of heretics who had settled there, and plant in their place a Catholic colony. What of 22. He accordingly sent over Pedro Melendez, Melen- a man accustomed to scenes of blood and butcher)^ Landing upon the coast of Florida, south of the French settlement, he laid the foundation of the city of St. Augustine, the oldest town by forty years of any in the United States. The French had received intimation of the design of the Spaniards, and sent out an expedition by sea to attack them in their harbor ; but meeting with a terrific storm, the ships were wrecked, and nearly all on board perished. Melendez, marching with his troops through the forest, attacked the French in their rear, and massacred the whole company excepting Laudonnier and a few others, who escaped to France. 23. Over their corpses he placed the inscription, " We do not this as unto Frenchmen^ hut as unto heretics^ Upon the ground, smoking with the blood of a peaceful colony, a cross was raised and the site of a church selected. Melendez then erected three forts for the defense of the country, and strongly garrisoned them with Spanish sol- diers. 24. The French king took no notice of this mas- ges?*^"^' sacre ; but the Chevalier de Gorges, a bold soldier, fitted out an expedition at his own expense, and sailed for Florida, determined to avenge the death of his countrymen. On his arrival, he made a descent upon the Spaniards, razed thei\ forts, hung Wliat of Chap. I. ^^^ WALTER RALEIGH. 81 two hundred of their garrison, writing over them, i^qs. " I do not this to Spaniards^ but unto traitors, rob- bers, and murderers P'' France disavowed the expedition, and relinquished all pretension to Florida. 25. In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a soldier and a statesman, having received a grant from Q.ueen G^iben? Elizabeth of such lands as he might discover and occupy, sailed with five ships for the purpose of making a settlement in America. Landing at Newfoundland, he took possession of the country in the name of his sovereign, and then proceeded south ; but meeting with a terrific storm, in which one of his ships was wrecked, he altered his course and sailed for England. His ship foundered at sea, and the brave Gilbert, with all his crew, per- ished. 26. Sir Walter Raleiffh. warned by the sad fate of his step-brother, resolved on a settlement m a i;a|ent ^ ' did Sir milder climate. Having obtained from Ehzabeth Jeikhob- a patent as ample as that conferred on Gilbert, in EUza-'"^* which he was constituted a lord proprietor with almost unlimited powers, he dispatched two vessels for the New World, under the command of Philip Amidas and Arthur Barlow. Arriving opposite the shores of Carolina, they entered the first conveni- ent harbor, and took possession of the country for their queen. It was in the month of July, and the land seemed hke the garden of Eden. The grapes ^-J^^Jr were so abundant on every vine, that the surge of tJSf Ss""' the ocean, as it rolled in upon the shore, dashed its spray upon the clusters. Elizabeth, as she heard their reports of the enchanted regions which they 82 EARLY DISCOVERIES. p^^^ -g 1054 had discovered, as a memorial of her unmarried state, named them Virginia. What 27. Raleigh, encouraged by these favorable ac- tion^was counts, fitted out, in 1585, seven ships, to convey to atted out , . ^ . , ^ . ^ ' -^ in 1585? his new possessions the emigrants who were eager to settle in so delightful a country. The command of the expedition was given to Sir Richard Green- ville, and Ralph Lane accompanied it as governor fj^dol^ of the colony. In a short time he reached Vir- Laie^ ginia, and having left the settlers on the island of Roanoke, returned to England. Lane was cruel and avaricious, and by his imprudence excited the animosity of the Indians. Fortunately, in the fol- lowing year, when the colonists were reduced Smeto almost to starvation. Sir Francis Drake arrived oHh^' from an expedition against the Spaniards, and car- nisis? I'ied them back to England. Shortly after their departure, a ship, sent out by Raleigh, arrived with suppUes, but found no one to receive them. rjuder 2^' I*^ 1587, Raleigh sent out another coiony, was**™ under the command of Captain White. Soon after loiysent their arrival, White returned to Enrfand to obtain out, in . . ^ 1587? supplies. Owing to a war in which England was embroiled with Spain, nearly three years elapsed before he cotild return, and then the colony was What is completely destroyed, no one being left to tell its fSfate? fate. Raleigh, discouraged at these repeated fail- ures of his plans, made no farther attempt to colo- nize the country, which for many years remained in the quiet possession of the natives. 29. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold sailed for said of America, and reached the coast of Massachusetts ttie voy- fosnoid? in May. Proceeding south, he discovered Cape Cliap.I. ^^^ LONDON COMPANY. 83 Cod, entered Buzzard's Bay, and, after trading a i603 while with the Indians, returned home. In 1603 ~ and 1605, two voyages were made, one by Martin ^^^at Pring, and the other by George Weymouth, in ?t^lgea which many rivers and bays on the coast of Maine made? and Massachusetts were discovered. 30. The accounts of these navigators re-awaken- ed the spirit of emigration which had so long remained dormant, and led to an extensive scheme of colonization. Through the influence of Mr. Richard Hackluyt, an association of influential gentlemen was formed for the purpose of sending colonies to America. Virginia, at that time, ex- tended from the southern boundary of North Caro- lina to the northern boundary of Maine. 31. Two companies were formed ; one, composed what of noblemen and g-entlemen in and about London, ^9^^^- c> ? nies was called the London company ; the second, of formed, knights and gentlemen in the west, called the Ply- te"rritor? mouth company. The former had an exclusive right g^^Lch? to occupy the regions from thirty-four to thirty-eight degrees of north latitude ; the latter had an exclu- sive right to the country between forty-one and forty-five degrees. The intermediate district from thirty-eight to forty-one degrees was open to both companies. 32. The superintendence of each district was how confided to a council in England, appointed by the |stdctg king. The local administration of each colony f^^^;^^ was entrusted to a council residing within its limits, also appointed by the king, and to act in conform- ity with his instructions. Thus to the corporation nothing was given but a territory, with the right 84 VIRGIN A. p^^.^ ^^ I606 of peopling and defending it, while to the monarch was reserved absolute legislative authority, with the control of all appointments. CHAPTER II. VIRGINIA. 1. One hundred and nine years had rolled away wS"\e ^^^^^ ^^^ discovery of the American continent by vfrginia^ Cabot, forty-one years from the settlement of Flor- ifterS^ ida, and yet no permanent colony had been estab- bot dis- ,. , , . ,r. . . T» 1 11, Ameri? 1^^^^^ ^^^ Virginia. Kepeated attempts had been *"* made, but through want of proper foresight they had proved unsuccessful. In 1606 the London pedition Company, after havinsr matured a plan of settle- was sent r J J o r the illfn- nient, and formed the laws which were to govern naSy.T' it, sciit out to South Virp'inia three ships and 105 1606 1 men, under the command of Newport. 2. The names and instructions of the council were handed to Newport in a sealed box, with rS%f orders not to open it until twenty-four hours after jff'" his arrival in America. During the voyage the Smith? "^ o. • 1 . genius and energy of Capt. John Smith excited mnte jealousy, and under the frivolous charge of wish- STy ing to murder the council and proclaim himself aiST^"'^ ' king of Virginia, he was placed in confinement. r^Jach^the Newport sailed by the way of the West India S; islands, intending to land at Roanoke ; but a vio- Cliap. II. CAPT. JOHN SMITH. ^5 lent storm drove him north into the Chesapeake i^ot bay. Discovering a noble river, they named it JameSj after their monarch. what 3. The rich country ard the flowery shrubs which he dis- *' •' cover, Dordered the shore invited them to enter. They p"sid^,f Bailed up the stream about fifty miles, encountering se?e?t\.i the hostility of but one small tribe, and selected the mint? peninsula of Jamestown for the site of the colony. Wingfield was elected President of the council ; but ^^Lg^ Smith, although released from confinement, was smfth?^ excluded from his seat in their body, notwithstand- ing he had been duly appointed by the Company. The attempt at his trial was finally abandoned, and he restored to his station. Although surrounded by Indians, from whom they could expect but little what of assistance, the colony, which was composed princi- raster of pally of indolent gentlemen, paid no attention to^'^^nts? the cultivation of the soil, so that famine soon stared them in the face. 4. Newport sailed for England in June, and in a ^^hat of few weeks after his departure scarcely ten of the lerln^s^* settlers were able to walk. They fell victims to colony •^ after the diseases occasioned by the want of food, the heat ^^^p'^'^j. of the climate, and the decay of luxuriant vegeta- ?o^rr tion. Often four or five died in a night, and in the morning their bodies were trailed out of the cabin, like dogs, to be buried. Such was the mortality that by autumn fifty men had perished. Gosnold, the projector of the settlement, was among the number. 5. Disunion completed the work of misery, what of Wingfield, the avaricious President, was deposed treW from oflTix for dishonesty in appropriating the pub- ^^jj^- 86 VIRGINIA. Parti leot ^^^ stores to his own use^ and Ratcliffc appointed in iiis place ; but the latter, ignorant and indolent, no^ was glad to leave the management of affairs to ihe"^lf- Smith, whose cheerful courage alone diffused light fairs of \ the coio amid the general gloom. 6. His whole life had been spent in the service ot laimanity. The trials through which he had passed were evidently intended to fit him for the said of orreat part he was to play in the settlement of Vir- the ener- or r j llr\y]L ginia. He had visited Egypt, Italy and France, and ofsmith? fQ^g]-^^ jj^ many battles against the Turks. At length taken prisoner and sent to Constantinople as a slave, he was relieved by a Turkish lady and finally regained his liberty. Returning to England, he shared in the general enthusiasm of planting States in America, and now the infant common- wealth of Yirginia depended for its existence upon his firmness. He inspired the natives with awe, and quelled the spirit of anarchy and rebellion among the emigrants. 7. He w^as accustomed to make frequent excur- sions into the interior to obtain provisions and ex- Hovvwas plore the country. In one of these expeditions, priso^ne^r" after having ascended the Chickahominy river near- indians? ly to its sourcc, he was attacked by a party of In- dians and all of his companions killed. Seizing an Indian youth he held him as a shield between his body and the enemy and fled ; but being unac- quainted with the country, he sunk to his neck in a swamp and was taken prisoner. 8. Smith now preserved his life by his calmness ^ervi'his ^^^ sclf-possessioii. Displaying a pocket compass •^^^^ he amused the savages by an explanation of its Chap* II. CAPT. JOHN SMITH. 87 powers, and increased their admiration of his genius jeos by imparting to them some conception of the form of the earth and the nature of the planetary sys- ^^ tern. Their wonder, however, soon seemed to abate, did^^Sey and he was led in triumph to Powliattan, their htm^and ^ ^ ^ ' what. king. Powhattan and his council doomed him to JedsioS death, as a man whose genius and courage were lifted'* dangerous to the Indians. He was accordingly led to execution, but just as Powhattan had raised his club to perform its murderous work, Pocahontas, his youthful daughter, rushed through the crowd whatcir- •^ o 7 o cumstan- and with a shriek threw herself upon the prostrate J^?! ilfe^ form of Smith, at the same time casting an im- sefved? ploring look toward her father, with eyes swim- ming with tears besought his life. The heart of the savage king was touched with pity, and drop- ping the war-club he raised his daughter and the {5^yky*^^a' captive from the ground. Smith was now looked ?he^^^^ upon as a friend, and succeeded in establishing a ^ * ^^ peaceful intercourse between the English and the tribes of Powhattan. Thus his captivity, on the whole, was a benefit to the colony. 9. Returning to Jamestown he found the colony in what in a state of great confusion and distress. Only STd'^he" forty of the emigrants were alive, and the strono^er coionyou •^ ^ ^ ' => his re- part of these had seized the pinnace to make their ^"'""^ escape. This third attempt at desertion he re- pressed at the hazard of his life. Newport soon said of 1111 ^^® ^'""" arrived with supplies and one hundred and twenty {J^j^.^Jj^t emigrants ; but, unhappily, most of them were chamc-^ vagabond gentlemen and goldsmiths, who gave a emi^ wron^ direction to the industry of the colony. Be- who o J J came lieving they had found grains of gold in a glitter- JJim^ 88 VIRGINIA. Pari Ii 1608. ^J^? sand which abounded near Jamestown, a ship was loaded with it and sent to England, where it didthey^was found to be no better than common earth. thek^^ Finding the people too mad to pursue any useful ob- time, and . if i /» 1 1 • i • i i i i • i witn ^^ ject,and disgusted at the follies which he had vaml}^ ^"^^- opposed, Smith set off to explore the country, and m"^ ^^^ sailed in an open boat three thousand miles along alter- the coast, discovering many beautiful bays and ward ex- 70./ j ^ ciaS?^^^ rivers : thus adding greatly to the geographical knowledge of the country. 10. Three days after his return he was made What is President of the council. Under his energetic ad- hil ad- ministration order and industry bee^an to prevail, ministra- , ,^ • i • i i 1 I t.ou? when JNewport arrived with a second supply and seventy emigrants. They considered themselves above labor, but Smith insisted that if they would not work they should not eat, so that they were soon willing to drop the gentleman and labor like What the rest. Jamestown now besran to assume the, was the o?"1hi°" appearance of a regular place of abode ; yet at the two"^ expiration of two years not more than thirty or from its forty acics of land had been cultivated, and the settle- "^ . . . merit? colouists wei'c oftcu Compelled to solicit food from the Indians to preserve themselves from starvation. What is H- I*^ 1609 the London Company obtained a the'^new ucw chartci*, enlarging their territory and increas- obtained ing their privileges. The council in England and corapa- ^^^ governor, before appointed by the king, were to "^- be chosen by the stockholders, and the governor to What i ^'^^^^^ i^ Virginia. Lord Delaware was appointed thliSpe- governor for life. Soon after, nine ships, carrying *eut*out? five hundred emigrants and certain officers appoint- ed to supersede the existing government, were sent Cnap. II. SECOND CHARTER. 89 out from England. A violent storm arising, the iqoo. ship in which these officers sailed was wrecked on the island of Bermuda. A small ketch perished, and seven ships onl}^ arrived in Virginia. 12. The new emigrants were most of them rakes and libertineSj men more fitted to corrupt than to what found a commonwealth. Declaring that the old Sfam?^ charter was ahrosrated. and that until the arrival the. new ^ ' ^ emi- of the governor^ no one in the colony had any fi^^ what cotirse authority from the new grant, anarchy seemed at d?d/ hand. Rut Smith insisted that his office did not pursue? expire until the arrival of the new governor, reso- ^^j^^^j^, lutely A-^aaintained his authority until, disabled by hS'^re- aii ac^.idental discharge of gunpowder, he delegated Engkidi his fli^hority to Percy and embarked for England. VP^, The colonists, no lono^er controlled by an '. ° *^ What acknowledged authority, were soon abandoned to ^^^^ idleness. The Indians learning that the only man depart" whom they dreaded had left the colony, not only '^^^' refused to supply them with food, but murdered a large number, and laid their plans to starve and destroy the whole company. So great w^as the famine, that the settlers devoured the skins of their S^^Jf horses and the bodies of the Indians whom they Le? ^^' had killed. Smith, at his departure, had left more than four hundred and ninety persons in the colo- ny; in six months the number was reduced to sixty, and these were so dejected that if relief had not arrived, in ten days all must have perished. 14. At this frightful period. Sir Thomas Gates arrived with the passengers who had been wrecked y/^lJJf-f upon the coast of Bermuda. All immediately de- ?he'a?r?° termined to sail for Newfoundland. They accord- ILtcn 90 VIRGINIA. Part I, 1610 ^^S^y embarked on board of the newly -arrived ships and dropped down the stream with the tide ; What but the next morning they fell in near the mouth ?d^thefr of the river with the lon^-boat of Lord Delaware, carrying their " who had arrived on the coast with emisfrants and plans m- ^ ....*"' ilLn?"^"^ supplies. The fugitives immediately returned to Jamestown. 15. The severe trials through which they had passed had taught them their dependence upon Godj and they now recommenced their colony with appropriate religious services, acknowledging the hand of Providence so signally displayed in saving the^ld- them from famine and utter extinction. Under the tfon^^of" niild administration of Lord Delaware order and aware 1* coutentmeut were restored, and the colony soon as- sumed the appearance of affluence and security. In a short time his health making it necessary for him to return to England he w^as succeeded by Sir Thomas Dale. What is 16. In the same year Sir Thomas Gates was ap- the ad- pointed sfovernor and sailed for Virginia with six ministra- . , Gfltes^^ ships and three hundred emigrants. On his arri- val he assumed the government of the colony, which then numbered seven hundred men. Hitherto all property had been held in common, but now a new plan was adopted, and each man had a few acres assigned to him as his own. This produced a beneficial change, for the love of pos- session stimulated each one to improve his own to the utmost. change 17. In 1612 auothcr change in the charter of the uil'^cha"- ^ii'gii^i^ Company took place, granting to them the leiaj" Bermudas and all islanfls within three hundred Cliap* II< THIRD CHARTER. 91 leagues of the Virginia shorCj and giving the con- i6i*j trol of the colony to the members of the company. ~" These men appointed the ofRcers, and made the laws — the settlers being excluded, as heretofore, from any influence in the government. 18. In the following year the hostility of the how Indian tribes was changed into friendship by the hostm- marriage of Pocahontas to a young Englishman, by ^^f^,^"' the name of John Rolfe. With the approbation of Slto"^^'^ her father and friends, Opachisco, her uncle, gave the ship? bride away in the little church at Jamestown, and she stammered before the altar her marriage vows- according to the rites of the English service. In what of 1616 she sailed with her husband for England, and ture his. was received at court with the distinction due to an l^l^^^^ American princess. As she was preparing to return to America she fell a victim to the English climate, at the age of twenty-two — saved, as if by the hand of mercy, from beholding the extermination of the tribes from which she sprung, leaving a spotless name, and dwelling in memory under the form of perpetual youth. 19. In 1619, under the administration of Yeardiy, 1 /» 1 • 1 11 1 1 1 • TT* • • \Vhato(> the first colonial assembly ever held m Virginia met curred at Jamestown. The house of burgesses, as it was ^f„istrt- called, could debate and enact laws, but they could Yeard?yi not be of force till they were ratified by the compa- ny in England. Nearly thirteen years had now passed away since the settlement had been begun, ]y^s%e Moxe than eighty thousand pounds had been ex- ITthe"^ <~> '' '■ colony pended by the company, yet the colony contained thirteen only six hundred persons. In 1620, however, |?ma-'** through the influence of Sir Edward Sandys, 92 VIRGINIA. Pjjj,^ j^ 1620 twelve hundred and sixty-one emigrants came Ho"^"" out. Sers 20. Most of thcsc settleis were without families, in 1620? To strengthen their attachment to the land of their Tiif was adoption, the company prevailed upon ninety young ?o7u?.^ women to embark for the colony, where they were them assured of a welcome. On their arrival they had with T/v» 1 • /» T mi wives? no diiTiculty m nndmg agreeable partners. The husbands paid the expenses of emigration, the price of a wife being about one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco. Domestic ties were formed ; new emi- wif the giants constantly arrived, and within three years, three thousand five hundred persons found their way to Virginia, which was a refuge even for Puritans. What is 21. In 1620 a Dutch man-of-war entered James said of . 1111 r 1 rr^i • ^heintro- nvcr aud landed twenty negroes for sale. This is rtey^ the sad epoch of the introduction of negro slavery in the English colonies. The system was fastened on the rising institutions of America, not by the consent of the corporation, nor the desire of the emigrants ; but, as it was introduced by the mer- cantile avarice of a foreign nation, so it was subse- quently riveted by the policy of England, without regard to the interest or wishes of the colony. The number of slaves increased very slowly in Virginia, so that thirty years after their first importation there was not more than one slave to fifty whites. 1621 What' 22. In 1621 Sir Ralph Wyatt arrived as the suc- privi- . . thectn- cessor of Yeardly. He brought with him a written brought" constitution, securing many valuable privileges to wyait ^ the colonists, and among them the trial by jury and local courts founded on Enrfish law. Vhe eiiap.II. WRITTEN CONSTITUTION. 93 goveraor and assembly chosen by the people were i^^i to exercise full legislative authority, but no law would be valid unless ratified by the company in England. With singular justice it was also or- dained, that no order of the court in London should bind the colony unless ratified by the general as- sembly. 22. Under these equitable laws and the mild ad- w^t » A said Of ministration of Wyatt, the colony continued in ny^ under the full tide of prosperity ; but a storm was gather- Jelufa- , . 1 1 • 1 tions? mg which was soon to sweep over then' settlements in fury, changing their smiling villages to heaps of burning ruins. Powhattan, the father of Poca- hontas, remained, after the marriage of his daugh- ^^^^^ ter, the firm friend of the English. In 1618 he Swed died, and his youno^er brother, who was now the delth neir to his iniiuence, viewed with a jealous eye the hattan? gradual encroachments of the English, and deter- ^^^^^^^ mined to destroy them. By his art and eloquence '"^"^"^° were hostili- he united all the neiffhborinsr tribes in his horrible ties ° ^ brought design, ^''"^t? 24. The Indians, up to the very hour of the massacre, with the cunning and treachery peculiar to that race, professed a warm friendship for the whites. They entered their houses, sat at their tables, and brought them presents of game and fish. Precisely at mid-day, on a given signal, the terrible war-whoop rang through their villages, and the work of blood commenced. Neither the gray ^^^t*} hairs of old age, weeping mothers, nor smihng child- gacr??*' hood, could soften the heart of their savage foe, as, with face distorted with passion, and eyes blazing with fury, they crashed with their tomahawks and 94 VIRGINIA. Part I. 1623 huge war-clubs through the skulls of their victhns. All upon whom they could lay then* hands were murdered. In one hour three hundred and forty- seven persons were cut off. How 25. None would have been saved had not a do- was the destmc- rnesticated Indian, residing in one of the villages, iho" ^^ revealed the plot to his master, whom he had been wIt tcs prevent rcqucsted to murder. Information was immediately given to some of the nearest settlements, just in time to save them from the calamity which fell upon others. Had not the watchful care of Provi- dence warned the few who were saved through this faithful Indian, the sun of that colony would have set in blood, not one being left to tell the tale. 26. The English, roused to vengeance at this ,^^^^ treachery of the Indians, commenced against them nHVJ^"^ a war of extermination. The savages were driven tiefr back into the wilderness by their victorious foes; but the number of whites gradually melted away »nany bv war and famine, until in 1624 of nine thousand were liv- -^ ' till coio- persons who had been sent from England but 1624?" eighteen hundred existed in the colony. 27. Kino^ James declared that these contmued What . ^ step did misfortunes were owing to the bad government of tek!?^\o the colony, and sent out three commissioners to tti^char- Virginia to inquire into the state of the plantation ; viiginia? but, determined to have the government in his own hands, before they returned a judicial trial was in- stituted, which resulted in the canceling of the charter. Virginia was changed into a royal pro- vince and a governor appointed by the king. 28. In 1625 Charles I. ascended the throne of England. One of his first Virginia measures was Chap. II. CHARTER CANCELLED. 95 toannounce hisfixedresolutionof becoming, through le^s his agents, the sole factor of the planters ; but this ~~^^ resolution was never carried into effect. In 1628 wa^s%e Sir John Harvey was appointed governor. From ginia "^ '' ^ ^ *^ measure the time of his first appearance in America, in of^chaa 1623, he had been looked upon with aversion by i628. the colonists. They beheld in him a tyrant, who saicf of . r ^ • 1^ 1 Governor preferred the mterests of hmiself and patrons to the Harvey? welfare and quiet of the colony. 29. The colonists at length, indisrnant at his re- For what ^ ' <~> purpose peated acts of injustice, deposed him from office f^f^ ^^ and sent him to England for trial ; but Charles re- a"! what fused an audience to his accusers, and sent him result^ back to Virginia with a new commission as gov- ^^^^ ernor. In 1639, however, he was suspended by the ^^^ appointment of Sir Francis Wyatt, who, at the ex- If'u-^^. piration of two years, was succeeded by Sir Wil-^^^' iiam Berkeley. Immediately after his arrival, he *^ . . "What of convened the colonial assembly. Religion was pro- ^^f^^^^f moted, the law of land titles adjusted, and peace Ska with the Indians confirmed. 30. Nearly up to this time the Puritans had en- joyed religious liberty in Virginia, and had been invited to emigrate and settle in the country. But in 1643 they began to harbor the same bitter feel- ings toward other religious sects whicli had long existed among the Puritans in New England. A law was accordingly passed forbidding any minister ^^^^ to teach or preach, except in conformity to the Epis- K^.^" copal church, and non-conformists were banished mlf^^ from the colony. 31. In 1644 the Powhattan tribes again fell upon tlie settlement, and before they were driven back 96 VIRGINIA. Part 1. 1646 three hundred persons were killed. A war upon jg44 them was commenced ; Opechancanough, their S^^of aged chief, was made prisoner, and died in misera- with^the ble captivity of wounds inflicted by a brutal soldier. £"1644^ ^ border-warfare continued until in 1646 the Indi- ans were reduced to submission. What is 32. In England a party had been a long time war*^\^n^ forming in opposition to the royal government. England? Qjyji ^y^y ^^ length commenced, the throne was overturned and Charles I. beheaded. Cromwell, under the title of protector, swayed the sceptre of the commonwealth. During the nine years of was the the protectorship, but little attention was paid to condition , ^ ' ' * ^nli"^" Virginia. Her governors were chosen by herself, thecom and in all but a name she was an independent gov- weaith? ernment. Firm in her loyalty to the king, she was the last to acknowledge the authority of Cromwell, and only did so when a fleet, sent out by parliament to reduce her to submission, appeared off the coast. 33. Their governor, Berkeley, retired to private life, where he remained until just before the Resto- ration, when he was again elected governor, and was the first to proclaim Charles II. as their lawful What is sovereign. the"^ ^ Great was the rejoicing throughout the colo- hopesof - . ^ . the coio- nv. on the restoration oi monarchy m ii^iipland. ny on the '^ ' ./ o tionT^' They had hoped that the king, out of gratitude How for their adherence to his cause, would heap thly^dis- favors on them : but in this they were disap- appomt- ' . •', * ^^' pointed, for with characteristic ingratitude, he neg- ro ' lected their interests and imposed additional restric- the^rter- ^^^^® upon theu' commcrcc. He also granted to gmnted? Lord Culpcppcr and Earl Arlington, two royal favor- Cliap. II. RESTORATION OF MONARCHY. 97 ites, the whole territory of Virginia for the space ieT3 of thirty-one years. 34. Outraged and indignant at the repeated in- wiifthe juries which they had received from the hands of of'SS those of whom they had a right to expect only l^^^l^^^^ kindness, they soon began to manifest their feehngs ^"J""^^^ in murmurs of discontent, when gathered together in the gloom of the forest to talk of their hard- ships. Conscious of their wrongs, half conscious of the rightful remedy, nothing was wanting but ^^J^^^J, an excuse for appearing in arms. fereVL 35. This soon offered itself; for the Seneca In- pearing^* dians had driven the Susquehannahs from the head of the Chesapeake, and Maryland was involved in war with the latter tribe and their confederates. Murders had been committed on the soil of Vir- ws. ginia, and when six of the hostile chieftains pre- sented themseWes to treat for a reconciliation, in the blind fury of the moment they were slain. A bor- der-warfare now commenced, in which the Indians laid waste the plantations and butchered the in- habitants with savage cruelty. 36. The avaricious Berkeley, fearing to com- mence direct hostilities against the Indians, lest it should interfere with his lucrative beaver trade, winked at their atrocities and delayed taking measures to protect the frontier. The people chose ^id^^of Nathaniel Bacon for their leader, and demanded point- ^" ' ment of of the governor leave to rise and protect ihem- j^l^fjj ^ selves. |^i£ 37. Berkeley, jealous of Bacon's popularity, re- duct '^of fused his consent ; but his authority now was but^^y? httle fevered. In a short time five hundred men 5 98 VIRGINIA. Part I. 16T6 were under armSj and Bacon, with common voice, *~~ proclaimed leader of their enterprise. Hardly had Bacon oommenced his march against the Indians, before Berkeley proclaimed him and all his follow- ers rebels, and sent out troops to pursue them ; but the troops were compelled to return to check a new insurrection, and he continued his expedition. oie^h- 38. The great mass of the people were now ofthedd thoroughly excited, and demanded the dissolution b]yi of the old assembly. Berkeley, finding it impossi- ble to stem the current of popular opinion, was compelled to yield. The old assembly, rendered odious by its tyranny, was dissolved, a new assem- bly was elected, and among the representatives was Bacon, who had just returned in triumph from his Indian warfare. nie^Ln- ^^' Bacon was appointed commander-in-chief: Berkeley but Berkeley refused to sign his commission until, Return of shortlv after, he entered Jamestown at the head of Bacon? j j five hundred men, when the governor, at the urgent solicitation of the council, yielded, and issued the commission. Bacon and his troops then commenced their march against the Indians. No sooner had they gone, than the proud and vacillating governor repaired to Gloucester county, the most loyal in Virginia, summoned a convention of the inhabitants, and against their advice pro- claimed him a traitor. What 40. Bacon, enraged at this conduct, returned were the ' ® ' ?nrdv*if with his forces to Jamestown. The governor and ©Sowed? council fled, and he at once found himself possess- ed of supreme power. He immediately called together an assembly, who bound themselves to f>n«ip. II. bacon's rebellion, 99 support his authority. A civil war ensued, which lete for a long time raged, with all its peculiar horrors, in Virginia. Jamestown was burned, and the country laid waste. At length Bacon died of a fever, and his followers, without a leader, were com- pelled to yield. 41. Berkeley, with all the meanness and malig- nity of a tyrant and a coward, now that his ene- ^^"Jf^^ mies were in his power, determined to take fearful lerke-^ vengeance. The property of many was confisca- ^^' ted, and twenty-two executed. His revenge would not have stayed even here, had not his council urged him to stop the work of blood. 42. His conduct was strongly condemned in England. The kind-hearted Charles II. with truth said, "The old fool has taken away more lives in that naked country, than I for the murder "When of my father." Berkeley went to England, and J^^j*® soon died, leaving his name to general execration. S^"re- In 1684, the grant which was made to Arlington ^^"^^^^ and Culpepper was recalled, and Virginia again became a royal province. From this time the colony gradually advanced whai la . said of in population and prosperity ; but until the break- JJfin[;j" ing out of the French and Indian war, but few of ^r- incidents of historical interest occurred within her ^^"'*' territory. 100 MASSACHUSETTS. Parti. 1 62Q CHAPTER III. MASSACHUSETTS. 1. Mention has already been made of the w^hatis earlier discoveries of Massachusetts, and the form- thed?sso- ation of the Plymouth Company. This company moxm' ^^^ unsuccessful in forming a colony here, and in ^yT^^- 1620 they were superseded by the Council of Ply- mouth, to whom was granted all the territory between the 40th and 48th degree of north lati- tude, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific. S^of^ 2. The first settlers of Massachusetts were a Bettierf band of Puritans, who, exposed to a fierce persecu- sachu-^" tion in their native land, on account of certain reli- setts? . gious views, and of refusing to comply with the tyrannical exactions of a bigoted king and corrupt government, rather chose a home in the wilder- ness, where they could at least worship God accord- ing to the dictates of their own consciences, than to give up principles which they believed were found' ed on the ".word of God." 3. Their eyes were first turned toward Holland, but when they attempted to embark many of them Describe were scizcd and thrown in prison, by order of a Enjknd king who could not endure that his prey should removir thus easily escape from his hands. At length, in jand. 1608, they arrived in Amsterdam, and from thence proceeded to Leyden, where they formed a distinct society, under the care of their pastor, Rev. John Robinson. Chap. III. PILGRIMS LEAVE HOLLAND. 101 4. By their piety and exemplary deportment, they i620 acquired the respect and love of the magistrates and citizens, and but for the fear of offending King James, they would have met with public favor. After having resided eleven years in Leyden, they determined to remove. The language and manners of the Dutch were disagreeable to them ; they were Seed sufferinor from poverty ; and their children, sharing lel^ ,11, 1 1 I .1 Holland? their parents' burdens, bowed under the weight, and became decrepid in early youth. Conscious of their abilities to act a higher part in. the great drama of humanity, they determined to emigrate to the New World. 5. Mr. John Carver was accordingly sent to Eng- land to apply to the London Company for a g^ant of land in America, and to petition the king for [afrffrom liberty of religion, to be conferred under his broad dinc^m- seal. The errant was obtained, but the most they what ^ , ' , -^ from the could derive from the king was an informal prom- ^"^^' ise of neglect. Having obtained two small vessels, the Speedwell, of sixty tons, and the Mayflower, i„ ^^ati of one hundred and eighty tons, Brewster, with as dflttJly many as could find room, prepared to embark. Robinson, with a large part of the congregation, remained behind. 6. The parting scene was very affecting. They all knelt upon the ground and mingled their voices mg scene and the voyage. together in prayer, then arose, and with the tears the part- streaming down their cheeks, waved to each other an adieu, which they could not speak. They im- mediately proceeded to Southampton, in England, and after tarrying there for a fortnight, set sail foi America. They had proceeded but a short dis- 102 MASSACHUSETTS. Parti. 1620 tance on their voyage, when the Speedwell, owing to the weakness of the vessel, was obliged to re- turn, leaving the Mayflower to continue its course alone. 7. Look for a moment upon that little vessel, careering upon the rough waves of the ocean, and tossing like a feather on its tempestuous bosom ; behold a germ which shall yet grow to a mighty tree — a spark, which, at some future day, will kin- dle a beacon on Bunker Hill, that will shine a pillar of fire to the world. Witness the guiding saidofan powcr of au ovcrruliuff Providence for those self- pverrul- a o Idln^eT denying men, and others who preceded and fol lowed them to different colonies, forging, uncon- sciously perhaps, the first link of that great chain ofcivil and religious freedom, which is yet to sur- round the earth. Where 8. Thcv exDcctcd to land near the Hudson, but did they . , r i i i • /» . i /. first dis- were carried so fer north that then* first siofht of cover o land? i^ni was the bleak shore of Cape Cod. They now What drew up a civil compact, signed by the whole body dXtoey of men, forty-one in number, in which they bound sign, and ; •" ^ ;. officers themselves to be obedient to all the ordinances choise^ made by the body. John Carver was appointed hnding? governor, and Miles Standish captain. 9. They sailed alonsr the inner coast of the bay, Whatdid . "^ , . ^ ^^ in^^iaS Is^i^ding at different times to explore the country. {efent*^'^' At oiic placc they found a number of Indian graves, and a quantity of Indian corn buried in the ground. What is The weather was so intensely cold that the water Baid of '^ ^ wlather? fr^zc upou their clothes and made them like coats of ice. On the third morning, they found them- selves at the entrance of Plymouth harbor. Here rospect efore them? Cliap. III. FIRST AVINTER IN AMERICA. 103 they determined to land and make their settle- 1020 ment. 10. The next day was the Sabbath. They rest- g«e7 ^''^ ed and kept it holy ; and there, for the first time, the"sab- on those ice-bound shores, were heard the voice of prayer and the song of praise, ascending to ^hen heaven. On the following day, the 21st of De- Jid^Jhey cember, they landed on Plymouth rock, naming it com-^"*^ from the last place they left in England. A dreary [{jf^jj^^f j prospect was before them ; on one side lay a vast wilderness covered wdth a snowy mantle, on the wis^fhe other, rolled the broad Atlantic, separating ihem Eefofe from their kindred and their native land ; yet then trust in God remained unshaken, for they knew j^/jjj^j;f that the same mighty power which watched over ^^'^''^• them on the stormy deep could still protect them. 11. The freezing weather to w^hich they had been exposed sowed the seeds of consumption and inflammatory colds, and the bitterness of mortal disease was their welcome to these inhospitable ^,,^ ^ ^ What 13 shores. Their buildings Avent up slowly, for it was ?he1rsuf a difficult matter to erect them when one-half of duffifg _ . . the first then* number was wastmg away with consump- winter 7 tion and fever. Week after week, during the whole of that dreary winter, they carried out one after an- other of their friends to their long homes ; and ere spring again smiled upon the earth, more than one- half their number, including the governor and his wife, lay buried on the shore. 12. Until they could cultivate their ground and gather in their crops, they suffered much from want of food. At one time, they were reduced to a pint of corn, Avhich, being divided, gave only five ker- 104 MASSACHUSETTS. Parti. J1620 nels to each individual. The living were hardly How able to take care of the sick and bury the dead Saf- Yet, durinsr all this season of sufferinsr, the cheer- flictions J to to? the"?et^^ ful confidence of the pilgrims in the mercies of tiers? Providence remained unshaken. After their first desolating sickness, and the gathering in of their crops, prosperity seemed to attend them. 13. And here we cannot refrain from pausing to What draw a contrast between the pilgrims and the set- contrast , . -^. d?awV ^^^^'^ Virginia, ine latter were made up of a thelet- class of wild adventurers, destitute of piety and Ma'^s^a- thirsting for ffold. The former came, that they chusetts . , , . ^ 1 . 1 n ' and^^jr- might woi'ship God in peace ; and on first pressing the soil of the New World, their knees were bent in humble supplication and thanksgiving to their Maker. The foundations of their settlement were laid in prayer, and after their first severe trials had passed away, the smiles of that Being in whom they had trusted attended them. The latter, rent by internal dissensions, and their number constant- ly thinned by famine and the knife of the Indian, planted their colony in suffering and blood. 14. When the pilgrims landed there were traces of a previous population, but no living inhabitants. A fearful disease had, a short time before, swept them all away or driven them farther back into the wilderness. Indians from abroad were occasionally discovered hovering around the settlement, butdis appearing when pursued. Give an 15- ^^^ length, after several months, Samaset, an Sf^the* Indian who had learned a httle Englisli of thefish- dian visit ermen at Penobscot, boldly entered the town, ex- J^Jj^^f, claiming — " Welcome, Englishmen." With the aid Chap. III. MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY. 105 of this Indian they entered into a treaty of peace i62i with Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Wampe- >nrhai noasrs, in which *hey promised to abstain from mu- was^^ 1 . . . 1 . 1 11 1 11 formed tual injuneSj and to aid each other when attacked J^^^^^^, imjustly. This treaty remained unbroken for more ^'''^' than half a century. 16. Canonicus, the chief of the Narragansetts, 1622. dishking this intimacy betAveen the Enghsh and Massasoit, sent to Plymouth a bunch of arrows wrapped in a rattlesnake's skin, as a token of his hostility. The governor, after having filled the skin with powder and ball, returned it ; the cour- {^^^^iiity age of the Indian quailed, and he desired to be at non?c^us .^11 r subdued! peace with a race whose weapons 01 war were so terrible. 17. In 1628 a settlement Avas made at Salem by a company under the charge of John Endicott. In what is the following spring he was. joined by Mr. White, a J^ation'of non-conformist minister of Devonshire, and about sach??-'''' one hundred emigrants. Through the influence coionyT of Lord Dorchester and the Earl of Warwick they •^ 1629. obtained a charter from Charles I., and were con- stituted a body politic under the name of the " Gov ernor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay Colony." 18. The new colonists immediately began the what formation of their church. They elected a pastor, firltstepi taken by teacher, and elder; disencumbered their pubUcwor- J^^e^coio- ship of most of its ceremony, and reduced it to the lowest standard of Calvinistic simplicity. Forget- ting, in their religious zeal, that others had a right ]Sdlr^ to the enjoyment of the same Christian liberty as gS^^ themselves, those who refused to w^orship according 5* 106 MASSACHUSETTS. Parti. 1630 to the ritual of their church were expelled from the colony. 19. In the mean time, men of greater opulence the^G^v- ^nd higher rank, weary of the religious persecution ernment of the which harassed them in England, determined to join feS to ^'^^^^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^y^^'^^^y* Through their influ- America? g^ce, the govemmeut of the colony was transferred wTho from the company to America, and vested in mem- polnted bers who should reside in the country. John Win- Gover* nor? throp was appointed governor, and Thomas Dudly Howma- ^eputy govcmor. In tlie course of the following llerlS^e J^^^': fifteen hundred persons sailed for Massachu- vea^lnl setts ; but many of them, dissatisfied with Salem, fcttie^^^ settled at Boston, Charlestown, Roxbury, Dorches- ter, &c. ^hat 20. In 1631 a law was passed at Charlestown p\Ysed?n providing for the election of the officers of govern- ment by freemen alone, but recognizing none as 1634. freemen excepting church members. In 1634 the settlements had become so scattered that it was When found extremely inconvenient for all the freemen mSced to assemble and transact the necessary public busi- eentative ucss. The authority granted by the charter to form of 1111 r r Till menu" ^"^ wholc body of freemen, was accordingly dele- gated to twenty-four representatives. 21. Notwithstanding the Puritans had suflfered so much for opinion's sake, yet the same religious slid^of^ intolerance prevailed among them as in the land Sns°and they had left. Roger Williams, a minister who had uon^oT come over from England to escape persecution, Wit- boldly maintained that toleration ouffht to be ffrant- liams? -^ , . ed to all sects ; that oaths of allegiance to the king and magistrates were wrong ; and that the colonial Chap. III. MRS. HUTCHINSON. 107 charter was founded in injustice. For maintain- ^63 5 ing these doctrineSj he was tried and banished from the colony. He shortly after settled at Providence, and became the founder of Rhode Island. leae. 22. During the previous year three thousand new emigrants arrived; among the number were Henry Vane and Hugh Peters. Vane was a young S^^'^^^e man from one of the iSrst families in England, and ensuing ^ ^ year, and possessed of brilliant talents and great piety ; affa- ^^.^^j. ble and winning in his manners and conversation, "mo^^" he so gained the affection of the colonists, that in ber? 1636 he was appointed governor. But his popu- ^^^^^ .^ larity was of short duration ; for during his admin- ^^l^^f istration a religious controversy arose, which ended in destroying his influence in a great measure in the colony. 23. Mrs. Hutchinson, a woman of considerable talent and eloquence, advanced certain doctrines what w which were considered by many as mystical ^^^d Mrs.^^.^ full of heresy. She opposed every form of despot- o?"her^ ism over the mind, and declared that the clergy of *^*^"''^'^^* Massachusetts were the ushers of persecution, who had not imbibed the true doctrine of Christian reform. 24. Her opinions spread rapidly among the peo- ple, and were embraced by Governor Vane, Mr. Cotton and Mr. Wheelwright, two distinguished clergymen, and many other influential men. The ^^^[^^ majority of the people deemed her doctrines erro- {hel\tte\ neous, and she, with many of her followers, was againl? banished from the colony. Vane, disgusted at the bitter feeling which was manifested toward himself and the sect to which he belonged, in the following year returned to England. 108 MASSACHUSETTS. Parti 163 8 25. The persecutions of Charles I. induced many to emigrate to New England, that they might enjoy duceV"" the civil and religious liberty which was denied flle^V" them at home. Sir Arthur Haselrig and Ohver Cromwell had embarked, but were prevented leav- How was \xig the country on account of a proclamation issued Te^nted'^' by the king, prohibiting all emigration without coming? previous license. Thus the monarch kept at home the very persons who afterward led the way to his dethronement and death. 26. The attention of the colonists was early turned to the subject of education, and in 1636 the i^id^of^ general court of Massachusetts appropriated about founding one thousand dollars for founding of a college, yard Col- whlch was accordiufflv established within the limits lege? ° -^ of Newtown. In 1638 John Harvard bequeathed to the institution about three thousand dollars. In honor of the donor, it received the name of Har- vard College. What 27. In 1643 Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecti- union of 7 J 7 toik"^^^ cut and New Haven formed themselves into a con- fefafand federacy, called the "United Colonies of New Eng- purpose? land." Rhode Island, not willing to comply with the terms, was refused admission. This confede- racy, formed for mutual defense against the Indi- ans, French and Dutch, existed for more than forty years, and greatly strengthened the several settle- ments which were parties to it. What 28. The affairs of the confederacy were intrusted were the . . • • ^ /• i i \lSnl\f ^^ commissioners, consisting oi two irom each col fedemc"'? ^ny. Churctf membership was the only quahfica- tion required for the office. The commissioners Cliap. III. UNION OF COLONIES. 109 were to assemble annually to transact the public msQ business of the colony. 29. The contest in which the unfortunate Charles became engaged, and the revolution that followed, left the colonists, for the space of twenty years, ^^^at w nearly unmolested in the enjoyment of virtual in- the p?o- dependence. Plenty prevailed throughout the set- JJJJtg"^®^^" tlements. The wigwams and hovels, in which the English had first found shelter, were replaced by well-built houses. The number of emigrants, who had arrived in New England before the assembling of the Long Parliament, is esteemed to have been twenty-one thousand, two hundred. In a little more than ten years, fifty tow^ns and villages had been planted ; between thirty and forty churches built; and strangers, as they gazed, could but acknowledge God's blessing on the endeavors of the planters. 30. In 1656 several (Quakers arrived in the colo- ^rj^^t i» ny, whose conduct gave great offence to the rigid tTeQua- * Puritans. A law was passed banishing them from the colony, and imposing the sentence of death upon those who should return. Several were exe cuted before this unjust and cruel law was repealed. 31. In 1660 Charles II. ascended the throne, and was reluctantly acknowledged by the colonies in Scob? New England. They apprehended, with good rea- JJf Jj^^'^ son, the loss of their civil and religious privileges. sf^^"Jf The regicides who had condemned Charles I. to lu^^' death were sentenced to die, and all fell upon the scaffold excepting three, who escaped to America. Their names were Edward Whalley, William Goffe and John Dixwell. Whalley and Goffe arrived in 110 MASSACHUSETTS. Pan I. 1661 Boston, where Endicott, the governor, received them What is with courtesy. For nearly a year they resided, the regi- unmolested, within the hmits of Massachusetts ; cidc judges? but when warrants arrived from England for their 1661. apprehension, they fled across the country to New Haven, where it was considered a crime against God to betray the wanderer or give up the outcast. Yet such diligent search was made for them, that they were never in security. For a time they re- moved in secrecy from house to house ; sometimes concealed themselves in a mill, sometimes in clefts of rocks by the sea-side, and for weeks togethei they dwelt in a cave near New Haven, which is still called the "Regicides' Cave." Great rewards were offered for their apprehension. Indians, as well as English, were urged to scour the woods in search of their hiding-place, as men hunt for the holes of foxes. 32. When the zeal of the search was nearly over, they retired to a little village on the Sound, Their fu- |.jjj ^^ jg^g^. ^^^y. gg^aped by night to an appointed place in Hadley ; and the solitude of the most beautiful valley of New England gave shelter to their wearisome and declining age. At New Haven two graves are now shown, said to be those of the two judges. Their bodies were probably removed to this place from Hadley. John Dixwell was more fortunate. Changing his name, he became absorbed among the inhabit- ants of New Haven, and lived undiscovered. How did . ' 1' ' r 1 wifS- ^^- ^^^ growmg and prosperous condition of the p?(iperi- colonies soon excited the avarice and jealousy of Mioniea? the government at home ; and they were not long Chap. Ill THE ROYAL COMMISSIONERS. Ill in renewing those commercial restrictions, from leei which they had been exempt during the time of the commonwealth. 34. The importation of Em'opean commodities ^vhatty. into the colonies, except in EnHish ships from Enff- S? land, was prohibited ; the harbors were shut against J^^j^^^ the Dutch and every foreign vessel, and the colo- nists were even forbidden to manufacture those im. articles for their own wants, which might in any manner compete with the English. Thus were the commercial liberties of the rising States shack- led and the principles of natural justice subjected to the fears and avarice of the English people. 35. In 1664 a fleet, equipped for the reduction ^gg^ of the Dutch settlements on the Hudson, arrived at Boston, bearing three commissioners charged to sKf , •I'll • • r ^he arri- mvestiffate the manner m which the provisions oi vai of ^ ^ the royal the charters of New England had been exercised ; g-^S™^^; with full authority to provide for the peace of the country, according to the royal instructions and their own discretion. 36. The colonists, viewing the appointment of the commissioners as uncalled for, and a violation of their charter, paid but little attention to theii acts. Massachusetts, from the first, descried the approach of tyranny ; and, professing sincere loy- alty, refused to acknowledge their authority, and protested against the exercise of it within their limits. In Connecticut and Rhode Island they re- ceived more favor ; but in Plymouth they were met with bold, decided opposition. Finding it impossi- ble to accomplish any thing, they were in a short time recalled. l12 MASSACHUSETTS. p^^^ j^ 167 5 37. King Philip's War. Up to the breaking out of King Philip's war, the New England colo- ^i^j^t ^i^s continued lo enjoy peace and prosperity. Their Btate^of population increased, and their settlements extend- nieg pre- ed far iuto the country ; but the clearness of their VJ0U3 to •^ ' breaking ^^Y ^"^^^ ^^ ^6 ovcrcast by the clouds of war, and maofthe ^j^^ quiet of their homes broken by the war-cry of the Indian and the dying shrieks of their wounded wives and children. 38. In 1662 the aged Massasoit slept with his Who was fathers, and his son Philip, of Pokanoket, succeed- cessor^of ed him as chief over the allied tribes. During his BoftT" father's life, the treaty which had been made with the English shortly after their arrival remained unbroken ; but after his death, the feelings of the Indians were changed to hatred toward a race who were dispossessing them of their rich territory, and turning their beautiful hunting-grounds into pas- tures. Shortly after, an Indian missionary was' found murdered. Three Indians were identified, What ^ ' FeTto^ seized^ tried by a jury, of which one-half were In- thiswar? jj^^g^ and, on conviction, were hanged. The young men of the tribe panted for revenge, and urged Philip to commence a war against the whites. Yielding at length to their entreaties, he sent the women and children to the Narragansetts for pro- tection, and in July, 1675, attacked the Enghsh at Swanzey, killing a number of men. What 39. Phihp was thus hurried into hostilities, and feeiin|s^ he is reported to have wept as he heard that a der its influence many outrages were committed. ^"^^^"^V One of the Manhattan Indians had killed a Hol- lander, and Kieft demanded the murderer. An angry quarrel ensued. Shortly, after the Mohawks came down upon the Manhattans, when in terror they begged the Dutch to assist them. The bar- barous Kieft sent his troops, and at night murdered ^r^^gUy'U them, all, men, women and helpless children, to the ^'^^^' number of a hundred. 14. Every Algonquin tribe around Manhattan burned with the frenzy of revenge. No English Describe . . ^ the pro- familv witlun then* reach was safe. The Dutch ^j-ess of J the war villages were in flames, and the people fleeing to cbse.'^' Holland. At length, through the intervention of Roger Williams, peace was restored. But hostili 142 NEW YORK. Parti. 1645 ties soon recommenced. Capt. Underbill was ap- pointed commander of the Dutch troops. The war continued two years, nvhen it was brought to a close through the influence of the Mohawks, who claimed a sovereignty over the Algonquins. 15. Great was the joy of the colony on the return of peace. The policy of the infamous Kieft was disavowed by the West India Company, and he re- Whatbe- movcd from office. Two years after he embarked kieft? for Europe in a richly laden vessel ; but the ship, unable to breast the fury of elements, as merciless as his own passions, was dashed in pieces on the coast of Wales, and the guilty Kieft was over- whelmed by the waves. 1647 16. Peter Stuyvesant succeeded Kieft as gover- nor of the colony, and with the commencement of appoinS^ his wise administration a better day dawned on place, New Netherlands. Durins* his administration, hVad-"^ the difficulties existing between the Dutch and don'?' ^^' English were amicably arranged, mention of which has already been made. In 1651, Stuyvesant, from motives of commercial security, built Fort Casimer What . • . Secte? on the site of Newcastle, Avithin five miles of Chris- wi^ft"^ tiana, where the Swedish fort was situated. The ^estroy- g^^gjjjgj^ govcmor, lookiug upon this as an encroach- ment by means of stratagem, overpowered the gai;> rison and took possession of the fort. 17. Stuyvesant determined to punish them, and in September, 1655, at the head of a force of six thS^'iead hundred men, sailed into the Delaware for the pur- pose of conquest. Resistance was unavailing, and one after another of the Swedish forts surrendered, Chap. VII. GRANT OF THE DUKE OF YORK. 143 until the whole country was in the hands of the iqqi Dutch. Such was the end of New Sweden. rj,^ 18. New Netherlands soon fell into other hands, wSw for in 1664, Charles II. granted the whole of the lands '' ^ granted territory, from the Connecticut to the Delaware '" ^^^^^ river, to his brother, the Duke of York and Albany. The same year, the Duke dispatched three ships for his new possessions, under the command of Col. Richard Nichols. 19. In August, Nichols arrived in the harbor what of New Amsterdam, and immediately demanded a ft^^lrT- surrender of the territory to his English majesty. S^hois (jrovernor fetuyvesant bemg unprepared lor deiense, wor? was compelled to comply with the demand, and the whole country passed into the hands of the Eng- ,^,^ ^,^^^ lish. In honor of the Duke, the name of New nam^es o'f Amsterdam was changed to New York, and Fort Amster- Orange to Albany. Nichols assumed the govern- ^on^ ^ ment, and continued for three years to rule over it "^^"^*^'^- with absolute power, but with great integrity and moderation. Upon his return to England in 1667, v^rhowas he was succeeded by Lovelace, who administered ksscrof . V T , . Nichols? the government wath equal moderation. 20. In 1672, war broke out between England what and Holland, and in the following year a few Dutch ?|ew '" ships were sent to reconquer their old territory, in me .^" * ^ * breaking America. x4rriving in New York bay, John Man- ^^^%l ning, w^ho had charge of the fort, sent dow^n and ^Ifand covertly made terms with the enemy. The Dutch fa"nd?° immediately sailed up the harbor and took posses- sion of the fort and city without firing a single gun. The next year, peace was coucludedj and the coun- ^^^^* try was restored to the English. 144 NEW YORK. Part I. 1674 21. The Duke of York obtained a new patent, Who was confirming his former grant, and appointed Edmund eSTover- Audros, afterward known as the tyrant of New nor under pafeJftT England, governor of his possessions m America. During the administration of Andros and that of his successor, Anthony Brockholst, no event worthy of particular notice occurred in the colony. In 1682, Colonel Thomas Dongean, a Roman was^" Catholic, was appointed governor, and on the fol- appoint- lowinff year arrived at the colony. Heretofore the ed gover- o J J ""'• governor and council had possessed absolute power, but now Dongan was directed to call an assembly of representatives. wifthe 22- Early in October, the first assembly consist- he'firs"/ ing of the council and eighteen representatives met tm M- and formed a " Charter of LibertiesJ^ The Wis- lature was hereafter to possess the sole power of enacting laws and levying taxes, but the laws could have no force, until ratified by the Duke. "With these just regulations the people were grati- fied and contented. In 1684, a treaty of peace was renewed with the Five Nations, from which time it continued unbroken for a number of years. How was 23. In 1685, the Duke of York ascended the James II. r t^ i i iTrfby'the t-h^'^ne of England, with the title of James 11. colonists? Claiming unlimited authority as king, and a big- oted Catholic in religion, he was feared and hated by a large majority of the colonists, who were Protestants, and who, on account of the oppressive whllt acts of himself and governor, began to tremble for didthly their religion. Great, therefore, was their iov when hear of ^ . ' ' *^ -^ thrani' ^^^ 1689, they received intelligence that the people mentT Chap. VII. LEISLER AND MILBORNE. 145 of England had determined to dethrone James, ic89 and offer the crown to WiUiam and Mary. 24. Jacob Leisler, an active militia captain, wh^tis placed himself at the head of a few men, declared Leliie/j for William and Mary, and took possession of the fort of New York. Milborne, his son-in-law, pro- ceeded to Albany and made himself master of the place. These proceedings, at first, were discounte- nanced by the magistrates, and the more respecta- 1^^^'^(^ ble part of the citizens, but in a short time his goS force increased to more than five hundred men, sufficient in strength to put down all opposition. 25. Before the breaking out of these disturban- ces, Donaan had sailed for England. Nicholson, 1 . 11 1 • 1 T . 1 , Why did his successor, unable to contend with Leisler, ab- Leisier ' ' think sconded in the night. Shortly after a letter arrived aiufor-^ from the ministry in England, conferring authority Ssume^ on whoever administered the laws of the prov- emment. ince, to perform all the duties of lieutenant-gov- ernor. Leisler considered this letter as addressed to himself, and assumed the authority conferred. The assumption of power on the part of Leisler, and his arbitrary and unjust measures, created in what • 1 /» -1 • . was the the minds of many a violent animosity toward him, ^^f^g^, which ended in bringing him to the scaffold. 26. During these troubles in the colony, war was SlJad^' declared between England and France, and hostili- lamtion of war ties soon after commenced between the French and between France Indians on the north, and the English. Schenectady fa^nli^JI^ was burned, sixty of the inhabitants were killed, nies?^' and twenty-five made prisoners. To avenge these i69o. barbarities and others perpetrated in New England, bllSn- it was resolved to attack the French in Canada, commft^ ted? 146 NEW YORK. Parti. 1690 Two expeditions were formed, one under Sir What William Phipps to proceed by sea, the other by th^ uoSs^*' way of Lake Champlain, but both were unsuc- planned? ^ , cessiul. whowas 27. In 1691, Henry Sloughter was appointed by no/r* the King, Governor of New York. Never was a *^^' ■ governor more necessary to a province ; but it would have been almost impossible for the king to have What is selected one less qualified for the station than said of Wm? Sloughter. He refused to treat with Leisler ; but put him with many of his companions in prison. What of Under the absurd charge of high treason, Leisler andfe and Milborne were tried ; pronounced guilty, and sentenced to be executed. Their property was con- fiscated, but was afterward restored to their de- scendants. In August, Sloughter ended, by a sudden death, a short, weak, and turbulent administration. What of 28. The war between the French, with their In- tne ' and"""!}!- dian allies, and the English, still continued, and lanwar? ^j^^^^ ^j^jg ^^^^^ Major Pctcr Schuyler, at the head of three hundred Mohawks, made a successful at- tack upon the French settlements, at the north end of Lake Champlain. whosuo 29. In 1692, Col. Fletcher was appointed as the ceeded ' ^^ f^ri^^' successor of Sloughter. He was a good soldier, a What is religious man, and labored zealously to promote Si ad- the interest of the English Church. Near the close ministra- . , . lion? of his administration, the bloody war which had so dH?the ^^^S been carried on between England and France, aiid"in- by the French and English colonies in America, mS\' ^^^^^ terminated by the peace of Ryswick. 1698. 30. In 1698, the Earl of Bellamont arrived in Cnap. VII. CAPTAIN KIDD. 147 New York, as the successor of Governor Fletcher, ^g^g About this time, the American seas were much in- whosuc- fested with pirates. Bellamont, before his departure rleufhcn from England, had received instructions to wa^e a n • • • 1 Tx 1 1 1 1 ^^^ in- war 01 extermmation agamst them. He had already, l^^^^ when in England, in connection with several oth- clive^fn ers, procured a vessel of war, placed it under the ^"^ ^ ' command of Capt. Kidd, and directed him to pro- ceed first to New York, and then to cruise against the pirates. Kidd disobeyed his instructions, turned what is ^ . said of pirate himself, and for a long time ravaged the At- gfjj^^ lantic and Indian oceans. 31. Three years after, appearing publicly in Bos- ton, he was apprehended and sent to England, where he was tried and executed. Bellamont and his partners were accused of sharing in his plunder, but after an examination in the House of Com- mons, they were pronounced innocent. 32. On the death of Bellamont, in 1701, Lord TeedeT Cornbury was appointed as his successor. Mean, mont? profligate and unprincipled, he looked upon a resi- dence in America as a happy escape from his credi- tors at home. His persecution of all religious sects ^^j^^^jg except the Church of England, his indecent and C(i?nbu. vulgar manners, and his many acts of injustice and ^^^ oppression, rendered him universally odious. The assemblies of New York and New Jersey, of which he was also governor in 1708, petitioned the queen wuatof for his removal. The request was complied with, history? and he was soon after thrown into prison by his creditors for debt, where he remained until the death of his father, when he exchanged his cell for a peerage and a seat in the House of Lords. 148 NEW YORK. Part I. 1 T4r 1 33. During Q,ueen Anne's war, which broke out in 1702 and continued until 1713, and King George's hnjdid war, which commenced in 1745, but few events of Anne^s iutcrest transpircd in New York, which have not tinue? been ah*eady touched upon in connection with the colonial history of Massachusetts. The quiet of the country for many years was only disturbed by political contests, which would possess but little in- terest for the youthful mind. 1741. 34. In the year 1741, a supposed "negro plot" ^^^tig created great alarm in the city of New York. Rob- the'liegro bcrics of a bold and daring character were often New committed, and fires were of frequent occurrence, York? ' • I 1 1 . . which were evidently the work of incendiaries. The suspicion of the citizens fell upon the slaves who resided among them. They were accused, by a number of abandoned females, of combining to- gether to burn the city, and make one of their number governor. The excitement in a short time became so great, that, upon the evidence of persons of the most infamous character, a large number were arrested and confined in prison. When the time of trial arrived, so strong was the prejudice against the prisoners, that every lawyer in the city volunteered against them, and the poor victims of an unjust suspicion were compelled to endure the nywere mockcry of a trial, and be convicted upon evidence cutedi ^i^Q most extravagant and contradictory. Fourteen were burned, eighteen hung, and seventy-one trans- ported. When all this blood had been shed, and ^gre ^^^^ apprehension of danger had subsided, men be- ^uiuy? gan to reflect calmly upon the evidence that had been advanced against the prisoners, and the con- Ciiap. VIII. NEGRO PLOT. 149 elusion was that the plot originated in their own 1741 brainSj and that they had executed innocent men. ^j^ The negro plot in New York and Salem witchcraft hi^ton^^ in Massachusetts show into what extravagances negro ® 1111 1 . • 11 plot be men may be led, when then* actions are uncontroll- classed? ed by the calm dictates of reason. From the close of King George's war, in 1748, until the^^^^^j^ breaking out of the '• French and Indian war," the nI^**^ inhabitants of New York were relieved from the from tha close ot burdens and distresses of hostilities. Mention will J^'"^ , George's be made of that contest, in which all the colonies ^"' acted in concert, at a future period in our histoiw. CHAPTER VIII. NEW JERSEY. 1. The province of New Netherlands included ^j^^^^^ withm its limits the State of New Jersey, and, up to the early the time of the conquest of the whole of that coun- Newe? . . sey? try by the English, in 1664, its history is a part of the history of that colony. The first settlement within the limits of New Jersey, was made by the Danes, about the year 1624, at a place called Bergen ; shortly afterward, several Dutch families settled ^^^ themselves in the vicinity of New York. But little f^^^l progress, however, had been made in settling this territory, until 1664, when a settlement was formed at Elizabethtown. 2. Shortly after, the Duke of York, having re- 150 NEW JERSEY. Parti. 1664 ceiv^ed a grant from Charles IL, of all lands within To the province of New Netherlands, conveyed that was°this portion of them lying between the Hudson and F/'^thl'^ Delaware rivers, to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Yofk?**^ Carteret. This tract, in compliment to Sir George, who had been governor of the island of Jersey, was called New Jersey. A constitution, securing equal privileges and liberty of conscience to all, was said^ of ^ formed bjT^ the proprietors, and Philip Carteret ap- ^^^ad-^"" pointed governor. He arrived in 1665, and fixed tfoSor* the seat of government at Elizabethtown. The liberal spirit of the constitution, and the beauty of the climate, attracted many settlers from New England and New York. The population rapidly increased, and for a number of years, they enjoyed uninterrupted peace and prosperity. 3. But at length domestic troubles arose, which, troubles in a short time, assumed a serious character. The arose ' Bind inhabitants who had purchased lands from the In- ^' dians, previous to their conveyance to the duke, re- fused to pay rent to the proprietors. Disputes were followed by confusion, and in 1672, the disaffected colonists displaced Philip Carteret, their governor, and transferred his office to the young and frivo- lous James Carteret, a son of Sir George. Philip Carteret, hastened to England, in search of new authority, while the colonists remained in the un- strnfof disturbed possession of their farms. and'the ^' ^^ 1673, the Dutch re-conquered the country, tfon'^or and retained it until 1674, when it was restored by tr/attd"" treatv. A new patent was then ff ranted to the the gov- , , , . 1. , . 14 1 finTf"^ duke, who immediately appointed Andros governor IhlneT} over the re-united province. In 1675, Philip Car- CHap. VIII. LA ND TITLES. 151 teret returned to New Jerse)^, and was gladly re- i6T4 ceived by the inhabitants, who had become heart- ily weary of the tyranny of Andros. 5. In 1674j Lord Berkeley sold his share of New Describe Jersey to Fenwick, in trust for Billings and his quenr* assignees. Billings subsequently became embar- whu-u rassed in his pecuniary affairs, and made an as- ^^s\^/. signment of his claims on New Jersey to William "^°'^" Penn, Gawin Lawrie, and Nicholas Lewis. In 1676, the assignees of Billings divided the territory with Sir George Carteret, they taking the western, and he the eastern portion. The western proprie- tors divided their territory into one hundred lots, which were sold separately. They then gave the settlers a free constitution, under the title of Con- cessions, granting all the important privileges of civil and religious liberty. 6. The Duke of York continued to urge his claims to jurisdiction over New Jersey, to the o^reat how J J ? n were annoyance of the inhabitants, until 1680, when the naiiy^' question was referred to Sir WiUiam Jones, for his from the decision. The decision was in their favor, and the theDuke ' of York ) people finally succeeded in securing a formal recog- nition of their independence. In 1681, the Gov- ernor of West Jersey convened their first legislative assembly, when several laws were enacted, estab- lishing the rights of the people and defining the power of the rulers. 7. In 1682, William Penn and eleven other per- whmof sons of the society of friends, purchased of Sir sey^V^'^' ^ . ^ der Qua- George Carteret, the whole province of East New ^Ynfslm Jersey. Twelve other persons of different denomi- nations, were then united with the purchasers, tion 152 NEW JERSEY. p^^ I, 1682 ^^^ Robeit Barclay, author of the " Apology for the Quakers," appointed governor for life. Under his brief administration, a large number of emigrants arrived from Scotland. / What led 8. The vast numbers of proprietors, and the fre- V der^of" quent transfer and subdivision of shares, introduced ^nmlnt' coufusiou iu land titles, which gave rise to long and , Sownv angry disputes. At lengtn, the proprietors, weary [ 1702. of contending, surrendered in 1702 their rights of i government to the crown. The two divisions were 1 1 What of ^"^i^^^ and joined to New York under the govern- JJ^o^'liS J^ent of Lord Cornbury. The two provinces frSJfthis remained under the same governor, but possessed distinct legislative assemblies until 1738, when, in compliance with the urgent request of the peo- ple of New Jersey, they were allowed a separate governor. From this period until the commence- ment of the Revolution, no event of historical interest occurred in New Jersey. Ume? Cliap.IX. DELAWARE. 153 1683 CHAPTER IX. DELAWARE. 1. The history of Delaware until its conquest ^^^^^^^^ by the Dutch, has already been given in connec- the ewiy lion with that of New York. It will therefore be oeia- ware' unnecessary to refer to that period again. The settlements on the Delaware continued under the control of the Dutch, until 1664, when New Neth- erlands was conquered by the English. They were then considered a part of New York. 2. About the year 1682, William Penn pur- what chased of the Duke of York the country at present t^rft"^" event oc comprised within the State of Delaware. This cimed tract was called the " Territories," and was for ^^^^• twenty years governed as a part of Pennsylvania. 3. They were divided into three counties : New Castle, Kent and Sussex, each of which sent six to thek delegates to the general assembly. These dele- Ji^^^^^^^J? gates in 1703, being dissatisfied with the last char- ^^"^'*' ter which Penn had prepared, broke off from that colony and formed a distinct assembly; but they still remained under the jurisdiction of the former proprietor. 4. Delaware was but little distuibed during the various Indian wars which harassed the country, farther^' , said of and enjoyed peace and quiet until the breaking out ^^i*-, of the Revolution, when her troops were foremost in fighting for the liberties of their country. 7* 154 PENNSYLVANIA* Fart Iv 1681 CHAPTER X. PENNSYLVANIA. 1. The territory comprised within the limits of Si^of' ^^^ State of Pennsylvania was granted in 1681, by to pinn ? Charles IL, to William Penn, son of Admiral Penn, as a recompense for services which he had render- ed the British nation. What of 2. The charter constituted William Penn and the^char- j^j^ heirs proprietors of the province of Pennsylva- nia, and gave to him, his heirs and their deputies, power to make laws with the advice of the freemen, and to erect courts of lustice. Wishing to dis- How did r 1 * 1 1 1 /- 1 tV Penn iis- posc of his lauds and found a colony, Penn now pose of A^ -^ ' andwhat pubUshed a description of the country holding out thrfifs? many inducements for emigration. He offered the tion"? land at the rate of twenty pounds for every thou- sand acres, or to lease it to those who preferred for a yearly rent of a penny an acre. At these low rents, large tracts of land were sold, mostly to duakers, of which denomination Penn was a member. 3. In the latter part of the same year, three ships carrying settlers sailed for Pennsylvania. Among tlieir number was Markham, who was to act as deputy governor. On their arrival, they selected, as , a proper place for their settlement, a position above the confluence of the Delaware and the Schuylkill. 4. In the following year, Penn published the frame of government for Pennsylvania, and a code Cliau. X. TREATY WITH THE INDIANS, 155 of laws, which had been approved by the emigrants i682 in England. To prevent future claims to the prov- whatdid ince by the Duke of York, he obtained a release pSh •; ' . in the from him of all lands under his control in Pennsyl- J°J[^Y^"^ vania, and also a grant of the territory comprised what did within the present State of Delaware. from ^he 5. In the latter part of September, accompanied York? by about two thousand emigrants, he set sail for ^^^^^ America, and early in the following November y-fit^^ landed at New Castle. The next day possession """* of the "Territories" was legally given him by the magistrates. From New Castle, Penn ascended the Delaware to Chester, and from thence proceeded in an open boat to the beautiful bank on which the city of Philadelphia was soon to rise. 6. Shortly after his arrival, smTOunded by a few ^^^ friends in the habiliments of peace, he met the mSt?* numerous delegation of the Lenni Lenape tribes his arrL under a large elm tree, and entered into a treaty with them which ever remained unbroken. " We meet," said he in addressing them, " on the broad Dgg^nbe pathway of good faith, and good will ; no advan- ?ng^nd*' taofe shall be taken on either side, but all shall be wltVth* ^ Indians openness and love. The friendship between me and you, I will not compare to a chain, for that the rains might rust or the falling tree might break. We are the same as if one man's body were to be divided into two parts ; we are all one flesh and blood." 7. The children of the forest were touched by the sacred doctrine, and renounced their guile and their revenge. " We will live," said they, " in love with WilHam Penn and his children, as long as the 156 PENNSYLVANIA. Part a. I68JJ niooii and the sun shall endure." After having re- H(.w did ceived the stipulated price for their lands, and a dians^ei- copy of the treaty, which they were requested to er regard . . , , . , - , the Qua- prescrve, they retired to then* wigwams, and long after would repeat to their children, or to the stran ger, the words of William Penn. 8. In nearly all the other American colonies, Indian hostilities and massacres were of frequent occurrence ; but in Pennsylvania, they lived in har- mony with the whites, and were inspired with a feeling of affection for those whose conduct gave evidence that they were their sincere friends. During the whole period that the other colonies suffered from the vengeance of the red man, not a drop of Quaker blood was shed by an Indian. The plan Shortly after the formation of this treaty, Penn laid c^ty^did out the plan of a city, which he called Philadel **"'• phia, or the city of " Brotherly Love." ,683. 9. In this city a second assembly was held in March, 1683, and a second charter granted, differ- were the ins: in soiiie respects from the first. To prevent regula- o i j thTIe?!^ lawsuits, three arbitrators were to be chosen by the sembiy? couuty court, to Settle differences between man and man ; children were to be taught some useful was the trade, and no one was to be molested for religious result of ' . ° regula- opinions. These wise regulations attracted many tions? emigrants, so that, in four years from the grant to When Penn, the province contained twenty settlements, return to aud Philadelphia two thousand inhabitants. In England. '■ whose" August, 1684, he returned to England, leaving the dSe province under the administration of five commis- govern- sioucrs, choseu by the people. ment? ' . 10. Soon after his return, James II. ascended the 1694. Chap. X WILLIAM PENN. throne. For many years he had been his father's 1694 and his own friend, and when, a few years after- ^hatbe- ward, he was deprived of his throne, Penn was sent afti'/hi^ to prison for his attachment to the cause of the iin- EngEndl fortunate monarch. In a short time he regained the good opinion of King WiUiam, was released from prison, and restored to his rights. The gov- governed ernment of his province, during his confinement, vKTn had been administered by Governor Fletcher, asence?* man appointed by the king. 11. In 1699, Penn again visited his colony. Find- ^|^p"g„jj ing the people dissatisfied with their old charter, ^^*""'- in 1701 he prepared another, still more liberal than Jidhe the former. The colony of Delaware disapproving- oTh?r^"' •^ 1 r o charter? of the charter, separated from Pennsylvania, and ^^j^^^^j^j were allowed a distinct assembly. waredoi 12. Penn soon after returned to England, and the affairs of the province from that time were ad- sai/of ministered by deputy governors. In the early part {^J^Jjj?' of the Revolutionary war, a new constitution was adopted by the people, excluding the proprietary from all share in the government. His claim to rents was afterward purchased for 580,000 dollars. the colo- ny? MARYLAND. p^rt f. CHAPTER XL MARYLAND. whom ^' ^^^ territory of Maryland was granted in ^f£f ^- 1632, by Charles I., to Sir George Calvert (whose granted? title was Lord Baltimore) ; but before the charter was completed, he died. Cecil Calvert, his eldest tained son, and heir to his estate and title, obtained the the grant ' ' death!^'^ grant intended for his father. The country was mmJ*'^* called Maryland, in honor of Henrietta Maria, the give it? dueen of England. The Calverts, father and son, were Roman Catholics, and their desim in found- What ' *=* cS^ertsI i^S ^ colony in America was, to furnish a place of refuge to their religious friends who suffered from persecution. 2. Near the close of the year 1633, Leonard Cal- appoi^t^^ vert, who had received the appointment of gov- ed gover- r ^ • r i«ii r-^ •! nor of ernor of the provmce from his brother Cecil, set the pro- ^ ' an'd'' sail for America, accompanied by about two hun- waf the dred emigrants, mostly Roman Catholics. They tJement aiTlvcd iu Mai'ch 1634, and commenced their set- com- ' menced' tJemcut ou St. Mary's river, about ten miles from its junction with the Potomac, at an Indian village which they purchased from the natives, and to which they gave the name of St. Mary's. 3. The ample provisions of their charter, and the What led mildness of the climate, attracted many emigrants, rapid in- not oulv fi'om Euiope, but from the other colonies crease of -^ ^ ' tion"in i^ America. From the south churchmen drove K' puritans, from the north puritans drove churchmen, Chap. XI. CLAYBORNE. 159 into her borderSj where all were received and pro- xgs4: tected. The charter granted to the emigrant reli- gious freedom, and the power to make their own laws, independent of all influence or action of the crown. 4. In 1635, the first assembly of Maryland met when at S4:. Mary's. During the same year troubles first J- arose from the resistance of William Clayborne, "»eet? who had, prior to the grant of Maryland to Lord Baltimore, received a license frojn the legislature ^^^^^ of Virginia, to traffic in the country with the In- ^u^se^o^f dians. This, he said, made him independent of the bies '^^ ' ' ^ which Maryland government, which he refused to obey. iJj^';?^^ A bloody skirmish followed, and several lives were ^^®^®* lost, but Clayborne and his party were defeated. Clayborne fled to Virginia, and when reclaimed by what is Maryland, was sent by the governor of that colony ciay-^ to England for trial. The Maryland assembly convicted him of treason, and confiscated his es- ^*^' tates. He applied to the king for redress, but was dismissed, without obtaining any order in his fa- vor.. 5. At first the people of Maryland assembled to- did the • 1 \ n ^ ' people gether for passing laws, each freeman havmg a f'^^p^g^. right to come and vote, but in 1639, the colony had fofmV increased to such an extent, that the people adopt- Kt"" ed a representative form of government. In 1642. what ^ ° ' hostih- hostihties commenced with the Indians, which cu'redin were not appeased till 1644. During the civil war ^^^^' between the king and parliament, Clayborne em- said'^of braced the cause of the latter, and in 1645, returned ^^^^^^^ to Maryland, and fomented an insurrection against wa^n'^ Us rulers, who were attached to the royal cause, fe"!^" ' 160 MARYLAND, Part J. 1645 ^^^ governor was obliged to flee to Virginia, and confusion reigned in the colony. The next year the insurrection was suppressed, and tranquillity restored, whatdi- 6. In 1650, the legislature of Maryland was di- was°" vided into two branches — the delegates, chosen by [hejegis- the pcoplc, Constituting the lower house ; and the 1650? governor and council, appointed by the proprietor, What IS ^he upper house. It is worthy of remark, that dur- MaV^ ing the whole period that the Catholics held the u-hiie ascendency, no law was passed, interfering in the hJs^were l^ast with religlous freedom. Maryland was a cendeiv placc of rcfugc for the persecuted of every reli- gious denomination. 7. After the parliament had triumphed over the king, and Cromwell commenced his rule as ^' Pro- whom tector of the Commonwealth," government sent out was the . , • i • i t^ govern- commissioucrs to govern the colony withm the Bay tneni in- s j j dS^g of Chesapeake. Among these was Clayborne, who ofVrom" had been at the bottom of nearly all the difficulties which had occurred in Maryland. Disturbance dSurb- ^^^ confusion ensued, and Calvert, the governoi cS°fn appointed by the proprietor, was obliged to surren- fand?" der the government, and the Catholics, after hav- ing settled the country, were shamefully persecuted cSho^-^^ in it by the English authorities. It was ordain- ieciftld ^^ by the assembly, that persons professing the the new Catliolic religion should not be considered within govern- • i» i i a ^ • • "lent? the protection oi the laws. At the restoration in 1660. 1660, Philip Calvert was appointed governor, and to(!k* the ancient order of things restored. theteT 8. In 1675, Lord Baltimore died, and was suc- toration 1 ceeded by his son Charles, who possessed the same C'liap. XI. DEATH OF BALTIMORE. 161 amiable qualities which had rendered his father i689 respected and beloved. At the time of the revolu- ^^^^ tion in England, in 1689, the repose of Maryland moredie, ,. , , . 1 • 1 • and what was affam disturbed. A rumor navmer been cncu- js. said of ^ ^ his sue lated, that the Catholics had leagued with the In- ^^'^^^^ dians to destroy all the Protestants in the prov- 1 . . ^ 1 /• 1 1 Whatoc- mce, an armed association was formed for the de- casioned ' the dis- fense of the Protestant faith, and for asserting the jmgss. turbance aiLii, aiiKA lui cioocitjiig liacj rio^hts of Kinsr William. 9. At first the Catholics endeavored to oppose by ^h"caS force this association, but were finally compelled to ^^•^^^*^- ' •^ r In whose abdicate the government. From this time the au- ^^JJthe thority was exercised in the name of King William, Kt"" and for twenty-seven years, the crown retained the minis- controll of the province. In 1716, the proprietor when was restored to his rights, and Maryland continued f^J^p^^^^; a proprietary government from that time, until the h'is'^'^'" commencement of the Revolution, when a consti- "ndt'ow tution was adopted, and the claims of Lord Balti- ^e retain *■ ' posses- sore to jurisdiction or property rejected. thTgSC- emmentf k 162 1630 NORTH CAROLINA. part I. CHAPTER XII. NORTH CAROLINA. Sid'^of 1- ^^ l^'^O, Sir Robert Heath, attorney-general fcnt''^ of Charles I., obtained a patent for all the country to'^sif between the 30th and 36th deg-rees of north latitude, Robert ^ ' Heath? extending from the Atlantic ocean to the South sea, by the name of Carolina. Heath's patent led to no settlements, and was finally declared void. and^"by Betwecu 1640 and 1650, a number of families suf- wasTar- feriug from religious persecution in Virginia, fled expfored to CaroHua, and without a grant from any quarter tied? occupied that portion of the State which lies north of Albemarle sound. What is 2- I^^ 1661, a number of emigrants from Massa- the'^cdo- chusetts formed another settlement, near Cape Massa- Fcar river, but the land beinff unproductive, and chusetts? ' ^ & r 5 the Indians hostile, they two years afterward abandoned it. The place, however, was in a short the^co?J- time supplied by emigrants from Barbadoes, over Barba^ wliom Sir John Yeamans was appointed governor. In 1663, the territory which had been before granted to Heath, was given to Lord Clarendon theAibe- ^^^ seven others, and in the same year, a govern- Sunty ment under Mr. Drummond was established over the settlement in the vicinity of Albemarle sound. Why did which was called the " Albemarle county colony." the pro- *' "^ rietora 3^ ^hc proprictoTS, judging from the richness of 'Sbii?h the soil and the beauty of the chmate, that North Mvern- Caroliua would soon be extensively settled, detcrmin- Cliap. XII. THE FIRST CONSTITUTION. 163 ed to establish a form of government, commensmate ig69 in its dignity with the auspices of the colony, and the vastness of the country. They accordingly deputed the Earl of Shaftsbury, the most active wiio of their number, lo frame for the dawnino^ States a fra^iVrs* . . Ill ofihis perfect constitution, worthy to endure throughout J°;jfJ'^"' all ages. 4. Shaftsbury engaged to assist him the cele- brated John Locke, whose political writings have been much admired. The constitution which was ^id^ofio formed was little relished by the colonists, as it de- prived them almost entirely of political freedom, establishing a government to be administered by lords and noblemen, and placing every office of importance out of the reach of the common people. 5. The attempt to enforce this, to the colonists, i67o odious constitution, created an insurrection, in which the principal officers of government were imprison- ed, and which could only be subdued by the threat JJf^j-le" of bringing out an armed force against them. After stituuon? an opposition to the constitution of more than twenty years, it was finally abrogated by the pro- prietors themselves. 6. In 1670, a settlement was made at Chaiiestown, Zl'^^dr within the present limits of South Carolina, by figment William Sayle, but he dying soon after, was sue- i67o? ceeded by Sir John Yeamans, the governor of Cla- ^^'i- rendon. Many of the inhabitants of Clarendon ^^^^ removed to the new settlement, which being remote Tepamte from Albemarle, the proprietors established a sen- mem ^ \ formed, arate government, and thence arose the distinctive ^^^^^^^ appellations of North and South Carolina. pjila?^" 7. In 1683, Seth Sothel, one of the proprietors, we"^ 164 NORTH CAROLINA. Parti. 1689 ^^^ appointed chief magistrate. He was avari- what is cious, hard-hearted, and tyrannical. He cared not s'etli^^ for truth, and eagerly plundered the people under the cloak oi law. ine colonists, alter naviuff en- 1689. . . . ' . " dured his oppression six years, banished hini from the colony. 8. Ludwell, the next governor, and John Arch- whatofd^l^ his successor, were deservedly popular and and^^ beloved, for under their administrations the colonists da^e? prospered and were happy. ^^^^ In 1707, a company of French emigrants who Irants had formerly settled in Virginia, arrived in Caro- inmi lina. In 1710, they were followed by a hundred and mo? '. ^ 1 T^i • 1 German families from the Rhine, who sought refuge in the same part of the province, from the religious persecution which harassed them at grain home. To each of these the proprietors g-ranted was r r & Sim/" ^^^ hundred acres of land, upon which they set- tled and were soon in the enjoyment of ease and competency. 1712. 9. In 1712, the Tuscarora and Coree Indians, smarting under recent injuries and alarmed at the increase of the white population, formed a conspi- racy for destroying the colony by a general massa- crUm-' ere. Twelve hundred warriors united in the plot, Tuscaro- and in the same niffht attacked the different set- ra and ^ Mans? tlements. Their measures were taken with such secrecy, that no alarm was spread imtil the work of death had commenced. In one night, one hundred and thirty persons were butchered. A few escaped and hastened to South Carolina for assistance. 10. Colonel Barnwell, with nearly a thousand men, was immediately sent by Governor Craven to Give an account of the Cliap. XII. SEPARATION OF THE CAROLINAS. 165 their assistance. After a fatiguing march, they it 12 met the enemy, defeated them and then entered into a treaty of peace. But in a few daji^ the treaty was broken and hostilities again commenced. At wnatis length Colonel Moore arrived from South Carolina the pro- ffress d.n(i with forty whites and eight hundred friendly In- Jj^^^4r? dians, beseiged them in a fort near Catechny river, and took eight hundred prisoners. The remainder of the Tuscaroras, in 1713, migrated to the north, and joined the Huron confederacy. In 1715, the 1715. Corees sued for peace, and afterward continued friendly. 11. Until 1729, the two Carolinas had been un- 1729 der the control of the same proprietors, but they ^^^^ were now separated, and royal governments entirely foo^k^^ unconnected with each other established over the^'v- 1-^ • 1 • 1 /• ernment each colony. Jiimigrants constantly arrived from »« 17291 the north, and from different parts of Europe ; the settlements extended far back into the wilderness, and the colonists at peace with the Indians, con- tinued to enjoy quiet and prosperity until they were involved in the troubles of the Revolution. •south CAROLINA. Parti, CHAPTER XIII SOUTH CAROLINA. whati« 1. The whole territory of South Carolina was, the first as we have already stated, included in the charter colony in j j c3na? gJ'^nted to Lord Clarendon and seven others in 1663. No permanent settlement was made until 1670, when a company of emigrants sent out by the proprietors, under the direction of William Sayle, commenced, on a neck of land between Ash- ley and Cooper rivers, the erection of Old Charles- town. 2. The emigrants had hardly landed, before they appointed delegates to their colonial parliament, and instituted a government on the basis of liberty. The colony from this time rapidly increased in population. Within a year after their first arrival. What emi- grants sooTaf- many of the Dutch on account of the conquest of ter they tuted a New York removed to Charleston. They were %f^x^- speedily followed by emigrants from Holland. Pu- "*^" ■ ritans in England gladly sought a refuge in Caro- lina, where they could avoid the vice of the King's licentious court. The tyranny of Louis XIV. in- duced many French Protestants to seek a home be- yond the Atlantic, where their worship would be tolerated, and their civil rights respected. What 3. In 1671. Sir John Yeamans was appointed ffov- nccurred ' r r o ernor. He brought from Barbadoes several African slaves ; thus, South Carolina alone of the thirteen original States was from its cradle a planting State occurred m 167U Chiap. XIII. SETH SOTHEL. 167 with slave labor. The number of blacks increased leso so rapidly, that in a few years they numbered more than the whites. 4. The situation of Charleston not being conve- ^hy did nient for commercial purposes, most of the inhabit- pil ^re-' ants removed in 1680 to Oyster Point, where they oygjer laid the foundation of the present city of Charles- ton. The same year the Wistoes, a powerful ^JildTn tribe of Indians, commenced hostilities against the yeLt"*® whites, but in the following year peace was re- stored. 5. In 1690, Seth Sothel one of the proprietors, who had been previously banished from North Car- Zldlt olina for his corrupt conduct, suddenly appeared at sotheiin Charleston, and aided by a large party, assumed the reins of government. But his conduct was soon found to be intolerable, and in two years he was removed from office. 6. The French Protestants who had been driven ^^y^ad from France by the tyranny of Louis XIV., up to Frinoh the present time, possessed no voice in legislative ta'nts^Teft 1 1. 1 1 -111 France? matters, but now then* good conduct induced the pr<>prietors to extend to them the right of represen- i^^^- lation. This the English settlers strongly opposed, jj^^ and such was the general turbulence and disorder Jhly%e- respecting this and other matters, that in 1695, John S'tL Archdale, a pious Q^uaker, was sent over as govern- settlers? or, with authority to redress all grievances. He succeeded in restoring order, but was compelled to ^hatis exclude the French Protestants from all concern in Arch-""^ dale's the legislature. In a few years, however, they were govern- admitted to all the rights of citizens and freemen. 7. In 1702, soon after the commencement of the *^^ 168 SOUTH CAROLINA. Fart 1 1703 war between England and Spain, Governor Moore Give an pi'oposed an expedition against the Spanish settle- Sftheex- ment at St. Augustine, but the attempt which was against made with 1,200 men, was entirely unsuccess- St. Au- ' ' -^ , wstine. f^i^ ajij cQgt the colony about twenty-six thousand dollars. Moore, on his return, to silence the re- proaches of the people of Charleston, marched What of with a large force against the Apalachian Indians, dition^*^" who had at different times manifested their hostility the Apa- to the whites. In this expedition, he was success- .achian a^ ^ Indians? f^]^ ^^^ ^f^^^. ^aviug bumed many of their towns 1704. and villages, and sold several of their number as slaves, he compelled them to submit to the govern- ment of the colony. 8. According to the constitution, religious liberty was to be freely enjoyed by all; but Governor Moore, by bribing the voters, succeeded in procuring did^Gov ^^^^ passage of a law, establishing the Episcopal make^in religiou, and excluding dissenters from a seat in the mafteT? assembly. The lords, however, disapproved of the law, and dueen Anne shortly after declared it void. The war between England and Spain still contin- Why did ... slfanish ^^^^j ^^^^ ^^ 1706, a Spauish squadron appeared off IqSadfon the harbor of Charleston ; but on the enemy at- ica? ^ tempting to land, they were driven back with con- siderable loss, when they took a final leave of the coast. 1715. 9^ The colonists now remained in peace for Give an scvcral ycars, but in 1715 their quiet was broken ofthe"in- by the horrors of Indian warfare. The Yemassees, mi7i5. a brave and warlike people inhabiting the interior, had long meditated the total destruction of the whites. They had engaged in the conspiracy all CHop.XIII. YAMASSEE WAR. loO the tribes from Cape Fear to Florida, and in April i-yi -^ commenced their attack. Ninety persons were massacred at Port Royal, and other attacks no less bloody made in different parts of the country. 10. Governor Craven, at the head of twelve hun- whatd;d dred men, marched against the savages, and the ven ac** tide of war was speedily changed. Straggling p^^^^- parties of the Indians were cut off, and the great body of the enemy totally routed in a pitched bat- tle at Saltcatchers. Most of them fled to Florida, where they w ere welcomed by the Spaniards. The war with the Yemassees Avas now closed, and a what heavy public debt contracted. The proprietors not discon- only refused to pay any portion of this debt, which ^^"^^' had been incurred in the defense of the colony, but deprived the emigrants of the land from which the Indians had been driven. 11. This tyrannical conduct led to frequent conten- tions; the emigrants refused to submit to the au- how did thority of the proprietors, and appointed John Moore uoversT governor in the name of the king. They shortly after obtained a hearing before the king, when it was declared the proprietors had forfeited their charter, and the colony from thenceforth became a royal province. In 1729 it was separated from North Carolina. From this time to the breaking out of the Revolution but little of interest occurred. 8 729. 170 1T32 What GEORGIA. ^ Parti. CHAPTER XIV. GEORGIA. 1. A portion of the territory of Georgia had been included in Carohna, but previous to the sur- render of that charter, no settlement had been made in the country. In 1732, a number of benevolent plan was gentlemen in England formed the plan of planting formed in 17321 the sunny clime with those, who, in England, had neither land nor shelter, and those on the conti- nent to whom, as Protestants, bigotry denied free- dom of worship at home, ^•hatis 2. At the head of this company stood James o^fe-"^ Oglethorpe, a member of the British parliament, a man of a heroic mind and merciful disposition. Through his influence a charter was obtained in Tllf/did ^^32 from George II., erecting the country between clive® the Savannah and Altamaha, due west to the Pacific, Gewge into the province of Georgia, and placing it for twen- ty-one years under the guardianship of a corporation " in trust for the poor." In November of the same year, Oglethorpe, with about one hundred and twen- town tv emigrants, sailed for America, and on their arri- wasset- J n 7 i m2?" val commenced the foundation of then* town, on the high bluff where now stands Savannah. 3. In the following June, the chiefs of the Creek nation assembled at Savannah, and bade the stran- the^in- prers welcome to the lands which their nation did dians re- ° • i i wuSraf not use. One of them in token of smcerity, laid eight bundles of buck-skins at Oglethorpe's feet; Chap. XIV, WESLEY WHITFIELD. 171 a treaty of peace was signed, by which the English tt33 claimed sovereignty over the land of the Creeks as far south as St. Johns, and the chieftains depart- ed loaded with presents. 4. The poverty and indolence of the new settlers, most of whom were the refuse of cities, for a time prevented the colony from prospering, but on the trustees extending their invitation, w^hich had here- tofore been confined to the poor and persecuted, to the next A A 1 company all who might wish to settle in Georgia, a large ^fa,ftf^' number from Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland, from the of a more respectable class, joined the colony, which from this time assumed a more flourishing condi- tion. In the regulations adopted by the trustees, what the introduction of ardent spirits was prohibited, Ihey ^^*^ and no slaves were allowed in the colony. 5. Oglethorpe in 1734, after a residence in Amer- 1736. ica of about fifteen months, sailed for England. In ,,^^ ' ° What 1736, he again returned to his colony, with a new "ompany company of three hundred emigrants, among whom %^\^^^ were John and Charles Wesley. John Wesley came thorpe? out as a minister of the gospel, but his severe habits of conduct and opinion brought him into difficul- ties, and at the end of the year he returned home. 6. Two years after, George Whitfield, another Forwhat •^ 70 7 purpose eminent divine, came to Georgia, for the purpose ^hit- of founding an asylum, where orphan children could come to I'll 11 r- i-^i • • • rT^^ Amcrical be educated m the knowledge of Christianity. 1 he house, during his life, did not flourish, and after his whatdid death was entirely abandoned. thorpe •^ , do on tha On the commencement of the war in 1739 be- ^i"- mence- tween England and Spain, Oglethorpe received a fhl^EiTj .. .,1 T**^*i 1 iish ana commission as genera, m the British army, and at Spanish 172 GEORGIA. Part 1, the head of two thousand men, from Virginia and the Carolinas, marched against Florida. Two Spanish forts were taken, bnt meeting with an ob- H'ith stinate resistance in his attack upon St. Angus- success? tine, he was compelled to raise the siege and return to Georgia. Give an 7. Two vcars aftcrward, the Spanish government account •' ? i o span^s^h ^^ retaliation resolved on invading Georgia. It fion^*^^" collected its forces at Cuba, and a large fleet sailed oWia. toward the mouth of the St. Mary's. Oglethorpe . ^2 having been informed of the proposed invasion, made preparations for a vigorous defense. He as- thoPpe^ sembled his forces consisting of about seven hun- Sents. dred men at Frederica, on the island of St. Simon, and awaited the attack. 8. On the last of June, the Spanish fleet of thirty- six vessels, having on board about three thousand men, entered St. Simon's harbor. And notwith- standing the resistance of General Oglethorpe, sailed up the river Altamaha, and landed upon the Give a . ^ . ' ' Iccouit island. In attempting to advance toward Freder- wan^^ ica by a road leading through a morass and dense wood, the Spaniards fell into an ambush, which had been prepared for them, and were compelled to re- treat with the loss of nearly two hundred -men. The swamp from that time received the name of '- The Bloody Marsh." What ^' Despairing of success, and weakened by divi- St^o^f sions — deceived, too, by an ingenious stratagem — difionf" the Spaniards, early in July, re-embarked leaving a quantity of ammunition and guns behind them. Thus was Georgia deliveied, with a trifling loss, from the horrors of a bloody invasion. The Span- Clap. XIV. Oglethorpe's return. 173 lards were so mortified at the result of the expedi- i^^^ tion, that the commander on his return was tried by a court martial, and dismissed from the service. 10. In the following year, Oglethorpe returned ^rhat is to England, never again to behold the colony, with cpnciu- which the disinterested toils of ten years had iden- pgie- •' thorpe? tified his fame. For ten years longer, the colony remained under the management of the trustees, but their regulations were often unwise, and created ... . I7B3. much dissatisfaction. At length in 1752, they sur- rendered their charter to the crown, and Goorffia what ^ ^ change became a royal province, having the same govern- J^^J^ j^ ment as the Carolinas. eSATm^ 174 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Part !• I T 48 CHAPTER XV. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. What IS 1. After long years of strife, of repose, and of strife t^^ofAtx- I'^i^^wed, England and France agreed to be at peace, Pdtef ^J^l^^ treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, concluded between those two nations m 1748, for a time restored tran- quillity to America. That treaty was negotiated by the ablest statesmen in Europe. They believed themselves the arbiters of mankind, the pacifica- tors of the world, and supposed they were establish- ing the colonial system on a basis which would endure for ages, ^.jjg^g 2. At the time of the congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, wish- the woods of Virginia sheltered the youthful George bomTand Washiuo^ton. Born by the side of the Potomac, what is * -^ ' h^s'^aHy t>eneath the roof of a Westmoreland farmer, al- ^'^^" most from infancy his lot had been the lot of an or- phan. No academy had welcomed him to its shades ; no college crowned him with its honors ; to read, to write, to cipher, these had been his degrees in know- ledge. And now at sixteen years of age, in quest of an honest maintenance, encountering incredible toil, wandering over the AUeghanies and along the banks of the Shenandoah, among skin-clad savages, with their scalps and rattles— holdinga bearskin a splendid couch, this stripling surveyor in the woods, with no companion but his unlettered associates, and no im- plements erf science but his compass and chain, con- CUap. XV. CAUSES OF THE WAR. 175 trasted strongly with the imperial magnificence of 1-753 the congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. 3. And yet God had chosen not Kaunitz nor Newcastle, not a monarch of the house of Haps- burgh nor of Hanoverj but the Virginia stripling to his after give an impulse to human affairs, and as far as events can depend on an individual, had placed the rights and destinies of countless millions in the keeping of the widow's son. Yes, the voice of that boy was soon to be heard in the din of battle, and the mind of that stripling surveyor, strengthened and matured by years, was to guide the steps of his suffering country through a long and bloody war, and finally lay the foundation of the noblest structure of human freedom ever designed by man. 4. The colonists had but short time to reap the benefits of peace, after the conclusion of the treaty ^'^^3*^"^^! already referred to, when their prospects were again cfa%V®' clouded, and the sound of approaching war filled rfance? the land with anxiety and gloom. After an inter- val of about eight years, from 1748 to 1756, Great Britain formally declared war against France. 5. The causes leading^ to this war were the „,, ^ What alleged encroachments of the French on the fron- 5^^"^^^^ tiers of the colonies in America belonging to the ^^'^ ^^"^ Enghsh crown. The possessions of the French in the what north reached from the mouth of the St. Lawrence extent of the to Montreal ; and they had erected trading houses J'i2m? on Lake Ontario. They had planted New Orleans on the south, and having discovered the Mississip- they in pi, claimed the vast tract of country watered by it fo^p^ct and its tributary streams. At length they deter- "Sd^^""" mined to connect their northern and southern pos- llttie^^^ menrs"* 176 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. p^^t i. 1153 sessions, by a line of posts extending along the frontiers of the English, from Lake Ontario to the Ohio, and down the Ohio and Mississippi, to New Orleans. What 6. While busily engaged in the prosecution of fhe"Eng. this design, a company of traders from London and from the ^irguiia having obtained of the king a grant of six ^*"^- hundred thousand acres of land, on and near the Ohio river, erected trading houses there for the pur- pose of carrying on the fur trade with the Indians. Snt '^'^^ governor of Canada, fearing that the plan of fofiowed this company might prevent their communication part of between Canada and Louisiana, seized some of French? thcse traders, and sent them prisoners to Canada. 7. The company complained bitterly of this en- what croachment on their rights to Governor Din widdie, wiflfnt of Virginia, who immediately sent a letter to the French Frcnch commaudant, to demand the reason of this com- Sfd by"^' hostile conduct, and to summon the French to whom? evacuate the forts in that region. This message was intrusted to George Washington, who, at the age of twenty-one, began that line of service which ended in the independence of his country. 8. On the 31st of October, he left Williamsburg, Virginia, to proceed on his dangerous journey. The ScouSt distance he was obliged to travel, through the forests fouraey. and over the most rugged parts of the Alleghanies, was about five hundred and sixty miles. On the way, his horse failed ; he nevertheless proceeded with a single companion on foot, with a gun in his hand, and his shoulder hurt hened with a pack. On the 13th of December, he reached the French fort, quence of this answer? CKap.XV. FORT NECESSITY. 177 on French creek, and delivered his letter to ihe 1-754 commander. 9. In a few days he received his answer and re- ^^j^.^^ turned to Williamsburg. The reply of the com- ZlVof tiiG mandant was. that he had taken possession of the French ' ^ ^ *■ corn- country, under the direction of the governor-general mandano of Canada, to whom he would transmit the mes- ^^,,^1 sage, and whose orders he should obey. This re- wei'e"!^^'' ply not being satisfactory, the British ministry, on conse being made acquainted Avith the determination of the Frencli, instructed the Virginians to resist the encroachments by force of arms. 10. Troops were accordingly raised in Virginia, which were joined by an independent company from South Carolina, amounting in all to about four hundred men. The command of the expedi- tion was given to Washington, who in April, 1754, ^'^^^j marched into the territory in dispute. Meeting at pejl Great Meadows a French force that had been sent out to intercept his retreat, he attacked and de- feated them. At this place he erected Fort Neces- sity, and after having been reinforced with troops from New York and Carohna, he proceeded toward ^id he Fort Du Cluesne, situated at the confluence of the Alleghany and Monongahela rivers. 11. Hearing that De Villiers was approaching from this fort at the head of nine hundred men, he thought best to retire to Fort Necessity and await reinforcements. Here the enemy, one thousand what /» 1 1 1 11 1 success! five hundred strong, soon appecj'ed, and commenced a furious attack on the fort. After an engagement of several hours, De Villiers offered honorable terms ex- ition Whithei did he proceed -8* .78 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Part 1. 17 54: of capitulatioiij which Washington accepted, and returned with his troops to Virginia. For what 12- In the same year, delegates from seven of the SiKfe- colonies assembled at Albany for the purpose of gates as- . r r ' i i • • i i ot • tvt • at Aibl- formmg a treaty of niendship with the oix JNations. "^' After accomplishing this business, they proceeded to adopt a "plan of union,^ similar in its construction to the present Constitution of the United States, to be submitted to the colonial legislatures and to parha- What is ment for their approval. This plan was rejected thepfan by parliament, bccausc they considered it gave too posed? ^^^^^ power to the people. It was rejected by the colonies, because it placed too much power in the hands of the king. How did 13. England was already jealous of the colonial already asscmbhes, and saw in them a spirit which, unless view the . . , ^ ^ colonies? checked m its embryo state, might soon become too powerful for hsr control. The colonies having failed in their plan of union, England determined to carry on the war with the French, which Avas now inevitable, with her own troops, aided by such of the colonists as chose to join them. yjien 14. In the sprinsr of 1754, General Braddock did Gen. . dock"ar- arrived from Ireland, with a large force of English whatls"^ troops, with the authority of commander-in-chief him? over the English and colonial forces in America. Shortly after his arrival, the governors of the sev- eral provinces met at his request to make arrange- what ments for the ensuing campaign. Three expedi- were*?e-^ tious weio rcsolvcd ou, onc agaiust Fortdu duesne, upon'? to be commanded b/ Braddock ; a second against Cliap. XV. BRADDOCK's DEFEAT. 179 Niagara, under Governoi Shirley ; and a third i^si against Crown Point, under General Johnson. 15. While preparations were making for these ^^^at expeditions, a plan, which had been previously plan waa formed for attacking the French in Nova Scotia, taken? was carried into effect. In May, Gens. Monckton and Winslow at the head of about three thousand men sailed from Boston, and in June arrived at their place of destination. The resistance of the enemy was slight, and the English in a short time gained possession of the whole province, with the loss of only three men. 16. The preparations of General Braddock in whywu Brad- Virginia proceeded slowly, owing to the difficulty dock'de- of obtaining horses, wagons, and provisions, so that ^js pre it was on the tenth of June before he was able to ^^°"^' leave Fort Cumberland. Wishing to proceed as rapidly as possible toward Fort du Quesne, he marched on wdth twelve hundred troops, leaving the baggage under the command of Col. Dunbar, with directions to follow as rapidly as possible. 17. Braddock was a brave man, possessed of •1- 1 -n I 1 1 . 1 . What 18 great military skill ; but educated in the science ^a^»jj of of war as then taught in Europe, he knew but lit- Jock? tie of Indian warfare. He was strict in the camp, but his strictness was tinctured with severity, and his severity approached to arrogance. Unfortu- nately for him, he entertained the most supreme contempt for the colonial troops, and the advice of ?e°treft' the American officers ; so that when Washinorton, yice of- ' . feied by who was his aid-de-camp, suggested the propriety • of employing the Indians as scouting and advance parties, he disdained the advice, which, if followed, Wash- ington 180 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Part 1 1755 would have saved his army, and changed a shame- ful defeat into a glorious victory. 18. Taking none of the necessary precautions to vsThat insure his safety, on the 9th of July, within a few ?on1;e-^ miles of the fort, he fell into an ambush of French quenceof . Sessf ^" ^^^^ Indians, i he bnglisn troops, panic struck as they heard the war-whoop of the Indians, broke their ranks, and would have fled, but Braddock rallied them and sought to preserve a regular order of bat- tle ; thus were they kept cooped up like sheep — fair marks for their unseen enemy. 19. The slausfhter was dreadful. Every officer ^ha*»« 111 . Txr 1 • ^ thehtt ^^^ horseback excepting Washington w^as shot '^^^ down; and he, riding over every part of the field, had two horses shot under him, and four balls lodged in his coat. The Indians afterward assert- ed that they had repeatedly fired at him with rifles which never missed the mark before ; but at length Wash- they were convinced that he was shielded by the dunng Great Spirit, and that no balls could harm him. tie? God preserved his life to be a leader in the great struggle of his country for liberty. Of Brad- ^^- Braddock, undismayed amid the continual dock? shower of bullets, encouraged his men by his coun- tenance and example. At length, after having had three horses shot under him, he received a mortal What wound. After his fall, the regular troops fled in Smy ^ confusion, and were only saved from complete de- from to- ' 1 /- 1 1 stricUon? struction by the coolness of the bravest provincials under the command of Washington, who covered their retreat. Sixty-four officers out of eighty-five, S^weT and more than half of the privates were killed or wound- wounded. The army continued to retreat until edi •^ Cliap. XV. CROWN POINT. 181 it reached Fort Cumberland. Col. Dunbar, on it 5^ whom the command devolved, then withdrew ihe regulars to Philadelphia, leaving the frontiers of Virginia exposed to the attack of the French and Indians. 21. The expedition against Niagara, under Gov- what is ernor Shirley, met with so many delays, that they Jjjtlon^® did not reach Oswego until late in August, and rfSa then the autumnal rains setting in, and the Indian allies deserting the camp. Governor Shirley thought it expedient to relinquish the design. 22. The troops for the expedition against Crown ^hatof Point, numbering about six thousand, under the d^on^^* command of General Johnson, assembled in Albany crown ' ^ Point? the last of June, where they were joined by the Mohawks under their sachem Hendrick. In July they were collected at the carrying place, between the Hudson river and Lake George, under General Lyman, the second in command, when a small fort was built and named Fort Edward. In the latter part of Ausrust, General Johnson arrived, and tak- farther, \ ^ . ' said of iU ing command, removed his forces to the head of Lake George, for the purpose of attacking a fort which the enemy were erecting at Ticonderoga. 23. Shortly after his arrival at this place, he was attacked by the Baron Dieskau, who, at the head of two thousand Frencli and Indians, was proceed- ing from Crown Point to attack Fort Edward, when he received intelligence of the position of Johnson, Dies^kiu*^ and changed his route to surprise him. The sud-hlrroutij? denness of the attack at first caused the Americans to waver ; but soon rallying, they repulsed the foe with great slaughter. The Baron, pale and bleed 182 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Parti 1T55 ii^gj was found by a soldier near the close of the battle, sitting against a tree. While feeling in his pocket for his watch for the purpose of surrender- wa^^the ing it, the soldier, supposing him to be in search Die.-kau.i of a pistol, fired and killed him. The poor re- mains of his army halted in its flight at French mountain, where they were the next day cut off by Of his ^ detachment from Fort Edward, and their dead *^^^ bodies thrown into a lake, since called the "Bloody Pond." General Johnson having left garrisons at Forts WiUiam Henry and Edward, retired to Albany and dispersed his army to their respective provinces. 24. Although this bloody warfare had continued 1756. for a considerable length of time in America, war was not formally declared by Great Britain until When was^ war May, 1756, and by France until the following declared? ^Qouth. At a council of governors held in Albany^ What it was determined to raise from the several colonies termintd twcnty-ouc thousaud men, and to direct their en- atacoun- • i • i i • > ernwITn ^^'g^^^ durmg the year toward the reduction of Albany? Qj-q^^jj Point, Niagara, and Fort du Quesne. What 25. Lord Loudon was appointed by the crown com- A * '■' werelp- commander-in-chief of all forces in America ; but pointed? Q^yij;^g i^Q necessary delay. General Abercrombie preceded him and took the command. Abercrombie arrived in June, but thinking the forces in readi- ness too small for the emergency, deemed it pru- dent to await the arrival of Loudon, which took Baif of pls^ce in July. Both officers were inefficient, and ^mV^*' by their delays allowed the French not only time to strengthen their posts, but to attack those of the English. 26. Early in August, the Marquis Montcalm crossed Cliap. XV. FORT WILLIAM HENRY. 183 Lake Ontario, with more than five thousand 17^56 French and Indians, and with between thirty and ^.j^^ ^^ forty pieces of cannon, attacked Fort Ontario on of Mmu- the east side of the river, at Oswego. The garrison exped.. in a short time, finding their number reduced to fourteen hundred men, and their commander. Col. Mercer slain, were forced to capitulate. One hun- JS'sg^Jid dred and thirty-four pieces of cannon, with a larffe iish IS- amount 01 military stores and several ships in the gjj^?"* harbor, fell into the hands of the enemy. 27. In June 1757, Lord Loudon sailed from New 1757. York, with six thousand regular troops, to attempt what i> the capture of Louisburg. On the 30th of the same ^^[,^^,^,3 month, he arrived at Hahfax, where he was rein- tS^fn* forced by a naval armament under Admiral Hol- burn, but learning that a French fleet had arrived why dm ^ he aban- and that the fort was strongly garrisoned, he aban- <^o" '^^ doned the expedition, and returned to New York. 28. In the mean time, Montcalm had collected his JS^J^^ forces at Ticonderoga, marched against Fort Wil- ca?m". liam Henry, and compelled it to surrender. The gar- {jj^^'^^" rison were to be allowed to march out with the hon- what is said of ors of war, and rejoin their countrymen ; but Jg^^e^of the Indians violated the stipulation, and butchered Ham^*^' a ffreat number of them. It is said that Mont- ^TT ^ of the calm endeavored to prevent the massacre, but he ofthein- was held responsible for the act, and there was ac- Mont-^"^ cordingly aroused in the breasts of the colonists a deep thirst for vengeance that called for more vigor- ous measures against the enemy. 29. Hitherto, disaster and disgrace had marked most of the operations against the French, cspe- r\ally on the part of the English oflScers and theii* iS4 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Parti. 1758 troops. The British nation was indignant at the What mismanagement of the war, and the king was wa^"^® obKsred to change his councils. William Pitt made in ^ ° ibh a^" (afterward Lord Chatham) was intrusted with the ^j[yS^"^ pubhc helm. His active mind and enterprising genius, seemed to be infused throughout the Mi/ of empire, through the senate and the people, the army and the navy. Lord Loudon was recalled, and General Abercrombie appointed commander- in-chief, ^hatex- 30. Three expeditions were planned ; one of Jknned? twclvc thousaud mcu against Louisburg ; one of sixteen thousand against Ticonderoga and Crown Point ; and one of eight thousand, against Fort du duesne. Give an On the expedition against Louisburs;', Admiral account / ^ ^' o*'jAd^i- Boscawen sailed from Halifax, May 28th, with a SpeTi-^ fl^^^ ^f thirty-eight armed vessels, and an army of twelve thousand men under the command of Gen. Amherst. What is 3L On the 26th of July, after a vigorous resist- Jcndlfof ^'^c^ this fortress was surrendered, and with it five bu?gT thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven prisoners of war, and one hundred and twenty cannon, be- sides which the French lost five ships of the line What is ^^^ ^*^^^^* fi'ig^tes. During this siege Wolfe served Wolfe? next in command to Amherst, and displayed those traits of character which afterward covered his name with glory. With 32. In the mean time. General Abercrombie, at how ma- dfd Aber- ^^^ head of 15,000 men, 9,000 of whom were pro- roa??h^ vincials, was advancing against Ticonderoga. On Tlco"nde- the 5th of Julv, he embarked on Lake George, and ;oga? ^ ' * ' Chap. XV. FORT DU QUESNE. 185 on the following morning landed near the head of 1^5^ the lake, and proceeded through the woods with wha7~ great difficulty toward the fortress. On approach- Ife^tlkt*? ing- the fort, a skirmish ensued in which Lord Howe >^,K^^ w^as killed. Respected and beloved by the whole ml^has army, his death threw them into confusion, and proLh'ed '' ' . the fort ? they fell back to the landing-place ; but on the 8th ^j^^t ef- they pressed on w4th all their force to attack the hifdeath ^ produce 7 fort. 33. After a fierce and bloody contest of more than four hours, and a loss of two thousand men, Describe ' ' the sec- Abercrombie was obliged to raise the siege and re- ^d.^" tire to the head of Lake George. From this place he dispatched Col. Bradstreet with an army of three said^of 11 • x-i T-i • theexpe- thousand men agamst Fort trontenac, situated on ^^j^JJ^f the present site of Kingston, at the outlet of Lake ftreei Ontario. He crossed the lake from Osweo^o, and lort"^ Mil/- 1 TV- Fronte- m two days compelled the lort to surrender. JNme nac? aimed vessels, and a large quantity of stores and goods, w^ere a portion of the reward reaped by the gallant soldiers. 34. The expedition against Fort du duesne, of the consisting of nine thousand men, left Philadelphia ^^^.^^^ early in July, under the command of General QuesnS? Forbes. The French attacked an advance party under Major Grant and killed three hundred men ; but as General Forbes with the main body of the army approached, the enemy deserted the fort and fled in boats down the Ohio. Possession was taken of the fort next day, and in honor of Mr. Pitt, its name was changed to Pittsburgh. The Indians ^^^^ from the West soon after concluded a treaty of wtf then neutrality with the English, and the campaign with the 186 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Part I. 1T59 closed with more honor and benefit to the English than any preceding one. 35. The campaign of 1758 had been so success- ful, that the vigorous mind of Pitt marked out a bold plan for the ensuing year worthy his great genius. It was the dispossessing the French of the whole of their American territory. To effect this desim, three laro^e armies were to be led at the same What . ° ' . , r 1 . ^ ^Sions ^^^^^ against three of then* strongest posts. One, un- pinned der General Wolfe, was to ascend the St. Lawrence tor the cam- and lay sietJ^-eio Quebec ; the second, under General '^'^s? Amherstj was to attack Ticonderoga and Grown Point, and then by the way of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence, unite with the forces of Wolfe ; and the third, after the reduction of Niagara, was to proceed down Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence and attack Montreal. What is ^^- General Prideaux, who commanded the ex- said of the ex- pedition against Niagara, reached that fort on the pedition against Niagara ? a|ainT 6th of July, by the way of Oswego, and com- menced the siege. Near the beginning of the attack he was killed by the bursting of a shell, and the command devolved on Sir William Johnson. Soon after, he met twelve hundred French and Indians, who were marching to the relief of the place. He defeated them and immediately gained possession of the fort. Of the 37. General Amherst, who had been ap})ointed tllinit to the command of the expedition aeainst Ticon- Ticonde- . . roga? deroga, arrived before that place with about 11,000 men on the 22d of July. It was immediately abandoned by the enemy. Having: strengthened Cliap. XV. SIEGE OF aUEBEC, \h7 Ticonderoga, ihe army next proceeded against i-^sq Crown Point, and took quiet possession of it, the enemy having fled to the Isle aux Noix, 38. The expedition against duebeCj under the Against command of General Wolfe, was the most daring of ^"^ "* any in the records of English warfare, and its con- quest might almost be considered a miracle of war. Nature and art seemed to have combined to render the fortress impregnable. So great was its strength that it was rightly called the Gibraltar o\ America. Yet the daring mind of Pitt had planned its con- pTiJi^neu*^ quest and selected to carry out those plans the ditioa? brave and gallant Wolfe. The result showed that he was not mistaken in the character of the man. 39. Embarking at Louisburg with eight thou- sand men, under convoy of Admirals Saunders and Holmes, Wolfe landed with his troops in the latter part of June on the island of Orleans, a little below Gluebec. Here he reconnoitered the position of the enemy, and could easily perceive the difficulties with which he had to contend. Before him arose VICINITY OF aUEBEC. Quebec is situated at the confluence of the river St. Charles with the St. Lawrence, about 400 miles fronn the ocean. It has a deep, sate, and capa- cious harbor, sutncient to con- tain one hundred sail of the line. It was an immense for- tification, situated on a high rock, and stiong'y fortified, both by nature and art. From its great strength, it was rightly called the Gibraltar of America. The appearance of the English army berore its walls, gave the French but little uneasiness, for they considered the place impregnable. A more minute description of the place is given in the following page, in the account of its capture by Wolte. 188 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. Parti. 1T59 Quebec, situated on the north side of the St. Lavv- ^~^ rencc, and divided into an vipper and lower town. tiJfn^and" 40. The lower town was situated between the ofaSe- river and a lofty eminence running parallel with the river far to the westward. The upper town was situated upon a large plain which spread out on the top of this eminence. Below or east of the city, the river St. Charles flowed into the St Lawrence, its mouth guarded by armed vessels. A short distance farther down, is the river Montmo- rency ; and between these, two rivers reaching from Where quc to the othci*, and in the city was encamped the was the ' '^ a armTen- Frcuch army of thirteen thousand men under the campe ? ^.Q^j^-^g^^^J ^f Moutcalm. What 41. Wolfe took possession of Point Levi, on the move- wdfe^'"^ bank of the river opposite Quebec, and with bat- make? i^gj.jgg ^vhich he erected there, destroyed the low^er town, but the distance was so great that no effect could be produced on the chief defenses of the city. Wolfe, therefore, determined to leave this position, cross the St. Lawrence and land below Mont- morency, and then passing that river to attack the French general in his intrenchments. SSdOTe 42. Accordingly on the 31st of July, General fist of Monckton with a large nmnber of troops, crossed the river and effected a landing a short distance above the Montmorency, where they were to be joined by Generals Townsend and Murray, who were to ford the stream at low water. But the ^id^of^ English grenadiers galled by the fire of the French iShfr"en- artillery, rushed tumultuously up toward dic in- adiers? , . , . . - , , trenchments without waiting for the troops who were to sustain them. Their courage proved their Chap. XV. ^lEGE OF aUEBEG. 189 ^ ruiiij for a close and well-directed fire from the 1759 enemy cut them down in great numbers. They ^^hywas fell back in confusion, after sustaining a loss of five com-^ hundred rnen, night approached, a heavy thunder- ji com- pelled to ith- draw his Storm set in, and Wolfe was compelled to give up ^'^^^p^' the attack, and withdraw his troops. 43. Disappointed thus far, and worn down with fatigue and marching. General Wolfe fell violently slid^'of* sick. Sc^trcely had he recovered, however, before woife? he proceeded to put in operation a plan he had fonned on his sick bed. This was to gain the }jjf " ^'^'^ heights of Abraham, and draw Montcalm to a gene- Sl'h^s'^ ral engagement. The camp at Montmorency w^as broken up, and the troops and artillery removed to . Point Levi, while to conceal their intention, the admiral retired a number of miles up the river. 44. On the night of the 12th r' September, the Howwa^ troops in boats glided silentl}^ down the river, and executed? landed within a mile and a half of the city, an horn- before day-break. Wolfe leaped on the shore fol- lowed by his men, and immediately began to as- cend the precipice. The guards were dispersed, and by the dawn of day, Wolfe with his little army fj^^jge" of five thousand men stood on the heights of Abra- woifp^» ham, in bold defiance of Montcalm and his over- whelming force. That was a proud moment for the leader of those gallant troops, but little did he dream as he thought of the coming conflict, that before night his body would be stretched cold in death on that bloody field. 45. Montcalm could hardly credit his own senses, ^hatw said of as he beheld the firm battalions of the English JJf^^- ariny drawn up in battle array on so advantageous 190 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. t art Ii M59 ^ position. He saw that an engagement was inev- itable, for unless they could be driven from their position, duebec was lost. "I see them," said he, " where they ought not to be, but since we must fight, I will go and crush them." And immediately with his whole army, he crossed the river and ad- vanced to the attack. 46. Wolfe, in the beginning of the battle, was struck by a musket ball in the wrist, but binding S^V/ his handkerchief around it, he continued to encour- durini asre his men. Shortly after he received another the bat- ° . . / *'*^^ ball in the groin ; this he also concealed, placed himself at the head of his grenadiers, and was . leading them to the charge, when he received a mortal wound. Col. Monckton was dangerously wounded b}^ his side, and the command devolved Of Mont- upon Townsend. About the same time, Montcalm received a mortal wound, and his second in com- mand also fell. 47. Wolfe, on receiving his last wound, was car- ried to the rear of the line ; there, leaning on the arm of an officer for support, he was seized with the Describe agouics of death. At this moment was heard the momfnts distant shout, " Thei/ Jly^ they fly ! " The dying twocom- hero raised his drooping head, and eagerly asked, manders. I o J o J 7 ^^'Who fly?" On being told, "The French,'^ "Then," he replied, "I die happy;" and expired. Montcalm lived to be carried to Quebec, and when informed that his wound was mortal, he replied, "I shall not then live to see the surrender of Quebec." jWhen citV^stir. Five days after the battle the city surrendered. An endor? j^^^^^j^p^ ^^g^g i^ade by the French to retake it i^ 760. the following springy but it was unsuccessful. CHap.XVI, TREATY OF PEACE. 191 48. Shortly after, they were compelled to evacu- it 63 ate Montreal, and were driven from all the important posts in Canada. In 1763 a treaty of peace was con- when eluded in Paris, by which France ceded to Great Se 1 . con- Britain all her northern settlements in America, f^^lf^^^ The bloody war which had so long raged upon the cedSi to American frontiers, was at length closed, and the bSh? provincial soldiers returned to their homes to enioy what r ^ J »f ^vas the a short respite of peace before they again took the "fruLie field. The next struggle in which we shall see provin- them engaged, will be the struggle for liberty against diera^. the tyranny of England. CHAPTER IVL CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 1. We are now to detail the causes of events, whai the most interesting of any in the history of the hive we 1 ^ now to world ; the overthrow of tyranny and despotism in ^^^'^^^^ the United Colonies, and the erection there of an altar, sacred to liberty. A dark cloud had hung over the nations of the Old World for more than a was the condition thousand years. The rulers were the rich and the w^fd^^** great, and the rod of empire was swayed by them thrnev with no gentle hand. The groans of the down- trodden and oppressed arose faintly through the gloom which surrounded them, yet they entered the ear of the Most High, and he, in his own good 192 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Part I. t^Q^ lime formed a plan for the civil and religious emancipation of the world. v^'h-it 2. A new era was to commence in the West. basVof The linkj which for ages had bound England to einment Amcrica, bv the corroding^ influence of evil minis- [].o v-esfc"? ^^1*^5 ^^^^ to be broken ; a new government was to be formed, based on the principles of justice to all, in which the voice of the lowest as well as the highest could be heard. What 3. The causes of the great American Revolution. .4u?eso1* which ended in the firm establishment of our lib- the Rev- .,.,., oiution? erties, lay m the jealousy, tyranny, and oppression What is o^ ^^^ English government. The British king, theV^t- hke Rehoboam, '' forsook the counsel which the old '"^' men gave him, and took counsel with the young men, that were brought up with him, that stood before him," and, in effect, said to the colonies "Whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke : my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scor- whatdid pions." And "when the people saw that the king pie dot would not hearken unto them, they took counsel among themselves, and a shout went up from every hill and valley, city and hamlet, mountain and plain, from the rock of Plymouth, to the lagoons of Florida, ' To your tents, O Israel !' " ^rjj^t 4. They had freely expended their blood and coitni^is treasure for the maintenance of the power of the the' Brit. British crown. They had rushed to the battle-field Brown? ^^^ endured every hardship, when the home gov- ernment demanded their aid, and then patienti) submitted to manifest wrong from the very hand their loyalty and prowess had strengthened. They Ckiap. XVI. SYSTEM OF TAXATION. 193 had ever regarded England with reverence and i^ye^ affection, and never dreamed of leaving the pater- ^^ nal roof, until the unholy chastisement of a parent's telardl" hand alienated their love, expelled them from the threshold, and compelled them to seek shelter and whatdid ^ *■ ^ ^ her treat- security behind the bulwarks of a righteous insur- ^If ,.^^*4^^ them to rection. do? 5. In the early period of their colonial existence, Great Britain had troubled them but little about not Eng-' land trou- their internal policy, being satisfied with a monop- \^^^ ^^ oly of their trade. She wished also to obtain pe?io(?'oi , . . . ^ 1 'PI their co- then* assistance m the prosecution oi the warioniaiex ^ istence 1 against the French. The colonies had increased in strength and pop- how had ulation, and the war ended in the acquisition of a ended? vast amount of territory to the English crown. ^^^^^ Then when prudence would have dictated a relaxa- wouil tion of their authority, they rose in their demands KLVdS *'■'.•' . tated to and increased their restraints. They imposed heavy {fsf^^amj and crushing taxes to pay off a national debt of courL more than one hundred and fifty million sterling, take?^ They forgot that the Americans were descended from the same forefathers as themselves, and heirs to the same rights. To bearing their share in the expenses of the ^^ ^^^^ war, the colonies had made no objections ; but they cofon^sl. did object to that system of taxation in which they **^^^*^'' had no right to be heard. 6. In 1765, Lord Grenville having previously given what ' ^ ^ . scheme notice of his intentions to the American agents m ^'J'X^ec London, introduced into parliament a long-cheiished jiam^nt scheme for the purpose of raisinsr a revenue from "mi by ° whom! the American colonies by means of a stamp duty. 9 194 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Part I. tTGS Petitions poured in against it from the Americans, How was ^"d at first it met with a strong opposition in the ceivld-n House of Commous. the House? 7, Charles Townsend, at the close of an eloquent What speech on the side of the ministry, asked, "And "tmarS® tliosc Amcricaus, children planted by our care. lendTn' uourislied by our indulgence, and protected by our Ho^seofarms until they have grown up to a degree of mons? strength and opulence, will they grudge to con- tribute their mite to relieve us from the heavy load of national expense which we lie under? " What 8. Col. Barre immediately arose and indignantly gpiy of exclaimed, " Children planted by your care ! No ! your oppression planted them in America. They fled from your tyranny into a then uncultivated land, where they were exposed to all the hardships to w^hich human nature is liable. 9. " They nourished by your indulgence ! No ! They grew by your neglect. " They protected, by your arms ! They have no- bly taken arms in your defense ; they have exerted their valor amid their constant and laborious in- dustry for the defense of a country which, while its frontiers were drenched in blood, has yielded all its little savings to your emolument." He conclud- ed by saying that " the people were loyal, but would vindicate their liberties if they should be violated.' 10. But the eloquence of Col. Barre and the remonstrance of the colonies could not change the wiplS? avaricious feelings of parliament, and the bill passed ikiarchs. by a large majority. Short-sighted legislators, poor readers of human nature, who did not see that in (he passage of an act so odious to the colonies, they CHap.XVI. STAMP ACT. 195 were awakening an opposition and spirit of mde- i ^g^ pendence among them, which would materially ~" weaken their own power. The night after the bill passed, Dr. Franklin wrote to Mr. Charles Thorn- what did son, " The sun of liberty is set ; you must light up wri"e to the candles of industry and economy." Mr. Thom- Thom- •^ "^ son, and son answered, " I was apprehensive that other ^afhis lights would be the consequence, and I foresee the ^^^^' opposition that will be made. " 11. By this act, no written instrument could be what legal unless stamped paper was used, which they provi- were compelled to purchase at an exorbitant price ^^^^^^^^ of the British agents. For a breach of this law fo^r"fts^ they were to be tried without j ury before any marine court in the colonies. The news of its passage how was . T^ 1. the news was received with sorrow and dismay. Parliament ^^J^^ had turned a deaf ear to their petitions, and showed by'^th?*^ by the passage of the act a determination to treat ^°"*^* them, not as English citizens, but as servants and slaves. They must either surrender without a to what •^ ^ alterna- struggle their liberty, or oppose strongly and firmly l^cy'^^^'^ the grasping avarice of a nation the most powerful "^"'^''^ in the world, and to which they had been accus- tomed to turn their eyes with fond affection as their 'mother land." 12. They were not long in making up their de- cision and proclaiming it to the world. The Vir srinian legislature was in session when the infor- mation arrived. Patrick Henry, then a young saJji.o[ man, but possessed of brilliant talents, opposed it "^^""^^ with all the strength of his great mind. He brought before the house five resolutions which were adopt- \f^^^^^ ed, and w^hich closed by declaring, " That any in- SScei'^^ 1.96 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Part I. 1T65 dividual, who, by speaking or acting, should assert or maintain that any class of men except the general assembly of the province, had a right to impose taxation, he should be considered an enemy to his Majesty's colony." 13. In advocating these resolutions, he boldly What did denounced the poUcy of the British government, eating ^^d declared that the king had acted the part of a them? tyrant. Growing warm with his subject, and al- luding to the fate of other tyrants, he exclaimed, with flashing eyes and in thunder tones, " Csesar had his Brutus, Charles I. his Cromwell, and George III." " Treason ! treason !" arose from every part of the house. Pausing a moment until the tumult had ended, he added, "may profit by their example. If this is treason, make the most of it." W|je 14. Similar sentiments flew like lightning through ^^n\; the other States. The tongues and pens of the trfk^^ citizens labored in kindling the latent sparks of patriotism. The press strongly opposed the innova- tion, and called upon the citizens to resist it. Be- J^j^at fore the proceedings in Virginia had become known theieliv ij^ Massachusetts, her legislature passed a resolu- MaTsa-^ tion lu favor of a continental congress, fixed a day chusetts . ^^ , ^ . . • -^j -XT 1 1 passed m October lor its meetmer m JNew York, and sent prior to o . 7 ^^^' letters to the speakers of the other colonial legisla- tures requesting their concurrence. 15. On the first Tuesday in October, delegates When from all the States excepting Virginia, North Caro- congress Una, Georgia, and New Hampshire, assembled in bie? New York, and agreed upon a declaration of rights asserting, in strong language^ their exemption from Chap. XVI. CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. 197 all taxes not imposed by their own representa- 1^65 tives, their right of trial by jury, and drew up a how ma- petition to the king with memorials to both houses nfesvie're of parliament. The memorials were signed by all rented, * o *' and what tlie delegates excepting Thomas Ruggles of New dfd'they York, and Mr. Ogden of New Jersey. '^^'• 16. On the arrival of the first of November, the day on which the obnoxious stamp act was to go into operation, hardly a sheet of the stamped pa- per w^hich had been sent to America could be found. It had been destroyed or re-shipped to Eng- land. The general aversion to the act was de- Sei^^^ monstrated in a variety of w^ays. In Boston, the toThe*' . . . ' stamp morning which ushered it into existence, spoke ^on-**®* forth the destroying agency, in the mournful accents ^^'^^^^^ of the funeral knelL Shops and stores were closed ; eflSgies of unpopular characters were paraded through the streets and burned. 17. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the day ^^^^^ t\"as ushered in with strong evidences of hostility p^^^e in ^nd grief. Notice having been given to the friends n^JJutix, of liberty to attend her funeral, a coffin inscribed with the word " Liberty, " was borne along in sol- emn procession to the grave. The muffled drums, the death march, the booming minute guns, and the tolling bells as they threw out their mournful tones upon the air, gave evidences of the greatness of their bereavement. On their arrival at the place of interment, a eulogium was pronounced upon the deceased. Scarcely was it ended before the coffin was taken up, the inscription was changed to " Liberty revived," the bells exchang- 198 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. part i, 1T65 ed their melancholy for a joyous peal, and satis- faction appeared on every countenance. ^vhatin 18- In New York, the act was printed under the YoXand title of "The folly of Enorland, and the ruin of indifter- . . "^ . ^ ' ent parts America," and distributed through the streets. country? j^ different parts of the country, the stamp-mast ers were compelled to resign their offices to prevent being mobbed. The stamp act was so formed that the penalty of disobedience would be no less than suspension of the whole machinery of the political and social order, and the creation of a state of anarchy. What ef- 19- Neither trade nor navigation could proceed, wSuid no contract could be legally made, no process S^^'^th? ^g^^^s^ ^1^ offender could be instituted ; no appren- couatry? ^.j^g could be indented ; no student could receive a diploma, nor even could the estates of the dead be legally settled, or the marriage ceremony performed, until the stamp duty was paid. By degrees, how- ever, things began to assume their usual course, and all kinds of business were transacted in open defiance of the act. S^^'" 20. Associations under the title of the "Sons of Eocia tions we"re Liberty," were formed in every part of the country. ind for' They denounced the stamp act as being an out- purrose? y^gQ Q^^ ^i^Q British constitution, and resolved that they w^ould defend those who fell into the hands of British tyranny, on account of their clinging to their rights as freemen. Merchants resolved to import no more goods from Great Britain until the act was repealed, and families denied themselves the use of foreign luxuries. 21. The information of the violent proceedings Cliap. XVI. STAMP ACT REPEALED. 199 of the colonies, was received in England with con- n^oo sternation and alarm. It was well that about this how did time Lord Grenville was dismissed, and the Mar- reclive"^ quis of Ror.kingham, a friend of the Americans, ap- news pointed in his place. He, with many others, felt '^^]l^l^ that tlie stamp act could only be enforced at thepkcein point of the bayonet, and that it must be repealed istry, S ' . howdiJ or the death knell of their power would be tolled in ^^^y^ ^^^ America. IS' 22. A proposition for its repeal was accordingly laid before parhament. Lord Grenville strongly Lord _ opposed it, and declared that to repeal the act would apposing disgrace the government and encourage rebellion, peli/''' He demanded when the Americans Av^ere emanci- pated, and by what reason they claimed exemp- tion in defraying expenses incurred in protecting them? 23. Mr. Pitt arose to reply. In his speech he what ^ / ^ ^ was Ml. said, " We are told America is obstinate — America ^l^^^ ''«* is in open rebellion. Sir, I rejoice that America has resisted. Three millions of people so dead to all the feelings of liberty as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of all the rest. 24. " When, asks the honorable gentleman, were the colonies emancipated? At wliat time, say I in answer, were they made slaves? I speak from ac- curate knowledge, when I say the profit to Great Britain from the trade of the colonies is two mil- lions per annum. This is the fund which carried you triumphantly through the war. This is the price America sends you for protection ; and shall a miserable pensioner come with a boast that he can 200 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Parf I. IT 66 fetch a pepper-corn into the exchequer at the loss of millions to the nation ? 25. " I know the valor of your troops — 1 know the skill of your officers — I know the force of this country — but in such a cause, your success would be hazardous. America, if she fell, would fall like the strong man : she would embrace the pillars of the state and pull down the constitution with her. 26. " Is this your boasted peace, not to sheathe the sword in the scabbard, but in the bowels of your countrymen ? The Americans have been wronged, they have been driven by injustice ! Will you punish them for the madness which you have occasioned ? No, let this country be the first to resume its prudence and temper ; I will pledge my- what self for the colonies, that on their part ani- dkT^'he mosity and resentment will cease. Upon the whole, conclude? j ^^jjj ^^jj ^^iq housc iu a few words, what is my opinion. It is that the stamp act be repealed, ab- solutely, totally, and immediately." Did the 27. The eloquence of Pitt and other kindred Housed spi^'ts ^^ length prevailed, and the bill passed the mo?s"? House of Commons, but in the House of Lords it met with violent opposition. Lord Camden, in were the advocatlug the cause of the colonies, said, " Taxa- remarks fen^T ^^^^ ^^^ representation are mseparable ; it is an House of eternal law of nature ; for whatever is a man's own is absolutely his own; no man has a right to take it from him without his consent. Whoever attempts to do it, attempts an injury ; whoever does it commits wTm Ihe ^ i*ol)bery." The bill of repeal, after a stormy de- Jiaff''®' bate, finally passed ; but accompanied with a decla- receiAed, in Eng- Cliap. XVI. NEW ACTS OF T\RANNY. 201 ratoiy actj which declared that parUamen*. had a tTt>(5 right to hind the colonies hi all cases whatever, 28. The news of the rejeal was received with ^^.^uas Mhe liveliest expressions of gratitude and joy. All England joined in the applause. The ships in the iand? river Thames displayed their colors, and the city was illumined. In America, public thanksgivings ^^^^.^^ were held, English goods imported, and a general A"^«"^^' calm succeeded the storm which had raged so vio- lently. 29. By the people of New England and New whm York, less joy and gratitude were displayed and felt, feeifngs® They feared, from the passage of the declaratory l^,^^fX act, that this was only a truce in the war against ^"^"^^^ American rights. In the mirror of the past they saw reflected the future, and trembled at the picture. The result showed that their suspicions were just, what 11 •! •• 11 'xi* change A change m the ministry took place in July, in '". Mi^ ^ ./ r J 1 ministry which the Marquis of Rockingham was removed, p^lJee in and a new cabinet formed under the direction of "^' Ml*. Pitt, afterward Earl of Chatham. 30. In June, 1767, during the confinement of 1757. Mr. Pitt in the country by sickness, Charles Town- send, chancellor of the exchequer, brought before ^^^?^^ Parliament another plan for taxing America, by fKck. imposing duties on all tea, glass, and painter's col- SiTput ors, which should be imported into the colonies. The bill passed both houses with but little opposi- tion, and also another, appointing officers of the navy as custom-house officers, to enforce the act of J^^at trade and navigation. Previous to this new act of fRTfs' tyranny, the legislative power of New York had po^er of been suspended, until it should furni?^i the king's ^°nded7 9* 202 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION* Parti. 1168 troops with certain supplies at the expense of the colony. KS 31. Early in 1768 the general court of Massa- ofMassa- chusctts scnt a petition to the kinff, and addressed chusetts , ^ . . J^ggi" circular letters to the colonial assemblies, asking for their co-operation in obtaining the redress of th?min- their grievances. The ministry were alarmed, istrv (Ig- mandof and demanded of the court, that they should rescind court? |.]^g y^^Q directing circulars to be sent. The assem- ttie%ty- bly refused, and the governor dissolved them. This on'their attempt to intimidate did but strengthen the oppo- refusal? ^ to ri sition. S^of ^^- Shortly after this, a sloop belonging to John Seofa' Hancock was siezed by the custom-house officers, for violating some of the new commercial regula- tions. The houses of the officers were attacked by the people, and they compelled to leave the town. The refractory spirit of the citizens of Bos- what ton had been displayed on so many occasions, that was Gen. r J J 7 Sctld'^to General Gage was directed to station a regiment ^^' of soldiers in the city, to overawe the citizens, and protect the officers in the discharge of their duty. How ma- 33. Two rcffimeuts were accordingly ordered on ny regi- o »/ ^ JfveT^'^ from Halifax. On their arrival the troops landed dfd'they with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, took pos- session of the state house, and planted two pieces of cannon at the principal entrance. The appear- How ance of an armed force in their midst served only were .... . looked ^^ excite the indignation of the inhabitants. They ihe'ciu^ saw the hall of legislation poll ated by the tread of whut^" foreign mercenaries. Soldiers paraded the streets reason * ' tbTthciT ^^^^ guards mounted at the corners challenged them •Jig 5°*^* as they passed. The din of martial music, and the CJiap. XVI. VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS. 203 roar of artilleryj broke in upon the quiet of their if 69 sabbath, and their wives were exposed to insult from the soldiery, as they attended to the sacred duties of the sanctuary. 34. Early in the following year, resolutions pass- what ed both houses of parliament, censuring, in thetfon"' ^ ' °' passed Strongest terms, the conduct of the citizens of Mas- ^l^^fi^^ sachusetts, and directing the governor to make y'^ea^T"* strict inquiries, as to all treasons committed in that province since the year 1767, that offenders might be sent to England for trial. The legislature of ,7-. . . , . ^1 , , What did Vu-gmia, on the receipt oi that order, passed I'^so- {hejegis. iutions denying the right of the king to remove do'oS'^ an offender out of the colony away from his home the""^ and his friends, for trial. The governor, on hear- ing of the resolutions, immediately dismissed the assembly. 35. The members met in a private house, and J^^f^^ entered into a written agreement, not to import SlS^oi^ any of the taxed articles. Their example was dfsmlss- ed by the extensively followed. The assembly of Massachu- fnJ^^j^^i setts convened, but refused to proceed to business mintdid while an armed force surrounded the state house, tcMnto? and cannon were pointed at the door. The gov- ^l^'^^^i^ ernor refused to remove them, and they were ad- ofMaisi. journed to Cambridge. chusetu 36. Toward the close of the session, the govern- or requested them to provide funds to pay for the quartering of the troops, but they refused, declaring that they would never make any provisions to sup- port a standing army among them, in times of peace. The governor, therefore, prorogued the as- of the riot 204 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Part.. j^^^Qsembly, and was shortly after succeeded in oflSce by Governor Hutchinson. Whit DC- ^^' ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ March, an affray took place on"The between some of the regular troops and some rope- ofMarih? makcrs, in which the soldiers were beaten. Angry feelino^s were roused, and on the eveninof of the 5th a crowed of citizens attacked the city guards under Capt. Preston, pelted them with stones and snow Give »in ^ . ' Recount ballsj until the word to fire was given in return, when eight pieces w^ere discharged, three citizens were killed, and several wounded. The alarm im- mediately spread every where, the bells were rung, drums ' were heard, and the cry to arms was raised. 38. The citizens assembled in crowds, and could only be dispersed by the governor promising them that justice should be done in the morning. The troops were removed from the city, and Capt. Pres- meni^^ tou and his men tried for murder. Although the most intense excitement prevailed in the place, yet such w^as the love of justice, that the soldiers we^^ ail acquitted excepting two, who Avere convicted of manslaughter. 39. In Eno^land, on the very day of the com- Whatbill . . ^ ,? ' T 1 ^T 1 . 1 North°in- i^i^^^iou of this outragc, jLord JNortn was appointed into"p!r- to the ministry. He introduced a bill into parlia- hament? ^^^^-^^^ which passcd ou tlic 12th of April, removing the duties that had been laid in 1767, excepting those on tea, but still declaring their right of taxing whatfi- the colonies. For a long time, no tea was imported, duced"' and the effect was beginning to be severely felt by mentto the Commercial part of Great Britain. Parhamenl remove * fmrr!''tL? therefore passed an act permitting the East Indin What be came of Preston Chap. XVI. 'TEA THROWN OVERBOARD. 205 Company to import their teas into America free of 1773 duty in England. 40. The naked question of principle ou taxation ^hatis was thus presented. It was an insidious plan, but fhf^L the ener^sfv of the Americans foiled it most sipfnally. thus^pre- ^•^ . sentedi Three pence a pound on tea was nothing, but the principle of tyranny was strong, and the re- sistance was as unyielding as though it had been an act of confiscation. Tea was accordingly shipped from England in vast quantities, but on its arrival, the people refused to receive it. In JJ[|5^^„ Charleston, the tea was landed, but not permitted vaiortha to be offered for sale; and being stored in damp cellars, finally perished. 41. In Boston, a larcre company of men diss^uised whatdiu as Indians, went on board the ships during the pjf^^^^^ night and threw the cargoes into the water. Three ?tV^^ hundred and forty-two chests were thus broken open and the contents thrown into the harbor. Parliament, in order to punish the inhabitants of what did * parha- Boston, passed the " Boston Port Bill," which pre- ^^^'^J^^ vented the landing and shipping of goods at that h'abit"' place, and removed the custom house to Salem. ^"^ But the people of Salem refused to raise their for- whatdid '^ * , . the in- tunes on the ruins of their countrymen, and the ^j-|\^^,^ inhabitants of Marblehead generously offered them uehllT the use of their warehouses and harbor. 42. In the following March, two other bills what ty. ^ ^ rannical equally tyrannical passed both houses of parlia- {;[^J|^^j ment. One subverted the whole constitution and meluin charter of Massachusetts, taking all power out of loling the hands of the people, and vesting it in the crown. The other authorized the governor to 206 CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. Part I \l'j^ send to England or some other colony, for trial any person indicted for murder, or any other capital offence committed in aiding magistrates in the dis- charge of their duty. For what 43. Shortly after, General Gage arrived to super- did Gage sede Hutchinson as governor of the province, and also to enforce the odious "Port Bill." The as- resotu- sembly resolved that "the impolicy, injustice, inhu- the"as-^ manity, and cruelty of the act, exceed all our pow- pass? ers of expression," and declared that they would , leave it to the just censure of others, and appeal to the God of the world. w^hatdid ^^' ^^^ legislature of Virginia appointed the iaturepf Ist of Juuc, the day on which the act was to go doT"** into effect, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to implore God to give them one heart and one mmo? firmly to oppose by all just and prop- er means every injury to American rights. Gov- ernor Dunmore resenting this proceeding, dissolved the assembly. They, however, formed an associa- tion, resolved not to use any East India production, until the act was repealed, and concluded by pro- posing a " General Congress" of the colonies. When 45. On the 4th of Sep^^ember, the proposed con- did con- . ^ . ' , T . meet? g^'^^s, cousistmg of deputies from eleven colonies, assembled at Philadelphia. They passed a reso- JSSu: lution highly commending the conduct of Massa- they * , chusetts, iu the conflict with wicked ministers, and pass, and ' agree- ^xhortcd all to press on in the cause of liberty. itilfen^ They drew up a Bill of Rights — entered into an "°' agreement for themselves and for their constitu- what ents, to cease all importations from Great Britain, measures ' * St?^ and adopted measures for organizing committees Chap. XVI. MASSACHUSETTS ASSEMBLY. 207 in every town and city, to see that this agree- i>ii^ ment was enforced by every species of popular in- fluence. 46. They addressed a letter to General Gage, entreating him to desist from military operations. They also voted an address to the king ; one to Great Britain, and another to Canada. Their peti- tion to the king entreated him in eloquence the most affectionate and respectful, to restore to them their violated rights, their rights as English freemen, ^hatdin In their address to the Enghsh people they de-cEfrefn* clared ''that they never would be hewers of wood dress fo' 11 r n • • . . the Eng- and drawers of water, for any mmistry or nation m ^f^^p^*^" the world." 47. This frank expression of feeling on the part of the colonists arouse'd the indignation of the ESnd* British government. America, they said, had long expres-^^ wished to become independent, and to prevent this, ^eeUng? was the duty of every Englishman, and that it must be done at every hazard. 48. Boston Neck was fortified, and powder and ^^at other military stores in Cambridge and Charleston, Sf Sfefy by order of General Gage, removed to Boston. An adopts assembly was called in Massachusetts, but dissolved ^^^^^ by the governor. The members then met in Salem, alsembiy appointed a committee of safety, and supplied and chuS' sent messengers to New Hampshire, Rhode Island and what ^ ^ ' action and Connecticut, asking for their assistance in rais- ttleY^ ing an army of twenty thousand men to act in an emergency. England, although she could distinctly see the upheaving of the violence of colonial indig- nation, refused to listen to the warning sound, and determined upon another act of oppression. 208 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^,^ I^ CHAPTER XVll. REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 1. Matters were now rapidly approaching a saki of crisis ; the spirit of resentment was being fanned wT$'sis ^^^^ ^ flame ; a dark and bloody cloud was hovering iimef over the land, and the great question was soon to be decided, whether they should be slaves or free- men, whether their names should be blackened with the stigma of rebellion, or handed down to posterity as the saviors of their country. 2. On the 10th of February, a bill was passed bTu^^ restricting the commerce of the New England parnl- States, and forbidding^ them to fish on the banks ment on ' *-^ ofrlb-*^ of Newfoundland. The same restrictions soon ruary? ^{{qy extended to all the colonies. The people of What Massachusetts were pronounced rebels, and ten other ' ' fiuISs thousand men with several ships of the line ordered lowed"'" to America to enforce obedience. 3. The committee of safety and supplies had ^o^p^g^g^^ collected a large quantity of stores and ammuni- sm^ith"*^* tion at Concord, about twenty miles from Boston. pjtcairn* General Gage, deeming it advisable to obtain pos- to cSn-"^ session of them, sent out a detachment of eight hun- '"°'"'^- dred men, under the command of Col. Smith and Major Pitcairn. 4. Notwithstanding the precaution of the British officers, to prevent the spread of the intelligence, the march of the troops had been made known by Chap. XVII. LEXINGTON. 209 expresses and signal guns. On their arrival at 1775 l4exington, five miles from Concord, they saw the militia of the place were drawn up to receive how du\ them. The regulars approached within musket pie ^fe°- CGIVC tilt) shot, when Major Pitcairn riding forward with ^^IfJl'^^ drawn sword, exclaimed, " Disperse, you rebels ! JJJyachT throw down your arms and disperse." Not being obeyed, he discharged his pistol, and ordered his thld?- soldiers to fire. They fired, and killed eight men stances and wounded several others. The rest dispersed, "^^^^'"«- but the firing continued. The enemy then pro- ceeded to Concord, and destroyed the greater part of the stores. 5. The militia had in the mean time assembled and a skirmish ensued, in which a number were vvrhat killed. The British commenced their retreat, but ^"^"^"^^ were pressed on all sides by the now enraged Americans. At Lexington, they met Lord Percy, with a re inforcement of 900 men. They, however, contin- whowas ued their retreat. ^"^'^0"' 6. The whole country was in arms. Every wall, house, and tree, contributed to shelter some exasperated New Englander. A perpetual fire was kept up in this manner, during the whole length of their weary and laborious march, until at night, with the loss of two hundred and seventy-three how •^ great men, they encamped on Bunker's Hill, under the Es o*}f" protection of the men of war, and the next day Bunke"? passed over to Boston. 7. Intelligence of these events spread like wild fire through the country. The torch of war had 210 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. pj^^^ I. 1TT5 been lighted — blood had been offered on the allar y^y^.^^ of liberty : fearfully was the death of those patriots \y^T^ slain at Lexington and Concord to be avenged, events on Couriers galloped in every direction, beating a liuyT'^' drum, and shouting in tones, that thrilled every ear that heard, "To arms, to arms! hberty or death." The streets of Lexington and Concord have been soaked in blood, and the country is in a blaze. What is 8. Gen. Putnam heard it, and leaving his oxen Putnam? in the field, he stayed not to change his far- mer's dress, but springing on his swiftest horse, was soon seen speeding along the road to Boston. Those that saw that rough form fly past, knew that wild work would be done. Old asre with hands trembling from palsy, threw aside the cush ioned crutch, and grasped the deadly firelock. Me- chanics left their shops, and farmers the plough, and bursting away from their wives and children sped on to the field of battle, where liberty was to be bought with blood, yvi^at 9. Ill a few days a line of encampment stretched Sent of from Roxbury to the river Mystic, and the British camp- forces in Boston were environed by an army of ment J J formed? ^wcuty tliousaud men. In New Haven, on the news being known, Benedict Arnold, a druggist. What gathered around him a band of volunteers and fekl"^ marched on to the scene of strife. At Boston he formed the bold plan of seizing the important fortresses of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 10. Having received instructions from the com- raittee of safety to raise a sufficient number of men Chap. XVII, COL. ETHAN ALLEN. 211 for the purpose, he marched on to Bennington, 1^75 where he found that Col. Ethan Allen had collected ^^ho^ a large band for the same object. They marched fm^tSm on tos^ether at the head of three hundred men from Castle ton, and reached Ticonderoga on the 10th of May. 11. They advanced to the gateway, Arnold and oescnbe Allen entering side by side. A sentinel snapped fll^^^^ his fusee at Allen and retreated. Allen rushed up ImV' the stairs, and exclaimed in a voice of thunder as he reached the governor's room, "Come out here, you white-livered wretch, and surrender ! " The governor started up, and pale with terror, stammered out, "In whose name do you demand it?" "In the name," said Allen, " of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress !" 12. This was high authority, and the governor immediately surrendered. They were equally sue cessful in obtaining Crown Point. By this fortu- JJ"^^/^^^ nate expedition, executed without bloodshed, they Sed gained possession of two important fortresses, more expedt than one hundred cannon, and a large quantity of ammunition. On the 10th of May, the Continental Congress again assembled at Philadelphia, and issued bills 1^'^^^^^^ ^f credit to the amount of three miUions of dollars, g"rei?"n for defraying the expenses of the war, and pledged ^ tne faith of the United Colonies for their redemp- tion. 13. In May, the British army in Boston received ^^ry^^^ reinforcements from England, under Generals Howe, mentl"^ Clinton and Burgoyne, w4iich, together with the Biwsh garrison, formed an army of more than twelve 212 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Parti. 17 75 thousand men. General Gage now proclaimed What niartial law throughout the State, offering, how- K^Gen"^ ever, to pardon all rebels who would return to theii allegiance excepting Samuel Adams and .lohn Hancock. What or- 14. The Americans, learning that General Gagf we?e was determined to penetrate into the country h\ given to it* ♦/ ^ prlscott ^^^ ^^y ^^ Charlestown Neck, issued orders to Col. andwhy? Pi-ggcott ou the evcniug of the 16th of June, to take one thousand men and form an intrenchment on Bunker's Hill, an eminence which commanded the neck of the peninsula of Charlestown. By What some mistake they went farther on and occupied was Breed's Hill. At midnii]^ht those stern-hearted men made, ^ ^ dFd^he7 stood on the top while Putnam marked out the line succeed? ^^ intrcuchments. By daylight they had con structed a redoubt eight rods square, in which they could shelter themselves. What 15. In the morning the English officers and the the next peoplc of Bostou could haidlv believe their eyes as mommg? r ir J J they saw this redoubt almost over their heads. All now was bustle and confusion ; and, in two hours' time, all the artillery of the city, the ships of war, and the floating batteries, were pointed against that single silent structure. The city shook to the thun- der of cannon, and that lonely height rocked under the bombs and balls which tore up its sides. Still, those hardy men toiled on as they never toiled be- fore, heedless of the iron storm that rattled around them, until by noon they had run a trench nearly down to the Mystic river on the north. What 16. The cannonading having failed to dislodge noon? them, about noon General Gasfe sent a body of Cliap. XVII. BATTLE OF BUNKER's HILL, 213 about three thousand men, under Generals Howe and Pigot, to carry the height by assault. They left Boston in boats, and landing at Moreton's Point, under the protection of the shipping advanced in two columns, setting fire to Charlestown on their w^ay, by w^hich act two thousand people w^ere de- prived of their habitations. 17. The day w^as clear, not a cloud rested on the summer heavens. The soldiers on the hill gazed upon the moving mass below them with a stern and anxious eye. In the intervals of the roar of artillery, were heard the thrilling strains of martial music, while plumes danced and standards waved in the sunlight, and three thousand bayonets gleamed and shook over the dark mass below. 18. A solitary horseman moved swiftly over the 1115 What 13 said of the burn inj; of Charles- town ? What 18 said of the bat- tle? VICINITY OF BUNKER S HILL. 214 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^^ j, IT? 5 J^iiJij ^i^d I'o^^ up to Putnam. It was General War- whatof ^'^^- " ^^^^ ^^7" s^i^ '^^j while his lips quivered wTrren? with the excitemcnt, " where the onset will he heaviest,''^ " At the redoubt," said Putnam ; " Pres- cottis there, and will do his duty." Away galloped Warren, and as he rode up to the intrenchments, a loud huzza rent the air. ^hat 19. Nothing could exceed the excitement of the scene It scene at this moment. Stretched over that hill time? and out of sight lay fifteen hundred sons of Liberty, coolly awaiting the onset of the veteran thousands of England, and sternly resolved to prove worthy of the high destinies intrusted to their charge. The roofs and steeples and shores of Boston were black with spectators. Many of them had hus- bands, brothers, and lovers on the hill. At home, the earnest prayer went up to Heaven. With what intense longing each heart turned to the silent redoubt ! What or- ^^- The English advanced. Putnam rode along gfJen^y^ the liucs urgiug them not to fire until the com- '^"^"^'mand, and then aim at their tvaistbands. On came the battalions, stopping every few yards, to deliver their deep and regular volleys on the em- Describe bankments ; not a shot replied, but flashing eyes »e'- were there bent in wrath on the enemy, as they slowly ascended the hill and sternly closed foi the death struggle. That silence was more awful than the thunder of cannon — it told of carnage and death slumbering there. 21. When the hostile columns had almost was the reached the intrenchments, the stern order "jpire" order ' ' ^i-eT ^^ rung with startling clearness on the air. A sheet Chap. XVII. BATTLE OP BUNKER's HILL. 215 of flame burst along that low dark wall, and down ^^^is went the enemy rank on rank, as that tempest of fire smote then* bosoms ; still the battalions strug- ^ gled against the deadly sleet, but all in vain. Fu- ^^^at rious with rage, the army broke and fled for the ^^f^"""^' shore. A loud huzza rose from the redoubt, which was answered by thousands of voices from Boston. 22. The English ofl[icers rode swiftly among their flying troops, and finally succeeded in rally- oescriba ing them. Again the drums beat their hurried ^^'^'^^ charge, and the columns pressed gallantly forward. On, on they came, shaking the firm ground with their heavy tread, until they stood breast to breast with that silent redoubt, when it again opened and sent forth a tempest of fire and lead, sweeping away the firm-set ranks like mists, in its path. Rank after rank went down before that fire, until the bravest gave way and rushed furiously down the hill. Again the triumphant huzzas rocked the height, and the slopes of that hill turned red with flowing blood. 23. At this critical moment, General Clinton ar- „,, ^ ^ What ra- rived with reinforcements. By his exertions the jJIemTar- troops were again rallied, and a third time advanced "nl what to the charge. Throwing aside their knapsacks they pm- and reserving their fire, the soldiers, with tixed bayonets, marched swiftly and steadily over the heaps of their fallen companions, up to the in- trenchments. Only one volley smote them, for the Americans had fired their last cartridges and were without bayonets. Clubbing their muskets, they still beat back the enemy, until the order was given Describe to retreat. Putnam could not bear the idea of re- tf'eaJ'^' 216 REVOLUTIONARY WAR Part I. 1 1^15 treating, and attempted again to rally them. Find- ing his efforts in vain, he burst forth into a torrent What is of indignation. Warren, too, urged them to another Warren? effort. He reminded them that Heaven watched over their cause and would sustain their efforts. An English officer who knew him, snatched a musket from a soldier and shot him dead in his footsteps. 24. The Americans retreated with little loss What is across Charlestown Neck, which was swept by the loss? cannon, and finally took up their station on Wintei and Prospect Hills, still maintaining the command of the entrance to Boston. The battle-field re ^^^ mained in the hands of the English, but the victory Victors^ was ours. It had been a bloody day. Nearly two thousand slept in death on that height, fifteen hun- dred of whom were British soldiers. The news spread rapidly, and one long shout Avent up from every corner of the land. A^hat 25. In the mean time Congress had assembled at done in" Philadelphia. Once more they addressed letters to the mean ^ . , , . r r^ t» timehy t,he kms^, the mhabitants of Great Britam and gress? ii-eland, and at the same time published to the world the reason of their appeal to arms, whowas On the 15th of June, they elected Geoi'ge Wash- com- inffton by a unanimous vote to the hiffh office of mander- n j ^ o ^ in-chief? commander-in-chief of the United Colonies, and voted to raise an army of twenty thousand men. Washington, who was present, accepted the ap- waYh?'"^ pointment, expressing a sense of the high honoi mgion raceive his ap miSt? ^f ^he station. He refused to accept any compen- raceive wlilch hc had rcccived, and the vast responsibility his ap- ' 1 ^ Chap. XVII. APPOINTMENT OP GENERALS. 217 sation for his services, merely asking that Congress i^ts would defray his expenses. 26. In subordination to the commander-in-chief, ^^o Messrs. Ward, Charles Lee, Schuyler and Putnam, p^nteT were appointed major-generals ; Horatio Gates, ad- gene^ jutant-general ; and Messrs. Pomeroy, Montgomery and Wooster ; Heath, Spencer, Thomas, Sullivan and Greene, brigadier-generals. 27. Soon after his election, General Washington, accompanied by Lee, proceeded to Cambridge to take command of the army, which amounted to how about fourteen thousand men. He found them full th?^" of love to their country, but without tents and am- munition, destitute of discipline, and averse to ^a^ftheir subordination. By his own energy and the assist- tk»S' ance of Gates, order and discipline were soon in- troduced ; stores were collected, and every thing provided for carrying on their operations. 28. In July, Georgia chose delegates to Congress, Howma- increasing the number of the United Colonies to ^^^°^^^^ thirteen. ^^uir/" The British army was now closely blockaded in Boston, and Congress resolved to seize the opportu- congress nity of sending a force into Canada, and thus an- f^^/^ ticipating Sir Guy Carleton, the governor of that ^•^"^^*^* province, who was evidently preparing to attack the colonies. 29. The army of invasion consisted of about three tnou&and men. Two expeditions were plan ww ned : one by the way of Lake Champlain, under the peditions command of General Schuyler, aided by Generals pi^^^eu? Montgomery and Wooster ; the other by the way of the river Kenebec, under the (x^mmand of Arnold. 10 218 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part I. 1TT5 30. Arnold's march of above forty days through What is the wildernesSj at the head of more than a thou- A?no?d'8 sand men, is one of the most stupendous things through in the annals of war. He marched through a the wil- ^ ^ ° derness? forest more than two hundred miles in extent, climbing mountains and scahng precipices, drench- ed with rains, and wasted with toil, enduring cold and hunger. Bonaparte fleeing from Mos- cow, Julian retreating across the desert, and Su- warrow over the Alps, are wonderful events in history ; but the wonder would have been tenfold greater, had they encountered these perils and hardships in marching after an enem}^, instead of fleeing before one. 31. On the 9th of November, Arnold arrived at Describe Pojnt Lcvi, opposite (Quebec, and on the 13th aSebec. boldly led his men up the precipice, where Wolfe sixteen years before ascended to the field of his fame and his grave. Closing sternly around their leader, at early dawn these gallant troops stood in battle array upon the plains of Abraham. He sent a summons to the commander to surrender, which was treated with scorn. To have attempted to carry the place by storm, would have been mad- ness, he therefore withdrew his troops twenty miles above Quebec, and awaited the arrival of Mont- gomery. whom 32. A severe illness prevented General Schuyler mS'dde- f^*^^ goi^^g ^^ Canada, so that the whole command anlTwhy? of this expedition devolved on Montgomery. On When the third of November, he took possession of St. did they ^ ^ feision'' J^^bns, and then proceeded to Montreal, which ca- S?"' pitulated on the 13th, Governor Carleton having Cliap. XVII. SIEGE OF QUEBEC. 219 previously abandoned the place and fled to due- ii'js bee. 33. On the 1st of December, Montgomejy ar- ^^at rived, and uniting his forces with those of Arnold, Sit^on marched to duebec, then garrisoned by a superior my when force. The army was in a miserable condition. fJ^S? Worn out with fatigue, its numbers thinned by the ra rages of the small-pox and the severity of the winter, they were but poorly prepared to capture a place like Q^uebec. 34. After a siege of three weeks in the midst of ^^^^ winter, it was determined to attempt the place by ^{Jack^ assault. On the last day in the year, in the S""^*^ midst of a heavy snow storm, the army in four divisions made the attempt. Two divisions were to make feigned attacks on the upper town, while Montgomery and Arnold with the other divisions, were to attack the lower town, at opposite points, intending to meet. 35. Montgomery advanced on the banks of the^^^^^^^ river, lifting with his own hands at the huge blocks Mont°^ of ice, digging away the snow, and cheering on his ^"""^^^^ men as they, one by one, struggled through. With his sword waving over his head, he rushed forward to the pickets followed by his devoted soldiers. After one discharge from the battery, the gunners tied, the pickets were forced, but on entering, the discharge of a wall-piece from a neighboring house stretched Montgomery lifeless on the bloody snow. The officer next in command immediately ordered a retreat. Soon all had fled excepting one boyish who re- form, who stood by the mangled body of Mont- wfththe I'll -1 mi r • corpse 01 ffomery, his dark eye wet with tears. Ihat lair ^^«"t- ffomery ? 220 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Parti. ITT 5 boy, covered with the blood of fight, was he who m after years was almost president of the United States and emperor of Mexico — Aaron Burj\ whafis 36. In the mean time, Arnold had entered the aAiow? town at the head of his troops, bravely fighting, when his leg was shattered by a cannon ball, and much against his will he was carried to the rear. „ The command then devolved on Capt. Morgan, What of r & ? Morgan? -^vijo prcsscd on tlirough the storm of grape shot, and fought desperately for a number of hours, when he was compelled to surrender the remnant of his brave band prisoners of war. What of 37. The death of Montgomery was deeply la pomery's mcuted. He died in the flush of heroism, in the pride of early manhood, before the laurels which were green on his brow could fade in the poisonous breath of envy and jealousy, which the great and the good so often and so keenly feel. He left on the rock of Quebec bis blood, and to his coun- try the legacy of his fame. A monument was erected to his memory in St. Paul's church, New York. 38. Arnold retired after his repulse three miles Whywas ^ Obliged below Quebec, where he remained during the a^e^can"-" wiutcr, kept the place in a state of blockade, ^he and reduced it to distress for want of provisions. ispnng ? • Early in May, General Carleton having received reinforcements from England, the Americans were obliged to make a hasty retreat, and on the 18th of whatis June they entirely evacuated Canada. Thus ended coiidu- the expedition against Canada, having proved an theexpe- entire failure. We can now see, that it was well z^adii foi' our independence that it did so, as the protection CUap. XVII. EVENTS ON THE SEA-BOARD. 221 of the province would have drawn away too many 17^5 men from more important colonies. ~ 39. While these events were transpiring on our ^^at northern frontiers, English ships were laying waste were^ towns and cities upon our Atlantic coast. Bristol, ring on in Rhode Island, and Falmouth in Massachusetts, jjj^^^^^ were burned by the orders of Capt. Mowatt of the fh^'"^ British navy, because they had taken part in the rebellion. Congress thought it time to turn their attention to the construction of armed vessels. Thirteen were accordingly fitted out, a navy estab- J^^|f/*' lished, and a large number of privateers licensed, fit°S^ which scoured the seas and did great injury to the English commerce. 40. Gen. Washington employed in the service what several cruisers to intercept the store ships of the done bsr ^ ^ » the crui- enemy. Regular courts of Admiralty were estab- ^^'"^^ lislied for the adjudication of prizes, and by these timely measures much good was accomplished. 41. One of the most fortunate leaders in these what by enterprises was Captain Manly, of Marblehead. mS^'S He captured an English ship loaded with ordnance tion? stores and ammunition of immense value at that time. Among them was a large brass mortar on a new construction, which he called the Congress. An invoice, it is said, could scarcely have been formed of articles better suited to the pressing wants and circumstances of the army. Cargoes of pro- visions and various kinds of stores were seized to What 1=5 a very considerable amount. l^Q^iil 42. It is said that the distresses of the Bostonians thTBos**^ and the troops there, exceeded the possibility of dSg^ description. They were almost in a state of star- ^^^f 222 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. PaFt 1* vi'7 5 vatiorij and suffering for want of fuel. The wretch^ ed inhabitants were totally destitute of vegetables, flom*j or fresh provisions, and were actually obliged to feed on horse flesh. A number of houses were taken down, and pews were removed from churches to supply them with fuel. JJ^rtf ^^' 43. Efforts were still made by the British minis ma?e by try, to dotach New York from the confederacy, and ish to to retain the colony under their influence. To detach ^ *' ^^J^ this end, they restored Governor Tryon, who was uSwnf ^ greatly beloved by the people, and empowered him to make use of measures to bribe and corrupt in various ways. Congress immediately recommend- ^ItS^^' ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ persons, whose going at large would meSd? endanger the liberty of America, should be ar- rested and secured." On hearing this intelligence. Gov. Tryon was obliged to take refuge on board a ship in the harbor. 44. Virginia, during this year, was involved in said of difficulty through the insolent conduct of the royal arid vS-® governor. Lord Dunmore. The government of ^'"^^" Virginia was now in the hands of the colonial assembly, but Lord Dunmore, who had retired to the king's ship, did not abandon all hopes of re- gaining his former station ; and in November, he issued proclamations, instituting martial law, and promised freedom to such slaves as would leave their nriasters, and join his party. Many loyalists and negroes joined his numbers, when Dunmore left his ships and occupied a strong position near Norfolk. The Virginians took post nearly oppo- site. 45. Lord Dunmore being completely defeated, ciir;ed at Norlolk? hat was the Chap. XVII. LAST OVERTURES FOR PEACE. 223 again repaired to his ships, where, with his party it 75 of royaUsts, he became reduced to great distress, ^a~ for w^ant of provisions. He sent a flag to Norfolk ? demanding a supply for his Majesty's ships, which being refused by the provincial commander, he set fire to Norfolk and reduced it to ashes. 46. By this inhuman act nearly 6,000 persons wii? were deprived of habitations, and three hundred fi^fi"!^,f thousand pounds sterling were lost. At length he was obliged to relinquish all at- ^r^ere tempts to regain his government, and finally, after mtreT suffering from famine, tempest, and disease, sought refuge in the Southern Islands. 47. Royal government generally terminated this year, throughout the country, the king's gov- royii"^^ ernors abdicating their governments, and taking ST' refuge on board the English shipping. this yean 48. An act was passed, prohibiting all trade and commerce with the colonies ; and authorizing the "ct wL capture of all American and other vessels found CypaJL- tradins^ with the colonies, and the crews of these this ^ > ^ ^ time captured vessels were to be treated not as prisoners, but as slaves, 49. The colonists had sent over their last peti- what tion, styled the Olive Branchy to the king ; but both ^ffgP^j}jj! houses of parliament refused to hear it, alleging "ale to .1..1 iix • •.• • secure a that they could not receive any proposition commg recon- from an unlawful assembly. Until nov/, they andhow hoped for reconciliation with the mother country. JSed? This was enough. The rejection of this last peti- tion determined the eternal separation of Great the^re ^ jectionof Britain and the colonies — the suppliants were sup ^^^%l;f pliants no longer. The flag, which had hitherto petition flo? 224 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Parti- IT 15 been plain red, was changed to thirteen stripes, What emblematical of the union of the colonies. wa^s ^^ 50. At the close of this year (1775), the American made in J \ /i change was the flag? army was almost entirely destitute of the supplies ^^.^^^ necessary for carrying on the war, and the terms was th^e f^y enlistment of all the troops expired with the the arniy b*ate at the year. Although active measures had been taken close of •; _ . * 111 /. -r^ ^^75? for enlistmg troops, yet on the last day of December when the old troops were to be disbanded, there were but 9,650 men enlisted for the ensuing year. CHAPTER XVIII. CAMPAIGN OF 1776. 1776. 1. General Washington had continued the block- ade of Boston, during the winter of 1775-6, and at How , 1 1 ' 1 . , . \ Bosto^n^^ last resolved to brmg the enemy to action. It was bfodc- thought expedient to fortify Dorchester Heights, what^" which commanded the harbor and British ship- last re- pinff. The night of the 4th of March vv^as selected solved r ci o upon] f^y ^Y^Q attempt-— and a bright full moon favored What is them in their toilsome employment. The amount The forti- of labor performed through the night, considering borches- the depth of the frozen earth, was incredible. Heights? Qyq^i preparations were made to defend themselves from the raking fire which they expected from the enemy's ships. General Washington, was present animating the soldiers, and they in turn manifested warm hearts in the service. Cnap. XVIII. BLOCKADE OF BOSTON. 225 2. The surprise of the British the next morix.iig 17 to cannot easily be conceived. A few moments suf- ^^.j^^ti^ ficed to tell Gen. Howe the advantage the Ameri- oen/"* cans had rained, and no alternative remained for -^i^d ^ ^ ' what him but to dislodge them or retire, for his vessels ^[f ^If were too much exposed to remain in the harbor. ing^?he It was his wish to attack the Americans, but a cans j violent tempest of wind and rain came on the night after, and obliged him to abandon his enterprise. ^^^ ^.^ The Americans looked on this as the work of a ^i'j^eri- kind Providence, in frustrating a design which ga?d thia must have been attended with immense slaugh- ter. 3. On the morning of the 17th of March, the when royal army commenced their embarkation, and the royaiar- . . my leave inhabitants beheld, with great joy, the whole fleet ^0=^^°"- under sail. By this event they were reliev"ed from a force Howma- of 7,575 regulars, exclusive of the staff, which, ^J„!^""^^' with the mariners and sailors, may be estimated at about 10,000 in the whole. 4. This force greatly exceeded the five regiments ^^^^^^^ with which Gen. Grant vauntingly boasted inEng- grant's land that he could march successfully from one England? end of the American continent to the other. Fif- • 1 /» 1 • 1 I • How ma- teen hundred tones left trie country with then* f/f^^^jjf families on board the transports with the army, not '^"""^•'y' knowing what part of the world was to be their home. What » 5. The houses and streets of Boston presented a the con- * dition of deplorable scene to the army as they entered. ^f^f/^'Jha Wretchedness and desolation were written on every tur^e^of side, and reflected disgrace on the late occupants, tro^ops? 10* 226 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Parti. 1 7^ »7 6 A spacious brick building which, for more than a century, had been consecrated to the service of God, was occupied as a riding school for Burgoyne's regi ment of dragoons. A beautiful pew ornamented with carved work and silk furniture, was demolish- ed, and the carved work used, by order of an officer, as a fence for a hogstye. v^hauid 6. Gen. Washington requested the Rev. Dr. Eliot reqtSt ^^ preach a thanksgiving sermon, which he did on Dr.EUot? the 28th, from Isaiah xxxiii. 20, in the presence of his Excellency and a numerous audience. What The remains of that hero and patriot, Major was done ^ ' ** remain^s^ Geu. Warrcu, were taken from the earth at Breed's wSkui Hill, placed in an elegant coffin, and brought into the Stone Chapel. After the eulogy was pro- nounced, the remains were deposited in the vault long had uudcr the chapel. The port of Boston was now the port ^ . again opened, having been closed during two years, by order of an act of the British parliament. What 7. The British resolved on two expeditions for tions the campaign of 1776, besides the relief of Q^uebec Forthe"^ and the recovery of Canada. The object of one Snof expedition was to reduce the Southern Colonies— the command of which was given to Gen. Clinton arid Sir Peter Parker; the object of the other was whosuc- to gain possession of New York. The command Gage? of ^-his was givcu to the successors of Gen. Gage. Admiral and Sir William Howe. What is 8. During this time the most melancholy ac- thecon- counts were received from our army in Canada: dition of ^ ^ 1 ^y^^' they were subjected to great hardships, sufferings, Canada? ^^^ privatious. Destitute of provisions, sinking under fatigue, and reduced by the small-pox, which of Boston been closed ? Cl>ap. XVIII. DEATH OP GEN. THOMAS. 227 was attended with unexampled mortality, they i^'te were in a state bordering on desperation. Reinforcements had been ordered by Congress, but when they arrived, they were worn out and sinking under disease. 9. Gen. Thomas succeeded Arnold in the com- „,, What mand, and endeavored to reduce duebec. He sent ^y^etn"® a fire ship down the St. Lawrence, to destroy the ii!lfwith governor's vessels, intending, in the confusion which success? would ensue, to make a desperate assault on the town. The design was discovered by the garrison, and the attempt failed. On that very day, several British vessels came in sight, bringing reinforce- ments,, and thus cutting off any communication whywM between the different parts of the American camp. Thomas ^ ^ obliged Gen. Thomas was obliged to retreat in the greatest J^^jo- precipitation, leaving behind him the baggage, ar- tillery, and whatever else might have impeded the march. 10. Many of the sick fell into the hands of Gen. what Carleton, who treated them with great kindness, they^^ After a toilsome retreat of 45 miles without halting, with on ^^ their re- they reached the river Sorel, where, in addition to ^'^^^• all their sufferings, they were called upon to part with their brave General Thomas. He was vio- lently seized with small-pox, which in a few days who proved fatal, when the command devolved upon «e1i. r. Q ir Thomas? Gen. Ibuuivan. 11. The British forces in Canada under Gen. iTi'A- was tne Frazer, now numbered 13,000. The general place SHhe' of rendezvous was Three Rivers, but a party un- force L ^ 1 Canada? der Gen. Nesbit was near them on board the trans- where ports : while one exceeding the other in number they%ta * ** fioned"! SIIC> ceeded 228 REVOLUTIO.^ARY WAR. Fart L J TTG with Generals BurgoynCj Cailetou, Philips, and Baron Reidesel, was on its way from Quebec. Forwhat l^. Gen. Sullivan dispatched Gen. Thompson waTcl^n. with a considerable body of troops to attack Geu. am (lis- Frazer at Three Rivers. Intendinsr to surprise him, patched, , ® ^ ' wai'the"^^ they sailed down the river by night, but were di^^ the^ixpe- covered and defeated with the loss of 200 prisoners. Adverse fortune followed the American arms in What is every part of Canada, althouo^h the contest dis- said ot -^ ^ ^ ' ^ ces/of ' played the mihtary character of the colonial officers the Ameri- iu thc most houorablc point of view. Gen. Sulli- causein vau soou rcccivcd orders to embark on the Lakes Canada ] for Crown Point, and thus ended the bold but un- successful attempt to annex Canada to the United Colonies. What 13. An official letter had been intercepted early news . , . '11 /• 1 K ht ^^ ^ yea**? announcmg the departure of a large anT^*" armament from England, under Sir Peter Parkei iST^ and Gen. Clinton, its destination being against the Southern States. Forthwith the gallant Southern- prepara- ers bcgau to prepare for its reception. The only S resistance which the inhabitants of Charleston hy^tht could make, was to defend Sullivan's island, and Charles- the militia of the country were summoned to sur- round the capital. 14. Palmetto trees which resemble the cork, had thTfortt been cut in the forest, and the logs in immense fication. j.g^f|.g^ were moored to the beach. With these huge palmettoes, a square pen was made with bastions at the angles, capable of covering a thousand men. When completed, it presented the appearance of a solid wall 16 feet wide. 15. Altliough ignorant of gunnery, these valiant Cliap. XVIII. FORT MOULTRIE. 229 meiij nerved with courage, were confident of sue- ittg cess, and toiled on in their preparations. The com- ^o mand of this fort was ffiven to Col. Moultrie. was"uie . com- Behind it he placed 435 brave soldiers, with ^^'^^ 31 cannon, the total calibre of which was about 513 pounds. Much had been said to Col. Moul- trie in derision of this rudely built affair. A former captain of an English man-of-war, warned them S^beeu m the most emphatic manner, saymg to (^ol. Moul- ^p^^'^^^ trie, " Sir, when the enemy's ships come to lay J^f^'? alongside of your fort, they will knock it down in half an hour." Moultrie very coolly replied, " Then rTpV?'" we will lie behind the ritinSy and prevent the men from landing J^ 16. Gen. Lee, whose eye had been accustomed whatdid . . "^ Gen. Lee to the scientific structures of Europe, requested the Jf^^"^^'^ governor to have it immediately evacuated; but i^Sge? looking proudly on the brave men who had sworn to protect it. Governor Rutledge replied, " That he , , . , . . , , What did would never ffive his sanction to such an order the. gov- *-* ^ ^ ernoi re- while a soldier remained alive to defend it." The p^- sequel will tell how bravely they kept their deter- mination. 17. On the morning of the 28th of June, a de- j^'^at tachment from the fleet, consisting of two ships of ^^f"^ "" 50 ffuns each, 5 of 28, 1 of 26, and a bomb vessel, TTiI" 1-1 1 • 1 ^r• • -1 * 1 28th o/ came steadily up, driven by a lair wind. As they June neared the fort. Col. Moultrie's eyes flashed with delight, and he gave orders to his men to fire. That bold onset was an earnest of what followed. „ .^ nescribe Not a shot was returned from the fleet, until they menS"^ cast anchors directly abreast of the fort, when athe"'al- fearful volley from more than one hundred cannon 230 REVOLUTIONAR\ WAR. Part !. What is said of Lee's move- ments 1 1^7-6 greeted them, and the battle had fairly com mcnced. 18. Gen. Lee had stationed himself at Ha ddreli's Point, expecting to see the fort shattered in frag- ments in thirty minutes. Hour after hour passed, during which time the firing seemed like one con- stant peal of thunder; the fort trembled at times like a frightened thing, as hundreds of balls buried themselves in the good pahnettoes. Lee passed over to the fort in an open boat, amazed that an English fleet of 266 guns should be kept at bay by 31 cannon and 400 inexperienced artillerists. 19. His astonishment was increased as he gazed upon the coolness and intrepidity of those noble men. Finding his presence of no avail, he left the fort, and returned to his old station. An incessant shower of bombs flew through the air, and quanti- ties dropping within the fort, were lost in the morass in the middle. With joy they saw the bomb ves- Describe the bat- tle. Charleston is situ- ated on a point of land formed by the junction of the Ashley and Coo- per rivers, about seven miles from the ocean. The entrance to the ci- ty is through a narrow channel, on the east of which, and about six miles below the town, is Sullivan's Island. On this island Fort Moul- trie was erected, in a position which com- pletely commanded the entrance, and pre- sented a formidable obstacle in the way of an attack on the city. Fort Johnson was erected on James' Island, which is about three miles below Charleston. Gen- Clinton landed with his troops on Long Island, a short distance east of Sullivan's Island, and erected two batteries, chiefly for the purpose of covering h-s forces when they should land on Sullivan's Island to attack the fort. Cliap. XVIII, ATTACK ON FORT MOULTRIE. 231 sel rendered useless, while every succeeding dis- i^^e charge told with murderous effect. 20. During the heat of the battle, the flag-staff ^-^atis was shot away, and the flag dropped on the theVff- beach. One deep groan of despair was heard ^"^ from hundreds of the citizens of Charleston, who ofthe ' a^itiition had crowded the wharves and steeples, and were %^^^^^j watching with intense anxiety for the .event of the battle. Every face grew pale, as the flag disap peared, and many an eye filled with tears. ' 21. But the firing continued, and blaze, and smoke, and thunder answered from the sea. But a few mo- ments elapsed, and they saw the flag shaking its folds in the sea-breeze in its former place. Amonff the bravest of those brave ones within the fort, was if"^ of Sergeant Jasper. Quickly he sprang from one of •^^'p^'" the embrasures, snatched the dripping flag from the ditch, and walking the whole length of the works, though the balls were falling fearfully around him. coolly mounted the logs and supported the flag upon the parapet, until another staff was procured. A shout of joy rung from the wharves and heights of Charleston at the sight. 22. All day long beneath a burning sky, they fought without cessation, and when the level beams [l^^^^Jj- of the setting sun lighted up the sea, the battle ue^^ ^^^' still raged furiously. Slowly, says one in graphic style, the gray twilight began to creep over the wa- ter, and at last darkness settled on the shores and the sea. The scene now became one of indescri- bable grandeur. That heavy cannonade still con- whatia tinned, and still the spectators who lined the main- Se scene , - , 1 ! 1 I 1 1 attersun land, gazed seaward through the gloom, toward set? 232 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part I ITTG ^he spot where the combat still raged. Night hod fallen on the island and fort, and all was dark and invisible there, except when the flash of the guns lit up its form, and then its mysterious bosom for a moment would be inherent with flame, and it seemed as if the sea itself had opened and shot forth fire. Arovmd those ships, the smoke lay like a dark and heavy storm cloud, through which the lightnings incessantly played, and thunders rolled. Moultrie and his men could distinctly hear the heavy blows of their shot, as they struck the ships, and crashed through the solid timbers. S^^(fthe ^^* Finally, the Enghsh, despairing of conquer- iT'th^e"" ^^S ^^^^^^ men, moved quietly aw^ay, and it is said reS- Marion (who was afterward so famous for his uhatef- bravery) fired the last gun as the ships were retir- fect? jj^g^ ^gg^ parting salute, and so w^ell aimed w^as the piece, that it struck the cabin of the commander's ship, killing two officers and three sailors. All What through the streets of Charleston one loud huzza sionsof rent the air — " Victory! Victon/ T while from joy were '^ given? the little fort went up three hearty cheers, and thenceforw^ard it w^as named in honor of its gallant defender. Fort Moultrie. ^^^^ 24. They mourned over the dead bodies of ten Eon^ of their band — but they grieved as for brave men, Bides? who died in the service of their country fighting for liberty. Twenty-two were wounded, while the loss of the British was about one hundred and seventy-one killed, and two hundred and sixty wounded. A number of officers were slain and their ships shattered almost to a perfect ruin. 25. A few days after this brilliant action, the Chap. XVIII. ' DEA TH OF JASPER. 233 bold soldiers at the fort were visited by Gov. Rut- ixte ledge and many of the fair women of Charleston. The gallant Jasper was brought forward, and as a ^^at reward for his chivalric act in replacing the fla^ w^re^af- * ^ ° terward on the parapet, Gov. Rutledge buckled his own g|.;enthe sword around the stalwart form, while a pair of ^"^^*^'^^' elegantly embroidered colors were presented to Col. what Moultrie's regiment, by Mrs. Eliott, saying at the hy.Mrs. ^loseofa few words begging them to accept the colors f;||a%r vfcc, " I make not the least doubt, under Heaven's ?« c^^ protection, you Avill stand by them as long as they trie's can wave in the air of Liberty.'^ Jasper heard this "^e"*' speech and remembered it well. 26. Some time after, during the assault on Sa- ^j^^t ^^^ vannah, Jasper received a mortal wound while futuT"* in the act of replacing these colors on the para- pet of the Springhill redoubt. Feeling the damp dew of death gathering on his brow, he sum- moned his companions in war about him to hear his last words. Said he, " I have got my furlough. That sword was presented to me by Gov. Rutledge, ^^^^^ for my services in the defense of Fort Moultrie, ^^e of Give it to my father, and tell him I have worn it requests with honor. If he should weep, tell him his son died in the hope of a better life. Tell Mrs. Eliott, that I have lost my life, supporting the colors which she presented to our regiment." 27. He then sent a message to a Mrs. Jones, what whose husband he had rescued with much bravery ^^^P^ •^ send to from the enemy, saying, " If you should ever see Jones, his wife and son, tell them that Jasper is gone, but that the remembrance of the battle which he fought for them, brought a secret joy to his heart, Mrs. Jones ? 234 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part I, 1T16 when it was about to stop its motion forever." lie expired in a few minutes Xfter closing this last sentence. Where 28. The remainder of the fleet set sail for the British^ north, where the whole of the British fleet had been sembie^ Ordered to assemble. During these transactions at the South, the Con- tinental Congress was in session, watching with anxiety the aspect of affairs in both countries, and revolving the chances for success in the approach ing contest. ENCAMPMENT AT VALLEY FORGE. FART !!•, F.XTENDING 13 YEARS TO THE FORMATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 1789. CHAPTER I. N the first week in June, Richard Henry Lee, one of the deputies from Virginia, made a motion in Congress, To declare the Ameri- can colonies free and independent States, and supported it by an eloquent speech, which found an echo in many hearts. It was still farther discussed on the Uth of June, when it was ITT6 Whai motion was made in Congress by Rich- ard Hen- ry Lee ? 236 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part Il» 1TT6 postponed for subsequent consideration until the first ^^j^^ day of July, and at the same time it was ^oted TaT^ that a committee be appointed to propose a all taken? ^ - declaration. Who 2. The committee was elected by ballot, and were the -^ ' Sf^Thl*^ consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ben- te?^?o^' jamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. prepare a t • • full Dec- Livmsfston. laration ? ^ Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Adams acted as a sub- To whom committee to prepare the draft, and Mr. Jefferson ,iwRof drew up the paper. The merit of this document writing • -w/r t rv in i i • • thed^c- IS Mr. Jefferson s. Some changes were made m it, laration ^ ' belong? ^j^ ^Yie suggestion of other members of the com- mittee, and by others in Congress while it was un- when der discussion. colonics 3. On the ^th of July^ 1776, upon the report of lel^n^ce ^^^ committcc, the 13 confederate colonies dissolved Brit/lh their allegiance to the British crown, and boldly Whit d^cl^i'^ci themselves Free and Independent under th^^'*''^ the name of the Thirteen United States of America. ^^^^ In their declaration they boldly expressed the eipres? grievances and oppression for which they could Icilra- not obtain redress, and proclaimed to the world the causes which impelled them to a separation from the Crown of Great Britain. '*^^ 4. The author of a pamphlet entitled " Common ^^?^ Sense^'' thus argues the necessity of the measure : -"' " We had no credit abroad, because of our rebellions dependency. Our ships could obtain no protec- '? tion in foreign ports, because we afforded them no li^depeiv iustifiable reason for ffrantins" it to us. The call- mg of ourselves subjects, and at the same time •Dn? me ne cessify of Cliap.I. INDEPENDENCE DECLARED. 237 fig"!! ting against the prince we acknowledge, was a i^-^^^ dangerous precedent to all Europe. 5. "If the grievances justified our taking up arms, they justified our separation ; if they did not justify our separation, neither could they justify our taking arms. All Europe was interested in reducing us as rebels, and all Europe, or the greater part at least, is interested in supporting us in our inde- pendent state. 6. " At home our condition was still worse; our currency had no foundation ; and the state of it would have mined whig and tory alike. We had no other laws than a kind of moderated passion ; no other civil power than an honest mob ; and no oth- er protection than the temporary attachment of one man to another. 7. "Had independency been delayed a few months longer, this continent would have been plunged into irretrievable confusion ; some violent for it, some against it, all in the greatest cabal, the rich would have been ruined, and the poor destroyed. "The necessity of being independent would have brought it on in a little time, had there been no rupture between Britain and America. 8. " The increasing importance of commerce, the weight and perplexity of legislation, and the en- larged state of European politics, would clearly have shown to the continent the impropriety of remaining subordinate ; for after the coolest re- flection on the matter, this must be allowed, " that Britain was too jealous of America to govern it justlj ; too ignorant of it to govern it well ; and too distant to govern it at all." 238 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^rt II, IT 76 9- This pamphlet was universally read, and ^jjjjt most highly admired. The language was plain \va^s%ro- and forcible, and produced a powerful effect on the thepam- public mind. The principles of hereditary govern- ment were ridiculed, while the excellences of What was recom republican institutions were faithfully portrayed. 10. According to recommendation of Congress, mendl'd thosc colouics that had not yet adopted constitu- ihe^rof- ^'^^^j were advised to establish " such governments ^'^^- as might best conduce to the happiness and safety of the people." The colonies had become accus- tomed to look upon themselves as sovereign States, and the recommendation was generally complied with, and the government was in every instance entirely elective, and at such short periods as to impress upon the rulers their immediate accounta- bleness to the people. What 11. The subject of independence had for some was thought time agitated the public mind, and various opinions of^indt were entertained relative to that momentous trans- dlnce bv action. Some objections were raised, as it was ^c? considered doubtful whether the grand object, lib- erty^ could be gained. And when we reflect on tlie deranged condition of the army, the fearful defi- why do ciency of resources, and the little prospect of foreign wimier assistance, and at the same time contemplate the boid^^^ prodigious powers and resources of the enemy, we casure. j _^^j^ ^ .^j^ woudcr upou this bold measure of Con- gress. What is 12- I^ '^^^ he^n said, that the history of the world the'^fo.ii- cannot furnish an instance of fortitude and heroic •tle^-ign- magnanimity parallel to that displayed by the members, whose sisrnatures are aflSxed to the Dec- Chap. I. DECLARATION RECEIVED AVITH JOY. 239 laration of American Independence. Their vener- i-yre ated names will ornament the brightest pages of American history, and be transmitted to the latest generations. 13. A signature to this paper would be regarded ^^^^^^ in England as treason, and expose them to the bten the halter or the block. These brave men knew well quences to them what an ignominious death awaited them, in case ^^^JJ^^/> their experiment failed. But they had counted the Sfied^''*^ cost, and realized the responsibility of their station. As a nation the American people, in their helpless- ness, bowed before the omnipotent. Ruler of the whom ' ^ i ^ did they world, and besought his protection and guidance. a'JdVrJd They felt that their cause was just, they were op- SlSlf" pressed in their dearest rights and privileges, and they hesitated not to appeal to Heaven for aid. 14. The President of Conffiess, /o/m iJancocA:, what » ^ ^ ^ sai(i of led the way in this bold w^ork, and the original ^^^^^}.g paper still exhibits the characters written by no sf-ne^Js? coward's hand. Of all the 56 signers, but one hand trembled as they signed what might have proved their ow^n death warrant. The name of Stephen Hopkins is traced in trembling lines owing to a sever3 attack of palsy, with which he had been afflicted. 15. The pen with which these signatures were made, is now in the cabinet of the Massachusetts Historical Society. But the signers have all gone, what is Their bodies are at rest in the tomb, but they live ^eath in their example, in the recorded proofs of their exfmrfe! own noble actions, principles, and opinions, which for succeeding generations will act upon the affairs of men throuo^hout the civilized world. 240 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^t n. 1770 What is 16. Charles Carroll of Carrolton was the last of this venerable body who survived. He lived to sec the'^iaft one after another leave the stage of life, and go band? down to the grave with whitened hairs. The lon- gevity of the signers has been frequently noticed. What is 17, The average lives of the New England said of c5 o gev/ty"of delegation (14 in number) was 75 years. Four of ers^ofth'e the others lived to the ao:e of 90 and upward ; 14 Declara- tion? exceeded 80 years, and most of the others reached the age of threescore years and ten. They had What lived to see the goodness of the Lord in granting Efycmdd them freedom from oppression, and in their ad- to their vauccd age could bear testimony to their posterity, that God was the hearer and answerer of prayer. doefAn- 18. Anthon says in his Lives of the Signers to i?*hir^ the Declaration, '' It remains to us to cherish their the Sign- memory, and emulate their virtues, by perpetuating ^ tionY^' ^^d extending the blessings which they have be- queathed. So long as we preserve our country this fame cannot die, for it is reflected from the sur face of every thing that is beautiful and valuable in our land. We cannot recur too often nor dwell too long on the lives and characters of such men; for our owm will take something of their form and impression from those on which they rest. If we - inhale the moral atmosphere in which they moved, we must feel its purifying and invigorating in- fluence." Howwas 19. Voices of joy throughout the Union welcom- iaration'^" ed the declaration. 'From old and youn^, master received i i i i i ^ ^y^oid and servant, the glad tones were echoed, America u?S!fph- is, and of a right ought to be, a free andindepeU" out the 7 , . . Union? dent nation. Cbap. I. DECLARATION RECEIVED WITH JOY. 241 20. In Virginiaj the rejoicings were almost be- tTte yond description. The name of King George was ^^^^ suppressed in all public prayers, and the great seal ilJ^viJ- of the commonwealth represented Virtue as the tutelary genius of the province, trampling on ty- gf^^^'j^^^j ranny, under the figure of a prostrate man whose l^f^la crown had fallen from his head, and bearing in one weaW hand a scourge and the other a chain. The words Sic semper tyrannis were inscribed around the effigy of Virtue. The reverse represented Liberty with her wand and cap ; Ceres, with a horn of plenty in one hand and a sheaf of wheat in the other, and at the foot these words : Deus 7iobis hcec otia fecit. What 21. In New York, the leaden statue of George was^done ? ^ o with the III. was taken down and converted into bullets. GlSge"' In Boston, thirteen salutes, corresponding to the New" number of American States, were fired, and Kinsc ' ' ^ What Street received the name of State street. The bells ^^%l^}^ rang out a joyous peal, while members of the coun- ^"' cil and House of Representatives, magistrates, clergymen, selectmen, assembled to hear the news proclaimed, and in the loud huzzas from the con- course of people, every voice joined. After ensigns of royalty, lions, crowns and sceptres were destroyed, whatdid the people felt that they were forever absolved from pie fed » all allegiance to a tyrant's throne. 22. The British ministry were confounded at ^^^^^ ^^ what they called the daring enormity of the colo- the'^sur- nists, in spurning their mighty power and authority, the Bdt- They were surprised, that rebels dared to show j^SiXd such tPiT^per and spirit. Forthwith they determined fefmillr bv augmented forces to crush them at a blow, and 11 242 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. 17T6 ^o coerce them into a sense of duty and Sv^bmission to their king. whSfor- 23. Doubting the competency of their own power pnnces to subjugate the colonies, the EngHsh parhament, tlifi the . 1 1 • 1 /• /• • *?iHia^ at an immense expense, resorted to the aid oi loreign tufa ' ^^' troops to prosecute their bloody work. They en- tiuops? iQ^.Q^ jjj^Q ^ treaty with several German princes to furnish 17,000 men, to aid in reducing the Ameri- What cans to vassalage. Besides the wages parliament was said .ii ^. , ., . to be the paid these foreigners, the terms in the treaties stipu- expense r o 7 r iand"of lated that thirty pounds sterling should be paid for troops? each soldier slain, and fifteen for each one disabled. It was asserted in the House of Lords, that the ex- pense to England for these foreign troops was not 2^^e l^ss than 1,500,000 pounds for one year. w^ththe 24. With a horde of Hessians, Brunswickers, InTwith Waldeckers, English. Scotch and Irish came two powlrs commissioners. Lord Howe and General Howe, thly^in- with powers to restore peace to the colonies, and vested ? Where grant pardon to such of his majesty's subjects as when did giiQuld deserve clemency. These royal commis- bTwhom sioners landed at Staten Island on the 12th of July, were they and about the same time Gen. Clinton arrived with lomed? did^Gen. the shattered fleet from Charleston. The troops Srive under Gen. Howe, which had evacuated Boston, Boston? reached Staten Island on the 2d of July, ^o that What -^ ' tle"num- ^he Bi'itish army here amounted to 24,000. When Eng?fsh^ the Hessian troops joined, the army would consist th^arri- of 35,000 of the best drilled soldiers in Europe. valofthe ^ . ^Ins? 25. In June, Gen. Howe had announced his ^oda- proclamation of pardon to all well-disposed rebels, mation i • i i • i Howe^" and promised a large remuneration to any who funei^^ should aid in re-establishing the royal authority. Chap. I. INSOLENCE REBUKED. 243 Congress boldly and wisely caused this proclama- i-fte tion to be printed with accompanying remarks, ^^ showing the people its insidious nature, and ad- S^afthll vising them to be true to their own cause. matiom 26. The commissioners then dispatched Col. whowas ^ dispatch- Patterson, adjutant- general of the British army to feuS^^to Gen. Washington at New York with letters re- Son? specting their mission, but as the letters were not y^J^f^li directed in a manner expressive of his official cei/e' capacity, his Excellency refused to receive them. 27. In a few days after, Col. Patterson again ^^^^^'J^ waited on Gen. Washington, with a letter directed dreJged^" to George Washington^ Esq.^ <^c., ^'c, ^c, which ington'^ they hoped would remove all difficulty, as the three et ceteras might be understood to imply every thing that ought to follow. Gen. Washington ab- solutely declined receiving this letter, adding that ^e refuse as the three et ceteras might mean every thing, thllaiso? they might also mean any thing, and he must have all public letters directed to him according to his rank. 28. Col. Patterson then said that the letters con- ^vhatdid Patter- tained offisrs of pardon, (fcc, to which Gen. Wash- sa?,ind" ington coolly replied, that the Americans had "^^^.i the wmmitted no wrong, and therefore wanted no par- -JJg^^^', dons ; they were only defending what they deemed their indisputable rights. Col. Patterson mani- fested great solicitude that the letters might be received, and a reconciliation take place. Gen. of what ^ A was Washington with firmness and dignity refused. JJJ'^on" 29. Gen. Washington Avas well assured that and"wh4f warlike operations would speedily follow, and forth- ^«g^|jj^. with preparations were made to fortify New York, jjmade? 244 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II, \>^>^Q and increase the army. The possession of New why7id York was a favorite object of the British, on ISh w"ifh account of its central situation, and the ease with pos^ses^'" which possession could be maintained. In April, sion of , , . ' Yorl? Gren. Washington had fixed his head-quarters in Where that citv, and endeavored by every means in his was '^ ' J J iL?o^*'3 power to prepare for its defense. SSarters? 30. Tlic greatest part of his army was stationed Where in Ncw York, while a division was ordered to Can- was the ' prhlci- ^^^j ^^^ another left in Massachusetts. Two de- tioned?" tachments guarded Governor's Island and Paulus Where Hook, whilc Gcu. Cliuton Avith some mihtia, Clinton observed New Rochelle, East and West Chester, in station- ' ^ ^ ' for whit order to prevent the British from landing on the r.T' North. Gen. Greene had been ordered in the What G?eene"' Spring to occupy Long Island, and had thoroughly tolfo?'^ examined the ground, established his posts, and made great preparations for meeting the enemy. Who sue- At this most critical moment he was seized with a reeded Sdc- bilious fever, which prostrated him for many days. why was Putnam was ordered to succeed him, and from pareTfor lils iguorauce of the ground, was unprepared, in ^^ ^ ^ every way, for an efficient defense. His army h^s'Trmy occuplcd Brooklyu, the left wing resting on Walla- wherl" ^^^^ ^^1 j bis right was bordered by a marsh near Sum- Gowannus Cove. Gen. Sulh van guarded the coast forces? and the road from Bedford to Jamaica. What 31. The continental army numbered only 10,.514 was the . -^ . number effcctive soldicrs, and these were so circumstanced of the ' rrmy? ^^j^^^^ }^^^ ^ Small part could be brought into action. Howma- Thirteen thousand troops were ordered to join the o?drre? army, which with the invaHds and men destitute lo join it? '' ' of arms, would increase the number to 27,000. Chap. I. BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. 245 32. On the 22d of August, the British forces ^7 70 under Generals Clinton, Cornwallis, Percy, and ^~ Grant, landed on the southern shore of Long Island, ^^ere causing the inhabitants to flee in terror before eWhsii forces them. Many of them fired their own houses and ^JJ^^j^^JIJ stacks of grain, to prevent their becoming British fJSitanis property. The two armies were about four miles their°V distant, separated by a range of hills running from ^y^^^ east to west. {£ip' 33. Over these hills called the heights of Gowan- ^'^''^' I 1 1 1 TVT 11 Describe nus were three roads : one by the JN arrows, throuorh ^hedif- which Gen. Grant passed ; another by Flatbush, '^^hlch through which the Hessians under Gen. Heister Ly tooiV marched ; and the third road by way of Flatlands, which was taken by the column under Gen. Clin- ton. It was important that these passes should have been thoroughly guarded, but Gen. Clinton on the morning of the 27th gained possession of q^^^^^ one of the defiles without any resistance. The makl^'to British were seen advancing on the other roads, and th^^^at- ^ ' tention the American troops were drawn up from their fj^^l camps to oppose them. fromhia 34. These movements of the enemy proved to be SSe? only feints to divert the attention of Gen. Putnam from the main body, who were cautiously and silently advancing under Gen. Clinton by the road ^j^^^ on the left. Early on the morning of the 28th, an ^^J^ attack was made by the Hessians and a detach- JtSck*® ment under Gen. Grant. The Americans were fighting bravely when first informed of the approach of Gen. Chnton, who had passed round to tli,e left. 35. In this desperate situation, the affrighted Americans had no safety but in retreat. They 246 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II: iTTc; endeavored to regain their camp, but were inter- What cepted by the light infantry and dragoons of Gen. sifuadon Chnton, who drove them back on the Hessians. when Clinton ap- ^oach- succession of attacks and many were taken prison- An awful scene of butchery took place during a ers. For six hours several regiments of the Amer Sfe^ac^® icans under Lord Stirling, continued fighting in this desperate manner, but being ignorant of the movements made by Gen. Clinton, their retreat the ac tiun. VICINITY OF NEW YORK, The British army occupied the plain extending from the Narrows to conmman.led the left win^'- near the coast, De Heister, with the Hessian Sir Henry Clinton the right The city of New York Stan 's on the south-east end of an island anciently named Manhattan, but now called by the name of the city. The Hudson or North riv- er bounds it on the west. It is about fif- teen miles long, and only two broad. The American army was posted partly at New York and partly on Lonff Island. On the 2d of Jnly the Brit- ish landed without opposition on Staten Island, which lies on the coast of New Jer- sey, and is separated from Long Island by a channel called the NaiTOiDS. The American divi- sion on the island, about 11,000 strong. pccupied a fortified camp at Brooklyn, op- posite New York, un- der the command of Putnam, Sullivan, and Brigadi'r-general Lord Sterling. On the 22(1 of Au- gust Gen. Howe de- termined to com- mence active ofie na- tions, and cto.s.«ed the Narrows without op- position, and landed on Long Island be- tween Utrecht and Gravesend. A range of woody hills run- ning from the Nar- rows to Jamaica sep- arated the two armies. Flatbush. Gen. Grant troops, the centre, anrl Cliap. I. BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. 247 was intercepted. Many, howeverj broke through 1770 and escaped to the lines. 36. The Americans defended themselves with i^^,^.^^ great bravery, but were unequal to the contest, enlms? The British possessed the most decided advantage the mf in numbers, artillery, discipline, and experience. That Washington should be able to keep the field -f {J^en^* at all, with these ever shifting, undisciplined, unfur- d^meris- oners ? AVhat is Sfiid of this nut- tie, nnel airj'.inst whose advK-e w;is it fought ? 248 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Pnrt 11 iTte *^9' During the engagementj Gen. Washington What is crossed over from New York to Brooklyn, and his wash*-^ stout heart was moved to anguish, on seeing so iiesaw many of his best men slauo^htered. Had he, in this so many "^ ^ ' ?4n '^ moment of affliction, acted from impulse or for vain- Sed?' glory, he might have drawn all his troops from the encampment and from New York, but on mature deliberation, he decided to preserve his army for the future. Where 40. Gcu. Grccue tossing on his sick bed, heard Greene tho thuudcr of the first cannon as it shook the during tilfn, and housc lu whlch he lay helpless, and half rising JaM^of from his feverish couch, he clasped his hands, ex- claiming on the affliction of " being confined at such a timeP His brave heart was wrung with such sorrow as only heroes know, and as the up- roar of the combat increased, his agitation became intense. Explosion after explosion shook his bed, and constant inquiries were made as to the fate of the battle. At last, when told that his favorite regiment had been terribly handled, and cut to pieces, he could contain himself no longer, but burst into an agony of tears. What IS ^1- After this distressing defeat, our army re- th'e'^army treated within their lines at Brooklyn, and were defeat? exposcd to the greatest hazard; the troops fatigued and discouraged by defeat, a superior enemy in What ^J^^ii' fi'ont, and a powerful fleet about to enter the se?ved it ^ast river with a view of effectually cutting off desSuc- their retreat ; the care of Providence, and the wis- dom and vigilance of Washington, preserved them from destruction. 42. Having resolved to withdraw his troops from ciiap. I. Washington's retreat. 249 their hazardous position, he crossed over to the Isl- i -j t o and on the night of the 29th of August, and in ^yj^^^ person conducted the retreat in so successful a man- AvhLf** T . , . , . place did ner, under circumstances the most trymsr, that jt theaimj ' ^ * ^ 07 retreat? is considered a remarkable example of good gener- alship. A circumstance, which is remarked as J^^^f, manifestly providential, is, that a thick fog envel- Sm-. oped the whole of Long Island in obscurity about remark 2 o'clock in the morning, which at this season of the year is quite unusual, while the atmosphere on the opposite bank was perfectly clear. 43. About 8 o'clock in the evening, the troops Describe , . , ., 4 • I their ro- began to move m the greatest silence. A violent treat. north-east wind, and the ebb tide, which rendered the current very rapid, prevented the passage. Many hearts beat anxiously, for much depended on this retreat. Suddenly and unexpectedly the wind veered to the north-west. They were imme- diately wafted over, and in a few moments landed in New York. 44. Never was any movement more manifestly favored by Providence, and the Americans felt and stances •^ ' ^ are given openly acknowledged the especial care of God in l^^Ynter- so signally favoring their safe retreat. The wind SPprovi. seemed to change, at one time, exactly to their need, and at another, an unusual fog veiled them from an enemy so near, that the sound of their pick-axes was plainly heard. 45. The field artillery, tents, baggage, and 9,000 men w^ere conveyed over a river upward of a mile wide and landed at New York in less than 13 hours. Gen. Washington saw one regiment after another eafely depart, and, notwithstanding the entreaties 11* 250 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II 17 76 of his officersj was the last to leave the shore. In a few minutes after the vear-guard had left the iinesj they were entered by the British, vyrhat 46. Lord Howe, supposing that the hostile spirit jidLofd of the rebels must have been humbled by this de- fend to feat, sent a messasre to Congress statins that his Congress ^ ^ ^ ^ leflan^ Lordship was desirous of a conference with some of the members as private gentlemen. The mem- bers did not consider themselves justified in doing wi^^the this ; but, ever desirous of establishing a peace on Con- reasonable terms, offered to send a committee to inquire whether his lordship had any authority to treat with persons authorized by Congress for this purpose, and what that authority was, and also to hear such propositions as he should think proper to make. Who 47. Accordinfflv Dr. Franklin, John Adams, and were ap- ^ -^ ' ' u?iS?ei Edward Rutledge, were chosen to meet with liord Howe? jjQ^y^ on Staten Island. The first proposition of What his lordship was, that the colonies should return to proposi- their allegiance and obedience to the government Howe^ of Great Britain. The committee replied, "It is wThat iiot to be expected after the contempt with which Siy^of our former humble petitions have been treated ; mittee? and it was not till the last act of parliament, which denounced war against us, and put us out of the king's protection, that we declared our independ- ence, and now it is too late for oppressed and indig- nant people to return to a dependent state." The committee conducted the business with great dig- nity and judgment. 48. Gen. Washington finding New York city an unsafe place, as he was in danger of bemg sur- ciiap. I. Washington's retreat. 251 roundedj retired with his whole army about nine it^^e miles to the north. This also was a hazardous ^vrhaT undertaking ; but he was allowed by a protecting Sentdid Providence to effect it — though under a heavy ington cannonade from the British shipping. andwhyj 49. A circumstance occurred on the route which ^y^^^ excited considerable interest. Major-general Put- sE?" nam, at the head of 3,500 continental troops, was ° in the rear, and the last that left the city. In order to avoid any of the enemy that might be advancing by the main road, he chose another near the North river, and parallel with it. But at the same time he little suspected, while he was swiftly marching with his weary and dispirited soldiers, that a body of 8,000 British and Hessians was advancing on the same road. Most fortunately for the fate of the Americans, the British generals seeing no prospect of engaging our troops, halted their own and re- paired to the mansion of Mr. Robert Murray, a hoiJ^e*'' . , ^ A • • were tha firm friend to the cause of American independence. ^^^^^]^ Mrs. Murray kindly offered them cake and wine, ^^^^^'^^ and they were induced to tarry there some hours. 50. In the mean time, the soldiers of Putnam reached the cross road, and thus escaped a ren- counter with a greatly superior force. Ten minutes more would have been sufficient to have brought them together, and thus cut off Gen. Putnam's retreat. Mrs. Murray was often afterward noticed in terms of high commendation. 51. The enemy immediately took possession of the city. A few days afterward a most destructive fire broke out and raged so violently, that about sld^Vf 1,000 houses were consumed. Some of the finest 252 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^.^ j^^ IT TO edifices were destroyed. It was estimated, that about one-quarter of the city was laid waste. Some supposed the disaster was occasioned by American emissaries, and others maintained that it was purely accidental. What 52. It was found, by sad experience, that pefience little dependence could be placed on an army of t!i light ^ ^ . the . militia, whose terms of service were so lioiited, Amen- ' > rerpect- that they were continually passing from the enlisV^'^ camp to their farms. It had been the fond hope of the Americans, that the struggle for their inde- slid^of^ pendence would not be of long continaance, and dpifneof thousands, after the battle of Lexington, rushed t earmy? ^-^.^j^ their farms to the scene of action. Many of the soldiers were indulged in the privilege of choosing their own officers, who too frequently proved unqualified to discharge their duties in a manner advantageous to the public service. 53. After the unfortunate battle of Long Island.^ the militia deserted theii colors by hundreds, and in some instances, whole regiments disbanded. Prom These inconveniences proceeded, in some meas- these in- yrc, fiom the inabihty of Cons^ress to remunerate conve- ' -^ «-' tifseT the troops for their expenses and toil during the war, but the state of affairs became alarming, and threatened a dissolution of the army. 54. At this critical moment, the energetic mind Wash- of Washington strove earnestly to arrest this fear- alliTre ful spirit of disorganization. He plainly assured Congress, that unless furnished with a permanent army, to remain with him until the termination of the war, he must despair of success. Hitherto they had been unwilling to incur the expense of a sland- assure Con- gress Chap. I. STANDING ARMY. 253 ing force, but they now were aware of the absolute itTG necessity of the case, and forthwith resolved to raise ^vhatdid one of about 75,000 men, to serve for three years, ^of/eto or during the war. 55. These troops were to be systematically ar- ranged ; and to encourage enlistments, each soldier ^[jai^ was to receive a bounty of twenty dollars, besides mSn^to^' his rations and wages, and one hundred acres of "^^^^^^^ land if he served until the close of the war. The officers were to receive from two to five hundred acres — in proportion to their rank. 56. Some time must of necessity elapse before a better state of affairs could be brought about, and Washington endeavored to cheer the little band of waliv "^ ill-found and disheartened soldiers, by the hope of Sfcer"hi3 . . ^ men? eventual success, when, m the enjoyment of a free government, they might enjoy the peaceful pleas- ures of home. Seeing around him a large and vic- torious army, eager to oppose him, he manoeuvred with great dexterity without risking a general en gagement. 57. On the 16th of September the Americans ^hatad gained an advantage over the British, who had wa"s^^*^ sought to obtain possession of two roads, leading by^the east, from which Washington received his supplies. "^^"^^ Major Leitch was mortally wounded at the head of his detachment, and the brave Col. Knowlton was ^ho killed. The Americans lost about fifty men, killed and amSii? wounded, and the enemy more than one hundred. ^Ji^eai 58. On the 28th of October, a detachment of our army under Gen. Lee, opposing a large force under what Gens. Clinton and De Heister, eno^asred in warm oi»Dosed ' ^ ^ Gen. Lee sk 'mishes near White Plains and the river Bronx pi^S^® 254 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^j^ j^I^ I TTG Neither party could claim any advantage, and there was considerable loss on both sides. That of the With British, by their own accounts, was 350 killed, and success? 670 wounded and prisoners. As a great number of the American militia retired from the field in disorder, the proper return of their loss was not ex- actly ascertained. 59. A great number of Hessians and Waldeckers fell into the hands of the Americans, and, contrary What to their expectations, received very kind treatment. thl"wa^ ^^^ British, in order to increase their ferocity, had ?ecJiv?? led them to believe that if they were taken prison- ers, the Americans would most barbarously stick their bodies full of splinters and burn them to death 60. As a strong reinforcement of British troops Why did under Lord Percy arrived. Gen. Washington left thfnk" his unsafe position on the night of the 30th, and ?et1re^o retired to North Castle, about five miles distant Castle? He left here 7,500 men under Gen. Lee, and crossed wh had ^^^ Hudson into New^ Jersey, and took post near garrisons p^y^ j^^^^ situatcd ou the North river about ten For'ts'^''* miles from New York. Garrisons had been left aiJ^ee? ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Washington, opposite to Fort Lee, in order to preserve the command of the Hudson. About 2,700 men, under Col. Magaw, were sta- Zm- tioned at Fort Washington. S^Foft 61. These were attacked on the 16th of Novem- Wash- ington? ber, by four divisions of the enemy in different quar- !hra?° ters. The little band fought long and bravely, and wish several times drove back the enemy with great ington? slaughter ; their ammunition was nearly exhausted ; were onc outpost after another was forced in, and they ^^yfeid? ^^^1^ refused the summons to surrender. But they Cliap. I. RETREAT TO NEWARK. 255 found it useless to withstand combined attacks in so itT6 many directions, and yielded on honorable terms. 62. The British sustained the loss of about ^^^^^ 1,200 killed and wounded. The Americans lostEon^ about 400 killed or wounded, and the remain- skies? der of the garrison was captured. It is said that General Washin-^q members of the continental Congiess, Mr. Giallo- j^^^^~ way and Mr. Allen, accepted pardon, and submit- de^maids ted to kingly rule — but the greater part of the American people rejected the offer, though told that the gallows would be the alternative. 69. On the day that our army w^as driven over when^ the Delaware, the British, with a fleet and 600 of ^blaf^ the army, took possession of Rhode Island without sion^of . . ^ , . 1 1 • 1 . Rhode any opposition, many of the inhabitants being island? friendly to the royal cause. Congress resolved, on the 12lh of December, that ^j^^^^ it be recommended to all the United States^ as soon ZhJt as possible, to appoint a day of fasting and humil- gresson iation, imploring God to show favor to them in this of Dec. i time of affliction. 70. They resolved also to retire for safety to Bal- ^r^y ^id timore, knowing it to be the intention of the enemy lelye to possess themselves of the city of Philadelphia, p^^a? Washington, during his retreat, had ordered Gen. Lee to join him from White Plains with all possible ^^.j^^^^^. speed, but Lee refused to move. Day after day Gen. L^e^e passed by, and still no reinforcements appeared, ffom"^*^^ At length he saw fit by slow^ marches to put his ington? troops in motion, but on the route, as a just punish- ment for his disobedience, he was taken prisoner. 71. For some unaccountable reason, he had taken „ * Howwas up his lodgings at a house three or four miles from his fshed in troops in the heart of a disaffected and tory coun- dieSdoi try. Information of this astonishing lact was soon "^^"^^ given, and a bod)^ of hght-horse under Col. Har- Describe court surrounded the house, and made Gen. Leene^ot^**" prisoner. Here was another untoward disaster tu?e^^^ 258 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p„,., ,,, iTT^for the Americans. The first major-general of then- army hurried off as prisoner by a party of dragoons, without hat or cloak, to New York, 'm triumph. What 7^2. Many suspicions were aroused by this sin- moba- fibular event. Considering- his protracted disobe- reu50Mof dience m the moment ot the most critical danger to Lee 'sells- ^ orSf ^he army, and knowing the unbounded ambition of Gen. Lee, we have no doubt but he delayed, that Washington and his dispirited band might fall into the hands of the enemy, and the supreme command devolve on himself. What of 7'3. Gen. Lee was a man of great military ex- mlfitlry pericucc, had fought in European battles, and been ledge? a chosen friend and aid-de-camp of the king of Poland, and knew perfectly well what belonged to every subordinate officer, and that there could be no greater act of disobedience, than to refuse orders like those of Washington. We shall see in pur- suing our history, how the wicked are punished from their own actions, while the good are rewarded by walkinsr in accordance with the laws of God. Who •^ ^ . now took 74. Gen. Sullivan now took command of Gen. cora- his dlvt^ Lee's division, and hastened to join the main army, what did thus augmenting it to 7,000 effective men. With these. Gen. Washington resolved, with all the ener- what^re- gy of his mighty spirit, to make one fearful strug- wlsh- gl^- He dared not go into winter-quarters in the laleT midst of such a season of gloom — almost of despair, ^^ho At Trenton, on the other side of the icy waters of vyere sta- ' ^ -^^ ^ on the ^h^ Delaware, were stationed 1,500 Hessians ; while side of farther on, at different places, were several othei theDela- , , ware? detachments. CUap. I. CROSSING THE DELAWARE. 259 75. Headley says, that the noble form of Wash- i-^^e ington, on the night of the 25th of December, just ^^ at dusk, stood on the shore of the Delaware. His wash-^ horse, saddled and bridled, was near him. while all KSod^ ' ' ^ ^ ' beside around were heard the rumbling of artillery wagonsj ^^l^f^^' and the confused sounds of marching men and hasty orders. The deep, sullen stream went swiftly by, and the angry heavens betokened a cold and stormy night. 76. As he stood thus and watched, there stole why did over his maiestic countenance a look of inexpressi- feelings , "^ ^ ^ steal over ble solemnity. Before the morning the fate of that h^"*- gallant army would be fixed, and the next rising sun would shine down on his country lifted from its depth of despondency, or sunk still deeper in ruin. Events big with the fate of the army and the nation were crowding to their development, and his soul was absorbed in their contemplation. 77. At length the boats were launched amid the Describe '^ the pas- floating ice, and were soon struggling in the centre thrrivcr. of the stream. The night was dark and cold — the wind swept by in gusts, and amid the roar of the water and crashing of the ice were heard the loud words of command and shouts of the men. 78. The boats, forced backward and forward by the icy fragments, became scattered in the gloom, and would have been thrown into confusion, but for the friend of Washington, Knox, who, standing on the farther shore, kept shouting through the darkness said^of^ with his stentonm voice, thus indicating the point ^"/fon for which they were to steer. There too stood Wash- e'?the' ington, hour after hour, with that strangely cahn, mentsof J «.t determined face, while his soul was racked with 260 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II, 1Y»7'6 anxiety as the night waned rapidly away, and his ^f^gp distracted army still struggled in the midst of the h5f(f icy stream. All night long did he stand there, on the river, the frozen shorc, urging on his weary troops — now d?dthl looking anxiously at his watch, and now striving divfsiolis to pierce the gloom that covered the water, army 79. At Icnffth, at four o'clock in the morning", the take, and o 5 &' ^Jg^fj^gi^ columns got under way, and pressed rapidly for- iioni^' ward. Sullivan, with one column, took the road Dec. 26. beside the river, while Washington, with Greene, took a parallel road, intending to enter Trenton m Describe different points at the same time. It was still mitch. dark, and just then, as if in harmony with the scene, a storm of snow and hail arose, driving full in the soldiers' faces. Their clothes were soaked with wet, and the muskets, many of them, rendered unfit for use. Still, in reply to the fearful question, " What is to be done ?'^ the disheartening intelli- gence was given, '^ Advance and charge .'" 80. Nearing the Hessian picket, Washington ordered the guns to be unlimbered, and the whole w.hatis column to advance. Still riding in front, where said of . . the first volley must fall, his friends became alarm- ed for his safety, and again and again besought him to fall back to a place of greater security. But he rode sternly forward amid their guns, with the storm beating furiously on his noble brow, every lineament of his countenance revealing the unal- terable purpose of his soul. 81. The thunder of cannon was now heard through the storm from Sullivan's division ; and Stark, with the advance guard, had already broken into the streets, and with a battle shout Wash ingtoj ? CliQp. X. BATTLE OF TRENTON. 261 aroused the Hessians from their dream of security ^^'^6 The smoke of the artillery curled around the form ^^b^ of Washington, as, still beside them, he moved on a^cu""" and calmly pointed out the different objects on which the fire should be directed. 82. All now was confusion — the clattering of flying horsemen sounded through the streets, offi- cers hurried to and fro to rally their men, and shouts and cries rung through the air in every direction. Just then, the enemy wheeled two can- non into the street up which the column of Wash ington was advancing. Young Monroe, afterward one of our presidents, and Capt. Washington, a re- lative of the commander-in-chief, immediately sprung forward with their men, charged up to the very muzzles, and took them, although the lighted matches were already descending on the pieces. When the smoke lifted, these two gallant officers were both seen reclining in the arms of their fol- lowers, wounded, though not mortally. 83. The Americans pressed onward, bearing ^^^^ down all opposition, until the enemy, confused and TeinUot terrified, struck their flags. At a gallop Washing- tie^ ^ ton dashed forward, exclaiming to one of his offi- cers, ''This is a glorious da]/ for our country f Col. Rahl, the commanding officer, was mortally wounded, and seven other wounded officers were left on parole at Trenton. 84. About 35 soldiers were killed, 60 w^ounded, and 948, including 30 officers, were taken prison- ^rhat ers, amounting in all to 1,048. Of our troops, not m^^^ more than 10 were killed and wounded. Gen. |nfton take af- Washington recrossed the Delaware the same day {fghn* 262 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^rt H 1TT6 1^1 triumph, bringing off six excellent brass cannonj 1,200 small arms, three standards, and a quantity of baggage. This was a brilliant achievement, and was every where considered a master stroke m the art of war. v\^hat 85. The Hessian prisoners were allowed to retain ivasdone "^ Si^s^skll^ their baggage, and sent into Pennsylvania with efsTnd strict orders from Washington, thai they should be they call treated w^th kindness. This wae unexpected to Wash- . ^ ington? them and called forth emotions ot gratitude and veneration for Washington, whom they called a " very good rebp.U'^ What 86. The British were astonished that an army, were the *^ ' D?thf which they considered as on the point of annihi- o"hear- l^tiou, should darc to attack them. They were battle? idly reposing, in the hope that one battle would forever crush the rebellion, as they termed our war. In their march through New Jersey they had com- ^^^^ mitted such outrageous ravages and indiscriminate haJflhly plunder, as must be deemed disgraceful to any peo- tTh!*" pie. Hundreds of inoffensive inhabitants were New Jer- sey? stripped of their clothing, and exposed, in the midst of horrid insults and indecencies, to the inclemency of the season. yulh^^'^ 87. The cries of the oppressed were heard, and dS" reinforcements of militia and troops enabled Wash- mine to . . i-r-ii.Ts.TT tio? mgton agam to cross the Delaware mto JNew Jer- what ®^y? ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ enemy under Cornwallis, who had TmoiSt been dispatched from New York with a large army English to retrieve the heavy disasters of Ti enton. Wash- forceiT" ii^gton had 4,700 men, only 1,200 of whom were regulars, while Cornwallis w^as at the head of 8,000 Ctiap. I. POSITION OF THE ARMIES. 263 veteran troops, well supplied with dragoons and .lillj? artillery. 88. Detachments of the Americans were sent yhat or- ders were forward to harass the march of CornwalUs, with ^^^^^.^^ orders to dispute every inch of the ground. Bravely ^"^^®" • they obeyed their command, bearing up gallantly against the advancing host, until at sunset, the two armies, drawn up for battle, stood front to front, in terrific uproar from the cannon on both sides. Washington's situation was one of peril, with a su- th^meet- perior enemy in front, and the Delaware river in two ar- * ./ ? mies. the rear. 89. A successful attack on our army would ^a^/the prove its ruin. But he relied on Providence, as he ofwa?h. situation pfWas told his troops before facing the enemy — " Main- and what did he to his tain every inch of your position till night, and trust ^'f^Vs/ to Providence for the rest." When the gathering sliades of evening deepened, Cornwallis, contrary to thelkin?' the repeated remonstrances of his officers, com- P'ovi- » ^ ^ dence nianded the attack to cease until daylight. Here ^^^°^"* was shown the kind care of Providence in which the Commander-in-chief trusted. 90. Forthwith Washington began to extricate ^p^^}^ himself from this perilous situation, and here again exfrSlte we see the skill and address of a great general. In fillJJf lis •1 11 1 r-ii'/* perilous the eveninor he ordered a number oi blazmo^ fires fitua- ^ o tjon? to be kindled in his camp, leaving men to keep them jan. 3. burning, and to work on the intrenchments to de- ceive his antagonist. 91. Rousing his weary men, he bade them J^J^^^^**^* silently move on by a circuitous route. The gwfn, weather was very cold, and the ni^ht dark, but were ^^ I -' ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ they they cheerfully followed their general, without noise «i>tyedi 864 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^^t 11 lY^.^ ^1* inteiTuption of any kind, until 9 o'clock the next morning, when they attacked and routed three What regiments of the British stationed at Princeton. bss if^ The enemy lost about 500 men, by this well-timed ish? manoeuvre. Our loss was small numerically, but a beloved and gallant form lay prostrate in death, over whom many tears were shed. What is 92. Brigadier-general Mercer, finding himself in cin.**^ the hands of the enemy, submitted, but they, deaf to the cry for quarter, fell upon him with worse than savage cruelty. Not satisfied in their murderous thirst for blood, by stabbing him again and again with their bayonets, they disfigured his face with the butt-end of a musket in a most horrible manner. 93. Washington, during the heat of the battle, seized a flag from a standard-bearer, and pushed forward in front, about thirty yards from both ar- mies, regardless of danger, encouraging his troops to make a bold stand. 94. While the battle was raging at Princeton, Ks^"^^' the British were under arms preparing to subdue BrltTsh^^ the Americans at Trenton. Little did they dream that their camp was evacuated, and baggage, artil- their sur- ^^^T? ^^^ storcs entirely beyond their reach. Corn Surit^-' wallis could scarcely believe the fact, and walking out to survey the grounds, was arrested by a heavy What is sound which, for an instant, he supposed to be thun- said of -n. . . , ^^ . . T [^ornwai- (Jer. But it was a clear bright morning m Janu- mo?e- aiy? and the next time the fearful sound broke over did he his camp, he knew that it was caused by Washing- ton's cannon. 95. Lord Cornwallis was ashamed of his vain boasts, when he found himself outgeneraled by What of Wash- ington? What Cliap. I. COMMISSIONERS TO FRANCE. 266 troops he scorned. Astonished at these bold move- i'xtt ments, he instantly fell back with his whole force, and abandoned every post he held southward of New Yorkj except Brunswick and Amboy. The ex- asperated inhabitants of New Jersey ever afterward the'ped- remembered their sufferings and insults, and rose ^^"^/jf to arms in bodies to repel so remorseless an enemy. 96. Washington had gained his point — his men m^h-**^ were cheered, and on every side he was hailed as andhia ^ •^ ^ ^ men ? the one raised by God for the salvation of his coun- try. He could now, with safety, retire for the win- ter. He took up his quarters at Morristown, where his army were nearly all inoculated with small- pox, which disease had proved fatal in some cases. Congress, fully sensible of the high military char- ^J^^^^^ acter of Washington, conferred on him more ample Silr- powers, investinsT him with full authority to reform was*h- and new model the army, as he judged proper. 97. Aware of the importance of inducing tlie ^^jj^ French to espouse the American cause, and relying Fmnce I . y T^ • r^ T-k • • as com on the enmity or b ranee against Great Britain, mission- they appointed as commissioners to the court of France, Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee. They were instructed to procure witf tiw arms and ammunition, to obtain permission to fit siSf ' ' ^ to do? out American vessels in the ports of France, to annoy the commerce of England. They direct- id them to solicit a loan of 10,000,000 francs, and .o endeavor, by every means in their power, to pre- /ail on the French Government to recognize the ndependence of the United States. The campaign was not ended until carried into the first mcnth of the next year. 12 266 REVOLTTTtONARY WAR. p^rt 11, CHAPTER II CAMPAIGN OF 1777. 1111 What is ^' Gfen. Washington showed himself, in all pouits Gen.**^ worthy the confidence reposed in him, by his ener- inlton's getlc measures to enlarge the army and encourage ^ffiring ^^^ dispirited. Though his noble heart ached for soldiers? ^YiQ privations of his soldiers, he pressed onward, every where meeting them with words of kindness, oftentimes emptying his own purse to relieve their sufferings. Day after day he followed the tracks of their bleeding feet on the frozen ground, entered their huts, praised their constancy, visited the sick, and fervently besought the God of nations to es- pouse their cause. Morning after morning, with the same serene countenance, he was seen engaged in works of mercy to the suffering. S-^ 2. Gen. Lee, whose capture has been noticed, Gen, Lee was kept iu closc Confinement in the Provost prison, receive) ^ . . in New York, and received the most rigid and un- generous treatment. Gen. Washington opened a correspondence with- Gen. Howe, and made propo- sals for his exchano^e, which w^ere rejected. But ed m^^aii Grcn. Lce was not the only imprisoned sunerer. that"prfs- 3. From every part of the country arose the wa/^**^ voice of lamentation. In all armies prisoners of De treat- war have a just claim on the humane; from the moment of their captivity it is expected that hos- Cbap. II. CRUELTIES OF THE BRITISH. 267 tilities toward them cease. Being disarmed, no ittr arm can justly be raised against them ; and while they conduct in a manner becoming their captivity, they should be treated with lenity. Among savage tribes, captives are tortured ; but to the shame of the English it can be said, that treatment such as our prisoners received during the revolution, has scarcely been known in the annals of war. whatdid ^ the Eng- 4. It would seem that the ties of countrymen [ofo^^^JS weie disregarded, and men speaking the same Ian- conduct guage, and acknowledging the same God, exhaust- «n«rs? ed every means of cruelty to torture those whom they spurned as rebels. The following, taken from Gen. AVashington's letter of complaint to Gen. Howe, is abrief summary of the systematic method j^^p^^^ adopted and practised for their destruction. " The fmct*' prisoners were crowded into the holds of prison- wash- ' A mgton's ships, where they were almost suffocated for want *®"®'- of air, and into churches, and open sugar-houses, (fcc, without a spark of fire. Their allowance of provisions and water for three days was insufficient for one, and in some instances they were four days entirely destitute of food. The pork and bread, for they had no other sustenance, and even the water allowed them, were of the worst quality, and totally unfit for human beings." 5. He adds that a minute detail would only serve to harrow up the feelings of surviving friends ; suffice it to say, that in consequence of the most Darbarous treatment, not less than 1500 American oldiers died within a few weeks. Thus perished, m the utmost wretchedness, brave young men, the pride and shield of their country, and the beloved 268 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part 11^ ITTT of manj^ a devoted parent. After death had re- leased the suffererSj their bodies were dragged out What be of the prisons, and piled up till enough were col- ?K° lected for a load, when they were carted out and dead J bodies? tumbled into a ditch, and slightly covered with earth. ^j^^^ 6. Prisoners were, in addition to this, constantly in- ifz'ing suited and tantalized by the British officers, who told weretoid them with the luostfriffhtful profanitv, that the treat- pnson- . '^'^- men t was too good for rebels, and they should get twice as much severity unless they returned to his Majesty's service. But they loved liberty, and chose death rather than subject themselves and their pos- terity to a tyrant's sway. What in- 7. In one instance, four of our wounded officers, fe^ld^^' ^^ respectable rank, were put in a cart, and convey- wiiHams ^^ throLigh the streets of New York, as objects of e?s?°^ " derision — reviled as rebels, and treated with the utmost contempt. Otho Williams, subsequently adjutant-general to the Southern army, and others, were seated on coffins, with ropes around their necks, as a farce to make them believe they were riding to the gallow^s. Repeat 8. To the forcgoiug unparalleled catalogue of crim- extract inal procccdiugs, we add others, taken from another writer. "The enemy wantonly destroyed the New York water works, an elegant public library, at Trenton, and the grand orrery made by Ritten- house, which was placed in the college at Prince- ton, a piece of mechanism that the most untu- tored savage, staying the hand of violence, would have beheld with wonder and delight. Thus they warred against liberty, virtue, and the arts and Chap. II. BRIIISH CRUELTIES. 209 sciences. To make war against learning and lite- ittT rature is only fit for the rudest savage." 9. Gov. Livingston, in an elegant speech to the pov^liv*^ General Assembly of New Jersey, said, "They say oil have plundered friends and foes ; effects capable J«<^^' of division they have divided ; such as were not they have destroyed ; they have warred on de- crepid old age and on defenseless youth ; they have committed hostilities against the professors of lite- rature and the ministers of religion ; against pub- lic records and private monuments ; books of im- provement and papers of curiosity ; and against the arts and sciences. They have butchered the wounded while asking for quarter, mangled the dead, weltering in their blood, and refused them the rites of sepulture ; suffered prisoners to perish for want of sustenance ; insulted the persons of fe- males ; disfigured private dwellings of taste and elegance, and in the rage of impiety and barba- rism, profaned edifices dedicated to Almighty God." 10. We do not wonder that the Americans re- fused to return to allegiance to a power allowing such treatment. We involuntarily shudder as we our emo* •^ tions in read their sufferings, and ask if all this was re- ^{flj^jf ceived from people, from whom we derived our ori- fnfr* gin ? Reconciliation to such a power ! A more dreadful curse could scarcely be denounced ! how *' were It is here worthy of observation, that the British pjj^?", nnd Hessian prisoners in our hands were treated in lieSted? a manner directly the reverse of that just described, ^e^rHhe and they never found cause to complain. ScL^of 11. The first at ten pts of the British during the ishdi;^ ^ ° . rected campaign of 1777, were against the American ^"^'^^' were I out 270 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Pari II, i-rtt stores collected at Courtland Manor in New York, and at Danbiuy in Connecticut. What On the 25th of April, 2,000 men under Gov. tionfdfd Tryon, major of the Provincials or Tories, having Governor J i J i o troops'^ passed the sound, landed between Fairfield and rommit? Norfolk. Thc next day, proceeding to Danbury they forced the garrison to retire, destroyed l.SOC barrels of beef and pork, and 800 of flour, 2,000 bushels of grain, clothing for a regiment, and 1.790 tents. Besides this wanton destruction of food and clothing, they burned the town, and after murder- insr three inhabitants, threw them into the flames. What . wasdone 12. Gencrals Sullivan, Wooster, and Arnold, by Gene- , ^ , ' ' lanfSd' happening to be in the neighborhood, hastily col- ^**°^^'' lected about 600 militia, and marched in pursuit for two miles, in a heavy rain. On the morning of the 27th, they divided the troops. Gen. Wooster taking about three hundred, and falling in the rear of the enemy, while Arnold took post in front at Ridgefield. Both parties conducted with distin- wo^u^nded guished bravery, but were obliged to retreat. Gen. fetfeat? Woostcr was iu his 70th year, and was "mortally wounded. What is 13. The next day the enemy set fire to Ridgefield, Soid'V ^^^^ were still harassed by Arnold, who fought. conduct? ^yjt^i^^j^ig accustomed bravery, almost amounting to recklessness. In the thickest of the fire, he was always to be seen galloping hither and thither, seemingly impervious to bullets, although his brave charger often sunk, being shot under him. Noth- What ing daunted in such cases, he would mount an- Clon*' other and on to the battle. The British de- sides? spairod of gaining any of the inhabitants to their Cliap.II. GENERAL LAFAYETTE. 271 ranks, and being annoyed by Arnold, took refuge 1-777 on board their ships. They had lost 170 men, and the Americans 100. 14. Congress resolved that a monument should wi's^e- be erected to the memory of Gen. Wooster, and a con^ *' gressJ beautiful horse properly caparisoned, was presented to Gen. Arnold, as a reward for his gallantry on this occasion. The British had collected at Sag Harbor, on ]^^^^^^,,^ Long Island, immense magazines of forage and SSr? grain. Col. Meigs, who had been one of Arnold's brave associates in the expedition to Canada, with 130 men on liie 23d of May, destroyed the stores, burned a dozen brigs and sloops, killed 6 of the enemy, took 90 prisoners, and returned in triumph, not having lost a man. 15. While these and similar events had been why did ...»..! . . I France iranspn-mg in America, the commissioners who wish us ^ . success had been sent to France, to procure assistance, i»^var? were not idle. France wished us success, because it would avenge her for the loss of her colonies in this country, and humble the haughty bearing of ^^^^ her rival in the New World. Amid conflicting J^eich- , , , man es- emotions m many hearts, there v/as at least one pousea •^ ^ ouicau."e brave and noble soul, who espoused our cause fiom fo^J^j^h?'^ love for liberty. This was the young and gallant ^'^^' Lafayette. 16. He listened with enthusiasm to the story of our wrongs and oppressions, and forthwith ex- claimed, " My heart espouses warmly the cause of liberty, and henceforth I shall think of nothing, Lafay- ♦^ ' ^^ ette say but of adding my aid. The moment I heard of '^^Jf'^'' America I loved her ; the moment I knew she was 272 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. ilTT fighting for freedonij I burned with a desiire of bleeding for her ; and the moment I shall be able to serve her in any part of the world, will be the hap- piest one in my life." whatex- 17. He obtained an introduction to Silas Deane, makfin ^"^^^ gl^^ly gavo him a letter to Congress, requesting aSus^ his appointment as major-general in the American army. A vessel was ordered to be fitted out, but the sad news of one defeat after another seemed to ren- der our cause hopeless. It was no longer possible to obtain a vessel. The difficulty only urged on the lover of freedom, and immediately he purchased a vessel which he intended fitting out with his own means, when the king, hearing of his plans, ordered him back, while his friends were loud in their cen- sures of the interest he took in our cause. ^,jjj^ 18. Finally, he disguised himself as a courier, Recess and escaped to his vessel, in which, accompa- finaiiy nicd bv the Baron de Kalb and eleven other officers, meet, . ^ tstJdof ^^ ^^^ sail m safety. After a voyage of about fifty voyaged ^^7^, he rcachcd Georgetown, in South Carolina, and having visited Charleston, and listened with tice^diT" deho^ht to the storv of Fort Moultrie, he presented he take " Mouftrie ^^^ brave Moultric with clothing and arms for 150 ^irn^ men, and repaired in haste to Philadelphia, travel- ing a weary route of 900 miles on horseback. Howwas 19. Here he presented his letters to Congress, cdved'by They looked at him, as he stood before them only gress? 19 years of age, and little dreamed of the value of the friend raised by God in our behalf. Thev What gotedid looked upon him as a mere boy, and received him con.^^ coldl}^ — but he was not to be oflfended, and addres- sed a note to Congress, saying. "After the sacrifices Cliap. II. MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMIES. 273 I have made, I have the right to exact two favors ; iitT one is to serve at my own expense — the other is to serve at first as a volunteer." Cons^ress w^as moved by this magnanimity, and made out his com- mission. From the moment of his introduction to [Xy'f^ Washington, their friendship commenced, and in cefveTby the whole course of our history, there is nothing ington? more touching than the love which these men bore to each other. 20. Near the end of May, the American army, what •^ ' •' > move- numbering about 18,000 men, moved from its win- diS"both ter-quarlers at Morristown, and took post at Middle- Sein brook ; on which the British left their encamp- spring? ment, and Gen. Howe endeavored to induce Gen. Washington to meet him on equal ground. But Washington chose to continue his defensive sys- tem of warfare, and not to risk an open battle. Finding various feints and attempts ineffectual, he ordered a precipitate retreat to Staten Island. He * ^ . What did til en embarked 16,000 troops, and leaving Sir gen.^ Henry Chnton in command at New York, put to SS^and sea, carefully keeping his destination a secret. On the 20th of August, the fleet entered Chesapeake bay, intending an attack on Philadelphia. 21. The American armv immediately crossed what •^ •' was the (he Delaware, and directed its march toward the ^^^^^g. enemy's route. The people were impatient at h^2l what they considered indecisive movements, and ^^J delays, and demanded a general engagement for ^eoSe^* the defense of Philadelphia. Washington yielding wfth^ to then* wishes, with Generals Greene, Sullivan, ^{;^"^'J|\ did they Wayne, and Stirling, took position on the eastern demandi Who were tJ Amcrl- bank of Brandy wine creek, to dispute the passage JJ2?eth« 274 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. nil ^^ ^^^ British, who were advancing in splendid can Gen- 9 o press? troops. The British, after this action, removed to to what Philadelphia, and Washington encamped ^^bout ^he^E^y eleven miles from Germantown. ^Y^' 32. After considerable skirmishing and a pro- did^*^^ Wash" tracted defense of the forts on the Delaware, the ^"ston 7 encamp? river was at last cleared, and a free communication what ' finally opened for the British between New York and ^^jj.^^ Philadelphia. The enemy flattered themselves that ware ? the possession of Philadelphia would soon prove Jia\he decisive in the contest. . The Americans were not IS^ disheartened. Notwithstanding they had gained seues? little bv the last battles, so much skill and bravery were no» , , 1 II- • theAme- had been shown that then* reputation was en- ^^^"4^.1 hanced. |fl't 33. In the mean while Washington's army had ^J^J^^ ^^ received reinforcements from the North, and menSf" amounted to 12,000 continentals and 300 militia, wash- mgton ace on the Dela- 278 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^^ II, it'^'i With these, he advanced to White Marsh, within receive, ^^ Hiiles of the Capital. Gen. Howe marched pofiSilf Avithin three miles, but finding Washington too two ar- prudent to leave his strong position, he thought take up? pi-Qpei- iQ withdraw, and retire for the winter to Philadelphia. \vher6 3^ Washington now gave orders that prepara- in^on tions sliould bo made for winter-quarters, and York, mine to Lancaster and Carlisle were named as proper go into r r qnanersi placcs. But rather than leave a large and fertile region exposed to the enemy, he chose to march to Valley Forge, a deep dale, about 20 miles north- west of Philadelphia. Accordingly, on the 11th of December, he left White Marsh, and retired to Valley Forge. In this dreary place they passed one of the most rigorous winters ever experienced in the United States. sSd^of^ 35. The troops, scantily clothed, prepared to feringsof meet the riffor of that winter by erectin^: a the army ° ^ . *^ ^ l\^^'^^ number of log huts, filled in with mortar. The weather was so intensely cold, that before these barracks were completed, many a soldier was frozen to death. So destitute of necessary cloth- ing were they, that the greater part were with- out a shirt — some with a remnant of a blanket, and many without a shoe or stocking. In the midst of sufferings to which the world can scarce- ly show a parallel, they were seldom heard to Why did i^urmur. Relying on the justice of their cause. mmmmi they prcssed forward, crying, "We are fighting for Ijiberty — let us have freedom from oppression for ourselves and our children !" 36. While these events were transpiring in the C?]iap.II. EVACUATION OF CANADA. 279 Middle States, scenes of thrilling interest were en- itTT acted in the North. To retain, as far as possible, a why ha« connected view of the war, we have chosen to leave northern our northern army unmentioned till this period, been »^ ^ men- The young reader will, we trust, endeavor to go back *^°"^^' in the order of time to the year 1775, and recall the situation of both armies at that period. To pre- what is sent the events of 177"^, we will merely state, in review^ review, that in the autumn of 1775, after Colonels Allen and Arnold had taken Ticonderoga and Crown Point by surprise. Gen. Montgomery re- duced the fort of St. Johns, captured Montreal, and made an ineffectual, though desperate attack on Giuebec. 37. On the return of spring, 1776, the American onthe army gradually retired up the St. Lawrence, and the. ^ after losing one post after another, in June they ]^l^^^ ^^ entirely evacuated Canada. These reverses did my 7^^' not at all dampen the ardor of the troops in this quarter, and preparations were busily made to nieet an expected invasion from the enemy in the spring of 1777. A plan was concerted by which Bur- ^^^^ goyne, who had superseded Carleton in the com- adoptll'" mand of the British forces in Canada, was to pene- glynejo ' ^ cut oft trate the back settlements of New York, and form ^^^Jf^n; a junction with Gen. Howe at the metropolis, thus fe^Elnd cuttinof off all communication between New Ensr- die ^ . . states? land and the middle States, after which, they sup- posed both sections could easily be subdued. 38. By express orders of the ministry, Burgoyne whose immediately armed and secured the services of did Bur- several tribes of Indians inhabiting the country be- ^"^*''' tween the Mohawk river and Lake Ontario, about 280 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p„^|. n ITTT 2,500 French Canadians, and as many Hessians ^yj^j^t exclusive of a corps of artillery and a large body he'ma'ke of Veteran troops from England. With this formi- preparE tioiis to attack: tionsto dable army, on the first of .Kily, he made prepara- tions to invest Ticonderosra. o Sa- 39. Before proceeding to the attack, Burgoyne dicfBur- made a great war feast for the Indians, and issued Lsue? a most extraordinary proclamation, calling on the Americans to submit, or suffer the consequences of savage ferocity. After enumerating a string of titles in the most pompous manner, he threatens all who shall oppose his authority, saying, " I have but to give stretch to the Indian forces under my direction, and they amount to thousands, to over take the hardened enemies of Great Britain and What America." The British ministry, neither ashamed tufexpe- nor satisfied with the diso^raceful expedient of hir- dients . . . . . Brftih^ ing Hessian soldiers of low principles, resorted also for7ein° ^o savagcs to aid in the subjection of a band of mems? '^half-starved and distressed rebels'* — their own kinsmen. What 40. Gen. St. Clair with about 3,000 men, had move- ^ ^ ' didst, charge of Fort Ticonderoga. Deeming this force make, iuadcqatc to maintain the post, not having provis- ' ions for more than twenty days, he perceived no safety for the garrison, except in a hasty flight. Accordingly he let his camp-fires go out, struck his tents, and amid the " profound silence of the forest and the night," retreated. What is 41. He was soon discovered and as they ap- here- proachcd Skeensborough, the British pressed on in hot pursuit. After various conflicts and losses, the remnants of the divisions reached Fort Ed- July reat? ciiap. II. burgoyne's movemf.nts. 281 wardj the head-quarters of Gen. Schuyler. In i'^^^ these combats, our men fought with desperate valor, and hundreds were left dead on the route. Stern necessity compelled this retreat. 42. Burgoyne had with him some of the best v\rhat officers then in America ; Major-general PhiUps. we?r* Briffadier-ffeneral Frazer, Major-sreneral Reidesel, ^ur o o 7 J o 7 goyne? and others. From such generals and their hosts, Gen. Schuyler thought it prudent to retire along the Hudson to Saratoga. He, however, did every wa^^^ thing in his power to obstruct the progress of the s?huyier British. He felled trees across the roads, destroyed {[^*^'^J|^ the bridges, and in various ways greatly retarded bu""^^ their march. Burgoyne in pursuit, was obliged ^^^"^ to construct forty bridges, and his batteaux were diagged from creek to creek by oxen. Schuyler's army was enlarged by some militia under Gen. x^at Lincoln, and several detachments from the regular ^l^^f^; army accompanied by the Polish Gen. Thaddeus sifhuyier Kosciusko. His army v/as thus augmented to about 15,000 men. 43. Burgoyne finding his supply of provisions greatly reduced, and being in want of horses to ^{^^^ mount his cavalry, formed a plan to draw resources |?|atiyit from the honest farmers of Vermont. For this "^^"^^ purpose he dispatched Col. Baum, a distinguished German officer, with 500 Hessians to seize some of the American stores of corn, cattle, &c., collected at Bennington. The instructions of Burgoyne are very curious, showing that the event of defeat never entered his mind. 44. Col. Baum marched off with a commission in his pocket, to ^^ scour the country for horses, car- 282 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^^^ I,. 17 7 7 riages, and cattle, and make prisoners of all oji- What ^^^^^j ^^^^^ ^^^d military, acting under Congress ; to were^ tao; the towns for whatever they wanted, and take Col. ^ hostages for the performance ; to bring all horses fit to mount the dragoons, loith as many saddles and bridles as could be found ; to bring at least 1,300, the horses to be tied in strings of ten each in order, that one man 'may lead ten horsesP ^^^^ 45. It was a providential 'circumstance, that dentiai CJen. Staik* was on his way to join Gen. Schuyler, ?S?' with a reinforcement of 800 Green Mountain boys. occurred? . , i • t A heavy ram coming on, prevented an immedi- ate action ; several skirmishes took place with little loss on our side, but these were sufficient to alarm Why did Col. Baum, who immediately dispatched a messen- d^pSch ger to Burgoyne for a reinforcement. Fortunately sengerto its progrcss was' much delayed, owing to the state soyne? ofllie roads, after the heavy rain, and it did not ar- * Gen. Stark had been in the old French and Indian war, and was at Bunker Hill and Trenton. At the brilliant charge at Bennington, he animated his brave band by shouting, with uplifted sword, " M}' fellow-soldiers, we conquer to-day or Mary Stark sleeps a widow to-night." His character as a private citizen is unblemished, and no neglect or wrong could turn him from the path of duty. Although he had reason to feel aggrieved at the treatment he received from Congress, in having inferior and junior ofiicers appointed over him, he loved his country still, and fitted out his sons one after another for the field. Would that Arnold had possessed the virtues of this noble and incorruptible patriot. Amid all his perils through two long wars, and in many desper- ate battles, he never received a wound. He was the last sur- viving general of the Revolution, and died in 1822, at Man- chester. New Hampshire, in his 94th year. A simple stone upon which is inscribed Major-general Stark^ marks the soldier's resting place — t nt his memory is fresh in many hearts. Chap. II. BATTLE OF BENNINGTON 283 rive until the Americans were victorious. A fu- ^-^^ rious battle was fought for more than two hours, \y^^^ 7"^ during Vi^hioh the Americans opposed, with singu- fhe'^ac^^ lar bravery^ a force nearly twice their number. 46. Although the British were defended by breast- what is ^ -^ farther works, they were stormed by the Americans, and l^^ ^l the troops finally obliged to surrender at discretion. ^^''"• The yells of the Indians when surrounded were ter- rific. The roar of the fire-arms resembled a prolonged thunder peal. Gen. Stark's troops had scattered in pursuit of plunder, when news arrived of the ap- proach of the reinforcement of 1,000 men. 47. At this critical moment, a regiment under ^^^^^ Col. Warner arrived ; the other troops rallied, and evinl^Sf the w^hole were ordered to advance. They fought tiii until darkness came on, w^hen the enemy yielded a second time in one day to their Yankee conquerors. The whole number of killed, wounded, and prison- ^^^^^ ers, was 934. Col. Baum received a mortal wound io?| ^of of which he soon after died. Instead of bringing, tish?"' in pursuance to the orders of Bursroyne, a train of ., ^ . , b J ? Did Bur- necessary things, on their return, the troops were fef^^^hls obhged to leave behind 1,000 stand of arms, 8 loads suppS of baggage, 4 brass field-pieces, and several horses, what The loss on our side w^as not more than 100. loss? 48. The victory at Bennington greatly encour- aged the Americans, but as greatly mortified Bur- ^^^^ goyne. An affecting incident occurred on the field ^deSt at Bennington, which illustrates a point in the atS American character. An old man, whose five sons were engaged in the battle, was told that he had been unfortunate in one of his sons. With up- raised hands and trembling voice, he exclaimed, 284 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part 11 j,y, " What has my boy done?" Then in rapid succes ^ sion followed the anxious questions, " Has my boy misbehaved? has he deserted his post or shrunk from the charge ? " " No, no," replied the informant "but he is slain — he shrunk not from the hottest of the fire, but fell while nobly acting his part." " Ah !' exclaimed the good old man, raising his dimmed eyes, " my boy was honest — I am satisfied — bring in the corpse that I may once more embrace the dar- ling of my soul." 49. AVilh his own hands, he washed the gore and dust from his gaping wounds, rejoicing that so brave and noble a youth had gone, as he trusted, where the wicked cease from troubling. Our single- did o^ur hearted ancestors dreaded dishonesty more than dS*^^^ death. Our prayer is, that their posterity will death? gi'^t^fi^lly remember their toils that we might be free, and, in God's strength, endeavor to imitate their integrity of purpose. 50. While Burgoyne was moving up Lake ^n°^'^^ Champlain to invest Ticonderoga, Col. St. Leger Fort was dispatched with about 2,000 Canadians and Schuy- ' ^ •®''- Indians, by w^ay of Oswego, against Fort Schuyler, wjjo situated on the site of the present village of Rome, mSded commanded by the brave Col. Gansevoort, with a Schuy- garrison of 700 almost as brave hearts as his own. ler, and <-' SinditSi They had but six weeks' provisions on hand, and a ga^isinl scanty supply of ammunition, and not even a flag to wave above the fort. What 51. St. Lester sent a message to these brave men message " . , bTsf"^ to surrender, threatening to give them over to the aniwhat brutalitics of the savages, should they refuse. They was answered boldly at the same time hoisting" a flag given! *^ » » Chap. II. BATTLE OF ORISKANY. 285 which they had made themselves, little heeding ITTT the horrid yells of 1.000 Indians, who, daring the hve-long night, at intervals, made the dark forest around the fort echo with their hideous war whoop. In the mean time Gen. Herkimer, assured of the ^^^^^^"^ desperate condition of the garrison, determined to Sfve to march to their relief; he accordingly started, and on approaching the fort, he sent an express to what in Gansevoort, saying that he had reached the ene- f,\"J'®ent my's camp within 8 miles. vooru'®* 52. As a signal that the express had reached him in safety, three cannon were to be fired, on hearing which Herkimer was to cut through the enemy's camp— while Gansevoort should assist him on the other side. Early the next morning, the signal awoke many of the soldiers to the march. Onward they passed in files of two deep, with an JJfe*^"''® advanced guard to open the way. Suddenly, on all SeJ-kf-"^ sides, sounded a terrific yell, as if his whole army tro6pl was surrounded, and in another moment the dark woods glittered with tomahawks, and the quick flash of rifles. 53. An awful scene was then presented, which ^J^' almost bafl[les description — on both sides men fell place like the leaves of autumn, and the carnage and clamor were enough to appall the stoutest heart. In the midst of the battle, a tremendous thunder shower burst upon them, and the intervals of silence were said to be more awful than the loudest uproar. The contest was suspended for the time, and the " two armies seemed to have been suddenly turned to what is •^ said of stone." As the rain abated, the battle was resumed J^e ^^ ' tack at with greater fury, and although for six hours this ter the rain ? 86 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part Tdi- !•: TT TOurderous work had been going on, Herkimer and his men, though weary and fainting, determined to press forward to the brave men at the fort. At last, amid the tumult, the Indian cry of flight, ^' Ooma/u. Oomah,^^ sounded joyfully in their ears, and with it they joined the glad shout of '^Victory^^^ sending a thrill through the wounded and dying. whaUs 54. This battle has been slightly noticed by his^' Ifei^^^' torians, but a more bloody one, considering the num- bers engaged, was never fought, and the Americans with all their disadvantages remained victorious. Many a soldier bled and died"" on the field of Oris- kany. We again turn to the graphic page of Headley for a notice, in passing, of the scene after the battle. What 55. There lay, he says, white man and savage, f^^/ near a thousand of them scattered around through til^of^*" the forest, part pale in death, others reclining on ny» their elbows, or sitting up against the trees, moan- ing piteously for water. The bright uniform of the ojfficer glittered beside the naked body of the In- dian ; and all around, thick as the leaves, were strewn shivered spears, broken muskets, and neg- lected swofds. Here lay a pile of fifty together, and * Gen. Herkimer was so severely wounded at the battle of Oriskany, that it was found necessary to amputate his leg. The story is, that owing to the two surgeons who performed the operation being intoxicated, it was badly done and he bled to death. His wife attempted to staunch the blood, but Herki- mer sav;- that soon its steady flow would stop the wheel at the fountain, and he bade her an affectionate farewell. After w^hich he called for a Bible, and read aloud the 38th Psalm, and then calmly resigned his soul into His hands, in whom he trusted for pardon. Cliap. II. PORT SCHUYLER. 2S7 there a solitary v/arrior, stretched where the death i-j^-y shot had struck him. Two would be found side by side, with their bayonets in each other's bosom ; and near by a " white man and an Indian born on the banks of the Mohawk, their left hands clenched n each other's hair, the right grasping in a grasp of death the knife plunged in each other's bosom ;" thus they lay frowning. Days after the battle the bodies still lay unburied, many of them torn to pieces by wild beasts. 56. The Americans, though victors, had suffered too severely to think of cutting their way to the fort and retreated. The fate of Fort Schuyler seemed now despe- J,^^^^^^ rate. The reinforcement sent to its relief com- ea^,^rison pelled to retreat — the garrison surrounded by foes schuy- — a scanty supply of provisions — ^^all threatened death by sword or hunger. Two Americans taken prisoners at Oriskany, coum ''''' were compelled to write to Gansevoort an exagge- Trfby'" rated account of the numbers of the British, stating- Ameri ' C3 can pns that Burgoyne had reached Albany, and that far- {^1 E.?t- ther resistance would prove their ruin. Gansevoort *'^' told the officer who bore this letter, that he would ^id Gan- sevoort only surrender at the cannon'' s mouth. '^^p^J- 57. The officer then repeated the threat that the ^^^.^^ Indians would be let loose on the defenseless settle- wif* ments if he persisted ; when Gansevoort, looking theoffi him full in the face, and throwing all the sarcasm he was master of into his tone , said, " After you get ^ansl^'*^ 2it of this fort^ you may turn round and look at its outside; hut never expect to come in again, unless you come a prisoner. I consider the mes- voort say? 288 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II , tit 7 sage you have brought a degrading one for a British officer to send, and by no means a reputa- ble one for a British officer to carry. For my own part^ before I would consent to deliver this garri- son to such a murderous set as your army, by your own account, consists of, I woidd suffer my body to be filled with splinters and set on fire, as you know has, at 7nany times, been practised by such hordes of iDOTnen-and-children-killers as be- long to your armyP 58. St. Leger, finding all attempts to terrify thein into a surrender fail, prepared to sap the fort. Finally, Gansevoort, finding St. Leger within 150 yards of the fort, into which he constantly threw shells, determined, at midnight, to cut his v/ay sword in hand through the enemy's camp. A pro- tecting Providence, which has all hearts in its hands, was moving some brave ones in behalf of this gar- whatis I'ison. The noble-hearted Schuyler, then at Alba- s^chuy- ny, heard with much emotion of the defeat of Her- .er? "^ ' kimer, and trembled for the fate of the garrison, ^j^^^^^ unless relieved speedily. To all his entreaties to ma(k to send troops thither, he was answered, that as Bur- jecSons? goyne was now moving rapidly down the river, it would be unsafe to send any of their forces away. Schuyler entreated, and still the same answer was given ; when, in his agitation, turning fiercely round, and crumbling his pipe in his mouth as his teeth angrily closed on it, he exclaimed to the whatdid council of officers, " Gentlemen, I shall take the finally responsibility on myself ; where is the brigadier that will command them 7 I shall beat up for volunteers .'" Cliap. II. FORT SCHUYLER RELIEVED. 289 59. Arnold, still a friend to America, sprung to i-x-j^-x his feet, and with his usual promptitude, offered to ^^^ ^^ lead the expedition. 800 men were found ready com"? ^^ to start at the beat of the drum. Away they theex- marched, with the greatest alacrity. Fearing, how- ever, the same fate which befell Herkimer's men might be theirs, he had recourse to a stratagem, be- fore attempting to fight his way through. 60. A spy, by the name of Cuyler, who had been ^o^^h^^^ taken, was brought before Arnold, and promised f^^i^^^ pardon on condition he would give such an exag- '^^^'^"'''^' gerated account of the American forces as to ter- rify the Indians into a retreat. Life was precious to the spy — he accepted the proposal, and the stra- tagem succeeded. To the utter surprise of Gan- sevoort, who knew nothing of the affair, the Indi- ^eltrlt ans and English, on the morning of the 23d of sScSed, August, were seen m sudden flight, leaving their ^^^1,^'^;. baggage and artillery. The stratagem of Arnold '^"''^'^• had the desired effect, and in a short time he was heard in the distance, at the head of his noble sol- diers, making the woods ring with their joyful cheers, which were heartily answered by the re- lieved garrison at Fort Schuyler. 61. Burffoyne was confounded when the reports „ o ./ r How waa of the battle of Bennington and the failure of St. goy^eaf- Leger, one after the other, came in, and was seri- w?th the I • /• r ' news of ously perplexed as to his future course of action, ^^^l^,^^' The overthrow of these forces was the first in a grand series of events that finally involved in ruin the whole royal army. Burgoyne was in a wilder- ^r^..^ j^ ness, surrounded witli enemies, greatly in want of Bilr- '* provisions ; and placin;? liule confidence in Ills In- siamtiom 13 290 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part IL ivrr di^^n allies, he felt that he must soon either conquer or surrender. He accordingl}^ collected his artil- lery and scanty store of provision-s, and made a desperate effort to advance, and cut his way through to join Clinton. After constructing a bridge of Where boats, lie passed his army over the Hudson, and on mes^en- ^^^ ^4,t^ of Sept. eucampcd on the plains of Saratoga. camped? Q2, The American army was about four miles distant, and daily receiving reinforcements. The excesses of Burgoyne's army had roused the inhab- itants to a full sense of their wrongs. With one accord they seemed to pour from every valley, ham- tia/lent let, and hill-slope, to protect their fire-sides. The athrillof ' r J r tK'-h ^^1'^^^* of Miss Jane McCrea* by some Indians in **^^^^"^^- Burgoyne's advance party, sent a thrill of horror through the land, and was one of a hundred in- ducements for every father and brother to rush to the conflict. 63. Schuyler's army, from a few disheartened soldiers, increased rapidly, and his heart beat with deUght at the thought of a glorious victory. Just at this long wished for moment, news came which, * During the halt of the British at Fort Edward, an incident occurred which greatly increased the odium justly cast on the British ministry, because of their barbarous order for Burgoyne to form an alliance with the ferocious savages of the wilder- ness. A young lady named McCrea, represented as beautiful and accomplished, the daughter of an American loyalist, was, just previous to the war, aifianced to a young English officer named Jones. Jones dispatched a party of Indians with a letter and a horse, to bring his intended bride in safety to the camp. On the way, two of the principal savages disputed about which should present her to her lover, when one of them killed her with his tomahawk, to prevent the other from receiving the promised reward of a barrel of ruia. — Losstng. Cliap. II. GENERAL ARNOLD. 291 had he been less noble and firnij would have caused 177 ^ him to retaliate at the offered insult. After having gone through Avith untold drudgery, and shrunk from no hardship, endured complaints and angry speeches wUhout retorts, he received a cold mes- ^hat sage from Congress, that he was to be superseded ^f^^°^ by Gates. His noble heart keenly felt the indig* f.^cdve nity — but for the example of youth we would no- gress? tice his conduct, as one of the noblest triumphs of patriotism and virtue over envy and iealousy. We he^^re-" shall soon have occasion to notice him as a mag- i^^uit? nanimous man. 64. Arnold, also, was treated with the same in- how did dignity, but the same god-like principle was not Jj^^ve the ruling action of his life. Arnold was proud, li-elt- and could not bear to be humbled — he waa ambi- °*^" tious, panted for more fame, and could not for- give an insult. It was an outrageous insult on the part of Congress, when junior officers were pro- moted over persons so popular as Arnold, Stark, and Schuyler. We find no excuse for Arnold's subsequent conduct, but agree with the board of wash^^^ war, to whom he appealed, that he was '^cruelly think on and groundlessly aspersed ;" and with Washington, ^^^• that both he and Schuyler, with St. Clair and Stark, received repeated and bitter insults after all the acts of self-denial they had freely performed. 65. Although many were dissatisfied, at the time, with the manner in which the northern posts had been given up, the peculiar and trying circum- stances under which our army was placed, rendered it imprudent to act otherwise. They were tried by a court-martial, and acquitted with the highest 292 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. ity-y honor. We can now see an overruling Providence, flow can that orders even afflictive dispensations for the ben- the hTnd efit of those who trust in God. Buro:oyne was led, of Provi- , . . /^ 1 , , ' ^ence in under perplexing circumstancesj farther and farther events? j^^^^ ^^i^ heart of the country, and suddenly, con- trary to all his expectations, found himself siir- Did Bur- rounded by the enemy, he had regarded as van- choose to quished. To retreat, he must abandon his expe- retreator * r n r advance? ditiou — to advance, seemed full of danger ; but still he proudly chose the latter. 66. On the 17th of September, his army came nearly in contact with the Americans, when some skirmishing took place. About noon on the 19th, What ,our army advanced and offered battle. Burofoyne British -^ ^ "^ ?N^rT' ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ head of his army, and Generals Phil- 7iy^eT lips, Reidesel, and Frazer, were actively engaged. Gates liad under him the intrepid Arnold, and his /.meii- brave companions, Morgan and Dearborn. The "^"(l^ battle opened furiously, as if both hosts were deter- Gates' jj^iQed iQ conquer or die. 67. The firing continued in one incessant roar What is and blaze for three hours, covering the field with thecoa- wounded and dying*. It was an obstinate and un- yielding contest. At one time the British were overpowered, but being reinforced, the Americans were repulsed. The same ground was occupied successively, and the blood of both armies mingled in the death struggle. The victory was claimed by the British, but the advantages v/ere decidedly on the part of the Americans. They were the assailants, they held their ground through the day, bsson' ^^^^ retired without being pursued, having lost S? only 64 killed, and 255 prisoners and wounded. tast? What CHap. II. GATES AND ARNOLD. 293 The British lost 60( in killed, wounded, and 17^7 prisoners. 68. The royal army lay all night on their arms ^^^t on the battle field, strewed with the slain — while ry^^thJ** the soldiers in search of spoils stripped, indiscrimi- of the A L r y royal ar- nately^ the bodies of the gay uniform of the Eng- "^^^ Jish, or the plainer blue garb of the American. Both parties lay within sound of each other's voices for 16 days, and considerable skirmishing took why did place, resulting from the attempts of the British to goyne forage. Burgoyne looked with the utmost anxiety ^JJIfe a for aid from Sir Henry Clinton, from New York, rStelf- but finding starvation staring his army in the face, fofcohis he determined to make a desperate effort to force through his v/ay through the American lines. 69. During this interval, a dissatisfaction arose ^v^y^-ag Detween Gates and Arnold, because Gates* refused ^iSalfs- o give Arnold even a tenth part of the praise due Gatesi to him for his undaunted braverv at Stillwater. Gates was envious, because the whole army gave Arnold and his division the credit of the battle of the 19th, and falsely represented the affair to Con- gress in his ofl[icial report. To crown the injustice of Gates, he took away Arnold's division from him and gave it to CoL Lincoln ; so that now, on the eve of another battle, one of the bravest ofllcers in the American army was without a command. His Hl^^^J^ nature was too proud to bear this — he had never ^■^'^^^ learned in childhood to brook an insult. How many hours of bitterness would have been spared Arnold, had he felt the beauty of the Saviour's ex- ample of humility and patience under insults. 70. When the roar of the cannonade of the 7th 294 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. pj^^i 11. 17TT <^f October reached his ears, while sitting in his What is ^^^^^j he could no longer restrain his maddened Arnold's fcelings. He would enter the battle, and, for aught oHhe ' we know, he wished it micfht be his last. His con- 7th of • " October? j^(.t ^yr^g frightfully daring, as, mounted on a beau- tiful horse, named Warren, after the hero of Bun- ker Hill, he rushed madly in the hottest of the fire, while his shout was heard above the horrid din of conflicting armies. Regardless of danger, he rode at one time from one extremity of the line to the other, exposed to the cross fire of the armies, fol- lowed by the loud huzzas of admiring troops. 71. Gates, fearing lest this impetuous horseman «\^hat should, by winning this battle, eclipse his own wa^Lnt J^^i^^^j ^^ ^his perilous moment, dispatched Col. tJ A?-^^' Armstrong after him, with a command to retire from the field.* The beloved general of the army, now without a command, was obeyed in an in- stant ; and groups of veterans, who had followed him in many a toilsome march, crowded around him, eager for orders. Who did 72. Pointino^ to the camp surrounded with a Arnold ^ ^ recog- ^vall of armed men and cannon, he shouted to them nv/jpi on ' aeiSdi as his quick eye recognized the scarred faces of his old comrades. " You will not fail me now — on to the fortress, my .brave soldiers, you and yoic, on again — you know me well.-' The black horse is urged forward amid the fierce blaze of a thousand tb?at-^ guns, to the very sally port of the enemy. This ^^ ^" position must be won, or the American cause was :amp ? . * During the battle of Saratoga, Gen. Gates was quietly sit- ting in his room, conversing with a British officer. He fought both these battles like a Em'opean gentleman — in his camp. Cliap. II, BURGOYNe's SURRENDER. 205 dishonored. So shouted Arnold at the sally port. j^tT As the piteous screams of " quarter, quarter^'' reached the ears of the Americans, the gallant charger which had borne the victorious general through scenes of blood and fire, fell pierced by many balls, and Arnold lay wounded and bleeding, shouting, " Thebattle is ourSj Saratoga is wony 73. This was Arnold's last battle for his still beloved country, and yel no tidings of his bravery, or of Morgan's came to Congress from the envious Gates. Arnold was carried bleeding from the field amid the deafening shouts of '• Victory^ victoryP The British lost several valuable officers, amoncr whai ■ o was the whom none was more lamented than Gen. Frazer. fe°" Their entire loss was over 400 men ; that of the'"^^ xlmericans about 80. 74. The British camp was evacuated durins; the . , , ^ ? Why .Jifl niofht, and soon alter an attempt was made to ""^ b.u- retreat to Fort Edward, but intelHgence was foJ.\^ Ed- brought that this foit was already in possession of the Americans, and every avenue of retreat was blockaded by the enemy. Still Burgoyne was too proud to submit to his fate, and yield all his bright visions of future fame and ^lory at once. He resisted ° -^ What until the last moment, as hope after hope proved ''j^',^^"''' vain, until w^orn out and weary he agreed, after ob& much consultation, upon an honorable surrender oi the relics of his once splendid army of 10,000 men. 75. It was stipulated, that on the 17th they were ^vhat to march out of their camp with the honors of war ten4 uf to the place assigned, where their arms and artillery fier; were to be piled at the command of tlieir own offi- cers. That a passage should be allowed them to 296 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Fan. II. iT-7^ Great Britain on condition of their not serving What again during the vi^ar. The trophies obtained by were'ot this great capitulation were, officers and soldiers, this 5,791. The train of brass artillery and other ord- great ca- '^ ■^ ^^f^^' nance was of immense value, consisting of 42 pieces of cannon, besides 7,000 muskets, with six thousand dozen cartridges, avast supply of shot, shells, &c., a great number of tents and military stores, with clothing for 7,000 men. How 76. Every possible courtesy was shown to the were the , ^^ r J troops^"* officers, and our soldiers were not allowed to wit- ness the surrender. We here see one of the most unexpected reverses of fortune, as ordained by divine Providence. The proud, presuming foe, the haughty commander, who threatened to lay waste our cities What is and expose our helpless women to the merciless here said ^ ^ ^ ^ gin^i Hessian and savage — who said his army should not retreat — was at last obliged to sue for terms of sur- render to the very people whom he had treated with sovereign contempt. With the long and loud huz- wi^* za of victory from an oppressed people, arose an- withthe other cry over the land, of praise to Him who limits loudhuz- -^ ^ A Sr?^?"^^^' the extent of human power, and decrees in wisdom the destinies of nations. 77 The testimony of several English writers is given to the magnanimity with which such foes as Burgoyne and his army had been treated. The eaid of magnanimous Gen. Schuyler, notwithstanding Bur- ^e^^^' S^y^^ h^d ^^ wantonness ordered his splendid S of country-seat near Saratoga to be destroj^ed, opened oyne? the old family town- man siou to the captive officers. Burgoyne learned a lesson on the beauty of forgive- ness, and could not forbear saying to Gen. vSchuyler, Chap. II. FORTS MONTGOMERY AND CLINTON. 297 "You show me great kindness, sir. though I have itti done you much injury." To which the noble- heaited man replied, ^' That tvas the fate of war, think 710 more of itP 78. It is worthy of note, that at the very time what is that BurtToyne was receivinsr ti:e most honorable worW ° •' ■ . . of note J and generous terms for himself and his army, acts of the most wanton barbarism were committed by the army of Clinton, on the North river. Clin- ton, on the 5th of October, while Burgoyne was JJ'o^l anxiously looking for aid previously to the last bat- S'ciia- tie of Saratoga, and only ten days before his sur- made? render, had moved from New York, and under con- voy of some ships of war, sailed up the river about forty-j&ve miles, landing at Verplanck's Point. 79. This was done as a feint to deceive Putnam, whywas stationed at Peekskill, who, supposing it to be Clin- <^onei ton's intention to push on northward to Burgoyne, drew away as many troops as could be spared from Forts Montgomery and Clinton, to oppose his pro- ofress. The feint succeeded, and immediately Clin- what dia ton, taking advantage oi then* weakened state d^ontho ^ o <^ 7 success marched two thousand of his men over the rugged move^-'^ range of the Dunderberg, and completely surprised ""^"^^ both garrisons at once. They fought desperately, but at last were overpowered, and the forts fell into the hands of the British. 80. Part of the garrison escaped in the darkness what of niffht, but about 250 men were left, including: of^'thf ^ ' / o garrison I the killed and wounded. Gen. Putnam, having only a few men to guard some stores, was obliged to retire as the enemy approached — destroying 13^ 298 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. ITTT every thing in their route of cruelty and devasta- What tion. Gen. Vaughan, as if to consummate their barba^r- barbarity, destroyed tlie beautiful town of Esopus, ism were . , r 7 ted"S^^" ^^^^ sparing the church or any other building. The vaS;?h. situation of Gen. Gates was now perilous in the ex- treme ; for, with Burgoyne on one side, and Vaughan and Clinton within a few hours' march and sail, he felt that what was "to be done 'twere well that it were quickly done." ^jj^j 81. Here, too, another providential incident oc- denliai currcd. A spy, dispatched to Burgoyne, was occurred takcu, who, finding himself in danger of detection, time? ^^^^ observed to swallow something taken hastily from his pocket. An emetic was administered, which, although it proved fatal to the spy, was con- sidered a lucky escape for the Americans. A silver bullet was thrown up, which, being unscrewed, was found to inclose a letter from Sir H. Clinton to Burgoyne, dated Fort Montgomery, October 8, commencing, " Nous voici — and nothing between us but Gates^^'' &c., &c. Relate ^^* ^^ another instance, a man was seized in courJt*^of Gen. Putnam's camp, under suspicious circum- foSndm stances, and on trial, was found to be in the British Put- ' ' "^^y service. Gov. Tryon addressed a letter to Gen. Putnam, reclaiming the spy as a British officer, and threatening vengeance in case he should be exe- cuted. This drew from the witty Putnam the fol- lowing characteristic reply : " Sir : Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in my camp as a spy — he was Chap. II. CAMP AT VALLEY FORGE. 299 condemned as a spy — and you may rest assured, itt7 sir, that he shall be hanged as a spy. ^- 1 have the honor to be, &c., "Israel Putnam." To his Excellency, Gov. Tryon. " P. S. Afternoon.— ^He is hangedP 83. Immediately after the surrender of Burgoyne, Gen. Gates dispatched a body of troops to the relief of Putnam, on which Gen. Clinton ordered the im- cimton mediate return of his troops to NeAV York, having New^ by fire and sword completely desolated the country, and spread ruin and death in many a peaceful family. About the same time, the British troops retired to Canada, and the northern department was once more restored to tranquillity. 84. We have already ffiven a statement of our 1 1 11 .11 I . What is army at the south, and have sighed over then* re- said of verses. They were men equally brave and true, a?m?r" but enfeebled by the detachments Washington generousl}^ sent to Gates. We left them in their huts at Valley Forge, and alluded to their deep necessities. No lano^ua^e can depict the suf- our^army ° ® ^ at Valley ferings of our ancestors at Valley Forge. Night ^"'^^e' after night, they sat shivering, nearly naked and starving, around their fires. Famine stared them in the face, and disease disabled hundreds of their number. During the day, amid sleet and snow, they performed the duty of pack-horses, and carried heavy loads of fuel on their naked shoulders, or yoked themselves together before rude vehicles of their own construction, drawing logs, while the snow was stained with the bloody tracks of their 3U0 REVOLUTIONARY WAR, Part II. 17 7 7 bare feet. When the night came on. their weary limbs ached for repose — the bleak and frozen hill-side was the only lesting-place for hundreds; and as the cold increased, they dared not lie down, but slept, sitting in groups around the fires. 85. Washington's heart was often wrung with anguish, and he devised every means in his power to alleviate their sufferings. But even at this time of struggling and adversity, when his soul was rent with emotions of s^rief for their suf What ^ . . ^ . . , party, lermgs, a party arose m congress, in concert with gres's at General Conway and others, endeavoring to re- ume? move the chief command from the beloved of the people, the only man who could keep a mutinous, naked, sick, and starving army together — the man selected by the God of the oppressed to break the chafns of bondage. Who 86. The candidates named to supersede Wash- candi^ ^ ington were Gens. Mifflin, Lee, Gates, and Conway. named to Gcn. Gatcs sccmcd to be the favorite candidate, and super- ^ wish- there is every reason to suppose that he did all he mgton? ^g^j,gj^ j^ undermining the fair character of Wash- ington. But Washington came out of the fire of persecution like tried gold. The evil deeds of his enemies fell on their own heads. What is 87. Gen. Conway was afterward challenged by jon-iay? Gcu. Cadwalladcr for some vile speeches against Washington, and received a wound which he sup- posed to be mortal. He afterward trembled at the remembrance of his treatment of Washington, and confessed that he had slandered him. In all his pain, and at the honest hour of death, as he sup- posed he wrote a letter to Washington, saying, Chap. II. BARON STEUBEN. 301 among other expressions of sorrow for what he had I'^^j done, " You areHn my eyes the great and good manP Truly he was a great and good man. ^^^1 Though his heart recoiled at such base insinuations msh- and slanders, he chose to suffer contumely in ffod- coW^ct ' -^ C3 under m like silence, feeling that God had all hearts in his J'^'^^^^" hands, and could make even such enemies to be at peace with him. Besides, for his country's sake he was silent, for he knew that a public defense would expose many facts which an exulting enemy should not know. 88. On the 15th of November, 1777, a plan of what is confederation for the States was adopted, which, the plan however, amounted to little more than a friendly [edem- league, and served to unite the colonies more closely in their common cause. The plan was proposed in the summer of 1775, by Benjamin Franklin, but obstacles to its execution arose, which could not easily be surmounted until the close of 1777. 89. In December of this year, Baron Steuben, ,,,^ . . J ' ' What 19 relying on the promises of the French Court for ^^^ °^ remuneration, arrived in this country, and was re- sSem ceived by Congress with every mark of distinction. He was a man highly respected in Europe, had been aid-de-camp to the renowned Frederick, king of Prussia, and was singularly fitted by his previous life to aid and instruct our undisciplined army. Thus the same Providence that raised a leader eminently qualified for his work, gave us also friends to plead our cause among the princes of the earth. The noble foreigner hastened to Valley Forge, and , forthwith commenced an active system of discipline which conduced greatly to our future good success. 302 KEVOLUTTONARY WAR. Part II. 11T8 CHAPTER III. CAMPAIGN OF 1778. whaUs 1. In the spring of 1778, the French frigate, " La tyo/alii' Sensible," arrived with the intelligence of thenego- w'ith the tiation of a treaty of alliance between France and America. It was formed on the basis of perfect reciprocity of interest. In it Louis XVI. guaran- tied om* commerce and independence. Intelli- gence was brought that other European powers were favorably inclined to the Republican cause. ^oclL Washington issued a proclamation from head- wasTs" quarters at Valley Forge, appointing a day of pub- valiey Hc thankso^ivitiff to the Almio^hty Ruler of the uni- Forge? . . . verse, for having so propitiously defended the cause of the American United States. Why did 2. When the Ensrlish Ministry were informed ol the Eng- .,.,,. , , ntch'^" this treaty, they unmediately dispatched commis- sfoTrsto sioners to America, to attempt a reconciUation ; but ^^^^^^ their offers now could not be accepted : once, the How colonists had humbly petitioned as just and loyal fefi'^re- subjects for the very favors now offered, but were ceived? gpi^i-j^g^j fi'QiYi the throne, and their petitions treat- ed with the utmost contempt. What is 3. After the country had been deluged with the or tj 3 blood of its inhabitants, and after innumerable acts Amd - ' ^""^ of violence and tyranny, the British meanly offered to give them what they asked for in humble terms. No, they said with one voice. Independence now, and Independence forever. Never would they return ry is here men- tioned ? Cliap.III. ENGLAND HUMBLED. 303 to the mother country. They were firm in thi? i^tq resolve to the last. They had pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors, to the cause of American independence. 4. They felt the justice of their cause, and had i„ what n strong confidence in the overruling providence altrpn/ of God, and though deficient in many things neces- ^^cnce? sary to carry on the war, and apparently incompe- tent for the contest, they determined to press on- v^ard. Assailed by offers of gold, by threats, still they were firm. One of the generals in the army, when tempted by one of the commissioners with whatm- '■ •' stance of the offer of £10,000 sterling, and any office in |fgX^. his Majesty's gift, to use his influence in uniting men the colonies to Great Britain, replied, " / am not worth purchasing ; but such as I am, the King of Great Britain is not rich e?iough to buy meP 5. The pride of the British nation had been 'v\^hat greatly humbled by the defeat of their favorite gen- thought eral, and the ministry received the loudest censures \^ o^ from the party which had opposed the war. They fSfren-'* had little anticipated the ignominious result of Burgoyne's campaign, and were not prepared to act in view of such an event. They had now been foiled in their attempt at negotiation and bribery, and were at a loss what new method to adopt. 6. The ratification of the treaty of alliance ^w-^,.al warned them that French soldiers would soon join phif '^^^' evacu* hieartand hand with Americans. Deeming Phila- atea? delphia a disadvantageous position, being^ too far from the sea, and liable to be blockaded, the minis- try transmitted orders that it should be evacuated and the royal troops concentrated at New York. 304 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^t !!• 17.^8 As Gen. Howe had resigned, Sir Henry Clinton Who ^^^^^ appointed commander-in-chief, and on him ITg^u. devolved the execution of these orders. 7. He immediately set about the movement in the most secret manner, but it was discovered by Why was La^iy- the little band at Valley Forge. Washington im- edf'and mediately dlspatchcd Lafavetto witli 2,000 men to did^hr watch the enemy, and guard the country against EO 1 * their marauding parties. He crossed the Schuylkill and took post on Barren Hill, mid-way between Valley Forge and Philadelphia, being about nine miles from either place. ^^^^^^ 8. A spy brought information of his movement was^done ^q giy Hcury Glintou. He immediately sent out cunton a superior force against Lafayette to surprise him, i^nfon!? ^^^ '^y cutting off his retreat, oblige him to sur- &%y?"^ render. Through the negligence or perfidy of one of Lafayette's piquet guard, he was nearly Lafay-^^ surrouudcd at night. At sun-rise the next morn- sition. ing a spectacle, which was sufficient to appall an older heart than Lafayette's, met his gaze. Be- tween him and the SchuylkilUay the British troops strongly guarding one of the fords of that river, while a large number were so detached as to de- scend upon him, when he should attempt to move for the remaining passage. What did 9. At the same moment, Washington from his jj^^tonio camp discovered the approach of the enemy, and ±r-d^-^ ordered the whole army to be in readiness to march ?hrene^-^ to the relief of the detachment, if necessary. With his officers he mounted a hill, and with the utmost anxiety gazed through his glass, toward the Schuylkill. rUap. III. BARREN HILL. 305 10. Cool and collected, Lafayette hesitated not 177^ a moment. He dared not attack so large a body, but he would not surrender. He had recourse to a ^o whaf manoeuvre which gave him great credit. Forming ^r^d* his little band partly in heads of columns which 3tte re- ^ "^ ^ ^ soil? only extended beyond the woods, the British were ltd to suppose that the whole army was advancing against them and halted to give battle. In the mean time, beneath the very hill on which the fh^^^ British were posted, Lafayette was silently passing on his way, when at last, to the utter surprise of the enemy, the heads of the columns retreated with speed and the v/hole detachment reached Valley Forge, losing only nine men. Washington em- braced his youthful friend, while the army from their gloomy huts received him with joyful shouts. The retreat at Barren Hill has always been re- garded as a most skilful achievement. 11. The number of troops at Valley Forge in ^^^^[^^ May of this year, was about eleven thousand, and of^the'^ the whole American force then in the field did not can force. I exceed fifteen thousand men. The British army in Philadelphia and New York amounted to thirty thousand, of which nineteen thousand were in the the bW former place. Besides these there were nearly 4,000 *''"' at Rhode Island. 12. On the 18th of June the English troops what ^ *■ move- evacuated Philadelphia, ana crossed mto New Jer- ^^^ sey, whither Washington speedily followed them. Se'^ilth* The country seemed filled with red-coated soldiers, *^ and the baggage train alone covered twelve miles took^ ^^ of road. On the 28th of June the two armies were ^^^lii warmly engaged at Monmouth, sixty-four miles ^thf^ 306 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. tYTS from Philadelphia. The action was conducted with great skill on both sides, but although favorable to the Americans, was not a decided victory. From 13. This battle was fought on the Sabbath day, the^soi-' and a fearful one it v/as. All day long they fought l^eaUy on the plains of Monmouth, the sun pouring down rays of intense heat, the thermometer being ninety- six degrees. Many of the soldiers died of th@ heat, and the cry for water was more awful than the moans of the wounded. An unfortunate retreat permitted by General Lee,* nearly deranged the plan of operation, and but for the singular bravery of Gen. Washington, who commanded the troops m person, the battle would have been lost, whaiis 14. When word came to Washington, that Lee Son' ^^^^ ^1^ f^^^ retreat, the expression of his usually pla- fo?med"* cid face is said to have been dreadful — with a retreat? burst of iudiguatiou, he sprang on his horse, and the cloud of dust alone told of his route. " Long live whatdid WcisJ^i^gion f the troops shouted as he galloped mand of furiously ou until reining up in Lee's presence, he demanded of him in tones of severity, whence arose the disorder and confusion. How did 15. Rebuke from Washington was terrible to I-ee re- b ?ebuke^^ au^ oue, but galling in the extreme to Lee. Not a moment was to be lost. Commands were given in quick succession * and promptly obeyed. Order once more was restored, when Washington again ^SsfdTd rode up to Lee and in token of his foreriveness, ex- Wash- . . . ington claimed, " Will yon^ sir, command in that place ?^^ * Major-geneial Lee, who was captured in 177G, was ex- changed in May, 1778, for Major-general Prescott, who was taken at Rhode Island bv Col. Barton. CHap. III. BATTLE OF MONMOUTH. 307 pointing to the front, exposed to the galling fire of it 79 the British. He sullenly replied, " Ye5." ^^ I ex- feet you to check the enemy miniediately,^^ *' Your ^v^^at orders^^^ replied Lee, stung with mortification, Ks re ply '^ " shall be obeyed ; I shall not be the first to leave thefieldP'' 16. A deadly fire was poured on them, and nobly what is they stood their ground. Hamilton was exposed to Hamii- the hottest of the fire, and fearing lest Lee might again shrink under the heavy onset, exclaimed, ^^ I will stay with you — I will die with you — let us all die rather than retreat." Wayne, too, showed What distinjTuished valor on this fearful day. The bat- other of- ^ -^ ficers teries of Knox and Stirling were like sheets of dS^"* uished flame, and every thing betokened the energy with 6rave?y which the battle was fought. Night only put an * Lee, incapable of brooking even an implied indignity, ad- dressed two letters to the Commander-in-chief, couched in dis- respectful language, and with an air of defiance solicited a trial for his conduct. He was immediately put under arrest, charged with disobedience of orders, misbehavior before the enemy, and disrespect to the Commander-in-chief. He was found guilty of all the charges, and was sentenced to suspension from any command in the American army for one year. From this mo- ment his attacks on the character of Washington were more virulent and open, and his language at all times scurrilous and profane. He lived a wretched life, secluded from society, in a hovel without glass windows or plastering, until the autumn of 1782, when he took lodgings in a common tavern in Philadel- phia. He was soon seized with a violent disease, which speed- ily terminated his life, Oct. 2, 1782. He was an infidel in prin- ciple, and hostile to every attribute of the Deity. In his will he requested not to be buried in any church or church-yard, or within a mile of any Presbyterian or Anabaptist meeting-house. What a contrast between such a death-bed scene and that («f a Chn.^aan. 308 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. ITT 8 ^^d ^^ ^^^ incessant firing, and as the thunder of ~~" the guns died away, both armies, exhausted under ^nd To the burning sun, lay down upon the ground. the bat- ^^ rj,^^ stiUness of that awful Sabbath even ing was broken by piteous cries for w^ater, and the 2:roans of the dying. The wearied Americans "What ^ »/ o place sl^P^ soundly, for at the dawn of day they perceived the""^ that the British after midnight had deserted their ^'^^'^^ camp, and were already beyond their reach. How 18. Durinsr this day no less than 59 British sol- many ^ from^^^ diers perished from the heat alone. The Ameri- ^^'^^' cans lost eight officers and sixty-one privates killed, What and about one hundred and sixty-one w^ounded, Toti orf while the British lost, in all, three hundred and fifty- sides? eight men, including officers. One thousand men deserted during the march, and one hundred were ^^j^^t taken prisoners. This victory w^as celebrated with thought rejoicings throughout the United States, and Con- victory? gress passed a vote of thanks to Gen. Washington and his army for their bravery. 19. Soon after the treaty of alliance had been wer?dis- ratified, France fitted out a fleet of twelve sail of toAme- the line under Count d'Estaing, to co-operate witli our army. At the same time, the British gov- ernment sent out a fleet to reinforce Admiral Lord Howe. Both fleets were delayed on the passage by contrary w^inds. In July, the French fleet fkrther^ arrived off the coast of Delaware, and not finding them" the British there, sailed for New York. Here they continued eleven days during w^hich they captured twenty English merchantmen, when, with the ad- vice of Washington, D' Estaing sailed for New p^i't. with a view of co-operating with the Ameri Chap. III. FRENCH FLEET. 309 cans in expelling the British from Rhode Island, itT8 of which they had held possession nearly two years. 20. Sullivan, at the head of ten thousand men, wiJSShe had crossed over to Rhode Island to co-operate with menus' of ^ Sullivan? the naval force. Generals Greene and Lafayette were also sent with detachments, and on the 9th anTila- of August, it was agreed to attack Newport by *^^'^"^' land and water, but on that very morning Admiral what _ were Howe appeared with the British fleet. The French their A r plans, admiral in order to engage the enemy to better ad- f^ip!,^^^ vantage at sea, set sail to attack him. A terrible change? storm commenced which raged violently and inces- what ef- santly for three days, drenching the exposed forces the of Sullivan, and carrying destruction with it on pj^^JJ^^ the ocean. The fleets were both disabled, and and^the 1 T 1 . ■, . . ,, troops J obliged to put mto then* respective ports to rent. 21. Gen. Sullivan no longer dared to remain, whatdh ° ' Suihvan and after some skirmishing in which there was ^"^^ considerable loss on both sides, the army made a skilful retreat to the main-land. It was a for- ^^y tunate action, for in a few hours Gen. Clinton ar- Tonun&tl rived with four thousand men, and resistance from our little band would have been vain. Thus ended an expedition which had promised a great deal, and of which high hopes had been entertained, ^j^^'^l;,. In November, D' Estaing sailed with his fleet for sUnn the West Indies, to attack the British dependencies in that quarter. 22. Durinjof the summer of this year, a most har- whatoc- ^ ^ . . curred assing w^ar was carried on by the Indians against ^^1^1^^, the inhabitants on our western frontier, but an ex- msylar, pedition under the intrepid Col. Clarke soon put an end to these outrages. 310 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^n, H, fTT8 The lonely and sequestered vale of Wyoming next became the theatre of one of the most honic What is scenes ever witnessed. wyo-° 23. Many years before the Revolution, a colony ming, its . _, -^ \ , , , \ / situation i|-om Oonnccticut had commenced a settlement m and set tiement? ^j^jg charming valley through which the Susque- hannah flowed. The inhabitants were pious, and What is perhaps no spot on earth in so small a settlement, the in- numbered so many happy souls. About one thou- ^"'*- sand families were gathered here, and industry and H^,^ frugality added to their prosperity. When the many of R^eyoJutiQi^ broke out, one thousand brave youths joined of noble sires joined the army. There is not a spot the ar- »^ -^ ^ ^ ^ "*^- on our guilty earth uncursed by evil. Party spirit What is S-i'ose and the inhabitants divided in two parties, Whigs* as Whigs and Tories. The former had the ma- and To- . . ^ ^ , . ... ries? jority and used some arbitrar}^ measures, which so incensed the latter that they vowed to be re- venged. Se To-'^ 24. Taking advantage of the absence of the sons, advan''^ they resolved on one of the blackest acts record- anf ^' ed on the historic pas^e. Joinin^: to their number what did ^ ^. ^ sofver several hundred Indians anxious to witness the ^hat annihilation of the whites — increasing their forces indlan^'^ to about 1,600 — they started on their demoniacal force ? What is ^^'^*^^^' Never did the valley of Wyoming present thi'^beau- ^ I'nore beautiful aspect, as far as nature's rich gifts onjin^at blcsscd it ; but a close observer could mark in the »ime hurried step arid quickened speech of the old men, and the anxious face and tearful eye of the women, th,at danger was apprehended. 25, Their fears were somewhat calmed by a message from Col, Butler, the Tory commander, Chap. III. MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 311 that he would not hann them, but would like to i-^^s hold a parley with them. Accordingly Col. Zebu- wha~ Ion Butler, a cousin of the commander of the sav- Sf bS^ age horde, accompanied by nearly all the men in ^r^ol^^^ the settlement, capable of bearing arms, went out meet ^ to meet them. Instantly the work of murder com- and What menced, and nearly every man was butchered in fi^fg.^^F the most awful manner. ^^'"^^' 26. The affrighted women and children fled to where the forts, which had been hastily erected, and every women possible means of defense was adopted by Col. see" Dennison, who was left in command of the remain- der of the men. Soon, the horrid band came with th?^af> yells and nnprecations to the tort, and to make g^^^J^^ their errand known, they threw the bleeding scalps ^Sd of 196 heads of their beloved ones into the fort. Feeling resistance to be vain, Dennison sent out to inquire the terms of surrender, to which Butler re- Describe the com- plied, " The Hatchet.^^ A few moments completed ^f^i'l^l^ the horrid work. The men were murdered, and buTch"^ the women with their babes were locked in the ^'^^ houses and forts, and destroyed in one awful con- flagration. Humanity sickens at the recital of such scenes. 27. Wyoming was never more called the happy what is valley. The few who survived the massacre, had wyo-° • xningl a bitter lot, and the grave received crushed and broken hearts, when at last their pilgrimage was where ended. Similar acts of atrociry took place at Cherry ac^'^per- valley in New York and at Tappan, but we for- ^|[^^^^ bear : the story of human beings engaging in such tSy^cm- deeds 'is painful to the heart. In all these instan- theene- ' ^ my? 3l2 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. 17 7 8 ces ^* duartei" was asked, and answered only with a plunge of the bloody knife. What did 28. Toward the close of this campaign, the Brit- Lh le"^' ish finding, after the capture of Burffovne, nothing thi'dose ^^^^^^ ^^ gained at the JNorth, determined to change cam-*" the plan of operations, and attempt the subjugation 01 the South. ^^^l In November, Sir Henry Clinton dispatched Col. sirHen"! Campbell with about two thousand men to com- ton '"' mence operations against Georgia, then one of the weakest States. The American forces under the com- What is said of mand of their general, Robert Howe, were inadequate Ameri- to fcsist the cucmy. They fought bravely, howev forces in er, but finally were overcome, and after a short con South? iQ^i ij^Q capital surrendered, and the whole of Geor- whatpf S^^ came into possession of the British. This was ki^^the^ the only State in the Union in which a legislative [h^^Biit- body assembled, under the authority of Great Brit- ain, after the Declaration of Independence. What is 29. Thus ended the campaign of 1778, the least said.of . . , , . . ^ , thiscam- important 01 any since the beginning oi the wai Gen. Lincoln received orders from Congress to tKr-^' iake command of the southern forces, and the army *°^ under Washington retired to winter-quarters near Middle-Brook in New Jersey. Chap. IV. PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. 3J3 ltT9 CHAPTER IV. CAMPAIGN OF 1779. 1. Never had the finances of the country been m what •^ was the SO low a state, as in the beginning of 1779. Never J^^gf iudd party spirit and private jealousies been moreJngT'" rife in Congress, than at this moment. A gloomy prospect was presented to the American patriot. Here, again, the peculiar virtues and talents of Washington were exhibited in their brightest light, ^j^^^^^ Attacked by misrepresentations and angry speeches, olwSh- and loaded with a weight of troubles both in the ISfiefaii •111* -I /»T •! histrialsi camp and out, still hopmg and confidmg m the arm of Providence, onward he went in the path of duty, the " great and good man," imitating the meek and lowly One, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. 2. Washington spent some time in Philadelphia what ° '^ *-^ plan was with Congress, maturing a plan for the campaign. gJ^^^S^ It was concluded to hold the army entirely on the paijn? defensive, with the exception of visiting v/ith con- dign punishment the Tories and Indians, who had committed such merciless ravages the preceding year. This defensive plan was necessary, from the ^^^^^^ exhaustion of the treasury. Efforts had been made ^^^l ^^<| to negotiate loans in Europe, but only small sums Sfst^ ^"^ had been obtained. No other resource remained tlian to emit bills of credit, or paper money. In 1775 ^^J^^/ three millions of dollars were issued. As a circu- g-'onTr' lating medium, these bills were exceedingly valuable. m^ey» 14 314 HEVOLUTIONARY WAR. Fart II. 1TT9 3. At the commencement of 1779 the amount issued had risen to over one hundred millions of was the dollars, and during this year, the amount was dou- SPsuch ^^^^' A. necessary consequence of such an im- gion"Jf " mense issue of bills of credit, was a depreciation of ^noney? uotcs to nearly a fortieth of their nominal value. 4. The scanty provision made for the mainte- nance of the officers, induced many resignations, ^^^^ until Congress, after having been repeatedly warned tfondid by Washington, awoke to the true state of affairs greTs They resolved that half-pay should be allowed theii live to officers, for seven years after the expiration of their MidieS services, and subsequently extended it to the dura- ""^"^^•tion of their lives. whatex. 5. Throughout this year, little more was aimed fittld out ^^ ^y ^^^^ British in the North, than depredation and vJrkr butchery. For this purpose an expedition was i^sJd Sf fitted out from New York against Virginia, in which private and public property was indiscriminately destroyed, and the most ferocious cruelty every where marked their path. In twenty-one days Portsmouth and Norfolk were seized, one hundred and twenty-seven vessels were taken or burned, and two and a half millions of property destroyed. It was an expedition only worthy of Goths — being undertaken merely for plunder. What is 6. A similar expedition was made against Con here said , Tryoni' ^^^ticut, uudcr Gov. Tryou. In works of brutality he was often selected by Gen. Clinton. No act was too vile for him to perform — no place too sacred to desecrate. New Haven, Fairfield, and Norwalk were visited, and exhibited fearful scenes of plun- der, conflagration, and distress. Before applying Chap. IV. PUTNAM AT HORSE NECK. 315 the torch, the soldiers were allowed to break open 1779 'trunks, closets, and places of deposit, and appropri- ^^^^ ate to their own use money, jewelry, or any other SiS article they coveted. After these marauding incur- on'smer? sions, females, frantic and starving, were found wan- dering in swamps and solitary places, whither they had fled for safety. 7. Washington could do little to protect these ^^y places. He dared not divide his small army sta- wail-"**^ tioned on both sides of the North river, in the im- S" mediate vicinity of the enemy, as he would then g^rotect subject the whole to be destroyed. Besides, in ^^"^""^^ order to protect the inhabitants, he must have an army sufficiently large to cover the country, he therefore deemed it prudent to risk no more than was consistent with the general welfare. 8. About this time General Putnam performed Describe his celebrated feat of ridino^ down the stone stairs nam's ^ celebra- at Horse Neck. He with 150 men was attacked by of^ridfng Gov. Tryon, with 1,500, and retarded the advance Sra* of the enemy, until he saw the infantry and cavalry Neck. preparing for a charge. He instantly ordered his men to retire to a neighboring swamp, and plung- ing his rowels in his steed, rode down the precipice to the utter consternation and chagrin of the British dragoons. A shower of balls was poured upon him. He remained unharmed, though one pierced his hat. After procuring a reinforcement, he faced about and pursued Gov. Tryon, taking about fifty prisoners. 9. The campaign of 1779 will ever be memora- ^^^^^ .^ blefor the reduction of Stony Point, one of the most gj,1iy**' brilliant actions during the war. This post was ^*^"^" on the west bank of the Hudson river, and was of 316 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. 1TT9 vast importance to either army. It had been strengthened by every means of art. Situated on an eminence washed by the Hudson on two sides, while a swamp overflowed by the tide lay on the other side. Six hundred men guarded this fort, and a double row of abattis surrounded the entire hill. Washington committed this hazardous en- terprise to the gallant Wayne. Describe ^^' ^^ ^^^ cvcniug of July 16th, after marching march fourtcen mllcs over lofty heights, through deep mo- stony rasses and narrow defiles, with his band of twelve hundred, he approached the fort, within a mile. Every thing depended on silence, and he sternly or- dered each man to march with unloaded musket and fixed bayonet. At midnight, dividing his men into two parties, and heading one division himself, orders were given for one party to enter the fortress at the right, and the other at the left. The tide had flooded the whole marsh, yet they stopped not for that. Describe H. An advaucc party of twenty men attacked^ tack/ the double palisade, when instantly the sentinels upon the fort shouted in hot haste, " The foe— they come, they come!" while from below Wayne sounded in startling accents, " On to the fort, my brave men, on to the fort !" A tremendous fire was poured upon them, but onward they marched through the morass, driven into spray by the grape- shot and balls, while the hissing, bursting shells fell around them in every direction. At last the heavy axes of the advance party or forlorn hope forced their way, and a shout of joy sounded through the air. €liap. IV. STONY POINT. 31? 12. At this moment their gallant leader fell, itt9 wounded in the head. Although wounded, he said what is to his men, with enthusiastic tones, " March on^ wWiJe? and carry me to the fort ^ for I will die at the head of my coluninP They lifted him, and with his head upon a faithful breast, they bore him onward until the centre of the fort was reached, and both parties met, when a deafening shout rent the air. ^ere The point was gained. The fort was carried, and cef^furS . ^ . . ^ ' their at- the military stores, standards, and ordnance fell ^^^^ into the hands of the Americans. The English lost over six hundred, in killed and prisoners. 13. The brave are scrupulous in the observance what of the laws of humanity toward a conquered foe. ""^^^^^ Our honest soldiers abstained from pillage or dis- ^^^^"? order, and disdained to take the lires of those who asked " quarter ;" thus showing, as was said to Wayne, that "bravery, humanity, and magnanimity are the national virtues of the Americans." Soon after, the British at Paulus Hook, opposite what to New York, were surprised by Major Lee, who post' was succeeded in storming the works and taking one hundred and sixty prisoners. 14. While these events were transpirmg at the ^^^^, North; scenes of equal interest were enacted in t^subm- Georgia and South CaroHna. The enemy were south encouraged by hope of a speedy victory, as the ®^®' country was weak through a scanty population, numerous slaves and tories. As has been already mentioned, Gen. Lincoln whywaj •^ ' Gen. Lm- was dispatched to collect the army, scattered after ^^Jth^* the battle of Savannah, in December of 1778, and to defend the inhabitants as much as possible from 318 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^rt II 17T9 ^he marauding attacks of the British aad tories. What is Many of these were men of infamous character, the t^ more soUcitous for booty than for the interests of the king. They had been reinforced by troops from whosuc- Florida, and Prevost received the chief command ceeded ' beT?^* of the Southern British army, in the place of Camp bell, who had returned to England. What 15. The first object of the British was to get pos- firstoi)-^ session of Port Royal in South Carolina, but they jcct or ilh?^"^" were met by Col. Moultrie, of whom we have spoken, and repulsed with great loss. Why did Encouraged by this action, Gen. Lincoln sent ai) colnseUd expedition of fifteen hundred men under Gen. Ash, Gen. Ash ^ . . • ^ • theene- ^^ I'^press the mcursions of the enemy m Georgia, GeoJgia? and by driving them from their posts on the Sa- vannah, confine them to the low and unhealthj* country near the ocean. The British, as they ap- proached, evacuated Augusta, and Gen. Ash pur sued them as far as Briar Creek, Here he was sud- What is said of denly and unexpectedly surprised by Prevost, who, the at- "-"V ^^^^ ^..^.^^^^.^^^.j ^^.j^wov^v. ^j ^xv^.v,^., .vxx.., tack at Briar Creek ? Briar ^* with Jiiue hundred veterans, by a circuitous march, had fallen upon his rear. One hundred and fifty of the Americans were killed by the first fire of the enemy, and in retreat, many were drowned in the Savannah river, or engulfed in the deep morasses on its margin. By this unfortunate surprise, Gen. Lincoln lost one-fourth of his army, and the British were again in full possession of Georgia. What 16. Great apprehensions were now entertained tears ^ ^ mwen ^^^' ^^^^ Safety of the adjacent States, and the brave cdT"* Carohnians, defeated but not discouraged, gathered around the standard of Lincoln. John Rutledge, a man beloved and extensively known in that re- cnap. IV ADMIRAL d'eSTAING. 319 giori, wa? elected governor, and invested with die- mo tatorial powers. The condition of the southern States claimed the what is immediate attention of Congress, as Lincohi's army, LTncSn'* except a few hundred continentals, consisted of ^"^s-^^* inexperienced militia, and many of these were be- "^f^^ coming impatient of absence from their homes, fnilr^e Washington sent a part of his own small band, and solicited D'Estaing, who was still employed in ope- rations against the British in the West Indies, to proceed immediately to the southern States, to en- gage in the fall campaign. 17. D'Estaing at once accepted the invitation, whatu and in September appeared off the coast of Georgia, d^es-^ to the great surprise of the British, and captured ^^'^^^^ three frigates and a fifty gun ship. But the Bri- tish concentrated all their forces at Savannah, and whatdid made diligent preparations for defense. D'Estaing taingde- proudly demanded a surrender of the town, which, after 24 hours' consideration, was refused by Pre- ^^^[^^ vost, saying he meant to hold out to the last. Im- ip^revoJu mediately 37 cannon and 9 mortars, accompanied by 16 heavy guns from the fleet, opened a furious discharge. The garrison rephed by a fire from nearly 100. cannon, and kept up an unceasing roar, day and night, for five days. Still no breach had been made, but the sufferings of the inhabitants were fearful. 18. At last D'Estainff and Lincoln determined Describe ... the a»- on an assault, leading on their armies in three ^^u^'- columns of the French, and one of the Americans. D'Estaing, at the head of the first column, brian- dishing hi? sword, marched boldly on, but was soon 320 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Pari II, 1TT9 borne wounded fiom the field. A deadly contest What is ensued, in the midst of which two hundred horse- KlLw? men came galloping to the place, with Pulaski at their head — but he was soon mortally wounded. Of Lau- 19. Onward next came the gallant Laurens, in renal ° ' the hot fire, regardless of danger. It is said, when he found his brave band routed and in con- fusion, that in despair he " flung away his sword, and with his noble soul wrung with bitterest an- guish, stretched forth his hands and prayed for death, and refused to stir till forced away by his companions." Near him was the beloved of all who knew him, the simple-hearted, self-denying plii^^^' Jasper, grasping in death the standard presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie. The British sus- wasthe tained a slis^ht loss, but more than a thousand loss of . uesV^^' Frenchmen and Americans lay stretched on the field. D'Estaing,* anxious to embark for Europe before the autumnal storms, refused to stay longer, and Lincoln was obliged to retreat across the Sa- vannah into South Carolina. Describe 20. Duriug the summer of this year. Gen. Sul- van:s ex- Rvan was successful in his expedition against the pedition I '-^ . thetories Indians and tories under the command of Brandt, 5?M3.^"' Butler, and others, who were implicated in the massacre at Wyoming. He boldly pursued them to the very heart of their country, and burned forty Indian villages, destroying in his route more than 150 bushels of corn, and every vestige of their in- * The French fleet encountered severe storms on its return, and arrived at Brest in a very shattered condition. D'Estaing was one of the victims of the guillotine during the French Rev- olution. Chap. IV. PAUL JONES. 321 dustiy. After an absence of nearly two months he i>x>x^ returned to Pennsylvania, about the middle of October, having lost but forty men. The Indians vv^ere intimidated by this severe chastisement, and the frontier settlements enjoyed repose for a time. 21. This year was sio^nalized by the victories Forwha . was 1771 achieved by our infant navy, under the command ?»|5ai- of the intrepid Paul Jones. The French govern- ment aided our commissioners at Paris in fitting out a squadron of three frigates and two smaller vessels, and Jones was the chosen commander. After capturino^ some vessels off the coast of Scot- what i» ^ ^ said of land, he fell in with a Baltic merchant fleet of 41 i^fl^^ sail, under convoy of the British frigate Serapis, of ^^^'' 41 guns, and the Countess Scarborough, of 20 guns. The convoy immediately separated, but the two war frigates advanced to the battle with flowing sheets. The promontory of Flamborough, on the coast of England, about three miles distant, was covered with spectators. 22. At the close of a beautiful September day, Descnbe with the light of a full moon, the hostile vessels tie! commenced their fire. The British having guns of superior metal, Jones ordered his ship to be lashed to that of the enemy. The action then became terrific — the muzzles of the enemy's guns touched theirs, and the gunners, in ramming their cartridges, often thrust their ramrods into the ene- my's ports. Pearson, the British commander, en- deavored repeatedly to cut the vessels loose. The details of this battle surpass any thing of the kind recorded in naval warfare. The *• Bon Homme 14* 322 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II ► ITT 9 Richard" of Jones was old and rotten, and by the v^rjiatig incessant firing had become almost unmanageable, jones^ and soon, only three ffuns were effective. vessel? 7 J o What 22- He then assailed the enemy with grenades, ^ce which set fire to the Serapis in several places. In the ves- the midst of the uproar a cry was heard that the sel was *■ '' hem *° ^^^ Homme Richard was sinking, and at the same ^®' awful moment the Alliance, another vessel of Jones' squadron coming up, and mistaking his ves- sel for the British, opened a broadside upon him. The water was pouring in in torrents, and in the confusion, a hundred English prisoners were re- leased, and Capt. Pearson hailed to know if the JSd'^of colors were struck? Jones, undismayed when all around despaired, was enraged at the various acci- dents, and in a voice of thunder told Pearson he would never strike his colors ! Immediately he ordered the hundred prisoners to the pumps, de- claring they should sink with the vessel, if they refused to work. It is beyond the power of de- scription to paint the frightful scene during these four hours. The Serapis, at length, as the fire rolled around her masts, struck her colors, and Jones was conqueror. What is 24. But the Bon Homme Richard was a shat- DEid of Homme ^crcd tiling — riddled, and on fire in two places. Richard? j^^^^g is said to have watched her with intense anxiety and a swelling heart, as he saw her last mast disappear, and finally the eddying waves close over her as she sunk with the three hundred vic- tims of that fearful contest. Taki^of ^^^ value of his prizes during a short cruise of Jdze/? three months, was estimated at more than a quar- Cliap.IV. CLOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN. 323 ter of a million of dollars. Louis XVI. conferred mo on him the Order of Merit, and Congress gi ve him Howwat a vote of thanks, and presented him with a srold wlrdld - - ' ^ , . ° for his medal, to commemorate the victory. braveryi 25. The campaign of 1779 ended without any ^^^^1^^^ decisive results. The main division of the army aJmy go went into winter- quarters at Morristown, while telf-JIS:. detachments were stationed at West Point and other posts on the Hudson. This campaign terminated in gloom. The ^^^^^^j^^ Americans, had a feeble army, reduced num- state of our army hers, and an exhausted treasury, while Great Bri- time?^ What did Parha- ment tain was redoubling her energies, having bound- less resources at command. Parliament agreed to send one hundred and twenty thousand men tolf?®^ America, and voted fifty millions of dollars for the support of the war. Washington had not such resources at command— he saw with anguish a discontented, starving array on the verge of mutiny —Congress convulsed and weakened by dissensions whatdid —an inefficient ally in France, and, to use his own SSJi' words, uttered in bitterness and ffrief. he declared ompwa * o 7 pects at that '• friends and foes were combining to pull '^^^*^"^®' down the fabric they had been raising at the ex- pense of so much time, blood, and treasure.' • Washington's Letter! jj* 324 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II. 1T80 CHAPTER V. CAMPAIGN OF 1780. What 1. Disaffection to the American cause was daily was the feeifnff^at increasing at the South, while the adherents of the fud^'why crown were becoming more numerous. The suc- >eopie^ cessive defeats of the Americans during a protracted 'ons for T , , , . . ^ peace? ^^siY, and the numberless miseries accompanymg such a state of affairs, made the people long for whatdid peace. Savannah, the chief town in Georgia, was dor**" in the hands of the British troops ; and Sir Henry Clinton, taking immediate advantage of the depar- ture of the French fleet, resolved to gain possession of the capital of South Carolina. Leaving the com- mand of the royal army to Gen. Knyphausen, he sailed from New York, on the 26th of Dec, 1779, with about 8,000 troops, and a large amount of military stores, oescrihe 2. He had not proceeded far, when a violent rf® thr' storm arose, in which the fleet was driven far from its course. A vessel was lost, containing all the heavy ordnance, and nearly all the artillery and cavalry horses perished. The troops, after a dan- gerous passage, effected a landing in the last of January, and began to repair their losses among the tory population, preparatory to the siege of Charleston. What is 3. Gen. Lincoln was at Charleston, doingr everv said of , . . - . /» I 1 , Lincoln? thing m his power to prepare for a bold defense. He had "^nly a small band, amomiting to about C^iap. V. SURRENDER OF CHARLESTON. 323 3,000 efi'ective men and some armed citizens, to i<^sii check the approach of 9,000 veteran troops. Clin- ^^atTs ton, with his well-fed and clothed army, might have the"^ ^^ entered the town in a few hours, but he chose to milTsot ' Clinton? orotract his operations. 4. After remaining a month on the islands south of the city, he crossed the Ashley river on the first of April, and began the siege in form, by the erec- tion of batteries within eight hundred yards of the tJfe*"'^^ American works. These works consisted of a chain 4^^"" of redoubts, lines, &c., stretching across the penin- J'^^^^J^^ 8ula from the Ashley to the Cooper river, on which cLllf were mounted eighty cannons and mortars. A "''^"* canal, filled with water, was in front of this, besides under two rows of abattis and a picketed ditch. These supem- * sion defenses were constructed under the superintend- S^ty^on- ence of the French engineer, Launay. stmcted) 5. On the 9th of April, Gen. Clinton sent a sum- what is mons to Gen. Lincoln, to surrender, which he thesiege, ' ' and vyhy promptly refused, and the siege went on for ten cotHur- days, when a second summons was sent and re- ^^^"^^^"^ jected. After a vain and desperate struggle, day after day, and night after night, amid the most alarming discouragements, shut up by sea and land — all provisions, save a little rice, exhausted — Lin- coln, at last, listened to the entreaties of the dis- tressed inhabitants, and capitulated. 6. On the 12th of May, his entire army laid down Hf^^^Jl their arms, and South Carolina was given over to SS*' the exulting troops of a rapacious and sanguinary foe. There was scarcely a soldier in Georgia or South Carolina, who Avas not either in arms for the crown or a prisoner on parole. The number that 326 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. p^^^t II iT80 surrendered was about 6,000, including 1,000 Ameri- can and French seamen. The artillery amounted to about 400 pieces. The loss duiing the siege, on each side, was nearly equal ; of the Americans, 254 were killed or wounded ; of the British, 268. ftS ^- Clinton immediately endeavored to gain the cunton^ entire possession of the State, and dispatched three seci^e" detachments to seize important posts. By these Bion of the country bordering on the Santee was scoured, state? Georgetown and Ninety-six seized, while the infa- Describe Hious Tarletou spread terror and death wherever litle^J^"*' he passed. When the helpless and dyinff sued for practised * . i,, i r ^y^Tarie- quarter. It was refused — whole bands of men, who, after fighting bravely, w^ere obliged to surrender, asking quarter, were barbarously murdered. tTrms^of 8. Feehng satisfied with the state of affairs in ty kept^* South Carolina, Sir Henry Clinton embarked for iccord- '' ^ Jj|^"jgg, New York, leaving Cornwallis with an army of 4,000 men to complete the subjugation of the South. In a short time the terms of the treaty signed at the capitulation were openly and grossly violated, and the people, who, under honest and ^jjg^t kind treatment, would have quietly obeyed, arose Elation indignantly at such treachery. Cornwallis had sued? issued a proclamation, stating, whoever would not take an active part in securing his majesty's gov- ernment, should be treated as rebels. Many suf- fered for a time, but the provocations becoming more insufferable, they formed themselves in small bands for partisan warfare. These, for a long time Who spread desolation among the tories. Among the [eade»^qr*'eaders of these bands, and foremost for bravery Sbei? and integrity of purpose, were Marion and Sum- Chap. V. BATTLE OF CAMDEN. 327 ter. Many a tale of boldness is recorded of these i^'sq noble men, who, regardless of every thing like per- ~ sonal emolument, thought only of their country, and liberty for their children.* 9. These bands of patriots were without pay — they wore no uniform, and depended from day to day on chance for subsistence. Often they were destitute of ammunition, and were obliged to watch ^^^^f" as their companions shot down the enemy, when '^^"*' they would instantly seize their muskets and car- tridges. Saw-mills furnished them broadswords, and the patriot women, with their own hands, brought out their pewter dishes to be formed into bullets. At night, the cold earth, when they slept, was their resting-place, but frequently they marched durag its live-long hours. 10. While Sumter, Marion, and their com- ^ere ap- panions in suffering and toil. Colonels Cleveland, wfthMa- Campbell, Selby, Williams, and Sevier, with their equally brave men, were achieving a succession of gallant enterprises, a continental army, under Gen. Gates, who had superseded Gen. Lincoln in com- ^a^loln. Gates I * A British officer had been sent from Georgetown to nego- tiate an exchange of prisoners, and was taken to Gen. Marion's tent. An interesting interview took place, during which the officer partook with Marion ofan humble dinner of roasted sweet potatoes. He was so affected by Marion's sentiments and ar- dent love for liberty, that on his return he resigned his commis- sion and retired from the service, declaring that it was useless to fight against such men. He had little dreamed of the priva- tions of our people, until he saw an American general and his officers, without pay, almost without clothes, dining on roots, and drinking nothing but w^ter, and all these privations en» ♦lured for liberty. 328 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Fart U. 1780 i^and, was approaching Camderij about 110 miles north-west from Charleston, whowas 11- The brave De Kalb was also with these Gates? troops, and had Gates listened to his prudent ad- vice, we have good reason to suppose much blood might have been spared. He had been advised by De Kalb to proceed by a southern route, where he could obtain an abundant supply of provisions ; but ^^ .^ in rash haste, which was afterward changed to in- 'hesuf- excusable tardiness, he took a straight road, lead- themenfing through a dreary pine barren, and many of his men died on the route of disease, fatigue, and hun- ger. At length, arrived near the enemy, his haste oSef seemed suddenly to leave him, and he spent four S? days in skirmishing, while, in the mean time, during his dilatoriness, the enemy received reinforcements. Still the royal troops amounted only to two thou- sand, while the Americans numbered four thou- sand. What 12. At midnight, on the 11th of August, both ar- fhl^ni^ht ^ies ignorant of the other's approach, found them- nti^"^' selves almost in contact, and the gloom of night was illumined with flashes of musketry. Skir- mishes took place during the night, in which the whatad- British had the advantage. De Kalb a^ain ven- vice (lid ° ° i^l^Kaib tured to advise Gates, as he was hemmed m be- Gatcs? tween two swamps, to change his position, but he madly refused, insinuating that De Kalb's advice What arose from fear. The day broke, and the engage- viacein meut bccamc general, but with the first furious the tirst & J ftnffagi charge of the British bayonets, the Virginia troops '"®"" under Gates fled, while the confusion spread to the North Carolina militia. Chap. V. BARON DE KALB. 329 13. All was disorder, save among the brave men it so under De Kalb, who, at their head, in the hottest ^i^^tig of the fight, for a time withstood the advancing bat- i?eKaib talions. At last Tarleton with his dragoons at full men? gallop, came riding down De Kalb's men without mercy — there were no American cavalry to keep them in check. De Kalb,* the noble friend of Ame- rica, fell pierced with eleven wounds. His men, who loved him devotedly, surrounded his wounded form, exclaiming in bitterness, "Save the Baron de Kalb ! save the Baron de Kalb !" what is 14. De Kalb had a presentiment, that he would saiJof tall in this battle, and had said, in reply to Gates' and ^ ' J r J Gates? insinuations, "A few hours will prove who are the brave." These words were true. While De Kalb and his men were contending with the whole British army. Gates actually put spurs to his horse and fled with the utmost precipitation for eighty miles with- out stopping. His northern laurels had indeed turned to southern willows.f what 15. The British lost five hundred in this engage- [^^^^l, ment, but it is impossible to estimate the loss of the ^"^^ * Individuals of both armies, struck with admiration at De Kalb's noble conduct, endeavored to shield his body, and some lost their own lives in the attempt. To a British officer, who tenderly watched the dying man, and endeavored with his aids to staunch the wounds, he said, "/ tkaiik you for your generous sympathy J but I die the death I always prayed for — the death of a soldier fighting for the rights of man.'''' His last moments wpre spent in dictating a letter to the brave men who supported iiim during the action, of whom he said, " He had no words that cnuld sufficiently express his love and admiration of their valor " f Lee met Gates on his way to join the southern army, and as if in prophecy of what took place at Camden, said, " Beware, your northern laurels do no*^ turn ^^^ sou*hein wiro-i^vs " 330 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Pj^rt H. 1780 Americans, as no returns were made after the ^^j^y battle. BrTtfsh^® Gates, with 150 men of his miserable army, re- •n the treated to Hillsborough. There remained no army pursuit ^ "^ auStV ^^ oppose Corn wallis, and sickness, arising from the pestilential air of a southern summer, checked the British in their pursuit of conquest. Congress at last resolved to supersede Gates, and How ordered an examination of his conduct. He no were lief cii- longer endeavored to supplant Washington. "^"^ihe In the northern States, hostilities were carried on by desultory operations, in which fifty houses in Springfield, a church and several houses at Con- necticut Farms were burned, and various other places destroyed. 16. In proportion as misfortunes increased in every part of the United States, the oppressed people here^said sccmed lu this, the darkest hour of their struggle, Ameri- to have been animated with a renewed love for (II North ? can v omen ? liberty. Even the females, who, under ordinary circumstances, would shrink from such scenes, came forward, in various ways assisting the sick and the dying, or procuring food for the starving. Deny- ing themselves cheerfully many of the necessaries of life, they joined, heart and hand, in this glorious cause. Many of the ladies of Charleston displayed whatdid much zeal in the cause of their country, and gloried do to as- in the appellation of rebel ladies, sistthe r\ i^V}' 1^- France determined to assist the Americans still farther; and, persuaded by Lafayette, who had returned for a short time to his native country, they dispatched, on the 10th of July, Admiral de Ternay, who arriver' at Rhode Island, with a squad- Cliap.V. MISFORTUNES INCREASE. 331 ron of 7 vsail of the line, 10 frigates and armed ves- i^so sels, besides 6,000 men under the command of the " brave and experienced Count de Rochambeau. But before these generous alhes had time to act, they were blockaded at Rhode Island by Admiral Ar- buthnot, with 10 sail of the line. 18. This was a deep disappointment to the Ameri- what cans, but a deeper one was in store for them. They ^^^s^^ \ . . could the could brave all the horrors of war, the rigors of win- ^^^^^^^ ter, scantily clad, and nearly starved — endure the wnhout absence from home and all its endearments, with mUrs? few murmurs and with manly hearts — but a shudder of indignation and a heart-sickness overcame them when the treason of Arnold was brought to light, ^j^^^^,^^ 19. Arnold a traitor! — Arnold, loaded with thCp^fieoT praises of a grateful country, a traitor ! Saratog-a's Amoll a 111^111 1 1 • traitor? bloody field, and many others, came to then* remem- brance, and with hearts aching with mingled pity and shame, they again, in consternation, asked. Is Arnold a traitor 7 He who had been among the first to widen the breach between the mother coun- try and the colonies — Arnold, with a maimed body, wounded in fighting valiantly for liberty, a traitor ! From one end of the Union to the other, the news flew like lightning ; and even little children ran with trembhng steps and whitened lips, borrowing anxiety from their parents, lisping, Arnold a traitor ! 20. As a warning to youth, we dwell on the painful story — doubly painful, because we cannot forget all that he bravely suffered in the early struggles of our nation. what is After the evacuation of Philadelphia by the Arnold ^ •' while m British, in 1778, Arnold was stationed there as p^^^*^*^ 332 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II conse- quence fY8Q military governor; his wounds at Saratoga, for a time, prevented his engaging in active duty. While in Philadelphia, he selected a wife from one of the disaffected or tory families. His wife is supposed to have been instrumental in weakening his attach- ment to his country. He hired a splendid mansion, furnished it in the most sumptuous style, and having expended most of his private fortune in the By what war, he found difficulty in meeting his expenses. did he Rather than retrench his extravagances, he resort- prcMJure ^ ' ^d"what ^d to dishonest means to procure money, and by a was the gygi^gj^ Qf fiaud and deceit succeeded in appropri- ating public treasure to his private use. At length he was arraigned before a court martial, and rep- rimanded with all possible delicacy by Wash- ington, who was ever indulgent and forgiving to Arnold. In what 21. But he had determined to retrieve his for- mfamous he°atiS ^^"^^j ^^^ gratify his passion for revenge under engage? ^jQ^^gg inflicted, and in an evil hour, he consented to barter away the liberties for which he had once so nobly fought. He was too proud to become a deserter, and gold he must have in some way. At last, he opened a correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, and speedily after that, the infamous work proceeded. He had procured from Washington the ww^of command of the fortress at West Point,* which. Point? for its strength, had been called the Gibraltar of America. It was more important than any other post, as it commanded the whole extent of country from New York to Canada, and secured a commu- * In the vaults of one of the forts was lodged the ammunition ]J^^on" to French army, and as many iVmericans as could be "^*"''^' spared from the posts on the Hudson. A show * It was estimated that in the coarse of the invasion of Corn- wallis, Arnold, Phillips, Leslie, and Collier, about 30,000 slaves were carried off from Virg nia, and property destroyed to the amour* of $15,000,000. 344 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 1781 Part II. What in- telli- of an intention to attack New York was still main- tained, and so completely was Sir Henry Clinton deceived, that it was not until the whole armv had crossed the Delaware, that he suspected the real object of the Americans. Clinton hoped still to draw off a part of their troops, and perhaps cause Washington to return. 19. For this purpose he sent Arnold on a plun- dering expedition to Connecticut : but this manceu- vre did not effect its object. Washington and De Rochambeau pressed forward with the utmost gg„j.g alacrity. At Chester, their spirits were greatljr thlmll cheered, by the intelligence of the arrival of Admi- ■ ral de Grasse, who, with a large fleet, blockaded When the Chesapeake, and prevented the escape of the S British by water. On the 25th of September, the town'? combined troops reached Lafayette's head-quarters at Williamsburgh,* and on the SOlh they marched in a body to invest Yorktown and Gloucester. What 20. The allied army consisted of about sixteen was the '' Sf^the"^ thousand troops. As the British force did not uwps? amount to half that number, CornwaUis would probably have abandoned Yorktown before its investment, had he not confidently expected rein- forcements from Chnton. Oct 6 ^ close siege was commenced, and carried on vigorously by the combined forces. During the sa^^p? siege, which lasted 17 days, two redoubts were ofYorlf.® stormed simultaneously — one by a party of light infantry, headed by Lafayette and Col. Hamilton ; ♦ So complete was the discipline of this army, that during theii march of 500 miles, scarcely an apple or peach was taken with out the consent of the inhabitants. UHap. VI. SURREKDER OF CORNWALLIS. 345 the other by a detachment of French grenadiers, i-^si under De Viomenil. " 21. Finding his situation a desperate one, and ^^^1^.1 farther resistance of no avail, Cornwallis was cornwau obhged to surrender his whole army, amounting to ohuged seven thousand. The British lost nearly six hun- dred killed ; the Americans three hundred. On the 19th of October, the articles of capitulation ^^^ ^^^^ were signed, and Gen. Lincoln was selected by dlJThe Washington to receive the sword of Cornwallis, on 5"^^"" the same terms which the latter had, eighteen months before, received Lincoln's submission, at Charleston. 22. About 12 o'clock the combined army was oesmbe , . , . , . , . , the scene drawn up m two Inies, extendma: more than a mile of the ^ ^ ' J-' capituJa- in length, the Americans on the right side of the road, ^^®"' with Washington at their head, and the French on the left, headed by Count Rochambeau A con- course of spectators assembled from the country, in numbers equal to the military. Every face beamed joy, but universal silence prevailed. About two o'clock the captive army advanced between the lines, with slow step, shouldered arms, and colors cased. Cornwallis, vexed and mortified, was unable to endure the humiliation of marching at the head of his garrison, and made Gen. O'Hara his substitute. Tarleton's troops, at Gloucester, surrendered at the same time to the command of the French general, De Choise. 23. The amount of artillery and military stores what captured was very considerable — 75 brass and 169 ofmiuta- 1 "^ ry stores iron cannon, 7,794 muskets, 28 standards, and 2,113 J^len? pounds sterling taken fiom the military chest. 15* 346 REVOLIiTIONARY WAR. Part II, j^gj Lord Cornwallis and his officers, after their capitu- ■ latioi , received many civiKties from Washington" and other general officers, for which they returned grateful acknowledgements. What 24. The surrender of Cornwallis sent a thrill of vas rained )y the gained joy through the country, and was the most decisive mation was 8ued? J'^7f"' event in our glorious war. The territory of the thirteen States was now restored to the jurisdiction of Congress, and the contest decided in favor of America. When intelligence of this brilliant suc- Howwas ^ ^ news re- ^^^^ ^^^^ rcceivcd by Congress, the aged doorkeeper by "con- fell down and expired through excess of joy. Gen. Washington ordered divine service to be performed in the different brigades of the army, and the Mem- bers of Congress marched in procession to church, and there publicly offered up thanksgiving to God for the signal success of the American arms. JtocL 25. A proclamation was issued for rehgiously ?s- observing throughout the United States the 13th of December as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The many instances in which God's interposing wi^pub. ^^^^ was clearly seen were recounted. They pub- firmei^' licly affirmed that " it was God, whose voice com- mands the winds, the seas, and the seasons, who formed a junction at the same time between a for- midable fleet from the South, and an army rushing from the North like an impetuous torrent. Who but He could so combine the circumstances which * On one occasion, while in the presence of Gen. Washing ton, Lord Cornwallis was standing with his head uncovered, his excellency said to him | jlitely, " My lord, you had better be covered from the cold." His lordship, applying his hand to his head, replied, " // matters not, sir, what becomes of this head noic,^* Cliap. \1. CLOSE OP THE WAR. 347 led to success? ^ The unparalleled perseverance |^q2 of the armies of the United States through almost " every possible suffering and discouragement, for the epace of eight long years,' Washington declared to be ' little short of a startling miracle.' " It has been estimated that the loss of life during the war, in the United States armies, was not less than seventy thousand. The number who died on board the prison ships of the enemy cannot be calculated. No. less than eleven thousand died on board the Jersey prison-ship ! These facts, with the whole story of our American revolution, should be handed down to posterity, that they may know the high price their fathers paid for freedom. 26. The people of Great Britain became clamor- whatdid ous for peace, and, at last, after much hesitation Britain and discussion on the part of the British Govern- to"do^® ment, they concluded to abandon the attempt to subjugate the United States. Much firmness and wisdom were shown by what is •^ said of Messrs. Jay, Franklin. Adams, and Laurens, our ^l^^^. Commissioners, and through their negotiations, the when"** preliminary articles of peace were settled at Paris, where * •^ A ' was the on the 30th of November, 1782, and in September, ^^^^^^^ 1783, a formal treaty was signed. By this treaty ^'^"^^' Great Britain acknowledged tlie independence and nsa. sovereignty of the United States. 27. Thus the Americans obtained a high reward for their toils, and a sanctuary sacred to civil and religious liberty, was opened in the western hemi- 1 What Is Bpneie. eaid of The patriot army was now to be disbanded. Jition of ^ *' the army Once more, fathers and husbands were free to re- \l^^^ 348 REVOLUTIONARY WAR. Part II IT 83 t^rn to their own fire-sideSj but they must go in ex- treme poverty. Many of them had not received yvjj.jj any compensation for five years. Anonymous let- we?e^ ters were circulated tending to inflame their minds promote and induco them to insist on a forcible redress of theirdis- amfhdvv gi'ievances. Washington soothed them by kind thei? words and promises, and in his farewell address changed? appealed to the nobler sentiments of the heart. On the 3d of November, still glowing with patriotism, they separated, resolved to endure all necessary When Pnvations. bAL^^ 28. On the 25th November the British evacuated kXLI New York. When On the 4th of Dec, Washington, with a heart full Wash- of love and gratitude, bade his officers adieu. It was a nigton itave of d^^P'y affecting scene, and men, who had braved the cers^^" horrors of many a battle, now, as they approached De^scribe Washington, were melted to tears, and incapable scene, ^f utterance. whatdid Washington then proceeded to Annapolis, the Wash- /. ,>f . , . V . Edoi ^^^^ ^^ Congress, to resign his commission as commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States. What 29. At the close of the war, the debt of the United was the ' Srihi''" States was estimated at forty millions of dollars. at"thT They were not able to pay the interest, and many close of . -^ _ , ^ -^ , 1 , thfi war? incurred great losses, (congress had not the power to provide means for discharging debts, incurred during the war. During this disorganized state of the general government, attempts were made in some of the States to satisfy their creditors. The What of attempt of Massachusetts to effect this by levying a rebdfion? heavy tax produced an insurrection among the peo- cnap. VI. CONSTITUTION ADOPTED. 349 pie, usually styled Shays'^ insurrection^ from the lyg^ leader of the insurgents, Daniel Shays. 30. In May, 1787, deputies from each of the ^^^^ States, except Rhode Island, assembled atPhiladel- where phia, for the purpose. of forming a new constitution. iTewcon- r^ ' . stitution After four months' deliberation, they presented the adopted? Constitution to the several States, and finally it was adopted. The blessings of civil and religious libertv are what ° . . " were guarantied to the people, and one of its chief excel- ftTfea^ lences is, that it contains a provision for future ^"^^^" amendments. The executive power is vested in a President and Vice President, and the legislative in a Senate and House of Representatives, all chosen by the people. 31. The same Providence that granted victory wi.atare to our fathers jn the hour of battle, ffave them wis- eluding ' <=> remarks* dom, in a day of peace, to devise means of secur- ing to their children the independence they had won. May their posterity, to the latest generation, daily look to the Giver of every good and perfect gift for wisdom, that they may enjoy the blessings of a free and happy people^ whose God is the Lord. GKA\ GEORGE WASHINGTON. PART III. IT 89 When and where was Wash- ington bum? FROM THE FORMATION OF THE FEDERAL CONST! TUTION TO THE CLOSE OF THE HISTORY. CHAPTER L ADMINISTRATION OF WASHINGTON, FROM 1789 TO 1797. HE name of George Washing- ton calls up many thrilling emotions in the mind of every /^^Ill^t.AM^v American citizen. He was the third son of Augustine Wash- ington, born on the 22d of Feb- ruary, 1732, near the banks of the Potomac, in Westmoreland county. Virginia. Cliap. I. GEORGE WASHINGTON. 351 2. His father, in 1730, married, for his second it89 wife, Miss Mary Ball, by whom he had four sons, what is George, John, Samuel, and Charles, and one daugh- his femi ter, Betty. His great grandfather, John Washing- ton, emigrated from the north of England about (he year 1657, and settled on the place where Wash- ington was born. 3. At the age often he lost his father. His mother ^^aus now became his sole guardian, and early instilled {^|ch- into his mind those principles of religion and virtue hlf ^ which formed the solid basis of a character that has been the admiration of statesmen and philoso- phers wherever the name of the American republic is known. It was the teaching of that sainted mother, which prepared his mind for those scenes of strife and turmoil, through which he had to pass, and which made him a fit instrument in the hands of Providence, for sundering the chains of slavery, and guiding his country over the stormy sea of war into the harbor of peace and liberty. He was re- For what *■ "^ was he markable, in his younger years, for his strict ad- b1^^^^*' herence to truth, and for the fond affection which he bore to his mother. 4. Stimulated by the enthusiasm of military ge- what nius, at the early a^e of fifteen, he had obtained a ed him ' JO 7 ^ from en midshipman's warrant to enter the English navy. Jhe"^^. His trunk was already in the boat, but as he went iy*]"^' to give his mother a parting kiss, he saw the tears roll down her cheeks ; he ordered his trunk back, and determined not to go. Four years after, he was what of appointed adjutant-general of Virginia, with the tlll'tfme rank of maior. From that time, his history is the election ^ -" "^ to the history of his country. General Washmg^ton's elec- §emly ? 352 Washington's administration. Part III. IT 89 ^lon to the office of chief magistrate of the United States, was announced to him at Mount Vernon, on the 14lh of April, 1789. When 5. On the 30th of April, he appeared before Con- where ffress, then assembled in the City of New York, was he ^ ' . . "^ ' rafe"dT ^^^ taking the required oath of office, was pro claimed President of the United States, whatdid Ii^ ^^ impressive address to both Houses, he hfsTd"-'" expressed a sense of his own unfitness for the high d KG ss on. thatoc- office to which he had been called. He declined all casion? pecuniary compensation for his presidential duties, and concluded by invoking the blessing of that Al- mighty Being who rules over the universe, praying that He would consecrate to the liberties and hap- piness of the people of the United States, a govern- ment instituted by themselves, and that He would whEtdid bless all engaged in its administration. gressdo 6. After the address, both Houses adjourned, and, after the , ' . address? ^yith the President, attended diviuc worship. They felt that God had carried them through a long and arduous war, and to Him they must still look for In what support and protection. was Con- * ^ ^ ^ ^ pdnci- Congress was principally employed, during its gaged^"^* first session, in providing revenues for the exhausted the first treasury, and in establishing and arranmnsr the session? "^ ' ^ . diflferent public offices. Three executive depart- Howma- jjients wcrc organized to assist the president in ments Carrying out the plans of government. These were a ganized, sccrctarv of state, of the treasury, and of the war and who -^ ' . pointed' department— the offices to be filled by appointment to each? Qf |[3g president. Thomas Jeflferson was appointed Of what to the state department, Hamilton to the treasury, (lid the -t T7- 1 judiciary aud Ivnox to thc war. ':oJislst7 Chap. I. FIRST CONGRESS. 353 7. A national judiciary was constituted, consist- it89 ing of a supreme court, having one chief justice and several assoc ate judges. John Jay was ap- pointed chief justice, and Edward Randolph attor- ney-general. How Several amendments to the Constitution were amen.i ments to proposed, and subsequently ratified by the States, s^ft^lion making it acceptable to all. North Carolina and ^^^^^''^^' Rhode Island, shortly after, adopted the Constitu- tion, forming the thirteen original States. Howwas a reve- 8. To provide a revenue, duties were laid on theim- nuepro- 1 ' vided 1 portation of merchandise and the tonnage of vessels. The second session of Congress commenced Jan. 1790. 8th, 1790. Mr. Hamilton, Secretary of the Treas- ' ' -^ What ury, proposed that government should not only as- ^^''^ii^ sume its own foreign and domestic debts, amount- ISe'^^om- ins: to more than fifty-four millions of dollars, but mem of » •^ ■'the next also that which several States contracted during If^'con- the war, estimated at twenty-five millions. ^'^^^" 9. The plan of Mr. Hamilton was finally adopted. Avhat To cancel these several debts, the proceeds of pub- adopted ^ ^ 'to cancel lie lands, lying in the western territory, were di- ^J^%^,^i rected to be applied, and the president was author- ''^^^' ized to contract a loan of two millions of dollars. 10.. This measure laid the foundation for that whatdid unrivaled prosperity, which the United States en- gj^f^ure joyed in subsequent years. On the 18th day of February, 1791, Vermont, by ^^^*- consent of Congress, became one of the United ^hen States, and on the 1st of June, in the succeeding Vermont T^ 11 /» -rr. • . 11 ^"^ Ken. year, Kentucky, then part of Vn-gmia, was also ad- ^^f^H^' mitted into the Union. '^Xn? 11. In thi^ year, a bill for the establishment of a 354 WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. ^^^^ m, 1*^91 national bank was introdiiced into Congress, which What passed after a strong debate. The bank was to be tfut%'ii\ situated at Philadelphia, the capital stock to be ten th^ycar, milUons of dollars, two millions to be subscribed foi ari(] what were its i\^q benefit of the United States, and the residue by What' individuals. This year the first census of the in- wmia-^ habitants of the United States was taken. They iiuhed amounted to 3,921,326. states at . time? 1^- While matters of high importance were occu- whowas py^^^? the attention, and party strife w^as filling the dj^spatch- ^Q^J^(.^lg Qf Congress with agitation, an Indian war the in- broke out upon the north-western frontier. Pacific dians, * hovv^S overtures being rejected. General Harmer was dis- iiy men? pg^^^]^^^] agalust the Indians with an army of 1400 was%he men. Having burnt a number of Indian villages, 1790 he was finally defeated in two successive battles, r« near Chilicothe, in Ohio. >vhom ' was the com mand 13. Additional troops were raised, and the com- then" mand of the whole given to Gen. St. Clair. With ffiven andw'hat 2,000 uieu, lie marched, in October, into the wil- success ' ' ^ ' mee^® demess. On the 3 J of November, he was surprised "^^791 in camp, near the Miami, and defeated with great thif de- slaughter, leaving nearly GOO men dead on the field. feat^who i^ ^f^^j. ^^^ ^^fg^^ ^f g^^ Ql^j^.^ Qgj^ Wayne Sd, was appointed to carry on the war. On the 20th and how ficceed? ^^ August, 1794, with an army of 3,000 men, he met the Indians near tlie rapids of Maumee, and completely routed them, and laid waste their coun- try. In 1795 a treaty was completed at Grenville, which gave peace to the inhabitants. In the autumn of 1792 Gen. Washington was re- elected president, and inducted into ofiicein March, 1793. Mr. Adams was re-elected vice president. Cliap. 1, TREATY WITH ENGLAND. 355 15. About this time the revolution, which had for 1793 some time convulsed France, resulted in the fall of the monarchy, and the establishment of a republi- can government on its ruins. 16. M. Genet, the minister of the new govern- ^hen ment, arrived at Charleston in April of this year. French r^ .. r 1 r ii«i /»!• • ministet Our citizens, grateful for the kindness of his nation, arrive, •' c5 J and how- received him with the most extravagant marks of Zlli^edi public attachment. Flattered by these demonstra- tions of reorard, he fitted out privateers from our he en- ... ^. . _, , deavor ports to cruise against the enemies of France, and ^o^"? sought to embark the American people in the cause of his country, whatever might be the determina- tion of government. As he persisted in his en- deavors, in opposition to the remonstrances of the whywas administration, France, at the request of the presi- called i dent, annulled his powers, and he was succeeded in the following year by M. Fauchet. 17. About this time, a war was apprehended be- 1794. tween the United States and Eno^land. The Ameri- }^?i7^« o a war ap- cans were accused of preventing loyalists from re- ed^^be-^* gaining possession of their estates, and the English Engfand of making illegal seizures of American property at ^^"^^-^^ sea, and of holding possession of military posts, on ^^'"^' the western frontiers. Mr. Jay was sent to Eng- °J* land, where he concluded a treaty with the British t^Enl"* government. In the spring of 1795 he returned. Suats 18. His treaty, which was adopted by the gov- j^^g ernment, provided that the western posts be surren- June. dered to the United States ; compensation be made we^^f ti,*, for illegal captures of American property, and Brit- Eof ish creditors were to be secured the means of col- treaty lecting debts, contracted prior to the revolution. 356 WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. part III. 1T9T Treaties were also made with the western In- ^^itj, dianSj with Algiers, and with Spain. By the latter, othll the Mississippi was made the western boundary^ were but a liffht to its navio^ation, and the use of New treaties ^ o J fntof ^ Orleans, as a place of deposit, secured to the United States. wilTen 19. In June, 1796, Tennessee was admitted into admitted the Union. As the period for a new election of into the * Union? president of the United States drew near, Washing- waih ' ton signified to the nation his determination of re- retii'e to ^ii'i'^g ^"^^ private life. He longed for that repose WJatthe ill the seclusion of Mount Vernon, far from the hiJTerm cares of public life, to which, for so many years, he had been a stranger. whaUs 20. His farewell address, on his retiring from the weiud- presidential chair, breathed the warmest affection for his country. He besought them to frown indig- nantly on any attempt at the separation of the Union, to discard local attachments and sectional animosi- ties. The candidates for the office of president were Who John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The result were the dlte^s'for w^® the choice of Mr. Adams as president, and Mr. denTand Jcffcrson as vicc president. Mr. Adams was inaug- Secte^T urated on the 4th of March, 1797. Washington retired to Mount Vernon, there to spend in rest and How ^ ^ A , wSh-^ quiet the remainder of his life ; but that life which H'feTfter had bccu dcvotcd to his country was drawing near ffom"^ its close. Only two years of repose were allowed omce? 1.11 1 him, when he was taken away to that eternal rest prepared for the good. 21. Riding out one day, on horseback, to visit his he^^n-^ f^rm, he was overtaken by a storm, which chilled dSease' him thiough. A cold followed, which, settling in Cliap. I. DEATH OF WASHINGTON. 35? his throatj hurried him rapidly to the grave. The 1^99 efforts of his physicians to arrest the disease were T* powerless, and it was soon evident to all, that his jjeg^ribe hours were drawing to a close. His breathing g^s^'l'^" became laborious, yet he bore all with Christian resignation. ^^ I die hard^'' said he, ^^hut I am not afraid to die, I believed, from the first, that I could not survive it. My breath cannot last loner." Some saH of •^ ^ his Jaat hours before his death, after repeated efforts to be ^**"^^^ understood, he succeeded in expressing a desire that he might be permitted to die without interrup- tion. 22. He sunk gradually aw^ay, and on the night of the 14th of December, 1799, two days after his whatw attack, he ceased to breathe. Not in the delirium them%- of fight, upon the battle field, did his soul take its ^epth? flight, but calmly departed amid the lamentations of a heart-broken people. 23. Solemn ceremonies attended the funeral, and thousands followed the slow procession, but the ^^at mourners were not all there — they were scattered elect ft on every hill and aloner every valley of the land, on the •' o «' ./ nation > Minute guns were fired, as his body was borne to the place of burial, and his old war-horse, saddled and bridled, walked riderless beside the coffin. That noble steed he could mount no more, and to that cold cheek, the loud-pealing cannon could never again send the blood, as of yore. His w^ork was done, his fierce battles over, and, crowned with the noblest laurels ever worn by created brow, the more than kingly sleeper w^as laid in his last resting-place. The land was hung in crape, and one convulsive sob shook the lieart of the nation. 358 ADAMS' ADMINISTRATION. Part III tT99 No people ever mourned a leader so, and no leader w4iatdid ^^^ ^^^1' worthy such sorrow. Even the young Kn® republic of France, then wading in blood, put on theintei- craoe, and imposing ceremonies were iecreed in his honor by the young Napoleon. 24. I would speak of his many noble acts, but his What whole life was noble. Criticism was baffled, slan- fcie the ^ ' ^ ^ d?n|rc. der struck dumb, and even emulation rebuked in his "^'^^^' presence. I would speak of his boyhood — but he was one of those great minds, that never had a boy- hood. Morally and intellectually, he was a man from his youth up. Can it be that Washington is dead ? No ! ■' The woods are peopled with his fame ; His memory wraps the dusky mountaiiij His spirit sparkles o'er the fountain ; The meanest rill, the mightiest river, Roll mingling with his name/ ^'^''^ that iron tempest, wdiich poured in incessant vol- leys upon them. What 26. General Packenham was killed, Gen. Gibbs were,, wouudcd mortallv, and General Keene severely. mortally '' * '' wound- Without officers to direct them, the troops at first halted, and then fled to their camp. On the night of the 18th, with great secrecy, they embarked on board their shipping. Two thousand of the enemy was^the lay on the field of battle, while the Americans lost result of 1 Ml 1 1 • 11 rr^i • the bat- but seven killed, and six wounded. 1 his was one tie? ..... of the most brilliant victories in the war. y^^^^ 27. In the midst of the rejoicings of the nation, tefif!*'*"' news arrived of a treaty of peace, which had been nved concluded at Ghent, on the 24th of December. The %bout ^ ^ ' £? motives for the impressment of seamen had ceased with the war in Europe, and the treaty provided merely for the restoration of peace, and the bound- aries remaining as they were. whatna- 28. After the declaration of peace, two additional val VIC- ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ victories were gained upon the ocean, which im- parted a brighter lustre to the American flag. In February, the Constitution, Capt. Stewart, captured the Cyane and Levant, and in March, the sloop Hornet captured the brig Penguin, stronger in guns and men than herself All parties gladly w^elcomed the return of peace, and a general rejoicing pre- vailed tbroughout the country. Zmvvo.x 29. War with Algiers. The Algerines hav u^ainst ing violated the treaty of 1795. and committed nu- Alci«rs ' lories were gained Cliap. VII. WAR WITH ALGIERb. 395 merous depredations upon the American commerce, 1815 the United States declared war against them. An American squadron, under Com. Decatur, sailed ^^^ 1 ^ ' was sent into the Mediterranean, captured an Algerine brig ffemf and forty-four gun frigate, and, at length, appeared before Algiers. The dey, intimidated, signed a what ° "^ 70 success 1 treaty of peace advantageous to the United States, on the 30th of June, 1815. 30. Durino: the session of Cong-ress in 1815-16, ^^®[i . o o 7 was the a second " Bank of the United States" was char- united States tered, with a capital of $35,000,000. In December, Bank 1816, Indiana was received into the Union as an e '^^^^ ^^^T ^^^^ relinquished it for the army, in graduate? ^]^i(.|^ \^q rcccived an appointment as Heutenant. What He was wounded at Trenton, and for his bravery he"hoid gradually rose to the rank of major. Faihng in army? raising a regiment in Virginia, Major Monroe left the army, and entered on the study of law in the office of Mr. JefiTerson. K'dSf ^' ^^ 1780, at the age of twenty-three, he was tifSosT elected to the Virginia legislature, and in the fol- lowing year to the Continental Congress. From 1790 to 1794, he was a member of the Senate of the United States, and was taken from that body to be minister plenipotentiary from this country to the court of France. On his return, he was appointed governor of Virginia. In 1803, he was again ap- pointed minister to France, and was afterward sent both to England and Spain. What 3. In 1810, he was again elected governor of Vir- ficefdid ffinia, the duties of which office he continued to he fill ? ^ ^ . perform until he w^as appointed secretary of state under Mr. Madison. In 1817, when the war had ended, and the nation had once m.ore settled down Cliap. VIII, WAR WITH THE SEMINOLES. 397 into a state of quiet and peace, he was elected pres- isn ident. . ' 4. The country at this time, perhaps, had brighter ^.j^^^ prospects before it than for a long time previous, pmspeift Peace reimed within its borders, and contmued country ° . . at this prosperity soon relieved it from embarrassments, ^'"^♦^• which were the necessary consequences of the war. ^j^^„ On the 11th of December, Mississippi became an ^s^ip^f , 1 r>i 1 1 • 1 • I admitted mdependent Jbtate, and was admitted mto the to the ^ ^ ^ Union -? Union. 5. In 1818, Ilhnois adopted a State Constitution, ^^s^\i. and became a member of the Union. During this mhtefto year, a war was carried on between the Seminole union? Indians and the United States. Many outrages ^^^^^ were perpetrated by the Indians upon the border ^J^J ^^^' nhabitants, and Gen. Gaines was instructed to pro- ^^'^^^^'• ceed against them, and reduce them to submission ; AVho out his force bein::' insufficient, Gen. Jackson was apjnst '^ ' them, ordered to take command, and raise from the sur- hot"^'^*^ rounding States such forces as he might deem ne- ibrfe? cessary. At the head of 1,000 Tennesseeans, he marched into Florida, took possession of St. Marks, a feeble Spanish garrison, where he found Arbuth- not and Ambrester. These men were accused of exciting the Indians to hostilities, tried by a court- martial, and executed. 6. On learning that the governor of Pensacola J^^J'J'^ favored the Indians, Jackson marched against, and J^fth^Ht. took possession of that place, meeting with but ancer*' slight resistance, the governor having fled to Bara- cas, a fort six miles distant. To this place Jackson ' What followed, and havin^]^ commenced a furious cannon- took ' <-' place at ade UDon the place, the governor was glad to sur- ^"'•^^^■•* 398 Monroe's administration. partiii. 1818 I'ender. Agreeable to the terms of capitulation, the governor and officers were sent to Havana. Jack- son now announced that the war had closed, and returned to Nasliville. v^'hat T* The conduct of Jackson in the war was cen iTpfnioif sured by very many, but approved of by the Presi- fegardiiiff dent. A resolution of censure was rejected in Cou- wmiuct ? gress by a large majority. On the 22d of February. 1819. 1819, a treaty was concluded at Washington, bv treaty which East and West Florida were ceded by Spain was con- •' *■ ?&'ean to the United States. On the 22d of March, the government of Arkansas Territory was organized othe^/ On the 14th of December, Alabama was admitted ve w wlrrad- ^^^^ ^^ Union, and the year following the province mitted? of Maine, which had been connected with Massa- chusetts, was separated from it, and became an in dependent State. What 8. In 1821, Missouri applied for admission. The SrosVon question arose, should she be admitted as a slave the ap- Sf Mii°" State ? After a strong debate, it was decided that Idmit?'' slavery should be tolerated in Missouri, but prohib- ited in all the territory of the United States north and west of Arkansas. 9. Mr. Monroe's term of office havin<]: expired, he Who . . . Srfst"^ was re-elected president, and Mr. Tompkins vice taferof president. The Gulf of Mexico having been for ofMexi- some time infested with a gang of pirates, Commo- dore Porter was sent out to chastise these miscreants, that regard no law and that feel no mercy. He ^,^^^ succeeded in a short time in completely breakmg fmf di"^ up their organization. edpefsSn 10. Durinff the summer of 1824, the Marquis de America^ Lafayette paid a visit to the land whose cause hu Chap. VIII. MARaUIS DE LAFAYETTE. 399 had adopted in its darkest hours, and whose hber- 1834 ties he had assisted so much in establishing. His head was now frosted with the snows of seventy ^^j^^^.^ winters, and nearly fifty years had rolled away since SrhfSl he had battled side by side with Washington, in the sacred cause of liberty. He traveled through every State in the Union, and was every where re- ceived with the strongest demonstrations of love and affection. 11. He had not only received no remuneration for his services during the war, but had expended nearly all his private fortune. Congress now pre- sented him $200,000 and a township of land. The frigate Brandywine was prepared to convey him to his country, and he was attended to the place of embarkation by the President and most of the pub- Uc officers in Washington. 12. At the next presidential election the most in- ^^hatis tense political excitement prevailed throughout the lhenfx\ country. The candidates were Messrs. Adams, Safeie"-' •^ ' tion? Crawford, Jacksoiij and Clay. Neither of these candidates having received a majority, the House of Representatives decided in favor of Mr. Adams. Mr. Calhoun of South CaroUna was elected vice president. 13. After having been for fifty years in public what is life, Mr. Monroe found the quiet of his home in conciu- ' 1 sion of Virginia peculiarly acceptable. Here he remained JJ^?^^"*" for a number of years, when he came to reside with his daughter in New York. On the 4th of July, 1831, just five years after his illustrious predeces- sors, Adams and Jefferson, had quitted the scenes of their labors, he expired. He had passed the or- 400 J. a. ADAMS' ADMINISTRATION. Part III 1825 dinaiy boundary of human life, being over seventy- three years old. ivhatis ^^- Mr. Monroe possessed many of those traits ¥tid of ttr.IV oc's Rtrain ment.8 .' Sl.Mon- necessary to form an able diplomatist. In making nentai UD his mind on any subject, he was never dazzled by the brilliant colormgs of his own imagination, nor led astray by any tormenting passion. Some may be greater, many as great, but ages may pass before one more fortunate will be found in the presidential chair of the Republic. CHAPTER IX. J. Q. ADAMS' ADMINISTRATION. FROM MARCH 4TH, 1825, TO MARCH 4TH, 1829. 1. John Gluincv Adams was born at Gtuincy, in When -^ •^ ' where Massachusctts, in 1767. His father, John Adams, Adlms^' early identified himself with the liberties of his country ; and from the time that the colonies first whaUs began to writhe beneath the oppression of England, father? uHtil the closc of his presidential career, was ever by their side, cheering them on by words of hope and encouragement. Nursed in such a school, and rocked by that patriot father in the cradle of liber- ty, high hopes were formed of his future success, nor were these hopes disappointed. 2. In early life he accompanied his father on his On what •' ^ liThe^o mission to France, and subsequently to England, mi *" where he was sent to negotiate peace. At the age Cbap. IX. ADAMs' EARLY LTFK. lOJ of eigliteeri he accompanied Mr. Dana, the minis- ig^^ ter to Russia, as his private secretary. On his re- turn, wishing to complete his education, he entered ^y^en Harvard College at Cambridge, and graduated there gJaduaie? m 1787. He then commenced the study of law in the office of Theophilus Parsons, chief-justice of the State, and in due time was admitted to the bar. 3. In 1794 he was appointed resident minister to what » A honora- Netherlands, where he remained for a considerable ce^g^/id' length of time. Near the close of Washington's and^'what admmistration he was appomted minister to rortu- himi gal, but was afterward transferred to BerUn. In 1802 he was elected to the State Senate, and in 1806 to the Senate of the United States. Here he distinguished himself, not only as a sound diploma- tist, but as a fluent and eloquent speaker. 4. But his country demanded his services abroad, and in 1809 he was appointed minister to Russia, filrme" Here he enjoyed the confidence and affection of the him^ Emperor Alexander, and established on a firm basis those friendly relations which have ever since been maintained with that nation. In 1817 he was ap- pointed minister to the court of St. James, where he was received with the respect due not only to the office, but to his distinguished talents. On the elec- tion of Mr. Monroe to the presidency, he made choice of Mr. Adams as secretary of state, in which position he proved himself as able in council as he had been in the Senate. In 1824 he was elected President of the United States. 5. During the administration of Mr. Adams, the what of , , , , - - the coun country enjoyed contmued peace and unexampled try dur- Drosperity; manufactories increased, the arts and tmS'' 402 J. Q.. ADAMS- ADMINISTRATION. Part 111 find ot the next f)resiiien rial elec tlOJl ? 1829 sciences flourished, and a general spirit of content and happiness prevailed throughout the country. whatoc- The 50th anniversary of American independence. thHoth" rendered memorable by the event which it celebra- anniver- ^ i mi • i i /• * • sary of tcd, was made still more so in the annals of Amen- our iiide- ' dence? ^^^ hjstory by the death of the two venerable ex- '^-^s. presidents, Adams and Jefferson. But few other What is events of historical interest occurred during this ad- ministration. The next presidential election was more closely contested than any preceding one. General Jackson was elected president, and John C. Calhoun vice president. What is G. Mr. Adams, at the close of his term of office. fiirther ' ' t't^f, retired to his farm ; but anxious to serve his coun- Mr. A a- ' urns] try, he shortly after was elected representative in Congress, w^hich office he retained until his death. Mr. Adams' history has been one of great interest. From early boyhood he was in public life, devoting the energies of his giant mind to the welfare of his country. He died at his post of duty, in the na- tion's Capitol, surrounded by the greatest of her sons. Csesar fell in the Senate House, but the hand of violence struck the blow. Adams died in the Capitol, with the nation at his side. Even the wife of his bosom retired from his couch, that his country might be the only mourner present when he expired. On Monday, February 21st, 1848, he was struck with paralysis, in his seat in the Hall of Representatives, and removed from thence to the Speaker's chamber, where he remained in a state of insensibility until a few moments before his death, which occurred on Wednesday, Feb- ruary 23d, at 7 o'clock P. M. His last words were. " T/iis is the last of earth ; I am content,'^'' chap. X. Jackson's early life. 403 1829 CHAPTER X. JACKSON'S ADMINISTRATION, FROM MARCH 4TH, 1829, TO MARCH 4TH, 1837. 1. Andrew Jackson was born on the 15th of ^^en and Marcn, 1767, in Waxsaw, South CaroHna, a settle- ^if ® ment whither his family had emigrated from Ire- bomf*^ land, two years previous. Sliortly after his birth, his father died, leavino^ three sons to be provided ' ^ . * What IS for by their mother. Slie determined to educate said of •/ his early Andrew for the clerical profession ; but scarcely ^^*^' had he entered on the study of the ancient lan- guages, when the revolutionary struggle com- menced, and at the age of fourteen he abandoned school for the colonial camp. The body of troops to which he was attached, was surprised by a large number of the enemy, and compelled to surrender. Jackson and his brother were kept in strict confine- said^of *■ his ment until they were exchanged, after the battle brothersi of Camden. His elder brother had previously per- ished in the service of the colony, and his younger brother shortly after died from a wound which he had received during his imprisonment. 2. In 1786 he commenced the practice of law, and removed to Nashville in 1788, where profes- what oP ' ^ * ^ fices did sional success immediately attended him. In 1796, *'^^'^- he was elected to the lower house of Congress, and delegated to the national senate in the following year, but resigned near the close of the session. 404 JACKSON^S ADMINISTRATION. Part I II. 18JJ9 alleging his distaste for the intrigues of politics. Within that period, he 'vas chosen major-general of the Tennessee militia^ and held the office until called to the same rank in the United States' ser- vice, 3. As mention has already been made of his KdS^* iT^ilitary career, it would be useless to recapitulate flss'and here. In 1823 he was elected to the Senate of the 1829 ? United States, but resigned his seat in the second session. In 1829 he was elected to the presidency of the United States. 4. The condition of the United States at this waAhe time was one of unexampled prosperity. The g^gfj^^u. country was at peace with all nations; the na- tmfe? tional debt was in the course of rapid diminu- tion, and the treasury had within its vaults more than live millions of dollars. Agriculture, com- merce, and manufactures were in a highly flourish- ing state. 5. In 1832, a bill for re-chartering the United ^^^'^' States' Bank passed both houses of Congress, but What is was rctumcd b}' the President, with his objections; the bui not being repassed by a majority of two-thirds, the h^g^the* bank ceased to be a, national institution on the ex- Ba^k^/^^ piration of its charter, in 1836. During the spring of this year, hostilities were commenced by the Sac hostiii- and Fox Indians, on the western frontiers of the ties ^ out'^n United States, under the celebrated chief. Black this Fear? jj^^^^j^^ Geucrals Scott and Atkinson were sent against them, and after a harassing warfare they defeated the Indians, drove them beyond the Mis- sissippi, and took Black Hawk prisoner. 6. The most intense excitement prevailed for a Chap. X. NULLIFICATION. 405 time in South Carolina, respecting a tariff bill, im- i83 2 posing additional duties on foreign goods, which had what is passed Congress in the summer of 1832. The Caro- the"^ tariff linians declared and boldly maintained, not only in their own State, but through the person of their illus- trious senator, John C. Calhoun, in the halls of Con- gress, that the act was unconstitutional, and that the duties should never be paid by South Carolina, and that if government persisted in the attempt to enforce the payment, they would withdraw from the United States, and establish an independent gov- ernment. 7. This doctrine of declaring an act of Congress kow T 1 Till I • • r ^^^ ^^^^ null and void, was little relished by the majority of j5j^^J['J^ the nation, and the proclamation issued by the [-onT' President was generally popular with all parties, what He declared that the laws must be executed, and p^oda- mation that any opposition to their execution must be re- {^^^^^1 pelled, by force, if necessary. ^'^^^^^ 8. South Carolina still retained her hostile feel- ings, and determined on resistance. It would be impossible to tell what the sad result of this con- troversy might have been, had not Mr. Clay, of what is Kentucky, introduced a compromise bill, which ^^^l^^^' passed both houses of Congress, providing for the ^'^^^ gradual reduction of duties until 1843, when they were to sink to the general level of 20 per cent. In 1833, Jackson was re-elected president, and Martin ^i'cteT'' Van Buren was chosen vice president. FnTsssT* 9. In 1833, the President removed from the Bank of the United States the government funds ^^lUi deposited there, and transferred them to certain don^by State han^ks. This measure was strongly censured in is33? 406 Jackson's administration. Part III. I8;i3 ^J ^'^^ opponents of the administration, who attri- whoop- buted the pecuniary distresses of 1836 and 1837 to thX^act? the war of the President upon the United States Bank. The President declared, that the bank had become the scourge of the people, and that the dis- Whatdid - - ° . . Jackson trcsscs of the country were owmer to its mismanafj^e- declare? JO o ment. 10. In 1830, Congress passed a law authorizing What the President to remove tlie remaining Indian tribes, law did ... . , . 1 . I Congress mhabitmo^ our southern states, to a territory which pass m <-' } J 1830? should be appropriated to their use. beyond the Mis- sissippi. With the Chickasa ws and Choctaw^s treaties What were made, by which they exchanged their lands, were^^ and Quictly removed to the country jQxed upon, west formed? ^ i a i t-» i /-,i i i i of the Arkansas. But the Cherokees were loth to leave their cultivated fields and pleasant homes, JJ'jjy ^j^g which they had surrounded Vv^ith the luxuries of kii^^un- civilized life. Too many interesting associations Kave^^" clustered around those runninar brooks, those hills their h>mes? and vales, where they had played in childhood, and where slept the ashes of their fathers. The spirits of the silent dead seemed looking dow^n upon them, and urging them not to desert their graves, and they boldly refused to go. 11. It was the policy of Georgia to make their How did position as unpleasant as possible. They ac- fi^^ttYie cordingly extended over their territory the laws of ijidians? jj^gj^. s^ate, and, among other things, declared that Dec 20, no Indian, or descendant of an Indian, residing within 1829 JO the Creek or Cherokee nations of Indians, should be said^of ^^^i^^d a competent witness, or party to any suit, ^za^-on'^oi i*^ 3J^y court where a white man was defendant. vices? "^ The Cherokees had been civilized, and possessed a CHap. X. CEiEROKEES AND SEMINOLES. 407 national government, and written laws, and now i835 they asked, what right have the people of Georgia to exercise jurisdiction over us ? The Supreme whatdid Court of the United States had declared these acts pieme"*' to be unconstitutional ; yet the decision was disre- t^iaie? garded, and when they appealed to the President JJ^^l'^if for protection, he stated that he had no power to in- tSfsX terfere with the acts of a sovereign State. 12. In 1835, a few of their chiefs sio^ned a treaty what ' ^ -^ treaty for the sale of their lands, and a removal west of the ^^nedin Mississippi. Most of the Cherokees were opposed ^^^^^ to the treaty, but finding resistance would be in vain, they removed without bloodshed. The Sem- whatis inole Indians, however, refused to leave their coun- thasem- ' ' moles ? try, declaring that the treaty executed in 1832, at Payne's landing, by which they agreed to re- move, was unfair and treacherous. Gen. Wiley Thompson was sent to Florida, to prepare for the emigration ; but Osceola, their most noted chief, Whal nf said, " They wished to rest in the land of their o^^eoia? fathers, and their children to sleep by their side," and strongly remonstrated against the proceedings of government. His proud bearing and haughty tones displeased Gen. Thompson, and he ordered the chieftain to be put in irons, and confined in prison. Osceola, in a day or two, affected peni- tence, signed the treaty to remove, and was re- leased — but not to fulfil the treaty, for he had de- termined on a deep and cruel revenge. 13. At this time Gen. Chnch was at Port Drone, wha. Beinor in want of supplies, and in great dano^er situation * rr / fc) o of Gen. from the Indians, who surrounded him, Major Dade ^i'"^*^- was directed to march, with 117 men, from Fort f^Jj^'*/'''' 4.08 Jackson's administration. p^^^ m. 1835 Brook, at Tampa Bay, to his assistance. He had proceeded about eighty miles on his way, when on the morning of the 28th of December, he was sur- rounded by a band of Indians, and he, with all but four of his men, killed and horribly mangled. whatoc- 14. On the same day, Gen. Thompson, who w^as Port ^ dining with a convivial party at Fort King, within sight of the garrison, was surprised by a discharge . of musketry, which killed himself and five of the party. Osceola, at the head of the Indians, rushed in, and himself scalped the man who had dared place fetters on his free limbs, and then retreated, unmoles- Where wasGen. ted by the garrlsou. Shortly after. Gen. Clinch was attacked? attacked by the Indians, on the bank of the With- What is lacooche, and met considerable loss. TheSeminoles thesemi- now^ commcuced ravaging the country, burning the houses, and murdering whole families. Gen. Scott was now invested with the chief cor soon after ordered to the country and his place filled by Gen. Jessup. Who at- 15. In May, the Creeks commenced hostihties. tacked ' the In- settino: fire to houses, and murdering families, de- diansat J^ ' & ? ^ riiST stroying towns, burning steamboats, and ravaging the whole country. The governor of Georgia raised saidV^ troops, took the field in person, and was joined by Creek Gcu. Scott ou the 30th May. By their combined ties? efforts, peace was restored early in the summer, ^^hat On the 16th of June, 1836, Arkansas and Michi- pkcem ran were admitted into the Union, on equal foot- June. ? ... . . , o II 18361 ing ^ith the origmal States. At the next presi- dential election, Martin Van Buren, of New York, was chosen president, and Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky, vice president. Who was now invested with the chief command, but was succeed- ' IcouT' soon after ordered to the country of the Creeks, Chap. X, DEATH OF JACKSON. 409 16. On the expiration of his term of office, Gen. 1830 Jackson retired to his farm in Nashville, where he ^^at^ resided until his death, which occurred June 8th, IhedL- 1845, in the 78th year of his age. On the morning events o^ of the day on which he died, he swooned, and, for a sons ufe? time, was supposed to be dead ; but he soon after revived, and lived until evening. A short time be- fore his death, he took an affectionate leave of his friends and domestics, retaining to the last his senses and intellect unclouded. He expired vt^ith the utmost calmness, expressing the highest confi- dence in a happy immortality through the Re- deemer. 17. Perhaps no statesman has ever had warmer ^^y^^^ friends or more bitter enemies. All admit, however, ciosfnl that he was an able general, and possessed strong de- ^^^^^ ^ termination of mind. Future generations, when the rancor of party feeling has subsided, will be enabled to form a more accurate estimate of his merits and demerits, than those who live when the waves of that sea of party strife on which he rode, are still dashing at their feet. CHAPTER XL VAN BUREN'S ADMINISTRATION, FROM MARCH 4TH, 1837, TO MARCH 4TH, 1841. 1. Martin Van Buren was born at Kinderhook, ^^en ' and m New York, Dec. 5th, 1782. His parents were ^as van of Dutch descent, and in humble circumstances, born" 18 410 VAN buren's administration. Part III. 1831 Martin received his education at the academy of whatia ^^^^ native village, which he attended until the age f^Jfcct. of fourteen, when he commenced the study of law tnff V)1ft ____ educa- in the office of Francis Sylvester, Esq., in Kindei- hook. Here he remained until the last year of his professional study, which he spent in the office of William P. Van Ness, in the city of New York. 2. In 1803 he commenced the practice of law in his native village, and was shortly after appointed surrogate of Columbia county. In 1809, on ac- What is /» 1 . ^ 1 . 1 . 1 ■t^ted of count of the increase ol his business, he removed to nis Iiie ' SSdifoir? the city of Hudson. He was elected State Senator in 1812, and in 1815 appointed Attorney-general of the State. Here he had ample opportunity to display the acuteness of his mind, and soon enjoyed the reputation of being one of the first lawyers in the State. i^That 3. In 1816, on account of his professional busi- honoTg- ness, he removed to the city of Albany. In 1821 he he^filH was elected to the Senate of the United States, where he distinguished himself as an eloquent speaker, and a skilful statesman. In 1828 he was elected Governor of New York, but resigr^ed the office in the following year to fill the post of Secre- tary of State, to which he had been appointed by Jackson. In 1831 he was sent as Minister Pleni- potentiary to England. In 1833 he was elected What vice president; and in 1837, president of the United caused o. x the spirit OtateS. [{^t^<^n 4 After the public moneys had been removed Lnd what from the United States Bank to the State banks, 7oa»e'^^ the facilities for borrowing on credit w^ere greatly quoncvtf CUap. XI. COMMERCIAL DISTRESS. 411 increased. Tlie old roads of honest industry were isat abandoned, and fortunes were made in an hour by speculation. Cities were planned in the wilder- ness, on the rocks, and the sea-coast below high w^ater mark ; and building lots sold at immense prices. This unnatural state of things had its cri- sis in 1837. Many having contracted large debts were obliged to fail, and in failing drew others into the vortex wMth them, until a large portion of the heaviest establishments in the country were com- pletely prostrated. The banks now stopped specie payment, and apprehension pervaded the whole mercantile community. 5. During the months of March and April, the whatw ^ . ^ ' said of failures in the city of New York alone amounted !Jl!/^:ii to more than one hundred millions of dollars. Men ySX? who had been living in affluence, and supposed themselves worth an independent fortune, retired in comparative ease and comfort at night, and awoke bankrupt and without a home in the morning. The banks where the public moneys w^ere deposited shared the common fate, and the question now arose, how was th3 government to meet its expenses, and what should be done with the public purse ? 6. To decide these and other questions, an extra what session of Cono^ress was convened. The President thePres. ^ ident recommended a mode for keeping the public funds, meXbr called the " sub-treasury scheme," which was re- feuo- jected by Congress. Treasury notes were ordered to be issued, and other measures taken to supply how did * rr J It suc- the wants of government. The pressure in the '*^^^' money market was gradually removed, and on the 13tli of August the banks resumed specie payment; 412 VAN BUREN's administration. Part III. 1840 but it was a long lime before the country came back to its former prosperous condition. What is 7. The war with the Seminole Indians, in FIo- the sem lida, which was supposed to have been brought to ^^^^ an end, again broke out with renewed fury. The Indians, hid in their swamps and everglades, hunt- ed down our troops and the inhabitants like wild osctoif? beasts. In October, Osceola and several principal chiefs, with about seventy warriors, came to the Bai/of American camp under a flasr of truce, and were the seiz- * o / Osceola? taken prisoners by order of Gen. Jessup. Osceola pined away, and shortly afterward died. The seizure of an enemy under a flag of truce, which was contrary not only to the usages of civilized, but of savage nations, was severely censured by many ; by others it was justified, from the fact that Osceola was treacherous, and that no treaties could bind him. The war continued, with varied fouccess on the part of our troops, until 1840, when it was brought to a close. vhat 8. The Sub-treasury bill, which was rejected by congrtss Cougrcss in 1837, was again introduced in 1840, ^"^^^'^^ and passed both houses. The census of 1840 What showed the population of the United States to be nsus of 17 068,666. Gen. William Henry Harrison, the hero of Tippecanoe and the Thames, was elected fk?he/^ president, and John Tyler, of Virginia, vice presi- vin V dent. Mr. Van Buren, on leaving the presidential chair, retired to his property at Kinderhook, where he now resides. Chap. XII. Harrison's early life. 413 1841 CHAPTER XII. HARRISON'S ADMINISTRATION, FROM MARCH 4th, 1841, TO APRIL 4th, 184L 1. William Henry Harrison was born at Berk- whatw ley, on James river, twenty-five miles from Rich- ^^e birth mond, Virginia, in the year 1773. He was the ofmim youngest of three sons of Benjamin Harrison, a de scendant of the celebrated leader of the same name in the wars of Cromwell. His father was chairman of the committee of the whole house, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and was one of the illustrious signers of that act. 2. At the age of seventeen, William Henry left ^^at Hampden Sydney College, and commenced the sjSli^d'id study of Medicine. The death of his distinguished ^^^^^ parent, irmnediately after his arrival in Philadel- dSd he^ phia, in 1791, to prosecute those studies, checked his professional aspirations ; and the note of pre- paration, which was sounding through the country for a campaign against the Indians of the west, decided his destiny. In opposition to the wishes of his guardian, he determined to enter the army, ^Qs^Sfa and received an ensign's commission from General the Washington. In the following year he was select- ed by General Wayne as one of his aids. After the treaty of Grenville, Harrison was left in com* mand of Fort Washington, now Cincinnati. 3. Weary with a garrison life, he resigned his commission, and at the age of twenty-four was ap- 4L4 Harrison's administration, Part III 1841 pointed Secretary of the North-western Territory. What of- I^^ 1799 he was elected the first delegate in Con- hfm-A gress from that extensive region now comprising in? the the States of Ohio, Indiana, lUinois, and Michi- army •' y / ; gan. What in- 4. In 1801 Harrison was appointed governor of him ^ ^^ Indiana Territory, a post of great responsibiUty. A Irmii^^ never-slumbering watchfulness was the means he used in keeping down Indian invasions. During the year 1811, the intrigues of the British agents stirred up the passions of the Indians, and rendered hostilities unavoidable. The events of this cam- paign have already been recorded. The judgment displayed in its prosecution, and the battles of Tip- whatis pecanoe and the Thames, have given Harrison a faid^^of high rank among heroes. In 1817 he resigned his hiseiecr commission, and retired to his farm at North Bend, tion as ' '' denu from which he w^as repeatedly called to represent the people in Congress. 5. In 1824-5 he was elected to the Senate of the United States, and in 1828 appointed minister to Colombia. On his return to his country, he re- tired to the pursuit of agriculture at North Bend, where he remained until called by the voice of his What is country, in 1841, to the presidential chair. But his Ks'ad- administration was of short duration, for in one tion? month from the time when the shouts of thousands went up at his inauguration, he wab lying cold in death in the presidential mansion. Describe ^* ^^^ Thursday, the 25th of March, he caugh ^auseof a slight cold from undue exposure, and on the day neUlts foUowinfr was overtaken in a shower, which in- progress, ^ Sea^h!' creased the symptoms. Continuing unwell on Satur- Chap. Xlt. Harrison's death. 415 day, he was prevailed on to send for a physician, i^n who prescribed some medicine. On Sunday, his fever increased, accompanied with general symp- toms of pnemiionia. The disease now assumed an alarming character, and seemed, until his death, to bid defiance to the skill of his physicians. 7. On Saturday morning he felt somewhat bet- ter, and requested the 103^ Psalm to be read ; Avhen it was concluded, in the presence of several of his family, he thanked the Lord for his good- ness, and seemed overpowered with deep emotion. At 6 o'clock on the same day, the physicians pro- nounced him beyond their skill. He gradually sunk into a state of stupor, from which he partially re- vived about 9 o'clock. Seeing his cabinet and his nearest friends around his bed — even in that last hour of his earthly existence, the welfare of his country lay near his heart, and he faintly uttered, '^I wish you to understand the true principles of government. I wish them carried out. I ask no- thing more." His breathings now became more difficult, and about half an hour after midnight on Sunday morning, April 4th, without a struggle, his spirit passed away from earth. 8. He professed to be a Christian, and his friends ^v'mtJs who were acquainted with his life, and knew his JJ'^^^"" respect and affection for the cause of religion, and *^ "*'""' his intention in a few days of uniting with the church, entertained no doubt of his sincerity. The nation telt, as they received the news of the death of their President, that God w^as chastising them for theii sins ; and as they bent beneath the rod, they learned the important lesson, that '^ God only 116 Tyler's administration p^^,.^ m 184 1 is great." Party spirit was forgotten, and the whokj nation mourned together. Repeat Death ! Death in the White House ! Ah, ne\ . r before the Trod his skeleton foot on the President's floor ! ve^raeson jj^ ^^ looked for in hovel, and dreaded in hall — Sath. The king in his closet keeps hatchment and pall — - The youth in his birth-place, the old man at home, Make clean from the door-stone the path to the tomb; But the lord of this mansion was cradled not here — In a church-yard far off stands his beckoning bier ! He is here as the wave-crest heaves flashing on high As the arrow is stopped by its prize in the sky — The arrow to earth, and the foam to the shore — Death finds them, when swiftness and sparkles are o'er.' CHAPTER XIIL TYLER'S ADMINISTRATION, FROM APRIL 4TH, 1841, TO MARCH 4TH, 1845. What is 1. John Tyler was born in Charles city, Vir- the birth orinia, in 1789. His father, John Tyler, was a dis- ttiid pa- c5 * ' J 5 Tyler?** tinguished man, and from 1808 to 1811 held the high office of governor of Virginia. Tyler was edu- cated at William and Mary College ; on leaving which, he commenced the study of law in the office his early of his father. At the age of twenty-one, he was elected to the State legislature, and from 1816 to 1821 held a seat as representative in Congress. Here he distinguished himself not only as a work- ing man. but as a bold and fluent debater. In 1825 he was elected governor of Virginia, and in 1827 to Cliap. XIII. DIFFICULTIES IN RHODE ISLAND. 417 the United States Senate. In 1841 he was elected i84i vice president of the United States, but on the death of the lamented Harrison, by the Constitution, the duties of the presidential office devolved on him. 2. Gen. Harrison had called an extra session of what Congress, to consider matters which he believed to some of ° ' . . the acts be of vital importance to the nation. During its J'^fl^^^J session, the sub-treasury bill was repealed, a bank- ofco'" rupt law passed, and tw^o bills chartering a bank ^'^^^ of the United States Avere vetoed by the President, whatbiu •^ was ve- As this w^as one of the favorite measures of the ^^^^ whig party, the conduct of the executive caused jjow him to be denounced by them in no measured terms. SSf His entire cabinet were indignant at what they con- regarded! sidered his treachery toward his party, and with but one exception, resigned. In 1842 a dispute ^^^^ with England, respecting the north-eastern boun- whatoc- dary line, was negotiated between Mr. Webster and i842^?'^ *" Lord Ashburton. 3. In this year, domestic difficulties commenced what is in Rhode Island. An attempt was made to settheditii aside the ancient charter, which had hitherto been which ' occurred in force. One party adopted a constitution, and, ilif^ai^^ unauthorized by the laws of the State, elected a legislature, and chose Thomas W. Dorr governor. The law and order party also met, and chose Sam- uel W King governor. Both parties met in 1843 ^^^^^^ ^ and organized their government. The legally or- ganized party now attempted to put down what they considered a rebellion. The insurgents under Dorr appeared in arms, but were dispersed with but little resistance. The whole State was placed un- der martial law\ Dorr fled, but shortly after return- 18* ^ 418 Tyler's administration. Part hi. 1843 ingj was tried for treason, and sentenced to be im- prisoned during life. In a short time, he was par- doned. In the mean time, a constitution for the State was adopted. What is 4. Texas was formerly a province of Mexico, and Texas; settled principally by emigrants from the U. States. In 1834, her citizens becoming displeased with what they considered the unjust and tyrannical policy of the Mexican government, declared themselves inde- pendent. A long and bloody war followed, which finally ended in the defeat of the Mexicans, and the establishment of a republican form of government in Texas. It had long been the wish of the Tex- treaty aus to be admitted into the Union as a State, when, was sub- con^reS in 1845, the President submitted to Congress a in 1845' lYQ^iy fov the annexation of that country to the United States. What is 5. The discussion of this question awakened the said of . . Ill* the dis- most mtense excitement, throughout the nation. cussion occa fiioned* occa-^'* The whig party strongly opposed it as a measure intended, to increase the limits of the slave territory, and to perpetuate in the country w^iat they consid- ered a foul blot on our national escutcheon. They contended, that w^e had territory enough without Texas, and independent of this, that we had no right to admit her into the Union. The democratic party contended, on the contrary, that we not only had the right, but were in duty bound, under the then existing state of affairs, to form with her a treaty of annexation. They insisted that Texas, as an independent and sovereign State, had full power to enter into any treaty with a foreign gov- ernment. Afteralonof and boisterous discussion in 2 4.. 22 S'^/7/l# VuIcLdolici ^w ^V' ^ ^^M ZyTe7,'cuco ^^^ LcrmcLi^ ToJuccL J: 2l-J.L(ju^i Lucie ^Vccl 2 frnni \V7j?:lii n ^Ids:'. J Cl*ap,XlV. EAELY LIFE OF POLK. 419 Senate, the treaty was defeated b}^ a large ma- 1845 jority. ^a/ 6. At the next presidential election, James K. SS Sr^ Polk, of Tennessee, was elected president, and ty? George M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, vice president, ^a^** Mr. Tvler, at the close of his term of office, retired theVcxt •^ ' ' presi- to his estate in Virginia, where he now resides. ^^m? CHAPTER XIV. POLK'S ADMINISTRATION. FROM MARCH 4TH, 1845, TO MARCH 4TH, 1849. 1. James K. Polk was the eldest of ten children, whatw said of and was born in Muhlenberg county. North Caro- ^^^^^^^ Una, on the 2d of November, 1795. His ancestral poik?"^ name, which was Pollock, was gradually abbrevi- ated to Polk. His father was an unpretending farmer, who, by industry, energy, and perseverance, had arisen from poverty to comparative wealth. In 1806 he removed to Tennessee. James beins: of del- hiswrem o the time icate constitution, his father determined on educat- efecti^n ing him for commercial pursuits, and went so far ?residen- cy ? as to place him in a counting-house. But this em- ployment was exceedingly distasteful to him, and he pleaded so hard with his father that he would permit him to alter his course, that he at length consented. 2. On leaving the counting-house, he entered upon a course of studies preparatory to college, and in 1818 graduated at the University of North Cara- 420 folk's administration. Part 111 1845 lina, with the highest honors of the institution. la the following year, he commenced the study of law in the office of Senator Grundy, and in the lat- ter part of 1820, was admitted to the bar. Here he met with great success, and soon became exten- sively known as an eloquent pleader, and a close and logical reasoner. In 1823 he was elected to the State Legislature, and in 1825 he took his seat as representative in Congress. In 1835 he wjis elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, and re-elected to the same important post in 1837 In 1838 he was elected by a large majority, governor of Tennessee, and in 1844 president of the '^^ United States. *4"s^"' 3. During the session of Congress in 1845, a bill duW passed both houses, instructing the president to en- the ses- * ' & r con??ess ^^^' ^^^^ ^ treaty of annexation with Texas. The 1111845? treaty was concluded the same year, and Texas outrages admitted into the Union as an independent State. Mexi 4. War with Mexico* — Causes, &c. — Almost cans ire- ' Commit- from the commencement of the Mexican republic, the '^^ outrages on the persons and property of American cans? * Mexico was discovered by Grizalvia, a Spanish navigator, in 1518. On the 2lst of April, 1519, Hernando Cortez, sent out by the Governor of Cuba, landed his force of 617 men where now stands the city of Vera Cruz. Mexico was inhabited by numerous warlike nations, who understood many of the arts of civilized life. In 1521, with his small force, Cortez had con- quered the whole country, and overturned the throne of Monte- zuma. From this time, Mexico was governed by viceroys from Spain, until 1822, when Iturbide was proclaimed emperor. From 1810 till 1820 insurrections against the home government prevailed throughout the country. In 1823 Iturbide was ban ished from the country ; and in 1824 a constitution was formed sinif ar to that of the United States. CHap. XIV. RELATIONS WITH MEXICO. 421 citizens have been committed by Mexico, and re- 1945 dress, although frequently demanded, has been either refused, or the subject evaded. On the 5th ^yy^^^ of April, 1831, a treaty of amity and navigation duLT' was concluded between the republics, yet scarcely the tw^. ' ' "^ "^ countries had two months passed away, before fresh our rages '"issi? were perpetrated. 5. In 1837, during the administration of Jack- whatde- son, a messenger was dispatched to Mexico, to was make a final demand for redress. This demand r'ackson in 1837, was made on the 20th of July. The Mexican gov- ^^at ernment expressed a wish for the continuation of repVof ]V'Iexico? friendly feelings, and also promised that the diffi- culties should be settled. These solemn assurances were never fulfilled. 6. On the 11th of August, 1840, a joint commis- ^^^y' sion was organized, the powers of which were to mLlo™' terminate in Februarv, 1842. The claims that gLt"" were allowed by this board, before the commission expired, amounted to two million, twenty-six thou- sand, one hundred and thirty-nine dollars, and sixty-eight cents. The amount of unsettled claims at that time was nine hundred and twenty-eight thousand, six hundred and twenty-seven dollars, and eight cents. 7. On the 30th of January, 1843, a second con- ^^r|,^j,g vention was concluded between the two govern- theVc- ments, which declared that the interest due on the ventfo"? awards mad'e in favor of the claimants in the con- vention of 1840, should be paid to them on the 30th ' ^ Have the of April, 1843, and the principal, with the interest ![j;;'^^- accruing thereon, in five years, in equal instalments every three months. Notwithstanding the payment tions been ful filled i 422 folk's administration. Pait III. 1845 ^f these sums was secured by treaty, yet the claiiu- whatis ^^^^ have only received the interest due on the ihe'^Mlx- 30th of April, 1843, and three out of the twenty in- rages? stalmeuts. Mexico has thus shown a want of good faith, in the repeated violation of solemn treaties. These outrages were, without doubt, one of the rea- sons for war ; yet we are to look to another quarter for the principal cause. wa%e 8- On the 29th of December, 1845, Texas was bSary admitted into tlie Union. The original boundary tween line betwecu Texas and Mexico was the Nueces, Texas ' amiMex- ^^^ ^^^ ^[^^ IQt^h of December, 1836, a few months When after the establishment of the Texan independence, dafmed her Con^fress passed an act in which they declared # by Texas ° ^ . "^ and how? {[^q rjq Graudc, from its mouth to Us source, to be MeSco"^ its boundary. The Nueces was held to be the boun- r.iain? dary line by the Mexicans, and the territory between What the two rivers claimed by that government. Mexi- feelings . . fco'^minT ^^ ^^^^ long manifested hostile feelings toward towird Texas, and had frequently threatened to send troops to reduce to submission what she considered a re- volted province. What 9. On the admission of Texas into the Union, was Tay- ' 'reeled to ^^^- Taylor was directed to proceed with a small ^°' force to some position west of the Nueces, that he didTe might be in readiness to repel any attempt at inva- an^^how sion by Mexico. In August, 1845, he encamped at main?" Corpus Christi, on the west side of the Nueces, where What in- he remained six months in perfect quiet, there being no attempts at invasion by the Mexicans. During d, this time our government had been informed, that wasTay- it was the intention of Paredes to assemble a lartre .or di- ^ '=^ tested to g^|.j)fjy on the Rio Grande, for the invasion of Texas, *brma tion had our gov- ernment receive and what Chap. XIV. FORT POLK AND FORT BROWN. 423 they therefore directed Taylor to advance, and oc- tsie ciipy the east bank of the Rio Grande, opposite Matamoras. 10. Taylor commenced his march on the 8th of ^hen March, 1846. On the 20th he reached the Colo- cl"^ rado, where he was met by Gen. Mejia with a small ^^^^^ ^ force, who informed him that if he crossed the river it would be considered a declaration of war, and would be immediately followed by actual hostih- ties. Taylor crossed the river without resistance, and marched to Point Isabel. The inhabitants pro- hfs^^" ® tested agamst the occupation oi any portion of then* ^^^^^^^ territory by the Americans, set fire to the public buildings, and abandoned the place. Taylor fixed on this point as a depot for provisions ; and hav- ing made preparations for the erection of Fort Polk, moved forward, and reached the Rio Grande opposite Matamoras on the 28th of March. 11. In the mean time, Mr. Slidell, an asrent of whatu ' ' o said of the United States, was in Mexico, insisting on ^^nf^' being received as a plenipotentiary, while Mexico would only recognize him as a commissioner. Mr. Shdell was finally compelled to withdraw from the countrv. General Taylor, on arriving before Mata- Taylor' •' . . . . tlo on at» moras, placed his cannon in a position so as to [[^'^"^j^^ command the streets of the city, and shortly after ^'^'^"'^^ ' erected Fort Brown. 12. These measmes, adopted by the president, what is 1-1 11111. 1 S'»^ «*' by which our troops crossed the boundary clanned the *^ » J. meas- by Mexico, were considered by a large portion of adoote.i the people of the United States as impolitic, if not preJ^^ unjust ; and the occupation of a territory by our troops, which at least was a subject of dispute, was 424 folk's administration. p^rt III, 1846 fleeiiied by many a belligerent act. Gen. Ampudia What did ^^ considered it, and notified the American general dif and to retire beyond the Nueces, within twenty-four doi^ hours. On the 24th of April, Gen. Arista super- seded Ampudia in command, and communicated to Taylor, that he considered hostilities com- menced. 13. On the 23d of April, Gen. Taylor received intimation that a large body of Mexicans had whatis crossed the Rio Grande, and on the following day Thorn- dispatchcd Capt. Thornton with a small force to reconoitre ; but in charging the Mexicans, he was captured, and his men either killed or taken Tayfor^''^ prisoucrs. Ou the 29th, information reached Gen. Point Is- Taylor that Point Isabel was surrounded by the abel on -^ ^ "^ the 29th? enemy and in danger. Taylor immediately made preparations to go to its rehef, and open a commu- nication between the two posts. On the 1st of What or- May, he departed with the main body of the army, he leave? Icaviug oi'dcrs to defend the fort to the last, and if surrounded, to fire signal guns. tSf^ 14. On the 3d, the enemy, taking advantage fhe'^sdT of the absence of Taylor, opened their guns on the fort, and the holy quiet of that Sabbath day was broken by the thunder of cannon. From this time till Saturday, shells and shot were constantly flying over the heads of that devoted band, shut up with- in the intrenchments, with but four hundred rounds of ammunition. At the end of three days, Arista sent a summons to the fort to surrender, declaring mons did . i i • i i i Arista that 11 it was uot obeyed in one hour, he would send to "^ ' Imiwhat pu^ ^^^^ g^i'^ison to the sword. A council of war r^'epiy^T^^ was Called, and the question put to the youngest What Slim- Cljoii. XIV. BATTLE OF PALO AT TO. 426 first. His short reply, ^^ Defend the fort to ^Ae 18*6 death /" was echoed from lip to Hp, and in thirty minutes the guns of the enemy were raining balls on the intrenchments, and that brave garrison coolly prepared for the death-grapple with their foe. 15. Previous to this, signal guns had been fired ; how did as the heavy reports broke in dull and distant hear of •^ A this con- echoes over Point Isabel, and Taylor stood and ^^'^• hstened, he remembered the smaliness of tfte garri- son he had left behind and the number of the ene- whatdid my, and on the 7th commenced his march, saying, when^he "If I meet the enemy, I will fight them." On the \^l^l^, yth, he came in sight of the enemy at Palo Alto,* Mays. drawn up in order of battle, stretching a mile and dTd^^ife a half across the plain, alonsr the ediJ^e of a chap- with the * ' '-' '~ *■ enemy, parel ; a little in advance, on the left, were the ^"ere^""^ lancers, a thousand strong, while throughout the a^ld''^"^ rest of the line were masses of infantry and bat- teries, placed alternately. 16. Our army was immediately formed in order How *^ ^ ^^as our of battle. Gen. Twiggs commanded the right, f™^^'^ composed of the 3d, 4th, and 5th infantry and [fe/'''^* Ringgold's artillery. Lieut. Churchill commanded the two 18 pounders in the centre, while Col. Bel knap was placed over the left, composed of Dun- can's artillery and 8th infantry. The battle com- said ot menced Ringgold opened his battery on the right glteryi with terrible effect, the deadly precision of his guns sweeping down platoons at every discharge. On the left, Duncan poured in his destructive volleys ^an'I^anlj . ^ 1 . 1 . 1 -1 • 1 ot the in fierce and rapid succession, while in the centre centre i the two 18 pounders shook the field with their * Pronounced Pah-lo-alto. 426 folk's A^.'^MINISTRATION. Part III 1846 steady fire, as, slowly advancing, they sent death through the Mexican ranks. GEN. ZACHARY TAYLOR. 17. The shot of the enemy told on our ranko ^^'haUs severely ; but the soldiers, cool as veterans, kept diers^^^' their position without a murmur. Ringgold, while seated on his horse, received a shot, which pass- sai/o? ed through his horse, cutting in two the pistob old? in ing holsters, and tearing away the flesh from both his legs, from his knees upward. As he fell Cliap. XIV, COUNCIL OF WAR. 437 some officers gathered around, but, he waved them 1946 away, saying, " Leave me alone, you are needed forward." The sun went down on the field of blood ; and as his departing rays struggled for a moment to pierce the cloud that curtained in the ^vhatj? *■ said 01 (wo armies, the firing ceased, and the battle of ci'osingoi Palo Alto was over. Our little army encamped on tie^ and the field amid their dead and dying companions. °^^^j^^®' With 2,300 men, Taylor had beat 6,000, and killed and wounded nearly 400, with a loss of only 9 killed and 42 wounded. 18. The weary night wore away. Ringgold lay dying — Page, speechless and faint — and many of our brave men stretched on the field of their fame, wounded or dying, while hundreds of the enem.y made the night hideous with their cries and groans. That was an anxious night for the hrave^^^J^^^ ^^ Taylor. He was within a short distance of the the*^situa. fort, but far from reinforcements ; while the ene- tujIo?, my withm reach of help from Matamoras, were ^j^^^ ^e resolved to dispute his entiance. In this position he called a council of war. Only a few were in favor of advancing, while the remainder advised to intrench where the}^ were, or retreat to Point ^^^^^^ Isabel. When all had spoken, the brave veteran JedsiSn said, " 1 will be at Fort Brown before niglit, if I Uve." councfn 19. There spoke out the spirit of the true hero, ^ ^ ^ . ^ What the same that on the heights of Bennington ex- ^myt claimed, as the sword pointed to the enemy moving {gS in to battle, " Those red coats, nien^ before night they an/wen are ours, or Mary Stark's a loidoio P'' — the same that uttered, in the very blaze of the hotly worked battery at Lundy's Lane, " Til try sir /" — the same, 428 folk's administration. Part hi. 1846 that on the rending decks of the Che&apeake, faintly murmured, '^ DonH give up the ship P"^ It was a noble resolution to save the garrison, or leave his body at the foot of the walls, and right nobly was it carried out. 20. The next day, Taylor recommenced his march, and soon came up with the enemy, occupy- «ow inff a stronff position on the farther side of a ra- was the ^ . . Sefend" viuc. Eight picccs of artillery, divided into three ®^- portions, defended this position — one on the left side May 9. Qf ^YiQ road, one on the right, and another in the centre. Scarcely were our troops in order of bat- what tie, when the artillery of the enemy opened and BTOn^ rained a shower of balls on our ranks, and the bat com- menced? tie of Rcsaca de la Palma"^ commenced. Describe ^^' ^'^® ^^^^ ^^'^^ swcpt at cvcry discharge with tll^ ^^^' grape-shot and balls. On the right, our men, ad- vancing through the chapparel, had outflanked the enemy, and were pouring in their well-directed volleys ; while on the left, the incessant flash of musketry, drowned now and then by the roar of cannon and shouts of the men, told how fierce Zitof ^^^^s the conflict. The battery of Ridgely kept ly'slfat- steadily advancing, like a moving volcano, sweep- ing down the enemy at every discharge like grass before the scythe. What IS 22. The whole army fought with unparalleled ^.■^' bravery, led on by officers as brave as ever trod a battle field. From the outset, our army steadily advanced on every side, except along the road where the central battery was playing. At length, goaded to madness by the galling fire kept up * ProTioonced Ra}'-sah-cah-day-la3^-Pal-mah. Chap. XIV. RESACA DE LA PALMA. 429 from those few pieces, and seeing that the wliole is 40 battle rested there, Gen. Taylor ordered Capt. May to charge the battery with his dragoons. His words de^^Z^' were, " Yb?/ must take it r May wheeled on his capt ' ^ , . -^ May 7 steed, and said to his followers, ^^Men, we must take that battery .'" 23. In a moment those eighty-two stern riders were moving in a dark mass along the road, headed Describe by their fearless commander. The next moment charge? the bugle sounded to the charge, and the black and driving mass swept like a thunder-cloud to the shock. A whirlwind of dust marked their career. The attention of the army was directed to this des- perate charge. The muffled tramp could be heard as they broke into a gallop, and rushed forward to the muzzles of the guns. In advance was seen the commanding form of May, as, mounted on his powerful charger, he rode fiercely on, with his hair streaming in the wind, while behind flashed the sabres of his followers. 24. One discharge tore through them, stretching nearly a third of his company and half of his what is horses on the ground ; but when the smoke lifted, May^ ^^^ there was still seen the war-horse of May leaping chaVe? the ditch, breastwork and all, his remaining followers pressing on, riding down the artillery-men at their pieces, and bursting through the Mexican lines. A wild hurrah went up from the entire army when they saw those fierce dragoons clear the breastwork. The infantry now rushed forward with, furious shouts, driving the enemy before them. The battle then ^j^^^^^ became a rout, and the affrighted Mexicans rolled Icans^^"* furiously toward the river, to escape to Matamoras. 430 folk's administration. p^^t m. 1846 25. The garrison at Fort Brown had stood and What of listened to the sound of the heavy cannonading of eof/lt"' the two days' fight. When the cavahy, plunging Brown? wildly over the plain, emerged into vieWj they mounted the rampart, and under the folds of their flag, that still floated proudly in the breeze, sent up the shout of victory. Three thousand five Hun- dred shots had been fired into that single fort, and What yet but two men had been killed. The Mexicans was the both**" ^^^^ their whole artillery, 2,000 stand of arm, 600 Bides? mules, together with Gen. Arista's private papers, and Gen. Vega himself, whom May had made prisoner in his charge, and about 250 killed and GOO wounded. The American loss was 39 killed and 82 wounded. Both these battles were fought against a vastly superior force. 26. On the morning of the 17th, Gen. Taylor hav- What . - . ° , . ^ . /> TIT message mg made preparations to obtam possession oi Mat- se^fclTo amoras,* sent to the Mexican general, demanding the^Mex- j^^ surrender, together wnth all the public property general? . , . ' ,^ . . , . ., f , , , in the city, and giving nim until three oclock to decide. In the mean time, a communication was wa^s\e ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ prefect, who replied, Taylor could enter •■^p^y- whenever he chose. On the 18th he took posses- sion of the city, and found it deserted by Arista^ and a large number of cannon thrown into wells Gen. Taylor, though in possession of Matamoras, Tavior"°* fouud it impossiblc to follow up his success from hilTic"^ the want of troops and supplies, and was com- Less * Matamoras is situated 28 miles from Point Isabel, six from Palo Alto, and three from Resaca de la Palma. It contains a population of 10,000. [See Map.] Chap. XIV. SIEGE OF MONTEREY. 43i. pelled to remain inactive at this post the gi eater part i84« of the summer. In the mean time, a large force vv^ho had been concentrated at Monterey, the capital of mSded the Mex New Leon, under the command of Gen. Ampudia. jpan^^ ^^ 27. On the 7th of September, Gen. Taylor hav- i^f'' ing received reinforcements, marched from Mata- what moras; and on the 19tlj, with 6,600 troops, en-mentaid camped at Walnut Spring, under the walls of Mon- '^'^ll^^^ terey,* then strongly fortified by nature and art, and garrisoned by an army of 10,000 men. The nar- thiZnt row streets of the city were barricaded with huge piles of masonry ; while the houses, most of which had but one story, with flat roofs and battle- ments breast high, were fortifications, from which, as well as from their windows, a deadly fire could be poured on an advancing foe. The city was for- tified with thick stone walls, and strengthened by ditches and bastions. 28. To the west, on a steep eminence crowned how ' *■ was the with stones, stood the Bishop's Palace, a fort ^^2?^'^' strongly fortified ; on the north, a strong and massive citadel, and on the east three forts, while the river San Juan flowed along the east and south. These defenses were mounted with forty pieces of artillery, and manned by more than 10,000 men. Notw^ithstanding the strength of the position and the difference in their forces, Tay- lor determined to take the city, and nobly did he what -^ ^ '' was the succeed. The order of attack was formed in three ^^^^fi divisions ; the first under Gen. Twiggs, the second * Monterey is a mountain city, about 170 miles from Mata- moras It is the capital of New Leon, and contains 15,000 in- habitants. 432 POLK'S ADMINISTRATION. Pari III, 1846 under Gen. Worth, and the third under Gen. But- ler. General Worth was to attack the heights, while Gen. Taylor, with the other two divisions, was to favor this movement by a division on the east and north. tife^lt! 29. On the evening of the 21st of September the *^®* battle commenced, and raged with great fury for three days. The Bishop's Palace was stormed, and the guns turned upon the Mexicans, and all the strong points in and about the city successively carried. As our army advanced into the city, the fight became terrific. From every door^ window, and house-top, a deadly fire was poured upon our troops ; yet still they advanced, fighting hand to hand, until by night on the 23d the troops of duit- man and Worth had nearly met each other at the main plaza. sept. 24. 30. On the following morning Gen. Ampudia surrendered the city. The Mexicans were allowed What to retire with their arms. An armistice was conclud- were the 8urreri°^ cd ou to coutiuue eight weeks, or until instructions from government should be received. The Ameri- what can loss was 125 killed and 350 wounded. The was the iSth°" Mexican loss was estimated at about 1,000 killed sides? ^^^ wounded. This contest, inw^hich a large force strongly fortified was overcome by a smaller, forms a brilliant chapter in the pages of history. itruc- ***" 31. On the 2d of November, Gen. Taylor received tions did . . TaSor instructions from government to termmate the ar- fromgov- mistice. He accordingly notified Ampudia that it whTtTs would end on the 13th of November. Santa Anna, Santa** fomierlv President of Mexico, w^ho was a short time Anna ? before banished from the country, had been recalled, Clistp. XIV. SCOTT ARRIVES IN MEXICO. 433 placed at the head of affairs, and Paredes deposed. i84T Before December, he had succeeded in raising an army of 20,000 men, and concentrating them at San Luis Potosi, which lie strongly fortified. 32. In the mean time, Gen. Winfield Scott^ had ^^^-o ' was the been appointed Commander-in-chief of all the land ^^;^,e, forces in Mexico, and directed to withdraw from Imer^ Gen. Taylor nearly all the regulars under his com- forces iu •^ "^ ^ ^ ^ Mexico mand, and proceed south to obtain possession of ^^^, ^.^ Vera Cruz. Taylor was deeply chagrined at this receive intellisrence. The idea of partiner with the veteran li/ei'cL^ " .^ . /. 1 . , that he v/arnors of Monterey was pamful ui the extreme. '^.^ with Not only were most of the regular troops withdrawn t^Jips^ from him, but Gen. Worth was ordered to march Dec. at the head of them, from his post at Saltillo, to- ward Vera Cruz; while Taylor was directed to fall back on Monterey, and await the arrival of re- cruits. 33. In February, Taylor had received reinforce- whatre- -r . , ,1 infoice- ments. Learmno: that an attempt was about to be ments ^ ^ ^ did Tay- made by Santa Anna to possess himself of the line jpjjyg'^ of posts between himself and Matamoras, he de- termined to meet the Mexican President. On the KeteJ- 20th of February he was encamped at Agua Nueva, ^o? about eighteen miles south of Saltillo, with a force ^^^^^ of 5,000 men. Here he learned that Santa Anna, JJJ^j;?^ at the head of 20,000 men, was twenty miles dis- make* * Gen. Scott was born on the I3tli of June, 1786, near Peters- burgh, in Virginia. In May, 1808, he received a captain's commission in the aimy of the United States. From this o/fice he has gradually risen, by his bravery and talents, to his present distinguished post of Commander-in-chief of the United States army. 19 434 folk's a3Mii\xstration. part hi 1847 tant. Taylor immediately fell back to Buena Vista, seven miles from Saltillo. 34. On the morning of the 22d, the American "e^Tay- troops wcre drawn up in order of battle, in a posi- 'o^itlji*? ^^^^ ^^ great strength. Taylor thus describes it : " The road at this point becomes a narrow defile, the valley on the right being full of impassable gul- Ues, while on the left rugged ridges extended far back to the mountains. The ground was such as nearly to paralyze the artillery and cavalry of the enem3^ Capt. Washington's battery was posted to command the road ; another force under Cols. Har- din and Bissel occupied the crests of the ridges on the left and in the rear, and a small force under Cols. Yell and Marshall occupied the left near the base of the mountain, while another body was held in reserve." .^w^s^did ^^' -^^ eleven o'clock. Taylor received a commu- receive uicatiou from Santa Anna, telling him that he Santa was surrouudcd by 20,000 men, and that if he Anna? '^ ^ ' would surrender, he should be treated with con- aicepf sideration. Taylor declined acceding to this very '***^^^'' courteous request,* and on the following morning * On the 21st considerable firing occurred on the part of the Mexicans, which was not answered by our forces. An officer was dispatched to Taylor from the Mexican lines. He found him sitting on his white horse, with one leg over the pom- mel of the saddle, quietly watching the movements of the enemy. The officer stated that '' he had been sent by Santa Anna to in- quire what he was waiting for." Taylor replied, " he was onlv waiting for Santa Anna to surrender." The officer returned, and shortly after the battery seemed to open on Taylor's posi- tion, but there he sat, indifferent to the perils ol his situation, coolly peering at the enemy through a spy-gias& His officers Clmp. XIV. BATTLE OF BXJENA VISTA. 435 tlie battle of Buena Vista commenced. The sun \s^i that day looked on a battle as bravely fought as any in American history. Five thousand troops, Describe most of whom a fevi^ months before were pursuing tie^ the quiet walks of civil life, now stood face to face Feb.sa. with 20,000 soldiers, the flower of the Mexican army ; yet that httle army never quailed, but with the coolness and firmness of the veterans of a hun- dred fields, poured their volleys with terrible preci- sion into the midst of the advancing foe,* or like a thunderbolt swept them away in the deadly charge. 36. Washington's, Sherman's, and Bragg's bat- teries poured forth an incessant sheet of flame, while the infantry sent showers of leaden hail into the opposing columns. At length darkness closed the contest. The loss on the American what was tha side was 267 killed, 456 wounded, and 23 missing, {^ff^^" The Mexican loss in killed and w^ounded w^as esti- ^o^und mated at 2,000. '"^^ The next day, the Mexican army retired to San Louis Potosi, leaving behind them hundreds of dead and dying. Among the brave officers who fell wha^ on that day, none were more lamented than Capt. ?J suggested that old " Whity" was too conspicuous a charger for the commander, but he replied, " that the old fellow had missed the fun at Monterey, and that he should have his share this time." * A body of Mexican infantry had been detached from the main army, and were being cut down with great slaughter. Mr. Crittenden was sent to them to ask them to surrender. He was carried before Santa Anna, who told him if Taylor would sur- I snder he would be protected. Mr. Crittenden replied — *' Gen, Taylor never surrender s^ officers i36 folk's administration. Part III, 1846 Lincoln. Cols. McKee, Harden, Fell, Davis, ^nd Clay. After this victory, Gen. Taylor remained in garrison at Saltillo and Monterey. In the 37. In following the career of our brave army Hme" under Gen. Taylor in Mexico, little mention has jiad been been made of the transactions of government at done by ^ O mentT homc, that the events of both might be presented in a connected chain. Shortly after Taylor had received instructions to move on to a position near the Rio Grande, Congress authorized the President to accept the services of 50,000 volunteers ; at the same time it adopted measures to increase the reg- ular army several thousands. What 38. On the 13th of May, 1846, Mr. Polk issued procla- was'?s" ^ proclamation, stating that Congress, by virtue of Mr.'poik? the constitutional authority vested in it, has de- clared, " that by the act of the Repul)lic of Mex- ico, a state of war exists between the two govern- ments ;" and calling on the people of the United States to support such measures as might be adopted newf ar- fo*" obtaining a speedy, just, and honorable peace nboit About this time, the news of the splendid victories this ' * time? of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma was received at Washington, and spread like wiidlire through ^y^^^ the country. Congress passed a vote of thanks to by'ciT^ Gen. Taylor and the officers and men under his ^^^^^^ command. Taylor* was breveted major-general, and Twiggs brigadier-general. * Gen. Zachary Taylor was born in Orange county, Va., in the year 1790. Soon after his oirth, his father removed to Ken- tucky, and settled near Louisville. In 1808 Gen. Taylor entered tne army as a lieutenant. Daring the last war with England he bore a conspicuous part, and for his splendid defense o[ Fori Cliap. XIV. SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 437 39. On the 16th of June, 1846, a dispute, which 1846 had long existed between Great Britain and Amer- ^vhen ica, respecting the boundary line of Oregon, was dispute® settled on the limits of fortv-nine decrees and the boundary •^ ^ question straits of Juan de Fuca. On the 23d of November, '^"'^^- On wh'it 1846, Gen. Scott received orders from the Secretary I'^^i^s? of War to repair to Mexico, and take command of dersdid" the forces there assembled. Vera Cruz beins: con- scottre- c> ceive on^ sidered the key to the city of Mexico, his operations Novfi846i were to be directed against that place. He reached the Rio Grande on the 1st of January, 1847, when hed^o?' he found it necessary, to obtain a sufficient force to •^ ' What attack Vera Cruz, to withdraw nearly all the reg- g^^^^^j^^" ular troops from the army under Gen. Taylor. The folif?^ rendezvous of the troops \\ a.G at the island of Lobos, about 125 miles north of the city of Vera Cruz. "Where From this place they embarked to the number of did the * "^ troops 12,000, on board Commodore Connoi's fleet, and '^"^' on the 9th of March, anchored between Sacrificios and the shore. 40. The landinsr was effected with the greatest Describe . . • . . r ^ 11? the land regularity m sixty-nve surf boats; and before ten i"^- at night, the whole army had reached the shore without resistance. A northerly v/ind now set in, which prevented the landing of the heavy ordnance ^j^^^ for a number of days. On the 22d, every thing S's being: in readiness to commence the sie^e, Gen. to the ^ . Mexican Scott sent a summons to the Mexican commander ^^^er* to surrender the city. In this summons he allowed Harrison was promoted to the rank of major. In the Indian war in Florida he was distinguished for his bravery and judgment. Pr moted to the rank of general, in 1840 he was appointed to the command of the southern department of the army. 438 POLK'S ADMINISTRATION. Part III, 1817 How Wiis it received J Oescribe the at- raok, What is paid of San Juan deUlloa? >V^hat wajj done by the \Iexican com- mander? ample time for non-combatants, who wished to leave the city, to retire, and take w^hat property they pleased. The smnmons to surrender was rejected, and shortly after, the batteries opened on the city. From this time until the morning of the 26th, the cannonading was continued with but slight intermission. 41. The scene was one of awful sublimity. The darkness of night was illuminated by blazing shells circling through the air, while the roar of artillery, and the crash of frilling houses, mingled with the shrieks of the wounded and terror-stricken. The sea was reddened by the glare of burning buildings and the broadsides of the ships. The castle of San .fuan de Ulloa was girded with sheets of flame, as her cannon thundered forth their bold defiance. The accumulated science of ages, ap- phed to the military art, before Vera Cruz, dis- played the fullness of its destructive power. 42. On the 26thj the Mexican governor made LANDING or mi^mmMf^SarvLfic T iMii'^***^ '\\ i I a\\\\\. Vera Cruz is the principal sea-port of Mexico, and contains about 10,000 inhabitants. It was founded by Cortez in 1519. Directly opposite the city is the island of San Juan de Ulloti.on which stands an immense fortress, in a position to command the whole harbor. Tnis fortress is one of the strongest in the world, and was supposed to be imprei?na- ble. The city is surrounde(' by sand- hills, which are constantly shiUing under the heavy winds. This grtatly impeded our trooii in their attack- on the city. Chap. XI -r. NAVAL EVENTS. 439 overtures of surrender; and on the 27th, the ait"- ^ eli- des of capitulation were signed. The city, and th<5 castle of San Juan de Ulloaj one of the strongest fortresses in the world, together with upward of four thousand prisoners, between six and seven hun- v'hat ^ ' was th? (ired cannon, and about ten thousand stand of SJ'|"iJ.^J small arms, fell into the iiands of the Americans. ^^^' This victory, obtained with the loss of few men, on our side, considering it in a military point of view, was one of the most glorious in the records of modern warfare. 43. Naval Events. — The squadron in the what is *■ said of Pacific, under Commodores Sloat and Stockton, g^Jadroi during the summer of 1846, was principally em- padSfin ployed in subjugating California; and on the 22d of August the flag of the United States was waving over almost every commanding position within that territory. On the 14th of October, Commodore whati» •^ ' said or Connor, conunanding the squadron in the Gulf of squadron Mexico, appeared off Tampico. The town capitu- Guif^of •1 • rr^i . n y Mexico? lated without resistance. 1 his was one of the most important posts to Mexico, on the gulf. On the 23d. Commodore Perry, with the steamer Mis- what I •' ' was dine sissippi, and several smaller vessels, appeared off per?>T the mouth of the river Tabasco, and sailing up tlie river, capture.! Frontiera, and all the vessels in port, without firing a single gun. He then sailed peventy-four miles farther up the river, to Tabasco, ;uidon the 25th silenced the fort, which commands the city. After leaving two steamers to blockade the mouth, he returned to theflaff of Com. Connor. What 44. The next day after the seizure of Vera Cruz, after the •^ ^ siege of in which tbe navy bore a conspicuous part, an ex- cr era !ru7. 440 folk's administration. I*art III 1841 pedition set out for the capture of Alvarado, under the command of Coin. Perry, who dispatched Lieut. whatdid Hunter in advance with a small steamer, to block- Hunter ade the port. Arriving off the bar, on the after- noon of the same day, he opened a fire on tho fort, which surrendered the next morning. Hunter then proceeded up the river, captured four schooners, and the next day anchored off Fla-co-al-pam, a city of 7,000 inhabitants, which immediately sur- whatdid I'endered. On the 2d of April, Com. Perry arrived, PerTydo? whcii hc fouud tlicsc important posts in the hands of the Americans. In whose 45. On the 18th of April, Com. Perry, after a posses- * tie^e"""^ short engagement, captured the town and port of thelm*^^^ Tuspan, about twenty miles north of Vera Cruz. portS" Thus, at ihis period of affairs, nearly all the im- portant ports on the gulf of Mexico were in the hands of the Americans. ,_ . 46. We now return to follow the victorious march W hat 18 Icottand ^f Scott aud his gallant army to the capital of Twiggs? ]Y{^^j^() On the 8th of April, ten days after tlie surrender of Vera Cruz, Gen. Twiggs left the city, and took the road to Jalapa. On the 11th, his advanced dragoons, under Col. Harney, met and drove before them several thousand Mexican lane- Where ^^^' ^'^ ^'^^ following day it was discovered that ^fem?? the enemy was in front, on the heights of a moun- tain, strongly fortified. 47. On the I6th Gen. Scott arrived, and issued his orders for the attack. Tlie road from the Ajne- DescriDe ISsition. I'ican camp ascended among lofty hills, whose com- manding points were fortified and garrisoned by the enemy. His right, intrenched, rested on a pre- Chap. XIV. BATTLE OF CERRO GORDO. 44f cipice. overhanging an impassable ravine, that ^ §4^ forms the bed of the stream, between which and pegprihe the precipice runs the national road. The highest Luof.'of peak of this precipice was the height of Cerro oordo Gordo, elevated more than a thousand feet, on which {•^^if^f''"- stood a fort whose batteries commanded every point in the road below. Several powerful batteries were placed along the from declivity. The whole of these formidable intrench ments were defended by 15,000 men, commanded by Santa Anna, who had crossed the country from Buena Vista, to be de- how •^ ^ strong feated again at Cerro Gordo. Kh ar- 48. To drive this strong force from a position ^'^^ almost impregnable, Scott could only bring about 6,000 men into action. Instead of advancing along what the national road, in the face of those heavy bat- )^'^« , ' J taken > teries, a road was constructed, which wound around the base of the mountain, to tlie right, directly in the rear of the height. This position they had gained unnoticed by the enemy, and on the 17th, IhVJ^nc- secured the two hills in front of the main works. That evening, Scott issued his orders, detailing the }y,y^'^ plan of battle, all of which were realized as though orajf^^ they had been prophetic. 49. During the night, heavy artillery was drag- Describe ged up the hills, w^hich had been taken the after- tie'^of^' noon before, and when the morning dawned, they <^""iO' commenced rainini^r showers of balls on tlie in- trenchments of the enemy. Col. Harney and his troops charged up the heights, so steep that they were obliged to climb, stormed the citadel, and from the tower of Cerro Gordo unfurled the stars and stripes. The enemy, soon after, driven from 19* 442 folk's administration. Part III. i84rT ^he field J fled in confusion. Santa Anna escaped What is ^^ ^^^ ^f ^^i^ mules, leaving his carriage to the santa^^ eneiiiy. More than 3,000 prisoners were taken; 288 officers, among whom were five generals. Gen- What ^^'^^ Scott also took 5,000 stands of arms, and forty- EiS^ three cannon. The American loss was 63 killed sides? and 368 wounded. The enemy's loss, in killed and wounded, was estimated at 1,200. What ' ' ^y^G^eT ^0- O*^ ^^^ l^t^i <^f April, Gen. Worth entered ^^^^^- Jalapa,* and on the 22d took possession of the town What and castle of Perote,t next to San Juan de UUoa, Were ]6i1t _ oehind the stvongcst fortress in Mexico. The garrison enemy? j^g^j Withdrawn the day before, leaving behind sixty- four guns and mortars, 11,065 cannon balls, 14.300 bombs, and 500 muskets. On the 15th of May, Gen. Worth, with 4,000 troops, occupied the city of Puebla.t Here Gen. Scott remained most of the summer. rn^v^e- 51. On the 8th of August, Scott moved along the Gen. national road toward the city of Mexico. For Scott ^ "^ make? nvany long miles, the troops marched over a hilly Bcene. I'o^d, uutll, ou the 10th, they came within sight of * Jalapa is situated on the national road to Mexico, between forty and fifty miles from Vera Cruz. It contains IH 000 inhab- itants. f Perote is situated about sixty miles from the coast. The fortress is to the north of the town. South-east is a high point of land, which serves, along with the volcano of Orisba, as a landmark to make the port of Vera Cruz. :^ Puebla, the capital of the State of Puebla, is situated sixty- six miles from Mexico, and one hundred and eighty-six from Vera Cruz. It contains 80,000 inhabitants. It is one of the richest cities in Mexico. It was formerly celebrated for its manufactories of delf-ware and pots. Here are large manufac- tories of iron and steel, parlicularlv swords, bayonets, &c. Chap. XIV. BATTLE OF CONTRERAS. 443 the vast plain of Mexico. The scene was one 1947 whichj once beheld, could never be forgotten. Mex- ico, with its lofty steeples, its swelhng domes, its bright reality and its former fame, its modern splen- dor and its ancient magnificence, was before them ; while around, on every side, its shining lakes seem- ed like silver stars on a velvet mantle. 52. The next day they reached Ayotea, fifteen miles from Mexico. From this place, the road ^''')»a^ " ^ > said oi to the city is a causeway, traversing a marsh, {^^[S|^ and is commanded by a lofty hill, called El Pin-"^'^^' nel, which had been fortified with the great- est care. Batteries, mountint^^ fifty g-uns, were what i8 placed along its sides. The army of Santa Anna ^^^^l,^ numbered 25,000 men, while ours was only 9,000. '^'"^^• To avoid these fortifications, a road was cut around ws"^^ Lake Chalco to San Augustine, which completely jum- turned the strong works of the enem}^ On the 17th, Worth's division reached the latter place, which was nine miles south of Mexico. Scott arrived the next morning, when Worth commenced YJ^l^of his rrarch for the city. San Antonio was three anS^cen milcG north of San Augustine; and three miles c^a? west of this place, at the hill of Contreras, Gen. Valencia was stationed with a large force, in a ^^^^ position to sweep the road with his batteries. [Sace 53. Skirmishes continued the whole of the 19th, th""fthi but during the night the rain fell in torrents, and for a few hours, the thimder of battle was hushed, what ' durinji; The troops remained on the field during the whole JJ?®ht? of that drer,:y night, with no shelter from the driving rain. Early in the morning, Gen. Smith the^nexi gave the welcome word, '' Move on/' The soldiers 444 POLKS ADMINISTRATION. Part III. 181 What is said in conclu- sion of this bat- tie, and the loss ? What IS said of Churn- busco ? rushed forwardj and just at the dawn of day, furiously charged the enemy's works. In an in- stant all was confusion. The enemy at first wa- vered, then broke and fled, leaving their strong posi- tion to the conquerors. 54. Thus ended the battle of Contreras. in which 4,000 men routed an army of 8,000, under Valen- cia, with 12,000 more hovering in view. The Mexicans lost 700 killed, and 813 taken prisoners, and immense quantities of ammunition. Our loss did not exceed sixty, in killed and wounded. Our forces now rapidly pressed on toward Churubusco, where the enemy w^as strongly intrenched. Here was a fortified convent, and a strong field-woik, Mexico, the capital of the Mexican Republic, is situated in the midst of the beautilul vale of Mexico, 252 miles from Vera Cruz. The valley of Mexico, or, as it was formerly called, the plain of Tenochtitlan, is 230 miles in circumfer- ence, and elevated 7,000 leet above the level of the ocean. The valley con- tains a number of lakes besides Tezcuco, and is surrounded by small hills except on the south.where are seen two lofty volcanic mountains. The city of Mexico is one of the most beautiful in America. It contains about 200,000 in- habitants. Mexico stands on the same ground as that of the old city, which was conquered by Cortez, 326 years before the new was conquered by the United States. It received its name from the Azter v.ar god, Mexatili,and was for- merly situated on the shoie of Lake Tez(uco; but that lake has now re- ceded, so as to be nearly two miles from the city. Churubusco is situated four miles from the city *.i few miles west is Tacubaya, a small village, vhere Scott and Worth had their head-quar- urs. The road leading to the city passed along by the side of a hill strongly fortified, calico Chapultepec. On the too of thi.s hill, which was two miles from the city, was the JMili.arj College, and a strong fortification which commanded tfie road, from T.icuDaya. '1 he road ir< m •hi^ hill is over the aqueduct which conveys water to the city. Here, lighting Irom arcl: to 8f^;ii. the forms of Quitman and Sioith mirclied into thecily Chap. XIV. BATTLES NTEAR MEXICO. 445 with regular bastions at the head of a bridge, over i84:T which the road passes from San Antonio to the jj^^ capital. These intrenchments were defended by we?/in. 27j000 men, determined to make a desperate stand, there? ' for if beaten here, their capital would be in the hands of the enemy. 55. The attack commenced about 1 p. m., and what 19 continued for three hours. The firing w^as one the at- ^ tack? continuous roar, while the combat lasted. At length the enemy fled, closely pressed by our victo- rious squadrons, who follow^ed them wdthin 500 yards of the gates of the city. Our loss in killed ^a^^^lhe and wounded was 1053. The Mexican loss was bThar- 500 killed, 100 wounded, and 1100 taken prisoners, ^jj^t is The battles of Contreras and Churubusco were the SeV^ most furious and deadly in the war. After so ties? " many victories in one day, our army might have m^M easily marched into the city ; but Scott, hoping that easily the Mexicans would more readily treat for peace '^«"*^- w^ithout this humiliatmg stroke to their pride, halted his victorious troops. 56. On the 21st, he occupied the Bishop's Pal- ^^^^ ace at Tacubaya, and on the 22d proposed an hylilw armistice, that the Mexican government might con- sider the proposition of Mr. Trist, the commissioner of the American government, who had accompa- nied him on this mission. The armistice was ac- cepted. By its terms, neilier party was to un- dertake any operation, nor receive any reinforce- ments, within thirty leagues of the city of Mexico. The negotiations w^ere unsuccessful, and on the 5th of September Scott discovered that the city w as bemg fortified, in direct violation of the armistice. 446 folk's administration. Ill 184T Thatj of course, was now at an end ; and prepara- tions were made for an immediate attack on the city. Describe 5^' Tl^e cncmy had strongly intrenched them- fil'onhe selves at Molino del Rey, or the "King's Mill." Mill. Their works consisted of a regular field-work sur- rounding the mill, wluch was filled with men, and mounted ten pieces of artillery. The attack com- menced on the morning of the 8th, and for two or three hours the slaughter was dreadful. At length, the enemy was driven from the field, with the loss on our side of about 1,000 in killed and wounded. Our force amounted to 3.700, while that of the ene- my was 10,000. of cha- 58. After considerable skirmishing, an attack wa? made on the 13th on the fortress of Chapultepec, which was considered the key of the Mexican lines, The scene which now presented itself, was one of terrible sublimity. Our shot went crashing through the buildings, and tearing up the intrenchments at the top of the hill. The Mexicans fought des- perately, but they could not withstand the fierce charge of our troops, who soon gained possession of the fortress. Describe 59. Smith's and duitman's forces now dashed the CJtTthe ^P ^he road leading to the city, in the face of a ter- "^^' rific fire from the enemy's batteries, stationed along the road, until they were silenced. At twenty minutes past one, on the 14th of September, our forces, fighting hand to hand, entered the city of The con- -« «- . t-» i r test Mexico. But the contest was not yet over, for a there. ^ '^ ' terrible fire was poured upon our troops from bat- teries stationed in streets, and from the windows and housetops, until night. In the mean time, Gen Cliap. XIV. POSSESSION OP THE CITY. 447 Worth's division had filed round to the left, and en- 1947 tered the city by the gate of San Cosmo. During tiie night, Santa Anna evacuated the city, and re- tired to Guadaloupe. 60. The next morning, at daylight, our forces marched into the plaza, in front of the cathedral what ' occurred and palace ; and at 7 o'clock, p. m., on the 15th of ^^^^^e September, 1847, the "Stars and Stripes" floated "^^''^^"^' in triumph over the capital of the Mexican Repub- hc. Skirmishing continued for two or three days, when all became quiet. Of the 10,000 gallant ^«;^y ^^ spirits that had welcomed Scott at Puebla, scarcely troops 7,000 were left. The bloody fields of Contreras, ensiJee leaving Churubusco, San Antonio, Molino del Rey, and Puebia? Chapultepec, had laid low 3,000 of our brave army, and filled with grief the hearts of all the rest. A great difficulty under w^hich both Ta3dor and Scott labored, was the want of a sufficient number of troops to garrison effectually the different places they conquered. 61. The most exciting subject, during the Con gress which closed its session in March, 1847, was ^^ft^^g the appropriation of $3,000,000, recommended by cXec?'' the President, to be employed by him as he pleased, rheCo.>. ' i J ij V ' j^ress or in securing a peace with Mexico. To this resolu- ^^^"^^ tion an amendment was offered, called the Wilmot Proviso, which excluded slavery from all territory which might be acquired by the United States in Mexi o. After a warm debate, the resolution passed, shorn of the proviso. 62. After our troops had taken- possession of the city of Mexico, no important battle took place. A ireaty of peace between Mexico and the United 448 folk's administration. Part hi. 18*8 States was signed by the plenipotentiaries of the two nations, at the city of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, February 2d, 1848. This treaty was afterward amended by the Congress of the United States, and ratified as amended, by Mexico. The respective ratifications were exchanged at Queretaro, on the 30th day of May, 1848. By the treaty, the bound- ary line between Mexico and the United States commences in the Gulf of Mexico, three leagues from land, and proceeds from thence up the middle of the Rio Grande to the southern boundary of New Mexico ; from thence to its western termination ; thence along its western line until it intersects the river Gila, down that river until it empties into the Rio Colorado, across the Colorado, following the division line between Upper and Lower California, to the Pacific ocean. 63. Thus, the United States have gained a vast amount of territory, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico westward to the ocean, embracing New Mexico and a large portion of California. The United States agree to pay Mexico fifteen millions of dollars, besides exonerating her from all claims from citizens of the United States previous to the treaty. Peace was hailed with joy by all parties. Territory and national glory are dearly purchased at the expense of blood and human life, and the untold miseries which follow in th3 train of war. The strength and prosperity of a republican gov- ernment depend not so much upon fleets and ar- mies as upon the intelligence of the people. Chap. XIV. ELECTION OF TATI^OR, 449 64. The subject of a government for California and ^^^Q New Mexico occupied much of the time of the 30th H-"^^}^ Congress, in which the admission of slavery was the cl?n-°^^ principal topic. 65. On the 3d of March, an act was passed creating i849. a new executive department, called the Department passed of the Interior. The head of this Department is called |Jj4? the Secretary of the Interior, and forms an additional member of the cabinet. 66. The three candidates for the Presidency in the ^j,^ * election of 1848, were Zachary Taylor of Louisiana, Si*^" Lewis Cass of Michi2:an, and Martin Van Buren of the pret ^ y ^ idency? New York. In the political contest, the subject of slavery was stronorly aritated. Lewis Cass the nominee of the Democratic party, and Zachary Tay- ff^f^^^^. lor of the Whig party, were supported by their re- ^'°"' spective friends at the South, because it was believed they would uphold southern views, and at the North on grounds entirely different. Martin Van Buren the Free Soil candidate received no electoral vote. The election resulted in the choice of Zachary Taylor for President ; out of two hundred and ninety votes ^j^^e the he having received one hundred and sixty-three. fuilTn- didates ' Millard Fillmore of New York was elected Vice- President. 67. This year will long be remembered in History. If we turn our eyes for a moment away from the im- , . , , What is porta nt events which have transpired in our own Eiwli country, to the older nations of Europe, we find there ulS"' year) revolution succeeding revolution, the people rising in their strength and calling, in loud and indignant tones, for those rights which had long been denied them. In France, liberal principles had gradually 450 folk's administration, Part ITI. j:?i^ been diffused among the masses. Louis Philippe Revoiu- and his ministry, in attempting to interfere too F?ance? stronglj with what the people considered their just rights, found they had aroused a spirit which they could not subdue. The Tuilleries was taken by the people, and the King and Queen compelled to flee in disguise to the coast, from whence they sailed to England. The Throne of the Bourbons was over- turned, and a Republican government established in its place. onth^^"' 68. The effect of this startling Revolution was £u?ope? tremendous ; its rebound came back from nearly every capital in Europe. In Germany, Austria, Hungary and Italy, the people roused themselves as from a long sleep, and Europe shook to the battle-cry of millions, w^ho had just learned they were men, and entitled to rights of which they had long been de- frauded. Thrones were overturned, governments remodeled, and temporary concessions granted by quaking potentates, who trembled at the storm which - was raging around them. "We need not say that the people of the United States, strongly sympathizing with every effort for freedom, opened wide their arms to those exiles who, failing in their struggles, were compelled to flee their country. S^if' 69. Mr. Polk, at the close of his presidential term, inlpart" retired to his private residence in Nashville. His Df Mr. , ^ P^J^'« close application to business had undermined his constitution, and a chronic disorder proved at last the cause of his death. He bore his sickness with fortitude, and although he was at that time of life when he might have anticipated years of quiet enjoyment, he met death with serenity and without a murmur. During Cliap. XV. DEATH OF POLK. • 451 his sickness, he was admitted to the communion of ^Q^Q the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the 15th of June, 1849, he calmly breathed his last. 70. Mr. Polk's Administration was a most event- ful one. The dispute with Great Britain in 1846, ^f^'^l in relation to the Oregon boundary, was peacefully umT^^' settled by a treaty of compromise. The annexation of Texas, in 1845, was the principal cause of our subsequent war with Mexico ; by which we obtained nearly 590,000 square miles of territory, a portion of it rich in mines of gold and containing the finest harbors on the Pacific. By many it is feared, that events growing out of the acquisition of this new territory, may finally sever our glorious Union; CHAPTER XV. ZACHARY TAYLOR'S ADMINISTRATION, FKOM MARCH 5TH, 1849, TO JULY 9TH, 1850. 1. A brief epitome of the life of General Taylor whatii •*• ^ *^ said of has already been given. When he entered on the §^Jf^J,^J duties of the Presidency, he had received but little education in the so-called school of diplomacy. His brilliant victories in Mexico, his previous career in the service of his country, the strong good sense which characterized all of his dispatches and letters, his sterling honesty, firmness and uprightness of purpose, had endeared him to the hearts of the Amer- ican people. His friends looked with hope and con fidence upon his administration, to carry the country through those troubles which were already casting their dark shadows over the land. 452 Taylor's^ administration. Part Illt ^^^^ 2. This year, the United States were visited by the cho- the Asiatic cholera ; that fearful scourge which, in 1832 and 1834, had marked its pathway through the land with mourning and death. Although less fatal, its victims were numbered by thousands. 3. The first session of the thirty-first Congress was one of the longest and most exciting ever held, continuing ten months. After a long and stormy contest, Mr. Cobb, the Democratic candidate, was elected speaker. What of ^' Shortly after the termination of the war with Sve^y of Mexico, a workman of Capt. Sutter in California, in caiifoJ- digging a race, discovered shining particles of gold. On exploring farther, the soil for miles around was found to be full of the precious metal. The news, on reaching the States, spread like wild-fire. Cali- fornia and her untold sums of mineral wealth, were the theme of every tongue. The most intense ex- citement prevailed not only in our own country, but Pmigm- ^^'^^ i^ Europe and a portion of Asia. Thousands thither? and thousands left their homes, and departed, some by land, some around the cape, and others across the Isthmus, for the land of gold where fortunes were to be made in a few days. The gold was found scat- tered in scales or lumps nearly pure, generally near the surface of the ground, in the vicinity of the Sac- ramento and its tributaries. Many acquired fortunes in a short time ; some returned to their homes unsuc- cessful in their search ; others, unaccustomed to the hardships they were obliged to endure, sunk to their graves, far away from their friends, and oftentimes breathing their last with the earth for their bed, and the heavens above them their only canopy ; others Chap. XV. CALIFORNIA. . 453 still, either partially or entirely successful, determined ^^^^ on making California their future home. Thus, in a ^^Sal' very short time, the nucleus of a mighty state was formed on the shores of the Pacific. Towns and cities sprung into existence with the rapidity of magic. The harbor of San Francisco, one of the finest in the world, was soon crowded with shipping ; regular lines of steamers communicated, by the way of Panama and Chagres, with the States ; and a commerce was established in a few months, which heretofore, under the most favorable auspices, was the work of years. Gold from California, to the amount of nearly six millions of dollars, had been coined at the United States Mint during 1849, and probably a still larger amount had been sent abroad. 5. On the 31st August, deputies chosen by the people of California assembled at Monterey and formed a constitution, in which slavery was prohib- ited. They also organized themselves into a state government, electing representatives and senators to Congress. Not long after this, the Mormons who had established themselves near the Salt Lake in California, constituting a community of 25,000 souls, formed a constitution, and, like California, asked to be admitted into the Union without going through the usual probation as a territory. 6. At an early day after the assembling of Con- wh^did gress, the President transmitted a special message, ^^^^, ^®' recommending that California should be admitted °*^^'^' with the constitution she had adopted, and that the territories should remain under the military govern- ment established after their conquest, until they were desirous of admission into the Union as States, He, 454 Taylor's administration. part in, ^Q^^ however, made no provision for the settlement of the boundary of Texas, which State claimed to include most of the people of New Mexico, and her entire thedis" territory east of the Rio Grande. The first six CUSsion ir»n«i • 1 ' 1 ^ ire?sT i^onths of this long session were characterized by the most intense excitement, not only in Congress but throughout the country. The admission or non- admission of California into the Union as a State, excluding slavery, at one time bid fair to rend in twain that Union, under which our nation has been prospered in a way unparalleled in the history of the world. Disunion was not only heard at the north and the south, the east and the west, but boldly and threateningly uttered in the Halls of our National Legislature. SU"" 7. In the midst of this excitement, fresh fuel was cite-^'^* added to the flame by the announcement that the ment? , •^ , people of New Mexico, in consequence of a proclama- tion of the military officer in command, had held a convention and formed a constitution. Texas imme- diately commenced the organization of a force, to march into it and take possession of Santa Fe. 8. At an early day Mr. Clay made a speech to the Senate, insisting that the Territories should be organized under Territorial Governments, and the Texas boundary settled. In the course of the dis- cussion, Mr. Clay waived his preference for separate What of action, for a combination, in which the admission of the Om- ^ ^ ^ \ nibus? California, the organization of the Territories, and the adjustment of the Texas Boundary, should be in- cluded in one bill. The bill, therefore, received the nickname of the Omnibus. A Committee of thirteen was raised with Mr. Clay at its head, and in due Chap. XV. DEATH OF GENERAL TAYLOR. 455 time, the Omnibus bill was reported, and thencefor- ^^^o ward contested with the tremendous strength, as well JJlf^J^t'* as a portion of the weakness, of the Senate. In the JiJsitkSf; Senate, at this time, were gathered some of the most powerful minds that have ever existed in our govern- ment or the world. When so much was at stake, these minds were drawn out in all their strength. 9. While the elements of strife were thus convuls- ing the country, and threatening civil war. Congress and the nation were startled at the intelligence that the venerable President was lying dangerously ill. He grew rapidly worse until the evening of July 9th, when he breathed his last in the Executive Mansion, , What IS surrounded by his cabinet and his family. His last fgiVaOj words were, " I am willing to die. I have done my priS^ duty." The good and noble old man, who had moved unharmed through the iron tempest of death which had raged around him on many a battle field, who had been unharmed in the Indian warfare in the ever- glades of Florida and on our Western Frontier ; the Hero of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, Buena Vista, now at the nation's capital, is cut down by the scythe of death. His disease began on the fourth in the form of cholera morbus, but soon passed into a bilious remittent fever. He was buried in the Congressional burial ground, but his remains have since been removed to Kentucky. 10. Thus, for the second time, has the hand of death removed from us our Chief Magistrate. Occurring at a time when the nation was heaving like the an- gry waves of the sea, with sectional strife, and the mad cry of disunion was waxing louder and louder, God by this terrific stroke seemed to rebuke man's 456 Fillmore's administration. Part III, ^^^ ^ foUy? and for a moment paralyzed the angry spirits of rival factions. CHAPTER XVI. MILLARD FILLMORE'S ADMINISTRATION. FKOM JULY lOTH, 1850, TO MAECH 4TH, 1863. 1. Mr. Fillmore was born at Summer Hill, Cayu- What of Mn Fui. ga County, New York, Jan. Tth, 1800. His father waa eariyiife? g^ farmer of moderate circumstances. At the age of j&ffceen, Mr. Fillmore, who had only enjoyed the ad- vantages of an ordinary school education, was sent to learn the trade of a clothier, at which he worked until he was nineteen, when he commenced the study of law in the oflSce of Judge Wood of Cayuga County. In 1828 he commenced the practice of law in Aurora, KoSt- ^^^ ^^ 1829 was elected to the Assembly, and re- Jeer?*" elected three years in succession. In 1832 he was elected to Congress, and again in 1836. He was re- elected to the next Congress, and distinguished him- self, in a trying crisis, as the Chairman of the Com- mittee of Ways and Means. In 1847 he was elected Controller of the State of New York, and in 1848, Vice President of the United States. On the death of President Taylor, by a provision in the constitu- tion, the duties of President of the United States de- volved on him. 2. The troubled waters of party strife were only calmed for a moment by the death of the President. Hardly was he cold in his grave when the contest again commenced. After various amendments to the Chap. XVI, NEW MEXICO. 457 Omnibus had been rejected, the bill was dismembered, 125P limb by limb, until nothing remained but the sections organizing Utah as a separate territory, which was Za^Ln% passed. The California admission, the New Mexico omni- * Territorial, and the Texas Boundary bills all subse- quently passed as independent propositions — the Texas Boundary bill, giving $10,000,000 to Texas ^.^^ for relinquishing her claim to New Mexico, and also nitmi securing to her a larger and more desirable area Mexicoi than she would have had by the Omnibus bill. H, Two additional bills reported by the Senate's Compromise Committee, were also passed. One abolishes the slave-trade in the District of Colum- bia, and the other provides more summarily and rig- orously for the re-capture and return to their mas- gji^i*** ters of all runaways from slavery who shall tako refuge in free States. 4. A bill was also passed at this session, granting a certain amount of government land to every sol- dier who had been engaged in any of our wars. 5. Heretofore the brave sailors who have con- tributed so much to the glory of our country, were liable to be cruelly flogged for even slight misde- meanors. Humane individuals had for a long time endeavored to have the odious and tyrannical practice abolished. At this session their eiforts were crowned with success. A law was passed prohibiting it, and it is to be hoped that never again will the backs of free-born Americans be scarred with the lash. During this year the nation was called to mourn the death, not only of its President but also of one of its most distinguished statesmen. Hon. J. 0. Calhoun died in Wjishington on the 81st March. 20 458 SKETCH OP J. C» CALHOUN. Fart III, ,i^£^ He was born in S. Carolina in 1782, graduated at Yale College, studied law at Litchfield, Conn., and in 1811 was elected to Congress, and strongly advo- cated the war with Great Britain. He was Secre- tary of War from 1817 to 1824, when he was chosen Vice-President and re-elected in 1828, resigned in 1831, and entered the Senate. In 1843, he was ap- pointed Secretary of State by Mr. Tyler, and in 1845 re-elected to the Senate. He was a man of strong mind, unsurpassed in logic and force of diction. Daring Mr. Fillmore's administration, the nation enjoyed continued prosperity and rapidly increased in wealth and strength. Little more of importance occurred during the administration, except the death of two of America's noblest sons and greatest statesmen, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. Mr. Clay was born in Hanover county, Virginia, on the 12th of Apiril, 1777. His parents were poor, and at the age of five, his father died. Young Clay struggled on through his childhood, but he possessed a spirit which poverty could not crush, and no difficulties could daunt. At length, he com- menced the practice of law, and shortly removed to Lexington, Kentucky. Almost from this time, his history was identified with the history of his country. Elected, at an early age, to the United States Senate, and from this time until his death, with but short intermission, filling the high position either of a Senator, Speaker of the House of Kep- resentatives, or Secretary of State, his influence was felt, and he was everywhere acknowledged, as one of the master minds of his country. Chap. XVI. DEATH OF DANIEL WEBSTER. 459 On the 29th of June, 1852, in the seventy-sixth l^J^ year of his age, Mr. Clay closed a long and event- ful life. Scarcely had the public demonstrations of mourn- ing for Mr. Clay ceased, before the nation was start- led with the intelligence, that Daniel Webster had retired to his home, at Marshfield, Massachusetts, to die. Here, in the quiet of his home, but a short distance from where the Pilgrim Fathers landed, the soul of Webster passed to its eternal rest. He died on the morning of Sunday, October 24th, 1852, in the seventy-first year of his age. Mr. Webster was born in Salisbury, New Hamp- shire, on the 18th of January, 1782. His parents were in moderate circumstances, and Webster was compelled to rely, in a great measure, on his own exertions in his preparations for the active duties of life. In a very short time after commencing the practice of law, his talents and industry placed him in tlie front rank of the profession he had chosen. In whatever position of life he was placed, whether at the bar, in the Senate Chamber, or as Secretary of State, in point of intellect, he towered above his compeers, and was ever the firm and faith- ful champion of his country, and a powerful '* defender of her Constitution." . At the next Presidential election, Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, was chosen President, and William E. Kins:. Vice President. 460 Pierce's administration. part hi. CHAPTER XVIL PIEKCE'S ADMINISTRATION. 1S53 ^^^^^ MARCH 4TH, 1853, TO MARCH 4TH, 1857. J^Jea 1. Franklin Pierce was born in Ilillsborough, JJaf® New Hampshire, in 1804. His father, Benjamin pLTce "" Pierce, was a major in the war of the Revolu- born? . , tion, and afterward held several poHtical offices in New Hampshire. fSnher" ^* I'i'^nklin Pierce, after leaving Bowdoin hTm?*^ College, turned his attention to the study of law, and in due time was admitted to the bar, and commenced the practice of his profession in his native town. Before the end of two years, he J^^f^pf- was elected to the State Legislature, and, during ^""^^^^ the second year, was elected Speaker of the House. In 1837 he was elected to the United States Senate, but, after five years, resigned, intending to devote himself to his profession. SkVid 3. During the war in Mexico he served, as iQthi V^igadier-genera], in Scott's campaign, and was engaged in many of the battles between Veia Cruz and the citj^ of Mexico. At the close of the war he resigned his commission, returned home, and recommenced the practice of law in Concord. Masthe 4. He found, on enterins; the Presidency, the condition ' O »J j unued nation at peace with the world, respected by states atrt. ,. -i •. tiit the time lorcigu uatious, and enjoying a remarKable de- fnteJed g^'^^ ^f prospcrlty. Questions of grave import sidenor? had been decided during the previous adminis- Chap.XVII. RESCUE OF MARTIN KOSZTA. 461 tration, and, for a time at least, the clouds which ^853 > ,had gathered darkly around our political horizon had been dispelled. 5. In 1853, considerable excitement prevailed^' hat excite- ment respecting an attempt to kidnap, by the Austrian pevaiied Government, Martin Koszta, a Hungarian by birth, who took part in the Hungarian Revolution in 1848-49, being at that time an Austrian sub- ject. At the close of that unfortunate struggle, l^c^f/of** Koszta, with many others, took refuge in Turkey, and from thence proceeded to the United States. 6. After remaining here one year and eleven months, he returned to Turkey to transact busi- ness of a private nature, and placed himself under the protection of the United States Consul at Smyrna. While waiting for an opportunity to return to the United States, he was seized hj a band of ruffians, taken on board the Austrian brig of war Huszar, and placed in irons. The intercession of the United States Consul and Charg^ were of no avail. 7. Fortunately, at this time the United States ^hatdw sloop-of-war St. Louis, under command of Cap- haKo? tain Ingraham, arrived at Smyrna. Captain In- graham, on being made aware of the facts in the case, demanded the release of Koszta, on account of his American nationality, and intimated that he should resort to force if the demand was not complied with by a certain hour. The firm stand JImafd taken by Captain Ingraham was sufficient, andw^if?'* Koszta was immediately delivered into the hands of the French Consul' General^ to await the deci- fciion of Austria and the United States. In a 462 Pierce's administratio]^. Part la J^£ll short time he was liberated, and leturned to the ^^J^g-^Jland of his adoption. This aftair showed that *^''''' the United States possessed not only the power, but the will, to protect even her adopted citizens, in whatever land they migh": be cast. S^eX 8. In 1854, a Reciprocity Treaty was negotiated JoTiat^ between the United States and the British North American Provinces, extending the right of fish- ing, and regulating the commerce and naviga- tion between the two countries, on terms equally advantageous to both. What is 9- Ii^ 1853, an expedition was sent out, under the Com."*! command of Commodore Perry, to open friendly tijrto'" ^^^^ commercial relations between the Emperor japaa? ^£ Japan and the United States. This expedi- tion was entirely successful; and the gates of that vast empire, which had been for ages closed, with but one or two exceptions, against the civil- ized nations of the earth, were thrown open to the commerce and friendl}^ intercourse of the West- ern World. On the 31st March, 1854, a treaty was signed at Yeddo, which opened several ports in Japan to our comraerce. What is 10. The bill of Mr. Dousrlas of Illinois, known eaid of o " Voir!^ as the Kansas-Nebraska Act, was the most absorb- known^ ins: topic of the first session of the 33d Conscress. us the O i O NeS-" I'h^^ ^^'^ repeals the Missouri Compromise, de- k%Aft? (»]rj^j,^j.g ^^ ^Q ]3^ inconsistent with the acts of 1850 known as the Compromise measures, throws open the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska to the admission of slavery, and leaves to the actual ^ settlers to decide whether they shall be Free or Slave States. To understand more clearly this Cbpip. XVII. THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE* 463 matter, it may be necessary to speak more par- ^^^^' ticularly of the character of the Missouri Com- promise, in connection with Kansas Territory. 11. Kansas is bounded on the north by Ne-nowis •^ Kansas braska; on the west by the Rocky Mountains, ^°"''^*'*' Utah, and New Mexico ; on the south by New Mexico and Indian Territory ; and on the east by Missouri. It has an area of 114,793 square miles, being only two thousand miles less than Great Britain. This Territory forms a portion of the ^Jj^^J/* vast tract of country ceded to us by France in sLVa""*** 1803, and known as the Louisiana Purchase, cil^s"^? That purchase also contained the country now known as the Indian, Nebraska, and Minnesota Territories, and the States of Louisiana, Arkan- sas, Missouri, and Iowa. The cost of this pur- chase was fifteen millions of dollars. 12. In 1818, the Legislature of Missouri Terri-jy^^*^i^^ tory sent a petition to Congress for admission into cus'sei"" _ . ^ - ou tho the union as a btate. Ihen came. up the q^^s- applica- tion, ^SShall she be admitted as a Slave State ?'\fbTadi The discussion of this question created the most £to the T , Union? intense excitement throughout the countiy, pene- trating to almost every town and village in the land. The entire session passed away without any decision on this important, all-engrossing subject. 13. At the next session, in January, 1820, anowlrai ' "^ ' 'the mat- compromise was introduced by Mr. Thomas, of '®'*^°°*- Illinois, providing ^'that all that territory ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six de- gi*ees thirty minutes north latitude, excepting pro- mised r 464 Pierce's administration. Part hi. 1S54. only such part as is included within the limits of the State contemplated by this Act, slavery and involuntary servitude, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited/' ^ndkipn 14. In this form the bill passed both Hoascs, Bouri ad- and Missouri was admitted as a Slave State, with- muted ' uuion? out any restriction or limitation as to slavery, on condition that slavery should be forever pro- hibited in all territory of the United States north of 36° 30'. 15. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, already referred to, introduced by Mr. Douglas, after a protracted discussion, and the most intense excitement, in which the entire nation participated, passed both Houses of Congress in May, 1854, and was im- jg.^ mediately signed by the President. wi^o jras 16. A. H. Reeder, of Pennsylvania, was ap- en,?rof poiutcd Govemor of the new Territory. \vh"aTef- 17. Every effort was now made, both by the fort was *^ ^ *^ made by Nortli aud tlic South, to secure the ascendency North'* in the Territory. Emio;rant Aid Societies were and the *^ ^ South? formed, and everv encouras-ement o;iven to induce people to settle in Kansas. What 18. In March, 1855, Governor Reeder issued followed ^ ' c?araT" a proclamation for the election of a Territorial Gov.° Leo;islature. From nearly every district in the Reeder ^ ^ J ^ ^ISaIxl Territory Pro-slavery men w^ere returned to the gfsfa^*' prospective Legislature. On the 2d of July, the ^yj^^^ Legislature assembled at Pawnee. In the course by the'"''® of the first week it passed an act removing the hi?e1*' seat of government to the Shawnee Manual Chap. XVII. -REMOVAL OF GOVERNOR REELER. 465 Labour Scliool, and also adopting the laws gene-.l?^ rally of Missouri for the laws of Kansas. The Governor vetoed the bill removing the seat of governmentj but the Legislature repassed it by a two-thirds vote. Governor Reeder then informed them he should not recognise any further act of theirs, but should consider the Legislature dis- solved. This, however, made no diiference, for they continued to legislate without his sanction. Shortly after this, Governor Reeder was removed on what t/ '' charge from office, b}' the President, on the charge of ReedJ?''* speculating in Lidian lands. This the Governor '^^"'*''' denied, and insisted upon it that his removal was solely at the instigation of the Pro-slavery party. Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, w^as appointed J^^^-j;;^ Governor in his place. Im^iT 19. It will be seen that in Kansas there were wimt were the two great parties, one, the Pro-slavery party, {;[^g';;f insisting that tlie Territorial Legislature was agreaV'** legally-constituted body, having the right and^a^isas? power to legislate, and whose acts should be valid. These called themselves the law and order party. The other, the Free State party, denied the legality of the Legislature, asserting that it did not represent the actual inhabitants of the Territory, that its members were elected by persons coming over in armed bands from Missouri, who were not, and never intended to be, inhabitants of Kansas, taking possession of the ballot-boxes, and electing a Pro-slavery Le- gislature, when, as they asserted, a majority of the actual settlers were Free State men. They 205^ 466 PIEKCE'S administration, PartUl. i?55:. therefore refused to recognise the actions of that Legislature as binding. ww^'done 20. When, therefore, the Legislature appointed IVti^B an election-day to elect a delegate to Congress, tiou-day?the Free State party refused to recognise the Act, and appointed a day of their own. On the dav of election, Mr. Whitfield was elected to Con- gress by the Pro-slavery party, and, on the day appointed by the Free State men, Governor Reeder was elected. w'hat 21. Mr. Whitfield was admitted to a seat in followed? Congress but that seat was contested by Gov- ernor Reeder. A committee was appointed to proceed to Kansas and investigate afiairs. A Tc^y majority of this committee, after a most laborious SJpoint- and searching investigation, in which a vast amount of evidence was taken, made a lengthy report, in which they considered established by whafc testimony, — " That every election held under the was the "^ ' *^ , It^nce of Territorial laws has been carried by organized in- p^rtV^" vasions from Missouri. That the Territorial Legislature was illegally constituted, and its acts are therefore void. That the election under which Mr. Whitfield held his seat was not valid. That the election under which Mr. Reeder con- tests the seat was likewise invalid. That Mr. Reeder received a greater number of legal votes than Mr. Whitfield." Accordingly, the House decided that neither Governor Reeder nor Mr. Whitfield was entitled to the seat. Mr. Oliver, i)f Missouri, the minority-member of committee, denied the truth of these statements. 22. Subseauently Governor Shannon resigned Cti«F.XVII. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 467 the office of Governor, and Mr. Geary was ap-i^^ pointed in his place. During this controversy in ^JJdn" Kansas, the most intense excitement prevailed «^^<^" throughout the country. In Kansas, numerous murders were committed and many lives lost. The time now was at hand when the people of the United States were to elect a President for the next four years. 23. John C. Fremont, of California, was the^e^ethe nominee of the Republican party, James Bu-foTpTe^!! chanan, of Pennsylvania, of the Democratic jj«^^«^*^ party, and Millard Fillmore, of New York, of the American party. The great point at issue was ^a^stu the admission of slavery in the new Territories, point at . . . issue? The Republican party, " while they disclaimed any whntdid wish to interfere with slavery in those States where ^'^il^^"" it already existed, yet insisted that it should beaifd\*ii? excluded from those Territories now free.'' 24. The Democratic Party claimed ''that the tYe^g^i"^ Territories should be thrown open to all, leaving ^ar^^' the question of slavery in the Territory to be decided by the actual inhabitants of the Terri- tory.'' The American Party occupied ground similar to the Democrats. mocratio party claim ? 25. At the election, Mr. Buchanan was chosen Ss^J " President. ^ent? 26. In the short session of Congress- of 1856 -57, Mr. Whitfield was admitted as Dt^legate from Kansas. 468 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. 185T, CHAPTER XVIII. BUCHANAN'S ADMIFISTRATIOK FROM MARCH 4TH, 1857, TO MARCH 4TH, 1861. What was 1. James Buchanan was born in Franklin the early mTL"' county, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1791. Having chanan? •111 1 1 acquired a handsome competence as a lawyer before he had reached his fortieth year, he ahan- doned the active practice of his profession, and entered into public life. He held many high offices; having been successively a member of the House of Kepresentatives and of the Senate, Secretary of State, and Minister to Eussia and England. He was seventy years old when he What was became President. Naturally cautious, and even his charac- ^ , , '*'' timid, he proved himself insufficient to meet the difficulties which were to arise during his admin- istration. When the troubles arose, his only policy was to wait, in the hope that they would cease of themselves, or, at all events, that the crisis would not come during his term. whatissaid ]^j.^ Breckinridge, the Vice-President, was ?idg?r' born near Lexington, Kentucky, January 21, 1821. He was a young man of showy talents, but deficient in all the higher qualities of a patriot and statesman. Having been defeated for President in 1860, he was appointed member of Congress from his native State. Here, even THE DRED SCOTT CASE. 469 after the secession of the South, he so openly 1857« advocated the cause of the rebels that he was expelled from that body in December, 1861. He then joined the Confederates, and was made a general in their service. 2. At the openins^ of Mr. Buchanan's admin- what was . ^ , the state of istration the country was in a state of great pros-*^®^^""*'^^ perity, and there seemed little danger of any serious disturbance. In his inaugural address he congratulated the country that the great ques- tions at issue had been settled, and that the minority had quietly submitted to the decision of the majority. Government had a revenue exceeding its wants, and, in order to diminish this, it had been necessary to reduce the tariff. 3. On the 5th of March the Supreme Court of the United States pronounced its decision in the famous ''Dred Scott case,'' which had for a long time occupied public attention. Dred Scott wh^^js^^^ and his wife were slaves, held by Dr. Emerson, a surgeon in the United States army; by whose consent they had for some time resided in the free State of Illinois, and in the territory in which, by the Ordinance of 1787, slavery had been prohibited. In 1838, they, with their chil- dren, were taken to Missouri. They claimed y^y^id,, ' •/he claim his their freedom on the ground that they had been ^'^^^^'^^^ taken by their master into a free State. The^hatdid */ the supreme court decided against them, holding that the^de^/ legal condition of a slave in a slave State wae not affected by his having temporarily resided Court de- 470 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTBATION* ^S57. ill a free State, but depended solely upon the laws of the State in which he was held. The court also incidentally decided that negroes could not be citizens of the United States ; and, moreover, that so much of the Compromise of 1820 as undertook to give freedom and citizen- ship to negroes in the northern part of the Louisiana purchase was unconstitutional. 4. Troubles broke out in the Territory of Utah, whither the Mormons had taken up their resi- dence after ^laving been driven out of Illinois. Brigham Young, who after the death of Joe Jhi'origiSf of Smith had been raised to the head of the Mor- mutX?*"mon Church, was appointed b}^ Mr. Fillmore Governor of the Territory, and exercised un- limited powder both in civil and religious mat- ters. The population having largely increased, application was made for the admission of Utah as a State into the Union. This was refused, mainly upon the ground of the existence of polygamy among the Mormons. This refusal excited great discontent ; and the Mormons were charged with committing serious outrages upon all persons in the Territory w^ho did not belong to their faith. What was 5. At length, in Januarj^, 1857, a party of Young? Mormons, under the direction of Young, went to the office of the United States Court, and took away the books and papers, burning them in Great Salt Lake City, saying that if Congress Avould not admit them into the Union they TROUBLES IN UTAH. 471 would not allow the officers of the Government 185T. to remain in the Territory. This act was fol- lowed by msLUj other indications of hostility ; ^JJ^]*^*^'^;^^,^, and it was determined that Young should be '^^''' '^'^ ^ removed from his post as Governor, and that a military force should be sent to Utah to main- tain the authoritj" of the Government. Mr. Cum- mings, of Missouri, was appointed Governor, with instructions to see that the laws of the United States were enforced; but to use the military force only when the civil power was' inadequate, while no person was to be molested on account of his religious or political opinions. 6. At first it appeared that the Mormons were what was *■ *■ the conduct determined to resist; but when Mr. Cummings^VJ^/j^^^°^- arrived at Great Salt Lake City he was received with respect, and his authority as Governor was recognized. The President thereupon appointed Jjo^j^aj Messrs. Powell and McCulloch as peace commis-"^"^^^' sioners. Reaching Salt Lake City in June, 1858, they found the city almost deserted; but they entered into communications with the principal Mormons, who dechired their readiness to sub- mit to the authority of the United States. Go- vernor Cummings thereupon issued a proclama- tion of amnesty, and granting a full pardon for all ofiences, 7. Although the troubles in Utah were thus i858. brought to a peaceful close, they had indirectly what^was an unfavorable influence upon the affiiirs of the?roubiIs^?n nation ; for they occasioned the removal of a "" 472 Buchanan's administration. i858> considerable part of our small army to sucli a distance as to render them unavailable when they were needed to garrison the forts which W'Cre threatened by the Southern seceders. ^ofrfor-'^ 8. The relations of the country with foreign lionsT^'"' powers were, with slight exceptions, wholly ami- cable. Treaties were concluded with Denmark, Persia, Japan, and several of the States of Cen- tral and Southern America. An unsuccessful effort was made to induce Spain to sell the island of Cuba to the United States. The only con- siderable exceptions to these amicable relations w^ere in the case of Paraguay, and a misunder- standing wdth Great Britain respecting the boundaries on the Pacific. Joneddfr 9- During the Administration of Mr. Pierce a >vuhPara- trcaty was signed with Paraguay, by which the navigation of the rivers of that country was opened for commercial purposes. The United States steamer Water- Witch was sent to explore the rivers. She w^as fired upon from a Paraguayan fort, and, redress having been refused, a consider- able naval expedition was fitted out to obtain How was it satisfaction. Before any hostile action had taken gettled? •/ place, General Urquiza, the President of the Argentine Confederation, offered his mediation, which w^as accepted, and terms of adjustment were agreed upon in January, 1858. whatissaid 10. In runnino: the line, in 1855, between the of the island ^ ° ' ^ ' ofsanJuan?gpi^|g|^ aud Amcricau possessions on the Pacific coast, certain islands in Puget*s Sound, of which THE KANSAS STRUGGLE. 473 San Juan was the principal, were claimed by 1858, both parties. Americans who had settled there were annoyed by Indians, and a company of troops was sent to protect them; the commander took possession in the name of the United States ; the British Governor of Vancouver protested, and despatched troops thither. For a time the affair threatened serious consequences; and Gen. H'l^'j^l Scott was sent by the President in September, ued?'**^ 1858, to take command on the Pacific coast. By his wise and conciliatory conduct a collision was avoided, and an agreement entered into by which, until the question of right w^as decided by nego- tiation, each party should be at liberty to occupy the islands with a small force, to prevent out- rages by the Indians. 11. But, while the country was apparently what new ' ./ iri ./ trouble was prosperous, the storm was slowly gathering. The ^^•^^^'^s? struggle respecting Kansas, which had been going on for a long time, w^as now renewed with in- creased violence, and it soon took the shape of a contest respecting the general question of the protection or prohibition of slavery in the Terri- tories. A volume would not be sufficient to narrate the details of the fierce Congressional struggle; we must content ourselves with giving the most important incidents. 12. In June, 1857, an election w^as held for when was ^ ' the Lecomp- delegates to frame a State Constitution. The ti?i?n ""'''" Free State men refused to go to the polls; only^'"'^"'^'*^ 2200 votes were cast, and all the delegates elected 474 Buchanan's administration. 1858> were pro-slavery. They met in October, 1858, at Lecomptoii, and drafted a Constitution pro- tecting slavery in the most explicit manner, and containing many other objectionable features. Instead of the question of the adoption or rejec- tion of this Constitution being submitted to the w^;«J^J[^'" people, they were only allowed to vote ''for the .X^d Constitution with slavery," or "for the Constitu- tion without slavery." The Free State party re- fused almost wholly to vote, and the result was whafcwBs that 6266 votes were cast ''for the Constitution the result? with slavery," and 567 " for the Constitution with- out slavery." In the mean time the Territorial Legislature had passed an act submitting the acceptance or rejection of this Constitution to ^QFrt^ the people; and the result was that 10,226 votes state people ^^^^,^ ^^g|. Qg^i^^gt jj-^ ^^^ Q,j]y 102 lu favor of it,' — the pro-slavery men refusing to vote. The Le- compton Constitution was submitted to Congress What was by the President, who accompanied it by a spe- the course *^ ^ ■»■ */ i sfden^f"" ci^l message, FeTDruary 2, 1858, recommending the admission of Kansas under it. What did 13. After much discussion, a bill was passed. Congress ^^' by w^hich Kansas was to be admitted under the Lecompton Constitution, provided that a majority How did the of the people at a new election should vote to people ^ ^ ^""^^"^ accept it either with or without slavery. The vote was taken on the 3d of August, and the \\|hatwas Constitution was rejected by a majority of more the result? *^ . . than 10,000, and Kansas remained a Territory. 14. Early in 1859 the Territorial Legislature JOHN BROWN. 475 passed an act convening a new convention to 1859. form a Constitution. This convention met at^o^^as the Wyan- Wyandot on the 5th of July, — the Republicans J^Ji^J"'" having a majority of two to one. They framed whTt'^Jas a Constitution prohibiting: slavery, which was poJpie^of ^"^ submitted to the people, who accepted it, and Kansas applied for admission into the Union as a State, early in the session of Congress "which began December 2, 1859. The Republicans had now gained the control of the House of Repre- sentatives, and the bill passed by a vote of 134 JJ'j^^^^t^^y^^ho to 73. It is to he noted that all the members of twIfF^**" all parties from the free States, with but three exceptions, voted for the bill; while all the mem- bers from the slave States voted against it. Thewhatbyth© Senate, however, postponed consideration, and finally adjourned without acting upon the bill. Kansas thus remained a Territory until January, when did •^ "^ * Kansas 1861, when it was admitted into the Union. sSeT* 15. Durino- the Administration of Mr. Bu-whatnew 1 *" o n /» T • T States were chanan, three States, all tree, were admitted : ^^"^i"®'^? Minnesota, Oregon, and Kansas. 16. The excitement in respect to slavery was greatly enhanced by a singular ail'air. Among those who had sufi:ered in the Kansas troubles who was John were John Brown and his sons. Two of the^'°^' sons w^ere murdered, and the remainder of the family imbibed a monomaniacal hatred against slavery. After the pacification of Kansas, Brown, with two of his sons, went to Virginia, where he collected arms and ammunition, and gathered a 476 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. 1859. band of seventeen whites and iive negroes. With Kat*" these, on the night of the 17th of October, 1859, Fw?/? ' he made a descent upon Harper's Ferry. The arsenal, containing 100,000 stand of arms, was unguarded. Brown took possession of it in the night, and in the morning, when the workmen came to labor, they were one by one secured. They held possession of the arsenal until nearly noon of the next day, when they were attacked by a company of United States marines. Of the Ts.mQof^' tAventy-two persons who composed the band, hishZxdi^ eleven were killed, among w^hom were the two sons of Brown, two escaped, and the others w^ere captured. Among the prisoners was John Brown, who was wounded. The prisoners were tried, found guilty of murder, treason, and inciting slaves to insurrection, and were executed in a What was few days. It was thouo;ht incredible that so bold thought of •^ C? hisattempt?^^^ cntcrprise should have been undertaken by so small a party, and it was at first believed to be a part of an extensive plan to arouse the slaves. It w^as, however, clearly shown that this was not the case, but that Brown had few or no accomplices except those who joined his band. 1860, 17. The excitement on the subject of slavery d^ue^i^rhe gi'^^w more and more intense in Congress and coTvTntlon throug^hout the country as the time approached at Charles- ,. .^ . . .'^ .._ ^ i i^ . *o°? tor the nomination ot candidates for the Presi- dency at the next election. The Democratic Convention met at Charleston, South Carolina, on the 23d of April, 1860. After a stormy ses- POLITICAL CONVENTIONS OF. 1860. 477 sion of ten days, the majority of the Southern i860. members withdrew Avhen the Northern delegates declined to adopt a platform recognizing the fullest right of slave-holders to carry their slaves into the Territories. The remaining members proceeded to ballot for candidate for the Presi- dency, having first passed a resolution that two- thirds of the votes of the full Convention should be necessary for a choice. As there were in a full Convention 303 votes, 202 were requisite. Mr. Douglas was the leading candidate, but his highest vote was 152; next was Mr. Guthrie, whose highest vote was 66. After forty-seven ballots, finding no possibility of a choice, the Convention adjourned, to meet at Baltimore, June 18. 18. In the mean time, a Convention composed whaWM ' ■•• done in the mainly of the American party met at Baltimore, yentlSn^'''"' May 9, and nominated John Bell for President, and Edward Everett for Vice-President. This Convention declared that it recognized "no poli- tical principle other than the Constitution and the country, the union of the States, and the enforcement of the laws.'' 19. The Republican Convention met at Chi- ^h^f^^j^^^ cago on the 16th of May. It adopted a platform puwi recognizing the right of every State to regulate its own domestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively; denying that the Constitution carried slavery into any of the Ter- ritories, and denying the right of Congress, of a of the Re- can Convention? 478 Buchanan's administration. 1860. Territorial Legislature, or of individuals, to give legal existence to slavery in any territory of the United States. Who were 20. Tlic Icadino; Republican candidates for the tho leading O L candidates? Presidcucy wcrc Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, and William H. Seward, of New York. There being 465 members, 233 votes were necessar}^ for a choice. On the first ballot Mr. Seward received 173, and Mr. Lincoln 102; on the second ballot Mr. Seward had 184, and Mr. Lincoln 181. On the third ballot Mr. Seward received 180, and Mr. Lincoln 231; but, before the result was an- nounced, many members changed their votes in favor of Mr. Lincoln, — so that 354 votes were Who were anuounccd for him, and he was duly nominated. nominated? ^ ^ *' ^ Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, was nominated for Vice-President. What was 21. The Democratic Convention re-assembled done at the ?rvenuon at Baltimore on tlie 18th of June. A dispute moreV" arosc respectiiig the admission of delegates from the States which had withdrawn at the Conven- tion in Charleston, and a large number of South- ern delegates seceded from the Convention. On the first ballot Mr. Douglas received 173 votes, being all but 15 that were cast. On the second b&llot he received 181, whereupon it was resolved Who were that hc should be considered nominated, although nominated? , • t r» i he lacked 21 votes of having two-thirds of the number of a full Convention. Mr. Fitzpatrick. of Alabama, was nominated for Vice-President, but he declined, and Herschell V. Johnson, of SLAVERY QUESTION. 479 Georgia, was put in nomination. The platform i860. adopted by the Convention re-affirmed the Demo- ^^at^^aa cratic platform of 1856, and pledged the party to^""""^^ submit to the decision of the Supreme Court upon the question of slavery in the Territories. Mr. Douglas, however, had, not long before, put forth an elaborate argument to show that every Territory, as w^ell as every State, possessed the right to decide for itself the question of slavery. 22. The members who had seceded formed what did the secedera themselves into a Convention, and nominated ^°^ John C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, for Presi- dent, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon, for Vice- President. 23. The question of slavery in the Territories what vas ^ ^ the question was the absorbing one upon which the election °^^^«^^^^ of 1860 was to turn: though it constituted only a single plank in the platform, every one felt that it was the essential one, and that upon it the issue was to be made. 24. The Republicans distinctly disavowed any what were ^ *^ *^ the prin- right or wish to interfere with slavery in thejjpj^^^'bii^^® States where it exists. But they held that it was''^''^^ a purely local institution, established by State laws, and not by the Constitution of the United States, and that it could not, therefore, claim protection from the General Government, and could, therefore, have no legal existence in the Territories. Mr. Lincoln, who belonged to the moderate portion of his party, had expressly what hud declared, moreover, that, while Congress had the^^^^? 480 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. 1860. power to abolish slaverj^ in the District of Colum- bia, he was not in favor of this being done with- out the consent of the masters. He, moreover, considered that any Territory with proper quali- fications should be admitted into the Union with the Constitution which it might adopt, whether it admitted or prohibited slavery. But he held, also, that slavery could only be legally established in a Territory when it should become a State and be admitted as such into the Union. Before that time it was under the control of Congress; and, as that body had no power to establish slavery, it could not grant it to a Territory. Se^^Jtfon 25. The Northern Democrats agreed with the era Demo-'" Republicans as far as the jurisdiction of a State orats ? ^ *' orats ? over the subject of slavery within tis own limits was concerned; but they held that the people of each Territory had the same right to regulate their domestic institutions. As it was admitted that the people of all the Territories were op- posed to slavery, the success of this party would practically prevent slavery from extending be- yond its present limits. slSthefn*^® 26. The extreme Southern Democrats, on the Democrats? ^^^iev haud, maintained that the Territories of the United States belonged to all the States in Qommon, — that every citizen had a right to go into them with all his property, — and that slaves being property as much as horses or cattle, their owners had a right to demand the recognition and protection of their property in slaves in the PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 481 Territories. They withdrew from the Conven- 1860/ tion at Charleston because that body would not assume this ground. 27. The Constitutional Union party, as those wtat of the ^ «^ ' Bell and who nominated Messrs. Bell and Everett styled ^j/^^««^ themselves, endeavored to ignore the absorbing question altogether, and went into the contest claiming the Constitution as their onlj^ platform, and the maintenance of the Union and the en- forcement of the law^s as their sole objects. 28. The Republicans being firmly united, and wnausi saM their opponents divided, the election of Mr. Lin-*'^^^^-' coin was considered as almost inevitable, although in some States an attempt was made to unite all the opponents of the Republicans upon a com- mon or "fusion" ticket, with the understanding that if successful the electoral vote should be cast so as to defeat Mr. Lincoln if possible. None of these union tickets, however, succeeded. 29. The election took place on Tuesday, No- whatwat ■^ •^ ' the result of yember 6. The polls closed at sunset, and before *^eei«°*io»' midnight the telegraph brought the tidings with sufficient accuracy to render the result certain. In a short time it was definitel^^ known that, of the 183 electoral votes of the free States, Mr. Lincoln had received all, except 3 from New Jer- sey. These were cast for Mr. Douglas, who also ^^'^{J.*' received the 9 votes of Missouri, giving him but*^'"*''^''''^' 12. Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee cast their 39 votes for Mr. Bell. The other slave States gave their votes, 72 in number, for Mr, 20 482 Buchanan's administration. i860^ Breckinridge. The number of electoral votes being 303, 152 were necessary for a choice. Mr. Lincoln, having received 180, was chosen. Se poJuYar 30. Thc clcctoral vote presents a very imper- fect indication of the votes actually cast by the people for the several candidates. The entire vote was about 4,660,000. Of these Mr. Lincoln received 1,857,000 ; and, distributing the votes cast on fusion tickets among the other candi- dates, according to the best data, there were cast for Mr. Douglas something more than 1,350,000, and for Bell and Breckinridge about 725,000. Each electoral vote cast for Lincoln thus repre- sented about 11,000 votes ; each for Bell, 18,000; each for Breckinridge, about 10,000. 31. When the result of the election was known, the excitement at the South was intense, and the sentiment in favor of secession became predomi- whatwas nant. The Le2:islature of South Carolina called done in o South caro-^ Convcntion to consider the question. It met on the 17th of December, and three days after, by a unanimous vote, passed an ordinance de- claring that the 'Hmion now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dis- solved.'' The Convention put forth a long list of grievances, mainly relating to the subject of slavery. This movement of South Carolina was ih^TJt^ speedily followed by other States: Mississippi rJ^'eT''^' seceding January 9, 1861; Florida, January 10; CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE. 483 Alabama, January 11; Georgia, January 19 ; 1860> Louisiana, January 26 ; Texas, February 1. 32. Congress convened on the 3d of Decem- ber. Mr. Buchanan's message was mainly de- voted to the secession movement. He recom- what did Mr. Bu- mended that the Constitution should be amended poseT^'"'^ so as to recognize the right of property in slaves in all States where it exists or shall be esta- blished ; to protect this right in all the Territo- ries while they continue such, and until they be admitted into the Union as States, with or with- out slavery, as their Constitutions shall pre- scribe; to uphold the fugitive slave law, and declare all State laws impairing it to be void. This message was, in the Senate, referred to a what™ committee of thirteen, embracing the leading ^°''«''^'" members of all parties. This committee reported, December 31, that they could not agree upon any plan of adjustment. 33. In the mean time, Mr. Crittenden, of Ken- what^as ^ ' Mr. Critten^ tucky, proposed, December 19, in the House of prom>eT" Eepresentatives, a plan of compromise. This plan restored the Missouri Compromise, prohi- biting slavery north of 36° 30^, permitting it south of that line ; admitted new States, with or without slavery; prohibited Congress from abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia while it existed in Virginia or Maryland; allowed the free transportation of slaves through any State; provided for the payment for fugitive slaves who should be rescued after arrest ; and 484 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. 1860. asked the States which had passed ^'Personal Liberty Bills" to repeal them. All these provi^ sions to be submitted, as amendments of the Constitution, to the people, and, if adopted, to be unalterable. This plan of compromise was dIneUrit? rejected by the House. 1861. 34. The State of Virginia now requested the Xo Peace <^"th^r Statcs to appoiut commissioners to meet Congress? ^^ ^ " Peacc Congrcss'' to adjust the difficulties. Members were appointed from most of the loyal States, — none appearing from those which had seceded. The Convention met at Washington, February 4. Ex-President John Tyler was elected chairman. They framed a plan embracing the main provisions of the Crittenden compromise, besides forbidding any future acquisition of ter- ritory without the vote of a majority of the Sena- tors from both the free and the slave States, and prohibiting the foreign slave-trade. This plan What did was presented to the House of Representatives Congress do? ■*• ■»■ and rejected. But a resolution was passed, by a vote of 133 to 65, proposing an amendment to the Constitution, providing that no amendment to the Constitution should be made abolishing slavery in any State where it may exist by law. dinfwith ^^- '^^^ forts, arsenals, and other public pro- perty in the seceding States were seized by the insurgents, with the exception of Ports Pickens, near Pensacola, Florida, which was held by Lieut. Slemmer, and Sumter in Charleston harbor, held by Major Anderson. The latter officer, having the forts ? CABINET TROUBLES. 485 reason to apprehend that Fort Moultrie, where I861, he was stationed, would be attacked by a force ^^^^/2n- which his small body of troops could not resist, '^®'''°'''^'*^ had withdrawn, on Christmas night, to Fort Sumter, a fortress more capable of defence. Fort Moultrie was at once seized, and strong batteries were thrown up bearing upon Sumter, which was closely invested. 36. The question of the reinforcement of these where was -*■ our army ? forts w^as warmly debated in the Cabinet. This was no easy task. Our army numbered in all but 16,000 men at the breaking out of the troubles, and was widely dispersed : only four or five companies were available now. In Texas General Twiggs surrendered all the men under his command, with an immense amount of stores why did ^ Mr. Cass and ammunition. Mr. Buchanan wavered where wffiid he should have acted. Mr. Cass, the Secretary ^anfu'do? of State, resigned, because the President delayed to act. At length he decided to attempt to rein- force Fort Sumter. There was not a single war- steamer ready for service on the home station. An unarmed steamer was sent; but, on approach- ing the harbor, she was fired upon by the bat- teries, January 9, and forced to return. 87. Mr. Buchanan had been unfortunate in the whatissaid of Mr. Bu- selection of a portion of his Cabinet. Mr. Cobb, caMnou Secretary of the Treasury, had resigned his post, and returned to Georgia, where he took an active part in favor of secession. A sum of $870,000, belonging to the Indian Trust Fund, was stolen 486 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. 1861, from the Department of the Interior by a clerk namedBailey,under circumstances whichstrongly implicated Mr. Floyd, Secretary of War, as an whon^ow accessory. The President ordered him to resign andwhy? ^^ consequcncc. He sent in his resignation; but, although he had himself ordered Major Anderson to remove from Moultrie to Sumter, he impudently based his resignation on the ground that the President refused to order An- whatifisaidderson to return to Fort Moultrie. He fled to of Mr. Floyd! Virginia, — boasted that he had, while in office, aided the secession movement by dispersing our army and sending large quantities of arms and ammunition to the South, where they could be easily seized. He was subsequently appointed a brigadier-general in the Confederate army. Thompson?' Mr. Thompsou, Secretary of the Interior, also resigned. While acting as a member of the Cabinet of the United States, he had received and acted upon a commission from the revolu- tionary government of his State of Mississippi. The place of these traitors was supplied by loyal men. But the term of the Administration was now so short that the new Cabinet could do little, and Mr. Buchanan still clung to the hope, though State after State was seceding, that the difficulty What was might be settled without actual hostility. The cou?s??^ utmost that he could be induced to do was to refuse the demand of certain commissioners, delegated by the Governor of South Carolina, that Major Anderson should be ordered t.o eva- CONFEDERATE CONSTITUTION. 487 cuate Fort Sumter, and, when they sent him an I86I. insulting letter, to refuse to receive it. 38. On the 4th of February a Cone^ress of dele- what was •^ *-? done in the gates from the seven States which had now ^^ngrtssf * seceded met at Montgomery, Alabama, and adopted a provisional Constitution, electing Jef- ferson Davis as President, and Alexander H. Stephens as Vice-President. This Constitution was on the 4th of March superseded by a perma- nent Constitution, which in most respects iswhatissaid ' -"^ of the Con- identical with that of the United States. The '^tnlt^^^ main points of difference are that the doctrine*'''''^ of State sovereignty, and by implication the right of any State to secede, is recognized ; that the President is chosen for six years, and cannot be re-elected ; and that no law can be passed impairing the rights of property in negro slaves; and slavery was to be recognized and protected in all territory which might thereafter be ac- quired by the Confederacy. 39. Accordine^ to the census of 1860, the popu- what™ <-' J X X the popular lation of the United States at the close of Mr. *j'„^,fd*^' Buchanan's Administration was as follows, — the^^^^^'* figures being given in round numbers: — 488 Buchanan's administration. 1861. FREE. SLAVE. TOTAL. Total population of States and Territories The seven seceded States had Four more States soon seceded, with Total Conf. States, Loyal States, '61. 27,480,000 3,950,000 31,430,000 2,660,000 2,920,000 2,310,000 1,990,000 4,970,000 4,110,000 5,680,000 3,500,000 9,080,000 21,900,000 450,000 22,350,000 40. Mr. Buchanan's Administration closed on the 4th of March, 1861 ; but the events of the next few months are so closely connected with it that it is proper to include them in this chapter. 41. Mr. Lincoln left his residence at Spring- field, Illinois, on the 11th of February, for Wash- How^^^^^^ington, proceeding by the way of Cincinnati, waahing- ^^^^ York, and Baltimore. He reached Harris- burg, Pennsylvania, on the 22d. Here he learned that there was a plot to assassinate him on his passage through Baltimore. He then changed the proposed time for departure, hurried through Baltimore in disguise, and reached Washington the next day. The inauguration took place on the 4th of March without disturbance. ^inhfs^^ 42. Mr. Lincoln's inaugural address was very inaugural? (jautious. Hc disclaimcd all right or wish to interfere with slavery in the States where it ex- isted. He denied the right of any State to secede FORT SUMTER SURRENDERED. 489 from the Union, and declared that he should use I86I, all the power confided in him to enforce the laws in all the United States. 43. Fort Sumter had been for some time be-jvhat^w , done at Fort leaguered by the Confederates, who had sent^''"^^*''' commissioners to the President to treat for its surrender; but they were not ofllcially received. It was decided to make an attempt to reinforce the fort, and the Confederate authorities were informed of the decision. They ordered Gr^n. J>^escnbetii6 Beauregard to attack it ; for up to this time no active hostilities had taken place. Fire was opened on the 12th of April from Fort Moultrie and the batteries which had been erected. This was returned by Major Anderson with as much vigor as was possible with the small force under his command. But he had only about 100 men, including some 30 laborers, and they were ex- hausted by fatigue and hunger, — their only re- maining provisions consisting of salt pork ; and opposed to them were 7000 men and powerful batteries. 44. The bombardment continued thirty-four why ^ras ** the fort sur- hours; the wood-work of the fort was burned '^^°*^«'®*^' by hot shot, the magazine enveloped in flames, and the door closed by the heat. Only four bar- rels of powder and a few cartridges were avail- able. Finding further resistance useless, Major Anderson capitulated on the 14th of April. The men on both sides were so completely sheltered that no lives were lost ; but on saluting the Ame- 21* 490 Buchanan's administration. 1861* rican flag, previous to its being hauled down, au explosion took place, by which one man was killed and several injured. MnLin^oitt ^^' Hostilities being thus commenced by the ^*^ insurgents. President Lincoln, on the 15th of April, issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 troops to assist in re-occupying the forts which had been wrested from the Government. The call was promptly responded to from all the free ^I'coui? States. The Confederates treated this as a decla- federates j^^i[q^ ^f ^y^P^ ^^([ begau to movc troops towards Virginia, with the purpose of seizing upon Wash- ington and inducing all of the border States to join with them. But before they could arrive the capital was too strongly guarded for them to have any hope of success, whattook 46. The first troops advancine^ for the defence place April -«■ <^ 19? of Washington were regiments from Pennsyl- vania and Massachusetts. A portion of these, when passing through Baltimore, were attacked by a mob, and several lives were lost on both sides. This encounter, in which the first blood in the civil war was shed, took place on the 19th of April, the anniversary of the battle of Lex- ington, fought just eighty-six years before, whatwas 47. Further additions were soon made to the ginia? list of the seceding States. The Convention of Virginia, which ^vas in session, passed, on the 17th of April, an ordinance of secession, to take efiect, if ratified by the people, at an election appointed to be held early in May; but, in anti- VIRGINIA SECEDES. 491 cipation of its adoption, the military force of the_i?51i State was placed under the control of the Con- federate Government. The northwestern part what in a ^ part of the of Virginia, embracing about a quarter of the^'*^^' State, refused to be bound by the act of the Con- vention, and in efiect seceded from the State, though still calling itself the State of Virginia, and its Senators and Representatives were ad- mitted to seats in the Congress of the United States. The vote of the whole State was, how- ever, largely in favor of secession. 48. The State authorities of Virginia did not, however, wait for the formal vote of the people before proceeding to actual hostilities against the Union. On the 18th of April they took posses- sion of the arsenal at Harper's Ferry, where what wai they secured a large amount of arms and ammu- Harper-a nition. The navy yard and arsenal at Norfolk was the largest in the United States. Here were several of the finest vessels belonging to the United States, undero:oin2: repairs. An attack what at was threatened upon this navy yard, and the officers in command weakly or treacherously abandoned it, after setting fire to or scuttling all the vessels there, except one — the Cumberland — which was got ofi*. The Virginians took posses- sion of the place, and secured with it more than 2000 cannon, besides a large amount of ammu- nition. 49. Amonff the vessels sunk at Norfolk was what is said ^ of the Mer- the Merrimac, one of the finest steamers of our""**^^ 492 BUCHANAN'S ADMINISTRATION. ^^^^* navy. She was, however, only slightly injured, and was raised by the Confederates ; her upper works were cut down, and the vessel plated with iron and converted into a formidable engine of war. Nearly a year afterwards she came out from Norfolk, ran down and sunk two of our ves- sels of war in the harbor of Hampton Roads, with- out herself suflering the least damage from the cannon-balls which were fired against her. At What did that moment she was assailed by the Monitor, an the Monitor ^ . . ^^' iron-clad vessel of peculiar construction, invented by Captain Ericsson, which had just reached the scene of action. The Merrimac was beaten off, and not long after was blown up by her com- mander, to prevent her capture by the United Mmarkabier Statcs. TMs combat between the Merrimac and Monitor, which took place March 9, 1862, is remarkable from being the first time in which iron-clad vessels have ever been used in actual war. When did 50. The progress of secession still went on. Arkansas caJouna^ Arkausas seceded on the 6th of May, and IsTorth Mcede? Carolina on the 21st of the same month. In What was Tennessee, where there was a strong: Union done m ' ^ ^^ Tennessee? feeling, cspccially in the eastern part of the State, the course adopted was similar to that in Vir- ginia. An ordinance of secession from the Union and accession to the Confederacy was passed in May, and submitted to the people on the 8th of June. The vote, as ofl&cially announced, was 105,000 for separation, and 47,000 against it. COKCLUSION. 493 51. Thus, by the middle of May, 1861, three i8Ci. months after the close of Mr. Buchanan's Ad- wj^^t states had seceded? ministration, eleven of the thirty-four States of the Union, with about one-fifth of the free or nearly one-third of the total population, had seceded, and set up as a new Government. Mont- y^^'-e ^'a« ' J- the new gomery, Alabama, had hitherto been the capital thfcon-^ of the Confederacy; but on the 17th of May thesUef?® Congress adjourned to meet at Richmond, Vir- ginia. That city has since been the capital. 52. The military events of the war, which com- menced immediately after the attack upon Fort Sumter, do not properly belong to the Adminis- tration of Mr. Buchanan ; and we have here onl}^ brought down the political history to the period of the secession of all the States which formed the new Confederacy. END. REFLECTIONS We have now glanced at the leading events in the history ot our country, from the period when the first bold adventurers beheld its shores to the present time. We have seen it in the richness of its prim- itive beauty, before the hand of civilization turned its forests into cities, or made its rivers and lakes the pathways of commerce. We have no- ticed the settlements made by the different colonists, on our Atlantic coast. We have seen them gradually increase, under the most dis- heartening difficulties. We have seen them repel Indian invasion, struggle with poverty, and oppressed by the tyranny of their mother land, until they indignantly repulsed the hand that was binding them with fetters, and trampled on the laws that would have made them slaves. We have followed our fathers through their long and bloody struggle for freedom, and have heard the shout that went up from an emancipated nation, and from the down-trodden in other lands, when that freedom was won. We have watched the progress of our free institutions, until we have seen the far west covered with cities and villages, gardens and cultivated fieldsj and the lakes and rivers swarm- ing with ships and steamboats. But little more than two centuries have passed away, since this whole land was a wilderness, and now, we behold it covered with a mighty nation, whose possessions stretch from the Atlantic to the Paci- fic, and whose influence is felt throughout the world. Our commerce extends to every country, and the sails of our merchant-ships may be tbund on every sea and in every port. Our canals, railroads, and the stupendous palaces which float on our vast rivers and lakes, seem al- most like the work of magic, so quickly have they been created in our midst. Our population has increased to an extent unparalleled in the history of nations. Our manufactures rival those of Europe, and many of the most important applications of science have been made by our citizens. The steamboat, the steam-car, and the lightning tele- graph, which bring the most remote parts of our country within speak- ing distance of each other are among the triumphs of their skill. In literature^ tht arts and sciences, we are taking a proud rank with the 496 REFLECTIONS. oldest nations of Europe. Colleges, academies and schoois, ar tered over the land, and the blessings of education placed within the reach of all. Our government, free from a titled nobility and heredi- tary sovereignty, is founded on the principle that the sovereign can g-ov- ern himself. As that sovereign is the people, the stability of our free institutions rests, not on the power of the rulers, but on the intelligence, virtue, and intellectual strength, of this nation of kings. If the time ever come when this mighty fabric shall totter — when the beacon, which now rises a pillar of fire, a sign and wonder to the world, shall wax dim — the cause will be found in the grasping avarice, the vice and ignorance of the people. In looking at the histor}' of our nation, we can plainly see in every step of its progress the guiding hand of an overruling Providence, Through the dark period of our colonial history, through the toil and suffering of the Revolutionary struggle, and oar subsequent unpar- alleled prosperity, an Almighty power has watched over us and pro- tected us from harm. Let us not forget in our prosperity that Being to whom we owe all our blessings, both as a nation and as individuals. In our enthusiasm for military glory, let us not lose sight of the prin- ciples for which our fathers fought, or the landmarks which they planted in toil and blood. Let us remember, that no nation can flour- ish, whose children are not taught to fear God, and practise virtue, and that inspiration hath said, " Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." LIST OP AUTHORITIES. War with Great Britain ; Belknap's History of New Hampshire ; Trumbull's Civii and Eccle- siastical History of Connecticut; Lite of Capt. John Smith ; Hutchinson's History of Massa- chusetts Bay ; »rnith;s History of New York and New Jersey ; Proud's History of Pennsylva- n.a; Hewitts Histories of Carolina and Georiria; Ramsay's Revolution of South Carolina: Dw'ghts Journal; otevvarts Travels ; Wilhird's History of the United States; Hale's History o\ the United btates; Goodrich s History of the United States; Stone's Life of Brandt; Vol- HtnRli!^.n"h/""n["'^' Schfwlcraft's Travels; Rafinesque ; Mitchell; American Antiqua- rian Researches ; Clavigero's History of Mexico; Humboldt; Morse's Universal Geography ; if£®T/l^^"^^®lT^.^^^"^^^''^^''^"V.'''' ^^^^';= ^rimshaw's United States; Colden's His- tory of the Five Nations ; Encyclopedia;. Brackenbridge's History of the Last War; State Papers; Niles Register; Priest's Antiquities of America; Lossing's 1776; Life of Jackson : ji?.o S^'''"i1'*"/ Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence ; Lives of the Presi- fiJ^J ^- ''^^ Washington and his Generals ; Make Brun's Geograpliy ; De Tocqueville's te'JTS'"'^"'^^,''^! Trunabull's Indian Wars ; Prescott's Conquest o* Mexico; Life of £Mflt?rrh"i2LTn^ T^"^ his Generals; Life of General Scott ; Robinson's Mexico and ner JWiUtary Chiettams; Longacre and Herring's Narional Gallery. THP! CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. fVft«'ifd! hy a convention of delegates who met at PhiladeJ'phia^fi'om the states of New Hampshire^, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Neio York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Vir- gima, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and adopted nth September, 1787. PREAMBLE.— "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, estab- .ish justice, insure donaestic tranquillity, provi(ie !or the common defense, promote the general wel- (fire, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves- and our posterity, do ordain and establish thia Constitution for the United States of America. ARTICLE \.— Legislative powers. Sect. I— All lesrislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the United States which shall consist of a senate and house of reuresenfatives. Sect. 11— I. The house of representatives shall be composed of members, chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors ii] each state shall have the qualifica- tions requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. 2. No person shall be a represenfcitive, who shall not have attained to the age oftwenty-five years, and been .seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an in-' habitant of that state in which he shall be chosen. •i. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the congress of the United States, and with- in every subsequent term of ten years, in such manneras they shall by law direct. The num- ber of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one repre.sentative : and, until such enumeration shall be maile, the st^te of New Hamp- shire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, R.hode Island and Providence Plan- tations one. Connecticut five, New York six. New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eisht, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten. North Carolina five.Sou'h Carolina five, and Georgia three. 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any state, tlie executive a uthority there of shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies 5. The house of representatives shall choose their speaker, and other officers ; and shall have the sole power of' impeachment. Sect. Ill— I. The senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years : and each senator shall have one vote. 2. Immedi itely after they shall he assembled, in consetiuence of the first election, they shall be divided as eo.ually as may be into three classes. The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration ofthe second year ; of the second class,at the expiration of the fourth year; and of the third class, at the expiration of the sixth year: so that one-third may be ch^'sen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, durin? the recess ofthe legislature of any state, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments, until the next meeting of the legisl iture which sball fill such vacancies. 3. No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state tor which he shall be chosen. 4. The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and al=o a president pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. 6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that pur- pose, they shall be on oath or afifirmation. When the President of tne United States is tried, the chief justice shall preside ; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. 7. Judgment in case of i'^neachment shall not extend further than "to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit, under the United States : but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment*, and punishment according to law. Sect, jr.— 1. The times, places, and manner of holdin? elections for senators and representative;?, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may, at any time, by 'aw, make or alter such regulations, excent as to the phice of choosing senators. 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on ths first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day. Sect. V. —1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members r and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business : but a smaller 497 498 CONSTITUTION OF number may adjourn from clay to day, and may be authori7;ed to compe. tha att.enaance cl absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide. 2. Each House may determine the rule of its proceedinjrs, punish ilsmemliers tor disorderly jo havior, and, wiih the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. 3. Each House shull keep a journal of its f*oceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgnfjent require secrecy ; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House, on any question, shall, at the desire of onelifth of those presen*., be entered on the journal. , 4. Neither House during the session of Congress shall, without the consent of the other, adj urn tor more than three d& 's, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses sha.. b« sitting. Zed. VI. — 1. The sena.ors and representatives shall receive a compensation for ♦heir services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treusiuy of the United States. Tl ^y shall in au cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their at- tendance at the ser.cion of their respective Houses, and in going to or returning fi om the same; and tor any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other plact. 2. No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authodty of the United States, which shall have been created, or the enioluments whereof shall have been increased, during such time ; and no per.«on holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office. Sect Vll.— \ A.11 bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Repre?f'ntatives ; bu« the S nate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills. ^ 2. E/ery bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate shall, be- fore it become a law. be presented to the President of the United States ; if he approve, he shall sign ii ; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have origin ited, who shall enter the objection at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, aft^r such reconsideration, two-thirds of that House shall agree :o pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which itshall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that House, itshall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as xi he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives may be necessary, (except a question of adjournment,) shall he presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take eHect, shall be approved by him, or being di3ai)proved by him, shall be re-passed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. Beet. VIII. — The Congress shall have power— 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts, and excises fchall be uniform throughout the United States. 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States. 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the In dian tribes. 4. To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankrupt- cies, throughout the United St.ates. 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, an^d of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures. 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States. 7. To establish post offices and post roads. 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. 9. To censtitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court. 10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and ofl^ences agains< the law of nations. 11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. 12. To raise and support armies ; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years. 13. To provide and maintain a navy. 14. To make rul^s for the govenu-nent and regulation of the land and naval forces. 15. To provide tor calling tbrth the militia *n execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrec- tions, and repel invasions. 16. To provide for organizing, arming, and di.sciplining the militia, and for governing .such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respec lively the ap{»ointment of the officers and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress. 17. To exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceed ig ten miles square), as may, by cession of particular states and the acceptance of Congr.^ss, becon a ihe seat of government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all i)iaces pur- chased, by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be. for the eix cti(,n efforts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings- : and THE UNITED STATES. 499 18. To make ai. -aws which shall be necessary ana proper for carrj'ing into execution tha foregoinff powers, and all other powers vested by this Constilutiou in the government oi* the United States, or any department or officer thereof. Sect. IX.— \. 'I'he migration or imf)ort,uticn of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year <»ne i)jou- sand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not ex- ceeding ten dollars for eacn person. 2. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless when, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it. 3. No bill of attainder, or ex-post-facto law, shall be passed. 4. No capitarion or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumei- ation hereinbefore directed to be taken. 5. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exf^orted fmm any state. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one state over tho.^^e of another. nor shall vessels bound to or from one state be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another. 6 No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of approf)riations made by law : and a regular statement and account of the receipts and exj>endituies of ail public money shall be published from time to time. 7. No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States, and no person holding any office c£ profit or trust under them shall, without the consent oi" Congress, accejjt of any present, emol' ument, office, or title of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state. Sect. X.— \. No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confe.deration ; grant letters of marque and reprisal ; coin money ; emit bills of credit ; make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts : pass any bill of attainder, ex-post-lacto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts ; or grant any title of nobility. 2. No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay ariy imports or duties on imports oi exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws ; and the net produce of all duties rjind imposts laid by any state on imports or ex!)orts shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States, and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and contrd of Congress. No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty on tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with anotht; state. or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent dangei as will not admit of delay. ARTICLE II.— 0/ the Executive. Sect. I.— I. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of Ameri ca. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President chosen for the same term, be elected as follows : — 2. Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and re()resentatives to which the state may be entitled in Congress ; but no senator or representative, or person holding any office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. 3. The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons . of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. And they shall make a listofall the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each •, which list they shall sigi; and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such a maiority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives sfiall immedi- ately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then, from the five highest on the li. in 1800, 5,30.5,937; in 1810, 7,239,8U; in 1820.9,638,191; in 1830, 12.866,020: in 1840. 17,069,453; in 1850, 23,191,876; in 1860, 31,445.080. Total white pop. in 1860, 27,003,314; free co- loured, 487,996, slaves, 3,95.S,760. Pop. of the loyal States and Territories, 22,341,747; seceded States, 9,103,333. The number of Universities and Colleges was 239; Students. 27.821: Academies and Pri- vate Schools, 6,085; Pupils. 263,096; Public Schools, 80,978: Pupils. 3,-354,011. Number of Baptist Churches, 9,360 : Episcopal, 1,461; Friends, 728; .Jewish, .37; Lutheran, 1.221; Methodist, 13,388: Presbyterian, 4,863; Roman Catholic, 1,227. JAMES I., CHARLES I., CROMWELL, CHARLES 11.. JAMES II. MEXICO. 1519. Cortez lands in Mexico. If2l. He conquers the City.— From this time until 1821, Mexico was governed by Vice- roys from Spain.— Revolution in Mexico, 1600. 1602. Gosnold discovers Cape Cod. 1603. Henry IV., of France, grants Acadia to De Monts. 1605. First permanent French settlement in North America made at Port Royal. 1606. First Charter of Virginia i.ssued.— Virginia divided between the London and Plymouth Companies. 1607. Jamestown, in Virginia, founded— the earliest permanent English settlement in North America. 1608. Uuebec settled by Champlain. 1509. Henry Hudson discovers the Hudson river. 1610. Starving time in Virginia. 1611. Sir Thomas Dale arrives in Virginia. 1613. New York settled by the Dutch. 1619. First General Assembly in Virginia. 1620. Landing of the Puritans. — Voutjg women seni to Virginia, as wives for the planters. at)d sold for toi)acco.— Negroes introduced ley the Dutch, and Slavery commenced. 1621. Charter granted to the Dutch West India Company, for settling the country between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers. 1623. The Dutch erect Fort Nassau, on the Delaware.— Albany settled by the Dutch. 1524. London Comf)any dissolved. 1627. Swedes and Fins settle on the Delaware. 1628. Patent of Massachv^etts obtained.— Set- tlement of Salem commenced. 1629. New Hampshire granted to John Mason. 1630. Heath's Patent to S. Carolina granted. 1631. First General Court in Massachusetts.— Patent of Connecticut, granted. 1632. Maryland granted to Lord Baltimore. 1633. First house erected in Connecticut. 1634. Commissioners appomted in England to govern the Colonies.— Roger Williams ban- ished. 1636. Hartford settled.— Roger Williams settles R/iode Island. 1637. Harvard Colbge established.— Pequod War. 1638. New Hav(^n settled. 1639. First Printing Office in America, at Cam- bridge. 1643 Confederation of the New England Colo- nies. ' 1653. Disputes between the United Colonies and the Dutch. 1671. Charleston founded. I 1673. War between England and Holland.— j The Dutch take New York. I j^Ig; \ King Philip's War. 1681. Penn receives a Charter for Pennsylvania. 1682. Philadelphia founded. 1694. Culture of Rice introduced in South Car- olina, from Africa. 1697. Peace of Ryswick terminates King VrU Ham's War. 503 AMERICAN HISTORY. WILLIAM AND MAHV, ANNE, GEORGE I., GEORGE II., GEORGE III. 1700. 1702. Queen Anne's War. 1703. First American Newspaper.— (Boston News Letter.) 1710 First Post Office in America. 1719 Aurora Borealis lirst seen in New Eng. 1723. Vermont settled. 1729. North and South CaroZina separated. \Ti3. Geors'ia settled. 1738. Nassau Hall College founded at Prince- ton, New Jersey. 1744. "War between France and England. 1748. Peace restored. 1754. Commencement of the old French War. Congress of Delegates from seven Colonics meet at Albany. 1755. Defetrt of Braddock. 1757. Fort William Henry taken by Montcalm. 1759. Quebec taken— Wolfe killed. 1764. Philadelphia Medical School founded. i765. Stamp Act passed.— Fzrsi Colonial Con- gress, from nine States, meet at N V^ork, and publish a Declaration of RighU* 1766. Stamp Act repealed. 1767. New Taxes imposed. 1770. Boston Massacre. 1773. Tea thrown into the Harbor at B^ton. 1774. CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, at Phil- adelphia. 1775. Revolutionary War begins. —^khmish at Lexington.— Bunker Hill. 1776. Independence declared.— AmericanB de- feated on Long Island.— Battle of White Plains— Trentor.. I»777- Battle of Princeton— Bennington— B'-an- dywine— Stillwater— Germantown— Sara- toga.— Surrender of Burgoyne. 1778. Treaty of Alliance between France and ^wt. 12. Ste"amship Central America wrecked —400 lives lost. " 15. Emigrant train attacked by Indians, at Mountain Meadows, 300 miles south of Salt Lake City, and 134 emigrants mur- dered. Oct. — . Financial crisis in the United States. •• 5. Mormons attacked three government trains, and destroyed 78 wagons. " 13. Banks in the principal cities sus- pended specie payments. 185 8. April 8. Governor Cumming arrived at Salt Lake City. " 10. Thomas H. Benton died. May 22. Minnesota admitted into the Union. June 7. Troubles in Utah settled. " 10. Second attempt to lay Atlantic Cable failed. July 17. Third attempt to lay Atlantic Cable. Aug. 5. Atlantic Telegraph Cable successfully laid from the U.S. steamer Niagara and the British steamer Agamemnon. " 16. First message transmitted from Lon- don to America, and on Sept. 1 the wires ceased to work. Oct. 5. Crystal Palace, New York, b'.irned. •' 9. First overland mail from California reached St. Louis. Dec. 2. Cargo of negroes landed on Jekyll Island, coast of Georgia. 1^9. Jan. 2^^. Wm. XL Prescott died. Feb. 14. Oregon admitted into the Union. May 6. Gold discovered at Pike's Peak. " 11. Southern Convention met at Nash- ville. Aug. 1. Wyandotte Convention framed Con- stitution for Kansas. Oct. 11. United States Arsenal at Harper's Ferry seized by John Brown and 22 men. Dec. 2. John Brown hung at Charlestown, Va. " 16. Four of Brown's accomplices hung. " — . Governor Gist, of South Carolina, re- commends the secession of the South in case a Republican President should be elected. 1860. Jan. 10. Pcmberton Mill, at Lawrence, INIass., foil, killing and maiming r)25 persons. Feb. 1. Mr. Pennington, of New Jersey, elec- ted Speaker of House of Representatives, after a two months' oonteHt. 506 Mar. 21. Japanese Embassy arrived at San Francisco. They reached Washington May 14, and left New York to reiuin to Japan 29th June. July 3. Third American Arctic expedition sailed. ♦' 28. Great Eastern arrived at New York. Sept. 21. Prince of Wales visited the United States. Nov. d Abraham Lincoln elected President. Tliis event was immediately followed by preparations, on the part of several South- ern States, for withdrawing from the Union, and measures were at once taken to place the South on a war footing. " 22. Large number of banks suspended specie pa^'ments. Dec. 10. Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Trea- sury, resigned— succeeded by Philip F. Thomas. " 17. Lewis Cass, Secretary of State, re- signed—succeeded by Jeremiah S. Black. 17. South Carolina State Convention as- sembled. •• 20. Ordinance of Secession passed South Carolina Convention. " 22. Robbery of $870,000 in Indian Trust Bonds discovered at Washington. " 25. South Carolina commissioners arrived in Washington. — Major Anderson aban- doned Fort Moultrie,' and transferred his garrison to Fort Sumter. " 30. Secretary Floyd resigned. " 31. Fort Moultrie, Castle Pinckney, the government buildings in Charleston, and the revenue cutter in the bay, seized by the South Carolina authorities. 1861. Jan. 8. Mississippi seceded, ♦' 10. Florida seceded.— The Star of the West fired upon at Charleston. " 11, Alabama seceded, " 19. Georgia seceded. '* 26. Louisiana seceded. " 30. Kansas admitted into the Union. Feb. 1. Texas seceded. " 4. Peace Convention met at Washington. —Confederate Congress met at Montgo- mery, Ala. Mar. 2. Territories of Colorado, Nevada, and Dakota formed. Mar. 11. Permanent Constitution adopted by Confederate Congress. April 10. Confederate government called for 32,000 men. " 12. Fort Sumter bombarded. " 14. Fort Sumter evacuated. " 15. President Lincoln called for 75,000 men for three months. " IS. Harper's Ferry abandoned by U.S. garrison, and the armory destroyed. — Penn.sylvania troops entered the capital. " 19. Massachusetts and Pennsylvania troops fired on by the mob at Baltimore.— 3 of the soldiei-s and 9 of the mob killed. " 20. Gosport Navy Yard abandoned and destroyed by the U.S. forces.— Virginia seceded. — Bridges between Baltimore and Philadelphia burned by Secessionists. — Tennessee seceded. April 21. People of Western Virginia declared themselves for the Union. AMERICAN HISTORY. April 25. Governor Letcher, by proclam.atiou, declared Virginia united with the South. — Arms removed from St. Louis Arsenal by Illinois troops. " 26. Confederate Congress met at Mont- gomery, Ala. May 3. The President called for 60,090 soldiers for 3 years or the war, and 18,000 seamen for the navy. " 5. General Butler took possession of the Relay House, Md. " 6. Arkansas seceded. Confederate Con- gress recognized the existence of war be- tween United States and seceding States. " 10. Captain Lyon, afterwards General, seized the camp of State Militia near St. liouis, Mo. " 13. Proclamation of neutrality by British government. — Convention in WesteruVir- ginia to oppose secession. " 20. Telegraphic messages seized through- out the North. ** 21. North Carolina seceded. " 24. Union forces advanced into Virginia, and occupied Alexandria and Arlington Heights. — Colonel Ellsworth killed. June 1. Postal service in the seceded States discontinued. " 2. Bftttle at Philippi, Western Virginia. " 3. General Beauregard in command of Confederate troops at Manassas, — Senator Stephen A. Douglas died at Cliicago. " 8. Tennessee adopted ordinance of seces- sion. *' 10. Disastrous skirmish at Great Bethel, Va. Union loss, 16 killed, 60 wounded, " 11. Convention met at Wheeling to form a provisional government. " 15. Harper's Ferry evacuated by Confede- rates, the machinery carried away, and the railroad bridge destroyed. ** 17 and July 2. General Patterson's force crossed the Potomac at Williamsport. — Skirmish at Booneville, Mo., between troops of Governor Jackson and General Lyon's forces. " 19. Rebel camp at Philippi, Va., dispersed. July 5, Victory at Carthage, Mo. ♦* 9. McClellan's victory at Laurel Hill, Western Virginia. " 11. Skirmish at Monroe, JIo. — Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee Sena- tors expelled from the U.S. Senate. " 12. General McClellan captured Beverley, Va.— Colonel Pegram and 600 men sur- rendered. ** 13. Victory at Rich Mountain, Va, One hundred and fifty rebels killed and ■wounded, and 600 captured. ** 14. Victory at Carrick's Ford, Va.— Gene- ral Garnet killed. *' 15. SkirmishatBunker Hill, Va., between Patterson's advance and Confederate ca- valry. — General McDowell commenced his forward movement from Washing- ton. " 16. President Lincoln authorized to call out 500,000 volunteers. "17. Fairfax Court -House occupied by General McDowell's advance. — Skirmish at Scarry town. Western Va, *' 18. Fight at Blackburn's Ford, near Cen- •treville, Va. July 20. Confederate Congress met at Rich- mond, Va. *' 21. Battle of Bull Run, between 18,000 Union troops, under General McDowell, and 23.000 Confederates, under General Beauregard, Union loss, 481 killed, 1011 wounded, and 1216 missing. Confederate loss, killed 3.'^9, wounded 1200, missing 150. The Union troops lost twenty-five can- non, two thousand live hundred small arms, besides ammunition, and eight thou- sand knapsacks and blankets. " 22. General McClellan called to Wash- ington to take command of the Army of the Potomac. " 27. Fort Fillmore abandoned. " 30. Missouri Convention declared vacant the offices of Governor, Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, and the Assembly. Aug. 1. Slaves imprisoned at Alexandria re- leased, and employed on fortifications, by order of the Secretary of War. " 2. Battle of Dug Springs, Mo. " 5. Skirmish at Athens, Mo. — Galveston, Texas, bombarded. " 9. The village of Hampton, near Fortress Monroe, burnt by order of General Ma- gruder. " 10. Battle of Wilson's Creek, between Generals Lyon and McCulloch. Ten thousand rebels and about 6000 Union troops were engaged. General Lyon was killed. The Union loss was 1235, and that of the rebels, 1065. The Union forces afterwards fell back to Ralla. " 16. The President, by proclamation, de- clared the seceding States in a state of insurrection, and forbade all commercial intercourse with them. " 17. Fight at Charlestown, Mo. " 18. Privateer Jeff. Davis Mrecked at St. Augustine, Fla. " 20. General Wise defeated at Hawk's Nest, Va. " 26. Surprise of the 7th Ohio Volunteers, while at breakfast, at Summerville, West- ern Va. — General Butler's expedition left Fortress Monroe for Hatteras Inlet, N.C '• 27 and 29. Bombardment and surrender of Forts Hatteras and Clark, at Hatteras Inlet, N.C. Seven hundred prisoners, 31 cannon, and 1000 stand of small arms were captured.— Confederates repulsed at Lex- ington, iNIo., by Home Guards. " 29. Fort Stanton, New Mexico, abandoned by order of Colonel Canby. " 31. General Fremont issued a proclamation (which was soon after annulled) declaring the slaves of all persons in arms against the government free men. Confederates occupied Munson's Hill, in sight of Wash- . ington. Sept. 4. Kentucky invaded and Columbus oc- cupied by rebels, under General Leonidas Polk, and Bowling Green soon after occu- pied by General Buckner. " 6. Paducah, Ky., occupied by General Grant. " 11. Fight at Lewinsville, Va., between Gritfin's battery and Stuart's rebel cavalry. — Battle at Carnifex Ferry, Western Va. " 12-15, Skirmishes at Cheat Mountain.— John A. Washington killed. ' &07 CHART OF Sept. 12. Confederate camp at Petersburg, Va., routed and destroyed. " 13. Skirmish at Elk water, Western Va., between rebel General Anderson and Loomis's battery.— Fight between Missouri Home Guard arid rebcl-s under Col. Brown. " 14. Privateer Judali burnt, under the guns of Pensacola Navy Yard, by Lieutenant Russell, U.S. Navy. " 15. Affair at Darnestown, Va., between Colonel Geary's pickets and 450 rebels. " 16. Siege of Lexington, Mo., commenced, and continued until the 20th inst., when C(«l Mulligan and 3500 men surrendered, ■with 3300 small arms and sabres, 750 horses, $100,01)0 worth of commissary stores, and $90:),000 in money, which had been buried. —Legislature of Maryland prevented from meeting to pass ordinance of seces- sion, by the arrest of many of the mem- bers.— Naval expedition desti'oyed Fort Oregon, at Ocracoke Inlet, N.C. " 17. Rout of Confederates at Mariatown, Mo. — Skirmish at Blue Mills Landing. Union loss, 12 killed and 91 wounded and missing. " 20 Kentucky invaded by rebels. '* 21. Confederates at Papinsville, Mo., sur- prised and routed by General Lane. Confederate loss, 40 killed, and 100 pri- soners. " 23. Skirmish at and capture of Mechanics- burg Gap, Va., by Ohio troops. " 24. SkirmLsh between the 28th Pennsylva- nia and 500 rebels, near Point of Rocks. " 30. Colonel Geary shelled the rebel works on the Potomac opposite Berlin, Md. Oct. 3. Skirmish at Green Briar, Western Va., between Union forces, under General Reynolds, and rebels, under General Lee. *' 4. Confederate forces, 40(>0 strong, attacked the Union troops at Chicomacomico, on Ilatteras Island, but were repuised and driven off by the gunboat Monticello, with heavy loss to the Confederates. *' 8. .John C. Breckinridge, ex-Vice-Presi- dent, and a United States Senator, issued an address to the people of Kentucky, de- claring his intention to resist the Federal authority. He was afterwards made a general in the rebel arniy. ** 9. Attack upon Wilson's Zouaves on Santa Rosa Island, liy 1800 rebels from Pensacola. They were repulsed, with a loss of 350 killed, wounded, and missing. *' 12. Commodore HoUins unsuccessfully at- tacked the Union fleet at the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi, by means of lire- ships, a " turtle" ram, and 6 gunboats. " 14. Secretary Seward advised the Gover- nors of the loyal States to perfect the fortifications of the seaboard and lake boundaries. " 16. Colonel Geary, with 400 men, captured 21,000 bushels of wheat near Harper's Ferry. Returning, he was attacked by the rebels, but repulsed them, capturing one32-ponnder. " 18. Potomac River completely blockaded by rebel batteries. " 21. Battle of Ball's Bluff. Colonel Baker, with about 1900 men, crossed the Potomac, near Leesburg, but were driven back by the rebels, under General Evans, M-ith a 608 loss of 200 killed and about 700 wounded and prisonex's Colonel Baker was killed. —General Zollicoffer attacked the Union troops at Camp Wildcat, but was r' pulsed with severe loss. — Colonel Plummer, with 2.500 Union troops, attacked and routed 5000 rebels, under Genei-als Jeff. Thomp- son and Lowe. Oct. 24. General Fremont's body-guard, under Major Zagonyi, charged into Springfield with about 150 men. The rebels were completely routed. Of the guard, 15 were killed, 27 wounded, and 10 missing. " 25. General Kelley attacked and roTited the rebels at Romney,Va., capturing their guns and camp equipage. " 28. General Fremont entered Springfield. ** 29. General Sherman's expedition, con- sisting of men-of-war and transports, sailed from Hampton Roads for Port Royal, S.C. — Provisional Government for Kentucky established at Bowling Green. " 31. Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott retired from active service in the army. He entered the army as a volunteer in 1807;. appointed captain in 1808. lieute- nant-colonel in 1812, colonel in 1813, bri- gadier, and soon after major-general, in 1814, and, as a reward for his distinguished services, the rank of lieutenant-general was conferred on him in 1855. — General McClellan appointed to the chief command of the army of the United States. Nov. 2. General Fremont removed from the command of the Western Department. " 4. Part of General Sherman's expeditioa arrived off Port Royal, S.C. " 7. Forts Walker and Beauregard, at Port Royal, attacked by vessels under Commodore Du Pont, and, after a bom- bardment of three hours, surrendered, the garrison escaping to the interior. Forty- two heavy guns were captured, and also a large amount of ammunitioji. — Battle at Belmont, Mo., between Generals Grant and McClernand and the rebels, under General Cheatham. The rebel camp was destroyed, and after a long and severe contest, the Union troops retired to their transports. Union loss, 84 killed, 28 wounded, and 235 missing. Rebel loss, 261 killed, 427 wounded, and 278 missing. " 8. Town of Beaufort, S.C, occupied by Union troops. — Commodore Wilkes cap- tured the rebel commissioners. Mason and Slidell, while on board the British mail steamer Trent. " 9. General Nelson attacked the rebels near Piketon, Ky., and compelled an un- conditional surrender. Two thousand prisoners were taken. " 10. General Halleck appointed to the command of the Department of the West, in place of Generals Hunter and Fremont. — One hundred and fifty Union soldiers enticed into a private house in Guyan- dotte, Va., and there murdered or taken prisoners. The next day the village was burnt by Virginia Union volunteers, ia re aliation for the murder. " 13. General Lockwood, with 4000 troops, occupied Accomac and Northampton coun- ties, Va. AMERICAN HISTORY. Nov. 14. General Benham defeated Floyd at iM<-Coy*3 iMills. " 19. Rebel privateer Nashville burnt the ship Harvey Birch, near the British Chan- nel. " 20. " Stone fleet" sailed from New London, Conn., to blockade Charleston harbor.— Three thousand Confaderates laid down their arms and disbanded, in Accomac county, Va. — Genei'al Floyd retreated from Gauley River, losing most of his camp equipage and ten wagon loads of arms and ammunition. " 22 and 23. Forts McRae and Barrancas bombarded by Fort Pickens and the ships in the harbor. Fort McRae was silenced, and the town of Warrington destroyed. " 23. Part of General Butler's expedition sailed for New Oi'leans. " 25. Convention to form a new State met at Wheeling. Dec. 2. Engagement between four Union gun- boats and the rebel iron-clad Patrick Henry, near Newport News. " 3. Skirmish at Salem, Lent county, Mo. — 3d Pennsylvania cavalry, while on a reconnoissanee to Vienna, Va., captured, but cut their way out, with a loss of 45 killed, wounded, and missing.— Advance of General Butler's expedition landed at Ship Island. " 4. Arm> and munitions of war prohibited from cKportation from any Brirish port. " 9 Rebel batteries at Shipping Point de- stroyed. " 11-12 Destructive fire in Charleston, S.C. " 13. Genei'al Milroy defeated General John- ston at Camp Alleghany, Va., killing 31 and wounding 97. •* 17. Battle near Munfordsville, Ky. Sixty- two rebels killed. " 18. Colonel .letf C. Davis captured 1300 rebels at Milford, Mo. " 20. Fight at Dranesville, Va., between General Ord and rebel General Stuart. — Stone fleet sunk in the channels leading to Charleston. " 26. Mason and Slidell released by Secre- tary Se V ard. " 30. Banks again suspended specie pay- ments. 1863. Jan. 1. Battle on Port Royal Island, S.C— Second bombar Iment of Forts Barrancas and Warrenton, from Fort Pickens. " 2. Mason and Slidell embarked on board British steamer for Europe. " 4. General Jackson defeated the 5th Connecticut regiment, which was gnard- ing the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, near Hancock, Va , and destroyed the track. ** 5. Senator Bright, of Indiana, expelled from the United States Senate. " 8. Severe skirmish, and defeat of rebel", at Blue Gap, near Romney, Va.— Skirmish at Paintville, Ky.— Rebel camp in Ran- dolph county. Mo., destroyed. " 13. Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War. resigned. Succeeded by Edwin M. Stanton. " 17. Ex-President John Tyler died at Rich- mond. Jan. 18. Battle of Mill Spring, Ky. General ZoUicotfer killed. Rebel loss, 115 killed ; 10 cannon, lOo wagons, and 1200 horses captured. " 28. Fort Pulaski cut off from Savannah, by expedition under Captains Davis and Rodgers, of the navy. Feb. 6 Fort tleury, on the Tennessee River, captured by Commodore Foote's naval expedition. " 8. Roanoke Island, N.C, captured by General Burnside. " 9. Naval engagement near Elizabeth City, N.C. Four rebel vessels destroyed. " 13. General Curtis surprised the rebels at Springfield, Ark. — Skirinish at Blooming Gap, Western Va. " 15. Rebels evacuated Bowling Green, Ky. " 16. Fort Donelson surrendered to General Grant, the garrison consisting of 14,000. " 17. Nasliville abandoned by rebels. " 19. Clarksville, Tenn., surrendered to Commodore Foote. " 21. Battle at Valverde, New Mexicc. " 22. Jefferson Davis inaugurated President of the Southern Confederacy for six years. " 25. Military possession taken of all tele- graphs in the North. " 2S. Skirmish at Keittsville. Mo. Four guns captured from the rebels. Mar. 2. General Lander died. " 3 Columbus, Ky., evacuated. " 6. President I.,incoln sent to Congress a message, proposing a seheme for emanci- pation with compensation. " 6, 7, and 8. Battle of Pea Ridge. Ark., between Union forces, under Generals Curt's and Sigel, and the rebels, lander McCuHoch, Price, and Van Dorn. Union loss 212 kil'ed, 925 wounded, 174 missing. Rebel loss, 4000, including prisoners. " 8. Destruction of the frigates Cumberland and Congress, by the rebel steamer Mer- rimao, in Hampton Roads. " 9. Great naval battle between the rebel iron-plated steamer Merrimac and the Monitor. " 10. Centreville, Va., occupied by Union troops. " 11. General McClellan, on taking the field, was relieved from the chief command of the army, — Manassas evacuated by rebels, and occupied by General 31cClel- lan's advance. " 12. Winchester, Va,, reoccupied byUnioa forces. " 14. New Madrid, Mississippi, evacuated by the rebels, leaving all their guns and ammunition.— Fort Marion. Fla., repos- sessed.— Battle at Newbern, N.C. Forty- six siege guns, 18 field pieces, .3000 small arms, and 300 prisoners captured. •* 16. Island No. 10 invested by gnnboats under Commodore Foote. — Pound Gap, Tenn., captured by General Garfield. " 18- Skirmish at Salem, Mo. One hundred rebels killed and wounded. Union loss, " 23. Battle of Winchester, Va., between the troops of General Shields and the rebels, under Stonewall Jackson. Union loss, 132 killed, 540 wounded. Rebel loss, 500 killed and about 1000 wounded. 609 CHART OF Blar. 25 —Acqnia Creek evacuated by rebels.— Rob«l >5uiiboac sunk near New Madrid. " 28. Battle at Apache Cafion, New Mexico. Rebel loss, 150 killed, 200 wounded.— Skir- mish near TuUahoma, Tenn. " Skirmish at Middlebnrgh, Va. April 1. Skirmish near Watt's Creek, near Newport News. Va. — One hundred men of tiie 43J Illinois surprised a rebel battery at Island No. 10, and spiked the guns. " 5. Yorktown, Va., invested by General McClellan. " 6. Gunboat Pittsburg safely passed the rebel batteries at Island No. 10. — First day's battle at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn. General Albert S. Johnston killed. " 7. Second day of battle of Pittsburg I-anding, between 60,000 rebels, under Johnston, Beauregard and Polk, and 70,000 Union troops, under Generals Grant, Bnell, Nelson, and Prentiss. Union loss, 1735 killed, 7882 wounded, and 395G miss- ing. The rebels left 2700 dead on the field.— Island No. 10 abandoned by the rebels. One hundred and twenty-three pieces of artillery and large quantities of ammunition captured.— General Pope sent a portion of his force across the Missis- sippi, and captured 6700 rebels, with 30 field-pieces and 7000 small arms. " 10. Huntfiville, Ala., surprised by General Mitchel. Fifteen locomotives' and 200 prisoners captured, " II. Fort Pulaski. Ga., surrendered, after a bombardment of 30 hours.— Second raid of the rebel steamer Merrimac, in Hamp- ton Roads. " 12. Expedition from Iluntsville to Stevens Station captured 5 locomotives and 2000 prisoners.— Dec 'tar. Ala., occupied by General Mitchel.— Bridges on the JNlobile & Oliio Railroad destroyed by United States troops. " 16. Bnttle at Lee's Mills, near Yorktown, Va.— President signed the bill abolishing slaverv in the District of Columbia. " 17. Skirmish at Edisto Isl.and, S.C. " 18. Bambardnient of Forts St. Philip and Jackson, below New Orleans, commenced. — General McDowell's advance reached the Rappahannock, opposite Fredericks- burg. 19. Skirmish near Newmarket, Ya.— The ex- pedition underGeneral Reno, sent to South Mills, N.C., succeeded in destroying the locks of the Dismal Swamp Canal. " 23. A portion of Commodore Farragnt's fleet succeeded in passing the forts below- New Orleans, and attacked and destroyed the rebel fleet of iron-clad gunboats and rams, 11 of which were sunk. " 25. New Orleans surrendered to Commo- dore Farragut.— Forts on Lake Pontchar- train abandoned bv the rebels, " 26. Fort Macon, N.C., surrendered after a bombardment of 11 hours. Fifty heavy guns, 20.000 lbs. of powder, and 400 small arms captured. " 27. Fort Livingston, below New Orleans, surrendered. " 28. Forts Jackson and St. Philip surren- dered to Captain D. I). Porter. " 30. Expedition to Bridgeport, Ala., under 510 General Mitchel, dispersed 6,800 rebels, tinder General Kirby Smith. May 4. Yorktown evacuated, the rebels aban- doning 70 guns and a large amount of army stores. " 5. Battle of Williamsburg, Va. Union loss, 300 killed and 700 wounded. Rebel loss, 400 killed, 800 wounded, and 1400 prisoners. " 7. Battle at AVest Point, Va. " 8. Sewall's Point shelled by Union gun- boats. " 9. Fight near Farmington, Tenn.— Gene- ral Hunter issued a proclamation declaring freedom to all slaves in the military de- partment of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. " 10. Fight at McDowell, Western Va. Union loss, 2.30 killed and wounded. Re- bel loss, 240 killed and wounded. — Naval battle at Fort Wright, on the Mississippi. —General Wool landed 5,000 men at Wil- Joughby's Point, and marched on Norfolk, which 'surrendered.— Gosport Navy- Yard burned by the retreating rebels. " 11. Rebel iron-clad Merrimac blown up by the rebels.— Robert Small, a slave, and a negro crew, ran away with the rebel steamer Planter, from Charleston, and surrendered her to the blockading fleet. " 12. Ports of New Orleans, Beaufort, N.C, and Port Royal, S.C, opened to trade by proclamation of the President, " 13. Natchez, Miss., surrendered to the Union fleet. '• 16. Skirmish near Front Royal, Va., be- tween 17 men of Colonel Geary's regiment and 300 rebel guerrillas. " 17. Union iron-clads repulsed at Fort Dar- ling, on Drury's Bluff, near Richmond. — Sutfolk. Virginia, occupied byUnion troops. Tinder Colonel Dodge. " 19. Severe skirmish at- Lacey, Ark,, 1.50 rebels killed. Union loss, 15 killed, 31 wounded. — Proclamation of Hunter free- ing slaves annulled b}' the President. " 20. General Naglee's division crossed the Chickahominy. " 21. Skirmishing along the whole line of works at Corinth, daily, until its evacua- tion. " 23. Skirmish near New Bridge, Va. Four cannon, 200 small arms, and 100 prisoners captured. — Colonel Kenly, with 900 men, attacked by Jackson with 20,000 men, at Front Royal. " 24. General Banks retreated from Stras- burg towards Winchester, pursued by Generals Ewell and Stonewall Jackson.— Mechanicsville, near Richmond, captured. —Fight at Ellison's Mills. " 25. General Banks made a stand at Win- chester, and, after a severe fight, continued his retreat to Martinsburg.— Fight at El- lison's Mills, Va., renewed.—Skirmish at Mechanicsville, near Richmond, " 26. Battle at Corinth, jNIiss.— General Banks crossed the Potomac, having re- treated 53 miles in two days, losing only 50 out of 500 wagons. " 27. Battle at Hanover Court House, Va. Union loss, 53 killed, and 326 wounded and prisoners. Rebel los.'?, 100 Hilled, and AMERICAN HISTORY. 900 wounded and prisoners.— Battle at Corinth, and defeat of tiie rebels. May 29. Rebels, under General Beauregard, abandoned Corinth, the retreat having been commenced two Aveeks previously. They succeeded in taking away every gun, and all the ammunition and stores. " 30. Corinth occupied by Union arn)y, un- der General Halleck. --Front Royal re- captured by Colonel Nelson. " 31. First day of the battle of Fair Oaks. June 1. General Fremont recaptured Stras- burg, driving out the rebels, under Jack- son, —Second day of the battle of Fair Oaks. Union loss in the two davs: killed, 890 ; wounded, 3627 ; missing, 1222. Rebel loss, .5897. ** 2. General Hooker advanced to within four miles of Richmond. — General Banks recrossed the Potomac, and advanced to Bunker Hill. " 3. Bombardment of Fort Wright com- menced. *' 4. Cavalry engagement near IMumfrees- boro, Ala. Six Union cavalry killed, and 64 captured. " 5. Evacuation of Forts Wright and Pillow, on the Mississippi. ** 6. Memphis surrendered to the Union gun- boats, after a severe naval battle, in which seven of the rebel fleet were desti'oyed, one only escaping.,— Battle at Tainter's creek, near Washington, N.C. " 7. Fight at Harrisonburg. Va., in which the rebel General Ashby was killed.— General Neglev cannonaded the rebels at Chattanooga. ~Wm. B. Mumford hung at New Orleans for tearing down the Ameri- can flag. •' 8. Engagement before Richmond, Va.— Battle of Cross Keys, Va., between Gene- ral Fremont's forces, and rebels, under Jackson. Rebel loss, 500 killed, wounded unknown. Union loss, 125 killed, 500 wounded. " 9. Battle at Port Republic, Va., between General Shields and Stonewall Jackson. Union loss, 124 killed, 292 wounded, and 514 prisoners.— Engagement at Grand Gulf, Miss. "11. Artillery skirmish at Gaines' Mills, Vi.. ** 12. Reconnoiss.anoe in force to Meadow Bridge, on the Chickahominy. " 13. General Stuart's cavalry raid to Tun- stall's Station and the White House, on the Peninsula. " 15. Fort at St. Mark's, Fla., captured. " 16. Battle at Secessionville, on James Island, S.C. Union loss, 700 killed, wounded, and missing. " 17. An expedition ascended White River to St. Charles, Ark. During the engage- ' ment a rebel shot entered the boiler of the gunboat Mound City, killing and scald- ing 154 persons. Rebel loss, 230 killed and prisoners. *• 18. Union troops occupied Cumberland Gap, Tenn, — Grand Gulf, Miss., shelled by Union gunboats. — Six Union soldiers hung at Atlanta, Ga.— Rebel camp at Manchac, La., dispersed. *' 20. Holly Spring.s, Miss., occupied by Union ti'oops. — Mississippi Central Rail- road destroyed. — Skirmishing (ommenced in front of Richmond, continuing until the 26th. June 21. Rebel camp at Simon's Bluff destroyed by gunboat Crusader. " 25. Battle at White Oak Swamp, Va. Union loss, 200 killed and wounded. " 26. Bombardment of Vicksburg com- menced. — Expedition up the Yazoo River. Two rebel gunboats destroyed.— it having become evident to General McClellan that the rebel army in Richmond had been so largely reinforced that he could no longer hope to maintain his extended line of operations, he determined to change his base from the Pamunkey to the James River. The retreat occupied seven days, on each of which a severe battle was fought, commencing at INlechanicsville on- the morning of this day. The total loss during the retreat was 15,224 killed, wounded, and missing, and the total loss in the campaign on the Peninsula, from sickness, resignations, wounds, and death, is estimated at 36,0ii0. " 27. General Pope takes command of the Army of Virginia. — General Fremont, de- clining to serve in an inferior position, was relieved of his command. — Battle at Gaines' Mills, and at Coal Harbor, Va. — White House evacuated. " 28. Commodore Farragut's fleet passed the batteries at Vicksburg. — Fight at Garnett's Farm, Va. — McClellan's entire army crossed the Chickahominy. " 29. Battles at Peach Orchard and Savage Station. " 30. Skirmish at Luray, Va.— Battles of White Oak Swamp, White Oak Creek, Charles City Cross Roads, and New Mar- ket Cross Roads, Va. July I. Governors of the loyal States requested the President to call out 300,000 men. —Battle of Malvern Hills, Va.— Battle at Boone ville. Miss. Union loss, 41 killed and wounded. Rebel loss, 65 killed, wounded unknown. " 2. The Army of the Potomac reached Harrison's Landing, on the James River. — Canal at Vicksburg, designed to change the course of the Mississippi, commenced. " 3. Bombardment of Vicksburg by com- bined fleets of Commodore Farragut and Captain Davis. ♦' 5. Skirmish at Harrison's Landing. " 6. Fight near Memphis, Tenn. " 7. Genei-al Burnside, with a portion of his command, reached James River. — Fight near Holly Springs. Miss.— Battle at Round Hill, Ark. Rebel loss. 94 killed, wounded, and prisoners. Union loss, 8 killed and wounded. " 9. Engagements on Roanoke River, and at Hamilton, N.C— Fight at Tompkins- ville, Ky. " 10. Memphis, Mo., captured by rebel guer- rillas. — The President, at the request of the loval Governors, issued a call for 300,000'volunteers. " 11. General Halleck appointed comman- der-in-chief of the U.S. Army. •* 12. Skirmish at Culpepper, Va. 511 CHART OF July 13. Capture of Murfieesborough.Tenn., by rohel (jieueral Forrest. Uniou loss, 33 killed, 62 wounded, and 800 prisoners. Rel)el loss. 50 killed, and 100 wounded.— Kebel t-avairy attacked Orange Court- lloiise, and tore up tlic railroad-track, and burnt the bridge over the Kapidan. " 15. Fight at Favetteville, Ark.; 1600 rebels routed. — Rebel ram Arkansas es- caped frotn the Yazoo River to Vicksburg. " 18. Mr. J^indsay, in British Parliament, introduced a resolution for the recogni- tion of tlie Southern Confederacy, and for mediation. " '21. A general exchange of prisoners of war agreed upon. " 22. Rebels captured Florence, Ala., and burnt a steamboat, a warehouse, and much government property. " 24. Martin Van Buren, ex-President, died. " 25 Siege of Vicksburg discontinued. " 27- Steamer Golden Gate burnt, near Man- zanilla: 180 lives lost, and $1,400,000 in treasure.— Skirmish near Patten, Mo., be- tween ^Missouri Militia and guerrillas. — Fight near Moore's Mills, Va. Rebel.* routed, with a loBS of 52 killed and 100 wounded. " 29. Guerrillas dispersed at Mount Ster- ling, Ky., with a loss of 8 killed, and 100 prisoners. " ;jO. Skirmish near Brownsville, Mo. " 31. Rebels shelled the camp and shipping at Harrison's Landing, Va., killing 5, and ■wounding 2 men. A.ug. 1. Expedition crossed James River and drove away the rebel batteries engaged in shelling Harrison's Landing.— Fight at Newark, Mo. Eight hundred guerrillas captured. " 2. Guerrilla fight at Ozark, Mo.— Gene- ral Burnside's army left Newport News to Join General Pope. — Reoonnoissance to Cox's Mill routed the 13th Virginia ca- valry, and burnt their encampment. " 4. The President ordered a draft for 300.000 men.— General Butler, at New Orleans, ordered an assessment on ail persons who contributed to the raillion- and-a-qiiarter rebel loan,of one-fourth of such contribution, to support the poor of that city. *' 5. General Hooker defeated the rebels at -Malvern Hills, capturing 4 guns and 128 prisoners.— Attack upon Baton Rouge, J.a., by General Breckinridge.— Fight at Tazewell Gap, Tenn. Rebel loss, 225 killed and wounded. Union loss, 318 killed and wounded, and 50 prisoners. " 6. General Robert L. McCook murdered by guerrillas near Salem, Ala.— Com- modore Porter, with the Essex, destroyed tho rebel ram Arkansas, near Baton Rouge. " 7. Fight at Kirkville, Ark. One hundred and twenty-eight rebels killed. Sixteen of the prisoners captured were hung for violating Mieir parole.— Rebel cavalry sur- ^^ prised .It Faulkner, 'J'enn. " 8. Order issued prohibiting persons liable to military duty from leaving the coun- 612 Aug. 9. Battle at Tazewell, Tenn. Rebel loss, 250 killed and wounded, and 213 wagons and 70 horses captured. — Battle of Cedar Mountain, Va. Union loss, 1250 killed and wounded, and 250 prisoners. — Fight at Sparta. Tenn. Thirty rebels killed. " 11. Fight at Kinderhook, Ky.— BayoU Sara occupied by Union troops. — Indepen- dence, Mo., surrendered to the rebels. Union loss, 20 killed, 230 prisoners, and a large amount of stores. " 12. Rebel General Morgan captured Gal- latin, Tenn., and 300 men and 60 horses. — Clarksville, Tenn., surrendered. *• 13. Collision on the Potomac between steamers General Peabody and West Point. Seventy-nine lives lost. " 16. General McClelian's army moved from Harrison's Landing, through Williams- burg and Yorktown, to Fortress Monroe, and thence to Alexandria, where it was united to that of Pope and Burnside. — Fight near Warfield, Ky., between 70 Ken- tucky Home Guards and 208 rebels. " 17. Governor Magoffin, of Kentucky, re- signed. " 18. General Pope retreated from Cedar ftlountain towards the Rappahannock. " 19. Skirmish at White Oak Ridge, Mo. " 20. General Blunt drove the rebels across the Osage River, they abandoning their baggage and equipments.— Skirmish near Brandy Station. Va.— Cajtain Atkinson with 20 men repulsed 1000 guerrillas at Edgefield Junction, Tenn. " 21. Captain Goodwin and one company of 34th Indiana regiment surrendered to 500 rebel cavalry, after killing 25 of their as- sailants. " 22. Gen. Stuart's and Lee's cavalrv at- tacked Catletfs Station, Va., capturing Gen. Pope's baggage and official papers, and destroying a large amount of stores. — Fight at Edgefield Station,Va. Rebel loss, 7 killed, and 20 wounded.— Gen. Johnston defeated near Gallatin, Tenn., with a loss of 59 killed and wounded, and 300 prisou- ers. " 23. General Pope retreated from Rappa- hannock Station, Va., destroying the rail- road-bridge, depot, and station-houses.— Severe fight near Richmond, Ky. Unioa loss, 10 killed, and 40 prisoners. " 24. Skirmish at Red Bend, Ky.— Rebels defeated at Cape Girardeau, Mo,, with a loss of 30 killed, 50 wounded, and 16 pri- soners. — Rebel camp at Monroe, La., cap- tured. " 25. Cavalry fight at Waterford.Va.— Bat- tle near Bloomfield, Mo. Rebel loss, 20 killed, 60 wounded, and many prisoners, 60 horses, and 70 small arms.— -Guerril- las surprised near Danville, Ky.— Rebels repulsed at Fort Douelson, Tenn. Loss. 30 killed. " 26. Rebels appeared at Bristow and Ma- nassas Stations, and captured seven trains and ten locomotives, with immense quan- tities of military stores, and on the same evening surprised and captured three com panies of infantry at Manassas Junction. —Fight near Chattanooga, Tenn. " 27. Battle near Kettle Run, Va. 300 re- AMERICAN HISTORY. bels killed and wounded, and 700 captured. Union loss, 50 killed, and 200 wounded.— Skirmish at Bull Ran. Aug.28. Fight near Woodbury,Tenn. Rebel loss, 8 killed, .SO wounded, and 15 prisoners. — Fredericksburg, Va., evacuated by General Burnside, and the bridges blown up. " 29. Second battle of Ball Run, Va., lasting from daylight of the 29th until night on the 30th when General Pope ordered the whole force to fall back upon Centreville. X'nioa loss, 4000 killed and wounded. Rebel loss estimated at 5000 killed and wounded.— Skirmish at Richmond, Ky. *' 30. Fight at Bolivar. Tenn. Union loss, 25 killed and wounded.— Battle at Rich- mond, Ky., between 9000 men under Ge- neral Manson, against 15,000 under Gene- ral Kirby Smith. Union loss, 250 killed, and 600 wounded. — Buckhannon and Wes- ton, Western Virginia, captured by rebels under Jenkins and Imboden. " 31. Union troops surprised at Morganfield, Ky. Sept. 1. Battle at Chantilly, Va.,— Generals Kearny and Stevens killed. Loss, 1000 killed and wounded. — Fight at iMedon. Tenn. Rebel loss, 110 killed, and .300 wounded and abandoned. — Rebel cavalry routed at Pittman's Ferry, Mo., and their camp captured. *' 2. Engagement at Plymouth, N.C., be- tween 300 Union troops, under Sergeant Green, with 1400 rebels. After one hour's fightins, the rebels were repulsed with a loss of 30 killed, and 41 prisoners. — Gene- ral McClellan in command of all the troops for the defence of Washington and of the Armies of Virginia and of the Po- tomac, when they reached Arlington Heights.— Defeat of the rebels at Britton's ' Lane, Tenn Rebel loss. 110 killed, and 250 vyounded.— Martial law declared in Cincinnati. Frankfort, Ky., occupied by General Kirby Smith.— W'inchester, Va., evacuated by Union troops, and Fort Sigel blown up.— United States Army train of 100 wagons captured near Fairfax Court- House, Va. " 3. Skirmish at Geyer Lake, Ky.— General Pope's army fell back from Centreville to Arlington Heights and Munson's Hill. —Pope superseded by General McClellan. '* 4—6. The rebel army, under Lee, Long- street, Hill, and Jackson, crossed the Po- tomac, near Leesburg. " 6. Colonel Lowe recaptured Clarksville, Tenn., driving out 450 guerrillas.— Union troops at Washington, N.C, attacked by 1400 rebels, who were repulsed. Rebel loss, 30 killed and wounded, and 36 pri- soners. ** 7. Frederick, the capital of Maryland, oc- cupied by General Lee.— Rebels repulsed at Martinsburg.Va., and 50 prisoners cap- tured.— Bloomfield, Mo., shelled by the rebels. ** 8. General Lee issued a proclamation to the people of .Maryland.— Fight atGauley, Va. — Skirmish atPoolesville, Md. ** 9. Williamsburg, Va., captured by the rebels. Colonel Campbell and 9 men were killed. Sept. 10. Battle at Fayette, West Va., between 4000 rebels, under General Loring, and 1200 Union troops, under Colonel Siber. Union loss, 100 killed and wounded.- Gauley, Va., evacuated, and $.500,000 worth of army stores destroyed. " 11. Hagerstown, Md., occupied by General Lee. — Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, called out 50,000 State militia, to repel threatened invasion by the rebel army in Maryland. — General Burnside's divi- sion of McClellan's army entered Fre- derick, the rebels withdrawing. " 12. General Kirby Smith fell back from the line of the Ohio River, and ceased to threaten Cincinnati. — Attack on Harper's Ferry commenced. — Rebels driven from Sugar Loaf Mountain, Md.— Jackson re- crossed the Potomac, for the purpose of attacking Harper's Ferry. " 13. Cavalry skirmish at Middletown, Md. — Rebels advanced near the Pennsylvania line.— Colonel Miles abandoned Maryland Heights, and retreated to Harper's Ferry, having spiked the guns and thrown them down the Heights. " 14. Battle at Munfoi-dsville, Ky. Rebels repulsed, with a loss of .500 killed and wounded, and two guns. — Battle of South Mountain, Md., between 40,000 rebels and the army under General McClellan. Ge- neral Reno was killed. Union loss, 443 killed, 1806 wounded, and 76 missing. Rebel loss. 500 killed, 2000 wounded, and 1500 prisoners. General Garland, of N. C, killed. — Prentiss, Miss., burned by United States g'lnboats. ** 15. Harper's Ferry surrendered to the rebels under Jackson and Hill. 11,583 men, 73 pieces of artillery, 11,000 stand of arms, 1800 liovses, with immense quantities of military stores, fell into their hands. — 2000 cavalry, who had escaped from Har- per's Ferry, captured Longstreet's ammu- nition-train. •' 16. Fight at Pleasant Valley, Md. " 17. Battle of Antietam, Md., between the whole army of the rebels, 97,000 strong, and that ofGeneral McClellan. The bat- tle commenced ax daylight, and continued for fourteen hours. During the night and the next day the rebels retreated across the Potomac, abandoning their dead and wounded. Rebel loss at South Mountain and Antietam, killed 4000. wounded 18.742, prisoners 500!). Union loss, 2453 killed, 12.222 wounded, and 76 missing. The re- bels lost 13 guns, with caissons.2Meld-forges, and 39 stand of colors : 14,000 small arms were picked up on the battle-field. Ge- neral Mansfield, of the Union army, was killed, and, on the rebel side. Generals Starke, Anderson, Whiting, Branch, and Colquit were killed. — Munfordsville, Ky., surrendered to the rebels, with a garrison of 4000 men.— Cumberland Gap evacuated by General Morgan " 18 Harper's Ferry and Maryland evacu- ated by the rebels. " 19. Battle at luka, iVIi s. General Rose- crans, with 12,060 men, defeated General Price, with 17,000. Union loss, 120 killed 5L^ CHART OF and 200 wounded. Rebel loss, 261 killed. — Fight at Boonshoro, Ky. Sept. 20. Rebels routed at Boonshoro, Ky., with a lo-^s of 3S killed and 25 wounded.— Fight at Carthage, .Mo.— Fight at Shepherds- town, Va. Philadelphia Corn Exchange Regiment lost 45 killed, 121 wounded, and 112 missing. " 21. General McCook drove 8000 rebels out of iMunfordsville. Ky.— Kentucky Home Guards surrendered to the rebels at New- castle. •* 22. President Lincoln issued a proclama- tion, declaring that the slaves of all per- sons in States in rebellion against the United States on the 1st of January, 1863, should be forever free. — Rebels advanced on Louis,ville.— General Nelson ordered all women and children to leave Louis- ville, in anticipation of an attack. " 2.3. General Bragg demanded the surrender of Louisville. ** 21. The Governors' Convention met at Altoona, Penna. " 25. General Biiell's advance reached Louis- ville. Ky. — Town of Randolph, Miss., de- stroyed by United States gunboats. " 27. Relief cavalry burned Augusta, Ky. — Bnell's army entered Louisville, and General Bragg retired two days afterward. Union killed, 15. Rebel loss, 75 killed and wounded. *' 28. Rebel General Anderson demanded the surrender of Nashville, Tenn,, which was refused by General Negley.— General Foster, with 12,000 troops, leftNewbern on a secret expedition to Goldsborough, '• 29. General Nelson shot at Louisville, Ky,, by General Jefferson C, Davis, " 30. Rebels routed at Russellville, Ky, 50 killed, and 15 taken prisoners, — Fight at Newtonia, Mo. Union loss, 140 killed, wounded, and prisoners, ,)ct, I. Western gunboat fleet transferred from the War to the Navy Department,— Sabine Pass, Texas, captured, with the fort. 2 camps, 30 buildings, and 10 rebel vessels were burned, " 2, Skirmishing near Louisville, Ky, " 3. The rebels attacked at Franklin, on the Blackwater River, Ya, Rebel loss, 200 killed and wounded,— Fight at Black- water, near Suttolk, Va.— General Rose- crans attacked at Corinth, Miss,, bv 40,tK)0 rebels, under Price, Van Dorn, and Lovell, " 4. Second day of the battle of Corinth, which lasted from early in the morning of Oct. 3 until evening of the 4th, and ended in the tdtal rout of the rebels, they ]e;\ving 1423 dead on the field, besides 2()28 prisoners, and 3300 small arms cap- tured.— Fort at St. John's Bluff, Fla., cap- tured. " 5. Battle at Ilatchie, Miss.— Jacksonville, Fla.. captured.— Galveston, Texas, sur- rendered. " 7. Battle at Lavergne, Tenn,— Lexington, Ky.. evacuated by the rebels,- Skirmish on the Rappahannock, " 8. Battle of Perryville, Ky. Union loss. 23fX( killed and wounded; rebel loss, as re- ported bv General Bragg, 2500, 514 Oct. 9. General Bragg continued his retreat from Perryville. — Galveston. Texas, occu pied by Commodore Renshaw, " 10. General Stuart, with 1800 rebel cavalry and 2 field-pieces, having crossed the Po- tomac on the 9th, captured Chambersburg, Penna., and seized a large amount of army clothing and burned the railroad-depot. Thev retreated on the 11th. " 11. Fight at Danville, Ky, 500 rebels cap- tured. " 12, Stuart's cavalry recrossed the Potomac near Monocacy Creek, having made a complete circuit of the army in Mary- land. " 14. Lexington, Ky., occupied by Union troops. — General Bragg retreated from Camp Dick Robinson. " 15. Expedition up Appalachicola River, Fla.— Union troops advanced to Paris, Ky. " 16. Fight near Charlestow n, Va. " 17. Rebel raid into Shawneetown, Kansas. " 18. Ten rebels shot at Palmyra, Mo., by order of General McNeil, of the Missouri State Militia. " 19, Skirmish at Catlett's Station, Va. " 20. Thoroughfare Gap occupied by General Schurz.— General MeClellan's advance crossed the Potomac at Berlin. " 21. Skirmish at Lovettsville, Va.— Expe- dition sent out to destroy the Charleston & Savannah Railroad, " 22. Rebels evacuated Martinsburg, Va. — Battle at Pea Ridge, Ark. " 23, Fight at Waverly, Tenn,, and defeat of the rebels. Rebel "loss, 25 killed, and 26 prisoners. " 24. Fight at INIorgantown, Ky.— Donald- sonville. La., captured. " 25. Skirmish on the Blackwater River, Va. " 27, Skirmish at Snicker's Gap, Va. " 28, Fight at Cross Hollows, Ark, *' 30. Napoleon proposed to England and Russia a plan for mediation in American affairs. — General O. M. Mitchel died at Beaufort, S.C. — General Buell removed, and General Rosecrans appointed to his command, " 31, Railroad-train captured by rebels near Manassas.— Bombardment of Tampa Bay, Fla. Nov. 1. Skirmishing at Aldie and Philomont, Va. " 2. Fight at Snicker's Gap, Va. " 3, General Sickles occupied Warrenton, Va. — Skirmish at Thoroughfare Gap, Va. — Manassas evacuated, and occupied by Union troops. '* 4. Hay market, Va,, burned. " 5. General Foster occupied Hamilton, N.C. — Rebels attacked Nashville, and were re- pulsed — The first telegraphic message sent from New York to San Francisco, and an- swer received the same day. *• 7. Rappahannock Station and Warrenton occupied by the Union advance. " 8.. 300 Minnesota Indians ordered to be hung.— General McClellan, at Warrenton, received the order removing him and as- signing the command to General Burn- side. " 9. Capt. Dalgrehn's cavalry made a dash AMERICAN HISTOEY. into Fredericksburg, Va.— St. Mary's, Fla., bombarded. Nov. 10. Fight at Amosviile, Va.— Skirmish at Lebanon, Tenn. " 11. West Liberty, Ky., burned by the re- bels. " 12. Fight near Newbern, N.C. " 13. Skirmish at Blackwater, Va. — Holly Springs, JNliss., occupied by the Union array. " 14. Skirmish at Jefferson, Va. " 15. The Army of the Potomac commenced the advance upon Fredericksburg. — Skir- mish at Falmouth. — The Russian Govern- ment declined taking part in Napoleon's plan for intervention. *' 16. General Bayard occupied Falmouth. — Severe skirmish near Nashville, Tenn. "17. General Burnside's army arrived at Falmouth. " 18. Skirmish at Chattanooga. — Warrenton evacuated. " 19. Fight at Blackwater and Suffolk, Va. " 20. Rebel provision-train captured near Clarksville, Tenn.— Skirmish at Bull Run bridge, Va. " 21. General Sumner demanded the sur- render of Fredericksburg. " 22. All political prisoners confined in the forts of the United States were released. " 27 Rebel attack upon Newbern, N.C. " 28. Battle at Cave Mill, Ark. " 29. Fight at Snicker's Ferry, Va. Dec. 1. Grenada, Miss., occupied by Union forces under General llovey. " 2. Abbeville, Miss., evacuated by the re- bels. " 4. Winchester, Va., surrendered, and occu- pied by General Geary. " 6. Ilartsville, Tenn., surrendered to the guerrilla General Morgan. Union loss, 60 killed and wounded. — Battle near Fa- yettftville Ark. Union loss, 600 killed and wounded. Rebel loss, 900.— Pirate Alabama captured the California steamer Ariel. " 9. Concordia, Miss., bombarded by the Union gunboats. ** 10. Engagement ai Port Royal, on the Rappahannock. *' 11. Fight at Blackwater, Va.— General Burnside commenced laying his pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock. The rebels resisting, he shelled the city from 146 pieces of artillery, and, under cover of their fire, the troops succeeded in cross- ing, and occupied Fredericksburg, the enemy retiring to his fortifications on the heights west of the city.— Gunbo^-t' Cairo .ill sunk, by the explosion of a torpedo, in the Yazoo River. Dec. 13. Battle at Tuscumbia, Ala.— Battle of Fredericksburg, and repulse of the Union army. Generals Taylor, Bayard, and Jackson killed. Union loss, killed, 1152, wounded, 7000, prisoners, 700. Rebel loss, reported by Gen. Lee at 1800. " 14. Artillery fighting at Fredericksburg. —Battle of Kingston, N.C. " 15. General Banks's expedition arrived at New Orleans. General Banks superseded General Butler in command.— Rebel raid into Poolesville, Md. " 16. Battle of Whitehall, N.C— The Army of the Potomac recrossed the Rappahan- nock, and occupied the same position a» before the crossing. " 17. Baton Rouge, La.,reoccupied by Uni- ted States troops. — Battle at Goldsborough, N.C, and destruction of the railroad bridge and track by General Foster. " 18. Skirmish at Lexington, Tenn. " 19. Holly Springs, Miss., surrendered to the rebels. 1800 men and 150 officers were paroled. Clothing, arms, ammunition, medical stores, and cotton, valued at more than $2,000,000. were destroyed. " 20. Fight near Grand Junction. Miss. " 22. In consequence of a Congressional de- mand on the President for a chang^e in his Cabinet, Secretaries Sewai-d and Chase tendered their resignations, which were not accepted, but finally withdrawn. " 23. Jefferson Davis issued a proclamation announcing that General Butler and any of his officers captured should be hung and ordering the exchange of Union offi- cers to cease.— 4000 rebels attacked a part of General Sigel's command at Dumfries, Va. " 26. Thirty-eight of the 300 condemned Minnesota Indians hung, and the remain- der pardoned. — General Rosecrans moved from Nashville towards Murfreesborough. — Attack upon Vicksburg, Miss., by Gene- ral Sherman. " 27, Van Buren, Ark., captured by Gene- rals IIerrU-^ i 515 •'s*?: -^i^v % // o. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 526 970 7