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SKETCH OF THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON, 
 
 UNITED STATES' ARMY. 
 
 BALTIMORE: 
 PUBLISHED BY N. HICKMAN 
 
 Lucas & Deaver, Printers. 
 
 1842. 
 
 .'^ 
 
y^ 
 
 SKETCH OF THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON, 
 
 UNITED STATES' ARMY. 
 
 "* BALTIMORE: 
 PUBMSHKD BY N. HICKMAN, 
 
 Lucas & Deaver, Printers. 
 
 1842. 
 
.1 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 In presenting to the public a sketch of the life of one, so in- 
 timately connected with our country's honor, we can indulge 
 but a faint hope, that, in these few pages, justice has been done 
 to the subject of this biography. 
 
 Raised beneath the roof of a Maryland Farmer, he has 
 throughout life given evidences of those kind sensibilities, which 
 adorn a military commander. As a brave and skillful officer, 
 and polite gentleman, the American array has few equals and 
 no superior. A perusal of the following pages cannot fail to 
 produce a conviction that " Towson's Light House^'' decided the 
 fate of many a hard fought battle ; and though fortune has, for 
 a while deprived him of his just reward, yet time will do him 
 justice ; and the name of Toivson will go down to posterity, as 
 one of the unpretending great men of our country. 
 
 Publisher. 
 
( 
 
SKETCH OF THt: LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON, 
 
 From the Portico of 1817. 
 
 There cannot be foimd in the American army, a more interesting 
 subject for a biographical memoir, than the one which now engages 
 our attention. Tlie early life and pro.spects of Lieut. Colonel Tow- 
 son, were such as to afford but a very faint indication of the splendor 
 of his subsequent career; a splendor which, considering the splieie 
 of action, has seldom been equalled, and perhaps never eclipsed. 
 The parents of Col. Towson were both natives of Baltimore county 
 in the State of Maryland, where they lived and died, respected and 
 esteemed by their neiglibors. The subject of this memoir was the 
 youngest of twelve children ; and was born on the 22d of January, 
 1784, at a little village called Toiosonton, about seven miles from the 
 city of Baltimore. He received the rudiments of education, at a little 
 school in the country; and continued with his parents, engaged in 
 the various occupations of farming, until the age of 16. During this 
 period, he was distinguished among his young associates, for an ur- 
 banity of disposition, and a sprightliness of humor, that made his 
 company always welcome. He was fond of reading, and never lost 
 an opportunity of profiting by the books that fell in his way. He 
 was particularly delighted with poetry; and some little pieces have 
 been shown to us, as the production of his boyish days, which fur- 
 nish no equivocal proofs of genius. In ISOl, he was sent to Ken- 
 tucky, for the purpose of residing upon and cultivating a farm, to 
 which his father had a claim ; but finding the property disputed, he 
 soon left that State and went to Natchez; where he remained for three 
 years : here it was that his military spirit began to develope itself. 
 Louisiana had just then been purchased by our government, of 
 France; and suspicions were entertained, that some opposition would 
 be made to our taking possession of tlie territory. This led to the 
 formation o{ volunteer companies ; and young Towson enrolled him- 
 
'KETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 self in a compauv ol' arullery, who volunteered to accompany Gover- 
 nor (Jlaiborne to New Orleans, with the militia of the Mississippi 
 territory. 
 
 Upon tlieir arrival at Fori. Adams, on the Mississippi, mucli dissat- 
 isfaction was created among the volunteers, by the infamous conduct 
 of the contractor, who issued to them provisions, which had been 
 condemned and refused by the regular troops as unsound and offen- 
 sire. The privates of several companies entered into a resolution to 
 place Towson at their head, and to return home, the next morning, in 
 a body: He was not present at the consultation, but the result \vas 
 soon communicated to him, together with the ofler of the command 
 of the mal-contents. ilis conduct, on this occasion was highly hon- 
 orable and praise-worthy. Instead of listening to the youthful whis- 
 perings of ambition, and rendering himself at once conspicuous, by 
 accepting the proffered command, he at first remonstrated witii his 
 fellow-soldiers, upon their improper conduct; and next threatened, 
 unless they immediately consented to abandon their mutinous design, 
 he would expose them to the Governor, and take such steps as would 
 effectually thwart their schemes, and punish the projector— promis- 
 inir them at the same time, that if they would quietly return to their 
 <lut.y, nothing should be said of their intention, and he would himself 
 Avait upon th"e Governor, and endeavor to have tlicir cause of griev- 
 ance removed. Tiiis was consented to, and upon llie promised re- 
 presentation of Towson, the abuse was corrected. Upon the return 
 of the militia, Towson was appointed first Lieutenant of the com- 
 pany; and soon after to the command of tlie '^muchcz Volunteer 
 
 Jirt'dkry.'''' 
 
 In the autumn of ISO-x Towson returned to Baltimore County, 
 where he arrived only a few weeks before the death of his father. 
 Here he remained, residing with his mother, until her decease; 
 an event whicli took place about two years alter lliat of liis father. 
 When the military spirit of the country began to b« roused by 
 what has been emphatically called the affair of the Chesapeake, 
 he was appointed Adjutant of the 7th Regiment of Maryland 
 Militia. In this station he labored with sucli skill and assuhuty, 
 that he soon l)rought that regiment to a high state of discipline; and 
 acquired such a reputation for military talents, that at the subsequent 
 meeting of the Legislature, wlicn it was thought necessary to revise 
 the MiHtia Laws, the subject was rel'erred to him by the representa- 
 tives of the county, for his advice. From this thne, until the year 
 l«r2 Mr. Towson seem.^ to have devoted hiniscH' lo ilu' Inisniess of 
 farmin-r. But liis active and vigorous mind couhi not confine itself 
 to the" pursuits ..f husbandry; all his leisure time was employed 
 i„ the studv of mathematical science, in wiiicli lie made sucli prolni- 
 
GENERAr. XATIIAX TOWSOV. 
 
 ency, as to rentier himself master of several mechanical arts. Nor 
 did he forget to indulge his fondness for the higher branches of study, 
 particularly History and Poetry. He was enthusiastic in his admira- 
 tion of Burns^ and about this time, wrote several pieces for his friends, 
 in imitation of that "sweet child of nature !'' If Mr. Towson's op- 
 portunities for improvement, at this time, had been equal to his thirst 
 for knowledge, and to the expansive powers of his intellect, there are 
 few men in our country, perhaps, who would have stood on a higher 
 point of eminence. 
 
 On the 15th March, 1S12, j\Ir. Towson received the appointment 
 of Captain of Artillery; and on the first of 3Iay following was order- 
 ed on the recruiting service. In this he was so diligent and success- 
 ful, that by the time the declaration of War was promulgated, he had 
 recruited as fine a company as ever entered the field. With this com- 
 pany, he was soon after ordered to join the 2d Regiment of Artillery, 
 then at Philadelphia, under the immediate command of Lieut. Colonel 
 (since Major General) Scott: and, accordingly on the 3d of August, 
 he commenced his march, under the command of Colonel Mitchell, 
 then a Major of the same regiment. Soon after his arrival at Phila- 
 delphia, Lieut. Colonel Scott obtained an order to join the army un- 
 der General Dearborn, at Greenbush, whither he repaired with Tow- 
 son's and Barker's companies. Having reasons to expect that the 
 army under General Smyth would soon be actively employed. Col. 
 Scott had scarcely reached Greenbush, before he solicited orders to 
 be sent with his artillery to Buffalo; and halting but three days at 
 Albany, for the purpose of fitting out a train of field pieces, he soon 
 reached that post. Thence he was immediately ordered to Black 
 Rock, to protect the vessels that were then fitting out for the Lake 
 service under the command of Lieut. Elliot of the Navy. On the 
 morning after the arrival of Scott with his Artillery, at Black Rock, 
 two of the enemy's vessels came down the Lake and anchored under 
 the guns of Fort Erie. Lieut. Elliott immediately formed a plan to 
 capture them, and communicating it to General Smyth and Lieutenant 
 Colonel Scott, asked for the co-operation and assistance of the army. 
 The two companies under Scott volunteered for this service, to a man: 
 but as they were not all required, the number was filled by draft. 
 The Artillery furnished thirty men and two ofiicers ; and as the rank 
 of the two Captains, Towson and Barker, had not been settled, they 
 cast lots for the conniiand, and i'ortune decided in favor of ToM'Son. 
 The expedition was fitted out in two boats; the one under the com- 
 mand of Lieut. Elliott, who had v.'ith him Lieut. Roach of the Artil- 
 lery, and Lieut. Presstman, a young gentleman of Baltimore, to com- 
 mand the Infantry ; the other boat under the command of Sailing 
 Master Watts had 20 Sailors and 2S Artillerists under Towson. 
 The plan was, to ascend the Lake with mulHed oars, drop down with 
 
8 SKETCH OP THE LIFE OP 
 
 the current, make a simultaneous attack upon the two brigs which lay 
 under cover of the guns of the Fort, and carry them by boarding. In 
 ascending tlie Lake, the boat which carried Towson got ahead, and 
 lost sight of the otlier; and was hailed and fired at by the Detroit, 
 which lay highest up tlie Lake. Sailing Master Watts supposing that 
 his pilot had not kept near enough to the shore, to make a successful 
 attack upon the Caledonia, ordered him to pass that vessel : but Tow- 
 son, who differed with him in opinion, assumed command of the boat, 
 and peremptorily ordered tlie Pilot to lay her along side of that ves- 
 sel. This order was executed without opposition, and in a few se- 
 conds. In attempting to fasten the grapplings, all missed their aim 
 but one; and the boat necessarily fell astern, exposed to a severe and 
 destructive fire from the cabin windows and deck of the brig. The 
 boat, however, was hauled alongside, and in less than two minutes, 
 the brig was boarded and carried. The attention of the Detroit, was 
 so closely engaged by this enterprise, that the approach of Lieut. El- 
 liot in the other boat was not observed ; so that he was enabled to 
 carry that vessel without loss, and Avith but little difiiculty. Both 
 brigs were immediately got under way, and both unfortunately 
 grounded in the Niagara river, within point-blank-shot of the Canada 
 shore. Advantage was taken of this disaster by the enemy ; who, as 
 soon as day dawned, brought up a few field pieces, and opened a bat- 
 tery on the brigs. The Sailing Master and Pilot left the vessel, with 
 the prisoners, about sunrise. Capt. Towson remained on board, took 
 out the greater part of the cargo, (consisting of furs,) and succeeded 
 in getting the brig afloat, about sunset; but not being versed in navi- 
 gation, and all the sailors except two having deserted in landing the 
 cargo, he ran aground a second time, near Squaw Island. In the 
 niwht. Colonel Schuyler, who had just taken the command at Black 
 Rock, received intelligence that General Brock had crossed the Nia- 
 gara below, with a formidable force, and was marching to attack him. 
 Lieut. Elliott sent an officer with this information to Captain Towson, 
 with combustibles, and an order to set fire to the brig. Towson 
 would not permit this order to be executed, but believing his presence 
 Avilli his company necessary, in the event of an attack on shore, he 
 left a faithful non-commissioned officer and two men on board ; w ilh 
 orders to fire and abandon her if it should appear that the enemy 
 were likely to succeed in forcing the troops to retire to the main body 
 at Flint Hill. This did not liappen : General Brock had not crossed 
 the Niagara, as reported : and thus, by the judicious management of 
 Captain Towson, was the Caledonia reserved to make one of the gal- 
 lant Perry's victorious fleet. 
 
 The circumstances atteniUng llie rapture of these I)rigs, so far as 
 the volunteers of the army had a hand in them, have certainly never 
 received the notice, whicii tiiey merited, of our government. Lieut. 
 
GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON. V 
 
 Colonel Scott, to whom Captain Towson naturally looked, for a re- 
 port of his participation in the affair, was made prisoner at Queens- 
 town, immediately after, and before he had an opportunity of men- 
 tioning the gallant achievement of the Captain. The only report of 
 the capture o( the brigs, therefore, was made by the naval comman- 
 der- to whom the credit is due of originating tlie scheme. Lieut. 
 Elliott received the thanks of Congress, while no notice was taken of 
 Captain Towson ; although the latter boarded and carried the Cale- 
 donia, and afterwards by his persevering intrepidity snucd her, under 
 circumstances of difficulty and danger, not less than those that caus- 
 ed the destruction of the other brig. On the return of Lieut. Colonel 
 Scott from captivity, some months afterwards, we are told, he obtain- 
 ed a promise from Mr. Armstrong, then Secretary of War, to hrcvet 
 Captain Towson for his highly distinguished part in that affair ; but, 
 for reasons with Avhich we are unacquainted, that promise was never 
 fulfilled. 
 
 Owing to the exertions of Colonel Scott, the Artillery were the 
 only troops of General Smyth's command, engaged in the batile of 
 Queenstown. They arrived at Lewistown, immediately after the bat- 
 tle commenced. Only one boat had been provided for the transpor- 
 tation of the Artillery, and that could carry but one piece at a time. 
 This was occupied by Captain Gibson, of the Light Artillery, who 
 had been stationed at Niagara. He succeeded in getting over but one 
 of his guns and a Caisson. The remainder of the Artillery was post- 
 ed opposite the enemy's batteries, and throughout the whole day, kept 
 up a heavy cannonade. About S o'clock in the morning. Col. Scott 
 crossed over to Queenstown, and took the command ; leaving Capt. 
 Towson in command of the Artillery. 
 
 After the action Captain Towson reported to General Van Rensel- 
 laer, for orders. The General, whose militia had already refused to 
 cross over to the assistance of their brethren, had but little confidence 
 that they would be able or willing to defend their own position, and 
 told Captain Towson, that he expected to be obliged to retreat. Tow- 
 son, however, assured him, that with the artillery under his com- 
 mand, and such of the militia as would be willing to remain, he had 
 no doubt of being able to defend his camp, provided that he might 
 be permitted to dispose of the force as he thought proper. This pro- 
 position was readily acceeded to by the General, with the hope of 
 saving a large quantity of public property, which must have fallen 
 into the hands of the enemy, in the event of a retreat. An armistice 
 of three days, was immediately afterwards proposed by the enemy, 
 and agreed to. In the mean time General Towson went on with his 
 arrangements for defence. General Van Rensellaer having submitted 
 the entire control to liim, lie concentrated the forces of the encamp- 
 ment ; assigned to the different regiments their positions ; and gave 
 
10 SKETCH or THE LIFE OF 
 
 notice to the mrlilki that in the event of an attack, if they attempted 
 to quit their position, the Artillery posted on their flanks, had per- 
 emtory orders to turn their fii^ upon them. 
 
 Nothing important occurred after the battle of Queenstown. Gen. 
 Smyth returned to Buflalo \ and several fruitless attempts were made 
 to cross the Niagara. When the army went into winter quarters, 
 Towson had his choice, either to remain at Black Rock, or to 
 join the artillery at Williamsville, under the command of Colonel 
 Moses Porter. He preferred the former ; and after getting his men 
 into comfortable quarters, employed the time in building and repair- 
 ing batteries, and in the drill exercise. 
 
 Black Rock was considered as the .Alarm Posf^ for the American 
 army •, and Captain Towson had received orders from Colonel Por- 
 ter, who succeeded General Smyth in the command, to fire three guns 
 in quick succession, in the event of any. indication of an attack. On 
 the night of the 16th of March, 1S13, some militia stationed at Buf- 
 falo, conceived the project of crossing on the ice, and attacking Fort 
 Erie : they had proceeded about half-way across the Lake, when 
 probably their hearts failed them ; and suddenly abandoning the 
 enterprise, they discharged their ar?ns, and returned. This firing 
 caused Towson to fire his alarm guns ; and the enemy's batteries 
 were, in consequence immediately opened upon him. This was 
 about 12 o'clock at night and a very spirited cannonade ensued 
 and was kept up for some time. In the morning Towson receiv- 
 ed an order from the commanding othcer, to cease firing; at which 
 his feelings were so much hurt, that he immediately repaired to Head 
 Quarters, and offered the resignation of his commission : for the 
 Captain believed, that his own and his country's honor would be thus 
 left at the mercy of the enemy, Avho might believe that they had si- 
 lenced his guns^ and report the issue as a victory. Fortunately for 
 the service, however, Colonel Porter, instead of accepting tiie protier- 
 ed resignation, ordered Towson to return to his post; and visiting it 
 himself inmiediately afterwards, gratified tlie Captain by another or- 
 der, to return the enemy's fire. 
 
 This was, perhaps, one of the best practical lessons in gumiery, 
 which our Artillerists received, during the war. Towson lost 
 three men hy accident. The loss of the enemy was never ascertain- 
 ed ; but it may be supposed to have l)een considerable, from the fol- 
 lowing extract of a letter from (Jolonel Bishop, who commanded at 
 Fort Erie, to General Vincent, which was found among the papers of 
 the latter after the capture of Fort George : '■' The Americans [says 
 he] have learned the art of using our Shrapnell Sliells ; one of their 
 shells, fired on the 17th, killed and wounded eight //irn." 
 
 At the opening of the campaign of 1SI;{, Tt»wson was attach- 
 ed to the Brigade of General Winder, and participated with it in 
 
f 
 
 GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON. 11 
 
 ihe capture of Fort George. While this army lay at Forty Mile Creck^ 
 a few days previous to the battle of Sloncy CrccL\ Captain Towsou 
 received iulormation, that a quantity of ammunition and military 
 stores had been left by the enemy on his retreat, about four miles 
 from the camp. He communicated this to the General, and solicited 
 permission to go in quest of them. The enemy in the mean time, 
 having learned that the Americans had discovered the stores, des- 
 patched the famous Chief JYorlon with two hundred Indians, to in- 
 tercept the party that might be sent to remove them. Capt.Towson, 
 however succeeded in his hazardous enterprise, and sent the stores 
 safely into camp before the arrival of Norton's party •, but remained 
 himself with six of his men, for the purpose of making further search. 
 In the mean time the Indians arrived •, but Towson was too wary a 
 soldier to be taken by surprise : they were discovered, before they 
 could accomplish their object of getting between his party and the 
 American camp. He dispatched an express to General Winder, with 
 intelligence of his situation, saying, he would endeavor to draw the 
 Indians towards the camp, and amuse them, if the General should 
 think proper to order a party to his assistance. Such an order was 
 forthwith given to the Riflemen ; and had it been promptly executed, 
 there is little doubt but that a large part of the Indians might have 
 been killed or captured ; for having no idea that information of their 
 approach could have been communicated to the American camp, 
 they pursued Towson and his little party for a considerable dis- 
 tance. One of his men was wounded in this running fight, and 
 afterwards tomahawked and scaljyed : the first act of brutality 
 which his Britanic Majesty's allies had had an opportunity of com- 
 mitting. 
 
 At the battle of Sloncy Creek, Captain Towson was the senior of- 
 ficer of x'lrtillery. He was stationed about the centre of the Ameri- 
 can camp, in a lane, through which the enemy advanced to the attack. 
 The position was a commanding one, and the fire of his artillery, 
 while it lasted, Avas uncommonly destructive ; but from some unfor- 
 tunate mistake, occasioned by the darkness of the night, he was or- 
 dered to cease firing. The order was immediately obeyed; and 
 while Towson was taking advantage of this cessation, to prepare 
 his rear for movement if it should be thought necessary, the enemy 
 charged his battery. The night Avas so dark that they approached 
 within a few yards before they were discovered. His men were not 
 provided with small arms, and as the 23d Infantry, wliich had been 
 posted in the rear for their support, had abandoned their position at 
 the commencement of the action, his guns of course fell into the 
 hands of the enemy : several of his men were bayonctfcd, and seven- 
 teen of them made prisoners. Upon being informed of this event. 
 Captain Towson with Captain Steele of the infantry, proceeded to- 
 2 
 
12 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 wards the enemy for the purpose of reconoitering, and were both 
 made prisoners ; but Towson, ever on the alert, seized a favorable 
 opportunity and made his escape, protected by the darkness from the 
 numerous shots that where fired at him by the enemy. As soon as 
 day-light appeared, he regained possession of two of his guns, which 
 had been spiked and left upon the field; and collecting a few stragglers 
 of the company, succeeded in rendering them again serviceable. By 
 firing a few rounds into the woods where some red coats were still 
 visible, th6 enemy were induced to retire altogether, and leave the 
 Americans masters of the field. 
 
 By a council of war, to which Captain Towson, though senior of- 
 ficer of Artillery, was not invited, it was decided that the army should 
 return to Forty Mile Creek; a measure against which he strongly re- 
 monstrated. In the official report of the action at that place, it was 
 stated that the Artillery under Captains Archer, Towson and Leonard., 
 behaved 7vcll. We have been assured, from unquestionable authority, 
 that the first of these officers was at the time, on the lake shore, two 
 miles from the field of action ; and that the last did not fire a gun : 
 so that whatever credit was due to the Artillery, on that occasion 
 should have been given exclusively to the Company under the imme- 
 diate command of Captain Towson. 
 
 After the return of the army to Forty Mile Creek, the enemy's 
 fleet made its appearance on the morning of the 8th of June, from 
 which a schooner was despatched, for the purpose of destroying our 
 boats, which lay at the mouth of the creek with the baggage of the 
 army, about to be sent to Fort George. With a view to prevent the 
 accomplishment of this object, Captains Towson and Archer were 
 ordered, with four field pieces, to the shore ; with which they played 
 their parts so well, that the schooner was soon compelled to seek 
 safety by a return to the fleet. The praise of this little affair was lost 
 to Captain Towson by the official report : for Majoi General Lewis, 
 who was then in command of that part of the army, attributed the 
 exploit to Captain Tutten, of the Engineers, who had nothing to do 
 Avith the repulse of the schooner, and who was brevettcd on that re- 
 port. 
 
 While the army lay at Fort George, under the command of Gen. 
 Boyd, the enemy were in possession of all the strong positions in its 
 vicinity; and skirmi.shes took place, almost every day, between the 
 'pickets and foraging parlies, so that the picket duty became one of 
 constant activity as well as of considerable Jiazard. In this situation, 
 many of the Infantry Captains to whom the dnty especially belonged, 
 being sick or absent, and the remain(k'r of the army being in a state 
 of perfect inactivity, Towson volunteered iiis services, and was 
 the only Artillery officer who did so. The piquets were attacked 
 
GENERAL NATHAN TOWSON. 
 
 13 
 
 almost every night, and in one of these skimiishes, he received a 
 wound in his hand. 
 
 Among the troops left at Fort George, when the army moved down 
 the St. Lawrence, was the second Artillery to which Captain Towson 
 belonged. They were afterwards marched to Sackett's Harbor where 
 Towson remained mitil April, 1814. 
 
 He was then ordered to the Niagara frontier, and commenced his 
 march under the command of Colonel Mitchell. When they reached 
 Batavia, subsequent arrangements were made that separated these of- 
 ficers. Towson continued the march to Buflklo, while Colonel Mit- 
 chell was ordered to make a retrograde movement with four compa- 
 nies, for the protection of the public property at Oswego. Having 
 mentioned the name of this gallant officer, our readers, we hope, will 
 pardoe us for detaining them a few moments, while we follow hnu to 
 Oswego. All the naval ordnance and equipments for Chauncey's 
 fleet, together with the provisions for the army, and an immense quan- 
 tity of other public and private property, were deposited at the Falls 
 of Oswego river. The British, after several unsuccessful attempts to 
 destroy our shipping, and naval materials elsewhere, at length formed 
 the design of getting possession of those at Oswego ; and for this 
 purpose,''on the 5th of May, Sir James Yeo proceeded with his whole 
 fleet, and a force of two thousand men under General Drummond, to 
 storm the town. Col. Mitchell, with little more than three hundred 
 inexperienced soldiers defended the place for two days, against this en- 
 ormous superiority of force, and at length made good his retreat ; 
 leaving the plains of Oswego strewed with tlie bodies of his enemies. 
 Thus, by the heroic valor and consummate skill of this truly Spartan 
 bwid, was the object of the British general defeated, and the public 
 property saved; the loss of which would in all probability have led 
 to the fall of Sackett's Harbor, the capture of our fleet, and perhaps 
 the destruction of the whole Ontario Frontier. We have often heard 
 this gallant officer express his regret at the necessity that separated 
 him from Captain Towson ; and his constant belief that with the ad- 
 ditional aid of his Light Artillery, he would have been able to have 
 maintained his position at Oswego. 
 
 To return to our subject. While the army lay at Buflido, under 
 the command of Brigadier General Scott, Captain Towson, (who had 
 been attached to his Brigade at the particular request of Gen. Scott,) 
 employed every moment of his time in drilling his company. The 
 greater part of his men had been but newly transferred to hnn, and 
 were entirely destitute of discipline. The orders of the commanding 
 general will show how well he succeeded in forming them to the 
 m-ost exact and perfect discipline. So great was the confidence of 
 General Scott, in the judgment of Towson, tliat he left it to himself, 
 to choose his position in the brigade; and we have been told that 
 
14 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 neither that General, nor any other senior officer, ever found it neces- 
 sary to give detailed instructions to Captain Towson, on any occa- 
 sion. The slightest intimation of what was to be done, was always 
 sufficient. After the surrender of Fort Erie, General Scott was or- 
 dered to advance upon Chippewa; and in the battle of the Jth, which 
 followed, Towson chose his position on the right of the line, and 
 directly opposite to the enemy's Artillery. The number of pieces 
 was the same on both sides : but those of the enemy were 24 jwund- 
 ers; and those of tlie Americans only 6. At the commencement of 
 the action, the lire from the enemy was well kept up and very des- 
 tructive ; but before it was half over, their battery was silenced, their 
 ammunition wagon blown up, and it was with great difficulty their 
 guns were saved by the dragoons — their artillery horses having been 
 all killed. A few days before this battle Captain Towson had^been 
 afflicted with an inflammation in his eyes; and being enveloped in tlie 
 smoke of his own battery, he could not observe the changing posi- 
 tion of the enemy, advancing to tlie charge, and nearly in contact 
 with our line. General Scott galloped up to him, and pointed out the 
 new position Avhich they had gained : Towson immediately opened 
 an oblique fire of cannister^ which enfiladed the enemy from left to 
 right, and thus very materially contributed to their entire defeat, 
 which followed in a few moments, and under that fire. Capt. Tow- 
 son's company was the only Artillery engaged in this affair, until af- 
 ter the enemy's retreat. 
 
 At the battle of Bridgcicater^ Towson's company suffered se- 
 verely. Both his Lieutenants, (Campbell and Scmuck) were wo\ui- 
 ded; and of thirty-six men who served at his guns, twenty-seven were 
 killed and wounded. During the whole action, he was exposed to 
 the severest fire of the enemy; whose advantageous position and su- 
 periority of guns, (until the arrival of our reinforcement) precluded 
 all hope of silencing them. One of their guns had been ordered into 
 the Queenstown road, to check the advance of our column ; but it 
 was soon silenced by Lieutenant Campbell, who was sent by Tow- 
 son, with one gun, for tliat purpose, and was afterwards brought off 
 by our artillery. 
 
 When the army retired to Fort Erie, Captain Towson's company, 
 now reduced to 40 men, was stationed on the left flank of the encamp- 
 ment. On the morning of the l-'ith of August, in conjunction with 
 Major Wood, and 2oO iniantry, they repulsed the right column of llie 
 enemy, consisting of 1500 men, in several attempts to assault. Such 
 was tlic vivacity of the lire from Towson's battery, on this occasion, 
 that the enemy gave to it, the name of "■liglit-liousc;"" aiul il was 
 afterwards familiarly called, by the Anu'ricun troops, Toirsdit'.s lii^ht- 
 hnuse. 
 
GEN'ERAL NATHAN TdWSOX. 15 
 
 We have thus endeavored to give a brief skelcli of the niiliiarv ser- 
 vices of Lieutenant Colonel Towson; in wliich we liave done no 
 more than simply to state the various actions, in Avhich he bore a 
 part. Were we to enumerate all the instances of personal courage, 
 skill, judgement and prudence, which were eminently conspicuous in 
 his conduct during the war; and the truth of which would be con- 
 firmed by all his companions in arms, superior and inferior in rank ; 
 we should be accused of quitting the plain path of biography, for that 
 of eulogy. The services of such a man require no hyperbolick aid, 
 to mark their pre-eminence. Had he been hrevclfcdj as some others 
 have been, for each particular allair, in which his conduct received 
 the distinguished approbation of those who best knew how to esti- 
 mate its importance, he would now have been a Capain of a Itcgi- 
 meMt,, with the brevet rank of a Brigadier General. In private life 
 Lieutenant Colonel Towson has always been as remarkable for mild- 
 ness of manners, and amiability of temper, as he has been distinguisii- 
 ed for skill and gallantry in the face of the foe. He is retained in the 
 Military Peace Establishment of the United States, as a Captain of 
 Light Artillery, with the hm^et rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
 At the close of the war, his fellow-citizens of Baltimore city and 
 comity, desirous of evincing their sense of his services proposed to 
 bestow upon him the most lucrative office in their gift, (the Sherifi- 
 alty) in which, we believe, their suffrages would have been unani- 
 mous ; but he had either become so enamored of a military life, or 
 the execution of the duties of this unthankful oflice, was so repug- 
 nant to his feelings, that he could not be prevailed upon to accede to 
 the proposition. 
 
 It is evident the writer of General ToM'son's biography, found his 
 materials would be too abundant for the limits of the Portico, if lie 
 treated the military incidents of his life witli the particularity of a 
 professed biographer; and he passes over, or slightly notices, some 
 of the most important events, as will be seen by the following extracts 
 from official reports and other unquestionable sources. 
 
 In General Brown's official report of the battle of Chippewa, the 
 Artillery is thus noticed. ''-The corps of Artillery under Major Ilind- 
 man, were not generally in action; this was not their fault. Captain 
 Towson's company was the only one that had a full opportunity of 
 distinguishing itself, and it is believed, that no company ever embrac- 
 ed an opportunity with more zeal or more success." The following 
 is an extract from the general order issued tlie day after the battle of 
 Chippewa. 
 
16 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 " Major General Brown lias the gratification to say, that the soldiers 
 of the second division, west of the Niagara, merit greater applause, 
 than he is able to bestow in general orders ; they merit the highest 
 approbation of their country. The conduct of Brigadier General 
 Scott's Brigade, which had the opportunity to engage the whole force 
 of tlie enemy, the greater part, it is believed, of all in the peninsula, 
 removes on the day of this battle, the reflection on our country, that 
 its reputation in arms is yet to be established. His brigade consists 
 of battalions of the 9th, the 11th and the 2'5th, and a detachment of 
 the 22(1. Towson's company of Artillery which was attached to it, 
 gallantly commenced, and with it sustained the action." 
 
 General Wilkinson, an old soldier and an able writer, in criticising 
 this well fought battle, says: 
 
 "Captain Towson, who was attached to the first brigade, with three 
 pieces, and was encamped at K, with the decision which marks the 
 character of this gallant officer, immediately crossed the bridge, and 
 taking a station near the river, opened his battery on the enemy be- 
 fore Scott's line was formed. General Scott advanced with great in- 
 trepidity, although out-ilanked, after his intervals had been extended 
 to four-fold distance, and the two lines, when approximated within 
 short musket shot, resorted to the effect of their fire, in which the 
 American soldier, from the habits of early life will always excel; a 
 warm, close and bloody conflict of small arms and field artillery en- 
 sued, in which it was the good fortune of the gallant I'owson, to si- 
 lence the enemy's chief- battery ; at this critical juncture. General 
 Rial took the resolution, which should have directed his conduct in 
 the onset; he determined to decide the contest with the bayonet, and 
 commenced his charge, when Towson, relieved from tlie pressure of 
 the opposed battery, lound himself at leisure to turn his guns, and 
 scour the adverse line with showers of canister. This oblique attack 
 of the Artillery and the perpendicular fire of the American line was 
 insupportable ; and valorous troops yielded the palm and retreated 
 precipitately, leaving their killed and wounded on the field, but carry- 
 ing off' their Artillery; comparing small with great things, here, as at 
 Minden, the fate of the day was settled by the Artillery ; and the 
 American Towson may deservedly be ranked, with the Britisli Phil- 
 lips, Druinmond and Foy." 
 
 General Towson's biographer says, "had he been brevetted as some 
 others have been, for each particular affair, in which his conduct re- 
 ceived the (Hstinguishcd approl)ation of those who best know how to 
 estimate its imi)ortaiice, he wouhl now have been a Captain of a Re- 
 irimcnl with the brevet xwnk of a Brigadier General.'''' Gen. Tow- 
 son was brevetted for the caiJlurc of the Caledonia, the battle of Chip- 
 pewa and for tlin deleiice of l-'ort Erie; which is one brevet more 
 than any other ollicer received (hiring the war, The additional brevet 
 
GENERAL NATHAN TOWSOX. 17 
 
 to which his biographer alludes, he, no doubt, thought was earned in 
 the battle of Niagara; the official report of which says, "Towson's 
 company attached to the first brigade, was the first and last engaged, 
 and, during the whole conflict, maintained that liigli character which 
 they had previously won by their skill and their valor." The sub- 
 alterns of this company were each brevetted for gallant conduct in this 
 action, on General Towson's report ; and justly did tbey merit the 
 honor ; the only trophy that remains to us of this hard fought iield, 
 was won and saved by him; and it was at his suggestion that Colonel 
 McRea urged General Brown to order the decisive charge by which 
 the gallant Miller carried the enemy's Artillery and covered himself 
 with glory. Had General Towson been rewarded for services in this 
 action, as others were, he would at the close of the war, have been "•a 
 Captain of a Regiment^ with the brevet rank of a Brigadier General." 
 Why he was not, it is difficult to say; unless it was the intention of 
 the War Department to reward him more etfectually by placing him 
 at the liead of some new troops then contemplated to be raised ; and 
 this, it is understood, was promised to him. 
 
 After the battle of Niagara, the American troops retired to Fort 
 Erie, to await reinforcements, and threw up some light works. In 
 stationing the Artillery, Towson was permitted to select his position, 
 and he chose the left flank ; that being the most exposed to attack, 
 should the enemy attempt it; of course it was tlie post of danger and 
 of honor; and was so proved to be on the memorable 15th of Au- 
 gust, 1814, as will be seen by the following extracts from the official 
 reports of Major Generals Gaines and Ripley ; the latter being the 
 immediate commander of the left flank wliere Towson was stationed. 
 General Gaines says, "The night was dark, and tlie early part of it 
 rainy, but the faithful sentinal slept not; one-third of the troops were 
 up at their posts. At half-past two o'clock, the right column of the 
 enemy approached, and though enveloped in darkness, black as his 
 designs and principles, was distinctly heard on our left, and promptly 
 marked by our musketry under Major Wood and cannon under Capt. 
 Towson. Being mounted at the moment, I repaired to the point 
 of attack, where the sheet of fire rolling from Towson's batterv, 
 and the musketry of the left wing of the 21st infantry under IMajor 
 Wood, enabled me to see the enemy's column of about 1500 men 
 'approaching on that point; his advance was not checked, until it had 
 approached within ten feet of our infantry. Again Towson's battery 
 emitted a constant sheet of fire:" and again 
 
 "Major Hiiulnian and the whole of the Artillery, under the com- 
 mand of that excellent officer, displayed a degree of gallantry and 
 good conduct not to be surpassed. The particular situation of Capt. 
 Towson, and the mucli lamented Capt. Williams and Lieutenant .Ale- 
 
18 
 
 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 Donough, and tliat of Lieiitonaat Watmough, as already described, 
 with their respective commands, rendered them ruost conspicuous." 
 
 General Ripley also says, '^On the first fire of the picket, Captain 
 Towson opened his Artillery upon them from Fort Williams, in a 
 style Avhicli does him infinite credit. It was continued with very 
 great effect upon the enemy during the whole action;" and again "I 
 cannot refrain from adverting to the manner in which Captain" Tow- 
 son's Artillery was served ; 1 have never seen it equalled. This of- 
 ficer has so often distinguished himself, that to say simply that he is 
 ui action, is a volume of eulogium ; the army, only to be informed he 
 IS there, by a spontaneous assent, are at once satisfied that he has per- 
 formed well his part. 1 have no idea that there is an Artillery officer 
 in any service superior to him in the knowledge and performance of 
 his duty." 
 
 It will be recollected by all who are familiar with the history of 
 the Avar, that General Izard was ordered with his division from Pl'atts- 
 burg to relieve tlie gallant army of Brown, then beseiged at Fort 
 Erie, and that before his arrival the army had relieved itself by a bril- 
 liant sortie and the enemy had retired. Finding nothing to employ 
 linn at Fort Erie, Izard determined to follow the enemy, and endsav- 
 our to bring him to action ; he found him awaiting the approach of 
 the American force at Chippewa; and prepared to dispute its passage 
 across the stream. The defences at that place had been strengthened 
 by the construction of redoubts and by extending a breast-woi'k alon^ 
 the margin of the creek on the side of the village for an extent snf- 
 ficient to cover their inlantry and light troops ; also by a small work 
 on the opposite side of the creek defended by Artillery. On recon- 
 noitering the enemy's lines, it was discovered that his Artillery was 
 in position, but there being no appearance of any other troops, and 
 certain movements observed in the vUlage, created an impression that 
 he was about to aliandon the post — in his letter to the Secretary of 
 War, General Izard says, "Some of my officers were induced to be- 
 lieve they were evacuating tlie post; and Major General Brown Avas 
 of this opinion. To ascertain the fact, wiiich scemetl to me incredi- 
 ble in the apparant stale of their works, I ordered ths whole of my 
 little train (consisting of Towsou's and Archer's companies, the for- 
 mer tliree six ponnders and one 5| inch howitzer, the latter two IS 
 poun(h-rs) to advance and fire on their batteries. Nothing could be 
 more gallant than the proceeding of tiiis little band. They advanced 
 through the open ground in full view of the enemy's batteries of 
 twenty-four and twelve pounders, formed the line without any cover 
 wliatevcr, and coinmenccd a cool and correct cannonade, which was 
 immecHati-iy answered by tiieir atlversaries. Tlie vast superiority of 
 our Artillerists was ihscernabh- to the most inexperienced eye. Every 
 slini tohl. One ol' tbcir batteries was silenced. The intended effect 
 
GE.VERAL XATHAX TOWSO.V. ]9 
 
 was produced, and it was plain tliat so far from abandoning their forts 
 the British were in strength, and superior in weight of metal and num- 
 ber of guns. The firing continued till dusk, when I directed our 
 pieces to be withdrawn for the night. 
 
 "Two deserters that came over this morning, state that considerable 
 execution was done in the battery which they were posted in on the 
 hither side of the creek. On our side we lost but four men killed • 
 none wounded except Major S. Lush, army judge advocate." 
 
 General Towson was the senior officer of Artillery with Izard's 
 army and commanded both companies. In this contest the enemv 
 had not only more guns and heavier metal than Towson, but a deci- 
 ded advantage in being protected by a breast-work ; while his Artil- 
 lery was exposed on an open plain, without any covering. 
 
 To ascertain whether any of the enemy's troops were concealed 
 behind the breast-work on the margin of the creek, Towson deter- 
 mined, after silencing their batteries to reconnoitre that position from 
 the opposite bank, and for that purpose rode rapidly along it within 
 musket range of the embankment; this drew from the conceded troops 
 an irregular fire, the whole extent of the line, somewhat resembling 
 a feu dcjoie; and satisfied General Izard that it would be hazarding 
 too much to attempt to cross the Chippawa in the face of such a 
 force. 
 
 One of the four Americans killed in this afi'air, was the orderly 
 sargeant of Towson's company ; the son of a gallant soldier of the 
 revolution, and one of the old Maryland line. In youth the former 
 was the playmate and companion of his future Captain; when war 
 was declared, among the first to join his standard was Sergeant Steeds, 
 than whom a braver or a better soldier of his humble sphere never 
 presented arms. This, with one exception, was the closing scene of 
 the war on the Niagara frontier; and with that exception, it is believ- 
 ed the first and the last blood shed on that frontier flowed from Tow- 
 son's company. 
 
 After the close of the war. General Towson Avas assigned to the 
 command of the troops in the harbor of Boston, and in 1816, married 
 the daughter of Caleb Bingham, Esq., of that place. He was after- 
 wards stationed at Newport, R. I., and in 1819 was appointed Pay- 
 master General of the army. This is one of the largest d.sbursino- 
 departments of the government; and for the last twenty years since 
 General Towson has been at the head of it, near forty millions of 
 dollars have been disbursed, all over the union, without loss to the 
 United States. 
 
 In 1834, the President recommended that an additional brevet be 
 
 conferred on such officers as had distinguished themselves in the late 
 
 war to date ten years after the war brevet, provided they had served 
 
 faithfully during that time. The Senate concurred in this, which en- 
 
 o 
 
20 SKETCH OF THE LIFE, &.C. 
 
 titled General Towson to rank as a brevet Brigadier General from the 
 15th August, 1824; ten years after ''■the defence of Fort Erie." 
 
 The following are some of the marks of respect that have been 
 paid to the subject of this sketch. 
 
 At the close of the war the citizens of Buffalo presented General 
 Towson an elegant sword, with inscriptions expressive of their ad- 
 miration and gratitude for his services in defence of their frontier. 
 This was the more complimentary, as he was the only officer who 
 received such a mark of approbation; and as those who presented the 
 sword were eye witnesses of the operations of tlie araiy on that fron- 
 tier and of the conduct of its officers. His native State (Maryland) 
 also presented him a sword, on which is inscribed the names of the 
 actions in which he was most conspicious. 
 
 The Cincinnati of Maryland elected him an honarary member; 
 and Brown Uni\ersity of Rhode Island conferred on him the honor- 
 ary degree of A. M. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 011 783 167 A