USA > Vermont > Early history of Vermont, Vol. III > Part 14
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"In this engagement the Growler had one killed and eight wounded, and the Eagle eleven wounded, including the pilot, Mr. Graves. The whole num- ber of men on board both vessels, when they went into action, was one hundred and twelve, includ- ing Captain Herrick and thirty-three volunteers from his company. The officers and men were taken prisoners and sent to Canada. The two sloops, having been refitted, were transferred to the British
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service, their names being changed to the Finch and Chub, and were subsequently recaptured by Macdonough in September 1814. The loss of the British in this engagement was never correctly ascertained. It must have been very severe; how- ever, as their forces advanced to the banks of the River, where, destitute of shelter, they received broadside after broadside of canister and grape. A sergeant of the 11th regiment, who had volun- teered on one of the sloops, and who was paroled on account of his wounds, reported that he counted thirty of the enemy dead upon one small spot. The current belief, in the neighborhood of the action was that the British loss exceeded two hundred, but this was probably an exaggeration."
Artillery was placed, and three hundred troops were scatterd along both shores of the Richelieu River within musket range of the imprisoned ves- sels, by the British; that the fireing commenced at seven o'clock in the morning; the Eagle was sunk at half past twelve in the afternoon, and the Growler disabled some fifteen minutes later-mak- ing the length of the action five hours and three- quarters; the Court of Inquiry, subsequently held, bore testimony to the gallantry of our officers and men, and to the resolute constancy of a defence which was protracted till further resistance became impossible.
The war was carried on during 1812, 1813 and 1814, both on land and water with varying suc- cess and defeat. The landl campaigns were not especially brilliant or successful, but neither of the contending nations showed any signs of giving
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over the contest. The American Navy on the lakes and ocean were eminently successful, and the commanders of the vessels and crews won a world wide fame for ability and courage.
It is not the purpose of the writer to give a detailed account of the battles between the Ameri- cans and the English, either upon land or sea except it be on Vermont territory or where Ver- mont men were engaged to some extent, at least, but will simply name some of the engagements on lake and ocean outside of Vermont where Ameri- can endurance and bravery were shown and bril- liant success won.
On Aug. 19, 1812, the United States frigate Constitution, Captain Hull, captured the English . frigate Guerriere; on September 7th the United States frigate, Essex, captured the Alert in eight minutes; on October 15th the United States sloop of war, Wasp, captured the British sloop of war Frolic, but both were recaptured the same day by the British; on October 25th Captain Decatur, of the frigate, United States, captured the British fri- gate Macedonia; on December 29th the United States frigate Constitution, Commodore Bain- bridge, captured the British frigate Java.
On Feb. 24, 1813, the Hornet captured the Brit- ish Brig, Peacock; in August the American frigate, Essex, Captain Porter, captured twelve armed British whalers; on August 13th the American sloop of war, Argus, captured twenty-one British merchant men, but the Argus, afterwards, was re- captured by the British Pelican; on September 10th Commodore Perry on Lake Erie captured six
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vessels, and sent the following concise despatch to General Harrison, " We have met the enemy, and they are ours." On October 5th Commodore Chauncey captured five British vessels on Lake Ontario.
On April 27, 1814, the United States sloop of war, Peacock, captured the British brig-of-war, Epervier, with $118,000 specie on board; on June 28th the United States sloop of war, Wasp, captured the British sloop Reindeer; on September 1st the United States sloop of war, Wasp, captured the British sloop Avon. The battle on Lake Cham- plain under Commodore Macdonough on Sept. 11, 1814, will receive a separate consideration. On March 28th the United States frigate, Constitution, captured two British vessels of war, the frigate, Cyane and the sloop Levant, off the island of Ma- deria, and on the same day the United States fri- gate, Hornet, captured the British brig Penguin on the coast of Brazil. The two last mentioned cap- tures were made after the treaty of peace was signed at Ghent on the 24th day of December, 1814, but before the commanders of those vessels had in- formation that the treaty had been made and rati- fied by the American government.
After the capture of the Eagle and Growler on the Richelieu, Colonel Clark of the 11th U. S. regi- ment on June 10, 1813, called out two militia com- panies of Burlington, and on June 11th Col. Wil- liam Williams' regiment-all of whom responded promptly. This call was made because of an ex- pected attack immediately on Burlington by the British flotilla; the militia were discharged on the
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13th, and their places supplied by five full compa- nies of the 30th U. S. Infantry under Lieut. Colonel Martin Norton; and in September the third brigade of the third division of militia was called out, for three months service on the frontier; this brigade was reviewed at Burlington by Gov. Martin Chit- tenden. This brigade served in both Vermont and New York. On July 8, 1813, Maj. General Dear- born was permitted to retire and was succeeded in command by Maj. General Wade Hampton. The United States War Department contemplated that Hampton who was at Burlington should push his headquarters as far north as was held by the army in the previous campaign on Lake Cham- plain, and that a requisition should be superadded for ten thousand militia of New York and Vermont to carry out the plan of the campaign, but only Fassett's brigade alone was called out. General Hampton had been criticised for his inactivity in not responding to repeated requests to aid in de- fending Plattsburgh against the British force un- der Colonel Murray. The British were tempted by the defenceless condition of Plattsburgh and the entire western side of Lake Champlain, and Colonel Murray crossed the line on July 30, 1813, with two war sloops, three gun-boats, and forty-seven long boats, with over 1400 men, and landed at Platts- burgh on the afternoon of the 31st, without oppo- sitionand commenced the work of devastation and plunder and continued it until he re-embarked at ten o'clock the next day after having destroyed twenty-five thousand dollars of public property and plundered more than eight thousand dollars
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of property of private citizens. General Hampton, at Burlington with an army of between three and four thousand, but twenty miles distant, who had had twenty-four hours notice of the intended at- tack, did nothing to prevent it. About three hun- dred New York militia that were hastely gathered. captured, as the enemy left the town, a picket guard of twenty-one men who had been left by Murray. These were sent to Burlington as pris- oners of war. The long boats and two of the gun- boats, proceeded to Swanton, where the men de- stroyed and plundered several citizens, and like depredations were committed on the New York side of the lake at Cumberland Head, Point au Riche, and Chazy Landing. Two sloops and the other gun-boats sailed up the lake beyond Burling- ton, destroyed eight or ten long boats engaged in transportation, and captured one Durham boat loaded with flour. On passing Burlington they fired at the place, but bore away as soon as the batteries on shore began to play upon them.
A letter written at Burlington Aug. 3, 1813, quite fully and accurately describes the affair as follows, viz :
"Yesterday afternoon the Eagle and Growler, lately taken by the enemy on the lake, with some armed gallies, were seen advancing. At a quarter before 3 o'clock the gallies commenced firing on the town and battery, which was returned by the vessels in the bay and from the battery. The fir- ing continued brisk on both sides for about half an hour, when the enemy drew off a little, seemingly in expectation that our vessels would leave the
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bay and give them battle; which they attempted to do, and after sailing, five in number, within a league or four miles from the enemy, expecting in a few minutes the action would commence, our ves- sels came to anchor, and soon after returned into the bay, under the battery, to the great mortifica- tion of thousands who witnessed it. The enemy seems neither to have slumbered or slept, for dur- ing the night they cut out and captured four of the best sloops on the lake, with provisions, and burnt one laden with salt. It is also said they have burnt two sets of barracks on the lake [at Platts- burgh and Swanton;] and this morning at four o'clock they were seen with their prizes in triumph sailing to their companions. Not the smallest in- jury has been done to this city."
In another letter written from Burlington Aug- ust 5th stated, "Last Monday Burlington was cannonaded, shot thrown into buildings, and the people in Water Street had to leave their homes. This took place in sight of the camp and of my house. The British came with two sloops, (the late) Growler and Eagle, and one small row-galley with twenty-four pounders. We had twice the number of vessels, but in no state of preparation, and no officers but a Captain. The British moved south unmolested, took three merchant vessels with a rich booty, and returned in our sight back towards Plattsburgh. We expect another visit every honr. We have no means of defence. Is this taking Canada?"
On Aug. 2, 1813, the U. S. Inspector General gave the number of men at Burlington belonging
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to the dragoons, artillery, infantry, and volunteers, fit for duty at 3,047 men. The U. S. Naval force on Lake Champlain on Aug. 20, 1813, consisted of the President, 12 guns; Commodore Preble, 11 guns; Montgomery, 11 guns ; Frances, 6 guns; two gun-boats of one 18 pounder each; and six scows of one 12 pounder each; amounting in all to 4S guns.
In the month of September 1813, Captain Mac- donough sailed out of the lakes to the northward.
In the Fall of 1813, an attempt was made to invade Canada. On Oct. 4, 1813, Maj. General Hampton wrote the Secretary of War:
"I have directed the commencement of a petty. war, or invasion of the lines, at and near Lake Champlain, by Col. Clark, who has some volun- teers, and Brigadier General Elias Fassett, (our Colonel,) who has, at my instance, called out his brigade of militia. The latter, I understand, turn out but badly; but they will make, together, I suppose, from six hundred to a thousand men. There has been inculcated by the artifices of the British, a shameful and corrupt neutrality on the lines, for the purpose of gain. I have directed these officers to break the truce. And, should other means fail,'to act the part of the mischievous urchin, who, to get two peaccable tabbies at "making the fur fly," held them up together by the tail. To be serious, it is really time each individual shall take his side, and that traitors to either should meet their due reward. What I am aiming at, however, is tranquility on the road [down the Chateauguay river] by kicking up a dust on
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the lines. It will also create a diversion at a proper point. Of Hopkin's New York militia, but about two hundred and fifty have arrived, and not more than fifty or sixty of them have consented to pass the line. Such as refused, General Parker was authorized to keep on the lines below, and to ex- cite all the alarm he could, with them and the Ver- monters."
He wrote again on the 12th, that " Colonel Clark is carrying on his [small war, on the lines with all the effect contemplated. The enemy's motly force have everywhere nearly disappeared. He is con- centrating, no doubt, in points in my way, or on the river. It appears from the American State Papers that a writer, referring to the expression in the letter, "making the fur fly " said, " Possibly if the same trick, with the addition of permanently suspending them, had been put upon the three Generals who commanded the Vermont troops in 1812-13, it would have made the British fur fly at Montreal." And on Nov. 17, 1813, Maj. General Wilkinson wrote that the "game [Montreal] was in view," and had Hampton, "performed the junction directed it would have been ours in eight or ten days."
On the very day that General Hampton wrote his letter last quoted, Colonel Clark made a successful dash at Missisquoi Village in St. Ar- mand, Canada, and the following is Clark's report of the same to the Secretary of War bearing date Oct. 15, 1813 :
"It is with great pleasure I can inform you of a successful attack upon the enemy at Missisquoi
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Bay, on the morning of the 12th inst. At this time I had only the riflemen with me, the artillery mov- ing slow and the militia protecting their rear .. We proceeded to the village ( Missisquoi) and ar- rived within 15 rods of the enemy before we were discovered. We found them drawn up under Maj. Powell in a manner that would have annoyed us much, had we attacked them by water, but wholly unprepared to defend themselves on the land side. They commenced a fire on the left flank, but in ten minutes after the first attack they laid down their arms and surrendered themselves prisoners of war.
"Understanding that a force of 200 men under Col. Lock was marching to attack us, I despatched Capt. Finch with his company to reconnoitre them and ascertain their course. He proceeded with such promptness and ability as to surprise and capture the advanced guard, consisting of cavalry, excepting one man who escaped and gave information, when the enemy retreated.
"The prisoners were then put on board our boats and sent to Burlington. Our whole force engaged was 102-the number of prisoners taken is 101: their killed 9, and wounded 14."
It appears that Clark visited the same place again, as it was stated in a letter dated at Mon- treal, Nov. 6, 1813, that, "The famous Colonel Clark has again been over to Missisquoi Bay and taken over ninety head of cattle, which he had fol- lowed from the other side of the line. In this excursion the Colonel is said to have behaved very honorably, and we are glad to give, the devil his due."
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On July 3, 1813, the Secretary of War indicated his plan of the campaign against Kingston. Gen. Hampton was to co-operate by an advance in force against Montreal, and orders were issued ac- cordingly. On August 5th the scheme was submit- ted to Maj. General Wilkinson who had been put in command of the 9th military district-which covered Vermont and New York north of the Hilands. On the 26th August at his headquarters at Sackett's Harbor held a council of officers to whom four questions were proposed, one of which was:
"To rendezvous the whole of the troops on the lake Ontario in this vicinity, and in co-operation with our squadron, to make a bold feint upon Kingston, slip down the St. Lawrence, lock up the enemy in our rear to starve or surrender, or oblige him to follow us without artillery, baggage or privisions, or eventually to lay down his arms, to sweep the St. Lawrence of armed craft, and in con- junction with the division under Major-general Hampton, to take to Montreal."
This proposition met the approved of the Coun- cil and this plan covered the Vermont troops, to wit, the batalion of the United States infantry then at Sackett's Harbor, and all in Vermont under Hampton. The Secretary of War warned Hampton that the English Gen. Prevost's rear [Montreal] "is manifestly neglected, and we must not loose the advantage he presents for attacking it."
Before we sketch Gen. Hampton's inglorious career in the 9th military district, and in attribut-
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ing to him in a large degree the responsibility for the failure of the campaign of the northern army, it will be well to get the correct view of his dis- position, and his sympathy for the southern por- tion of the Union. It has been asserted, with strong probability of its truth, that government never intended a real invasion of Canada for fear that the reduction of Montreal and other impor- tant points on the St. Lawrence might ultimately result in the annexation of Canada to the United States, and consequently a large increase of politi- cal power in the North. Hampton was born in South Carolina in 1754, and was grandfather of Gen. Wade Hampton of the late rebel army in the war of 1861. Hedistinguished himself in the Revo- lutionary war, and rose to the position of Major General March 2, 1813. In 180S, he was in com- mand at New Orleans, but quarrelling with his subordinates, he was superseded by Wilkinson in 1812. Both were assigned to the 9th military district in 1813, but Hampton insisted upon hav- ing an independent command. He was, however, subjected to Wilkinson, and the result proved that the two would not co-operate, and hence the fail- ure of the campaign against Montreal when its capture was apparently easy. On Sept. 15, 1813. Hampton had concentrated most of his army at Cumberland Head, and on the 19th the army landed near Champlain Village. Two corps marched over the line, had a skirmish with a few pickets and Indians, killed or captured most of the pickets, loosing one killed and two wounded. On October 4th Hampton reported his army at Chat-
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eaugay where he ramined until October 21st when he returned to Canada, and on the 25th made an attack on a small body of British troops, and failed with a loss of fifteen men in killed and twenty-three wounded. The British lost five killed and sixteen wounded and three missing. Hampton returned to Chateaugav. On November 6th Wilkinson ad- vised Hampton to meet him at St. Regis; this Hampton declined to do and proposed to meet at Cognawaga; and on the 15th notified the Secre- tary of War of the disagreement with Wilkinson and should arrange to place his army in winter quarters. He went to Washington and resigned April 6, 1814. It seems from Hampton's corres- pondence with the Secretary that he had no con- fidence in the newly raised militia and regulars, but it was proved that the troops honored them- selves whenever they had a fair opportunity as at Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Fort Erie, Chrystler's Farm, St. Armand and Plattsburgh. Gen. John E. Wool has said, referring to Hampton's engagement with the British, that "no officer who had any re- gard for his reputation would voluntarily acknowl- edge himself as having been engaged in it." General Wilkinson left Sackett's Harbor and made his way with the American Army down the St. Lawrence, but had several sharp engagements with the British and a bloody battle at Chryster's Farm-some- times called the battle of Williamsburgh. Wilkin- son pursued his course to St. Regis, but was dis- appointed in not finding Hampton there as re- quested. He called a council of war and determined to suspend the attack on Montreal, and to remove
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to French Mills, and there went into winter quart- ers. The battalion of the 11th with Wilkinson's army, consisted of three companies from Vermont and three from New Hampshire, though the sold- iers from both States were somewhat mixed in all the companies in the regiment.
About Dec. 1, 1813, Macdonough sailed to King's Bay and anchored under Point au Fer; on the 4th Captain Pring entered the lake with six British galley's, and landed at Rouses Point and burned a small shed which had been used as a pub- lic store-house. Macdonough attempted to bring the enemy into action, but they refused to engage and returned into Canada. On Dec. 27, a detachment of British troops, under Capt. Barker of the frontier light infantry, crossed the line into Vermont and destroyed some public store-houses and extensive barracks, for the ac- comodation of 1200 men, which had been erected at Derby. In consequence of these depredations and the threatening movements of the British on the Richelieu, Wilkinson in February of 1814, broke up the camp at French Mills, and the troops. magazines, and provisions were removed to Lake Champlain.
During the year 1813, the business of smug- gling, and the attempt to prevent it attended with blood-shed and violence were kept up although the perpetrators of the offence of smuggling, were in- dicted in the courts of the State as well as the United States. Resistance had proceeded to fear- ful extremities in the northeastern part of the State. The liberties taken by the deputies of the
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custom house department, and the authority given to justices of the peace to stop and search the premises of any person they chose, without war- rant from thecivil authority, caused great personal conflict and a constant disturbance of the peace of society. In charging the Grand Jury, the Su- preme Court directed them to make inquiry and present all cases where people were searched for property without a warrant; and on trial, parties were not justified in molesting people and taking their property by virture of a commission only. Hoskins, in his history relates that about the com- mencement of the year 1813, Samuel Beach of Canaan received a permit from the Governor to go into Canada for the purpose of repairing a saw mill. Having sent forward his workman and teams, he soon followed, when his team was taken by John Dennet and others; Beach in attempting to regain his team was fired upon by Dennet and killed. Dennet and his associates were taken and committed to jail from which Dennet escaped in January 1814, into the adjoining wilderness where he continued till the following August when he was taken but not till he was mortally wounded by his pursuers. Dennet resisted arrest, and while he was attempting to kill one Morgan, he was shot by Sperry, one of the pursuers.
On July 23d a party of smugglers proceeded from Missisquoi Bay to St. Albans, and on their way there their number increased to about eighty, and all were armed with pistols and other weapons. Mr. Hathaway of Swanton was riding by and was rushed upon, forced from his horse into a
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house, and there beaten in a shocking manner ; a Grand Juror of St. Albans was one of these riot- ers. This mob declared their determination to "give Georgia a scouring and root out the high- way robbers," as they called the custom house officers. They took a Mr. Anthony a long with them as a prisoner ; they halted at a Mr. Blodget's of Georgia, awoke him from sleep and informed him that the smugglers had come and his assist- ance was wanted in capturing them. Blodget and his sons had no sooner arrived at the place where they were gathered than he was levelled to the ground byclubs. One of his arms was broken and badly wounded in various places. The windows of his house were broken in and a Mr. Conger also . taken prisoner. They proceeded to the south part of Georgia and called on a Mrs. Hubbell and gave her notice to leave her house, for on their return they should destroy it. An officer of the custom house department, supposed they had smuggled goods, requested them to stop, when suddenly the mob surrounded Messers. Lee, Baker and Robin- son, took them, and tied their arms behind with cords, and took them, with their other prisoners three miles to a Mrs. Hyde's in Georgia. Here a large number of armed citizens soon collected to oppose them. The mob discovering their danger immediately dispersed.
CHAPTER IX.
WAR OF 1812-1814-CONTINUED.
The non-intercourse and embargo Acts of Con- gress, and the State legislative regulations, which were opposed by the Federal party, proved un- popular, especially with the people in North- ern Vermont, and many of the supporters of the war abandoned the then Republican ranks and went over to the opposition. As the State election in 1813, approached, both parties put forth their utmost efforts, the one to gain and the other to preserve the ascendency-the one to re-elect Jonas Galusha and the other to elect Martin Chittenden Governor, but with all their exertion and industry no election was made by the people. When the Assembly came together in October the parties were found to be exactly equally divided, but after much maneuvering and several trials, Martin Chittenden, the Federal candidate, was elected by a small majority; William Chamberlain the Lieu- tenant-governor, the Secretary of State and Coun- cil then elected, were of the same party.
The Governor's speech and the answer to it had a strong Federal tone and consequently in direct opposition to the war and the measures of the general government, but the minority, seventy-five in number, protested against these sentiments and
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entered their reasons upon the journal of the House. Nearly all the appointments were made from the Federal party, and the Legislature pro- ceeded to repeal the laws that had been enacted that were obnoxious to the Federalists. The party spirit was now wrought up to the highest pitch, and the parties did not hesitate to brand each other, with the names of tories, traitors, and enemies to their country. This spirit ran so high, that it, in many cases, destroyed the peace and in- tercourse of families and neighbors.
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