The Naval War of 1812 | Page 9

with the Essex in the South Pacific--Hornet blockades Bonne Citoyenne--Hornet captures _Resolution_--Hornet captures _Peacock_--Generous treatment shown to the conquered--Viper captured by _Narcissus_--American privateers cut out by British boats--Third cruise of Commodore Rodgers--_United States_, _Macedonian_, and Wasp blockaded in New London--Broke's challenge to Lawrence--The Chesapeake captured by the _Shannon_--Comments and criticisms by various authorities--Surveyor captured by boats of _Narcissus_--Futile gun-boat actions--British attack on Craney Island repulsed--Cutting out expeditions--The Argus captured by the _Pelican_--The Enterprise captures the _Boxer_--Ocean warfare of 1813 in favor of British--Summary





Chapter VI
1813 ON THE LAKES
ONTARIO--Comparison of the rival squadrons--Chauncy's superior in strength--Chauncy takes York and Fort George--Yeo is repulsed at Sackett's Harbor, but keeps command of the lake--The Lady of the Lake captures _Lady Murray_--Hamilton and Scourge founder in a squall--Yeo's partial victory off Niagara--Indecisive action off the Genesee--Chauncy's partial victory off Burlington, which gives him the command of the lake--Yeo and Chauncy compared--Reasons for American success.--ERIE--Perry's success in creating a fleet--His victory--"Glory" of it overestimated--Cause of his success--CHAMPLAIN--The Growler and Eagle captured by gun-boats--Summary of year's campaign





Chapter VII
1814 ON THE OCEAN
Strictness of the blockade--Cruise of Rodgers--Cruise of the _Constitution_--Chased into Marblehead--Attempt to cut-out the _Alligator_--The Essex captured after engagement with Phoebe and _Cherub_--The Frolic captured--The Peacock captures the _Epervier_--Commodore Barney's flotilla afloat--The British in the Chesapeake--Capture of Washington, and burning of the public buildings--The Wasp captures the _Reindeer_--The Wasp sinks the _Avon_--Cruise and loss of the _Adams_--The privateer _General Armstrong_--The privateer _Prince de Neufchatel_--Loss of the gun-boats on Lake Borgne--Fighting near New Orleans--Summary





Chapter VIII
1814 ON THE LAKES
ONTARIO--The contest one of ship-building merely--Statistics of the two squadrons--Serious sickness among the Americans--Extreme caution of the commanders, verging on timidity--Yeo takes Oswego and blockades Sackett's Harbor--British gun-boats captured--Chauncy blockades Kingston.--ERIE--Captain Sinclair burns St. Joseph--Makes unsuccessful expedition against Mackinaw--Daring and successful cutting-out expeditions of the British--Capture of the Ohio and Somers.--CHAMPLAIN--Macdonough's and Downie's squadrons--James' erroneous statements concerning them--Gallant engagement and splendid victory of Macdonough--Macdonough one of the greatest of American sea-captains





Chapter IX
1815 CONCLUDING OPERATIONS
The President captured by Captain Hayes' squadron--Successful cutting-out expedition of the Americans--American privateer Chasseur captures _St. Lawrence_--The Constitution engages the Cyane and the Levant and captures both--Escapes from a British squadron--The Hornet captures the Penguin and escapes from pursuit of the _Cornwallis_--The _Peacock's_ wanton attack on the _Nautilus_--Wanton attack on American gun-boat after treaty of peace--Summary of events in 1815--Remarks on the war--Tables of comparative loss, etc.--Compared with results of Anglo-French struggle





Chapter X
1815 THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
The war on land generally disastrous--British send great expedition against New Orleans--Jackson prepares for the defence of the city--Night attack on the British advance guard--Artillery duels--Great Battle of Jan. 8th, 1815--Slaughtering repulse of the main attack--Rout of the Americans on the right bank of the river--Final retreat of the British--Observations on the character of the troops and commanders engaged
APPENDIX






Chapter I
INTRODUCTORY
_Causes of the War of 1812--Conflicting views of America and Britain as regards neutral rights--Those of the former power right--Impossibility of avoiding hostilities--Declaration of war--General features of the contest--Racial identity of the contestants--The treaty of peace nominally leaves the situation unchanged--But practically settles the dispute in our favor in respect to maritime rights--The British navy and its reputation prior to 1812--Comparison with other European navies--British and American authorities consulted in the present work._
The view professed by Great Britain in 1812 respecting the rights of belligerents and neutrals was diametrically opposite to that held by the United States. "Between England and the United States of America," writes a British author, "a spirit of animosity, caused chiefly by the impressment of British seamen, or of seamen asserted to be such, from on board of American merchant vessels, had unhappily subsisted for a long time" prior to the war. "It is, we believe," he continues, "an acknowledged maxim of public law, as well that no nation but the one he belongs to can release a subject from his natural allegiance, as that, provided the jurisdiction of another independent state be not infringed, every nation has a right to enforce the services of her subjects wherever they may be found. Nor has any neutral nation such a jurisdiction over her merchant vessels upon the high seas as to exclude a belligerent nation from the right of searching them for contraband of war or for the property or persons of her enemies. And if, in the exercise of that right, the belligerent should discover on board of the neutral vessel a subject who has withdrawn himself from his lawful allegiance, the neutral can have no fair ground for refusing to deliver him up; more especially if that subject is proved to be a deserter from the sea or land service of the former." [Footnote: "The Naval History of Great Britain," by William James, vol. iv, p. 324. (New edition by Captain Chamier, R. N., London, 1837.)]
Great Britain's doctrine was "once a subject always a subject." On the