CONTENTS Strictness of the blockade-Cruise of Rodgers-Cruise of the Constitution-Her unsuccessful chase of La Pique-Attack on the Alligator-The Essex cap- tured-The Frolic captured-The Peacock captures the Epervier-Commodore Barney's flotilla - The British in the Chesapeake-The Wasp captures the Reindeer and sinks the Avon-Cruise and loss of the Adams-The privateer General Armstrong- The privateer Prince de Neufchatel-Loss of the ONTARIO-The contest one of ship-building merely- Extreme caution of the commanders, verging on timidity-Yeo takes Oswego, and blockades Sackett's Harbor-British gunboats captured-Chauncy block- ades Kingston-ERIE-Captain Sinclair's unsuccessful expedition-Daring and successful cutting-out expe- President captured by Captain Hayes' squadron—Suc- cessful cutting-out expeditions of the Americans— Privateer brig Chasseur captures St. Lawrence schooner-Constitution captures Cyane and Levant— Escapes from a British squadron-The Hornet cap- tures the Penguin, and escapes from a 74-The Pea- cock and the Nautilus-Summary-Remarks on the The war on land generally disastrous-British send ex- pedition against New Orleans-Jackson prepares for the defence of the city-Night attack on the British ad- vance guard-Artillery duels-Great battle of January 8, 1815-Slaughtering repulse of the main attack-Rout of the Americans on the right bank of the river-Final Strictness of the blockade-Cruise of Rodgers-Cruise of the Constitution-Her unsuccessful chase of La Pique -Attack on the Alligator-The Essex captured-The Frolic captured-The Peacock captures the EpervierCommodore Barney's flotilla—The British in the Chesapeake-The Wasp captures the Reindeer and sinks the Avon-Cruise and loss of the Adams—The privateer General Armstrong-The privateer Prince de Neufchatel-Loss of the gunboats in Lake Borgne-Fighting near New Orleans-Summary D URING this year the blockade of the American coast was kept up with ever increasing rigor. The British frigates hovered like hawks off every seaport that was known to harbor any fighting craft; they almost invariably went in couples, to support one another and to lighten, as far as was possible, the severity of their work. On the northern coasts in particular, the intense cold of the furious winter gales rendered it no easy task to keep the assigned stations; the ropes were turned into stiff and brittle (3) bars, the hulls were coated with ice, and many, both of men and officers, were frost-bitten and crippled. But no stress of weather could long keep the stubborn and hardy British from their posts. With ceaseless vigilance they traversed continually the allotted cruising grounds, capturing the privateers, harrying the coasters, and keeping the more powerful ships confined to port; "no American frigate could proceed singly to sea without imminent risk of being crushed by the superior force of the numerous British squadrons."1 But the sloops of war, commanded by officers as skilful as they were daring, and manned by as hardy seamen as ever sailed salt water, could often slip out; generally, on some dark night, when a heavy gale was blowing, they would make the attempt under storm canvas, and with almost invariable success. The harder the weather, the better was their chance; once clear of the coast the greatest danger ceased, though throughout the cruise the most untiring vigilance was needed. The new sloops that I have mentioned as being built proved themselves the best possible vessels for this kind of work; they were fast enough to escape from most cruisers of superior force, and were overmatches for any British flush-decked ship, that is, for anything below the rank of the frigatebuilt corvettes of the Cyane's class. The danger 1 Captain Broke's letter of challenge to Captain Lawrence. of recapture was too great to permit of the prizes being sent in, so they were generally destroyed as soon as captured; and as the cruising grounds were chosen right in the track of commerce, the damage done and consternation caused were very great. Besides the numerous frigates cruising along the coast in couples or small squadrons, there were two or three places that were blockaded by a heavier force. One of these was New London, before which cruised a squadron under the direction of Sir Thomas Hardy, in the 74-gun ship Ramillies. Most of the other cruising squadrons off the coast contained razees or two-deckers. The boats of the Hogue, 74, took part in the destruction of some coasters and fishing-boats at Pettipauge in April; and those of the Superb, 74, shared in a similar expedition against Wareham in June.2 The command on the coast of North America was now given to Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane. The main British force continued to lie in the Chesapeake, where about 50 sail were collected. During the first part of this year these were under the command of Sir Robert Barrie, but in May he was relieved by Rear-Admiral Cockburn.3 The President, 44, Commodore Rodgers, at the beginning of 1814 was still out, cruising among the Barbadoes and West Indies, only making few 3 James, vi, 437. 2 |