about to give orders that the colours should again be hoisted, under a belief that the enemy intended to give no quarters, when the firing ceased. The loss on board the Essex was fifty-eight killed, thirty-nine wounded severely, twenty-seven slightly, and thirty one missing. The loss on board the British vessels was five killed and ten wounded; but they were both much cut up in their hulls and rigging; the Phœbe could scarcely be kept afloat until she anchored in the port of Valparaiso next morning.

Commodore Porter was paroled, and permitted to return to the United States in the Essex Junior, which was converted into a cartel for the purpose. On arriving off the port of New York, the vessel was detained by the Saturn razee, and to the disgrace of the British navy, already dishonoured by the base attack upon this gallant officer, he was compelled to give up his parole, and declare himself a prisoner of war, and, as such, he informed the British officer that he would attempt his escape. In consequence of this threat, the Essex Junior was ordered to remain under the lee of the Saturn; but the next morning commodore Porter put off in his boat, though thirty miles from shore, and notwithstanding the pursuit by those of the Saturn, arrived safely in New York."*

In the spring of 1814, commodore Barney took the command of a small flotilla of gunboats to protect the inlets, and small rivers, that fall into the Chesapeake bay. About the 1st of June, the enemy entered the Chesapeake bay and renewed their ravages, with greater seve rity than they had done the last year. Sharp and frequent rencounters took place, upon the water and upon the land; but the enemy succeeded in laying waste the country, and carrying off the negroes, through the month of June and July.

In the midst of the various occurrences of the war, on the northern frontier, on the sea-board, and on the ocean, important preparations were making to the westward;

Brackenridge.

and although the spring and summer had passed away, without any incident in this quarter worthy of being recorded, they had not passed inactive. The general attention was now turned towards it with much anxiety, and the armies of the Niagara and St. Lawrence, remained almost with folded arms, awaiting the issue of Harrison's campaign, and the result of the contest for the mastership of lake Erie. The British, aware of the consequence of a defeat, had with great assiduity laboured to strengthen themselves. The reinforcements continually arriving at fort George, were evidently destined to follow up the advantages which Procter might gain, in conjunction with the commander on the lake. In the meanwhile, the neighbouring states of Kentucky and Ohio, the people were excited in a most surprising degree; had it been necessary they would have risen en masse; almost every man capable of bearing a musket, was anxious to march. The governor of Ohio had scarcely issued his proclamation, calling on volunteers, (for the obligations of law to render military service were no longer thought of,) than fifteen thousand men presented themselves, completely armed and equipped-more than five times the number required. The venerable governor of Kentucky, Shelby, a revolutionary hero, and the Nestor of the present war, made it known that he would put himself at the head of the injured citizens of that state, and lead them to seek revenge for the murder of their relatives and friends; but limited the number of volunteers to four thousand. The state of Kentucky, called by the natives, "the dark and bloody ground," forty years ago was an uninhabited forest, possessed by no tribe of Indians; but from time immemorial the theatre of sanguinary wars. At this day, it blooms beneath. the hand of agriculture, it is filled with beautiful towns and villages; and is the abode of peace, opulence and refinement. The inhabitants are descended from the planters of Virginia and North Carolina, and emigrants, composed of the enterprising and intelligent of the other states. Living in abundance and at their ease, and more remote from the seats of commerce, they have imbibed less of foreign attachments or feelings, than any of our

people; and are perhaps more enthusiastically devoted to the institutions of freedom. They have not a little of the manners of chivalry in their generous and hospitable deportment. Fearless of danger, regarding dishonor more than death, but with these qualities, a benevolence and humanity, which has scarcely a parallel. Had the elder brethren of this confederacy acted like this younger member, the Canadas would have been ours, and Britain would never have dared to insult us with her unwarrantable pretensions.

The transactions which are now to be related, may justly rank amongst the most pleasing to our feelings and national pride, of any which took place during the contest. The campaign opened with an affair, which, though comparatively of smaller consequence than some others, is, in its circumstances, one of the most brilliant that occurred during the war. This was the unparalleled defence of Fort Sandusky, by a youth of twenty-one years of age. In August, and before the arrival of the Ohio and Kentucky volunteers, which did not take place until the following month, threatening movements had been made upon all the different forts, established by the Amercans on the rivers which fall into Lake Erie. After the seige of Fort Meigs, the British had been considerably reinforced by regulars, and an unusual number of Indians under their great leader, Tecumseh. It was all important to reduce these forts before the arrival of the volunteers. Major Croghan, then commanding at Upper Sandusky, having received intimation that the enemy were about to invest the fort of Lower Sandusky, had marched to this place with some additional force, and had been occupied with great assiduity in placing it in the best posture of defence. But the only addition of importance, which the time would allow him to make, was a ditch of six feet deep and nine feet wide, outside the stockade of pickets, by which these hastily constructed forts are enclosed, but which can afford but a weak defence against artillery. He had but one six pounder, and about one hundred and sixty men, consisting of regulars, and detachments of the Pittsburgh and Petersburgh volunteers. General Harrison, not conceiving it practicable to defend

the place, ordered young Croghan to retire on the approach of the enemy, after having destroyed the works. This, our young hero, taking the responsibility upon himself, determined to disobey.

On the first of August, general Procter, having left a large body of Indians under Tecumseh, to keep up the appearance of a siege of Fort Meigs, arrived at Sandusky with about five hundred regulars, seven hundred Indians, and some gun-boats. After the general had made such dispositions of his troops, as to cut off the retreat of the garrison, he sent a flag by colonel Elliott and major Chambers, demanding a surrender, accompanied with the usual base and detestable threats of butchery and cold blood massacre, if the garrison should hold out. A spirited answer was returned by Croghan, who found that all his companions, chiefly striplings like himself, would support him to the last.

When the flag returned, a brisk fire was opened from the gun-boats and howitzer, and which was kept up during the night. In the morning, they opened with three sixes, which had been planted under cover of the night, within two hundred and fifty yards of the pickets, but not with much effect. About four o'clock in the afternoon, it was discovered that the enemy had concentrated his fire against the northwest angle, with the intention of making a breach. This part was immediately strengthened by the apposition of bags of flour and sand, so that the pickets suffered but little injury. During this time, the six pounder was carefully concealed in the bastion, which covered the point to be assailed, and it was loaded with slugs and grape. About five hundred of the enemy now advanced in close column to assail the part where it was supposed the pickets must have been injured; at the same time making several feints, to draw the attention of the besieged to other parts of the fort; their force being thus divided, a column of three hundred and fifty men, which were so enveloped in smoke as not to be seen until they approached within twenty paces of the lines, advanced rapidly to the assault. A fire of musketry from the fort, for a moment threw them into confusion, but they were quickly rallied by colonel Short, their com

mander, who, now springing over the outer works into the ditch, commanded the rest to follow, crying out, "give" the dd Yankees no quarter!" Scarcely had these detestable words escaped his lips, and the greater part of his followers landed in the ditch, when the six pounder opened upon them a most destructive fire, killing and wounding the greater part, and amongst the first the wretched leader, who was sent into eternity before his words had died upon the air. A volley of musketry was, at the same time, fired upon those who had not ventured. The officer who succeeded Short, exasperated at being thus treated by a few boys, formed his broken column, and again rushed to the ditch, where he, and those who dared to follow him, met with the same fate as their fellow soldiers. The small arms were again played on them, the whole British force was thrown into confusion, and, in spite of the exertions of their officers, fled to the woods, almost panic struck, whither they were soon fol lowed by the Indians. Thus were these men, confident of success, and detestable in the intended use of victory, most signally chastised, under Providence, by a force scarce a tenth of their numbers. Terror indescribable took possession of the assailants, and they retreated towards their boats, scarcely daring to cast their eyes towards the fatal spot, while they were followed by their allies in sullen silence.

If this gallant defence deserves the applause of the brave, the subsequent conduct of the besieged deserves the praise of every friend of humanity. The scene which now ensued, deserves to be denominated sublime. The little band, forgetting in a moment that they had been assailed by merciless foes, who sought to massacre them, without regarding the laws of honorable war, now felt only the desire of relieving wounded men, and of administering comfort to the wretched. Had they been friends, had they been brothers, they could not have experienced a more tender solicitude. The whole night was occupied in endeavouring to assuage their sufferings; provisions and buckets of water were handed over the pickets, and am opening was made, by which many of the sufferers were taken in, who were immediately sup