It would seem that Providence had now placed the Republic at the disposal of England. But strange events indicated an opposite result. A tremendous tornado came on, adding to the horrors of war, and seeming to threaten the Capitol with completed destruction. The British column about to fire the only remaining government building, alarmed at the gathering forces of Nature, now marshalled by God himself as if to do a work which the confused army had failed to do, fled to the nearest edifices for protection, many of which were dashed to the ground by the fury of the storm, burying numbers of men amid their ruins. Then an explosion at Greenleaf's Point, more likely providential than accidental, killed or wounded nearly a hundred more of these grim, fearless warriors: and the exaggerated fears of the British commander assumed that a formidable "army of indignant citizen-soldiers were mustering on the Heights of Georgetown," and large forces were gathering from the South, to overwhelm him before he could escape their just vengeance; and he hastened his men toward their ships at Benedict, where he embarked with the satisfaction of a retreating enemy rescued from imminent perils, when, in point of fact, there had been no army on his track; and it was twenty-four hours before the frightened Americans could gather courage enough to venture on to Capitol Hill, and disarm some sixty British invalids left in care of the wounded.

God, no doubt for purposes of discipline, suffered this extreme mortification to a proud, presumptuous people, and then directly interfered to prevent a subjugation which would have endangered his own purposes.

In less than two weeks, the British fleet came up the Chesapeake, landed their army at North Point, and made a bold combined attack upon Baltimore; expecting, doubtless, no more formidable obstacles in the way of its intended destruction than they had found in approaching the doomed capital. But from the indications at Washington in the

midst of the conflagration, and the prompt action of good sense and courage, arraying ten thousand men for the defence of Baltimore, it was evident God had at length said to these hitherto invincible men, "Thus far, and no farther." A severe engagement and a brave defence, in which the British Gen. Ross was slain, soon resulted in the retreat of the British army. Taking advantage of rain and darkness, they re-embarked, and left the Baltimoreans to their triumphs. "The Star-spangled Banner," written by Key on board a British ship, where he was forcibly detained during the action, commemorates in fitting strains the rising heroism of America represented on the bloody field of Baltimore.

PLATTSBURG.

We may now again turn our eyes to the North. Other veterans from the wars with Napoleon came to join in the conquest of America. Prevost, on the 1st of September, advanced upon Plattsburg with ten thousand men. McDonough's squadron had providentially just anchored in Plattsburg Bay. Macomb with three thousand men, including many invalids, had been left in command of the town. Volunteers from New York and Vermont, to the number of three thousand, now came at his call to join his little army; but what could be the hope of resistance to the formidable force which Prevost led up to the attack? Nothing, unless God should interfere. Prevost menaced Macomb in front, but sent a strong force to ford the river above. Now, while they are searching for the ford, let us turn our eyes to the lake.

"The British fleet, commanded by Commodore Downie, consisted of a new ship of thirty-seven guns, a new brig of sixteen, the two sloops captured from the Americans the year before, and mounting eleven guns each, besides twelve gunboats, ninety-five heavy guns to the whole squadron, which was manned by a thousand seamen from Quebec."

* Hildreth, 2d Series, iii. 518, 519, et seq.

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McDonough's squadron consisted of "The Saratoga," twentysix guns, the brig "Eagle," twenty guns, the schooner Ticonderoga," seventeen guns, the schooner " Preble," seven guns, and ten gunboats. With his largest vessels, he lay directly across the harbor, his gunboats forming a second line against the intervals between the ships. Downie was thus obliged to attack "bows on, which he did gallantly, reserving his fire till he came to close action." His largest vessel was soon crippled, and hastily anchored beyond the reach of harm. A "British sloop standing on to gain a raking position was so disabled, that she drifted down on the American line, and was taken." Another, driven from her berth, drifted ashore. The American schooner "Preble" was then driven from her anchorage, and "The Ticonderoga" was vigorously attacked and completely disabled on one side; but McDonough, by "winding," brought the other side to bear. Downie, attempting to imitate him, failed; and after a brave action, lasting two hours and a half, the British flag was lowered. The victory was complete. Prevost, hearing of this result, abandoned his search for the ford, and retreated with his army of veterans in a panic, leaving his wounded and much of his baggage and stores behind.

In the mean time, Brown, shut up in Fort Erie, had sent pressing messages to Izard for re-enforcements. Taking a strong force, and leaving the glory of defending Plattsburg to Macomb, he marched off toward the Niagara frontier. Before he reached Fort Erie, however, the lion-hearted Brown had determined upon a sortie. Issuing at mid-day with his chosen men, he "surprised the British batteries some two miles in advance of their camp, exploded their magazines, and spiked their guns; took some four hundred prisoners; and skilfully retired, having inflicted upon the enemy a loss of nearly a thousand men. Drummond, as soon as he could move, raised the siege, and retired behind the Chippewa."*

* Hildreth, 2d Series, iii. 520, 521.

NEW ORLEANS.

The indomitable Jackson had taken the responsibility to resist an attack of the British on Fort Bowyer, in which they were aided by the Spanish and Indians. This was a material point, as its capture would not only open a harbor to the French privateersmen from Barataria Bay, but it would give the British a fair opportunity to approach New Orleans. Jackson rallied the militia, and, without regard to men or money, poured a destructive fire into the British squadron, burned up their best ship, "The Hermes," and sent the whole fleet away in haste, with the loss of two hundred and thirtytwo men. Lafitte, the leader of the buccaneers, rejected with disdain the offer of an honorable rank for himself and his outlaws in the British army; and, shrewdly conducting his intrigues, gave himself, with all his valuable information, to the Americans. This enabled them to set forward an expedition from New Orleans, under Commodore Patterson, for an attack upon the pirates. The expedition was completely successful, the Americans capturing ten vessels, with twenty guns.

The blaze of light from Plattsburg, Fort Erie, and Mobile Bay, and the triumphs on the sea of "The Peacock" and "The Wasp," were, however, soon clouded. The latter, after a hard battle with "The Avon" (which she conquered and sunk) and taking several prizes, must have gone down alone, as she was never heard from after; and Chauncey was shut up by Yeo in Sackett's Harbor. We had not, at this time, a national vessel at sea.

Izard's boastful expedition, with six thousand men, against Drummond, behind the Chippewa, completely failed. Thinking that the confinement of Chauncey's fleet at Sackett's Harbor, and of Brown in command there, would leave the British at full liberty to re-enforce Drummond, he refused to attack, blew up Fort Erie, and retired.

Discontent, which now became general, especially in New

England, gave additional strength to the Federalist opposition, and culminated in the famous Hartford Convention. We greatly needed a decisive victory.

New Orleans now seemed a doomed city. A formidable British fleet approached, bearing four thousand sailors and marines and twelve thousand veterans, "commanded by Packingham, Kean, Lambert, and Gibbs, able and experienced generals of Wellington's late Peninsular army; whence, also, the troops had mostly been drawn.” *

Jackson, upon returning to New Orleans, found every thing in confusion. The defences he had commenced were in dilapidation. The squadron on the water was entirely inadequate, and really no army was at his command But his daring genius and indomitable will supplied every thing. He soon made drilled soldiers of raw recruits, now gathering at his call, of the citizens of New Orleans, who knew him too well to refuse to drill when he ordered, and of "the noble-hearted, generous free men of color," who sprang to arms with the greatest alacrity when he announced their hearty welcome: he made soldiers even of Lafitte and his fugitive buccaneers, and of the convicts whom he released, all of whom became orderly and daring warriors under the inspiration of one powerful mind.

When the British landed two thousand light troops, under Kean, from the Bayou Benevenu, about fifteen miles from New Orleans, Jackson found himself at the head of five thousand men of all kinds, only about a thousand of whom were regulars. He did not wait for the enemy to approach, but left Carroll and the Louisiana militia in charge of the city, and moved at once to the attack.

Coffee, who, by forced marches, came up in time with his brigade, was sent to the right. Jackson moved directly upon the enemy in front, and the schooner "Caroline" opened upon his left. Night had come on; but the impetuous Jackson would not wait for the day. The battle raged

* Hildreth, 2d Series, iii. 559.