and children sought safety in fort Mimms, in the Tensaw settlement. Although frequent warnings of an intended attack had been given them, yet, at noon day, on the 30th of August, they were surprised by a party of six hundred Indians, who with axes cut their way into the fort, and drove the people into the houses which it enclosed. To these they set fire. Many persons were burned, and many killed by the tomahawk. Only seventeen escaped to carry the horrid tidings to the neighboring stations.

The whites resolved on vengeance. Again general Jackson, at the head of 3500 militia of Tennessee, marched into the southern wilderness. A detachment under general Coffee, encountering, at Tallushatchie, a body of Indians, a sanguinary conflict ensued. The latter fought with desperation, neither giving nor receiving quarter, until nearly every warrior had per ished.

47. At Talladega, another battle was fought, in which three hundred Indians perished. The rest of the party, exceeding seven hundred, fled. General Jackson's provisions being exhausted, he was unable to pursue them. While on his return to the settlements, to obtain a supply, his troops became refractory and even mutinous. Nearly all returned to their homes; but to the small number that remained were soon added a reinforce ment of one thousand mounted volunteers.

48. At the head of this force, he marched to Emuckfaw, within a bend of the Tallapoosa, where a body of the enemy were posted. To several skirmishes succeeded a general battle, in which the whites were victorious, but sustained considerable loss. For the relief of the wounded, Jackson returned to fort Strother, where the volunteers were discharged. General White from East Tennessee, and general Floyd from Georgia, led separate expeditions against the Indians, and were victorious in every combat. So enraged were the savages, that but few would accept of quarter or seek safety in retreat.

49. Yet still was the spirit of the Creeks unsubdued, and their faith in victory unshaken. With no little sagacity and skill, they selected and fortified another position on the Tallapoosa, called by themselves Tohopeka, and by the whites, Horse-shoe Bend. Here pearly a thousand warriors, animated with a fierce and determined resolution, were collected. Three thousand men, commanded by general Jackson, marched to attack this post. To prevent escape, a detachment, under general Coffee, encircled the Bend. The main body, keeping within it, advanced to the fortress. For a few minutes, the opposing forces were engaged, muzzle to muzzle, at the port holes. Soon the troops, leaping over the walls, mingled with the savages.

The combat was furious and sanguinary. The Indians, fleeing at length to the river, beheld the troops on the opposite bank Returning, they fought with increased fury and desperation, and continued to resist until night. Six hundred warriors were killed; four only yielded themselves prisoners; the remaining three hundred escaped. Of the whites, fifty-five were killed, and one hundred and forty-six wounded.

50. It was expected that another stand would be made, by the Indians, at a place called the Hickory-ground. General Jackson marched thither in April. The principal chiefs came out to meet him, and among them was Wetherford, a half blood, distinguished equally for his talents and cruelty. "I am in your power," said he, "do with me what you please. I commanded at fort Mimms. I have done the white people all the harm I could. I have fought them, and fought them bravely. There was a time when I had a choice; I have none now, even hope is ended. Once I could animate my warriors; but I cannot animate the dead. They can no longer hear my voice; their bones are at Tallushatchie, Talladega, Emuckfaw, and Tohopeka. While there was a chance of success, I never supplicated peace; but my people are gone, and I now ask it for my nation and myself." Peace was concluded, and the brave general Jackson and his troops enjoyed an honourable but short repose.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CAMPAIGN OF 1814.

CONCLUSION OF THE WAR.

IN the winter of 1813-14, the fifteenth congress held a second session. To increase the number, and add to the efficiency of the army, several laws were passed, by one of which the enormous bounty of one hundred and twenty-four dollars was offered to recruits. The president was authorized to borrow twenty-five millions of dollars, and to issue treasury notes to the amount of five millions.

2. Before the termination of the session, a communication was received from the British government, declining to treat under the mediation of Russia, and proposing a direct negotiation at London or Gottenburgh. The proposition was accepted by the American government, who chose Gottenburgh as the place of meeting, for which Ghent was afterwards substituted; and Henry Clay and Jonathan Russell, were joined with the commissioners already in Europe. Mr. Clay, in consequence, relinquished the station of speaker of the house of representatives, and was succeeded by Langdon Cheves, of South-Carolina.

3. Early in the spring, the American army marched from French-Mills; a part of the troops, under the command of general Wilkinson, proceeding to Plattsburgh, and the remain der, under general Brown, returning to Sackett's Harbor. Near the last of March, general Wilkinson penetrated into Canada, and attacked a body of the enemy, occupying a large stone mill, on the river La Cole. He was repulsed with considerable loss. This defeat detracted from his already diminished reputation. He was removed from command, and general Izard appointed to succeed him.

4. For three months, the armies of both nations continued inactive. Meanwhile information was received of the stupendous events which had recently occurred in Europe. The emperor of France, having been arrested in his victorious career and sustained defeat after defeat, was compelled to abdicate his throne, and retire to the island of Elba. Louis the eighteenth was proclaimed king; and Great Britain, at peace with all the world but the United States, was enabled to direct against them alone the immense force which had been employed to crush her rival. She delayed not to use the advantages afforded by her good fortune. From the ports of conquered France, ships of war and transports bearing veteran and victorious troops, sailed to the American continent, some destined to the Niagara frontier, and some to the Atlantic coast.

5. These events could not be viewed with indifference by the American people. The friends of the administration anticipated a severer conflict, and prepared for greater sacrifices and greater sufferings. Its opposers were encouraged to make more vigorous efforts to wrest the reins of authority from men who, they asserted, had shown themselves incompetent to hold them. These efforts, although condemned by a great majority of the people, diminished in no slight degree, the strength of the republic.

6. In the beginning of July, general Brown, who had been assiduously employed in disciplining his troops, crossed the Y

Niagara with about 3000 men, and took possession, without opposition, of fort Erie. In a strong position, at Chippewa, a few miles distant, was intrenched an equal number of British troops commanded by general Riall. On the 4th, general Brown approached their works. The next day, the two armies met in the The open field. The conflict was obstinate and bloody. Americans were victorious; and the enemy, having sustained the loss of five hundred men, sought safety behind their intrench

ments.

7. This decisive victory, achieved after so many_reverses, was hailed as an omen of future success. Soon afterwards, genera! Riall, abandoning his works, retired to the heights of Burlington. Here lieutenant-general Drummond, with a large reinforcement, joined him, and assuming the command, led back the army towards the American camp. On the 25th, was fought the battle of Bridgewater, which began before sunset and continued until midnight.

8. This battle was fought near the cataract of Niagara, whose roar was silenced by the thunder of cannon and the din of arms, but was distinctly heard during the pauses of the fight. At intervals the moon shone brightly, but often her light was obscured. Against a superior force, the Americans, for several hours, contended with various success. During the first part of the engagement, they were sorely annoyed, into whatever part of the field they might drive the enemy or be driven, by the British artillery, stationed on a commanding eminence. "Can you storm that battery?" said general Ripley to colonel Miller. "I'll try, sir," was the laconic answer. At the word of command his men, with steady courage, ascended the hill, advanced to the muzzles of the cannon, killed with the bayonet several artillery-men, on the point of firing their pieces, and drove the remainder before them.

9. Both parties were instantly reinforced, and the enemy made a daring effort to regain their cannon. They were repulsed, but quickly repeated the attempt. Nearly all the opposing forces gathered around this position, and to possess it was the sole ob ject of both armies. Again the enemy were repulsed; but again they renewed the effort. After a violent conflict, they were a third time driven from the hill. The firing then ceased; the British troops were withdrawn; and the Americans were left in quiet possession of the field.

10. Generals Brown and Scott having both been severely wounded, the command devolved upon general Ripley. He remained a few hours upon the hill, collected the wounded, and then returned unmolested to the camp. The number of the

killed and wounded proves the bravery of the combatants, and the severity of the conflict. On the American side it was 743; on the British, one hundred less; and of the latter 117 more were missing than of the former. The British, therefore, besides losing their position, sustained the greater loss of men.

11. General Ripley found his force so much weakened, that he deemed it prudent again to occupy fort Erie. On the 4th of August, it was invested by general Drummond with 5000 troops. In defending it, no less bravery and skill were requisite, and no less were displayed, than in contending in the field. In the

night between the 14th and 15th, the besiegers made an assault upon the fort, which was repelled with conspicuous gallantry by the garrison, the former losing more than nine hundred men, the latter but eighty-four.

12. The siege was still continued. On the 2d of September, general Brown, having recovered from his wounds, threw himself into the fort and took command of the garrison. For their fate, great anxiety was felt by the nation, which was, however, in some degree, removed by the march from Plattsburgh of 5000 men to their relief. On the 17th, a sortie was made by the besieged, general Porter of the New-York militia, and general Miller of the regular army, commanding divisions. The bra very of the troops equalled that which they had displayed in the recent contests. After an hour of close fighting, they returned to the fort, having killed, wounded, and taken one thousand of the enemy. Their loss was severe, amounting to more than five hundred.

13. On the 21st of September, the forty-ninth day of the siege, general Drummond withdrew his forces, relieving the garrison from their toil, which had been incessant, and from their danger, which had been encountered without fear. Seldom have troops deserved higher praise of their country. On the 9th of October, general Izard arrived with the reinforcement from Plattsburgh, and being senior officer, took the command. On the 18th, he marched, with his whole force, in pursuit of the enemy, whom he found at Chippewa, strongly posted in a fortified camp. After making several unsuccessful attempts to entice them into the field, he evacuated Canada, and placed his troops in winter quarters at Buffalo, Blackrock, and Batavia.

14. The march of the troops from Plattsburgh having left that post almost defenceless, the enemy determined to attack it by land, and, at the same time, to attempt the destruction of the American flotilla on lake Champlain. On the 3d of September, sir George Prevost, the governor-general of Canada, with an