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OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF WAB,
P\S
'j BEL ATI VE TO THE
MILITARY OPERATIONS OF THE AMERICAN ARMY
UlfDEK THE COJIMJiND OF
MAJOR GENERAL IZARD,
Northern Frontier of the United States,
IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815.
PHILADELPHIA:
PUBLISHED BY THOMAS DOBSON, AT THE STONE HOL-SE,
No. 41, SOUTH SECOND STUEtT
^^Q^^e'^ William Fry, Priater .
District oFPenuBylvania, to wit;
n*B^r**i ^^ ^^ REMEMBERED, That on the twentv-ninth day
; SEAL. I Qf ]y[jjy^ i„ jj,g foi'ticth year of the Independence of the
•****«•*•* United States of America, A. D.I 816, Thomas Dobson, of
the said district, hath deposited in this office, the title of a book, the
right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the -words following, to wit:
"Official Correspondence with the Department of War, relating to
the Military Operations of the American Army under the command of
Major General Izard, on the NorLliern Frontier of the United States,
in the years 1814 and 1815."
In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, intitu-
led, " An act for the encom-agement of learning, by securing the copies
of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies
during the times therein mentioned." — And also to the act, entitled,
" An act supplementary to an act, entitled, " An act for the encourage-
ment of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to
the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein
mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of design-
ing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."
D. CALDWELL,
Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania.
1.484'?
INTRODUCTION
The people, in our free and happy country, have the
right to expect information respecting events of national
interest; and every man, who has been placed in a situation
of trust in the public service, is amenable to the great
tribunal of public opinion, — whose judgments differ from
those of posterity, only inasmuch as time exposes to the
latter, misrepresentations which not unfrequently involve
contemporary history in doubt and obscurity.
The following correspondence will enable the attentive
reader to judge of the real state of our military affairs on
the northern frontier, during the last year of the war with
Great Britain. It may be proper here to remark, that our
estimates, at that time, of the British force in the Canadas
were considerably below the truth. From unquestionable
sources of information, since the peace, it has been ascer-
IV
tained that in the month of October, 1814, there were
from thirty-four to thirty-five thousand British regular
troops in the upper and lower provinces; on the American
side (from Detroit to Plattsburg inclusively) the whole
amount of the effective United States' forces never ex-
ceeded ten thousand men.
It may now be determined with what degree of justice
a clamour was raised against the military conduct of the
officer commanding in chief on the northern frontier at
the close of the war. Puerile vanity may have attributed
to itself success which had been prepared by the foresight
and exertions of another; — pride may have hesitated to
acknowledge the relief afforded in its distress; — arrogance
may have sought consolation for its repulse, by encourag-
ing calumny; — and malice, writhing under chastisement,
may have exulted in the prospect of attaching its venom to
the fair fame of an honest man and a successful commander;
but the offspring of falsehood and folly must vanish before
the mirror of truth.
The appearance of a pamphlet, ascribed to the pen of
General Armstrong, (in which offensive mention was made
of Major General Izard,) induced the latter to inquire of
the supposed author, if he avowed the production; — it
was disavowed in the following terms.
** La Bergene, 25 April, 1816.
" SIR,
" I received your letter of the 17th instant by Saturday's
mail, and the duplicate copy by that of yesterday. I am not
the author of the pamphlet to which you refer, and which
you say the public voice ascribes to me. Though no ap-
prover of your military conduct in the campaign of 1814,
I have not published a line on that subject. You do me no
more than justice in supposing that what I write, I am
willing to acknowledge.
I am, sir, respectfully.
Your obedient servant,
JOHN ARMSTRONG.'^
Gen, Izard, Philadelphia.
With an anonymous libeller, no man of honour can
enter the lists. The sarcasm levelled at Gen. Ps character
was entitled to notice, only as coming from a personage,
whose opinions might appear to the world the result of an
intimate acquaintance with facts. But as Gen. Armstrong
has (in the above quoted letter) announced himself unequi-
vocally to be no approver of the military conduct of one
who, during his ministry, was placed in a situation so
responsible, as well as honourable, as that of commander
of the principal army on the menaced frontier of the
VI
United States, — General Izard feels it incumbent on him,
as an American and a soldier, to furnish his fellow citizens
with the means of deciding on the merits of his public
conduct. No mode more effectual presents itself of ob-
taining a candid judgment than by exhibiting for public
investigation his correspondence with the department of
war, accompanied by such documents as may illustrate
the facts mentioned in his letters. No erasures have been
made but of such passages as relate to the misconduct of
individuals.
The many meritorious officers, whose intrepidity and
military talents solaced their commander in those scenes
of labour, danger and privation, would have cause to
complain of being neglected in the official reports to the
secretary at war, but for the following explanation. On
every occasion where an officer had distinguished himself,
the circumstance was noticed in general orders issued to
the army, and a memorandum was entered on a record
which was intended to be laid before the executive at the
close of the campaign. After the peace, and on the reduc-
tion of the army, General Izard had no opportunity of
laying these titles to the patronage of government before
the competent authority;— * nor was he consulted in the
selection of officers for the peace establishment. In the
few instances where names were particularly mentioned
(in the correspondence with the secretary at war) it was
vu
done to guard the rights of individuals who were entitled
to promotion; — because some alarming instances of the
irregular advancement of favourites had occurred in the
new organization of the army in 1814.
It would be superfluous to apologize for any inaccu-
racies in the composition of these letters. Most of them
were written amidst unavoidable interruptions. During
the latter part of the campaign on the Niagara, the writer
was suffering from a painful and debilitating malady. This
was the period seized upon, by an infamous tool of dis-
appointed ambition, for inventing calumnies, not only
unsupported by a shadow of truth or probability, and
contradicted by the tenor of a whole life, but entirely
irrelevant to the exercise of professional duties.
Philadelphia, May 30, 1816.
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815.
The Secretary at War to Major General George Izard.
War Departinenty \8th J/lril) 1814.
SIR,
Enclosed is a duplicate copy of my letter to you of the
8th instant, by which authority is vested in you to adjourn
the court to be assembled for the trial of Major General
Wilkinson, in the contingency only of your not finding its
members together on the 25th inst. The late occurrences
on the frontier made it proper that this authority should
be enlarged. You are accordingly instructed to postpone
the assembling of the court until the end of the campaign,
if, in your opinion, its sitting, agreeably to the order
given, would produce inconvenience or injury to the
public interest. Should you decide on deferring the trial,.
you will immediately proceed to the head quarters of the
army, at or near Plattsburg, and take upon yourself the
command thereof.
I have the honour to be, sir.
With great respect,
Your most obedient servant,
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Major General Izard to the Hon, John Armstrong,
Secretary at War,
Mrthern Army, H. Q. Piattsburg, May 7, 1814.
SIR,
The papers which I forwarded from Lake George will
have informed you of what took place in regard to the
court martial ordered to assemble there. I arrived in this
vicinity on the 1st instant, and assumed the command of
the army on the 4th. Brigadier General Macomb had been
called to this station, from the eastern side of the lake, by
Major General Wilkinson on his departure, and Brigadier
General Smith was sent to Burlington. Both these officers
being desirous of resuming their former posts, I directed
them to do so. Brigadier General Smith has not yet re-
ported himself here.
I have been engaged for three days in examining the
troops, and am sorry to say that I am greatly disappoint-
ed, both in their number and quality. With very few
exceptions (and those confined to companies) they are
deficient in all the requisites of regular soldiers. Their
clothing and equipment are in a wretched state, — their
proficiency in field manoeuvres, and even the rudiments
of exercise, is lamentably small, — and an undue proportion
of them are on the sick list. Of those who appear under
arms, a very great number are unfit to take the field, in
consequence of indispositions contracted in the last move-
ment to the Lacole. Whole battalions are composed of
year's men, who in a few days will be entitled to their
discharge from the service. In short, I cannot, on this
side of Lake Champlain, produce an aggregate force of
more than two thousand effectives, and these raw, ill-clad
and worse disciplined.
The brigade in Vermont is not proportionally stronger:
the last report from Burlington presents no more than an
aggregate of six hundred men. There is besides, at Ver-
gennes, a detachment of about three hundred; and I un-
derstand that four or five hundred recruits, under Colonel
Dana, may soon be expected in that quarter.
The extent of my command not having been defined, I
have some hesitation in giving orders to detached ofiicers.
The morning on which I left Albany, I was informed that
orders, directly from the war office, had been received by
the senior officer at Greenbush to forward all his recruits
to the westward. Nothing is farther from my wishes than
to interfere with the movements of any officer at a distance.
I must, however, request, that limits may be designated
to the district over which I am to have a control — still, of
course, reserving the right to command in chief, should
circumstances bring a junior oflficer within the circle of
my operations.
In the mean time I find it necessary to order some
of the officers at Albany to join their corps here. We
have a detachment of more than one hundred dragoons
under charge of a single subaltern. Lieutenant Colonel
Ball will be directed to repair hither, and to order such
dragoon officers as he may meet or hear of, not on other
active duty, to join him. The same measure will be
adopted respecting the light artillery, of which there are
three companies, with only one officer to each.
Different systems of instruction have been adopted by
the officers of this division. As uniformity is indispensable
in this particular, I am about to authorize the former
practice, agreeably to Baron Steuben's regulations — with-
out, however, giving to the latter the formality of a general
order until the first of June; when, unless I receive in-
structions to the contrary, I shall adopt them as regula-
tions for the troops under my command.
I have the honour to be, ver) respectfully,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
GEO. IZARD.
JProm the Same to the Same.
JVorthern ^rmy, If. Q. Plattsburg, May 9, 1814.
SIR,
I deem: it proper to make you acquainted with the
state of our supplies here; and enclose returns from the
quartermaster's department, handed in this morning.
The dragoons are without clothing; their arms, with
scarcely an exception, unfit for use — and they have not
been paid for many months.
The riflemen have had no pay for considerably more
than a year. I regret to say that several desertions have
taken place from these two corps since my arrival.
The master of the steam-boat from Whitehall reports,
that Commodore Macdonough will not be ready so soon as
was expected.
T am, very respectfully, 8s,c. &c. &c.
The Secretary at War to Major General Izard,
War Department y 28th Afiril^ 1814.
SIR,
If, under the authority given by my last letter, you
have not already adjourned the proposed court-martial
(in the case of Major General Wilkinson) until further
orders, you will no longer delay doing so. The early
movements of the enemy on the lakes render it highly
imprudent to detain you longer from the army, or to
draw from it the witnesses necessary to the prosecution
and defence. Colonels King and Hamilton will return to
the Fifth District, and Brigadier General M*Arthur to
the Eighth, via Washington.
I am, sir, &jc. &c.
The Same to the Same.
War De/iarimenty Jjiril ^Qthy 1814.
SIR,
It is to be hoped that our flotilla on Lake Champlain
will soon be in condition to act with effect, and that the
naval force of the enemy will be confined to the Sorrel.
In this case you will concentrate all your regular force
on the west side of the lake, and take such position as
may be best recommended by the following considerations.
1st. Its own physical strength and fitness to receive and
accommodate an army:
2d. The protection it will give to your depots of sup-
plies, and to the country in your rear: and
3d. The facilities it may offer of approaching and an-
noying the enemy.
These considerations indicate the character to be given
to the campaign on Lake Champlain.
If our force shall be so augmented by enlistments as
will warrant an attack on the enemy's posts in front of
Montreal, it will be made. Lacole, forced or turned, and
a position taken between the Isle-aux-noix and Montreal,
he will be compelled to hazard a battle in defence of his
communications. This object in view, reinforcements will
be forwarded to you from all the points from which they
can be spared: but as these will be principally composed
of recruits, the most unwearied attention must be paid to
them. It is matter of serious regret that, in our oldest
corps, an attention to police and a knowledge of duty are
yet very deficient. The source of this evil is principally
to be found in the commanding generals, who do not fol-
low up their orders, by their own personal observation, or
by that of their staff, to their complete execution. I have
also to complain, that the rules prescribed by this depart-
ment, and which had for their objects order and economy,
have not been steadily or strictly observed. The President
looks to you for a remedy of these evils, and for a correc-
tion of all other abuses which come under your notice.
I am, sir, &c.
Major General Izard to the Secretary at War.
Northern Army^ H. Q, Plattsburgy May 13, 1814.
SIR,
The enemy's flotilla, consisting of one brig of twenty
or twenty-four guns, three sloops of from six to eight
guns, and thirteen gun-boats and gallies, passed Chazy on
the 9th and 10th instant. They remained the 11th and 12th
in sight of this place, and are this day out of sight, having
proceeded up the lake. Their approach was announced by
express to Brigadier General Macomb, at Burlington,
early on the iOth, who forwarded the information to Cap-
tain Macdonough (Navy) at Vergennes and to Whitehall.
They have not landed on this side of the lake, but plun-
dered some of the inhabitants on the Vermont shore. They
may have from twelve to fifteen hundred men on board.
They have a number of small boats with them.
Our force at Vergennes consists of
1 ship of 26 guns,
1 schooner of 20 guns,
2 sloops of 8 ^
6 row gallies of 2v each.
4 gun-boats of 1 3
The mouth of Otter creek is defended by a small bat-
tery of seven twelve pounders, on ship carriages. A furnace
is also built for heating shot.
Captain Macdonough wrote to me, under date of the
5th May, a letter which I received only last night from
Burlington. He states his equipment to be nearly all
arrived; but is short of his complement of men by two
hundred and fifty. He requests that number to be fur-
nished him from among the troops. We are ourselves
very deficient in numbers; but, conceiving it to be of
material advantage to have his force out, I have instruct-
ed Brigadier General Macomb to make such an arrange-
ment as may be least inconvenient. Were it not for the
mass of provisions which I should be obHged to leave
exposed here, I would proceed to Rouse's Point, in the
hope of intercepting the enemy's return. They are, how-
ever, in force between Isle-aux-noix and Montreal, and
are daily receiving reinforcements from below. The re-
ports of spies and deserters are doubtless exaggerated;
but they greatly outnumber us at the lowest estimate.
On the 10th a detachment of exchanged prisoners,
amounting to three hundred men, of whom twelve are
seamen, were received by an officer of my staff near
Champlain. They arrived within my cantonment yester-
day. No rolls, except of names, accompany them. Colonel
Pinkney is directed to report on the subject to the Adju-
tant and Inspector's office at Washington. The seamen
are now proceeding to the other side of the lake, and I
hope will reach Vergennes to-morrow. I have directed
the quartermaster's department to furnish them with pro-
visions, and a boat, which they will navigate themselves.
They are warned to be on their guard- Sailingmaster
Trent is their senior officer.
Lieutenant Spenser, of the pay department, has lately
arrived here with money for the troops, which they are
now receiving. I shall rejoice when it is all spent; and
hope means will be adopted to correct the inconvenience
of such distant payments.
I send this letter by express, on the west side of Lake
Champlain to Albany, under cover to Colonel Jenkins;
and, while the enemy continues above us, shall establish
a line of expresses on that route.
I have the honour, &c. &c.
The Secretary at War to Major General Izard,
War Defmrtment^ 6th May, 1814.
SIR,
Your letter of the 27th ultimo, enclosing copies of
your correspondence with General Wilkinson, has been
received. I may hereafter make some remarks upon it.
My object at present is principally to give you some
information, received through Commodore Chauncey.
That Benedict's story, in extenso, is that of an old
woman, there can be no doubt. Whether the senses of
a man, who could believe such a quiz, are to be trusted
at all, is the only question at present.
If large detachments have gone up the St. Lawrence
(and he says he has seen one of this description) they are
not from Europe, but from Montreal. They are of course
proportionably weak in this point, and may be struck with
effect, if the roads yet permit the travelling of cannon of
sufficient calibre to batter down or to burn their out-
works. Employ all means to get information, and act
accordingly.
I am, &c. &:c.
10
Major General Izard to the Secretary at War.
Head Quarters, Plattsburg, May 17, 18 14.
SIR,
On the 13th instant I had the honour of informing
you, that the enemy's flotilla had proceeded up the lake.
Early the next morning a heavy firing was heard in a
south-east direction, for which we were at a loss to ac-
count until last afternoon, when the express I had sent to
Vermont returned with a letter from Brigadier General
Macomb, enclosing a note to him from Captain Mac-
donough. On receiving notice of the enemy's proceeding
up the lake on the 13th, a detachment of fifty light artillery
men, under the command of Captain Thornton, of that
corps, was despatched in wagons from Burlington to
Vergennes, where they arrived in time to man the battery
at the mouth of Otter creek. At day-break the enemy at-
tacked with his whole force; and, after a severe cannonade
of two hours' duration, during which their gallies suffered
very considerably, they withdrew to repair damages. —
Yesterday they repassed this place, having some of their
vessels in tow, and are gone towards their own posts. Two
of their gallies are said to be missing, No damage was
done on our side, except dismounting one gun in the
battery, by which two men were slightly injured. I enclose
a copy of the note, written by Captain Macdonough to
Brigadier General Macomb.
I have information that eighty new bateaux, to hold
from twenty-five to thirty men each, are assembled below
Rouse's Point, and that the enemy is daily receiving rein-
forcements in that quarter. One battalion of the 8th and
one of the 60th British regiments are stated, by the officers
11
lately exchanged, to have arrived at Chambly and St.
John's. A hand-bill was published at Montreal, four days
ago, announcing the arrival, at Quebec of a large number
of transports. When our fleet is well out of port, I shall
concentrate my force on this side of the lake, and collect
the stores dispersed at several points.
It is stated that the communication is stopped on the
lines by the British authorities. This has been the usual
precursor of their expeditions. — Not having heard a word
from the westward, I can only make my arrangements for
the banks of this lake; and, if the flotilla were well out, I
shall have very little apprehension in this quarter.
Among the exchanged prisoners, who reported them-
selves to me yesterday, were Captain Leonard, of the ar-
tillery, and Dr. Chapin, of Niagara. The former is ordered
to proceed to Washington: the latter I informed he was
at liberty to go home, as he wishes to do.
Some claims against the United States, by inhabitants
of the vicinity of French Mills, have been presented here.
I refused to act on the subject; and at the reqacst of the
agent, a Mr. D. Jones, forward them, under cover, to the
Adjutant and Inspector.
I am, &c. he.
12
The Secretary at War to Major General Izard.
War Dejiartmc72t^ 1 \th May^ 1814.
SIR,
You will receive herewith a copy of laws, having rela-
tion to the army, passed at the last session of Congress,
and of the new military regulations, which the President
has approved — and which, in addition to those already
published, it becomes your duty to promulgate and enforce
within your command. Those relating to hospitals and to
clothing call for the most rigid observance.
Brigadier General Winder, having been exchanged,
has been assigned to the important office of chief of the
staff, and, as such, will report to you.
I am, sir, &c. &c.
From the Same to the Same,
War Defiartment^ May Wth^ 1814.
SIR, /
As in other branches of service, there are many irregu-
larities in the conduct of judge advocates; and particularly
in their not transmitting the proceedings of courts martial,
within a reasonable time, to this department, as matters of
record. The only notice received here of the proceedings
in the cases of B. P. Barnet, Frederick G. Gates, James
Deane, James W. Lanning, Amasa J. Brown, Conant,
Waterman, Baily, and Presbury West, is a copy of the
general order of the 3 1st of January last. Other trials have
been had, as those of Lieutenant Nickerson (3 1st regiment)
13
and of Lieutenants Merrit and Standiford, of which no
notice of any kind has been received. It is the province of
Inspectors General to report judge advocates not perform-
ing their duty agreeably to law.
You will be pleased to issue the necessary orders on
this point, and accept the assurances of my great respect.
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Fro7n Major General Izard to the Secretary at War,
Head Quartern^ Plattsburg^ May 24^ 1814.
SIR,
Yesterday's mail brought me two letters from you,
dated the 11th inst. The papers they covered are referred
to the Inspector General, who will report respecting any
irregularities in the proceedings of courts martial. The