Captain Lawrence in the command of the Hornet, which
vessel was at first intended to join the Chesapeake in a
cruise against the British trade to the Canadas. On the
capture of that ever unlucky vessel, whose destiny out-
weighed even the valour and the fortunes of a Lawrence,
Captain Biddle, pursuant to subsequent orders, joined the
squadron under Commodore Decatur, which was block-
aded in thp harbour of New London, by a superior force
of the enemy, until the conclusion of the war.
The squadron to which Captain Biddle belonged, re-
niained in the harbour of New London, in the hope of get-
ting out to sea during the season of heavy gales : but
when this had passed away without affording any oppor-
tunity, the two frigates were moored as high\ip the river
as possible, and dismantled ; Commodore Decatur and his
crew being transferred to the frigate President. When this
arrangement had taken place, and the season favourable
for the enemy to make an attack on those vessels, if they
had such an intention, had passed away. Captain Biddle,
for the second time, applied for and obtained permission
to attempt his escape in the Hornet. He succeeded in
evading the British squadron, and joined a force at New
York, intended to cruise under Commodore Decatur in
the East Indies. That officer went to sea in the Presi-
dent, on the 14th of January, 1815, leaving the sloops of
war Peacock, Captain Warrington, and Hornet, to convoy
the store ship, Avhich was not in readiness to accompany
them at that time. They did not sail until the 23d of
394 GLORY OF AMEllICA.
Januaiy, and separated a few days afterwards, in conse-
quence of the Hornet chasing a vessel, which, on being
overliauled, proved to be a Portuguese. From this they
proceeded singly for their first rendezvous, which was the
Island of Tristan d'Acunha.
On the morning of the 23d of ^larch, at the moment the
Hornet was preparing to anchor off that island, a sail hove
in siofht steerino; to the northward, with a fine breeze, and
disappeared in a few minutes behind a projecting point of
land. The Hornet immediately made sail, and on cler.r-
ing the point, discovered the same vessel, bearing down
before the wind, when Captain Biddle shortened sail, and
hove to for her to come up with him. When the stranger
came near, he began also to shorten sail, and took in his
steering sails very clumsily for the purpose of practising a
deception, as it afterwards appeared. He also came down
stern on, in order, as the ofiicers afterwards acknowledged,
that the Hornet should not see her broadside and attempt
to escape. The engagement cannot be better described
than in the words of Captain Biddle's oflicial letter.
" At Ih. 40m. P. M., being nearly within musket shot
distance, she hauled her wind on the starboard tack, hoist-
ed English colours, and fired a gun. We immediately
luifed to, hoisted our ensign, and gave the enemy a broad-
side. The action being thus commenced, a quick and
well directed fire was kept up from this ship, the enemy
gradually shifting nearer to us, when at Ih. 55m. he bore
up apparently to run us on board. As soon as I perceived
that he would certainly fall on board, I called the boarders,
so 8LS to be ready to repel any attempt to board us. At
the instant every ofiicer and man repaired to the quarter-
deck, where the two vessels were coming in contact, and
eagerly pressed me to permit them to board the enemy.
But this I would not permit, as it was evident from the
conmiencement of the action, that our fire was greatly su-
perior, both in quickness and eflect. The enemy's bow-
sprit came m between our main and mizen rigging, on the
starboard side, wiiich afforded him an opportunity of
boarding us if such had been his design, but no attempt
was made. There was a considerable swell on, and as
JAMES BIDDLE. 395
the sea lifted us ahead, the enemy's bowsprit carried away
our mizeii shrouds, stern davits, and spanker-boom ; and
he hung upon our larboard quarter. At this moment an
officer, who was afterwards recognised to be Mr. M'Donald,
the first heutenant, and the then commanding officer,
called out that they had surrendered. I directed the ma-
rines and musketry-men to cease firing, and while on the
taffi'ail asking if they had surrendered, I received a wound
in the neck. The enemy just then got clear of us, and
his foremast and bowsprit being both gone, and perceiving
us wearing to give him a fresh broadside, he again called
out that he had surrendered. It was with difficulty I
could restrain my crew from firing^ into him again, as he
had certainly fired into us after having surrendered.
From the firing of the first gun, to the last time the enemy
cried out he had surrendered, it was exactly twenty-two
minutes by the watch. She proved to be his Britannic
majesty's brig Penguin, mounting sixteen thirty-two pound
carronades, two long tv/elves, and a twelve pound carro-
nade on the top-gahant forecastle, with swivels on the
capstan, and on the tops. She had a spare port forward
so as to fight both her long guns of a side. She sailed
from England in September" last. She was shorter on
deck than this ship by two feet, but had greater length of
keel, greater breadth of beam, thicker sides, and higher bul-
warks, than this ship, and was in all respects a remarkably
fine vessel of her class. The enemy acknowledged a com-
plement of one hundred and thirty-two, tAvelve of them su-
pernumerary marines from the Medway, sevent^^-four, re-
ceived on board in consequence of her being ordered to
cruise for the American privateer Young Wasp. They
acknowledged also a loss of fourteen kilfed and twenty-
eight wounded ; but Mr. Mayo, who was in charge of the
prize, assures . me that the number of killed was certainly
greater." The Hornet had one killed and eleven wound-
ed. Among the killed of the Penguin was Captain Dick-
inson, her commander, who is represented to have been a
deserving and favourite officer. Not a single round shot
struck the hull of the Hornet, but her sides were filled
with grape, and her sails and rigging much cut. The
396 GLORY OF AMERICA.
Penguin was so severely cut, liad lost so many of her
spars, and those remainmg were so crippled, tliat it was
determined not to attempt to send her in, and she was ac-
cordingly scuttled.
A few days after this action, Captain Biddle was joined
by Captain Warrington, in the Peacock, accompanied by
the ship Tom Bowline, and as the Hornet required but
few repairs, she was soon as'ain ready for service. Hav-
ing waited the appointed time at Tristan d'Acunha,
without being joined by the President, they converted the
Tom Bov/line into a cartel, despatched her to St. Salvador
with the prisoners, and on the 12th of April, set sail for the
Cape of Good Hope. On the 27th they saw a strange
sail, to w^iich they gave chase, but did not approach near
enough to ascertain what she was until the afternoon of
the next day, when the Peacock, being the headmost ves-
sel, made signal that she was a ship of the line, and an
enemy. On tiiis the Hornet hauled upon a wind, and the
enemy commenced a chase, which lasted nearly thirty-six
nours, during which time he fired several times into the
Hornet, at not more t'lan a distance of three quarters of a
mile. On this occasion. Captain Biddle displayed a degree
of skill, perseverance, and fortitude, highly honourable to
the character of our navy.
The loss of her guns, and various other articles of equip-
ment, thrown overboard during tliis chase, rendered it ne-
cessary for the Hornet to return to some port ; and as it
would have been extremely hazardous to attempt going
home under such circumstances, Captain Biddle determi-
ned to make for St. Salvador. His intention was to refit
at that place, and continue his cruise ; but on his arrival
there, he learned the ratification of peace between the Uni-
ted States and Great Britain, and proceeded in consequence
to New York, where he arrived on the 30th of July. Du-
ring his absence, he had been promoted to tlie rank of post
captain : and on his return, the citizens of ?>^ew York gave
him a pu1)lic dinner, while those of Philadelphia, with
their characteristic liberality, raised a subscription for a
service of plate to be presented to him, in consideration of
his pubhc services and private worth. A court of inquiry
JAMES BIDDLE. 397
was held, at his desire, to investigate the cause of the re-
turn of the Hornet, as well as the circumstances which led
to the loss of her armament, and Captain Biddle was ac-
quitted, with merited compliments to his skill and perseve-
ring gallantry.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Virginia claims the honour of General Winfield Scott's
birth. He was born in Dinwiddle count}'', near Peters-
burg, on the 13th of June, 178.5. His classic pursuits
were closed in William and Mary College, Having un-
dergone the probationary studies of the law, he settled in
Petersburg, and commenced its practice in 1806, after he
had attained his 21st year. However he may have been
flattered with the prospects of success, is immaterial. Af-
ter the affair of the Chesapeake, in 1807, he applied and
received a Captain's commission in the regiment of light
artillery raised by Congress, upon the enlargement of the
United States' army, after that event. At Richmond, late
in the fall of 1808, Captain Scott received the pay of his
men for the months of September and October, as appear-
ed by the pay-roll of his company. Early in 1809, he
embarked under Colonel Parker, from Norfolk, for New
Orleans. After his arrival at his destination, he complain-
ed of the appointment of a Captain Banckhead over him.
His General informed him of the proper mode of redress,
for which the Captain was very thankfiil. In the incipi-
ency of the summer of the same year, he applied for, and
obtained a furlough from General Wilkinson for sixty or
nmety days, to return to Virginia, having declared that it
was his intention to resign, his only motive for entering
the army being the spur of the occasion^ in consequence
of the Chesapeake affair.
During this period, he was engaged with a Dr. Claude,
34
398 GLORY OF AMERICA.
of Maryland, a Surgeon in the army, in an affaix of a per-
sonal nature, and, however great he may have displayed
personal courage amid the conflict of armies, he is said not
to have manifested that cool intrepidity on this occasion so
highly appreciated in the character of a knight-errant, in
the days of ancient chivalry.
As soon as Colonel Parker had a knowledge of Captain
Scott's furlough by report, he applied to General Wilkin-
son to know its truth. The General verified it. On this,
Colonel Parker remarked to the General, that he hoped
Captain Scott Vv^ould settle xAth his men for their two
month's pay prior to his departure. Captain Scott having
debarked for Virginia on furlough, his command devolved
on Lieutenant John H. T. Estis, to whom his company
preferred a formal complaint at Terre-au-Bceuf, which,
with accompanying documents, was delivered to General
Wilkinson, in 1810. The letter of Lieutenant Estis is
dated July 9, 1810. The certuicate from the War De-
partment, verifying the pay-roll as given in by Captain
Scott, is dated June 28, 1810. A number of the non-
commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of the Cap-
tam's command, made oath at Terre-au-Bceuf the 9th oi
July, 1809, that at no time had they ever receipted any
roll for pay, or received any money due them from the
United States, for their services during the months of Sep-
tember and October, 1808.
On his arrival at the seat of Government, the Captain
obtamed an extension of furlough, and did not rejoin his
company until the last month of autunm, or the first of
winter, following.
Dr. Upshaw, a surgeon in the army, had a difierence
with Captain Scott, prior to his departure to the Atlantic
States, and a personal interview of parties was prevented
by a sick-bed, which almost prostrated the Doctor at th~
threshold of a more direful opponent. However, the Doc-
tor having recovered, after the return of Captain Scott,
he, on a knowledge of the Captain's delinquency, prefer-
red charges against him. A court of inquiry Avas held
which resulted in the call of a court martial. The court'
after giving him a full hearing, in consequence of ample
WINFIELD SCOTT. 399
testimony, found him guilty, in a qualified sense, and sus
pended him from command for twelve months. The con-
sequence of this, was an affair of honour between Cap-
tain Scott and Dr. Upshaw. On this occasion, the Cap-
tain is said to have behaved as he did in a similar affair
with Dr. Claude.
Though the charges were exhibited against Captain
Scott, while General Wilkinson commanded on the New-
Orleans station, yet the court was held, and the sentence
made known, while General Hamilton was the superior
officer.
Captain Scott next appeared on the public stage in the
character of a Judge Advocate, on the trial of Colonel
Gushing, in March, 1812. On this occasion he overacted
his part in the persecution of that officer, who had grown
gray in service. As Judge Advocate, he prepared an ac-
count of that trial, and gave it for publication in the Ana-
lectic Magazine, before it had received the sanction of su-
perior power.
Captain Scott left New Orleans with General Hampton,
in 1812, and having arrived at the seat of Government,
was appointed a Lieutenant-Colonel of the second regi-
ment of artillery, under Colonel Izard, over the heads of
men who had been from twelve to fifteen years in service.
The confirmation of this nomination in the Senate of the
United States met with some opposition, and owed its
success to Mr. Giles, a Senator from Virginia.
Early in the autumn, after his elevation, Colonel Scott
repaired to the Niagara frontier of the United States, with
two companies of his regiment, and took station at Black
Rock. The first active service in which Colonel Scott
was ever engaged with the enemies of his country, was a
brush with the British, in consequence of the grounding
of the Adams under the ofuns of the British batteries, at-
ter her capture from the enemy by Captain Elliot of the
nav^^, assisted by Captain Towson of the United States'
artillery, on the 9th of October. In the unsuccessful in-
vasion of Canada on the Niagara frontier, under Major-
General Van Rensselaer, Lieutenant-Colonel Scott was
taken prisoner, With one hundred and thirty-nine of his re-
400 GLORY OF AMERICA.
giment, when valiantly contendino- against a superior force
on Queenston Heights, and was sent as such to Quebec.
About a montli after he embarked for Boston on parole,
and was regularly exchanged in January, 1813. Alter his
return to active service, he joined General Dearborn in the
character of Adjutant-General of the Northern army.
Major-General Dearborn, with nearly five thousand
men, now determined on attempting the reduction of the
Peninsula on the opposite side of the straits. Of this.
Fort George was the bulwark. The necessary arrange-
ments having been completed, at one o'clock in 'the morn-
ing. May 27th, the whole army embarked on Lake Onta-
rio, three miles east from Fort Niagara. It was arrano;ed
in six divisions of boats ; the first^'contained the advance
guard under Colonel Scott. This was followed by Colo-
nel Porter with the field train, the brigades of Boyd, Win-
der and Chandler, and a reserve under Colonel Macomb.
Commodore Chauncey, with his squadron, favoured the
descent, by the fire of his small schooners : and Captain
Perry, then ser^-ing under Commodore Chauncey, volun-
teered to conduct the divisions. In the discharge of tliis
dutv, he was present at every point where hexould be
useful, under showers of musketry, and rendered very
essential services to the advance giiard, which he accom-
panied nearly to its point of attack.
At nine in the morning, Colonel Scott effected his land-
ing, in good order, under a heavy fire of musketrv and artil-
lery, about a mile and a quarter from the villao-e of Newark
and the same distance west of the mouth of the Niagara.
He formed his line on the beach of the lake, covered^by a
bank of twelve or fifteen feet in height, which ser^-ed as a
parapet against the enemy's fire. This bank was to be
scaled against the bayonets of the enemy, who had now
drawn up his forces, fifteen hundred strono;, immediately
on its brow. They were soon driven from their ground
by a brisk and vigorous charge, but rallied, and took a se-
cond position behind a ravine, at a little distance. A short
action ensued, which ended in the total rout of the enemy
at every point. During the last five minutes. Bovd had
landed m the rear of the advance guard, and a part of his
WINFIELD SCOTT. 401
brigade participated in the action. Colonel Scott pur-
sued the rout as far as the village, where he \vas joined
^ by the 6th regiment, under Colonel Miller ; thence the
enemy was closely pressed at a distance of five miles up
the river, until Scott was recalled from the pursuit by or-
der of General Lewis. As the American troops approach-
ed towards Fort George, it was perceived that the garri-
son were in the act of abandoning the work. Two com-
panies were instantly detached from the head of the pur-
suing couimn, to prevent this movement, and some pri-
soners were made. They were at the distance of about
eighty paces from the fort, when one of its magazines
blev/ up with a dreadful explosion. The front gate was
instantly forced by the Americans ; Scott was the first to
enter, and took with his own hands the British flag, yet
v/aving over the works. At the same time. Captains
Hindsman and Stockton snatched away the matches
which had been applied by the retreating garrison to
three other magazines.
In these several aflairs, the total loss of the American
army, in killed and wounded, amounted to one hundred
and twenty, of which, eighty-nine were of Colonel Scott's
command. ; one hundred and seven of the enemy were
killed at the point of ascent from the bank, and the whole
number of prisoners was two hundred and sixty-four.
On being promoted to a regiment. Colonel Scott resign-
ed the office of Adjutant-General, in July, 1813.
It had been determined, as all our readers well remember,
to f'.ollect a large force at Sackett's Harbour, with a view
to im enterprise against Kingston or Montreal, towards the
close of the campaign. The force under General Wil-
kinson accordingly embarked at Fort George on the 2d of
October, and proceeded down the lake. Colonel Scott
Vv^as left in command of a garrison of some seven or eight
hundred m.en, regulars and militia, for the defence of Fort
George. The British army, in the mean while, remained
inactive in the position which it had held for some time,
at the distance of four miles from the fort, until October
9th, when General De Rottenburg suddenly broke up his
encampment, and retreated to Burlington Hei^rhts. a dis-
34'
402 GLORY OP AMERICA.
tance of fifty-three niiles, abandoning the whole Niagara
frontier. Daring the seven days in which he was kept in
suspense by the threatening aspect of De Rottenburg, Co-
lonel Scott made the greatest exertions to strengthen his
defences. The enemy, however, did not think it prudent
to attack him.
Colonel Scott was accordingly relieved in the command
of Fort George, by Brigadier-General IM'Clure of the
New- York militia, and marched his garrison towards
Sackett's Harbour, to join the expedition under General
Wilkinson, which was then preparing to descend the St.
Lawrence. After a forced march of nineteen days,
throuo:h rain and mud, durino: the whole of which time
the sun was not visible for twelve hours, he learned upon
his arrival in the neighbourhood of Sackett's Harbour,
that the expedition had already taken its departure. He
therefore left his column, and. by a forced eifort of two
days and one night, came up with the army, and joined
it just above Ogdensburgh and Prescott. He was assign-
ed to the command of a l^attalion in the corps d' elite un-
der Colonel Macomb. In the subsequent descent of the
St. Lawrence, he commanded the van of the army.
The termination of this campaign was the result of in-
trigue, and General Wilkinson, the Commander, becam.e
its victim ; at the head of which were General Armstrong
the Secretary at War, and Brigadier-General Hampton,
who avoided the punishment of disobedience of orders by
a timely resignation.
Colonel Scott spent a great part of the followino; winter
at Albany. Early in March, 1814, he Avas promoted to
the rank of Brigadier-General, and joined Major-General
Brown there, on his route to the Niagara frontier, early in
April. Soon after, General Browai was recalled to Sack-
ett's Harbour, and the command, in consequence, devolved
on Brigadier-General Scott, who immediately assembled
the army, and established a camp of instmction at Buffalo.
All the officers were drilled by the commanding General
in person : these then instructed the rank and file ; com-
panies were then formed and snbjected to the same pro-
cess ; next battalions, which were also instructed bv Ge-
W INFIELD SCOTT. 403
lieral Scott in person, and finally the troops were carried
through the evolutions of the brigade and the line with
the same strict attention to science and method. The
army became well organized, and the strictest routine and
discipline were established throughout the whole.
In June, Major-General Brown returned to Buffalo with
re-enforcements, and on the 3d of July the campaign open-
ed. The Niagara was passed, and Fort Erie taken on the
same day ; the fort was taken by a battalion of the first of
Scott's brigade, under Major Jessup. Thence the Ameri-
can army moved towards Chippewa, the first brigade be-
ing ten hours in advance, and took a position a mile and
a half above Chippewa, having a small stream imnedi-
ately in front, beyond which lay an extensive plain ; its
right rested on the Niagara, and left upon a wood. From
this the British, Indians, and militia, annoyed the pickets,
until Brigadier-General Porter, with his command of mili-
tia, volunteers, and friendly Indians, drove them back upon
Chippewa, where he met the whole British column, in or-
der of battle, advancing to the attack. General Porters
light troops soon gave way, in spite of his personal gal-
lantry. The cloud of dust which arose, and the heavy
fi-ring, apprized General Brown of the approach of the
main body of the British. It v/as now five o'clock in the
afternoon, when Scott was advancing v.dth his brigade to
drill on the very ground on which the action had been
fought. On the march, he met General Brovrn, wlio pass-
ed on to put the reserve in motion. When Scott's brigade
arrived at the bridge over the stream, two hundred paces
in front of the camp, the enemy was discovered already in
order of battle on the plain, supported by a heavy battery,
within point blank shot of the bridge. Under a hea\^ fire
of artillery, General Scott passed the bridge v/ith some loss,
and formed his line : the first and second battalions, under
Majors Leavenworth and M'Neil, formed to the front, pa-
rallel to the enemy, and opposite to his left and centre :
the 3d battalion, under Major Jessup, broke ofi" to the left,
and advanced to the front in column to attack the enemy's
rio^ht wing;, which rested on a wood. Tov.^son's battery
took a position on the right of our army, resting on the ri-
404 GLORY OP AMERICA.
ver. General Scott soon perceived, that thouo^h there were
no intervals in the British line, yet their right wing far
outflanked his left. This caused the movenient of Major
Jessup ; and to remedy the defect of inferior numbers, the
interval was greatly enlarged between the other two batta-
lions. All these movements were made under the galling:
fire of the enemy's musketry and artiller)^ The action
then became general : INIajor Jessup, two hundred yards
in front, engaged and broke oif the enemy's right wing in
The wood from his general line, which continued to ad-
vance in tlie plain. Brigadier-General Scott, who had
advanced in line from his original position to meet the
enem}^, now halted for a moment. The success in the
wood gave the enemy's line on the plain, which continu-
ed to advance, a new flank, and the enlarged interval be-
tween the battalions of Leavenworth and M-Neil, enabled
the General to throw the battalion of the latter forward on
its right, so as to stand obliquely to the enemy's charge,
and flanking him on the right.' This movement, com-
bined vv^ith the fire of Leavenworth's battalion and that of