of smaller vessels. On the 18th of May, a squadron of the enemy appeared in Hampton-roads, about twenty miles from Norfolk in Virginia, where a serious attack was apprehended. The Constellation frigate was anchored between the two forts on each side of Elizabeth-river, which commands the approach to Norfolk; and at this place nearly 10,000 of the Virginian militia had been collected. On the 20th, an action took place between the gun-boat flotilla and some British frigates, which ended in the retreat of the gun-boats.

A formidable attempt on Norfolk being new determined upon, on the morning of the 22d, the enemy's ships, with between three and 4,000 men, appeared in Elizabeth-river. When within about 200 yards of the shore, a severe and galling fire was opened upon them from Crany island, which commands the river, by which some of their boats were cut in two, and the admiral's barge, the Centipede, entirely sunk. At the same time, a body of troops which had landed on the main shore, were attacked by a superior number of Virginia volunteers. Every pass being thus guarded and strongly defended by cannon and musketry, the British commander ordered a retreat, without accomplishing the original design. The safety of the city of Norfolk, and of the surrounding towns of Gosport, Portsmouth, and others, is to be solely attributed to the successful defence of Crany island.

The next object of attack was Hampton, about eighteen miles distant from Norfolk. On the 25th, admiral Cockburn advanced towards the town, in a number of barges, tenders, and smaller vessels, throwing rockets, and firing; while general Beckwith landed below, at the head of 2,000 men. The place was defended by about 500 men, infantry and artillery; who opposed the enemy for a considerable time, with some appearance of success, but were finally defeated, and the town taken possession of by the British. The loss of the Americans on this occasion, was seven killed, and twelve wounded; that of the British, five killed, and thirty-three wounded. After the capture of this place, many excesses were said to have been committed by the conquerors; who defended themselves by urging the law of retaliation, and charging the Americans with having fired upon the seamen who clung to the bot tom of a barge destroyed at Crany island.

The squadron, during the remainder of the summer, often threatened the city of Washington, Annapolis, and Baltimore; in consequence of which large bodies of militia were drawn out, and the country much harassed. Admi

ral Cockburn had moved to the southward, with a formidable force, to carry on the same species of warfare which had been so successful in the Chesapeak. In the beginning of July, he captured two private armed vessels in Pamlico-sound, North Carolina, but was frustrated in his attempt upon Newbern, by the sudden assembling of a large body of militia. He then proceeded to Portsmouth, chiefly inhabited by fishermen, which was also captured, and some property, including slaves, carried off.

To the north of the Chesapeak, where the British naval force was commanded by commodore Hardy, no private property was seized; yet the coast was not exempt from the effects of war. A strict blockade was preserved at New York, and two American frigates and a sloop of war, kept in port from the 1st of May till the 1st of June, when attempting to escape, they were chased into New London. By taking out some of their guns, they were enabled to ascend the river out of the reach of the enemy, and the place being well fortified, no attempt was made upon it; but the blockade was strictly kept up for many months. '

An act of congress had been passed during the last winter, which cannot be mentioned without feelings of detestation. A reward of half the vessel destroyed, was offered to such as should effect the destruction, by any other means than the armed vessels of the United States.* Several attempts at blowing up the enemy's vessels were made in consequence of this law. The most remarkable were those against the Ramilies, the admiral's ship, the other against the Plantagenet. The first was on the 25th of June, and was attempted by filling a schooner with barrels of flour, and a quantity of gunpowder concealed; having a gun-lock fixed at the bottom, so contrived as to explode the powder in the act of unloading. The schooner was then thrown in the way of the enemy, who captured her; but fortunately, instead of taking her along-side the Ramilies, they determined first to take out some of the cargo. In doing this, the vessel blew up, and destroyed several of the British seamen.

The next was the experiment with the torpedo, against the Plantagenet, then lying below Norfolk. After four or five attempts, this murderous machine was dropped within 100 yards of the ship, and swept down by the tide. Out

A law somewhat similar was formerly passed by the French convention; namely, to give no quarter to the British who might be taken in an engagement, but to spare all others in similar circumstances. This bloody decree fell to the ground; as the French soldiers, with that magtanimous spirit which characterises the military of all civilized countries, refused to put it in execution.

approaching the bottom of the vessel, it exploded in the most awful manner, and an immense column of water was thrown up, which fell with powerful weight on the deck; at the same time, a vast yawning gulf was opened, in which she appeared about to be swallowed up; though fortunately the ship was not greatly injured. Commodore Hardy was justly indignant at this cowardly attempt, and protested so strongly against it, that the torpedo system was not afterwards put in practice. Nothing, indeed, can justify such a mode of warfare; it would be wrong to practise it even against an unsparing foe: it is little better than poisoning fountains and preparing mines. There is something unmanly in this insiduous mode of annoyance; valour can claim no share in such exploits, for to the brave mind litfle pleasure can be derived from the recollection of having thus treacherously destroyed an enemy. The laurel which is not fairly won, is of no value to the real hero.

It is now time to return to the affairs of the navy; several conflicts by sea, with various succèss, having occurred since the engagement between the Constitution and Java, in December, 1812. Congress had now become so sensible, of the importance of their marine, that during the last session they had authorised the building of several additional vessels, and it was resolved to augment the navy by annual grants for that purpose. This was certainly wise policy; for though a free people have just cause to dread a standing army, there can be no reason to distrust a naval force. After commodore Bainbridge, in the Constitution, had left the coast of Brazil, on the 6th of January, 1813, the Hornet sloop of war, captain Lawrence, remained off St. Salvador, until the 24th, blockading the British sloop Bonne Citoyenne, which having a large quantity of specie on board, declined coming out to risk an engagement. But the Montague, seventy-four, having appeared in sight, the Hornet ran into the harbour, where she remained until evening, and then put to sea, shaping her course to Pernambuco. On the 4th of February, she captured the English brig Resolution of ten guns, with 23,000 dollars in specie; and afterwards running down the coast of Maranam, from thence stood for Demarara, when, on the 24th, she fell in with the Peacock sloop of war, captain Peake. After a severe action of fifteen minutes, the Peacock surrendered, being so much damaged that she could scarcely be kept afloat until the prisoners could be remov ed; she then sunk, carrying down with her nine of her own crew and three belonging to the Hornet. The gallant

captain Peake and four of his men were found dead on board, and twenty-nine seamen wounded. The loss of the Hornet was one man killed, and four wounded. A few days after the arrival of the Hornet, captain Lawrence was appointed to the command of the Chesapeak frigate, then lying at Boston.

On the 1st of June, discovering that the British frigate, the Shannon, captain Broke, had appeared off the harbour, displaying her colours, captain Lawrence immediately summoned all the officers on board, and got the ship under way. The Shannon proceeded down the bay in fine style, the Chesapeak following under a press of sail, with a flag flying at each mast head. In a short time, spectators were collected on every hill and place in and about Boston, which commanded a view of the sea; but the frigates proceeded to the eastward, till lost sight of from the town, and the people on shore were thereby spared the distress of witnessing the result. At half-past five o'clock, the action commenced, and after exchanging two or three broadsides, the Chesapeak fell on board the Shannon. Captain Broke gave immediate orders for boarding, and in fifteen minutes the enemy's ship was captured; having lost, forty-seven killed, and ninety-nine wounded, of whom fourteen afterwards died. Among the former were the sailing master, 4th lieutenant, 1st lieutenant of marines, and a midshipman. Among the latter, captain Lawrence, and the 2d lieutenant, (both mortally,) two other lieutenants, and the chaplain. The loss on board the Shannon was twenty-three slain, and fifty-six wounded: the 1st lieutenant, purser, and captains' clerk, were among the killed; captain Broke and one midshipman among the wounded. On the arrival of the ships at Halifax, the bodies of captain Lawrence and lieutenant Ludlow were interred with every honour, civil, naval, and military, which the British could bestow. The remains of these gallant officers were afterwards carried to the United States.

The tide of fortune continued in favour of Great Britain. On the 14th of August, the United States sloop of war, Argus, captain Allen, when cruising in St. George's channel, fell in with the British sloop of war, Pelican, captain Maples; when an action commenced at the distance of musket shot, the Pelican having the weather gage. At the first broadside captain Allen fell, mortally wounded; and after a severe engagement of two hours, in which the Argus had all her rigging cut to pieces, the ship quite unmanageable, and having had six men killed, and seven

teen wounded, she struck her colours. The Pelican had three killed, and five wounded. Captain Allen died of his wounds in England, and, with two of his midshipmen was interred with military honours at Plymouth.

Early in July, letters were received from captain Por ter, who had been uncommonly successful in making cap tures in the South seas. He had actually created a fleet of nine sail, by means of prize vessels, eight of which had been letters-of-marque. Among other vessels captured by him, were two fine British ships, pierced for twenty guns, but carrying only sixteen between them, and fifty-five men, one of these had on board no less than 500,000 dollars. But the next naval engagement that deserves notice, after that between the Argus and Pelican, occurred on the 5th of September. The United States brig, Enterprise, lieutenant Barrows, sailed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the 1st, and after having been out four days, fell in with the British brig, Boxer, captain Blythe, which immediately bore down on the enemy, with several flags flying. Firing commenced on both sides within pistol shot, and continued for fifteen minutes, when the Boxer surren dered, hailing her antagonist that she had yielded, but the colours could not be hauled down, being nailed to the mast. The Enterprise had one man killed, and thirteen wounded; the Boxer twenty killed and fourteen wounded. Lieutenant Burrows died of his wounds, and captain Blythe was killed in action. On the arrival of the ships at Portland, the bodies of the commanders were interred with military honours. Except the important transactions on lake Erie, an account of which will be afterwards given, no naval affair of moment occurred during the remainder of this year. We shall therefore revert to the operations in the west, where some interesting events had already taken place.

In the midst of the various occurrences of the war, on the northern frontier, on the sea-coast, and on the ocean, great preparations were making to the westward; and although the spring and the 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 general Harrison's campaign, and the result of the contest for the mastership of lake Erie. Upon the issue of that naval conflict great events depended. The British reinforcements continually arriving at fort George, were evidently destined to follow