Official correspondence with the Department of War, relative to the military operations of the American Army under the command of Major-General Izard on the northern frontier of the United States, in the years 1814 and 1815

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OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR, RELATIVE TQ THE MILITARY OPERATIONS OF THE AMERICAN ARMY VNBEB THE COMMAND Or MAJOR GENERAL IZARD, oir THE Northern Frontier of the United States. IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815. PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS DOBSON, AT THE STONE HOUSE, No. 41, SOUTH SECOND STREET William Fry, Printer 1816. District of Pennsylvania, to wit: :**""": BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-ninth day ; SEAL. ; 0f May, in the fortieth 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 Northern 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 encouragement 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 twi 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.

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 ascertained that in the month os 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 exceeded 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.

V " La Bergerie, 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. I's 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 obtaining 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 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 wnter 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 Department, \8th April, 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, Y our most obedient servant, JOHN ARMSTRONG. A Major General Izard to the Hon. John Armstrong, Secretary at War. Northern Army, H. Q. Plattsburg, 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 manœuvres, 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 movement 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 officers.

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 officer 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 instructions to the contrary, I shall adopt them as regulations for the troops under my command. I have the honour to be, very respectfully, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, GEO. IZARD. From the Same to the Same. Northern Army, H. 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. I am, very respectfully, Sec. &c. &c. The Secretary at War to Major General Izard. War Department, 28th April, 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, Sec. &c. The Same to the Same. War Department, April 28th, 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 supplies, 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 department, 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. Plattsburg, 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 10th, 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 rowgallies of 2( 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 da te of the 5th May, a letter which I received only last Ail ght from Burlington. He states his equipment to be n early all arrived; but is short of his complement of mei i by two hundred and fifty. He requests that number tc » be fur nished him from among the troops. We are i ourselves very deficient in numbers; but, conceiving it jto be of material advantage to have his force out, I have instruct ed Brigadier General Macomb to make such an arrangement as may be least inconvenient.

Were it not for the mass of provisions which I should be obliged 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 reports 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 Department, 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 accordinelv. I am, &c. &c. B Major General Izard to the Secretary at War.

Head Quarters, Plattsburg, May 17, 1814. 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 account 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 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 artillery, 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 request of the agent, a Mr. D. Jones, forward them, under cover, to the Adjutant and Inspector.

I am, &c. &c. The Secretary at War to Major General Izard. War Department, Wth 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. Sec. From the Same to the Satne. War Department, May 1 1//;, 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 ;>lst of January last. Other trials have been had, as those of Lieutenant Nickerson (31st regiment) 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. From Major General Izard to the Secretary at War. Head Quarters, Plattsburg, May 24, 1814. SIR, Yesterday's mail brought me two letters from you, dated the 1 1th inst.

The papers they covered are referred to the Inspector General, who will report respecting any irregularities in the proceedings of courts martial. The judge advocate whom I found here, Mr. S. Lush, had leave of absence two days ago (on his repeated and ear nest solicitation) to attend to private business of the greatest importance at Albany. Brigadier General Winder, not being met by the officer who was expected from Montreal, returned hither yester day. I communicated to him your notice of his being appointed chief of the staff. — My letters, from this place, will have informed you how diminutive the force under my command is. The appointment of so large a staff gives me the comfortable assurance that it is intended to add to the number of troops on this lake: they now would barely constitute a full brigade, on the footing of the re gulations for the army; and I shall be somewhat puzzled, when the remnant of Macomb's brigade joins me from Vermont, how to dispose of four brigadiers and all their staff officers.

I had directed the commanding officer in Vermont to furnish Captain Macdonough with the number of men he required, under the assurance that in a few days he would, by their assistance, be enabled to sail. My in structions were either misunderstood or neglected; and on further notice from the Commodore, that he was di rected, by the navy department, to apply for this aid, and that he could not move without it, I repeated the order to supply the men immediately. It has at last been done: but, to my surprise and mortification, I am informed from Vergennes, that another week must elapse before the fleet can put out. In the meantime the intercourse with the other side of the lake is rendered dangerous by gallies of the enemy, which skulk behind the islands, and pre vent the transportation of troops or stores; and this morning I have intelligence, that the enemy's naval armament is again above Rouse's Point.

Paralyzed as I am by this unexpected delay in the advance of our fleet, I can only make preparations to guard the position I occupy — a position adapted for three times the number of men at my disposal; but to which I am tied by a variety of considerations, which it is needless to repeat to you. Of the accuracy of the intelligence transmitted from Ogdensburg, I have no means of judging. There is no intercourse whatever between this point and the St. Law rence. I have endeavoured to obtain correct information of the enemy's force and movements. The men hitherto employed are, I suspect, as much in the enemy's pay as in ours. I found some of them on the footing of receiving monthly stipends to no inconsiderable amount. This is stopped; and they have notice that, in future, the reward shall be proportioned to the value of the service rendered.

Lieutenant Colonel Forsyth has undertaken to ascertain what I wished to know. I am in hourly expectation of his discoveries. The report of Lieutenant Colonel Davis, relative to the attack of the battery at Vergennes, and Brigadier Ma comb's letter, transmitting it, are herewith enclosed. I also send a letter from Captain Macdonough to the Briga dier, under date 18th May. In consequence of Brigadier General Winder's com munication to me, respecting the convention entered into by him, I have thought it my duty to alter the disposition of the officers and soldiers lately received as exchanged prisoners from Canada. This, as a matter of delicacy, I beg to have specific instructions about. I have the honour, &c. From the Secretary at War to Major General Izard. War Department, \±th May, 1814. SIR, Enclosed is the distribution made of the general staff, and of regiments and corps, for District No. 9.

If the regiments assigned to your division can be filled by even the 1st day of August next, the campaign may be a good one. Of reinforcements to the enemy, we hear only of the 76th and 16th regiments of infantry coming from England. It is proposed to get together at Buffaloe about six thousand effectives, regular and irregular, pass them into Canada by means of the flotilla on lake Erie, and give them Burlington and York as objects of attack. The enemy, to maintain these posts, must weaken himself below, and expose either Kingston or Montreal. If the former, General Gaines will be instructed (with the aid of the fleet) to carry his attack against that point; and if the lat ter, you will be in condition to avail yourself of it. If, on the other hand, the western posts are left to maintain themselves, they must fall; and the peninsula will be added to what we already hold of Upper Canada.

This result will be assured, if Chauncey should beat Yeo. The enemy's force, westward of Kingston, does not exceed, as we are informed, two thousand men. The privates of the 20th regiment will be transferred to the 12th; and the officers of the former sent to Virginia to recruit. The fragments of the 22d and 23d regiments will be sent to Sackett's Harbour; and all parts of corps or regiments, which have been assigned to your division, and are now serving in that of the left, will have orders to join you. From General Macomb's account of the militia at Ver gennes, they ought to be discharged. I am, sir, &c. &c. ENCLOSURE. Distribution of the General Staff, of the Corps and Regiments of the Army of the United States, in the Ninth Military District, for the year 1814. FIRST, OR DIVISION OF THE RIGHT.