The boy officers of 1812

Preface

T HAVE endeavored in this, as in the other volumes of this series, not merely to tell a story, hut to lead the young readers into a conception of the times and men.

The historical allusions are true and many of the incidents have an historical basis. I have not tried to prejudice my readers in favor of, or against, the names of the leaders, save as the facts themselves are presented by the historians. A thorough knowledge of this struggle of 1812 — something few have tried to gain — will lead to an increased patriotism, and surely will give a hopeful view of the men who are making the times in which we are living.

EVERETT T. TOMLINSON.

Contents

Chapter Page

I. General Harrison’s Express 9

IT. A New Proposition 21

Chapter II

TT was a long time before David and Elijah, who slept together that night, became quiet. It did seem as if every effort the Americans made on land was bound to come to some bad end, and the boys for a long time talked over the story to which they had listened ; but in the morning a part of the gloom had disappeared, and as they gathered at the breakfast table it was with spirits somewhat more cheerful.

“ How did you come to Sackett’s Harbor ? ” said David to their visitor.

“ Most of the way on skates and snow-shoes. I had some hard experiences though ; but this is my line of work, and I’m going to start back again to-morrow.”

He m an was unusually sober and had taken but little part in the conversation, although he had been an attentive listener to the story of his friend on the previous evening.

“ What’s the matter, Heman ? ” said David, lookingup at him, and trying to draw his friend into the conversation.

“Nothing much,” replied Heman. “I’ve been thinking out a pretty knotty problem, and I’ve only just found the answer to it.”

“ What is it ? Tell us about it,” said David.

“ Oh ! It’s nothing much,” replied Heman ; “ it’s only just this: I’ve made up my mind to go back with Jack to-morrow.”

Everybody looked up in astonishment, and there was silence for a moment.

“ What,” said Andrew, who sat at the head of the table, “ going away out to General Harrison’s army ? ”

“Yes,” said Heman quietly, “that’s just what I’m going to do. There’s nothing more for me to do here, and I haven’t any one dependent on me, and almost no friends in this world.”

“But you know you’ve friends here,” said Mrs. Field quietly, for any one who had shared with her boy the dangers of war found a large place in her motherly heart.

“ Yes, I know that,” said Heman, looking towards Mrs. Field affectionately ; “ but the boys will soon be going into the war again, and the hermit and the cook can look after the place all right, and I think the best thing I can do is to go back with Jack; that is, if he’s willing to have me.”

“Nothing would suit me better,” said his friend, “ if you think you can stand it to keep up on a steady stretch for three weeks, may be.”

“ I think I can,” replied Heman ; “ at least I’m going to try it.”

“ That’s just the way he joined us,” said Elijah, turning to David. “Don’t you remember how he came aboard the ‘Corporal’ when we were going out to Niagara ? ”

It was soon settled that Heman was to go. The boys were sorry to have him leave them, but he promised Mrs. Field that he would regard their place as his home, and if all things went well with him, that some day he would return. The boys were quite excited over the new expedition of their friend, and Elijah Spicer even proposed to his father that he himself should join in it, but a sharp negative from Mr. Spicer at once put an end to his plans in that direction.

After breakfast, John Sharp returned to Sackett’s Harbor, but Heman remained for the day at the home of the Fields. It had been arranged that he should join his friend on the following morning and start with him on that long journey which might lead him into many dangers, and which certainly would bring him many strange experiences.

On the following morning a little group, made up of the boys and the men in the party which we have described, stood on the dock at Sackett’s Harbor to bid farewell to Heman and his friend as they were about to start. Heman was wonderfully cheerful, though quiet all the time ; and when the good-byes at last had been spoken, Heman started and resolutely kept at the side of his friend, and the boys watched them until they had disappeared in the distance. At last they turned from the dock, and after watching the drill of the soldiers for a time went back to their homes. There was little for them to do in the dead of winter. The snow covered the ground and in some places buried the fences out of sight. The intense cold had made the ice on the lake very thick, and the sharp winter winds had swept it clear of the snow. The boys frequently spent a part of the day in skating over the lake and in fishing through the ice, but the time dragged even then somewhat, so quiet did it all seem after their exciting experiences during the previous autumn.

“ I expect we shall have to let the boys go again,” said Mr. Spicer one day to Mrs. Field. “They’re going to be needed and the war isn’t finished yet. The President isn’t willing to accept the armistice which Great Britain has proposed, and I think he was just right.”

Mrs. Field made no reply except to draw a heavy sigh, for she knew that the time was soon coming when the boys would again desire to renew their experiences, and to take their share in the defence of their country.

At last in the latter part of February the boys were surprised one day on their visit to Sackett’s Harbor to see their old friend Captain Forsythe, whom they had left a few weeks before at Ogdensburg.

“ Good morning, Captain,” said Elijah, hailing him across the street and running to meet him.

“ You mustn’t call me Captain now,” said their friend with a laugh.

“ What am I to call you, then ? ” said Elijah.

“I’m Major now; I’ve just been promoted. We got driven out of Ogdensburg by the British, and I suppose the President thought I’d feel badly about it, so they made a Major out of me.”

“ Well, I’m glad to find you’re here again,” said David. “I hope you’re going to stay.”

“That depends,” replied the Major, glancing affectionately towards his young friends. “ I suppose you know the authorities at Washington are planning an active campaign against Canada. General Dearborn is to be placed in command of this part, and there are four thousand men soon to be gathered at Sackett’s Harbor and three thousand at Niagara. They want us to go over to Kingston, and after we’ve taken that place, then to go on to Toronto. There are lots of stores there, and besides that they are said to be building two frigates.”

“ I hope we can go with you,” said the boys excitedly. “ Don’t you suppose we can ? ”

“I don’t know; that will depend upon some other things,” said the Major. “ General Dearborn will be here in a few days and then our plans will be formed.”

When the boys returned to their homes they were filled with the thoughts of the project of which the Major had told them and were eager to join in the expedition. When General Dearborn arrived a few days later there were great rejoicings at Sackett’s Harbor, and yet there were grave fears on every side, for the reports had come that Sir George Prevost had adjourned the Canadian Parliament and had arrived at Kingston and was making plans for an early attack upon Sackett’s Harbor.

There was another report, that six or eight thousand men had been gathered from Quebec and Montreal and that they were to unite in an attack, and as a consequence there was great excitement and fear all about Sackett’s Harbor. The forces there had not yet been fully assembled, and they could rely only upon about three thousand men. General Brown had received orders to call out several hundred of the militia, and two expresses had been sent to General Pike, who was in command at Plattsburg, for him to come at once and bring eight hundred men with him. One day, when the boys had met their friend Major Forsythe, they learned from him that no word had been received from Pike, and that General Dearborn was very much worried about the delay.

“If we should be attacked,” said the Major, “by any such force as it is reported they have at Kingston, the General is very much afraid it’ll go hard with us. He has sent two expresses already to Plattsburg, but not a word has been heard yet from either of them.”

“ Is that the only place he’s looking for help from?” asked David.

“No, he’s expecting a small body of men from Rome and Utica ; but if Pike does not come, it will be a sad loss to us, for he is one of the hardest fighters I ever knew, and his men have a good deal of his spirit too.”

“ Well, why don’t they hurry him up ? ”

“ That’s what they have been trying to do,” said the Major with a smile ; “ but they’ve heard nothing from either of the expresses, and what else can we do?”

“ Send another one,” said Elijah impulsively.

“ That’s just what I proposed to General Dearborn should be done,” replied the Major; “and I rather think it will.”

“ When will it be sent? ” asked David.

“Just as soon as it can be gotten ready,” replied the Major, “ and those we want to go on it can start.”

“ Who’s going ? ” asked Elijah.

“ Two young friends of mine,” replied the Major quietly ; “ one of them is named David Field and the other Elijah Spicer.”

The boys looked at him in astonishment and asked him if he were not joking.

“ No,” replied the Major, “there’s no joke about it. I’ve had a long talk with General Dearborn about this very thing, and I’ve told him of what you did on your trip to Niagara and down the St. Lawrence. I would rather trust you than any two men I know, and I have at last convinced the General that in spite of your age you are the ones to send with another message. We can’t afford to lose any of our men here, and I think your parents will be more willing for you to go on an errand like this, than they would be to have you enter the service here. But come with me,” he added, “ and we’ll go and see General Dearborn. He wants you to start right away, and wishes to see you before you go.”

Chapter III

TT was soon decided that the boys should go on the expedition which the Major had proposed. The consent of their parents had been gained, though Mrs. Field had given hers somewhat reluctantly; and it was only when Mr. Spicer and Andrew had assured her that David could be trusted perfectly to depend upon himself, and that there . would be no great danger in the journey which they were to undertake, that she had at last withdrawn her objections.

One of the former expresses sent by General Dearborn to Plattsburg had gone through the forest and the other had gone by the way of Whitehall. It was now proposed to send David and Elijah by the way of the St. Lawrence.

“ You see,” the Major explained to them, “ Plattsburg can’t be over sixty-five or seventy miles from the St. Lawrence, and you can make your way down the river easily. You’ll find good skating most of the way, and where you can’t skate, you can use your snow-shoes.”

“That’s what we can,” replied Elijah; “and if there’s any one of these Kanucks who thinks he can catch us on snow-shoes, or skates either, for that matter, he’s welcome to. Don’t you remember how we ran in that fellow on the St. Lawrence who was tinkering with the St. Regis Indians ? He thought he could skate some ; but he couldn’t get away from us before we took him, or after we laid hands on him either.”

“ I remember it very well,” said the Major with a smile. “ He was exchanged afterward, and it was a good piece of work that you boys did.”

“ I suppose we shall have to be on our guard when we pass Brockville and Prescott, won’t we ? ” asked David.

“Yes, somewhat,” replied the Major, “though I think the most of their men have b6en withdrawn and sent to Kingston. You know it’s from there it’s reported that they’re going to make the attack on us. I don’t need to remind you boys,” he added, “ that the faster you can go the better it will be for us all. Pike will add greatly to our strength here, and meanwhile we’re liable to be attacked any day.”

“We shan’t stop to study the scenery of the St. Lawrence very much,” said Elijah, “and we’re going to start right away.”

The boys were not to be dressed as soldiers, and carried on their backs only such things as would be absolutely necessary to them on their journey. A pair of snow-shoes, a blanket, a change of clothing, a small hatchet, and food enough to last them for a couple of days formed all the load they had to carry in addition to their guns. They trusted to their own ability to provide a part of their own food while they were gone, and there were places along the river where they also had planned to stop for rest and food. Two weeks was placed as the utmost limit of time they would need, and it was hoped that much less than that would be required.

The Major stood on the dock and watched them as they started on their journey. They were both strong and rugged boys, and though only seventeen years of age, they had been accustomed to take their axes and hold their own with the men through the long days in felling the trees and clearing the land in that newly settled country.

“They’ll do,” said the Major to himself as he watched the long strokes which the boys took. “ Those youngsters have the right ring about them. I’m glad they’ve taken both their skates and snow-shoes, for they’ll find a good many places where they can’t use one of them but they can the other.”

The boys found the St. Lawrence free from snow for the most part, and they had little difficulty in making their way mile after mile on their skates. The wind was with them, and as they swept rapidly on, talking but little, and yet keeping a sharp lookout ahead, they made rapid headway. When they stopped for dinner it was always on the shore, and they made a fire out of the dry branches of the trees, and Elijah frequently would cut a hole through the ice and with little exertion add some fish to their other food. The weather was intensely cold, and yet the wind swept them on so rapidly that with the exertions they put forth they felt little but the pleasure of their skating.

The first stop they made at any house was at Goose Bay, where in the autumn before they had made the acquaintance of the man who dwelt there, for there they were to spend the night; and so tired were they that the warmth of the great log-fire and the food which was prepared for them did not keep them long from their beds.

“ This man Smith,” said their host,* 44 who had some dealings with you last year has got a great place over there on one of the islands.”

44 We’ve heard something about that,” said the boys. 44 It isn’t right near here, is it?”

44 No, it’s up the river a piece ; and they tell great stories about his quarters there. It’s said he’s got a cave on that island, and he’s got it so fitted out that he can live there all the year around if he wants to ; and then he’s got from ten to fifty men with him, sometimes more and sometimes less, and they have great times,”

u Which side is he on now?” asked David.

“I don’t just know,” said the man with a laugh ; “ but he keeps his eye open, and it’s on the side that pays the best, I can assure you. He has the place all fortified, and there have been some strange doings on either side of the river that they can trace back to Smith and his gang. He makes no bones of saying that he’s on either side that will pay him better. Why, they even say he shipped aboard an American vessel last fall.”

“ He did,” replied Elijah. “ He was a messmate of Tom Garnet’s.”

“Who’s Tom Garnet?” asked the man.

The boys were sober in a moment as they told the story of their friend’s experiences with the press-gang, and of his sad death in the first attack which Chauncey’s fleet had made upon the enemy.

“ This Smith has a daughter,” said their host, resuming his story, “ who lives on the mainland. People have seen her carrying food over to her father and his crew, and they sometimes think she carries word over to him too of what’s going on around here ; but somehow no one has quite the nerve to go over there himself and find out just the condition of things. Smith says he’ll take the heart out of any man who tries to land on his island, and I don’t know but he would, too.”

“ He’s an ugly customer,” said David, “ and I only hope I shall never see him again.”

“ That’s so,” said Elijah. “ I’d rather meet the British.”

When the boys resumed their journey on the following morning they found that it would be wiser for them to reserve their strength and not try to make such rapid progress as they had on the previous day. They both were exceptionally strong, but they had found it would be wise for them to harbor their strength, and the stories w T hich their host had told them of Smith and his followers had made them both apprehensive. As they passed by some of the familiar places they recalled many of their former experiences on the river, and when they came in sight of the place where they had made a capture of the British soldier a few weeks before they became more watchful still, but they passed the place without having been hailed by any one or seeing anything that threatened them on either side of the river.

‘‘I’m going to stop at that house I see ahead there on the right,” said David, “ and see if we can’t get something to eat.”

“ I’m with you there,” said Elijah ; and the boys at once approached the shore, and taking off their skates hid their bundles and approached the house. They received a kindly welcome from the wife of the farmer who lived there, and she at once began to prepare for them a warm meal.

“That pork smells good,” said Elijah as they watched the good woman. “This skating on the river makes one hungry.”

“ Have you been skating far ? ” she asked.

“ Yes, quite a ways,” replied David. “ Are there many people passing here now ? ”

“ Not so many since our soldiers got driven away,” she replied.

“ That was too bad that they got driven off,” said Elijah. “I should have thought they would have bothered you here some.”

“ They didn’t,” said the woman, her eyes snapping. “ All of my neighbors left when they heard the British were coming ; but you didn’t suppose I was going to run off and leave all the jelly and things I’d been working on all last summer, do you ? No, sir ! I just stayed right here, and when the soldiers came up to my door and asked me for all the provisions we had in the house, I just said they couldn’t have them.”

“ What did they do ? ” said David.

“ Do? ” replied the woman. “ Why, the officer looked at me a minute and then he began to laugh, and said, ‘ All right, my good woman, we won’t disturb you ; you’ve got more nerve than your men-folks have.’ That wasn’t true at all,” she added, “ for they stayed around here a great deal longer than I ever thought they could.”

The boys soon sat down to the meal which she had prepared for them and ate as only hungry boys know

TIIE BOY OFFICERS OF 1812 how. The keen air of the winter day and the work of skating so steadily and rapidly as they had done gave them both very keen appetites, and the good woman stood by, seeming to enjoy the rapid way in which her food disappeared, and constantly urging them to allow her to help them to “somethin’ more.” She told them all she knew of the condition of the country thereabout, and of what she had heard of the plans of the British soldiers across the river ; but she added nothing to what the boys already knew, only confirming the reports which they had heard, that the most of the British soldiers were being assembled at Kingston, and that it was reported that an attack would soon be made from that place upon Sackett’s Harbor.

The boys, without telling her of the object of their journey, had yet given her assurances of their own loyalty to the side she favored in the struggle, and there was nothing, in consequence, too good for her to do for them. She talked steadily through the early part of the meal, but the boys being too hungry to reply only listened respectfully to what she had to say.

When the keenness of their appetite had gone they responded to some of her questions and told her of some of their own experiences on the river, but they were only partly through with their eating when there came a loud rap on the door of the room in which they were sitting. The woman quickly responded, and the boys looked up as she opened the door. They were more than startled at the sight which met their eyes. There stood before them their old enemy Smith, and with him were four or five of his companions, and among them they noticed one Indian. The strange stories which, their friend at Goose Bay had told them of Smith’s dealings and of the fortified place which, he had on the river, only served to increase their alarm when they saw the company before them. They glanced all about them, but no way of escape presented itself. They half started from their chairs to move to the place where their guns were standing when the party entered, the room. It was too late for them to do anything to defend themselves, and there appeared to be no way of escape. Elijah glanced at his companion’s face, and noticing his look of determination, quickly decided to allow his friend to take the lead; but David only quietly stood in his place and waited to see what the party would do.

Chapter IV

QMITH at once recognized the boys, and the scowl ^ which at first came over his face soon gave way to a more pleasant expression, and the words which he spoke apparently were cordial.

The boys were upon their guard, and this unexpected manner of their old-time enemy, like the old Trojans who were afraid of the Greeks even when they were offering gifts, made them determined to be more watchful than ever against Smith, even though he did appear to be unusually friendly. He at once entered into conversation with them and made many inquiries as to the condition of things at Sackett’s Harbor. The replies of the boys were brief, and they were constantly on the watch for an opportunity to escape from the house.

“ The Americans have had some losses this winter, I hear,” said Smith, “ and the Canadians are in high feather. They think they’ll have no trouble in whipping the Yankees, and I understand that they’ve got personal designs against Sackett’s Harbor, too.”

A NIGHT IN THE CAYE

“ So we hear,” replied David ; “ but if they want that place they’ll have to come and take it, that’s all I can say.”

“ They’re getting the Indians pretty well stirred up,” said Smith. “I think it’s five dollars they’ve offered for every scalp, isn’t it ? ” said he turning to the Indian, who only nodded his head and made no other reply.

The boys became silent, and the reference which Smith had made to the reward which the British had offered for every scalp brought in by the Indians had not served to quiet their minds. What could they do against the man before them? A contest would certainly end in their capture at last, and the reference which had been made to scalps made them both afraid that Smith himself might not be averse to entering into that method of gaining some English money. Here the}' were at the very beginning of their trip apparently shut off from any progress, and in the power of a man whose good graces they had no right to expect, and who in all probability would only be too glad to repay them for the losses he himself had suffered at their hands.

44 What are you doing down here, boys, anyway ? ” said Smith at last.

David hesitated a moment before he replied, and then deciding that the frankest way would be the best, said, 44 We were on our way to Plattsburg.”

“ Plattsburg ? ” said Smith in surprise. “ Why, you’re away out of your course. This is no way to go there.”

“ It’s one way,” said David quietly.

“What were you going for?” continued Smith. “ I suppose you were going over to hurry up Pike. I’ve no doubt they have need of him and all his men at Sackett’s Harbor now, eh, boys ? ”

“ Yes, we are going to hurry him up,” said David, “ and I think we’d better be starting on.”

“Well, there’s no use in your going there now, boys,” said Smith quietly.

“ Why not ? ” said David.

“ For the simple reason that he isn’t there,” said Smith. “ I’ve got word that he’s already started for Sackett’s Harbor, and I shouldn’t be surprised very much if he was there even now,” and he took from his pocket and handed to the boys a letter which certainly confirmed his words, that Pike had started across the country for Sackett’s Harbor.

The boys were puzzled. Smith certainly showed no disposition to harm them, at least openly, and the message which he placed before them surely showed that there would be no use in their continuing their journey. And yet, could they trust him? They knew that at times he was friendly to the American cause, and that when the promise of pay was better he did what he could for those on the Southern side of the river. Perhaps he was disposed now to be friendly ; and if so, had they not better, so far as appearances went, at least, trust his words ?

44 I’m on my way to Sackett’s Harbor myself,” said Smith after a little pause, 44 and I think you’d better go back with me. Oh ! you needn’t be afraid,” he added in a moment as he saw a look of hesitation on the faces of the boys ; 44 I’m a Yankee now, and I can sing Yankee Doodle with the best of them. I know what’s going on too,” he added significantly ; 44 I’ve been in Toronto and Kingston both, and I’ve got something to say to General Dearborn that’ll interest him, I know. In fact, I rather expect he’s looking for me now,” and he showed the boys a letter which he had in his pocket from General Dearborn and which clearly showed that there was an understanding between them.

44 I think we’d better go back, ” said David in a low voice to Elijah.

Elijah nodded his head in reply, and David said, 44 All right, we’ll go back with you, ” and the company at once started up the river.

The boys were suspicious all the time, and while they skated steadily onward they were watchful of their companions and prepared to meet any emergency that might arise. Here they were in the company of the very man who less than a year before had been very bitter against them, and who had done his utmost to make them prisoners, and many times had threatened their lives,, and yet apparently he was cordial in his feelings now towards them, and showed no disposition to do them harm.