SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
A. D. 1812 TO 1815.
James Turner, of Warren; Nathaniel Alexander, of Mecklenburg;
David Stone, of Bertie, and Benjamin Smith, of Brunswick, had
served in turn as Governors of North Carolina during the years of
growth and expansion described in the last chapters. William
Hawkins, of Granville, was chosen to the same high office in
1812, and, as Commander-in-Chief of all the State's forces, felt
unusual responsibility in prospect of war even then begun between
Great Britain and the United States.
1813.
2. It was the purpose of the American government to seize Canada
and carry on hostilities, as much as possible, in that portion of
America. As no great army was assembled at any one point, no
call was made upon North Carolina for troops to be sent outside
of her borders, except to Norfolk, in Virginia. At that place
Major-General Thomas Brown, of Bladen, was in command of a
division sent from North Carolina.
3. General Brown was a veteran of the Revolution, and had
rendered heroic service at Elizabethtown and elsewhere during
that long and arduous struggle. His brigade commanders were
General Thomas Davis, of Fayetteville, and General James F.
Dickinson, of Murfreesboro.
4. Camps were also established and troops held for action at
other points. The western levies were collected at Wadesboro,
under General Alexander Gray, and were drilled and kept in
readiness to be marched to the relief of either Wilmington or
Charleston. Colonel Maurice Moore, at Wilmington, and Lieutenant-
Colonel John Roberts, at Beaufort, commanded garrisons for the
defence of these seaports.
1814.
5. In the American army on the northern frontier, where Winfield
Scott, of Virginia, was winning laurels, were two North Carolina
officers who were also rising to distinction. These were William
Gibbs McNeill, of Bladen, and William McRee, of Wilmington. Both
became Colonels in the corps of engineers. Amid the frequent
disasters and exhibitions of incompetency on the part of other
officers in that department, these gallant men were of great
credit to America and to North Carolina.
6. On the sea, where the mighty fleets of Great Britain had at
such fearful disadvantage the few cruisers of their opponents,
were also to be found brilliant representatives of this
Commonwealth. Captain Johnston Blakeley, of Wilmington, had been
reared by Colonel Edward Jones, the Solicitor-General of North
Carolina. He had already made reputation in the Mediterranean
Sea under Commodore Preble.
7. Early in 1614 he went to sea in the United State's sloop-of-
war Wasp, and captured, with great eclat, the British sloop-
of-war Reindeer. Having burned this prize for fear of its
recapture, he refitted in a French port, and in August
encountered another British ship, the Avon. The British vessel
had struck her colors, when a fleet of the enemy came upon the
scene and the victorious Wasp was forced to fly. In a few days
Blakeley, thus cruising over the crowded seas surrounding
England, captured fifteen merchant vessels. On one of these, the
brig Atlanta, he put a prize crew and sent her to the United
States.
8. This is the last that is known of this gallant and ill fated
officer. He perished in some unknown manner at sea, but has left
an imperishable name to our keeping.
9. Captain Otway Burns, of Beaufort, was the commander of a
cruiser known as the Snap-Dragon. With this privateer he long
roamed the seas, and was victorious in many well fought actions.
He survived the war and was afterwards a member of the
Legislature. The village of Burnsville was named in his honor.
10. In addition to the troops already mentioned, a regiment
commanded by Colonel Joseph Graham, so highly distinguished in
the Revolution, was sent against Billy Weathersford and his Creek
warriors, who had massacred nearly three hundred white people in
Fort Minims, on the Alabama River. Another North Carolinian by
birth, General Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, was in command of
the force sent to avenge this outrage of the red men. *
*General Andrew Jackson was born in Mecklenburg county, on the
15th day of March, 1767,
11. So swiftly and completely had Jackson done his work, that
when the North Carolina regiment arrived there was nothing left
to do; for, as Weathersford declared, his braves were all dead,
and the war ended. The Indians were required, as a preliminary
to peace, to bring in their fugitive chief, Weathersford. That
bold and able half-breed did not wait for arrest upon hearing
these terms, but rode into General Jackson's camp, and in
surrendering himself, boldly announced that he did so because he
no longer had warriors to continue the struggle." I have nothing
to ask for myself," said he, "but I want peace for my people."
1815.
12. Peace was soon made between the United States and Great
Britain, and the two nations, after struggling for each other's
injury for three years, agreed to stop without settling a single
one of the causes of the war. England did not even agree to
cease impressing men from the United States navy, but this was no
more practiced. The treaty of peace was ratified by the United
States Senate, February 7th, 1815.
QUESTIONS.
1. What Governors had served in North Carolina during the years
just considered? Who was Governor at the beginning of the year
1812?
2. How had the United States proposed to conduct the campaign?
What troops did North Carolina furnish? Who was in command?
3. What is said of General Brown's past record? Who were his
brigade commanders?
4. What military preparations were made in North Carolina?
5. What two North Carolina officers were winning distinction
under General Winfield Scott? In what branch of the army were
they serving?
6. What is said of affairs on the seas? What North Carolina
naval officer was distinguishing himself?
7. Give an account of some of his bold and heroic exploits. How
many English vessels did he capture?
8. What is known of him after this?
9. What other seaman was distinguishing himself for his bravery?
How is his name commemorated in the State?
10. Who was sent against the Indians? What great general was in
command of all this force?
11. What was the success of General Jackson's expedition?
12. What is said of the end of the war of 1812?