Providence Blessed Our Efforts

Thus the United States were forced into a war which they had not provoked;---America took up arms in support of her rights, and for the preservation of her national honour, with a firm determination not lay them down until the object should be attained. Providence blessed our efforts, and our arms were crowned with the most brilliant triumphs over those of our enemy. The army and navy exhibited a noble rivalship of zeal, devotion, and glory. In the one Lawrence, Bainbridge, Decatur, Perry, McDonough, Porter; — in the other *Pike, Scott, Brown, Jackson, and many more, proved to the enemy, and to the world that we possessed resolution to defend our rights, and power to avenge our injuries. [Source]

*Portrait Of Zebulon Pike (Seen At Fort Pike, Louisiana)

Jackson And Horseshoe Bend (Alabama)

Skirmish In October

Chronological Tables for Every Day in the Year, Volume 2,  By Francis Shallus:

October 15, 1814

Jacob Brown's And Electus Backus's Collaboration

Jacob Brown

"[Jacob Brown]...was residing at his home in Brownsville on the Black River a few miles from Sackett's Harbor had been requested by General Dearborn and urged by Colonel Macomb to assume chief command in that region. He was unwilling to interfere with his esteemed friend, Colonel Backus, and agreed to take command only in the event of actual invasion. He went to headquarters frequently to advise with Backus concerning preparations for defense, and it was understood between them that if the enemy should threaten the post, Brown was to call the neighboring militia to the Harbor and take chief command." [Source]

Still Smoking At Sackets Harbor

"Colonel Macomb received orders to return with four companies of his Regiment, with all despatch, to Sackett's Harbour."

Source of 1849 Map...Sacket's Harbor, New York, and Kingston, Ontario, Canada was LOC

Map exhibiting the rail road, canal, lake, and river routes from New York and Boston to the west : via Ocdensburgh [sic] and Sacket's [sic] Harbor, N.Y.

"The magazine of stores, fired by our own officers to prevent its falling into the enemy's hands, was still smoking. But the precautions taken, and the instructions given, by Colonel Macomb, prior to his departure for Fort George, had produced their desired effect, and the enemy was defeated."

"Colonel Macomb relieved General Brown, then Brigadier General of the Militia. Colonel Backus he found in his quarters, who was suffering from a wound in the action, and died a few days after."

Source Of Text: Memoirs Of Alexander Macomb...

General Brown's Pre-War Years

Caption: Brown Keeping School

From the Life of General Jacob Brown...:

From the University of Buffalo Reporter:

There isn't much in Brown’s pre-military life that would inform his destiny. He was a farmer from Northern New York whose most glowing accomplishment before the war was his success smuggling goods across the St. Lawrence River.

General Jacob Brown, A Practical Man

Source

Defence Of Ogdensburgh

Source

Defence Of Ogdensburgh

Fort Oswegatchie

Source

While [Benjamin] Forsyth was away on his expedition, Brigadier General Richard Dodge arrived at Watertown with a detachment of Mohawk Valley militia. He outranked General [Jacob] Brown, and on his arrival he ordered that officer proceed to Ogdensburg, at the mouth the Oswegatchie River, to garrison old Fort Presentation, or Oswegatchie, at that place. General Brown was chagrined by this unlooked-for order, but like a true soldier, he immediately obeyed it.

Activity At Fort Presentation

Source

[New York]...Brown arrived on Oct. 1, and the next day a British flotilla, composed of two gunboats and twenty-five bateaux, bearing about 750 armed men, left Prescott to attack Ogdensburg. At the latter place Brown had about 1200 effective men, regulars and militia, and a party of riflemen, under Captain Forsyth, were encamped near Fort Presentation on the margin of the river. The latter were drawn up in battle order to dispute the landing of the invaders. Brown had two field pieces, and when the British were nearly in mid-channel, these were opened upon them with such effect that the enemy were made to retreat precipitately and in great confusion. This repulse gave Brown much credit, and he was soon regarded as one of the ablest men in the service.

General Brown's Headquarters

Source

[General Jacob] Brown's Head-Quarters

Same headquarters?

Source

Buildings Destroyed

Source - Map Of The Niagara Area

Excerpted from NIAGARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY NO. 27:

Buildings burned and destroyed in St. Davids by General Brown's Army, 19th July, 1814:

David Secord, 3 houses, barns, mill, 2,240 £.

Widow Secord, house, 500 £.

Richard Woodruff, house, shop, 300 £.

Widow Bunting, barn, 75 £.

Widow Clement, house, barn, 600 £.

David Secord, house, etc. 375 £.

Widow Lowell, 200 £.

Samuel Boyd, house, 250 £.

Timothy Street, houses, shop, 430 £.

Estate of T. Bunting, 200 £.

Jacob Lutz, house, 125 £.

John Collard, house, 436 £.

Total: 5,731 £.

General Eleazar Wheelock Ripley

A biography of the General:  Eleazar Wheelock Ripley of the War of 1812..."  Also here.

Source

After protracted and severe suffering. General Ripley so far recovered as to be able to travel, and started for Albany, where he arrived in January, 1815. During his long prostration, he received the constant and unremitted attention of his wife to whom he was married in 1811, and who was the daughter of the Reverend Thomas Allen, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a distinguished Revolutionary patriot.

The announcement of peace, which soon followed, rendered his presence unnecessary upon the frontier, and as soon as returning health permitted, he demanded and put in motion a Court of Inquiry as to his military conduct, which had been missrepresented and traduced.

The current of public opinion flowed strongly in his favor. Congress voted him a gold medal, for his gallant conduct at Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie, testimonials of esteem on every hand reminded him that his countrymen appreciated his services and at last, even Brown himself, whatever may have been his mental reservations and secret animosity, felt constrained to contribute the following letter to his vindication:

Upon the return of peace, the army was reduced to a peace establishment and was re-organized. Two Major Generals, Jackson and Brown, and four Major Generals by brevet, Macomb, Gaines, Scott and Ripley were retained in the service. 

The Genealogy of the Ripley Family here.

Battle Of Chippawa

Source

General Brown At The Battle Of Chippawa

General Jacob Brown Portrait

Source

Born May 9, 1775, in Pennsylvania; was the founder of Brownsville, New York; died February 24, 1828, in Washington.

A Story For Young Readers

The Boy Officers of 1812 (a story for young readers).