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)

Charles And Delia

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An account of Admiral Charles Stewart's interesting marriage here.

"Charles Stewart was born in Philadelphia on the 22nd of July, 1776. His parents were natives of Ireland. His father, who was a mariner in the merchant service, came to America at an early age. Charles was the youngest of eight children, and lost his father before he was two years of age. He entered the merchant service on the ocean at the age of thirteen years as a cabin-boy, and rose gradually to the office of captain. In March, 1798, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Navy of the United States, and made his first cruise under Commodore Barney."

"...the career of Lieutenant Stewart was a most honorable one to himself and the navy of his country." [Source]

Captain Jacob Jones

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Captain Jones' memorial at FindAGrave.

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Old Point Comfort Lighthouse

Old Point Comfort Lighthouse (Chesapeake Bay In Virginia)

"[In the Revolutionary War] the transports with the land forces were sent up the James to circumvent the British and help to make possible the surrender of Yorktown. The British ships found this a rendezvous in the trying war of 1812, and here took place, just off Old Point Comfort, the famous Merrimac and Monitor engagement... ." [Source]

"A party of Royal Marines landed at Old Point Comfort... ." [Signage at Museum at Fortress Monroe]

First Lieutenant On The Constitution

The Charles Morris Papers are held at the University of Michigan's Clements Library:

"By the outbreak of the War of 1812, Morris was first lieutenant under Captain Isaac Hull on the Constitution. Morris famously aided in evading a British squadron by suggesting kedging and towing the Constitution; later he was badly wounded during the ship's battle with the HMS Guerriere, and received a promotion to captain for his efforts. After his recovery, he commanded the Adams in raiding expeditions against British merchant ships."

Gun From The Constitution On Display In Lexington, Missouri

For anyone with a penchant for early United States history, particularly that aspect which pertains to the Navy, the *autobiography of Commodore Charles Morris (1784-1856), a Connecticut native, cannot fail to be of engrossing interest. Only three of the prominent American naval commanders of the War of 1812 wrote memoirs: Morris, David Porter, and Thomas MacDonough. *Source

The "Prescription book of the U.S. Frigate Constitution ," within the Amos A. Evans collection, includes a description of Evans' treatment of Charles Morris' severe stomach wound. (Also at the Clements Library)

Important War Of 1812 Orders

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"You will on receipt of this turn over this boat dispatch to sailing master Richard Cox...on a survey of the waters of the Chesapeake...".

If There Had Been With Me 2,000 Kentuckians

View Of Frankfort, Kentucky

"Commodore Barney's opinion of the Maryland militia was not a high one."

"At a dinner in his honor, at Frankfort, Kentucky, he said: 'I had the good fortune to be in seventeen battles during the revolution, in all of which the star-spangled banner triumphed over the bloody cross, and in the late war I had the honor of being engaged in nine battles with the same glorious result, except in the last, in which I was unfortunate, though not in fault. If there had been with me 2,000 Kentuckians, instead of 7,000 Marylanders, Washington City would not have been sacked, nor or country disgraced.'" [Source]

Broke's Account

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"According to the report of [British] Captain Broke, the most competent surviving eye-witness, the mizzen channels of the 'Chesapeake' locked in the fore-rigging of the 'Shannon.'  'I went forward,' he continues, 'to ascertain her position, and observing that the enemy were flinching from their guns, I gave orders to prepare for boarding.'" [Source]

First Four Items In Outline About The War Of 1812

Illustrated topics for American history:

This Brilliant Deed

An excerpt from the Correspondence in relation to the capture of the British brigs ... Elliott, Jesse D. (Jesse Duncan), 1782-1845:

Battle Of Fayal

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"...Captain Reid...had indeed done wonders, for so great was the damage he inflicted that the fleet was forced to stay a week at Fayal burying the dead and caring for the wounded. That week's delay was most important, for the Rota, the Plantagenet, and the Carnation, on their way to Jamaica to join the expedition against New Orleans, were prevented by the fight at Fayal from arriving on time and so delayed the fleet of Pakenham that Jackson had time to defend New Orleans.

Captain Reid, by his splendid defence of the General Armstrong, may therefore justly be said to have contributed not a little to Jackson's great victory on the banks of the Mississippi. [Source]

Samuel Reid, Naval Hero

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A finding aid for the Samuel Chester Reid papers can be found at the Library of Congress site.

A poem touting the heroics of Samuel Reid:

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The First Naval Officer Who Fell

Scrimshaw Art Of The Frigate Constitution At The Smithsonian

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"Lieut. William S. Bush, was a native of Wilmington (Delaware.)  His father, Capt. John Bush was a meritorious officer in the revolutionary war, and he was the nephew of the brave Major Lewis Bush, who fell supporting the cause of his country at the battle of Brandywine."

"The brave and amiable lieutenant William Bush, the first naval officer who fell in this war, distinguished himself by intrepidly leading on the boarders when he received the ball which deprived his country of his services." [Source]

In A Gale Of Wind

Report from Isaac Chauncey to the Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy, Washington:

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Sackett's Harbor, November 13th, 1812
"I arrived here last evening in a gale of wind....".

The cover page and Jackson to Cocke from the same source.

David C. Bunnell

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From thence I was sent to the United States. Nothing remarkable happened to me from the time I left Marseilles until I arrived at my mother's house in York, Livingston Co., October 30. 1830. I had not seen my mother since I first left her twenty three years and seven months ago.

Casualties On The Ship Saratoga

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A Signal Victory

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Commodore Perry In Battle

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U.S.S. Essex

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Prizes of the Essex.

War Of 1912?! Ignore The Typo

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Return of killed and wounded on board the U. States frigate Constitution, Isaac Hull, Esq., Captain, in the action with H. M. S. Guerriere,  Jas. R. Dacres, Esq., Captain; on the 20th of August, 1812.