THE WAR OF 1812.
The year following, President Madison sent a war message to congress and such was the popular excitement growing out of the British claim entitled the "Right of Search," and the collision between the United States frigate, Chesapeake, and the British frigate, Leopold, in 1807, which had never been allayed, that war was declared by the United States against Great Britain, on June 18th, 1812.
The nation was much divided on this policy. By the opposition party, the main strength of which was in the Northern and Eastern States, it was considered a mere administration measure, resistance to which argued no want of patriotism, but quite the contrary and so from the beginning to the close of hostilities, the Federalists did all they could to stay the course on which they thought the Government was driving to destruction. The Hartford convention met, and some of the New England States went so far as to nulify an act of Congress regarding enlistment. During all this time, the country was in great want of resources, which nothing but unanimity could supply. The army was but a handful, and the Militia, instead of coming forward in large numbers, remained at home to attend party meetings and discuss the right of the Government to call them out; the supply of war material was very scanty, and the Treasury almost empty.
Such was the unpromising state of affairs, when John H. Peyton, who had voted for Mr. Madison and warmly supported the war policy, came forward and exerted every energy of mind and body to stir up popular enthusiasm in support of the war. He volunteered at once, to serve in the army, until peace was restored, and was immediately appointed Chief of Staff to Gen. Porterfield, an old Revolutionary officer, who, while serving as a lieutenant in 1780, at the siege of Charleston, S. C., had killed by his side, Captain Valentine Peyton, a young and gallant cousin of J. H. Peyton. Forgetting everything but his duty to his country, which was with him, and every true patriot paramount, Mr. P. abandoned his lucrative practice, which more selfish men sought to appropriate, and his wife and family and joined the army on the James river in Eastern Virginia, with the active operation of which he was identified until the declaration of peace, February 17th, 1815.
The "Republican Farmer" went out of existence, no newspaper took its place for years and we have seen no account of the army services of Major Peyton beyond the statement that he was "one of the most enterprising and daring officers in the service," but more than thirty years after the end of the war, and his death, his minor children received from the Government, a pension for his services.