The great success of the war on the American side was on the sea, where it was much more seriously detrimental and mortifying to the English than victories on the land would have been. The land forces were generally inefficiently conducted, though the close of the war was signalized by the victory of Gen. Jackson, at New Orleans, which was extremely gratifying to American pride.
July 12—Gen. Hull, with 1,800 troops, invades Canada.
Aug. 8—After various mishaps, Hull retreats to Detroit.
” 9—Col. Miller defeats Tecumseh and a body of British troops at Maguaga.
” 15—Ft. Dearborn (now Chicago) was abandoned by its small garrison, by the orders of Hull. During their retreat they were attacked, and most of them massacred by the Indians.
” 16—Gen. Hull surrendered Detroit and all the military forces and stores in the territory to the British. He was afterward sentenced to death by a court-martial, but pardoned by the president, though degraded from all military command.
” 19—The U. S. frigate Constitution, Capt. Hull, does great honor to the American arms by the capture of the English frigate Guerriere. This vessel had challenged the American vessels in a contemptuous way. She had 79 killed and wounded, the Constitution only 13. There were 10 impressed American seamen on the Guerriere.
Sept. 7—The U. S. frigate Essex captures the Alert in 8 minutes.
Oct. 13—In another invasion of Canada by Gen. Van Rensselaer, though much gallantry was displayed, an unexpected British reinforcement obliged the surrender of 700 men after 160 had been killed and wounded.
” 18—The U. S. sloop of war Wasp captures the British sloop of war Frolic, which was the strongest vessel. The Frolic had 100 killed and wounded, the Wasp but 10. Both were captured by a British 74 pounder the same day.