Title

Preface

Identifier

http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?b=1&ref=oo&id=297999

Bibliographic Citation

A narrative of the affair of Queenstown in the War of 1812 : with a review of the strictures on that event, in a book entitled Notices of the War of 1812 / Solomon Van Rensselaer.

10168364

A narrative of the affair of Queenstown in the War of 1812 : with a review of the strictures on that event, in a book entitled Notices of the War of 1812 / Solomon Van Rensselaer.

Type

Text

extracted text

A

NARRATIVE

LUG
971.034
V274

OF THE

AFFAIR OF QUEENSTOWN:
I N THE WAR OF 1812.

WITH A REVIEW OF THE STRICTURES ON THAT EVENT,
IN A BOOK ENTITLED, "NOTICES
OF THE WAR OF 1812."

BY SOLOMON VAN RENSSELAER.

N E W-Y 0 R

K:

LEAVITT, LORD & CO., 180, BROADWAY.

BOSTON :--CROCKER & BREWSTER.
O
O

■

1836.

PREFACE.

THE apology for this publication, if any is needed,
may be found in that law of a soldier's nature, which
prompts him to repel a base attack on the reputation of
the brave and the deserving, in the same spirit with
which he would meet an assault on a military post or
position, which had been committed to his own special
keeping. He flies irresistibly to the rescue of his comrade, when in danger, and lie is always ready to thrust
himself in, to receive any blow which he sees aimed at
his beloved commander. The law of resistance is all
the stronger, when he finds himself worthy to be
honoured with the personal notice of the common enemy, and involved in a common peril with those with
whom he stands in the relation of an intimate military
,

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1836,
BY LEAVITT, LORD & CO.

In the Clerk's Office for the Southern District of New-York.

NIAGARA FALLS PUBLIC LI4RARY

SEP 11 1957
H.

4. UvD:4

rill 1. ,
.

V.

connection.
A book, entitled "Notices of the War of 1812," has
lately been ushered before the public, which seems to
have been specially devoted to the work of detraction and
calumny. It would have received an appropriate dedication, "To the spirit of all evil." It comes to us in

the guise of history, but care has been taken to work
up in its constitution, just truth and principle enough
to disguise the poison infused into it, without, in the
least degree, diluting its strength, or weakening its
virulence. It is offered professedly as a medicine,* skil-

* See the preface to the book, consisting of an extract from Mabby,

571833

iv

PREFACE.

PREFACE.

fully honeyed over with the appearance of sweet temper,
sensibility, and candour, to make the public believe it
will do them good to take it ; while it is, in truth, a
deadly compound into which the apothecary has emptied his most malignant vials, expressly with a view to
the production of as much individual suffering and
distress as possible.
The author of this work is the too celebrated Gen.
Jno. Ainistrong, a name entitled to the undisputed
distinction of being second to only one in infamous notoriety, out of the host of our revolutionary worthies.*
It happened that this man was called, in an evil hour,
to assist in the administration of the government, during
the arduous and eventful period of our second war with
Great Britain. As the head of the war department, he
had it in his power to perpetrate the most extensive
mischief, not only by his want of capacity, but in the
indulgence of art unhappy, restless, and malignant temper ; a power which he did not spare to use, at first to
the oppression of all individuals whom he honoured
with his enmity, and finally to the disgrace and degradation of his country.t That country was fated to
* Arnold's treason was developed in the midst of the war ; Armstrong reserved his for the close of it. The success of the design,
entertained by the author of the Newburgh Letters, would have been
much more fatal to liberty, than would have been the delivering of
West Point into the hands of the enemy.
His interference with the plans of general Wilkinson may
serve as a commentary on this text. General W. wished to attack
Kingston, and there rest for the winter in good quarters, to organise
the different departments of the army, build boats, &c. and carry
Montreal early in the spring. This delay could not operate against us;
as the St. Lawrence opens between the two places before it does below,
the attack could have been made before any reinforcements could arrive from Europe. If General W. had been suffered to take his course
the British fleet at Kingston would have fallen into his hands, and the

V

purchase its release from the hand of this functionary,
at no less a sacrifice than the overthrow and sacking of
the national capital, by a feeble and insulting foe. Here
justice did overtake him ; and, finding that no artifice
could suffice to enable him to throw off the just responsibilities of the position he had occupied, he passed into

retirement.*
millions of dollars afterwards expended in ship building for the two
lakes would been saved the country ; but the secretary was on the
spot and manceuvered to defeat his plan. It was said he had an eye
on the presidency, and if Montreal could be taken that season, it would
facilitate his object, for if successful he would have assumed all the
credit; as it was, he managed to avoid the responsibility by throwing
all the blame on poor Wilkinson, (see General W.'s trial before the
court martihl at Troy.-1st. Vol. of his Memoirs)
* The affair at Bladensburgh occurred under General Armstrong's
own immediate supervision as secretary at war. In this case, although
an attack had been long apprehended, a much larger force, it is true,
than absolutely required for the purpose of repelling it, was collected,
but no organization or system of defence having been arranged, our
army, composed of the regular cave] y, artillery, infantry, and a large
body of militia, were disgracefully routed without a show of fight,
except from the gallant Corn. Barney, by comparatively a handful of
British troops, who were exhausted by the fatigue of a long forced
march. Near three weeks before the attack was made upon Washington,
I received a letter from an officer of high rank in the army, who writes,
"such is the want of preparation for defence at this place, that three
thousand men can destroy it." Can it be supposed for a moment that if
thisAuthor, the dispenser then of honours and promotions in the army,
had identified himself with our troops, 'they would have retreated
on the approach of the enemy ? No never ! yet he was among the first
to set the cowardly example. If a more manly course had been pursued, though driven from the first stand, the road passing over a rolling
country skirted by woods, afforded many positions, equally as strong
and as admirably calculated for the most effective disposition of the different kinds of troops employed, and they might have fallen back from
one position to another with equal advantage and have harassed even
a larger force of the enemy, so that they never could have reached
Washington. But had every effort under this course failed, a few hundred men thrown into the Capitol, would have saved the City. The
A*

Mt./ft,

His obscurity in his retreat, and his long silence had
made his countrymen 'half believe that, perhaps, his
unhappy temper was now softened, that he was melted
under the just rebuke and neglect of the world, and that
he was preparing, by an honest use of his pen, an
instrument which he had shown himself capable of
wielding skilfully, to offer to his country a proof of the
sincerity of his repentance, in the composition of some
work of high historical value. Rumours even, of his
labours in this respect had reached the public ear. It
was said, his thoughts were turned exclusively to the
ti mes of the Revolution and the earlier scenes of our
history, and it was understood that nothing would be
published, until he should be beyond the reach of any
acknowledgments for the itnpgrtant service he should thus
render. His injured but generous fellow-citizens had begun, already and by anticipation, to feel that forgiveness,
which they only waited the proper occasion to accord
and express..„,b These "Notices," however, have effectually put this pleasant delusion,to flight : it is now seen
how differently his retirement has been occupied,—in
brooding over thoughts of malice and revenge,—in
nursing the energies of that dark spirit which can endure nothing bright or pure above him, or around him,—
in watching the favourable moment for the discharge of
his poisoned arrows, and when he could sate himself
with victims and sacrifices.
It will be seen that in this work two distinct purposes
six pounders used by the enemy, .could have made no impression upon
the walls of this building, while a brisk fire from its windows and from
the stone parapet surrounding its roof, would effectually have arrested
their progress. The same defences might have been made at the President's house, flanked as it was by the state and treasury offices on
the right, and by the war and navy on the left. The navy-yard was
equally susceptible of defence.

PREFACE.

vii

are sought to be effected, though by a single blow.
The one is to destroy individuals ; the other is to degrade his country. Neither, alone, would satisfy his
capacious and comprehensive malice. The shaft, aimed
at persons, which did not pass quite through and reach
the bosom of the Republic, would not accomplish the
errand whereto it was sent, and, to do him justice, it
must, be confessed that his selections for this effect have
been made with singular skill and felicity. For the
most part, and always, unless by a mere error in judgment., his attacks have fallen on those, with whose
names and reputation the honour and glory of the
country were most nearly identified, while his commendations, sparingly applied, but designed to help forward
his main purpose, have been reserved chiefly for those
in whom the country has no interest, but that their
names and exploits should be forgotten ; whose celebrity
cannot be preserved, but at her expense.
It is not the design of this publication to meet the
whole mischief of Gen. Armstrong's book, or attempt
the vindication of the many worthy men whom it assails. It is intended to answer a definite and limited
purpose •, to disabuse the public in relation to a single
event, one of the most important of the war of 1812,
and to rescue one individual at least from the desperate
assaults of this hoary calumniator. It is believed that
the interests of history will be subserved by the relation
which will be made. It is time that the celebrated affair of Queenstown should be understood, and that the
high merits of the citizen general, who conducted the campaign of which this affair was the chief feature, should
be placed beyond the reach and danger of detraction.
The possession of all the materials necessary for the

vi"

PREFACE.

complete performance of the task, seemed to impose a
corresponding and indispensable obligation. It is not,
however, intended to be intimated that the author of this
narrative and review is wholly uninfluenced by personal
considerations and motives. He purposely embraces the
opportunity to do an act of justice to himself, while engaged in vindicating both his country and his commander; and, in so doing, he is not conscious of even
the danger of drawing on the indulgence of the public,
beyond what it is accustomed to accord to the honest
and characteristic frankness of a soldier.

A

NARRATIVE, &c.

A REQUISITION having been made by the general
government for a body of New-York militia, it was the
pleasure of Gov. Tompkins to appoint Gen. Stephen Van
Rensselaer to take command of the forces which should
be raised or the defence of the northern and western
frontiers of this State, in answer to that requisition.
That officer entered upon his command on the 13th
of July, 1812, having done me the honour to request my
services as his aid. I was anxious to serve my country
in the contest in which she was engaged, and I did not
hesitate, therefore, to take the situation thus offered me.
On reaching the Niagara frontier towards the middle
of August, the General found his troops scattered along
the whole line of the river, and exposed to be cut up in
detail. Having inspected his ground, his resolution was
promptly taken to concentrate his forces at Lewiston.
Orders to that effect were immediately given. His camp
was formed, and the duties of discipline and instruction
were entered upon without delay. From the moment of
his assuming the command, his position was one of the
utmost exposure and danger. He lay within sight of a
powerful enemy, separated from him only by a narrow
river, for the crossing of which, that enemy possessed every facility. He had a line of thirty six miles to guard,
and his whole force was considerably less than one thou-