English Caricaturists and Graphic Humourists of the Nineteenth Century.: How they Illustrated and Interpreted their Times.Everitt, Graham
History
English Caricaturists and Graphic Humourists of the Nineteenth Century.: How they Illustrated and Interpreted their Times.
Everitt, Graham
Caricature -- Great Britain; Illustration of books -- Great Britain -- 19th century
On the other hand, the losses of the Americans on land were to some
extent balanced by their naval successes. On the 19th of August, the
English frigate _Guerriere_, Captain Dacres, was forced after a gallant
but (as we shall see) unequal fight, to strike her colours to the
American frigate _Constitution_, Captain Hull. Under similar conditions,
the English frigate _Macedonia_, Captain Carden, was forced on the 25th
of October, after an hour's hard fighting, in which the English lost 104
men killed and wounded, to yield to the American frigate _United
States_, Commodore Decatur. These successes were due to the following
causes: the rate of the American frigates corresponded to the largest
British; but in size, weight of metal, and number of men, were almost
equal to line-of-battle ships; the American navy too, at this time, was
manned by sailors many of whom were unfortunately British tars, while
many more had been trained in British service.
THE ENGLISH ASSUME THE OFFENSIVE.
Although we do not profess to give a history of the Anglo-American war
of 1812-14, some slight sketch of its more remarkable incidents seems
necessary for the purpose of enabling the reader to understand what has
to follow. Having named some of the American naval successes, we can
scarcely pass over the well-known fight of the 1st of June, 1813.
Captain Broke, of the British frigate _Shannon_, 330 men, burning with
indignation at the naval defeats of his countrymen, having diligently
perfected his crew in discipline, offered battle to the United States
frigate _Chesapeake_, for which he had long been watching. The
_Chesapeake_ was a fine ship, carrying forty-nine guns (18- and
32-pounders) and a complement of 440 men. The American captain, nothing
loth, bore down on his antagonist off Boston light-house. The ships were
soon in close contact; but the gallant English captain, discerning his
opportunity, gave orders for boarding, himself setting the example; and
after a sanguinary fight of only fifteen minutes, hauled down his
adversary's flag and carried off the _Chesapeake_ in triumph. The
invasion of Canada was still persevered in by the Americans, with
varying successes and defeats; but the results of the campaign of 1813
were in the end disastrous to them; and by the 12th of December, both
provinces of Canada were freed from the invaders, who retired to winter
quarters within their own territory. Another determined attempt to
penetrate into Canada was made by them in July, 1814, the British
troops in the first instance being obliged to fall back: this was on the
5th. Their triumph, however, was of brief duration. Veteran troops, who
had served under Wellington in Spain, had meanwhile arrived at Quebec;
General Drummond arrested the further retreat of Riall's division, and a
decisive battle ensued, which terminated in the defeat of the Americans,
who were obliged to retire with precipitation beyond the Chippewa. On
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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