Excerpt from Life of General Scott
In the summer of 1807 occurred the wanton attack of the British frigate Leopard upon the Chesapeake, and the seizure and imprisonment of several of her crew, upon the allegation that they were British subjects. This outrage excited a violent resentment throughout the country. Young Scott shared ardently in the indignation of his countrymen, and immediately joined a volunteer corps raised in Petersburg, and marched with them down to Lynnhaven Bay, where they took up their station, in expectation of a British descent upon the coast. But this little cloud of war blew over, the volunteers were called home, and Scott returned to the practice of his profession. He was soon to leave it forever, for Providence had marked for him a wide and glorious career. Our difficulties with England thickened. It became clear that a war was inevitable. Congress passed a bill to raise an army. Scott applied for a commission, and in May, 1808, received from President Jefferson a commission as captain of artillery. During the rest of the year he was employed on the recruiting service, and in the study of his new profession of arms. In 1809 he was ordered to Louisiana, and placed under the command of General Wilkinson. For this officer Scott had no respect. Himself filled with patriotic ardor, and a passionate devotion to his country"s honor, he believed Wilkinson to be implicated in Burr"s conspiracy. The young soldier, with more boldness than prudence, did not hesitate to express his sentiments. The result was, that Wilkinson preferred charges against him that resulted in his suspension from the service for a year. In this punishment he had the sympathy of his brother officers, and was complimented with a public dinner on the occasion of his sentence. The interval of suspension was passed by
Scott in a systematic and thorough study of military tactics, and the whole science of war. At the expiration of the time, he reappeared in service with in creased knowledge, and superior fitness for the arduous and important duties now about to devolve upon him.
War Declared. - Hull"s Inglorious Surrender.
At length on the 18th of June, 1812, war was declared. The military preparations of the country had been inadequate to the necessities of the crisis. An expedition to seize upon Upper Canada was planned, and the execution of it intrusted to General Hull. He crossed into Canada at Detroit, with his whole force, on the 12th of July, 1812, and in one month and two days thereafter ingloriously surrendered to General Brock, the British commander, without striking a blow. The country was stunned by the shock it received in the accounts of this shameful pusillanimity of conduct. The blood of our young hero boiled to wipe out this stain of dishonor. He longed to avenge our disasters upon the very spot where they had been suffered; a result he soon gloriously accomplished.
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