CHRONOLOGY : THE WAR OF 1812 : 1812-1815
 

IJ77
 

Gov. Torapkins sends to Secretary Monroe a comprehensive
report of the railitary situation in the vicinity of New York City.—
Pub. Papers af Daniel D. Tompkins, III: 585-91.

Gen. Jackson, at the head of 3,000 men, appears before the
Spanish town of Pensacola, Fla,, to drive out the British. The
British blew up the fort, on Nov. 8, and retired in ships from the
bay.—McMaater, His/, of tke People of the U. S., IV:  180-81.

The fort on Bedlow's Island is named Fort Wood by Gov.
ToropMna, and the one on EUis Island becoraes Fort Gibson.—
 

Colun
 

r, Nl
 

Col. Soloraon Van Rensselaer writes from New York to Mrs.
Van Rensselaer at Albany: "The Governor is in hia new quarters,
with aU his auite; we have an elegant establishment; live in perfect
harmony, and in style; much to do and attend strictly to all duties.
... If there ia no attack on this place this Fail—and none is
expected—I shaU be with you in a tew weeks, when the Governor
wiU return to Albany.

"The militia are sickly and heartily tired ot a mUitary life;
desertions are frequent and furloughs aaked for by dozena every
day. We bave visited the fortlficationa at the Hook, Narrowa, thia
Island. ... All ray time ia taken up In my profession. I act as
aid and not as Adjutant-General. All eipress their satisfaction at
my being here, and much confidence Is placed in rae by the in¬
habitanta. . . . Lewis has gone to Washington to beg to he
retained. Last night we returned frora again visiting the troops
and fortifications on Long Island and the Narrows, a tour of three
days I spent very pleasantiy, in which time we reviewed three
Brigades, and were received at the different posts with a tremendous
roar of cannon. The reriew of General Boyd's Brigade of Regulars
was very splendid, the troops performed wdl and looked like
soldiers. . . . We are just now going out to review the troops."—
Guernsey,N. Y. Clty& Vicinity in tke War 0/1812-15, II:  373-75.

Gov. Tompkins writes from New York to Commodore Decatur:
"The steam frigate [seeO 29] building in this harbour ia, I presurae,
intended to act as a moveable Battery for harbour defence; & Is
eipected to operate most advantageously In a calm, when sbips of
tbe ordinary construction would be unmanageable; & she ot conse¬
quence enabled to choose her position. The eiperiment of her
utility is still to be tried though I think it probable she will answer
the end propoaed.

"I do not believe however that Vessels of this deacription would
be formidable on the ocean, or in broad waters; or that they
would be the raost advisable arraament for lake Ontario, Ships of
the Une k frigates form the naval force, upon which alone I ahould
place rdlance; either for blockading the enemys fleet on that lake
orfor conquering it in open fight."—Pub. Papers of Daniel D. Tomp¬
kins, UI: 597.   See N 23.

"The number of garrison and battering cannon and mortars
now raounted for the railitary defence of this post and city araounts
to 570 pieces. The largest we have seen is the Columbiad of one
hundred pounda. A number of the same piecea of fifty pounds
caUbre are mounted in Fort Greene. In addition to these thirty
more heavy carriages are nearly finished: And the handsome and
formidable park ot fidd artiUery and battalion guns bdonging to
the brigades ot railitia are not included In the enuraeration. We
raay count besides upon one or two hundred active and usdul
piecea on board the President, gun boata, and vesada of war in port,
without induding the steam battery Fulton."—Columbian, N 15,
1814-

Pres, Madison, by prodaraation, recoraraends that Thursday,
Jan. 12, 1815, be observed as a day of pubbc huraiUation, fasting
and prayer.—JV. Y. Eve. Past, N 19, 1814.

The common councU votes that the freedom of the city in a gold
box be presented to Gen. Aleiander Macomb, and that he be re¬
quested to sit for a portrdt.—flf. C. C. (1784-1831), VIU: 88.
Macomb's letter of Nov. 24 acknowledging the receipt of the reso¬
lutions is in raetal file No. 45, city clerk's record-room. The pre¬
sentation took place on Dec. 8 (q-v.). The portrait was painted by
Samud Waldo in 1815.—Cat. of the Works of An, etc., 10.

The common councU autborises the coraraittee of finance "to
extend the Issuing ot Corporation raoney bills to a sura not exceed¬
ing fifty thousand DoUars."-iVf. C. C. (1784-1831), VIII: 88.
Facsimiles of the city's paper money, bearing date of Dec. 20, 1814,
are in Man. Cam. Coun. {1863), 170.

Gen. Jonathan Williams having written, in behalf of the people
of Philadelphia, to Robert Fulton concerning the
 

duplicate of the "Fulton the First" for the protection of tbat city,   Nov.
Fulton answers from New York on this day, giving an interesting   23
description of the steam frigate. He says:

''much occupied on monday in moving tbe Steam Vessd from
 

I did ni

of 19 until yesterday Tuesday
Her length is on deck
Breadth of beam
depth of hole
hdght ot gun deck
Thickness of Sides
 

e your coraraunication
'56 "
 

5
 

I Janry
 


 

power

Commenced June i vriU be finished a

Estiraate tor

Engine and huU about 151^ [iic]

It wiU I bdieve cost Something more   her Boilers of copper, which

alone will do tor salt water, weigh 24 tons   All her valves and com-

muoicationa with sdt water Is Brass.   She is pierced for 30 guns

Long32 pounders  She has 21 on Board with near 60 tons of material

and now draws 9 feet 2 Inches of water with this weight  My two

Steam boats the car of Neptune and Sultan towed her through the

water at tbe rate ot 3J mUea an hour. There is now no doubt that

when finished she will run frora 4^ to 5 miles an hour in still water

The $150,000 estimate presented to the secretary of the navy was

Independent of guns coppering Sails Anchors cordage Joiners work

and Armament In generd  All complete she raay be estimated at

235 or 240,000 dollars.

"How to construct one frora under my eye and dsewhere than
at this dty I do not know here I have erected workahopa tools and
raacbinery Suited to the construction of large engines and heavy
works also, all the models of her castings and fixings, which alone
is a work of some months, and has cost frora 3 to 4000 S But
the hull might be built at Pbila—and the principal part ot the
machinery be raade here in the transport of which there will only
be land carriage from Brunswick to Trenton which wUl cost less
than to make the raodds. I must dso remark that as this is a
new Invention whicb requires aU my care to render il as complete
and usdul as can reasonably be eipected from my present experi¬
ence, I cannot trust the construction of the machinery or the fitting
out of the Vessel to be dkected by any one but raysdf in which I
will give every facility m my power to the Gentieraen of Phila."
—N. Y. P. L. Bulletin, XIU: 580; Dickinson, Roben Fullan,
Engineer and Artist, 261-62; descrip. of Pi. 83-a, IU: 557. See
N 30, 1814, and My 22, 1815.

"We understand orders have been issued by bis excdlency the 28
coraraander of this military district, to dismiss the miliria now on
duly in this city and its vicinity. Those stationed at Harlera bave
returned their arms to the state arsenal, and take their departure
for their homes and families thia day."—N. Y. Eve. Past, N 28,
1814. This action was taken because aU fear ot a British attack
upon New York had been given up.—See N 30.

A deed for lots nurabered 107 and 161 on tbe northwesterly side "
of WiUiara St, is presented by the coraraon council to tbe "New
York Society tor promoting the raanuralsslon ot Slaves and pro-
lectirig such of them as have been or may be Uberated."—flf. C. C.
(1754-1831), VUl: 90, The grant Is made on condition that an
African free school be built there within a limited tirae. The deed
was recorded Nov. 8, iii6.—Liber of Conveyances, CXIV: 511.

Capt. Thomas Macdonough is ordered by the Navy Depart- 30
raent to proceed to NewYork to take "coramand of the steam float¬
ing battery Fulton Fkst" (see O 29). This was the first appoint¬
raent of a naval officer as commander of the first steara vessd ot
war in the history ot tbe world.—Macdonough, Life of Commo¬
dore Macdonough, 214.   See Ja 6, 1815.

Col. Van Renssdaer again writes from New York: "On the "
25th we had a splendid day; ten thousand troops were under arma,
marched through the city and were reviewed by the Governor,
after which we dined in the City Hail by invitation trora the cor¬
poration. I wrote you that In two or three weeks tbe railitia would
be discharged, aU idea of ao attack frora the enemy being given
up. . . ."—Gisernsey,N. Y. City& Vicinity in the War of 1S12-
15, U:  383-85.

Gen. Jackson arrives at New Orleans and takes command.—    Dec.
Brackenridgc, Hist, afthe Late War between the U. S. and Gt. Brit.     2
(Phila,, 1836), 279-80.

The common council aulhoriaea the payraent of $250 to Rev.      5