News of the US: Week Two of July 1812
July 8: From Hagerstown, Md. — “On Friday, the 3d inst. a detachment of about 90 men left this place, under the command of Col. Boerstler, for Carlisle, from which place it is understood they will be ordered to the northward. A finer set of officers and men will rarely be met with. The commandant possesses capacity and assiduity, and will no doubt do honor to his country and to himself.”–National Intelligencer, July 14, 1812
July 8: From a gentleman from Walpole, N.H. from Detroit — “At present I think there is not much reason to fear any trouble from the British or Indians. An attack upon Malden will soon be made, which though it will not be given up without some spilling of blood, must eventually fall.”–Weekly Aurora, August 11, 1812
July 8: From Niagara — “This garrison, and all my property at this place, have been in the most imminent danger. I expected every moment that it would be destroyed, and myself ruined. The British had the means to lay the whole place in ashes; whilst we were entirely destitute of man, cannon, ammunition, and every thing else.”—Raleigh Register, July 31, 1812
July 9: Proclamation issued by James Madison declaring the third Thursday in August as a day “to be observed by the People of the United States, with religious solemnity, as a day of public Humiliation, and Prayer . . . .”–Salem Gazette, July 23, 1812
July 10: From New Orleans — “Brigadier Gen. Wilkinson arrived at New Orleans about the 10th ult. to resume the command on that station. Wm. C. C. Claiborne, esq. is chosen governor of the new state of Orleans by a large majority.”–Scioto Supporter, August 22, 1812
July 10: From St. Marys, Ga.– “We have received intelligence, that the new Governor of Florida (Kinderland) has sent a Flag to Governor Mitchell, by one Arredondo, with a message to this effect—‘That if the United States were determined to take the fortress of Augustine, it should be surrendered—but if they demanded it for the Patriots only, that he would hold out to the last extremity.’”–Charleston City Gazette, July 27, 1812
July 10: From Raleigh – “General Hampton passed through this place yesterday on his way from Washington to Columbia. He is to command in the Southern department under gen. Pinckney”—United States’ Gazette, July 20, 1812
Portrait of William Hull taken from life, c. 1795-1801. By James Sharples Sr.
July 11: “Invasion of Canada . . . Gen. Hull, with his army, crossed the river above Detroit, on the night of the 11th, without the loss of a man.–Such was the regularity of the movement, that in less than five minutes after the first boat struck the Canada shore the line was formed.”–Raleigh Register, August 7, 1812
July 11: From Salem — “On Saturday arrived at Gloucester, the British government Transport No. 50, prize to the one gun privateer Madison, of that port; about 40 days from London via Halifax, bound to St. Johns . . . She mounted 2 guns, had plenty of small arms, and 12 men.”–New York Spectator, July 18, 1812
July 11: Last use of the title Louisiana Gazette by the St. Louis paper. The next paper issued carried the title Missouri Gazette: “Congress having changed the name of this territory, the editor is induced to alter the name of his gazette . . . .”–Missouri Gazette, July 18, 1812
July 12: From Ohio — “The British have collected all their forces at Malden, where it appears, they are determined to make a stand. They have two hundred and fifty regular troops, seven hundred militia and about four hundred Indians.”–Connecticut Mirror, August 10, 1812
July 12: A letter from Captain Porter of the Essex, at sea — “At 2 o’clock this morning fell in with a British fleet of transports . . . and captured one of them, a brig with 197 soldiers on board; but not having men to spare to send her in, permitted her to proceed; not, however, without first taking out of her all the small arms and other munitions of war, ransoming the vessel, and putting the troops upon their parole of honor, not to serve again during the war, unless regularly exchanged.”–National Intelligencer, August 4, 1812
July 13: “The New-York Evening Post says, that His Excellency Gov. Tompkins unites in opinion with the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut, that by the Constitution, the militia, lately drafted, cannot be put under the command of the officers of the general government, and has accordingly determined that they shall be commanded by their own officers only, when called into actual service.”–Connecticut Mirror, July 13, 1812
July 13: From New York –“A gentleman has just arrived here from Ogdenburgh, who saw a gentleman immediately from Sackett’s Harbor, who stated that the ‘Royal George’ had, after a desperate action, been captured by the ‘Oneida,’ and carried into port . . . .[The U. States’ brig, Oneida, mounts sixteen guns–the British ship, Royal George, carries twenty.]”–National Intelligencer, July 16, 1812
July 14: “The volunteers from Georgia were approaching Augustine. The Spaniards had been reinforced, and a battle was daily expected. A battle with a people with whom we are not at war, and in their own territory ! ! ! !”–American Daily Advertiser, July 14, 1812
July 14: From Boston — “The American Tars who were forcibly wrested from the Chesapeake by the British ship Leopard, were restored to that vessel on Saturday last, in the harbour of Boston. They were conducted on board the Chesapeake by Lieut. Simpson, the British officer, and received at the gangway by Lieut. Wilkinson, of the Chesapeake . . . .”–Augusta Herald, August 6, 1812
July 14: “A letter from Charleston (S. C.) July 14, says ‘the first weeks after a body of our militia were in garrison at Fort Moultrie, a large portion of them mutinied, and were ultimately quelled at the point of the bayonet. The cause of this disaffection was being ordered on fatigue duty, and being treated like regulars.”–Newport Mercury, August 1, 1812
About the Author
Mary Bowden is a researcher working at the Texas Collections Deposit Library at the University of Texas. A little-known but invaluable treasure of U.S. history and the history of American journalism is archived in the collection of bound United States’ Newspapers at the University of Texas at Austin. The collection began more than a century ago and has been stored in recent years in the Texas Collections Deposit Library on the campus of the University of Texas. The sizeable archive is currently in the early stages of being digitized before being moved to a more climate-controlled environment at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus of the University, on the north side of Austin.