midable force of veterans to Canada, and another to
capture Washington, while the main body expected to take New Orleans,
with the intention of retaining the city and province of Louisiana upon
the conclusion of peace.

PREPARING FOR THE FINAL STRUGGLE.

The American government gathered up her loins for the great struggle.
The President was authorized to borrow $25,000,000, and to issue
treasury notes to the amount of $5,000,000. Such sums are but bagatelles
in these days, but in 1814 the credit of the government was so poor that
the notes depreciated one-fifth of their face value. One hundred and
twenty-four dollars were offered as a bounty for every recruit, while
the pay, rations, and clothing were placed upon a generous scale. An
order was issued increasing the regular army to 66,000 men, and an
embargo laid with the aim of stopping trade under British licenses was
repealed in April.

The British cruisers kept the Atlantic coast in continual alarm.
Entering Delaware Bay they burned every merchant vessel in sight. When
the people of Lewiston refused to sell food to them, they bombarded
their homes. In Chesapeake Bay Admiral Cockburn plundered private
dwellings. Among the places sacked and burned were Lewes, Havre de
Grace, Fredericktown, and Georgetown. More leniency was shown the New
England coast because of her opposition to the war. Another inexcusable
proceeding on the part of the invaders was that of persuading many
slaves to leave their masters and join the enemy. This business
compelled England, after the close of the war, to pay the United States
one million and a quarter dollars, on the award of the Emperor of Russia
to whom the question was submitted.

CAPTURE AND BURNING OF WASHINGTON.

But this year saw the crowning disgrace to the American arms. The
mismanagement of affairs left our national capital defenseless. In
August, 1814, Sir Alexander Cochrane carried a British army up the
Chesapeake on board his squadron. Commodore Barney with his few ships
had taken shelter in the Patuxent. Paying no attention to him, Ross
landed his 5,000 veterans within 40 miles of Washington and advanced
against the city. The government had awakened to the threatened peril a
short time before, and placed 500 regulars and 2,000 undisciplined
militia under the command of General William H. Winder.

Winder took a strong position at Bladensburg and awaited Ross and
Cochrane. The British army met with no opposition, an