the United States issued a proclamation enjoining its
citizens to observe neutrality. This did not quiet the excitement, but
rather tended to increase it. Matters were brought to a crisis by the
action of a certain Van Rensselaer, who had been dismissed from the
Military Academy at West Point, and who styled himself "Colonel" Van
Rensselaer. He organized a party of Americans reckless like himself,
and took forcible possession of a small British island opposite to
Fort Schlosser, on the American side, and known as Navy Island. This
island was a short distance above the falls of Niagara. Young Van
Rensselaer engaged a small steamboat called the Caroline to ferry
parties from Navy Island, which he occupied, to Schlosser on the
American shore.

The first night on which the Caroline began her voyages the British
fitted out an expedition to capture her. Instead of making a descent
on Navy Island within British territory, they boarded the steamer at
Schlosser, on the American side, and thus violated our territory. The
boat at the time of this invasion was filled with people, many of whom
were there for idle curiosity, including a number of boys. In the
_melee_ of capture one American citizen was killed and several others
wounded. They cut the boat from its moorings, set it on fire, and it
drifted down the cataract. It was reported and generally believed that
when the vessel went over the cataract it had a small number of
wounded Americans on board.

The publication of this affair created the greatest excitement from
one end of the country to the other. This occurred on December 29,
1837, but the news did not reach Washington until January 4th. On the
evening of that day General Scott was to dine with President Van Buren
and a number of other distinguished gentlemen. The entire party had
arrived, but the President failed to appear. After a time he came in
and spoke inaudibly to Henry Clay, one of the guests, and then said to
General Scott: "Blood has been shed; you must go with all speed to the
Niagara frontier. The Secretary of War is now engaged in making out
your instructions." General Scott left at once, and passing through
Albany, met William L. Marcy, the Governor of New York, who with his
adjutant general (McDonald) accompanied him to the scene of the
troubles. The United States troops at this time were all either in
Florida or on the Western frontiers. General Scott, in passing through
New York, had ordered some small