News of the US: Week Two of January 1813
January 8: “We understand, that Mr. Fulton and Mr. Weeks called this morning to view the operation of Redheffer’s Perpetual Motion, which is now exhibiting in this city. After sufficiently viewing the machinery and admiring the ingenuity of the Inventor, they retired; and missing their way out, wandered until they found themselves in a room directly above the curious machinery, where, to their admirable surprise, they discovered something like a human being lustily employed in turning a wheel!!!”–New York Spectator, January 9, 1813
January 8: Advertisement from Philadelphia — “Just Published, A Catalogue of the Union Circulating Library. This collection of Circulating Books consists of nearly 6000 volumes; upwards of 600 vols. having been recently added.”–Democratic Press, January 8, 1813
January 9: From New York — MARRIED At New-York, on the 9th inst. Isaac Hull, Esq. of the Navy, late commander of the Constitution frigate, to Miss Ann M. Hart, daughter of Elisha Hart, Esq. of Saybrook, Connecticut.–National Intelligencer, January 16, 1813
January 9: From London, speech of the Prince Regent — “While contending against France, in defence not only of the liberties of Great Britain, but of the world, his Royal Highness was entitled to look for a far different result. From their common origin; from their common interests; from their professed principles of freedom and Independence, the United States were the last power, in which G. Britain could have expected to find a willing instrument and abetter of French tyranny.”–National Advocate, March 2, 1813
January 10: Reprinted from the Federal Republican == “After four or five days preparation, allowing ample time for reflection, for the angry passions to be assuaged and subdued to the dominion of the judgment, Mr. Speaker Clay, on Friday, assailed Mr. Quincy in a declamatory harrangue, marked by peculiar malignity, and which, in vulgar traducement and foul scurrility, has rarely been exceeded by the Whig, Aurora, or the scandalous Chronicle. In short, all men of sense, decency or honor, that we have heard express an opinion on the subject, concur as to the total absence of every thing which characterises truth and propriety.”–New York Spectator, January 16, 1813
January 11: From Washington — “The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting certain accounts of Consuls to foreign powers, and of the expences of intercourse with the Barbary Powers.”==Raleigh Register, January 22, 1813
January 11: From New-Orleans — “General Wilkinson certainly expects an attack here by the English white and black troops, and is taking all prudential measures to give them a proper reception. The 3rd and 7th U. S. Regiment marched through this town yesterday to take post at the English turn, where very extensive Barracks have been erected for them . . . .”–Baltimore Patriot, February 18, 1813
January 11: From Hartford — “We have frequently given it as our opinion, that this war was not undertaken for the purpose of vindicating our national rights, but to subserve the views of Bonaparte by aiding him in his attempts to overthrow Great-Britain, and to secure the presidential election.”–Connecticut Mirror, January 11, 1813
January 12: From the London Traveller, of the American navy — “it should be recollected that the materials for ship building are among the products of the soil of America. This is the moment for crushing the power, now in its infancy, which if allowed to attain virile strength, may baffle our endeavors. The events of the present war are alone sufficient to teach us, that in a naval war superiority of force does not always protect its possessor from disaster.”–Niles’ Weekly Register, March 13, 1813
January 12: From New Orleans — “Our army in this quarter is augmenting very fast. We shall have 10,000 men, by the first of March. None of our militia will volunteer, or put themselves under the command of Gen. Wilkinson. Our reinforcements are from Tennessee and Kentucky.”–Charleston City Gazette, March 1, 1813
January 12: Progress of General Jackson on the Cumberland river — “A more beautiful morning was never seen in autumn. Several stands of colors, of superb workmanship, were playing from the heads of different boats. . . … Before eight the General arrived within sight of the mouth of Harpeth. Upon his approach he was received with the honors due to his rank; the drums beat two ruffles, and the infantry, eighteen companies, turned out under arms, and fired a salute.”–Nashville Clarion, February 16,
January 13: From Nashville — “On Sunday last the volunteers (2000 men) who were rendezvoused near this place, descended the Cumberland for New-Orleans. We understand the cavalry have moved also. They go by land.”–Charleston City Gazette, February 12, 1813
January 13: From Urbanna, Ohio — “It is with pleasure we announce to our readers that a great portion of the North Western army is now on the move for Detroit.–Gen. Winchester, with the left wing, it is said is now at the Rapids of the lake of the Miami. From the last accounts, the Virginia and Pennsylvania troops were at Lower Sandusky, within twenty-five miles of the Rapids and will proceed on in a short time, if not already there. Gen. Tupper will march in a few days with the Ohio force to meet the two wings at the Rapids.”–National Intelligencer, February 2, 1813
January 13: From the London Pilot — “The Macedonian lost in the action with the United States 30 killed, 36 severely and 38 slightly wounded. The loss of the United States, in the same action, was but five killed and nine wounded, two of them mortally. In the action between the Wasp and the Frolic, the former had only five killed, and five wounded. . . . Lieut Biddle . . collected in conversation with the officers of the Frolic, that she had about 30 killed, and 40 or 50 wounded. . . . we find that the Constitution had only 7 killed, and as many wounded, and the Guerriere 15 killed and 64 wounded.”–Democratic Press, March 19, 1813
January 14: From Commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy — “Herewith you will receive two muster books, of his Britannic majesty’s vessels Moselle and Sappho, found on board the British packet Swallow. . . . It will appear by these two muster books that as late as August last, about an eighth part of the Moselle and Sappho’s crews were Americans; consequently, if there is only a quarter part of that portion on board their other vessels, that they have an infinitely grater number of Americans in their service than any American has yet had an idea of.”–Raleigh Register, February 5, 1813
January 14: From Washington — “Mr. Randolph, while displaying the great virtue, magnanimity and justice of ‘the defenders of our faith,–the bulwark of ourreligion,’ the British, actually declared that he could not contemplate our being at war with England, ‘a nation who has done so much in India towards converting many millions of wretches to Christianity,’ without shedding tears. He then sat down and CRIED–aye he cried! A member of the American Congress cried, when reciting the manifold christian acts of the British Empire!”–Raleigh Register, January 22, 1813
January 14: From the N. W. Army in Ohio –“The snow here is about eight inches deep, and the prospect daily brightens for a speedy departure from this place to the place of destination. The roads, for the first time, are in excellent order for the transportation of the necessary supplies for our army . . . .”–Baltimore Patriot, January 28, 1813
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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.