The Army and Navy of America

THE

ARMY AND NAVY

AMERICA:

CONTAINING

A VIEW OF THE HEROIC ADVENTURES, BATTLES, NAVAL ENGAGE-
MENTS, REMARKABLE INCIDENTS, AND GLORIOUS ACHIEVE-
MENTS IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM,

FROM THE PERIOD OF

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS TO THE

CLOSE OF THE MEXICAN WAR;

INDEPENDENT OF AN ACCOUNT OF

WARLIKE OPERATIONS ON LAND AND SEA;

ENLIVENED BY A VARIETY OF THE MOST

INTERESTING ANECDOTES;

AND

EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS.

BY, JACOB K. NEFF, M. D.

"Concordiâ res parvæ crescunt, discordiâ maximæ dilabuntur."

LANCASTER, PA.:

JOHN H. PEARSOL.

1851.

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by

G. HILLS,

in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN, PHILADELPHIA.

PRINTED BY J. H. PEARSOL, LANCASTER.

(2)

THE work now presented to the public is one of a peculiar character, and the only one that gives the reader a good idea of the battles fought in our country, unless he searches for a description of them through prosy and ponderous volumes. Too much space has hitherto been devoted to legislative proceedings, and too little to the battles. Nor is this all. The various military operations are mixed together in inextricable confusion in our ordinary histories, the same chapter often containing a number of battles. We have corrected this, and made a chapter of every battle, to set it forth clearly and distinctly, connecting only those extended operations, that were intended to aid each other.

PART I.-Contains the nature of campaigns-the advance-the retreatthe encampment of armies-together with the plans of battles; military maxims, from the great generals of every age and country, illustrated by their own battles; with all the manœuvres of fleets, and war at sea. This part prepares the reader to understand warlike operations on land and sea; a kind of information, the want of which every reader of ordinary history must have felt. Such an arrangement has never been attempted before, and in this, especially, our work differs from all others; we hope to the advantage of the reader.

PART II.-Gives an account of the battles of the French and Indian wars, which were of the greatest importance to our fathers. It was a struggle between France and England as to which government should rule the American continent. To our fathers it was important, not only because it would decide whether they should be ruled by the French or English, Catholics or Protestants, but it even decided whether they should at all exist as a nation. This, independent of the interesting nature of many of these forest battles, will make this part of the work of infinitely greater importance than is generally imagined.

Independent of all this, the heroes of our revolution were nearly all schooled in this war. Washington himself received his first lessons of

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war during this period, and terrible lessons they were indeed, which prepared him for those great achievements which he performed at a subsequent period. Nor is this all the interest this war possesses. As taxation was the cause of the revolution, so this war was the cause of taxation.

PART III.-Contains the battles of the revolution. Omitting all the more dull proceedings of Congress, and giving only the most important, so as to keep up the historical connection, we had ample space to make the description of all the battles very full. These are interspersed by poetical quotations, from all the great authors of ancient and modern times. We culled these flowers from many a beautiful garden, to strew them into the rugged paths of war, and to give interest and variety to the work. This is a new plan; and if the reader is willing to allow us to claim any merit for writing this work, we would ask it for the revolution.

The heroes of the revolution are set forth in a more conspicuous light than they have ever before appeared in, and the brilliant talents of Washington, often spoken of too lightly even by Americans, are made to appear, by giving a full account of those bold and mighty efforts, which were ultimately crowned with success.

PART IV.-The late war, of which this part treats, is more distinguished for the numerous naval victories which the Americans gained over the most powerful nation that ever existed. These are all fully described, as well as the battles on land, fought during the same period.

Severe and protracted indisposition rendered it necessary for us to avail ourselves more freely of the labours of others here than we should have done if in health; but the selections were made with such care, and from such high and rare authorities, that we have no doubt that the reader will profit by this arrangement. We make this general acknowledgment here, for this part of the work, to throw off the odium of plagiarism.

PART V.-Gives a general account of the Florida war; and, by sketches of battles, developes the general character of this Indian warfare.

PART VI.-Presents a brief account of the revolution in, and annexation of Texas; a graphic description of Taylor's campaign, from the landing at Corpus Christi until the battle of Buena Vista; of Scott's victories from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico; with the other events of the war.

PART VII.-Closes the work by a general description of the calamities of war-giving examples from the wars of ancient and modern times; showing, in the meantime, when war is just or tyrannical.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

THE ART OF WAR.

CHAPTER I.

MILITARY MAXIMS AND WARLIKE OPERATIONS.

Introductory Remarks. I. Principle of Strength in an Army. II. Plan of

Campaign—Definitions of Military Terms-Importance of Rapidity of Move-

ment-Operations of large Masses on a single Point. III. Adaptation of Means

to Circumstances-Genius of Napoleon. IV. Offensive Operations. V. Con-

centration of separate Forces. VI. Modifications of original Plans. VII. Of

supporting the Wings of an Army. VIII. Depots. IX. Various Lines of Ope-

rations. X. Configuration of the Theatre of War-Illustrations. XI. Of pass-