r private, when General Hull was suddenly overcome with remorse at the
thought of shedding blood, especially among people who were so common,
and, shaking a large table-cloth out the window in token of peace, amid
the tears of his men, surrendered his entire command in a way that
reminded old settlers very much of Cornwallis.

CHAPTER XX.

THE WAR WITH CANADA.

October 13, General Van Rensselaer crossed the Niagara River and
attacked the British at Queenstown Heights. The latter retreated, and
General Brock was killed. General Van Rensselaer went back after the
rest of his troops, but they refused to cross, on the ground that the
general had no right to take them out of the United States, and thus the
troops left in charge at the Heights were compelled to surrender.

These troops who refused to go over and accept a victory already won for
them, because they didn't want to cross the Canadian line, would not
have shied so at the boundary if they had been boodlers, very likely, in
later years.

August 19 occurred the naval fight between the Constitution and
Guerriere, off the Massachusetts coast. The Constitution, called "Old
Ironsides," was commanded by Captain Isaac Hull. The Guerriere was first
to attack, but got no reply until both vessels were very close together,
when into her starboard Captain Hull poured such a load of hardware
that the Guerriere was soon down by the head and lop-sided on the off
side. She surrendered, but was of no value, being so full of holes that
she would not hold a cargo of railroad-trestles.

[Illustration: IF THEY HAD BEEN BOODLERS.]

The economy used by the early American warriors by land and sea
regarding their ammunition, holding their fire until the enemy was at
arm's length, was the cause of more than one victory. They were obliged,
indeed, to make every bullet count in the days when even lead was not
produced here, and powder was imported.

October 13, the naval fight between the Frolic and Wasp took place, off
the North Carolina coast. The Frolic was an English brig, and she wound
up as most frolics do, with a severe pain and a five-dollar fine. After
the Wasp had called and left her R. S. V. P. cards, the decks of the
Frolic were a sight to behold. There were not enough able-bodied men to
surrender the ship. She was captured by the boarding-crew, but there was
not a man left of her own crew to haul down the colors.

Other victories followed on the sea, and American