http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/quarterly/id/1014/rec/2

"The Continental Navy grew into an important force. Over the course of the War of Independence, the Continental Navy sent to sea more than fifty armed vessels of various types. The navy's squadrons and cruisers seized enemy supplies and carried correspondence and diplomats to Europe, returning with needed munitions. They took nearly 200 British vessels as prizes, some off the British Isles themselves, contributing to the demoralization of the enemy and forcing the British to divert warships to protect convoys and trade routes. In addition, the navy provoked diplomatic crises that helped bring France into the war against Great Britain."
from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/sail1.htm


early September 1779: British in West Florida learn of the Spanish declaration of war.

September 10, 1779: A British sloop is captured on Lake Ponchartrain and is commissioned the U.S.S. West Florida. British citizens living on the lake gave oaths of allegiance to "THE UNITED INDEPENDENT STATES OF NORTH AMERICA."

January 20, 1780: Oliver Pollack, agent of the Continental Congress in New Orleans, appointed Navy Captain William Pickles to command the sloop WEST FLORIDA belonging to the United States. The WEST FLORIDA mounted four 6 pounders and twelve swivel guns. It was provisioned for 60 days and had a crew of 58. Pickles was to assist Galvez in the campaigns against Mobile and Pensacola for a period of 20 days, or longer if necessary. 

April 28, 1781: Over 100 Royalist men, women and slaves flee Natchez on a 149 day journey east through the wilderness.
LETTER TO P.R. GUY FOR NAVY WEEK
http://www.lagniappemobile.com/mobile-selected-2017-navy-week/
November 2, 1782: Crew of the U.S.S. West Florida wrote Pollack and said Pickles owed them money. One year later Pickles was stabbed to death in Philadelphia.

1780 size of CONTINENTAL NAVY https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Navy#End_of_the_Continental_Navy

Willing chronology anomalies 

October 1778: Willing took a sloop from New Orleans bound for Philadelphia but was captured.

December 1778: Willing escaped the British in New York(?) but is recaptured and stays in captivity until being exchanged in the spring of 1781. http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-18-02-0523

August 18, 1779: Storm sank U.S.S. Morris in the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge and 11 of the crew drowned. A second U.S.S. Morris was outfitted by Galvez.

early September 1779: British in West Florida learn of the Spanish declaration of war.

September 10, 1779: A British sloop is captured on Lake Ponchartrain and is commissioned the U.S.S. West Florida. British citizens living on the lake gave oaths of allegiance to "THE UNITED INDEPENDENT STATES OF NORTH AMERICA."

Close of 1779???: Willing was in chains in Fort Charlotte of Mobile for distributing the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE(see DUNLAP BROADSIDE).

Willing’s party proceeded down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, reaching Natchez, Miss., on 19 Feb., raiding the surrounding countryside, and carrying a substantial amount of plunder into Spanish-controlled New Orleans. Willing’s presence in that city embarrassed the Spanish governor and enraged and alarmed Loyalists all the way to Florida, spurring the British to reinforce West Florida and send a flotilla to blockade New Orleans and the Mississippi. Willing was unable to leave New Orleans until October 1778, when he boarded a sloop for Philadelphia and was captured as described here by Costigin. The British, perhaps unsurprisingly, did not treat Willing well; and it was not until the spring of 1781, after being “peculiarly severely treated by the enemy,” that he was exchanged (GW to Board of War, 1 May 1781). For more on Willing’s expedition, see Caughey, “Willing’s Expedition”; and Naval Documents, 10:769, 780).

George Morgan's mission https://books.google.com/books?id=LHNpBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=%22George+Morgan%22+gunpowder+%22New+Orleans%22+Captain+Gibson&source=bl&ots=P-wya0q0k2&sig=UablYqu9nNfrGgQ9TQ3p0KDOQPQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj1qJSKquHRAhUDRSYKHSFdBnMQ6AEIJzAC#v=onepage&q=%22George%20Morgan%22%20gunpowder%20%22New%20Orleans%22%20Captain%20Gibson&f=false

from a page 38 article in the April 21, 1973 issue of RECORD WORLD:

COCHRAN: Classics Manager

ATLANTA- Entertainment management is often misunderstood. Some acts hang the title on a friend or an equipment lugger

from a page 8 article in the April 21, 1973 issue of RECORD WORLD:

THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION

ATLANTA- THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION, whose second album has just been released by Decca Records, is a composite of six highly seasoned and talented musicians that have been around the world of rock for a number of successful years.

Along with producer Buddy Buie the group members have written over 20 chart singles as recorded by many pop music greats. They have played on untold recording dates as Atlanta's most demanded studio group.

Lead vocalist Ronnie Hammond is the newest member of THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION making his debut recording performance with the group on the LP "Back Up Against The Wall," A native of Macon, Georgia. Hammond worked with a number of local and regional groups before becoming an engineer at an Atlanta recording studio where he was discovered by Buddy Buie.

Rhythm guitarist J.R. Cobb has written the hits "Most of All."Stormy" and "Traces" in collaboration with producer Buddy Buie. After his graduation from high school in Jacksonville, Florida, Cobb worked for a time as a welder before joining Dennis Yost and the Classics IV. He left the group after co-writing their first hit "Spooky."

In addition to playing on numerous recording sessions, drummer Robert Nix has co-written the hits "Mighty Clouds of Joy" and "Cherry Hill Park" among others. One of Roy Orbison's CANDYMEN, he remained with the group after they went on their own by signing with ABC Records.

Bassist Paul Goddard, who played on his first recording date in 1964, worked with Roy Orbison and Columbia recording artist MYLON before joining THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION.

Dean Daughtry, who worked with Nix in THE CANDYMEN before joining DENNIS YOST AND THE CLASSICS IV, started playing keyboards at the age of five in Coffee County, Alabama churches.

Decatur Georgia native Barry Bailey, who plays lead guitar with THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION, took formal lessons at the age of 12 and studied music theor in college. He also plays sitar, bass and piano. Before joining ATLANTA, he worked with hometown friend Mylon LeFevre in THE HOLY SMOKE BAND.

My ROCK PILGRIMAGE blog now features photos and articles about WET WILLIE, BUTCH TRUCKS, CHUCK LEAVELL and BUDDY BUIE from '70 and '73 issues of RECORD WORLD. http://rockpilgrimage.blogspot.com http://rockpilgrimage.blogspot.com

from a page 34 article in the April 21, 1973 issue of RECORD WORLD

WET WILLIE: In Your Ear

MACON- It was about three years ago that a shaggy-looking outfit called WET WILLIE rolled into Macon. Little did anyone know that Wet Willie (usually known locally as a wet index finger in the ear) would have a new definition: a rock and roll band. There are five in WET WILLIE and they are all from Mobile, Alabama. They have all grown up together, running through the usual high school band evolution.

WET WILLIE is : Jimmy Hall, lead vocals, harmonica and alto sax; Jack Hall (Jimmy's brother), bass guitar; Rick Hirsch, lead guitar; John Anthony, keyboards; and Lewis Ross, drums. All are in their mid-twenties and have been rocking for at least nine years.

When the band first arrived in Macon, Phil Walden and Frank Fenter arranged for an audition at the studio. Upon completion of the audition, the band signed across the board: to Phil Walden and Associates for management, Capricorn Records, and to No Exit Music for publishing. The band also signed with the Paragon Agency for bookings.

After the signing was completed, WET WILLIE set out to play the southern club circuit, just as the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND and many others had before them. In May, 1971, Eddie Offord,who had engineered EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, and YES, flew to Macon from London to begin producing WET WILLIE's first album. The album was recorded at Capricorn Sound and was released in August. Upon release on the album, WET WILLIE immediately went on tour with the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, touring throughout the east coast and the south (including a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall). They played many dates on the west coast and returned to tour extensively throughout the south. Now, next to THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, WET WILLIE is one of the biggest acts in the south.

May, 1972 rolled around, and with it came Eddie Offord once again from London. This time, WET WILLIE was to record their second album at Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama due to the re-building of the Capricorn Studio. The album, cleverly entitled "Wet Willie II," was released in late September, 1972,  and again a nationwide tour was set up.

On December 31, 1972 at the Warehouse in New Orleans, WET WILLIE was appearing in concert with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. The plan of action was to record WET WILLIE and The Brothers live, and the plan was executed brilliantly. Location Recorders came down from New York, and almost the entire Capricorn staff was there. Dick Wooley, Capricorn's national promotion director set up a network of AM and FM radio stations, 40 in all, to broadcast the event live from New Orleans. An estimated 10 million people were listening as WET WILLIE was recording their live album to be entitle "Drippin' Wet."

Currently, WET WILLIE is involved in yet another nationwide tour, this time with JEFF BECK's new group. The tour will last for eight weeks beginning on the east coast and ending on the west, where the band will join up with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND and re-play the west coast.

Via the guidance of Phil Walden. and Associates, Capricorn Records and the Paragon Agency, WET WILLIE has established themselves as an important musical force within today's complex music structure. They are not an overnight sensation, but be assured, they will be makin' music in Macon for years to come.

from a page 32 article in the April 21, 1973 issue of RECORD WORLD

CHUCK LEAVELL:

Chuck Leavell began playing at about the age of six. Before moving to Macon two years ago, he lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he played with various local bands. One of his earliest bands was THE AMERICAN EAGLES, which had the distinction of being the first to record Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee." From there, Chuck joined SUNDOWN, another Tuscaloosa group which moved to Macon and recorded an album for EXIT/AMPEX RECORDS. After SUNDOWN's demise, he played many recording sessions for ALEX TAYLOR. In January of 1972, Chuck joined FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, backing up ALEX TAYLOR and DR. JOHN.

page 46 of the August 8, 1970 issue of RECORD WORLD:

BBC PRODUCTIONS BIG

Some years ago, heavy set and curly-headed Buddy Buie wrote a song called "Party Doll" which became a national hit and launched Buddy on his career as a Top 40 producer and songwriter.

Buie had worked with several artists including Roy Orbison as a road manager and later as a promoter of shows. At about the time Joe South was cutting the Classics IV for Capitol, Bill Lowery, Paul Cochran and Buddy started their own publishing company- Low-Sal. The first hit title in the new pubbery was Sandy Posey's "I TAKE IT BACK" written by J.R. Cobb and Buie. Mike Sharp and Harry Middlebrooks wrote an instrumental called "SPOOKY," Buie and Cobb added lyrics and took over production on the Classics IV, launching them as a national act.

Other Buie-Cobb tunes included "TRACES," an 800,000 seller for the Classics; and "EVERY DAY WITH YOU GIRL," a half-million seller for the Classics.

"Now we've got the Classics in a ballad bag and we've established a buying market. Every album we put out sells 150,000 records.We are trying to fill the gap between Top 40 and Easy Listening. I don't care if the Classics never sell another Top 40 record. Easy Listening is a neglected market," Buie said.

Buie and Cobb, along with Bill Lowery, have built Studio One which will be used exclusively by BBC Productions. The company already has label deals for several new ventures. One of the acts that most excites Buie is his studio group, the Atlanta Rhythm Section. "This is my dream. We are taking our rhythm section that took some five years to put together and we're going into the studio and cutting whatever we feel. The group is great to work with.There are no arguments, no hassles. We may take six months cutting the master on this group and of the 50 sides that we cut, we'll probably throw away 40. I think the group is fantastic! As a matter of fact, they're so good a group of pickers that we might title their album 'Eat Your Heart Out'. "

When asked about his three favorite singers, Buie told RECORD WORLD, "In order of preference, they're Merle Haggard, Joe Cocker and Tom Jones."

This bit of closing information is probably the best indication of what Atlanta music really is.

June, 1814: U.S. General Flournoy ordered Colonel John Bowyer to abandon Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.


July 1814: U.S. Navy Commodore Patterson of New Orleans sailed to Dauphin Island to assist a stranded cargo ship. The Royal Navy was already beginning their naval blockade of the mouth of the Mississippi and was using Dauphin Island as a camp on their supply line.


July 20, 1814: A committee of Mobile citizens appealed to General Jackson to restore Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.
RESOLUTION DELIVERED TO GENERAL JACKSON BY LIEUTENANT CONWAY

HIS EXCELLENCY

                                MAJOR GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON

                                               Commanding the 6th and 7th

                                                                   Military District

                                                            HICKORY GROUND

(ed. note:  The following quotation was on the outside of the envelope when it was delivered to the War Department in Washington. It is Jackson's endorsement in his handwriting.)

"The memorial of the citizens of the Town of Mobile, to be answered with assurances of every protection, that the means within my power will afford, that the abandonment of Mobile Point was by the order of the secratary of war. The remonstrance, has been forwarded to the secratary of war with the appropriate remarks. The remonstrance to be forwarded to the secratary of war as above."

At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Mobile convened at the dwelling house of Josiah Blakeley Esquire on Wednesday the 20th July 1814, for the purpose of taking into consideration the perilous situation of affairs in  this section of the Territory.

     

                                       Josiah Blakeley Esq. was called to the Chair,

                                       and  M. McKinsey was appointed Secretary

                                       On motion of Joseph P. Kennedy, seconded,

                 That a committee of Five be forthwith appointed to draft a memorial to his Excellency Major General And. Jackson explanatory of the defenseless and awful situation of this quarter of the Territory- the ill-advised abandonment and evacuation of Mobile Point, and the withdrawal of the Gunboats from the Bay of Mobile- praying his Excellency's relief thereupon

                                                              which motion was unanimously agreed to 

Whereupon the President appointed Colonel Hinson Powell and Messieurs Kennedy, Robertson and McKinsey, as a Committee to draft said memorial and dispatch the same tomorrow morning by Lieut. Conway

                                            A true Copy of the Original 

                                            Mobile 20th July 1814

                                                                                    M. McKinsey

                                                                                          Secretary

August 1814: General Andrew Jackson ordered the restoration of Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.

Saturday, August 13, 1814: Vincent Gray, a native of Massachusetts who made his living as a cotton merchant in Havana, wrote a letter of U.S. Secretary of State James Monroe describing the Royal Navy's secret campaign to capture New Orleans. Gray received this information from the conversations British Colonel Nicolls had with citizens in Havana. Gray wrote three letters: one to Secretary of State Monroe, one to Governor Claiborne in New Orleans delivered by way of Captain Jean Lafitte and one to James Innerarity, the head of John Forbes and Company in Mobile and head of the Mobile town council.

August 22, 1814: Jackson arrived in Mobile on the same day American Commodore Joshua Barney scuttled his fleet of gunboats in the Patuxent River in Maryland while being pursued by the British coming from the Chesapeake. In Mobile, Jackson met Major William L. Lawrence before the Major embarked for Mobile Point with 160 men to restore the defense of Fort Bowyer. 

August 22, 1814: The 65 ton schooner, Speedwell (probably about 63 feet long), was captured by the British on the Patuxent River in Prince George County, Maryland at the same time that U.S. Commodore Joshua Barney scuttled his U.S. Navy gunboats in the same river. In February of 1815, the Speedwell was at Dauphin Island serving as a tender for Admiral Malcolm's HMS ROYAL OAK. It also held a Royal Navy sailor as a prisoner because he refused to participate in the New Orleans Campaign. On February 17, 1815, this sailor who claimed to be an American, Archibald W. Hamilton, was released at Dauphin Island from the Speedwell by the British.

August 27, 1814: At 5 P.M. on this Saturday afternoon, James Innerarity, first President of the Mobile Town Council, handed General Andrew Jackson two letters, one written by Innerarity's brother, John, in Pensacola and another one written by cotton merchant, Vincent Gray, in Havana. Both letters described in detail the Royal Navy's plan to capture New Orleans and the fact that the Royal Navy's ships had anchored in Pensacola and that British troops were occupied forts around the town.

"...but for this intelligence so fortunately and singularly given, New Orleans, would most probably have fallen without a battle, and without a renowned hero to grace its history." ~ from the journal of R.K. Call who had kept this information a secret for over 40 years because it would have been harmful to the Innerarity brothers' business interests in Great Britain.

September 3, 1814: Captain Percy of the HMS Hermes delayed the attack on Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Point so that Captain Lockyer of the HMS Sophie could sail from Pensacola to Barataria Bay to contact Lafitte and attempt to enlist the Baratarians for the British cause. This proved that New Orleans was the ultimate target of the British Expeditionary Force.  

September 10, 1814: Colonel Nicolls and his Royal Marines embarked from Pensacola aboard the HMS Childers for an attack on Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.


September 11, 1814:The HMS Sophie captained by Nicholas Lockyer returned to Pensacola from their mission to Barataria to meet Lafitte..A few days' previous, she had chased a Baratarian privateer and seized its prize, a Spanish ship, which was manned by some men from the Sophie to go to Pensacola. On the way, the Spanish ship grounded at Dauphin Island and the Americans at Ft. Bowyer captured the ship and crew. Gen. Jackson proceeded to hold the Spanish crew members hostage for an earlier raid on Mobile.

 U.S. Captain MacDonough won a great naval victory over the British on Lake Champlain. 

September 12, 1814: The HMS Childers disembarked the Nicolls and his Royal Marines 9 miles east of Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point. They were armed with a 5.5 inch howitzer and were joined by refugee Red Sticks and fugitive slaves who had been recruited into the Colonial Marines.

 September 13, 1814: General Andrew Jackson sailed toward Fort Bowyer on Mobile Bay but is stopped by Americans in a boat bound for Mobile near the mouth of Mobile Bay and informed that the British amphibious attack on Fort Bowyer had begun. Jackson's boat turns around and sails back to Dog River. These Americans prevented Jackson from sailing directly into the British naval fleet off Fort Bowyer.


September 15, 1814: British Colonel Nicolls, Royal Marines and newly recruited fugitive slaves and refugee Red Sticks failed to win their attack on Fort Bowyer at Mobile Point. The HMS Hermes ran aground, caught fire and exploded. This defeat was fatal to British prestige. It alienated the Spanish, scattered their Indian recruits and increased American confidence in General Jackson.


Thursday 15 September 1814
HM Sloop Childers
At anchor off Mobile Bay
Raining at Noon
Light winds & fine
2.15 weighed and made sail in the following order: Hermez[sic] Sophie Carron Childers
2.30 Hermez Gint
3 Fort on Mobile Point commenced firing at Hermes which she returned at 3.30-3.45 Sophie opened her fire wind light and variable made all sail
4.20 Carron aphirsid her broad side
4.45 came to luistal that from the Fort with the Brot Bower with ossiings rraced to half a cable comissicar and and lrifit info kroney fire on the fort
fire from the fort going dark 5.45 Hermes gone
6 man and action the boats ready to bord and Hermes drifting out. 
6.10 Hermez Gint
To rescue the crew Hermes aground to the south of the fort
6.45 guasend facing out the cables and made sail fathom off auch with the small Bow 5 fins Fort North 2 miles
7.30 Boats returned all 4 the min being removed from the Hermes recd to evacuated men and 38 of the Creek. Obsd the Hermes in flames. Supplied the following provisions to Marines and Indians on sh for order bread 826lbs rum gallons beef 2 barrels twenty seven lbs eight lbs each pork two barl fifty 
At 11 Hermes blew up

LINK TO ALL FOUR BRITISH SHIPS THAT FOUGHT IN THE FIRST BATTLE OF FT. BOWYER.  http://archive.today/hDwA

Private James Rose of the Woolwich Division deserted on 18 September 1814 from Pensacola, just after the first attack on Fort Bowyer. Private Charles Butcher, a labourer from Switzerland, was the sole fatality from Nicolls's detachment at the attack on Fort Bowyer on 18 September 1814. Ship-borne casualties were: 
HMS Hermes 17 killed in action, 5 died of wounds, 19 wounded 
HMS Sophie 6 killed in action, 4 died of wounds, 12 wounded 
HMS Carron nil killed in action, 1 died of wounds, 4 wounded 
All of these 69 casualties from the battle are named in Admiral Cochrane's letter to the Admiralty dated 7 December 1814 which is in the correspondence file, UK National Archives reference ADM/1/505.

September 17, 1814: The Royal Marines and Indians, returning to Pensacola during their retreat from Mobile Point, raided the Forbes and Co. stores and mills at Bon Secour. 

On the same day, Admiral Cochrane on the Chesapeake, received a secret July 29th letter from Lord Melville authorizing an attack on New Orleans. Cochrane on board the HMS Tonnant sailed the same day for Halifax, Nova Scotia, leaving Rear-Admiral Malcolm to continue leading the blockade and the attacks against Americans on the Chesapeake. (page 119 of HOW BRITAIN WON THE WAR OF 1812)http://books.google.com/books?id=qr1v7O0KKioC&source=gbs_navlinks_s 

September 20, 1814: Following the sounding of reveille, approximately 180 of the nearly 500 men at Fort Jackson(located near present-day Wetumpka) deserted and marched for Tennessee, "yelling and firing their guns".General Jackson had the six ringleaders of this rebellion executed by firing squad in Mobile on February 21, 1815. http://www.pipkinusa.org/philipmilitia.txt

September 21, 1814: General Jackson issued a proclamation from Mobile to all free men of color in Louisiana. "As sons of freedom you are now called upon to defend our most inestimable blessing... To every noble-hearted freeman of colour volunteering to serve during the present contest with Great Britain, and no longer, there will be paid the same bounty in money and lands, now received by the white soldiers of the United States."

October 10, 1814: Jackson writes Secretary Monroe that "My undivided attention and all my disposeable force have been employed to place Fort Bowyer in, a complete state of defence. I have sent to new Orleans for heavier guns, and hope to have them well mounted, in a few days, on the battery of the fort. Major Lawrence has succeeded in raising from the wreck of the Hermes, 11 32 lb. carronades, and one 12 lb. Carronade. He expects to be able to recover the rest of her guns. This Fort, when completed, together with the ship now on the stocks at Tchefoneti (which I would recommend to be finished), well manned, and armed with long 24 and 32 pounders, would effectually protect the Bay, and of course the Town of Mobile. These points being thus safe, the troops now kept here to cover them, might be disposed of for other purposes. I beg leave to refer to my former letters as to the necessity of having possession of Pensacola, and confidently hope to receive instructions relative thereto."

November 13, 1814: General Jackson returned to Mobile from his capture of Pensacola.

Tuesday, November 22, 1814: General Jackson left Mobile on horseback, accompanied by only three or four other soldiers including his Adjutant General, Robert Butler, his aide-de-camp, Major John Reid and Major Howell Tatum, his chief topographical engineer. They traveled slowly for ten days to make a reconnaissance of the coast between Mobile and New Orleans. On this same day, Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Forester Inglis Cochrane, RN, arrived at Negril Bay in Jamaica aboard his flagship, HMS Tonnant, and began assembling the British Expeditionary Force that would attempt to capture New Orleans. 

Details of General Jackson's ride from Mobile to New Orleans may be found in Major Howell Tatum's Journal http://archive.org/stream/majorhowelltatum07tatuuoft/majorhowelltatum07tatuuoft_djvu.txt

December 5, 1814: Six Tennessee militiamen were court martialed for exciting mutiny of the troops at Fort Jackson on September 20. This mutiny occurred because of confusion over the time of enlistment. Men who enlisted on June 20 believed their tour of duty ended after three months on September 20. Unfortunately, they were incorrect.

December 9, 1814: (from Judge Alexander Walker's book "Jackson and New Orleans)

"The pilots, who have accompanied the fleets from the 
West Indies, have announced that the land is not far 

off and all parties are on deck, eagerly straining their eyes for a view of the desired shore. There, in the distance, they soon discover a

long, shining white line, 

which sparkles in the sun like an island of fire.

Presently it becomes more distinct and substantial 

and the man at the look-out proclaims 'land ahead'. 

The leading ships approach as near 

as is prudent and their crews, especially the land 

troops, experience no little disappointment at the 

bleak and forbidding aspect of Dauphin Island, 

with its long, sandy 
beach, its dreary, stunted pines, and the entire 

absence of any vestige of settlement or cultivation. 

Turning to the west, the fleet avoids the island and 

proceeds towards a favorable anchorage in the 

direction of the Chandeleur islands, the wind in the 

meantime having chopped around and blowing 

too strong from the shore to justify 

an attempt to enter the lake at night. 

"As the Tonnant and Seahorse pass near to Dauphin 
Island, the attention of the Vice-Admiral 

is called to two small vessels, 

lying between the island and the 

shore. They are neat little craft, sloop-rigged, and 

evidently armed. They appear to be watching the 

movements of the British ships and when the latter 

take a western course, they weigh anchor and 

follow in the same direction. 

At night-fall the signal 

'to anchor' is made from the Tonnant and the order 

is quickly obeyed by all the vessels in the squadron." 
"The suspicious little sloops, as if in apprehension 

of a night attack of boats, then press all sail and 

proceed in the direction of Biloxi Bay. They prove to be the United States gunboats No. 23, Lieutenant 

McKeever, (afterwards Commodore McKeever) , No. 163, 

Sailing Master Ulrick, which had been detached from 

the squadron of Lieutenant Thomas Ap Catesby Jones 

(later the Commodore Jones 

who ran up the first American flag at Monterey, 

California, in 1847), who had been sent by Commodore 

Patterson with six gunboats, one tender, and a 

despatch boat, to watch and report the approach 

of the British. In case their 

fleet succeeded in entering 

the lake, he was to be prepared to cut 

off their barges and prevent the landing of the 

troops. If hard pressed by a superior force, his 

orders were to fall back upon a mud fort, the Petites Coquilles, near the mouth of the Rigolets and shelter his vessels under its guns. 

"The two boats which had attracted the notice of the 
British Vice-Admiral, joined the others of the 

squadron that night near Biloxi. The next day, 

the 10th of December, at dawn, 

or as soon as the fog cleared off, 

Jones was amazed to observe the deep water 

between Ship and Cat Islands where the current flows, 

crowded with ships and vessels of every calibre and 

description. The Tonnant having anchored off the 

Chandeleurs, the Seahorse was now the foremost ship. 

Jones immediately made for Pass Christian with

his little fleet, where he anchored,and quietly 

awaited the approach of the British vessels."

January 22, 1815: General Jackson signed the order for the executions of the six Tennessee militiamen who were found guilty of exciting mutiny at Fort Jackson on September 20, 1814. 

Saturday, February 4, 1815: The weather improved and the larger British men-of-war and the larger troop transports received orders to sail to the lower(southern) anchorage off the Chandeleur Islands and the shallow draft vessels which included smaller men-of-war and troop transports were ordered to sail to the upper(northern) anchorage near Ship Island. This was done in anticipation of the ships of the lower anchorage taking the outer passage in the Gulf to the mouth of Mobile Bay and the ships of the upper anchorage taking the inner passage through the Mississippi Sound. Admiral Malcolm took command of the ships of the upper anchorage.



Sunday, February 5, 1815: The battering transports received orders to  move to the lower anchorage. All of the men and material aboard ships on the inner passage intended for the attack on Ft. Bowyer were identified and were ordered to disembark on Dauphin Island before being transported to Mobile Point.









Monday, February 6, 1815: The ships of both anchorages weighed anchor and sailed east toward Dauphin Island. All of the troops on board the ships on the outer passage except the ones to be used in the attack on Ft. Bowyer were ordered to land and occupy the eastern point of Dauphin Island the next morning.
Lawrence, the American commander at Ft. Bowyer, sent a messenger from Mobile Point to General Winchester in Mobile with the news of the British arrival and requested reinforcements.

Tuesday, February 7, 1815: The 85th Regiment landed on Dauphin Island and found it so suitable that the 1st and 3rdBrigades were ordered to land and camp on the island. At daylight the ships of the lower anchorage off Petit Bois Island sailed to a new anchorage in the Gulf about three miles south of the shore of Dauphin Island. The ships designated to land troops on Mobile Point set sail at 1 P.M. and sailed for two hours and dropped anchor 4 miles south of the Gulf beach of Mobile Point. It was determined that it was too late in the day to begin landing troops.
38 of the Royal Navy's ships-of-the-line sealed off all of the sea approaches to Mobile Point,
U.S. General Winchester in Mobile received Lawrence's request from Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Point for reinforcements.



Wednesday, February 8, 1815: At 9 A.M. the 2nd Brigade of about 1300 to 1400 men began landing on the Gulf beach with no opposition. This landing occurred about two and a half to three miles east of Ft. Bowyer. The landing craft were only able to land 600 men at a time and no field artillery were landed in this first operation. Captain Robert Spencer and Colonel Alexander Dixson walked east down the beach toward the fort and found a landing place for the artillery and stores located about a mile closer to the fort. This landing place was determined when an opening in the outer sand bar was discovered which had about 4 feet of water. As the men of the 21st Regiment marched toward the fort along the beach, two of their men were killed and another injured by small arms fire coming from the fort. After determining the ideal location for artillery emplacements on the highest dunes, troops under the command of Colonel Burgoyne began digging a ditch parallel to the fort during the night of the 8th. The Americans were able to see the dark bodies of the British soldiers on the white dunes at night and fired four cannons at them at once. This killed and wounded 8 or 10 men.



Thursday, February 9, 1815: The working parties continued to dig trenches to the locations of the proposed batteries which were to be built on the highest sand dunes. Two British boats located in the water between Dauphin Island and the fort were fired upon by the Americans in the fort and one boat was shot through the sails. The Americans maintained a brisk cannon and musket fire at anyone who moved on the land side of the fort. British countered with musket fire forcing the Americans to pile sandbags around their rifle ports and embrasures.



Friday, February 10, 1815: Enough ordnance for two days firing was landed on shore by the British. The rest of the army had completed its landing on Dauphin Island. Members of the 85th Regiment were brought over to Mobile Point from Dauphin Island to relieve the 44th which had begun the siege on February 8. Captain Spencer was now in command of all 200 Seamen who had been landed on Mobile Point. In the afternoon the British captured a Mr. Drury at Little Bay John 12 miles east of Mobile Point and he informed them that the Americans had mined the ditch in front of Ft. Bowyer.



Saturday, February 11, 1815: At 9 A.M., with the artillery batteries completed and the trenches dug within 40 yards of the ditch of the fort, Major Harry Smith was sent under a flag of truce to Ft. Bowyer to offer the Americans the opportunity to let their women and children to come out of the fort before it was to be destroyed by British cannon fire which was to commence at 10 A.M. After considering the British proposal for two hours, the American commander, Colonel Lawrence, agreed to surrender but pleaded to be allowed not to deliver the fort until the next day, using as an excuse that some of his men had gotten drunk. A British detachment was allowed to occupy the gate of Ft. Bowyer and the Americans remained inside. This was a delaying ploy by the Americans who hoped that they would soon be supported by a force of 1000 American troops under the command of Major Uriah Blue who were enroute to Ft. Bowyer from Mobile.



Sunday, February 12, 1815: Major Blue and his American troops did not arrive at Mobile Point and the Americans laid down their arms, marched out and surrendered Ft. Bowyer to the British at noon. 370 Americans marched out of the fort including 20 women and 16 children.

Monday, February 13, 1815: The HMS Brazen arrived that morning at the lower British anchorage with news that peace had been signed at Ghent between Great Britain and America on December 24, 1814.



Map of the Second Battle of Fort Bowyer from LaTour


February 12, 1815: The Americans formally marched out of Fort Bowyer and stacked their arms. The British flag was raised over Mobile Point.


[from the Autobiography of Sir Harry Smith]

AFTER the Army was somewhat refreshed, an attempt on Mobile was resolved on, for which purpose the fleet went down to the mouth of Mobile Bay. Here there was a wooden fort of some strength, Fort Bowyer, which some time previously had sunk one of two small craft of our men-of-war which were attempting to silence it. It was necessary that this fort should be reduced in order to open the passage of the bay. It was erected on a narrow neck of land easily invested, and required only a part of the army to besiege it. It was regularly approached, and when our breaching batteries were prepared to burn or blow it to the devil, I was sent to summon it to surrender. The Americans have no particular respect for flags of truce, and all my Rifle education was required to protect myself from being rifled and to procure a reception of my flag. After some little time I was received, and, upon my particular request, admitted into the fort, to the presence of Major Lawrence, who commanded, with five Companies, I think, of the 2nd Regiment. I kept a sharp look-out on the defences, etc., which would not have resisted our fire an hour. The Major was as civil as a vulgar fellow can be. I gave him my version of his position and cheered him on the ability he had displayed. He said, "Well, now, I calculate you are not far out in your reckoning. What do you advise me to do? You, I suppose, are one of Wellington's men, and understand the rules in these cases." "This," I said, "belongs to the rule that the weakest goes to the wall, and if you do not surrender at discretion in one hour, we, being the stronger, will blow up the fort and burn your wooden walls about your ears. All I can say is, you have done your duty to your country, and no soldier can do more, or resist the overpowering force of circumstances." "Well, if you were in my situation, you would surrender, would you?" "Yes, to be sure." "Well, go and tell your General I will surrender to-morrow at this hour, provided I am allowed to march out with my arms and ground them outside the fort." "No," I said, "I will take no such message back. My General, in humanity, offers you terms such as he can alone accept, and the blood of your soldiers be on your own head." He said, "Well, now, don't be hasty." I could see the Major had some hidden object in view. I said, therefore, "Now, I tell you what message I will carry to my General. You open the gates, and one of our Companies will take possession of it immediately, and a body of troops shall move up close to its support; then you may remain inside the fort until to-morrow at this hour and ground your arms on the glacis." I took out pen and ink, wrote down my proposition, and said; "There, now, sign directly and I go." He was very obstinate, and I rose to go, when he said, "Well, now, you are hard upon me in distress." "The devil I am," I said. "We might have blown you into the water, as you did our craft, without a summons. Good-bye." "Well, then, give me the pen. If I must, so be it;" and he signed. His terms were accepted, and the 4th Light Company took possession of the gate, with orders to rush in in case of alarm. A supporting column of four hundred men were bivouacked close at hand with the same orders, while every precaution was taken, so that, if any descent were made from Mobile, we should be prepared, for, by the Major's manner and look under his eyebrows, I could see there was no little cunning in his composition. We afterwards learned that a force was embarked at Mobile, and was to have made a descent that very night, but the wind prevented them. We were, however, perfectly prepared, and Fort Bowyer was ours.

A portion of a watercolor of Fort Bowyer found in the Pulteney Malcolm papers at the University of Michigan. It was reprinted in Gene Allen Smith's article, DEFEAT AT FORT BOWYER, in the Summer 2014 issue of ALABAMA HERITAGE http://www.alabamaheritage.com/issue-113-summer-2014.html

February 13, 1815: British Admiral Cochrane at Dauphin Island wrote General Jackson of the reception of news that peace had been declared.



Captain Sterling of the HMS Brazen arrived at the anchorage of the British fleet off of Dauphin Island with news that a treaty of peace had been signed by the two countries on December 24th in Ghent.

[from the Autobiography of Sir Harry Smith]
In a few days after the capture of this fort the Brazen sloop-of-war arrived with dispatches [14 Feb.] The preliminaries of peace were signed, and only awaited the ratification of the President, and until this was or was not effected, hostilities were to cease. We were all happy enough, for we Peninsular soldiers saw that neither fame nor any military distinction could be acquired in this species of milito-nautico-guerilla-plundering-warfare. I got a letter from my dear wife, who was in health and composure, with my family all in love with her, and praying of course for my safe return, which she anticipated would not be delayed, as peace was certain. I for my part was very ready to return, and I thanked Almighty God from my heart that such fair prospects were again before me, after such another series of wonderful escapes.
Pending the ratification, it was resolved to disembark the whole army on a large island at the entrance of Mobile Bay, called Isle Dauphine.62 This was done. At first we had great difficulty in getting anything like fresh provisions; but, as the sea abounded with fish, each regiment rigged out a net, and obtained a plentiful supply. Then our biscuit ran short. We had abundance of flour, but this began to act on the men and produce dysentery. The want of ovens alone prevented our making bread. This subject engrossed my attention for a whole day, but on awakening one morning a sort of vision dictated to me, "There are plenty of oyster-shells, and there is sand. Burn the former and make mortar, and construct ovens." So I sent on board to Admiral Malcolm to send me a lot of hoops of barrels by way of a framework for my arch. There was plenty of wood, the shells were burning, the mortar soon made, my arch constructed, and by three o'clock there was a slow fire in a very good oven on the ground. The baker was summoned, and the paste was made, ready to bake at daylight. The Admiral, dear Malcolm, and our Generals were invited to breakfast, but I did not tell even Sir John Lambert why I had asked a breakfast-party. He only laughed and said, "I wish I could give them a good one!" Oh, the anxiety with which I and my baker watched the progress of our exertions! We heard the men-of-war's bells strike eight o'clock. My breakfast-party was assembled. I had an unusual quantity of salt beef and biscuit on the table, the party was ready to fall to, when in I marched at the head of a column of loaves and rolls, all piping hot and as light as bread should be. The astonishment of the Admiral was beyond all belief, and he uttered a volley of monosyllables at the idea of a soldier inventing anything. Oh, how we laughed and ate new bread, which we hadn't seen for some time! At first the Admiral thought I must have induced his steward to bake me the bread as a joke, when I turned to Sir John and said, "Now, sir, by this time to-morrow every Company shall have three ovens, and every man his pound and a half of bread." I had sent for the Quartermasters of Corps; some started difficulties, but I soon removed them. One said, "Where are we to get all the hoops?" This was, I admit, a puzzle. I proposed to make the arch for the mortar of wood, when a very quick fellow, Hogan, Quartermaster of the Fusiliers, said, "I have it: make a bank of sand, plaster over it; make your oven; when complete, scratch the sand out." In a camp everything gets wind, and Harry Smith's ovens were soon in operation all over the island. There were plenty of workmen, and the morrow produced the bread.
The officers erected a theatre, and we had great fun in various demi-savage ways. Bell, the Quartermaster-General, dear noble fellow, arrived, and a Major Cooper, and, of some importance to me, my stray portmanteau. I was half asleep one morning, rather later than usual, having been writing the greater part of the night, when I heard old West say, "Sir, sir." "What's the matter?" "Thank the Lord, you're alive." "What do you mean, you old ass?" "Why, a navigator has been going round and round your tent all night; here's a regular road about the tent." He meant an alligator, of which there were a great many on the island. The young ones our soldiers used to eat. I tasted a bit once; the meat was white, and the flavour like coarsely-fed pork.
In this very tent I was writing some very important documents for my General; the sandflies had now begun to be very troublesome, and that day they were positively painful. I ever hated tobacco, but a thought struck me, a good volume of smoke would keep the little devils off me. I called my orderly, a soldier of the 43rd, and told old West, who chawed a pound a day at least, to give him plenty of tobacco, and he was to make what smoke he could, for of two evils this was by far the least. The old Peninsular soldiers off parade were all perfectly at home with their officers, and he puffed away for a long time while I was writing, he being under my table. After a time he put his head out with a knowing look, and said, "If you please, sir, this is drier work than in front of Salamanca, where water was not to be had, and what's more, no grog neither." I desired West to bring him both rum and water. "Now, your honour, if you can write as long as I can smoke, you'll write the history of the world, and I will kill all the midges."
The ratification at length arrived [5 March], and the army was prepared to embark. Sir John Lambert, Baynes his Aide-de-camp, and I were to go home in the Brazen sloop-of-war, with a Captain Stirling, now Sir James, who was ultimately the founder of the Swan River Settlement. A more perfect gentleman or active sailor never existed: we have been faithful friends ever since. As many wounded as the Brazen could carry were embarked, and we weighed with one of our noble men-of-war.
As soon as the word was given, we sailed to the Havannah for fresh provisions.

 




A watercolor of Fort Bowyer found in the Pulteney Malcolm papers at the University of Michigan. It was reprinted in Gene Allen Smith's article, DEFEAT AT FORT BOWYER, in the Summer 2014 issue of ALABAMA HERITAGE http://www.alabamaheritage.com/issue-113-summer-2014.html

February 15, 1815: The Treaty of Ghent arrives in Washington, D.C.






February 16, 1815:http://www.hnoc.org/BNO/bno_timeline.html
The United States and Great Britain exchange ratifications of the Ghent Treaty in Washington, thus officially ending the War of 1812.





February 17, 1815: After receiving confirmation that peace had been declared, the British released their American prisoners held in the ships anchored off Dauphin Island. British used this truce as an opportunity to ship supplies from Dauphin Island to their Indian and Negro allies on the Apalachicola.

A man who claimed to be an American serving in the Royal Navy, Archibald W. Hamilton, came to be released from his confinement at Dauphin Island on February 17. He had been held a prisoner on the schooner SPEEDWELL, a boat from Prince George County Maryland that was captured Aug. 22, 1814 in the Patuxent River at the same time Commodore Barney scuttled his U.S. Navy convoy to avoid capture. Hamilton claimed to be an American who volunteered to be a sailor in the Royal Navy in 1809 because he wanted to learn the maritime trade. He served until he found out they were trying to capture New Orleans and so he was imprisoned on the Speedwell which had been converted by Admiral Malcolm into a tender for the HMS Royal Oak. The reason we have so much documentation is that the Hamilton filed a claim for compensation FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS plus George Biscoe, the original owner of the Speedwell used a Hamilton deposition for his own compensatory claim to the Congress. Of course, the Congress turned Hamilton down.


February 19, 1815: British Major-General John Lambert wrote Jackson that he had informed Edward Livingston,then with the British fleet at Dauphin Island, that the British were ready to exchange the Fort Bowyer prisoners and the Battle of Lake Borgne prisoners who had just been returned to Dauphin Island from Havana where they had been held since their U.S. Navy ships had been captured on December 14.


February 21, 1815: Six of the Tennessee militiamen are shot to death by firing squad three miles southwest of  the town of Mobile near the bay shore. They were ordered to be executed by a court martial that found them guilty of inciting a general mutiny of all of General Jackson's troops.




February 27, 1815: British Major-General John Lambert wrote Jackson a letter from his headquarters on Dauphin Island telling Jackson that he would cordially receive any slave masters claiming their slaves and that he would be "very happy if they can be persuaded all to return, but to compel them is what I cannot do...."




March 5, 1815: News of U.S. ratification of THE TREATY OF GHENT arrived on Dauphin Island.




From Parton's LIFE OF ANDREW JACKSON, pages 304 and 305


...the opening fortunes of the 
British were suddenly closed by an event which 
occurred on the 13th, just two days after 
the surrender of Fort Bowyer. 
On that day Mr. R. D. Shepherd(ed. note:aide 
to Commodore Patterson) was standing on the 
deck of the TONNANT conversing with Admiral Malcolm
, a gentleman of the most amiable and genial
 manners, when a gig approached, 
with an officer, who coming aboard the
 TONNANT presented to 
the admiral a package. On opening and reading 
the contents, Admiral Malcolm took off his 
cap and gave a loud hurrah. 
Then turning to Mr. Shepherd, he seized his hand 
and grasping it warmly, exclaimed,
" 'Good news! 
Good news! We are friends. The BRAZEN has just 
arrived outside with the news 
of peace. I am delighted !'" 
adding, in an under tone, " ' I have hated this war from the beginning.' "








March 15, 1815: Americans returned British prisoners of war to the Royal Navy at their headquarters on Dauphin Island. This was also about the first time that religious services were provided for British troops since they had been deployed to North America.





March 31, 1815: British troops begin to get on board ships anchored off Dauphin Island in anticipation of a voyage to Havanna to pick up supplies for a trans-Atlantic voyage.




April 4, 1815:  British embark from Dauphin Island. Many departing British ships sail either to St. Marys/Fernandina or to New Providence Island, Bahamas. From those ports, troops made their way home, generally by way of the Bermuda. The retreat of the British Expeditionary Force from Dauphin Island resulted in hundreds of fugitive slaves from the area around the Northern Gulf of Mexico being disembarked as freed "Refugee Negroes" on Nova Scotia and Trinidad.