clination favored one, and a sense of duty the other; the argument on bath sides was supported with much eloquence and sophistry for some time, much to the annoyance of my shins, or nether limbs, which were occasionally brought up, by the combings of a hatch, or a gunslide, in my zigzag, or Virginia fence-like perambulation fore and aft the deck; it was at length decided that I should continue to stem the tide of inclination, and I resolutely set to work to obey the sentence; but how long this lasted, or at what precise time my flag was struck, I know not; indeed, my very existence is to me a blank, until I found myself stretched at full length on the taffrail, and in a birth so comfortable, that I did not feel disposed to shift it; and with truth I can say, that memory can trace my being there to no voluntary act of my own, nor have I any knowledge of any thing that thereafter took place, until I again found myself struggling to regain the surface of the river, after an immersion of, I know not how many fathoms.

I will not attempt to describe my feelings, when puffing and blowing like a porpoise, I found myself some distance astern of the vessel, drifting rapidly down with the tide-the horrid sensations of that moment are however too deeply impressed on my memory ever to be forgotten.

Being a tolerably good swimmer, I exerted my nerves to gain the rudder of the vessel, but soon found the distance momentarily increasing. What was to be done? To persevere was certain destruction. And I thought of the strong tide, of the head wind then strongly blowing, of my heavy watch coat, from which I could not divest myself-and, oh dreadful! of the hundreds of terrific alligators, that I knew to be around me, and with whom I had been at war during the day-and I thought of, yes, I thought of that God, whose will is law, and whose breath can save or destroy; and I believe I prayed. My fall from the taffrail had not even alarmed the sentries, by whose villainous croaking of "All's well" I had been startled, and had pitched, probably head first into the stream. My presence of mind did not forsake me, and I believe I kept as quiet as most folks would have done under such circumstances. I had already become nearly exhausted by the efforts I had made to gain the object in view, when common sense, in the shape of a protecting angel, whispered softly in my ear: "You struggle in vain; clothed as you are 'tis folly to contend against this wind and tide; put your helm up and keep before it, and your chance of safety is possible and even probable." In an instant I was before it, rapidly nearing No. 1007, hurried on by the wind and tide, assisted by my own exertions, which were the more necessary as my watch coat had by this time become completely saturated with water, and I knew it would be impossible for me to bear its weight much longer.

The morning was dark and gloomy; poor old No. 7 (peace be to her memory) could be but indistinctly seen, and I shaped my course as directly for her as circumstances would admit; every moment brought to my ear the appaling sound of some large fish gamboling in the water; and at every moment I ex pected a rencontre with some of old Reuben's marines; and as I very well knew what the result of the action would be to me, I consequently kept a bright look out, and my eyes were slewed from starboard to port, and occasionally astern, as the frightful sounds struck my ear; and I marked with intense anxiety every rising bubble on the water, expecting the hideous form, glaring eyes, and terrific countenance of an alligator to appear in view. My situation was truly and indescribably alarming; however, I made the most of it, and continued to strike out manfully, until the welcome, aye, very welcome hail, "boat ahoy," was heard from my old friend, old No. 7, to which vessel I had approached within twenty yards, and the sentry on the forecastle had taken me for a canoe paddling towards her. I answered in a feeble voice, "send a boat immediately, for I am nearly exhausted." In an instant all was bustle and confusion on board this good ship. I had in the mean time fortunately succeeded in getting hold of the starboard cable, by which she was riding, and with the assistance of running-bowlines and other ropes thrown from the forecastle, bowsprit, and spritsail-yard, was enabled to get on board unhurt and never, let me add, did a more fervent, pure, and heartfelt offering of grateful thanks ascend to the throne of the Almighty, than at that moment.

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*

Nothing could exceed the astonishment of the officers and crew of the Tartar, when they discovered who it was that had visited them, thus unceremoniously, at that unseasonable hour, and in so novel and un-man-of-war-like a style; suffice it to say, that a stiff glass of hot whiskey punch soon restored me to my proper self, and in about an hour I was again on board my own vessel, snugly moored in my birth.

Why my fall and cries for assistance were not heard or noticed by the sentries, it will be only necessary to say, that the playful splashing and sports of the alligator, and the airy leaps of the sturgeon, are occurrences so common, that they pass unheeded; and the noise I must have made by my fall, if heard at all, was attributed to the above mentioned cause; and on my immersion, my voice was too feeble to be heard from the distance the tide had drifted me, more particularly as a strong head wind was at the moment blowing. And thus endeth the events of 24 hours of a midshipman's life.

Y. Z.

FOR THE MILITARY AND NAVAL MAGAZINE.

THE FIRST CAMPAIGN OF AN A. D. C.,

The dawn of the camp wide awake. when the hilarity

No. 3.

27th of May, 1813, found the American Whether each one had slept from the time and noise of the preceding night had sunk into silence, to the hour designated in orders for movement, was not enquired; and when all were seen, at the first crepuscule of day, to be in readiness at the tent door, it was taken for granted, that the promptitude arose from the toujours prêt of military discipline, rather than from anxious vigils which had banished slumbers, and left it an easy matter to be up betimes. Many were heard to boast of a good night's rest, fitting them for the fatigues of the day, whose sunken eyes and heavy lids, and strong, and often uncontrollable inclination to oscitancy, bespoke a different story. But most of us, perhaps, feeling a mote in our own eyes, did not point out the beam in a brother officer's. We all doubtless were conscious of an inkling to be affected, and those who were not so, refrained only from a belief that it would not deceive. I confess, for myself, (though the best face was put on at the time) that I did not sleep as soundly as usual, and was probably more indebted for the snatches of repose which may have fallen to my share, to tired nature, than to any slumbrous propensity. Disguise as we would, the coming day was to bring with it many hazards, and the heart that was then throbbing at the recollection of home with all its endearments, and of friends with all their affection, might suddenly cease to beat; life, that was then clinging to that heart, with every tendril of desire fresh, vigorous and tenacious, might be abruptly torn away; and the earth and skies, so bright and joyous to youthful eyes, might at once be shut out forever in the blindness of death. It was not pusillanimity that led one at such a time, and under the influence of such impressions to elevate the thoughts to that great Being, whose existence, and overruling beneficence, are too often forgotten in youth, or remembered only in seasons of extremity. And if a brooding wakefulness gave place, at any moment, to more refreshing ascendencies, it was after such an humble reference of one's fate into the hands of the God of battles; convinced, with Corporal Trim, that a soldier's prayer, though brief and extemporaneous, might nevertheless be fervent and acceptable.

The rule of old Steuben, of ramrod perpendicularity memory, was that when a white horse could be seen at point blank musket shot distance, the reveillee should be beat. When I ventured to part the folds of my tent, and send a furtive glance

abroad, there did not happen to be, as the Baron would seem to have expected, an animal of that kind or color at hand, to determine the application of his rule. The east might have doff'd its robe of black and donn'd its robe of grey, but a dense mist hung on the skirts of the morning, and completely offuscated every sign in the skies. The trees overhanging the encampment were dripping in a most lachrymal manner, sending down great drops on the fly of the tent, as if each leaf had collected a teaspoonful of water before it upset. I returned to my unfinished toilette with feelings that had caught no exhilaration from this sombre survey, and belted on my sword-the last office to be performed within the tent-with a moody deliberation, that sought to fill up as much time as possible with the petty task. This important affair consummated, there remained no excuse for postponing a sally; but I was still lingering within the friendly folds of the convass, where every private feeling could be indulged unseen and inviolate, adjusting a proper countenance and deportment for the occasion, when the spirit-stirring drum, and the ear-piercing fife, and the equally animating bugle, struck up their matin chorus, filling the woods with a thousand cheering echoes, and, sending the blood thro' the veins with a new and lively start, roused every soldierly and ambitious impulse in the bosom, and gave the countenance an air of combativeness and alacrity, that needed no counterfeit.

Every tent had been directed to be left standing, and each one sought the beach with no other incumbrance about him, than the weapons which were to serve his turn in the approaching contest. Sometime before the appointed time, every boat was seen filled with its complement, with only one man remaining ashore at the bow, ready at the word, to "shove off." There were three brigades, and an advance-the latter consisting of about one third of a brigade-that formed the embarking force. A regiment of artillery, acting as infantry, which had arrived in the fleet from Sacket's Harbor, was to constitute the rear-guard. The fog lay heavily on the very surface of the Lake, a slight breeze occasionally throwing it into massy convolutions, and giving partial glimpses of the fleet that lay at anchor abreast of the encampment. Our garments, which were adapted rather to a warm day's work, than to a chilly morning, soon became saturated with its cold humidity; and many felt an inclination to shiver and shake, who would freely have indulged it, had there not been an apprehension that the tremor might be attributed more to an inward than an outward cause. All our noses looked blue, but Gaffer Gray's other sign of an ague was carefully suppressed.

In the midst of this preparation and expectation, the commander in chief-an old roman-like, though then an invalid,

looking General-was seen, with his numerous staff, to emerge from the woods, on his way from head quarters, to embark for the fleet, whence he was to superintend the movement. His feeble health did not admit a more immediate participation.He was an energetic, pell-mell sort of a veteran, with all the self-confidence that distinguished revolutionary services and experience might perhaps justly inspire; and, casting a hasty glance along the line of boats, stuffed with men, and bristling with bayonets, he said, or seemed to say, "that will do ;" took a pinch of snuff, stepped on board the commodore's barge, and disappeared in the fog. The signal for putting off was to be a gun from the flag-ship, which would be discharged as soon as the fleet should be got under weigh. During the interval between the departure of the General and this signal, all those who had stomachs for prog, broke their fast by the most summary process, transferring the contents of their haversacks to the mouth, without the intervention of tables, plates, knives or forks. At last, bang went the big gun, when every boat was seen almost simultaneously to leave the strand, as if the whole line had been set afloat by the loud reverberation. It soon broke off into the divisions previously assigned, the "advance mooving first, and the three brigades in due succession, with an interval of a few hundred yards.

If this movement had been made two or three hundred years B. C. instead of more than eighteen hundred years A. D. we might well have supposed the supernal powers all on our side, every circumstance tallied so exactly with our wishes and designs. Soon after we left the shore, the mists of the morning were lifted up just so as to clear our boats, and leave the hull of the vessels exposed to view. We were thus, by seeing each other, enabled to avoid all confusion in our relative movements, and at the same time were as much concealed from the enemy's observation, as if we had been approaching in a squadron of diving bells. The breeze was also blowing just as we would have directed it, had it been at our list, and with just such a measure of force as moved the big vessels sufficiently ahead, without agitating the waters so as to disturb the small fry in company.

The distance of the point, where we were to disembark, from our starting place, was about five miles. Had the York magazine stood quietly on its foundation, instead of vaulting, like a ground and lofty tumbler, into the air, and led to an apprehension that the light-house opposite to Fort Niagara might play the same antics in the face of high heaven, no doubt the place of landing would have been in that neighborhood. This awe-inspiring Pharos stood just on the British point of the river's mouth. The bank running thence about a mile up the Lake, was of comparatively easy ascent, divested of all cover