1

ministration questions arose which resur- in mechanical science after he settled in

rected party antagonisms.

New York. He constructed the Monitor, which fought the Merrimac, using T. R. TIMBY'S (q. v.) revolving turret, thus revolutionizing the entire science of naval warfare. At the time of his death he was perfecting an engine to be run by solar rays. He died in New York City, March 8, 1889, and his remains were sent to his native land in the United States cruiser Baltimore.

Ericsson, JOIN, engineer; born in Wermeland, Sweden, July 31, 1803. He became an eminent engineer in his own country, and attained the rank of captain in the Swedish army. In 1826 he visited England with a view to the introduction of his invention of a flame engine. He engaged actively in mechanical pursuits, and made numerous inventions, notably that of artificial draft, Eric the Red, a Scandinavian naviwhich is still used in locomotive engines. gator, who emigrated to Ireland about He won the prize offered by the Man- 982, after which he discovered Greenland, chester and Liverpool Railway for the where he planted a colony. He sent out best locomotive, making one that attained an exploring party under his son Lief, the then astonishing speed of 50 miles about 1000, who seems to have discovered an hour. He invented the screw propeller the continent of America, and landed for navigation, but the British admiralty somewhere on the shores of Massachubeing unwilling to believe in its capacity setts or the southern portion of New Engand success, Ericsson came to the United land. See VINLAND. States in 1839, and resided in the city of New York or its immediate vicinity till his death. In 1841 he was engaged in the construction of the United States ship-ofwar Princeton, to which he applied his propeller. She was the first steamship

Erie Canal, THE, the greatest work of internal improvement constructed in the United States previous to the Pacific Railway. It connects the waters of the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Hudson River. It was contemplated by General Schuyler and Elkanah Watson, but was first definitely proposed by Gouverneur Morris, at about the beginning of the nineteenth century. Various writers put forth essays upon the subject, among them De Witt Clinton, who became its most notable champion. The project took such shape that, in 1810, canal commissioners were appointed, with Gouverneur Morris at their head. In 1812 Clinton, with others, was appointed to lay the project before the national Congress, and solicit the aid of the national government. Fortunately the latter declined to extend its patronage to the great undertaking. The War of 1812-15 put the matter at rest for a while. That war made the transportation of merchandise along our sea-coasts perilous, and the commercial intercourse ever built with the propelling machinery between seaboard cities was carried on in under the water-line and out of reach of a larger degree by wheeled vehicles. For shot. In 1840 he received the gold medal this purpose Conestoga wagons were used of the Mechanics' Institute of New York between New York and Philadelphia, and for the best model of a steam fire-engine, when one of these made the journey of and constructed the first one seen in the 90 miles in three days, with passengers, United States. King Oscar of Sweden it was called "the flying-machine." It made him Knight of the Order of Vasa has been estimated that the amount of in 1852. He accomplished many things increased expense by this method of trans

JOHN ERICSSON.

portation of merchandise for the coast government would do nothing in the mat

region alone would have paid the cost of a system of internal navigation from Maine to Georgia.

ter, and the State of New York resolved to construct the canal alone. Clinton was made governor in 1816, and used all his The want of such a system was made official and private influence in favor of clear to the public mind, especially to the the enterprise. He saw it begun during

population then gathering in the Western his first administration. The first excaStates. Then Mr. Clinton, more vigorously than ever, pressed upon the public attention the importance of constructing the projected canal. He devoted his wonderful energies to the subject, and in a memorial of the citizens of New York, prepared by him, he produced such a powerful argument in its favor that not only the people of his native State, but of other States, approved it. The national

vation was made July 4, 1817, and it was completed and formally opened by him, as chief magistrate of the State, in 1825, when a grand aquatic procession from Albany proceeded to the sea, and the governor poured a keg of the water of Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean. The canal was constructed at a cost of $7,602,000. Untold wealth has been won for the State and the city of New York by its opera

ERIE

tions, directly and indirectly. Up to 1904 their possession ensued. The Detroit was the canal had cost for construction, en- finally burned, but the Caledonia was largement, and maintenance $52,540,800. saved, and afterwards did good service in At the State election in 1903 the people sanctioned a legislative bill to expend $101,000,000 for the improvement of the Erie, Oswego, and Champlain canals.

Perry's fleet on Lake Erie. In this brilliant affair the Americans lost one killed and five wounded. The loss of the British is not known. A shot from Fort Erie crossed the river and instantly killed Maj. William Howe Cuyler, aide to General Hull, of Watertown, N. Y. The Caledonia was a rich prize; her cargo was valued at $200,000.

On Aug. 4, 1814, the British, under

siege of Fort Erie, with about 5,000 men. Drummond perceived the importance of capturing the American batteries at Black Rock and seizing or destroying the armed schooners in the lake. A force 1,200 strong, that went over to Black Rock, were repulsed by riflemen, militia, and volunteers, under Major Morgan. Meanwhile Drummond had opened fire on Fort Erie with some 24-pounders. From Aug. 7 to Aug. 14 (1814) the cannonade and bombardment was almost incessant. General Gaines had arrived on the 5th, and taken the chief command as Brown's lieutenant. On the morning of the 7th the British hurled a fearful storm of

Erie, FORT, a small and weak fortification erected on a plain 12 or 15 feet above the waters of Lake Erie, at its foot. In the summer of 1812, Black Rock, 2 miles below Buffalo, was selected as a place for a dock-yard for fitting out naval vessels for Lake Erie. Lieut. Jesse D. Elliott, Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, began a then only twenty-seven years of age, while on duty there, was informed of the arrival at Fort Erie, opposite, of two vessels from Detroit, both well manned and well armed and laden with valuable cargoes of peltry. They were the Caledonia, a vessel belonging to the Northwestern Fur Company, and the John Adams, taken at the surrender of Hull, with the name changed to Detroit. They arrived on the morning of Oct. 8 (1812), and Elliott at once conceived a plan for their capture. Timely aid offered. The same day a detachment of unarmed seamen arrived from New York. Elliott turned to the military for assistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Scott was then at Black Rock, and entered round-shot upon the American works warmly into Elliott's plans. General from five of their heavy cannon. Day by Smyth, the commanding officer, favored day the siege went steadily on. On the them. Captain Towson, of the artillery, 13th Drummond, having completed the was detailed, with fifty men, for the ser- mounting of all his heavy ordnance, bevice; and sailors under General Winder, gan a bombardment, which continued at Buffalo, were ordered out, well through the day, and was renewed on the armed. Several citizens joined the expe- morning of the 14th. When the attack dition, and the whole number, rank ceased that night, very little impression and file, was about 124 men. Two large had been made on the American works. boats were taken to the mouth of Buffalo Satisfied that Drummond intended to Creek, and in these the expedition em- storm the works, Gaines made disposition barked at midnight. At one o'clock in accordingly. At midnight an ominous the morning (Oct. 9) they left the creek, silence prevailed in both camps. It was while scores of people watched anxiously soon broken by a tremendous uproar. At on the shore for the result. The sharp two o'clock in the morning (Aug. 15) the crack of a pistol, the roll of musketry, British, 1,500 strong, under Lieutenantfollowed by silence, and the moving of Colonel Fischer, made a furious attack two dark objects down the river pro- upon Towson's battery and the abatis, on claimed that the enterprise had been suc- the extreme left, between that work and cessful. Joy was manifested on the the shore. They expected to find the shores by shouts and the waving of lanterns. The vessels and their men had been made captives in less than ten minutes. The guns at Fort Erie were brought to bear upon the ve !. A struggle for

Americans slumbering, but were mistaken. At a signal, Towson's artillerists sent forth such a continuous stream of flame from his tall battery that the British called it the "Yankee Lighthouse."

EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE MAP.-A, old Fort Erie; a, a, demi-bastions; b, a ravelin, and c, c, block-houses. These were all built by the British previous to its capture at the beginning of July. d, d, bastions built by the Americans during the siege; e, e, a redoubt built for the security of the demi-bastions, a, a.

B. the American camp, secured on the right by the line g, the Douglass Battery, i, and Fort Erie; on the left, and in front, by the lines f, f. f, and batteries on the extreme right and left of them. That on the right, immediately under the letter L in the words LEVEL PLAIN, is Towson's; h, h, etc., camp traverses; n, main traverse; o, magazine traverse, covering also the headquarters of General Gaines; p, hospital traverse; q. grand parade and provost-guard traverse; r, General Brown's headquarters; s, a drain; t, road from Chippewa up the lake.

C, the encampment of volunteers outside of the intrenchments, who joined the army a few days before the

sortie.

D, D, the British works. 1, 2, 3, their first, second, and third battery. v. the route of Porter, with the left column, to attack the British right flank on the 17th; x, the ravine, and route of Miller's command.

Mr. Lossing was indebted to the late Chief Engineer Gen. Joseph G. Totten for the manuscript map of which this is a copy.

While one assailing column, by the use of more furious attack, the bastion blew up ladders, was endeavoring to capture the with tremendous force. A column of battery, the other, failing to penetrate flame, with fragments of timber, earth, the abatis, because Miller and his brave stones, and the bodies of men, rose to the men were behind it, attempted to gain the height of nearly 200 feet in the air, and rear of the defenders. Both columns fell in a shower of ruins to a great disfailed. Five times they made a gallant tance around. This appalling explosion