Chapter 68. War

Eighteen hundred and twelve had passed away. President Madison,
driven by wrongs to his countrymen and indignities that no nation
should meekly accept, had in the midsummer declared war on Great
Britain. Unfitted to cope with the situation and surrounded by
unfit counsellors, his little army of heroic men led by unfit
commanders had suffered one reverse after another.

The loss of Fort Mackinaw, Chicago, Detroit, Brownstown, and the
total destruction of the American army that attacked Queenstown
were but poorly offset by the victory at Niagara and the
successful defence of Ogdensburg.

Rolf and Quonab had repaired to Albany as arranged, but they left
it as United States scouts, not as guides to the four young
sportsmen who wished to hark back to the primitive.

Their first commission had been the bearing of despatches to
Plattsburg.

With a selected light canoe and a minimum of baggage they reached
Ticonderoga in two days, and there renewed their acquaintance
with General Hampton, who was fussing about, and digging useless
entrenchments as though he expected a mighty siege. Rolf was
called before him to receive other despatches for Colonel Pike at
Plattsburg. He got the papers and learned their destination, then
immediately made a sad mistake. " Excuse me, sir," he began, "if