Revere family continues land, sea tradition

Joseph Warren Revere, grandson of Paul Revere, is born today. Revere will become a career military officer – by land and by sea. When he is 16, he will join the U.S. Navy and sail to Europe, the Pacific and the Baltic States. He will also fight in the Mexican War, during which he will be commended for his bravery. He will resign from the Navy in 1850. This naval career will be followed by two years of service in the Mexican Army, where he will serve as a colonel. When the Civil War begins, Revere will request re-instatement into the U.S. Navy, only to be told there are no officer slots available to him. Instead, Revere will accept an appointment as a colonel and lead the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. After seeing little action at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Revere will take command of the Excelsior Brigade at Chancellorsville, where his actions will, unfortunately, lead to his court-martial by the Army. President Lincoln will overturn the conviction, but will accept Revere's resignation, thus ending a lifetime of service on land and sea.

'One heart ... one hand'

Today, 50 delegates of the Democratic-Republican Party, with Judge Joseph Hopper Nicholson presiding as chairman, meet at Baltimore's Old Fountain Inn to present several resolutions to President James Madison regarding the eminent declaration of war against Great Britain. Nicholson, a former Congressman from Maryland, addresses the delegataion:

" ... We have assembled here to-night, for the purpose of determining whether we will give it our support in the might struggle into which [our country ] is about to enter ...Is there an American sword that will not leap from its scabbard to avenge the wrongs and contumely treatment under which we have suffered? No, my countrymen, it is impossible. Let us act with one heart, and with one hand; let us show to an admiring world, that however we may differ among ourselves about some of our internal concerns, yet in the great cause of our country, the American people are animated by one soul and by one spirit ..."

Harvard surgeon joins Army

Joseph Lovell is appointed as a major and surgeon of the 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment. Lovell's appointment comes not only because war with Great Britain is increasingly imminent, but also because Lovell is one of the country's most recognized medical officers.

He is a recent (1811) graduate of the Harvard Medical School with the first class to receive the degree of M.D. His appointment comes at a time when the United States, abiding by a law passed by Congress earlier this year, is increasing the American military by 13 regiments and providing a surgeon and two surgeon's mates for each.

Lovell will quickly become known as an outstanding medical officer and, later this year, will be placed in command of a military hospital in Burlington, Vt. He will eventually rise to the office of Surgeon General of the Army in 1818.

Also today, In Florida near St. Augustine, Spanish troops set fire to Fort Mose to prevent the 1st Regiment of the United States Riflemen, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas A. Smith, from re-occupying the fort.

Last month, the regiment seized and occupied the strongpoint, but were forced to abandon it after a Spanish attack drove them farther from St. Augustine. The regiment's attack was part of an ongoing clandestine attempt, begun in January 1811, by the United States to wrest control of Florida from Spain. U.S. citizens from Georgia have been recruited to foment an apparent rebellion in Spanish settlements, in order to provide a pretext for U.S. troops to come in and restore order.

First Revenue Cutter Service officer dies

Today, the first officer commissioned under the Constitution of the United States by George Washington into the Revenue Cutter Service, dies. Hopley Yeaton (pictured) received his commission March 21, 1791. Yeaton was a veteran of the Continental Navy and the commanding officer of the Revenue Service Cutter Scammel. Yeaton fired three of his crew after their first few months of service. The men had been in "open rebellion" over issues of pay and daily food rations—particularly after they learned that their fellow sailors on board the Massachusetts received more and varied foods each day than they did.

Also today, in Ohio, Dayton newspapers report the departure of Ohio Gov. Return Meigs for Cincinnati. He is expected to return "in a few days" with Michigan Territorial Gov. William Hull. The paper further reports:

"By the direction of Governor Meigs, Gen Munger, with a small number of the Dayton troop of horse, performed a tour to Greenville last week, to inquire into the situation of the frontier settlements. The general returned on Sunday. He states, among other things, that an Indian trader by the name of Conner, who resides at Fort Recovery, had been advised by the friendly Indians to move in. That the Prophet [Tenskatawa, Shawnee political and religious leader and brother of Tecumseh]was within seventy miles of Greenville and that an attack would be made in about six weeks. It is said that the Prophet is engaged in rebuilding his town, and that his party is as strong as ever.

"The Governor has ordered a company of riflemen, completely equipped from General McArthur's corps to march to Greenville and another to Picqua to protect the frontier inhabitants who are flying in every direction. They have both marched to their place of destination. It is supposed that no less than one hundred families have fled from Miami and Dark counties in consequence of the late hostile conduct of the Indians.

"Young Kill Buck, the supposed murderer of the white man that was killed near Greenville, has been taken by the whites.

"It appears that the two Indians that were killed near Greenville were Potawatomies; one of them had a scar on his leg, apparently just healed; from this circumstance it is supposed he was in the battle of Tippecanoe. By an express from Fort Wayne we are informed that the wounded Indian had arrived there; the only wound which he received was in one of his hands, which it was supposed he would lose. The killing of those two Indians had excited more sympathy than all the numerous depredations committed by the savages on our defenseless frontier for many years; we are glad to be able to state that this impression is wearing off and that our countrymen are beginning to manifest some sensibility for their white brethren.

"Mr. Johnston, by order of the Governor held a Council with the Shawanoe Chiefs from Wapakoneta, on the 8th inst. at Picqua. The Chiefs, as usual, made great professions of a friendly disposition, and Mr. Johnston expresses much reliance in their sincerity. Mr. Murray who resided in the Indian country and is perfectly acquainted with them, assures us that messengers have been constantly passing and re-passing between the Prophet and Wapackanetts. We most fervently hope that our country may not again fall a sacrifice to Indian duplicity. It is in vain to council with them, or talk any longer to them about extermination; they have learned that is all blustering."

In Washington, Rep. Charles Turner of Massachusetts presents to the House of Representatives a petition from the residents of Plymouth, Mass., "stating the many and deleterious consequent upon a war with Great Britain." The petitioners ask that Congress repeal the laws prohibiting the importation of goods from Great Britain and enforcing an embargo and "impartially to contrast the injuries received from Great Britain with the monstrous aggressions of France, and, by the exercise of a dignified magnanimity, to arrest the impending devastations of war." The petition is read and ordered to lie on the table.

Senate says "no" to French, British shipping

The Senate calls a vote “to pass the resolution providing that the act concerning commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France passed on May 1, 1810, except a certain section, together with the supplementary act on the same subject passed March 2, 1811, ought to be repealed, and a committee appointed to bring in a bill for that purpose.” A “yes” vote in this case is essentially voting in favor of repealing the Act that bars armed British and French ships from entering American waters.
The repeal is voted down, with 15 nays, 8 ayes, and 11 members not voting.

An appeal to Congress

Today, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Peter Little of Maryland presents a petition of John Snyder and others, of Baltimore, complaining of the illegal capture and condemnation of their schooner, the Henry, by order of the government of Great Britain, and "praying such relief in the premises as the nature of the case requires." The House then rules that the petition be tabled. Also, the House reads the Senate amendments to a bill "marking further provisions for the Army of the United States" and refers the bill to committee.

British prime minister gunned down in Parliament

British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by a gunman in the lobby of Parliament in London.

At 5:15 this evening, as Perceval makes his way to attend the inquiry into the Orders in Council at Parliament, he enters the lobby of the House of Commons. A man steps forward, draws a pistol and shoots him in the chest. Perceval falls to the floor, uttering something understood to be as "murder" or "oh my God". These are Perceval's last words. By the time he is carried into an adjoining room and propped up on a table with his feet on two chairs, he is senseless, although there is still a faint pulse. When a surgeon arrives a few minutes later, the pulse has stopped, and Perceval is declared dead.

The assassin is identified as John Bellingham, an English merchant unjustly imprisoned in Russia – an imprisonment which causes him to demand compensation from the British government. His numerous petitions have all been rejected by the government.

At first, it is feared that Bellingham's actions might signal the start of an uprising, but it will soon become apparent that Bellingham – who makes no attempt to escape the scene of his crime – acted alone.

Perceval leaves a widow and 12 children between the ages of 3 and 20. His bank account shows a sum of only £106, 5 shillings, 1 dollar.