Page:Harris Dickson--The unpopular history of the United States.djvu/89

 fourteen years, the War of 1812 sneaked up behind us. Remember the ostrich?

Whether we saw it coming or not, we had another big war on our hands. In spite of the fact that six months previously Congress had increased, on paper, the regular establishment to 35,000 men, only 6,744 were actually present and ready for service.

Manifestly if we were going to strike England it must be through Canada. Our Secretary of War gained the information that Great Britain’s regular forces in Canada did not exceed 6,000 men. Reliable English writers of the time say that their force numbered 4,450, largely composed “of old men and invalids fit only for barracks duty.” My son, I don’t know exactly what they were fit for, but they were fit. I can prove that by various American expeditions that were dispatched against them.

You cannot understand the situation unless you recall that we were working under the military laws of May, 1792. Congress had the theoretical right to call together an army, but