Today, the American Eagle Silver Coin remembers the excitement when the ship bearing the peace treaty arrived in New York 201 years ago.
In the book New York City and Vicinity During the War of 1812-15, published in 1895, R. S. Guernsey included details of the arrival and the celebrations.
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Adjutant General’s Office, 3d Military District.
New York, 11th February 1815.
After Orders.
The commandants of the several forts within the harbor of New York will permit his Britannic Majesty’s ship Favorite, commanded by the honorable James A. Maude, under a flag of truce with Anthony St. John Baker, Esquire, bearer of a treaty of peace between Great Britain and the U. S., to pass up to the city to such anchorage as may be deemed desirable to the commander of said ship.
Mr. Baker and suite will be permitted to land at such place as he may deem proper, and pass to Washington city, the seat of government. The honorable Captain Maude is requested to report his arrival in the harbor to the commanding officer of the district.
By command of Col. R. Bogardus, commanding 3d Military District.
Signed Thos. Chrystie, Assistant Adj. Gen.
Mr. Baker had formerly been the secretary of the British legation at Washington before the war.
The news that the Favorite had a treaty of peace on board was brought to the city by the persons who came for the military permit for her to come into the harbor.
It was nearly eight o’clock in the evening when this news arrived. It was first announced in the Gazette office.
The editor of the New York Journal of Commerce, in 1846, tells how the news was received in the Gazette office, as follows:
“Years ago the office of the old Gazette was in Hanover square, near the corner of Pearl street. It was a place of resort for news and conversation, especially in the evening.
“The evening of February 11, 1815, was cold, and at a late hour only Alderman Cebra and another gentleman were left with father Lang, the genius of the place.
“The office was about being closed, when a pilot rushed in and stood for a moment, so entirely exhausted as to be unable to speak. ‘He has great news!’ exclaimed Mr. Lang.
“Presently the pilot, gasping for breath, whispered intelligibly, ‘Peace! peace!’ The gentlemen lost their breath as fast as the pilot gained his.
“Directly the pilot was able to say: ‘An English sloop-of-war is below with news of a treaty of peace.’ They say that Mr. Lang exclaimed in greater words than he ever used before or after.
“All hands rushed into Hanover square, crying — ‘Peace! peace! peace!’ The windows flew up, for families lived there then.
“No sooner were the inmates sure of the sweet sound of peace than the windows began to glow with brilliant illuminations. The cry of ‘Peace! peace! peace!’ spread through the city at the top of all voices.
“No one stopped to inquire about ‘free trade and sailors’ rights.’ No one inquired whether even the national honor had been preserved. The matters by which politicians had irritated the nation into the war had lost all their importance. — It was enough that the ruinous war was over.
“An old man in Broadway, attracted by the noise to his door, was seen to pull down a placard, ‘To let,’ which had been long posted up. Never was there such joy in the city.
“A few evenings after, there was a general illumination, and although the snow was a foot deep and soaked with rain, yet the streets were crowded with men and women, eager to see and partake of everything which had in it the sight or taste of peace.”
An extra was issued from the Gazette office Saturday evening announcing the news of the treaty.
On Monday the following appeared:
“The editors of this Gazette return their unfeigned thanks to Mr. David Mitchell, pilot in the boat Erie, for the announcing first at the Gazette office the most glorious news of peace. Mr. Mitchell brought up Mr. Carroll and the king’s messenger from the Hook.”
A “hand-bill” was issued from the Mercantile Advertiser, printed on a slip of paper five by six inches in size, and was posted and distributed among the public places in the city. It read as follows:
“New York, Saturday evening, 9 o’clock,
“February 11, 1815.
“Peace!
“The great and joyful news of PEACE between the United States and Great Britain reached the city this evening by the British sloop-of-war Favorite, the Hon. J. N. Mowatt, Esq., commander, in forty- two days from Plymouth.
“Henry Carroll, Esq., secretary of the American Legation at Ghent, is the welcome bearer of the treaty, which was signed at Ghent on the 24th December by the respective commissioners, and ratified by the British Government on the 28th December.
“Mr. Baker, late secretary to the British Legation at Washington, has also arrived in the sloop-of- war with a copy of the treaty ratified by the British Government.”
In 1846 the venerable Francis Hall, of the Commercial Advertiser, tells how the news of peace was received by that journal, as follows:
“The news of peace was received on Saturday evening, the eleventh of February, 1815, and at an early hour on that evening. We distinctly recollect the events of that evening and of the night and day that followed.
“It had been our practice for some years to be at the office on Saturday evenings, for the purpose of sending off marine and other intelligence that might be received after the paper was put to press in the afternoon and previous to the closing of the mails for the next morning.
“On the evening in question we were at the office, with one of the clerks, and at about eight o’clock one of the Hook pilots came into the office in great haste, and almost breathless, saying: ‘There is peace, —I have brought up the messenger, who is now at the City Hotel.’
“In a few minutes all the printers’ candlesticks were put in requisition, and from the windows of our office, then No. 60 Wall street, we showed as good a blaze of light as, on the spur of the moment, our means would allow.
“The office was speedily crowded with visitors, who went forth proclaiming the welcome tidings, and the whole city soon partook of the general joy. We ascertained from the pilot that the only newspapers brought by the ship were in the possession of the messenger, and on him we waited.
“We learned that he had a file of papers, but that they were intended for Mr. Monroe, then Secretary of State, and it required a good deal of entreaty to obtain the loan of them.
“We finally prevailed and took them to the office, with strict injunctions that they were ‘ not to be cut,’ and must be returned by five o’clock the next morning. It was no small task to copy the several columns which were put in type that night — but it was done, and before the appointed hour we returned the papers.”
On Monday the Commercial Advertiser said:
“In the course of an hour the heart-cheering intelligence was probably known to every individual in the city. A great portion of the houses were illuminated; cannon were fired from the forts; the bells of Trinity were chimed.
“The principal streets (notwithstanding the severity of the weather, accompanied with a slight fall of snow) were thronged with citizens of both sexes, and huzzas for the return of peace were echoed and re-echoed throughout our city from eight o’clock until midnight.”
On Sunday forenoon, 12th, the Commercial Advertiser issued an extra on half sheet, printed only on one side, announcing the arrival of the treaty, and contained articles from London newspapers up to December 31st, which were loaned to the Advertiser by some of those that arrived on the Favorite.
The extra was republished in Monday’s issue.
The Columbian on Monday, 13th, said:
“On Saturday evening the actual and sudden reception of a ratified treaty from England threw the city almost into an universal convulsion of joy; and the ringing of bells, firing of guns, illuminations, music, and every demonstration of gladness, welcomed the grateful information. All parties, classes and conditions joined in the joyful enthusiasm, and greeted the harbinger of peace and prosperity to the country.”
Mr. S. G. Goodrich, in his “Recollections of a Lifetime,” thus describes what he then saw and experienced:
“It was about eight o’clock on Saturday evening that the tidings circulated through the city. I had gone in the evening to a concert at the City Hotel. While listening to the music there was a murmur in the streets.
“Soon the door of the concert room was thrown open, and in rushed a man all breathless with excitement. He mounted on a table, and, swinging a white handkerchief aloft, cried out, ‘Peace! Peace! Peace!’
“The music ceased; the hall was speedily vacated. I rushed into the street, and oh, what a scene!
“Broadway was one living sea of shouting, rejoicing people. Peace! Peace! Peace! was the deep, harmonious, universal anthem.
“The whole spectacle was enlivened by a sudden inspiration. Somebody came with a torch; the bright idea passed into a thousand brains.
“In a few minutes thousands and tens of thousands of people were marching about with candles, lamps, torches, making the jubilant street appear like a gay and gorgeous procession. The whole night Broadway sang its song of peace.
“We were all Democrats, all Federalists; old enemies rushed into each other’s arms; every house was in a revel; every heart seemed melted by a joy which banished all evil thought and feeling.
“Nobody asked, that happy night, what were the terms of the treaty; we had got peace — that was enough! I moved about for hours in the ebbing and flowing tide of people, not being aware that I had opened my lips.
“The next morning I found that I was hoarse from having joined in the exulting cry of Peace! Peace! The next day, Sunday, all the churches sent up hymns of thanksgiving for the joyous tidings.”
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The American Eagle Silver Coin shows beside an allegory of the signing of the Peace Treaty at Ghent.
