The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-26
From THE AMssIcAN.


The following in.erefing article communicated
Tor publication in the American, is from the pen of
General Wilkinfon. 1t has bean on hand fome time,
and we embrace the opportunity of fupplemen, to
give il publicity
Rgsfaions on tie fertilization, and d.tzref Of tie fra
porfs Of fbe United Slater.
The geographical petition Of the United States
oppofe trong abaaeles 70 the fapacty aud ambition
OF the old world; but il neither fecures them again
political eafualties, exemp,s them from outrage
and invaion; and II we Ultimate the future by
the pa, we may nationally concludethat our ndulry
and enterPrise, our progreilve wealth and improve
ments while they affect the fears of fome nations,
may excite the jealoufy Of others and it is military
axiom that precsution is the parcu of afety and fe
eurity the preeurfor of misfortune
Our natural Incidence dilcourages abfraa enquiry
and to fave the labor of inveii;gation we two fire.
quently, with blind confidence, adopt the opinion Of
others; hence general coneufions are dedueed from
foitary incidents. Faihon beguiles the underftand-
ing-names fanaion errors-falfe ideas obtain, and
the torrent OF opinion bears down the Judgment
To exemphy thefs truths in their application to
military life, we need but retrofpe4 the condua of
the French and Britifh engineers pending the con-
hct OF thoe nations on this continent and review the
fyems OF defence adapted long ince for the pro-
lection of our towns and harbors.
The frh potts erected on the frontiers Of the Bril-
tiih colonies and Of Canada, calculated for de-
fence againfs fnlall arms merely without other re-
gard to ground than its proximity TO running waters
and when armies were put in motion with artillery.
and their aTienes, either defective knowledge or To-
cal attachments decided in favor Of the original occu
pances, for the erection Of regular forticstions fe-
eutihcally contributed, which were overlooked BY
heights, from whence mems feet might be roclonsd
on their parades Such was Tyeonderogo, built by
abe French, and fuch Crown Point, Fort Will
am Henry, Fort Edward, Fort Pitt and others erea
ed by the BritiCh. Immenfe fums were layiihed and
great labor beloved works defined 70 impede ar.
mics and Protra9 feges--when in fact, the frh
glance Of invahen expoed him choice of ground
from whence fuge battery piece nigh. tempel
their garriions to furreDder dfcretou Il is true
general Abercrombie, morally as well az phylcay
blind, declined TO avail hu,felf of thofe advantages
and preferred the aGau, Of the French lines before
Tycenderoga, where he rcpalled with laughter
land yes general Arnhert afterwards followed III.
footaePs, Such is the influence Of example for
tunatey for him, found the French two feeble to offer
relitanee agaidG his hyperion force.
IL would appear that our maritime defences have
originated in grounds not ef5 superficial and allaeious
and that the reuI, of Gr Hyde Psrkers fru,les at
tack Of Fort Moultre, and that sganil Fort Muffin
under the orders Of lord Howe, left lueh nprsfGon,
On the American mind in favor of fixed batteries
that we have deemed it prudent to commit to their
protection sxcluayey our slot vulnerable points and
SmPort2nt igteTeits; whereas 1t we had taken the
trouble offs confederation the dslufon would
have Been difhpa,ed, and we ihould have perceived
that If lr Hydes quadrons could lay hours before
Fort Monitrie, and then fail away, he could have
paGed and repaed it with fae,y and that the attach
Of lord Howe confined "a morrow channel
-obnruaed by ehevau de frife ssd the attacking
flip Augnfa took FIRE by accident from her own bat
4eries, before the asut could have been preIed e
hue extremity. Tothefe reflections we might hav,
added the important ls, that on the i2b folly i776
two Brith frgstei and three tenders paiisd all ou
batteries at New York in the face Of day and in Tx
prefeuee Of Gen. Warrington. who obIergcs on III,
oscafion in hi, letter to the PreGdent Of Couzrefs
"They pan our batteries up the North river with
on, receiving any certain damage that I could per
eeiVe, notwithstanding heavy and nteiIant cannon
ads was Kept up from feveral batteries here, as wei
rs from Paulus Hook"
Thus much is permitted to palIis,e pan errors; [;
aid future enquiries and illurats the abjea Of thief
reflections, which may not hope 5e deemed eithe
Or .fomp;uous afeeted.
In the eourfs Of my duty forns years fnee, Ia
oeeaEon to diFsa my attention to fsysrsl Of ou