The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-09-02

Tn EssSS REGISTER of the 1870, inst has 5ee'
put into ny slsE.ds IL it is a piece from the /
Charlie ston CiSi Gazette, headeti-- tf&~iity cnd
Gailnnsrr Of Cal Picte.ins tie Czs., e,.,;z,, e
1880 - stating the failure of an esterprize a.
garist British post Staten Island to have ari-
sen from . want of fidelity and s,ilantry in me
Tn your Gaxette of the 10th, observe the same
piece repubiished, with several remarks subioin-
ed, for my vindication. The reflections OF the
candid and intelligent editor Of the Norfolk Led
gerare alike obvious and just. Had ccvs0; cice OF
want Of fidelity in the affair spoken Of been ma
infested, it is impossible that Gen. Washingtcl
should have allowed me 60 retain the important
Office of Quarter Master General, which l then
lreld, and which continued 10 hold to the close
OF the American war. lmay add. that II there
had been aiyreom even 10 suspect my fidelity, that
real patriot and upright nam wonidnot afterwards
voluntarily have conferred on me several very inn
pnrtant trusts and Offices say 0ciintariLg for
of al, those trusts snd Offices, never one WAS ask
edfor by me- Ii any Of my friends requested
thea, or any Of them in nv behalf, it was and is
to INC wholly unknown.
Another writer, with 4 warmth OF zeal TO vim
dictate much injured man, has done 1t on the
ground that no such expedition as that mentioned
III the Charleston City Gazette, had been under
taken in 1880. This is mistake. Such an cX-
peditiCn was projected but with secrecy; and
failing in the execution. its object could not be
generally known and hence, probably, this wri-
ter has fallen into this mistake. Against what
post the expedition was intended, do not iecol-
1ect; but access to il was to be gained by water
The facts We're simply these.
had recently joined the army rs quarter
ter general. The boats attached 60 the army,
like the zroggonS, under the general direction
OF that department. The repairs of both per-
tanned to the Corps of ar fcerS OF that department.
The late Col. Baldwin of Brookticld com mana-
cd that corps He had jus, reported 10 me the
condition of the boats--that they were ready for
service--and that the Wagon carriages, on which
the boats were mounted, being furnished with
doK6ie-trees. none need be carried by the Wagon
ers with their horses The boats at some
distance fror, the army. The only duty inculn-
bent on me, was to give, in the proper time, the
requisite ORDERS 10 the Wagon master general 20
transport them And in doing this, repeated
the words of Col Baldwin respecting the DOR
5ie-rees Unfortunately, either Col. Baldwin
mistook the fact as to the double-trees, or they
had been taken away without his knowicdge.-
Consequently, when the horses with their drivers
reached the boats, thcy could not be moved the
double trees being tae movable bars across the
tongues OF waggon-carriages, to which the hors
es, by their traces and swinge (whipp'e9 trees
arc attached.
That this trivial accident relative to the double
trees occasioncl disappointment to- the Com
mander in Chief, TO La Fayette, and to others
acquainted with the object Of the enterprise,
There can I've anmlt I perfectly remember sta
ting the facts immediately at headquarters to
Colonel Hamilton, principal aid-de-canp to Cen
Washington whose answer was, that the &C.
neral attached no blame TO me. And from that
time, until the publication in the Essex Register
Cone of the common sewers ofhes and slanders)
l do not recollect to have seen or heard one word
concerning it.
In this affair there room to display or to
withhold 60 gaiantry'' on the part OF the quarter
master general and if there had been any want
of " fidelity he would have been tried, aad by
the sentence ofa court martial Adequately punish
ed TIMOTHY PICKERING.
Salem, August Is. 1903