Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-09-10
WYrnE, asd Aughsh 1910.

AZ
Mr.. Shelley, member Of Congress, re.
ports here that you affirm your intention o.
eneamping at Terre au Baaef was submit
ted to my consideration, and had my APP
probation.
Whether any thing you have said will All.
thorise Mr.. Shelley to report this or not, it
becomes my duty to con,radictit.
You will recollecs that never saw your
place OF encampment until a detachment of
! 500 men were descending the riverto clear
the ground, you having completely decided
to encamp there.
On that day accompanied you in a
barge to Ttrre all Baeuf, and in passing o.
yer piece Of firm dry ground, handsome
lie shaded by live oaks scattered over it, the
same on which the light artillery afterwards
encamped, as | have understood, on your
praising the situation, said that that was
" as handsome piece of land for encamp.
ing on as any had seen in Orleans" ]
now make the same declaration. 1had seen
only the banks of the river below the city,
and the ground Immediately adjoining to
the city, ON no part of which should troops
encanp, In justification of the opinion,
hastily expressed, of the small piece Of
ground spoken of, it may be mentioned,
that the troops who occupied il were the
f, last taken sick. This l presume is as much
as could be hoped from any ground in the
isle of Orleans.
Ga arriving at the house where you es-
tablished your head quarters, perceived
from the willow growth, that the swamp
was near. Then ventured to propose to
you to eucamp, not where you did, but in
an old field used as pasture for the horses
of the light artillery. You said the heat OF
the sun there would be intolerable.
So far, Sir, was from approving the
measure of descending the river, and en-
camping at 1erre au Baeuf. that am per-
suaded no officer deprecated it more. | re.
nsembered the advice of the scientific bard /;
In quest of sites, avoid the mournful plain,
Where osiers thrive, aud trees that love the
lake
Nor for the wealth that all the Indies roll,
Fix near the marshy margin of the main.
In the preceding December had taken
the liberty of expressing to the late Secreta.
ry of war, a hope that the troops would in
the spring Of the year, be removed up to
the highlands. understood him that they
would b. sd removed.
AS the spring was past, the troops still
at New Orleans, and you allcdged your
orders were" to cover the city," my OPT.
Mon was that they should be kept in quar-.
tiers. | do not recolLect expressing that O.
pnion to you. You desired to encamp, and
at Terre all Baeuf. No choice remained
to be made, but between field fit for cul
tiyation, ard an unimproved tract, partly.
marsh. | recommended the former. You
preferred the latter. By encamping in the
field, the toilsome labor Of clearing new
wet lands would have been avoided.
| expected, Sir, your camp would prove
sickly, and the situation Of the troops in it
dstressful. My opinion was known proba-
bly, in June to Captains Peter, Wilson, and
Scott, with whom left New Orleans, and
certainly in July to the hon. secretary of
war. But ! could not presdme to tell my
commander, an officer of 80 years expert
ence, that he had taken step that would
destroy the army. | am persuaded that I
never said to you any thing that I did not
think. But did not conceive it to be pro-
per that should say to you every thing I
thought. limited my advice, aud you did
not accept it.
You well know, general, that no opinion
of mine either induced you to encamp where
yqp did, or to remain there. Had your
camp proved salubrious, the credit would
all havs been due to you. Seek not to share
with those who had no vote on the question
the ceusure, if censure is due.
With respect, General, - /
! am your most obi.
ALEX. SMYTH.