Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-10-02

sIbie. About ten O'CLOCK the next uay they
| arrived within sight Of Detroit. Had . firing
been heard, or any resistance visible, they
would have Immediately advanced and attack
ed the rear of the enemy. The situation in
which this detachment was placed, although
the result Of accident, was the best FOR annoy
ing the enemy and cutting off his retreat that
could have been selected. With his raw troops
enclosed between two fires and no hopes OF
succour, il is hazarding little to say, that very
few would have escaped.
/ have been informed by col Findley, who
saw the return of their quarter-msster. general
the day after the surrender, that their whole
force Of every description, white, red and
black, was 1880. They had t~wenty-nine pla-
|toons, twelve in a platoon, Of men dressed in
uniform. Many Of these were evidently Ca
madam militia. The rest of their militia in
creased their white force to about seven hun
dred men, The number Of their Indians
could not be ascertained with any degree of
precision not many we're visible. And in
the event Of an attack on the town and fort,
it was a species of force which could have af-
fordcd no material advantage to the enemy.
In endeayoring to appreciate the motives
and to investigate the causes which led to an
event so unexpected and dishonorable, it is
impossible 10 find any solution in the relative
strength of the eontending parties, or in the
measures of resistance in our power. That
we were far superior to the enemy that
upon ordinary principles of calculation I've
would have defeated them, the wounded
and indignant feelings of every man there
would testify.
A few days before the surrender, | was in
formed by general Huh, we had 400 rounds
of "a pound shot fixed, and about l00,000 car
tridges made. We surrendered with the fort
40 barrels of powder and $500 stand of arms.
The state of our provisions has rot been ge-
nerally understood. On the day Of the sur
render we had fifteen days of provision of eve
rykind on hand. Of meat there was plenty
in the country, and arrangements had been
made for purchasing and grinding the flour.
1t was calculated we could readily procure
three months provisions. independent of $50
barrels flour, 800 head of cattle which had
been forwarded from the state of Ohio, and
which remained at the river Rajsin under
capt. Brush, within reach of the army.
But had we been totally destitute of provi-
sions, our duty and our interest undoubtedly
was to fight. The enemy invited US to meet
him in The field.
BY defeating him, the whole country would
have been open to US, and the object OF our
expedition gloriously and successfully obtain
ed. If we had been defeated, we had nothing
to do but to retreat to the fort, and make the
best defence which circumstance and our ST.
tuation rendered practicable. But basely to
surrender without firing a gun-tamely to
submit without raising a bayonet disgrace
fully to pass in review before an enemy as in
terlor in the quality as in the number of his
forces, were circumstances which excited
feelings of indignation more easily felt than
described. To see the whole of our men flush
ed with the hope of victory, eagerly awaiting
the approaching contest, to see them after
wards dlspirlted, hopeless and responding, at
least 500 shedding tears because they were
not allowed to meet their country's foe, and
to tight their country's battles, excited sensa-
tons which no American has ever before had
cause to feel, and which trust in God, will
never again be felt, while one man remains
to defend the standard of the Union.
am expressly authorised to state, that col.
N'Arthur and col. Findley aud lieut.. col Mil
Ter viewed this transaction in the same light
which l do. They know and feel, that no
circumstance in our situation, none in that of
the enemy, can excuse a capitulation SO dis
honorable and un justifiable. This too rs the
universal sentiment among the troops and
shall be surprised to learn that there is one
man who thinks it was necessary to sheath
his sword, or to lay down his musket.
was informed by general Hall the morn
ing after the capitulation, that the British
forces consisted of 1900 regulars, and that be
surrendered to prevent the ~effusion of human
blood. That he magnified their regular force
nearly fve-iold, there can be no doubt. Whe-
Their the philanthropic reason assigned by
him is a sufficient justification for surrender
ing a fortified town, an army and a territory,
is for the government to determine. Conf
dent am, that had the courage and conduct
of the general been equal to the spirit and
zeal OF the troops, the event would have been