Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-09-25

made the scape goat, and be impugned
with the faults OF others!
When he found his communication
with the interior of Ohio cut of, and at
the same time received intelligence oil
the arrival of a reinforcement at Maiden,
he PROFESSIONALLY acted In obedience 10
the dictate. of reason and common schse
10 retire from Sandwich, and if possible
to retrace his steps far enough to clear
his rear of the obs,ructions which thre"-
tened to deprive him OF the means =,
sustaining his armv. No appropriated
man, vino will examine DIS SITUATION "''o
the circumstances attending II, can IT.
state to approve Lis return 10 Detroit
1t was impostan, & Indispensable 10 Tue
sccuri.v g. ultimate sa lvationof the army
indeed his retreat ouea' no. " ,'"aS
halted at Detroit. 1t ougnt - n"'.
..Tosecuted until nothins was i''' ~ ~
danger him.
AS to the surrender Of Detroit, mon
must and will exercise different oP!-
Mons. Those who refine upon roman
tic honor will condemn Hull, and say, to
preserve his military fame he ought to
have sacrificed the lives OF his men,
For to contend under the circumstances
which pressed him, would have consigned
every Individual iii Detroit to the mercy
of the Indians. That this would have
been the result, is evident. TIE army
auder Hull, on the morning OF the SUR
render, by sickness and ot~cr casualties,
including the de,acAments under Cass,
McArthur and Brush, was reduced to
the number of 800 effective men. In
determining to take the field and oppose
the approaching enemy, he must have
left in the fort at least 300 or $50 men,
10 defend that and the town. Conse-
Quently, the force which lie was enabled
to oppose to the allied forces Of English
and Indians, estimated by Brock himself
at 800. must have been reduced to that
of six hundred men. Now the question
is Sharply this-d;d CT did not Hull, mn
der this view of the case, play the trai.
tor, in making terms Of capitulation, and
in saving the lives of his men, and the
lives and property of the Inhabitants OF
Detroit, from the ruthless savage immo-
lation to which they were devoted?
The statement OF col. Cass will be re-
sorted to to disprove the conclusions we
have made. If this settlement did not
breathe acontinuation oftbat spirit, which
began To shew itselfin many extracts of
letters from officers in HILLS army, be-
lore the retreat from Sandwich, some
of which have been published, s which
very plainly manifested that insuaordina-
ton and dlsafcction prevailed to q dam
gorous height, we should feel more dis
posed to credit 1t implicitly. And if lie
could say that he was present and wit
messed himself the details which are so
POLITICALLY described in his report, We
could find more confidence in yielding
assent to its whole truth. If col. Cass
had not associated the name of lieut..
col. Miller with that Of himself and col.
M'ArthuT, and avcwed the sentiments
contained in his report to be common Is
them all. when we do know tat Miller
signed the articles of capitul&tion and
probably as the Representatives Of the
American army detailed in company
with Brock aids the terms q surrender
we could 'nore readily believe that lie
had not exaggerated the Objects c! Hull!
Ii We could believe t''at Ii. Coz. Miller,
d brave oflic2r, and VINO had distinguish
cd himself az Rrownstown few DAYS
previously, could be persuaded. com
..a"ded or compelled to sign ii capItu-
aston consigring himself anl an whole
NY to disgrace, we could believe that
oi Ca,s has not been Influenced ny some
.r-uge prejudice against gen. huiI -
II We mad reason tc suppose ;hat .icut
8.con Is an Ignorant man, and @nacCus-
toned to note with accuracy Interesting
and passing events, AID that lie is less
capable OF estimating circumstances liz
their true character happening under
MS observation, than ore who was alb
sent and must have received his irfor-
,ation by hearsay, we could beleyc that
sc IS mistaken and that col, Cass IS not
mistaken. II general Hubs statement
which bears all the character OF truth.
which DOES in no degree sport with
TIC reputation of ANY man, and which
as ,umes all responsibility on himself,
did not materially ccrtrad;ct the state
melt ct col. Cass, we should feel more
confidence in the impressions which ii
cxcites lfthe report OF col. CaSs had
been written before he arrived at the
seat Of government, or before be had
held any conference with tie War De-
partmeIt We should moi be SO much
disposed to make special allowance, for
TIE impressions which be may have re-
ceivcd siuce he IF; Dctr, it. Ifcolonel
Cdss IN estimating the circumstances
which in near relation affected the re-
snl, of Huii's expedition. had noticed,
with proper stress, the loss OF Maxim,
the accumulation Of intii&ns ;bout Nal
dom fhe stInDr and in.Dosircr ir-crcer-