The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-09-24

WAsHINoToN, Sept. 10th, 1912:
SIR--Havine been ordered on to this place
by Cot. Nj Arthur, for the purpose Of COM
IunnlcatlDg TO TIE government such pariicu-
lars respe citing the expedition lately ccmman.
ded by Brig Gen. Hull and its disastrous re-
suit, as might enable them correctly to ap.
precistc the conduct Of The officers and men,
and 10 dcveiope the causes which produced
foul stain upon the national character, I
have the honor 10 submit to your considera-
tioH the foiIowiDg statement
When the forces landed in Canada, they
landed with aD ardent zeal and stimulated
with The hope OF conquest. No enemy ap-
peared "iihin view OF us, and had all anne
daie and vigorous attack been made upon
N alden, ii would Goubtless have fallen all ca
sy ,ictory. know Gen Hull afte wards de-
cIartd lie regretted thi- attack had not been
made and he h&d every .esson TO believe
success would have Crowned bis efforts The
reason given ioi deaying our operations, was
TO mount Our heavy cannon and 10 afford to
the Canadian militia time aod opportunity TO
qri' IN obno oXious service. In the course OF
two weeks, the number o! their militia who
were embodied had decreased by desertion
from SIX hundred 70 one hundred men and
In ~" course of three weeks, The Cannon
were nduntea, the ammanition hXed, and
every ". parailon made for iii immediate in
yestnlcEl Il lie fort. At a council, al which
wee present al the FIELD offiteIs, wl,ch
was he!d two days before onr prcpara ions
were completed, ii was unanimously greed
10 rlekt an immediate attempt 10 accomplish
tho oDlec' OF t,cir eXpedluon. 1t by waiting
:w, o-g- sc ,ofd have the service o! our
hea archery, &, was agreed 20 wait l. net,
il was de,. =. 3edJO so wi;ncu. II snd attempt
the place by s.rm. This opinion apps ared
to co. ecspout with the views Of he General,
and tnr day w3s appointed for commencing
our march. He declared 10 me, that he con-
sider ed himself pledged io lead the army to
Msidc6. Tbe am h1uni,;fs was placed in the
Wagons the Cannon was embarked OH board
,he floating ha .te sies, and every article was
prepared. The spirit and zeal, the ardor and
Summation disnayea by the officers and men
Oh learning the near accomplishment o: their
wishes, was sure anu sacred pledge, thar in
the hour of trial they would not be found
waUins in iheir duGy to their country and
taemseives. Boz change OF n casures, in
opposi,ion to the wishes and opinions OF all
,ne officers. Was adopted by the general.
rhe plan Of takiny fort Maiden was sbandon-
| ed, and instead Of acting Extensively, VIC
! broke up our camp, evacuatcd Csnada, and
re-crosscd the river in The night, without
| even, ',he shadow oI an enemy to injurc US.
| We lett 70 the tender mercies of the enemy
| The miserable canadians who had joined US,
! and the Protection We Afforded them was but
| passpor' 10 Vengeance. THIS fatal aud un-
| accountable step disspirited the troops, and
| destroyed The little confidence which series
/, OF timid, irresolu,e and ipdccsive measures
! had Left in the com tnonding officer.
| About the tenth Of August, the enemy re-
| ccycd 4 einlor, er,sn; Of four hundred men
| And the twelfth the commanding officers oi
three OF the regiments (the fourth was alb
! sen') were informed through medium which
| admitted OF no doubt, that the general hat
stated that capitulation would be necessary
| They on The same Gay addressed to Governor
! Meigs OF Ohio letter, of which the follow
| ins is an extract
Believe all the bearer will tell you. Be-
| lievc it, however 1t may astoh!sh you, a
much as il told you by one Of US. Even
o. Is talked OF by the
| :. The bearer will fill the vacancy"
| The doubtful iste Of this letter rendered
necessary TO use circumspec,ion in its details
and therefore these blanks were left Tn
word 'capitulaton' will fill the first and con
manding general the other. AS no enem
was hear us, and as the superiority of on
force was manifest, we could see no neeessl
~ of capi,ulating, nor any propriety in aiiud
ing to il. We therefore determined IN tn
last resort 10 incur the responsibility OF dives
ting the general of his command. This pla
was eventually prevented by two OF the com
manding officers of regiments being ordere
upon de,scbmen,s.
| On ,he thirteenth the British took pos
iion opposite to Detroit, and began to ihro'
up works. During that and the two iollowin
days, they pursued their Object wi,hou. inte'
ruption and established a battery for two
Founders and an inch howi.ze.. Apor