Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-12-02

onaHgtain ROAD, and had not pro
ceede;i far before he was astonishe,s
vita the unexpected intelligence.
that fea. Wilkinson had gone into
winter quarters On the Salmon River,
at or rear the sFreae!, Wills. But
the story did not end here. General
,ttikins0a. when he made this con-
;nnlication. EXPRESSED his surprise.
an regret that Gea. Hampton had
not formed a FUNSTON with him at
Tue Sslman or ST. Regis rivers
This sugg ,tiou Of Gen. Wilkinson
hegsars all com,nent. Montreal was
the place ofattack il could not be
approached but by water ,G neral
Hampton had no boats !; how, /
would ask. was his army to he trans
ported from salmon river to Moa-
treai. assistance ofat least So miles ?
Get. HamDfoncouid not suppose that
Gen. Wilkinson had a surplusNse
ofboats. and it would have heen in
charitable to have Imagined that he
ene,ay would have emp:ied MANY of
hem on the way down. although The,
Facts have proved it o,herN ise.-
There is one circumstance in this
proceeding that rxcites my indigna
tion-this campaign was planned,
or at least. il oagist to have been,
by he Secretary Of War. That Of
fieer was OH the ground Why did
he not determine when and vh-re
itese two armies, were 90 meet, and
not haye the Generals to hunt in the
dark for each other without either
tine or place to aid their pursuits 7
I srtiluot Oh this occasion go into "a
particular examination of that of
cers c0niiuct hhi ! could rot pass
over this pal able neglect. fhe
first question that presents itself is.
whether Gen. Hampton has done
his duty
ifii aas understood that his army
was so ar: in concert with Genera!
Wilkinson in the attack up0a Mon
treat. il uas us duty to have placed
that array at a poiat the most con
tigaous-thc mouth Of the Chateau
CAV river WAS the point. After lien.
Hampton had obtained information
that General wilkinson army was
on Grena1ier Island, he commenced
his march down the Chatesugax ri
v.r.-fhis was beyond all question
the nrsner course, and II General
Wilkinson had started from GrcBa-
der Island WITHIN four or five days at
ter hearrivsd there. he would have
hren able to have catered Montreal
while the British tp0O,ls were gone TO
8o.bs Gen. III. ort0 have landed on the
sort!,-east side Of the ST. Lawrence.
and attacked them in lne rea But
this favorable opportnnit' was lost b,
! his extraordinary sta, on tia, ISLAND.
Under these circumstances what
oaght Geu. Hampton TO have done
II coala not be expected that he WAS
IA attark t,ontreai atone. besides he
bad no boets.--IErfe he was LETT in
his state of suspense until his army
was emHhat;caisy worn out with ia
tiyre, when lie returned tothe Cor
ncrs. when he received lien. vii.
Eiason'S orders above mentioned, II
NAV be asked. why did not Gen. Ii.
;mm4distely retrare MS steps down
the riyer: this ougni to have been
.'one automatically. had il not been for
the absolute ohligsiian. ne was un.
der to furnish Gen. Wilkirson's ar
my with provisions-this above all
others was a paramount duty. and
this he could net DO on that r0'h he
was therefore from that circumstance
Obliged to take the other course
Was Gen. Wilkinson in iault ]? That
depends uron this. whether his unre-
ou;red STA, y, tsrenadIer Island was
.,atter Of necessity or ch oice--jf the
latter. the error was so grass that II
amounts 10 crime !: if the former.
then The blame ought to rest sole'!
mon those who planned and provid-
ed for the campaign, 1t is not my
intention 20 torture the feelings OF
an. American nv comments npor this
dispraceful proeedure--l would bare
" remark. that the fitting cut OF An
expedition against Montreal. upon the
waters o. AXE Ontario. in prefer
enee 10 those of Lake Champaign,
has always been considered by me the
most 0nixetic enterprise that has
been presented in modern times.
a Militia Soldier.