The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-08-20

'dnuerstood, may unhappily tend to damp
,ne military ardor or the country, and lead
to Consequences ever TO be deprecated-I
unequivocaily disclaim any the remot. g. in
Jention to derogate in the slightest degree
rom the worth and merits of the officers of
the army. would not, under auy circum-
stances, do injustice TO any one of thcm.-
But 1t is fact perfectly notorious to those
VINO are any way acquainted with thehisto
ry OF the several expeditions which have
oeen undertaken since the commencement
the war, that the commanding Gensrais.
n' every instance offaiiure or aefcQt. haue
hdd 7oiihin III 'iy contrOl. or under their com
mdnd, suGicienr means to haze avoided
Shch failure or d,Jtat, and 10 ho ye accom-,
fiitshed me ente,fpize in Dieap.--Ihis NAV
De considered as Ia strong assertiCn--h is,
notwithstanding, true. p.
Beginning with the most disgr&ceful Of the
disasters, wewiil take (unpieasa:t and un.
gracious as is the task concise view OF
them all.
That HuLL's surrender could have been
avoided b, him, and the enemy driven a
way and discontinued by the force under his
command, no honest and nnprejudiced man
will deny. That those forces were well
supplied with every necessary, has been
amply attested by eye witnesses of the first
respectabi.iiy-I have myself heard decla-
N 10
questioned.
The next failure was that Of Gen. Pan
Rensselaer,. To subdue the enemy in Up-
per Canada, he relied on force, a great
portion OF which had constitutional scruples
with regard to the passing the U. States
boundary, w:,ilst he had, within his reach
and controul, a brigade of regulars, whose
services. if employed, would, beyond all
rational doubt, have been completely effec-
tual.
The defeat and capture of General Win
Chester and his detachment we're occasion.
ed by an impetuous misguided bravery. un.
tutored by the requisite discipline and sub
| rdination, and unmiXed with the essential
prudence and precaution. Had his deiach-
ment kept, as 1T should have done, near the
main body OF the army, it would have been
safe and the expedition might have sue
cetded. But it hurried on to needless and
unnecessary extremites, without the orders
OF the commanding General, 10 whose ar
my it belonged and thus persisted, by the
Iomahawk, the scalping knife. and BY
reacheTons murder, SO many of the brave,
enlightened and patriotic Kentuckians
The capture OF detachment of militia at
the siege of Fort Meigs, was from all the
statements have seen On the subject, at.
trioutaole solely to the rashness and insub
ordination of the brave, but unfortunate
officers and men composing the detachment
Had they obeyed the orders of their GAL
liant General. they would have been secure.
The surrender of Colonel Boerstler's re
giment near Fort George must. from the
number OF our forces at that place evidently
nave been the result Ut some misconduct
To what officer the blame IS imputabIe. re-
mains TO be enquired into.
These are ali the reverses of any mou enr
which cur armies have experienced and
from view of them. think it must anoear
perfectly manifest to every impartial & an
preJudired mind that they have been occasi
oned by circumstances which it was morally
and physically impossible Tor the govern.
ment tn controul; That they. perhaps with
one or two exceptions, have resulted, from
that wans OF familiarity with the military
art, which was to have been expected from
thirty years OF peace and that when they
arc contrasted With our NUMEROUS and spIeD.
did victor ics, they shculd afford no cause
of encouragement. For. if the enemy has
occ asionaiiy gained advantages from the i'm
perfect discipline of some OF our CORPS we
too nave an ample source OK pride and ex
ul'atlon, I'D the long list Of our achievements.
Our Naval triumphs have astopishec AN
adrniring word--victory, With single
accidental exception, has never deserted
uur hag--we have seen again and again
tpC D'iI'sl bIph covering beneath the A.
mefican Eagle and the names of HUI
DECATUR, JONES, BAINBRIDCE, LAW
REECE viii 1--we forever. They have estab
hshed for themselves and their country
inperishable renown a fame more durabie|
,Ean brassl
On land also we can recount cur success
'es. The decisive victories we have gained
in the battles at Fort George. 1T Secket's
Harbour, at rk, memorable fer the hrro
SIN OF the immortal Pke--4--at Fort Meiys.
and at Granny Island, furnish indisputabIe|
testimony of the superiority OF our troops
In several of these battles, as well as in
some not mentioned, particularly in the
glorious opposition to superior numbers at
Hampton, the undaupted and unconuuerabie
bravery displayed by our forces, both roili
tia and regulars, x their incredible slaugh-
ter of the enemy, would almost challenge
history for parallels. Nothing has ever nc
Cured hat surpassed the intrepid conduct
ot our scamen and militia at GRAVY Island
and the conduct Of the militia WAS not lexs
brave and meritorous at HAMPToN A
oarse at which VIRcIHIA weeels more
'han IS within tho power ot utterance. and
which alone should tie sufficient to nerve the
irnl OF the irresolute, against the brutal as.
Sssins OF female innocence and honor PUT
will torn away from a subject which hjIa
he mind with so much adherence ,?
Under just providence, doubt not. fell
low Citizens, but the issue of the wa. in
which we are enr9Ved il I'm nus mr., -.