The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-03-26


offer these results of my fra;i Judgment with
Conscientious regard 10 the public gou An, bisot-
ted TO no project, and therefore willing TO yield
my own Judgment to that Of others.
Personal considerations would make me mr. .ger
visit 10 Montreal 10 the attack of Kingston bu, be-
tore abandon this attack, which by MY Instructions
an ordered to make. IL is necessary 10 my ;us.i-
ennsn' taat you should b. the authority oft6e Pre-
stdeHt. direct the operations OF the army under my
command, paYticainrip against Montreal VIII
my earnest wishes for the successful issue OF whate
YER may te usdertsken, I sm, dem sir with much
respect aud esteem, truly yours,
Honorable John Armstrong,
Secretary Of War.
~ ID. An the objections which apply to the land
ing oeloy Kings or may be obvsed 6y I,nd;ny above
IT. MY sole motive for suggesting the idea OF landing
Glow, was 10 prevent the gdrr;son's escabe II
there be deficiency -f forage on our part il is the
'ar, OF the quarterinaster general who was nsru,t-
ed as early August, to iay In n sppiy of tS,eive
thousand bushels for toe subsistence OF the cavalry
=, ia. WILKINSON.
Honorable J. Armstrong,
Secretary of War.
Ihis uisS~ier-in foyn,ct;on 1ras no. co,,.,,,a,;
Gated 70 the Secretary OF Wor. - i
"a, jFhat is here caiied proposition 4sss bu. a
question. whether the msrch could b. performed IN
TX days General ". answered in tae regat;pc
ard adoised hGt general Hampton siioald be Order
cd TO go on to CesHaSroga.
f-G0o'sehleTs on fHe pVsceCfrS letter.
tar, Of War. 80
NoTE. If we lock Vt the plar Of campaign of the
Esd of July, we find tsst it proposed an attack on
Kingston, and even Indicated the mode hf thst AZ.
tack. If we exsrpine general Wiikiuson's letter o.
the 9th OF August, we find thst be ,rtovIsoos,ly
sdopea that npipiop; and il. refer to the letter
of the Secretary of War Of the sth "a Tar from ex
pr ssing different opinion, discover that il in
struet-d toe general tn choose between direct sind
an indirect attack tha, post II was not therefore
any difference ~ opinion between the secretary and
the eeneral th.t was submitted to the council of war
as stated in the preceding Letter, but the mere al
Tentative presented by the instructions Of the letter
the simple choice between the two modes of attack.
H'ar Department, Oct 1918
Sir,
Lee. You appear TO have written il under an inn
preston. that your instructions ct August last adj,
! direct attsek upon Kingston unayoi. able. A COPY
OF these instructions IS before inc, and in the last
paragraph of them we find summary of their .,,b
stance. II is as follows "hfer this exposition il
IS unnecessary to add, that in conducting the pre,sn,
, cawpsisn, you will make Kingston your prncip.,
object, spd that you will cheese rs c;rc.rns,a,.a
may Indicate, between n direct and an inai,ect nj
TACK on that post Both modes of attack are 81 el.
" detailed IN these ORDERS snd preference given
to the latter, but without at all infringing your rsht
of choice, in any degree iessening yonr 70
nhtv Nor am I ns-v at Cherry 4, cko,pe RI,
ss.nd II these Instructions, since the only eject or
tns would be, 10 Substitute my opinion for ya.,s
! he torner has no. however been withheld il has
been given freely and fully, and is vet untsken nv
any consideration presented to my mind.
AS we are nov about to part it NAV he pron.r
that should sutoip TO what have said in favor Of
movement on Moirtresii shorNttatement of nv oh.
Iectons "a q direct at.sck on Knestap
1st fits garrison consis ats 81. f- ,housn,9 of ~
! tsck VIII fail.
| Cd. If your attack fails vosr r.,re,, {. in,,-.
cable. f NV"
Sd Your descent must ne essariiy be made ,bor.
or below the town, on the waters edge, and within
short dstancs OF your object. If made beioS, the
your meet cannot cover - if made d6ove the
town, it must be done IN presence of thu enemy
and within stroke of his fleet and that he viii III ~
the object sufficient to ius,ify the risk cannot he
douo,so. Bes'de'. An approach on this vide, howe
Gaping. - 80
Att. The experiment already made of the lake
ha"sspoh IL no, enconragng- Though pressed by
no enemy other than the weather, the army has not
been aoie to reach 6rens''ier Island hut in broks
order, and with considerable loss On yop- nIan
they have eishtees otl,er miles to On on the onen
lake, aud much of this distance under the eve of
sriuAn meet lis 1t probable that our seozos will be
able to nav gate this remaining distance lat season
and under circumstance so unfayorab,el in h,.
order, with ess loss " 'oe'e'
These are the best thoughts can Offer. and /, ~,
rema,a IAN ~, 10 aod =; them my best wishes tor your
Major general Wilkinson.
Com Chauneey declared he 7couLG nat toIe RE
resporstblt.y Y Covering THE descent of The arm, a
maze at III Pherson's 3arn,, below the to7rs. ~
Lady OF The Lake, off Sackett's H.rbo-.
-. October "a, 1913
Twas nj Grenadier Island the dsy beeore YES
terday, and fouHd the troops dsppnc in 80 slowly
that I determined to return, hunt them nm an3
quicken their movement. My presence AT die Hsr.
Dor was also necessary 20 have clothing selected to
cover numbers of our naked men.
will say nothing OF the horrd condition in which
that place was left Colonel Coles has arrived With
upwards OF two hundred coed men, and expect,
about eighty more to-csy Randolpii and Scott are
expected st Oswego, nine hundred strong 7 hsvs
ccntrvsd ts rig and send off vessels 10 brine nm .;y
hundred OF them in season for nv rnoyement f,on,
Grenadier Island, which will not be DELAYED one in.
slant unnecessarily The people at Kingston appear
to be much si'righted, firug their aIsrm Guns m
the slightest appearance. }. n. has returned and
if he may be credited, he Rottenburg las no srr;.
ed and all the force they can spare IL sent down IN
river TO take possession Of. and fortfy some critical
passes MyS'eai,h continues, unfortunately. bad.
| IsIsye the honor to be,
! Most respectfully, Sir,
Your obt servant
ia. WILKINSON.