Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-06-11

THE CAMPAIGN.

The CAMPAIGN.
We have yet no information of any move
ment at our military force on the Northern
frontier. To the eyes of distant spectators,
anxiously looking to that quarter. the cans
paign appears to have been arrested in It's
commencement, B our troops to be rcposing
in inactivity and our friends are ready to
enquire, on the arrival of every Northern
mail
What are its tidings, Have our troops
awak'di
Or do they still, as If with opium drugg'd,
snore to the murmurs of the western wave I
So far from being surprized at the uuea-
siness which occasionaIiy breaks out on this
subject, we are much gratified at not find>
ing 1t more general That il is not SO is to
be attributed to the experience Of the two
last years; during which a series Of disap.
poinxments of ehfgh>rais,d hopes and san.
guihe expectations has somewhat sobered
that irritable ardor, which could not con
ccise the necessity for the delay required
by thenecessary preparation and maturati-
on OF force and means When we entered
into the war, the People (and we amongst
them land perhaps the government TOO
made too light of the conquest of the add
joining provinces of the enemy. It was pro-
HSonSSasNO'DC liz WOEh VI OuI = lew WEEKS,
or months at farthest; and it would have
been, perhaps, had we then possessed the
command of the Lakes and well trained
military force adequate to the object. But
we had not. In our confidence in the bra>
very OF cur Citizens, we overlooked our
deficiency ofmilitary knowledge, and almost
OF the means OF acquiring it. I'm our reli-
auce OH the excellence of our materials we
forgot that the formation of our armies was
work of time and Labor. And yet, but for
the pusilianimous surrender of Detroit,
during the first campaign. before it closed
The Canadas would have been ours to the
walls of Quebec. That event was one, the
consequences of which have bean so disas
trous on our subsequent operations, not to
mention those which may yet develope them.
selves, as scarcely can he real,zed. 1t in
effect terminated the first campaigu, which
was made more disastrous by. the il.pian>
ned and ill>fatcd, though gallant enteyprize,
against the enemy's works on the he.gats OF
Queenstown in the following autumn. Be-.
fore the commencement of the campaign of
last summer, the enemy was reinforced,
and, although aiguaESed by brilliant ex
ploiis, the campaign ended short of the OBJ
lJect which was looked to, and SD sanguineiy,
that great disappointment followed the fail
ure to attain it. Within few months past
the enemy has been greatly strengthened /;
and we the people begin to regard the con-
quest of Canada, as perhaps it ought at first
10 havs been yiewed, as an object only &c be
accomplished by regular and systematic
approach. The present inactivity Of our
troops, therefore, though twelve months ago
like hardness would have been generally
child, now excites little or DO murmuring,
because it begins to be believed that disci.
plipe and deliberate preparation are ncces.
sary to enable bcdy Of new ieyies to face,
on any thing like equal ground. well APP
| pointed army OF veteran troops.
Ofthe actualstate of things on thu North.
ern frontier, at this moment, we have but
loose information, the officers of the army
being PrudenGy restrained from the prac-
tice, which, has heretofore produced much
Injury, OF filling our newspapers with state
| ments OF the force, motions, &c. OF different
det.chments OF our army. We have en-,
| ough, however, to justify us in saying that
no movement need be expected from the
army, until VIC obtain the command of both
the Lakes When that object is achieved,
| our army will be at liberty to move on
ward. f
Com. Macdonough, it appears, already
has the command of Lake Champian, and
may confidently be expected to drive the
enemy before him
From Lake Ontatio. the latest accounts
represent that an additishal frigate was ex-
pected 10 be launched at Sackett's Harbor
about this day, or at least in a week. which
Will give Us the superiority on the lake, and
ensure to Commodore Chauncey an oppor-
tunity Of doing justice to the galiantry of our
! naval heroes on that Lake. The whole
ofthe vessels on that Lake, will probably be
| ready for sea about the Fourth Of July, and
before the end Of that month it is probable
will have met the enemy.
The success, if not the progress of this
campaign. on az extended scale, depc nds,
we repeat. entirely on the acquisition of the
command Of the Lakes. IL tnat be acauir-
cd, as We see no reason TO doubt il Will, we
| predict, without much hazard, that the
state OF our military preparations will be
| found to exceed the general expectation, and
that the character Of our Army will not long
be eclipsed by that which our Navy has sus.
tanned.
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