Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-07

Lard. with the princiaal force under MS
command. was ordered on to the relief oi
gen. Brown. by the way Of Sackctt's Harbor.
leaving only 1900 men at Piattsburgh for the
deferce OF THAI riace. This movement uE
gen. lizard. had connected with il one of
TWO OBJECTS. either to uiake an attack on
Kingston, IN Cooperation with com. Chaun.
csy, and hereby to relieve gen. Brown lrosa
The pressure of the enemy or if circum-
$ auces should indicate otherwise, by means
OF the lake navigation. TO throw himself ON
gen Drunmond's rear. The obstinacy and
i'rmness with which gen. Brown maintained
himself in the possession of fort Erie and
| che dreadful havoc he made of his besicpers.
put 1t completely within the power of gen.
lizard to elect the latter of these obiects.-
Why IL was not accomplished. remains We,
to be accounted for. We are aware. that
our structures on the conduct of cur CON
mandlng generals. ought to be made with
great, dclicacy. Causes unknown to us.
may exist which may go far to extenuate
any charge Of neglect of duty. But, where
the interests OF the country are at stake, and
those causes, it any. remain unknown, the
freedom of enquiring ought not to be tram
aeiied I'VE make this remark in reply to
the following sentiment, certainly sufficient.
4 y
Aurora OF the 7,h instant:
"a most extraordinary species of cen,ure
is put forth against gen. lizard, which is, that
he has made long march from Lake Champ-
lain to Niagara; how the general could be an
swerable 6eeaiise The disfance is 80 gyeaf is in
! conoeivabie.'
The long march from Champlain TO Mac
CARA, is not the object of Complaint against
gen. lizard and it does not REQUIRE al, ora :
Gle to inform us, that he is not answerablr
for the distance. But. could Gen. lizard or.
his frieads account, with equal ease, for fhe
length Of dzie consumed ii, makinr fhas
marco, els reputation would be less at ha
zard- Whilst, en- the one hand, the critical
situation of Genarai Browns army called
Tor immediate and prompt relief On the
TIER, the hazardous situation of that of gen.
Drummond, reduced by famine and the
word. and without achievements. imper;.
ously called upon lizard. for ceIeri,y of
movement. Did he answer. these calls ,
Could he not have reinforced gen. brown
az least twenty days ea:iser than he did re.
inforce him. And is there not tuo much
reason 10 fear, that this march was conduct.
ed with those siusgard steps which indicat.
cd want of ardour in the common cause ;
Gen. lizard took up his line of march a.
bout the FIRST Ct September. He arrived at
Sacketts Harbor on the 18th, and embar,
ked on TIE 10Th for The mouth of Gennes.
see river. About the 18th of Oclouer he
formed his junction with gen. Brown Thus
from the FIRST movement OF gen. lizard till
his junction with gen. Browa, period of
forty TWO days elapsed the distance from
Plaitsburgh 20 Sackett's Harbor, is l73 miles
From Sackett's Harbor to the
mouth OF Gennessre river, 90 ~
From, Gennessee river to Ba4
tavia, about 20
From Bosayia to Black Rock, so
Total s43 miles
Deduct two days sail from Sack
ett's Earbor to Gennessee river. 90
253
Leaving march of 25S miles accomplish.
ed IN 80 days, makicg an average march Of
about six miles per day. We do not know
precisely the route Of gen. Izard's army,
but we are y: -isfiesl that we have not under,
rated the distance. It's presumed that tie
progress OF the SCI erals army, was not in, !.
peded by ordnance and military stores. IL
Is.wcli known that there are large dcpots at
Batavia and along the lines. Neither DO
we hear any complaints of the roads being
insnrmountable. The lake country is in.
terspersed with villages, with roads opened
and communicating to each. Ii is, therefore
not too much to say that had gen. lizard
progressed with even ordinary celebrity he
might have reached his point of destination
at least hfteen Or tweHty days sooner than
he did.
How important these twenty days were
to the honorable close Of the Campaign. at
this critical moment, every one can iud re.
The cold season was fast advancing ecn.
DrummoDd's army was worn down with ia
tigue and hard service. He WAS badly sup
piled with provisions and military stores
He had not yet raised the siege of fort Erie !;
his troops had not been reinforced and
sir James Yeo and his large ship was still
IN harbor. Circumstanced as the eDemy
then was, no one can for moment doubt,
that the timely aid of general lizard, would
have resulted in the complete reduction of
the whole OF Drummond's army and the
apprehensions under which we now labor of
an attack on Sackett's Harbor. by the con :.
cenirated forces of the enemy. would never
have arisen. The campaign would have
closed in the complete triumph of the An err
lean arms in Upper Canada. But, by. the
loss OF these eighteen or twenty days, we
have seen gen. Brown and his division, al.
ter ali thlis hard services. suddenly trans,
ferFcd to the defence of Sackett's Harbor,
and general lizard himself obliged to evae.
uate and blow up fort Erie and seek pro-
lection ON the American shore
Ia making these structures on the move-
meets Of general lizard, it is not Intended to
question his capacity as military comman-
der, OF to denouDcc him as incapable of ex-
ccuting the Important trust conEded to him
Alike jealous Of the reputation Of the AIMEE
rican arms, aad ofthe military character OF
our commanding generals, IL is only designs
ed To draw tie aff0nfinn Of The nuhIic III