The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-02-19
Udr Dsbdrsr,sht.
March y, 1918.

point tsrthest Test, where any poruen Ut these
be made with sufficient expedition. IL the whole
could be made there the better. These boats will
be OF the Kind known by the name o. Schenectady
boats, narrow, and sharp ahead, sud II ,t-bo,omed
They will carry from forty to fifty men each, with
their baggage and requirements, and provi-
sion for the voyage. Ii is proposed to com nit the
superintendent OF th, service to you, and to bcs
tow upon you, pro hac vice the stiff sppointmen.
OF equity quarter master general II workmen
cannot be found at Cleveland and other place. on
the lake, you will take them from Pit sburg Such
materials as you may want, other than those pro-
duced BY the country Itself, yoa will provide ~
Pittsburg snh have sent on without delay. Funds
for this pa-Pose, will he put under YOUR control s
you VIII be careful to make reports weekly OF jour
progress.
Very respectfully, am, sir,
Your ohedicnt servant,
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Captain 5essup. Washington.
E,ettcdt ofo letter from Major Genera, I'm, n
Hdr,ts0n to the Secresa,v Of liar, dofed
H.Q. ChIiieothe,
March i7th, IsiS.
"The known candor of y our character 10
snie lent security for my receiving Your r,on for
the lbertyI take in making ob,-ctoos to the plan
o. Operations commune tel in letter of th- 5th
instant IL there is a ros';ve certainty of oor get
ting the command of lske Ere, snd having a reru-
lar force of three thousand FIVE hunh d, or even
three thousand well disciplined men, the proposed
plan OF setting sout from Cleveland, and landing on
,he northern shore. below MAIDEN wonld perhaps
be the one by which that place and it-. dcuent.p.
cies could be most easily tcducei. I am anar-
quainted with the extent. OF the prepsru, ons that
are making to optain the naval superiority ON lake
Erie, but, should they 'ai aud the troops as.
sembed at Cleveland IL would be diff cell m .st a.
gain Upon the proper track for NIX = III. st,aek
round the head of the lax, The att amt al eros,
the lake from Clevrs ii should not be mad with a.
ny ether than wei! disciplined troops A compars-
lively smaller number of men IT t.is discrinr,on
fort lpo. RI.
veyance might BIZ obtained bur the means OF trans.
pirting eush an army as would be regi rcd of VI L.
TIA, or undiscpined regulars could not be procuren
can ee-o reason VIII, Cleveland should b. mr.
erred as the point OF emba kat,o, for The l. oops
pr the deposit o. the provisions and stores CA S,
are already accumulated a the RAJ ids Of The Miami
OF IN tons to be easily sent thther TO an amour
nearly equal 10 the conSu up ion If ? .protr ciep
campaign. Although the expe Sc and difficulty OF
transporting the provisions artir rv and stores fo,
an army, rouLd TIE b. ad OF the lake, would b. We
ry considerable. the lake being poss ssed BY our
ships, and the heavy baggage taken il, hoa S along
lis margin the troops would find ffeulty in the
ana route The force ont mpis,ed in your etter
}, IN my opin'on not sufic ent TO sc ure success
ADMITTING that the whole should be raised by TN.
time pointed out, they would be vety lit le superior
TO iDihtis; the officers having, with oesrceIy an ex
eeruen, to learn their dety before they could in
struet their men we have, therefore, no sltern.-
discipline "
gan Wen aware OF the IDtOleraIe eypenSs
"hieh attends the employment of a large miiiia
force. We are now, howxver i'm situation to avoid
those errors Which mn C tiIst of the last campaign
so peeu.ar!y heiTy. Our supple are procured "a 4
SO deposited Aat the period o. the march Of the ar
my LON the advanced posts can be ascertsined tn
All hour, and of course the roops need not be called
cut unti' The moment tkry are TO act. Experience
has convinced me that milt a are more Efficient in
the early than IN the latter part of their service
Dion the whole, il is my decided opinioa tl,at the
rapdr OF Miami should be the point of rendezvous
Tor the troops, as well IS the principal depot Indeed
it must necessarily be the first depost-,he proyi-
SONS tor The army be so placed at they can be Ia
ken to the lake in Other way. The artillery and
considerable supply Of ammunition are already
there. Boats and percuges have been built in con-
siderable numbers on the Augaize snd St Mary's
rivers and every exeriion is now making to in
crease them, intended fer the double purpose Of Ia
king nowh the provisions to the rapids, aud fir
ting the lake w tn the bagsag of the army in its ad
vance had calcuisted upon being able partial to
nse THE mode ct transportation, even if the esen,y
shouio continue their nayal superiority the lake
baggage OF the army could be safely and exDeiii US
y carried aioag the coast in the boats and perou es
which ecu be taken into the strait to transport the
army go the Cspsda shore
" Asi have before observed, the arrny nnncum-
Tered with heavy basgag", would find no diff ulty
IN marching round the lake At any season, but what
the enemy would Great, and we have the means of
subs St ng force that would he irresistible.
NC oJseu9hs 10 proceeding this way, stated
n my letter TO Colonel Monroe, arose frorn tn
time that would b. necessary to construct boats
ostef we should have arrived al the strait n,t this
"blechO1 is entirely obviated by our ob,a:are the
.omnanh OF the lake, as the boats and y ouges
bult upon The Miami will answer the purpose -
Wti regard to the qnantum of force, NV opinion is
thtt NOT only tie regular troops desen1ted in your
ieter, Ont large auxiliary corps of militia siou d
he employed The only objection arises frors the
ex2ensNenes, OF troops of that description THIS, |
couid not be an object, considering the We.
~ short tim that it would be necessary 20 employ
them. J. the moment for the commencement oF
me mareh from the rapids be fixed, and the militia
inlsht5 t'ken to that point, proceed and sccou-
push the object, and return home in two months
" n rnong the reasons hich makes i, necessary
10 employ large force, am sorry to rnentioa the
dlsm9y and Discrimination to the service g hcb sp
lars u preV'h IN the western country--nu NIB RS
must give that confidence which ought 70 be Jroduc
go ~ conscious vsor and intrepidty. wIiel. nayer
existed IN any army in superior decree than a.
"pnsst the grepter part of The militia wI,ie'. were
with me through the winter. The new drafts from
THIS state are cnts y Of another character and are
me- to be depended uron. have no do1m. how,
eVcF, Dut sufHc ent number Of good men can be
procured, AID should they be allowed TO serve on
horsebaek, Kentucky would furnish some regime nj,
mat would be BOT inferior Dthoss that fought al the
I''ST hsan and they were. in my oD;Don, So ,srior
10 any militia that ever took the field in modern
times. Eight troops Of cavalry have been fsrmd in
entucky, 10 oit1r me their service and several
oi them we're intended for twelve months yoIun-
leer' Governor Shelby has tom thoughts of ta-
ing the heid ~ psrsOn-~a number OF good men will
follow him. lie thinks that an address from me In
the people Of the ate would produce god effect
have strong objections 10 those addresses hut will
nevertheless Il. We renDurse in ono .l.ontJ otknr