Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-05-07

secuted by and between the said United States
OF America and their territories, and the said
united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
and the dependencies thereof to wit: on the
sixteenth day of August, in the year one thou
sand eight hundred and twelve aforesaid, the
British forces under the command of maisr
general Brock having crossed the said river
Detroit, having landed at place called Spring
Wells, otherwise called Spring fill, in the
said territory Of Michigan, and having thence
narched.tow the said fort of Detroit with
the design to attack the same, the said briga-
der general Hull, on the said sixteenth day
OF August, in the year one thousand eight hun-
Idred and twelve aforesaid, at Detroit aforesa
IN the said territory or Michigan (bcing the
then and there commander OF the said fort of
Detroit, and being thet and there commander
OF the said northwestern army OF the said
United States,) did then and there, during all
the time oil the enemy's crossing the sad riv.
er Detroit as aforesaid, landing at the, said
Spring Wells, otherwise called Spring Hill, as
aforesaid, and marching towards the said fort
Detroit as aforesaid, with the design to attack
the same as aforesaid, shamefully misbeiaye
himself before The enemy, and manifest great
fear and apprehension of personal danger, by
various timid and cowardiy actions and expires
sions then and there used and uttered in the
presence OF the officers and soldiers belonging
TO the said NORTHWESTERN army of the said u
nited States, then ana there under his COM
wand as aforesaid: by avoiding all personal
danger from making an attempt to prevent the
eneniy's crossing the said river Detroit and
landing at the said Spring Wells otherwise cal
led Spring Hill /; by avoiding all personal dam
ger from accommodating and encountering the
enemy in battle on the said march ofthe enemy
towards the said fort of Detroit by hastily
sending flags of truce to the enemy with ov,r.
lures for cspitnlation; by anxiously with
drawing his person from the American troops
in the open field to place of comparative sat-
ty,withn the walls of the said fort Detroit
by an irresolute huctuation Of orders, some.
times inconsistent with each other, and some
times incohercnt in themselves; by forDidding
the Americas artillery to fire on the army on
the SAID march OF the enemy towards the said
sort Detroit; by calling the American troots
from the field, and crowdng them in the said
fort Detroit. while the enemy was on the said
march towards the said fort Detroit; by pre-
cipitate declaration to the enemy, that he sur.
rendered the said fort Detroit, and the said
southwestern army of tho said United States,
before terms OF capitula,ion were signed or
considered, or even suggested; and generally,
by course OF conduct and conversation eyinc-
ing personal fear, agitation of mind, and priva,
ton oil Judgment; whereby the said fort of De-
troit and tbs said northwestern army of the U.
States, then and there under the command of
the said hrigadier general William Hull, were
then and there rendered an easy and certain
conquest to the approaching enemy; the Off
GERS aEd so diers of gallant army (compelled
by the obligations of military law to obey the
orders o. their commander) were exposed TO
unmerited modification and rsproach; and the
service of the said United States in the prose
cutIon OF the said war. suffered great detri-
ment and discredit.
FoueTH spEclFIcA146N And, also, in
this THAT during the said war so as afore.
said carried on and prosecuted by and between
the said United States OF America and their
territories, and the said united kingdom of C.
Britain and Ireland, andt dependencies there
~, to wit: on the sixteenth day Of August, in
the year one thousand eight hundred & twelve
aiore said, at Detroit aforesaid. in the territory
OF Michigan aforesaid, the said fort Detroit
being then and there vel, garrisoned and sup.
pied with cannon, ammunition, and provis-
ons the said NORTHWESTERN army Of tie sad
United states being then and there we'll sup
Piled with arms, ammunition, and provisions;
and the officers and soldiers thereof being
then and there in high spirits, and eager TO
meet and encounter the enemy in battle and
a fine train of riiliery being then and there sub.
Jet TO the orders ans! disposal of the said bril-
gadier general Hull, for the purposes obedience
or attack, yet the said brigadier general vii
liam Hull Chen and there beng commander of
the sad fort Detroit, and OF the said north
western army of the said United States)
acting upon the impulse of personal fear
and apprehension, and contemplating, as
the means of personal safety, a shameful
abandonment and surrender of the said fort
Detroit, & of the said northwestern army of he
said United States under his command
as aforesaid, to the approaching enemy,
did then and there shsmef,,lly misbehave him
self before the enemy, & did then 6. there enter
into disgracefu! capitulation with the enemy,
containing no conso,atory stipulation that the
said garrison and army should march cut r
the fort of Detroit with the honors of war; no
Just and humane stipulation for the security and
protection of such Of the inhabitants of the said
British province OF Upper Canada as had ac-
ccpted the said Brigadier General William
hulPs invitation to join the American standard,
nor any reasonable stipulation for an opportu-
nifty OF reporting to the secretary for the de-
partinentof war the circumstances Of so un-
expected and so important an event and did
then and there shamefully abandon, surrender,
& give up the said fort of Detroit, together ith
all the troops, regulars as well as militia, then
and there under his command as aforesaid, and
all The public stores and arms, and all the pull
lie documents; including every thing else of a
public nature belonging to the said fort of De-
troit and TO the said northwestern army Of the
said United States, then and there under his
command as aforesaid, to the said approaching
enemy, 20 wit: to the British forces under the
command OF. Major General Brock, without
ny cause for so doing, arising from the superb
or numbers, state, and condition OF the said
British forces or from the actual want, or
Just expectation of sudden want, of arms. ann