The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-05-13
From the United States Gazette.
MAJOR GENERAL ST. CLAIR.

MAJOR GENERAL ST. CLAIR.
No officer of the revolutionary war par
ticipated more largely OF the esteem OF the
commander in chief than Ma or General ST.
Clair.
Although this officer by the fortune oil
war never distinguished himselfby gaining
n signal victory in any military enterprise,
yet he was much celebrated for intrepjdity,
sOundness Of judgment and amiableness OF
department.
Hiseyacuatoa of and retreat from Ticon-
deroga and its dependencies in the year
| I777, excited, in the first instance, almost
universal pre- jHdice against hun, but when
l the motives end circumstances which oc-
| casioncd the measure, were fully develop
ed at the .nstanceof congress, he WIS not
| only acquitted by that honorable body OF
| all censure, hut he rose in their estimation,
that of the pabIic, and his brethren in arms.
| His defence 90 that occasion is still extant,
and exhibits sample of profound general
ship. Whilst the English language shall
be admired, it Will continue to be an exam
pie Of martial eloquence.-
His defeat by the sayages en the memo
rabie 4th of November, 1871, gave exls-
tence to such food of abuse, that in or
der to oppose it, he ardently solicited a
court martial, but at the junctnre, the A
| merican army could not furnish a cOmpetent
board Of officers. Congress in this ext
gence commenced an enquiry into the ial-
lure Of the campaign, which resulted in the
Iexculration of the commander in chief
from all blame.
Says She report,
Your committee conceive il but Justice
to the commander III chief, to say, that in
their opinion the failure Of the late cxpedi-
ton can in no respect be imputed to his
conduct either at any time before or during
Tie action, but that AS his conduct in all
the preparatory arrangements was marked
with peculiar ability and zeal, so his
conduct during the action furnished strong
testimonies of his GOODNESS and intrepid
ty."
Says Marshall, the historian,
More satisfactory testimony in favour
of ST. Clair is furnished by the circum-
stance that he still retained the undimin-
ished esteem aud good opinion of the pre-
sldent.o
The late Major Gen. Wayne, who had
perhaps better opportunities of Ing
both the military and civil qualifications ot
Gen. St. Clair than any other officer In the
revolutionary war, excepting the commFn-
der in chief, in the midst OF the vilest ca
bunny by which the unfortunate officer was
assaulted, thus addressed distant cores
pendent, as appears from the prints of the
day.
Philadelphia, 18th December, 1871.
lnclosed is the Official report of the to-
tai defeat of our army under Major Gen. ST.
Clair, with list OF the officers killed and
wounded, Among whom are many of my
brave companions, who have fought and
bled with me from the frozen lakes of Ca
NADIA to the burning sands OF Florida IFS
therefore natural that | should feel their
loss with more than common sympathy.
shah not attempt to arragn the con
duet of any department or person on this
melancholy occasion--but il is to be regret
ed that the competent parts of that army
were not more proper and perfect. Had
there been body OF cayalry, well appoint
ed and Differed, this disaster could not
have happened, nor would my brave old
friend ST. Clair, in an advanced period oil
life, and afflicted with painful complaint,
have experienced defeat, that viii be
long aud severely felt by Americans ia ge-
neral, by the numerous connections oi
those departed heroes, and by their gal
liant and humane, though unfortunate
chief"
"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets oi Askrlon :" That the excellent
man, whose virtues are here partially nOtl-
ced, was suffered by his country to pine IN
want for many years that his application
to that country for the reimbursement ola
large sum of money, which he had advan-
crd her, at an early stage of the res olution,
was treated with dIsrespect aud inatten-
ton that had it not been for the grateful
and honorable feelings of the legislature of
Pennsylvania, he must, al one period, have
suffered Starvation, or cast himself on pub
lie charity. 1t is true that congress, few
fnon,hs previously TO his decease, granted
him patty gratuty, IA very inadequate
reimbursement of the expenses which he
had incurred in pursuit OF an equitable
claim against his country.
Such has been the ingratitnde Of a nation
towards the major general Of one of herdi-
visions during the Revolutionary wars
pTssidrn; of her congress-, a governor al
one Of her territories, and con,maB3or U