Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-05-13

MEMOIRS OF THE CAMPAIGN sF THE
NORTH WESTERN ARMY,

IN TIE YEAH 1919.
addressed 20 The people o. the United States
No. VI.
Fellow CIrizES
In ny former number. | have men,
zion d, that from conversation
had with the President st the United
States and the Secretary Of the navy,
from the circumstance of navy a.
gent having been appointed on lake
Erir. and Com. Stewart, of the navy.
NV NJ been ordered to Washington.
e.. IL" express purpose of giving him
tie command on the lakes, | had the
fullest reason to believe, that before
a declaration of war was made. mea-
sures would have been taken for the
security of that communication.
That there may be no question with
respe { To these facts. ] will now
state the evidence on which they are
founded. Commodore Stewart, in
his testimony, on my trial before the
court martial, declared. that he re-
Ceiypd an order from the Secretary
OF tae Navy. to repair To Washing
tua, as il wa, Contaminated by the
government to trust him with an i'm
portant com ,and: that, in COmDIi-
ance with the order, he arrived in
Washington in the begmningof April.
h At hi first interview with the Secre-
tary, he was informed that it was con-
templated to give him the command on
the lakes; that tn Secretary observ-
ed. that a naval force superior to the
British on the lakes, had been
strongly urged by Gen. Hull as es-
sential. and as certain means of in
surfing success to the army. He then
goes on to state why he declined the
command. &c.
Gen. Peter B. Porter, in his tes-
timony on my trial, said. about the
last of March, or beginning of A
pril. 1912, he was at the ntfice of the
Secretary of War. with Gen. Hull,
after he had been appointed a Brlga-
der General. and about the time he
was to march to Detroit: that he was
frequently with the heads Of depart
ment;, Il had conversations as to the
operations of the army, in case war
should be declared, as was in contem-
plation. lie said he recollected that
Gen. Hull recommended that a navy
should be formed on the lakes, to
have q superiority over the British
in case OF war Gen. Porter further
states, that navy agent was appoint
cd for lake Erie. and he was twice at
the Presidents with tho General,
when the subject was talked over.
From the evidence contained in
this and the foregoing letters, feel a
confidence that every candid reader
will be satisfied. that when accept
ed the command of the Ohio militia
and the 4th regiment. the motive by
which ! vas Influenced, WAS the pro-
tertiph of the northern frontiers, and
particularly the territory of Michl-
gan, o; which | was Governor. a
gainst the savages; and that had
not the most distant idea, in the e.
vent of war. with that force, of max
ing an invasion of Upper Canada.
while the enemy commanded the
lakes, and while no army was pro-
yided, with which I might co-ope-
rate. Before | proceed to relation
of he march through The wilderness,
and of the operations of the army at
ter took command, | shall present
and consider one other document.
which APPEARS to me singular IN its
nature, and very important on &C
count Of the high authority from
whence it is derived. WM. HULL.
No. VII.
This singular and important dncu-
ment to which alluded in my for
mer letter, is the message of the
President Of the U. States to Con-
gress, after the termination of the
campaign, ofwhich in my future LETT
tiers, it is my intention to give You
the history. Although this is not in
the order of time with the subjects
which have been considered, yet it is
to give information Of the motives of
the government. with respect to the
objects of myicommand, and having a
strong bearing on the considerations
which l have already presented, it
appears to be the proper place for its
introduction.
In this message it is stated, That
the force sent to Detroit was with a
general view to the security of the