Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-08-10

OF TIE CAhPIGN OF THE
NORTH WESTERN ARMY,
IN THE YEAR 1919.
Addressed to the People Of the e. States.
GConcludsd.l
BY a reference to the preceding
numbers, it will appear by the letter
from the Secretary Of War to Gene
raj Dearbora, that he was command.
ed by tho President to concentrate
his troops on the Niagara river, in-
wade Upper Canada from that quar-
ter, attack the enemy's posts, and Co
operate with the forces under my
command. It will farther appear,
that he did not carry these orders Inc
to effect, but agreed to the armistice
which has been mentioned, which
must have been unauthorized by the
President, because it was disapproyed
in the most pointed language. My
array not being iaclnGed in Sthe mea-
sure, and, as has been observed, no
condition having been made, that tho
troops should remain in the situation
they were, during its continuance.
the effect il had GA my operations is
too evident to be here repeated ; it
must be considered as the principal
and immediate fatal cause of the dis.
asters of the campaign.
After the capitalization, first learn
ed from the lips of the British com.
mander, the true state Of the Case
that the armistice of General Dear
born had been eight days in operation
and that that circumstance alone bad
enabled him to bring such force a.
gainst me.
Early in the morning o. the 10th
of August, Gen. Brock landed his
force at the Spring Wells. three miles
below Detroit, under cover of the
guns of his navy. From the date of
the facts contained in the two num-
bers have mentioned, presume you
must be satisfied, that his effective
force, was more than three times
greater than mine, and that he might
have brought to his standard more
than ten times my number, before /
could have received any assistance.
This will appear, frem the knowledge
of the Numbers which originally
composed my army, from the lesses
by capture, by the killed and wound.
ed in the battles which had been
bought, by sickness and variety Of
other casualties and likewise from
the return of the adjutant general
major Jessup, and the testimony of
colonel Cass. Being at this time,
not only the general Of tho army, but
the governor Of the territory, and
without instructions. as to the course
/ should pursue, all the measures
were entrusted to my discretion. Be-
Ai ing responsible for the safety of the
inhabitants. it became my duty, if it
was possible, to adopt such measures
as would effect that object. My sit.
uation was such, that rhere was no
possibility of affording the Inhabitants
protection, further than the balls from
the cannon in the fort could be car
ried. These inhabitants were scat
tered over territory of several hum
dred miles. The sayages had inva.
ded every part of this territory, and
while the contest lasted, there was
nothing which could restrain their
barbarity. The work of desOlation
and cruelty had commenced, and
nearly half my effective force was
absent, and from the time it had
marched aud the orders it had receiv-
ed from me, / had reason to believe
1T was nearly Fifty miles distant from
me. With the feeble force under my
command, did not believe there was
the most distant prospect of success,
in the event Of battle /; and had the
forces at Detroit been defeated, the
fate of the detachment under Near
thur and Cass would have been inevi-
table. From the information had
received. with respect to General
Brooks force, there could have been
little hope indeed OF victory. What
was, however, decisive on my mind
was, my situation. even in possible
event OF success over his white force.
Ishouid have then been without pro-
visions, as will appear by the evil