Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-05-27

rose almost to mutiny This spirit
was fostered, and inflamed generally
by the officers of the militia; what
the motives were, whether they were
ia expectation Of plunder,I will not
pretend tn say. With many of them,
however, they proved to be of an un..
steady, hayward spirit, as two hun:
dred of them refused to accompany
the army, alleging as a reason, that
by law, aud by their engagements.
they were not obliged to march out
of the United States.
Another object which lconsidered
of great importance, was, to preserve
the neutrality of the inhabitants Of
Upper Canada, and the savascs, and
to prevent them from joining the Bril-
fish standard.
| confidently hoped, when the in.
habitamts beheld the American forces
in the possession of their country,
and in a situation To afford them
protection, il would be strong in
ducenent to them to remain quietly
at their homes, and take 40 part in
he war. q
/ believed, when the Indians dis.
covered the American standard erect
ed on both sides of the river. it would
have favorable effect, and induce
them to return to their villages, and
take no part in war in which they
had no interest. AT this time, there
| was no information that MiChillima-
kinack had fallen, and there were
| some grounds that these expectations
would be realized.
There was another reason, which
! most powerfully urged me to take
possession of the encmy's country.
| 1t was to draw from it provisions
| and forage for the support of my ar
my, aud te intercept as far as possi-
! bic, the supplies from the river lie
Trench, to the British garrison at
Maiden. In the Course OF these me-
| moirs shall exhibit the small guam
titles Of provisions which we're at
Detroit the 5th of July, OH my aTri-
val,-that none arrived afterwards
that in the territory OF Michigan,
there was not sutficiency for the in
habitants, aad that the whole stock
would have been exhausted long be-
fore the capitalization, had not an ad-
ditional supply been obtained from
the inhabitants of Canada. The
supply. indeed, was small. but it had
dmbie operation, as il Increased
our stock and diminished thai of the
enemy. 1t was taken principally
from mills on the river lie Trench,
where it had been prepared for the
garrison at Maiden. | have stated
these reasons for the invasion TT Ca
NADIA, not that the government made
it one of the articles and charges a.
gainst me. This, indeed, could not
have been done, because it was by its
own order, but l have done it to sa-
tisfy some of my fellow citizens of
its expediency, who have attached
blame to me for the measure, under
the circumstances in which | was
placed. Had it not been done by the
orders of the government, there is no
doubt it would have been one of the
first charges against me. for which 1
should have been condemned.
These are the reasons which in.
duced me to commence offensive opc-
ratioms. and not with view to storm
the British fort at Maiden, with un-
disciplined and mutinous militia
My letter to the secretary of war,
which has been recited, is conclusive
evldenCe on this ub.eCt; I repeat the
words: The British command the |
water and the savages. | do not
think the force here equal to the re-
duction Of Amherstburg, (the fort at
Malden.) you therefore must not be
too sangaine.'
WILLIAM HILL