Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-10-01


incessan, labor such preparations as afforded the
, most reasonable assurance OF success. A move
ment, however made nrcmatureiv and contrary
I 10 his orders, By Gen. Winchester, upon the Ri
yer Rasin, and the consequent defeat and capture
Z Of that officer and his army, entirely defeated
The projects Of Harrison, aud frustrated the OBJ
iects Of the campaign that season. In order 70
secure his provisions and munitions OF war, and
10 cover the country from the maranding incnr-
sious of the savagcs in the spring, Gen. Harrison
built fortifcaticn at the foot OF the kapsss q
the Miami to which he gave the name OF Fort
NIeigs Here by the end Of the winter he de-
posited all his stores, when the British officer
who commanded 10 that quarter got intelligence
Of the situation of the fort and its stores, and re-
solved 10 make an attempt 10 take II. ten.
Proctor had been ordered TO reinforce the British
army on the Niagara, but the contiguify OF Fort
NIeigs 10 that place and Detroit overawcd HIM !.
and there is little doubt that the establishment
Of Fort Meigs postponed the fate OF Niagara
MOI daring TO leave il in his neighborhood, Proc
Tor resolved TO reduce 1t. Gen. Harrison on re-
eciving information 10 that effect, fastened from
Cincinnati where he then was, with all the for
ces he could collvct, and on the ed arrived ~
Fort Megs with 500 men, which, with those 81.
ready there, amounted 10 net more than l5DO,
one third Of whom, during the siege, were on the
Z sick reports. This force not third part Oh
/ what ought TO have been assigned TO the defence
Of such an important station. The Secretary Of
War was carly enough aPprised OF Il, but neg
lected TO authorize Gen. Harrison, ia time 10 ex-
pedite sufficient number OF troops. Harrison,
however, threw up new baiteries--the oiiieers as
well as soldiers working IN the bitches; on the
first OF NAV the enemy, who had invested the
fort on the 2Sth of April, opened has batteries mp
on il, and continued firing until the fifth. The
Generals quarters were m the centre, decided
~ the exposed part OF the fort During the
siege several shot passed through ms marquee,
several OF his dornestics We're wounded, and
Capt Nc Cuoch, while setting by the Gener-
aps side had the back part OF his skull carried
awav During the whole time The fare OF Cen
Harrison was the same as that 81 the common
soldiers; in no night during the siege DID nc
sleep more than an hour, and, indeed he In ge-
neral, on an average did not sleep more than four
hours out of the twenty -iour
The defence Of fort Meigs may be iairly con-
s;dered as one of the most brilliant and extraor-
binary events which distinguished the tate war.
Evclnsiye Of the vast dsproportion Of the armies
Gen. Harrison had, at the commencement OF the
s;.vs. only 600 shot OF all sizes for the W ar
ness,ar,,sent thinking siege unlikely, had made
-, pPa,,ar ~ separation. The General, however,
~, ne hest face the matter, and Kept ma
want az ammunition profound secret--pfstenu'
ing that he did not wish to harass ms men " u'-
necessary firing. .,f8t,v
the northern frontier, Gen. Harrison had mace !
reouisition ON the governor Of Kentucky Tor i5oo
militia These, he hoped, would have arrived
in time for his purpose, but only psri o. Inc
battalion Joined him before the Investment OF me
fort the residue descended me 81 hiar ",'a
the Au Glaize as conveys TO large supplies on
their way 10 the lake. An express sent 70 Ten
CLAY 10 hasten forward those troops found then
al Fort Winchester, reduced by aetaehihens =
sickness to 10 effective men. 10 al.emp' "
throw himself into the fort IN the lace o. an si,n}
az more than three times his number seemed ma,
yardnus. il NOT rash yet General Clay resolved
20 attempt it on the night Of the 9ili OF hiay q
which lie sent notice 10 Gen. hafrlsop, sl4t9S
that he would make the effort sometime be'weeh
three O'Clock A. NJ and dayiight' Ire oia noi'
Lowcvsr arrive until 9 o'clock, meantime zen,
Harrison with view of playing oil surprise
unon the enemy despatched orders 10 zen: Siay
10 land or 800 Of his men ON the north sue .,
tbe river under cover OF the woods, storm anu
blow up the enemy's batteries, spike the caahoh
and &c practicable retreat 10 the boats, ana u nor,
~ Gle ar under the foot of the hill, where they
would be protected by the guns OF tue iort. ihis
manouvre so far as the destruction OF inc pate
ries was concerned, was successfully e&ec"'ou'
and while it was in progress, Gen. Harrison Or
dered three sorties fron the fort, in one Of when
.rro batteries opened by the enemy on the south
of the river were carried, and the cannon aes-
troyed and two British officers and AZ men were
taken These losses and discontinue hsa .he
effect of convincing Gen. Proctor Of ms haohity
10 carry on the seige to a prosperous ISSUES hu'
supsesied to him the necessity oil making re
treat, which he enecteo WIN ""''s O 49,
May ,:...,.,. or IL,
Harrison, was that of the filth oil the ioIlowihg
October, ON the river Thames in Upper Canada'
,yhi,ber he had followed the British army under
c. prortor. who as our army advanced, mad
,etreated before ii, abandoning Iort Mahen,
ana Detroit after having destroyed all the pup.
ne buildings in both places On the "a OF thai
rao,th The General left Sandwich with about
9s0n men in pursuit Of Proctor, who was post
IN he. FORTH III,
the rirht bank Of the river, at the distance Of %
miles from Sandwich, where, however IL woeld
| seem he did not expect TO be ioIoweu' az ne hHu
| neglected 10 take the precaution oil ofeaklhg up
the bridge until the night OF The Gay ,hat our ar
n,v left Sandwich. On the first night OF tneir
| ro33rcb Gen Harrison, with his troops, reached
one ~ ,he four streams which crossed their route
and which from their depth and muddiness, had
| heen furnished with bridges. VI these Dr'ogss'
| the first had been left entire. AZ lhe sscohu' .
| q British lieutenant Of dragons ana elSnsn VI
| Yates sent by Proctor TO destroy ~, were maze
nriscn.rs during the process; aud from mem
| General Harrison learned that the MIRO oriugo
was broken Up, and that the enemy ma. no eei-
tain information OF the advance OF ihe An,eiiSah
- rhc General also found the second Drldee
;,,na,rractlv destroyed, and having, with niue
J;afcnItv rcnaired il he marched up the bank o.
| the Thames and encamped at place esiien
| Drakc's Farm In the mean ume, Inc baggage
ofthe army was brought up IN boa's' pic's ,,
| bv three gunboats furnished by Ccmmoaore Eer
~ far thai purpose as well as 20 cover the pas
sage OF the army over the Thames Or ,ne mouia
! ofIts tributsries The banks being here low aha
! i.r ana me river deep, those vessels were Weil
c"l~nstSa far such service but as the army sp-
nroaehed nearer 10 the enemy, they found , that
IN. me s roody IL Consequence Of which Gen; Har-
r;son determined to leave the boats oehlnu nnaer
guard and to trus, TO the erasery =, nv Al he
, ,4i aaso,dable stream the bridge had been "a,
nen u AWAY. aud several hundred Indians disputed
s aeh am asse and commenced heavy fire from
,b be opposite bank of the creek aud river, upon
The advanced guard. few shot rom wv saN
Founders, however, soon dlspsrss rh1. ,browing
anu aaoher bridge. AS cur army aapproaoheea,'
over aho a. &c a. ,heir vessels aud stores, III