South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-07

OF, the North American Union.
Ia the Southern campaign the Brit,
ish commander was more successful
The fall of Philadelphia was the re.
suit Of the battle of Brandywine, on the
11,h Of September. This was the frs,
action in which Lafayette was engaged
and the first lesson Of his practical Mil-
itary school was a lesson Of misfcr.
tune. In the attempt to rally the A
merican troops in their retreat, he re.
ceived a musket ball in the leg. He
was scarcely conscious of the wound
till made sensible of it by the loss ol
blood, and even then ceased not his ex.
ertions in the field till he had secured
and covered the retreat
This casualty confined him fsr some
time to his bed at Philadelphia, and af.
forwards detained him some days al
Bethlehem but within six weeks he
rejoined the head quarters of w Washing
ton, near Whitemarsh. He soon be-
came anxious to obtain a command
equal to his rank, and; ia the shor,
space of time tina, he had been with the
Commander-in-chief, had so thorough.
" obtained his confidence as TO secure
an earnest solicitation from him TO
Congress in his favor. In letter to
Congress ofthe 1st ofNovember, TIT,
he says: 1.-THE Marquis de Lafayette
is extremely solicitous Of having a
command equal to his rank. do not
know in what light Congress will view
the matter, but i, appears to me, from
consideration Of his illus,rious and
important connexions, the attachment
which he has manifested for our cause,
and the consequences which his return
in disgust might produce, that it will be
advisable to crafty him 10 his wishes ;
and the more so, as several gentlemen
from France, who came over under
some assurances, have gone back dis
appointed in their expectations. His
| conduct with respect to them stands in
a favorable point of view; having in.
| terested himself to remove their uneasi-
ness, and urged the Improperly Of .heit
making any unfavorable representation,
upon their arrival at home and in al
his letters he has placed our affairs in
the best situation he could. Besides
he is sensible, discreet in bis manners
has made great proficiency in our Ian
| guage, and, from the disposition he
discovered at the battle Of Brandy wine
possesses large share Of bravery and
military ardor."
Perhaps one of the highest sneomi'
ums ever pronounced of man in pub
lie life, is that of a historian eminen,
for his profound acquaintance with
mankind, who, in painting great cha
racter by single line; says that he was
just equal to all the duties of the high.
est offices which he attained, and never
above them. There are in some men
qualities which dazzle and consume to
little or NO valuable purpose. They
seldom belong to the great benefactors
of mankind. They we're not the quail
ties Of Washington, or of Lafayette
The testimonial offered by the Ameti-
can Commander to his young friend
after probation ofseveral months, and
after the severe test Of the disastrous
day Of Brandywine, was precisely adj
apted to the man in whose favor il was
given, and to the Object which it was
to accomplish. What earnestness o
purpose what sincerity Of conviction
what energetic simplicity of express
sion what thorough delineation o
character The merits OF Lafayette
to the eye of Washington, are the can.
dor and generosity Of his disposition
the interchangeable industry of applica
ton which, in the course of q few
months, has already given him the mas
terry of a foreign language-good sense
discretion of manners, an attribute
not only unusual in early years, bu
doubly rare in alliance with that en-
thusiasm so signaly marked by hi
self-devotion to the American cause
and, to crown all the rest, the bravery
and military ardor SO brilliantly mani.
tested at the Brandywine. Here is nc
random praise no unmeaning pane
gyric. This cluster of qualities, all
plain and simple, but SO seldom found
in union together, SO generally moons
patible with one another, these are the
properties emineutly trustworthy, in
the judgment of Washington; and
these are the properties which his dis
cernment has found in Lafayette, and
which urge him thus earnestly to advise
the qualification of his wish by the as
signment Of a command equal to the
rack which had been granted 10 his
zeal and his illHstrious name.
The Recommendation of Washington