Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-15


ed in your paper of Saturday aud regret To observe
that, IN the warmth of his zeal for his chief he attempts
70 throw the Responsibility al the movement Fort
King with inadequate supplies upon the officers of the
Suarterniastcr's Department. Now, have
much as they do 10 bear the burden of their
errors hnd II 90 at least and confess my shout
ders are not quite broad enough bear the additional
weight which the gallantuspecor kindly disposed
90 transfer TO them. But lrt him speak for himself
lie says: The General directed his march toward.
Fort King lie had taken ten days rations only, but
ad reason TO suppose that large ,appy OF stores
at or king, the teuarteraster having shown him an
official letter from the 1enera adyis
ing him that 100000 ratons had been ordered To that
posi- and ia subsequent paragraph he says: '.Thc
General contrary to las reasonable expectations. found
no sufficient supply of stores OF any kim. IL is
maxim IN war; as old as the science itself that Gene.
raj should never separate himself from his supplies
without taking care 60 his tons; but
IS ne high attribute oil genius be- able dispense
with those rules which ~ for the
OF ordinary mortals. The commander however who
dsfegafds them, assumes responsibility which nothing
short OF complete success eau Justify:
ior surprising that supplies would be found Fort KIM
may PALATE but cannot justify movement contrary 10
rule, which resulted in failure, MS this did.
Dut let us examine the grounds for the supposon of
tue GencraL Capt Shannon, the senior Quarpr,naser
IN Florida, had been advised in letter OF the 18Th or
January, rom the Qaarterinaser Generals Office that
atge supply OF provisions had been ordered from Scto
i"rk I, Fort ny. The following is an extract from
tnat letter OF all that relates the subject: Lsrye sun
Pcs Poe's,ons hace been ordered oaz N1so forL To
ioH King. BY comparing this extract with Cantan
hitchcock letter il will BE- that he has a,n;;td ill.,
material fact that the supplies were ordered from Mr.
i'n NOW, ne must pardon me fno, satisfied " it'll the
precise quantum OF truth which he has chosen To tell
StI or INC department the benefit of the ,rhoie truth
~encrai Gaines, we are told, moved from Tampa Raw
~" tne on rcoruary Just twenty four days subsequent
10 the date OF the letter TO Capt Shannon: n,s mn,
suinclent 20 have placed the supplies ia epot nj Frt
Ming even In the most favorable of the wear and
win Tue land communication entirely free from the in
errapuons oil the enemy Besides, Ge"erai tiunes
must nave known that all the settlements in Florida
from near Saint Augustine Fort ksag, had been bro.
ken up or were Kept ia constant alars by the enemy
ana tha The whole line of the Ocklawhs, we'll us tie
roads from Paltka and Pcoata were liable To be- seized
ana held by him; II must also have been known that
"enera Scott was in the field and the least reflection
must nave led any TO perceive that lac would hard
~ allow ms supplies go without projection in vance
OF ms force The date of the letter, place whence
uie supplies were necessarily drawn the state of The
roads ia Florida, The condition of that cuuntfv and
tue position OF General Scott should all have l,een
considered Viewing these circumstances tog.ther
what grounds were there to justify the supposon
supplies would be found at Fort King. Wha, rrysoo
dCte expectation of the General couLi have he.n s,
pointed, unless n6eed he supposed General tlinc md
obtained supplies before General Scott arrived i'm the
country; But he, at the head of thousand me n was
ooiiSed 10 cntrench himself Withlacoochee and
was neither able to open the Communications with his
own depot at Tampa Bay keep oEen that with
tort hing, how could he expect General Cl;pch with
iesS uan hIi that force, if the supplies had arrv
e ~ coa.a 10 Keep open the communication and fur
h'sh Protecuon tor them the route when uyvt.rv br.
gade OF wagons or pack horses required military es
c0rt ''"-s 60
The fact 49, there just ground for the supoosi
soh, was ever entertained, that supplies would be
FOUND at Fort King than sufficient its yarrisn
tampa BAY was the proper depot for Gen Gain,s dyi-
SION When he left that post for Fort King the sppls
were aDundantj II he chose leave there ana al
low the enemy TO cut him off from them he no doubt
ma reasons sufficient in his opinion 10 Justify Tho
measure but the responsibility as well as The honor il
all ms own. must be excused iron, sharing eith.r
THOMAS >. iESUP