Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-08-26

by the cool and manly bearing of the:
commander.
1 welIremember his expression O
the first sound Of the bugle given b,
the enemy as signal for the charg
upon the works. We were sitting to
gether; he sprang upon his feet, say
ing, Duncan, every man to his post
for in ten minutes they will attempt Il
take US by storm. RecOllect, wher
you hear my voice crying relief, com
10 me with all the men that can b.
spared from your part of the line.
He instantly passed up The line, re
pealing the order to every officer; ant
bad scarcely got the men placed, be
fore the whole British army, divi
ded into three columns, marched
upon the fort, and made.a desperate as
sault continuing it for near an hour
when they were repuISed, with los.
Of killed and wounded, estimated at the
time to be near double the numberiu
the fort, and is stated by English wrl'
ters TO be about ninety.
During the engagement, / saw
Croghaa often, and witnessed with
delight his intrepid and gallant con
duct; which, firmly believe never
has been surpassed at any time, or on
any occasion.
Ia the heat of action | frequently
heard him exclaim, 'huEza my brave
fellows, we are hewing them TO pieces,
five minutes more and we'll blow them
to hell. BY H--n every officer
and soldier has imm ortaliz:d himself,
&c, &c.-and throug hout the whole
affair evinced the greatest solicltude
for the safety OfeVery one but him
self.
The sagacity ,dispIayed in arranging
the cannoa so as to open mask EN-
brasure torake the enemy in lhe,ditch,
at point evidently selected by them
for the breach; in placing logs on pins
near the top Of the .plckeIs wherever
the enemy attempted TO make breach
with their cannon, by which means
each point of attack grew stronger
from The moment it was assailed, are
worthy of any General of any age.
You are right, sir, in my judgment
10 saying that the Government had
not done justice TO Col. Croghan for
his conduct in ihSt affair, which is
without parallel ia the military annals
Of our country.
As to myself having acted but a
subordinate part never did nor do
now sci up any claims for dIstinc,
tioa.-To knOw that ] did my duty 10
my country, though not hardened into
manhood, was thea and is now enough
for IRE. But Of him feel no deIicscy
in saying, injustice has been done to
him in being overlooked by the Gov.
erument-and by The erroneous stale
ments Of historians.
McAfee, the historian Of the late
war, aud Dawsoa the biographer oil
General Harrison, have studlousIy
kept out of view that The object Of the
invasian was The destruction of our
ships under Commodore Perry al
Presque Isle, and boats and stores at
CIeavelan these were looked upon
with great soIicilude by the British!
we're reconnoilered; aud on one or
two occasions, were attempted to be
destroy ed by landing the small force
on board their Aeel. They have also
failed to account for the movement Of
lhe whole British forces down The
AXE in The direction OF Cleaveland and
Erie, before their defeat at Sandusky,
which was attacked TO crafty their
Indian Allies who demanded the
,calps and plunder of the place. They
have kept out Of view, the fact that
Gen. Harrison had determined to re.
treat 10 the interior after burning all
lhe supplies which he had collected
that he ordered Major Croghan TO
and burn Fort Stephenson;
that his refusal to obey and failure TO
arrive al Head Quarters, preventing
this retreat and consequent destruction
of our feet, millions of public stores,
and exposure of five hundred m.ia;s :. ,
frontier to the co'G"e5iiueA eUemy.
Both hsve stated that General Har'
rison never doubted that Major
CrOghan would be able to repulse an
enemy of nearly Two thousand. and
which they say be understood TO be
FIVE thousand, with one hundred aud
thirty men, his effective force on the
day Of the battle, one six pounder
with ammunition for only seven Shots
and about 40 rounds for 40 small arms,
when the TACT was notorious that Gen.
eral Harrison was heard 10 say, during