Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-06-30
From the National Tateihgtnoer.
TIE CASE OF MAJOR GATES.

case of Major GATES, struck from the Army list /
without a trial. rs being case of hardship, as well
as an arbitrary exercise of Executive authority. /.
Since which, we have seen in the Charleston pa (
pers the subloined document, which proves be-
vond question tia, the c.nsurc Of that officer by
the Court of Inquiry was no less an act oil uhmeii-
ted SO Gritty than his abrupt dismisson from tho
Army
To Major Gates, ofthe United States Army:
Muon Ii is with deep interes, tina, we have
heard the decision of the Court OF Inquiry, called
for bv YOU with reference to Your conduct as the
officer of the regular Army, entrusted with the
charge not only of the numerous lnvads oil our
brigade left nj Fort Bapnsell, but the large stores
Of subsistence for those OF our iellow-sodiers who
had been ordered to operate by them upon tie IN
terror. As this communication is one that has
sprung from the iulness of our heats, and Is intend
cd To spread al least as far rs the decision IN anes
lion, lc, us open it with glance al the very unia-
vorable position necessarily assumed hy YOU in la
KING command OF us. Circumstances had already
augl,, us to regard the campaign of Florida as one
: of ,lutv apart from all the enthusiasm Which be-
oneed To YOUTH and the energy and enterprise
required OF us as ireemen. We believed that we
should find III YOU nothing mortfthan the willing
gan Of an austerc military dcspotism, and we were
prepared 10 obey YOU. How different are our feel
inrs now---how very different were they an hour
aitcl our introduction TO YOU. Let free exhibit
of them ihroug bout this whole paper 90 farther 10
evincc them. We will not animadver upon the
decision in question, nor the order prcdica,,ri upon
it, bu, submit candid statement To your friends.
Three weeks had scarcely passed over US, gar
risoned tor The protection of the sick, the wounded,
and the public stores OF the left wing, when, from
the spread OF disease the decay oi provisions, and
iie approach of the intense heat oi summer, You
were obliged TO issue orders for considerable ex-
tension ofihe pickctine, and this when the enemy
was known 10 be in the neighborhood, and the ma
cria 10 be procured AT great hazard. Scarcely had
tho works advanced TO being fully under operation,
when an unexpected attack was made upon them,
and two of the garrison killed. Who amongst
us is prepared TO vouch for the force engaged 1t
WI, TO be drawn only from rapid conjecture your
part. Not an express had been received from the
main column, which was 20 have returned III ten
days, as we were induced to believe. There was
every reason to suppose that the Indians had been
collecting, from the throwing down Of our old work
and from the impossibiliiy fan Indian force being
kept en- masse longer than "A few week.at one time
1t was probable that the Western tribes had been
dsbandcd and ordered to form upon King Philip,
both with view Of salty and snccd1. This, to-
gcthcr with the departure of the steamboat, which
took place on the morning OF the attack, carrying
with hcLthe pecc N ordnance intended by You as
a chicfsYFeans of defence many strong
'fasonS for your discrctiep and that great conf
ANdcncc in your own character, which induced yon
rather to expoStuate against, than To give eountc-
h nance to OF encourage, an unnecessary quixotisfu
on parts. Again, what military eye, at all ac-
: customcd 10 Indian warfare, but. would, at IN
slant, have discovered the ground as AN insuperahc
obstacle To the hintesl exhibit ofprowcss Were
+ hundred effective men 10 leave nearly hundred
y sick, worse lhan altogether exposed, (or the,
were partially mpcnned,) to rush upon an npen-
ctrablc moraSS, covered with the ihickcst wood
growth, and extending for miles, rs river swamp
p Should Philip and his hundred and fifty warriors
lnsu b,o aiu"o m o,ni,u>il tncrc, II auiC snnltient
cause for hesitation. This, over elevated hills,
too within fifty yards of the woods leaving in their
rear, at seventy Yards distance, "A ihicklv under
brushed creek, from which heavy volIcvs were
then being fred dehlc of four hundred yard, to
overcome before the small horse force at hand
could have been made N all available. To every
ingenious mind, glance at the position of the post
, showed that II was any ding but an advantageous
site for military operations, however convenient IT
: might have been rs depot and if we mistake
not, YOU were strictly enoinrd hy your superior,
ON leaving Fort BarnwcI to regard il only a, such,
maintaining II inviolate AT all hazards. \ our oh
serva'ion made to u.s. aS 10 the greater value Of
two hundred sick men than the burial of two dead
ones while urging on the construction of the for
trcsS, is enough to atone to the families them
selves OF the deceased: armies should not be more
sciupulouS
Dear sir, find il difficult To refrain from clo-
slng this note with the hearty wish that vou would
treat tpc whole matter with an utter indifference
awaiting with due patience the PREPARATION OF an in
Jury which your cllcw oficcrS must sooner or la
ter ircl themselves utterly rcpcntant at having in
iilcted. We unanimously concur in the opinion
that, had YOU 50 far forgotten your duty to the sick
and wounded, to the army, in charge of whose sub
siStcncc You placed, as to have rSkcd all, c-
thor from apprehension of the worlds opinion or
Tor the honor of capturing a, few Indians when
there were thousands of troops detailed for that
purpose, and when there was every probability that
many OF our men would have been sacrificed in the
attempt, iny compcnSaiing tn the savaucs the tri-
ling loss they might sustain YOU would in all pro
liability have been called before a Court Martial to
answer for your conduct and we are only sur
pr'scd that much commentator, rather than this
unmcr'tcd attack upon your character as n man of
honor and soldier, should have been the consc-
fnencc OF Your command over the troops from
South Caroline. In your department towards us
IN the ALTAR, we are happy to acknowledge the
highest traits OF magnanlmity, however much it
might have been endeavored to include us in the
censnrc that has fallen upon you; and however much
we do contcmn the attempt, You have even taken
the whole burden upon yourself, and, single hand
ed, opposed the ungCncrouS inSnuations. MAY YOU
ever continue 10 receive, from the militia who may
hereafter fall under your command, tho same heart