Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-12-26
MORNING, 26, 1889.

command the escort of a train of pack.
horses, bound for For, Hamilton, some 30
or 80 miles north OF For, Washington,
which Difficult, service he performed with
such credit as to attract the particular no.
tice Of the Commander in-chlef.
la 1902, Harrison was promoted 10 the
rank of Lieutenant, and in l793 he JON.
ed the new army under General Wayne.
His spirit, enterprise, and sagacity, 0
attracted the notice of that able comman.
der, who appointed him one Of his aids-de-
camp, in which difficult and responsible
post he served during the war. His sur
vices, especially at tho battle c fthe Mau.
NEE Rapids. by which the contest was
brought TO close, are mentioned with
emphasis, IN General Wayne's official &C.
count OF the victory. After the close OF
the war, Harrison was promoted TO the
rank Of Captain. and was placed in com
mand oil Fort Washington, the most impor-
tant post in the Western country. While
in this command, he mnrried a daughter
of John Cleves Symmes. the founder Of
the Mama setilements-a lady in whom
he has ever found a faithful and affection.
ale companion.
In 1897, Harrison resigned his COM
mission in the army, and was appointed
Secretary of the North. Western Terrific
ry, and ex~ .oficio Lieutenant Governor.
The next year the North. Western Terri.
tory entered the second grade OF the Ter
~ritorial Government, and became entitled
TO a Congressional delegate. , Gen. Ilar-
rison was chosen to Gil this important sta.
ton. He remained in Congress only one
year, but during that time he rendered We
nv essential service to his constituents. -
As the law then stood, the public lands
could only be purchased in tracts OF four
thousand acres; a very great hardship
| upon the poor settlers, who were thus obli-
| ged to purchase at second. hand, and at
an enhanced price. Harrison brought
this subject before Congress, and moved a
| committee to consider il. OF that com
miltee, he was, himself, appointed chair
man; the only instance, il is believed, in
which such an honor has been conferred
upon Il Territorial delegate. He made a
report, accompanied by a bill, authorl-
sing the public lands TO be sold in alter.
nate half and quarter sections ; that 49,,
in alternate tracts Of three hundred and
twenty, and one hundred and sixty acres.
The report attracted great attention, as
did Harrison's speech in supper, Of il; bot
the bill was very ~vehemently opposed
In the Senate, the resistance was so great
that al length n committee OF conference
was appointed. Harrison was one Of the
committee, aad, finally a compromise was
agreed to, by which the public lands were
10 be sold in alternate whole and half sec.
TORS; that IS, III alternate tracts Of Six
hundred and forty, and three hundred aud
twenty acres. This WIS a great improves
ment upon the former law aud MS, AT
this time, settlers began 10 flow rapidly
into Chic, It's beneficial results were, in.
s,antly, felt.
AT this session Of Congress, a bill was
passed for dividing The Nortli-W Western
Territory. Ohio became a Territory by
itself; while all the rest Of the North
Western country, including the existing
States oflndiana, Illinois, and Michigan,
and the Territory of Wisconsin, was Gre.
ated into u new Territory, by tho name
of Indiana. After the purchase Of L.oui-
siana, that vast country was annexed 10
The Indiana Territory, and SO remained
for some time. Oflhls new Territory,
General Harrison was appointed Cover
nor. He became, by virtue OF bis mp
poiniment, Superintendent OF Indian AT
fairs within his jurisdiction, and in addl-
ton, he was appointed sole Commissioner
for treating with the Indians. We have
not room to 20 into a detail Of his terrific
rial administration. Suffice it to say that
he was r~e.appointed, from time TO time,
for fourteen years, always at the express
request Of the inhabitants. His station
as Superintendent Of Indian Affairs, and
Indian Commissioner, involved him IN
complicated negotiations and disputes with
the celebrated Tecumseh, and his BROTH
err, the Prophet, the details Of which, III
we had room for them, would be highly
interesting. These troubles, at length,
resulted in the expedition TO Tippecanoe,
by which the schemes of the Shawnee
chiefs were broken up, and .hcir forces
dissipated.
At the breaking out, however, OF the
war with Great Britain in 1912, all the
dangers of an Indian war were renewed
and aggravated, and Thai danger became
imminent when the Inefficient conduct of
Gen. Hull, upon the Detroit frontier, be-
came generally known. A large body,
of volunteers, was organizing in Kentucky,
for The protection Of the North Western
frontier, and Gen. Harrison, whose con
duet, in the Tippecanoe affair, had been
highly approved throughout the whole
Western country, was sent for by Gov.
Scott, to advise and aid in their organiza-
ton and disnnsifinn. While in Kentucky, |