The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-02

|
! passed through the Generals hat grazing his
head. There tcaS not a spot ,oithin oar lines Sc.
care Prom The shot Of The enemy. On this, It's on
every other orcnsion within myohser vntion Gen
iihirson's condnct WHs than Of brave and skill
TAI cUinmnnder always calm and cool m his
manner, and wholly indifferent to bis personal
safety, possessing the peculiar faculty Of at once
discerning Whatever was wanting and Of prompt
" applying the remdy. A single Instance Of
Vnrc'IInIl"n or uncertainty OF purpose the slight.
rSl lrenor OF nerve or hesitation III mind, in the
critical add appalling periods OK the battle, would
have been diSnStrruuS to his army. After the nc
non, there seemed TO be universal admission by
| the officers and soldiers Of the army that there
was not another officer in the battle capable OF
having prevented II defeat and general massacre
Al seemed to regard Gonenl Harrison MS their
de'Verer from the lndinn seal ping knife.
According to my hest rec0lIections, Fort Meigs
was rannonndhd, day and night, with bat little
ln'"rInission, for nhOu days. Shorty after
It's commencement, Major Chambers, OF the Brit
lSh army, wnS admitted into the sIorku.le the
bearer from Gen. Proctor of an invitation to sur.
render the garrison with the hOuors of war, on
the ground thar small Il force, about 600
nen, could not sustain themselves nguins,
Jour times the nmntbe", the estimate British and In
dian force. in. Harrison nj once rejected in.
dignantly this propusIti"n, replying 10 tle insult
in terms worthy Of his high character Both day
and night, during the siege, General Harrison
Of the enemy, and cvincing his usual GOODNESS,
dnnnIIess courage, and his happy readiness to
perceive ana apply every incident to his advan-
tnge. he succeeded in accomplishing everv
plan and Increment where his orders lcerc obe,,ed
recoIlcct not one inStanre to the contrary.
The detachment under Col. Dudley effected in
part, the object intended, in driving the British
troops from their position; but they dsobeyed
orders in not spiking the enemys cannon, de
sFoying their ammunition, and thpreupon re-
crossing the river to the main army. The two
sonies on the south side of the river, and on the
same day, planned and executed under orders
from Generat Harrison, were cninently SIcCGss-
ful, resulting in the objects designed, forcing the
Br irish to raise the seige Of Fort hIelgs. That
conducted Ivy the brave and accomplished Off
Ger then Col. John Miller now Representative
in Congress from Missouri, intended 10 desWuy Il
sunken battery that bad annoyed us very serious
~ Ivy enfadng rear line Of pckc,s, as we'll
as to prevent the almost entire Iudinn force, then
investing the fort on that side OF the river, from
co. cooperating with the British against Dudlev's
attack, mndc at the same ime Oh the opposite
side, considering the very great dcspary be
yeen our force aud that Of the enemy, being rs
four to one, was, must I've allowed to say, one
Of the most brilliant affairs during the last war.
Gen. Wnchester's movement in the river Raj
sin where he was defeated, in tisobrdjence
OF Gen Harrison S order, which required him 10
proceed 10 the Rapids of the Mautnee of the
! have extended my remarks beyond what
designed, when Connieuce,l, hnt you viii per-
ceyc my OF cct was tn give ia ami saiiStacto
ry answer 10 your interrogatorcs. l aver thai
every occasion, when Gen Harrison com
nanded, he ever disregartlea personal danger
and sacrifice in the performance of duty, eXlib'
Ting all the fine qualities Ola daunlless soldier,
combined with those Of Il tnlented, ssillfil, and
most able General. Why Int this remote period,
when death has swept away so many memorials
of Gen Ilnrrison's intrcl'lliy ani excellence,
should the poisoned spirit Of political envy at.
tempt thUs to tnrnSh tic hard rnrre, la'rels of
the veteran soldier, who, in public rs in private
lite, has lived 'toiMom fear and 'citot reproGch.
This, sir, is what have to say of General ijnr
rson | doubt whether there - another living
who has possessed equal opportunities with my
self of forming n correct opinion Of General liar
rson's mill AIRY character. have served un
der him the greater part of the period he was in
service, near his person; commencing with the
TippecanOe expedition, and continuing 20 lis ter
animation; adjoining hls army in the fall ct 1877,
at FrankIinton, Ohio, where, Immediately on
my arrival became memher of his military
family, AS secretary; in the winter OF I9l2 ana
1913 was appointed his Acting Deputy hhIutant
Gcneral and in May 1878, Immediately after the
sei.e Of Fort Megs, his Abide Camp which
station held to the close ct his military service.
And, in conclusion, can safely say that never
in my life saw a drawer man in battle, one more
Collected, prompt, ana Ihll W TFSuuTCtF, tiuH
General William Henry Harrison.
have the homer to he, with great respect,
your most ohedient servant, J. O'FALLON.
Hon. MOSES b. CoRwIN.
C1vcINyArI, February 90, 1910.
DEAR SIR. Your letter ofthe II instant was
forwarded, under cover, 10 Mayor Chambers at
Washington Kentucky, aud sent Ivy him TO my
residence after left home which must he my
apology for the delay Of Ibis answer. |
| can state that you hive been correctly m !
formed that WAS in the battle OF the ii'ameS,
and near the person Of General Harrison from
=, no commandment 10 the end OF the engage
mcnr. and that personally know what part Geil
Harrison took in it, ! was II Capla'i III the ar-
nv Of the United States. AMI had the honor to
nrt Ms :, reuuiar Abide. Camp 10 Ceneml iiarri'
son during the active operations OF the cam,
paign, after the capture OF the British fleet; and
was nv his side in the battle at the lhamesWith
the execution of the time when, after the cap
tire of the British troops, he directed me TO pro.
coed to Governor SheIby,.nnd order hin, 10 bring