, 1840-02-15

- INV "ho HS hStd'ty passed up IN
line, repeating this to every officer; and ha
scarcely got the men in place before tn
whole British army, divided into three col
umns, marched upon the fort and made
desperate assault. continuing it for near al
hour, when they were repulsed with a los
of killed and wounded, estimated at tina
time TO be nearly double the number in tn,
Fort, and stated by English writers to be
about ninety.
During the engagement | saw Croshan
often, and witnessed with delight his intrepid
and gallan! conduct; which, | firmly believe,
never has been surpassed at any time on any
occasion.
In the heat Of the action | frequently heard
him exclain' huzza my brave fellows, we are
hcwing them to pieces; five minutes more
and we'll blow them TO HI. BY I'm
"a eesy pdicer. and soldier has immortalized
HIMSELF &C., and through the whole affair
evinced the greatest solicitude for The safety
Of every one but himself.
The sagacity displayed in arranging the
cannon, so as TO open a masked embrasure to
rake the enemy into the ditch, a point evil
IDENTIFY selected by them for the breach-in
placing the logs on pins near the top of the
p'NhO's itOi OOtiu W LHtcuO VII w OU6 tldU,
and being from 90 to 80 feet long, Of heavy
timber, swept every thing before them-his
activity in piling bags Of sand against the
pickeis ~herever the enemy attempted to
make a breach with their cannon, by which
means every point OF attack grew stronger
from tile moment it was assailed, IRE worthy
of any general of any age.
You are right, Sir, in my judgment, in say
ing that the Government has not done iustire
to Col. Croghan for his conduct in that affair,
which is without parallel liz the military an
mails OF our country.
As TO myself, having acted n very subor-
diuate part, | never did. nor do now, set up
any claims Tor distinction. To know that I
did my duty to my country, though not
hardened into manhood, was then, and is
now enough foi me. But Of him. ! feel no
hesitancy in saying injustice has been done
10 him in being overlooked by the Gov
crnment, and the erroneous statements Of
historians.
MAfee, the historian Of the late war, and
Dawson the Biograpker of Gen. Harrison
have studiously kept out Of view that the OBJ
ject of the invasion was the destruction OF
ships under Com Perry, at Pressure Isle,
dlil bOsllS anu StOEtS 1T SlerSitlu-tIcSc
were looked upon with soliciiude by the
BTitish-were ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS on one or
two occasions wese attempted to be destroy
ed by landing the force on board their fleet.
They have also failed to account for the
movement of the whole British forces down
the Lake in the direction Of Cleveland and
Erie, before their defeat at Sanduiky, which
was attacked 10 satisfy their Indian allies,
wliodemanded the scalps and plumber of the
place. They had kept out OF view the fact
that General Harrison had determined TO re-
treat to the interior, after burning all the
supplies which he had collected, that he or.
dered Major Croghan to abandon and burn
Fort Stephenson; that his refusal to obey,
and failure to arrive at head quarters, pre-
vented this retreat and consequent destruc.
ton on our fleet, millions Of public stores,
and exposure of five hundred miles of FROM
10 the combined enemy.
Both have stated that Gen. Harrison new
err doubted that Major Croghen would be
able to repulse an enemy Of near two thou
sand, and which they say he understood to
be five thousand, with one hundl ed and thir-
ty men, his effective force On the day Of bat
Ilc, one six FOUNDER with ammunition for only
seven shots, and about forty rounds for the
small arms; when the fact was notorious that
General Harrison was heard % say during
he siege, when the firing could be heard in
lis camp, speaking Of Croghan, 'the blood be
IN his own head; | wash my hands of it, not
for a moment, nor did any one with
Tim, that the garrison would be cut off.
With great respect,
Your obedient servant,
JOSEPH DUNCAN.
I'll D,.,,on AfI,tr, Con, Con, IL