The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-02-27
Outlines Of The Life and Pablo Services, CT
oil and Military, Of WILLIAM HENRY HAIR
.RIsoN, Of Ohio.

.RisoN, o. OHIO.
(coNrisuED)
COMMANDER OF THE SOUTHWESTERN ARMY.
No sooner. however, did the President be-
come acquainted with the actual state Of af-
fairs, and learn that General Harrison was
the choice ofthe whole western people, and
that he was already engaged in extensive pre-
parailons Tor active service, than the chief
command in the Northwest was assigned to
him. Orders TO this effect reached him at
Piqua, on his return, by which he was re-
CURED, after providing for the protection OF
the Western frontiers, 10 retake Detroit, and
with view to the conquest of Upper Cana
da, TO penetrate that country as far as the
forces under his command would in his judg-
ment justify. The army placed under him,
consisting of regular troops, and militia and
volunteers of Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and
Pennsylvania, amounted to ten thousand men
With the designation of these very general
objects to be accomplished, broad authority
was given him 10 command such means as
might be practicable, TO erercise his own DIS
Grafton, and 10 ACT ia all cases according to
his oion Judgment. In word, complete and
discretionary power was conferred on him to
conduct all the operations of the war in the
always, W INC tllicc
specific objects prescribed by the Department,
namely, the internal defence of the country,
the recapture of Detroit, and the invasion of
Canada.
This extensive commandments extensive
than was ever inirusted before TO any officer
of the United States since the Revolution
extensive, not only as to the wide expanse of
country it embraced, but. also the nature of
the powers conferred was placed in the
hands Of General Harrison by President Ma
olson, whose long and intimate official know
ledge of the officer employed, gave him The
best possible means Of judging as to that off
GERS rustworthiness and capabilty. Nor
did the result disappoint the Presidents ex-
pectaions General Harrison's command
covered vast frontier, stretching along the
great Lakes with harbors and rivers accessi;
BILE 10 the enemy, and with a large number Of
scattered posts and exposed settlements,
which he was required to defend against
host Of warlke Indians. His forces were
either undiscipined recruits, or militia and
volunteers, full of the ardor, it is true, Of pa
triots and freemen, but enlisted for limited
periods destitute Of the habits or experience
Of the soldier, and to be held in obedience by
personal influence rather than force of auiho-
rlty. Such troops were unquestionably COM
petent to the defensive purposes contemplated
for them by the Government. But, in addi-
ton TO this, General Harrison was to operate
ofensipeiy; he was to repair the disasters OF
Hull's misconduct !; to retake Detroit, and
carry the war into the enemy's country and
in doing this, he was 10 act against the ex-
perienced officers and well -disciplined troops
Of Britain Besides which, the point Of at
tack was remote from the source Of his sup
plies, while the intervening country a
trackless and swampy wilderness, almost lm-
passabe for heavy wagons, swarming with
hostile savages, and where the troops, though
ever so little encountered with baggage, could
advance but slowly, and with incessant labor;
and the difficulties thus caused were tenfod
augmented by the fact that many of the most
indispensable munitions of war were yet
wah,lng-magazines and depo,s to be pro-
vded--and a commlssariat, covering so cx-
tensve and SO impracticable a theatre Of ope-
rations, TO be created almost out OF nothing
That delays and subordinate rcverses should
have impeded the progress Of Gen. Harrison,
amid all these difficulties, was in the inevita-
bic course of things. No power short Of one
to work miracles could have sufliced TO pre-
vent this The wonder is, that General iar-
rison succeeded at all. And yet, in the face
of the immense embarrassments and impedi-
ments which surrounded him, he, by perse-
vering energy, frmness and courage, over
came them all. accomplished every one of
the objects prescribed to him, and within
one short year from the time he commenced
his undertaking, goriously concluded it BY
the final victory of the 'rSlmes achieved In
the very heart OF Upper Canada.
When General Harrison received his or.
defs, The first consideration was, by what plan
of operations were the prescribed objects OF
the Government to. be attained Smarung
under the sense of the disgrace Hull had
brought on the country, and sanguinc in the
consciousness of their own courage, the men
of the West had al first turned their thoughts
to the idea of the recapture Of Detroit by
coup de main Further reflection satisfied
them of the impracticabil,y Of eflecting this,
without the previous concentration of supplies,
and the armament OF particular points, to sup
port the advancing forces. II troops could
be advanced in sufficient numbers in the
course of the autumn or winter, simultane-
ously with the collection of rations and stores
al secure posts, and the for,ifcation of others
10 be held as points. dappui for the intended
movements, then a blow could at once be
struck a. Maiden, so TO break up the power OF
the enemy, and the rccapture Of Detroit made
certain. Meanwhile, in these operations
pointing at the ulerior object as the main one,
The incidental one would likewise be attained,
of holding in check the British and their sa-
wage allies, and thus guarding the safety OF
the frontier States.
In this view, General Harrison fixed upon
the following plan of operations. The point
Of concentration, from which the principal