Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-06-11

iiS"s WiNh W. nUJsSlA WilCbA WuGG6s
however, it would seem as If he did no, ex-
pect to be followed, as he neglected to
take the precaution of breaking up the
bridges until the night Of the day that our
army left Sandwich. On the first night of
their march general Harrison with his
troops reached one of four streams which
crossed their route. and which, being rem
dered uniordable by their depth aud mud
diness for a considerable distance up the
country, had been necessarily furnished
with bridges. OF these bridges the first
had been leit entire. At the second,
British lieutenant Of dragons and eleven
priyates, sent by Proctor for the purpose
Of destS ying it, were made prisoners dur
ing the process; and from them general
Harrison learned that the third bridge was
broken up. and that the enemy had no
certain information of the advance of the
American army.
| The general also found tho second
bridge, however, but imperfectly destroyed,
and with little difficulty repairing it, march
ed on upthe banks Of the Thames and en-
camped at place called brakes farm
In the meantime the baggage of the army
was brought up in boats, protected by three
gun-boats, furnished by commodore Perry
for that purpose as well as to cover the pas
sage Of the army over the Thames. or the
mouths Of its tributary streams. The banks
being low and clear and the river deep, those
vessels were well calculated forsuch service
but when, approaching nearer to the enc
my, the river changed its character by the
stream becoming narrower, and the banks
high and woody, general Harrison deter
mined to leave the boats under guard be-
hind him, and to trust to the bravery Of his
troops for effecting the passage of the rv-
err. At the third unfordable stream the
bridge had been taken away, and several
hundreds of the Indians disputed the pas.
sage and commenced heavy fire from
the opposite bank Of the creek as we'll as
from that of the river, upon the advanced
guard. A few shot from two six Founders,
however, soon dispersed the savages, and
served to cover our men while throwing
over another bridge. As our army APP
preached them, the enemy set fire to their
vessels and stores, filled with ordnance
and other valuable property to an immense
amount, and lef, them in flames as they
retreated. However, our army took a
UutnUCt Oh uuShCto. tWO tWCuty-iOuI pOuu-
ders with their carriages, and quantity
of balls and shells of various sizes, togeth-
er with two gun-boats and several bat
teauxs loaded with provisions and ammuni-
ton.
Finding it necessary to pass rapid on
the Thames at a place called Arnold's
Mills, which was found too deep for the
infantry, the general resolved to make use
Of two or three boats and some Indian ca
noes he had taken on the spot, and with
the assistance of these and by obliging
each horseman o+take man of the ;nfan-
try behind him, he had the whole Of his
army crossed over by twelve o'clock. He
was now within twelve miles Of theenemy,
and when, advancing forward eight Of those,
he received information that the hostile
detachment headed by general Proctor had
arrived the day before at the Moravan
towns, four miles higher up the river, he
Immediately directed the advance Of john
sons regiment'to hasten their march for
ward for the purpose Of procuring intehi-
gence. In short time the officer re-
turned with the information Mathis pro-
gress had been stopped by the enemy, who
we're formed across his line Of march,
One ofthe enemy's waggoners also being
taken prisoner gave the general very ma
terial information.
a more able disposition could not be made
under such circumstances than ,cas no'o made
bu general Harrison. His conduct on
this day is distinguished by MASTER
LIN DEVICE OF HIS OWN, PURE
.LY ORIGINAL, and such as none but a
bold and incentive genius, peculiarly form
ed for the-anil,tary profession could haze hit
upon, or would have hazarded. Convinced
that the thickness Of the woods and swamp
mess of the ground would render it imposs-
IDLE to act on horseback against the Indi-
ans on the TANKS. he determined to refuse
them. and at once to break the British lines
by a charge of the mounted in9antry: for,
knowing that the American baok-woods-
men ride better than any other people in
thick woods, and that in galloping through
them musket or rife is no impeachment
whatever to,their speed, he reasonably an
,ieipated what actually took place, viz:
that the enemy unprepared for and surpris-
ed by such ashock, would be unable to re-
sist it. Comfortably to this resolution he
directed the regiment be drawn up in
close column. with its right at the distance
of fifty yards from the road, in order that 1t
might be in some measure. protected by the
trees from the enemy's artIley, and with
"a. L. G. ,,oo,, a eu,an,p that ran naralIel tO