North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-10-14

General. wirh an invitation 10 surrender
forthwith; and on the refusal tn scquieses
to h's pefrmptory demsnd he hegan 6ting
shells and cannon halls from the British
side IN The fort Of Detroit. o. The next
morning he crossed the river shout three
miles below Detroit, and vcFy soon after
General Huli unexpectedly gave or
ders 10 bis men who were about 100
strong, 10 retreat towards she small fort
with 500 men. The British con,iserd adj
vaneing towards the Americas fort when
Ia the great astonishment and indignation
Of the Amerieap soldiers, a While band
kerrhirf was hung by The Generals orders
On the walls Of the fort so nnexpectrd
was this cowardly movement on the pafs
oi the American General, that the British
were themselves pctri6ed With asionlsh-
ment they despatched one Of their ofEi-
GERS Il learned that General Hull WIS pre-
pared 10 surrender without having even
fred single gun. The capi,ulation was
soon agreed upon and signed by both par
ties. Twenty five iron and eigh, brass
pieces Of ordinance fell hy this shamefu!
surrender Into The hands OF the British,
and the flower OF the American army was
delivered over IN the English General.
We shall have occ aston 10 show that had
this movement Of General Hull proved
successful as il conld have been under
brave aud elbeieut Officer, the Canadians
would have Cooked by thousands 10 the
American standard. But when a diam.
tecsted and unptejudiced man views in
its true light the didercn, attempts made
by the American army 10 invade Upper
Canada, aud the disastrous ealamiiies
which fell TO he lot Of those unfortunate
and TOO confdng Canadians who had
joined the American Eagle at Sandwich.
he is no, surprised that The Canadians
were more on their guard after that time,
and that they did not blindly trust The
good faith Of the invaders, when the re-
membrance OF the shameful abandonment
of their counirymrn by General Hull was
still fresh in their memories.
As our department is exclus vely onlin
ed to the History oi the Province Of Lower
Canada we must apologize TO our. readers
if we have drawn their atteniion 10 events
which belong more particularly 10 the
History Of the Upper Province and OF The
United States. But orr intention is to
take things a, their origin, and 10 show
that the Canadians would have observed
quite a different conduct towards the
Americans, had the latter used the proper
means and acted generously with them.
But how could General Hull, in the eyes
Of the nations Of The world, exculpate him
SELF for his shameful and base abandoro
ment OF those friendly Canadians who had
joined the stars and stripes OF the Ameri-
can. people How, after such fragrant
violation Of national honour and trust,
could the Canadians be induced TO believe
that they would not be treated in similar
manner second timer Alter having is
sued his proclamation OF the I2tb Of July,
inviting the Canadians To abandon their
allegiance to the Crown of England and
TO oin the American Union, one month
and four days after this solemn invitation
and engagement on The part Of an Ameri-
can BrigaJier General, who, 10 his mill
tsry and official capacity was representing
the American nation, those honest and
faithful Canadians who had embraced the
peoples cause against the tyranny or
monarehicaI Institutions, were handed
over TO the British officers 10 be treated a.
rebels and traitors and Thus exposed 10 an
ignominous deaihtl! Have Americans
ever seriously reflected ON the awful pre-
dicsment in which those noble victims III
their devo,rdness 10 The spirit Of repubii-
eanisfa, were placed, apd thai too By The
cowaraly and treacherous abandonment of
an American General, who, In the name OF
bis nation, had pledged his word thar they
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