Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-08
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Shelby was sociated with that of Harrison in |
this resolution; and he too,-,he tB of Kings
Notwithstanding to the doctors slanderous
assertion, was Slammed with faint praise" Thus,
TO injnrc Harrison, he hesiates not to cast mn inn
pu,oon upon one Of the old fighting cocks of
the revolution,
lS The next items in Doct. Duncaus speech
arc, letter from Joseph Duncan ui Illinois, dn-
Ted March Is, 1885, to Col. Preston Of the u. S.
Sena'e, touching the order to Major Croghnu to
retlent from Fort Stephenson-nud series of
resolutions adopted on the 29h of Aug. 1913, by
sundry officers Of the Ohio militia declaring that
The conduct OF Harrison in the then campaign was
shrouded IN mystery, and 10 as Qhem) perfectly
inerplicabie."
OF The latter document we have little to say, ns
II is by 10 means singular that tue course of the
commander III cliiei OF IL large army should be
sometimes not only shroudcd in mystery" hut
"perlrct'y incxpcnbIe" to officers of militia I'M
der his command But in truth, as explained by
one OF these militia officers this great dssatisac-
ton was not SO much Mt my thing Harrison had
done, as IL was because they had not had an op-
portnniiy OF showing their bravery quickly us
they desired. This dissatisfaction was short -liv-
ed their resolutions were adopted on the 20lh Of
tory, which opened the way for the land forces TO
enter Canada and from that moment Harrison
Kept them hard nj work until the grand finale Mt
the Thames on the 9Th Of Oct This grand re-
suli probably removed all "ie mystery of the
previous preparations and probably, too these
very militia men of Ohio. who were then painting
for the fight, will not Mt all thank Doct. Duncan
for his att,np, in 1870 to throw II mist over the
character of that General, under whose ." my ste
rious and nexplicabIe' management they so
signally gloriied themselves in Oct 1913 We
Judge of the spirit md feelings of the militia of
OHIO and their descendants by the triumphant uoie
Of Ohio IN 1886 for Gen. Harrison for President
But to the letter of Joseph Duncan ate Govern
or OF lllinois.) Doctor Duncan endeavors 10 give
his letter additional force by saying that he is ga
staunch modern Wig, aud violent opposcr OF
the present administration Gov. Duncan was a
Jacksonman, and did more TO give the vote of H.
nois TO Jackson than did any other man in that
slate. Like thousands of other oil Jacksonmen,
he became utterly Disguised with that udmustra-
ton whcl-more through the malign influences
of MIR. Van Buren,, perhaps, than any thing else -
iulsiiied all the pledges under which it came Into
power; and when Mr.. Van Buren came in for
the succession, Gov. ID. would not support him.
Nor was he, at the date Of his letter, for Gem Har-
rison-neither was Col. Preston both of them,
We believe, being for Judge White We state
these facts, not TO insinuate that the corresl,on-
denre grew on, OF hostility to Harrison, but to
show that Doctor Duncan gives false impression
as ~ The position of Gov. Duncan and Col Pres.
ton s' The time the letter WINS written: they were
then opposed TO Harrison; they are no,c among
his most ardent and most eloquent supporters
Both of them were members Of the Young Mems
National Convention in May last and the writer
ct this had the pleasure of hearing both Of them
address that convention in eloquent terms, favor
able 10 the cause of Harrison aud Reform Per-
haIa these simple facts would he a sufficient com
mentary upon the letter; at least, sullce&it
indication that the author OF it considered it 10y
no means fltal to the reputation aud cause of LIS.
rlson. But the letter itself IL by no means so coll
elusive document ms the enemies of Harrison
may think it TO he: il written from memory,
twenty three years after the events spoken oiiook
ilace and what ARE the charges against flurrlsoii
Why, that he ordered Crogiian 10 retreat from
Fort Stephenson and, IL iDdS not TO be doubled that
if Crogllan had arrived (at head quarters accord
ing to orders, Harrison would have retrealed in
.iantly, leaving the whole frontier, fleet aud stores
nj The mercy of the enemy. Gov Duncan no
where expresses even an opini.n, that the crcum-
stunces of the case did not justify Harrison in his
order. and also in the retreat which he supposed
would hnve followed nor has any military man,
who was familiar with all the facts, ever doubted
the Iroprieiy OF llarrisous course. Had Fort
Stephenson iallen,- as every nan (Croghan and
his men inclu,lcd supposed it must fall - retreat
would have been necessary. II was the part Of
wisdom, then, TO he provided for an event which
was apparently inevitable. But luckily, the I'M
.xampled bravery Of Croghal, mud an extraordi
nary fortune Of war, saved the fort and repulsed
The enemy. II was piece of unusual good for
tune-provIdenlia, even for Cfoghan hmselfde.
clares ihat had he received his orders few hours
before, he should unhesaiingly have obeyed them,
so confident was he Of the wisdom aud neces.
sty OF n retreat. It's, however, entirely unne-
cessary for us TO follow this matter further. There
are Other witnesses,--and it is not derogaory TO
Gov Duncan 10 shy, that they are much better
Witnesses Than himself: he wrote from memory
they wrote on the spot. We lring forward
MAJOR CROGIiAN himself ind The officers OF
the u. $. Army. They testified not only on the
SPOT, but wiilIin few days after The transactions
in question took place; they were conpeteir wit.
nesses, TOO, and we may also add, unimpeacLed
wi,nesscs. BY such testimony do we do away The
injurious imputntions upon Harrison, which his
enemies have contrived by fists and italics, 10 draw
from the letter of Gov. Duncan.
OPINION OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
AR\Y.
owvn ErNrc, Tows