Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-08-13
IFrom the steubenviile (ohio) Gazette.
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM
ELISHA WuITTLESEY.

The following interesting letter has been
put into our hands for publication, ny The
gentleman to'whom II Is addressed, Mr. J..
Philips. Dir. p. 10 honestly rchng Tor
correct information, applied Nhat source
.irom whence he knew Slie would get b." the
truth and nothing but the truth" The name
Of ELIsHA WHIrTLEsEY meyer was affixed tU
d misre epresen ntation, and we trnst the follow
ing will be read with the attention which il
merits. Although upon terms Of close init
macy with AIR. w. and boarding in the same
house with him during a session Of the Leg
islature, the senior editor Of this paper never
heard from, lnm any allusioD that lie had
taken up arms, when quite q youth, 10 de
fence of his country. His remarks, IN refer.
ence TO men who took to the woods 10 G.
wade a tour Of duty, wa submit to the special
attention Of all individual hercabo,h, whu
iukes delight in publishing General Harrison
a coward, &c.
"CANriELp, juno 90, 1910.
"Dear Sir-Your letter Of the 2Olh has just
arrived at The moment am prepared to leave
home for Asli.abula county, and 10 be abse ut
tor a week.
"You ask my opinion 'of Gen. Harrison as
awarrior, a statesman, and as q mar quail
hed to discharge the duties of the highest Of
hcc IN the gift of the American people,
viii delay my journey Tor few monlenis t.
give you o very brief reply and ani sorry
can devote no more time IN complying with
your request. | becanic acquainted with
Gen. Harrison in January, 1913. lie was
then, ss you know commander OF the North.
western army. Ills plan for n winter cam.
paign, was to concentrate his force at the
Rapids of the blaumee river, and regain
Michigan, ana 1t practicable, take Maiden,
and subdue the British power in Upper Can
ada. Gen. Winchester had command Of the
troops destined TO descend the Maumee river
from Fort Defiance, or Otherwise 10 proceed
10 the Rapids, on or near the Margin Of that
river. Gen. Harrison was at Upper Sandus-
Ky, having more immediately under his per.
sonal command the troops oncentrated there,
or on their march from The middle or south
crn part OF this State, and the troops from
Pennsylvania, having the artillery under
their charge. Gen. Perkins was at Lower
Sandusky, IN command OF the troops from
the Reserve, aud the regiments commanded d
by Col Andrews aud Col. Hlndmun from the
Counties south OF tho Reserve. A part Of
Gen. Perkins command was IN Huron
county. Gen. Winchester moved forward to
the Maume Rapids, without communicating
with Gen. Harrison. Gen. Perkins received
letter from Gen. Winchester, on the 10th
OF January, 1919, advising him that his COM
inand arrived at the Maumee Rapids on the
10Th that he contemplated to advance with
n part Of 1t TO the river Raisin; and that, TO
inaintaln a sufficient force at the Rapids, q
cooperating battalion was necessary. Gen.
Perkins ordered Major Cotgreave to taxi
prompt measures 10 prepare his battalion for
that service, and despatched messenger TO
Gen. Harrison. lie, with his stat, arrived al
Lower Sandusky on the 18th. About II
that night, an express brought letter from
Gen. Winchester to Con. Perkins, dated
miami Rapids, January 18th, 3 o'clock, A.
~, advising Gen. Perkins he had information
that large body Of Indians and troops from
Maiden, were expected at the river Raisin,
with a view to proceed and attack his camp
that the day before, he had sent a detach-
ment to attack the enemy, and that battle
would be fought before the letter he was
writing could be delivered. He requested
Gen. Perkins to send his disposable force
When the letter wus read, Gen. Harrison,
among other things remarked, he feared Gen.
Winchester would be cut off; out it was his
duty and wish TO sustain him, as lar as ho
could.
Major Cotgreavcs' battalion was the best
disciplined corps in that wing Of the North
Western army, and before sunrise it march
ed on, Of camp according to order in gallant
style. Col. Andrews' regiment, with the
whole disposable force, was ordered, on tho
morning of the 10Th, 10 prepare to march for
the same point, and it was pressed forward to
the Maunee with the least possible delay,
considering the stute OF tho mud, for there
was not u road with a bottom to it. Gen.
Harrison aud Gen. Perkins, after attending 10
the necessary preparations 10 hasten the
march OF Col. Andrews' regiment, proceeded
through the swamp with one utlendant.-
They overlook Major Cotgreaves, and arriv-
ed first at the Rapids. The mud, snow and
water were not unfrequcntly middle leg
deep, and partly congealed with frost. The
first team that attempted to penetrate the
swamp III that direction, accompanied Major
CotgIeaves' battalion : but, SO difficult was II
10 pass it that the team could not haul a
small cannon and the nien, in addition to
their baggage aud PROVISIONS, carried the can
non suspended between poles. When the
troops arrived at tho Rapids, exhausted ma
ture required refreshment. As little time
was given us was consistent with the condi-
tion 0. the troops. Major Cotgrcaves' bat
TALON marched from the site OF the old Brit
ish fort between daylight and sunrise on the
morning Of the day that Winchester was de:
Seated, and our troops 70 inhumanly murdered
at the river Raisin. The disposable force at
the Rapids, under the immediate command OF
Gen. Harrison, took up the line OF march in
the course OF the day, ond as soon as they
could be put in state Of preparation. II was
said, at the time, that Maj. Coigreaves' bat
talon was wahln hearing Of the 6rlng at the
rver Ralsin before they met the refugees
from the sceuo Of slaughter. Hearing the
Issue oi that illiated day. and learning from
every source capable ol nnporting information
that the victory was complete, and that the
force was superior TO the number Of troops
under Gen. Harrison, he returned 10 the
camp, aud ~ the evening consulted the offi-
curs as To the Course Ia he pursued. There
was not an cnlren, hing tool IN tho camp,
aud the axes furnished by the United States,
'w.rc made 80 sell, aud not ior use.' la offi
cal l.tirrs wIiicn before, by Zen. Perkins,
he had spoken nf them os being worthless
nud n ny recollection H. not inaccurate, he
had stated they were no better than pewter
There were q Few good axes m camp, the
MILITARY had taken Nilh them, IN cot their
tire wood. hut not more than sufficient for
that purpose. The ir,s ps were eDcsmpsd
op the North vest side vi the Maumee river,
winch was then frozen over but which 10
IN, even, of a thaw, could not he recrosscd
by Gen. Harrison, as he had not boat at his
Ia. a