The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-25

army, was owing 10 has superior knowledge OF
the springs Of human action. and has skill IN
managing them. One powerful means was ms
own example. When his soldiers were SUD
iecied 10 the coarsesl and scantlest fare, he al
lowed his own table 10 be spread with nothing
briler than they enjoyed Another was BY APP
peals to their better feelings and motives, 70
their PATRIOTISM their self respect, their reason
and sense of honor instead OF resoriing 10 Sc
we're punishaleDts and hence such punishments
were rarely inflicted or required lis general
order. on going into bsllie al the Thames reads
thus The General enireats his brave troops 10
remember, that they are the sons Of sires whose
fame i Immortal. Kentuckians. Remember
the river Rasin bu, remember II only while
victory j. suspended. The revenge Of a soldier
cannot be gralifed upon fallen enemy He
knew where 10 touch the Indignation u his sol
dieIs. and how u turn II 10 good account; yet
he feit the necessity Of restraining IT, when VIC
tory was achieved By appealing 10 their sense
VI honor.
Commodore Perry served a. Aid To the &c
neral al the Thames after which the two con
quefeIs on land and lake returned IN the heel 10
Ere bringing with them many Of Their PRISON
ers. II was a spint-stining scene when they
landed, and amid the roar Of artillery ana iht
huzzas Of the multitude, marched IN ftiunlphal
pfocessioa--a procession that Rome might have
been proud of, and which Rhode Islanders
might have beheld with joyful exnliation Tor IN
that tfain moved the brave Commodore Barclay,
he who had loined IN the shouts OF victory IN the
hsttlrs of the Nile and Trafalgar, now crest.
fallen. and led captive by The youthful hero Of
K hode Island on one side, and General Harm
son Oh The other.
But there Is one incident Of the war which
seems 10 have been entirely overlooked. and YET
i deserving Of notice as part Of lis history. IL
j. one. TOO which all Rhode Island should duly
estimate. This State plufnes itself upon the
victory Of the Lake, as well IL may, SINCE many
of The offices and the men, besides the Commo-
dore, were citizens Of her sod vel they ought 10
remember that but for the aid Of General Har-
rson that victory had never been achieved. Al
The time he visited the feet al Sandusky, before |
The battle, he saw our crews reduced and weak /
ened by sickness. On returning 10 his camp he
selected aud sent 10 our aid from his army l
large number Of prime men, who mixed WIN /
our sailors and fought with them shoulder 10
shoulder ike the brayest Of the brave. Com
modore Perry returned his thanks 10 General
Harrison IN letter dated i've days after The
battle and which reads thus
Z. The great assistance in the action Of the
10Th instant derived from those men you were |
pleased 10 send on board the squadron renders il
a duty 70 return you my sincere thanks for 50
timely a reinforcement. In fact may say that
uifhom those men The rictory conid not hare |
been dchiered and equally 10 assure you that
those officers and men behaved as good soldiers |
and seamen Those under my immediate OBJ
.ergation eginced great ardor and bravery and
he might have added that they bled freely, |
since several OF them were numbered among the
siled and wounded
The importance Of the victories gained BY |
Perry and Harrison TO the western frontier can
hardly be oyerrated. Within the short space Of |
six months after the declaration Of war, three |
armies commanded BY Hull Van Rensselaer, |
and Winchester were used up without so much |
as gaming a single foot-hold in Upper Canada,
and the strong fortress at Detroit taken BY the
enemy On General Harrison now devolved
the protection OF the whole frontier west Of Buff
falo The enemy were in possession Of the |
Lake, and could any moment surprise the infant
settlements on It's shores, and before succor
could arrive might pounce upon another and an
other. Had Harrison advanced towards Detroit
by the head Of the Lake, the enemy might land |
troops in his rear and cut Of his retreat The
first blow then to be struck was 10 capture the
enemy's feet, and Perry having done this, ena-
bied Harrison 10 pursue and capture the enemy,
which restored peace to the border settlements
Of far extended and now populous frontier
Such my dear sir are are a few Of the facts
and impressions which seem proper in reply TO
your note. More might be added, but the page
Of history abounds with them; and II remains
10 be seen whether this long-tred and faithful
servant, who has done more TO ameliorate the
condition and promote the interests Of the
Western States than any other man living, and
whose vapr in the field has shed ustre on our
national escutcheon, shall receive the acknow-
Judgements Of grateful people, or whether his
fame shall be blotted from memory's tablet BY
the foul aspersions Of reckless demagogues and
hirelings.
Yours, with great respect and esteem,
USHER PARSONS.
Hon. ASHER ROBINS