Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-29
From The ST. nght. Out Harrisonian.
RICHARD M. JOHNSON.


out knowing that they were Internationally Sian
derng one of the bravcsi soldiers of the last war.
and one of the frinest friends that ever Gen. liar
rison Ind the honor of possessing. We know
them both, intimately, and we speak 10y authority
when we say that there is nothing but the most
kindly feelings entertained in the breasts of these
two honorable aud distinguished men, towards
each other Richard NJ. Johnson has been kick
ed 10 one side, by his Van Buren, friends, but ,II
Dnles 10 difference to us. We mean tn tell
tale, the incidents of which we can prove by OF
OF the most high minded and respectable men OF
Cincinnati. Eam p Langdom is the man VIZ al
ude TO, and although there are hundreds q
others upon whose testimony we might rely, w
name him, in preference to all The rest. hncnus'
although supporter of,iho present administration,
he possesses soul, on which, in eight years ac
quaintance, we never discovered single sIam o.
blot. But to our tale, which is not one of fancy
On certain occasion, not far from the dog days
OF 1885, IL was runored among so'ne ~ to JuI"
son men of Cincinnati, that Dick johnson, as e,
cry body faniliarly called him, was about to per
petrate u stump speech in Covington, which as W.
presume all our readers know lies exactly oppo
site to Cincinnati in the State of Kentucky.
State too well known in history and tradition to re-
qure our feeble attempt to eulogize. We'll we
crossed the river in ferry boat-we to the hall
where Dick Johnson was to hold iUrll-shooh
him cordially by the hand aud then, sat down,
along Win Tsdn1 p. LuUguOH, 10 HcdT sIeeCu
| Stump speeches in Kentucky, aIc not precisely
like those in Ohio. 1t is somewhat difficult for
a Kentucky stump orator. when lie commence.
! his speech, TO guess with much exacinesS Il
! it's duration or its peroraiiOn. The kentucklans
dislike to he humbugged, and they very frequent
ly ask n stnmp orator, even in the very height aud
flow of his el0quence, question that throws him
out of his own prescribed track. such was The
case with our friend Col. Johnson.
| Ip bPpnn N dSprtntiou IN tnatfers nuu thin i'm
general, and Democracy in particular. lie was
moving on, rs smoothly Il square rugged brig
with all he canvass shaken out, when somebody
IN the crowd yelled out,
"Were you ut the battle of the Thanies?'
81 was, and what Of it :"
care you the hero Of that baulc?"
"That is II very singular question 10 he put tc
the by any gentleman that has read the history ot
the last war. My brother james and myself -
aud the Colonel dashed tear from his eve, when
he pronounced the mare of his brave but depart
ed broiher-iny brother James and myself RAISED
u regiment of mounted riflenen, and joined Gen
Harrison on the Maunee. We asked hlm for thu
post Of danger, the very moment il could he oh
tanned aud he told us, it it we've possible and
would not conflict with the general operations o
the troops, he would grant It 10 us cheeriully. w
were shortly OH the trail of Proctor. We caugh
him on the Thames. Our mounted regiment G.
matter of course, WIS in the advance, and whei
we deserted the enemy, my brother and mysel
rode up to Gen. Harrison and reminded llni o
his PROMISE"
tiave your mounted men ever been practise,
to charge upon infantry p said the General. Ger
tainly," said we. "I'lien' snd the General "th
post of danger rs well as of duty is before yod
One half OF your regiment will charge through
the British regulars and the other halt will, sim
ultaneously, commence an attack on Tecumseh'
Indians in the swamp
$50 said the Gen eral--and my hrother Io,,ac
and braver aud u better never lived, charg
ed through the British, with one half OF the BAT
tallion, while ], with the other half undertook I,
rouse up the Indians in the swamp. They wer,
not hard to rouse up--for Tecumseli-a man n
transccndenlly superior TO Proctor, in point frea
bravery, as Hyperion TO Satyr, bad determined
10 mike that his best and most conclusive battl,
ground. We met them, and fought them ant
When they learnt that Proclors British regular
had been demolished 10y my brother Jumes, the,
hogan to retire. AT this moment my body hat
been perforated by five bullets, and my hors
could only he kept on his legs by the greatest ex
erion of my bride hand. In endeavoring to max
him Temp over a log, in the swamp, he fell and die
with Two more balls in his carcase than we've il
my own. A tall, good looking Indian approaches
me, with hi tomakaw& ready for n throw NJ
horse lay in position lhat did not permit me TO b
exactly dismounteG. | pulled out loaded pisc
from my holsters and shot him.
"They say it was Tecumseh shot. care NO
-nnd knou not would have shot the bes
Indian that ever breahed, under such circum
stances, without enquiring his name or asking til
ages of his children"
hen the Colonel reached this point, Their
was II deaiening roar of applause. A simpletor
present, who did not know the true calibre ofth
man he was about to interrogate, and who wishe
TO make himself popular amongst the enemies c
Harrison, exclaimed in sentorian voice-W her
was Gen. Harrison, then'
The Colonel gave calm survey of the Grove
until he singled out the face of the querst. Look
ing him dead in the eye, as the KenluLkians say
and drawing himself to his utmost height, wit
his eye dilaled, and a countenance that pai nj
showed that there was no hy pocricy in what h
was about to say, he replied in tones, as calm BIT
Lortentious as the incpent rumblings that pre-
cede volcanic eruption
ale tods in the rery spot iphere The Commando,
in Chief oughtto hare BEEN lie icGs liz the spl
,chere his duty led him He toas amidst The ,chi.
King Of rife bullets, overlooking The movements
our mounted men ready 10 charge orer The dea
body Of my brother James and myself had ,ct prOps
unfortunate in the onset in order 10 avenge us. "
one must attempt 10 tickle my fancy by intimafing
my presence, that General Harrison is co,card
There was Il pause aud then there was 81
ence so profound so indiscrbabie. that il W,
painful. In that vast crowd, for The space of OF
minute md that is a long, drcary lapse of tim
to men who are listening TO n stump speech III
ticking Of watch might have been heard, us ho
ribly loud as il has sometimes grated on our CT
in the sombre chamber of the dying and the dea'
But anon, there was slight clnpping of hands
and, then, there was n deatenng thunder storm
applause. that seemed to shake the building 10 !
very foundation.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
Singular as il may appear, this worthy aud vel
In nj ID A.NIt I.nt.