The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-09-09
rho bad never seen an enemy.

who bad never seen an enemy.
NV maine was once before Congress Tor a vot.
Of thanks, and 1t was rejected - unworthy az
expression of its appreciation. When | WAS
thus hateringly passed upon. WAS Congress,
I in your opinion, informed Of all that had done
in the Northwest You will say that il was
not. And when at ytry recent period too. /
was compelled BY my necessities 10 ask place.
and an uuinportant one. aud ioand difficulties
and vexaiions when had expected every thing
the reverse, had not a right 10 believe that my
claims 10 preference were considered but OF the
same rank with those Of any other applicant for
oficel The world knows tha, there was re-
pulse Of the enemy at Lower Sandus.y hut
what further does il know calculated to en-
hance il above the most trivial affairs Of the
war! Does il know that di.obeyed your or
ders 10 abandon the place, and lha, this dlsoht-
deDce saved your army from preeipiaie re
treat, and perhaps the whole frontier from the
ncursions Of savage foe a conncIl Of your
general and field officers decided upon The pro-
priety Of falling back upon Lower Sandusky,
every arrangement was made for precIpltate
retreat, and the signal OF departure was 10 he
given at the moment Of my joining. care not.
Your order was dsobeyed and you were
TINS saved from the Of retro
grade step. The consequences oC the repul'e
have lon. known, more important Than can be
conceived by any one unacqUainied with the
topography Of the section Of the country under
view, and the position Of the opposite forces
How yon would have farrd had been captur-
ed, you can best conjecture at all events, 1t
did appear that, at the time, yon boyed the
ensny more than match for you. And what
would have been the consequence OF your de
feat. A smoking frontier Of more than five
hundred miles 10 extent. What saved the boats
and The immense stores concentrated AZ Cleav-
land under the direction of Major, now Gener-
al Jesupl What also prevented combined
attack OF land aud naval forces upon the fleet
Of Commedore Perry AT Erie, at tlne when
its destruction must have heen certain Ny
disobedience Of your ordors-my subsequen;
defeat and repulse Of the enemy N Sandusky.
Gen. Proctor, on leaving Detroit in July,
1873 had no other object in Wow than The de-
structon of the 1eet of Commodore Perry at
Erie, and Of the military stores and boats ~
Cleayelaud. lie blockaded Fort Mess mere
" as a cover TO his real intention, and to afford
him an opportunity Of ascerianng what rem
(orcemcnrs we're marching out, that he might
be assured of the safety of Detroit during his
absence. Satisfied Of this. he left folt MeIys
with a force OF at least 5000 meH Iudaus IN
cluded) in fsrherance Of the grand objects Of
the expedition. On reaching the Point at cross.
ing, at the entrance oil !San5usky bay, his Indian
forces refused to go further on The lake, with
out first taking the scalps and Plunder al Fort
Sandusky; General Proctor from his own writ
ten statement, (now in your hands,) unwillingly
/ indalgsd them. Anattack was Tads-it failed
and with heavy loss. Ike Indians deserted
10 n man, and thus an expedition, originally
well planned, and lraught with deadly cousc-
quences 10 our cause, was defeated with $50
men. OF whom nothing WAS expected, aud for
whom nothing further in prsise has been offer
ed than was extracted from McAlee's History
Of the War in tbs West. Respectfully,
G.. CROGlhN,