The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-07-15

us and the appearance OF the enemy. dtch
was dug. four feet deep aud six feet wide. entire
~ round the fort outside of the s,ockadng.
the ground for 200 yards round the fort was
cleared of timber and brush. aud many other
preparations were made Ia, the enemy.
About this time Gen. liarrisoR received In
formation that the enemy had raisedtthe seige
I at Fort Meigs, aud had started 10 the direction
of Sandusky aud Camp Seneca. On receiving
this Intelligence he Determined to retreat from
his position. and Immediately sent an express 10
Fort Stephenson, which arrived about sunrise
ordering Major Croghan 10 burn the fort with
all tho munitions and stores and retreat, with
oni delay, to bead quarters, giving also soms
precautionary instfuctrons about the route. DC
/ On receiving this order, Croehan instantly
placed il in tho hands Of the officers. who were
all present and required them 10 consider II and
express an opinion Of the propriety OF obeying
or disobeying IL. The board WAS formed. aud
on putting the question. bsgining as usual with
! the youngest officer. IL was asssnaiped that
majority Of us we're for disobeyinR the order.
C,oghan returned To the foon,. aud being in
formed of eur decision, said % am glad oT IL.
| had resolved to disobey it at all hazards" and
Immediately disps,che an express, TO Gen. Hsrr
rison. giving him that information. lmmedi-
aiely on The arrival Of this express. Gen. Harri-
son despatch he'd 1t. Col. Ball, with his squadron
Of dragons. with orders TO arrest Croghsn, bring
! him to head quarters, (which was done,) and
sent another officer to take command. BY this
iiae, in consequence Of his not arriving agress-
! bly, TO his expectation and orders, the General
| abandoned nj! idea of retreat. although his
munitions and stores were piled up ready To be
set on fire ss soon 10 Croehan should reach Sem
eca; aud II is not doubted that Il Croehan had
arrived according TO orders, Cen. Harrison
would have retreated instantly. leaving the whole
frontier, our fleet at Erie. and the stores 40
Clen,land--the destruction OF which was the
object Of the ipyasion and moremrpt down the
/ Lake--at the ,aercy OF the enemy
! hfier being detained one night. Croehan re-
tusnrd to S5bJpsky, and was reinsiatsd IN COM
mand an occasion which gave iude,crihabie
Joy to the officers and soldiers in the fort, and
which only could bs egusllrd, in intensity Of
feeling by the chsrgin aud mori6caton felt al his
arrest. Especially ~as the event pleasing TO thoss
officers who had sustained him in disobeyipg
the order. resolved as they were, when he vss
arrested, To share his fate he il good or s,il.
Sopn after his return. the enemy, so long en-
pec,ed, made thsir appearance, aud demanded
) a surrender. Croghan answered by directing
Ensigp Shjpp To assurs General Proctor that
il you'd ~ blosa 10 hs'i first.
need hardly say, after what has been rs|a.
ted, that their appearance. reiieving US from orr
. long suspense. was hailed with seeming joy by
"
The excitement produeed by what had oe
rUrped, and his return just In time 10 meet m.
enemy. inspired his command With an enthvsi-
asm rarely. " ever surpassed, and which alone
renders man iDvincible.
The fort was forthwith besiegsd, 'eanuonaded.
and bombnrdsd, from tho gpn boats and The bat
teries or land, dor aeaIly four h0prs. without
sessation; during all which time. every officer
and soldier appeared 10 be animated BY Tho cool
! .tx L..s ~. ufs IL
| well remember biz expression sf the fret
sound ofihs basis sisea BY the enemy a. > sig
nal for the charge upon the works. We
we're si,tug together he sprang upon bis feet
saying. "Duncap, every man 10 his post : Tor
in twenty minutes they will attempt 10 take us
/ by storm. RcrpIlect when you hear my voice
crying relief. come TO me with ali The men thar
can be spared from that pau OF the linr." he in
sisDily passed up the line. repeating the order
to every officer; and had scarcely got ihs
men in place before the whole British army. d.
vidsd into three soluEps, marched pron the FOR,
and made o desperate assault. continuing IL for
near an hour, whcn,hcy were repulsed With a loss
of killed and wounded, estimated a that time fo
be near double The number in the fort. and IL IL
stated by English writers to be about ninety.
During the engagement ] saw Croghan Of
ten, and wjtnessaJ With delight bis intrepid and
gallant conduct; which. firmly believe. never
has been surpassed at any time on aoy oeca
i sion.
!, Ia the heat Of the action frequently heard
him enclaim, huzzs my brave fellows. We are
bxwins lbelD 10 pieces. Eve minutes more and
; veil b.o~ them to hell. BY H--u. every
officer and soldier has immorfalized himself
DC. aud throUg gboYt the whole affir evipeed
the greatest solicitude for the safety OF every
one but bimseif.
The ssgaciry displayed in arranging the
cannon. so "a to open a mask ernhrasure to
=, rake the enemy 10 the ditch, at point evident.
ly selected by them for the breach-in placing
tho logs on pins uesr the top Of the picket.
50 as to be- tilted of by one man, and being from
% to 80 feet long. Of heavy timber swept every
thing before thein-hs activity 10 piIing bags
Of sand agsinstthe pickets wherever the enemy
attempted to make breach with their esonon.
by which means each point Of attack grew
/ stronger from the moment Il vas assaiIsd, arc
worthy Of any General at any sge.
i You are right. sir. in my judgment. 10 say
Ing that the Government has not done justice
10 Col. croehsn for his conduct 10 that affair.
which is without parallel In tho military annals
OF our country. -
Asto my myself, having acted very subor-
dipato part never did. nor do now. set up sny
claim. for distinctions. To know that did
my dury to my county. though not hardened
! INTO manhood, vas then, and 10 pow snoughfsr
me. But Of him ieei no hssiiaucy in saying
j Injustice has bern done TO him 10 being over
I looked by the Gosernrpepi, and the erroneous
4 statements of historisps.
I MAGE. the historian Of the late war, snd
Dawson the biogrspher Of Gen. Harrison. have
stuaiou.Iy kept out Of view that the object Of
tho INVASION was the destruetion of our Ships
under Commodore Perry. at Presqos Isle. sod
boats aud stotes at Cleveland these were ieoh-
] A L. u L.. al. Qx,ft
northumberland on one or tvo occasions
were attempted to be destroyed BY landing the
force ON board their feet. They hsvs acc
i failed to account for the u,ovemenf ot Toe