Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-05-11
Your obj servant,
JOHN CHAMBERS.
WASHINGTON, 2s,h Feb. 1910.

WASHINGTON, 18th Feb. 1910.
DEAR SIR-Sin writing 10 you, in answer to
your letter of the 18th inst, it has occurred to me
that principal object of the fasehoods, relative
to General Harrison, which have found propaga-
ton on the floor of the Ohio House of Represen-
tatives, must he 10 make the impression that he is
q c0iCdrd and though you do not state in your
letter the cause assigned by his slanderers for his
alledged absence from the command of his army
at the battle of the Tames presume no motive
for il less charitable than sheer cowardice would
hive been imputed by one capable of such mis-
representation of his conduct. But whatever may
be the aledged inducement tor the conduct attri-
buted 10 him, the relation in which then stood to
HIM, and my knowledge of what his actual con-
duet was, imposes on me the duty have perform
ed, of pronouncng the charge false; and | trust
you will pardon me for suggesting the proprety,
iii an appropriate occasion presents Itself, or can
he made in open SESSION. of demanding of the
members of your House, who have made tie
charge. the authority upon which they made it ;
whether from their own knowledge or oh :
servstiop, or upon the information of others;
and ifupon The information of others, their names
and residence. The original inventors of the
falsehood ought To have the advantage of all the
celebrity 1t is calculated to give them.
On the subject OF General Harrison's perHona
bravery, is 1t moi very remarkable, If he is a cow
ard, that none of the gallant officers or soldiers
who served with him under General Wayne, or
those who fought under his command al Iippe-
canoe, al Fort Meigs and The Thames discovered
his cowndicc aud that the discovery should have
renamed 20 be made by some scurvy politician of
the present day for will venture TO predicl, that
no officer or soldier ui r,spectablllty, who served
with hliu, On under his command, can be found 10
I" take the responsibility OF charging him with
cowardice. In connection with this subject, per-
init me TO relate n acl, which occurred in my
presence, and which is calculated TO give some
idea OF the character OF Gen. llarrison's prelon-
sions 10 firmness and disregard of personal dan
ger On the day preceding the battle OF the
Thames. when his army approached the last right
hand fork ofthe river, (caled, think, McGrtgor's
lork,) General Harrison, accompanied by Com
modore Perry and his aitls-de- camp, rode forward
TO examine the bridge which crossed the mouth
OF the stream, and which the enemy had partially
destroyed and while viewing it, several hundred
Indians, under the command of Teculnseh, as we
learned afterwards, who were concealed at some
cabins called Chatham, and in the bushes the
opposite side of the stream, commenced brisk
fire upon the liule party, in the midst Of which
Gen. Harrison was Al that moment dismoun-
ted company of Col. Johnson's Regiment, COM
handed by Capt Benjamin Warfeld, who now
resides in the neghborhood OF Lexington, in this
State, came up the fire of the Indians was 80
severe as to induce the gallant Perry to expostu-
late earnestly with Gen. Harrison against the ex
posure OF his person TO such fire, when no good