Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-07-06
FROM the "Sirairh,.Out Harrisonian.
RICHARD NJ, JOHNSON.

The present Vice President of the United
States x. NJ. Johnson, is man with whom
we have some acquaintance. Some OF our
| Harrlsonian editors have said few hard
things about him without knowing that they
were Fundamentally slandering ono of the
bravest soldiers OF the last war and one of the
| frmes, friends that Gen. Harrison ever had
the honor Of possessing. We know them both
intimately, and we speak by authority with
we say that there is nothing but the most kind
! " feelings entertained in The breasts OF these
two honorable and distinguished men towards
each other. Richard NJ. Johnson has been
kicked TO one side 10y his Van Buren, friends,
but that makes no difference 10 US. We mean
TO tell tale, the incidents of which we can
prove by one of the most high minded and in
nuential men Of Cincinnati Elan p Lang
don is the man we aliude to, and although
there are some hundreds of others upon whose
testimony we might rely, we name him in pre-
| terence TO all the rest because, although sup
/ porter OF the administration, he possesses n
soul on which, in eight years acquaintance,
we never discovered a single stain or blot
! But 10 our tale, which is not one of fancy:
! On certain occasion, not far from the dog
days of 1895, it was rumored among some of
the Jackson-men of CINCINNATI, that Dick
Johnson, as everybody familiarly called him,
was about to pcrpetra,e a stump speech in
Covingion, which, as we presume all of our
readers know, lies exactly opposite TO Cincn-
naiii. in the State of Kentucky, a State too
well known in history and tradition TO require
our feebls attempt to eulogize. Well, we
crossed the river in ferry boat-went TO the
hall where Dick Johnson was about to hold
forth-shook Lin cordially by the hand, and
then sat down along with Elan p. Langdon,
to hear his speech.
Stump speeches in Kentucky are not pre-
cisely like those ofOhio 1t is somewhat diff
! iicult for Kentucky stump orator, when he
commences his speech, TO guess with much
exactness as 10 its duration or its peroraiion.
! The kentuckans dislike TO be humbugged,
and they very frequently ask stump orator,
even in the very height and flow of his eo-
quence. question which throws him out of
his prescribed track. Such was the case with
our friend Col johnson.
/ He began dissertation on matters and
things in general, and democracy in particular.
lie was moving on as smoothly as square
rugged brig, with all the canvass shaken out,
! when somebody in the crowd yelled out;
"Were you in the battle Of the Thames 7"
81 was, and what oft"
! "Are YOU the hero Of that battle1"
"Thats very singular question TO be put
to me by any gentleman that has read the his
I tory of the last war My brother James and
myself-land the Colonel dashed tear from
his eye when he pronounced the name Of his
brave and departed brother my brother
James and myself raised a regiment of mount
ed riflemen, and joined Gen. Harrison on the
Maumec. We asked him for the post Of dam
(, ger the very moment it could be obtained and
he told US if it were possible, and if it would
not conflict with the general operations Of the
troops he would giant it TO US cheerfuly. We
were shortly on the trail of Proctor. We
caught him on the Thames. Our mounted
regiment, as matter of course, was in the
advance, and when we deserted the enemy
my brother and myself rode up 10 Gen Hani-
son and reminded him Of his PROMISE
Have your mounted men ever been prac-
uced to charge upon infantry :" said the Gen
eral :" Certainly" said we. Then the
post of danger well as of duty is before
I you One half of your regiment will charge
through the British regulars, and the other
4 half will simultaneously commence an attack
on Tecumsechs indians in the swamp"
So said the General-and my brother James,
and a drawer and better man never lived
charged through the British with one half OF
the battalion, while | with the other half, un-
deriook TO rouse up the Indians in the swamp
They were not hard TO rouse up-for Tecum-
& sen, man as UanScenuantlY superior TO Proc
tor in point Of real bravery, as Hyperion 10 a
Saiyr,' had determined to make that his best
and most conclusive battle-ground We met
them and fought them-and when they learnt
that PIoctor's British regulars had heen de-
molished 10y my brother James, they began 10
retire. ~ this moment, my body had becn
perforated by five bullets, and my horse could
only be kept on his legs by the greatest exer.
ton Of my bride hand. In endeavoring to
make him leap over a log in the swamp, he
fell and died with two more balls in his car,
case than were in my own. A tall, good look
ing Indian approached me with his iomahawl
ready for throw. My horse lay in position
that did not permit me 10 be exactly dsmount
ed. pulled out loaded pistol from my hol
sie-s and shot him.
They say IL was Tecumseh shot. I car,
moi and Anow not | would have shot IA,
best Indian that ever breathed under such cir
cums'anees, without inquiring his name o
asking the ages Of his children
When the colonel reached this point Their,
was deafening roar Of applause A simple
ton present, who did not know the true callhn
/, OF the man he was about 10 interrogaie, an
? who wished 10 make himself popular anon
! the enemies Of Harrison, exclaimed IN sen
iousn voice, "wbere was Gen. Haniso
4 thent
: The Colonel gave a calm survey Of N
e crowd, until he singled out The face Of N
n querisi, Looking him dead in the eve. as IN
y keninckiahs say, and drawing himselfto hi
Q utmost heinht r.,fh IA. s,.o gI.,.l ~