Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-08-13
trrom the s,eubenyiilo Ohio oase,te
ANINTERESTING LETTER FROM
ELISHA WuITTLESEY.

u
The following interesting letter has been
put into our hands for publication, ny The
gentleman ,o'whom it is addressed, Mr. T..
Philips. MIR. p. in honestly rchlng for
correct intorInation, applied VMhat source
.Irom whence lie knew |he would get " the
truth and nothing but the truth" The name
of ELIsHA WHrTLEsEr never was affixed to
rnisre presentation, and we trnst the follow
ing will be read with the attention which II
merits. Although upon terms OF close iDti
macy with AIR. w. and boarding in the same
house with him during session Of the Leg
stature, the SENIOR editor Of this paper never
heard from Inn any allusioD that lie had
taken up arms, when quite youth, ~ de-
fence of his country. His remarks, IN refer.
ence to men who took TO the woods 10 G.
wade II tour Of duty, va submit to the special
attention Of an individual hercaboh, who
tukes delight in publishing General Harrison
coward, &c.
"CANFiELp, June 81. 1910.
"Dear Sir Your letter Of the 10Th has just
arrived at The moment am prepared TO leave
home for Ash.abula county, and TO be absent
Tor a week.
"You ask my opinion 'of Gen. Harrison as
warrior, a statesman, and as mar quah-
hed to discharge the duties of the highest Of
hcc in the gilt of the American people ]
will delay my journey for few monlcnts to
give you very BRET reply and ani sorry
can devote no more time IN complying with
your request. became acquainted with
Gen. Harrison in January, 1913. lie was
then, as you know commander OF the North
western army. Ills plan for winter cam
paisn, was to concentrate his force at the
Rapids of the blaumee river, aud regain
Michigan, ana 1t practicable, take Maiden,
and subdue the BRUSH power in Upper Can
ada. Gen. Winchester had command Of the
troops destined TO descend tho Maumce river
from Fort Defiance, or otherwise to proceed
10 the Rapids, on or near the Margin oi that
river. Gen. Harrison was at Upper Sandus-
ky, having more immediately under his per.
sonal command the troops concentrated there,
or on their march from the middle or south.
rrn part OF tins State, and the troops from
Pennsylvania, having the artillery under
their charge. Gen. Perkins was at Lower
Sandusky, III command of the troops from
the Reserve, aud the regiments commanded
by Col. Andrews aud Col HInduun from the
counties south OF tho Reserve. A part Of
Gen. Perkins command was IN Huron
county. Gen. Winchester moved forward to
the Maume Rapids, without communicating
with Gen. Harrison. Gen. Perkins received
II letter from Gen. Winchester, on the 10th
of January, 1919, advising him that bis com
inand arrived at the Maumee Rapids on the
10Th that he contemplated to advance with
u part Of It 10 the river Ralsln; and that, TO
inaintain a sufficient force at the Rapids, o
cooperating battalion was necessary. Gen.
Perkins ordered Major COtgreave to take
prompt measures TO prepare his battalion for
that service, and despatched messenger TO
Gen. Harrison. lie, with his staff, arrived al
Lower Sandusky on the 18th. About II
that night, an express brought letter from
Gen. Winchester to Con. Perkins, dated
miami Rapids, January 18th, = o'clock, A.
M., advising Gen. Perkins ho had information
that large body'of Indians and troops from
Maiden, were expected at tho river Rasin,
with view to proceed and attack his camp ;
that the day before, he had sent detach-
ment to attack the enemy, and that battle
would be fought before the letter he was
writing could be delivered. lie requested
Gen. Perkins to send his dlsposable force
When the letter wus read, Gen. HARRISON,
among other things remarked, he feared Gen.
Winchester would be cut off; out 1t was his
duty und wish TO sustain him, as far as ho
could.
Major Cotgreavcs' battalion was the best
disciplined corps IN that wing Of the North
Western army, and before sunrise 1t march.
ed out of camp according to order in gallant
style. Col. Andrews' regiment, with the
whole disposuble force, was ordered, on tho
morning of tho 10Th, 10 prepare to march for
the same point, ana 1t was pressed forward to
the Mauinea with the least possible delay,
considering The stute OF tho mud, Tor there
was not u road with q bottom to It. Gen.
Harrison aud Gen. Perkins, after attending 10
the necessary preparations 10 .hnsten The
march OF Col. Andrews' regiment, proceeded
through the swamp with one attendant
They overlook Major Cotgreaves, and arriv-
ed first at the Rapids The mud, snow and
water were not unfrequcntly middle leg
deep, and partly congealed with frost. The
first team that attempted to penetrate the
swamp ~ that direction, accompanied Major
Co,gieaves' battalion but, SO difficult was It
10 pass it that the teom could not haul a
small cannon aud tho men, in addition to
their baggage aud provisions, carried the can
non suspended between poles When the
troops arrived at tho Rapids, exhausted ma
turc required refreshment. AS little time
was gwen as was consistent with the condl
tou o. the troops. Major Cotgrcavos' bat
TALON marched from the site OF the old Brit
lsh fort between daylight and sunrise on the
morning Of the day that Winchester was de.
Seated, and our troops 70 inhumany murdered
at the river Raisin. The dlsposable force at
the Rapids, under the immediate command OF
Gen. HARRISON, took up the line OF march IN
the course OF the day, ond as soon as they
could be put IN a state Of preparation. IT was
sud, at the time, that Maj. Coigreaves' bat
talon was wahln hearing Of the 6rlng at the
rver Ralsin before they met the refugees
from The sceuo Of slaughter. Hearing the
Issue oi that Illated day. and learning from
every source capable ol lnporting information
That the victory was Complete, and that the
force was superior To the number Of troops
under Gen. Harrison, he returned TO the
camp, aud ~ the evening consulted the ofh-
curs as Ia The course 10 be pursued. There
was nut an culrem hing tool IN tho camp,
aud The axes furnished by the United States,
'wrIr madu - cell, Ynd not ior use la 9TH
elal l.ti,rs willcn before, by Gen. Perkins,
hs had spoken ~ them rs being worthless
and n NV recollection IL not inaccurate, he
had stated they were no bcltcr than pewter.
There were = few gnnd axes IN camp, the
mltary had taken Wnh them, to cut their
tire wood, hut not more than SUFFICIENT Tor
thu puftnse. The tra ps were eDcsmprd
nn the North vest side VI the Maumec river,
winch was then frozen over but which ~
,b. even, ot a thaw, could not he recrosscd
by Gen. Harrison, a. he he'd NJ, boat at his