Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-10-22


the lell bank Of the river. were led ,,,,
an ambuscade Of Tecumsehs Ind,,,,
where they were cut of m an at,crnr, :,
do more than they had seen ordered -
do. |, was not possible. as Wood ana
yourself believed for the General 10 re.
strain or save them-occupied a. be vas
on the right bank Of the river. in N,
hottest Of the battle. near a mile from. the
point where the ambuscade was formed
on the left. You beth assured me tho,
the movement OF Col. ODDLY aad bis Re.
gimeny was contrary 10 the orders Of the
General, who had no means Of cogrcctin-
the fatal error into which the lmpetaos,,y
Of this fine corps OF brave Kentucky vol
unteers hsd led them.
In respect 10 Fort Stevenson. YOU an
Major Wood-than whom have never
known more gallant, tor a more pro.
missing officer, and Who afterwards 70
pea'edly covered himself with imperisha.
bic fame IN battle under my command at
Fort Ene.-conourred fully IN the opin-
ION that l, would or might have been,
attended with fatal consequences 60 the
North western frontier for General Ham.
son to have broken Up the NUCLEUS Of the
army, then assembling at Camp Seneca.
and marched 20 your assistance al Fort
Stevenson. His general and field Off
GERS were reported TO have expressed the
same opinion ia a council Of war at the
time OF attack. You expressed then and
subsequently,, your satisfaction, and that
OF your officers ard ulen, that YOU were
permitted to continue the conflict alone.
Major Wood and myself sustained YOU ia
his impression. You were both Of tho
opinion that movement on the part Of
The General, with the uBinstructed troops
such as most of those with him AT the
time were known 10 be might put II in
The power OF Tecumseh, and bis army OF
savases-Iepor,ed TO be upwards Of three
thousand-to cripple. and possibly over
power The troops at Camp Seneca # not
IN the intervening thick woodlands. In
ths event. the frontier. for many hundreds
OF miles, would have been LAID open 10
savage epreda'ion-which could no,
have been checked before the arrival OF
the chIvalry OF kentucky under Governor
Shelby. That gallant army did no, ar.
rive until near the middle Of September
1913.
The loss Of the nucleus OF Harrison
army at Camp Seneca, at any time be-
fore the arrival OF Governor Shelby
might have pro,raoied our operations
upon that frontier. until the following
year, when We might have found such
reiniorcemen,s on the part Of England as
to have rendered it imprac,icable for u
10 profit by Perry's brilliau, victory on
Lake Erie.
You have repeatedly assured me that
the correspondence between General Har-
rlson and yourself was not intended Lv
you for publication, and that YOU had
shown /, only 20 such persons as YOU con.
sIdered % be the mutual friends OF both
General Harrison and yourself, and tia,
you believe the Generals apparent neg
leet TO do you and your officers and men
that justice which you deemed yourself
and them entitled 10, was not the result
OF any design on bis part TO iniure YOU or
them.
Unwilling as I am 10 appear in the
newspapers or to interfere IN any way
with the political controversy which -
aow going on between the advocates and
The opponents Of the present administra-
hon, not strictly compatible with nv OIL.
cial station. can never hesitate 10 do an
act OF justice 10 those with whom. | have
served in the defence OF our beloved
country and more especially when Sian.
dered, as General Harrison has been by
the blind votaries Of the evil spirit of par
ty-mary OF whom ! know 10 be m,ys
dandis. who have never, 10 nv know
ledge, seen the flash Of an enemy's gun
nor even made en- effort 10 enter BIO
swamp IN search Of foe.
With great esteem. your friend.
EDNrNo +. GAINES.
Cot. GEoRoE CnoomAN