The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-11-12

~" 70 hp ls Hil'Hhry chafaeter It's gred
defence Why was once small republic
scarce larger than this county, The lerfo
nj the greatest empires? lie instance,
: Great britain also, and other nations; an,
continued. What would be the miltar,
character Of our own country, if you strik,
from the lists Of lis heroes such illustriou.
names as Washington, and WAYNE, and
Greene, and Decatur, and cambridge
What beautiful page of history would
he following make, to be read by the mon.
archis's Of the old world Aud YET there
'sa citizen among you attempting to bfand
the West with similar iniamy.
Ia the course of the last war one army
was given to the enemy BY the basesi
lreacberv while another, (if the history IS
to read according TO the traducers Of my
ehafacter,) was surrendered by the un.
lathiulness Of lis principal officers. The
Major General, the Colnnels, oil were so
recreaui to ibeir duty, as to entrus, the en-
lire command Of most impoHan, pos, to
young man, whose whole term of militia.
~ service did no, exceed four mouths
Even the illuslrious Shelby, the hero of
Kings Mountain, was passed 10y TO make
room Tor mere stripping in war. Here is
a history far Western men 10 read Sup
pose had entrusted the command TO Col.
Johnson, ! would have been responsible for
the result. Bu, ! did mol give the com
mand 10 Col Johnson / did not give him
~ al 1T.
more reasons lhan ono In the first place,
hac such discretion been extended to hun
should have been liable, by the laws OF
war 70 be tried for unotFicer like conduct
by uuu martini, and &c be cashered.-
Had | passed over, TOO, ia so sighting a
manner, Gov. Shelby, nv second IN com
mand, aud veteran officer Of the Revolt
ton, and reposed so much confidence IN
Subordinate, # ever lightning flushed from
a mans eye, II would have flashed from
his Il over thunder broke from human LIP,
Il would have broke frcn bis. But suit
for another reason, did not submit any
discretion 10 Col. johnson. lie knew
nothing about Il. lie was no more capa.
bic Of taking command Of an army for bat
lie, than either Of you. gentlemen, who
had mol been instructed IN the mechanism
c, q watch, would BIZ to put the wheels Of
that instrument together, and set IT 10 mo.
ton. He was mol compe,eu, because he
had not been educated to military tactics,
aud had no experience ~ var
Having SAID It's much Of Col, johnson,
| must now say what krow OF hitu thai
IS good. HIS whole military career, IS
have previously remarked, did nc; eNc~st
four mon,hs aud yc, while lie was a mem
Der of the army, he served his country
with unsurpassed hdeliy. A purer patriot
| never saw. during the campaign, when
| took command Of the army, he was a
member Of Congress, aud all the tune that
he could be spared IRON his duty there, he
vas 10 active service under NY command
sometimes with one company, something's
sllh two, aud finally with regiment
HIS wounds attest his bravery 10 the field,
mud II he had been killed IN battle, or had
died since, no would have deserved a mon.
ument to pcrpetuale his name.
The frou, ruHk IS not usually the place
for the Commander IN chief There is
never but Que event, when the laws Of war
permit hun to 20 into the foremost Of the
eight. Whea hope seems lost, and des
pair is settling upon his soldiers, then, and
then only, is he to plunge into the hottest
Of the strife, TO NEE, a glorious death or
achieve a victory. In no other case is his
life thus TO be perlled. And If he IS al .
ways 10 the very front of the contest, lead
lng 90 10 person the advance troops, who +
is to see to the interests OF the various dc
tachmeuts OF the army : A the orders OF
baltic issue from him. When be sees one
portion Of those who are engaged 10 COZ
llcl too holly pressed BY the enemy, he
must send them assistance from those IN
reserve. II, on the other hand, detuch
Heni is rctrcatlng, another body OF reserve
must be sent 10 their succof. Thus, hls
sye mus, be fixed upon all parts Of the or
nv, and he must be ready, at a moment, 10
for any emergency. You perceive,
heu, what mus, be the position of the
General for tho security OF
his army.
Fit were the fact, tina, tho suggestion 10
,harge upon TIE encmy by mounted Inlsn
nv were nude TO me by Col. johnson, 1t
could not lolure me. | aust accept the
81 question, aud make il my order, or else
il could no, be enforced. And also was
responsible for lis results, whatever they
might be. Suppose now that 1t had not
succeeded Suppose the BRUSH troops IN
stcnd of continuing in open order as they
were, and which alone induced me 10 con.
ceivc this PROJECT, had instantly closed into
compact coiumns. How then should
have been acquitted for the tremendous
sacrifice Of hie which must necessaslly
have ensued Could have answered up
on my trial that It was not my fault, tor the
suggestion came from Colonel johnson
If | had, what would It have awaited me
Tho answer would have come back--you,
sir, we're in command by authority, and
You alone are responsible for acts like this
And those very persons, who now clam
for EoI J,hnsnn TIM honor of the plan, /