The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-09-05

each one who served there w0ald be Judged
by his works. Tell TO she world that,
when yOu fell back on Seneca, leaving, as
garrison for Sanduaky, bat l5O men,
the works of the place were measurably de-
fenccless--that the picket which connected
the block houses were so loosely planted,
that the efforts of siugle man could pull
many oil them up-that there was no ditch
about the work, nor any outward defence
10 oppose to an assailing force-that but
few entrenching tools were left behind, and
those unwillingly--and to all this, that there
was spared to us scarce 40 rounds of mus
ket calrdge per man without single pre-.
pared cartridge or one ounce of powder for
the only piece Of artillery in the place.
Then state the appearance of the defences,
on your coming down Immediately after
the defeat and flight of the enemy. The
brave men who toiled there during ten DAYS
and nights 10 put themselves in posture of
defence, are as much entitled to credit for it
as they are deserving of praise for their
galantry after the coming of the enemy.
Having enlarged on these points as far
as may be due 10 the truth, would then
have you speak of every other circumstance
in relation 10 the affair Of Sandusky (both
anterior and subsequent) calculated to place
it in its proper light. have been told il
already occupies its proper place--that ev-
cry thing in relation to it is we'll understand
and duly appreciated. Can you Join IN
any expression Of this kind? Surely you
cannot, for you know too well what was
done on that frontier, and how much imme-
diately around Sandusky, that has never
come TO light. If my services had been
duly appreciated, then truly have / been
resting too contentedy upon what l have
done; for no public expression, conveying
an assurance of the grateful sense in which
my services are held, has ever yet reached
me. You may say that IreceiUed a sword
from the ladies Of Chiltic0thc, and that
was also breveted by the President; for the
first feel as soldier ought to feel for a
gift which he should prize as his life; as for
the latter, regard it as a thing of no value
and not TO be considered, for brevets had
been dealt ont by the dozen, and often
times to those who had never seen an enc
my. My name was once before, Congress
for vote of thanks, and it was rejected
as unworthy an expression Of its approba-
ton.
When l was thus so fatteringly passed
upon, was Congress, in your opinion, in
formed of all that mad done in the North
West! You will say that it was not. And
when, at very recent period, too, was
compelled, by my necessities, to ask
place, and an unimpOrtant one, and found
difficulties and vexations when had ex-
pected every thing the reverse, had not
right to believe that my claims TO prefer
ence were considered but of the same rank
with those of every other applicant for Office!
The world knows that there was a repuse
of the enemy at Lower Sandusky; but what
further does it know calculated to enhance
it above the most trivial affairs of the war?
Does 1t k9aO10 that / disObeysd yOor orders
to abandon the place, and that this disobe-
dience SAVED YOUR ARMY FROM
A PRECIPITATE RETREAT and per-
haps the WHOLE FRONTIER FROM
THE INCURSIONS OF A SAVAGE |
FOE! A council Of your general and field
officers decided upon the propriety Of fall
ing back upon Upper Sandusky; every ar
ranSem6nt was HauS lOT pfeClplIate re- |
treat, and the signal of departure was to be
given at the moment Of my joining. car
ed not Your order aOaS diSO6eysd, and
you aUere thus SGved from the danger Of
retrOgrade step. The consequences of
the repulse Of The enemy at Lower San
dusky were, as you have long known, more
important than can be conceived by any
one acquainted with the topography of the
section of county under view, and the po-
sition Of the opposing forces. Hoa0 yOu
aUOuid haze fared had I6een captured yow
can best conjecture; at all events, it did ap-
pear that, at the time, you believed The en-
envy more than a match for you. And
what would have been the consequences of
your defeat! Il smoking frontier Of more
than fUe hundred miles in ertent. What
saved the boats and the immense stores
at Cleaveand under the direc-
lion OF Major now General Jesupl What
also prevented combined attack of land
and naval forces upon the fleet of COmmo-
lOre Perry at Erie, at time when its de-
sruction must have been certain! My dis
obedience Of yOur orders-my subsequent
defeat and repulse Oft enemy at San
husky. Gen. Proctor, on leaving Detroit
n July, 1918, had no other object in view
han the destruction Of the feet of Commo-
lore Perry, at Erie, and Of ,he military
j L ~ Il Il