Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-04-13
LYNCusua.G, APRIL is.isio.
Is GEN. HARRISON \ CoWARDl
Redd The Tesamonqt

Redd he Testimony
Among lie false charges brought forward. and
lately indusltiously circulated against Gen. lIairi-
son, We are assuredlhat he IS dCOWARD-though
we suspect that those who say 50 would as soon put
their heads iuto the mouth Of Nesuyius as TO tell
the old veteran SO even now, infrm as they say he
IS.
Although we were well aware that studied efforts
had been made to ~disparage Gen. lIarrison's mill.
tary as well as civil qualifications, we had hardly
supposed that any intelligent man had been misled
by them, in The face of the printed histories of the
war of1Sl2, which have not been yet consigned 10
the flames by some Caliph Omar, but which are yet
accessible TO all Who choose to peruse them. But
we have, if possible, still stronger testimony Of Gen.
Har,ison's ieatlessness, intreqldily and military
skill, in the United testimony of four of his surviving
ads -~de-camp-men who fought By his side, and who
bore his orders 10 The officers distant from his person
in the midst Of the bsille. This testimony we Law
before our readers to-day, asking for 1t a perusal-
with this single farlkei remark, hat at least one Of
these surviving aids John Speed Smith, Esq. of
Kentucky,) is now "a friend Of Van Buren,, as he was
formerly Of Gen. Jackson. HIS tes,imo nv, there
fore, must be credited, even though that of his as
sociates in the tolls and struggles Of The last war,
Judge Todd ana Judge Chambers oil Kentucky, and
Maj OFallon Of Missouri, were thrown aside -
We publish these letters this morning, and all We
ask is that the people will ,ead The testimony
But we have still another witness-lhough we feel
Inundated that we should be compelled TO introduce
dng witness 10 vindicate the braverg Of one Of the
most lIlus,rious of the officers of the second War
Of indie pendence-,o show that VIM. Henry Har-
TISOn, no ''fpshpd his maiden swn,a, nnd., ,ba
eye ofMad Anthony Wayne, and drew from tina,
accomplished commander a compliment TO his SKI,
and gallanlry before the down had brislled on his
cheek-whose life has been one Of frontier daring
and hardship, pushing beyond the confines of
civilized life, with an axe in one hand and "A toma-
hawk in the other-who, when llulrs surrender at
Det'oii covered our flag with disgrace ald filed The
land with gloom, was called from another State by
the venerable Shelby TO retriive the disaster, by
leading the gallant kenluckians to the field other
country's disbonor,-we say we feel Illuminated that
we are driven to the necessity of indicating such a
man from the charge Of COWARDICE And by
whom is this charge preferred ? BY namtless or
irresponsible slandefers; for no 'man Of mark" dare
pun hls signature 10 The base calumny.
But, We said we had another wuncss-And who
is he .? LISA man whose word is gospel, il nc, lac,
to the sell-slyle1 "Democracy." Ii is no less a
man than THOMAS RITCuIE, Of the Richaond
Enquirer. They who will not hear Moses aud the
Prophets, may perchance listen to him Wha, did
he say Lelore Party Discipline forced him iolo the
front rank of Gen. Harrison's d, amers? Before
Gen. Harrison had time to strike a blow towards the
recovery of Detoit. which had been ,leacherousl,
surrendered by Gen. Hull, the Enquirer spoke of
him in Y,t G., n o,ouli,ont, ,s 70 I..i.. -.
hyperbole. Read
From The Richmond Enquirer, Jan. o. 1913.
"Gen. Harrison, in spite Of The difficulties which
surround linn, seems determined TO press on to De
trolt. Neither The cold nor the badnc. 5 ofthe roads
can deter him from his enterprise. II he fails. The
world viii excuse him, on account Of he difficulties
which encompass lis path. 1.-The succeel IS, those
very difficulties will enhance the lusite OF his sue
cess.
"lf he has been reported rightly, Harrison is a
man OF no ordinary promise. War has been his
l"voiite study. AT avery early age, he was with
Wayne IN his famous canpalgn against the Indians,
A gentleman OF very high standing, who held an
important post under him during the last fall, com
pares him TO Washington. He is AS circumSpect as
he Is enierpfislng-as prudent in collecting he means
OF an attack, as he is vigorous in striking The blow.
Such wwas the language of the Rlchmond Enqni-
rer on the 9th Of January, 1918. The editor was
aware OF the difficulties that cncompassed the
Generals path" and which, by a combination of
energy, perseverance and skill, he triumphan,ly
overcame. He did push on to Detroit, as soon
as he could collect his forces and RAISE the siege of
Fort Meigs-the summons TO surrender which to
nearly three times mis- own force he indignantly
spurned, sending back a reply TO the Brush Gen.
Proctor, which would have immottalized a Roman
Commander, IN The ~proudest days of Roman con.
quest. And in September, 1913, he gave the finish.
ing blow to British power in the Northwest, by the
splendid victory on tie Thames-a victory which
drew from Mr.. Richie the following glowing tri.
bute to the genius aud valor of the man whom lie
and his scurrllous correspondents would now make
their readers believe is alike destitute of Capacity
aud courage. Again, we say, read
Fromhe Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 90, 1913.
have not words TO express the joy which we
feel for the victory of Harrison-neve have we Sc en-
the public pulse beat so high.'' =
And well may we rejoice. We rejoice moi so
much for the sptendor OF this achievement as far ,be
solid benefits which it will produce. We, in uo;n,
of splendVr, we have no reason to btlieye ,b., uba,..
receive the official accounts we shall sustain INV lie
appointment. The skill with which The ul,n, w,s
combined Tor overreaching the flying epemy. tho
sadH portion OF Harrisnn's force VIII CHI were able IN
come up aud cope with him, consisting princlpaIy of
Mounted Rangers under johnson and Rail ,,J ,La
short period IN which the victory was achieved viii
we are inclined TO suspect, impart to il the cbar,c,e,
OF The most gallant and brilliant achiepement RI,
rs SOLID ben fltis require no official accounts IN 40,
o"Zoh mem; almost every eye sees them. and al
most every tongue can tell them. 1t gives s4rn,t,
% iiie lioniler. Ohio may now sleep in secur,ty
l he trembling mother thai ni,liIy ,aI.-