North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-06-10

gfeat cause OI The mlscafTiagcs there, by
rendering unstable The number OF men en-
gagged 10 military entefpfizes, by making
them dNobcdieut 10 their officers, and by
preeipitaiinR the commanding officers inio
measures, which their prudence might
have postponed, could they have relied ON
longer continuance OF their troops in
service
That the want Of bard money has been
one other great source OF the niiscarfiagrs
IN Canada, rendering the soppies Of ne
cessaries difficult and pTecafious, the estab-
lishmeni OF proper magazines absolutely
impraclcable, and the pay of the troops Of
lilile use 10 them:
That still greater, and more fatal.
source oi misiortunes has been, the Prev
alence of the smallpox in that army a
great proportion whereof has thereby been
usually kept unfit for duty"
With this, Congress concured.
On the farther consideration Of the 70.
port, Congress came TO the following Teso-
lutons:--
That colonel Beadle be tried by court
martial for leaving his command al ths
Cedars, and for declining TO return TO the
same with MAJOR Sherburne's reinforce
ment:
That Major Dutterfeld be tried by
couri-martial for surrendering 10 the ene-
my the posts at the Cedsrs, and also such
other officers as were with him, and con-
scented to that surrender.
The said committee having further re-
ported, that, in the course of their enqui-
ries, they had reason 10 believe, that GEN.
eral Prescotps baggage was plundered by
some licentious persons, in violation OF tho
faith OF The captuiation whefeupon,
Resolped, That General Schuyler BE-
desired TO make strict enquiry into the
same, that the person guilty thereof may
receive due punishment, and ample indem.
MITIGATION be made TO General Prescott.
That Colonel Beadlc, DR.. Fay, and
lieutenant House, be subjected TO this en-
quiry.
That Gen. Schuyler he desired to en-
quire into the conduct Of Col. Hazen, who
is charged with having beaten and ill-treaz
led FRANCOIS de Latose, a continental cap
tain of Canadian miliiia, and also 10 have
i'll treated Charles Robert de la Fontaine,
Canadian, at Chambly, and put such
conduct into a proper channel for trial ard
punishment.
We now ask the reader If the failure
OF The expedition TO Canada ought to DO
ascrbed TO the cowardicc or unwilIingness
Of the Canadians to join The Americans
Was this failure TO be sscribed 10 the at
achment Of the Canadian people TO the
Crown of England J In the foregoing doc
ument we have certainly the very hest au-
thority for answering in the negative.
Blu, what does this report OF the com.
mttee say were the causes Of the failure
of their army in Canadas They ascribe
il, lst. To short enIstments, which caused
disorder, dsobedience, insubordination and
total confusion in the American army -
2ndly. The want Of hard money, 10 buy
the necessary supplies and materials OF
war, in country where the people wers
unwilling TO take the continental bills, the
real and the nominal value Of which, were
two very different things :--Sdly. The
greatest scouree that Heaven can send up
on an army, (small-pox) which brought
great number Of the proyincials TO an un-
timely and premature grave, and disa-
bed the great majority Of the survivors,
This presidential disease had been the
cause Of the despair which had determined
the gallant but too unfortunate, General
Montgomery, TO make the attack of sist
December, on the walls OF Quebec and
continued 10 sfflct the army, during The
winter, whilst they were maintaining the
siege and at Sorel, after their retreat,
il deprived them Of their commander, Gen.
Thomas. & caused many disappointments
and failures: <thly--the cowardice Of Col.
BesdIe, in abandoning his post at the Ce-
dars, on the preieace Of going down To
Montreal for reinloreemenis and the
ever dissraceful surrender Of that post by
Major Bpiter6eld. Such are the causes
assigned by this report for the failure Of
the expedition. Are the Canadians then, 10
be accused OF eowsriice, or unuillingscss
To help the Americans No, no. and we
Il