Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-22
General Armstrong.

The editor of the New York Commercial Advcr-
tser gives a has'y biographical sketch of the late
General John Armstrong, who died few days
since near the city Of New York.
Gen. A. was a native of Pcnnsylyanis. He was
an officer in the Revolutionary Army. and was an
Aid to General Mercer Ho first distinguished
hmselfb by the authorship Of the famous "Newburg
Letters" which, as the army was about to he dis
solved without payment to the officers, called upon
the whole to hold themselves together as an army,
and demand paymen, of Congress.
II will I've recollected tha, the first Of these letters
caused Washington great uneasiness. II raised
storm which no, to be me, at once He there.
fore alluded TO the letter, and the proposition in his
next general order, Another letter came with in
creased severity. Washington addressed the Off
GERS, and they limited their action TO a respectful
application TO Congress. The Commercial adds
the following;
.In this connection we will rspea, an incident
once related to us by the late Major Fsirc, of this
city. The Major was a Lieutenant in the Revolu.
tionary Army at the close of the war-a young
man, full of spirit and enthusiasm, and ready for
adventure. He had thought cssy bee induced to
embark in the project of Armstrong, and was
customed TO meet in conclave with the officers who
had been seduced to join The conspiracy-not, how
ever. that they thought it exactly conspiracy, bu,
only combn alton Of patriotic men TO obtain their
rgh,s-,o demand that justice to which they were
entitled at the hands Of county they had been
C.;,k kC,,ii, ~,
ing of the conspirators, according to the Majo''s
relation, broken up in mos, uncx pcc'ed man.
ner, and under circumstances which efecually
prevented their cow ening again. They were
assembled in the night, thirty forty of lhem-ar-
dent, hot-headed young mcn-in place, us they
supposed, perfect secrecy, and without the knowl
edge, as they imagincl OF any who were not in
the plot There they were, in long room, as
snug many mice in cheese, maturing their
plans, and not doubling of their success, when sud-
tic form of Washington He liked directly
through the room, with solemn visage and lofty
tread, glancing his eyes a, the conspirators ci.
ther hand, until he reached the head Of the room,
"HtH TIC Nulntu ehNC hlciH lUok VI
mingled sorrow aud Indignation, which went 10
their nmos, souls. Never said the Major to us,
'havc seen such look and never did set of
fellows feel cheaper than We did. They ,unk off
ms they could, and I, for my part, he added never
knew how got away =!
General Armstrong distinguished himself as
Minister at Pars, bu, he lost nearly all his credit Ivy
the loss of Washington City, when he was Secrca-
~ Of War;" where he was charged with total ne
glect Of means to defend the Capitol of the ns,ion
even after he had been earnestly solicited to supply
those means. That was the end of Gen. Arm
sirong's public career. lie appeared to lose no
opportunity TO assai, and he was vigorous writer,
evidently skilled in the theory. than in the
practice Of war, understanding better what an Off.
Ger should do, than how 10 do il himself.
u. S. Gd>ene.