Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-06-19

resignation of Gen. Harrison, GEN.
|JAoKsoN received the appointment Of
|major-generalin in the army Of the Uni>
ted, States. His attention was imme- !
|diately directed to the conduct of the
Spanish authorities of Florida, where
he leaned that three hundred English
soldiers had been suffered to land, and
that they were engaged in exciting the
Indians to hostilties.
He demanded Of the Spanish govern
|or of Pensacola the observance Of his
neutrality. An acrimonious cores
|pondence ensued between them, which
had no other result than to infiame still
more the indignation of GEN. JACKSON.
Colonel Nichols, British officer, now
arrived at Pensacola, with q small
squadron, and took bis headquarters
with Gov. Maurequez. He issued q
proclamation to the southern inhabl-
ltanis Of the United States. informing
|them of his desire Of delivering them
from bondage, promising them relef
and protection, and pledging the honor
|of British officer, that he would peri
|form all he had promised. He avail
| ed for a short time the effect Of his
proclamation, and then advanced to|
line attack Of Fort Bowyer; from which
4 he was driven with the loss ofa ship oil
war and one eye.
GEN. JACKSON now prepared to lake
possession of Pensacola. intending to|
hold possession Of its forts and arsenals|
until Spain could SEED thither q suth-
scient force to preserve her neutrality.
GHe first ssnt flag Of trnce. which was
fired or. He then sent letter TO the
governor by Spaniard, who had been
Staken prisoner. The governor rejected
This proposals and GEN. JACKSON attack i
: ed the town, which in short time
Surrendered. The forts were blown
+ up, and the British retired TO- their
shipping in the bay.
Every movement Of the enemy now
proved to GEN. JACKSON, that New
Orleans was their principal object. He
therefore urged the governors Of the
! different Southern States to send in,
with all speed, men and supplies, with
which he determined to defend the city
or perish in the attempt. His call
was not neglected. The governors OF
Tennessee and Kentucky made great
exertions to comply with the demands
of JACKSON: and, although the troops
thus obtained did not increase his Tor.
ces sufficiently to Danish his fears as tc
the result, GEN. JACKSON never despair
ed of being able to meet the enemy al
all points. He now stationed a force
at every inlet or creek, where he be-
leived there was the smallest chance fol
the enemy to approach. The Amer
can flotilla, of five gun-boats and twt
hundred and eighty-two men, was cap
tured by that OF the enemy, consisting
of forty three boats and twelve hun
dred men. The next day, Mr.. Shields
purser Of the navy, with Doctor
MurreIl was despatched with flag of
truce to Cat Island, 10 relieve the
wounded Americans who were there
prisoners. The British a dmiral, be-
Iicving their visit to have been intend
ed for the purpose Of observation, de-
tanned them, and endeavored to learn
from them the situation and number ol
the forces of GEN. JACKSON. ~
Mr.. Shields, from the moment he
was taken, became very deaf, and the
British officer, failing to elicit from
them the least information, determined
! to put them in room together, and
place some one at hand. to listen to
their conversation. Suspec ting some.
thing of the kind, they framed their
discourse to suit their own purposes.
After speaking of their condition and
prospects, and their defeat Of all at
tempts of the British to obtain infor.
nation from them, Shields continued;
"But how greatly these gentlemen will
be DISAPPOINTED in their expectations
for JACKSON, with the twenty thousand
men he now has, and the reinforce
ments from Kentucky which must
speedily reach him, will be able to de-
stroy any force that can be landed from
these ships" All this was heard by
/ the British, and no doubt contributed
to the abandonment of their design SO
soon after their defeat.
GEN. JACKSON continued his pre-.
parations for resistance. Patroles
were stationed through the country to
convey to him whatever information
Ethey could obtain. The Legislature Of
kthe state laid an embargo on all vessels
Ein the port, that their crews might be
kplaced in the navy, and that the enemy
kmight not be supplied thereby with
Rprovisions. Surrounded with spies
Eand disaffected persons, CEN. JACKSON
al