Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-07-14

| of that terrific defence, you recol4est that nea,
midnight the crippled feet cra~fet slowly OH,
to yea, HUNDRED, and besten,and you remember
ladies, the only time those brave men ever quail
ed before the eye of mortal, and that was before
the flashing eye and moistened cheek, of NE TAI
daughters of Charleston, as they came down to
that rude fort and pressed with their soft palms
the rough hands Of those old heroes, end thanked
them-as ladies' aieAe Can do-for their efforts
in defending their firesides and their liberty.
But none of you can recollect, in all Your read
| ing either ancient or modern, of parallel in
stance, where four hundred raw militia, with
thirty cannon, In green log fort, beat off a
British of two hundred and sixty six guns ana
over two thousand men, after an lS hour fight.
Fellow Citizens--let us follow now that Pa
triot band through all the trials of that seven
year war, the evacuation of New York, the
campaign OF Canada. Recall to mind the enegy
and daring Of the traitor Arnold and the gallant
spirits, that crossed the painless wilderness,
young and hieh-sonled Montgomery, Burr, and
the host of heroes that composed that little spar
tan band. The mind with the swiftness of
light flies on, before the pen. There is Ben
ington with Stark and his "Green Mountain
Boys" and Saratoga and Saltwater and bold
upon the canvass t.des again that traitor Ar
mold, mounted on his coal black steed, fighting
like fend incarnate. There is Trenton and
Brandywine, mathematician, andCowpen, and
Camden, and Uuildford, and the pelaware,and
Princeton, andMonmouth andiIoekifk HIN and
Eutau Springs, and Savannah, andValley Forge,
and there they WiU remain forerer--fresh in
nndying youth, immortal as the principles they
illustrate, insusceptible of mutability or de-
cay.
And as the mind runs over these battle
grounds Of freedons the names cf the heroes of
those glorious struggls rush upon The recolec-
ton. The immortal Lafayette who left the
sunny hill sides of France--a republican who
returned Patriot and Hero. The impetuous
and daring Wayne. The crafty Marion. The
Iron souled Stark. The rough old son of ThNn=
der Putnam. Greene, Knox, Sullivan, Joaes,
Lincoln. Lee, Clinton, Stihing peKaIb, Ko-
clusko, you recolect them much faster than
can enumerate. All heroes whose memory is
embalm in the hearts of grateful nation,
and the remembrance of whose brave deeds end
patriotic exertions will continue to thrill the
hearts OF unborn millions. "When some soli-
tary tourist shall lean against the broken arch
umns of 81, Paul, while single naked fisher
man shall wash his nets in the River of the ten
thousand masts."
All varieties of war are here displayed from
the wild yell of savage massacre, to the steady
shock of the old continentals, from the skirm-
lsh of rifles, to the laundering charge of caval-
ry, from the swamp fights of Marion, to the ar
tllery of Knox, from the clumsy attack of the
Hessian to the swift rush of the French Volti-
geur.
And what scenery! Amid the unbroken for
ests OF Canada and the dank swamps of the pal
metto State. On the sandy plains of New
Jersey and the granite rocks of New England.
On the sunny slopes OF the Cardinals, and the
blood stained shows of Valley Forge. On the
green margin of the Brandywine and the ice
bound shores of the Delaware, sis seen the
march Of armies and his heard the thunder of
battle.n
And what civic talent! There were Adams
and Hamilton, and Henry, and Jefferson, and
Franklin, and Hancock, and Morris. and Rut-
ledge and Otis and hosts Of others, equally hon.
ored, and equally dear.
And what results The pruudest and most
powerful natiUn Of the world, Is humbled and
beaten, her Richest and most fourishing colony
torne from her grasp, mans civil regeneration
commented, nation of slaves transformed to
nation of freeman, a weak and indepehdah,
cuohy To Tfee and independent republic. and
the human mind advanced more than one hum
cred years.
Fellow Citizens, there is one name-ssmdg-
nam es venerable nomen'-" dear to every A
meriean heart that approach with sacred rev.
erence and awe, wh0 through all the trials and
difficulties of that Revolution, lowered among
the great men of the age, like some lofty col
umn, unaffected by elemental strife, solitary
and alone,
"That was a gloomy hour for OUT country
when the British Empire reused itself for our
overthrow, and it required more than prophets
vision to see light through the cloud that hung
over our prospect,
Throug long Indian war we had faced the
dreary wilderness and lurking savage without
fear, and cheerfully encountered every trial, and
now, just as the night seem past, and the NOR
ming of prosperity dawning, day SO dark and
appalling rose before US, that the firmest heart
sunk for a moment in dependency. The trum-
pet of war sounded through ali our peaceful
settlements, calling the artisan from his bench,
the Farmer from his plough and the man OF
wealth from his repose, and the shock CAME
Our cities were ravaged, our towns laid waste,
all our strongholds taken and our citlze rs
butchered, yet still the nation stood firm in her
integrity and her purpose. AT length defeat
came, and with it dependency and privations
and sufferings unparalleled till at last the army
became almost wholly disorganlzed gradual
ly melting away and everything trembted on
the verge of ruin. Yet, serene amid the storm
stood Washington, sending his clear, calm
voice over the tumult, inspiring hope and cour-
age, when both seemed madness. Never before
did such destinies hang on single man, for it
was not the fate Of a continent which rested on
the issue OF the struggle, but OF human hber-
tn the ,corLd over.'
Follow with your minds eye the eventful career
of our American Fabius from the bloody defeat
of Braddock, to the ever memorable cry of the
watchman of Philadelphia, that reused SUM
Der city, shalt past twelve o'clock and Corn
wallis il TAKEN" witness the energy With
which he gathers and diciplined ragged band
Of soldiers, never for one moment, yielding to
dependency or gloom, hoping all things, ever
the same calm and tranquil, whether rejoicing
in a victory, or repairing defeat, exuiting in
Saratoga, or yielding counsel and support amid
the blood-stained foot tracks of Valla Forge.
See him retire from the army in moments Of
A., RI ness and despair. and wrestle as did Jacob