The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-06-16
OF THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SER
VICE nlf
Gen. Lewis CaSs.

N
Lexington. lie served in the army till the close of
the war, md was in all the important battles IN the
Iastrin and Middle Sntcs where he was distinguish
ed tor hir yulor and good conduct, and attained the
rank OF Capnin. lie was afterwards Major in
Waynes amy and died at an advanced age after a
lie Of Usefulness and honor, nj his residence, near
DR. sder, in Mu,kinCum county, Ohio His son, Lew
l, Cas-, the subject OF ihis biography, cmgrulcd, at
the age Oiscycntrcr, tn the then Northwestern Ter
riiOry. and settled first at Marietta, in the county of
Washington. He was thus, ms he was recently cali
ed by The convention Of Ohio one Of the early po-
nrcrS 1T That immense western region, which has nj
ready rls'n to such magnitude in our own duys, and
Is destined 10 attain one SO much greater hereafter
The country north Of the Ohio contained one Terrific
~ and about twenty thousand inhabitants
Mr. Cas- bore his full share in the tolls pryatons
aud dangers 10 which the defence Of new country,
and us CONVERSION nom primitive forest 10 the hap
py abodrs OF CIVILIZED man, nTc neccss arIly exposed
lie read law ~ Marlrtta, and was admitted 10 the
bar before the close Of the Territorial Government
lie commenced The praCtCc and, n was the custom
then. visited the courts in large district of country
tnyelng on horseback, and cncouncrng many diff
Cu,yics unknown 10 the members OF the bar at the
present dav
In 1866, he was elected member Of the legi lture
al Ohio, and during the session he took his TART in
the business Of the day He drafted the law which
arrested The tralto.Ous designs OF Bur, and introdu-
c"d mn address 10 MIR. Jefferson, which was unani.
nousIy adopted, expressing the attachment of the
people OF Ohio 10 the Constitution OF the United
States, ond thcr confidence in that iilu7tlious man
IN March, 1901 he was appointed by Mr. Jefferson,
marshal Of Ohio. In the execution Of the duties OF
that office, IN the business 81 his profession and in
the occupation OF n fam in Muknglm county,
where he resided, he passed his time I'LL 1872 Then
our difficulties with England assumed portentuus
aspect Her multiplied aggrcssions left us no recourse
but war: and tie statesmen 81 the day prepared for
II with umrtss. As one ol the preparatory arrange
mrnts, j, was determined 10 march considerable
force 10 tie northwestern frontier Ia b. ready for OF
itnsNe or defensive measures, as circumstances
might render II Necessary. The command was gwen
10 Gen. HUI and regiment Of regular troops,
winch al fought with credit at Tippecnnoc, was a..
signed 10 HIM. Oths were 10 be added thee Tcpi-
mens Ut ONO volunteers. AS soon as this demand
upon their patriotism was lnlwn, the sili7Cns oClhnt
state hasIcned 10 The call Of their country and the
force was mixed without delay or difficulty Mir
Cas- was among the volunteers, and was. elected 10
lhe command OF the third regiment. He proceeded
immediately with his regiment to DAYTON whrrr the
amy was concentrated and wh, nee it commenced
It's march for Detroit. The country was tacklcss
forest, and much ol II was low and wet Grtatd,i;-
cultcs were intcToscd 10 the advance Of the troops
by the streams and marshes, and by the necessity Of
cutting road. But these were overcome with the
usral good will and perseverance Of the American
soldiers. The army reached Detlo.t on the ih OF
july 1872
Official information that war would be declared
liscl was not received until they reached Detroit
Col tnss was perhaps more urgent for an invasion
OF Canada that any other officer in Ilulls amy He
was decidedly IN favor Of making an early and deci-
-Nc movement before the British should BE- prepared
Tor The INVASION. We conceive II 10 he no digIarare-
mcni 10 any one TO say at he was the master-splrt
Of that amy until the affair nj the Cauards after
NhHh' IL l. known, he dnsapprOvcd Of every step ia
kenny the commanding General, There can now
D. no doubt that lluIIs army never would have en-
tired Canada but for the persuasion OF Colonel Cas-
- anxious was he TO push forward and do something
to meet the Just expectations OF the Administration
ana the country that he commanded the advance dc.
taclncnt, and was the fnt man To land In ann, in
the cuCnv'S country
On the 18th Of July he was ordered 10 attack Br.-
lsh detachment stationed at the river Aux Cnrards
about fifteen miles nom Detroit. and five miles from
iori Maiden, then the British headquarters He
crossed the river some distance above the enemy,
post, and hr sky attacked them when after some
loss, they fled Here was split the first blood Of the
last war Col Cas- took possession Of the abandon
cd position, and Immediately despatched mcsscn-
ger 10 Gen. Hull, informing HIM Of hl- success. and
advising him 10 march Immediately 10 Fort Maiden
The road 10 winch was opened, Had tins been done
success must have crowned the operation, aud the
war m that qunrtrr, would have been over lie was
however, sadly disappointed hy the indCcslon of
fiuIl, who ordered hm 10 return and uin the amy
From tins moment bad councils prevailed the army
lost all confidence III Hull and he proceeded IN his
own Coursc regardless ot the advice ur rcmonsrnuce
ui ms oiic'r About three weeks after the flair AT
the CanaIds, the whole army ordered across the
tNtJ 10 Detroit 20 winch tine, had Col Cas- nd
vice been taken, Maiden nigh, have been reduced.
md sccmc Judgement made IN Ippcr Canada
ht order ~ iiul 10 return was not css uucNpccicd
hnn the dl,gracttul surrender at Detroit. without
shot beng fired, overwhelming to the country
On entering Canada General Hull distributed n
proclamation among the inhabitants, which, for the
c!uiucnce and high spn that II contained. cannot
Dc surpassed hut II was sadly in contrast with tie
'uihllnent OF H. professions Unfortunately for the
country the author Of the proclamation, Col Cas-.
was not the commander Of the army. Had he been
so the country would hive been saved the mor,tra-
ton oibchod,ng the descent from the promise TO the
mlilIment As II was he used every cNCnion 10
arouse IN the commanding general that splr Ol ppi-
noisn winch heathcs IN every line OF thc admirable
paper but IN vain. \ spirit OF intauation, or some.
thing worse seized upon Hull, and led him ON from
one iai,e step 10 another until the GROWING act, the
surrender OF Detroit, without firing gun COnpIctrd
ms own nun, and hrough, disgrace upon the aims of
lbs country, II Is well known that Col Cas- and
Col Macarthur were detached from Detroit previous
TO the surrender, ostensby TOR provisions, but in fact
because they were unwrCome cuunscllorS al head
quarters. Sung with modification on hearing of the
surrender Col C0ss when ordered 10 deliver w his
sword, indignantly shWcrrd II To pieces and threw /,
to me earth refusing 20 urrnlcr { to his enemy.
Ahcrlhc surrender oi Detroit, Col Cass rcpalfcd 10
W l'INIl 10 VIC Government The Whole
circumstances attending the expedition He was cN-
changed during the winter and in the spring was np-
pointed hrgadlcr general Shorty after this, hc
joined Zen Harmon NJ Seneca where the army was
collecting destined 10 recover the territory Of Mchi-
gan ana To take possession Ct the western district of
Upper Canada. The preparatory arrangements be
ng completed, and the lake being open 20 the trans
pnl'auon oi our troops by the victory ct Perry Gen
Harrison commenced his movement in Srpi.mhsr
1913, and embarked his troops at the mouth of Port
age rlcr whence they moved, and were cunccutral.
rd a, Put IN Bay. From here they sailcd 10 the
Western Sister small island oil the coast of Cam.
dn, whcrr being all collected the tina. arrangements
were mndc The dchalknton was st,nrrinrrplrd
and dlcc,rdhy Gen, Cas-, OF the army aud Cant. H.
loih oiiht navy and c troops landed IN perfect or
Itr expecting to meet u formidable resistance Uu,
lhc enemy had lied after destroying the public bu.ld-
ingSat Amhcr-thurg and D",rut, and were in i, re-
treat Tor Lake Ontario, The American amy I'M
mcda'rly commenced the puruIt and after capUrnr
TWO small dr,nrhmeni- which offered some r..,t-
ahrc ~ favorable positions, overlook the enemy M
me AlolaNan towns ON the river Thames. about
tlHh mll's from Detroit The British General Proc.
tof proved himself unequal Ia his command, having
some days the start II he designed TO escape be
SHOULD nave pushed his retreat rs rapidly as possible
bnl ne moved slowly, Cncmbcrd with much unnc.
c'Sgfy baggage, aud finding the American amy
closing upon INN, lrprpard for battle The ground
h' chose was heavily covered with trees and In. left
rScd upon The river ThumCs. while hi. rgh,cNoud.
Ell INTO the woods, terminating IN a mar-h This
oonN wa Occupied by the Indians who, II WAS IN
tended, should iun the American rG wlnr and Mt.
tam The The nttnV t,,,,,.l H.,