Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-06-09


my was collecting. destined TO recover IN,
territory of Michigan, and to take possession
OF the western district of Upper Canada. Tht
! preparatory arrangements being completed
and the lake being open to the Transportation
OF our troops BY the victory Of Perry, Gem
HARRISON commenced his movement in SEP.
TENDER, 1913. and embarked his troops at The
mouth OF Portage river, whence they moved
and were concentrated at Putin bay From
here they sailed to the Western Sister, a small
Island off the coast of Canada, where, being
all collected, the final arrangements were made
The debarcaton was superintendent and direc.
ted by General Cass, of the army, and Capt
Elliott, OF the navy; and the troops landed in
| perfect order. expecting to meet formidable
resistance. But the enemy had fed, after de.
stroylng the public buildings at Amhurstburg
and Detroit, and were in full retreat for Lake
Ontario. The American army Immediately
commenced the pursuit, and after capturing
TWO small attachments, which offered some
resistance IN favorable positions, overlook thl
enemy at the Moravian towns on the river
Thames, about eighty miles from Detroit
The British General, (Proctor,) proved him
self unequal TO his command.
Having some days the start, if he designed
to escape, he should have pushed his retreat
! as rapidly as possible. But he moved slow.
Iy, encountered with much unnecessary bag
gage, and finding the American army closing
upon him, he prepared for battle The ground
ne choose was heavily covered with trees,
and his lett rested upon the river Thames
while his right extended into the woods, ter
minating in a marsh. This flank was occu.
pied by the Indians, who it was intended
should turn the American left wing and attain
the rear The army moved so rapidly that
many OF the troops were left behind, and a
small portion only of Gen. Cass's command
was IN the battle: they were stationed imme-
dlately IN front Ct the enemy's artillery
which commanded the road, with directions tC
charge upon it as soon as the action common.
ced. Gen. Cass volunteered his services, TO-
gether with Commodore Perry, to assist Gem
Harrison and at the moment of the charge oil
Colonel Johnson's regiment, which decided
the tate OF the day, General Cass took posi-.
ton with the right wing OF it, commanded by
1t. Colonel Johnson, and accompanied it in
! It's charge upon the British line. 1t was a
dangerous experiment to charge line of dis
clplned British soldiers by undisciplned
mounted Americans ; but vaIor supplied the
place OF discipline; and, notwithstanding the
resistance. that brave reg iment broke through
the line, and instantly the enemy was thrown
into confusion, and threw down their arms.
| happy to escape with their lives. The British
general, Proctor, fled almost at the commence
ment OF the action, and was pursued by GEM
Cass, with a detachment, for some miles, but
| could not be overtaken.
| 1t IS we'll known, that in this important bat
tie General Cass bore Il prominent part, fully
sharing in the exposure and dangers of the
conflict An eyewitness, writing some tW elve
years since, says:
In the autumn of 1913, | we'll recollet
General Cass, of the northwestern army, COM
manded by Harrison and Shelby. He was
conspicuous at the landing of the troops upon
the Canada shore, below Maiden, on the 9th
OF September, and conspicuous at the battle OF
the Thames, as the volunteer aid of the com
handing general. | saw him in the midst OF
the battle, in the deep woods upon the banks
of the Thames, during the roar and clangor OF
firearms, and savage yelIs of the enemy
Then was green youth of seventeen, and
a volunteer from Kentucky"
Gen. Harrison, in his report of the battle OF
the Thames, dated Oct. 9, 1913, says:
''l have already stated, that General Cass
and Commodore Perry assisted me in forming
the troops for the action. The former is an
officer of the highest promise, and the appear.
ance of the brave Commodore cheered and an
mated every breast"
The battle of the Thames terminated the
Northwestern campaign, and put an end to
the war III that quarter, but not to the diff
culties or importance of the command The
United States being once more in the posses
sion of the Territory of Michigan, and OF the
province of Upper Canada, Gen. Cass was as
signed, temporarily, the command of the dis
trict: and Genl Harrison withdrew with his
army. On the 9th of October, 1918, lie was
appointed by President Madison governor OF
Michigan, at that time one of the most impor-
| tant civil offices within the gift of the Execu-
tive. He was the civil as we'll as the militia
ny governor of large territory, having many
hundred miles of exposed frontier, filled and
almost surrounded with numerous tribes of
hostile Indians in the pay Of the British gov
! eminent, and constantly excited TO acts oil
hostility by British agents.
AS q proof of the defenceless state OF the
country, it may be mentioned, that incursions
were made by the Indians, and some persons
made prisoners, and others killed within sight
of the town of Detroit, and three expeditions
of mounted militia hastily collected, were led
by Gov. Cass in pursuit of the Indians, and
some Of them were killed within hearing OF
the town.
A single incident will show the nature oil
these excursions in the forests in pursuit Of
the Indians. General Cass's servant, who
rode Immediately in his rear, had a personal
rencontre with an Indian, who started from
! behind a tree, and having discharged his rifle
attacked him with the but-end, and was killed
after short conflict.
But peace came and put an end to this state
Of things The executive power of the Ter
ritory was almost unlimited. and the Legislative
power was in the hands OF the governor and
Judges until 1919. That Gov. Cass perform
ed well his highly important and delicate du
ties, the whole body of people of Michigan
will bear us witness and the fact of his hav
! ing been seven times nominated by four sue
cessive Presidents, and seven times confirmed
! by the Senate, without single vote agains
him in that body, or a single representation
against him from the people over whom he
| presided-a state OF things uneXamped in the
history of our territorial governments-is Z
sufficient proof of the wisdom of his admins
! tration.
In the discharge OF his duties as Superin-
tendent of Indian Affairs, Gov Cass was call
ed upon to enter into many negotiations with
the Indian tribes, and often under circumstan-
ces of great peril aeid responsibility. He FORM
ed twenty ne treaties with them, and extin-
gushed their title TO nearly one hundred mil.
| lions of acres OF land-a vast domain acquired
for the United States, but upon terms so ius
and satisfactory to the Indians, that no com.
plant was ever made by them upon the sub
| ject.
| There are two incidents connected with the