New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-26

Indian and Enri.bmsn. Thus destitute often Of
provisions, destitute greater portion Of the time
Of shelter-des,itute Of everything but an inaex
bic courage and boundless activity, they sought or
awaited the merciless allies.
Nor was il long before an encounter took place.
On the Goth September 1913. party Of the militia,
OF which Mr. GlDDISGs was one, TO the number Of
sixtvfour ffli 10 with much larger number Of the
enemy on tbe peninsula north Of Sandusky Bay
The conflict was short but sanguinsry The Amer
can loss IN killed and wounded was twelve-the
loss ofths enemy vss never known. Il is a singu-
lar circumstance that no account Of this affair was
Published ill more than thirty years after it had
occurred In vain we should look TO the files of the
War Ofce for any allusion TO- or relation OF the
event The remoteness OF the scene and the in
frequency Of communication at that time may have
aided to prevent the official recognition OF the affair
while it must be acknowledged that the ineth
cheney Of the War Department in regard 70 the pro
per defence OF the Western frontier rendered such
occurrences as frequent as they were disastrous
The National Government would seem TO have
abandoned the protection Of the Western line to
the Inhabitants themselves.
The original light thrown upon this rencontre is
from letter written by Mr.. GDDINGs himself 70
his mother the day after. The account Of the battle
which appears in Howe's Historical Collections Of
Ohio contributed also believel by Mr.. GlDDISos
has this letter for its authority Shortly after this
event there was no longer need OF the active ser
vices Of the militia and Mr.. arDDISGs gave up the
sword to resume the ak and plow.
His apprenticeship to the duties Of the camp,
though Of short duration was Of eminent service
70 him. 1t taught him the advantages of dsc-
pine of selfreliance, and GOODNESS under emer
gences II gave him better knowledge OF him
SELF and consequently Of human nature. It en-
larged his acquaintance with men and things-sup
piled him with new idess Of life and new excite
ments for thought In learning to obey others, he
learned TO command himself It's this which makes
the camp school of practical character, and which
constitutes perhaps it's sole recommendation. In
such a service as Mr.. GIDDNGs was engaged
there was no danger OF mourning the habits tina.
too often spring from the ideness Of camps
slr. GrDDISsss father. on moving TO Ohio in.
vested nearly his whole fortune in lands which had
been purchased of Mr.. Phelps Of Canandaigua
Phelp,s title failed and in consequence the elder
L
This occurred when the subject OF our memoir was
but fourteen years of age The family in conse-
quence was reduced to poverty. There were three
brothers Of whom Joshua was the youngest. In
cited by the hope of extricating the family from
so sudden and unexpected reverse of fortune, and
cbeered on by words Of encouragement from those
they best loved the boys stript themselves to labor
By incessant toll and practice OF the most rigid
economy in time and money, the three brothers
beside the support of the family were enabled to
purchase each farm before Mr.. GfDDISGs had
attained bis majority. And when their parents
full of gratifed pride in their sons went down to
the grave they left them behind, honest industri-
Gus and capable. snd each in possession oil more
worldly goods than they themselves had ever en-
joyed.
/ have said that IN Ashtabula County when II
became the residence of the Giddingses, there were
no schools and no o. portunties OF public instruction
/ In tanning the wilderness, too, that there was but
short time for the indulgence, as there was but
little ability 20 command the means, of domestic or
selfinstruction Sill Mr.. Giddings extorted from
sleep frsgmentary hours for study. He devoured
every book he could lay his hands on. Books, it IS
I
culating libraries were not and the Harpers had
not established press-a reputation. But stray
volume. a dog cared book, sparse pamphlet-the
/ library of new settements--such and like such, he
seized upon read and re-read. His was an early
/ bibliomania Narratives Of travellers, biography
/ and history-these were bis pastime' his mental
alment-at once luxury and need.
/ Candles then and there were not easily attain
able. They served not the nightly wants Of the In
dweler Of logcabin, but were reserved for ex'
traordinsry occasions for the advent OF stranger
the entertainment Of friend, for christenings wed
dings. and other picked festivities 1t was neces-
sary for the attenuated purse to husband them
carefully.
By the ndulgent beams Of the moon or by hre'
light. or the uncertain Pickering Of pitch pine
knot Mr. GiDDISss pursued bis studies deep INTO
the hours Of night. He "ou.watched great Hermes'
and still was ever rising with the lark. The ardor
Of hi, mind was fed upon these vigils, and through
them he boarded much and various information.
Itsoon became nos ed abroad that he was schol-
ar Student and scholar, among men OF primitive
habits and simple modes ofthought-and SUCH ever
p-evan in earlier settlements-are controvertible
tsrms. Mr.. GrDDINGs was known to be a student
aud il was taken for granted he was scholar.
Therefore when but nineteen years old, ne was
called upon blythe remote vicnage to teach school.
Il was in vain that he pleaded incaPacity The
Committee of Public Instruction insisted that be
was. The price they offered him, and the great
necessity Of instruction in the neghOorhood, in
duced him to undertake the task.
The Office Of schoolmaster if properly understood
and exercised carries with il, like mercy, a two
fold blessing The teacher no ess than the taught
is benefited by its discharge The schoolmaster
is stimulated to unwonted exertions by desire to
keep ahead Of his ardent followers, and retresnes
At the same time bis memory by continual recur-
renee TO early cquisitions-making the. adVan'
tages Of the position 10 him thereby both prospect
i've and retrospective.
Toa mind constituted like Mr.. GDDlSGss the
functions Of the office were Of incsc1lahle merit
He applied himself with al the energy that had
characterized his physical abors to this novel yoca'
ton. The better to qualify himself he devoted bis
whole intellect 20 the mastery Of the elements OF
"a m