Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-06-15


tachment, and acas the first man to
land IN arms IN the enemy's country.
On the 10Th of July be was ordered
TO attack a British detachment station
ed at the river Aux Canards, about ff-
teen miles from Detroit, and Ave miles
from Fort Maiden, then the British
headquarters. He crossed the river
some distance above the enemy's post,
and briskly attacked them; when, after
some loss, they fed. Here was split
the first blood during the last war
Colonel Cass took possession of the
abandoned position, and informing him
Of his success, and advising him to
march Immediately to Fort Maiden
the road TO which was opened. Had
this been done, success must have
crowned the operation, and the war,
in that quarter, would have been over.
He was, however, sadly disappointed
by the indecision of Hull, who ordered
him toreturn and ioin the army. From
this moment bad counseIs prevailed,
the army lost all confidence in HULA
he proceeded in his own course, re-
CARELESS of the advice or 1emonstrance
Of his officers. About three weeks af
ter The affair at the Canards, the whole
army was ordered across the river to
Detroit; in which time, had Colonel
Cass's advice been taken, Maiden
might have been reduced, and secure
lodgment made in Upper Canada.-
The order of Hull to return was not
less unexpected to the army than was
the disgracefnl surrender at Detroit,
without a shot being fired, overwhelm-
ing to the country.
On entering Canada, General Hull
distributed proclamation among the
inha bitants, which, for the eloquence
and high spirit that it contained, can
not be surpassed; but ii was sadly in
contrast with the fulhlment Of its pro-
fessiohs. Unfortunately fol the coun-
try, the author Of the proclaim alton,
Co.. Cass, was not commander of the
army: Had he been So, the couljtry
would have been saved the mortifca-
lion Of beholding the descent from the
promise to the fu6lment. As it was,
he used every exertiob to arouse il the
commanding general that spirit of pa
triolism which 5reathes in every lire of
the admirable paper, but in vain. A
spirit Of infatuation, or something worse,
seized Upon Hull, and led him on from
one false step to another, until the
ctownng act, the surrender of Detroit,
without firing gun, completed his
own ruin, and brought disgrace upon
the arms his county. 1t is well
known that both Col. Cass and Col.
Macarthur were detached from Detroit
previous to the surrender, ostensibly
for provisions, but, in fact, because
they were unwelcome councillors at
head quarters. Stung with mor,iflca-
ton on hearing of the surrender, Colo
mel Cass, when ordered to deliver up
his sword, Indignantly shiverea it in
pieces, and threw il to the earth, refu-
sing TO surrender it 10 the enemy.
After the surrender of Detroit, Col.
Cass repaired to Washington, to re-
port to the government the whole cir
cumstances attending the expedition.
He was exchanged during the winter,
and in the spring was appointed a
brigadier general. Shortly after this,
he Joined General Harrison at Seneca,
where the army was collecting, destih-
ed to recover the territory of Michigan,
and to take possession of the western
district Of Upper Canada. The pre-
paratory arrangements being compile
ted, and the lake being open to the
transportation of our troops by the
victory of Perry, General Harrison
commenced his movement in Septem-
Der, 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 of
the coast of Canada, where, being all
collected, the final arrangements were
made. The debarcation was superin-
tended and directed 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 destroying the. public buildings at
Amherstburg and Detroit, and were in
full retreat for Lake Ontario. The
American army Immediately comrnenc-
ed the pursuit, and after capturing two
small detachments, which offered some
resistance in favorable positions, over
took the enemy at the Moravian towns
on the river Thames, about eighty
miles from Detroit. The British gen