Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-12-27
of Washington as Com
mander- in Chief.


mander- in Chief.
The following account of the appointment Of
Washington to the supreme command of the A.
mercan Army on the 18th June, IT'S, is from
the Memories Of John Adams, the elder, now in
course Of publication.
The army was assembled at Cambridge, Mass,
under Gen. Ward, and Congress was sitting at
Philadelphia. Every day new applications in
behalf of the army arrived. The country was
urgent that Congress should legaize the raising
of the army, as they were what must be consid-
cred only mob, a band of rebels. The coun-
try was placed in circumstance Of peculiar diff
ficuty and danger. The struggle had begun,
and yet everything was without order. The
great trial now seemed to be this question -
Who shall be Commander-in-Chief? 1t was
exceedingly important, and was felt to be the
thing on which the contest might turn for or
against US. The southern and the middle states,
warm and rapid in their zeal for the most part,
were jealous of New England because they felt
the real physical force was here-what then was
to be done? All New England adored General
Ward he had been in the French war, and went
out laden with laurels. He was scholar and a
statesman.
Every qualification seemed to cluster in him :;
and it was confidently believed that the army
NOuiu ICCc4fC any appointment Of0l -
What was then to be done Difficulties thick
ened at every step The struggle was to be
long and bloody. Without union all was lost
The country must come in. One pulsation
must beat through all hearts. The cause was
one and the army must be one. The members
had talked, debated, considered and guessed, and
| yet the decisive step had not been taken. At
| length Mr.. Adams came to his conclusion
The means Of resolving it were somewhat sin
gular, and nearly as follows-he was walking
one morning before Congress Hall apparently
in deep thought when his cousin, Samuel Adj
ans, came up to him and said
"What is the topic with you this morning?"
'Oh! the army, the army he replied, s'I'm
determined to go into the hall this morning, and
enter on full detail Of the state of the colonies
In order TO show the absolute need of taking
some decisive steps. My whole aim will be TO
induce Congress to appoint the day adopting the
army as the legal army of these united colonies
of North America, and then to hint at my cleo
ton of commander-in-chief''
''Well,'' said Samuel Adams, 81 like that. cou-
sin John. bat on whom have you fixed as that
| commander 2"
81 will tell you-George Washington, of Vir-
GINA, a member Of this House,
"Ah," replied Samuel Adams quickly, :that
will never don
sit must do, it shall do" said john Sand for
these reasons the Southern and Middle States
are both to enter heartily in the cause and their.
arguments are potent they say that New Eng
land holds the physical power in their hands, and
they fear the result. A New England comman-
der, with New England perseverance, all united
appal them For this cause they hang back
Now the only course is to allaY their fears and
give them nothing to complain of, and this can
be done in no other way but by appointing
Southern chief over this force, and then all will
rush to the standard. This policy will blend us
in one mass, and that mass will be resisess."
At this Samuel Andrews was greatly moved
They talked over the preliminary circumstances,
and John asked his cousin to second the motion.
Mr.. Adams went in, took the floor, and PIT all
his strength in the deiineaton he had prepared
all aiming at the adoption of the army. He was
ready to own the army, appoint commander,
vote supplies, and proceed to business. After
his speech had been finished, some doubted some
feared. His warmth increased with this occa-
sion, and to all those doubts and hesitations, he
replied,
this army, before ten moons have set, New Eng
land will adopt it, and she will undertake the
struggle alone--yes, with strong army, and
clear conscience she will front the foe single
handed"
This had the desired effect. They saw New
England was neither playing nor tc be played
with. They agreed to appoint day. A day
was fixed. 1t came. Mr.. Adams went in, took
the floor, urged the measure, and after some de-
bate it passed
The next thing was TO get commander for
his army, with supplies, &c. All looked TO Mr..
Adams Oh the occasion, and he was ready. He
took the floor and went into a minute denea-
ton of the character of Gen. Ward, bestowing
Al, lol-
else. At the end of the eulogy he said, "But
this is not the man have chosen. He then
went into the deneation Of the character of a
Commander-n-Chief as was required by the
iuncture. And after he had presented the quail
ifications in his strongest language. and given
the reasons for the nomination he was about to
make, he said,
"Gentemen, know these qualifications are
high, but we all know they are needful in this
chief Does any one say they are not 10 be OBJ
tanned in this country? In reply have to say
they are, they reside in one of our body, and
he is the person whom | shall now nominate,
/ GEORGE WASHINGTON, of Virginia.
Washington, who sat on Mr.. Adams right
hand, was looking him intently in the face, and
watching the name he was about to announce,
and not expecting it would be bis he sprung
from his seat the minute he heard ii and rushed
into an adjoining room. Mr.. Adams had asked
his cousin Samuel to move an adjournment as
soon as the nomination made, in order to
give the members time to deliberate, and the re-
suit is before the world
asked Mr.. Adams, among other questions,
the following:
''Did you ever doubt the success Of the con-
flict?"
"No, no" said he, not moment. lexpected
to be hung and chartered if was caught--but
no matter for that--my country would be free.
knew George III could not forge chains long
enough and strong enough to reach around the
United States.
SINGULAR AND ALMOST FATAL ACCIDENT. =
On Thursday the sexton of ole of the churches
in this city remained after services for the pur-
pose of closing the house. Finding that the keys
were not in the doors, he concluded to bolt them
upon the inside and get out through the window.
In attempting to do SO, by some unfortunate slip,
: the window fell down upon his neck, leaving
, him dangling in the air For a few moments he
wac almost suffocated Bv n desperate effort