American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-06-04
TELEGRAPH
From the Roston Post. Jure 2. /
MAJOR GENERAL JOHN e. WOOL

STOCK. lie lost his father at an early age, and
lived IN Rensselaer, county, with his grandfa-
ther, until lie was twelve years old, when he
removed to Troy, with view of becoming a
merchant He was successful in the path he
had chosen until he lost his property by fire,
when, the country being then at war, he ac-
cepted (April, 1872 q commission as captain
in the 18th regiment of United States infantry,
with the high resolve Of deyoting himself to the
service of his country. -
When Captain Wool, in accordanee with his
well-know energy Of character, raised his COM
pany in Troy, the country was mortified by the
disastrous results of the first operations OF the
war along the frontier. The inglorious retreat
from Maiden, the disgraceful surrender at De-
troit, and the intervening movements, were
made the subject Of ridicnle by one political
party, and were indefensible by the other. The
fact was that the national character had been
degraded. Hence it was that General Stephen
Van Rensselaer,, who had been assigned the
command in this quarter, in o letter dated Oct
8, 1872, says: s...The disgrace will remain cor
roding the public feeling and spirit until an
other campaign, unless it be instantly wiped
away by o brilliant close Of this Hence he
determined upon the bold measure Of crossing
the Niagara river, storming Fort George, and
carrying the heights of Queenstown.
uO yIHAC uACu pu iOI lutICI WOIh wills tIlo
18th of October 1872. The American general,
Rensselaer,, had under his command, at differ
ent points, about $500 troops-the British
general, Brock, about $500; the headquarters
Of the latter being at Fort George, On the
morning of the 18TH about O'Clock, a detach-
ment Of 600 moved to Lewiston under Lieuten-
ant Colonels Chrystie and Rensselaer, , but, in
stead of finding boats for the whole detachment,
there were only boats for one half 1, The com
panies of Captains WOOL. Malcolm, and ARM
strong were ordered to cross in one party, while
Colonel Van Rensselaer, followed with another.
As Captain Wool, the senior officer Of the com
panies Of the 18th regiment, landed, the British
retreated. Meantime the colonel landed short
distance below the place where Captain Wool
landed. Colonel Rensselaer, soon sent orders
| to Captain Wool to advance on the heights and
halt at their base; which movement was
promptly made. Captain Wool's command was
soon attacked by the British, but the, assailants
were repulsed, during which the three cap.
tains-Wool, Malcolm, and Armstrong were
badly wounded The colonel, also, was severely
wounded, who ordered the whole detachment
to descend the bank and take position on the
beach. Here the colonel sank to the ground,
exhausted by the flow of blood, when Captain
Wool, notwithstanding HIS wounds, volunteered
TO storm the heights This was most gallanty
done. A British party which defended the
battery was driven down the heights, and a
sunrise the American flag waved from tn,
works. q, --aa- - 1i 'tao
General Brock, arousedby these events, has
tened from Fort George, gathered large force
md attacked Captain WooI's gallant band with
such mpetuosity as to force them to the brow
of the cliff. This was a trying moment. Be
fore them were the British veterans, to meet
whom was fearful odds--behind them was an
almost perpendicular cliff, to be forced down
which was sure destruction and il is not
strange that some hearts faltered. bastard
hand raised the white flag in token of surren-
der, but Captain Wool tore down this flag, made
u manly appeal to his men, checked the panic,
caused his little band again to become the as
Iailants, and drove the British veterans down
the heights. But Gen Brock rallied his troops
anew, and again advanced upon the Americans.
In doing this, however, he fell dead from his
horse, when his men few in every direction,
leaving ten prisoners behind on the field
Thus, after three bloody fights, this bold and
Iaring enterprise was achieved by 240 men, in.
stead of GOO detailed for the service. Capt. Woo
formed his men on the heights, and was soor
Joined by other detachments. This was abou
| zen o'clock. About two o'clock, Lieut.. Colone
Scott (now General Scott) and others appeared
md took the command while, after Geuera
Rensselaer, arrived, Captain Wool was ordered
rom the field, had his wounds dressed, and re
turned to Lewiston. Official letters and the
public journals abound with encomiums on the
gallantry Of Capt. Wool and his brave comrades
rhe National Inteligencer (1812) says: "Capt.
WOOL the hero of the Heights of Queenstown, is
twenty-six years OF age. IL is presumed he win
be brevetted or promoted" ss.s
.sa oAa1., foN,
Capt Wool was made major. He continued in
the army on the northern frontier, and in the
10Th regiment of foot, volunteering his services
wherever there was danger to be met or duty
TO be performed. More especially did Major
Wool distinguish himself by his usual GOODNESS
and intrepidity in the battle of Plattsburg, in
1874, from the 9th to the llth of September.
The action at Bcekmantown took place on the
9Th, and Major Wool was its hero. General Ma
comb, while he was intrenching on the Saranac,
ordered Major Wool to support the militia and
with $50 regular troops, and the militia under
Col Miller, he kept the whole British column
Of 1000 at bay, fighting them inch by inch, and
killing or woundng near three hundred of the
enemy. General Macomb September 10, lSl4)
mentioned Major Woors services, and recon-
mended him to the particular noticeof the Gov
ernment. General Moores general orders we're
also full as to "the cool, intrepid, and admira-
bic skill and good order displayed" by the reg
ulars "under that excellent officer, General
Wool" For his gallantry on this occasion
Major Wool was brevetted lieutenant colonel
Well did General Viele say to him, in an adj
dress made to him in 1848, the bloody Saranao
will never cease to murmur your praise !" and
Governor Young, of New York, in presenting
him QS49) with sword, remarked, "that the
people of the whole country saw Captain Wool,
at Queenstown, marking his course with his own
blood" and Major Wool, at Phttsburg and
at Beekmantown, gallantly resisting, with $50
men, the whole British line, embracing four
thousand regular troops."I 1t was such noble
gallantry that redeemed the stain that had been
fixed on our national character, and gave such
joy to the patriotic part Of the nation: SO
We have no space to follow in detail Colonel
Wool in his course. He continued in the army,
. = fg9