The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-08-25
The Battle of Bridgewater, or Lundy's


The Battle of Bridgewater, or Lundy's
Lane.
From Hidrcth's History Of the United States
Wilkinson and Harrison having thrown
up their commands in disgust, Hampton
having retired in disgrace, Dearborn be-
ing stationed first at Albany and pres
emily at Boston, Lewis at New York,
and Bloomfield at Philadelphia, and
Winchester, Chandler and Winder be-
ing still in the hands of the enemy. to
supply their places lizard and Brown had
been appointed major generals, and Mac
omb, Thomas \. Smith, Buzzell, Scott,
Gaines. and Ripley, brigadiers; all cx-
ccpt Brown and Ripley, officers of the
old army. After the desolation of the
Niagara frontier, Scott had been sent to
take the command there whittier he was
followed in the spring by Brown with a
column of 1000 men from Sackctt's IIar-
Dor, under misapprchension, as Arm
strong alleges, of orders for a fcint in
that direction. lizard, a son of the for
mcr South Carolina diplomatist and SER
ator of that name, having had military
education in Europe and long experience,
much was hoped when he was placed in
command of the main column at Platts-
burg. But the new commander did not
seem very well satisfied with the pros
pect before him. lie complained that
his troops, both officers and men. were
raw and ignorant the soldiers unpaid,
insuflicicntly clad, and sickly; the ranks
thinncd by death ana dcsertion, to check
which numerous executions had recently
taken place, and but slowly filled by re-
cruits, of whom many were negroes the
officers, Notwithstanding numerous dis
missals for incapacity and misconduct.
doing little but fight ducls and shrli
from duty the quartcr-mastcr's depart
mcnt without funds while the enemy,
by trade which it was impossible to
stop. drew abundant supplies of corn and
cattle from the American side of the
line
Brown, meanwhile, with his two brig
adiers, Ripley and Scott, and many infe-
rior officers of great merit, in a more
hopeful state of mind, labored assidu-
ously, by rigorous drill and severe dis
cipline, to form corps able to cncount-
cr the British But, for any movement
on Canada, the command of the lakes,
now held by the enemy, must first be Sc,
cured.
Vessels were building at Otter Greek
under the direction of M'Donough, to
secure the command of Lake Champlain;
but their progress was slow, and Gov
Chittcndcn had to send detachment Of
militia to defend them against an at.
tack, made, but repulsed.
At the opening of the spring, Yeo had
appeared on Lake Ontario with two
briggs and four sloops-ofwar of his old
feet, and two new ships, built and c
quipped during tile winter-the Princes,
Charlotte, of AZ guns, and the Prince
Regent, of5S Chauncey had four new
ships on the stocks, two heavy frigates
and two large briggs; but the transpor
tation of the guns and equipments from
Albany to Oswego, and thence. by tho
lake shore, to Sackett's Harbor, was Q
slow, and, the latter part of it, a hazard
Gus operation, resulting in several sharI
conflicts. A British force attacked Os
wego, destroyed the fort, and carried of
several guns designed for Chaunccy. A
feet of American transports, on theil
way from Oswego to Sackctt's Harbor
to avoid squadron ofseven British arm
ed boats, took refuge in the Big SANDY
Creek. The men landed and lay in am
bush, and when the British boats enter
ed in pursuit, they surprised and captur
ed them with their crews.
The news of Bonaparte's abdication
of the restoration of the Bourbons, and
of peace in Europe, was a severe strok'
to the war party. Not that they love,
Bonaparte, so they said, but because the,
saw in his fall the removal of the las
check to the insolence of Great Britain
1t was received, on the other hand, b.
the Federalists, with joy and exultation
as the harbinger of peace and of the re
newal of commerce; and it was celebra
ted at Boston, by religious ceremony
includinga sermon from DIR. Charming
then just rising into reputation, and a
New York, by an Grafton from Gouyern
cur Morris, in which after abundant ex
ultations over the triumph Of " "legitima
cy," he badc the Democrats prepare 70
the same fate that had overtaken thci
master and idol. The war party, howe,
or, found consolation for these taunt
in their triumph at the late New Yor
election, at which they had secured tn
command of both brachcs of the Legil
lature, and a large majority of the mem
bers Of the next Congress.
| But, however the mass Of the war pal
ty might affect to make light Of it, tn
unexpected change in the affairs of III
rope, in putting a. final period 20 a
hopes of conquest, made the a1ministI