Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-14

straggters, with their main body III fuil view, ana
would undoubtedly in short time have captured
them all, when peremptory order of recall forced
him to give up the chase. He had already dlsre-
garded two such orders; saying, in to one of
them, The General does not know that, in just
seventy minutes shall make the enemy's whole
force prisoners" Even as it was, he would have
taken them all if he had only had two good troops
OF horse. In this brilliant affair." it is remarkable
that Scott may be said by his valor and rapidity,
to have done with his single division all that had
been planned for six for the Others except in small
part never overlook him, and those few only in time
TO join in the chase.
LEADS EXPEDITIONS TO BURLINGTON HEIGHTS
AND YORK
For some time after the capture of Fort George
our army lay there entrenched and inactive, under
variety OF generals first Dearborn, then Lewis,
then Boyd, and then Wilkinson. During this time
the enterprises attempted the necessary duty
OF foraging; and this entrusted to Col Scott He
led out parties for this purpose twice week For
every load of provender that he got he had to fight
Many sharp miniature battles did he have in this
way, with an enemy always on the watch for him
but his measures were always SO well taken that he
never failed to be successful. In truth, how could
it have been otherwise He was not born to be
beat, either in great battles or small In July he
or, we may say, to be made the colonel of two re-
giments at once; upon which he laid down his
Adjutant-G eneralship. In September, an expedi
ton against Burlington Heights, where the enemy
was reported to have large deposite of military
stores, was planned; and its execution given to
Scott. He accordingly embarked on the little feet
of Chauncey and paid military visit to the
heights; but found nobody at home there to re-
ceive him. The stores, too, had disappeared, as
much as the men. To take their revenge for the
disappointment, Scott and Chauncey determined to
look in upon the enemy at York. So they sailed
thither and made good landing, marines and sol
diers, under SCOTS command. Here they made
themselves amends fer what was not at Burlington
large depots of clothing provisions, 'and other mill
ary stores, with several pieces of cannon and eleven
armed boats were taken and the barracks and pub
lie storehouses were destroyed after which, better
satisfied, our squadron returned to Niagara.
WILKINsoNs DESCENT TOWARDS MONTREAL
Meantime, movement under Gen. Wilkinson
had been devised which, if boldly carried forward
to the last would have almost entirely cut the
communication between Upper and Lower Canada,
and given us permanent possession of the former.
We commanded Lake Ontario and held both sides
the Niagara. Our force there was strong; we had,
then, only to transport it, under convoy of Chaun
cey Hect, W lue OutleI VI ana uc-
scend the st. Lawrence in boats in order to reach
Montreal The passage down the river was not
guarded by forts or troops, and Mon
treal had garrison, when Wilkinson abandoned the
of but 600 men. Success, therefore, |
was certain, with Wilkinson's army only; but, be-
sides, Gen. Hampton was to have joined him, from
Chateaugue, in New York, with strong division.
This junction Hampton, from a fear of falling
short of supplies, failed to make: whereupon Will
kinson, though already far advanced on his enter
prise and clearly within reach of its accomplish
ment, gave it up, and made his way back to French
Mills. Up to the moment of this unsoldierly deci-
sion, the expedition had gone forward almost with
out check. Scott, though at first left behind to
guard his late prize, Fort George, and erect for it
better defences had been allowed, upon the enemys
Withdrawing from that quarter, to leave Fort George
to Gen. Mcclure, and to hasten after the expedi-
ton, which he overlook at Ogdensburg. He imme-
diately sought and obtained the post of honor-the
command of the advance-guard ofthe army, leading
the way to every danger, every point of resistance
that was to be overcome, and doing it always alike
with daring with prudence, and with success. In
this manner he passed, in the leading and largest
boat the severe fire of the strong British fort We'll
lington engaged and routed, at Hooppole Creek, |
the equal force goo men) Of Col Dennis, pursuing
him till night and taking many prisoners; and cap
tured, after sharp fight Fort Matilda, which COM
handed the narrowest place on the whole st. Law
renee. Thus, whatever the delays, the mistakes,
and the final failure of an expedition which, under
a vigorous General, would have covered itself with
honor Scott at least did himself credit throughout
performed all that it was his part to do, and gained
reputation while his old friend Wilkinson was
losing it.
SCOTT SELECTED TO INSTRUCT AND DISCIPLINE |
GEN BROWNS ARMY FOR THE NEXT CAMPAIGN. !
Thus far, those larger operations Of the war which
had been entrusted to the more veteran Generals |
were. except Harrsons overthrow Of Proctor, fail
ures. II had become clear that either the con /
test must be given up, or another kind Of com |
manders must be found. 1t was not that these |
men were too DID, but that they were poor sol |
diers. They had never known enough to be made |
generals Of ; and now they were too old to learn |
II is neither because a man is old or because be |
is Young that you can make him safely leader
of armies Nature must have created him for it, |
and Art have perfected the work Nature made |
jackson and Taylor but she alone could never
have made master Of war like Scott
All the conduct Of this young officer made the
Government perceive that in him they had man
for victories. They had advanced him rapidly; and
the more advanced the more had he shown himself
ct for command. Indeed, it has been remarkable |
in him that no matter what they have set him about,
war or peace, fighting or negotiating he has always
done it better than any body else
lie was now, in the winter Of 1813-14, called by |
the President TO Albany, there to prepare all the
supplies for the next campaign, and under instruc
lions from him. to consult on and settle with Gov