Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-13


left Arnold his perous march through the wilderness
to Quebec and brought back his men He was tried by
court-martal. and acquitted the proof Of want Of
provisions, But public opinion less indugent, and
limited suspicion OF his frmness if Of his yalor All
this is fully explained to the reader and the loss OF the
epithet however much to be amened has certainly not
contributed TO screen the colones character.
You have unaccounaby mistaken the purport and drift
of the next extract You call Hancock another New
England officer" 1t is he had been colonel of mi
lita before the war; station from which he was
what unceremoniousy dismissed by General Gage. 1t
will astonsh most readers to be told that he at this
time officer in the New England army since he had
been for than months President of the Cont
mental Congress in Philadelphia.
Your abrdgment Of the omitted passage also leads to
an erroneous conclusion Mr. Reed in Philadelphia,
and in of his letters Washington wrote
~ do not very much understand paragraph in your
letter. which seems to be taken one of mine COL
Hancock expressive of the unwingness of the Connec-
ticut troops to be deemed Continental If you did not
misconceiye what COL Hancock read he read what ne
yer wrote as there is expression any of my letters
that can either ecoect find that has tendency that
way From this passage you infer that Washington in
tended to "express his suspicion that President Han
cock did actually pretend to read what he had
written, thereby inyenting and promulgatng fasehood
This would indeed be formidable charge but nothing
is clear taking the whole passage in connection than
that Washington meant merely express opinion, in
strong language, that Mr. Reed had misconceived what
had been read Whatever may be assigned for the
OMISSION therefore, it could have been desire to
protect the President of Congress from injurious
pcion which certainly did exist in the mind of Wash
ington.
Next comes the unfortunate Gen. Wooster unfortunate
in old With hear when
he would gladly have recalled the energy and youthful
vgor which he had bravely expended in former
but net unfortunate in having fallen in battle few months
after the date to which you REFER while fighting for his
countrys freedom Washington had mo opinion of his
enerprisng genius abiding the chief command which
he then held in Canada. Surely he had not, qualify
ing him for such post He expressed the in other
letters, which printed in the work.
For instance: "Gen. Wooster, am informed is not of
such activity press through difficulties with which
that service is envroned" And again. after Wooster had
generously consented under Gen. Montgomery
during the campaign Washington writes to Gen. Schuyl
"My fears at end, he acts in a subordinate
capacity In what respect does the Of these
pressons differ from that of the you cite and
wherein does the omission contribute to disguise Wash
ngton's opinion of third New England officer" Be-
Sides than half the letter containing this sentence
is obvious upon the slightest inspection that the
for the omission in degree connected with what is
said of Gen. Wooster or of any other individual.
Your reference Gen. Frye may be allowed stand
its merits. But your readers would have been
convinced that the charge of having sought this instance
to protect the reputation Of New England officer
groundess you had extended the quotation to the words
printed in near connection with it. Washington there
says: 81 have heard of other valiant of New Eng
land waiting promotion since the advancement of Frye
who has not and doubt will not do much service to the
cause Would the point of these caustc expressions be
made sharper by the omitted sentence?
As the Of this gentleman has been thus dragged
into notice. is but justice to say word in relation
to him. He had been good officer in two wars at
the capture of Louisburg 745 always commanded the
Of his countymen and raised to the rank Of
major general Of the Massachusetts forces FIVE days
fore the battle of Bunker's HILL He accepted his Cont
mental commission with apparent reluctance and held
but three months. That he "kept his and talke,
earnedy of emetics and cathartcs is highly probable
that the maades of age upon him is certain bu
that history required these personal traits in
firm old men, and totally unconnected with his publ
character to be concentrated in formal manner is
least questionable As it is matter Of opinion however
you may be disposed to look upon it in different light
to which shall not object saving the motive by which
you have imagined me to be influenced.
Similar remarks may be made in regard to Gen. Ward
would again observe that you frequently quote single
sentence as if it constituted the whole of omission
and then infer motive conjecture reason apper-
tanning that sentence only whereas the fragment quot
ed by you is forced of its place integral part
paragraph or several paragraphs taken collectively
which have omitted for general reasons remote
rom the one assign You must perceive that this il
not fair way Of presenting the case because the reader
is deceived by into belief that the passage excu
ded with some special AIM when in reality IL not In
the mind Of the editor except in connexion with the whole
Your extract respecting Gen. Ward is Of this description
1t occurs in the body of long paragraph, which, with
several others in the letter. omitted contain
ing unimportant matter repetition Of what is printed
in other places 1t is the letter in which the suicidal 10y
alists are mentioned cannot charge myself therefore
with having had any design in excluding this sentence
although upon revision think the part Of the letter
embracing it was properly omitted
shan forbear examine the grounds Of tive anus
ing description Of fifth New England officer, to in
quire into the Of his resignation tire state Of his
health or the arguments used to retain him in the
vice We should lose sight Of justice however in
tempting TO conjecture his motives General Ward had
served with credit in the preceding and that he stood
very high in public confidence is proved by the fact that
after the affair at Lexington he became commander-in-
chief Of the New England troops and when the army
adopted by Congress Continental army, he ap-
pointed second in command to Washington No has
1 A. L. a