Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-28

Of the Northwestern army This officer, enjoying thu
implicit confidence of the States from whose citizens th
army is and will be collected and possessing himsel
great military skill and reputation, the General is conf
dent in the belief that his presence in this army in h
character Of its chief, will be hailed with universal ap
probation"
Mr.. Headley makes statement on pages 208 and 204
which sustained by the facts known and recognised
at that day After speaking Of the attack Sandusky
| he adds:
Our whole Western frontier was now in a most de-
porabe condition Instead of carrying the war into the
borders. Notwithstanding the repulse at Fort Megs
the savages still hung around settlements making
i frequent and successful dashes upon them
If Gen Harrison had attempted at that time 10 carry
the into the enemys country he would have acted
in violation Of the plan Of campaign, directed by Sec
rotary Armstrong and suggested by the General him
self The General to await the result of the naval
the Lake before he should offensive
operations The supplies and reinforcements we're adj
vancng to meet that contingency, and unless Mr. Head
ley required Gen. Harrison to march around the Lake
wards Detroit and abandon all reliance Perrts feet,
his statement in this respect was destitute Of the usual
caution of the historian But to the declaration that
the frontier was in deplorable condition." r that
the savages had made successful inroads upon he
Elements" there citizens enough still living Ohio
Indiana and Michigan to prove that the author his
indulging in romance.
By the plan of campaign which established posts on
the frontier in front of each wing of the army md thus
kept large portion of the Indians at Maiden III antic
patton Of attack and the desultoy expeditions pro-
ected against the Indian villages, the settlements
protected and the enemy kept in the dark aso Interior
operations Gen. Harrison covered the frontier more eec
tualy and advanced rapidly thegand result than
did Gen. Wayne, whose conveys were ssailed, and who
two years in the necessary for the
main campaign On this subject Col. Morrison revo-
luonary officer and Quartermaster Genra is very ex-
plict. In Dawson's Life of Harrison, page 457 he
says:
THE positions selected for protecting h frontier set
Elements universally admitted to be juicous and
proof that they is remarkable that during
the autumn and winter of lSl213 in froter of great
extent there scarcely instance Of tn Inhabitants
being moested by the enemy The general arrangements
for concentrating the troops the Rapids the Miami
stores and provisions could procured to
justify advance SUCH in my opinion evinced
correct knowledge of the country and character of the
enemy and great military talents the partof General
Harrison"
Throughout the frontier of the vast Northwest but one
of annoyance occurred in the spring and of
1Sl3 and this the murder of family on Gle Creek
the Lake between Cleveland and Sandus1y and is
adyerted by Gen. Harrison in his mastery rrespon-
dence with Gen. Vincent.
proceed now to offer testimonials and consider
atoms to show that Mr. Headey has done injustice to the
memory of Gen. Harrison in the opinion that che lacked
the energy and promptness necessary to Efficient
mander" Passing the indications of high moral
character which Harrisons under Gen Wayne
afforded the brilliant victory at Tippecauo ESQ ac-
knowedged by Mr.. Headey) presents the frs instance
Of his conduct a commander
We" say the officers Of the 18th United States regiment
who were in the action "deem it our duty to sate as
ncontestable facts that the commandern chief trough
out the campaign and in the hour Of battle provel him
self the soldier and general"
Col. OFallon, Of st. Louis and nephew Of Gen.
George Rogers Clarke, the Hannibal of the West sas
81 was by Gen. Harrisons side through nearly the
whole Of the late war; and bear testimony his TOOL
undaunted and collected courage, well to his Gill
as d6 scient and actcs officer. After the battle of
Tippecanoe which has thrown much glory over our
countrys arms it universally admitted thai Gen. Hqr
rson the only officer that could hare saped the army from
defeat and massacre"
In December 1s11 the Legislature of the Indiana Ter
rtory bore testimony to 'his superior capacity and in
egrity in that action The Legislature of Kentucky on
the motion Of the distinguished patriot j. j. Crittenden
sResored That in the late campaign against the In
dams the Wabash Gov. w. H. Harrison has, in the
opinion of this Legislature, behaved like hero patriot
and general and that for his COOL deliberate skifu
and gallant conduct in the late battle of Tippecanoe he
well deserves the warmest thanks of the nation'
President Madison announced the battle to Congress-
and remarked that
While it is deeply lamented that SO many valuable
lives have been lost In the action which took place the
th utimo Congress will with satisfaction the daunt-
less spirit and fortude displayed by every description of
troops engaged well the collected rmness which
distinguished their commander occasion requiring
the utmost exertion of valor and discipline"
McAfee, in his History Of the War, remarks that
'The common opinion seemed to be that the army had
been conducted with prudence, and that the battle had
beon fought well it could have been by any general
considering the time and manner Of attack
Judge Hall, himself an officer in the late war with
Great Britain in speaking of this BATTLE besows the fell
lowing beautiful compliment on the commander:
GAS far any commander is entitled to credit nde-
pendent Of his army, he Gen Harrison merits and has
received it, He shared every danger and fatigue to which
his army was exposed In the battle he was in more
peril than any other individual for he was personally
known to every Indian and exposed himself fearessy
horseback at all points Of the attack during the whole
engagement. Every important movement was made by
his express order
In the language Of the same eloquent writer
"The field Of Tippecanoe has become classic ground;
the American traveller pauses there to contemplate
which has become halowed by victory The peo-
pie of Indiana contemplate with pride the battle ground
which their militia won imperishable honor and their
infant State became enrolled in the ranks Of patriotism
Breckenridge, page 81, makes the following comment
on this battle:
"Ths is of the most desperate battles ever fought
with the Indians and but for the caution and efficiency Of
the commandern chief might have terminated like the
night attack on Gen. ST. Clair. The army with the ex