Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-23

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Gen. Winchester from his impending fate it would have
been done by Gen. Harrison He had started on detach
ments from Upper Sandusky with provisions and NUM-
lions Of he received Gen. WncheSters de-
spatch from his camp Defance all of which he
himself passed on the way his great anxiety to get
the front end take charge Of the advance He even lost
his horse in the swamp and proceeded some distance on
foot One battalion Of Ohio militia under Major Cot
greye with two ed-pieces, which they had been sue
cessfu in dragging through the swamps came up on the
morning of the 21st Without hours rest these were
sent on sustain Gen. Winchester aid him in his re-
treat TO the Rapids il he should be driven back All felt
the greatest soiciude for his safe deyerance from his
most perilous position, and Gen. Harrison especially
BY this ncautious movement almost up to the guns OF
Maiden, of such important part OF his command, all
his wematured plans threatened to be frustrated
indefinitely postponed. The disastrous result came
but too soon upon the painful apprehension.
Now If this simple statement Of facts be true-and
know it is in every essential PARTICULARS it not evident
that Mr.. Headeys charge against Gen. Harrison OF
want of "energy and promptness rs commander" IS
unjust? And remembering the brilliant victory of Col
Lewis over the British and Indians at Raisn the 18th,
and how promptly Gen. Winchester dispatched Col Wells
with the 18th regiment to his support, hmsg Joo~mg
Immediately with another reinforcement OF Kentucky yo-
uneers is it not most ungenerous as well as unjust 70
attempt blast the character Of the dead and crucy
the feelings Of the living by writing down In history that
the quaes Of ,nergy and pro'apness seemed conaed 70
The British officers ledpng The single one Of cduony
At the time they were said to have been influenced by
inconsderdte bracay," never by too much caution
II these matters could be made the subject OF legal
Investigation before an honest jury, and Mr. headieys
hearsay book of fables which he calls the History OF
the Second War with England" should be read on one
sd backed by al the resde writer's upon whose au-
thory he might rely and the young cadet whose early
character for truth, intelligence, and courage recon-
mended him to Gen. Winchester worthy to be entrust
ed with such mission of life and death to the Com
mandern Chief Of the Northwestern army should tes-
fy the other SIDE which would carry the verdict Of the
jury! Could there be moments hesitation? Especially
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of two campaigns with honor in both Of which he had
been entrusted with most dangerous and responsible
duties and had shed his blood freely the battle eld
had lived up this hour with unblemshed character
And such exactly is the presented to the public
Itseems to me that this proof sustained by the re-
sstless array recently presented by COL Todd in the
columns OF the National ought to silence for
or cover with shame the reckless caumniators Of
the dead old hero.
One more remark and will dismiss this branch Of the
subject.
If Mr.. Headey had known Gen. Winchester, or Coils.
Lewis and Allen and Majors Garrard and Graves and
Madison who commanded at Raisin half well as did,
and had Witnessed their constant anxiety in the midst OF
suerngs and privatons of the most trying character
In the depths Of the wilderness from the commencement
till the bloody close of that unfortunate campaign, to
meet the enemy he could not have allowed himself to re-
cord In his "history" charge SO unfounded as that
quoted ut the commencement of this review
Having as believe, successfully yindcated your IA
Their and his brother American officers against the i'm
putatons Of Mr.. Headley of being deficient in energy
and promptness" and all necessary military qualities
saving and excepting the single Of caution" shall
now answer his other charge specially applied to your
father, viz. that HARRISON after Wchester's deedt lat
Raisi) instead Of pushing in pursuit. had rsreaed"
Now, this is not political, moral, religious ques
ton, but purely and emphaticaly military one and we
would naturally suppose that man who would attempt
to crcse and pass judgment upon the conduct of Gen.
Harrison ought himself to be well yersed in the science
OF war and 10 erea practical soldier and If just
or generous he would not wait till the object Of his
censure had gone to his last account after having first
reached the highest honors of his country, because
mainly Of his eminent and successful military
during the second war with England"
Mr.. Headley ever " set squadron in the field, or
was qualified to do the historians Of the revolutionary
war; the second war with England and that full of
deeds of glory, with Mexicoin Of which he must
have served-haye been strangely remiss in not placing
his name prominent the roll Of fame do not know
his age and therefore cannot tell with which Of the truth
full chronicers rests the fault Of this omission Sureyh
was old enough to take part in the great political struggle
Of $780, when the vile of party in full cry ut
the heels Of " Old Tpecano" while the bloodhounds Of
personal malignity were aiming at his throat. With
which pack if with either did he then attempt drag
down this gallant old stag Or did he then remain pro-
foundy silent in order the more eectuay to distil his
poison into the channel Of history after the clods Of the
earth at North Bend should cover his remains?
It has been shown that when Gen. Winchester ad-
yanced to the River Raisin the right wing Of the army
was coming on, by deachments, from Upper Sandusky
and the centre from Fort Macarthur; but that only
vous to his disastrous defeat and that had been hasten
% EDWARDS to his support.
Gen. Harrison found the sick and dsheartened rem
nant Of the left wing behind their temporary breastworks
several miles above the foot of the rapids on the north
British side of the river In this position if the river
continued frozen over the enemy could easily cross 5eo,o
him and cut off his supplies and renforcements without
coming within gun-shot of his camp; and if it should
break up there was not at hand to enable
him to fall back on his approaching army, for
them to come over to him. In both he would be
cut off from his main armyrom renorcements and sup
phes-without o cannon in his camp
In this situation the night of the 22d of January
1873 he received the first Of Wnchesters defeat
and very afterwards Cotgreve panicstricken bat
TALON came flying into camp having abandoned their
tilery and baggage on the way where they first
met by one soldiers who had escaped from the
battle These alleged that the whole army had been
destroyed by large force Of British and Indians com
pEtcd By them to exceed fire thousand number It is true
that the force Of the enemy overrated but it had
been sufficient to annihate Gen. Wnchesters army or
all that gallant band who, few days BEFORE had march
ed to Raisin and gained brilliant victory, rtyt
dred were killed in battle massacred afterwards by
the Indians in violation Of the terms Of surrender and
the remainder were carried prisoners to Maiden.
Oh! it was sad day for Kentucky Universal mourn
ing covered the land with black and her heart still beeds
when the bloody desolaton of that conflict is called to
mind. If Gen. Harrison merited reproaches from any
source, it from Kentucky for the blood of her chill
dren had flowed like water No other State had single
representative in the battle and yet listen to her voice
l64O when in tones of thunder she rebuked the cau
niators Of her fayorie General and cast majority Of
more than twenty thousand votes for him President
of the United States
Gen. Harrison fell back one days march to meet his
supplies and reinfo-cements instead Of sacrificing him
self and the feeble force then with him by mady advance
ing upon Maiden. And for this Mr.. Headey charges