The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-03-31

cned, but impossible. I have never seen
that letter since, but would know it if
should meet it In any form, anywhere, with.
out names. cCncurred with the General
in the determination TO take home our young
troops. lie then called 'councir' Of the
field officers, as he called il, though there
was but little of the council in 1.-THE only
object being to hear his determination, and
take measures for executing it, The officers
were unanimously in their determination TO
support him; but 1t was one of those cases
in which he would have acted, not only
without, but against council"
The officers were unanimous and vehc-
ment in their determination, a. much 80 a.
the General was himself; for the volunteers
were composed Of the best young men Of the
cOuntry--farmers' sons, themselves clever
young men, since filling high offices in the
State and the federal Observation-Disclosures
to those officers by their fathers, in full con-
fidencc that they would act fathers part
by them; and the recreant thought Of turn.
ing them loose, on the Lower Mississippi,
five hundred miles from home, without the
means ofgctting home, and wilderness and
Indian tribes to traverse, did not fnA mo-
meats thought in any one i bosom. To cafs
ry them back was the instant and indignant
determination; but great difficulties were
in the way. The cost Of getting back three
thousand men, under such circumstances,
must be great, and here Jackson's charac-
ter showed itself again. We have all heard
Of his rcsponsibiilics-his readiness to as
sumo political responsibility when the pub.
lie service required it; he was now equally
ready to take responsibility Of another kind
--moneyed responsibility and that beyond
the whole extent Of his fortune! He had no
military chcst-not dollar Of public money
and three thousand men were not to be
conducted five hundred miles through will.
dcrness country and Indian tribes without
great outlay Of money. Wagons were
wanted, and many Of them, for transport Of
provisions, baggage, and the sick, so numer-
Gus among new troops. lie bad no money
TO hire teams; he impressed and at the
end Of the service gave drafts upon the quar-.
termastcr general OF the southern depart.
ment General Wilknson's) for the amount
The wagons were ten dollars day, coming
and going. They were numerous. 1t was
a service Of two mOii;hs the amount to be
incurred was great. lie incurred il! and,
as will bc seen, at imminent risk Of his own
ruin. This assumption on the Generals
part met the first great difficulty, but there
were lesser difficulties, still serious, to be
surmountcd. The troops had received no
pay clothes and shoes were worn ont: men
were in no condition for n march SO long and
so exposed. The officers had received no
pay--did not expect to need money--had
made no provision for the unexpected con-
tingcncy of large demands upon their own
pockets TO enable them to do Justice to their
men. But there was patriotism outside Of
the camp as well as within. The merchants
OF Na.chcz put their stores at our DISPOSE
tion-takc what we necded--pay when con-
venicnt at Nashville. | will name one
among these patriotic mcrchants-nam him
because he belongs to class now struck at,
and because do not ignore friend when
he is struck. Washington Jackson was the
one | mcan--lrish by birth, American by
choice, by law, and conduct | took some
hundred pairs shoes from him for my reg-
ment, and other articles, and | proclaim it
here, that patriotic men of foreign birth
may see that there are p'""ty oil Afneri-
with homo" nn@oIr"ignlse q their mert-to oalY ,hon,
the right hand Of friendship when they are
struck at.
We all returncd--werc dischargcd--ds-
pcrsed among our homes, and the fine
chance on which we had SO much counted
was all gone. And now came blow upon
jackson hmsell-the fruit Of the moncycd
responsibility which he had assumed. His
transportation drafts were all protested
returned upon him for payment, which was
impossible-and directions to bring suit
This was the month of May. was coming
on to Washington on my own account, and
cordially took charge of Jackson's CASE
Suits were delayed until the result of his ap-
plication for relief could be heard. arrived
at this city Congress was in scssion-thc
extra session Of the spring and summer Of
1913. applied to the members of Con-
gress from Tennessee: they could do moth
ing. applied to the Secretary of War he
did nothing. Weeks had passed away. and
the time for delay was expiring at Nashville
Ruin seemed to be towering over the head
OF jackson, and felt the necessity Of some
decisive movement. was young then, and
had some material in me-perhaps some
boldncss; and the occasion brought it out.
] resolved t, take step, characterized in