Butte record., 1856-01-12

NAAD '''o -SAii- Olit OANSA 0iitNC'l
from the War Department to the Gov
enor willie Blountl to detach fifteen
hundred militia to the Lower Missis-
sippi; the object to meet the British,
then expected to make an attempt on
New Orleans. The Governor was a
friend to Jackson and to his country.
He agreed to accept his three thousand
volunteers instead of the fifteen hun
bred draughted militia. The General
issued an address to his division. |
galloped to the muster-grounds and
harangued the young men. The sue
cese was ample. Three regiments
were completed-C Coffee, William Hall,
Benton, the colonels-and in Decem-
ber, 1912, we descended the Cumber-
land and the Mississippi in feet of
fiat -bottomed boats, and landed at
Natchez. There we get the news that
the British would not come that win
ter-a great disappointment, and fine
i chance lost.
We remained in camp, six miles
from Natchez, waiting ulterior orders.
In March they came-not orders for
further service, or even to return home,
but to disband the volunteers where
they were. The command was posi-
! tive, in the name Of the President, and
by the then Secretary at War, Gen.
Armstrong. | well remember the day
Sunday morning, the 25th day of
March, 1913. The first thing | knew
Of it was message from the General
to come to his tent; for though, ,as Col.
of a regiment, | had ceased to be aid,
yet my place had not been filled, and
was sent for as much as ever. He
showed me the order, and also his
character, in his instant determination
not to obey it, but to lead his volun-
teers home. He had sketched a severe
answer to the Secretary, and gave it
to me to copy and arrange the matter
OF it. 1t was very severe. | tried
hard to get some parts softened, but
but impossible. | have never seen that
letter since, but would know it if |
should meet it in any form, anywhere,
without names. | concurred with the
General in the determination to take
home our young troops. He then
called ''council'' of feld-oficers, as
he called it; though there was but lit
tie of the council in it, the only object
being to hear his determination and
take measures for executing it. The
officers were unanimous in their de-
termination to support him; but it was
one Of those cases in which he would
have acted not only without, but against
council"
The officers were unanimous and We
hement in their determination, as
much so as 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 Federal Government-in-
trusted to these officers by their fa-
Tiers, in full confidence that they
would act fathers part by them; and
the recreant thought Of turning them
loose on the Lower Mississippi, FIVE
hundred miles from home, without the
means of getting home, and a wilder
ness and Indian tribes to traverse, did
not find one moments thought in any
ones bosom. To carry them back
was the instant and indignant deter
mination; but great difficulties were in
the way. The cost of getting back
three thousand men under such cir
cumstances must be great; and here
Jackson's character showed itself
again. We have all heard of his re-
sponsibilities- readiness to assume
political responsibility when the public
service required it. He was now equal
ly ready to take the responsibility of
another kind-moneyed responsibility,
and that beyond the whole extent of
his fortune! He had no military chest,
not a dollar Of public money; and three
thousand men were not to be conduct
ed five hundred miles through a will
derness country and Indian tribes
without money. Wagons were want
ed, and many of them, for transport
of provisions, baggage, and the sick
so numerous among new troops. He
had no money to hire teams ; he i'm
pressed and at the end of the service
gave drafts upon the quartemaster
general of the Southern department
General Wilkinson's) for the amount.
The wagons We're ten dollars day,
coming and going. They were nu-
merous. 1t was service Of two
months; the amount to be incurred
was great. He incurred it, and, as it
will be seen, at imminent risk Of his
own ruin. This assumption on the
Generals part met the first great diff
ficulty; but there were lesser difficult
ties, still serious, to be surmounted.-
The troops had received no pay;
clothes and shoes were worn out; the
men were in no condition for march
so long, and so exposed. The officer: