Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-03-28
Retreat of Sir George rrevost in 1911.

Retreat of Sir George Provost in 1914.
We published an article in the Free Press,
a week or two since, entitled, "Thc AHack
ond Dcicncc IF PiaHsburgh in 1871 the mi
tails appended to which were doubtless re-
cognizcd by many Of our readers as those Of
Gen. SYLVESTER CnURCHILt,of of the US. Army.
1t alluded to II statement furnished him by
the Rev. Eleazer Williams. That statement
has since been furnished us by Mr.. Williams,
and is printed at length below. 1t gives fuller
details Of the incidents mentioned by Gen.
Churchill, and will he found interesting.
WAsHIxGroN, 18th Feb. ls5G.
SIR; Agrccably to your request that | should
communicate "somc of the many interesting inci-
dents which t~ranspircd within my own knowledge
and observation, while acting as confidential agent
Of the Government" in the war of 1912, I now
select ono which perhaps may not bo unworthy your
attention.
The sudden retreat Of lt,O0O British troops and
100 Indians from rattsburgh, and tho State of New
York, on the llth september 1914, has been a sub
iect OF universal surprise and astonishmcnt, not only
to Americans, but to those of the British Army who
have dispa ssionately considered the great dispropor-
ton Of the strength Of tho two contcuding armies, at
tho time when the removal Of the army under Gen.
lard, from the Northern Frontier, had left the inn
portant post Of plattsburgh to tho command of Gen.
Macomb with 1900 combattants, nearly 100 of whom
were on the invalid list.
To leave the Post of Pittsburgh, at this juncture
Of the war, in so feeble a state, ! have ever consid-
cred one cf the many errors committed by tho Gov
crnmcnt in the military movements on the Canadian
border, which almost proved fatal to the little army
and to the Government property collected at the
Post, which cost not less than half million Of dol
lars; and perhaps the catastrophe which might have
occurred may have been avcrtcd by a little circum-
stance, which in its consequences was important to
the Post Of Pittsburgh, to the Army, the Govern
mont Property, to the American Flag, and the flu
turc invasion Of the enemy.
When the invading army Of Sir George Provost
entered into the state of New York, and we saw his
gradual approach to Pittsburgh, we were, Of course,
in a ,tttc OF alarm, and sought every means in our
power to impede its progress and to defeat his de-
signs Of conquest. But for a time all resistance was
Intellectual. His formidable force enabled him to
overcome every obstacle in his way, until he reached
ed the point Of his destination, and drew up his
'''Nr - A'''N Va ''A h"Ai'hN hAN' "'
the grand obi,ct Of his invasion.
Knowing, as | did, our comparative weakness and
their numerical strength, there was, at times, mis-
givings as to the success Of the engagement, and this
opinion was prevalent among the officers with whom
| had become acquainted. However, this was but
of moincntary remark. On reelection | considered
that my life was in my hands, to serve the Govern
mcnt, to sustain the honor of our Flag. America
..... ., 1-..l- r.-.u ,,,, .. L. III Jm.,
even unto death. Therefore | would not relax m,
efforts to perform the responsible duty which ha,
been assigned me. Thus far had she expressed he
approval and applause.
An incident had occurred on the 9th Of Scptcmbc
, in an interview with a certain citizen, who had for
series of years given much trouble to the revenu
Q department in the Champlain District, by s%mugglinu
, contraband goods from and to the cnomy. | prcsum
= he was not aware that l was informed Of his hayin
been in the enemy's camp in the last q hours.
lie at first, in a cursory manner, remarked the de
i tcntion of the British fleet, and that Sir G. Prevos
= was very uneasy at this, as he would not act withou
= the Corporation Of the Navy, and withal, that h
. was somewhat alarmed about the gathering of tn
A Militia in his front and elsewhere, and s~omcthin
moro which strongly indicated that the British Gen
cral did not feel himself secure to continue niue
longer without action; as, if delayed, his succc,
might be more doubtful in consequence of the in
, crease of State troops iu the American camp, an
from the very nature Of the surrounding country
| which was best calculated for them to act agains
c him, and most unfavorablc to his own troors-pal
s ticularly the Dragons.
. To increase the alarm Gas represented 10y the cit
o zen just referred to- Of the British general, Sir Gee
E Provost, a plan was matured, and executed by tt
writer, and in which he was somewhat assisted b
" Col. fasset, of Burlington, Vt. then commaudin
that Post, This was to play a coup DE- man upo
Sir George. Two letters were written, and by In
It request were signed by the above colonel. Icann,
d go into details Of the purport of these letters, b,
the following may suffice:
i "Ihat although His Excclloncy, Gov. Chittendct
had hitherto constitutionally opposed the war, an
had commended that state troops could not legally
called upon to invade the enemy territories, yet, {
IL being invaded by the enemy in the [ nited States, |
4. was a captain general of the State troops, and coul
ID not evade the first law of Standardization. !
lc therefore is marching with a force Of some eight
ten thousand troops, to fall upon the rear Of the e.
,C envy. lie will probably cross at Alburgh and tai
position in the ncichboring woods, and upon Il
heights of Champaign. lie has boats with hi
=, NhiNh "l' hap nun ~ Ni'Fs ~ hpulc' ny u
orders all tho Militia in the Northern part of IL
~ State are to follow him, and those at the South are
cross at Essex, New York.
n "The Vermonters are greatly exaspcrated by Il
N remembrance of the barbarous atrocities pcrpetr
ted without regard to age or sex, by Col. Murray,
T. Swanton Falls, last year. Tho very apprehcnsit
was sufficient to arm every man with a determin
% ton to defend the soil of their birth, or to bu
IL themselves beneath the shadow Of the Green Mou
tains.
1.-The Governor must reach the point Of his dcsti
h alton in As hours, and with the greatest care b
TX movements arc concealed.
at we are happy to learn, to-day from your cam
ce that Gen. Mann's brigade, from the West, is rapid
70 approaching Plattsburgh, which will be a most yalu
able acquisition to your numbers and strength. Tn
must arrive tomorrow. We are no less gratid
with the intelligence from your side Of the lake a
e. other quarters, that ten. Petit, from the south,
ed Advancing, by forced marches. Ills division is sa
5, to be in high spirits, anxious to meet the cnem
ed Many Of them live at Saratoga, and they a
@. determined, if possible, to have another Saratoga
no rlattsburgh.
is Huntington is now thronged with state trool
n u~nhappily detained for want of boats to ere
the lake. The steamboats, must be employed
remedy the evil
The substance of the foregoing was contained
the two letters, directed to Generals Macomb Il
80 Mooers before mentioned, which fell designcdly in
}" the hands of Sir Geo. Provost, on the 18th Scptemt
VS. about II o'clock, a. NJ, and on the reception
of Immediately recalled the attacking forces, which h
Ill Just reached the banks Of the Saranac, opposite G'
le- Pixies encampmcnt. a small detachment had
ready crossed, and SOME Of them had a heavy *
r mish with tho New York and Vermont troops.
Having learned on the 9th that the British b
'' left a strong guard at Champlain, and all their