The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-18
i.lZ aud 1861.

The magnitude o. tie scale upon which the
War now wagiug in This country is conducted
ie appalling. i. We compare with Inoee that have
preceded II. The War OF the Revolution was
relatively a mere succt ss.on OF skiriuisAes.
Tie " ar OF lol2, Measured both as regards
numbers aud the held OF operations, SINKS into
cOa.emptib!e nl-gn .hcance beside the 6 gantic
operations tha. are gong ON AT the present hour.
II We LOOK tack at the history. more especially
OF The last var w.th Ensland, aud compare It's
leading Incidents with those oi the conflict now
raging, we shall hnd that II hardly rises TO the
dignity OF modern reconnaissance. The bat
Ties dwiIdle down into the yeriest martial
e7aegtes; the casualties are few, aud the mum
Der OF prisoners taken in victorious engage
nents, eoulted rather by hundreds than thou
sands.
We cite q few incidents from the War of lsl2
10 sAow what petty affairs relatively were some
OF Tie most brilliant victories achieved by our
aims.
The first battle" of any Importance was
that of BrOwnstown, near Detroit, fought Aug.
9th, lel2. Cur force was only 6o0, that of the
British and Indians combined, $50. Our loss
was Is killed and IS wounded; and that Of the
enemy, loo,
Gen. HULL's "army," which disgrscsiully
surrendered at Detroit SIX days later only num-
bered tOenty j.re hsnGred men; while that
Of the enemy consisted only of 200 Eng
li.h aud 600 Indians. No wonder Gen. BROCK
who commanded the latter, wrote Sir GEORGE
PRovosr -" When detail my good fortune,
your EXcellency will be surprised
At the battle OF Queensiowu, two columns
of 800 men each. did about all the fighting 90
our side. Gen. VAN RENSSELAER, in his report
says, " "Onc-third part of the men idle might
have saved all" As it was, some looked On
while many fled into the woods" leaving
their brethren To their fate.
At the seige OF Fort Erie, the English threw
1900 red hot shot without hurting man.
Our loss was only four kiiledau seven wound
ed.
Brigadier Gen. SMITH abandoned his favorite
project OF invading Canada West because, al
though he had been preparing the greater part
OF The summer, and had snergetlcally drummed
up volunteers, he had succeeded in collecting
only 800 men and be did not think the ex-
petition would be successful unless he had 800
more.
At the battle of York our force was LOO !;
that OF the enemy 200 English and loo Indians.
Our loss was 800 in killed and wounded; that
of the enemy, 100 killed, 800 wounded, 200 pris-
oners. THIS was one OF the most brilliant Of
our victories, yet is not to be compared
to tue Battle OF Belmont, or that OF Bull s
D
the losses sustained.
| At the battle OF Sacketts Harbor, the enc
my's force was 1000: ours, 500. His loss in
killed and wounded was $50; ours, l54.-
Among the trophies taken by our troops were
the British standard aud mace. Oeer the latter
hung a human scalp!
! Com, PERRY's victory on Lake Erie was ee-
teemed - big thing in its day yet his whole
| fleet consisted of only 81 guns and two swivels
| that of the enemy, 63 guns and two swives.-
| Our loss in He'd and wounded was l23 that
! OF the enemy has never been definitely known.
F! At the tile OF Chippewa our loss was 32S;
| that of the enemy. ola.
At the Battle OF Fort Erie our loss was 81 ;
| that of the enemy. 5s2
| At the Battle of Baltimore the eneny's forces
numbered from 1000 to 5000; ours was prob
ably less than half that number. Our loss was
about 10: that OF the enemy some 700 in kill
cd. wounded and missing.
! Even the Battle OF New Orleans looks inslg-
niGcant to eyes that have witnessed a reconnoi-
Sance on the Potomac lG, 000 strong, aud re-
view OF 10000 troops The British force. in
cllding sailors and marines, was about IA 600
that OF JACKSON, ; 200 on the left bank of the
river and about 500 distributed in positions
hard by Our loss was seven lied and sx
wounded ; that Of the enemy, 700 killed and
| l,400 wounded.
1t is safe to say that Notwithstanding the tor
por of large share OF our army and the taunts
that we have thus far been playing at war,
a greater number of Ives have been lost within
the last five months than during the entire
"War Of lSl2.''-At6any Journal.