New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-25

nandle0 Ior 20 d0lng Dy certain patriotic crulcs,
as il he had cast shadow over the glories Of
the day. But history is written or should be,
not 60 much to exalt the fathers as to instruct
the soDs, and the above incident in the battle of
Bunker Hill may row. for that purpose, be put
to good use. Even the heroes OF Bunker Hid, it
seems, had among them portion of the Same
loaven which worked SO Indignantly Of Bulls Run.
About the whole early history Of the Revolu-
tionary Wa. is q series Of disasters, intersperssd
with few splendid successes. One Of tbess
last was the capture of Montreal and the occu.
patton Of nearly the whole of Canads BY the
forces under Montgomery and Arnold. But this
success WIS only sbort-lved. Sullivan, though
sent with large re6nforcements, nnd aided by the
Intrepid valor Of Wayne. found it impossible to
hold the province against the superior force
which the opening Of the Spring enabled the
British to throw into the st. Lawrence; aud the
American army reiterated out of Canada, in the
emphatic words Of John Adams, disgrnced,
" defeated, discontinued, dspirited, diseased,
" undscpliOed eaten up with vormin, no
I" clothes, beds, blankets, nor medicines, and no
" victuals but salt pork and -FOUR" and scauty
supply Of those.
The disastrous defeat at Brooklyn, three months
later made o most alarming impression on Wash
ington's army assembled for the defense Of New.
York. When the van of the British crossed from
Long Island and landed at Kips Bay, the troops
posted to guard that landing, panc-stIuck by the
late disasters, fed without firing q gun Two
New -Engand brigades, brought up to support
them. seized with like panic ran away in the
most shameful manner, leaving Washington, who
had ridden up 10 view the ground. exposed to
capture within eighty PAGES OF the enemy. Then
occurred scene which we wonder that some
ono OF Our numerous and gifted artists has not
made the subject OF picture. Greatly eA-
asperated OF tho dastardy conduct of The panic
struck and flying troops, Washington dashed his
hat to the ground, eIclaming: care these tho
"men with whom l to defend America :"
His attendants turned his horses head and hur-
ried him from the field. This occurrence will
be found described at length in the Memoirs OF
GrsydoD Pennsylvania officer. who seems TO have
been present OF it. let tho very next day these
sonle men sturdily repulsed the enemy, being
spurred up to dc their duty by the example of Col
Knowlton and other brave officers, who sacrificed
themselves in their eagernem to show the soldiers
how to fight. Aiterward. in the disastrous
treat through the Jerseys, on tue victorious day
Of Trenton, these very regiments covered them
selves with glory, and gained the right Of stand
ing by Washington and their country through
the worst extremes of defeat and danger.
So also upon the occasion of Bureoynes ibya-
sion Of kew-York, year or two later. Al first,
his approach spread everywhere terror and dis
NAV. st. Clair fed from Ticonderoga in haste
and disorder, and the British, pursuing, captured
all bis baggage and stores. OF three regiments
attacked at Hubbsrdston, one fed diseraccfully,
leaving mos. Of their officers to be taken prison
ere. The other two, though they made stout
resistance. were brokea and dispersed, and
large number OF them captured At,er disas.
tros retreat, or rather eight, Schuyler collected
the troops OF the Nortbern army To The sumber
Of FIVE thousand men q; Fort Edward on tbs
HudsOn. But he could moi make stand even
there, and was obliged TO continue his retreat to
the mouth of the Mohawk. ~.
The loss Of Ticonderoga with its numerou. or.
tnery, and the subseqgeot rapid disasters, came
like thuuderbolt on Congress and The Northern
States. 1--WE shall never be able to defend a
:. post wrote John Adams ia a private let
ter---he was at that time Presdea. OF the Board
of Wsr-wonId 70 Heaven our Board Of War
had snch head -" We shall never be able to
- defend a post till we shoot d General Dis
asters, the unavoidable result OF weakness, were
sscribed to the incopacity or cowsrdice Of the
officers. Suggestions OF treachery wese even
whispered, and tue preudices Of the New-En.
glanders against Schuyler-for even the NORTH at
that tine was divided and distracted by bitter
sectional preludicos Of which now, fortunately,
hardly a trace remans-broke out with new sio-
Ieuce. But ali this disaster and confusion did
not prevent, within two or three month"; after,
the glorious days OF Remington and Bhemis
Rights, aud the total capture Of all Burseyne's
invading army.
Not to dwell any further upon the disasters OF
the war of tLe Revolution, of which Il would be
easy TO multiply instances, jet us now east eur
sor, glance at some Of the occurrences OF the
war Of 1872.
itt w hots' ". TUT "e!b curious thSu"
itaoce with respect 10 that war--s circun.iance
,IniDeDtiy instructive az TO the total change
Shich has taken place Of late years in tho objects
.nds, and aims of leading Southern politicians
That war as everybody knows, was preemi-
lently Southern measure, Of which the great
10 iect and leading end and aim. by which il was
Iloae justified as an etpedieot undertaking, wa
be conques. and annexation OF Canada That
.aAaunnt Lnd n han xuccesacl rnlld Ln.t