Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-09-26


of the British In letter to Washington,
dated Fort Pitt, Jan. 23d, 1881, he writes
thus: The whole OF my present force very
little exceeds three hundred men, and many
of them are unfit for such active service as
| is necessary here. / hope your excellency
will be pleased to enable me to take Detroit
the ensuing campaign for until that and
Niagara fall into our hands, there will be no
rest for the innocent inhabitants, whateyer
sums may be expended on a defensive plan"
Privious to this, Washington, in letter to
COL B., dated April 81, l779. in reply to his
request to fit out such an expedition, direct,
ed him to make the necessary preparations
but, on the 4th of January following. wrote
to countermand the order. in consequence OF
the operations in South Carolina, and his
inability to reinforce Fort Pitt, in case Of
disaster. Feb. 4th, 1880, he again declined
compliance with Col. BIS renewed and
urgent solicitation, on the ground that bis
regular troops would all be needed to cooper
ate with our French allies. The want OF
provisions too. at that time, was greatly felt
which Washington alluded to. adds, You
must therefore, Of necessity, confne yourself
to partizan strokes, which wish to see en-.
couraged. The State of Virginia is very de-
sirous of an expedition against Detroit. and
would make great exertiops to carry it into
execution. But while the enemy are so for-
midable to the southwark, and are making
such strides in that quarter, I fear it will
require greater force of men and supplies
to check them than we, since the defeat near
Camden, shall be able shortly to draw to-
gether."
The desire of Col. B. to undertake the re-
duction of Detroit, was thus regretfully de-
clinedby commandsr-in- -c!Iief and the wishes
of Virginia, and indeed the whole country,
disappointed.
In the Spring Of 1871. Col B. led an ex-
peditiGn against the Indian towns on the
Muskingum a full account of which haying
been elsewhere given in this volume, it will
be unnecessary to notice further now.
Near the mouth of Broked straw creek, a
tributary of the Allegheny, stood the Indian
town OF Buckaloon. In 1881, COL B. attack
ed this stronghold of the enemy, and after a
hard siege, finally routed the sayages and
buried the town.
We regret our inability to notice in detail
all his expeditions. They were numerous
and expensive enough to ell volume. No
better officer could have been selected for the
arduous post of commander Of the western
division of the army. 1t required man
bold, cautious and sagacious, and Col. B. was
the very embodiment Of all these. He prov-
ed himself admirably qualified for the most
trying situations, and aquitted himself with
the commander-in-chi In November,
1871, with the consent of Washington, he
re linquished the post into the hands of Col.
John Gibson, gallant Virginian, who had
done active duties on the frontier.
Col. 3. negotiated during bis residence in
the west, two important treaties the one
was concluded July %, 1779, with deputies
of the Cherokee nation. In this treaty, init
nations were given out of native represen-
tation in Congress, and new Indian confed-
eracy with the Delewares as the head
Congress passed Col. B. unanimous vote
of thanks for the highly satisfactory manner
In which be had discharged his duties on the
western frontier.
Gen. B. received many marks of distinc-
tion from the State of Pennsylvania He
was surveyor-general for many years, and
filled other places of honor and profit, He
was large, robust man, kind, generous and
amiable. He died at Milford, Pa, Nov. Is,
1909, at the age of seventy-three. The por-
trait which accompanies this memoir is from
a miniature now in possession Of his great
grandson, Henry johnson, Esq, prominent
member of the bar in Northern Pennsylya-
nia
1t gives US pleasure, thus to recall the
memory of the great men of the "times that
tried mems souls )" nos only for the purpose
OF the ensuing election but because it may
serve as an incentive to the men, who are
now engaged in the field conveying to
them, as it does, the assurance that their
memory will also become part of the ma
tional treasure house in the future
Henry johnson is emphatically self made
man. having none OF the auiliaries of wealth
or family connections, to push him forward.
When an infant, it was his misfortune, to
lose, by death bis father and only brother,
lie was reared and educated BY bis now aged
mother, with whom and mis- sisters, be re-
moved and settled in the borough of Muncy
in 1874, and where continued with them to
the present time. They together with his
wife and two little daughters, constitute nis
household, and the duty of guarding over
them has beer the only obstacle that has
hitherto prevented him from entering the
ranks of the army; and we are assured that
if the exgencies of the war shall require the
sacrifice of these ties be holds himself ready
and willing. Seldom has lawyer hung cut
his shingle with less to encourage and cheer
him. Without an acquaintance in the coun.
ty CT Lyconling, with cash capital of only
$l3. "a. and a library cons issing of McKin-
ney's Pennsylvania Justice, and Purdon's
Digest but confident nf his own nowara and