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

1
of the British. In letter to Washington,
dated Fort Pitt, Jan. 23d, 1871, 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. I 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 nc
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, 1779. 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. 4tb, 1880, he again declined
a compliance with Col. B,'s renewed and
urgent solicitation, on the ground that his
regular troops would all be needed to coo per.
ate with our French allies The want oil
provisions too. at that time, was greatly fel,
which Washington alluded to, adds, You
must therefore, Of necessity, confne yourself
to partizan strokes, which l wish to see en-
couraged. The State of Virginia is very de-
sirous of an expedition against Detroit, and
would make great exertions to carry it into
execution. But while the enemy are 80 for-
nidable 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 regretfulIy de-
clinedb by 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-
pedition against the Indian towns on the
Muskingum a full account Of which having
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
bprhed the town.
We regret our inability to notice in detail
all his expeditions. They were numerous
and EXPENSIVE enough to fill a volume. No
better officer could have been selected for the
arduous post of commander Of the western
! 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
distinction, and to the entire satisfaction of
the commander-in-chief 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, tive important treaties; the one
was concluded July %, l779, with deputies
of the Cherokee nation. In this treaty, init
nations were given out of native represen-
tation in Congress, and new Indian eonfed-
eracy with the Delewares as the head.
Congress passed Col B. a 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-
ton from the State of Pennsylvania. He
was suryeyor-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 seventythree. The por-
trait which accompanies this memoir is from
miniature now in possession Of his great
grandson, Henry johnson, Esq, prominent
member Of the bar in Northern Pennsylya.
MIA.
1t gives us pleasure, thus to recall the
memory of the great men of The "times that
tried mems souls )" not 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 all infant. it was his misfortune, to
lose, by death his 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 l8l4l, and where continued with them to
the present time. They together wish 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 exigencies of the war shall require the
sacrifice of these ties be holds himself ready
and willing Seldom has lawyer hung out
his shingle with less to encourage and cheer
him. Without an acquaintance in the coun.
ty ct Lyconling, with cash capital of only
$13, 81, and library cons listing of MeKin-
ney's Pennsylvania Justice, and Purdon's
Digest. but confident of his own powers. and |