, 1873-01-19

tinued to honor him With his confidence and
friendship" But, before completing the eri-
denco that the defeat OF St. Clair WAS not at
tributed by the Presidout, or Wol-informed per-
Sons, to incompotency or lack OF courage. por-
NIT me to refor At some length to the "burst of
rage" alluded to by your correspondent in his
very interesting letter. The story is told by
Rush in Ills account Of tho domestic life Of
Washington, and is repeated by Irving.
The officer bearing the dispatches from tho
defeated army arrived at the Presidents honso,
in Philadelphia, towards the close of q December
day, and demanded immediate admittance to tho
President. The latter WAS at dinner with COM
pany, but finally a servant veusn1ed into tho
dining-room and communicated tho matter to
Mr. Lear, who, after conference with tho ues-
eenger, returned to the dining-roou,, and, in Il
whisper, conveyed to tho President the nows Of
the disaster *'WasLington rose from tho table
aud went into the hall, whence Le returned in q
short time and resumed his scat, apologizing for
his apsouce, but without alluding to the cause Of
it. One Of tho company, however, overheard
him, he took his seat, nautter to himself, with
An ejaculation OF extreme lmpntience, know
it would be so.'"
Washington remained serene until after tho
company withdrew, which WAS about 10 O'Clock,
when, taking seat on eof. BY the fire, ho
T..
time to notice that he was extremely agi:ated,
when he broke out suddenly It's all ovor i
st. Cla1r's defeated routed; tho officers nearly
all killed, the men by wholesale; tue route COM
plcto; too shocking to think Of, and surprise
into the bargain = All this was uttered with
greAt valemence. Then, pausing aud rising
from the sofa, he WALKED up and down tho room
In silenco, violently agtated, but saying nothing
When near The door, he stopped short; stood
still for q few moments, When there WIS another
In ~ EJo1 mol
ho. "herc, on this very spot, I took leave OF
HIM; I wished him SUCCESS and honor.
: You have your instructions from tho
Secretary of War; said 1; had a
BEWARE OF SURPRISE! You know, how tho
Indians fight us. I repeat it: BEWARE OF A
SURPRISE He went oil with that, my last
warning, thrown into his ears. and yet, to
suffer that army to be cut to pieces. hacked,
butchored, to1nahawked. by . sarprise,-tho,
o Godn exclaimed ho, throwing up hfa hands,
vlils his vory frame shook with emotion, he's
worse .lan 1aurderor! How can he answe1 it
to his country Tho blood of tho slain is upon
curse Of Hea7en!' The paro1ysm passed by.
Washington again sat down on the sofa; he wss
sicnt,-apparcntIy Uncomfortable, as II con-
scious Of the uneovsrnahlo burst e passion
which had cone over him. This must
length, in subdred and altered toue. The1o
was another and longer Pause then, in q touo
quito low: General st. Clair ehall hare jus
tico,' said he. 4 looked hastily through, tho
dispatches; ga" tue whole disaster, but not "a: al
pleasure; will hear him without prejudice; ho
shall have full jnstice.'"
This noblo promise was fully kept. st. Clair
was heard restored to tile favor OF Washing
ton, with whom he had alwars been favorite;
aud vindcatcl By General Knox, Secretary of
War, in the following words, under date Of the
23d OF December, 17Yf: .
"Your misfortune, to be aure, las been great
and unexpected. But, air, it was one OF those
incidents which sometimes happen in human
affairs. which could not, under existing oircum-
stances, have been prevented.
"De assured, sir, that, however great tho dc,
feat, both your reputation, eud tho reputation
pcached. The fact seems to be pretty we'll hs-
certained, By the way Of Detroit, through differ
ent channel8 Of communication, that yoa must
have had oppoasd to you upwards OF z, 800 IN
dians. II this should prove true eventually, the
consolidation would at least a1igc, that you wore
beaten bT superior numbers
But St. Clair was not content He demanded
Court OF Inquiry, as above referred to, and his
friends in Congress lad Committee appointed
to investigate the matter. That investigation
bravo soldier, and the placing Of the blame
where it really belonged. Quartesmneter Hoag-
don yss the man who ehonld have recoired the
weight OF Washington's passionate, burning
words. Nor was tho Secretary OF War wholly
free from ble1nn.
It was claimed ty St. Clair, in his defence, that
the recruits were largely s'the s;.eep.ng Of the
gaoIs" Of Pennsylvania, Delaware, ETC.; that
the Secretary Of War directed tho incorporation
Of these ragabonas nta the regiments Of regular
troops, thst the Secretary had neglected 10 apply
to the Executive OF Virginia TO. authority to
draft the militia OF Kentucky, and these, not
recognizing the authority Of the Commander-ir-
Chief, deserted largely; that, while the army
Fort Washington III July, it ssus not even i'm
perfectly prepared before late i'll the fall owing
to the c:i:ninal negI4ct Of the Qdartarnantsr,
who refused to obey his {st: Glars commands;
that the ammunition vas inferior, and there
Wa. no. . particle Ct dry forage, Of any
tity OF oats that had teen sent from Fort Pitt
had all hcon used long before the army marched;
that the contractor failed to supply Euhcisat
food that under his instructions, the COM
finally, ca the ed OF November. in consequence
Of tic detachment ct the First Regiment TO
bring up the supplies and catch desertcEs, the
army consisted OF ouly ahcat 400 men,
On the merning of the 4th, the enemy a.
sssSsa fss es a1sfs 1n ssn sa in s tie
regulars to defend the ground. HON. bsaTel5
this wss done, histc-y teIs, but the officer
most distinguished for cooiness and bravery wss
the Cou1naade1-in-CLies, who s'as 20 i'll that ne
had to be carried in the nrnos Of his staN es he
gaTe lis ordera he vss tbe last to leave the
ground, and, By l!s manly bearing, preserved
iae discipline Of the few regulars lcts aud pre-
vented a total wreck.
The Congressional Committee. sitter an e1-
animation. repor. the facts fully. They ut
tributed the failure Of the expedition to: !.
The delay in furnishing the 1aa:erials and estl-
mates, and in passing the act for the p1otsc-
ton Of the frontiers. 2. TIE delays consequent
md neQIact6 in tie Q1AIterua4te.s knd Con-