The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-25

WIS IidCc, anu anu IN hCluhlly Wduttu, hs
" the garrison is small, and the enemy in
" considerable force Under these circum-
" stances your excellency will, | am sure
" not hesitate to afford us all the assistance
" in your power" To which Governor
Chittenden responded, the same day, as
fellows; 81 shall take the most cffectual
" measures to furnish such number of
" volunteers, as may be induced to turn
scout for your assistance" lie, further,
Immediately dispatched request to Gener-
al John Newell Of Charlotte, and other
officers of the militia, to take the most
effectual method to procure volunteers
from their brigldes, for immediate assis-
lance to Macomb, but Newell, being little
oalsh, waited for n "request direction or
I" order to march his brig ide, as militia, to
Plattsburgh, and so nformed the governor.
The reply of Governor Chittenden dis
closed his patriotism and the considerations
which governed his action, and Is as fol,
lows " 1 DO not consider myself, autlc-
" rized, either by the constitution or laws,
under which we act, aud from which all
" our powers are derived, to order the
militia out of the state. But considering
" the peculiar situation of the army al
" Plattsburgh, 1t was my desire, that every
/" AID, constituionally in our power, should
" he afforded. And | am induced to believe,
" that II request, in such case, would
" have more effect, than an attempt to
" assume unauthorized power, on all such
" as are willing to turn out for The defence
" of our county,
The governor did not stop here He or
deIed all Of the fixed ammunition, in the
arsenal at Vergennes, belonging to the
state, to be turred over to the volunteers
sent Samuel Swift, secretary of civil and
military affair, aud Amos w Barnum, his
military aid, TO confer with General
Macomb; and General Samuel Strong, the
ranking officer Of the militia, to, personally,
examine into the situation, as well as to
hurry up volunteers and to be on hand to
organize them rs they reached Plattsburgb.
How eflicacious were these efforts, may
be seen from the report made by General
Strong, under date of September 10, from
which it appears that eighteen hundred
and twelve of the Vermont militia were
then, well armed, at Pittsburgh as volun.
teers, while New York had only seven hun
bred of her militia, and of the regular
troops, under Macomb, there were only
two thousand. AS General Strong com
manded the Vermont volunteers in the bat =
tie OF Pittsburgh, it may be interesting to
know how he viewed the action of Cover
nor Chittenden. In the report referred to,
he expresses the hope that the governor
and his friends will send additional men,
but edo not" he says, ''let my wishes turn
you from the correct principles you have
heretofore pursued as governor of Ver-
"mont"
The next day, General Strong reported
the result of the battle. He says: "We
=" are now encamped, with two thousand
five hundred Vermont volunteers, on the
south bank of the Saranac river, oppo-
" site the encmy's right wing, which is
commanded by Gen. Brisbane" After
referring 10 the commencement of the en-
gagement, he says: The enemy "were
foiled at every attempt, except at Pixies
encampmont whcro now are. ne
New York militia were posted at this
"place, under Gems. Mooer and Wright.
They were forced to give back few
miles, until they were reinforced by their
artillery. The general informed me of
his situation, and wished for our assist
ance, which was readily afforded We
met the enemy, and drove him across
the river, under cover of his artillery
"Our loss is trifling We took twenty or
thirty prisoners. Their number of killed
sis not known"
On the fifteenth day Of September
| days after the battle of Plattsburgh, and
| before the governors action relative to
furnishing volunteers could have beer
known at Observation-Disclosures Monroe,
secretary of war, requested Go vernon Chit
enden to "order" 'not less than two thou
"sand of the militia" of Vermont to thu
aid of General Macomb but the governor
was enabled to reply, as he did, as follows
I" l have great satisfaction to inform you
st that every object contemplated in you
" communication has been effected. Vol
"unteers to a much larger number, thai
that mentioned in your request, turned
" out, and crossed the lake to meet tn
enemy, without distinction of age, char
" acter, or party, exhibiting a spirit ant
zeal for the defence of their country
:" which reflects the highest horor Ct
themselves and the country they hav
I" signally aided in defending"
The letter Of James Monroe was virtua
endorsement of his course the letter o
General Strong shows the results of his pa
tnotic action !; the principle he contendet
for has, ever since, been followed in prac
tice, and, even, during the darkest days o
the rebellion, when the need for men wa
the most urgent, the call was for volunteer
exceptin single instance; it was made b,
the president, not by mere military com
mander; and no attempt was made to de
prve the several states of the appointment
of its officers. Governor Chittenden's fam
ia secure. Its only detractors are the ig
norant and uniformed.
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Political.
The trouble with Congressman Tucke
is said to be that he is nephew of job
| RandOlDh of Roanoke