The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-24
"REMINISCENCES OF 1919.

The Maumee Valley Pioneer Associa-
ton met at Perrysburg, Ohio, recently,
and number of addresses were made
and pa pers read by old settlers. Among
the number was a paper by Gen. John
10. Hunt, extracts from which we give
herewith:
Judge Thomas Dunlap then read the
following recollections of the olden
time, entitled "Sixty Years Since, I"
embracing mainly "reminiscences from
Gen. John e. Hunts experience.
On the march from Miami to Monroe,
when about half way, news reached us
of the declaration of war.
The British got the news before we
did, through fur company's agent,
who took it by express direct to Canada.
The Canadians might have taken De-
troit by surprise before Hull got there.
Hull stopped two days at Monroe to
make display of his troops.
Thence we marched up the River HUI
ron there We camped in an open prai-
rie. We could see from our camp the
masts of the brig 20-gun ship, Queen
Charlotte, which lay in the lake off NAL
den. Some Indians were observed at q
distance. During the night we were
aroused by false alarm. Hull's appre-
hension of an attack by force which
might be landed from the Queen Char
lotte gave color to the alarm. 1t was
afterward learned that the Indians were
Wyandotts, who offered themselves to us
as allies at Detroit. Their services
were not accepted, as our governments
orders to Hull were to have nothing to
do with them.
At that time there were no British
troops on board the Queen Charlotte.
On the occasion of this false alarm it was
whispered in camp that the old man
Hull was good deal frightened. The
next day we went into camp at the River
Rouge, seven miles from Detroit. We
marched in great disorder, strung along
five or six miles. Hull halted there
eight or ten days to prepare his men to
make display through the streets of
Detroit. Detroit was then a town of
from ten to twelve hundred people.
Then he marched his men through De-
troit and back again to camp on the
River Rouge. After some days he
moved up and crossed the Detroit River
in batteaux Lel@w Belle Isle. One beau
tiful morning they crossed without op-
position and made fine display, march
ing down opposite Detroit with colors
flying and music playing. There they
made fortified camp and remained. A
two-story brick house in the center of
the camp was the Generals headquarters.
There 1 first saw Gen. Cass, then
Colonel.
1t was warm July morning, and j
was taking my breakfast at a boarding
house kept by a man whose name was
Deputy. At the table sat Maj. Munson,
of GAINESVILLE, Ohio. A red. faced young
man with morning gown on, came in,
and, as he took seat alongside of Mai.
he said something severe against
Gen. Hull. Maj. Munson said: "Col.
Cass, what is the matter with your"
Cass replied he had been two hours
with that old fool and could not get him
to make push ON Maiden, all he could
do. "He has agreed to let me go down
with my regiment and two companies of
the Fourth United States Infantry, and
If God let's me live I'll have Maiden be-
fore / get back"
Tie British had two-gun battery at
the River Canard, four miles above NAL
den, so posted as to rake the causeway
and bridge at that point. A day or two
before regiment of our militia had been
driven back from there. Cass sent two
of the United States Fourth
Infantry, under Capt. Smelling, to ford
the stream above the battery. When
Smelling made his appearance approach
ing the British en- their flank, Cass
moved forward with his main force upon
the bridge. The enemy opened fire
upon him, but when they. discovered
Smelling on their flank they retreated.
Cass followed them to within a mile and
D half of Maiden, when it became
80 dark he thought it prudent to go back
TO the battery at the bridge. Firm
thence ho sent an express to Hull for re-
30 as to attack Maiden the
next morning. Instead of doing so, Hull
sent his aid TO Col. Wallace, of Cincin-
natl, and ordered Cass back.
Cass had frequently told me that he
has always regretted he did not disobey
orders and march on Maiden. He after
wards learned the British had air their
valuablec ready to leave, and loaded on
board the Queen Charlotte. II he had
made his appearance in the morning the
British would have blown up their
tort and sailed away to Niagara. This
would have prevented an Indian war and
saved Detroit. Cass returned to camp,
and few days after Hull, on hearing of
the advance of Gen. Brock, retreated
across the river to Detroit, where he oc-
,upied Fort Shelby. This fort was situ-
ated right about the center of the pres
ant city of Detroit, about the fourth
street back from the river.
Gen. Brock, at Niagara, had over
reached Gen. Dearborn, another super
animated revolutionary officer, who was
then in command of that frontier,
and had concluded with him an armistice
Of thirty days. This gave time for the
Queen of Charlotte to sail from Maiden
10 the lower end of Lake Erie, and re-
turn with himself and force, which cap
tured Detroit. Soon after Hull crossed
back, Brock moved the Queen Charlotte
no the river and anchored off Sandwich,
covering with her guns the crossing to
Detroit. While the ship was stationed
there, Capt. Smelling asked Gen. Hull,
ia my presence, liberty to take two
guns down to Springwells
A q a