Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-05-02

collection, written while secretary Of
war to Gov. Snyder. of Pennsylvania,
dated September 10, 1914. It is of in
terest in view Of current war scares:
.SrR: The enemy having left Baltimore and
passed down the bay, have deemed it advis.
able TO alter the destination OF the Pennsylva-
mia militia assembled Ut York. General
Watson has been ordered to march those
troops to the neighborhood of Philadelphia
and dispose OF them agreeably to such ar
rangements as may have been made fer the
defense of that city, should It be attacked by
tho enemy. It is hoped. however. that our
late brilliant success on Lake Champlain, and
pressure on the enemy on that frontier gem
orally, may contribute to relieve our eastern
frontier"
Garfield letters are scarce and hard to
obtain, as are those Of Gen. Grant.
Hayes letters are worth from So to So,
and are not very plentiful. Letters of
the elder Harrison are very scarce, and
are worth from $12 to $50. The follow
ing unpublished letter of this president
was found In Mr.. Benjamin's presi-
Dental collection, and is given here as
showing something of the character Of
the hero of Tippecanoe, the grandfather
of the present president of the United
States. Under date of Franklinton,
o., March 10, 1918, Gen. Harrison
wrote to Isaac Shelby, governor of Ken
lucky, as follows:
DEAR SIR: Having secured the posts at
the rapids Of the Miami in manner to bid de-
fiance to the Efforts Of any force that the
enemy can bring against 1t, left the COM
mand with Brig. Gen. Leftwitch and came on
here for the purpose Of experimenting the ar.
rangements for the organization Of the force
which is to compose the army that is intended
to operate in this quarter the ensuing season.
found the roads in such q situation as to rem
der It in my opinion altogether impracticable
for the troops which are to relieve those now
at the rapids to take the route heretofore
pointed out for those which are to come from
Kentucky. Unjust therefore request your ex-
cellency to give such directions to the detach-
ments you may be now sending on as will
bring them with the greatest facility to Piqua
and st. Mary's, In this state, at which latter
place they will be embarked In boats and pro-
coed to the rapids by water. I will send an
oficer OF the quartermaster's department to
Limestone to procure boats for such as may
have progressed thus far to proceed to Cincin-
natl
left the Miami rapids on Friday last. I
had some days before organized a detachment
for the purpose Of crossing Lake Erie from the
Sanduslky bay to Maiden for the purpose Of
destroying the enemy's vessels at that place !
I have the most f1attering prospects Of the
success OF the enterprise, as 1t was conducted
by an oficer, Capt Langham, Of distinguished
valor, at the head Of about $50 men that were
selected from the whole army. Their route
across the lake was in the direction Of some
islands which in common years afford a safe
passage to the opposite shore. Unfortunately,
however, the detachment found the lake be-
yond Bass island entirely open for q very con-
siderable distance and was obliged to return to
the Miami bay where met them on the 9th
inst. with 100 volunteers with which / had
marched from Camp Meigs to cover their re-
treat should they be pursued. Finding that
the original design was rendered abortive
had determined TO proceed to tho river Raisin
for the purpose Of buxying tho remains of our
unfortunate countrymen who fell in the action
of the 22d January. This design became also
impracticable from the weakness OF the ice,
which continually gave way un der our horses.
Almost all the gentlemen who were with me
broke in, and my own horse was saved with
much difficulty. To have attempted the expe-
dition by land to the river Raisin would have
subjected the detachment to certain defeat. 1
have the honor to be with great respect and
regard, dear sir, your humble servant"
Of the later presidents, the letters of
Abraham Lincoln are by far the most
sought after, and the most expensive.
Enthusiastic collectors will pay almost
as much for Lincoln as for Washing
ton, and here is reproduction of one
which brought $50 at recent sale: