The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-23

even then. ouiuumhered four 10 one as they
were. those stubborn Engllshmen not only held
their own. but after two hours ngh,lng forced
the 1000 Americans 20 retreat with loss os l3
Killed rs wounded and II missing. as compared
TO the British loss OF II killed 40 wounded and
forr missing
In thus indicating that the Battle os Ia Cole
Mil vas ignomlnious defeat for the Ameri.
can arms. let II not De supposed that our sol
dlers we're less brave than the British Through
out the hattie both officers and men displayed
Ealiantry and desperate valor worthy of the
best traditions OF the American fighting man.
But again IL was a case Of a hlunderlng CON-
mAnder whose incompetence set NJ nought their
heroic Efforts tie was Gen James Wilkinson
who allowed himself to be "outsmar,ed- BY the
commander Of the enemy and was the victim OF
a s,ratagem old as the history OF warfare.
II the midst OF the assault on the stone min.
which gave the battle It's name. there came from
the woods nearby the sound OF a bugie. By some
strange process of rsasonluT the American COM
nander decided that he was about to be cut of
by a superior force OF the enemy and he Inn
1nediaiely ordered retreat So one blast OF a
buEle. the clever stratagem Of a quIck-witied
British officer. turned what might easily have
been an American victory into a dlsgraccfui de-
feat-dlsgraceful not 10 the American troops.
but to their leader.
Tossing. In his gosslpy. rambling Pictorial
Field Book of the War of 1872" devotes two
pages 10 this engagement and ends his account
thus: with the dscreditable affair at In Cole
Mil. the military career OF General Wilkinson
was closed" And In that sentence lies the Inn
portauce Of what a later historian has called
~ihe insignificant little battle at la Cole MIL"
For. no matter how Insignificant II may have
been as n military engagement. the fact that Il
wrote Fins to the opportunity for mischief
making by Of the most amazing characters
in American hstory makes IL an outstanding
event In the annals Of our nation
or this man John Randolph Of Roanoke. who
Ia led him and who incidentally. was one OF the
best haters OF all time once said wilkinson Is
the most finished scoundrel that ever lived: a
res m OF paper wosld not contain the proofs
Even though the waspish Randolph didn't believe
that the proof could be contained IN a ream of
paIer. a modern bIographer has proved that II
can be done pretty we'll In a 800 page book aud.
taking Randolph's characterization for his title
he proceeds TO do H. He Is Royal Ornan Shreve
and the book is The Finished Scoundrel" pub
Iishad recently by the Bobbs- Merrill company.
Indicative OF what the book contains is the
subtitle: General James Wilkinson sometime
Colnmander-in Chief OF the Army OF the United
States. who made intrigue a trade and treason
q profession" and In the first chapter you Meet
General wilkinson" and there begin reading ''the
story of an amazing career: OF one Of the most
weird and impossible characters that ever strut
ted his little hour on the stage OF a nation OF
man who was without doubt the most clever and
oersisient II not the most dangerous. OF that
Kk-l company for whom history reserves the In