the 15th October, 1839. The report of Cap
tun Ogden, superintendent in Indiana, is
daied October the lOih, 1839. and the report of
the Secretary, making estimates for 1840,
w>i not aunt to this House until the 20th ol
December, 1839. Now, sir, what becomes
of thin excuse ? And if, air, any stimulant
was necessary to arouse the dormant spirit ol
the Secretary, I should think this report of
Captain Ogden would have been all-snlliceiit.
As an argument in favor of an early appro
priation, 1 will read an extract from it:
" No * is the period for ? l?ry? and timely appropria
tion. The contingent expenses, the pay of engineers
and other sx?nts, who-e assistance is neces??ry to the
proper supermtf ndence of the work, will be no more un
der a Isrge then under a small appropriation. 1 he opera
tiona on the Stale works having been temporarily ?ua
pended, labor may now be procured in the greatest
abundance, ?i>d al reduced pricea. and the General Go
vernment mav now proceed with ihia work, without
coming in competition with the Staiea Sliould an ap
propriation be made at an early period of the enaumg
seayan, the auperintendent will be able to let out con
tract, and to commence operattona wiih the opening of
the apring But, ahould ihe appropriation be deferred
to an advanced alage of the acaaion, ihe laborera ol the
country will have been engaged on other public works,
or will have embarked in agricultural purauiia, the
works cannot be put under contract till late in the ?ea
?on, and then the coritractora will uol bo able to pro
cure labor in audBcienl abundance
"The inipoilance of ihia work, ita general utility,
and na purely naiinual character, are now no longer, if,
indeed they were, quealiona of doubtful import The
United Staiea mail la transported over this road, in four
horae poat coachea, daily in Indiana, and tri weekly in
Illinois Traveller* and emigrarita are thronging tine
road, literally in thouaanda. Already r. passes through
rrliona of no leaa than an Staiea of ihia Confederacy
urntea the Atlantic wiih the Ohio, approachea near to
the banks of the Mississippi, and aeeins destined, ere
long, to embrace m its ample apan the half of a mighty
continent. And will it allll be insisted that this la ?
wotk of a local character, and that it la unworthy of a
national construction !
"This work was projected while aome ol the States
through which it now passes were mere Territories, and
while others were yet in their infancy?Staiea which
have since grown lo an importance aecoud only to
the Aral of the L'nton. Some of those Staiea have
since undertaken, and are now executing works sur
passing in magnificence and grandeur the public iin
provemenla of many of the old stat>'a of Europe. They
have intersected this rosd, and hive united with it, mak
ing it only a single link in the vast chain of public im
provement. And now it may be asked, will theGeneral
Government abandon Ibis work in Us unfinished stste 1
Will she stand idly by, while the Stales are thus exe
cuting their works, and behold hers the only unfinished
link in the chain 1"
This, sir, is a part of the argument used by
the efficient and valuable officer having tin
work in charge; and yet, sir, the Secretary o.
the Treasury passes by this rbad as unworthy
of his attention ; and my colleagues, instead
ol confessing that the Government is culpably
negligent, or bitterly opposed to our interests,
stand up here, and by every possible device,
attempt to conceal and palliate its unjustifiable
conduct towards us.
Mr. Speaker, the official organ of the Ad
ministration also has taken ground against us,
and denounces the Whigs who support this
appropriation as Federalistt, who are voting
for appropriations clearly unconstitutional ;
and. sir, this cry of Federalist is echoed by
every new ally of Van Burenism in and out
of Congress. My colleugue (Mr. Wick) calls
us Federalists, and even in his letters home,
written expressly for publication, applies to
us Whigs the same cognomen. Now, sir, I
do not wi.-h to m.ike any personal allusions to
my colleague, (Mr. Wick,) for we are on
terms of personal friendship, but I would in*
quire of that gentleman when it was that he
beenme so purely democratic 1 How long is
it -unee he and I were fighting under the same
banner? I recollect,, sir, that my colleague
whs a w arm supporter of the venerable gentle
man from Massachusetts (John Quincy
Adams) for the Presidency. Sir, he was nn
elector on the Clay ticket against Andrew
Jark>on in 1831. Again, sir. I knew him as
a V\ hig candidate for Congress, and he was
beaten by my colleague, (Mr. Cakr,) who was
a Iriend of General Jackson.
[Mr. W ick rose to explain. He said that
when he support< d Mr Clay, he (Mr. C.) was
a democrat. Mr. Wick said he never was a
Whig.]
Sir, said Mr. ProfTh I am glad lo give my
colleague an opportunity to explain.' 1 should
ne< er have alluded to his political course had
not the gentleman thought fit to call us fede
ralists. But. sir, the gentleman say a that Mr.
Clay was a democrat when he supported him.
Why, sir, I thought <hat Andrew Jackson
was called the very head and front of demo
cracy, and yet the gentleman opposed hirn in
1831. Sir, Henry Clay was then, as he is
now, the ornament and pride of his country,
and the gentleman need never blush at his sup
port of him But, sir, I have not yet done
with my colleague's democracy. The gentle
man says he never ww a Whig. Well, sir,
what was he? 1 should be glad to hear the
political name l>y which he was designated in
1831, and for years afterwards. Mr. Speak
er, 1 s iid that iny colleague was beaten for
Congress. Still, sir, he stood high, very
high, sir, in the party of which I was a youthful
and an humble soldier. Again, sir, my col
league was a candidate for Congress at the
next election, still fighting bravely undi?r the
same banner, and professing the same princi
ples ; and again, sir, as is too often the case
with us poor Whigs, (the gontlcman will ex
cuse me for calling him by that name alter his
explanation,) lie was defeated by the lament
ed Kinnard.
(To be continued.)
NORTH EASTERN BOUNDABV.
The CH.M K submitted tho following message from
the President of the United Stales :
To the Senate of Ihe Uniieil St a ten
1 transmit to the Senate, herewith, copies of official
nores which have passed between lh? Secretary of State
?nd the British Minister, since mv last message, on llic
subject of the resolutions of tho 17ih of January
M VAN B UK F.N.
Washingtov, "Gih March, 1340.
Mi Fox to Mr. Fortyth
Washington, March 13, 1810.
The undersigned, her Uritaiunc Majesty'* Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, has been
instructed by his Government to make the following
communication to the Secretary of State of the United
S'ates, In reference to the boundary negotiation, and th*
affairs of the disputed territory \
Her Majesty's Government hare hid under thoir con
sideration the official note addressed to the undersigned
by the Secretary of State of the United States, on tho
24'h of last December, in feply to a note from the un
dersigned of the Sd of November preceding, in which
the undersigned protested, in ihe name of Ins Govern
ment. against the extensive system of aggression pur
sued by the people of the Stale of SI tine within the dis
puted territory, to the prejudice of the right* of Great
Britain, and in inanili st violation of the provisional
agreements entered imo between trte suthortties of the
two countries st the beginning of the last year
Her Majesty's Government hate slso had their at
tention directed to the public nu-Mage transmitted by
the Governor of M tine to the Legislature of the State,
on the 3d January of the present year.
Upon a consideration of ihe statement* contained in
these two official documents, her Majesty's G ivern
tnent regret to fii.d that the principal acts of encroach
ment *hich were denounced and complained of on the
part of Gteat Uritam, so far from being either disproved,
or discontinued, or sau?l.,ciorilv explained by the au
thorities of tho State of Maine, are, on the contrary,
persisted in, and publicly avowed.
Her Majealy'a Oo?*rnm?nt Hit* consequently
strutted the undersigned once more formally to protest
against tho?e acta of sncroachrjirill and agijreaaion
Her Majeaty'i Governinam claim and expect from
the good Isiih of the Government of the Hulled Staisa,
that ilie people ol Main* shall reflate theinaelves in the
situation in winch they stood belor? the agiveiiieula of I
lot year were signed-ihat they shall therefore retire !
Irom ihe valley of the St John, iir.d confine theinaelves j
to the valley of th? Arooalook, that they shall occupy j
that valley m a temporary manner Only, for the pur|>ose, I
la agreed uj?in, of preventing depredations ; and that
they thall not construct fortifications, nor make roads
or periuanonl settlements.
(Juiil thia be done by the people of tlifl Slate of Maine,
and ao long aa ibat pt ople dull |>ersisl id the present
system of aggression, her Majesty's GoTerOUient will
fill it their doiv to make aiich military arrangements as
may be required for the protection of her Majeaty'a rights.
And her Majesty's Government deem It right lo deciare
that if the result of the unjustifiable proceedings of the
Stale of Maine ahould be collision between her Majea
ly'a troops and the people of that State, the tesponsl- !
biluy ol all the couaeqoencea that may ensue therelrom, <
be they what they may, will reat with the people and
Government of the United Slates
The undersigned lus been instructed to add lo thia
communication, that her Ma|e?ty'a Government are on- ;
ly waiting for the detailed report of the British commis
sioners recently employed to aurvey the dir puled terri
tory, which report, it waa b< lieved, would be completed
and delivered to her Majeaty'a Govern luenl by the end
of the present month, in order to transmit lo the Go- 1
vernineul of the United Statea a reply lo their last pro
posal upon the subject of ihe boundary negotiation.
'Ihe undersigned avails himself ol this ocraston to
renew to ihe Secretary of State of the United Statea the
assurance of his distinguished consideration.
11. S. FOX.
Hon. John Forsyth, &c.
Mr Fortyih to Mr Fox.
Du'auimknt or Stitk,
Waahington, March 25, 1840.
The undesigned, Secretary of State of the United
States, acknowledges to have received Mr bo* ? com
munication of the 13ih instant, in rtftrei.ce to the boun
d.ry negotiation and the sffa'r. of the disputed i"'"'0'*
The iiilormalion given to the cloaiug psrt of it, ha a
reply to the lasl proposition of the United Slate, upon
the .object of the boundary may he expected In a short
lime, is highly gratifying to the President. whoh..,
however, given direction, to the undesigned in inskiug
this scknowledgiuent. to accompany it with the expres
sion of h,s profound regret that Mr lot s nolo i. in no
other respect satisfactory. (
After the arrangement, which, in the beginning ol
last year, were entered into ou the part ol the two Oo
vernuients with regard to the occupation of the di.
puted territory, the President had indulged hope that
the causes of irritation which had grown out of ibn
branch of the subject could have been removed Rely
ing on the di.po.Uion of Maine to co-operate with the
Federal Government in all that could ead to a psclfic
adjustment of the principal question, the 1 resident fe
conhde.1t that hi. determinaiiou to maintain order and
peace on the border would be lully carried out. He
looked upon all apprehension, of'design- by the people
of Maine to lake possession of the territory, as w.lhool
adequate foundation ; deeming it improbable that on the
eve of an amicable adjustment of the question, any por
tion of the American people would, without com and
without object, jeopard the success ol the negotiation
and endanger the peace of the country. A troublesome,
irritating, and comparatively unluiporti.it, becau.e .u
hordmaie, subject, being thus disposed of, ihe President
hoped that the parlies would be leu free at once to dis^
cuss and finally sdjustihe principal question. In this
he lis. been disappointed. While the proceeding, o
her Majesty'. Government at home, have been attended
With unlooked for delays, Us attention have been di
i verted from the great subject in controversy by re^ea ed
i complaint., imputing to a portion of the people of iht
United Siate. design, to violate the engagement. ol
I their Government ; design, which havo never been on
> tertained and which Mr. Fox knows would leceive no
I countenance from this government.
It I. to be regretted thai at this la'e hour, so much
i misapprehension siill exist, on the side of itie Uriu.h
Government, a. to the object and obvious meaning ol
the existing arrangements respecting the disputed ter
ritory. The ill success which appeals to have attended
the elTorts nude by the undersigned to convey, through
Mr Fox to her Majesty's Government, more correct
Impressions respecting them, calls for * recurrence to
the subject and a brief review of the correspondence
which has grown out of it, may tend to remove the
erroneous views which, prevail, as to the ^
which the terms ol the arrangements relerred to ha
b%V\W Fox bad no authority to mikeany .grecme.it
respecting the exerc.o of jurisdiction over ^
territory, that between hi... and the undersigned, of the
"7,h of February, 183'J, had for us object some pro
visions! agrrsngement for the re.lorsiton and preservation
of peace m the Territory. To accomplish this olyec
1 ,, provided .hat her Majesty's officer, snould not seek to
expel, bv military force, the armed party which had been
' sent by Maine into the district bordering on the lUs
Zl river and thai, on the other hand, .he Govern
ment of Maine would voluntarily, and without needless
withdraw beyond the bounds of the disputed
ile!
territory any armed force then within them.
tins, the arrangement had other objecls-the di?P?r.tO'i
of notorious trespsssers, and the protection of pub c
property from depredslion. In case future necessi y
shouldari.e for tins, the operation was - -,e conduc ed
by concert, jointly or separately. ??c?jrding < "la
ment between the Government of Maine and New
UTnlhh> U<t mentioned respect, the agreement look
ed to some lurther .arrangement between Maine and
New Brunswick. Through the agency ol Genera
Scoit one was agreed to, on The -.J3.1 and ??).li it
March following, by which Sir John Harvev bound
ski -???> vrss;
that effect Iroin his Governu.ent, to lake military
possesion ol the Territory, or to repel Irom H by
military lorce ihe armed civil |k*,se, or the ?
Maine On the part of Maine, it w.,s agreed by her
Governor that no atte.iipi should be made wlihou re
newed instructions ln>u? ihe Leg'siatiJie, to
the Madawaska settlements, or interrupt the Usual
communications beiween that and the upper provin
ces. As to possession and jurisdiction, they were to
remain unchanged, each party holding, in fact, pos
sess.on of part ol the disputed territory, bu each
denying the right ol the other to do so. With that
iniderstauding, Maine was, without unnecessary de
lav to withdraw her military lorce, leaving only,
under a land agent, a small civil po?e armed or un
armed, to , rolect the timber recently cut, and to
prevent further depredations.
111 the complaints of infraction* of the agreements ol
the Slate of Maine, addrcs.ed to the undersigned, Mr
Fox has assumed two positions, which sro not autho
rised by the terms of Iho.e agreement. : 1st, admitting
the right of Maine to maintain a civil posse in the dis
puled territory for the purpose, staled in ihe agreement,
he does so with the restriction that the action ol ihe
posse wss to be confined within certain limits ; snd 8d,
by making the advance of ihe Maine posse into the val
ley of the Upper St. John, the ground of hi. co.npl.int
of encroachment upon Ihe Madawaska settlement, he
assumes to extend the limits of thai settlement beyond
those it occupied st the date of the agreement.
The United Slates cannot acquie.ce in either ol these
pO?iUOIl6
In the first place, nothing is lound in ihe agreement
subscribed to by Governor Farheld snd Sir John li.r
?ey, defining any limit, in the disputed territory with
in which the operations ol the civil po.se of Milne were
to be cutumscribed. Tho task of preserving the tim
ber recently cut, snd of preventing lurther depredations
tcilhtn the dupuled /rrrifwry, was assigned to the Stale
of Maine after her military lorce should have been wiih
urawn Iroin it . and it was lo tie accomplished by a ci
vil posse, armed or unarmed, which was lo continue in
the territory, snd lo operate in every part ol u where
Its agency might be required to protect the limber al
ready cut, and prevent forlher depredations, without any
limitation whatever, or any restrictions, except such ?
might be construed mlo an attempt to disturb by arms
ihe Province of New Brunswick in her possession ol
the Madawaska settlement, or interrupt the usual com
munication between the Provinces It is thus in the
exercise of . legitimate right, and in the conscientious
discharge of an obligation impose.! upon her by a so
lemn compsct, Hi.t Ihe Slate of Maine has done thosf
acts which have given rue to complaints lor which no
adequate cause is perceived Tne undersigned leels
confident that when those ac's shsll ha.o been cousi
dered by her Majesty's Gover ment st ho ne, as explain
ed 111 Ins note to Mr Fox. of the ?4lh ol December last
and in connection with ibe foregoing remaiks, they wil
i,o longer be viewed as calculated to cxriie Hie appro
hensions of her Majesty's Government that the failh o
etisin g arrangements is lo be broken on tliu part of lh<
United States
With regard to the,second (Kisition sssumed by M
Fox, that ihe advance of the Maine posse si.mg in
valley of the Kestook to the mouth of Fish R ver, an
' into the valley of the Upper St John, is at variane
with the teriiia and spirit of tho agree tits?the ui
1 dcrsigncd mil. t oh.erve tlist if at variance with any
meir provisions. M could onlv be wnh those which a
cure her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick again
I nay attempt to disturb the po.scuion ol the Madawa.l
settlement. and to interrupt the uaual communication*
between New Uruiiawick tod the Upper Pravincta
The agreement could onlv have ielet?iu'e tu the M.ida
?mk> settlements an coi.Iim d within ibeur actual liuiila
at lbe tuna it was auha. rit.ed The undeisigsed, in
ius note of the S4th of December laat, aiatrd ihe rea
aona wbv ibe month of Fiah River and the portion of
the valley of the St. Juhu through winch it pisses, could
in no proper aenae be considered at embraced in the
Madawaaka aeltleuumta Were ibe United State* to
admit the pretention aet up on the part of Great IJri
tain. to give to the Madawaska settlements a digue of
conatructive extension that might, at tbia time, auit me
purposes of Her Mjjeaty'acolonial authorities, those set
tlement* might aoon be made, with like j.iatice, to em
brace any pornona uf the ditpuiod territory ; and tba
right given to the frounce ol New iitunawuk to oc
cupy I linn temporarily and for apecial purpose might, by
inference quite at plausible, give the juriadictiun exer
ciaed by her Ma|eaiy'a authontiea an extent which would
lender the preseat alate uf the ipie.tion, an long aa it
could he maintained, equivalent to a decision on the me
rits ol the whole couiroverav in lavur of Great Du uiii
II the tinall veiilement at Msdawaaka on the north tide
of the St Johns mean* the whole valley uf that river?if
a boom acroaa the Fiah river, and a atation uf a email
poase ou ibe north aide of the Si Johna at the iiiouth of
Fi*h river is a diaturbance of that aeitlement, which it
tweruv-five unlet below, within the meaning of the
agreement, it it difficult to conceive that there are any
liiiittationa to the preteuaioua of Her Majoaty'a Govern
ment ui.der it, or how the State ?f Maine could exerciae
the preventive power with regard to the trespassers,
which waa, on her part, the great object of the tempo
rary arrangement. The movements of lliniati troops,
lately witneaaed ill the disputed territory, and the erec
tion of military works for their protection and accom
modation, of winch authentic information, recently re
cent d at the Department of Stale, haa been communi
cated to Mr Fox, impart a still graver aspect to the
matter immediately under consideration. The fact of
those tmliury operaliont established beyond a doubt,
left unexplained, or unsatiafaclorily accounted for, by
Mr. Fox a note of the 7th inatant, comiiiiies an abiding
cauao of complaint on the part of the United Stale*
against Her Majesty'* colonial agent*, as incoiiaiatent
with arrangcineuta whose mam object waa to diveat a
question, already sufficiently perplexed and complicated,
from such embarrasamenia at thote with which the pro
ceedinga of the lirttiah authontiea cannot fail to aur
roond it.
II, as Mr. Fox must admit, the objects of the late
agreements were the removal ol all military lorce,
and the preservation of the property I com luither
spoliations, leaving the possession and jurisdiction
at they stood before the S ate of Maine lound itself
compelled to act against the trespassers, (he Presi
dent cannot bai consider that the conduct of the
American local authorities, strongly and most fa
vorably contrasts with that of the colonial authori
ties ot her Majesty's Government While the one,
promptly withdrawing its military force, has con
fined itself to the u-e of the small posse, artned as
agreed upon, and has done no act not necessary to the
accomplishment of the convention.il objecis, every
measure taken or indicated by the other pariy, is es
sentially military in its character, and can be justi
fied only by a well iuuuded apprehension that hostil
ities must ensue.
With such feelings and convictions, the President
could ii'ii >ee, without pu in I til surprise, the Attempt
ol Mr. Fox, under instructions lioin his Govern
ment, <o give to the existing slate ol things a char
acter not warranted by the friendly disposition ol the
United States, or the conduct of the authorities and
people of Maine?much mure is he surprised to find
it alleged as a ground tor strengthening a military
force, and preparing lor tf hostile collision with the
unarmed inhabitants tff a tiiei.dly State, pursuing
within their own borders, their peaceful occupations,
or exerting themselves in compliance with their
agreements to protect the property in dispute from
unauthorized spoliation.
The President wishes that he could dispel ihe
fear that these dark forebodings can be realized.?
Unless her Majesty's Government shall forthwith
arrest all military interference in the question?uu
less it shall apply to the subject more determined ef
forts ihan have liith no been made to bring the dis
pute to a certain ami pacific adjustment, the roisfor
tunes predicted by Mr. Fox iii the name of his Go
vernment, may most unloitunaiely happen. But no
apprehension of the couscquences alluded to bv Mr.
Fox can be permitted to divert the Government and
people of the United Stales from ihe performance of
their duty to the State of Maine. .That duty is as
simple as it is imperative. The construction which
is given by her to the treaty of 1783 has been, again
and again, and in ihe imJSl solemn manner, asserted
also by the Federal Government, and must be main
tained, unless Maine Ireelv consents toa new bound
ary, or unless ihat construction of the treaty is
lound to be erroneous by the decision 01 a disinter
ested and independent tribunal, selected by the par
ties for its final adjustment, l'he President, on as
suming the duties of his station, avowed his deter
mination, all other means ol negotiation tailing, to
submit a proposition to the Govemm nt ol Great
Uiitaiu 10 reler the decision of the question once
more to a third party.
In .ill the subsequent steps which have been taken
upon the subject by his direction, he has been actua
ted by the same spirit. Neither his disposition in
the matter, nor hisopinion as to the propriety ol that
course, has undergone any change. Should the ful
filment of his wishes be defeated either by an un
willingness on the part ol her Majesty's Govern
ment to meet ihe offer of ihe United Stales in the
spirit in which it is trade, or from adverse circum
stances of any description, the PresidentWill, in
any event, derive great satisfaction from the con
sciousness that no etforlon his part hasbeeu'spared to
bring the question to an amicable conclusion, and
that there has been nothing in the conduct either ol
the Governments and people of the United States,
jr ol the Stale of Maine, to justify the employment
of her Majesty's forces as indicated by Mr. Fox's
letter. The President cannot, unuer such circum
stances, apprenend that ihe responsibility lor any
consequences which may unhappily ensue, will, by
the just judgment of an impartial Wotld, be impu
ted io ihe Uuited Slates.
The undersigned avails himself, &.<*. &r. &c.
JOHN FOKi.1V JLH.
To the Hon. H. S. Fox, Sec.
Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth.
Washington, March 26,1840.
The undersigned, her Briunnic Majesty's Envoy
| Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, has had
! the honor 10 receive the official note of yesterday's
I date, addressed to him by vlr. Forsyth, Secretary of
State of .lie United Slates, in reply to a note dated
the 13 h iu>l. wherein the undersigned, inconloruii
ly with instructions received Iroin his Government,
had anew formally protested against the acts of en
croachment ami aggression which are still persisted
in bv armed band-, in the employment ol the S'.atcol
i Maine within certain portions of the disputed terri
I torv.
I It u ill b" the duty of the undersigned immediate
ly to transmit Mr. Forsyth's note to her Majesty's
Government in England; and until the statements
| and propositions which it contains shall have re
i reived the due consideration of her Majesty's Go
1 vernment, the undersigned will not deem it t ighttoadd
any further reply thereto, excepting to refer to, and
to repeat, as he now form.illy and disunctly does,
the several declarations which it has Iroin time to
time been his duty to make to the Government ol
the United Sutes wiih reference to Mie existing pos
ture ol alfurs in the disputed territory, and to record
his opinion, that an inflexible adherence to the reso
lutions that have been announced by her Majesty's
G iverninent, lor the defence of her Majesty's rights
pending the negotiation of the boundary question,
offers to her Majesty's Governin- nt the only means
of protecting those rights liom being in a continual
ly aggravated manner encroached upon and violat
ed
The undersigned avails himself of this occasion
to ren* w to the Secretary ol State of the United
Stales the assurance of his distinguished considera
tion. H. S. FOX.
The Hon. John Forsyth, Ac. &c. Ac
Alter adiscuv-ion in which Messrs Davis, Web
ster, and \V illiams, participated, the message was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Allair-, and
ordered tob- printed; and 10,(XX) additional copies
were ordered.
The Senate then adjourned.
GEN HARRISON AND ABOLITION ?The
Cincinnati iiepiihlicsn aaya :
We see it staled in many of the administration pa
pers, that (ion Harrison la a member of an abolition
society. We settle thia whole mailer at cure, by the
following statement, for the futh of irhich ire couch: |
William Henry Harmon when i yoxth of 17 years of
age, wiih many of his companions, then residing m the
cuv of itiehmond, hi the Suie of Virginia, belonged
to a society intended to encourage the emancipanon of
?lave*, and tend them out of the country. I he inem- ,
li rs of the socictv were all resid?''ita ol a slave Slate. 1
(Jen H irrison's removal from Richm>'id to proaecuto
his studies at the medical school in Philadelphia, in a
few months dissolved hit connection with thai society,
which was never reau ned This was A/'y year* ago,
and ,?inet ihiil tunc. Ventral Htrrttun h o Urn a m m
h'r of no ninety uhatcuer fur any purpote u-hiUrer,
eirrpt ihe Haimllon County Agricultural Society, of
uhich fur many yean, ht irai prenJent. '
| From the Ohio Stall Journal?Eilra.
I GENERAL HARRISON'S military cha
racter?slanders REFUTED!
I The following correspondence ??i called out in con
! sequence of ivruarka relative io the character ai d uon
liirrt of General Harrison, made by l?W?hora of the
II.una ol Repreaenlaitves of the .Statu of Ohio, in
i their placea on the floor of that Houae. A letter *a?
, addressed to rach of the gentlemen, whose replica are
ven below. t>v a member of lite House who heard ? lie
rt nurks, staling tbi ir lubataMt, ai.d requesting from
each a statement of the facia which fell within hia pur
aonal knowledge, respectively The hi|jh character of
tlir gentlemen wboae statements have thus been obtain
ed, (one of whom haa been a uniform and prominent
an|>|??rter of the laat and preaent Aduiiuialrationa of the
Grneral Government,) la aoch aa to put the facta to
winch they bear testimony, entirely beyond doubt.
Waxhinuton, Kv , 241h Feb. 1840.
Dear Sir i Youi letter of the 17ih mat. reached me
to day by the Southern mail, marked, " inia-aeut, for
warded." Tina will account fur your not having my
anawer at an earlier day You have been correctly in
formed that " I waa in the battle of the Tliamea, and
near the person of General Harrtaon, from tha com
mencement to the termiiiation of the engagement, and
(hat I personally know what part General Harriaon took
in it " I had the honor to aet aa a volunteer Aid da
camp to General Harriaon, during the active opcrationa
of that campaign ; and waa at no tune more than live
minute* out of atght of hnn. on the day of the battle,
until sfer the aurreniler of the liriliah Army, and re
treat of the Indiana You aay, " It haa been avowed
on the Hour of the House ol Repri sentativea (of Ouio)
now in seaatOii, by ineinUera in their placea, that Generil
Harriaon waa at no time in the hatile, nor within two
inilea of the batile ground ; that the entire plan of ope
ration waa projected by Col. R M. Johnaou ; that he
l led the troopa on to conqpeat, and that General Harri
son had neither par' or lot in the matter." Fruin the
j MKkleaa character of the attacka made upon General
| Harrison, through the prostituted and penaioned press
| devoted to the support of the preaenl administration, it
| ui not aurpriiing that that portion of ita supporters, who
4 read nothing else but the papera devoted to the re elec
! lion of Mr Van fiuren and abuae of General Harrison,
should make such atateinerita ; but that a member of a
1 legislative body, who from hia station ought to be a man
of information, and a gentleman, should be ao ignorant
of the history of one ol the moat important battles of
the late war, or ao utterly regardless of truth aa to mike
such a statement, is truly aaiuniahiug Every member
of your legialaiure haa, I presume, read General Harri
son's official account of the battle of the Thamea ; and
wamon and unprincipled aa have been the misrepresen
tations of General llarnaon'a military character and
conduct, I have now, (after a lapse of upwarda of twen
ty-MX yeara.) for the first time heard the intimation that
hia account waa in any particular untrue. In that paper
General Harriaon ataiea correctly the position he occu
pied at the commencement of the action ; and he might
have stated, with equal truth, that he in person gave the
word of cuminand to the mounted regiment to "charge:"
and that he advanced with it until it received the enemy's
lire, and then paaaed rapidly to the left, where the In
dians still ultimately maintained the fight. Such, air,
I aver to be the facta, and feel perfectly confident that
General Ctias (who was in the battle).and General Har
rison's other A ida-de-camp, will unhesitatingly auatain
me in the statement; and it happens that they are all
yet alive. One of them, Col John O'Fallun, resides at
St Louie, Missouri ; and the others. Cols. Charles S.
Todd, and John Speed Smith, at Shelby ville and Rich
mond, in this Slate. Aa to the statement, that "the
entire plan of nperationa waa projected by Col. John
son," It la, like the charge that General Harrison was at'
no time in the battle, nor within two miles of the bat
tle ground, Julie, u'lcrty fulse The idea of charging
the enemy with the mounted men, was exclusit ely Gen.
Harrison's. I was present when he lirat announced it,
and know that Col. Johnson was then at the head of his
I command, and was not consulted on the subject, until
after General Harriaiyi had expressed his determination
: to make the charge : and if il is intended to stale, that
| the operations nf the campaign, or the order of battle,
waa projected by Col. Johnaon, it is equally untrue ;
and I am very confident that he has not and never will
give the slightest sanction to such statements, as you
say have been made by memberaof your Houae of Re
presentatives.
You have my permission, sir, to make such use of
this letter aa you may think proper.
Respectfully,
Your ob't. serv't,
JOHN CHAMBERS.
W'ashinglon, 28th Feb , 1840.
DeiR Si*?Since writing to you, in *nawer to your
letter of the 17ih lint., it has occurred to tue that a
principal object of the falsehoods, relative to General
Harrison, which have found propagation on the flour ol
the Ohio House of Representatives, must be to make
' the impression that he 14 a ancat d; and though you do
not slate in your letter the cause assigned by hia slan
derers for his alleged absence froin the command of his
army at the battle of the Thames, I presume no motive
1 for it less charitable than sheer cowardice would have
been imputed by one capable of such misrepresentation
of his conduct. But whatever may be the alleged in
ducement fur the conduct attributed to him, the relation
in which I then stood to him, and my knowledge ol
what his actual conduct was, imposes on me the duty 1
have performed, of pronouncing the charge false ; and I
> trust you will pardon me for suggesting the propriety.
(if an appropriate occasion preseuis itself, or can be
: made in open session,) of demanding of the members of
your House, who have made the charge, the authority
upon which they made It ; whether from their own
knowledge or observation, or upon the information of
others ; and if upon the information of otbeta, their
uainea and residence. The original inventors of the
falsehood ought to have the advantage of all the celeb
rity it is calculated to give them.
On the auhject of (ienerai Harrison's personal brave
ry, is it not very remarkable, if he is a coward, that
p Jiie of the gallant officers or soldiers who served with
nun under General Wayne, or those who fought under
. hia command at Tippecanoe, at Fort Meigs and the
| Thames, discovered his cowardice ; and that the dis
covery should havd remained to be nude by some
scurvy poliiu-ian of the present day : for I will venture
to predict, that no officer or soldier of respectability,
who served wnh hiin, or under bis command, can be
found to " lake the responsibility" of charging him with
; cowardice. In connection with this subject, permit ine
to relate a fact, which occurred in my presence, and
which is calculated to give soine idea of the character
of General Harrison's pretensions to firmness snd dis
regard of personal danger. On the day preceding the
battle of the Thames, when Ins anny approached the
laat right-hand furk of the river, (called, I think, Mac
| Gregor'* fork,) General Harrison, accompanied by
1 Commodore I'errv and bis aids de camp, rude forward
to examine the bridge which crossed the mouth of the
stream, and which the enemy had partially deatroyed ,
and while viewing H, several hundred Indians, under
the command of Tecumseh ss we learned afterwards,
who were concealed at some cabina called Chatham,
and in the bushes on the opposite side of the stream,
commenced a brisk fire upon the little party, in the
midat of which General Harrison was At that mo
ment a dismounted company of Col Johnsou'a Kegi
inenl, commanded by Capt. Benjamin VVarfield, who
. now resides 111 the neighborhood of Lexington, in this
j State, came tip; the fire of the Indians was su severe,
a- to induce the gallant Perry to expostulate earnestly
! with General Harrison against the exposure of his per
| sou to such a fire, when no good could result from it ;
but the General eoolly replied, that he could not set the
example of retiring from (he fire of the enemy. The
artillery came up in a few minutes, rind opened a fire
! upon the cabins, about which the Indiana were con
; celled, and Capt, Werfield, crossing with his company
1 upon the timbers of the bridge lo charge them, they ran
off. Respectfully, your obi sent,
JOHN CHAMBERS.
Moat* B. Corwin, E?q , Columbus, Ohio.
St i.ot'i*, Feb. 36th, 1840.
Hon. Mosks B. Corwin,
Sir Your favor of the 17th inst is just received, and
I lose 110 time in giving it acknowledgement. You
request me lo communicate the information I possess in
relation lo the military conduct of General Harrison at
the battle of the Thames, the arrangement* for the bat
tle, the position of the troop*, as well as of the General,
during the engagement, together wnh any other 'know
ledge I have touching hi* military character.
In reply, I submit the following statement At the
battle ol the Thames, Col. Charles S Todd, afterward*
Inspector General of the Nonhwe?tern Aftny, and my- I
sell were the ri gnlar aids-de ramp of (ienerai Harrison. 1
Majors John Chambers and Jol.fi Speed Smith were
the Volunteer *tds The balt'e, as is well knuwn, took
place 011 the right bank ol the river Theme*, near the
Moravian Village. A short distance from this place, and 1
wiiilsi o ir troops weie in rapid puratii' of the enemy,
General Harrison recrued informal ion from anadvauced
pjrtv that the British and li.dian forces had halted, and !
ye 1 ned to be awaiting 11s for battle. When within Ultf
a mile of the enemy, after the American forces were
formed in the order of battle, Gen Trotter'* brigade in
front. Col Paul'* regulars, with the artillery, near hi*
right, Col. Johnson'* mounted regiment on the left of
Trulier as * reserve, and the residue of the Kentucky
1 volunteer! covering the Ufl flank and rear C "I VhUt'
of .1,. Engineer Corp., who, by order of G...er?l IH.r
riaon, had appro.ehcU, uoob??ned by thein, an
i near lh? front bneof the ei.ewy to Mterui.. 'heir po.l
| lion en<i the order in which they were drawn up, repot ed
that tint Briti.h Hoop.. in order to occupy the bi?n
ground Iwlweou the river and the .wainp p?t?nel o ,
were drawn up in extended or open order between these
point* , the Indian* on their right. occupying the .wamp
?nd ground heyoud it. General H.rri.on, without one
moment*. delay or the alighia.l ?...b.rra??menl. formed
hit purpoae. I waa v%ittiiri a few leet *l,m w ,en
the report of Col Wood wa. made, and he initanlly
renui ed that he would make a novel movement by or
dering Col Johnaon'. mounted regiment to chargt the
line of the Hntith <eguUr, ; which thu* drawn up. con
trary to the habit* and usage of that deacriplion of .roup*,
alwav* accuatomed lo the touch. could be ea.ily pene
trated and thrown into confuaiun by the apiriled charge
of Col Johnaon'. Regiment. With a view to Ihi. in
tended charge. Col Juhnaou'* command waa ordered
lo the front, ?npported in hi* rear aa a re.erve by Gen.
Trotter'* Brigade. 1 know that all the arrangement*,
and every movement of the iroop* during the battle,
were made by order ol General Harrison, who.e posi
tion at tho commencement of the action wa* juat in
rear of Col John*on'? command, and mainly afterward*
near tho crotchet formed bv ihe junction of Johnaon *
left with the Kentucky volunteer*, drawn up on the
tdu'e and in front of the awamp, a poaition considered
hv all as the most expoaed and dangerou. within the
line* ol our arinv, and where the bittlewa* warmly con
tinted by the Indiana, until they discovered the .urreoder
of the whole British rc;/ul?r force : lhe #*PPy ?
the novel and akilful movement, most gallanily perform
ed by Col. Johnson and his brave associates, but con
ceited, planned, and directed^y General Harrison,
whose superior military judgment and ready skill nei
ther needed nor received any aid.
After llie return of the army lo Detroit, that bravo
veteran, lliat ju.l, good, and pure citizen, ihe late Gov.
Shelby, on hearing read Gen Harrison's report nl the
battle, remarked m mv presence and with much empha
sis, that Ihe report did h.in (Gov. Sli-lbv) more lhan
insure, and that to (ieneral Harmon alone wa* due Hie
credit of the older of battle, the whole of the arrange
ment and plana which he (Gov G ) had contributed
lo carry out to the best of hi* abilitie*.
At the commencement of the battle of Tippecanoe,
when the lirat gun waa fired at our advanced picket, 1
was at lhe tent of General ll.rn.on, who was then up
at the fire. 1 had an opportunity to obaerve hi* man
ner ; he was cool and collected, and oveiy movement ol
hi* countenance, and every word he uttered at that try
ing moment?perhapa the most emharraa.ing in the life
of a aoldier?denoted the highest order of personal cour
age. He mounted hi* hur-e inalanily, and accompanied
by hi* *taff, hastened in the direction of the line first at
tacked A part of this line unable to withstand the fierce
and deaparale onact of the Indian*, the General met re
tiring wilhin our line* in aome disorder and confusion,
closely pressed by the Indians, some of whom were in
the midst of them. General Harrison ltd in prion a
company of tho 4th Infantry lo the breach ; and auch
waa the effect of hi* bold and fe.rles* behaviour, and
ao great wa* the confidence of his army in hi* ability
to conduct them to victory, that his presence and voice
at once rallied tho retreating detachment, and they took
poaition at a point equally eipo-ed, where hall of their
number, if not more, wero either killed or wounded.
The hatile commenced at about 3 o'clock i.< the inorn
,?g. during a .light rain, and the attack became general
within five ruinutea afterwards, and continued until the
(lawn of day ; when by an almost general chaige tho
Indiana broke and fled before our bayonets I he L>ra
troont afterwards proceeded to their village and html it
During the battle. General Harrison was seen wherever
ddfitffr was most imminent, wherever the n^bt was i ?e
thickest. His Aid. Col Owen, was killed at hi. side,
and almoat at the same moment a bail passed through
lhe General's hat. grazing his head There was not a
.pot within our Unci trcure from the ihut of the enemy.
On till!, as on every other occasion within my obaerva
uon. Genersl Harrison's conduct was that of a brave,
and skilful commander; always calm and cool in hi.
manner, and wholly indifferent to hi. personal saleiy,
possessing tho peculiar faculty of at Once discerning
whatever was wanting, and of promptly applying llie
remedy A single instant of vacillation or uncertainty
ol purpose ; ihe slightest tremor of nerve or hesitation
in mind, in the critical and appalling period, of the bat
lie. would have been disastrous to his army. After the
action, there seemed to be a universal admission by the
officers and soldier, of the army, that taere was tint
another officer m the battle, capable of having prevent
ed a defeat and general massacre. All seemed to re
gard General Harrison aa iheir deliverer from the Indian
scalping knife. _ w .
According to my best 'recollections, Fort Meigs was
cannonaded, day and night, with but little intermission
for about 11 days Shortly after lis commencement.
Major Chambers, of the British army, was admitted
into the stockade, the bearer from General Proctor of
an invitation to aurrender the garrison wiih ibe honors
of war, on the ground that so small a force, about 1,000
men, cool.I not sustain themselves *gain?i four timenhct
nurnher, lhe estimated British and Indian force, lien.
Harrison at once rejected indignantly this proposition,
replying lo the insult in terms worthy of his h'gh char
acter Both day and night, during the siege. General
Harrison was most active, observing every movement
of the enemy, and evincing his usual coolness, dauntless
courage, and his happy readmes* lo perctive and apply
every incident to his advantage. He succeeded hi ac
complishing every plan and movement where his ordera
were obeyed. I recollect not one instance to the con
trary. The detachment under Col Dudley, effected, in
part, the object intended, in driving the British Troop,
from their position; .but thcydisobeyedorder.it. not
spiking the enemy's cannon, destroying their ammuni
tion, and thereupon immediately recroasing the river lo
the main army The two sorties on the south side of
tho river, and on the same day, planned and executed
under orders from Genersl Harri-on, were eminently
successful, resulting in lhe objects designed, forcing the
British to raise the siege of Foil Meigs That con
ducted by the brave and accomplished officer, then Col.
John Miller, now a Representative in Congress from
Missouri, intended lo destroys sunken battery, that had
annoyed us very seriously, by enfilading our rear line of
pickets, as well as to prevent the almost entire Indian
force, then investing the fort on that side of the river,
from co operating with the British again.t Dudley's
attack, made at the same time, on the opposite side, con
sidering the very great disparity between our force, and
that of the enemy, being as four lo one, was, I must be
allowed to say, one of lhe most brilliant affairs of the
last war
Gen. Winchester's movement, to the river Raisin,
where he was defeated, was in disobedience of General
Harrison's order, which required him to proceed to the
Rspids of the Maumae ol the I.*ke?, and to remain
there for lurther order.
I h.ve mended my remarks beyond what I designed,
when I commenced, but you will perceive my object
was to give a full and satisfactory answer to your in
terrogatories I aver, that on every occasion, when
General Harrison commanded, ho ever disregarded per
sonal danger and .acrili. e, in the performance of duty,
exhibiting .11 ihe fine qualities ol a dauntless soldier,
combined with those of a talented, skilful, and most
able General Why, at this remote period, when death
has swept away so many memorials of General Harri
son's intrepidity and excellence, should the poisoned
spirit of political envy, attempt thus to tarnish lhe h.rd
earned laurels of the vetran soldier, who. in pu die, as
m private life, has lived -wuhout fear and without re
1 This, sir. is what I have lo sav of General Harriaon.
I doubt whether there is another living who lias pos
sessed equal opportunities with my.ell, ol forming a
correct opinion of General Harrison's military chirac
ter I served under him ihe greater part of the period
he wa* m active service, near his person ; commencing
with the Tippecanoe expedition, and continuing lo its
termination ; rejoining his army in the fall of 1S12, at
Franklinion, Ohio, wnere, immediately on my arrival, I
became a member of hia military family, as Secretary :
In the winter of 1812 and 1813. was appointed his Act
ing Deputy Adjutant General ; and in May 1813 im
mediately' after the siege of Fort Meigs hi* Aid de
camp, which station I held to lhe close of hi. military
service. And in conclusion, I can aafely say, that I
never iii my life, saw a braver man in battle, one more
collected, prompt and full of resources, lhan Genera!
William Henry Harrison
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your moil
obedient acrvant J OrAI.LXN.
Cinctii'ia", 29ih February, 1810
Pun Si*.?Your letter of the lVih inal. was for
warded. undercover, to Major Chambers, at Waalm.g
ton, Kentucky, and sent by him lo my residence after I
left home, which must be my apology f?i ll'? delay of
h I can suic that vou Have been correctly informed that
?? | was in the battle of the Thames,and near the person
of General llartison, from the commencement lo the
termination of the engagement, and that I personally
know what part General Harrison took in U I was a
Captain III the army o( llie United Stala.,and had ho
nor to act a? a regular Atd-de Camp to Gen H-rnaon,
dun-g the active operation. of the campaign, after the
capture of the Briuah fleet ; and waa by hi? side in the
battle of lhe Thames, wuh the exception of th lime
when after the capture of the British troops, he directed
nic to proctcdlo Gov Shelby, and order Dim lo bring
up Kimriir* regiment and reinforco that portion of Johi,
?on's regiment and tli? left of Trotter'* brigade, mtutri
wo pressed by the Indian force.
You say "u lui b?en openly avowed on the (1 ?n rjf
I the House of Uepreacntaiivaa of Ohio, now in a<?? .
by member* in then places, tint General Harrison
at no time in the batile, nor wiitun two miles ol i ,
batlle ground , thai the entire plan of opersiiuna ?aa
projected by Col K M .lohnaoii; that he lr<] tbe trouti
to coixjueat, and that Gnrteral Harriaon had no pan ;
lot in ttie matter." From my personal knowledge uf
the plan and e relit a of that battle, I hm- no hoi ?
in stating. that thcae declarationa in relation to i?l
| Harilaun'a poailion and couducl in tint battle, are dts
tltute of any foundation ill truth General Hamsun
baa correctly ataied, in Ina report to the War Depart
uient, the poailion be occupnd juat bclore the m,,,.
tneiicrinenl of the action ; and he might bate added,
triat he in (lemon gave the word of comiiiatid to r
mounied regiment to "charge"?he having, with t. i
aida-de-camp, passed from the right of the from ln >- oj
infantry, to the right of the front of the mounted co
lutnn, and not only ordered the charge to be made bv
pronouncing the word, but called upon hit aid) tu ri
pen and pass the word along the line I wi< close ti?
hi* aide, and he was ao near tiio eneinv, that th' ir hie
cut down the leavea and twigs of the treea just above
our heada.
A soon a? the liritlah troop* had aurrendercd, a-ij
after I had been aent to Gov Sheltiy with the order
already adverted to, General Harrison passed tu tin
point where the Indiana were annoying the left, and per
sonally directed the operation* in (hat quarter, to tn?
close of the action, I met Gov Shelby, bringing up
Snnrair* Kegimeiit, he having anticipated the (ienero, i
withe* a* to that movement In this *av, Governor
Shelby and General Harrison with his aids, mei at th<s
point where the Indiana had made their moat ditpersle
effort, and from which they aoon after retreated
The firat ariangeineul tor the battle, as well at the
subsequent change, winch was predicated upon the im
portant information obtained by the r/ii/i'ary e//>
Cul Hitod, was plannad alone by General Harrison ?
The execution of till* subsequent plan, was confided to
the Kigunint commanded by Col K M Johnson, who
led in person the ad battalion, aided by Major Thomp
son ; which, in us extension to ihe left, lnougtit sum*
portion nf it in contact with the Indian line The 1st
battalion waa led by Ll. Col James Johnaon, aided by
Major Hayne. This battalion, to the riyht of the Iront
of which General Iiarriaon and his ftatf advanced, and
where he personally gave the word "charge," captured
ihe Uritish line, and having thua turned the Indian left,
decided the faie of ike day.
You are at liberty to make such u*e of thia letter ai
you may think proper.
Very respectfully, your obedient arrv't,
C. S TODI)
Mosts B. Corwin, Eaq , Hmtte of Heprcientatuei,
Columb ia, Ohio.
Richmond, March C, 1840
Sir: Your letter of the 17th ult. was riceivtd on
yesterday, in wliich you state, that " it has been openly
avowed that General Harrison was at no lime in the
battle of tho Thamea, nor within two inilea of the bat
tle ground?that the enure plan of operations was pro
jected by Col. R. M Johnson?that he led the iroopson
to conquest, and that Central Harriaon had no part nor
lot in the matter." Mv humiliation is deep, that a nu
I cessity should evst, produced by party rancor, 10 prove
facta attested by history for more than a quarter of a
century, and which have never before been questioned
That ignorance and credulity abound to an extent to
I render such baseleaa assertions available, bespesks a
lamentable atate of public intelligence, and portends no
good to the republic
That Col. Johnson led the van and brought on the
' battle, IS true?that he behaved with the utuio>t gallan
try, la also true : but your letter contains the firi sug
gestion which has ever readied me, that "the entire plui
of operations was projected by him." The tiiagnaniiio
ty of Colonel Johnson, will repudiate, with proud indig
nation, such an effort to cluster additional laurels u;.uii
his brow, thus unjustly torn froin the brow of hi< Cin.e
ral Col Johnson received orders, as to the form ? .d
manner of charge, from General Harrison in per->>n,
in the fsce and almost iti sight of the enemy I ;>e
General was with the regiment when the charge was
sounded As Johnson moved to the charge, the Geneul
started for the line of Infantry, which was drawn up in
order of battle He had not gone far, before turning lo
' me, (and to the be>t of my recollection, I was the only
one of his aids then with hmO he said, " Pursue Cul
Johnson wuh your utmost speed?see the ?fleet of tna
! charge, and the position of the enemy s artillery, and re
turn aa quickly as |>ossit)le," Having executed this order
as promptly as practicable, I met hnn on my return,
pressing forward with the front of tho infintrv
(*pon reporting, that Col Johnson had broke tu tne
iny's line?that they Were surrendering, and that t'he.t
cannon was in our possession --he exclaimed, in an ani
mated tone, " Come on my brave fellows, 1 roctor and
h.s whole army will soon be ours." Soon after this, an
I officer (I believe the late Judge John McDowell, ol
1 Omo ) lode up and repotted, that the left wing, at or
near the crotchet, was suffering sever.lv. and m great
disorder This communication wss made in the bear
; ing of the soldiers The General contradicted the latter
part of the statement in the moat emphatic manner
but giving order to the next in command to push tor
i ward, he dashed with the messenger to the indicated
point of conflict and confusion, and found the contest
1 pretty close and severe. A portion of Johnson s Kegl
; inent, owing to the impracticability of the ground lor
i horse, hsd dismounted, and was lighting on foot and
mingled with the infantry?which had been, lo some ex
: tent, the cauae of the confusion. Order was soon re
stored, and the left wing closed to the front, [which
formed the crotchet,] under the personal supervision of
' General Harrison. In the mean time, some of our
soldiers were shot within less than ten fee: of the time
rs) ; for the conflict here was sharp and animated, and
continued po lor some time NN uh the exception of tt.e
charge made by Col. Johnson'a Regiment, General
Harrison wsa in the most expoaed and dangerous parts
of ihu battle.
It is due the occasion to relate the following un
dent : The day before tho battle the armj was impeded
in its march bv the destruction of a bridge across
a branch of the Thames, up which it was moving, at or
near the mouth of ihe branch. Col. Johnson had been
ordered to cross this stream at aoine mills two or thnc
miles above the mouth. The road lead hnn by tt.o
bridge A portion of his regiment hsd a brush with a
party of Indians, posted in cabins, on the op|R>sitc side
of the Tnsmes and the branch, and also under the thick
covert along the banks, to dispute the passage of the
stream, and harrsss all attempts -o repair the bridge.
As soon as the firing was heard, the General hurried to
the scene of action, accompanied by a portion of hn
family, of which Commodore Perry was one. V\ lien
1 sirived I found General Harrison Cominodoro Perry,
and other officers, (I think Gen Cass was one.) in an
open piece of ground near the bridge Col Johnson had
pissed, and a small portion of his regiment, previously
dismounted, under the command of ("apt Benjamin
Wailield, and some infantry which had hurried up, were
carrying on the skirmish Maj Wood had been order
ed up with a small piece of artillery. Commodore
Perry urged General Harrison to wiihdrsw, ss he was
too much exposed for the commandcr-in-chief It I
mistake "not. Gen. Cass united with the Commodore,
and offered to remain and see his orders executed^
The General, with P. rry and the rest of his suit, started
off; but General Harrison went but s few steps and
returned, and retained his position near the cannon, un
til ihe Indians were dislodged snd driven, the budge
repaired, and the army pul in. motion to cross. During
this whole time he was as much or more exposid than
tin! soldiers, being on horseback sll the while he
Commodore afterwards remonstrated with hnn against
this unnecessary exposure, observing, " thai in open
ses he could stand tire toleratdy well, but there was
no fun in lieing shot at by a concealed enemy "
The General justified his conduct bv saving 'the
general whu commands Republican volunteers, in whose
ranks the best blood ol the country is to be found, mutt
never think of his own salelv, ?l lesst until his troops
become familiar wilh his disregard of personal dsnger
Hardihood itself has nevt r denied Perry s courage ?
Chambers and Todd of Kentucky, snd Ursllon "
Missouri, the other Aids of General Harrison at the
bsttle jul the Thames, are still living, and can give you
additional facts, if required
Although it la not in di.ect response to any par ut
vour letter, I must be permitted lo ssv, thst my n " '
course with General Harrison left th? conviction on mv
mind, that ho was a gentleman, a soldier, and s pstr.
and I deprecate most sincerely, the injustice alleoip <d
to be done him by a portion of that parly with which
have always voted.
I ain sir, respectfully, your obedient servant.
, ' J. SPEED i?.VH TU
M B Co* win, Esq.
\\'e cettify, that we have carefully comparid ti
ters as shore printed, with the origin*!", and that *
are true copies thereof 'Ihe origin*! le'lers can
seen bv calling on Moses B Corwiu. Esq ? " 1 " '
Champaign Co, Ohu, to whom they weie d nr <
ALFRED KELLEY, LVNE * " ,VV','w''' '''
N' M MILLER, JOHN L M'n la ws
i- stewakt. Jul in
ROBERT NEIL, ls , /
State C'tnlral C umthUtct.
MurcK 21, 1810.