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 CHAPIN'S REVlM^ 
 
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 ARMSTRONG'S NOTICES 
 
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CHAPiN'S REVIEW 
 
 •r 
 
 ARMSTRONG'S NOTICES 
 
 cr Tilt 
 
 II 
 
 WAR OF 1812 
 
 BLACK ROCK : 
 
 n. r. ADA MS, PRINTKR — ADVOIA'IB oyrXCF 
 
 1836. 
 
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 I am not a book-maker either by profession or practice : Nor 
 have I at the late stage of life at which 1 have arrived, either dispo- 
 sition or leisure, to make any more display than is necessary in obe- 
 dience to the first impulse of nature — self-defence. 
 
 The recent appearance of a book entitled "Notices of the War 
 of 1812," by John Armstrong, in which the writer attempts to 
 place me in a base, ridiculous, and even criminal point of view, is 
 the sole occasion of calling the attention of the public to a subject 
 which common sense might have given General Armstrong warning 
 to shun. If truth and justice are not important — if malevolence, false- 
 hood, and ignorance with regard to some of the most common, but 
 material facts, are to be the measure of merit, then are these 'notices' 
 to be placed in the very uppermost niche in the Temple of Fame. 
 
 It is time that our wonderful "Secretary stood alone," — It is time 
 that he had long felt himself neglected and forgotten, when the re- 
 source appears to have occurred to him, of rakmg from oblivion, all 
 he could find of spleen and garrulity in the memory of the late 
 Col. Boerstler; behind whoso shade he seeks to entrench himself. 
 This skulking, serpentine course shall not answer his purpose. It 
 is unworthy of a soldier, and proves the historian faithless. Of the 
 deeds of the "Secretary" the country had ample proof during the 
 war. In two wars indeed he has been conspicuous. Of the cha- 
 racter of his labors, the public had long been satisfied : There re- 
 mained no doubt but that "he left his country for his country's 
 
i>i 
 
 h 
 
 II 
 
 iV 
 
 PREFACK. 
 
 goou. 
 
 Sorry inilcetl must have been his condition, when, for 
 ■want of facts, he was driven to found In's "notices" on fiction; and 
 that too of a dangorous nature — pestilent to those he assails destruc- 
 tive only to himself. His c^'Iebrity originated in his being reputed to 
 bo the author of the Newburgli Letters so calk.'d, and of a Review 
 of Wilkinson's Memoirs. The first of tlic?o productions in point of 
 stylo, would do credit to a far better scholar than he is. Both the 
 spirit and inalter of it would have been cherished to maturitv, no 
 where, but in a mind reckless of every interest but its own — and of 
 tlr\t grossly ignorant. The last mentioned production entitles the 
 writer to the palm of scurrility. To obtain this palm, there was no 
 necessity for this production, lie might have rested his claim upon 
 tlio abuse he has endeavored to throw upon some of the best men, 
 and best established characters of this nation. Was it not reasona- 
 ble to hope tl;at age would soften the feelings and subdue the temper 
 which had been excited by disappointed ambition? What excuse 
 ran he have for casting his venom on those who never did, nor 
 wished him harm? some of whom, on the contrary, stood forth in 
 the common defence, and breasted the storm of battle -where he 
 never dared to venture his head. If those whom ho foolishly 
 thinks he can make the victims of his malice, were in truth the poor, 
 blundering, half mad, half foolish creatures he would represent 
 thorn, still he should remember that "they who live in glass liouses 
 should never begin throwing of stones." Frailty! Is thy name John 
 Armstrong? Indeed and indeed when this man is stripped of his 
 fictitious consequence, he is quite a small man — there is hardly 
 enough left of him for an antagonist. 
 
 As I have-not sought this discussion, 1 will not shun it. I will 
 not submit passively to such charges as are contained in the "Notices" 
 without repelling them. But I will attend to whatever communica- 
 tion may be made to me as a gentleman. But the Secretary and 
 his friends ]\IcClurc and Coerstler will none of them bo run away 
 from, but their efforts may prove too much for themselves — they 
 may, for aught I can assure them, meet the fate of the little insect 
 that dies in shooting its sting. Whatever may be the consequence 
 to any party, truth must be told. Whoever may be the calumniator, 
 he must sooner or later be exhibited in a just light, to the public. 
 
 i 
 
;? 
 
 it I 
 
 
piiEFAcr:. 
 
 Error and pnrty interest ever ecck Liy-U'Ry.-; nud taiiiu tin; liglii: 
 while truth will have light, and even though, "iilic tiic mangle. 1 
 hody of 0.siris, it should be hewn into a thousand {licces, and sea.- 
 torcd to the four winds ; it. shall bo gathered limb 1) linih, r.r.J 
 moulded with every joint and monibcr, into unlading beauty.'' 
 
 A.S I have acknowledged myself ignorant of tr:c art of louk- 
 raaking, that, I hope v/ill bo deemed a sunicionl apology for a);y d<> 
 fect in style or arrangonicnt whieh may appear in this defence, 
 against the *'noticos" which were made without foundation or e\- 
 cusc, and I trust I may rely on the candor of the public, for a fnir 
 hearing. CYRENIUS CHAPIN. 
 
 Buffalo, July, 1836. 
 
R E V 1 E W 
 
 At till' breaking out of the last war, I was rosidiiig with my 
 tumily at BiinUlo. 1 wa^ in gooJ business, and we were in pros- 
 perous circumstances. I volunteered to fight and joined the army, 
 while my family became refugees. We all sulF.M'ed pretty severely. 
 I made every exertion in my ])Ower to encourage others, and very 
 often, as is known to numbers yet living, and who did the same, 
 hazarded my life, and in several instances came near losing it; hav- 
 ing been several times, and twice severely, wounded. I have no 
 pretensions to extraordinary merit ; but I honestly thought, that 
 those who joined the army, in its then condition, as volunteers, de- 
 served well of their country, myself among the rest. It will be no 
 matter of wonder then, that my indignation should bo roused, by 
 reading, above twenty years afterwards, in a book written by the 
 man who was Secretary at war of the United States, during that 
 War, the following passages, literally copied tVoni that book, which 
 I cannot well refrain t'rom saying, contain some truth, some gross 
 blunders, and many falsehoods. 
 
 Since I sliall here insert the sentence that first roused me, I will 
 insert here also, uU I intend to extract from Armstrong's woik. 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 Narrative of the Exitcdition from Fort George to the ftcavcr Dams, 
 
 Upper Canada. 
 
 "On Jiinp 2.'?il, 18in, sni dmnvt Major riitipiii I'allpd at tiio tent of Iiiouteiiant- 
 Colonel Hirrdtler, on tlie pluiim of Newark; talki'd largely ntioiit having scoured 
 nil the country willi liin i'orty follnwcrs; that lio liad l)ecn to the JU'avcr Uanm; 
 that Iho oniMiiy had t'orlifnul Decoo's slonc hniiRo; tliat ihcro were one roinpany 
 of rcgi'-'.rs, and from wixty to out; liuii(lr<'d liidianH at lliut post. Tliat if this 
 utrongliohl was dcslroyt'd, the onciny coidd no lonijer show hinisi'lf in tiiiH 
 quarter; that five hundred men with a couple of field-pieces could eftert this, 
 &c. &c. 
 
 "Lieutenant-Colonel B<rrstler knowing thin man to he a vain hoastinc liar, 
 and BUBpectinjj his fidelity, from various eircumntances, nnionpst which wan 
 that of having joined a committee to remonstrate ngainRl the war, and tliat of 
 coming forward as snokesmnn, in favor of a man charged by many of liis neigh- 
 bors with giving intelligence to tlie enemy— he was heard by Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Bfflmtler with indifference, and dismissed widi coolness, A messenirer now ar. 
 
CHAPIN 8 ilKVIEW, 
 
 rived to inform ' irtutenaut-Coloiiel Boirstler tli;it General Boyd desired to see 
 him at his r,' rn. When arrived, he was asked, 'have you spen Major 
 Chapin?' 
 " 'Yes, sir.' 
 
 " 'Has he mentioned any thing of an expedition?' He talked (as above re- 
 lated.) 
 
 " 'It is intended to send five hundred men and two field-pieces to capture or 
 dislodge the enemy, and batter down Decoo's house; and you are to have the 
 command.' 
 
 " 'Very well, sir; when do I marrhl' 
 
 " 'Tliis evening; you will call at the Adjutant-General's office for your or- 
 ders.' 
 
 "He called, and the Adjutant-General having commenced to exidiiin the ob- 
 ject of the expedition, he was intorriipted with 'Vou are a soldier, ;.nd will ex- 
 cuse me when I demand my orders hi writing.' 
 " 'Certainly, sir.' 
 
 "They were written, and Lieutenant-Colonel Bocr.stler marched, about dark, 
 with fivi! hundred men, consisting of ("uptain McDowell's company of light ar- 
 tillery, with a twelve and six pounder, twenty dragoons under Cornet Ilurd, 
 Major Chapin's thirty-eight or forty mounted militia, and the rest composed of 
 infantry of the fourteenth, sixth, and twenty-third regiments. The riilemen 
 ordered to join this expedition, (and which were all-important,) were, by Lieut. 
 Colonel Milton, the commander of the second Brigade, contrary to all rule, placed 
 on guard, and could not be relieved. 
 
 "The detachment arrived at Quecnston about eleven o'clock P. M., in great 
 silence. I'atrols and pickets were immcdiati'Iy sent out to pnweiit citizens troni 
 escaping to give intelligence; no candlis were siitfered to be lighted, and ofiicers 
 and men laid down on their arms, Aller ilay-break, the detaeliiiient proceeded, 
 and near St. David's an Indian srout was killfd by a Hanker, while another 
 made his escape. At St. David's the coniniaiider discovered that Maj. Chapin's 
 knowledge of the roads was not to be relied on. He accordingly interrogated 
 various inhabitants, and |)rocecd('d several miles, when arriving at a cross-road, 
 ho demanded of some of Major Chapin's men where that road led to'( They re- 
 plied, they did not know. 'How, not know! were you not liere two days ago?' 
 'No, sir; not within several miles as far.' 
 
 "The commander now perceived that the General had been inveigled to risk 
 this detachment on doubtful intelligence. 
 
 "Two British otficers were discovered at some distance reconftoitering, and 
 presently bugles and musketry conveyed the alarm in the direction of St. Catha- 
 rine's. T .e commander viewed the ground, and observed, '(Jentlemon, here 
 we must fight on our return.' The detachment proceed<Ml until wi'liin a mile 
 and a half of Decoo's house, in the original order of march, tliat is, the mounted 
 militia in front, the coiinnaiidiiig oflicer at the head of the tlelacliment from the 
 fourteenth regiment — tiie artillery and wagons — Major Taylor at the head of the 
 companies of the si.\tli and twenty-tiiird regiments — the dragoons in the rear, 
 and flankers out on tlie right and left from each company. Having passed the 
 road from St. Catharine's, where it crosses the iiiountain-road, by which the 
 delacliment marched, a piece of woods on either side of the road, some fields 
 ahead, the Indians fired a volley on the rear guard, and killed and wounded 
 three or fi)ur men. The detaehment was forced lo the riglit, and in a moment 
 the action became general. The wagons, artillery, horses, and dragoons were 
 ordereii to the roar, out of reach of the enemy's fire. 
 
 "Some of the soi. (li.iant Major Chapin's men now demanded, 'Where is our 
 commander? What are we to ilol' The commanding ofiicer looked for liim in 
 vain, and replied, 'Von Imve no commander but myself; turn into the ranks and 
 fight with my men.' Some did so; others found it as convenient to • .1 ' their 
 commander in the hollow, alongside the wagons. 
 
 "The second in conmuind. Major Taylor, was unhorsed the first fire, and af- 
 terwards fought on fi)ot. The surgeon remained until his horse was twice 
 wounded, when he was ordered to the wagons. Thus, the commanding oflicer 
 ^one was mounted, and consequently rompclled to carry his own orders to 
 
i' 
 
 Ife 
 
 e 
 
 (UAi'I.NS RLVlL\r Ol'' AHMbTliO.NU S 
 
 every point v.horo ilwy became nscessary. He roceived a shot through tha 
 t'li^i in the early part oftlio action, wiiich iio concealed, ll'arinjr a bad inipres- 
 eiou injo'ht ho made on hiy troop;;. 
 
 '•Al'ijr liio co;itcs;t had continued soir-c time, tlio commanaiiifvoflicer endeav- 
 ored to make it derisive: for which purpo.^? lie lefi orders with iVlojor Taylor to 
 protect the artillery, tJce.; and furiiiinfr the fourteenth inlf fii];^!e file, e company 
 on eacli Hank thrown bade cii pctcncc, a cliar^ro at quid; step was commenced 
 throujjh the woods, and p-irt of the enemy driven across the fiehl, where many 
 le!l. The chary,-e luiviuj;- been made oblhiuely to the rijilit, i:i order to thdve the 
 enoiuy into the cleared ground — ilii-i was no sooner effected, l!i:iria furious attack 
 commenced on our left. The chnrji-e we."! now continued oblitpiely to t!ie left, 
 a,nd the enemy driven to a considerable disianee; not, hovt-ever, without keeping 
 up a constant lire on u;;, Vidiich from the thickne.-is of the v.oods, and mode of 
 fiEfhting, wiiere every comb.Ttaut is his own conunander, was perfectly in his 
 pov.'er. Finding, in miiorl, that inufdictecrs unaccustomed to tijrhliii;'; in any 
 other than a regular order, could not maintain to mioqual a contest without 
 l~reat less, a party of skirmisliers v.'ere ordered, and the troops retreated by tilin;r 
 to the rear, from the right of companies. Ailer reachin!!^ ajrain the sneall field, 
 t.ho line wiis again formed behind the f'lic, (the enemy liaving advanced as we 
 retreated,) and tlie contest kei)t up until twenty-:-i;: roundj were e.\])ended. 
 
 "The coiumandii!;^ oiiieer now daphed into the rear, and found ftlaj. C'lmjiin 
 and a parcel oi'his men arountl t)ie v.'afTonp. 'For (iod's sake, Miijor, do somc- 
 thinr^; you do not ti::^!it your men, thesi take them and furnisii mine with ammu- 
 nition, and cjirry o!l'lhc woaniled to the wa.'vons, that 1 nray not be compelled 
 to talie men tor this purpose out of my ranks.' 
 
 "Major Ciiapin appeared shortly ailer tlii.s in the rear of the line, with a ke^r 
 of cr.rlrid;;'e3 ou his hor.;e; ho called a soldier, iianded it over and resumed Ins 
 Btp.lion in the hoUirr. Tliis was the wiiole of iiis exertion, and the only time he 
 appeared on t!ie battle-groun;l durinn; three hours; this is the man w!;o, in an 
 otHclal docmnent, was called 'tiie brave Major Chapin.' Tiio commanding offi- 
 cer now directed men to 'jedetaidied from each company to carry oH'tho wound- 
 ed, and <j't a sup])Iy of cartrid<res: Vvdiicli beiuLi; r ffe!!tei!, (the contest r>tili con- 
 tinuing) Captain McDowell was (Hrected to limber iiis pieces, and proceed v.ith 
 tliewagon.T, on which were loaded the wound(Ml, imder the escort of a company 
 of infantry, to a position about a ipiarter of" a nfdo to the right, and somewhat to 
 the rear. The ol)ject ot tJiis movement was, if possil)lp, to jret round the piccu 
 of woods on our right occupied b}- tin enemy, and so regain the main road, and 
 commence a retreat, which secured the only resource to wave the detachment. 
 
 "Having arrived on the ground spoken of", iha trocps were formed into close 
 column; but from t!io killed, wounded and skulking, om- nundjcr smened nmcli 
 reduced. They had marched eleven miles that morning without refreshment; 
 they had fought three hour.-i, the weather very w, rm, and consequently the lroo|)3 
 were much oxhauated. The counnanding ollic'r thought of ordering thiin a 
 ration of whiskey, butsonie Indians getting in our rear, and comuK'neing a lire, 
 there was not time; and t!i" commamiing oliicer in.'iirmed lii.s troojis that as the 
 enemy were seen constantly to cross the road on which we were then Ibrmed 
 within long ohot of them, "his intention was to wait a little longer until the 
 enemy's principal force had [jassed, then to rush on him with a de^-pernte charge, 
 and if i)ossibb' to gain the main road and retreat, lie cucourage'd his tronj>s to 
 be resolute; tiiesi; were the "uly means in our power, as the enemy were con- 
 Btanlly gathering strength, and we losing; added to that, the anmumition low, 
 and but three cartridges of grepe leO for the licld-pieces. 
 
 "At this juncture. I.ieutcnant-Fit/.gibbon arrived liom the enemy with a flag 
 of truce; Captain McDowell was sent to r ccive jiim. Fitzgibbon stated that 
 wo were fiir outmniibeied; tiiat we could not |)(is;-ibly ctieajie, and that they had 
 a number of Indians from the north-west, by no means as easily conlroled an 
 those from the vicinity, and having suH'ered very severely, they were outrageous, 
 and woulil commence a general massacre; he was, tli;'.ef)re, desirous to save 
 the effusion of blood, and demanded a surrender. Me was told, that we knew 
 how to die, and they should hc;ir from m in a li'w minutes, lie returned very 
 •horfly, repentinjf th" (inmmon<i. and ndd»(i, that if we did not boheve we wcri 
 
i! 
 
 n 
 
NOTICES OP THE WAR. 
 
 9 
 
 outnuiiiberecf, and could not [)oss;l)lr oacape, an oflicor would be ponnittod to 
 view their troops. Lieutenant (Joilwin w;iH i: 'nt, and arrivinjr at the hciul oi' tlrj 
 lane wlicre !i part of'thoir force w;is station"!', Colonel Dc llerrn ordered liini 
 bacli, sayinjr, this was too Jiumilialinfr to he jierniitte'l. On his retr.rn, the 
 coiuinan(hn;ir ollicer asked those under his coniniand, what was to he done' 
 The second in eonnnand oliserved, ho was willlnff to do any thinjr, (in other 
 words, to {iivo no oi)inion.) The eoinman:iin;r ollieer said, he did not a^k the 
 oi)inion ot'liisS ollieers, or v.i.:!i thcni to hear any :;hare ot'tlie l)hinie tluit nii^^lit 
 attach; he wuh eoninmndinir otiicer, and, therehjie, would tulii.' all tlie rosjionsi- 
 bility; he only wisiied to know tluir vimv ofoiir situation. Sonu; of them oh- 
 BCrvod, they did not think it possihie, with cr.eli a {breearoend us, tlie fxhtiustpd 
 stale ofour men, and seventeen miles to retreat, the road runniufr prinei]).illy 
 throujjh woods, that one t"onrth ot'us eoiild escai)e death. As we must letri'at 
 in rej^ular order alonjr the road, while the iiiiniense number of Indians would euii- 
 stantly hang on our llanks and reai', and shoot us down at pleasure, without 
 our being enabled 1o injure tii(^m, more es|)eeiaily when our few remaining r'ar- 
 tridges siiould he cxpendi'd. This coinciding with the opinion of the connnaud- 
 ing ohicor, Cajjtain MelJowell was din.'cted to o'ltain the best terjus he coulil, 
 wiiich consisted in permitting the officers to retain their side-amis and horses, 
 the militia to return home on parole, and the detachment to surrender prisoners 
 of war. 
 
 "Thus terminated one of the most unfortunate and impolitie expeditions that 
 ever was planned. Five hundred men were risked 'to batt( r down with a 
 twelve and six ])ounder, Ueiioo's stone house, said to be fortilied and garrisoned 
 with a company of regulars and sixty to one hundred Indians, to ca|)lure or dis- 
 lodge the enemy, and return by the way of St. David's and Queenstou.' 
 
 "This intelligence was derived from a source decided not enlith'd t(j confidonee, 
 having long previous to this been known by many for an unl)hishing liiu-; he- 
 bides, had not l)een within severa I miles of the post to be attacked, of thu utrengtli 
 of which he undertook to give a parlicukir detail." 
 
 Willi rcgiird to tlio Beaver Dsiin cxpediiion, alioul whicl; so ninny 
 misrepresentations have been made, 1 have to say, tliat a short time 
 before ihc e.xpedition ordered out, Gen(;ral Dearborn, who llien coin- 
 nianded at Fort George, sent for mo to his (juarterw, and tuld nio 
 what the expedition was (fetcriuined on, and tliat iho command of it 
 was to be given to Colonel Bcerstler, and that I and my corps were 
 to form ])artof it, and that from my knowledge of the country, c^c, 
 much advantage to the expedition was expected from us. i had 
 liothiiig to sny against the expedition, nor against myself and men 
 making part of it, only that wo were continually on some fatiguing 
 jaiuit or otliiM', and w(M-e ahiinst worn down, jiut I did sugg'st to 
 the General the expediency of giving tho command either to Cols. 
 Mill(M', Scott, or Christee, telling iiim that ColonellJ. had not, in my 
 opinion, the necessary skill for such a command. He did not mani- 
 fest any ollence at my freedom, hut told me that Col. }]. complained 
 of being ill-treated as to separate commands, and that ho believed 
 liiniself competent to this one. I, oi" cours<>, submi(t"d. All the 
 transactions in that alfair were of course known both to eur own 
 people and tho British, so that ruiy attempt to impose on tlie public 
 by any partial or cunning .statement would be foolish and absurd. 
 
 i ■• 
 
 in 
 
 't 
 
10 
 
 ciiapin's review op armstroxg's 
 
 ; I 
 
 i y 
 
 I I 
 
 J (- 
 
 t i 
 
 Two (lavs before tlic battle I was ordcretl out to reconnoitre tho 
 enemy, and was directed to go beyond the Beaver Uanis. I did so, 
 and on my return into the neighborhood of llic Dams, I made a halt 
 of about an hour, and took one or two prisoners. I returned down 
 througli Lundy's Lane, where in the time of a short halt which I 
 made tliere, 1 lost one man who was taken prisoner, which hapiiened 
 in this way. While my party was halted we were attacked by that 
 Avilcy odicov, Fit/gibbon. We soon beat off Fitzgibbon's party and 
 routed tlieni, but making a rapid movement to save my men, one of 
 them who was more shick than his fellows, by his own negligence or 
 indolence was taken prisoner. 1 returned to the Fort and made my 
 report to Gen. Dearborn. In this report I said uotliing of a party of 
 the Dritish fortifying Decoo's house; because when I passed that 
 house there Mas no fortifying nor any tiling like it going on there; 
 nor was a British oilicer or soldier to be seen there. Next day I was 
 informed that tlion; were a number fortifying at Decoo's house. I 
 told liiiii 1 did not believe it, lor that there were certainly no troops 
 there whoa I was at the spot. I have no douljt, lioweven', that his 
 inforivatioii was not alfr)g"ther incorrect, for it afterwards appeared 
 that after I left the plac" Ca[itain Fit/.gibbon canio there with his 
 company, and staid a short time. 
 
 An exaggerated account of Fit/.gibbon's operations determined 
 Cleneral Di.'arborn *-) "^i !if] out a party to dislodge him. Uii his re- 
 (piiring mc to go, wiiIi part of my muii, on this service, 1 asked him 
 who was to eoiumuiid? lie said Col. Bd'rstlcr; and then it was that 
 1 olijected to Colonel Bcersfier having th,' eoinmand; and I did tluMi 
 tell the Ceneral that 8colt, Chri:-iic, or Millor, Mere, either of them, 
 b.'tter (pialified for such a coiiimand than Colonel Ba-rstler. The 
 CJeneral replied that Birrstler complained that he luul not had an op- 
 portunity to distinguish himself, and that he claimed the c<Jiiiniand of 
 ihat iiarly as his right. 1 toM him thai I suspected his iK.'termination 
 in this inatler ( ...id neither salisfy Bier.stier nor anv of us. lie 
 tlien s:iid with some wanutli, "How is this, sir? Vou can go farther 
 into the country than i iiov; pi'o[io.se to send vuu, and return sal'ely 
 with the men you take oul; and now I propose to send yon out in a 
 strong party of oOO infantry and two pieces of artillery, you start 
 at dilliculties, and raise objf:ctions.*' 1 said that the largeness of 
 the corps he proposed to send out was what T objected to; because it 
 would only Iianipcr our operations. 1 told him that us my corps 
 
NOTICES OP THE WAR. 
 
 11 
 
 consisted wholly of mounted riflomcn, wc could quickly beat up the 
 enemies q.uartcrs, from some distance; and having pursued our ad- 
 vantage as far as circumstances appeared to warrant — o- if wc were 
 nut furtunale enougli to gain any advantage, wo could be off and 
 leave them in a moment. Jkit witli such a force as he proposed to 
 send, it would lie far otherwise. That such a body of men could pro- 
 ceed but very little way into the country from the Fort without being 
 observed by the enemy — tliat within four liours they could collect at 
 any point within a march of that length, 500 regidars and seven 
 hundred Indians, cVc, beside three or four hundred militia. My 
 remonstrances huwever, were of no use. I was ordered to go out 
 under Colonel BttM'stler's command, taking with me such men as I 
 could furnish with horses and equipments for the expedition. I 
 repaired to my cantonment, paraded, and selected my men, and 
 marched them down to the camp, without calling on Colonel Bccrst- 
 ler. Soon after my arrival, Colonel Beerstler appeared with his 
 artillery and inl'antry. (leneral Dearborn came out to us and gave 
 us our orders. I was directed by the General, to keep in the rear, 
 as a guard to the troops in advance. When we had got about two 
 miles from the Fort, the troops were halted, and I was ordered in 
 advance. Wc proceeded to Quecnston where we halted for the 
 night; and 1 was innnediately ordered to the farthest part of the 
 town to establish such jtickets and send out such patroles as 1 might 
 think sufiicient to protest the detachment from surprise. Early in 
 the morning wo marched from Queenston. I then remarked to 
 Colonel E(]erstler that, by that time the enemy must be apprised of 
 our be,'::? out from the Fort, and that we might expect Leiorc long, 
 to hear from Fitzgibbon. Tlie Colonel asked how many men Filz- 
 gibbon liad? My answer was, th.at "lie had some rc;^;ilar troops, 
 some Indians, and some militia.'' "Very well, then, (said he.) let 
 me meet him, tliat I may lay my sword hilt to hilt with his." After 
 we had marc!icd about three miles my flankers shot two Indians. — 
 The Colonel, licaring the report of the pieces, ord.Mvd the detachment 
 to halt, and yent for inc to come toward lilm. As 1 met him he asked 
 what ihat firing was for? 1 told li'm; and he ordered us to march 
 on again. We did so, and as we approached >St. David's, (which is 
 about lour miles from Queenston,) I saw several Eritisli oflicors 
 come out of tlie houses. They looked at us for a moment; then 
 fired the alarm — sounded the bugle, and made oft' with good speed. 
 
 . I 
 
13 
 
 niAviN s uEVii:w op aiimstrcxo s 
 
 ^ 
 
 * '='« 
 
 1 d 
 
 Wo soon hoard tlio alarm gun.s, at the f^cvcral cantonmonts in (ho 
 ncigiiboi'hood. I was again cdlcfl back, and ciujuircd of by tlio 
 comnuinding ofTicnr, wlial all tins meant ? I told him it was an alarm 
 given to the dift'orcnt cantonments, and that by observing the dillerent 
 alarms, he might judge oi" their rcdativc positions. He then ordered 
 mc forward, and we proceeded on the niarcdi. We had not got fur 
 beyond St. David's when he sent for mo again, and onqnired of me 
 what the conntry was above t!ie mountains? I informed him that it 
 was an open, levcd country. lie then said, "This road is so inter- 
 rupted with ravines, and there is so much thick woods, that it is favo- 
 rable for tho Indians to attack us; can wo not get up the inountain?" 
 f informed him, that about a mile ahead, there was a good pass up 
 the mountain. (So this iieight is universally called by the Canadi- 
 ans.) l>y his direction, I led tho way up this pass. Upon gaining 
 the top of the mountain we were halted for some time. After resu- 
 ming the march, and proceeding about a mile, I saw, an open field, 
 in some o\)Qn woods, a number of Indians running to a point of thick 
 woods that lay on each side of our road. As I had been ambushed 
 at the same place but a l\'.\v days before, I immediately saw their ob- 
 ject, a!>d went back to the Colonel and informed him of it. He has- 
 tily, and as it then appeared to me in some confusion of mind, ordered 
 inc to advance with my party, and to keep at Insl half a mile in ad- 
 vance. 1 advanced, and while I was doing so, prepared my men 
 for tho attack. Wo, however, were sullered to pass. So were tho 
 Colonel and his men, until his rear guard camo into the pass, when 
 they were fired upon. On hearing the fire, I halted, and wheeled to 
 tho right about, and rode back full s[)eed towards tho main body. 
 When I had got about half way I met Colonel Drerstler alone, at full 
 speed, come, as it seemed, to inform me that there was an attack. I 
 told him I understood it, and continued my course until I got near 
 the main body, when I v/as fired upon. I immediately wheeled my 
 mon directly upon the enemy. They retreated, and wo pursued 
 them probably {\\g hundred in number, through the woods. They 
 wore running from us, and v/e making all pursuit that could bo, 
 when we were overtaken by a messenger from Colonel Bcersller and 
 ordered back. I obeyed the order, but as soon as I came to Colonel 
 Bccrstlcr 1 remonstrated aga.nst it, and told, (what every body ought 
 to know,) that tho Indians, when onco routed, were a harmless 
 enemy, especially if well pursued. He said thoy were not all gone; 
 
NOTICES OK TIIK WAR. 
 
 v.) 
 
 nnd I pi'otty soon pprcoivcd about two liundrcd that had s<>pnratcd 
 from their main hod}-, and wore hanging about upton tlio right of our 
 army, nnd hooping up the iiro. I told him tliosc iniglit soon bo dis- 
 porsetl. As I was in the act of turning from him, hoord'jrod rue not 
 to leave the field. Wo, however, rode briskly to tlie fjnco, giving 
 the enemy at the same time, a good firo; nnd one or two of our ni;Mi, 
 by my direction, di:^mounted and threw down tlr,,' fence. The 
 Indians ran otf. I again returned to the Colonel and told him it ap- 
 peared to mo, that wo were playing a useless game, tiiat wo were 
 losing men without an object. 1 urged that we should gi on, and 
 aGComplihjh the order, telling him that when wo had done that wc 
 should be ready to act as circumstances might require. During this 
 conversation there was no firing. 
 
 Tiio Colonel then said to me, "Go to your station and keep a good 
 look oirt." I rode back accordingly; my oflicers asked nic what 
 wc were to do? I tokl them I had no orders. After remaining in 
 this stato fifteen or twenty minutes, the Indians again conmicnced 
 firing upon us. Soon after this firing began the Colonel sent for 
 me and said, "There (pointing to a thicket of bushes) arc some Brit- 
 ish officers, and some men stationed, can you not dislodge them?'' On 
 my replying that I presumed I could, he said, "Well, do it then." I 
 then selected a few of the best sharp-shooters in my corps, and di- 
 rected them up a ravine to a place where under cover of some buslies, 
 they fired upon the party pointed out by the Colonel, and dislodged 
 them. Soon after this, there was more firing from the Indians, 
 when the Colonel called mc, and ordered me to select some proper 
 position for the artillery in our rear; and to order them on to it. 
 About thirty rods in our rear was a ridge of ground, upon which I 
 ordered the pieces to be taken; and placed one of them on the right, 
 the other on the left; and then informed the Colonel his order wap 
 obeyed. He said, "Well, I shall retire with my men back of the 
 artillery — you will remain till furthc: orders; but you are not to 
 pursue the enemy out of the field." I charged through the field, and 
 made a feint of going into the woods, upon this, the Indians ran. I 
 was very soon ordered back to tb.o Colonel, whose first words to mo 
 were, "What is now to be done?" I advised that we should accom- 
 plish the order, or return to the post; saying it was neither politic 
 nor soldier-like to remain there playing hide and seek with the Indi- 
 ans. His mind appeared to be in great perturbation, and he hesitated 
 
14 
 
 CIIAl'IN S llEVIEW OP ARM8TK0N(J S 
 
 I i 
 
 n 
 I 
 
 ; I! 
 
 I I- 
 
 > t 
 
 \ t 
 
 I fi ■ 
 
 i J. I 
 
 If » 
 
 1 1 ; 
 
 i I 
 
 wlmt to ilo. W'Jiilc thus situated, T saw Criptnin Fitzgibbon approach- 
 ing us with Ji ll'ig. I could lint coiicoivi^ whnt the object might bo. 
 "What, (says tlu; Colonel,) U there u (lag— what do they want?" I 
 said I could lujt iiiia";iii.: — that tho ci^uiitrv was open behind them — 
 that they could run awny — that there was no oflieer killed, nor any 
 pri.'.oner of distinction taken that I knew of. l)Ut, the (lag soon ar- 
 rived, aii'l til!' (iu:;sli(in was solved. Captain Fitzgibbon demanded 
 of Colonel I!(erst!i;r a surrender of hiiuscif and the troops composing 
 the party. I was called up and inforined of tlie demand. I replied 
 that we coul! not think of surrenderiii^jfui- two or three hours vet — 
 not until the enemy had time to call in more men from their canton- 
 ment, as there was not enough to form a respectable guard — that I 
 should be mortified to be marched through tlio coui:try by such an 
 inferior force. Fitzgibbon declared he could show us double <'.i'r 
 numbers. 1 replied, not within four iiours. He then, addroiisiiig 
 the Colonel, said, "You must determine soon for the Indians arc 
 very unmanageable, and I shall be obliged to let them loose upon 
 you. At this declaration tlie Colonel became alarmed exceedingly, 
 and said, "For Clod's sake keep the Indians from us!" I then 
 turned to my men and communicated to them my orders, that they 
 should be; ready for a charge as soon as the flag should be dismissed. 
 On overhearing some of the talk between our Colonel and the Cap- 
 tain I spoke to the ( 'o'' rel and lold him, that he could do as ho 
 pleased, l)ut as for I'.ie and my men, wo were a distinct corps, and 
 could do as we pleased. 1 requested jiim aside; and told hiin (and 
 that very truly) that lie might safely take his men through the large 
 farms on our right, which v.oi'.ld sc-nire him from the Indians; and 
 that I could remain on the field, and keen the enemy in check till ho 
 could return to the Fort. At tli's time Fitzgibbon turned toward us, 
 and said, "You must dcLeruiiuo immediately — I camiot be dallied 
 with. You, Major Chapin, and your men shall be paroled, and suf- 
 fered to go lio;ne.''' 'i'he Colonel .iaid, "We will surrender." Im- 
 mediately I roile up to itiv wounded, fifteen iu » •;.» '"?, (most of whom 
 vere in the care of two well iwcn caei:,) .i ; . ■/. ..; , out theii .udd, 
 told them to ride oil, and to ride as fast as liio v/ounded could bear; 
 and to go directly to the General's quar'CiS and report to him all 
 they knew of the affair. As they rode off, I returned to the Colonel. 
 1]y this time, several IJritish officers had come up, and tlic Colonel 
 ijOvv very peremptorily ordered mc to surrender. I answered, 
 
 ^ 
 
 •I 
 
NOTICES OV T!IE WAR. 
 
 15 
 
 id, 
 
 "I obey." "Then, sir," said lin, "iitteiid to seeing how tho articles 
 of capitulation are ilravvii.'" TIk; 4tli article allowed mo and my 
 men to bo paroled and soiu lioiii?; I)i!t we were retained until wo could 
 be niarclicdto Gt-neral \'inc!Mit'.s cpiar'-'-rs at -10 mile creelv. When 
 wo arrived tliere, F was inlunni'd by tlio J'ritisb olHcers that I was 
 to bo datained; and tlia, my Colonel liad agrectl that the Uli article 
 should be cxpusiged. As soon a; I cduld obf'un p^rmissioii to co 
 the Colonel, [ dcmandi'd of him I > know if lij had cuii-ifnted to ex- 
 punge the 4tli article, and if so, whi-.t ct)uld hav inducfxl him to take 
 such a step. He re[)Iied that 1 had s(Mit oil" forty of my men, with- 
 out his orders, with their horses and rifles, after be had agreed to 
 .uirrender; that this made the Indians very restless and uneasy, and 
 that if I was suflored to go with my men, he and his iiiMi wmild bo 
 massacred, and that it was for their safety that I was to be detained. 
 Colonel BaM'stler and his men W(>re ordend to mareli, but my men 
 and 1 were kept under a strong guard. 
 
 While my men were in the guard-hous", I olitained sermission to 
 go in and sec them, alledgnig that some of th!;ni we' unwell. 1 
 advised six of l!ie;n to rini away, and shewed them bu tlicy could 
 do it with safety, liy ji'iinling out to th.'ia an unusual aui! somewhat 
 diflicult pass np the momitain, and by instructing them ho" • to escape 
 the centinel. They succeeded in making their escape. 
 
 l''ivc days after we were ordered to Burlington heigiits, as it 
 was s;iid, for our better security; and there we were kept tW'T weeks. 
 During this time, I twice bad leave to go into the guard-bouse for 
 tlK> purpose of making such medical prescriptions for my men as 
 their conditions might reiiuire. At each of these times I i irected 
 several men how to escape, and they accompli .bed it. Soon after 
 the last time, the British Colonel Evans called on me, and said *■) me, 
 in a hasty and irritated manner, "How is this sir? every time you 
 go to s'^o your men some of them run away."' I eool'y ii!)ser\ nl to 
 bim, They don't like to stay here — Ihey are not so well used hero 
 as t' y arc at home." "Well, sir," said he, "you will be ni vod 
 from hen; to-morrow morning for Quebec, and from there I presi iie, 
 sent to England. I told bim it would bo a pleasant trip, lor in hat 
 case 1 sbi)uld have an opportunity to view that Island before the 
 close of the war, and [)erhaps take the tour of Europe. He left mc 
 rather unceremoniously. 
 
10 
 
 CII-VriN S REVIEW or AUMSTUONG S 
 
 M- 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 ■■| I 
 
 
 ; ^ " 
 
 \ 
 
 The next irnniiiig \\>'' won; coiuniandcd to embark on board two 
 boa!; — baficaiix. 1 wan ordered into one of tlicin with the principn! 
 puit of the gii.' ;•(!. ?dy men, among wh'jm w;'.s Capt. Kackrider were 
 placed ill tiie oihiM' huat with a siualier guard. Orders were given 
 to lh'> Captain of the boat I was plac^-'d in, to keep his l)oat four 
 rods aliead of tl>," other. Liki; orders were given to .he other boat's 
 co)n!n,r.id-:r, v.ho v.as a Se.'j'ant, to !cL'(;p Iiis boat four rods astern 
 of tiie othf r. At"terviards, in pursuauee of this order, we started 
 from Ilarilngton lleigiits, a'ld kept il iinlil we had run tlirough 
 tlie ;iiii;iil lake, and iiad also jiassed a fle'et of boats coming up the 
 lake; lli ■n, seeing the coastclear, 1 made a signal to Capt. Sackrider. 
 Our own men were rowing the hind^n' boat, and he whispered to 
 tliem to increaso their speed; while 1 was endeavoring to delude our 
 Captain by diverting him with an interesting story. Somewhat sur- 
 ])ri.-;e(l at ;;;eeing thuni ju 4 und>M- ids st'rn, our Captain ordered them 
 back. 1 thr;,\v nut some slight rcmarli by way of excuse for their 
 being so near, l)ut as they kept tlieir place ho again very loudly or- 
 dered them to iall back. I tlieii loudly, and with all the firmness I 
 could muster, commantkid them not to fall back an inch, but to do 
 their duty, at the same time assuring Captam Showers that i 
 commanded tlie party. lie attempted to draw his sword while sonio 
 of his soldiers made thrusts at me with their bayonets. Instead of 
 drawing his sword, however, In-, by some means, just then, fell 
 into the bottom of the boat. Two of his men, in making u thrust 
 at me, with their bayonc^ts, fell atop of him. They then being in 
 su(di an awkward position, I stepped upon them; in the mean time, 
 my men rushed, from their boat to that of tlui Captain's. While this 
 was occurring, Captain Ilaminoud, of my ccrps, seized the guard of 
 the other boat. Al! things becoming (piiet, I distributed tlu; men 
 equally, in the two boats. I succeeded to th(! command of our fleet 
 of tsvo batteaux, with no little akn'rity: our men, too, felt tlxdr con- 
 dition vastly improved; we shii'ted our course' — crossed J^ake Onta- 
 ri«), and with the boats and prisoners, arrived the next morning, 
 saf(;, (it I'ort Niagara. 
 
 Then!)Ove is a faithful and true account of the Heaver Dam aifair, 
 as it is also of the conse(pien>;os of that all'airso fur as I was involved 
 in them. It may wi II be b( lii.-ved that mv mainnrv was so much 
 impressed by tlicin as to enable me, I'ven at fhi?« distance of time, to 
 
 re 
 
 (■ 
 
 a I 
 
 (I 
 
 111 
 
 si 
 
j:ird two 
 
 )riiicij);i! 
 
 (Icf were 
 
 ;ve given 
 
 )o;it foLir 
 
 I' boiil s 
 
 ds usioru 
 
 c started 
 
 t'.iroiigh 
 
 ig up the 
 
 ackrider. 
 
 ipercd to 
 
 Ic'ludo our 
 
 !\vh:it sur- 
 
 L.-red them 
 
 .) lor their 
 
 loudly or- 
 
 tjrmucss 1 
 
 but to do 
 
 rs that i 
 
 rtliilo s(jnio 
 
 Instead of 
 
 then, fell 
 
 ig a thrust 
 
 II b'jiiig in 
 
 noan tune, 
 
 \\hile this 
 
 10 guard of 
 
 d the men 
 
 of our fleet 
 
 t their oon- 
 
 ial;(^ Onta- 
 
 t morning, 
 
 Dam affair, 
 
 as involved 
 
 IS so much 
 
 of time, to 
 
 NOTliKH 01' lllE WAU. 
 
 17 
 
 be particular in my statement. i»e.sid( s, the facts wcr'; all notori- 
 ous throuirliout that part of the arjuv and eountrv, and numbers are 
 yet living who witnes.s(;d them. 
 
 Seeing that (Icncral Arnistruiig proicssos a willingness to cor- 
 n'ct anv mistaki-, and is so candid as to adii;:t. tin: it is tin; diitv of 
 an hislorian to state wh:U he knows f;) be i"a(;!s, however lie may 
 have codk; by Ids L'iiow!t'(!i.;c, I taki' (lie liljcrty of .suggi.'.stinc; to him 
 the proju-icty of adopting bomi; ui'iisur.' to asceTlaia ulrshcr in !i.(! 
 course of the last w;n', llio Secretary . -it War did actually i-.;ea'i to the 
 iN'iagara lines and t)-.W('go, gims, ai:d b:;!;.; unlit, for lh'> c i.i! er of 
 such guns^ auil v.-hciIiiT l:e sent. !u Oswego and some jdac-c! I'arllter 
 down, balls too s!nall iora.uv pii.-ci' ilicre? and wli'.'ti'.er, on .'eingiu- 
 tormcd of hi-i mislakr, lio ord'jnd ;!i ■ bi'i:" ( ):vida to iro to t!.'' t hioii- 
 (laga fiiriiaer and g t bails of t!;;' piop.cr - i/.i's, aia! carry il.em t(j 
 tiie proper places? also, wlftiicr tlie Oaoiidaga. i\ini;'.("' w:is;s!ua(ed 
 ujion or near any navigable waSea'! i-'urt!i"r — wli;tliia' he did actu- 
 ally send tent poles iVom iJaliimore and l'liii.-!de![)b!a to l!idKalo? flho 
 country round wliirh, at liiat lime, v,-:;s coM'STd v/illi liiuln'r of all 
 sr/.cs.) l'"ni-ti:"r, wi'.i'leir, wi;cn our ai'm, v, ;• i !yi!;g !it .'-'acla''t"s 
 1 larb.ir, lie directed ( ii ni'ral .r.rnuii ii give e.-jiirj that \\v- ai'iny 
 would m:ir''ii lo the v.-est, aU'! attack Ki!i";-ti.:i lena the ne.'h .-idc 
 of J^akc Ontarii? W hedier th-; .■"•'. 'ci'tary di-l, ti/' viy ii"; 1 v.Tck, 
 give po~iti',c orders to (i'l: Tid ilrnv/n lo iikjvo il;c army In I'm't 
 iXiiigara? aud wliei!, t, whi n in j u;, aajie ; of l'iv\"_- o.'ders, the 
 Cleiieral had liim ■cli'arrivc;! at I'.Uiiid.), '.e \\ •' i.-ida I -Her iV em the 
 Secretary, iiunriuiug idialli :^ he had mivtak'n lii • nr,! t, whicii the 
 Secretary said, w.e; intaa!. I fir a ''ceaii ('■• main,'' liio'igli he had 
 not c\jii'e-sly -ta1"d il lobe.-,),.' W li.'ilier le nn th"-, (!"ir ;'al I'rown 
 riturn"d to Saektjlt'.i Harbor? and wIk^iIi'V. upeii his n tin'i', he re- 
 ceived fi-oiii tlie' S' e;e;;; i-y at \Var, ai:olI:c/ n^''^' to reiuve ;l,c 
 army to the Niagara h'ror.tier? and whr'lr r by ci-cier-; and eiamter- 
 tu'der-j, (i|' tile Sec I'e I a I'y, I') ( I"ii( I al J Iruw 11, the ai ec' iinii'a" hi- ci'in- 
 maiid, w a-^ (U' was net, Ij |;t nrirehing and c'Ur.l rmar-liing ;i'e oi* 
 six weeks In aiid iV'iei Osv,' av» and the .Niagara. J'reu'' r, lliereby 
 keiit ill a cmislant state nf toil, and llaa■a^ •^(al i u'Vnud ei'jii ranee, v/a.-^ 
 the cill'ot of "wanliiig gooii lailh lo the- < Invcriiment, <n' lieef Isfiio- 
 ranee- of the SeerelaryT' Al- i, whether ihc Seerelary on'en.'d 
 Cjieiieral Wilkinson to goto Tdontre'al lale in ihe fall t'> wiiiti r, |e-.v- 
 iiig Kingsloii, l're-.coii, andoevera! smaller places behind hinf? ami 
 
I 
 
 « 
 18 
 
 CUAl'lN S KEVILW Of AIIMSTRONU a 
 
 whtit were the consequences of this niovetnenl? Was there not a 
 project on loot, to invade Montreal, the elircelion of whicli, was as- 
 Kiu-nL'd to (leneval Wilkinson? Did not he and his oflicors rcnion- 
 stnile against it and give as a reason, the Ibllowing, that the cap- 
 ture of Kingston would secure the Upper Province and Lakes? VVhe- 
 tlier or not the army at Kingston was not iniprovidently left, too 
 weak, to be defended, with any chance of success? Whetlier the 
 enterprise, of carrying King>;ton, was or was not practicabk^, whh 
 the force and supplies, then under the control of Wilkinson? Whe- 
 ther that would have the elfect, intended by a reduction of Montreal, 
 by securing die Upper Province and Lakes. On the contrary, 
 could you be ignorant of the fact, that Montreal had no fort, that 
 could contain our troo|)s? Did you not know that the enemy could 
 run by us, al night, and attack us in the rear? Was it not obvious, 
 to any man of sense, that by securing Kingston, our army might be 
 much easier supported, by rL'Uuiiuing iii'arcr home, in a more favora- 
 iile climate, in wlhch case tl)e boats and supplies could proce(!d down 
 the river in tlie spring, before any reinforcrments could arrive, to 
 aid tile enemy? Were not your orck'rs just the reverse of what 
 they ought to have been, I)y your not having a correct knowledge of 
 the country, and not pursuing the safer dictates of prudence or sound 
 judgment, whereby a CDUiplete failure was the consequence? Was 
 nut another of your favorite plans, an ill-advised measure, by send- 
 ing ilani|)ton through tlie woods to .Montreal, in conjunction with 
 Wilkinson, two men as perl'cclly odious to each other, as tlu'ir skill 
 could render them, to make romplete the failun; already begun, 
 thereby finishing tho climax ol" disgrace, in that camj)aign? After 
 having appeariMJ on the lines, to superintend the operations of his 
 Fuhordiiiates, and to aid them by "the counsels of iiis will,*' the 
 Secretary naurned to the h'eatof Government, to put the capitol, and 
 its environs, into a posture of difence, impregnable to tlu; IJritisii 
 lion, and to a(.!iic>(; innnortal renown, b^- the wisdom of his measures, 
 and the prowess of liis "own right arm.'' 'J'Ik.' note of preparation 
 was trilled on • very br(<e'/.('. 'J'lie puhlio stood aghast at the prospect 
 of two powert'id nations, having met in mortal combat, ivxpectation 
 raised to tin; highest pitch. The IJrilish legions discimbnrking — moro 
 than dr)\iblo the fnrce ni'Cessary to defenil the capitol, orderetl into 
 thu field by the Secretary. When l<»! and behold, at tlie first onset 
 by the JJrilish troops, iho Secretory, after Imving performed soma 
 
NOTU-ES OF THK WAR. 
 
 19 
 
 ;re not a 
 , was as- 
 s reinon- 
 
 thc cap- 
 s? VVhe- 
 
 Icft, too 
 ether the 
 iblc, with 
 n? Who- 
 Monlrcal, 
 contrary, 
 i'urt, that 
 •my could 
 t obvious, 
 
 might be 
 re la\ ora- 
 .•ecd down 
 arrive, to 
 c of what 
 )W lodge of 
 c or sound 
 ICC? Was 
 , by Kcnd- 
 etiuii with 
 their skill 
 ly begun, 
 n? After 
 ions of his 
 will,-"' the 
 :i|iit()l, and 
 in liritisii 
 measures, 
 reparation 
 prospect 
 \pectation 
 ng — nioro 
 lered into 
 first onset 
 mod sonio 
 
 antic Jlourislies, gav<j back, leaving tlie brunt to Commodore Barney, 
 who repulsed the assailants a number of times, while the doughty 
 Secretary, found security in flight, leaving his ofliccrs and men to 
 hew their road to glory, as bo^t they could. At this critical junc- 
 ture, giving porempiory orders to General Winder to retreat, with 
 his men, while the bravo Coinmodore was loi't unaided by the Secre- 
 tary or any competent foi'cc. The enemy lollowed up the retreat, 
 until arriving at the turiipike gate, they were visited by the old lady 
 that kept the toll-gate, and were refused a passage, until the loll 
 should be paid, which delay enabled the Secretary, by the light of 
 the capitol, (c make good his escape. Is not tlio eminence on wiiich 
 stands the Capitol of the United States, suflieiently elevated, to have 
 been successfully defended, by one eighth of the ibrce the Secretary 
 then had under his immediate control^ Was not the President's 
 house in a position to have been defended with a small portion of the 
 f(n'ce, then at the disposition of the Secretary'? Why were those 
 advantages neglected? and why did the Secretary leave the same 
 abandoned, to a hostile foe? Wna it for "the want of good fnith to 
 the Government, or the cllect of ignorance and cowardice?" 
 
 TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UMTED STATES, 
 
 Anil pnriinifiirhj /<> the Ojii\rs and mm rugat^td diirintr the. lati' 
 \V<u-, upon the. Niairurn Frnnticr. 
 
 In consequence of a most miexpeeted, ridiculous, and libellous 
 publication, relxlive to your conduct and characters, as men and f\9. 
 olllcers, and particularly to myself, which has been brought forth by 
 John Armslroufi, I feel myself obligated to call your attention Jo it, 
 and publicly to mak(^ an exhibit of such facts within my knowledge, 
 as well as that of many others, as may tend to correct and to place 
 in their proper light, some at least of the many false, degrading and 
 ridiruloiis .stat"ments of this professed historian. 
 
;i 
 
 20 
 
 CIlAl'IX S UKVrKW OR AHMSVUONCi S 
 
 1 
 
 
 4 » 
 
 1 ! 
 
 Wliy, \vc all ask, sliniild this Joliii AniislroiiL';, now, at tliis Iaf<^ 
 day, give publicity to such stivd-'ir/'iUs, cvci) irilinywrro true? Mo 
 says at pago lOvI, of his "Jlistnrical Xoliccs of the AVar of 1S12,'' 
 that "JJaMvllor'is (!otaii;'(l account of liis niisi'orluiics, lias ticvcr, so 
 far as ire kuo'.v, been given lo tlio public. It is perhaps due to his 
 memory, tli;it it kIiouIiI voir bo published: tlie readin- will lind it in 
 tlie Appendix, Ni>. '2-!. I'ce p^'.g ' -"lO of his Apjieiidix, vol. 1. 
 
 Again, in his lelter lo lue, and v>-hi:di f had lii:' hor.or In receive 
 fre.iii ]ii:ii, a f\v daws sinci\ d;ited "llcil I look, 'J.'^.il May, 18o(i:" — 
 "TiiC' narrafiviMif tiio Ia( ' ColoUid iuerstier was inlended as a do- 
 fence ar~■a!l!^t c(n'l:n'n si;i;er.)ents, lo ]ic foiuid in ( IdUM'al Dearborn's 
 olTiciai letter in relation to iho Ujifortiinat." ex[)"(iiti.in niado to the 
 l)ea\c'r Hams, in the ca.iiju-iign vi' 181o — v,l;icli the \\-riter believed 
 to liave bi'eii derive'.! I'.miu y /u! TIk; ii:;ri-aliv( , v\ Ikmi received at 
 liie v.'ar oiiic'N w ;is areeinpanied b\" a reipiest that il should be pub- 
 lished ill llie rsali'ii:;il i!iteii,'g'!a'i'i', i:;;!,''.mu(di as the Cieiieral liad 
 oniitt( .! lo s.'iid his (t'e-ioiiel .!!(ei'sl!er";-') re[!ort of the expedition, 
 wlu'cli ought to lia\e ;:cc()i!ipani; d tlie (leiievars staleineiit, which 
 was puliiished in tiiat journal. Aotwitlistanding the I'oree and plain- 
 ness of this appeal, lb'' reipiest Mas i:(:| granted, from a belief that 
 under e.xi-.iiiig eiieumsiaiices, ll.e pubiic;;! ien (jI' the nai'rative was 
 not Hl'eiy 111 i!>i gooil: and b'-" ]<i.'ep.'iig U[) old (piarrels, or generating 
 Ui.'W niie'^. i,iiii;lil (lo iKsrm." 
 
 ( ! ::inl!:.i;.: il.o ficis liial siieii a narrativi was written — sent to llir- 
 war .' I'lee, w ir'i ku.'Ii a ve im .■■t, and ihe publieatinii at tlu; time, and 
 for ill • rere.ous gi\''ii 'ey .luhn A rm.-trong. v. ;is nut niaile or piM'mitt(Ml, 
 bv ihe ol'.'icers ol' til ' i!epai'l;iieiii — all of whii-h may be doidited; but 
 1 a' I at pre:'e;it wii'ing lo admit the mo,," — we le.ay well and eoufi- 
 d r.tlv a:-k — \th"th r st; ■!; eiremii>lai;ee.-, have pa^-'-d aw ay, or have 
 so allei'. li ;;s lo lep,; ' r t '. o ,!' e\ il-', lliea a 111 ieip.Mled. le-^s pi'obalile, less 
 af^iieliiig, ';!• If ^'s degrading li ilm-" wMio" cliaraeters as men anil as 
 cili/Mi I dicers, Viere implicahd, lib^ili il, an 1 atU'mpted to be dis- 
 gr.'icd and il-gr;ideil; 
 
 Iber-lli :• is dead — peMi'" 1') hi-- niaiies — whv di-fiirb the a-.hes or 
 til" cli.'irael"!'-; of ih • o ,iif .loliii .\rm>lroiig. prolnbly. as well as 
 llioi;-,iiub. ol" lithe;-;, A luei iea li-', iiiav lia\'e re, el or heard in the his- 
 liti il -. of the lviiro[)ean Moinrch^e,,, ni' povihinnini ., fori'iatures, and 
 aKaindev.-, I'ot of property only, but of lilies; and fdiarar-ters. Ibit 
 where. I ask, is ihi re an Aiuericanciii/eii, an oiiicer or soldior, \\ ho 
 
KOTICEH OK THE \\\\\. 
 
 21 
 
 was cngiigcdin tliat war, iipna tlic Ningaru Froiitier, ulio would not. 
 view with (Intcstiition find nl)iii)ri('i',c.", mid mIid wmdd not at on(;o 
 lift iiis luind, and if nnccysai'} , oppose by forr( , tlif olficcr or tlir 
 man, wiio siiould jironose or iittcnij)! t!i(! intri'diiclion of .such laws, 
 usar^cs or proceedings, in these United States? — There is not one! 
 
 Were ll;e statenionis niaiie i)y Mr. Armstrong in his "notices of 
 tlie war,'* rele\'ant to iiir — lo inn C(u;ih:cl <iiul rlianni '' "M-V, [should 
 at one' have called hint to ae>" 'int to nie personally, and lo me oidv. 
 They are not. 'i'hey aic i.f that character which demands th(> at- 
 tention of the paulie — 'if all our citi/ens, and more [larticularlv id* 
 those (yUleers now li\ing, and the lends of those wiio are not, with 
 whose Jiamrs and eonrluet he has conneeled occurrences, and men- 
 tioned transactions ;ind nauH s, in such a manner, and in such lan- 
 guage, as to r( ndcr either their characters ridi( ulons, or nnworlliy 
 of resjiect, c<mlid"nce, or trust, or otherwise, his own infamous. 
 
 The I'ollowing extracts I'roni his "Notices,*-* are si'ecinicns of hi:>« 
 languag •, respecting some men who wen; good olTieers, and wlio 
 W(dl and futhfully did their duty to tlieir country. They will show 
 abundantly, wilhout rr ference to others, the asperity, if not tlv nns- 
 anthnyy of his feelings, ur of the nio.-,i profound ignorance of the 
 0( nrrences of whiidi lie now professes to he the candid and W(dl- 
 informeil historian. 
 
 I'age 11(1 of "Notices of the War of lSl-2:-*'— "/?< wr^rZ/.s.— The 
 (MM'iu's whi( li signalize the close of this campaign in the north, arc 
 numerous ami striking. 'I'hose of l)i-AuiioUN and S.mytu appear to 
 liave been the result of constihitional d j'<(i.;, htirrciiii v.v, or iiKirliri/jf 
 oi' >:n'!ifl in the oni', and infirniily of purposr in the oiIht; while those; 
 of \ .\\ IIknshki.akk were {jbvious \)y siiii (^I'igiiornncc — thcollspring 
 of tiiat di'lieient knowledg:! whi(di every man nuist fe(d, who for tin? 
 first time, and wilhont any previous instructions, finds himself at tlio 
 heail of an army, and on the eve of a battle. Of the former, any 
 new illustration would be unnecessary, as they have been already 
 snilieicntly indicated; while; of the ialt(U', a spt'cial but brii'f notice 
 ma V lie u-<efid."* 
 
 I'.igr; 'tU. — '^ liiiiKirls. — Of the many errors win'cli signaliz" this 
 ONpedilion, the first in date, as well as in (diaracter, was llio plan of 
 tJK' campaign siigge.sN d by the Oovernment and |inrsued by the 
 (jonerid, and w iiitdi ditli-red but little I'roni that j)rescril)i'(l to Hull, 
 witli respect to route, object und means.*' 
 
? I ( 
 
 23 
 
 ( IIAriN S KEVIEW OF ARMSTRONG S 
 
 I ~ li ♦. 
 
 
 m 
 
 i' 
 
 I 1'' 
 
 Pago KiO. — Suggcsiloii Alh. — Tlic next blunder in this Comedy of 
 Errors, must bo ascribed to Burns, on whom the commtmd of tho 
 army had devolved, in consoqiionce of tlie capture of Cliandier and 
 Winder." 
 
 Page iGl. — "5th. — Puitlilth^ more niismai;agenicnt was now want- 
 ing to make tlic campaign of ISl-'J as much a subject of ridicule at 
 home, and contempt abroad, as that of the preceding year. Nor had 
 we long to wait for such instances of misconduct as could not fail to 
 produce this chgradiug cjj'cct. On the Gth of June — the day on 
 which Burns wnafi/ing when 7ioiie 2}ursucd, an order was received 
 from the Cemmander-in-Chiei', recalling, without loss of lime, tho 
 whole army to Fort George — virtual'y a'Dandoning ail llic objects of 
 tho campaign. Nor Avas even this ill-judged movement executed 
 without a disorder which entailed upon it the loss of the twelve boats, 
 principally laden with tho baggage of the army.'' "These events 
 were soon known and justly appreciated by the British Com- 
 mander, &c.'' 
 
 It surely is not my intention to give greater publicity lo the lato 
 labors of John Armstrong, or to spend more words in calling your 
 attention to the ridiculous and disgraceful conduct of himself and of 
 some other would-bc-great-mon, than may be necessary to a full and 
 correct understanding of the whole matter. It may require several 
 extracts from his "Notices of the War of ISlfi,"' in order to under- 
 stand and fully to appreciate his conduct and cliaracter. The same 
 remark is applicable to some others, whose names and characters 
 were subjects of notoriety during the war, and of whom he has spo- 
 ken f ^quently and familiarly. 
 
 The well-known Van Rensselaers are abundantly able, and well 
 qualified, and from lato appearances, willing, not only to defend 
 themselves and their own characters from the libels of John Arm- 
 strong, but to have their conduct placed properly and truly before 
 the people and their posterity. Mis allegations "of the sins of igno- 
 rance — the ofisprmg of that deficient knowlerlge,*'' &c., will doubt- 
 less be by their notice regarded, so far as the author is concerned, 
 with the real contempt and derision they so richly merit. 
 
 In his letter to me of the 22d of May last, which I have before 
 mentioned, this John Armstrong threatens me with an expose of 
 General McClurc's communication to tho War Department, of the 
 Snth October, 1813. Of such a communication 1 had heard some- 
 
 ii ^ 
 
ncdy of 
 
 I of the 
 
 Her and 
 
 IV -wrint- 
 
 iculo nt. 
 
 NOTICES OF TUK WAR. 
 
 2:3 
 
 tiling — nothing (!^'fiiiite; but having never been ubie to llntl it, after 
 groat exertions, and knowing the cliaracter of the man, I had long 
 :>ince abandoned the subject, considering any defenec useless and un- 
 necessary, coming as the conrimunicatiou did, from sucli a source, 
 so polluted with envy, malice and proverbial cowardice. This man 
 did nothing in the cor "so of the war, as an uflicer, except what tend- 
 ed to degrade or destroy his own character, and to disgrace the 
 army, the government, and indeed the nation. 
 
 After Gen. Wilkinson left the frontier army. Colonel Scott had 
 command of the Fort with five hundi'cd men. To him, with w hom, 
 and under wliose orders I served, 1 can with confidence, and, if ne- 
 cessary shall, appoiil for full evidence of my cliaracter as an uflicer, 
 and of my conduct to and with the enemy, and also our own men. 
 A.t present, I will state one transaction in v,-hic!i I was iiersonally 
 engaged, of the truth of whi<;h, Gi'iieral i^cott was cognizant, and to 
 which he will at any time bear evidence. 
 
 While in the possession and commaiul of the Fort, Colonel Scott 
 directed me to do all tliat I could to annoy the enemy, at every point. 
 They were then fmr mil(\s iVoin the Fort, and cnmmanded by 
 Generals Vincent and l)e llotteuburg. Our :.-.itnatiou being deemed 
 critical, I, with my three hundred meii, left the Fort, early in the 
 day — altickcd the enemy, drove in their pickets — beat their whole 
 force u[) to their quarters, and then returned with a large number of 
 prisoners — more prisoners than T had men with me. Soon after, 
 the enemy followed mo into town. It was then propos;;d by Colonel 
 Scott to open the Batteries of the Fort upon them. 'i'<i this I ob- 
 jected. The Fort not being tenable, as a short time before, we had 
 commenced enlarging it, and a number of passes were loft open, 
 without breast works or other impediments to oppose the approach 
 or repel the attack of the (.-nemy; and, therefore, advised to attack 
 them upon th(;ir own ground, and outside of the Fort. 
 
 Thereupon, agreeably to Colonel Scott's directions, I led out 
 seventy men, attacked the enemy ia the rear part of the town, and 
 drove him back; we were engaged till dark. I then returned with 
 about thi'oe lj^nj^r(;(l prisoners to the Fort. This was, at the time, 
 known and spoken of as a prompt movement, and a most brilliant 
 a flair. 
 
 An account of this operation, is said to have been published by 
 General McClure, as a work of his own, and that credit is given by 
 
'Jl 
 
 ( 1IA1Mn'« IIEVIEW OF AUMBTROXCi's 
 
 Iiiui to several of liis onicers, lor the gallantry and ellicit'iic}' of their 
 attack and n'nnlse ul' the enemy, ihit unrnrtunately luv hiniiK'lf, 
 and tliuso ollicers, and their I'anio and credit to be eniblaz(jned by 
 iliis historian, Jtshn Armstrong, General .AlcClurc and lii.s ollicers 
 were uol at ,'.hal time in Canada — they were on tiie other side of 
 the river! 
 
 y(ii>n after tlii.s rv'pulse and defeat ol" tlu; JJritish army, (jeneral 
 ?tlc(.'!ure erossed tin- river to the Fort, and ass'uiied the eommand. 
 lie ordi;red Coloiud Seott to leave the l'\n't with a det;irhmeiit of men, 
 and attack the enemy in hi.s encampment, i.-e declined, for good 
 reasons. McChire then ordered me, with Colonels i;o!iliii:s and Hop- 
 kins, and their ri'giments, to fdlow tlie enemy; we arrived at th'.dr 
 !)reastWv)rk,v but e\i)'>cliiig, from a[)r,earai!ces, thai, we were to be 
 drawn into amb'.nl!, 1 teidv a small detachment, and a'lvaneed upon 
 their intrenehments. Thev lirt'd upon ns, an;l at once retreated to 
 their main Ijudy, ;it tli" 'i'welve .Mile (."rt^ek, asid C'limiels Dnhbins 
 and Hopkins, witli tln'ir j'cgiments, liad relnrnt.'d to the Fort. 1 
 then sent back C'aplain Sackrider, to 'leneral McClure, reciuesting 
 hnn to send r.ie one hnndred men, with wlioye assistance and co-ope- 
 ratluii, we shimld be a!jle to lalvc, iii-^[)rrse or d;'stroy t'ae enemy. 
 Tlu.' (ieneral detaiiicd Sa(d<ri(;er. i [e, Wvll knowing the importance 
 of this messa<jfe to the (Ii'neral, and of ouv criiieal sitnation wIkm'o 
 we w(;re, soon escaped and, cariu.' to me. I t!;en, witli what ibrcc 
 we h.ad, went in pnrsnit of the enemy; tliey were- retreating, and 
 had set lire to all the properly — among wii'cii wa.; a larg;.' ([uantity 
 of flour, at that 'ieu^, very \aluabi", and i.i great d>,mand, together 
 with a large amonnl (jf goods, to pr;;vent their falling into oer hands. 
 1 innnediately ordered the lirrs to be' e,\tiiigii;Nhed, and the-reby sav<'d 
 th(> properlv not alri'ady (K.'stroved, lor the use of the Can;idians, or 
 for oil I soldiers or cilix/ms. 
 
 We then followed the ene'iny in tlrir retreat, to the Tweiiiy iMilc 
 Creed; — thern again attackeil ihem; ihry ded rapidly, and in utter 
 confusion. 'Jdiere were' tli'ii with ine but few men, hut they did 
 their duty, ^\'e took a iunnl)''r of prisoners, and I sent them back 
 to the hurt. While en<;a''i'd in this pursuit of the enemv, 1 ri'cei\ed 
 orders by express, from (Ieneral .McClure, to return to him at tho 
 Twelve .Mile Creek. I oIjcmiI, and retuiand to him, i:iadi: a full 
 report. Toni}- utter surprise, the (Ieneral ap|)eared mucdi pleased 
 and gratified. He then auid, "Til now make a dash at the enemy,"'' 
 
of their 
 
 liiinself, 
 
 '.oiK d by 
 
 ollic(n-.s 
 
 .-jiclu of 
 
 NOTICEIG OK THt WAH. liu 
 
 '■■I'll mako ;i dash al thoni.'' [ loft him in this humor. About dark 
 he canio to ine luid sai(i — "will they r.ot get around us — eut oil' our 
 retreat, take us," d'C. I loft him and went to sleep, then ' '"ig, with 
 all my men, greatly I'atigued. He aoon uwoico ino, and OL.ored me 
 to go out and reconnoitre. I objected; totaled that I was latigued, 
 and that he must send a Lieutenant, or .some other ollieor. He in- 
 sisted that 1 shoidd go — that ho would turnish me men, and I "rnutit 
 immediately mako a dash al thrm." lie gave nic !ico men on?:;; v/ilh 
 them I went n, took one of the sentinels and sent him, with one of 
 my two men, to Clcneral ]\IeChire. We then went on to a liousc, 
 oijtaincd aU the information I coidd — returned safely to hi.tn, and 
 upon his inquiry I referred him to tin; eontinel then in his custody, 
 for infji'uiation. Ho then ordered mc on tlio advance guard. "When 
 wo had proceeded about five nnles, ho again asked mo if tho enemy 
 might not bo yet behind us, and told me — " You and your men iri/l 
 go on. Just before our arrival at tho Twenty Mile Creek, wc heard 
 a firing in our rear. Supposing thi? enemy was then engaged witli 
 tho General and the men, we immediately returned, and found our 
 people shooting the cows, shocp, ducks and poultry of the Canadian 
 farmers. This scene of now fashion v,'arI\\ro, was by us all viewed 
 Vi'ith surprise and indignation. I personally made every exertion in 
 my power to stay the carnage of the brute creation — representing "o 
 our men tliat wo were there to fight the enemy — the British soldiers 
 and officers — not to kill their beaL^ts nor to waste or destroy the pro- 
 perty of the inhabitants and farmer;-i. (.Ten(;ral I'. Ij. Porter wa.s in 
 tho rear of Ucneral j\IcCUui'e, and his V(;teraii Boldiers. iie romijii- 
 stratcd — deprecated the murder of tiio brutes, n.n*l uilmr.itely, t!i(> 
 oarnago was stayed. Tlio women caiiio amongst us, and to tiieir 
 prayers, rising of three hundred cows were yie'ded up to ihem. 
 
 [:i cur priigiv.'S, we (!i:;eo\'ered a private ]inii;(! \:\ llaiu';^; il. \-is 
 [iUndy's house, liis Avife was there, pri:yii.g fiud be,-;eechi'ig lirat t'.^o 
 house and property might ! e spared. 
 
 \u our pi-(!gress toward.-j CLij)njwa, wo s.iw CJo'ierrd rJcCLire 
 coining from Fors) IITs, v. iih a boltlo of jiipior unoi.'r each of tiis 
 arms. At Chippew;i, i found the family of Mr. Alacklem sick, and 
 •it his re(picst, I advi:jed with th:'Ui as their physioiuii. From tliat 
 place, I wrote back to Colonel .Scoit, by Mr. >:;'aekrider, on tl;o irab- 
 jcct of ciirryiiig the private properly of flic C'uuadiaii ci'.izen? across 
 
 ■I 
 
20 
 
 CHAFIN S UKVIF.W OF AUMHTUONn S 
 
 tiie nvui an plunder. IIo immediately stopped the boats, and the 
 transmission of the property. 
 
 On my return from Chippewa to the Fort, I Ibuud General Mc- 
 Clurc and some of our people, at Queenston, firing cannons and re- 
 joicing I'or McClure'.s victory. I did not stay with them to rejoice, 
 but proceeded to the Fort. Soon after, he returned to the Ft)rt als^o; 
 and there, in the presence of Colonel Scott, ho inquired of rne why I 
 had not waited at the rejoicing at Queenston? I rejdicd to liim tiiat 
 it was then the anniversary of our defeat at (iueenston — tliat noth- 
 ing new had transpired to my knowledge to require or excite re- 
 joicing. That ravaging the country, biir.Ting houses, shooting the 
 cattle and poultry of the enemy, was' not a matter of rejoicing — and 
 that, these were all ho had elFcctcd by liis dash at the enemy. j\i the 
 intercession and request of Scott, I said no more to McCluro at the 
 time — went to tho place where the cows and cattle wore kept, cut the 
 ropes with which they were secured, and had them driven back into 
 the country, and the owners obtained them. 
 
 As to all these statements and facts, there are now living and credi- 
 ble witnesses, and their testimony will be procured and pubiishod or 
 used in case circumstances require it. One word more at this time 
 relative to General i\IeClure. Some years since he was in this city, 
 at the i^agle Tavern; I saw him and distinctly accused him of ?«/.y-- 
 rrprcsvnthig me, my character andir.v 'ondnci dur in <: the war. lie, 
 vonr man, then, in the presence of one or more gooil citizens, stated 
 and conRiSsed that at Ihaf time he was crazy, that ho did not know 
 what did then take place, and that ho had now just lo.'-t a son, vS/c. O-Jc. 
 Upon such confessions and his late severe ailliction, I abandoned the 
 subject and left him lo his om) rrfir.clions. 
 
 In order to a full understanding of the facts, and a duo apprecia- 
 tion of their importance, I deem it necessary to incorporate with 
 them the following extracts from John Armstrong's "Notices of the 
 War," c^c. 
 
 They are talicn from tho statement published by him as the work 
 <n" Lieut. Col. 15(r;rstler. This "Narrative'*' never having been pub- 
 lished by 13(ers1k;r, nor permitted by the War Department ur the 
 Government, to see tin! light, it must now be regarded as the work 
 uf John Armstrong. Ifc is answerable for the truth or falsehood 
 contained in it, so far as they may allect the conduct or the charac- 
 ter of others;, ur the hii^torv of the war as such. lie lias assumed 
 
 1 { |! 
 
 »'J 
 
 i 
 
NOTICES OI' THK WAIL. 
 
 Li )i 
 
 ^, ai)(l thh 
 
 no nil Me- 
 ns and re- 
 f(j rejoice, 
 I'ort also; 
 int) why I 
 I lum that 
 Uiut noth- 
 cxcitc ro- 
 looting tho 
 and 
 y. At the 
 iir(! nt the 
 'pt, cut the 
 1 b.'ick into 
 
 f andcredi- 
 iibiished (IV 
 it this time 
 n this city, 
 lim of 7ni,s- 
 W(ir. lie, 
 ens, stated 
 I not knov/ 
 n, tic. O'jc. 
 ndoncd the 
 
 I apprecia- 
 oratc with 
 icos of tliu 
 
 s tiio worlc 
 been pub- 
 ent or tho 
 J tlio work 
 falsehood 
 lie charac- 
 •6 asiiiuncd 
 
 to bo and appears ns the sponsor or god-fathor of BaTstlcr's "Nui 
 rative." 
 
 First, however, as to I\Ir. Armstrong's remarks upon the conduct 
 of IJurns. At i)age ItiO, he states, "When at ilay break this ollicer 
 was called to exercise his new functions, lie found, as he tells us in 
 his official reports, that "all the views of the enemy have been com- 
 pletely frustrated — himself obliged to ily, leaving tho field of battle 
 covered with his dead and wounded, and more than forty men, princi- 
 pally of the lUth, made prisoners." 
 
 "While, on the other hand, the troops of the United States had suf- 
 fered little loss, were in perfect order, and entirely in condition, had 
 not both Generals been taken, to have pressed Vincent to a second 
 combat, tho issue of wdiich would not have been doubtful. Yet, in 
 s[)ite of all these discoveries, our modest cavalier, (from sheer difii- 
 dcnce in hia own capacity to direct infantry movements,) refused to 
 avail himself of the advantages, he possessed, and instead of longer 
 pursuing the objects of the expedition, turned his back at once on 
 Vincnit and Victori/, and hastily returned to Forty Mile Creek. 
 Thus, practically contradicting his own ollicial statements, and giv- 
 ing to the affair of Stony Creek, tho new and unmerrited character of 
 a positive delcat on our part." This affair Mr. Armstrong in the 
 same page, (iOO,) calls this "4tli, the next blunder in this Comedy 
 of Errors,'' <kc. 
 
 At page 150, ho says — "5th. But little moro mismanagement was 
 now wanting to mako the campaign of 1813 as much a subject of ri- 
 dicule at homo, and contempt abroad, as that of tho preceding year. 
 Nor h"'i wo long to wait for such new instances of misconduct, as 
 could not fail to produce this degrading eliect. On tho Gth of June, 
 the day on which Burns was Hying when none pursued, an order 
 ■was received from the Commander-in-Chief, re-calling without loss 
 of time, the whole army to Fort Ceorgi,', and virtually abandoning 
 nil tho objects of the campaign. Nor was even this ill-judged move- 
 ment executed without a disorder which entailed uiion it the loss oi' 
 "twelve boats, principally laden with the baggage ol' ilv) army. 
 'I'hcse events wore soon known and justly appreciated by the Brit- 
 ish Commanders, who, advancing as we retreated, was willing on the 
 ■iUthof the month, to hazard the c/ilc of his army, (about live liun 
 drod commandants,) wiihiu stroke of his adversary."' 
 
2S 
 
 CIIAIMn'h KEVIEW Uv' AllMSTIlONo'ti 
 
 ^i" 
 
 
 1 1 
 i 
 
 h 
 
 
 l 
 
 r 
 
 i\igo Kit!. "Every just view ol* the circiiiiistnncc indicated tlio wis- 
 dom of imniodiatoly assniling iliis corps; llio capture or destruction 
 if which would liavo cflcctually dcfoatod the ])rcscnt views of future 
 operation;; of ^'hlcent. luit, unfortunately, though the Cu.-noral 
 adopted this opinion, ho altogether failed, as in otiier cases ia the 
 cmploynr.nt of means proper for giving to t!ic c\-[)rri;i!onL a liUcce.ss- 
 ful issue. Instead of pi icing, as lie ought to hruo donr, Scort and 
 Miller at the head, one thousand five hundred men eacdi, aud moving 
 them hy a night march, and the shortest route, on Do Coos' statiot;, 
 he dcspatcb.cd Barstler (an qijiccr not distln;^uislicd hij (in;/ prior i'fr- 
 r'lcc,) with fivo liundtod and forty cfli.'ctivos only, by the (iueenston 
 read, in open day, -without reserve o.' demonstration of any kind, 
 cidier to sustain the attack, or cover the retreat.'' 
 
 Hero we have John Armstrong's veracious statement of tl;o con- 
 duct of a General, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Rnnrstlor. Of the first, 
 notlting at present need be remarked. 
 
 Whatever may have been Bfurstler's reputation for veracity, or 
 fjr military prowess, this Iiistorian here assumes and takes the re- 
 sponsibility to pul)lish as truth, his detailed account of his juisfortune 
 ia this affair. lie commences at page 250, his account, as follows: 
 
 "On JiMO 23d, 1813, sol dissani — Major Chapin called at the tent 
 of Lieutenant-Colonel IlcErstler, on flic plains of Newark, tnlkrd 
 larg'hj about /lar/ug scoured all ilic country v'ilh his forlii follow- 
 ers: tluit he had beca to Reaver Dam, &c. v5cc. Licutcnant-BnTst- 
 ler knowing this man to be a vain, boasting liar, and siisrprcting his 
 fidclilj/, from various circumstances, amongst which was that of hav- 
 ing joiiK.'u a committee to remonstrate against the var, and that of 
 coming forward as spokesman in favor of a nian charged by many 
 of Ids neighbors with giving intelligence to the enemy. He waiU heard 
 by Lieutenant-Colonel Bcerstier with indifFercnce, and dismissed with 
 coolnesr;.*' 
 
 At page 252, ho stales: — "At St. David's the Commander discov- 
 fi'od that ?,Iajor Chapiu's knowledge! of the roads v/as not to bo relied 
 on. 1 fe accoriiiiigiy i.iterrogated several inhabitants, and proceeded 
 several nulf.s, when arriving at a cross road, he demanded of some 
 of i\tajor Chajjln's men, where the road led to? they replied, tlic^' 
 did not know. "ITow, not Icnow! wore you not hero three days 
 ago?"' "No, sir: not within several miles as far."' 'i'he Com- 
 
 
NOTUE8 Ol* TifK W\R. 
 
 -29 
 
 luamler now porccivoil that the (iencral hiul bt'on invoighlod, to risk 
 tliis (lotacluni-nt on doulitful iiitrlllgcncc." 
 
 Page '^7}'^. "Some of tlic sol dis.sniit Major Chapin's incii now de- 
 manded, 'whcro is our Commander — wliat are we I.) doT Tin 
 commanding ollieer looked for him in vain, and roplic(], *yoM havi.- 
 uo Coiuuiandor hut myself; turn into the ranlcs and fight wiili loy 
 ;ii( 11. ,'>onie did so — others found it coQvcni(.'nt to join their Com- 
 mander in the hollow, alongside the wagons." 
 
 Page *2o4. After some more detail, he continues: — "The Com- 
 1. landing ofli'-er now dashed into the rear, and found 3Iajor Clianin 
 and a parcel of his men, arouml the wagons. 'For Ginl's sake Major, 
 do something — if you do not fight with your men, then take them and 
 furnish mine with amnnition, and carry oil the wounded tu the 
 wagon;^ that 1 may not be compelled to take men for this purpose 
 from my ranks. Major Chapin appeared shorti}' after this, in the 
 rear of the lines, with a Iccg of cartridges on his horse. He called 
 a soldier, handed it over, and resumed his station in the hollow. This 
 was the whole oj' his crcrtion, and the only time lie appeared on tlio 
 Lattle-gronnd during three hours. Tin's is the man wlio in an official 
 document was called Uhe hrarc Major Chnpiiu' " 
 
 Pages 25") and *(5. "iVt this juncture, Lieutenant-Fitzgihbon ar- 
 rived from the enemy with a flag of truce. Captain McDowell was 
 sent to receive him." 
 
 After further details, as to his surrender to the enemy, he states: — 
 ''Thus terminated one of the most unfortunate and impolitic expedi- 
 tions that ever was planned. Five hundred men were riski^l to bat- 
 ter down with a twelve and six pounder, Decoo's stone house, said 
 to be fortified and garrisoned, with a company of regulars, and sixty 
 to one hundred Indiaas — to capture or discharge the enemy, and re 
 turn by the way of St. J)avid's and Queenston.'' 
 
 "Tiiis intelligence was derived from a source, decided not entitled 
 to confidence, having long previous to tiiisbeea known by many for 
 an unblushing liar." 
 
 The publication of "extracts,''' though lengthy, was necessary, 
 not only for the reasons beforn stated, but that it might be generally 
 known, of what, liy wiiom, and in what manner, officers, soldiers, and 
 citizens, had been publicly accused by this historian. 
 
 No one can wish to be I'ound, or accused of fighting a shadow. — 
 Armstrong's Notices of the War may be read by, or known to but a 
 
w 
 
 rAiAins*n iiKviEw of AnMsTno><)'B 
 
 I' iii! 
 
 t ii 
 
 few of the present gcncrfition. They were, probably, by him in- 
 tended for th(? information of foreignura, and our posterity, some 
 hundreds of years hence. Should his works attract suHlcient notice 
 to induce or re(piire a isecond edition, my statements, and the alfida- 
 vits and letters which will in due time accompany them, will bo consi- 
 dered as appropriate and necessary matters for a secoiid appendix 
 thereto. It is always considered necessary that a citli'rit and the 
 evidences of his offences be exhibited, to effect his conviction, as well 
 as to afford a salutary example to others. 
 
 Those extracts are taken from John Armstrong's publication of a 
 "Narrative," which he says was written by Bterstlcr. Even this 
 narrative, as lie gives it to the world, has an anomalous appearance. 
 It is without date, place, signature of name, or direction to any one. 
 •Should it bo a communication or despatch to the War l)ei)artment, 
 or merely an historical publication, the fact should be so stated, that 
 those who now are, or may hereafter be interested in its authenticity 
 or its truth, may at once be a!)lc to know the author, the time of its 
 birth, and where to be found for examination. As it now a[)pearH the 
 readers of Armstrong's work, are by him informed and given to un- 
 derstand, as facts, and in detail, that several transactions, during the 
 lato war, <lid take place; the same having been so told by Lieutenant 
 ColonelBujrstlcr, without the knowledge of the man, the time, plan, 
 or motive of his dictum. Surely this aflbrds a frail foundation for 
 the authentic historian to build his edifice upon. 
 
 AV'hile writing the lust above paragraph, I received from the War 
 l)e[)artmcnt, a letter, of which the following is a copy: 
 
 WaK Dl.l'AKTMI.M, .lllIlO l:{, l"*."i(>. 
 
 Sii! — I linvi' li;iil till' honor \'\ ii>ci'ive your Ii'lt.'i- ol'llic (itlj iii-iluiit, ciiclaung 
 oiii' adiln'sscd l)y Mr. Sjultlon tn you. Mr. Slicldmi wIhIics 1o Kihiw wlit'llii'r ti 
 rcjn)rt of (Jofoin't JliL'rstler'n, of iMny 'Jft, I"*! I, (:uiitaiiiiri;r certain slati'iiicnts, 
 wiiiili lio ciii)i('w Ihiiii (ioiifnii Ariiuitr<jng'y rocuul i>ulilicatiij)i, is ou lili; iu tlii« 
 l)(|(artiiii'iit. 
 
 Oil nti rriii:c '<> (•'■iicnil .\riiiHl,roii^'H work, I iiiul that ihocxIrai-tH contiiiiird 
 ill -Mr. ."^Jicldoii'H letter, are imrti'iiis id'an aeeoiiiit ri's|ie('tiii!,' ( 'oh»nel llorsller'H 
 iiiiKiieee-;;.|'iil expi'ditiou to the "jteiiver Dams," a)iiiareiilly not writleu hy tlial 
 iillieer liini-iell', l.iil lor hi-i lieiielli liy some iVieiid; and the dale whiili Mr. Sliel- 
 (loii lias [,'ivi II, does not liehmcr (,, (|ii^ aeeiiiiiit, hut to a noil' to the 1,1^1 para- 
 ifrapli. with ("olonel lidrstlor'N naino apin'iided to it, which hcmmiih to have no 
 jiiinu'diale (!onni;ction with tlic events oi'the expedition Hiic)keii of. In the Inwt 
 jiara^raph hut one, of thin kiiiiio areounf, I nhverve that an ollicial Htatcinent of 
 (Joloael Ho'rstler, ih h|)o1<oii ot": hut ii cliarirf) is at tlio i-anip time made, liial it 
 was never eoniMiunicated to '' ; War Department; and tiiis seems to he con- 
 tirnicilliV the tiiet llml the 111 , do not mIiow lliat such a docinneiil wns rvo 
 'daced there. Very re.speii fully vour ino.it. o'Kdii'nl servant, 
 
 i.r.wis v\^\\ 
 
 1|m|. Tll.iMV, i ' ],n\ I (IK, 
 
 i 
 
 I '^< 
 
MOfTKKK or filE V.AR. 
 
 :n 
 
 y hiin iii- 
 ity, some 
 ;nt notice 
 he allida- 
 be consi- 
 (ippcndix 
 T und the 
 n, as well 
 
 ation of u 
 
 Even this 
 
 pearance. 
 
 ) any one. 
 
 artnient, 
 
 tated, that 
 
 Uheiuicity 
 
 time of its 
 
 [jpears the 
 
 von to un- 
 
 (liiring the 
 
 Li'uitenant 
 
 lime, plan, 
 
 idution for 
 
 m the War 
 
 {, 1h;?(;. 
 
 it, ciicl'isinf;; 
 
 \\ wlii'tlicrii 
 
 t-t:iti'lii('llts, 
 II 111'.' in tliiH 
 
 tri coiitiiiiii'd 
 [•I Kii'fsllrr's 
 tl>'ii |)v tlml. 
 ■li.Mr/.SIiel- 
 Ik" I;in| purii- 
 
 H 1(1 llllVC III' 
 
 In IIk' liiHi 
 NtiitcnifMit (if 
 ii;i(l(', lliiit it 
 i t(i lir con- 
 Ill, WHS CVl'l 
 
 ml, 
 
 From thefjc facts and circumstance?!, that l^(prf;tler, or eonie friend, 
 lor him, a,.A in hi:? behalf, did, soon affer the liattle of the Heaver 
 ihiins, write some account of the allUir, and forward it to the War 
 Department; that it was not placed upon the records or liles of the 
 ollice; that it is not now to be fur^nd tliere, it may well bo asked, 
 now, why it was not, and who preverit'od it? 
 
 .folm Armstrong, in his letter to me of the *J-2u of May last, states 
 tliat it was nut published at the time, because, "under existing cii- 
 ciunstances, it was not likely to do good,'' &c. tVe. Again, in that 
 Jelter he says — "There can be no doubt that in this decision, the 
 ['resilient exercised a discretion necessary appertaining to that 
 oliice." Frcjin this it appears that the I'resiibiit of the L'nited S;ates 
 decided that it should not, or ought not to In.; lilcd in the War oilice. 
 Or was that the order and discreticiuary decision of John Armstrong? 
 Has he personally detained the narrative for rising of twenty year:?, 
 wilh a view now to incorporate it with and publish it as a part of 
 his veracious history? 
 
 Ni-w, as to Mr. Armstrong himself: ho has pcrsonall}', or in t!ie 
 borrowed language of Bcersller, for which he is accountable to mo 
 and ft) the public, accused me as a man, citizen and oniccr, of seve- 
 ral ili.itinet crimes, o'fences or tergiversations. 
 
 1st. i\Iy fidelity to my country is strongly suspected. 
 
 Having jiiineil a committee to remonstrate against the war — hav- 
 ing conic forward as spokesman in I'avor of a man charged by many 
 of his neighbors with giving intelligence to the enemy. 
 
 2d. Of being a vain boasting liar. 
 
 ;5d. Of cowardice or fully. He attempts a ludicrous statenii.nt of 
 my having left my men without any cummandiu" — of being found 
 aft''r nr during the battle in the rear wilh the wngons, and soon after, 
 again in the rear of the line, with a ki'g of cartridges on my lun'se; 
 that 1 called u soldier, liandcd it over and resumed my station in tho 
 holldw; this was iIk; whole of my exertinn, and the only time I 
 appeareil on the battle grouml fur tiirec liours, isic. 
 
 I'.veij this soi dissanl Secretary Armstrong, in the same page 
 
 ays — "This is the man who in an onieia! document, was called Iho 
 
 lirave Major Chapin." 1 must here pause, to express my obligation 
 
 to Mr. Ariiistrong for this so/ilnrii triilii — told by him probably from 
 
 necessity, though lie aitrmpts at a sarcaHin. 
 
33 
 
 CIIAPKX'S KKVIEW OF AIlMeTnONo'ti 
 
 
 t .'I 
 
 k - 
 
 As the alliclavit of Mr. Rouse will now follow, J shall dolcr l\irthur 
 stutcnients und tcmarks for succeeding pages. 
 
 [AFFIDAVIT.] 
 
 yXATK OK Nkw-YoiiS, ^ 
 
 I'^.rio Ciiuiity, ^H. \ 
 J v>ir.sl{i)isF., of the (ownof'Alaltaina, county of (ieiicsiio, and state aforfs-aic!. 
 
 l)rin;f (Inly swuni. doth (l('i)os(' ami 
 
 tliat lie, this (ifpuiioiit, hucaiiit: tlrst 
 
 ari[iijiiit('(l with t'oloiiol ( 'yrciiiiis (."lia|iiii. acconliiifr to 1h(> host of tliis dcpo- 
 iioiit'tf it'colh'ciioii. on tlic 'J'Ui or lirtli day of May, Ij'I;!, at Fori (ii'or;ii.', in 
 I'ppor Canada. Tliit on *. In' •.';;(! day ct Juno, of tiio tjanio year, said C'hapni 
 ■with thi^ (K'l'Dn'jit and otlhrs, a;! volnnli'prsi, were ordered hy dcnrril DfMr'iorn, 
 tmd'T llie imnifHliato coiiUi:and (d't'oloin'l C |{. IJoirslh r, to reeoiinoilre ihc 
 counln', and to advance towards the eui'iny's lini', yvlfuli was iouii:;;nidi'd hy 
 (i'li'ral N'iiiecnt — llial in pursuaiu-i; of riuh (jrdiM', from (Jeneial Dcarhoin, the 
 suid t'iiapin, witli ahont sixty V"liiijti'iM's, ii.eludiii}.'; this depinieut, who wan 
 thiMi aitini;' (inartcr .Master Sir^reaiit, (d' the 'Jolh rijiimein of inlimlry. ]irocr'>doil 
 from F>rl (Jiorno 1o Qucrnston — that on the line oi'marcli, the thinkers of said 
 t')r|w oI'volunti'erK, kiUetl two Indian;* hetween tiuei'nstoii :i;ul ^Jl. David'iJ. — 
 From last mentioni>d plaee, said corpii went to the Denver Duns, wlwro tliey 
 ivere attaelied hy tiie IJrilish .uid Imlians, we then lieinif i:\ a Ivaiu;:' of tiie main 
 lore.' iMidcr said I5(rrstler. On heariny; the lire from the cpm y, we t niied hae'.i. 
 
 towards the main army, <ind mot JJorstler alone, cominu' ii 
 
 at lull speed, 
 
 on liiirsclrdi'k. and addressing' said Chapin. exrlaimed — '-M.'j'ir Chapiii, the en-, 
 my has atlaeki'd ns and kilh'd two or three ol' our men!'' We linn coi'.tinir'd 
 on towards the m.iiii hody. \vh"n we were soon fired al hy the Indians, whenv, e 
 wheeled and (dill rd upon thr Indians, imrsuinir Iheiii al'out three-ionrllis of ii 
 mile into the woods, njion whic h a misscn^rr arrived, hiiiitilni;- orders lor said 
 ('lupin and iiis men, to retreat hack. Soon after, the llrilish and hidians r.il- 
 lieda";i'!i, malvinsj an atlacl; npon Captain MeClieHiiey's company, und hrcah- 
 iiilf liis line. Wherenpon suid Chapin, witii the aHtistanct> (d" Ihis <le[)oneid, 
 .allii'd his men, drove the enemy into the woods, iunl (diartred upon theoi the 
 seeonil time. Tile f.riiii:;' then e(>ased liir ahont one half hour, when tlu.'Siime 
 conmi(>m'i ,1 atjain, hy tlM> enemy, fioin every ijiiartri', towards our men, Fuid 
 Ch.ijiin WIS then direc'' d hysaid I5(ersller, to dislodj:e tie- red coats, covered hy 
 i copse of Mii;iaes and other hnisli, at whii h time said Chapin jiicked ahonf. 
 tkVidve of his host shar)>-shoo1ers, and ordered iIh-ijI to [ii-oived cautiously u(j 
 (he ravine, and shoot o|f th<' mounted men — nponwiiudi, the Miitish imoK 
 dialely retreated, after the first lire, when said Horstler dire >'ted tiaid Cha 
 pill to |iost the (irlillery im the most clijrihle irroinid, to which upot said 
 llietstler immediati'ly retreated in (lie rear uj" Ciiapin's poiiiiion ; direclin;; 
 (!liapin, in no event wdialever to rpiit the station, not even to pursue tli" 
 enemy, until he, ISnrstli'r. shonhl civ(( further orilers; Iherehy loiiviii!;' said 
 Cliaj'in and hii voliinleers, to taki; the whole hrnnt and rake of the en<'iiiy':: 
 fire. Some lime atl'T, said llccrstliT ordi red said Chapin to retn-at wiHi h's 
 (Chnpin's') ne'ii. Iiim-'diately tie'reailcr, Captain Fil/L'iM'on, of ti.e I'liiisii 
 army, laine with a. II. ii; of truie, end deinandetl llie surrender <d siiid IVer,.li"r: 
 upon •ueli demand hi iii'j; made, said Iterstlcr sent for siid Clu;, in, to '•(>ntlT 
 ,vitli hiiii on Ihe suhjeel; \\ Ii. n it was resolved not to siirri iii'er. Said ( enp!" 
 th'^rcMpoii retiiriii'd hac k to Ihe volunteers, wlio impiireii wi"'ther tiie demand 
 WJB complied witii: to whii li said J'hapin n plied, with a ;;ood ildil of warieth, 
 ih'it it w.e' no;. S 'Oil iit'l' r, i^aid {''irsller s 'lit for s'lid Cha'dn ii',;<iii, und ii Id 
 naiil Chapin that he (the said Cjiapin) must HUrrender, or the Indians Would 
 massacre Ihe whole ofiis, inasimieii us he. HiiTsller, had jjivcn all iiilo the In- 
 dians' Hands. To which said ( iiaiiin rejdied, t!iat if he, llorsll- r. wished to 
 Miirender, I'.e niiulit; hut that he i liiipiii w ishni to he considered as he|im;^iin; 
 In another corps: that he (( hapiii ) and his men Wi'ie vvillinir to cut their wa> 
 tlirou^h the cnemy'H line, at Ih lisk id' 111 ir lives, or peri; 'i in i!ie attempt — 
 that said Cliapiii istrunjjiy teinoacttated iinunwt mich surrender; that saiil 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
licicr llu'ther 
 
 -VoKS, ^ 
 
 ■strife idoroi-iiid, 
 , ln'caiiKt tirsL 
 of tliit) tlopo- 
 41. (ii'or;;-).', in 
 siiid (.'liajiiu 
 K'l-il DrvirliDni, 
 'ciiiitioitro ;lie 
 iiiii:!;iiuli'(l !jy 
 Dciiriioin, Iho 
 lilt, who \v;iM 
 'r\ . ]i;ocpc(leil 
 tl inkers of".siiii.l 
 ! ^1. Diivitrt-.— 
 IS, ■i\-!irrc llii'y 
 iu::> fif tiio iiKiin 
 ni' 1 inicd Ijiic'.i. 
 N ;i1 full spoi'd, 
 
 'liilliill, till' O'lJ- 
 
 llnii iiii'.tim^'il 
 
 idiiiiis, wlu'ii V, i^ 
 
 iri'.'-iii'irllis of II 
 
 <ii(!('j-s li;r ^^^i(^ 
 
 anil Indians r,il- 
 
 iiMv, uimI lu'cak- 
 
 ■ (his dc[)oiicnl, 
 
 iil'ou tlit'iii tlio 
 
 , wlicii iIk; Hiiiiio 
 
 mir li'.cii. Fiiid 
 
 (i.its, cDvinx'd by 
 
 liii jiii.'kcd aliout 
 
 f'd (Miiliniisly 111' 
 
 I! Mlitlsll i'llMlC- 
 I'lrd bJ'id Cliil- 
 wliicli sfiiii Haiil 
 atiiiii ; (liiri-tiii;'. 
 
 II to |MirslH' 111" 
 
 iiy lo.iviiiir said 
 of till! ciii'hiy'ti 
 
 rt'tn at willi Irs 
 of l!;c ItllliKil 
 
 ifniiid Mnr.li.M-; 
 
 111);. ill, to "t'l't- I- 
 
 »^ lid ( 'Iiii|i!" 
 lnT till' di'iuaiid 
 (|i al of warij'i'i, 
 
 1 liV!iiil> "ii'l '•' III 
 liidiaiiH Would 
 ail iiilii till' 111- 
 <llir, winlii'd It) 
 I'd IIS licloiiyiii!; 
 a I'lil tiii'ir way 
 n liii' iitii'iiipt—- 
 iili'r; tliat niiid 
 
 uni,KiS OK iili; WAII. 
 
 83 
 
 Hiiirsllct'H orders wore pcreinjitory; tlmt tiuid Cliapin and his iiu.n Kiiould coiii- 
 jily; to wiiiidi Hiiid Cliapiii Kuiiiuitted with j^roat ridui'taiu.'P: lliat said C'liapiii 
 >i'-'iit lioirio lificiMi of liiH woiiiidiHl men, Avitli ii iniard f-uflieieiit to protect them, 
 not cojuseiitinn' tliat lliey ^liould he !xiveii up, at any rate, wiiieli was in disolje- 
 (linu'e of said noTsller'n orders, 'liial this di'|ioiu'iit iniderst.ood at the tiiii(>, 
 which was also generally understood, tiiat in tiie 4tli artiile ol' liu'rstler'ii eapilii- 
 lalioii, anionic oliier tiiiii^s, it was stipulated, tint saidChapin and liis company 
 of voiunteers, slioLdd be jiarroled, and sent lioiiii>; wliieh fact said J'u rslii r in- 
 formed this di'poncut was true, iit tiio time; tiiat after said surrender to the 
 enenij', said 4th article was, by said HoM'stler, KXPrNOKD. That said J'o-r.stler 
 assiiriied it as a reason, oxiiressly, that if (Hiapin and lii.'Hnen should make their 
 escape, tiie who!(> I 4tli reuiiiii'nt must Ije massacred. 
 
 Thill this (!i poiii'iit was li-eipieiitiy in scoutiiijr parties with said Ciiapin, nn- 
 rler the coiauiaiid ot'Geiierals Dearljorn, L';wis aii;l Koyil, and tiiat deponent 
 was well aeiiuaiiited with said (.'iiapin, tliiit he was a j^uod man to tliost over 
 wiioiii i*^ liad (,onuuaiid — a frood soldier whenever and wherever there was ilan- 
 ;vrr to he einfuinteivd: and a ^ood oDlccr in any station assigned hini; tli il he 
 was continually active in the battle at the Ueaver DaniF, during tiie wi:o!o of 
 tlie en;rancineiit. .lAMLS JlOUfcJE. 
 
 ►?'.vorn and subscribed this lltli day of June, IS?A\ before me. 
 
 HtNRY Slape, .T. p. 
 
 As to tlio cliargos piiljlishod by John Ariiislrong ngniiist mc, of niy 
 .'niuielit)- to my country, my c(.nJiict daring tli'j war, and my cour- 
 ;ign in battle, I consider them till put ;U rest, Mithi ut further tcsti- 
 )nony. The prcccdin!^ aniduvituf Jumos House, and the nfiidavit of 
 .lonJithan Dibble, whiidt liere follows, (two r<':il veterans of the ser- 
 vice,) together with the following statement of f;ix of our old and 
 respected fellow-citi/.ens of this place, must be considered conclusive 
 .ifi^ainst this flagrant libeller. To rebut .sueli vile, and at the same 
 time such vague and unspecillc cliarg.;s, made after such a lapse of 
 time, oven this .satisfactory and dcci.sive ovideuce, presents to the 
 rational mind not oidy a singular incident, but induces tlio most ab- 
 siilute nnd full conviction of the innocence of t!ie aceu.«ed, on theono 
 liaiid, and of tho wantonness of tlio accuser on the other. 
 
 To what fact or circumstance does he refer, when lie s|)caks of my 
 having ♦'come forward aa sjiokesman in favor of a man charged by 
 many of his neighbors with j^\ing intelligenco to the rnemy?" I 
 hiiow of none — nor can I discover any trace of such a transaction 
 upon this frontier, during the war. Thei'o is none. 'I'hero arc 
 many other witnesses whose nttin ;; .lud characters may snon bo 
 thrown into the scales against tie.' weight of Armstrong, McCiura 
 iind Jbrrsllcr, nnd their characters. 
 
 It i.s my inientiiiii to gi\<', in j;iu"ci;eding pagc^, ?orne referrnce'? 
 and partioiilnr statenu'Uts in relation to the ollicial conduct ami rlut- 
 
34 
 
 CIlAriN'H REVIEW OF AUAlSTROXCrB 
 
 ractcr oi th" "sot disant" Si!creti\ry Armstrong, and perhaps some 
 of a more general and interesting character. 
 
 "■I 
 ,1 
 
 '■ * 
 
 i 
 
 
 SrvTF. OF Nf.vv-Youk, I 
 Uric County, ss. S 
 JowTHAN DiiiBi.r, now of tin' city of BufTiilo, in the siiid roiiiity of Erip, 
 b'"'in}j tluly sworn, siiys, that in l-lli, ho was in the military Horvic^; in Ciuiaihi, 
 as ;i voluntopr, in the rorpd of Major Cyrcnius Chniiin, and under his connnand. 
 Tliut the ilay or two hut one before the cxedition to the JJeaver Dams, made by 
 order of General Dearborn, under the connnand of Lieutenant Colonel IJoirsller, 
 he, with the said .Major Chai)in anl about forty-five or fifty men, were sent out 
 to reconnoiti r the enemy — and that he went over the same ground where the 
 battle of the Heaver Dams subseiinently look place; that he, with the others, 
 went on beyond Decoos' stone house — meetinir none of the enemy we returned 
 to Fort Georjje. One of the men staid behind and was taken by the eneni}-. On 
 our way back to the Fort, we were aivain attacked: we ajjain drove them back; 
 they were composed of Kni^lish and Indians; we stopped on our return and buried 
 one of our men: that this deponent well recollects that the next (nenintj Wt> 
 were ordered to return and to attack the enemy n^ain; this expedition was to 
 he ciunmaniled by JJoTstbu'; to this stron;' objections were made: thai the said 
 (_'ha|iinrcmonstrateil, and (li\>ired that we shun Id po nndiT the command i if Scott, 
 Christie or Miller, and wiien it was ti)uud liy him and the men that iJd.'rsllcr 
 was to have '.'lo command, ijreat displeasure wa'* manifested anil fidly expressed. 
 But the saiue eveninir we were marched for the Beaver DaniB, under tlie com- 
 luaiul ofBiLMsller; we arrived tiiere at about 10 o'clock A. M.; that on our way 
 Major Chapin was ordered to <io on in aiKance; he f-oon returned and informed 
 [iirrsller that 111' enemy was near Ih ' road, and that we should soon bi' attacked 
 by them. W'e eontinued our march, in advance, until wt) lieard a tirinsi' in our 
 rear; we were iinmcdiatrly wheidi'd, and re'urned to (lie main body. On our 
 way wliilo rv'turninij, we met Colonel l?ii rsller rKliiiij vi'ry rapidly towards us; 
 when he cann; up to Us he cried out, ''Major Chapiii, we are attacked." Wo 
 continued on our way and were soon fired upon by the Indiaii-i: w(! wheeled to 
 the left, diarized upon and routed them. One of' the Indians hiul killed three ot' 
 nurmcn; Miijor Ch:ipin tJien ordered this depuiKuit and th)-c(! others to crpei> 
 alonjj towanls liiat Indian and to sjioot iiim: w.' did so, and this deponent then 
 shot and killi'dlhe said Indian, look his [run, Iiali he!,, iVc, and ntinne ! bark to 
 the coii'jiany. This Indian had, several times betiire, lired upon us, but endea- 
 vored to keep himself concralcd. y\fler our return to liu islicr's cor)).^, the firing 
 censed f'lr so!)i' time: llien wo were iiyain attacked by the liidians; w<* U!>;iiii 
 chary^ed upon lliem afid drove thi lu liack; liiere was, then, considciable desid- 
 lorv tiriii';' upon us by llie enemy, and pavlicidaily by the Indians. 
 
 Major t'ha|)in wis tli 'ii orden'd by I'lersller to place the arlilliTy in the most 
 advantajicous position, which was in the rear of HiiTsfler's men, which he did. 
 BuTstler, with his mi'ii, then relreated back t'urther in the rear ol'lhe artillery, 
 leavinii; Major Ciuipiii and his corps in the i'roiil, and he was ordered not to re- 
 treal nor to advaiic<' upon the I nemv without express orders I'rom lin-rstler. Wo 
 soon ri'ceived an order from him In rel rcat to his slation, which order we obeyed, 
 tfoou lifter this our retreat, a Jiaily with a llai; was discovered coming from llir. 
 enemy; we were Ihiii nrdeied to {'•ivtn m eoluiiiu; llii- ollirer. Fit/.;^ibbon, with 
 file tlajf, w.is uiel by Hicrsller luinself, in o,ir front. I'lt/jrilibou ileruandcd ti> 
 know who commanded us' Hurstler replied Ihat he commanded, lie then or 
 dered us to surrender as prisoners oi'war, and said that if we did not immedi- 
 Jitely surrender, he sh )uld let tli" Indians and (ihuiijarians upon us, and we 
 nhoiild ail b" innssi'cred ii|ion Ih" »po1. IJorsller Ihcn ciillcii liirward Major 
 Chapin, who iidvanci'd to them; MoTsller told him that he Mas ordernl to sur- 
 render. Major ( 'hniiiu renioiiHl rated. li(!rHtler replied to him that the propo- 
 nilion ot I'lt/iribbon wn,: a very fair one, iV.e. ('hapiii then pioponed not to 
 Mirreiuler to so Muiill a iuun!)er ol the i uemv, that tli'."i' wan m t .lullicitut ol 
 
 I 
 
NOTICES OF THK WAK. 
 
 ;?.-) 
 
 oi'haps some 
 
 -VoKK, ^ 
 
 y, N«- s 
 
 maty of Erie, 
 CO in Canada, 
 ills coiiuiiand. 
 )aiiis, made by 
 lonel lJ(i)rsller, 
 were sent out 
 11(1 wljero tlie 
 til the otlicrs, 
 ly we returno(i 
 lio cnoniy. On 
 )ve theni l)ack; 
 I urn iind buried 
 xt ('vrniiijr wi> 
 )('(iilion was to 
 tlial the said 
 uiiiind (ifHf'ott, 
 1 Ibut I>(i,'r.sllcr 
 fully cx|iresspd. 
 under tlie cdiu- 
 liit on our way 
 d and inl'oruied 
 oon bi' attacked 
 1 a tirinsx i" our 
 body. On our 
 lily towards ns; 
 Hacked." We 
 we wheeled to 
 d killed three ot" 
 tilers to eret'|) 
 i dejionent then 
 eturne ! ba' k to 
 us, but endea- 
 •or|)s, llie liriiii^ 
 lans; we nijain 
 -idt'iablo «le.sul- 
 
 >ry in the most 
 whirli he did. 
 d'lhe artillery, 
 lered !ii)t to re- 
 lioTitler. We 
 der we obi'yed. 
 iminy from Ilie. 
 it/.;^ilibon, with 
 I diMiiandod to 
 . Me then or 
 1 not innni'di- 
 in lis, and we 
 liirward Major 
 nrd^'red fo Hur- 
 lat fhe propo- 
 o|iONed not to 
 I .lullicicul of 
 
 tliom to forma guard for the prisonerH; thiithe waa indilTerent as to the Indians; 
 and lie rcfu.sed to surrender. He said that he belontjed to another <Mjr[)s, and 
 (hat, rather than to surrender, he would with his own men, fujht their own way 
 tlirou;>h the enemy f o the army. 
 
 It was then proposed by Fitzgibbon, that we should surrender; the ofTicers to 
 wt.ar their .si{li'/i,-iii.i; the men to keep their kiiapaaclni; to be inarched to the 
 Forty Mile Creek, to General Vincent's quarters, and then diseharfred upon 
 their parole, and sent home. 1'liis was ultimately acceded to, with other ])ro- 
 visions, that we were all to be well used; that none oi" the enemy, Cisj ecially 
 the Indians, should i)e permiUed to jjlunder, abuse or misuse any one of then;. 
 We were tiien marclied to the Forty; v.'ore tiiere dolaiiicd as prisoner.-,, five oi 
 six days. iVIeantime, Bourstler and his men, were marched oil', and taken do\ui 
 the lake to (he enemy; our |)arole was rcl'e.sed; we were then nrirehed to IJui- 
 lin^ton heights; there detained three weeks. Duriny; that delay. Dr. Chaj)iii 
 insisted that he should be permitted to visit his men, alledyini!: that thty were 
 t.:i<;k, and reciuircs! his attention and advice. He did vl.-it iheie. ijeveral lone; ; 
 anil during that time, several id'his men escaped; some of them found thi.ir way 
 lo Fort (i(^orge; some crossed tin> lake home. About thirty-two of us were put 
 into two boats under a ijuard, and started for IMontreal, as we were told. Caj)- 
 tain Smith, one of Major Chapin's volunteers, was sick at the time of our em- 
 barkation, and at llrst declined to take the voyage; said he ])rcferred to stay 
 there for medical assistance and su))port. He however was ])ersuaded by Ur. 
 Chapin to embark witli ns, by assurances that our voyage would not be long or 
 tedious; and that he might expect, soon to be with ids friends. He embarked 
 witii us. Also, one of the soldiers fnained Duel,) of the enemy, was embarked 
 with uk; he was in irons, and destined to have liis tri il at Kingston or Mont- 
 real. 
 
 The IJritish soldiers of the guard, were principally in tlie bo:it where fliis de- 
 ponent was; the officers were in the front boat, with .M:ijor Cha])in, Captain 
 Smith and Ilobeil Kaene. The rear boat was rowed liy us, the jirisoners; and 
 we were c)rdered to keep four rods in the rear of the boat containing tiie otlicers. 
 Major Chapin, in ou:- ))rogress, and wliile we were rajiidly proi,'ressing down the 
 
 lake, made! u sign tc» us, wliieh was under.-tood by ii'aekiidcr, (who was sub- 
 
 .secpiently a captain;) vvc plied (jur oars witii greater f' rce, and soon they were 
 doubly mannc'd; we were soon uj) with, and along side of (he foremost boat; the 
 offK'cr of the laianl. Sliowers, ordered ns back; ('liaj)in remonsf rated, and we 
 came along side. Major Chapin then sei/ed thesaid oflicirand threw him down; 
 we tlien ail jumped on board that boat, and immediately disariued all the .'.muimIs. 
 W'e then were ordered bv .Major Chapin to shift our course for I'ort (Jeorge, 
 where we arrived nafidy tln^ next morning. Lieutenant Showers, in liis agony, 
 finding himself and his men our prisoners, instead of our guards, recpiested to be 
 put on shor'. Major Chapin retiised his request — told Irm to go with us — that 
 we lived wel! — were good men, ».Vc. 
 
 And this de|.on(>nt 'urtlier says, that during the whole of that campaign in 
 Canada, and wliili- he waw there, 'Major Chapin was the most active, and engaged 
 ill more actions than an\ other (dbcer there, during th' time: that he was ( on- 
 stantly and pciNoiially attentive (o, and careful of all tlie men, ami of their health, 
 HubsiBtciiceaitd comfort, with liiin, and under his command. 
 
 JONA'l'HAV DIRBLE. 
 
 Hworn this 2Uh day of .lune, 1 •*;[(!, before me. 
 
 iiariu si..ii'K, J. r. 
 
 Wo the tindeisigned, observing from a newspaper publication that Major Cy- 
 renius Chapin lias be 'u ch-n-gcd with liavintr conduet"d duriiux (lie late war in a 
 manner from which iiinight be inferred that he was unfiiithful and treacherous 
 to his country, do hereby certify, that we resideil in the immediate neighbor- 
 Imodofsaifl Cbiipin betiire and durini; the war, and hadulmost daily inter<'oursi' 
 withhinij that wo liave no knowledge or lecolleetiDii of his ''having joined a 
 
i- - I 
 
 30 
 
 (HAl'l.N'ri KKVIKW iT AIl.MSTUO.Nu'ri 
 
 ! I 
 
 Hi 
 
 ^1 I 
 
 5 ^■ 
 
 •■i 
 
 « I 
 
 
 loiiiiiiitti't; to ri^nionstnil" !iQ;;uii--.t tlif v.T.r," or even of tin- cxistenci,' (if'sucli it 
 coiiiniiUoe: nor that lie (ktoiulcd the case of any ])erson "cliarsoil by iiis nciirli- 
 bors with |j;iving intolli|iPnco to tho tnicin^'." Oji tlio conln^ry, wo never sus- 
 pnctod hiri "tidclity to Jiis country," and considi-rud him uiiiisually zoalous and 
 active in sucli military Oi<i'rations, as he had in charr^e. W ; ! id p(;r:dfMiaily, no 
 opportunity of wilut'.ssln'i; his coiivlinvt in the .several enjxan'innoiitfj wilhtl'.e ene- 
 my, but th(! ver'.iu.! and newspaper reports of the day bore unoi^'.'.v .teal ttislimeny 
 to jiia bravery and good c jnduct. 
 
 E. WALDilN, 
 
 GROlKJi; COIT, 
 
 jB. CAlvVL, 
 Buil'aJo, Juiie Q8, l?;]l). 
 
 vn. 'ixnvxscNi), 
 
 II. IJ. S'O'CTKR, 
 JOSi;ril J.AvNDU.N. 
 
 Tlic following relation of traiisactiond which touk nl.-icf; on tlii.-. 
 Froiiti'.r (hiring the \\ i\r, jn'ohahiy nugiit never liave seen the iigiit. 
 Ft v/ould not I'roin my pen, were it not tor John Armstrong's Jihel- 
 lous pul)heatioii rd" "Notices of the War of IBl'J."' 
 
 J5efore this, they were not, hy me, thouglit of sullicient importance 
 to bo put in prhat, or in any way hiitl before the public or posterity; 
 they might, and doubtless, wotild have been forgotten even by those 
 who wore well acquainted with them at the time. 
 
 I Weill know that I did my duty faithfully to my country during 
 the war, and thvre irt it rest. I asked for no monumeiij either el' 
 stone or paper. Publicity, by me, was unfhought of; even my chil- 
 dren might ha\c remained ignorant of much of my conduct, and of 
 several transactions with the eneuiy. Nor do 1 in anv niuniier en- 
 vy this soi diaaiU Secretary John Armstrong for his h;ird-c;irned 
 glory or renown. Let honor thi(.'ken around and over him. liortl 
 Bacon said well, that "a lame maro in tho right ror.d will boat a 
 race-rin the wrong.*" My name was by Armstrong brought forward 
 and give'n to the public in a manner, caKudaled, if not intended, to 
 cloud it with iufunn. 
 
 I 
 
 t ^h\lk 
 
 \ 
 
 - M 
 
 mS STATKMEXT OF (.FNERAL UEARHOHn's CONDLTT. 
 
 Dearborn, as tho Commanding Officer, took from the eiK'my Fort 
 Niagara and Little York, He was a veteran of JUuikcr Hill. His 
 well-established military ciiaraeter received confirmation ntid per|)C- 
 tuify frotn his cmhIuc! in the late war. 
 
 As to A'.s accu.-nfions ngain^^l nn;, and mv eha racier, wherever 
 they are .'pecific as to d.itc, phice, or any prominent circunistatice, 
 may have already l,ct;n sulliciently refuted and dis|)roved. A vain 
 boasting liar, and an opposer of the war, a coward in action. Tho 
 
 $. 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
NOTICFS OP TllK WAU. 
 
 •II 
 
 ciHt; (if'siicli it 
 
 by liis nciirli- 
 
 \ve jioviT pus- 
 
 ly '/(.'uloiis and 
 
 iK.'r;;r.|i;iiiv, no 
 rv.itiilli:-\':l.-- 
 
 i-il t(;.sliiiK'iiy 
 
 WVSiyNi), 
 
 J. a:\don. 
 
 ibliowiiig paper testimonies will surely, ibr the present, put the 
 enemy, //or/y da cnmlmt. 
 
 I .sliall now nierely mention the fact ih;it\vilh others lierc in ISlti, 
 I organised, controlled md assisted to retake our Brig Adams, which 
 the enemy had previously captured, and the British Frigate C'aledo- 
 ;iia, from under the Batteries of Fort Fi ie. 
 
 luce on thi.--. 
 een the light, 
 strong's iibel- 
 
 it importance 
 
 or posterity; 
 
 !vcn by those 
 
 luntry during 
 ien| cither of 
 even my chil- 
 nduet, and of 
 \ manner en- 
 hard-earned 
 r him. Jiord 
 I will heat a 
 nght forward 
 intended, to 
 
 i)UlT. 
 
 ) eniTny Fort 
 irilill. His 
 n and periie- 
 
 •r, wherever 
 Ircumstanco, 
 fed. A vain 
 'ction. Tho 
 
 I 
 
 Bi'FFAi.o, July 1, i^;^(;. 
 Dort. i'lji'Liiins Ciiiiiiiii, Btijf'alu. 
 
 Dkaii tisin: — Loarninjr tliiit your ronchirt as an oflicer and as a citizen, durinir 
 tlie late war with Great Britain, lias recently lieen nnpcached under the sanetinii 
 ofa name sufliciontly elevated ti) justify an appeal on your part to the ])ul)!ie, 
 niy hunihle testimony is most chei'rfully yielded, that ^;reat merit was conceded 
 to you, in tlii.-; conununity, at the time, as an active partisan ollicr, who, not 
 stopiiinif to handy with conHtitulioiuil scrui :es, was ever ready to enihark in 
 sudden and lia/iirdous enterprises — so nuich so that your gallantry and devotion 
 to the connnon cause, were almost proverbial on hoth sides of the strait. The 
 jiart assigned to^and succOK;dVi!ly carried out hy you in the nieniorahle atrdr (d' 
 euttinji; out two British armed vessels, from under the ^uns of Fort Jliie, and the 
 darinnr ;itt('in])t hy which yon .'Mid your lionu-ades rose upon and overjiowered 
 your captors, hrin'rin;; them pii^oivrs of war in ;in ojicn I; )af across [-ake Onta- 
 rio to I''ort .\i;iL!:a";i, are inatt(M's of history, and should, I jimst believe, moft 
 ainjily vindicate your reputation as a soldi?r and as a patriot, in the minds of 
 all who are familiar with the events of that day. 
 
 Jlespoctfully, your obeilient servant, 
 
 AVM. B. ii()CFii:sTr:u. 
 
 S AVDirsKV Cn\-, .tune .'iO, 1S3(). 
 To fol. Ci/rciiiitf! f'litijiiii. 
 
 Di.vK Siii: — Vnii wdl please receive the enclosed ns an act of justice to you. 
 IFavin}f ji'st now r "ad and eximined the ">fotices of the War of l.^l'J," by ,Iohn 
 ArmstrotK^-, and lindin;; the conduct and character of Major Cyrcnius t'hapin 
 impii;riicd, I feel bouuil, asa(ili/j'n and iii; ollicer with him in th:it campaii;n, to 
 stall" some Huts iclaliv^' t:> his coiuhicl, character aiul reiiutalion at the time. 
 My inti.iiate nc(piaintance with him diirinjf the war, authorises and reipiires of 
 nie a candid and full slatemenl (d'liicts as they took j)lace. 
 
 Bcluij myself in l-^l',', '!:', 'it and '!"), an ollicer in the rcfjular army of the 
 rnited States upon this frontier, 1 had a {rreat op|)ortnnity, indei>endently of 
 my personal knowleilije of or acquaintanpe with Major C'hapin, to be fully and 
 correctly informed o( his coiidur.t nnd standing as an r)fficer, and of tlio several 
 •'iifjnjrcnients with the cneniy in which \\i'. wns a parly. 
 
if f 
 
 \in 
 
 CHAPIn's UEViEW OK ARMSTRONG'S 
 
 If 
 
 i >' 
 
 
 
 H ' 
 
 T was, also, at Iiead quarters, when the news of the defeat and capture of the 
 j)arty arrived. But at that time, nor at any time since, have I ever heard any 
 blame attaciied to Major Cliapin, either by tlie officers, soldiers or citizens, until 
 tlu- publication of John Armstrong's book. lie, on the contrary, at all times 
 conducted himself as a brave officer, good citizen and man. He was looked upon 
 by tlie officers generally, as the most active and useful man in tJie service on this 
 frontier, as well from his uniform personal bravery, as his particular knowledge 
 of tlie enemy's country. His promptitude and activity were often spoken of by 
 the officers as most decidedly meritorious, whenever he had been [mt into service 
 or action upon requisition. It was well known and understood by all, that tlu; 
 kind and proper treatment of many of the prisoners, by the enemy, was the re- 
 sult of tlie interposition of Major Chapui. He at all times reprehended, and 
 was opposed to violence upon, or interference with, either the persons or pro- 
 perty of individuals, citizens in Canada, though enemies. 1 became well ac- 
 quainted with him, in 181'^, and have since continually been his immediate 
 neighbor, until within the last two years. From, or during that time, I have 
 never heard him charged by any one, with eitlier cowardice or disloyalty; but 
 on the contrary, have ever viewed him as a brave, loyal and good citizen and 
 soldier. 
 
 Your friend and servant, 
 
 JOHN G. CAMr. 
 
 !f 
 
 Toronto, 8th July, 18.m 
 To Cyrcnius Cliap'in, Esq., City of Buffalo, 
 
 My Dear Sir: — I returned to my home last evening, al^er an absence of some 
 weeks, and found your letter of the Sdth ult., in wliich you ask nie to state what 
 I knew of you during the late war, and whether you were ever suspected in my 
 country of being a traitor to the United States. 
 
 Were I to state in detail what I have known of you, and what I have learned 
 from credible sources, it would carry me farther than I can, in the irJdst of the 
 most pressing public duty, go: but 1 will briefly say, that 1 have hitherto consi- 
 dered 3'ou one of the most faithful and most devoted citizens of the United States, 
 and one of her best and bravest defenders. In the sunmier of IHK?, the capture 
 of you and your mounted men was one of the principal objects \ had in v'ew; and 
 having been fortunate enough to accomplish it, you were sent from the head of 
 Lake Ontario in a batteau, with other prisoners of war, to be forwarded to Lower 
 Canada, which liatteau, raid the guard hiiving charge of you, you and your fel- 
 low prisoners captured ami carried with you to your own shores. During the 
 following winter you were again taken prisoner at Hiiffalo, wl" n that town was 
 cajttured, and sent to Quebec. I met you at Montreal, and you politely ac- 
 cepted an invitation to dine with me at the mess of the 40th Regiment; wliich 
 invitation 1 certainly would not have given, had I thought you other than a 
 faithful citizen and gallant defender of your couiitry. 
 
 Upon the tliree charges made against you, as stated in your letter, I observe, 
 that as to your being a "liar" I knew nothing; until I read your letter, I never 
 
NOTICES OF THE WAR. 
 
 39 
 
 capture of the 
 
 :ver heard any 
 
 r citizens, until 
 
 ry, at all times 
 
 as looked upon 
 
 service on this 
 
 liar knowledge 
 
 L'H spoken of by 
 
 put into service 
 
 y all, that tlio 
 
 y, was the re- 
 
 •reliended, and 
 
 )orsons or pro- 
 
 )ecanie well ac- 
 
 his ini;nodiate 
 
 at time, I have 
 
 disloyalty; but 
 
 Dod citizen and 
 
 s^ G. CAMP. 
 
 .Tuly, 183(1 
 
 ahdonce of some 
 ne to state wliat 
 suspected in my 
 
 it I liave learned 
 tiie midst of the 
 e hitherto consi- 
 ic United States, 
 "^1 n, the capture 
 lad in view; and 
 Vom the head of 
 varded to Lower 
 ou and your fel- 
 es. During the 
 n tliat town was 
 you politely ac- 
 e^riment; wliich 
 ou otiier than a 
 
 elter, I observe, 
 ;r letter, I never 
 
 licard your veracity called in (piestion. If you are a "vain boaster," I had no 
 opportunity of knovi'ing it, but you certainly often threw yourself in the way of 
 meeting yourenemies. And as to your being a "coward," I declare that 1 always 
 thought you a modern (Quixote, and often have said so of you. In making this 
 declaration, T am sure you w'll not understaiul it as intended disparagingly — I 
 use it to show that I thou^ai you nmch more brave than most of your comrades 
 wlio were in ar.Ts against us. 
 
 The favorable impressions of you remaining on my mind are so strong, that 
 oidy two days ago, I requested of a gentleman from Ihifliilo, wlio travelled witli 
 me, but wlioiic name I did not learn, to present my best respects (o you, which 1 
 liope lie will not fail to do. 
 
 Believe me, my dear Sir, to be very truly yours, 
 
 JAMES FITZGIBBON. 
 
 Br-ACK Rock, August Sth, l!*3(). 
 
 Dk.vr Siu: — I liave received your letter of the 2Utli ultimo, accompanying a 
 volume of General Armstrong's "Notices of the War of 1812," and pointing mc 
 to that part of it: coiitents which purports to be a memoir by Colonel Bocrstler, 
 and coufiiiniug a gioss and vulgar assault on your fame and cliaracter. 
 
 Tiii.'i liliellons attntli would hardly have deserved your notice, at tlie present 
 day, but for the coinitnnance thus given to it by tlie distinguished individual in 
 whoso name tlie book is put forth, and which attaclies to it an importance that it 
 could iwt, otherwise, claiui; and [ am not, therefore, surjjrised, that you should 
 hiive felt it to be your duty, publicly to repel it: while I, at the same time, ad- 
 mire, and a|)prove of the generous promptitude witli which many of our most 
 respf'ctable citi/eus have already stepped forward, to rescue your reputation from 
 Eu.'li immerited aspersions. 
 
 tt so happened that during llic wliole period of the late war, except when 
 you were a prisoner with the enemy, I was so situated as to be in the Jiabit 
 of fthuost daily intercourse witli you, affording me tiie fullest opportunity to 
 oli.-ierve your course, jiolitical and military; and 1 take great pleasure in de- 
 clining, that I knew no indivi<lual who was, on all occasions, more open and 
 decided in the expression ofopinimis approving of the justice of the war on our 
 iniit — none who displaced more p;i(riotic zeal and entliiisiasm in cncouniging 
 and Hiding its efficient prosecution — none who was more ready, in every emer- 
 gency, to piuliark, and who mutually did embark, in an almost uninterrupted suc- 
 cession of enterprizes against the enemy, involving iiiiiniiicnt. personal hazard, 
 as well as great liiligiie and privation — none more liberal of his ])urse — and, 1 
 tlunk i may safely add — measuring the merit by the number and importance 
 l^und many nt'tho'ii were f;ir from lieing unimportant) of the various commands 
 anil roiiimisHJon.i wiiieli wcn^ eouiiued to you, and the limited means furnished 
 tor tluir e\ecii1ion — none who rendered more valuable 8er\'ico to the army and 
 country, than j'oursel'". If but a small portion of our citizens, possessing equal 
 f onsideration and influence, had exerted tlie same zeal and efliciency in the pro- 
 
i ! 
 
 tl» 
 
 CIlAriN S RLVIEW OF ARJISTRON'C. S 
 
 il i 
 
 sficutiori of tlio war, it. would doubtless liavebeen broii<jlitto a more Bjieedy, and 
 even a mure tialisliictory t(n-inination. 
 
 I rcniain, Dear Sir, very respectfully yours, 
 
 P. B. PORTER. 
 C'dI. C. CnAri.v. 
 
 «t V' 
 
 Rf 
 
 I, t 
 
 I r: 
 
 BirFFALo, April 2f;tli, If^P.f,. 
 
 Siii: — Having observed in your "NoticcH of the AVar of l.Sl'2," a crrtain nar- 
 rative purporting to be from the late Col. C. G. ilcrrstler, in ai)pendix No. 24, 
 \it\. ]. page Mfi, Note, &c. 27i\), in wliicli ho took tlio liberty of stating among 
 otiier things, that Lieutenant-Colonel Bn-rstler "knowing this man to boa vain 
 boasting liar, and suspecting his fidelity from various circumstances, amongst 
 wliich was that of having joined a committee to remonstrate against tlie war — 
 and that of coming forward as spokesman in favor of a man charged bj niany of 
 iiis neigid)ors with giving intelligence to the enemy," &C. 
 
 Of this Colonel Bcurstler, report was current at the time, that he had been a 
 broken down JMethodist preacher — that at the instance of his friends he was 
 billeted on the Government by which the pay vvould ensure him a heller liveli- 
 hood than his useful labors had done in his clerical vocation. Hence it is believed 
 that this Knight of the Cross was willing to excliange tlie toils of a camp meet- 
 ing for those of the cliamp dc tiiant, with a zeal not according to knowledge. 
 Not, knowing of any other person of my name engaged in tlie war at tlio time 
 alluded to, I am left to infer that his abuse was aimed at me. if it were, (of 
 wliicii I have no doul)t.) ^ pronounce his account of nie and my conduct, to be 
 a wanton, wicked and inveterate lie — uncailiMl for and gratuitous — conceived in 
 ill will and penned to gratify a cowardly Kideen — willing to assign his defeat to 
 ■any but the true cause. 
 
 If an officer in full life can so fardemoan himself — so far lose all self-respect — 
 every moral sense, as to cruelly asperse the good name of a fellow soklit r without 
 remorse, witliout the least assignable motive, it is doubtlul whether the sanctity 
 of the srarc ought to protect his memory. 
 
 It is a maxim, founded 1 think, in good sense, ^'iiot lo sjicah of the ilcdihnihss 
 veil;" but when the deceased has so far witJiered from his duty while living as 
 toiry to alHx a stigma on my character of the complexion above referred to, it 
 does not, in my best judgment, beco.iie me to rest (juietly underit, without giv- 
 ing my full and unequivoeal denial of its trutls, eitherin f()rm or substance, es|)e- 
 cially couung from such a polluted source as I conceive this did. None but a 
 coward's lirain could concoct such crudities — none but a demon's heart could give 
 utterance to sucdi vile calumny. 
 
 Tlie very fact alone, of his not having j)ublished his narrative during his life, 
 is on the face ofil, to an impartial lover of truth, suspicious. His authority is, 
 therefore, of no v:.lue, nor are his slatfuu'iit.s to be relied on in the least. So fur 
 forth as relates to word or deed of mine, hi.s story i.s a tissue of falseiiood from 
 begining to tnd — utterly unworthy of belief by even my worst enemies, for they 
 will testify Just the reverse of the alfair. 
 
 I 
 
lore speedy, autl 
 
 jurs, 
 
 J. PORTER. 
 
 " a ci'i'tiiiii nar- 
 ppendix No. 24, 
 )t' stating <ainong 
 man to be a vain 
 tances, uiuojijr.st 
 [rainst tlio wnr — 
 rguil I)} many oi' 
 
 at lie had been a 
 i iiionds iie was 
 ini a l)etter liveli- 
 jnce it is believed 
 
 1 of a camp meet- 
 ig to kuowleJgo. 
 
 2 war at the time 
 
 If it were, (of 
 ly conduct, to be 
 ,us; — conceived in 
 sign his defeat to 
 
 I all self-respect — 
 )w soldier without 
 ether the sanctity 
 
 of the ihdil unless 
 .ty while living as 
 3vn referred to, it 
 lerit, without giv- 
 )r substance, espe- 
 
 did. None but a 
 I's heart coidd give 
 
 ive during his hfe, 
 His uulhority is. 
 itiie least. So fur 
 I of falsehood from 
 t enemies, for they 
 
It ? 
 
 
 f|i 
 
 fe,* 
 
 1 
 
NUTICKS OK THK WAK. 
 
 41 
 
 Tortunately, however, tlierc are livSiig witnesses, credible as any who Jield a 
 oomiuissioii (hiring tlm war of IHl'J, and who are actuated by a nobler spirit than 
 to traduce and slander me; and whose characters are above reproach or suspi- 
 cion. There is, therefore, no shadow of excuse for such a course of proceeding 
 on his part unless his conduct may be a:cribed to tiie eftects of insanity. 
 
 When such a narrative is ])ut forth by such an officer and published to the 
 world aa sober history, to be handed down to those who shall come after us— 
 when the untrutii of sucli a statement is set out, to my mind, in such bold and 
 palpable relief — so derogatory to my character, J am constrained by a sense of 
 duty for the cause of truth and my country to repel the same, with indignation. 
 
 In pages 4G and 47, of your "Notices," &c., you say— "the errors which yet 
 remain to be noticed are attributable to the administration — a fact furnisiiing no 
 reason why they should be treated with more ceremony than others with whom 
 they are associated." 
 
 Now Sir, assuming your proposition to be true — permit me to approach you in 
 like manner, when 1 say, I think I have just cause to complain of that narrative 
 in its inception — without the slightest provocation — I conceive its publication 
 under tlie sanction of your name as calling more loudly for redress. By it my 
 feelings nave been outraged, and also, the feelings of my friends. I appeal to 
 your own sense of honor if 1 have not a right to reparation from your hands? a 
 rei)aration as broad as the circulation of that foul slander to which I have called 
 your attention? 
 
 In the mean while, I have the honor to be, 
 
 with due consideration, 
 
 \our obedient servant, 
 
 CYRENIUS CHAPIN. 
 
 Gen. .loH."* AuMSTRO.ftt, Red Hook. 
 
 
 Rkd Hook, a2d May, 1836. 
 Sir: — Ym«f letter of the 2Gth ult., was received on the 10th instant. The 
 narrative of the late Colonel Bocrstler, which forms tlie subject of it, was in- 
 tcnd-vl as a defence against certain statomeiils to br found in General Dearborn's 
 official letter, in relation to the unfortunatt- expedition made to the Beaver 
 Dams in the campaign of J8i;{, which the writer believed to have been derived 
 from you. The narrative, when received at the War Office, was accompanied 
 by a rO(|ucst — that it should be published in the National Intelligencer, "inas- 
 much as tlio General had omitted t(* send his i oloncl Bocrstlcr's) report of the 
 expedition, which ought to have accompanied the General's statement, which 
 'vas published in that journal." Notwithstamiing the force and fairness of this 
 appeal, the request was not granted, tiom a i>eliof, that under existing circum- 
 stances, the publicatirn oi'lhe narrative was not likely to do good, and by keep- 
 ing up old (juarrels, or generating new ones, might do harm. There can be no 
 doubt but that in this decision the President exercised a discretion necessarily 
 appertaining to hiR office — l)ul I need hardly remark to you, that a writer of 
 G 
 
- *■ 
 
 II 
 
 42 
 
 IIIAI'IN S RE\IE\V OF AHMfiTnONG tS 
 
 M 
 
 I 
 
 U. 
 
 
 li'ftory Ims no such pcwrv over w^^!! f.'.'lliontlcato'l documrnts. His duty :'.', to 
 
 Vrc-iO! 
 
 it al! til? ovi;!.Mi."0 Ii"^ is [ 
 
 10;--';' :; ;0(1 O 
 
 f on any (;i:'"si1.!on dp j;-,;l)!ic iiit -rost, 
 
 without iT[!;r.ri;i;iv ;!;; ocaniipj on urhviJuaLj or co 
 
 ill 
 
 J.;, ..,[.^.;,,,j. ^y 
 
 hi; i'i'lft'i? p 
 
 o: ac'i\^;ui.i! 
 
 ;ti;i;:liij rei'ro^f'ii'alirnu to rur-h lifw an 1 h: 
 
 li; .:jr ■ ,\; ol' jjro;;!" ,: ; viv r>;;;io In hi;; way. If Ij::iy i:;li>li;io!i (o ': 1 ';•:', iii \h' :-ii"- 
 ceOwla;ivoi,;iii."s o/th? v;:)ik, aHcrificlmiiM whic.'i iii;:v hrf'uirlv tin 1 <lH'0'.it!v niadi; 
 
 (1 ;!■■;;. ■.lire :,)1)P R'i ri/lil, 
 ■^:!\', you can roa;!iIy [nc- 
 
 i;;i.');i- w Ii:;t 1 liavo v,'rit.t.;'!i: i:ii.! it. 'vvili L'ivc uio iiiiT :;■ 
 \vli:r>^ i ]i;iV(' Iv.ii wviv.ii:. \\"Ah l!.'- in-oo.'s yoii p 
 ji.iro a ;,l;ot('li v.l'.ich will |ro!>i,it!y iiiul pfriiiaiicutly s'i!'.:' tho (p;cs!ioii;-i atiraiio 
 Ir.'iwci'U \'oii aji.lKic late Col.iu.'l In-rsthM'. J <;ii'.'ii)t. li.iw, v.t, clc.-.s' tliij nolo 
 wilho'.il cailiir: your ult^'iiliiiii to ar.oth:'!' (lo( !i:.;i nt v.'Iiich wi'l ir^ci^i-arily ap- 
 jiivar ill Vol. '.•(!, in rrlaliiiii to thn ^ufii-rin'^-s <^;i tin,' Ti'l^'i^-ira Fnuili >:• al'trr \Vi!- 
 jiiii.^oii ! 'ft Fori G_'or::(\ 'I'li'^ pap;'r 1 r^fcr to i a iottcr iVoiii (I- n. ."IijCli:] ■ to 
 th' AW'/ I)-pa;:.i:,',i1 oft h^> -j:;!!! of L),'CP:ii:;"r, I'l:;. !l. j.kuIo j-a;-!, oi'thcMloc:!- 
 iii'Mitary tf.l.inir.iy ::;:iit V) ( 'o'.i;rrt';-H v.'ith tiii' l'r>\ i i-'iit'i; ?>Ir;:s:'fr'% on thi''.Mul" 
 Fi'hniary, l^M. anl ha;:, (irco'n-.5a, hopu hcfj-rc th^' p'l: ii(- liiic' tl.itdat'^. Any 
 explanation f.'oui y.jii o:i t'li- .■aihj"it oftiio uliovo i-,;M'.ocl 1 tlT, will lie accepta- 
 bli;. ] a:.i Sir, witli iinicli r.'.-pcc t. 
 
 Yoi;r o'jtviicnt icrvaiit, 
 
 jotiN A!{:;sTr.o.x(i. 
 
 Dr. C\nz:;ii: C- . i.v, Bullalo. 
 
 
 > i> I' P r •' i V 
 t 1 i ij ;> if I .\ . 
 
 I J»i' 
 
 Hi 
 
 S 
 
 
 W hocvf.T llirij\v.s a tuivli to fire ;i fov, i!, in Ii 'l:i Ii .'^lilv niisuci';!.- 
 l/lo lor tlio <'onsi'i|; "!!';"s, ]iii\V('\fr coMilh ih" (]■ li is (!:;;'.'•. 'i'li(.> 
 attack, ill t!i" ''.XMiin'-,'" on iiuiiiy dI" iIh,' tdtic'i.-, wlio di- tiiigui.sl)','(l 
 tlii'iiisc!'.!'--; ill till- Ink; v,':ir, iVi.ni (iin- wIim <i)ic;; liclil a Iiiirli jilac:' 
 under ill'' ll'.cn govcriinn'iit, ilcscrM's a i"'\v <• "iii'ii nis. .Mdf of 
 tli<mc will) Ju'ltl CMu;:iKi:;(l at ih:,! lime, have I'lirnds v, Iid will aviiig'? 
 tlu! iiijiiri's sounht In l:a\t; Lirii inlliclcd on du ,'r iiiciiinrics. Of 
 .'■iicli, til :i i". ud . w ill Im; ciirollcd liy nW.rr hands lliaii l!a: writer of 
 llies" irigi's — "llje r;ie( .' 1 )nnglass can i)rot>'cl ilM ji'." 'I'hi' writer 
 wed l;n' \v (i ! r;i! 1 1, ;iil;(n'ii, and is Inpitv to sas ilia* i.iiieli mnv 
 1j(^ s:'dd in 111- I'avor. ( tj' this, iKjwevr, ids Idn. riidi'-r will avail 
 liin;..e|i'. It i-, dii • to Iiis iiKiii. ry tn slat", l':at Ii. was a man of a 
 clear lr:id, a .-truii^' mind and a li,'^;li and luave .-j'.it. I'laiii mid 
 ailahli) in Ins iiiaiin(.'rs — willi sajjacitv cijiial to dv \ i.-i; tiny wcll-cun- 
 c^ivcd plan of njieration-, mid nerve to carry it iiilo clli:ct. Dislin- 
 
 i 
 
 liiv 
 
N.jTlCl^ii DP THK W.Vil. 
 
 if i;r.!)lic iiitorost, 
 -r'ill r.-^ :'^rv;n'x to 
 'i liow aiil liij;lipr 
 
 iro :,)!)r ,Tt r.'.'ljl, 
 ;; f:tii n':,:l:]y prr- 
 ';!;(■:>! ion.-; atis.-aue 
 '1% (•H.'S'i iJiij iiolc^ 
 I'l )i-^r(';-;ii:';!y ap- 
 rouli:':-;;;'!;!- Wil. 
 (!•!!. :■!<;{ 'li:n. to 
 
 i':i:-!.i);'lh(<(l,)c:'- 
 "■JJT'S oil tl.c'.Muf 
 • (!ut.laf.\ Any 
 
 will !).? acci'iita- 
 
 {.isTr.o.xd. 
 
 illy .''.nsuci-;'.- 
 
 s (iw;.... 'i'J„, 
 <li-liligiii.slK'(l 
 ;» liisr'i i'!;ic(,' 
 
 lis. .Mo'.f of 
 
 II will ;i\ci;g(! 
 [■liiorirs. {)[' 
 liic v.rifiT t)i' 
 
 'I'll'' Wl'iliT 
 I' i.iiH'li iiiav 
 ' r V. ill avail 
 s a mail ni" ;i 
 i'iaiii and 
 my wi'll-cou- 
 •x-.t. Diftiii' 
 
 •>iu i!:ou in two war,:, wherein hi.; countrv h;i;l vn.-it ilitel'ost^; at stal:e, 
 it u just t'j Kay of liiiii, that he was th.' pridj of tiio urr.iy ar.d a 
 bi.'i.ciaclui' t'j tliL! Luid <if iiis [jii'ili. ?.Iu'jh of tho i!i^a.^t;;:'.s of t!:c! 
 la'i',: war, was Jiiytly chargijablc upon hia hUi'.orijra in oflico. It is 
 easy of [,roof, at tlii.-; lat^j day, that bcfon.- orcL';".-; arrived ;U the plac;.^ 
 of hi.s <);!(.' ralloii:^, counter orc'a'r.s wero rcceivc'd l)y him. Under 
 sueh enil):uTa^-sii;g circnnistanees, cou'itl any thing hut failure bo an- 
 t;ciiiat:'d^ [t i.j v.ortliy of jT-ear!:, that he v.as la'pi; in a harr;'.s.sed 
 .-itate of laind, a l>-'.rge part of the' liiae ho was on ih:-; fron;!er, and it 
 i.s believed, t;;;!t t'ais wa^ ell'-Cted, in a givat nveasuri>, by one who 
 now see!;.-; to sliu' hi.-; [a.ino. 
 
 Thc! al'aek, in the "Xotices,'' on (Icnoral Harrison, de.;:ervc3 tlic 
 )f[)r;Hja[ion of every honcjst r.ian in Christ, ndoi.i. The perver.eon 
 iif truth, is apjiare'it on every l-^g ■• ^Vilat earl'ily inelive the au- 
 thor could lja\e, i:; r. it di:.;cGverah;e, in;!: .;:,; it he I'or [;o!ilio:d elf e,t. 
 If .so, CJen:'r;d ilarri.':)n, how^'veriic might de.-;u..;e tliecilort to .■•■.lan- 
 diT iiim, ine.y n.'st assurer-!, t!i:it fifty se.eii !:i-torian.^, would only 
 I'aise him, in the e.stiinatiori of all uiei'., wlio:-.e g )od opinion.^ are 
 worlli having. AIlu. ion h m'^', hov/ever, i:; on'y to the condu.-tof 
 (hneral I'arri i.i, il>: an oiiieer (hiring the 1 ele war with CJreat 
 .1'ritain; anil it i.; cjuedly da.', as wi 11 t:) hiie, a.; !o th- eau.e of 
 1ru'h and jn.-ti'.'i', ihaL una. r a.ll dihie'.iities whieh I; ' h:id l.) ovrr- 
 (•.o:ne, he e.eted his parlu-eil — ven'N w.dl indei'.l, and l!u: wrctc'n that 
 si'id;j^ to sully his g 'od n:iie.:', imd.'r the sp;:eious g-ali of iinpar'.ial 
 l•,i.^lory, is entitled to a seal in e. m:id ho;!se. I'n.I r tii..' e.nharrassiiig 
 cir<'uiiis!;ine''s in whieh li;; v,a.; plae-d, siuh a:-; ih ' alme.;t inipassa- 
 hie ro:nl-; — t!ie w.uit of .'■Up;. lies of evTy hind — ;i war\ aie! str.ag;! 
 for, efi.selv wjitehii'.g ills iiMvcini'i:!;;, it i;) ;i nuUier of admirati >:i, 
 that he sue":>.'di'd, a:; well ;;s he' did. .Ml (he pre'ininenf o|h;ers as- 
 soci;ited wilh him, at tli;it ti.ne, hiar unequivocal testimony, to his 
 g.)otI (•oiidiiei, ill.' I. .ult of cool and iL-f. rniinetl bravery, uri well as 
 ind"fatlgal)!c iudnslr\ joined with .a sound and unfailing di'icrctioii. 
 Long, iherefore, will his ineiiiory b" ch.ri .h;'d, as ani.mg the w or- 
 tliios of the land — by his eonip.'itri.its in arm.-, and .a gralefiit people. 
 Somo future liistoria:!, will do jii-tli'.' to his d ed,; when the partisan 
 •scribbler, Wiih his unworthy sland.'r ,s!iall have sunk m!o nierited 
 oblivion. 
 
 None till! II rulliarj can lake d.'l'ght in the invasion of the sano- 
 luarv of ill..' deud. I'eace to their ivAw:-, should b;- the motto of every 
 
in 
 
 44 
 
 lIIAriN S REVIEW OK AKMSTRONO « 
 
 'U 
 
 i ? 
 
 I 
 
 t < 
 
 
 I! I ' :^: 
 
 i. 
 
 t ^.! 
 
 good man. Jlut there are provocations forming exceptions to tlie 
 case considered. Colonel Ban-stler's memory, therefore, has somo 
 claims upon sympathy — hy his own sliowisig. In a note accompa- 
 nying his staten\ent, as published in his "Notices," he exhibits much 
 nervous irritability, while holding an interview with General Lewis, 
 iu which he shows more warmth of temper than would exactly com- 
 port with sound judgment, or historical accuracy. It then may be 
 sately inferred, that he, himself, was then in such a paroxysm of 
 rage, as to cleave down the necessary balance ol judgment or just 
 perception. Anger appears to have unhingi'd his faculties, and dis- 
 appointment ill his favorite project, appears to have so.iredthc inner 
 man. Some allowance, therefore, may bo safely made for his im- 
 pressions, under the eiirumstr ces in which he was placed. Again, 
 the terror-struck appearance he exhiliited when rid''ig alone towards 
 " Major Chapin,-' and while attempting to inform the .nen that 'V/<c?/ 
 were attacked,'^ (as sworn to i>y James Rouse and Jonathan Dibble- 
 see foregiMiig affidavits,) a fact, by the bye, as well known to the 
 men as to him, (l>u'rstler,) and which clearly shows, that ho (l?QM\st- 
 ]er) was so near insanity, that the ditlerence between it and the con- 
 trary, was not p(;rceptiblf. Ilcro tlinn W(! have; his veracity im- 
 peached, by his own .slatenieiit, of liow angry a mood, he could fall 
 into on so frivolous a provocation, mid the alienation of mind, pro- 
 duced oy ff^a"", as established by two credible eye-witnesses. 
 
 Again, this fop of a Ikerstli.-r says, that "on '-iMd June, 1813, sol 
 disunt Major Chapin called at the tent of Lieiitenant-Colon'd lUj-rst- 
 ler," *.S:c. ».^:c. 
 
 The vanity of BcerstUir here explodrd. The writer had a regular 
 commission of Major while Kustis was Secretary of War, derived 
 from the saim; appointing power that iiieiiteiuint-Colonel (Uohadil) 
 Boerstler did his. He must therefort; be Lieufenant-C'olonel, mi 
 disanf, or self-stylt.Ml, as much as INFajor ('haj)iii. It matters not for 
 his iiorry attempt at burlL'S(|U(; — that does not occasion the least 
 trouble. This rircumstance is only referred to show the mean con- 
 temptible spirit that actuated the man, how careful to speak of him- 
 self in the third person, ami then attempt to make others believe that 
 "Major Chapin" boasted of a title, a fact which never exis.ej^ — and 
 more, to show how much reliunee is to be placed (ui the statenuuit of 
 a man, who by his own narratives, shows himsedf to he, in temper, 
 n Don Orlando Furiosn towards (^Jenrrnl J<€wis — a sneaking pnl- 
 
I 
 
 scoplions to the 
 fore, liaa somo 
 note accompa- 
 sexliiljitsniuch 
 Jenerul Lewis, 
 d exactly corn- 
 It then may be 
 a paroxysm of 
 dgment or just 
 uhies, and dis- 
 Mred the inner 
 do for Ill's im- 
 iced. Again, 
 alone towards 
 ncn tliat '■Hhey 
 than Dihhle^ 
 known to th(^ 
 Kit he (J?QM\st- 
 t and the con- 
 vcrncity im- 
 hc coidd fall 
 of mind, pro- 
 sses. 
 
 lie, 1813, sot 
 )lonel l^QTst- 
 
 "^B 
 
 
 had a regular 
 >^ ar, (N'rived 
 cl (liohadil) 
 •('olonol, soi 
 liters not for 
 ion the least 
 e mean eon- 
 jeak of hirn- 
 helieve that 
 xis.ej^ — and 
 stat< inent of 
 '» in temper, 
 leaking pnl- 
 
1 
 
 ■.;■! 
 
 I 'i 
 
 
 ■*.i- 
 
 ■ f. 
 
Nip'llCEs or TlIK WAR. 
 
 45 
 
 tf-mn wlieii aftacli'il by a lew straggling Indians, and a pvovarioating 
 coxconil) when speaking of LiciUenant-Colonol Hn-istler, in a ootn- 
 innnii^ation ojjicialc, signed by his high mightiness. 
 
 In tlic No. preceding this 24th, in the Appendix of said "Notices," 
 is a letter purporting to have been written by said Armstrong, who 
 was then cither acting or real Secretary of War, and who must have 
 known that "Major Chapiii,'' during said Armstrong's official term, 
 had and held a Colonel's commission. Then, why, it may bo asked, 
 did said Armstrong gather the^ statement of Boerstler, out of which 
 to weave his web of history? The answer is obvious — ho must 
 have intended to "catch flics."' The burden of BoersMcr's song is, 
 to ex(niorato himself from the charge of want of Generalship in his 
 conduct at the time mentioned, and to assign the cause of his defeat, 
 to any other than the true one. 
 
 'I.'he unparalleled in)[)udcnce of ]J(i;rstler most strikingly appears 
 in a following paragraph. 
 
 "liifutenant-Colonel Ba'.rstler knowing this man to be a vain 
 boastling liar, and suspecting his lidelity, from various circumstan- 
 ces, amongst which was that of havmg joined a committee to remon- 
 strate against the war, and that of coming forv.ard us spokesman, 
 in favor of a man charged by many of liis neighbors, with giving 
 intelligence to the enemy — ho wns heard by Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Mrerstler with indifll-rencc, and disnussed with coolness.'-' 
 
 Here BdU'stler assumes that he knows certain things without giv- 
 ing any probable caus(5 for such knowledge; and moreover, at- 
 tempting to be wiser than any of his acquaintance. An answer to 
 this knowledge may be uecisividy given by referring to the certifi- 
 ralo of iMr. Waldeii and others. As to his suspicions whether they 
 were prompted by his anger or fear, it matters not; one thing is 
 certain, if any v.cll-grounded suspicions were liad by BoM'stlcr, why 
 did he not cause the immediate arrest of said Chnpin, and iiavo him 
 tried? \Vhat will the world think of u brave Lieutenant-Colonel, 
 wiio should so fnr forget his duty to his country, as to suffer a soi 
 disanf ofliccr to pass around the lino of encampment — to "hear him 
 with indifference, and dismiss him with coolness?" This statement 
 either carries falsehood on the face of it, or else Ba^rstler was a trai- 
 tor to his trust. 
 
 As has already born said, it is ungenerous to invade the precincts 
 of the tomb. Were Rtrrstler alivr, he would disavow the narrative, 
 
 i 
 
* 1^ 
 
 ci; \: 
 
 ii;;\i::\v or Ai'.'.u;i'Ro\ti s 
 
 i V 
 
 i!!(; ):!';i:- 
 
 •t. as 
 
 •OVC.i IiV 
 
 w;'. 
 
 hv i.i 
 
 aiiu 
 
 ' '•••'-',■ 
 
 t )\v:in.i:; (.Iciioral li^'.wis — 1 
 
 ji/l<> oi ;•. 
 
 l^'W :;::i: I 
 
 !id li: 
 
 ii.-i 
 
 iliuri'-;, aim 
 
 '.i.-.;iiei );i- < 1 li 
 
 would IMt, ii" .1: 
 
 n.i.iity, as I; ^ riilii'iu.; li,; \va.< oi" ".Uaj or (Jiiapin,""' li 
 
 r..ivo ti 
 
 artLiui;-!!! t. 
 
 tl 
 
 Luiij 111 Iks pre- 
 
 St'iiCl" 
 
 It 
 
 [S V.'I'.V It'.'f 
 
 (j.rai'iv ;:ii;) 
 
 crt'iut, that i'li'i'.si;., r was a iiiaii su; 
 
 \vn, if tlio narrator is worthy of 
 L ti) fits oi" viul:Mn anger — a 
 
 S> 
 
 victii'.i t(j fi'ar — a slave to unv, arvaiiJab!;.; sii.:[):cirHi.;, ar.ii above all, 
 an inio!(-r;;')iy va;:i n:an. in t!iis vi^w (jf ih.- su'oii't;;, t'ao (juestion 
 recurs — to \v!;;it 'J>\^iv(; of crc.iitis his :-;atoniO!;t i'utilli;>l' It is bn- 
 liovc;!, to n )n(\ iftlie writ..r lias siicc('c;'t:il in ovcrtlirowiiig his 
 cro<l:t, it i'- tlinagbt th" cr<;!l"t of tI;o '■•IsoV.v ■^.■' is .- lialccn to tli(3 can- 
 tn — for it is bclii.'vid in coniir.on aifairs of life, if a witness is im- 
 pi'acJunl in material points, his w'aulo oNiv.'iico f I'is to tli ' groan:!. 
 
 Wliat ac..-"ssion ti.-n, it may be: a k.'d, i.i ihi-; "Notices" to tho 
 rich niine of hist )r:csl knowlodg"'? in tlu' cvcntfu! days referred to, 
 in tiieir pag"s, may it not safely b^ i.iferr •], tl;it nii'cii, very in'-ich 
 of discoloring of facts, has been ;iidn!g d Int Whether this hap- 
 pened through ni;il:ce or ignorance, is a matter of whicli, tho public 
 arc the better iudn;es. 
 
 The iiKiii u !io iiidu't' s ia a hive of tiie i.Kirvtdlonii — or who seidis 
 lo ridicul'-^ ihoso wlioin he ciiiinot equal in virtue, is upon the whole 
 view iif the ease, a b -iny to be pitii:d rather than (-nvi 'd. It is be- 
 lieved that an i!nnea..;!uiK'nt of the veraeily of the "Notices" is sub- 
 stantiedly mad;; out: at eiiy rate, so far fu'ih iv.^ tiie writer himsill', 
 is concerned, it is a pour Cvcu :0 to p!e;i 1 i^-norauc; of facts, while 
 they are within tlie reacli of a historian, and a most wretched expe- 
 dient to substitute fiction f)r Irulh, or ^iarca an I'oc candiil inference. 
 [iCave is now taken ot' t!ie subi"cl for the pres^'iit, with a wish tliat 
 the author of the' "Xotices*' may rest satisiled with his laurels won, 
 cither as a soldier or historian, in that retirement, from which In; 
 ought not to iiave emerged, in compassion to liis repu1ati<jn. 
 
 Nothing mm'c Jn eil, perhaps, lie udi'ed, unless somilhing like tin; 
 furow ingcNti'ac'. 
 
 "What is i'.istory? Is ii tlw elotpienee of fdvy — the shrew (Iness 
 of Tacitus, I'V the |pro|"(innd sen.-edl' rcjlybius? .Not only those who 
 liave participated in ih'; condiiet of national all'urs, but those also, 
 whose attention has ije'cii engrossed b\ per .on d concerns, cannot 
 have Hiiled to observe, tlial fads, as widl as motives, are freque-nlly 
 niisreinrsontcd — that events are attributed to causes whicIi never 
 
NOTICnS 01." Til!: WAU. 
 
 4i 
 
 :-i-:i! L':v,-i.s — lii.-i 
 ill Intiiaii'-;, aiul 
 jr ('iKipiii,"-' lu' 
 iiuDj i;i his prc- 
 tor is wcvi'thy of 
 lohin anger — a 
 , ar.ii abDvc all, 
 
 Ct, tllC (jllCjti-,)!! 
 
 ilL'il? If is bn- 
 I'fi'tlirowiiig lui.; 
 i.'ica t(j tlx' cTMi- 
 i w iiiioss is iin- 
 ) til ! gm;in;l. 
 \'oticcs" to (hi: 
 ays roirrrcd to, 
 'cii, very much 
 I'tli.'f tiiis ha])- 
 hich, t!i(; public 
 
 — or who s.'cks 
 
 upon tli(3 \vho!i> 
 
 vi 'd. It is Ik> 
 
 otici's" is sab- 
 
 vrilci' himsi ir, 
 
 ol" facts, v.hilo 
 
 vreichcJ e\pe- 
 
 iili.l iiiiVrciicf^. 
 
 ith a wish fiiat 
 
 s lauii'Is Wdii, 
 
 froiu whl(_'h ho 
 
 talion. 
 
 • ihiiig like the 
 
 shrewdness 
 ally those wlio 
 lit those also, 
 ciTiis, cannot 
 in; frequently 
 
 which never 
 
 existed, while llio "c;".! causcjj rcMKiia eo)iG'.':v! \\. riVsLiiMptiouy 
 writers, air'cli;!t^ ki'.owledyo they do mA. posscris, uiidci'takc 
 to instruct i;i:iiii.iiid i-y sjieclo;;s ttorics fuund^'J on idle nun'.'r 
 and vague coi!ji\;lure. T1j.>:;.i v. ho are well infoniicd smile at 
 
 ddce.'.'s: it seems. 
 
 the iollv. (Ireat hiinds ui:.;i.l.iin t;') t,';! thoi:.' own :; )0 
 
 o 
 
 nior(y)ver, to thosij v/liO litivc ;;;ai 
 
 wl ..• 
 
 .,', 
 
 P't'DuC huicaiess, almost nu- 
 
 nossibh; tliat the tiillo tattle of ignoraac;.: shouhl meet wilh beliel". 
 Novertheloss, such writing's, tli ougli sheltered by coiitcinpt, iVuni 
 c:.n;eniporaiioous contr;iiJicl.:on, are raked out, ia a succccdisiy age, 
 iVom uhe asl;es of oblivion, iind ieli..d on as aalhorily. History, 
 cvvaipiied fro;n such materials, can hardly teach l!;e sei. nc; (jf hu- 
 laaa nature. It is, at b.:. t, an euterlaiiiing ikjA'cI v/ilh ihj oriauneiit 
 of real names. I'hilosopliy, iirleed, a! a later day, may bring her 
 balance of [)ro'.):ibility, put the evidviic.' of oilicial facts in diilbrent 
 scales, an(l deduce fair-seeming coni.dusioiis from an assumed pnan- 
 ciple that man is a ralionj.l creature. Dut is fli;it assnm[ition just? 
 or, rather, does i;ot history sbovr, ai:d e\pei'ience ]!rove, that he is 
 swajed (rom th" course Vv-liieli reason indicates, by passion, by iuiio- 
 kaice, aiid even caprice? When the foundation is i'alse, the super- 
 structure must fall. Hiich v/ritiiigs, tk^aefore, Iiowever illumined 
 by the rays of gi^nius, or adorned by the charms of st}le, instead of 
 shi.iwing man a just image of Vv hat he is, will frequently exhibit the 
 delusive semblance of v. hat Ir.' is not." — (Fan. d'cr. Alurria^ Din. 
 lo N. Y. Hist. l^nr. Alh lycplnuhrr, I'^JiO, p. -1, o. 
 
 Il" there is I'oree in the foregoing ilcseriplion, of what history frc- 
 (pieiiily is, and mo!'eover, v.hat it ought to be, it is hoped that those 
 interested, may profit by the delineation, tvj far as relates to the 
 ••i\'oticns," it may widl be wished, that truth and candor will hore- 
 a!K r, always have a due share; of inljiience on tlic conduct of such as 
 shall be desirous of giving an impartial history of our "beloved 
 country," and its invaluable institutions, as well as of the conduct of 
 the actors in the gi'eat struggle for iiid>'[)eailence, iVom 'lie dawn of 
 the revolution, to the latest day (jf its political existence. \\'iih this 
 view, the subject of the "Notices*' will be (lismiss(;d, in doing which, 
 ihe writer will (ady a-k such indulgaiee towards him, as would bo 
 accorded to any other citi/en, under like circumstaiic;'s — to Jiear his 
 :lutcnienls, and pa>s that opinion upcai his conduct during the war; 
 'ho late atlacdc U[i >n his character, in the "Notices,'' before referred 
 
'IH 
 
 t iivriN s r.Evih:\v or AKMSTKONr. a 
 
 lo, in this iK'loncc, nud lie will cheerfully abide the result to wliioh 
 the candid reader slu' 11 arrive. 
 
 '?!, 
 
 i ■'",: 
 
 i ■! 
 
 The imblie.-itioii of the following remarks, though out of place, aud 
 delayed by cireuuistariccs not under my control, will not appear im- 
 proper here: and though I purpose to be concise and pertinent, my 
 intention is to redeem tiie promise 1 made to remind Mr. Armstrong 
 of some facts, aud to make some .suggestions, with a view to his 
 greater accuracy and more particular detail, should he put forth a 
 second volume of his "Notices of the War,"' which from his lirst he 
 has led the public to <'.\pect. 1 sincerely hope, the following obser- 
 vations and facts, may heuelit hitu, and also I'acilitate his labors. 
 
 The first, the greatest object in the progress of war — the primary 
 and most sacred duty of ihose who havu the control when a country 
 is about to be attacked or invaded, is, the protection and security of 
 the National Edifices, Archieves and Functionaries. History informs 
 us, that in Europe, they were subjects of spi'cial care and provision — 
 secured and protected from all danger — i'rom riots and even from 
 disorder. 
 
 In cas(;s when ilclV'nce by force against the invader had become 
 impossible, resort lo trmity has been uniform, and generally avail- 
 ing. Two modem cases may be seen at one glance — the destruc- 
 tion of Moscow by its owners — of Washington by the invader. 
 With the former, treaty — negotiation was out of the question. Jt 
 was a war i'or submission or extermination — slaves fighting slaves — 
 both commanded by despots. With the latter, freemen, citizens, 
 were defending against those, who at least, profess to be free — both 
 commanded by otiicers who ought, and who did profess to be enlight- 
 ened and humane — on our side they were such. It was understood 
 that negotiation was adopted or attempted; if so, the cause of its 
 failure is not known generally. AVashington was abandoned by its 
 defenders, and, to the astonishment of its inhabitants, on the '24th 
 day of August, lbl4, the capitolof these United States, the house of 
 the President, <kc., were destroyed by fire. The next day, the 
 British left the city, and in their own time, returned, unmolested to 
 their shipping. 
 
 ^ 
 
result lo wliioli 
 
 NOTIcr.S 0.' THE \SAF.. 
 
 49 
 
 )Ut of placu, aii(J 
 1 not Jippcar iin- 
 d pertinent, my 
 Mr. Armstrong 
 1 a view to his 
 d he nut forth a 
 from his lirst he 
 following obscr- 
 his labors, 
 .r — the primary 
 when a country 
 
 and security of 
 History informs 
 and provision — 
 
 and even from 
 
 Icr had become 
 !;<'norally avail- 
 c — the destruc- 
 y the invader, 
 e question. Jt 
 
 ifing slaves — 
 men, citizens, 
 
 be free — both 
 s to becnlight- 
 vas understood 
 le cause of its 
 andoncd by its 
 s, on the '24th 
 ■-, the house of 
 ne\t day, the 
 
 unmolested to 
 
 It has been well and truly saiil by an accurate and unbiassed his- 
 torian, that "till! capture of \V;isliiiigton renected disgracj upon 
 thi' '>v whom it ought to have bicu (Icfeiidcd." 
 
 \Vh('th(;r this disgraceful atl'ur was in fact the rcailtof 'Sir. Arm- 
 strong's conduct — his igiioranf.c — his imbeciiily — iasanily, or moral 
 profligacv, 1 am not ;d»!i! lo dctcrniiin'. .Many facts were tlun'e known, 
 and more rumors were adoit. \\'li"ther his baseness was distinctly 
 known to the Executive, or m'M'ely distrusted, and the subject of 
 opinion and general report, is not now material to the public, or to 
 Armstrong bimsell", or his posterity. IJowever it may have been, 
 the President, no doubt, dclerminod and conducted propcrlv and with 
 discretion. I [ad tli 're been spfcilii; evidence, it would, dou')tles9, 
 
 have b(;en made tli" subject o 
 
 and formal investigation, unless 
 
 considered improper and unnecessary from tlu^ character and mag- 
 nitude of the olfenee, or the iusigniiii-ance of the oilender. As the 
 matter now stands, hi ; name and character, will of course be, handed 
 down, by tiie historian, with stioiig imputation, if not stigma. Tho 
 hostile approach of the enomy, ;iiul the [irobablc extent of their force, 
 had, or should lia\e been, for some time known at tiie Department. 
 VVhv then wei'<! not lueans pro\ ided — eiFectual measures |)romptly 
 taken to ensm'e tlu; safety — tlir* s.dvation of tho capito), and the pro- 
 perty appcrtinent, of such inertleulablo vahic to tho nation, at the 
 time, and for sueceiding ag"s? Nothing can ever replace or restore 
 tho Hbraries — the specimens of tlu; works of taste, tho arts and 
 sciences, cVc, which were destroyed. Xo money can repay their 
 valu(\ 
 
 It is consolation however, to evi'ry .Ijurr/nm cili.ia, tliat tlie I'li- 
 ecuti\e (lid. upon tin; n''\t eipuvciition ofthe ap[)oinling power, cause 
 the Secretary to \y: n-movi d, and tbwt important ollice to be filled by 
 a more trust-worthy ineumbi'ut — \Viiliam If. Crawford. .^Ir. Arm- 
 strong then had the privilege to refiie with the spioils of oHice, if not 
 ofthe I'uemy, to W^'^ Hook — thiri', without intrusion or disturbance, 
 to reviow bis \arious ae( , and doing-^, and to pondir upon the 
 vicissitudes ol' lifo and lortune, and ujsoii his own frailties. One 
 more suggestion, and for the present, at least, I shall consider my- 
 self, at liberty to leave Mr. Anu'^trong in t!;e (|u o; and uninterrupt- 
 ed 0('cunan( y ol" hi-; d iinieili- and family friends in 1 Hitchess. 
 
 When I wa-, by biiu, a 'eiiseil of beinrx "a van toasting liar — a 
 '.U)wanl — a irailor to my country,"' A;c ; wlien he iiail given puhli- 
 
50 
 
 CHAPIN 3 REVIF.W. 
 
 i ■-• 
 I 
 
 \ t 
 
 • It , 
 
 I ' 
 
 City and pLM'manency to tliose accusations in the shape of historicrii 
 "Noticos of tho War," dcsignocl for posterity, I did not appeal U. 
 and rely upon my friends and fellow-citizens exclusively. Their 
 <-'vidcnce niiglit have been considered or represented as too feeblu, 
 pcrhap?; tainted with friendship or jiartiajity. I had resort to thv 
 testimony of the enemy. Captain Fit/gibbon — the British offi- 
 cer, to whom I, with my select corps of sharp-shooters, was sur- 
 rendered l)y ^fr. Armstrong's favored friend, and the authority for 
 his libels, Pxerstler — In; willingly and most promptly step[)ed for- 
 ward and certified against those libels of this our own i)rofesse<l 
 historian. 
 
 Sifuat(,'d as ^Ir. Armstrong was at tho time — Secretary at War 
 of the United States, he, of course, can reailily command their cer- 
 tificates of his patriotism — his devotion to his country, its rights and 
 its preservation. They were, nnf]Ut;stionabIy, manifested to thost- 
 otBeers at the time. If not, hi-i situation is certainly not now envi^ 
 ble. lie can tind relief antl consolation, only, in the reflection that 
 this is a world of vice and misery, filled with ungrateful unfeeling 
 nicn, clothed with the ensigna of wealth and ofiicial station. There 
 I shall leave him to repose;, t^lniu'id he deem it necessary or feasi- 
 ble further to attack my character o_^r my conduct, or require of me 
 personally, either advice, information or chastisement, [ shall at all 
 times, hold myself in readiness to answer his call; mean while, re- 
 majning as usual, tlie public's humble servant, 
 
 CYllEiNIllS CIIAPIN. 
 
 Bujfalo, Scptcmhcr, 22d, 1830. 
 
 
 
 Krrata. — Pagfo 0, in rnmarks followincf oxtrarls from Armstronfr's 'Xoticea- 
 3d linn t'roiii coiniiienccment, instoaii of ''bi'lbro the cxjiedition ordorcd out," 
 read "lictoro llu' pxpcditiou iras ordered out," iVo. Same pafjp, 5(11 lim; in re- 
 marks, iubtead of '-wliat tin' expedition," read "llial tli(! cxpeditmn," Ac. rafr*- 
 Ul, lltli Iiik; fioin top, instead ot'-tiio President exercised n diserelion neccssa- 
 ly," read "tho ['resident exercised a discretion iii(i'.<.iiinlii," &c. l'af;o ',\7, 4t>' 
 line from toj), insti'ud nf '•! or^ranised, controlled and assisted to retake," reati 
 "I or^ranised, controlled and assisted ii piirhj to retake," Ac. Tafre I!l(, in (Jen 
 Porter's letter, 1th hne from holtom, instead of "conmnssions wiiich wore COKf 
 fined to yuu," ruud couimissious wliich were euiiJiiUd to you," &c. 
 
 > 
 
 
ilinpe of liistorica. 
 
 did not appeal U. 
 clusivcly. Tlicir 
 itcd as loo fc(!blo, 
 iiad resort to thv 
 -thfc British offi- 
 liootcrs, was sur- 
 
 tho authority lot 
 ptiy stcp[)ctl fop- 
 ir own pro lbs sod 
 
 Secretary at AVar 
 niniand their cer- 
 try, its rights and 
 iiilbstod to thoso 
 ly not now enviu- 
 he reflection tliat 
 grateful unfeehng 
 d station. Thorc 
 cessary or Icasi- 
 or require of ine 
 ^nt, 1 shall at all 
 mean while, Te- 
 
 t;S CIIAPIN. 
 
 nstronfr's 'Xotices. 
 itioii onli^rcd out," 
 >ii{rp, r)tli lim; in re- 
 'ditioii," Ac. Vug*' 
 (liscrction n^ccsfla- 
 Ac. rago ;!7, 4th 
 ed to rcliiko," reaii 
 l'ii<ro :i!), ill (Jen 
 IS which were coi>^ 
 ,"&c.