to carry it on to success; both appreciated each other's feelings at Hull's disgraceful surrender, and were alike sensitive to the inflammatory appeals, daily made by the friends of England, to excite the prejudices of the people of the country. It was but natural, therefore, that Mr. Rush should make Colonel Cass' acquaintance, upon his reaching the seat of government, and evince an intense anxiety to be made acquainted with the posture of affairs at the north-west; and it was equally natural that Colonel Cass should be perfectly willing to gratify his friend, occupying a confidential position under the administration, and, as the most satisfactory mode of doing so, should read to him his report to the Department of War. He did so, and Mr. Rush, unlike his silly clerk, had the good sense not to precede that department in its promulgation to the world.

5

CHAPTER V.

Action of War Department-Of Congress-General Assembly of Ohio-Confidence in Colonel Cass-Colonel in U. S. Army-Raises a Regiment-Elected Major General of the Militia-Appointed Brigadier General in U. S. Army-Joins the Army under General Harrison at Senecatown-Ardor of his Command-General Harrison's Confidence in him-The Enemy at Lower Sandusky-Major Croghan-His Gallant Defense-Artifice of the British Officers-General Harrison marches to Sandusky -Perry's Victory-Embarkation on Lake Erie-Harrison assigns Command of Debarkation to General Cass-Arrival at Malden-Proctor's Retreat-Council of War-Pursuit of Proctor-Battle of the Thames-Defeat and Flight of Proctor-Pursued by General Cass-Harrison's Testimony to Gene ral Cass' Personal Exertions-His Bravery.

The administration, acting upon the report of Colonel Cass, verified by the unanimous approbation of all his fellow soldiers, no longer doubted that the disastrous result at Detroit was attributable to the incapacity and cowardice of Hull, and took vigorous steps to retrieve the honor of the American arms. Congress assembled on the fourth of November, after an unusually short recess, and the President immediately invited its attention to the state of affairs at the north-west. An increase of the army was recommended.

The surrender of Detroit, instead of repressing, stimulated the ardor and patriotism of the hardy settlers of the western country, and Ohio had put on foot by the time Congress assembled, some three thousand additional volunteers. In December, Colonel Cass was appointed a Major-General of the Ohio militia, but being yet on his parole, unexchanged, he could not then take an active part in the war. The General Assembly of Ohio also, in the same month, adopted resolutions complimentary to their volunteers, and tendering the thanks of the State to the officers and soldiers for their patriotism, bravery, and general good conduct during the late campaign.

On the fourteenth day of January, 1813, Congress authorized the military force to be increased by such a number of regiments of infantry, not exceeding twenty, as the good of the service might require, and repealed, at a subsequent day of the same session, the law authorizing the further acceptance of volunteers. As the patriotism of Ohio was unquestioned, and her citizens had manifested a readiness on so many trying occasions to answer the call of their country, the President resolved to raise two regiments of regular troops in that State, to wit, the twenty-sixth and the

twenty-seventh. The raising and organization of the last was committed to Colonel Cass. He was exchanged and released from his parole about the middle of January, 1813, and was, therefore, again in a situation to report for duty. He accepted the appointment of the President, and was commissioned a colonel in the regular service. And so great was the confidence of the government in his ability and judgment, that he was clothed with authority to select his own officers (except the field officers,) for the regiment to be placed under his command.

Colonel Cass received his new commission in person at Washington, and soon afterwards repaired to Ohio, to fill up his command. Without difficulty, he succeeded beyond his most sanguine anticipations. It was stirring times there. Mortified beyond measure of expression at the cheap victory of the British, the men of Ohio meant it should be a barren one. And, as they did not now permit themselves to doubt that the Indians, controlled by the arts and eloquence of Tecumseh, were firmly attached to the cause of Great Britain, they came forward and offered their services. The ranks of the twenty-seventh regiment, as well as those of the twenty-sixth, were filled up by the ensuing month of March, and reported ready for duty. The rank of Brigadier General in the Army of the United States was now conferred upon Colonel Cass, as a reward for his meritorious services and unflinching fidelity, and because the government desired to avail itself of the benefit of his invaluable judgment and bravery in the campaign of the ensuing year. The United States, in April, was divided into nine military districts, and Brigadier General Cass was assigned for duty in the eighth, under the command of Major General William H. Harrison, comprising the States of Ohio and Kentucky, and the Territories of Indiana and Michigan.

In conformity to his orders, General Cass left the seat of government early in the spring, and proceeded to the west, to place himself at the head of his brigade. He joined General Harrison at Senecatown in the month of July, with an effective command; and with enthusiastic ardor he looked forward to the hour when, by the blessing of Providence, he should have the unspeakable pleasure of again beholding the glorious stars and stripes floating in triumph from the flag-staff of Fort Detroit.

The object of the present expedition was, the capture of the British army, and re-possession of the lost Territory of Michigan.

The plan of the campaign was to invade Canada by Malden, and having reduced that stronghold of the enemy, to march upon Detroit. Aside from the unfeasibleness of the route by land, at the head of Lake Erie, Tecumseh's trained bands roamed in too great numbers along the edges of the swamps, and over the boundless forests, ready to harass the troops on the march, to justify a movement in that direction. The enemy's war vessels, ready for a hostile engagement, were also ready to intercept, if an effort was made to cross by water; and as General Harrison was directed to act in conjunction with Commodore Perry, then fitting out a fleet at Erie, lower down the lake, it was determined to remain at Senecatown until that flotilla arrived to transport the army to Canada. Here the army remained, employed in drilling and other necessary duties, until the junction of the Kentucky militia, under Governor Shelby, and the victory of Perry, upon Lake Erie, enabled General Harrison to commence offensive operations.

Subsequent events proved the wisdom of this determination. It is to be borne in mind, likewise, by the candid inquirer after truth, that the forces, prior to the arrival of the Kentucky troops, were comparatively few, and had been hastily collected that the advices to head-quarters were to the effect that the proper authorities were making arrangements to furnish the army with reinforcements from all parts of the west; that magazines were forming, and supplies preparing for the accomplishment of the ultimate object of this campaign, as soon as the state of the arrangements and the anticipated command of the lake, should enable the army to move forward with a reasonable prospect of success; that the strength of the enemy, in regular troops, militia, or Indians, was wholly unknown to the commanding officer, and that upon that army rested the last hope of safety for the frontier. It was the point of concentration, and if destroyed, the country would have been laid waste far into the interior, and the prosecution of another offensive campaign during that year, would have been rendered impossible. Such interests were too great to be put to hazard by a false movement, and General Harrison, aided by the constant advice and presence of General Cass, with whom he consulted more than any other officer, resolved to await the result at Seneca town and there to defend himself, if attacked, to the last extremity. The course adopted was approved by all the superior officers who were with him.

On the first of August, one of the scouting parties sent out by General Harrison, returned from the lake shore to camp, and reported that they had discovered, the day before, the enemy in force near the mouth of the Sandusky bay, nine miles to the northward. In the course of the next day, listening with anxiety in the environs of his camp, General Harrison, having heard the report of cannon in the direction of the lake, made several attempts to ascertain the force and situation of the enemy. His scouts were unable to get near the fort at Lower Sandusky, because the Indians surrounded it. Finding, however, that the enemy had only light artillery, and being well convinced that it could make little impression upon the works, and that any attempt to storm would be resisted with effect by Major Croghan, in command of the post with one hundred and sixty inen, he waited for the arrival of two hundred and fifty mounted volunteers, who had, the evening before, left Upper Sandusky, and were momentarily expected. A scout soon came in, and gave information that the enemy were retreating, and General Harrison, with the dragoons that had now arrived, forthwith set out to endeavor to overtake them, at the same time ordering Generals Cass and McArthur to follow rapidly on with all the infantry, (then about seven hundred,) that could be spared from the protection of the stores and sick. He found it impossible to overhaul the enemy. Upon his arrival at Sandusky, it appeared that an unsuccessful attempt to storm the fort had been made by the enemy, consisting of four hundred and ninety regular troops, and five hundred Indians, commanded by General Proctor in person, and that Tecumseh, with some two thousand warriors, was somewhere in the swamps between Senecatown and Fort Meigs, awaiting his advance, or a convoy of provisions. With no prospect of doing anything in front, and apprehensive that Tecumseh might destroy the stores and small detachments in his rear, he sent orders to General Cass, who commanded the infantry, to fall back to Senecatown. Scouting parties were sent out in every direction, who reported that not an enemy was to be seen. On the third of August, General Harrison returned to his head-quarters, and on the fifth received from Major Croghan his official report, from which it appeared that on Sunday evening, the first of August, the enemy made his appearance, and as soon as General Proctor had made such a disposition of his troops as to cut off retreat, should Major Croghan be disposed to make one,