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111-on !■ adopted measures for the relief of their friends in Natchez. This awful calamity has created a sensation here in New Orleans that will not soon be forgotten. ’ MORfTvVHIG TESTIMON Y. Let the reader hear in mind that the Author of the following letter, Gover* ior Duncan, of Illinois, it a decided Whig: Letter of Gen. Duncun, Gov • of Illinois. “Washington City, March 25,1 HAG. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 20th has been received, and I most cheer fully comply with your request, in giving such an account of the transac tions at Sandusky, as my memory, at this period, and my time, will enable me to do. “About the 20th of July 1813,Gen eral Hariison,then at Lower Sandusky heaitng that the British army had crossed Lake Erie, to Fort Meigs, being about live thousand strong, im mediately changed his head quarters to Seneca, seven or eight miles up the Sandusky river, where he assembled his forces, then on the march from the interior, leaving Major Croghan, with about 150 men,to defend Fort Stephen son, with an understanding, at the time, that the fort, then in a weak and wretched condition, wag to be aban doned, should the enemy advance with artillery, but if not, to be.defended to the last extremity. “Harrison, with his force,then small had scarcely left us, before Croghan commenced putting the fort (which was only a stockading of small round logs, and a few log store houses) in a proper state of defence, in which he evinced the most admirable judgment and the most untiring perseverance. “During the last ten or twelve days that intervened between the time that Gen. Harrison left us and the appear ance of the enemy, a ditch was dug, four feet deep and six feet wide,entire ly round the fort,outside of the stockad ing, the ground for 200 yards round < the fort was cleared of timber and brush, and many other preparations made for the enemy. “About this time Gen. Harrison re ceived information tha* the enemy had raired the siege at Ko; t Meigs, and had started in the direction ol Sandusky and Camp Seneca. On receiving this intelligence he determined to letreat from lus position, and immediately sent an express to Fort Stephenson, which arrived about sum-iae, ordering Maj. Croghan to burp the fort, with all the munitions and stores, end retreat without delay to head quarters,giving also, some precautionary instructions about the route, &c. “On receiving this order, Croghan instantly placed it in the hands of the officers, who were all present, and re quired them to consider it and express an opinion of the propriety of obeying or disobeying it.—The board was formed, and on putting the question, beginning, as usual with the youngest officer,it was ascertained that a majori ty of us were for disobeying the order. Croghan returned to the room, and being informed of our directions,said, u lam glad of it\ I had resolved to pisobey at ALL hazards,” and imme diately despatched an express to Gen. Harrison, giving him that information. Immediately on the arrival of this Ex press Gen.* Harrison despatched Lt. Col. Ball,with his squadron of dragoons with orders to arrest Croghan, and bring him to head quarters,(which was done,) and sent another officer to take com mand. By this time, in consequence of his not arriving agreeably to his ex pectations and orders, the General abandoned all idea of a retreat, al though his munitions and stores were piled up ready to be set on tire as soon as Croghan snould reach Seneca; and it is not to be doubted that if Croghan had arrived according to orders Harrison would have re treated instantly, leaving the whole frontier, our fleet at Erie, end the stores at Cleveland—the destruction of which was the object of the invasion I and movements down the lake— at the mercy of the enemy ! ! ! “Alter being detained one night Croghan returned to Sandusky, and was reinstated in his command, an oc casion which gave indescribable joy to the officers and soldiers in the fort, and which on'y could be equalled.in intern sity of feeling, by the chagrin and mortification felt at his arrest. Es pecially was the event pleasing to those officers who had sustained him in disobeying the order, resolved as they were, when he was arrested, to 1 shire his fate, be good or evil. “Soon after his return, the enemy so long-expected made his appearance, & demanded a surrender. Croghan an swered, by directing Ensign Shipp to assure General Proctor that it would be blown to fust. “I need baldly say, after what has been related, that their appearance, * lieving us from our long suspense, was hailed with seeming joy by the Major, and most, if not all his. com mand. “The excitement produced by what had occurred, and Ins return just in lime to meet the enemy, inspired his command with an enthusiasm rarely if ever surpassed, and which alone ren ders men invincible. “The fort was forthwith besieged, cannonaded, and bombarded, from the gunboats and the batteries on land, for nearly four hours, without cessation; duiing all which time every oflkernnd soldier appeared to be animated by the cool and manly bearing of the, commander. “I well remember his expression at the first sound of the bugle, given by 1 the enemy as the signal for thetharg- j ing upon the woiks. We were silting ! together; he sprung upon his feet, say- ’ ing,‘Duncan, every man to his post, for in twenty minutes they will attempt to take us by storm. Recollect, when you hear my voice crying relief, come to me with all the men that can he spared from your part of the line.” He instantly parsed up the line,repeat ing to every officer, and had scarcely got the men in place before the whole British army, divided into 3 columns marched upon the fort, and made a desperate assault, continuing it for near an hour,when they were repulsed with a loss of killed and wounded, estimated at that lime to be near, double the nnmber in the fort, and is stated by English writers to be about ninety. “During the engagement, I saw Croghan often and witnessed with de light his intrepid and gallant conduct,; which, I firmly believe, never has been surpassed at any time, on any occasion. “In the heat of the action, I fre quently heard him exclaim, ‘huzza my brave fellows, we are hewing them to pieces; five minutes more, and we’ll blow them to —. By M— n every officer and soldier has immortalized himself,” &c. And throughout the whole affair, he evinced the greatest solicitude for the safety of every one but himself. “The sagacity displayed in arrang ing the cannon, so'as to open a mask embrasure to rake the enemy in the ditch, at a point evidently selected by them for the breach—in placing the logs on pins near the top of the picket, which could be tilted off by one man, and from twenty to thirty long, of heavy timber, swept every thing before them—his activity in piling bags ol sand against the pickets wherever the enemy attempted to make a* breach with their cannon, by which means each.point of attac k grew stronger from the moment it was assail ed, a. e worthy of any general of any age. “You are right,sir, in my judgment in saying that the Government has not done justice to Col. Croghan for his conduct in that affair, which is without a parallel in the military annals of our country. ■* “M’Affee, the historian of the late war, and Dawson, the biographer of Gen. Harrison, have studiously kept out of view, that the object of (he in vasion was (he destruction of our ships, under Com. Terry, at Presque Isle,and boats and stores at Cleave land these were looked upon with solicitude by the British—weie reconnoitered—and on one or two occasions,were attempted to be destroyed by landing on board their fleet. They have also failed to account foi the movement of the Brit ish forces down the lake, in the direc tion of Clcaveland and Erie, before their defeat at Sandusky, which was attacked to satisfy their Indian allies, who demanded the scalps and plunder of the place. They have kept out of view the fact, that Gen. Harrison had determined to retreat to the interior, after burning all the supplies which he had collected; OCT that he ordered Major Croghan to abandon and burn Fort Stephenson; that his refusal to obey, isnd failure to arrive at head, quarters, pre vented this retreat and I consequent destruction of our fleet, millions of public stores, and exposure, ofsoo miles of frontier to the combined enemy ! e**Both have stated that Gen. Harri- ! son never doubl'd that Major Croghan would he able to repulse an enemy of near two thousand and which (hey say lie understood to be five thousand, with one hundred and thirty men, his aflec-, five force on the day of battle, one six pouinder with ammunition for only seven shots, and about forty rounds for the small arms; when the fact was no-! tcrious that General Harrison wa g •heard to say duiing the siege, when i the firing could be heard in his camp’ | speaking of Croghan, “the blood be on • ha own head ; l wash my hands of it!!” not doubting for a moment, nor did any oue with him, that the garrison would be cut off.—With great respect your obedient servant, JOSEPH DUNCAN. Col. Preston, Military Com. Senate.” from the Globe. THE VICE PRESIDENCY. The Convention friendly to the pres ent Administration, which met at Balti more on the sth of May, to recommend candidates at the next election foi President and Vice President, having adjourned after declining to nominate for the Vice Presidency, 1 consider myself authorized to inteifere in that question so far as I have been made personally interested in it. I The Union party in Georgia, which did me the honor very unexpectedly, jto make an unconditional nomination of me for that office, last year, had the kindness, in conformity to my wishes, , to change that nomination into an ex jpressionof preference, and to refer the subject to the decision of those who were expected,fairly representing their political friends, to decide upon it. No decision having been made, un ion and concert of action are not now to be anticipated. According to the present stale of things, no friend of the Administration can hope for an elec tion by the people. The for tunate can be thrown only high enough on the electoral poll to secure the chance of being chosen by the Senate. Whoever succeeds, then, will occupy his place with the perfect knowledge | that lie owes his elevation to the par- j | tialily of a fragment of his own parly, j and holds it against the decision of a majority of his fellow-citizens. Withhold the sustaining power of; public approbation,and the honor and ! emoluments of public office in all free! countries, and particularly in this, are ; but poor recompenses for the labor performed, the reponsibilities incurred and the gross misrepresentations inevit ably encountered in fulfilling its duties. During a large and not unsuccessful public career, I have never yet been placed in a situation to doubt that the position 1 occupied was agreeable to the wishes of the great majority of those to whom belonged the right to control it. I desire public station on no other terms. Without denying to the Union party in Georgia, or to any other portion of my fellow-citizens, the right to use my name, if, in their opin ion, it will be beneficial to the public, it will not be further mixed up in this contest if mv wishes are respected. While the contest continues, it would be a source of vexation to me, and I would be considered a success ful result, if attainable, would utford me no personal gratification. JOHN FORSYTH. From the Globe, Miy 1 1 . To the Public. —Finding it impossi ble,in consequence ofenfeebled health, to perform the duties of Postmaster General in a satisfactory manner, I have lesigned that office, to take effect as soon as my successor can be appoint ed. Not having been fortunate enough to accumulate wealth in a public office I am under the necessity of resorting to 6uch private employment as is suit ed to my strength and condition, for the purpose of meeting the current ex penses of a considerable family. A few hours each day devoted to the pen, leaving an abundance of time for relaxation and exercise, I have found by experience, for the excitement of composition, to be rather conductive to health than injurious; and this ir the occupation, above all others, most agreeable to my taste and my present inclination. Messrs. Blair and Rives have kindly c fife red me the profits of suehsubenp | tion to the Exit a Globe f<>r the present season, as may be raised on my account and I have consented to contribute ‘o it until November next, if such a num her of subset ihers shall be obtained as will warrant that step. lam the more inclined to this devo tion of my time from a desire to pre vent any misconstruction of the mo i lives which have led to my resigna tion. I wish to satisfy the whole world that no dissatisfaction with the Presi dent or his administration, no indisposi tion to render it the utmost support in my power, no distrust of its measures or its designs, has had any effect in de termining me to prefer a private to a public station. On the contrary', my confidence in the President, in his in : tegiity, his principles, and his firmness have increased from the day 1 was first officially associated with him; my re lations with every member of his Cabi net have been uniformly of a most friendly character, and my devotion to the gieat measures which have been, and still are sustained by the Admans (ration, knows no abatement. The leading principles avowed by the Pre sident I look upon as essential to the preservation of liberty and a Govern merit of (hepeopl;: and if I had sup pooed that my resignation could eu danger Petr success, I should have clung to office as I would to life. A3 soon as the necessary arrange ments are made, proposals, with a more extended addreat,will be present ed to the friends of the Administration. AMOS KENDALL. xMay 11,1810. From tht Southern Banner. GEN. HARRISON’S MILITARY ACHIEVEMENTS. The Whig partisans of Gen. Harri* son, appear to rest their strongest hopes of his succeeding to the Presi dency,upon the evidence,they endeavor to adduce in support of his claim to the title of a military hero. And in produc ing this evidence, they are by no means scrupulous as to the source from whhh they derive it,or whether it agiees with or falsifies authentic history. Notwith standing their horror heretofore of mili tary cheiftains—notwithstanding they would a few years since, have prefered “war, pestilence and femine,” to the elevation of a military man to the Pres idency, all their energies are now di rected to prove that Gen. Harrison was an able General, and will conse quently make a good President. Al though we are not among those who be lieve that a military man cannot pos sess civil qualifications in an eminenl degree,as did Gen. Jackson, yet we I have never considered that mere mill jtary services or capacity, ought to en title any one to a high civil station, j Hence, were the Whigs able to show j their candidate to be the greatest Gen ! eral of the age, we should contend that he must possess sound political princi ples and great capacity as a statesman I before he should claim or be entitled |to the suffrage of the people. But it happens, unfortunately for them, that the reputation of their favorite as a warrior, is not so transcendantly brilli ant as they effect to believe. His ca pacity even in (his respect, has been questioned, not only since he became the Whig candidate for President, but before an aspiration so high, probably entered his mind or that of any of his friends. We would not pluck from his brow one well earned laurel: we would not detract from him one iota ol the commendation he deserves; but when his exploit are so magnified by the partialities of Federal whiggery; when he is attempted to be proven to be so much the superior of a Washing ton and Jackson, and even ofan Alex ander and a Bonaparte, it becomes the duty of those wfe© have some regard for the reputation of our other great com manders, which is in danger of being eclipsed by the newly discovered fame ol Gen. Harrison, to place him in his true light before the people. This we shall endeavor briefly to do. The battle of Tippecanoe is the one from which the General obtained his name, and one probably m which he saw harder fighting than it was ever his lot to witness on any other occasion. This wag an Indian battle, and happen ed in the year 1811. He had been sent to procure redress for injuries done by the Sli.iwanese Indians, to the white inhabitants in their neighbor hood. It is unnecessary to give an ac count of the march of his troops—it is to be found in every history of the Uni ted Slates; and that, as well as the in cidcnts connected with (lie battle, an piobably familiar to the reader. The error he has been accused ofcommit ting, was in permitting the Indians to select his camping ground on the night of the bhltle. This has been strenuous ly denied, and some, (at least our “Whig” neighbor,in their anxiety to defend him, declare that the Indians could not have known where he encamp ed, although they found and attacked him before morning? To rebut thesd Whig declarations on this point, we would refer to Ramsay’s History of the United Stales, vol. 3 page 143, where the historian, in giv- J ing an account of the battle, says, “'/’Ac: army was encamped upon the ground that had been designated by the Indians .” But if this is not deemed proof enough let us hear Geneial Harrison himself. In a report of the battle, written elev en days after it occured, we have proof positive of the correctness of the charge against him, under iiis own hand. We make the following extract from his report: “During the whole of the last day’s inarch, parties of Indians weie constantly about us, and every ef fort was made by the interpreters to speak to them, hot in vain-—new attempts of the kind were now made hut proving equally mffectual, a Captain Dubois, of the spies and guards, offering to go with a flag to the town, I dispatched him with an j mtepreter to request a conference with the prophet— in a few moments u inos-ojo was scut by Cupt. Dubois to inform me ihntin his attempts to* advance, the Imans appeared in both his flanks an although he had spoken to them i the most friendly manner they refued to answer, but beckoned to him o go forward and constantly endevoting to cut him off fiom the amy. Upon this in formation, I realled the captain, and determine* to encamp for the night and take ome other measures for opening the conference with the prophet. Whie 1 was engaged in tracing the liies for the encamp ment, Maj. Da tes, who commanded the dragoons, eme up to inform ine that he had peietrated to the Indian fields, that the ground was entirely open & favonble— that the Indians in front had mmifested nothing hut hostility, and had answered attempt to briig them to a parley with contemp and insolence. It was immediately advised by all the officers around me to move forwaiAjiil A similar wish indeed, pervaded un|n the army—itwis drawjv“%Jn excel lent order and every appeared eager to decide the contest imme mediately. We had not advanced above four hundred yards, when 1 was informed that three Indians had approached the advance guard and had expres* sed a wish to speak o me. I iound upon their arrival that one of them was a man in great estimation with the lie informed me that the chiefs were much surprised 1 1 my advancing upon them so rapidly —that they were given to understand by the Delewars and Miamies whom I had sen! to them a few days before that I would not advance to their town, until 1 hud received an answer to my demands made through them. I answered that I had no intention of attacking them until I discovered that they would not comply with the demand which I had made—that I would go on and encamp at the Wabash, and in the morning would have an interview with the prophet and his chiefs,and to explain to them the determination of the President that in the mean time no hostilities should ho committed. 1 informed him that rry object for the present was to procure a good piece of ground to encamp on, where we could get wood &l water—-he in formed me theie was a creek to the northwest which he thought would suit our purposes. * * * I found the ground destined for the encamp ment not altogether such as I could wish it—it was indeed admirably calculated for the encampment of regular troops thut were opposed to tegulars, but it afforded great facili ty to the approach of savages. It was a piece of dry oak land, rising about ten feet above the level of the mat shy prairie in front (U>w..r.! the Indian town,) and neatly twice that height above a similar prairie in the rear, thro’ which, and near to this bonk ran a small stream clothed with willows und other brush wood. Towards the left lank this bench of highland widened considerably, but became gradually narrower in the opposite direction,and at the distance of one hundred and fifty yards from the right flank, terminated in the übrupl point.” Here we have the General’s ad’ mission, that although the Indians “manifested nothing but hostility,” he yet allowed them to select the ground for his encampment; and giound too,whichfhe saysjiimself,“af forded great facility to the approach of savages.” The savages did ap proach, and in the encounter, we had 62 killed and 126 wounded, while the Indians left from 36 to 40 dead | upon the field. Then General had more than 700 men engaged in tha battle, while the Indian force was 450 or 500. yv&a this a great vic tory? Was glory enough acquired in it, to entitle the commander to the Presidency If the Gen. had been well acquainted with the Indian character when he had arrived at the prophet’s , town,with an army burning to < ngage the enemy he would have proceed ! ed at once to execute the obji ct of his missions. He would have n ade his demands forthwith and compelled tl.o Indians to yield to them, or chastised them on the spot. He certainly show ed very poor talent at generalship,in adopting the course he did. Would Jackson oi Gaines have done so, think you readei? Would they have confided in savages, distinguished a* they are for treachery? No one will believe it for a moment; and no candid man can award the meed of talent, prudence or sagacity to Gen. Harrison iu this utTuir.