444 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



conveniently employed against 

 other parts. 



Brigadier - General Hull was 

 charged with this provisional ser- 

 vice, having under his command 

 a body of troops, composed of re- 

 gulars and of volunteers from tlie 

 state of Ohio : having reached his 

 destination, after his knowledge of 

 the war, and possessing discretion- 

 ary authority to act offensively, 

 he passed into the neighbouring 

 territory of the enemy with a 

 prospect of an easy and victorious 

 progress. The expedition, never- 

 theless, terminated unfortunately, 

 not only in a retreat to the town 

 and fort of Detroit, but in the 

 surrender of both, and of the gal- 

 lant corps commanded by that of- 

 ficer. The causes of this painful 

 reverse will be investigated by a 

 military tribunal. A distinguisli- 

 ing feature in the operations which 

 preceded and followed this adverse 

 event, is the use made by the ene- 

 my of the merciless savages under 

 their influence. Whilst the bene- 

 volent policy of the United States 

 invariably recommended peace, and 

 promoted civilization amongst that 

 wretched portion of the human 

 race, and was making exertions to 

 dissuade them from taking either 

 side in the war, the enemy has 

 not scrupled to call to his aid their 

 ruthless ferocity, armed with the 

 horrors of those instruments of 

 carnage and torture which are 

 known to spare neither age nor 

 sex. In this outrage against the 

 laws of honourable war, and a- 

 gainst the feelings sacred to hu- 

 manity, the British commanders 

 cannot resort to a plan of retalia- 

 tion ; for it is committed in the 

 face of our example. They can- 

 not mitigate it by calling it a self- 



defence against men in arms, for 

 it embraces the most shocking 

 butcheries of defenceless families : 

 nor can it be pretended that tliey 

 are not answerable for the atroci- 

 ties perpetrated, since the savages 

 are employed with the knowledge, 

 and even with menaces, that their 

 fury could not be controlled. Such 

 is the spectacle which the deputed 

 authorities of a nation boasting its 

 religion and morality, have not 

 been restrained from presenting to 

 an enlightened age. 



The misfortune of Detroit was 

 not, however, without a consoling 

 effect. It was followed by signal 

 proofs, that the national spirit rises 

 according to the pressure on it. 

 The loss of an important post, and 

 of the brave men surrendered with 

 it, inspired every where new ar- 

 dour and determination. In the 

 state and districts least remote, it 

 was no sooner known, than every 

 citizen was eager to fly with his 

 arms at once to protect his bre- 

 thren agains| the blood-thirsty sa- 

 vages let loose by the enemy on 

 an extensive frontier; and to con- 

 vert a partial calamity into a source 

 of invigorated efforts. This patri- 

 otic zeal, which it was necessary 

 rather to limit than excite, has 

 embodied an ample force from the 

 states of Kentucky and Ohio, and 

 from parts of Pennsylvania and 

 Virginia. It is placed with the ad- 

 dition of a few regulars under the 

 command of Brigadier-Gen. Har- 

 rison, who possesses the entire con- 

 fidence of his fellow-soldiers ; 

 among whom are citizens, — some 

 of them volunteers in the ranks,— 

 not less distinguished by their po- 

 litical stations, than by their per- 

 sonal merits. 



The greater portioa of this force 



is 



