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authority was given to General Clinch to call for any amount of force he might require, from the States of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama; and this measure was taken upon the responsibility of the department, and without any application from that officer; and the necessary requests were transmitted to the executives of these States. And on the tenth and thirteenth of the same month, upon the suggestion of the War Department, orders were given for the employment of three revenue cutters, and for the co-operation of Commodore Dallas' squadron.

The seventeenth of January was "early" in the year 1836. Well; then, upon the seventeenth of January, fearing, from the intelligence, which every day became worse, that the communication with General Clinch might be intercepted, and he thus prevented from executing the orders of the government, General Eustis, then at Charleston, was directed to proceed to Florida, and to take all necessary measures to keep open the communication with General Clinch, and to report to him for further instructions. General Eustis was directed to take with him the garrisons at Charleston and Savannah, and such a portion of the South Carolina militia as he might deem necessary; and the Governor of that State was requested to supply him with that force.

It may be said, again, that the twenty-first of January, 1836, was "early" in that year. Very well; on the previous day the first intimation reached the department of the unquiet disposition of the Creeks, and of the probability of their joining the Seminoles. It instantly became apparent that much more extensive operations might become necessary than had been contemplated. It was immediately determined to adapt the measures to be taken to this new state of things, and General Scott, with ample powers, was, on the twenty-first, ordered to take the command in that quarter, and he had unlimited means placed at his disposal. The measures taken for the employment of the proper force is what the head of the department is responsible for, not the execution of the measures. When a force is directed to any point, the proper military bureaus of the War Department make arrangements with or without the conjunction of the officer commanding, for all the materiel which can be required; and that officer has, besides, the right to make his requisitions, and, if necessary, to make the purchases for everything he needs.

These are details into which no head of the War Department can have time to enter, and it is precisely for their execution that the military bureaus are instituted. The Adjutant General states, in the report before mentioned: "I have not considered it necessary to detail, in this report, the orders given by the various military bureaus of the War Department, to provide the necessary means, such as transportation, ordnance, and ordnance stores, and provisions for the operations in Florida. All the measures in relation to these subjects, which appeared to be necessary, were duly taken." It was, at no time, alledged that the operations in Florida were crippled for want of supplies.

The failure of a campaign is an old subject for crimination and recrimination. In all ages and countries it has been futile in disputes; sometimes confined to the officers themselves, and sometimes extending to the administration of the government. To bring these observations to a close, let it suffice to say that the Secretary of War differed from the commanding officer in relation to the policy to be adopted in carrying out the treaty of Payne's Landing. When it was intimated that some of the Seminoles distrusted the good faith of their chiefs, after their return from their tour of observation beyond the Mississippi, and began to give signs of discontent, General Cass was for urging the removal at once. He would have the emigration commence in the spring of 1835, instead of waiting until the fall or winter following. He had had too much experience with the Indians, and knew their character too well, not to be at least suspicious that, when fall came, another postponement would be asked for, and procrastination would become the studied policy of the Seminole nation at large. By the adoption of vigorous measures of removal, the Indians would be prevented from making much, if any, hostile demonstration; and as to the humanity of the measure, if it was in consonance with right to insist upon removal taking place in 1836, so it was in 1835. Probably, if this policy had obtained, much blood and treasure would have been saved, and many valuable lives spared to the country. As it was, after actual hostilities broke out, all that he could do was to exert all the power which the government possessed in bringing the war to a triumphant termination. This was done, and General Scott took the command, with carte blanche as to men, means, and plans. His measures

were left to his own discretion, and he was authorized to call from the neighboring States such force as he might judge adequate to the attainment of the objects committed to him; and the various military departments were directed to provide and furnish all the supplies demanded. It follows, of course, that the government was not responsible for results. They did what every wise government should do in such a juncture. They sanctioned the full employment of all the means judged necessary by those upon whom was to devolve the conduct of the war. The main reliance, after all, as in most other wars in which our country has been engaged, was necessarily upon the militia. The small amount of our regular army, its dispersed condition, and the numerous points it is called upon to maintain, rendered it impracticable to carry on operations by its means alone, and, added to these considerations, there were, during a part of the Seminole campaign, strong reasons which all will appreciate, having reference to our foreign relations, which rendered it inexpedient to withdraw all the troops from the Atlantic and south-western frontiers.

There was not a report received of the operations in Florida, from the first apprehension of difficulties, which was not submitted to the President, nor any measure of importance taken, which was not first approved by him. No confidence is violated by making this announcement. And it is well known, that from the practice and organization of our government, the heads of the departments are in daily communication with the President, and that all questions of much interest are discussed with him; and to those who know the habits of rigid scrutiny which General Jackson carried with him into public life, it is not necessary to say, that no question could be presented to him which he did not carefully consider. In the examination of papers, he was remarkable for the most patient attention, and it is not invidious to say, that no man brought to every subject quicker powers of perception, nor a more intuitive sagacity. This authority is not resorted to for the purpose of shielding General Cass from responsibility under the constitutional prerogative of the President. The Secretary was ready at all times to acknowledge and feel his own responsibility to the fullest extent, and is always prepared to meet it. The measures directed by him became his measures, whether approved by the President or not; but the opinion of Andrew Jackson, the

Secretary was not indifferent to; and his views concerning the operations in Florida possessed peculiar value, because of his intimate knowledge of the country, and of those Indians who inhabited that region, acquired during years of service there in a military and civil capacity, and of those personal claims to consideration which will be as undying as the history of our country.

CHAPTER XXI.

Battle of New Orleans-Intimacy between General Jackson and General Cass-The Latter at the request of the Former prepares an Authentic Account of the Battle-Appears in the American Quarterly-Defenses of the Country-General Cass' Report on the Subject.

In the December number of the American Quarterly, published at Philadelphia, appeared an article upon a book published in London, in 1834, entitled "A Narrative of Events in the South of France, and of the Attack on New Orleans in 1814 and 1815, by Captain John Henry Cook, late of the forty-third Regiment of Infantry." It was a work not without interest. The author related occurrences which passed before his eyes, during a period of active military service in Europe and America. Many of his descriptions were spirited and racy; and he exhibited a commendable effort at impartiality, and a spirit of free investigation. In his sketches of the battle of New Orleans, he was, however, imperfect; and so many accounts of that important transaction had from time to time appeared-differing from each other—that General Jackson felt a desire that an authentic account should be given, not only of the actual events of the eighth of January, but of the fortnight previous, and of the condition of that part of the country of the true state of his command, and of the difficulties with which he had to contend. He asked his old friend, General Cass, to draw up the paper, and hence the appearance of the article alluded to. It was prepared with much care, and under the eye of General Jackson. It covered, in a condensed form, but yet at sufficient length to go into detail, the history of the attack and defense of New Orleans, and of the glorious triumph of the American arms, and the rout of the British. The style and language, as is usual with all the literary productions of its author, were inviting, and gave the President great satisfaction.

"On the night of the seventh of January," says this article, "the American lines were manned by the troops, who were aware, from the incidents around them, that the enemy was preparing for

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