1 ' i i 1 1 . r i. r 1 ' . : ' . . t . V . . . -
r j f l
S Hi support of bl motion to redace the nntn-
her of trjimentt proposed in tb BUi to
rtle aa'Udiaond Military Force, nd in
HEPLr TO Mr. GILES,
Mr. ANDERSON he was not
nul jmrnriird to heir the etotleriian
from Virginia, (M GileO aT thUhc
mm nnnreoAred to ODOoie a Tery un-
petted motion, when he (Mr. A ) hjd
two dat betbrc, whUU me dui wis un
der consideration togested hit inttti-
-lion, in mi uiakci iw nw
he had now made ; UDon whtch the ho
conble member expressed a wish to
postpone the consideration oi tne que
tion. and immedUielT mot ed the post
pdoemtntoF the bill, which wis Dot op-
. . ' t :i i Vf - A
poseoi ana oi course prcTaucu. .
irl. that i he motion was not, therefore
made without due'notice, and he would
d.nithoutdac considerauon. He had
consulted with a number 'of the mem-
bera of this honorable body, for wboae
judgment and opinions fie bad great re
aped, and with whose approbation, and
he migh(dd, at whose instance the
motion bad been made. He waa. how.
irrr, himself ready and willing to meet
11 the rrsDoniib.litr that miebt attach
to it j notwithstanding the surpr re,of
the honorable member a to ttie quaner
from whjch it had cosne.
MuAUaid, he should not pretend to
reply to al the Various obserrtions the
gentleman had thought proper to make
' Tery many of which he considered al
together irrelevant to the question un
der consideration, but which might,
perhaps answjj some other purpose
which the honorable member might
kare in view.
Mr. Anderson aid, he was as strongly
impressed with the necessity of a suf
fSciem force for the inyaVion of Can
da as the gentleman from Virginia
tould possibly be, and not a single ex
pression had escaped him to induce a
belief that be- should be unwilling to
ote a propeT and ample force for that
icrviceV hut he differed greatly wi.h
the gentleman as to the kind of f tree
we ought immetUaUlj to employ., The
honorable member apDearrd to place his
aole dependence upon regular troopa ;
and yet, if he understood his argument,
he was decidedly inaror of making a
descent upon Canada early In the spring
As to the time, Mr. A agreed wi h him
but as "o the .means, he certainly dif
fered from him Tery greatly, The num-
btr of regulars, contemplated by tne
rrtntleman cnu'd not possibly be raised
within the time ; he was therefore of
opinion that a less Tiumbcr ought to be
hue r ted in the bill. .. It snouia De re
ollected that we had Tery recrntly au
tborircd the regiments in the peace es
tablishment To be filled ; they would re
quire at least 6000 men ; add 'hereto
S 5,000 more,thenurrber prr.poed by the
jrentlemah ; and be would ask him to an
awer candidly, whether he blte?ed th.t
so great a numberbf troops could be en
listed within thrvtirae required for the
service to be performed. Mr. A- said,
impressed, as he was, with a firm be
lief that pot more , than half the num
ber proposed by,tbe honorable member
could be enlisted within the time they
must take the field in order to act effi
ciently, aguinst Canada, he could not see
the propriety of retaining the whole
number contemplated by the bill. Mr.
f A said, it must be well known to every
gentleman, that the invasion of Canada
must ncceasariljr take place before the
brtakiog up of. the ice in the river S.
JLawrence ; otherwise, twice. 25,000
would we required ; because large re
inforcemeots, as soon as an'opportuniiy
Dtwmed would be. thrown into that
country, Mri A. said, upon a iair yiew
f the whole subject, as it presented it
self to him, he was decidedly of opinion
that be number, of regular troops to be
raised by that bill ought not to exceed,
t6,000, and he had no hesitation insay.
ing, that In bis .opinion as cfH .icpt a
force would be raised under such a pro
fUion, within the time. limited for tak
Jngthe field,' as would be raised were
the present number in the bill retained
and in the former case, wcshould
prove to our enemies, , that we were a
Le . to raise such number of regular
troops as might be wanted upon a sud
den emergency ; but in the latter, we
should not be able to make the same ex-
.hibit.. ' Vhat then would be the con se
quence ' You .would girt a most mor
tifying proof that your means were not
commensurate to yo'Orends tliatyour
plan hadbern badly diges'ed, and worse
executed And surely the gentleman
can have no desire to present such a
state of things, at the Very moment when
all the energies of the nation seem to
be required. Mr. A said, to avoid this
extraordinary exhibit was also one of his
ojects i and Jhis, in his opinion, could
be done by taking the course he had
ontemplated t and he entirely appro-
-d it ; and if the honorable member had
a. tended to rnxotlrtfart of ; the' Presi
dent's message, wnere w spcaaa oi to-
lunteers,he must himself have been con
vinced that the President did not mean
to make the descent upon Canada with
he 10 000 regulars only; which had
been understood, as the gentleman hw
stated, to be the auxiliary force referred
to in the measare. The object of the
President cannot be better explained
than by referring to the message itself.
He says4 1 recommend accordingly,
hat adequate provision be made tor nil
mijthe ranks and prolonging the enlist
ment of the regular troops ; for an auk-
Mart fsree to be engaged for a m re
limited time ; for the acceptance ot t'
tun tears whose patriotic ardor roa court
a parti1 ipi 10 in urgent serviar,' 1
rhe mannrr in which the President
speaks of volunteers, csn leave no doubt
upon the mind of any one as to the aer-
vice in which the? were to be employ
ed : thry are evidently intended to be
united with the regular troops to per
form 11 urgent services, according to
the express language of the message
Mr; A. would ask the .honorable mem
ber, what was the Urgent service meant
by the President ? M-st certainly a de
scent upon Canada in which the regu
lars and the volunteers were equally to
participate. Why, then, the hon. mem
ber had taken so much pains to prove
that the 10,000 regulars were the only
military force with which the President
had intended to perform the urgent ser
vice referred to in his message, Mr- Aw
was at a loss to comprehend ; for he un
derstood the message and the object of
it Tery differently ; and he should have
expected that the candor of the hon'ble
member would have induced him to
have given the message a fair mtepre
tation. That he had no done so, must
be supposed io proceed from his recent
but very strange attachment to a regu
lar military force. However anli-repub-
ican this doctrine had formerly been, it
seemed now to be viewed thro a diffe
rent medium by the honorable member
from Virginia. Mr. A. said, that hav
ing, as he thought, proved by a fair in
terpretation of the President's message,
that he intended to unite the volunteers
(that mipht be thought requisite) with
ihe regular troops, to perform the urg
ent services! of .which he speaks he
would endeavor to present a fair and im
partial view of the course recommend-
edby tne rresioeat, ano compare u witn
he course which bad been taken and so
strenuously supported by the honorable
member from Virginia. The President
had recommended the raiMngof Yolun-
teers; St it was inctaeniajiy maae Known
that the auxiliary; force spoken of, was
ten thousand regular troops. If, then,
provision had been immediately made
by law or raising ten thousand regular
troops, and also for raising volunteers,
those troops would now be in a state of
preparation a considerable number of
the .regular troops would ere now have
been enlisted, and the chance of getting
the whole number greatly increased. If
time had been afforded, as it ought to
bate been, the laws passed within two
or three weeks after Congress , met,
hich might have been done, a suffici
ent regular force would in all probabili
ty have been in a state, of readiness in
the month of April ; and the number of
volunteers which might have been requi
red to make up the necessary force,would
no doubt long since have been in a state
of preparation to take the field in time
to have performed the arduous service
contemplated by the President.
But instead of that course having
tven pursued, what has been done ?
Your first military bill, reported only a
few days ago, is now under considera
tion ;'the session now almost half expi
red, and at this la't'e period, the honora
ble member, to whom, as chairman of
the committee 2cc; he whole manage
ment of the militartusincss wa refer
red, insista upon raising 35,000 regular
troops, whose duty,urfthall be to make a
descent cpoCanat?, in all the month
of May -.Can the gentleman be serious j
DoMi&eltoMt .mctictblfi I If ha
does, Mr. A. said, he ahoufcj be obliged
to belieYe, that the ho oribfe member
was in earnest some days ago, when he
assured the Senate, that he1 knew very
little of military affairs. Mr. A. said,
from the proofs we hare repeatedly had,
of the difficulty of obtaining men by en
listment for so long a time as five jrears,
and the want in our country of those
kinds oF materials of which regular
troops are made he did not believe that
one half the number proposed to be rais
ed by the bill could be enlisted within
IOC llulC rcquircu. ,mn n oaiu, aium
be w js not as much in the habit of pro
phesying as the honorable j member) he
would, under all circumstances, adven
Mire to predict, that the scheme of now
racing 25,000 regular troops, to per
form the arduous service contemplated
in the Piesident's message, would en
tirely fail, and that the course pointed
out bv the President must at last be a-
doptcd, that is, to unite volunteers with
regular troops.
Mr A. said he trusted that the hono
rable member himself had in view the
same object, but differed as to the means
of carrvintr it into effect ; the means
proposed by the honorable member
were regular troops only. If then the
bill should pass to rais: 25,000, entire
dependence would, in all probability, be
placed upon the regular troops, ordered
to le raised ; the consequence, as he
had before said, would be, that the
whole object must fail. He was there
fore for taking the regular troops that
could be raised in time, and supplying
the additional number' of men, which
might be wanted, by volunteers 15 or
20,000 of whom could, he had no doubt,
be brought into the field, before ten thou
sand of the regular troops, contempla
ted by the bill, could be enlisted. By
this mode (notwithstanding so much
time had been lost) an efficient army
might be yet provided in time to carry
ino effect the objects of the govern
ment, which, Mr. A. said, he did not
believe could or would be done, if de
pendence were placed upon the regular
troops. Notwithstanding the little con
fidence which the honorable member
seems disposed to place in the volun
teer Mr. A. said, he had; no hesitation
in giving it, as his most decided opinion,
that at least as much dependence might
be placed upon the volunteers, as upon
the newly raited regular troops. The
volunteers wou'd have the same chance
of discipline that the new regulars would
hjve. A sufficient number of those who
offered their sc vices, might be called in
to the field, as early as the season would
admit, Sc placed under strict discipl ne f
to which for their own honor they would
readily submit nay, require, if left to
their own choice ; for the first object
they would have in view would be to ac
quire military skill, and they would not
only be Yery soon prepared to perform
field duty but might entirely be depend
ed upon for any other service. Witness
the prowess of the volunteers at the bat
tle; of the Wabash, and these had not
been disciplined at all. Mr. A. said,
he expected the honorable member
would admit, that the materials of which
the volunteers would be composed, would
be at least equal to those: of which the
regular troops would be formed : and
the officers of the volunteer corps being
appointed by the President, would, he
had no doubt,. faithfully perform their
duty. Those, said Mr. A fare complete
ly in our power ; and he considered it
our best policy, as well as our duty, to
bring-them into action. Mr. A. said in
addition Jo the efficiency oi the means
which he proposed to bring into the
fields it would have one very considera
ble advantage over the regular army of
the honorable member. It would be
more conformable to the
of the constitution, and
rue principles
would conse-
quenily be more acceptable to the na
tion. The confidence with which be
had spoken of volunteers, was not found
ed upon; visionary theory1, but practical
experience ;' be had ot en in tne. revo
lution had opportunity to witness .their
military ardor and persevering firm
ness ; on two occasions in particular,
he one at Connecticut Farms, the othe
at Springfit ld, in the spring of 1780.-
Tne enemy had advanced, ip force a
bout two thousand, to a place called Con
necticut Farms, about four miles' from
Elizabeth-town, in New Jersey. ThV
only troops that, were within striking
distance , ta oppose this ,force was the
brigade of Jersey Regulars, containing
then. about a thousand men ; many vo
lunteers however flocked to their stand
ard tho enemy were mot by thiafarca ty
a battle ensued the American army
had the advantage of the ground ; tut
the right witig p, the; enemy extenddi
so far, that if not suddenly checked, it
would have enabled them to have Hank
ed our left. " It was necessary to. pre
vent it services of this kind must be
promptly-rendered jfbur hundred re
gulara and two hundred volunteers were
ordered to execute it;; no more could
be spared fi om the line. A good posi
tion alone could have justified the at
tempt, with the disparity of numbers.
It was first made by monetivre,,but it
was soon found, it could only be done
with the bayonet. A determined charge
wjts made, and it was successful ; the
enemy were repuls.-d , ; the volunteers
were upon the left ; not a man broke
his ranks. Some 6raye fellows fe-l bat
their places were, immediately filled;
all behaved with the j firmness of vete-
rans The next day, those troops had
the thanks of General Washington in
general- orders. The volunteers had
only joined the regulars a few days be
fore the action. In about two weeks af
ter the enemy advanced in greater
force- about 'five thousand the troops
who had been in the former action; had
kept their position where the battle had
b- en fought ; it wasi advantageous for
an inferior force ; it I was a 'defile, cov
ered for some distance on -the right by
a morass ; on tne lett it was not well
protected. Against 'this position, the
m ' m
enemy again advanced ; and by their
increased numbers, they were, enabled
to turn our left. We were obliged to
retreat ; but not without having kept
the enemy a considerable time in check.
tt m
xou Know, ivir. fresiaent, tnere is no
situation so trying to j the bravery and
hi mness of troops, as a retreat f for even
youy sir, I believe, had to retreat some
times.) The volunteers upon this oc
casion, behaved like themselves ; a swl
len, indignant strp, marked their move-
ments ; and from the mouths of their
guns they spoke to the enemy the lan-Hit
guage of defiance $ the enemy did not
advance one mile, he lore a fortunate po-
sition, supported by determined braverv,
enabled the united force of the reguhrs
and volunteers to arrest their progress
for the remainder of the day. This
day's action began with th dawn of the
morning, and continued un il th set
tint? of the sun, when the .enemy fell
back to take a secure position against
the expected attacks of the night. Du- II
ring the whole of this duy's action, the j
volunteers kept the stations assigned 1
mem, wmcn iney susiamea wun ias n
much firmness as thereu ar troops
many ot tnem were KUieuano wounaeq. it
Among the number, w ere said tobe ae-
ven of one family connection, brothers,
brothers in-law, and cousins ; several
of whom he had himself seen after the
action. Scenes like this, Mr. President II
(said Mr. A.) of which he had been
an eye-witness, and In which he claimed If
some participation, had given him that)
cooadence in volunteers, which he had
evinced to the Senate in the course of
his observations, and which, he said,
should never cease but with his exis
tence. They are, sir. the best military
materials in your country they are
the flower of your forests ; they ought
not to be thrown into the background,
the better to enable the honorable mem
ber from Virginia to; present his regu
lars in front. - .
Mr. A. said. I have stated Mr. Presi-
sident, perhaps with some warmth, the
ground upon which my confidence in
volunteers has been founded ; and be it
remembered, said Mr. A. that they
were militia volunteers. He said, he
ought to have stated, that the enemy
hey had encountered, was composed of
regulars and Hessians the whole under
the command of the Hessian General )
Knyphasen. Mr. A. said, the voluq
teers he now proposed raising,, he would
have engaged for nine or twelve months
from the time 'of their reaching the
place of general rendezvous. They
should be engaged by ofiicers to be ap
pointtd by the President, under such
regulations (of course), as might be pro
vided by lawbut which could not now
beiwell detailed. ' j ' ' 'r'--'
Mr.' A. aaid,s he 'should now offer
some observations upon the number of
troops that ought to be employed ,He
said, that the invasion of Canada was
not now contemplated for the" Erst time
4t had often been, af iubject of con Yer
sation, whenever there had ; Veen any
prospect of a yvar with England. It has
been considered as the most' convenient
mean uoon which we could make renri-
aaU and thereby obtain await null rtJ
i paration for
riei whirh
thp mahyjpsscs apd t fojuv
have Wen sustained 'from
the depredations committed upon the
Conor and interests ofthe nation. Mr.
A. said, that upon ilerent occasioni,
he had always, given it as his opioion
tiat a descent upon Canada otight, ne
yer to be attempted with a force of leso
than twenty five thousand men; thaC
such a force Wouidmbke an awful itn
jpression and would in all probability'
kave many valuable lives as nio opk
sing forces in - th&muai; itatsv oif the)
country, would be able to meet it iri the
cld. Mr. A. said, he related, that
1 1 ho expression had escaped him. eithef
in public debate, or in private con ver- .
sation, to justify the insinuations made
by the gentleman, that he was unwUf
ling to vote a stjfficiient force for thiu' "
vasioh of Canada. V On the contrary, he
believed that no map who had seen act
ive military service, and who haid anw
knowledge of the situation and atate of.
that country, would say that' it would
be prudent, or . safe, to make a descent
upon Canada, with a force of less than
twr nrv-fiye thousand men ; peculiar tit
cumstances. might, however, render it
necessary, to attempt it with a smaller
number, and depend upon immediate
supplies being Furnished, to sustain the
ground that might be acquired. Mr
A. said, the honorable member bad in
timated that he had not t&ken.into con
sideration thV peculiar situation of; Ine r
U. States in relation to the Floridas, and
the o her parts of the southern and wes
tern , frontier. He said he was muck
indebted to. ihe honorable member for
evincing so much inttrrest for those sec
tions of the; union but, Mr. A ,said9
he considered those already provided
for, by the provision 'made to fill up the
regiments op the establishment, which,
when complete; would amount to tea
thousand men this number will be
qnite competent to all the objects sug.
gested by the honorable member, and
had not been contemplated that he
had heard, to remove any of these troopa
iromthe south or west consequently
the situation of those parts of the union
parts oi the union
can have no relation to the number of
men to be raided by Ihe bill under con
sideration. (These troops are under
stood to be exclusively for the.nertberss
section-and with that? express vietr
hey are o be raised Mr. A said, be
fore he quitted the subject of the south
ern and western frontier, be felt himself
constrained to take notice of some verr
1 extraordinary language, . usecf by the
nonoraoiermeraoer in relation to toe in
it n tions of the late and presennPresi
aems, respecting tne city ot Ur leans, in
the event of a war with England. It
was extremely painful to doubt ; the cbf
rectness of any gentleman's slateineh(
but this jvas of so very extraordinary a
character, that in duty: to the section of'
(the country
he represented, " and' from
the respect
due to those distinguished
characters,
Mr A. said ' he Considered
himself bound to tcke notice, in a car
ticular manher,.orthe assertions inada
by the honorable member from Vigi
nia. Mr. A. said, the words, had very!
much surprised: him, when he heard
them utiered ; and he had immediately;
written thein down; The honorable
member has saidrrthat he dUbnow, that
in .the event of a! war it was the,' inten
Hon
the
late President, to let the En
glish
take
Orleans without opposition
and teatfe it to the western people to re
take It; themselves g and he didibelieve
that it was the intention of the present
administration to act in ihVsame way
Mr. Giles attempted to explain ; but
Mr. A. insisted that the; words, as he
had taken them downr were xbrectr for
which he appealed to tha House. 'Mr.
G- desisted from; making any , further
attempt at explanation, and Mr A. pro
ceeded.l sir, said ' Mr. A. I could
believe the late Presidentof the United
States capable of such an act ; capable
of so deliberate an infringement of the j
letter and spirit of the constitution,; and
all the mordl and political obligations by
which he ras bound tp his country; and
to his duty, I should not hesitate to say
thai all his welt-earned tame oueht t o
be forever merged in such an atrocious
contemplated act. But, said Mi A
knowing, as I do, the motives and yiewa
by which the late President had been u
niformly aj&tuated with; respect to the
wholes western couriiryr I have, very so
lid reason to believe he neyer contem-
plated, nor waa he capahlaojcbmmit
ting ao daring aq outrage, on .the fights
hl ,ipeatfofcfe'iwbtW
sectima:ofCjb
' T Concluded m w four tb to
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