| OCR Text |
Show 7S 'LIFK OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. be made to their departure; and still more sensibly, nr. the consequences that would result from a disorderly ~abandonment of the camp. He stated, they had all thought themselves finally discharged, on the 20th of April last, and never knew to the contrary, until they saw the order of the 24th of September, requiring them to rendezvous at Fayetteville, on the 4th of October ; for the first time, they then learned, that they owed further services, their discharge to the contrary notwithstanding. "Thus situated, there was consider· able opposition to the order ; on which the officers generally, as I am advised, and I know myself in particular, gave it as an unequivocal opinion, that their term of service would terminate on the lOth of December. " They therefore look to their general, who holds their confidence, for an honourable discharge on that day ; and that, in every respect, he \Viii see that justice be done them. They regret that their peculiar situations and circumstances require them to leave 'their general, at a time when their services are important to the common cause. " It would be desirable," he continued, " that those men, who have served with honour, should be honourably discharged, and that they should return to their families and friends, without even the semblance of disgrace ; with their general they leave it to place them in that situation. They have received him as an affectionate lather, whilst they have honoured, revered, and obeyed him ; but, having devoted a considerable portion of their time to the service of their country, by which their domestic concerns are greatly deranged, .they wish to return, and attend to their own affairs." LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. Although this communication announced the deter- CHAP> mination of only a part of the volunteer brigade, he III. had already abundant evidence that the defection was~ general. The difficulties which the general had hereto-fore been compelled to encounter, from tl;le discontents of.~s tr?ops, rni?ht. well induce him to regret, that a ~prr~t of msubordmat10n should again threaten to appear m his camp. That he might, if possible, prevent it, h~ haste1~ed ~o lay before them the error and impropriety of therr VIews, and the conseqm;nces involved, should they persist in their purpose. " I know not," he observed, "what scenes will be exhibited on the lOth instant, nor what conse.quences ;:~r,'."n's are to flow from them here or elsewhere ; but as I shall · have the_ consciousness that they are not imputable to any misconduct of mine, I trust l shall have the fir~ness _not to shrink from a discharge of my duty. It will be well, however, for those who intend . to become actors in those ·scenes, and who are about to hazard s_o much on the correctness of their opini~ns, to examme beforehand, with great caution and deliberation, the grounds on which their pretensions rest1 Are they founded on any false assurances of mine or upon any deception that has bee~"' practised tow::rds them ? Was not the act of congress, under which they are engaged, directed, by my general order, to be read and expounded to them, before they enrolled themselv. es? That order will testify, and so will the recollectiOn of every general officer of my division. It is not pretended, that those who now claim to be discharged, were not legally and fairly en~olled, under the act of congress, of the 6th of F ehruary, 1812. Have |
