The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser

MARTINSBURG, JUNE 16, 1794.

STUBBORN FACTS!

By a gentleman from General Wayne's camp who may be depended upon, we have the following very interesting particulars, viz.

That about the 10th of January, a deputation from the hostile tribes of Indians had arrived at head-quarters with overtures of peace; they left the grand council at Auglaize on the 2d of the same month, and in their speeches they acknowledged their errors, and charged the failure of the treaty last fall on Brandy, who they say wore two faces, and spoke with two tongues. The messengers returned with General Wayne's speech about the 19th, in which the nations were desired to bring in all prisoners, and to be at Fort Recovery (late St. Clair's field) on the 10th of February by which route alone they were permitted to approach us.

That this affair had excited various opinions and sensations in the army—some thinking it a manoeuvre, others an honest design—some being for peace and others for war, the latter inclination seemed to prevail, and was rather favored by the General, who expressed his sorrow at the arrival of the peace applicants, the old gentleman being as mad and sanguinary as ever; and very much bloated with ideas of his military prowess, wants to be dealing in blood.

That nothing remarkable occurred from the return of the deputies, until the 6th of February, when mad Anthony began to be alarmed at the prospect of peace. He then ordered out Capt. Hartshorn, with a select party, to open a wagon road, thirty-five miles, on a course very different from that by which the Indians were ordered to come in, and by the most direct route towards their settlements. The Captain finished the business and returned to the camp on the 10th, and if we may judge from appearances, the measure has answered the purpose intended, as nothing has been seen of the enemy, as late as the first of March, except small reconnoitering parties, which have not, however, offered to injure citizen or soldier.

That to back the road-cutting scheme, the General had projected an expedition to march immediately after the time appointed for the Indians to come in, had expired; and for this purpose, the light horse had been ordered from Kentucky, and large supplies of stores, provisions and forage, had been ordered to Green-Ville, at a vast expense, where the light horse, after a travel of 170 or 180 miles through mud belly deep, arrived on the evening of the 19th, with many hundred pack horses, and immense droves of swine and bullocks.

That after keeping all things together for two days, and feasting himself on these evidences of his omnipotence, mad Anthony discovered that the season of the year was improper for the purpose, and that the country was under water.

That in consequence of this discovery, which required a prodigious effort of his genius, he determined to eat the provisions at Green-Ville, and send back the light horse and pack horses to their former stations. Our informant observes, that the General has an exclusive right to the whole merits of this expedition, and as the event has not disappointed any person of common sense, and the expense may not exceed twenty thousand dollars, he thinks the public have no cause to complain, as it might have terminated much worse.

That since this affair, nothing remarkable had happened, and that the General had resumed his business of war making, and discovering which way the water ran from certain points, a circumstance which has caused him great perplexity and confusion of ideas.

Our informant states as matter of fact, that the discontent, the drinking, gambling, quarreling, fighting, and licentiousness of almost all ranks, exceeded all example. He adds, that these melancholy truths have been produced in a great measure by the conduct and example of the General, whose manners are despotic, whose judgment is feeble, infirm, and full of prejudice; whose temper is irascible and violent; whose language is indecent and abusive, and whose conduct to his officers is capricious and irregular, being at one time childishly familiar, and at another tyrannical and over-bearing.

That instead of restraining excesses by his authority; instead of reprehending the dissolute, and cultivating the meritorious officer, he makes no distinctions but in favor of his tools, spies, and toadies.

That acting above all laws divine and human, he assigns the Sabbath for extraordinary fatigues, and overturns, without reason, or upholds in violation of law, the proceedings of a general court-martial.

That to the shame and disgrace of his cloth, he has confounded all ideas of infamy and honor, by permitting an officer who had been regularly cashiered by a general court-martial, for "fraud and forgery," to resign a commission, which he had in fact forfeited, and dismissed him with honor.

That substituting domination for law, and private resentment for justice, he has arrested men of rank and worth on vexatious pretences, and has kept them in confinement, and denied a trial for months, whilst at the same time he has screened his pimps and parasites from justice, and has refused them to the law.

That such things should exist is lamentable, but that they do exist is too true to be denied, and it requires no spirit of prophecy to foretell what will be the end of a military corps, thus constructed and thus conducted.

Let those whom it concerns most, look to the consequences.

A list of resignations, cashiered officers, duels, &c. which have taken place in the Western army, will be in our next.