Gazette Of The United States

Further Extracts of a letter from Columbia, dated Feb. 14.

"Commandant Wilkinson being appointed Lieutenant-Colonel to the second United States regiment, about the middle of January, the firing of cannon, at Fort-Washington, announced to the inhabitants his arrival. His appointment as Lieutenant-Colonel, gave him the command of the Federal Troops.

Our winter has been uncommonly severe; we have had snow on the ground upwards of six weeks, most of the time 18 or 20 inches deep, and the river Ohio being closed, the ice at Cincinnati, for near a fortnight, afforded a bridge to the Kentucky shore.

Lieut. Col. Wilkinson, perhaps concluding business would be to be done early in the spring, improved the advantage of the snow to transport forage for the cavalry to Fort-Jefferson, and engaged all the teams and sleds that could be procured in the different settlements; and having determined upon an immediate enterprise, addressed himself to the militia at the different settlements in the Hon. Judge Symmes' Purchase; and on the 20th ult. visited Columbia, where he met the militia at Capt. Gano's; he made his appearance in an old hunting frock—he harangued them very feelingly, telling them he had some thoughts, if it should be found practicable, of visiting one of the Indian towns; and noted to them the expediency and necessity of bringing the cannon from the place of the fatal defeat of the 4th November last, as there was a probability that, unless that were done, they might be brought against us the approaching campaign; and dwelt a little upon the melancholy theme of their countrymen lying in the field of battle, calling upon them for the rites of sepulture. These hints were sufficient—they struck the souls of the solid boys."